Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Signs of a Believer
http://islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/the-signs-of-a-believer.html
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said, describing the believer, "He is subtle in his movements, sweet to look at... He seeks out the loftiest of matters, and has the most outstanding moral ethics... He is not prejudiced against he whom he does not like, nor biased in favour of one he loves... He is hardly a burden, and instead is very helpful... He perfects his actions as if he is being watched, lowers his gaze, is liberal in his giving, and never turns away a beggar... He considers his words carefully and guards his tongue... He neither accepts falsehood from a friend, nor rejects truth from an enemy... He only learns in order that he might know, and he only knows in order that he may act... When he travels with worldly people, he is the smartest of them, and when he travels with the people of the Hereafter, he is the most pious from among them." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) further describes, "The believer is such that his joy is evident on his face whereas his sorrow is in his heart. His breast is at its widest [i.e. biggest heart] but his ego is at his lowest. He despises high ranks and shuns reputation. His grief is long-lasting and his ambition is lofty. His silence is much and his time occupied. He is grateful, extremely patient, and immersed in deep thought. He is prudent with his needs. He is good-natured and mild-tempered. His soul is firmer than steel whilst his ego remains lower than a slave." (Ibid.)
Sent down upon us by the Almighty as the epitome of moral excellence, our Infallible Guides (peace be upon them) have blessed us with countless pearls of wisdom with regard to the signs of a true believer. Having clearly illustrated the loftiness of the moral virtues and behavioral merits a believer possesses, let us take a moment in solitude to reflect upon some of these, whilst striving to inculcate the noble yet cardinal qualities into ourselves with sincerity.
Moral Excellence
At the heart of the Holy Prophet's mission was to maintain, perfect and nourish good moral virtues; he has said, "I recommend to you the importance of good moral conduct because I have been appointed by God Almighty to accomplish this very aim." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Being one of his greatest prophetic objectives, we must especially be mindful of our character when we find ourselves in positions of disagreement, as it is in these situations that Shaytan is so effortlessly successful in deflating the believer's moral behavior. It takes one slip of the tongue to pass off as being offensive, and less than that to be dominated by the urge to degrade our fellow believers who we feel are wrong in their opinions, beliefs and conduct. When such sentiments prevail, let us remember the words of our Prophet: "The peak of good reason after religious devotion is treating people with love" (Ibid). If faced with a somewhat difficult individual, let us remember our Prophet's advice to "perform acts of courtesy to those who are worthy of them as well as those who are not worthy of them, and even if they have no effect on those who do deserve them, you are at least worthy of performing them." (Uyun Akhbar al-Rida)
Imam Ali has further said, "For your brother, offer your blood and your wealth; for your enemy your justice and fairness, and for people in general your joy and your good favor." (Bihar al-Anwar) Indeed, in the path of the Ahlul Bayt there is no room for insolence – to friends and enemies alike.
Content
Feelings of satisfaction and content are generally coupled with Allah's blessings and bounties in times of happiness and fortune, yet the sign of the believer is to be content and at peace with however much or little the Lord has allotted for herself/himself. Rather than distressing over that which he seeks yet cannot attain, the believer will understand that Allah is the best of planners and thus – regardless of circumstances – there is complete wisdom behind what He has willed.
When Imam as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked how a believer knows that he is indeed a believer, the Imam replied: "Through submission to Allah and satisfaction with whatever source of happiness or unhappiness comes his way." (Ibid.)
The Holy Prophet once asked a group of his companions, "Who are you?" They said, "We are believers." He then asked, "What is the sign of your faith?" They replied, "We remain patient in trial and are thankful in times of happiness and ease, and we are content at Divine decisions." Upon hearing this, the Prophet replied, "These are truly the faithful." (Islamic Morals)
Firmness
Is the condition of our heart strong enough to face the troubles that come our way, such that it is strengthened by them or at the least remains unconditionally unaffected?
Imam Sadiq said, "Verily the believer is stronger than pieces of iron, for when a piece of iron enters the fire it changes, whereas the believer, were he to be killed and resurrected and then killed again, his heart would never change." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Do we shy away from displaying our faith to the world and feel weakened and threatened by external scrutiny, or do we stand firm in obeying Allah's commands regardless of how big a stone is thrown at us?
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said, "The believer is harder than a mountain, for the mountain is dispensable, whereas nothing can be taken away from a believer's religion." (Al-Kafi) He also said, describing the attributes of Shias, "They are like strong fortresses; their chests are trustworthy; they are men of prudence and self-control; they are not extravagant; they are neither oppressors nor pretentious; they are devoted worshippers in night and brave like lions during the day." (Mishkat al-Anwar)
Honesty
Imam Baqir said, "The Lord Almighty has kept locks for evil and wickedness, and the key to those locks is wine because intoxicants drive away intelligence." He then added, "Lying is worse than wine." (Al-Kafi) That is certainly something to think hard about – lying is worse than wine! Yet how easily inclined we are to projecting, implying and breathing falsehood daily. Entire lives have been (and continue to be) consumed and disintegrated by incessant engagement in lies. Can such individuals claim to be believers? The Prophet said, "The believer can be predisposed to any trait, but he cannot be predisposed to lying or treachery." (Tuhaf al-Uqul)
Forgiveness and Forbearance
The height of the virtue of forgiveness was found in all of our divinely appointed Guides. As unmovable mountains of forbearance, they would not only pardon the enemy, but treat them with such kindness and compassion to the extent of winning them over. As Imam Ali has said, "Obligate yourself to adopt affection, and make yourself tolerate the hindrances of people." (Ibid.)
For those of us who may find it difficult to overlook the faults of others and treat them with respect and consideration, let us take heed of the Holy Prophet's tradition in which he tells us, "One of the signs of a believer is that he does not naturally nurse any grudge based on carnal sentiments, against anybody." He also said, "If a believer happens to commit a fault, the aggrieved believer does not feel antipathy towards him for more than three days."
Further, he advised "If you are faced with anger, avert it through pardon, for verily a caller will call out on the Day of Resurrection: 'Whoever has a claim for a reward from Allah should stand up!', and none will stand except the pardoners. Have you not heard the verse of Allah, the most High, 'So whoever pardons and makes peace, his reward lies with Allah'?!" (A'lam al-Din)
Generosity
The Holy Prophet said, "Allah has made generosity the greatest moral virtue." (Kanz al-'Ummal)
Imam Sadiq said, "Generosity is one of the noble traits possessed by the prophets. It is the pillar of belief, such that only a true believer will be generous, as well as one who possesses great certainty and high aspiration, for generosity is a gleam from the light of certainty, and the one who knows what he wants finds it easy to give away." (Bihar al-Anwar)
He has further said, "The best ones from among you are those who are liberal and the worst ones from among you are the miserly" (Ibid, p. 350), and that "A generous youth burdened by sins is more beloved to Allah than a worshipping but miserly old man." (Bihar al-Anwar)
The Best of Believers
Imam Ali said, "The best of believers in terms of faith is he whose giving and withholding, and whose displeasure and pleasure are solely for the sake of Allah." (Ghurar al-Hikam)
He also said, "Our Shi'a are those who possess a deep understanding of Allah; they act according to the orders of Allah; they possess excellences; they speak only the truth; their food is limited to gaining strength; their dress is simple; their behavior is humble; you think that they have lost their senses, but it is not like that… Instead, the greatness of their Lord has made them oblivious, and His power has overwhelmed their hearts and taken over their intellects. So when they strongly wish of Him, they promptly strive to do pure actions before God, the most High; they are not happy with few good actions, and they never take their abundant good actions to be sufficient." (Bihar al-Anwar)
The Holy Prophet said, "There are ten signs of a righteous person: he loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, befriends for the sake of Allah, abandons for the sake of Allah. He becomes angry for the sake of Allah, becomes pleased for the sake of Allah, works for the sake of Allah, beseeches Allah, submits to Allah – fearing Him, awed [by others], pure, sincere, bashful, and watchful – and acts kindly for the sake of Allah." (Ibid.)
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said, describing the believer, "He is subtle in his movements, sweet to look at... He seeks out the loftiest of matters, and has the most outstanding moral ethics... He is not prejudiced against he whom he does not like, nor biased in favour of one he loves... He is hardly a burden, and instead is very helpful... He perfects his actions as if he is being watched, lowers his gaze, is liberal in his giving, and never turns away a beggar... He considers his words carefully and guards his tongue... He neither accepts falsehood from a friend, nor rejects truth from an enemy... He only learns in order that he might know, and he only knows in order that he may act... When he travels with worldly people, he is the smartest of them, and when he travels with the people of the Hereafter, he is the most pious from among them." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) further describes, "The believer is such that his joy is evident on his face whereas his sorrow is in his heart. His breast is at its widest [i.e. biggest heart] but his ego is at his lowest. He despises high ranks and shuns reputation. His grief is long-lasting and his ambition is lofty. His silence is much and his time occupied. He is grateful, extremely patient, and immersed in deep thought. He is prudent with his needs. He is good-natured and mild-tempered. His soul is firmer than steel whilst his ego remains lower than a slave." (Ibid.)
Sent down upon us by the Almighty as the epitome of moral excellence, our Infallible Guides (peace be upon them) have blessed us with countless pearls of wisdom with regard to the signs of a true believer. Having clearly illustrated the loftiness of the moral virtues and behavioral merits a believer possesses, let us take a moment in solitude to reflect upon some of these, whilst striving to inculcate the noble yet cardinal qualities into ourselves with sincerity.
