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Worship In Islam Not Limited To Religious Rituals

IN the Holy Qur’an, God tells human beings that they were created in order to worship Him alone and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience, and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty Allah is the only judge of human righteousness.

The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty Allah loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair.

In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur’an, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), contains a great number of teachings about life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty Allah will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say, Islam teaches that life is a test and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become utterly selfish, materialistic, and immoral.

Islam teaches that true happiness can only be secured by living a life full of God-consciousness and being contented with what God has given us. Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life.

In addition to being members of the human brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance, and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty Allah, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that one feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting and frees human beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic, and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized.

Obedience To The Command Of Allah Is An Obligatory Duty

Allah, the Exalted, says:
“But no, by your Rubb, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad (PBUH)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.” (4:65)

“The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (PBUH), to judge between them, is that they say: `We hear and we obey.’ And such are the successful (who will live forever in Jannah).” (24:51)

168. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When it was revealed to Messenger of Allah (PBUH): “To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your own selves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it,” the Companions of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) felt it hard and severe and they came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and sat down on their knees and said: “O Messenger of Allah, we were assigned some duties which were within our power to perform, such as Salat (prayer), Saum (fasting), Jihad (striving in the Cause of Allah), Sadaqah (charity). Then this (the above mentioned) Verse was revealed to you and it is beyond our power to live up to it.” Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Do you want to say what the people of two Books (Jews and Christians) said before you: ‘We hear and disobey?’ You should rather say: ‘We hear and we obey, we seek forgiveness, our Rubb and unto You is the return.”’ And they said: “We hear and we obey, (we seek) Your forgiveness, our Rubb! And unto You is the return.” When the people recited it and it smoothly flowed on their tongues, then Allah revealed immediately afterwards: “The Messenger (Muhammad (PBUH)) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Rubb, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say), ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’ – and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Rubb, and to You is the return (of all)”. When they did that, Allah abrogated this (Ayah) and Allah the Great revealed: “Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned.” (The Prophet (PBUH) said): “Yes. ‘Our Rubb! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians)”. (The Prophet (PBUH) said): “Yes. ‘Our Rubb! Put not on us a burden greater than we have the strength to bear”. (The Prophet (PBUH) said): “Yes. ‘Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Patron, Supporter, and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people”.

He (the Prophet (PBUH)) said: “Yes”.
[Muslim].

Commentary: We learn from this Hadith that initially every person was answerable for thoughts and doubts even those which crossed his mind; something on which nobody had any control. The Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were naturally disturbed by this situation. But when they heard and obeyed the orders of the Prophet (PBUH) then Almighty Allah revoked this order with the elaboration that He does not put anyone to trouble beyond his capacity. It is, therefore, essential for every Muslim to obey all the Injunctions of Allah because none of it is such that he is unable to carry out.

 

The Importance Of The Word Bismillah (In The Name Of Allah)

Bismillah, In the Name of God, is the beginning of all good things. So we too shall start with it. This blessed phrase is a sign of  Islam, and all creatures constantly recite it in their unique way. If you want to understand what an  inexhaustible source of strength and blessing bismillah is, then listen to the following allegory:

For a stranger who travels in the deserts of Arabia, it is necessary to get the protection of a tribal chief. Only then may he escape the mischief of robbers and be sure his needs will be met. Traveling alone would be a waste of time because of the enemies and unmet needs he must face.

Two men once set out on such a desert jour­ney. One was humble, the other arrogant. The humble man took the protection of a tribal chief, but the arrogant one didn’t. The former traveled everywhere in safety. Whenever he met a robber, he would say, “I’m traveling in the name of such and such chief,” and the robber would move on without molesting him. He would be treated with respect in every tent he entered because of that name. By contrast, the arrogant one suffered indescribable disasters throughout his journey. He trembled in constant fear and was obliged to struggle and beg for his every need. He became low and mean.

Man is a traveler in the desert of the world

O, arrogant soul! You are that traveler and this world is the desert. Your weakness and pov­erty know no bounds. You face countless enemies and privations. So, invoke the name of the Eternal Owner and the Everlasting Ruler of this world. Only then will you be saved from having to beg from others and from constantly living in fear.