Moral Excellence
At the heart of the Holy Prophet's mission was to maintain, perfect and nourish good moral virtues; he has said, "I recommend to you the importance of good moral conduct because I have been appointed by God Almighty to accomplish this very aim." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Being one of his greatest prophetic objectives, we must especially be mindful of our character when we find ourselves in positions of disagreement, as it is in these situations that Shaytan is so effortlessly successful in deflating the believer's moral behavior. It takes one slip of the tongue to pass off as being offensive, and less than that to be dominated by the urge to degrade our fellow believers who we feel are wrong in their opinions, beliefs and conduct. When such sentiments prevail, let us remember the words of our Prophet: "The peak of good reason after religious devotion is treating people with love" (Ibid). If faced with a somewhat difficult individual, let us remember our Prophet's advice to "perform acts of courtesy to those who are worthy of them as well as those who are not worthy of them, and even if they have no effect on those who do deserve them, you are at least worthy of performing them." (Uyun Akhbar al-Rida)
Imam Ali has further said, "For your brother, offer your blood and your wealth; for your enemy your justice and fairness, and for people in general your joy and your good favor." (Bihar al-Anwar) Indeed, in the path of the Ahlul Bayt there is no room for insolence – to friends and enemies alike.
Content
Feelings of satisfaction and content are generally coupled with Allah's blessings and bounties in times of happiness and fortune, yet the sign of the believer is to be content and at peace with however much or little the Lord has allotted for herself/himself. Rather than distressing over that which he seeks yet cannot attain, the believer will understand that Allah is the best of planners and thus – regardless of circumstances – there is complete wisdom behind what He has willed.
When Imam as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked how a believer knows that he is indeed a believer, the Imam replied: "Through submission to Allah and satisfaction with whatever source of happiness or unhappiness comes his way." (Ibid.)
The Holy Prophet once asked a group of his companions, "Who are you?" They said, "We are believers." He then asked, "What is the sign of your faith?" They replied, "We remain patient in trial and are thankful in times of happiness and ease, and we are content at Divine decisions." Upon hearing this, the Prophet replied, "These are truly the faithful." (Islamic Morals)
Firmness
Is the condition of our heart strong enough to face the troubles that come our way, such that it is strengthened by them or at the least remains unconditionally unaffected?
Imam Sadiq said, "Verily the believer is stronger than pieces of iron, for when a piece of iron enters the fire it changes, whereas the believer, were he to be killed and resurrected and then killed again, his heart would never change." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Do we shy away from displaying our faith to the world and feel weakened and threatened by external scrutiny, or do we stand firm in obeying Allah's commands regardless of how big a stone is thrown at us?
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said, "The believer is harder than a mountain, for the mountain is dispensable, whereas nothing can be taken away from a believer's religion." (Al-Kafi) He also said, describing the attributes of Shias, "They are like strong fortresses; their chests are trustworthy; they are men of prudence and self-control; they are not extravagant; they are neither oppressors nor pretentious; they are devoted worshippers in night and brave like lions during the day." (Mishkat al-Anwar)
Honesty
Imam Baqir said, "The Lord Almighty has kept locks for evil and wickedness, and the key to those locks is wine because intoxicants drive away intelligence." He then added, "Lying is worse than wine." (Al-Kafi) That is certainly something to think hard about – lying is worse than wine! Yet how easily inclined we are to projecting, implying and breathing falsehood daily. Entire lives have been (and continue to be) consumed and disintegrated by incessant engagement in lies. Can such individuals claim to be believers? The Prophet said, "The believer can be predisposed to any trait, but he cannot be predisposed to lying or treachery." (Tuhaf al-Uqul)
Forgiveness and Forbearance
The height of the virtue of forgiveness was found in all of our divinely appointed Guides. As unmovable mountains of forbearance, they would not only pardon the enemy, but treat them with such kindness and compassion to the extent of winning them over. As Imam Ali has said, "Obligate yourself to adopt affection, and make yourself tolerate the hindrances of people." (Ibid.)
For those of us who may find it difficult to overlook the faults of others and treat them with respect and consideration, let us take heed of the Holy Prophet's tradition in which he tells us, "One of the signs of a believer is that he does not naturally nurse any grudge based on carnal sentiments, against anybody." He also said, "If a believer happens to commit a fault, the aggrieved believer does not feel antipathy towards him for more than three days."
Further, he advised "If you are faced with anger, avert it through pardon, for verily a caller will call out on the Day of Resurrection: 'Whoever has a claim for a reward from Allah should stand up!', and none will stand except the pardoners. Have you not heard the verse of Allah, the most High, 'So whoever pardons and makes peace, his reward lies with Allah'?!" (A'lam al-Din)
Generosity
The Holy Prophet said, "Allah has made generosity the greatest moral virtue." (Kanz al-'Ummal)
Imam Sadiq said, "Generosity is one of the noble traits possessed by the prophets. It is the pillar of belief, such that only a true believer will be generous, as well as one who possesses great certainty and high aspiration, for generosity is a gleam from the light of certainty, and the one who knows what he wants finds it easy to give away." (Bihar al-Anwar)
He has further said, "The best ones from among you are those who are liberal and the worst ones from among you are the miserly" (Ibid, p. 350), and that "A generous youth burdened by sins is more beloved to Allah than a worshipping but miserly old man." (Bihar al-Anwar)
The Best of Believers
Imam Ali said, "The best of believers in terms of faith is he whose giving and withholding, and whose displeasure and pleasure are solely for the sake of Allah." (Ghurar al-Hikam)
He also said, "Our Shi'a are those who possess a deep understanding of Allah; they act according to the orders of Allah; they possess excellences; they speak only the truth; their food is limited to gaining strength; their dress is simple; their behavior is humble; you think that they have lost their senses, but it is not like that… Instead, the greatness of their Lord has made them oblivious, and His power has overwhelmed their hearts and taken over their intellects. So when they strongly wish of Him, they promptly strive to do pure actions before God, the most High; they are not happy with few good actions, and they never take their abundant good actions to be sufficient." (Bihar al-Anwar)
The Holy Prophet said, "There are ten signs of a righteous person: he loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, befriends for the sake of Allah, abandons for the sake of Allah. He becomes angry for the sake of Allah, becomes pleased for the sake of Allah, works for the sake of Allah, beseeches Allah, submits to Allah – fearing Him, awed [by others], pure, sincere, bashful, and watchful – and acts kindly for the sake of Allah." (Ibid.)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The Last Will and Testament of Imam Ali
In the name of Allah the most Merciful Beneficent
The Last Will and Testament of Imam Ali
Wednesday, 24 September 2008 05:57 Masooma Beatty
Today, as you are driving home from work, it happens. After the initial jolt, you find yourself strangely detached from your body and the twisted metal around you. As you assess the situation, you realize that this is an accident you won't survive.
As you begin to evaluate your life, your thoughts turn to Imam Ali (peace be upon him), approaching death after receiving the fatal blow while he offered his prayers. He had exclaimed, "By the Lord of the Ka'ba, I am successful!" What an upright life he lived – a model of success for all – and what perfect, simple advice he had left in his last will and testament!
"My advice to you is to be conscious of Allah and steadfast in your religion."
Now at the hour of your death, you are wholly conscious of Allah. So many hours of your life were spent without thinking of Him, when there really is nothing but Him. At this moment, you yearn for all those hours back to remember God, to pray intently, to give thanks for your countless blessings.
Story Continued Below...
"Do not yearn for the world, and do not be seduced by it. Do not resent anything you have missed in it."
It seems so silly now how intent you were on getting a bigger house. You wanted it so badly you could taste it, and you resented your coworker who never seemed to have to work hard for anything. You secretly yearned to be free of responsibility to your family that always made demands of you, feeling you were missing out on the pleasures of life. But right now at this moment, you realize you would be content to spend a lifetime living in a tent or a car and that you would love to redo all your time with your family so that you could appreciate your blessings this time around. All your complaints seem so petty now!
"Proclaim the truth; work for the next world. Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed."
You spent years of your life working for money and respect. While some of it was necessary and good, much of it was for status or excess wealth. You always intended to prepare for the next world, but this one always seemed to consume your full attention. You let lies pass or confused you, and you let oppressors stand unopposed because you were too busy and didn't want to bring trouble to yourself.
"I advise you, and all my children, my relatives, and whosoever receives this message, to be conscious of Allah, to remove your differences, and to strengthen your ties. I heard your grandfather, peace be upon him, say: 'Reconciliation of your differences is more worthy than all prayers and all fasting."
You had estranged yourself from kin and brethren. You had quibbled with them over various things, like who should be the prayer leader or paying off a debt. But now you realize they were all a test for you, and you failed the test. All of them could have been a source of blessing and companionship in your life if you had softened your heart toward them.
"Fear Allah in matters concerning orphans. Attend to their nutrition and do not forget their interests in the middle of yours.
Fear Allah in your relations with your neighbors. Your Prophet often recommended them to you, so much so that we thought he would give them a share in inheritance."