The phrase bismillah is so blessed a treasure that, by connecting you to the infinite Power and Mercy of the  Omnipotent and Merciful.

One, it transforms your weakness and poverty into the most heeded of intercessors at His Exalted Court. The one who, uttering bismillah, acts in the name of God, is like the one who joins an army and then acts under the state’s name. He fears no one, does all things in the name of the law and the state, and persists against all odds.

Kindness In Islam

Nasiruddin was the slave of a king, and very fond of hunting. One day he came across a very pretty baby deer and picked it up and rode away. The mother deer saw Nasiruddin take her baby and followed him anxiously. Nasiruddin,
pleased with the baby dear, was thinking about presenting it to his children to play with.

After a time, he chanced to look back and saw the mother deer following him, her expression full of grief. He noticed too that she did not seem to care about her own safety. Moved to pity, Nasiruddin set the baby deer free. The mother deer nuzzled and licked her baby fondly and the two deer leaped happily away into the forest. But many times the mother deer looked back at Nasiruddin as if to express her thanks.

That night Nasiruddin dreamt that the revered Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was addressing him: ” Nasiruddin, your name has been entered in the list of Allah, and you will one day have a kingdom. But remember that when you are king you will also have many responsibilities. Just as you have shown mercy to the deer today, you should be merciful to all Allah’s creatures. You should not forget your people by falling into a life of luxury.” This dream came true and Nasiruddin did become king, Amir Nasiruddin Subaktagin, father of Sultan Muhammad.

The Moral Of The Story …. is that if we wish Allah to be merciful to us, we must be eager to show mercy to all the living creatures of the earth.

When a flower blooms,
its color and scent first touch the garden near it and then spread.
In the same way,
a Muslim’s acts of human kindness should first touch those nearest to him,
his family and his neighbors.

 

Companions Of The Prophet Muhammad: Who Were They And Why Are They So Important?

MENTION is often made of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Just who were they and why are they so important?

A Companion is anyone, man or woman, who met the Prophet (PBUH) – whether for a short or long period – and who died while still Muslim. Many of the Companions were relatives, wives, servants, or close friends of the Prophet. The details of the Prophet’s life – including his words, deeds, and reactions to events – have been handed down to us through the Companions. These accounts form the collection of Hadiths from which we derive the Sunnah, which is the second basis of Islamic law after the Qur’an.

The Companions, men, and women are exemplars of faith. The earliest Muslims suffered terrible torments at the hands of the Quraish, the ruling tribe of Makkah. Those who emigrated from Makkah left behind their homes and families, even all their worldly possessions, to follow the call of Islam.

Many of them were fearless. One of them (‘Ali Bin Abi Talib) was willing to take the place of the Prophet (PBUH) in his bed when the Quraish were planning to assassinate Muhammad (PBUH) in his sleep. Another, a woman (Nusaybah Bint Ka’b), protected the Prophet in the Battle of Uhud. Many others fought fearlessly in the battles to defend their faith.

The Companions memorized the verses of the Qur’an as they were revealed, and those who were lettered wrote the verses down. So many of them devoted themselves to memorizing the entire Qur’an that when Zayd Bin Thabit was tasked with compiling one standard copy, he was able to assure there were no errors in writing by comparing his copy to the memorization of the Companions. Allah promised to protect His Qur’an, and it was through the efforts of the great Companions (and their later followers) that He did so.

Reading through the biographies of the Companions, one is struck by their devotion. Several of them were noted for their ascetic way of life. Others were noted for their extreme generosity. Still, others were noted for their piety and fear of Allah’s wrath – even for sins, they had committed before they embraced Islam, although embracing Islam effaced their sins. Because some of the Companions were in such close contact with the Prophet (PBUH) and familiar with his sayings and doings, their opinions on jurisprudence were often sought and remain recorded in books. Many of the Companions, including his wife A’ishah, survived the Prophet by several decades and were able to pass on their knowledge to two or three generations.

Thus we owe a great deal to the Companions of the Prophet, and we honor and respect them all.