Your neighbors included a single mother and her children. You knew that she struggled to pay her rent and to get gifts for her kids on the holidays. How nice it would've been to bring smiles to their faces and ease their worries. Instead, you are now haunted by their troubles, knowing you could have helped.
"Remain attached to the Quran. Nobody should surpass you in being intent on it, or more sincere in implementing it.
Fear Allah in relation to your prayers. It is the pillar of your religion.
Fear Allah in relation to His House; do not abandon it as long as you live. If you should do that you would abandon your dignity."
Regret consumes you for the way you treated the Qur'an. You took it down only during the month of Ramadan and recited it without understanding. How foolish you were, when you had access to the guidebook of life, not to read it often, ponder it and put its guidance to action! And how many times had your prayers been hasty and thoughtless, instead of the worship that would have purified you? How many times had you delayed going for Hajj for worldly reasons, seeing it as a burden rather than an opportunity? And when you did go, you treated it like a vacation and complained about the hotel not being fancy enough. Even on Hajj, your focus was worldly, and you missed out on seeing the signs of Allah all around you.
"Persist in Jihad in the cause of Allah with your money, your souls, and your tongue."
You had hated that word: Jihad. It made you think about bringing hardship and terrorism. But now you want to live your whole life struggling in the Way if you could do it over.
"Maintain communication and exchange of opinion among yourselves. Beware of disunity and enmity. Do not desist from promoting good deeds and cautioning against bad ones. Should you do that, the worst among you would be your leaders, and you will call upon Allah without response."
Most of the world is in the hands of bad leaders. But you yourself had done nothing to bring the good people together to strive in the way of Allah and to improve yourselves and the world. When others had made effort, you had mocked them as naïve. But if you had worked with them, maybe it would have made a difference. Did you make all your prayers be blocked by your own deeds or inaction?
"O Children of Abdul Muttalib! Do not shed the blood of Muslims under the banner: 'The Imam has been assassinated!' Only the assassin should be condemned to death.
If I die of this stroke of his, kill him with one similar stroke. Do not mutilate him! I have heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, say: 'Mutilate not even a rabid dog.'"
So many times in your life you had desired revenge more than justice. Now you see your anger and hatred as blackness consuming your heart. If only you could go to your Creator with a pure and free heart.
In only a few brief words, Imam Ali left a tremendous treasure – clear and simple instructions that if you had followed them, maybe you could also be exclaiming, "By the Lord of the Ka'ba, I am successful!" As you draw your last breath, you recite Salawat, grateful that there had been such people on the earth as the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt (as) to guide mankind, but wishing you had lived by that guidance before this moment arrived.
Source: http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/the-last-will-and-testament-of-imam-ali.html
The Last Will and Testament of Imam Ali
Wednesday, 24 September 2008 05:57 Masooma Beatty
Today, as you are driving home from work, it happens. After the initial jolt, you find yourself strangely detached from your body and the twisted metal around you. As you assess the situation, you realize that this is an accident you won't survive.
As you begin to evaluate your life, your thoughts turn to Imam Ali (peace be upon him), approaching death after receiving the fatal blow while he offered his prayers. He had exclaimed, "By the Lord of the Ka'ba, I am successful!" What an upright life he lived – a model of success for all – and what perfect, simple advice he had left in his last will and testament!
"My advice to you is to be conscious of Allah and steadfast in your religion."
Now at the hour of your death, you are wholly conscious of Allah. So many hours of your life were spent without thinking of Him, when there really is nothing but Him. At this moment, you yearn for all those hours back to remember God, to pray intently, to give thanks for your countless blessings.
Story Continued Below...
"Do not yearn for the world, and do not be seduced by it. Do not resent anything you have missed in it."
It seems so silly now how intent you were on getting a bigger house. You wanted it so badly you could taste it, and you resented your coworker who never seemed to have to work hard for anything. You secretly yearned to be free of responsibility to your family that always made demands of you, feeling you were missing out on the pleasures of life. But right now at this moment, you realize you would be content to spend a lifetime living in a tent or a car and that you would love to redo all your time with your family so that you could appreciate your blessings this time around. All your complaints seem so petty now!
"Proclaim the truth; work for the next world. Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed."
You spent years of your life working for money and respect. While some of it was necessary and good, much of it was for status or excess wealth. You always intended to prepare for the next world, but this one always seemed to consume your full attention. You let lies pass or confused you, and you let oppressors stand unopposed because you were too busy and didn't want to bring trouble to yourself.
"I advise you, and all my children, my relatives, and whosoever receives this message, to be conscious of Allah, to remove your differences, and to strengthen your ties. I heard your grandfather, peace be upon him, say: 'Reconciliation of your differences is more worthy than all prayers and all fasting."
You had estranged yourself from kin and brethren. You had quibbled with them over various things, like who should be the prayer leader or paying off a debt. But now you realize they were all a test for you, and you failed the test. All of them could have been a source of blessing and companionship in your life if you had softened your heart toward them.
"Fear Allah in matters concerning orphans. Attend to their nutrition and do not forget their interests in the middle of yours.
Fear Allah in your relations with your neighbors. Your Prophet often recommended them to you, so much so that we thought he would give them a share in inheritance."
Your neighbors included a single mother and her children. You knew that she struggled to pay her rent and to get gifts for her kids on the holidays. How nice it would've been to bring smiles to their faces and ease their worries. Instead, you are now haunted by their troubles, knowing you could have helped.
"Remain attached to the Quran. Nobody should surpass you in being intent on it, or more sincere in implementing it.
Fear Allah in relation to your prayers. It is the pillar of your religion.
Fear Allah in relation to His House; do not abandon it as long as you live. If you should do that you would abandon your dignity."
Regret consumes you for the way you treated the Qur'an. You took it down only during the month of Ramadan and recited it without understanding. How foolish you were, when you had access to the guidebook of life, not to read it often, ponder it and put its guidance to action! And how many times had your prayers been hasty and thoughtless, instead of the worship that would have purified you? How many times had you delayed going for Hajj for worldly reasons, seeing it as a burden rather than an opportunity? And when you did go, you treated it like a vacation and complained about the hotel not being fancy enough. Even on Hajj, your focus was worldly, and you missed out on seeing the signs of Allah all around you.
"Persist in Jihad in the cause of Allah with your money, your souls, and your tongue."
You had hated that word: Jihad. It made you think about bringing hardship and terrorism. But now you want to live your whole life struggling in the Way if you could do it over.
"Maintain communication and exchange of opinion among yourselves. Beware of disunity and enmity. Do not desist from promoting good deeds and cautioning against bad ones. Should you do that, the worst among you would be your leaders, and you will call upon Allah without response."
Most of the world is in the hands of bad leaders. But you yourself had done nothing to bring the good people together to strive in the way of Allah and to improve yourselves and the world. When others had made effort, you had mocked them as naïve. But if you had worked with them, maybe it would have made a difference. Did you make all your prayers be blocked by your own deeds or inaction?
"O Children of Abdul Muttalib! Do not shed the blood of Muslims under the banner: 'The Imam has been assassinated!' Only the assassin should be condemned to death.
If I die of this stroke of his, kill him with one similar stroke. Do not mutilate him! I have heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, say: 'Mutilate not even a rabid dog.'"
So many times in your life you had desired revenge more than justice. Now you see your anger and hatred as blackness consuming your heart. If only you could go to your Creator with a pure and free heart.
In only a few brief words, Imam Ali left a tremendous treasure – clear and simple instructions that if you had followed them, maybe you could also be exclaiming, "By the Lord of the Ka'ba, I am successful!" As you draw your last breath, you recite Salawat, grateful that there had been such people on the earth as the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt (as) to guide mankind, but wishing you had lived by that guidance before this moment arrived.
Source: http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/the-last-will-and-testament-of-imam-ali.html
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Insecure Mind
Human life is full of vicissitudes of time which may leave a deep impression on us. Sometimes we enjoy the pleasant weather of blessings, and at other times we may have to undergo periods of tests and trials. In general, we as human always wish good and show a deep fear about anything going against our expectation or facing adverse circumstances. Our mind is always fighting with fears like – what will happen if I lose my job or fail an exam or face business loss or any other such calamity?
The fear or phobia can reach to the extent of seriously affecting our lives. These fears are truths of life which cannot be denied, and none of us is immune from them. But the mind which is too engrossed in these fears reacts abnormally to otherwise normal phenomena of life, and consequently, problems are caused. These fears may also lead to serious mental problems and psychiatric disojavascript:void(0)rders.
The suffering which is a truth of life – "certainly We have created man to be in distress." (90:4) – cannot be fully averted. The deep and true faith in Allah is the way out. The faith in the promise of His mercy and reliance on His might to deliver us from all unfavorable circumstances, combined with patience and contentment with His decree and will, is the path salvation.
In his book Ethics and Spiritual Growth, Sayyid Mujtaba Musawi Lari discusses the importance of faith in mitigating and relieving the fears in our life:
Faith not only removes anguish and anxiety from the human heart, it can protect it from being overwhelmed by agitation and agony. The Qur'an describes the preventive role of faith in these words:
"If you have faith, do not yield to fear and sorrow, for you have an upper hand over the others on account of this asset of faith." (3:139)
This verse drives home the point that faith is a firm shield for the soul in its encounter with the agents of anxiety, producing a certain immunity in the human being. If one should lack a complete faith, and should the agents of anxiety penetrate to the core of his soul, it is again faith by relying on which he can free his mind from the burden of agony and purge the effects of suffering from the tablet of his heart. The Qur'an says:
"In God's remembrance do the hearts find peace." (13:28)
"It is He Who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the faithful." (48:4)
The Qur'an considers steadiness and security to be the characteristics of those whose hearts are full of faith:
"Mental peace and security are qualities of those who have faith and who have not drawn a veil of wrongdoing over their faith." (6:82)
"Lo, fear and sorrow do not affect the friends of God." (10:62)
In a sermon on the benefits of remembrance of God, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) describes the characteristics of Godly human beings:
"God, the Exalted, has made His remembrance the light and burnish of the hearts. It is by the means of His remembrance that the hearts recover their hearing after being deaf, regain their sight after being blind, and become soft and tractable after being savage and rebellious. It has always been the case that in periods of spiritual torpor, from time to time, God Almighty has confided His inspiration to the thoughts of His sublime servants and spoken to them through their intellects.
"The state of people possessing faith is not at all comparable with the condition of materialistic and irreligious persons in encounter with life's vicissitudes and its bitter experiences, for the two are as apart as the earth and the sky." (Nahjul Balagha)
Our Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) have taught us supplications which connect us to Allah and teach us the ways in which we should implore His mercy in difficult times of our life. Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) states in Sahifa Sajjadia, Du'a 54:
"O God, some rise in the morning having trust or hope in other than Thee.
I rise in the morning,
and Thou art my trust and my hope in all affairs ,
so decree for me those which are best in outcome and deliver me from misguiding trials,
O Most Merciful of the merciful!"
In Du'a 59, the Imam acknowledges the power of Allah and implores Him to replace suffering with comfort:
"My God,
surely Thy power to remove
that in which I dwell
is like Thy power in
that with which Thou hast afflicted me!
And surely the remembrance of Thy acts of kindliness
comforts me
and hope in Thy showing favor and Thy bounty
strengthens me,
for I have not been without Thy favor
ever since Thou created me...
So, my Patron and Master,
place within that which Thou hast
ordained,
decreed,
and made unavoidable for me,
my well-being
and that wherein lies
my soundness
and my deliverance from that in which I am!
I hope for none to repel this other than Thee,
and I rely in it only upon Thee.
O Possessor of majesty and munificence,
be with my best opinion of Thee."
The Ahul Bayt teach us that a true believer is content with Allah's will and always expects the best from Him. We conclude our discussion with quoting Du'a 33:
"O God,
I ask from Thee the best in Thy knowledge,
so bless Muhammad and his Household
and decree for me the best!
Inspire us with knowledge to chose the best
and make that a means to
being pleased with what Thou hast decreed for us
and submitting to what Thou hast decided!
Banish from us the doubt of misgiving
and confirm us with the certainty of the sincere!
Visit us not with incapacity
to know what Thou hast chosen, lest we
despise Thy measuring out,
dislike the place of Thy good pleasure,
and incline toward that which is
further from good outcome
and nearer to the opposite of well-being!
Make us love what we dislike
in Thy decree
and make easy for us what we find difficult
in Thy decision!
Inspire us to yield
to that which Thou bringest upon us by Thy will,
lest we
love the delay of what Thou hast hastened
and the hastening of what Thou hast delayed,
dislike what Thou lovest,
and choose what Thou dislikest!
Seal us with that which is most praised in outcome
and most generous in issue!
Surely Thou givest generous gain,
bestowest the immense,
dost what Thou wilt,
and Thou art powerful over everything."
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The Shia of Al-Baqir
http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/the-shia-of-al-baqir.html
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) was born on the first day of Rajab, in the year 57 AH. As Shias, we take great pride in the religious and academic contributions of our Imams, in particular Imam al-Baqir, who laid the foundation for Shia jurisprudence in the holy city of Medina and served as teacher and mentor to many scholars and thinkers of other schools of Islamic thought. As we commemorate his birthday this week, let us take a moment to ponder on our identity as Shia Muslims, and how the Imam himself describes his true Shias and followers:
"Our Shias fear Allah and obey Him. They are humble and pious. They pay the trust. They praise Allah very much. They perform the prayers and the fasting. They obey the parents. They take care of the poor neighbors, the needy, the debtors, and the orphans. They are truthful in talking. They recite the Qur'an. They hold back their tongues from (speaking against) people except good. Thus, they are the custodians of their tribes over all things." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"Your strong one should help your weak one. Your rich one should be kind to your poor one. The man should be loyal to his brother as he is loyal to himself. Keep our secrets. Do not force the people to follow us. Consider carefully our affair and what has been mentioned on our authority. If you find it in agreement with the Qur'an, then put it into effect. If you find it contrary to the Qur'an, then leave it. If you doubt the affair, then stop and ask us to explain it to you." (Diya al-Amilin)
"The Shias of Ali, peace be on him, sacrifice their lives for our authority. They love each other, for they love us. They visit each other to enliven our affair. When they become angry, they do not do wrong. When they are pleased, they do not go too far (in pleasure). They are a blessing for him who is their neighbor them. And they are peace for him who associates with them." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"Recite my greetings to my Shias. Order them to fear Allah, the Great. Their rich one should visit their poor one. Their sound one should visit their ill one. Their living one should attend the funeral of their dead one. They should meet each other in their houses. Indeed their meeting each other enlivens our affair. May Allah have mercy on the one who enlivens our affair and puts into effect the best of it. Say to them: We will suffice nothing for them with Allah except through the good deed. They will not obtain our intercession but through piety and hard work. Indeed the most intense of all people in regret on the Day of Judgment is the one who describes a certain deed, and then he does other than it." (Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Atha)
"Does it suffice for one who claims to be our follower to just express his friendship with the members of the Holy Household? I swear by God that no one is our true follower unless he fears God and obeys Him. Our followers are known for their humbleness and frequent remembrance of God; fasting; praying; helping the orphans, the needy, the ones in debt, and needy neighbors; reading the Quran; and talking properly with the people. They have always been trustworthy in their tribes. O' Jabir! Do not let the various sects affect you. Do you think that it suffices for one to say that he likes Imam Ali and he is his follower, but does not do anything to support his claim? Or he says that he likes the Prophet, who is even better than Imam Ali, but does not take his example and follow his deeds and act according to the Prophet's tradition? Just having love for the Prophet is of no use for him. Therefore, fear God, and act in such a way as to attain what is near God, since there is no relation of kin between God and anyone. The one most loved by God is the one who is the most pious, and the noblest one is the one who fears God and obeys Him. I swear by God that it is not possible to get close to God unless by His obedience, and we do not hold the key to relief from the Fire of Hell, and no one has any authority over God. Whoever is obedient to God is our friend, and whoever disobeys God is our enemy. No one can attain our friendship unless by having nobility and piety." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"[Our Shias] are like strong fortress, their chests are trustworthy, they are men of prudence and self-control, they are not extravagant, they are neither oppressors nor ostentatious, they are devoted worshippers at night and brave like lions during the day." (Mishkat al-Anwar)
"The servant who loves us, Allah will raise him from the dead with us. Religion is nothing except love (for us). Surely, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said in His Book: 'Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.'" (Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Atha)
"No one is our Shia except by the fear of God and His obedience, and they are not recognized except by their humbleness, reverence, trustworthiness, and abundance of remembrance of God." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) was born on the first day of Rajab, in the year 57 AH. As Shias, we take great pride in the religious and academic contributions of our Imams, in particular Imam al-Baqir, who laid the foundation for Shia jurisprudence in the holy city of Medina and served as teacher and mentor to many scholars and thinkers of other schools of Islamic thought. As we commemorate his birthday this week, let us take a moment to ponder on our identity as Shia Muslims, and how the Imam himself describes his true Shias and followers:
"Our Shias fear Allah and obey Him. They are humble and pious. They pay the trust. They praise Allah very much. They perform the prayers and the fasting. They obey the parents. They take care of the poor neighbors, the needy, the debtors, and the orphans. They are truthful in talking. They recite the Qur'an. They hold back their tongues from (speaking against) people except good. Thus, they are the custodians of their tribes over all things." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"Your strong one should help your weak one. Your rich one should be kind to your poor one. The man should be loyal to his brother as he is loyal to himself. Keep our secrets. Do not force the people to follow us. Consider carefully our affair and what has been mentioned on our authority. If you find it in agreement with the Qur'an, then put it into effect. If you find it contrary to the Qur'an, then leave it. If you doubt the affair, then stop and ask us to explain it to you." (Diya al-Amilin)
"The Shias of Ali, peace be on him, sacrifice their lives for our authority. They love each other, for they love us. They visit each other to enliven our affair. When they become angry, they do not do wrong. When they are pleased, they do not go too far (in pleasure). They are a blessing for him who is their neighbor them. And they are peace for him who associates with them." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"Recite my greetings to my Shias. Order them to fear Allah, the Great. Their rich one should visit their poor one. Their sound one should visit their ill one. Their living one should attend the funeral of their dead one. They should meet each other in their houses. Indeed their meeting each other enlivens our affair. May Allah have mercy on the one who enlivens our affair and puts into effect the best of it. Say to them: We will suffice nothing for them with Allah except through the good deed. They will not obtain our intercession but through piety and hard work. Indeed the most intense of all people in regret on the Day of Judgment is the one who describes a certain deed, and then he does other than it." (Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Atha)
"Does it suffice for one who claims to be our follower to just express his friendship with the members of the Holy Household? I swear by God that no one is our true follower unless he fears God and obeys Him. Our followers are known for their humbleness and frequent remembrance of God; fasting; praying; helping the orphans, the needy, the ones in debt, and needy neighbors; reading the Quran; and talking properly with the people. They have always been trustworthy in their tribes. O' Jabir! Do not let the various sects affect you. Do you think that it suffices for one to say that he likes Imam Ali and he is his follower, but does not do anything to support his claim? Or he says that he likes the Prophet, who is even better than Imam Ali, but does not take his example and follow his deeds and act according to the Prophet's tradition? Just having love for the Prophet is of no use for him. Therefore, fear God, and act in such a way as to attain what is near God, since there is no relation of kin between God and anyone. The one most loved by God is the one who is the most pious, and the noblest one is the one who fears God and obeys Him. I swear by God that it is not possible to get close to God unless by His obedience, and we do not hold the key to relief from the Fire of Hell, and no one has any authority over God. Whoever is obedient to God is our friend, and whoever disobeys God is our enemy. No one can attain our friendship unless by having nobility and piety." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
"[Our Shias] are like strong fortress, their chests are trustworthy, they are men of prudence and self-control, they are not extravagant, they are neither oppressors nor ostentatious, they are devoted worshippers at night and brave like lions during the day." (Mishkat al-Anwar)
"The servant who loves us, Allah will raise him from the dead with us. Religion is nothing except love (for us). Surely, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said in His Book: 'Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.'" (Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Atha)
"No one is our Shia except by the fear of God and His obedience, and they are not recognized except by their humbleness, reverence, trustworthiness, and abundance of remembrance of God." (Tuhaf al-Uqool)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Why Are We So Easily Offended?
http://ummadam.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/why-are-we-so-easily-offended/
Why Are We So Easily Offended?
I bet you guys are happy my business computer is broke – now I’m back to blogging until it’s fixed or I get a newe one, insha’Allah.
On to the topic.
I majored in psychology so human behavior fascinates me. Actually, the way I said that is backwards, it should have been, human behavior fascinates me so I majored in psychology. I’m always wondering what makes people tick. I think, I ponder, I reflect, and I ask questions. I am a naturally curious person, but not nosey!
One of the things I’ve always asked myself is, “why do people get offended so easily?”
Today I stumbled across an Islamic reference to this(and I cant vouch for the website…I just found this piece and I don’t have the time or the desire to run a background check on the website. I hope we are all mature enough in or deen and knowledgable enough to know what to take an/or leave. However, if you aren’t then do not click on the link just read the quote…it’s safe – insha’Allah):
THE PROPHET: NOT OFFENDING AND NOT BEING OFFENDED
H. Kamil Yilmaz, PhD
http://www.lastprophet.info/en/names-and-attributes/the-prophet-not-offending-and-not-being-offended.html
The Quran refers to the kindness of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) towards all creatures and his compassion and grace for humans: “There had come unto you a Messenger, one of yourselves, unto whom whatever that you are overburdened is grievous, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, merciful.”
In this verse, Allah gives the names Rauf (very compassionate) and Rahim (very merciful), both of which are of His names, to the Prophet. No other prophet before Muhammad had been given both of these names.
In human relations, the most important characteristic of understanding the other is being kind. Thanks to the Prophet’s kind character, he was welcomed by people and had a special place in their hearts. After all, it is not genius or intellect, but character and consistency that affect people in human relations. In this respect, Allah orders: “It was by the mercy of Allah that you were lenient with them, for if you had been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about you.”
The basis of human relations is to comprehend the addressee and realize that they too are human beings. Living a self-centered, egocentric life, disregarding other people is one of the weakest points in human relations. The people who are interested in human relations and personal development say that the basic point of human relations is “empathy”, which means being able to step into some else’s shoes. When we look from this perspective, we see that the people who lived in the Age of Happiness always tried to please Prophet Muhammad with a feeling of compassion and love in their heart due to the fact that they admired his character and personality. The fact that the Prophet did not use his position to his own advantage, that he took the first step in meeting a common hardship and that he took the last slice when bread was shared out was noticed by others. When a loud noise was heard in Medina he asked: “What has happened? What is that noise?” while other people were looking in fear at one another. He was the first to mount a horse and ride to the place where the noise had come from. After examining the situation, he comforted his Companions by saying “There is nothing to be afraid of.”
Moreover, he served food to hundreds of his Companions during a meal given by Jabir ibn Abdullah while a trench was being dug during the Battle of the Trenches and he was the last one to eat his meal. His altruistic, content attitude and his refusal to avoid risks were greatly admired by his Companions.
We see that Prophet Muhammad treated his Companions and all the people around him, starting with his family members, with compassion and mercy; he never caused anyone any harm.
When warning people of the mistakes and wrongdoings that he observed in their behavior, Prophet Muhammad would say “What occurs to me that I see some of my brothers in such situations” implying that he might have made a mistake in his observations. With these words, he was saying: “My brothers should not act in this way, I may have misunderstood the situation.”
Prophet Muhammad would respond with great maturity to all kinds of injustice and wrongs that were committed against him and would forgive errors. Moreover, when a Bedouin asked for more than his share of loot when it was being divided up, going so far as to grab the Prophet by the collar, the Prophet only smiled at him, satisfied his request and forgave him. This was because Allah had ordered: “(O! My Prophet) Follow the path of forgiveness; forgive; order what is right; mind not those who are ignorant! Having continuous tolerance for people who crossed the line, not being offended and not offending others in these sorts of relationships is a difficult task. It could even be said that not being offended is more difficult than not offending others. This is because the act of offending someone is something that is dependent on the individual. You can control your hands, tongue and eyes, you can refrain yourself and you will not hurt or offend anyone. However, it is not possible to remain unaffected by the rude and curt behavior of others. This is can be an impediment of desires and can only be overcome by a very great heart. Prophet Muhammad never offended anyone as he was never offended. Among the Companions there were those who acted without control, having a Bedouin background. There were even people who attempted to urinate in Al Masjid al-Nabi. However, the Prophet did become angry with these people and he showed great care to not offend those who had acted in such a way. He warned any of the Companions who overreacted to such behavior and he invited them to tolerance and to inoffensive and kind behavior. When a young man came to him to ask for permission to commit adultery, the Prophet, without offending the young man, asked him several questions and convinced him that such a deed was wrong and discouraged him.
Rude behavior that is essentially caused by immaturity and coarseness, and excessive behavior offend and sadden people and can break their hearts. The Prophets, who were the fountains of the Prophethood, and principally Prophet Muhammad, became models for humankind for how not to offend people and not to become offended. Moral virtues can only be learned from role models. The beauty experienced by the ummah (Islamic community) throughout Islamic history contains the traces of the divine personality and superior character of the Prophet of Allah. People can acquire socially acceptable traits as long as they can attain such characteristics. The philosophy of not offending and not becoming offended also form a different form beauty in the literature and many poets have reflected their feelings on this issue. Of these, Pertev Pasha describes this as follows:
Do not take the scent of the rose that the nightingale is in love with, nor be hurt by its thorn; if you are hurt by the thorn or fear it, you should not smell the rose. Whoever loves the rose must bear its thorns.
Do not take interest in the lovers of someone other than Allah, nor become offended by those who are considered strangers other than Allah. If you are entranced by that which is mortal, you are hurt; this is because you trust something that is mortal and which will ultimately betray your trust.
Do not become cursed for your deeds nor become offended by the cries of others. The person who commits deeds that receive the curses of others does not have the right to be offended by the curses of others.
The right path is not being offended by others and not offending them. In one word this is being prudent.
Why Are We So Easily Offended?
I bet you guys are happy my business computer is broke – now I’m back to blogging until it’s fixed or I get a newe one, insha’Allah.
On to the topic.
I majored in psychology so human behavior fascinates me. Actually, the way I said that is backwards, it should have been, human behavior fascinates me so I majored in psychology. I’m always wondering what makes people tick. I think, I ponder, I reflect, and I ask questions. I am a naturally curious person, but not nosey!
One of the things I’ve always asked myself is, “why do people get offended so easily?”
Today I stumbled across an Islamic reference to this(and I cant vouch for the website…I just found this piece and I don’t have the time or the desire to run a background check on the website. I hope we are all mature enough in or deen and knowledgable enough to know what to take an/or leave. However, if you aren’t then do not click on the link just read the quote…it’s safe – insha’Allah):
THE PROPHET: NOT OFFENDING AND NOT BEING OFFENDED
H. Kamil Yilmaz, PhD
http://www.lastprophet.info/en/names-and-attributes/the-prophet-not-offending-and-not-being-offended.html
The Quran refers to the kindness of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) towards all creatures and his compassion and grace for humans: “There had come unto you a Messenger, one of yourselves, unto whom whatever that you are overburdened is grievous, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, merciful.”
In this verse, Allah gives the names Rauf (very compassionate) and Rahim (very merciful), both of which are of His names, to the Prophet. No other prophet before Muhammad had been given both of these names.
In human relations, the most important characteristic of understanding the other is being kind. Thanks to the Prophet’s kind character, he was welcomed by people and had a special place in their hearts. After all, it is not genius or intellect, but character and consistency that affect people in human relations. In this respect, Allah orders: “It was by the mercy of Allah that you were lenient with them, for if you had been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about you.”
The basis of human relations is to comprehend the addressee and realize that they too are human beings. Living a self-centered, egocentric life, disregarding other people is one of the weakest points in human relations. The people who are interested in human relations and personal development say that the basic point of human relations is “empathy”, which means being able to step into some else’s shoes. When we look from this perspective, we see that the people who lived in the Age of Happiness always tried to please Prophet Muhammad with a feeling of compassion and love in their heart due to the fact that they admired his character and personality. The fact that the Prophet did not use his position to his own advantage, that he took the first step in meeting a common hardship and that he took the last slice when bread was shared out was noticed by others. When a loud noise was heard in Medina he asked: “What has happened? What is that noise?” while other people were looking in fear at one another. He was the first to mount a horse and ride to the place where the noise had come from. After examining the situation, he comforted his Companions by saying “There is nothing to be afraid of.”
Moreover, he served food to hundreds of his Companions during a meal given by Jabir ibn Abdullah while a trench was being dug during the Battle of the Trenches and he was the last one to eat his meal. His altruistic, content attitude and his refusal to avoid risks were greatly admired by his Companions.
We see that Prophet Muhammad treated his Companions and all the people around him, starting with his family members, with compassion and mercy; he never caused anyone any harm.
When warning people of the mistakes and wrongdoings that he observed in their behavior, Prophet Muhammad would say “What occurs to me that I see some of my brothers in such situations” implying that he might have made a mistake in his observations. With these words, he was saying: “My brothers should not act in this way, I may have misunderstood the situation.”
Prophet Muhammad would respond with great maturity to all kinds of injustice and wrongs that were committed against him and would forgive errors. Moreover, when a Bedouin asked for more than his share of loot when it was being divided up, going so far as to grab the Prophet by the collar, the Prophet only smiled at him, satisfied his request and forgave him. This was because Allah had ordered: “(O! My Prophet) Follow the path of forgiveness; forgive; order what is right; mind not those who are ignorant! Having continuous tolerance for people who crossed the line, not being offended and not offending others in these sorts of relationships is a difficult task. It could even be said that not being offended is more difficult than not offending others. This is because the act of offending someone is something that is dependent on the individual. You can control your hands, tongue and eyes, you can refrain yourself and you will not hurt or offend anyone. However, it is not possible to remain unaffected by the rude and curt behavior of others. This is can be an impediment of desires and can only be overcome by a very great heart. Prophet Muhammad never offended anyone as he was never offended. Among the Companions there were those who acted without control, having a Bedouin background. There were even people who attempted to urinate in Al Masjid al-Nabi. However, the Prophet did become angry with these people and he showed great care to not offend those who had acted in such a way. He warned any of the Companions who overreacted to such behavior and he invited them to tolerance and to inoffensive and kind behavior. When a young man came to him to ask for permission to commit adultery, the Prophet, without offending the young man, asked him several questions and convinced him that such a deed was wrong and discouraged him.
Rude behavior that is essentially caused by immaturity and coarseness, and excessive behavior offend and sadden people and can break their hearts. The Prophets, who were the fountains of the Prophethood, and principally Prophet Muhammad, became models for humankind for how not to offend people and not to become offended. Moral virtues can only be learned from role models. The beauty experienced by the ummah (Islamic community) throughout Islamic history contains the traces of the divine personality and superior character of the Prophet of Allah. People can acquire socially acceptable traits as long as they can attain such characteristics. The philosophy of not offending and not becoming offended also form a different form beauty in the literature and many poets have reflected their feelings on this issue. Of these, Pertev Pasha describes this as follows:
Do not take the scent of the rose that the nightingale is in love with, nor be hurt by its thorn; if you are hurt by the thorn or fear it, you should not smell the rose. Whoever loves the rose must bear its thorns.
Do not take interest in the lovers of someone other than Allah, nor become offended by those who are considered strangers other than Allah. If you are entranced by that which is mortal, you are hurt; this is because you trust something that is mortal and which will ultimately betray your trust.
Do not become cursed for your deeds nor become offended by the cries of others. The person who commits deeds that receive the curses of others does not have the right to be offended by the curses of others.
The right path is not being offended by others and not offending them. In one word this is being prudent.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Top Media Lies about Iran
http://www.islamicinsights.com/news/international-news/top-media-lies-about-iran.html
The Peace Prize President in the White House continues to increase his empty, but angry rhetoric in an attempt to garner enough support for a strike on Iran. The propaganda juggernaut is in full action, and thousands of articles, TV shows, and politicians are beating the drums for a war against Iran. If this sounds eerily familiar, it's because it is. In 2001, the London Observer ran a series of reports linking Iraq to the September 11 attacks and going as far as to claim there were secret bases in Iraq that produced anthrax as a weapon of mass destruction.
In late 2009, The Times of London published a now admittedly forged document it asserted revealed "a four-year plan [by Iran] to test a neutron initiator." On the same day, Catherine Phillips, another writer for The Times, quoted Mark Fitzpatrick barefacedly saying, "Is this the smoking gun? That's the question people should be asking. It looks like the smoking gun. This is smoking uranium." To the naïve, this would be a shocking use of the media to garner support for a war that is pre-emptive and unjustified. To everyone else, it's a repeat of 2001 and the pre-Iraq war legacy of the two biggest war criminals of our generation: George Bush and Tony Blair.
Not surprisingly, very few members of the corporate owned media have bothered to ask: does Iran have nuclear weapons? Does Iran even want nuclear weapons? It doesn't matter. When the media is as prostituted as it is now, the sole aim is to convince the masses that Iran threatens our very existence and must be dealt with in a manner that disregards every single international law and charter. The Times of London is part of the seasoned propagandist Rupert Murdoch publishing empire that owns Fox News, the Sunday Times, and the New York Post. As expected, each and every Murdoch-owned media outlet views Iran from a decidedly pro-Israeli lens and disregards the need for evidence in making claims against a country that has fulfilled every clause of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT or NNPT). You know, the same one Israel refuses to sign.
Below are the top myths the media tells us daily about Iran.
Iran Has or Wants Nuclear Weapons
To date, no concrete evidence has been presented about the existence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran. Each and every inspect report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the National Intelligence Estimate has confirmed that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Additionally, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, who has the final word in Iran on such issues, has denounced nuclear weapons as un-Islamic and stated unequivocally that Islam forbids the "production and stock piling of nuclear weapons." The Iranian fatwa against nuclear weapons is a registered document with the United Nations. Iran has been the only country to lobby for a nuclear-free Middle East. In contrast, Israel has yet to agree to a single IAEA inspection, and its nuclear weapons plant in Dimona is an open secret used to intimidate the Palestinians and neighboring countries.
Iran Threatened to Wipe Israel off the Map
The world hears incessantly how Iranian president Ahmedinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map." Ironically, not a single translation of this speech has been made to clearly prove he made this statement. In 2005, the newly-elected Ahmedinejad was giving a speech at a conference in Tehran about Zionism. He quoted the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, and said, "Imam ghoft een rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad." A direct translation of this is: "The Imam [Khomeini] said [the] regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." The words "wiped off the map" are not to be found in that sentence, and any amateur translator will tell you nagsheh, the Persian term for map, is not found in that sentence. In the speech, Ahmedinejad further stated that just as the Soviet regime had fallen, the Zionist one would too. He did not say Israel was going to be wiped off any map. Obviously when the Soviet regime collapsed, was Russia wiped off the map? In the same infamous speech, Ahmedinejad called for a Middle East where Muslims, Jews, and Christians would live in a real democracy and in liberty.
For the record, Iran has not launched an attack on any nation in the past 300 years, but it has defended itself against assaults by other countries. Compare this track record to that of the biggest war monger in the Middle East, the same one that uses cluster bombs to take out innocent children.
The Iranians are Eagerly Awaiting the Arrival of "US Democracy"
American-style democracy has taken over the Middle East; just ask the Iraqis and Afghans how happy they are post-American liberation of their countries. Operation Iraqi Freedom has only cost 1.3 million Iraqi lives to date. In the last Iranian elections, an overwhelming 85 percent of voters turned out to pick the next president, and practically every pre-election poll showed President Ahmedinejad with a significant lead over his opponents. However, the West continues to claim Iran is not a democratic country despite it being the only Middle Eastern country with transparent elections and a fully functional parliament. Western hypocrisy of this magnitude must be respected, and the West has yet to call its allies (Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia) for throwing political opponents in jail and never holding elections.
By all instances, Iran is a democratic society, but to the United States and its allies, the very existence of a democracy in Iran is a threat. They removed this threat in 1953 when they overthrew the democratically-elected government and put in the totalitarian Shah. Speaking of democracy and sovereignty, the US would know a thing or two about those terms, considering for the past 30 years we have tried to overthrow the Iranian government and laid siege upon siege on the Iranian people. More recently, Congress voted to allocate 120 million dollars for anti-regime media broadcasts into Iran. It doesn't end there. The US also generously donated 60-75 million dollars to fund and support violent underground extremist groups like Mujahiden-Khalq (MKO), one of the largest terrorist organizations in Iran. Democracy in the Middle East is synonymous with murderous and catastrophic regime change.
Iran Is Five Years Away from a Nuclear Bomb
Every few months, the United States and Britain try to scare us out of sleeping at night by saying Iran is five years away from a nuclear bomb. Here's the problem: Iran has been "five years away from a nuclear bomb" for the past four decades, since the Shah began the peaceful nuclear program with US help. Those Iranians don't seem to be getting any closer to a nuclear weapon, which they don't seem to want by the way, but that won't detract the propagandist and war criminals. When the Qom facility was "exposed" by the United States last year, the neocons were quick to hawk it as proof of Iran's nuclear weapons program. However, they neglected to mention that Iran had openly revealed by it in a voluntary letter to the IAEA days before the US announced it. In addition, the Qom facility is incomplete and non-operational, and if the United States knew about the facility and did not reveal this information, then it too is in direct violation of the NPT. Unless, of course, the facility was not illegal, and thus there was no need to report it.
On April 13, President Obama was asked by a Washington Post reporter if he would "call on Israel to declare its nuclear program and sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty." The usually eloquent Obama stuttered his way through a response once he finally regained his composure and stated, "And, as far as Israel goes, I'm not going to comment on their program."
Maybe he should leave Iran's peaceful program alone and worry about the nuclear warheads Israel have.
The Peace Prize President in the White House continues to increase his empty, but angry rhetoric in an attempt to garner enough support for a strike on Iran. The propaganda juggernaut is in full action, and thousands of articles, TV shows, and politicians are beating the drums for a war against Iran. If this sounds eerily familiar, it's because it is. In 2001, the London Observer ran a series of reports linking Iraq to the September 11 attacks and going as far as to claim there were secret bases in Iraq that produced anthrax as a weapon of mass destruction.
In late 2009, The Times of London published a now admittedly forged document it asserted revealed "a four-year plan [by Iran] to test a neutron initiator." On the same day, Catherine Phillips, another writer for The Times, quoted Mark Fitzpatrick barefacedly saying, "Is this the smoking gun? That's the question people should be asking. It looks like the smoking gun. This is smoking uranium." To the naïve, this would be a shocking use of the media to garner support for a war that is pre-emptive and unjustified. To everyone else, it's a repeat of 2001 and the pre-Iraq war legacy of the two biggest war criminals of our generation: George Bush and Tony Blair.
Not surprisingly, very few members of the corporate owned media have bothered to ask: does Iran have nuclear weapons? Does Iran even want nuclear weapons? It doesn't matter. When the media is as prostituted as it is now, the sole aim is to convince the masses that Iran threatens our very existence and must be dealt with in a manner that disregards every single international law and charter. The Times of London is part of the seasoned propagandist Rupert Murdoch publishing empire that owns Fox News, the Sunday Times, and the New York Post. As expected, each and every Murdoch-owned media outlet views Iran from a decidedly pro-Israeli lens and disregards the need for evidence in making claims against a country that has fulfilled every clause of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT or NNPT). You know, the same one Israel refuses to sign.
Below are the top myths the media tells us daily about Iran.
Iran Has or Wants Nuclear Weapons
To date, no concrete evidence has been presented about the existence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran. Each and every inspect report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the National Intelligence Estimate has confirmed that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Additionally, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, who has the final word in Iran on such issues, has denounced nuclear weapons as un-Islamic and stated unequivocally that Islam forbids the "production and stock piling of nuclear weapons." The Iranian fatwa against nuclear weapons is a registered document with the United Nations. Iran has been the only country to lobby for a nuclear-free Middle East. In contrast, Israel has yet to agree to a single IAEA inspection, and its nuclear weapons plant in Dimona is an open secret used to intimidate the Palestinians and neighboring countries.
Iran Threatened to Wipe Israel off the Map
The world hears incessantly how Iranian president Ahmedinejad threatened to "wipe Israel off the map." Ironically, not a single translation of this speech has been made to clearly prove he made this statement. In 2005, the newly-elected Ahmedinejad was giving a speech at a conference in Tehran about Zionism. He quoted the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, and said, "Imam ghoft een rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad." A direct translation of this is: "The Imam [Khomeini] said [the] regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time." The words "wiped off the map" are not to be found in that sentence, and any amateur translator will tell you nagsheh, the Persian term for map, is not found in that sentence. In the speech, Ahmedinejad further stated that just as the Soviet regime had fallen, the Zionist one would too. He did not say Israel was going to be wiped off any map. Obviously when the Soviet regime collapsed, was Russia wiped off the map? In the same infamous speech, Ahmedinejad called for a Middle East where Muslims, Jews, and Christians would live in a real democracy and in liberty.
For the record, Iran has not launched an attack on any nation in the past 300 years, but it has defended itself against assaults by other countries. Compare this track record to that of the biggest war monger in the Middle East, the same one that uses cluster bombs to take out innocent children.
The Iranians are Eagerly Awaiting the Arrival of "US Democracy"
American-style democracy has taken over the Middle East; just ask the Iraqis and Afghans how happy they are post-American liberation of their countries. Operation Iraqi Freedom has only cost 1.3 million Iraqi lives to date. In the last Iranian elections, an overwhelming 85 percent of voters turned out to pick the next president, and practically every pre-election poll showed President Ahmedinejad with a significant lead over his opponents. However, the West continues to claim Iran is not a democratic country despite it being the only Middle Eastern country with transparent elections and a fully functional parliament. Western hypocrisy of this magnitude must be respected, and the West has yet to call its allies (Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia) for throwing political opponents in jail and never holding elections.
By all instances, Iran is a democratic society, but to the United States and its allies, the very existence of a democracy in Iran is a threat. They removed this threat in 1953 when they overthrew the democratically-elected government and put in the totalitarian Shah. Speaking of democracy and sovereignty, the US would know a thing or two about those terms, considering for the past 30 years we have tried to overthrow the Iranian government and laid siege upon siege on the Iranian people. More recently, Congress voted to allocate 120 million dollars for anti-regime media broadcasts into Iran. It doesn't end there. The US also generously donated 60-75 million dollars to fund and support violent underground extremist groups like Mujahiden-Khalq (MKO), one of the largest terrorist organizations in Iran. Democracy in the Middle East is synonymous with murderous and catastrophic regime change.
Iran Is Five Years Away from a Nuclear Bomb
Every few months, the United States and Britain try to scare us out of sleeping at night by saying Iran is five years away from a nuclear bomb. Here's the problem: Iran has been "five years away from a nuclear bomb" for the past four decades, since the Shah began the peaceful nuclear program with US help. Those Iranians don't seem to be getting any closer to a nuclear weapon, which they don't seem to want by the way, but that won't detract the propagandist and war criminals. When the Qom facility was "exposed" by the United States last year, the neocons were quick to hawk it as proof of Iran's nuclear weapons program. However, they neglected to mention that Iran had openly revealed by it in a voluntary letter to the IAEA days before the US announced it. In addition, the Qom facility is incomplete and non-operational, and if the United States knew about the facility and did not reveal this information, then it too is in direct violation of the NPT. Unless, of course, the facility was not illegal, and thus there was no need to report it.
On April 13, President Obama was asked by a Washington Post reporter if he would "call on Israel to declare its nuclear program and sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty." The usually eloquent Obama stuttered his way through a response once he finally regained his composure and stated, "And, as far as Israel goes, I'm not going to comment on their program."
Maybe he should leave Iran's peaceful program alone and worry about the nuclear warheads Israel have.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Your Dead Brother's Flesh
http://www.islamicinsights.com/religion/religion/your-dead-brother-s-flesh.html
Monday, 29 March 2010 14:31 Zara Syed
Whenever the Shaikh or Maulana touches on the topic of Gheebat (backbiting) from the pulpit, many of us display so many new and never before seen facial expressions, it's as though we are all innocent and being wrongfully found guilty of a heinous crime! This is usually followed by the audience giggling, people's faces turning bright red, and then a mini-gossip fest at the Islamic center where we all take turns retelling a story of how so-and-so is known for committing Gheebat and is a big trouble creator in the community – by the way, that was just more Gheebat.
This problem of Gheebat/backbiting/back-stabbing/black-mouthing/whatever-we-want-to-name-it is not new. When the Holy Qur'an was revealed, verses were also dedicated towards warning the believers against any and all forms of Gheebat. For example, Allah says, "Nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it." (49:12) This verse isn't unfamiliar to most of us, yet we continue to talk about others in an ill way behind their backs. But the question is: why?
The only logical explanation as to why so many Muslims openly partake in Gheebat (despite it being so strongly forbidden) is that a) we may not know what Gheebat is and when we commit it; b) we fail to even partially comprehend the negative effects that Gheebat has on our lives; c) we underestimate or forget the promised punishment of willingly committing Gheebat; or d) we want to avoid Gheebat, but simply don't know how. So, let's talk some Gheebat!
What Is Gheebat?
Although for some of us identifying Gheebat is perhaps as difficult as rocket science, our Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has given us a simple definition: "Gheebat is remembering your brother in a way he dislikes." (Makasib Muhrima) In his book Greater Sins, Martyr Ayatollah Dastghaib Shirazi talks about different types of Gheebat in light of the traditions of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them).
Absolute Gheebat
"For crying out loud! Everyone thinks Sukaina is soooo smart, but my mum works at her school and she told me that Sukaina failed three subjects last year!" If we know the deep dark secret or defect of someone we dislike or are jealous of, the urge to reveal this secret to intentionally defame the person is at times overpowering. For some of us, Shaitan guides us to feel an unsolicited degree of satisfaction when others know that someone is less than perfect in one way or another. Regarding this type of Gheebat, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said, "Gheebat is exposing that aspect of your brother which Allah had concealed." (Al-Kafi)
Apparent Gheebat
"We should never have migrated here! First Brother Ahmed's teenage son started dating Brother Haider's daughter. Yesterday I looked over the backyard fence and saw that twenty-year-old boy Najeeb with a non-Muslim girl in the house! Next it will be our kids! Let's go back to Pakistan!" This type of Gheebat is not done to intentionally expose the shortcomings and secrets of others, but rather to prove a point, express concern, or to cite an example. Regardless of the intent, publicizing such private facts is still classified as Gheebat.
Implied Gheebat
"Remember how we found out Hajj Malik doesn't pray and listens to music? I still can't believe he managed to become the head of our Islamic center!" Although not agreed upon by all Religious Authorities (but we will err on the side of caution), this type of Gheebat is when we repeat, remind, mention or discuss a defect to a person who is already previously aware of it. Although all parties have previously acquired the knowledge of the concerned person's defects, it is considered backbiting since it is classified as "causing grief and humiliation to a fellow believer."
Non-Verbal Gheebat
As though there aren't enough classifications of backbiting already, say hello to the non-verbal type of Gheebat! A sister who is suffering from bulimia walks by, and as soon as she is gone, the other sisters standing there all stick their fingers in their mouths and pretend to throw up. Little did we know that expressing a private defect or fact by way of hand gestures or physical notions which is understood by others (makes an allusion) is also Gheebat!
Listening to Gheebat
In our communities, we often find people believing that it's quite halal to listen to someone defaming another in their absence, as long as we don't take part. Technically, we are not the ones talking ill about that person...right? But according to the Holy Prophet of Islam, "The one who listens to Gheebat is one of those who do Gheebat." (Mustadrak al-Wasail)
Permissible Gheebat
Please note there are certain situations in which Gheebat is permitted. In his book Al-Makasib, Shaikh Murtadha Ansari mentions four instances: 1) when a person openly indulges in sin, 2) when there is an inquiry about the person for legitimate marriage and/or business partnership purposes (of course, only to the extent that is necessary and relevant), 3) when complaining about an oppressor, provided that the complaint is directed to someone who is in a position to redress the oppression. and 4) to discourage the person from engaging in that evil activity, provided that we have certainty that telling others about a person's sin would stop him/her from committing it. For a more detailed discussion on each of these, please click here.
The Negative Effects of Gheebat
The minute we feel as though we may have some serious or life-threatening illness or disease, there's only one thing on our mind: survival. Our Holy Prophet has said: "Slander acts quicker against the faith of a Muslim believer than leprosy does against his body." (Al-Kafi) It makes us wonder, does that instinct wanting "survival" of the faith even exist in the gossiping believers, or are we perfectly fine with our faith being eaten away every time we backbite?
An accountant's worst nightmare is to issue a transaction which allows for the exchange of a profit for a loss. But what's worse is when we do this while dealing with the treasures which will benefit us in the afterlife. Backbiting indeed annihilates good deeds! Imam Sadiq has said, "Gheebat is prohibited for all Muslims, and there is no doubt that Gheebat destroys good deeds like fire destroys wood." (Ibid)
To top things off, Gheebat not only increases our sins, but it also invalidates our previously fulfilled religious duties. Our Prophet has said "Whoever backbites a Muslim spoils his fasts and breaks his Wudhu." (Wasail al-Shia) It is stated in other traditions that the good deeds of the backbiter are transferred to the victim of his backbiting, and the victim's sins are transferred to the scroll of deeds of the backbiter!
The Promised Punishment for Gheebat
Let's give all brothers and sisters who are keen on Gheebat the benefit of the doubt. The Holy Qur'an says, "Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate about the believers, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know." (24:19) Perhaps our fellow Muslims are simply unaware of the promised punishment for defaming and backbiting others.
Unless those whom we have slandered and committed Gheebat against are our best friends and are extremely kind and forgiving to us, we are in big trouble. Backbiting is such a dangerous sin that only the person who we have defamed has the authority to forgive us. The Prophet once said to his companion Abu Dharr: "O Abu Dharr! Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is graver than adultery." Abu Dharr said: "Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet replied: "That is because when a man commits adultery and then repents to God, God accepts his repentance. However, backbiting is not forgiven until forgiven by its victim." (Wasail al-Shia)
If we are guilty of having committed Gheebat of a person, it is imperative for us to repent and seek the forgiveness of the victim if this is possible without any chance of severe reaction; otherwise, we must pray for the person and ask Allah to make him/her happy with us, as is outlined in the Du'a for Monday.
Regardless of our level of piety, we all love sporting fresh breath at all times. But for those of us who backbite, unless there's an unlimited supply of free Mentos on the Day of Judgment, we will be in big trouble. The Noble Messenger of Islam has said: "Whoever backbites a Muslim shall come on the Day of Resurrection with his mouth's stench more putrid than a carcass, and it shall irk those who are with him in his station. If he dies before repenting, his death is like that of one who dies while considering permissible that which is prohibited by God, the Exalted and the Glorious." (Ibid)
To those backbiters who remain silent when others speak ill of a fellow brother or sister, our Prophet once said to Imam Ali: "O Ali! When someone hears the backbiting of his Muslim brother committed in his presence, yet he does not rally to his assistance despite being capable of doing so, God shall humiliate him in the world and in the Hereafter." (Ibid)
Practical Tips on How to Avoid Gheebat
If someone brings up a person you dislike or are not exactly on best terms with, change the topic to ensure that you do not feel the urge to blurt a defect about them or end up humiliating them in some other way. If you know a person always backbites others while socializing, then try explaining how you do not appreciate what they are doing, and if they persist, leave or kick that person out of your social circle! (Insha'Allah soon they will realize why you no longer enjoy their company!) If you are unexpectedly caught up in a Gheebat-fest (as often is the case), then do something to make it known that you do not feel comfortable with anybody tainting the reputation of a fellow Muslim.
According to Islam, the first and foremost preferred response to a Gheebat scenario is to refute the backbiting and defend the victim. Prophet Muhammad has said about such a person, "God shall save him from a thousand kinds of evils in this world and in the Hereafter. And if he does not do so despite his ability to refute it, on him shall be the burden of one who commits his backbiting seventy times." (Ibid) If we cannot refute, we must speak up and stop the Gheebat. If we cannot do this, then we should signal the backbiter perhaps by way of a hand gesture to stop. If we can't do this either, than as a last resort we should leave the gossiping group, for listening to gossiping is considered just the same!
If you're suffering from Severe Gheebat Syndrome, and despite reading the numerous abovementioned traditions of the holy personalities and the divine words of the Quran still feel as though you need that extra bit of motivation, please spend a few minutes pondering upon the precious words of the Prophet: "The abandoning of backbiting is more valuable to Allah, Almighty and Glorious, than the performance of ten thousand units of recommended prayers." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Monday, 29 March 2010 14:31 Zara Syed
Whenever the Shaikh or Maulana touches on the topic of Gheebat (backbiting) from the pulpit, many of us display so many new and never before seen facial expressions, it's as though we are all innocent and being wrongfully found guilty of a heinous crime! This is usually followed by the audience giggling, people's faces turning bright red, and then a mini-gossip fest at the Islamic center where we all take turns retelling a story of how so-and-so is known for committing Gheebat and is a big trouble creator in the community – by the way, that was just more Gheebat.
This problem of Gheebat/backbiting/back-stabbing/black-mouthing/whatever-we-want-to-name-it is not new. When the Holy Qur'an was revealed, verses were also dedicated towards warning the believers against any and all forms of Gheebat. For example, Allah says, "Nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it." (49:12) This verse isn't unfamiliar to most of us, yet we continue to talk about others in an ill way behind their backs. But the question is: why?
The only logical explanation as to why so many Muslims openly partake in Gheebat (despite it being so strongly forbidden) is that a) we may not know what Gheebat is and when we commit it; b) we fail to even partially comprehend the negative effects that Gheebat has on our lives; c) we underestimate or forget the promised punishment of willingly committing Gheebat; or d) we want to avoid Gheebat, but simply don't know how. So, let's talk some Gheebat!
What Is Gheebat?
Although for some of us identifying Gheebat is perhaps as difficult as rocket science, our Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has given us a simple definition: "Gheebat is remembering your brother in a way he dislikes." (Makasib Muhrima) In his book Greater Sins, Martyr Ayatollah Dastghaib Shirazi talks about different types of Gheebat in light of the traditions of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them).
Absolute Gheebat
"For crying out loud! Everyone thinks Sukaina is soooo smart, but my mum works at her school and she told me that Sukaina failed three subjects last year!" If we know the deep dark secret or defect of someone we dislike or are jealous of, the urge to reveal this secret to intentionally defame the person is at times overpowering. For some of us, Shaitan guides us to feel an unsolicited degree of satisfaction when others know that someone is less than perfect in one way or another. Regarding this type of Gheebat, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said, "Gheebat is exposing that aspect of your brother which Allah had concealed." (Al-Kafi)
Apparent Gheebat
"We should never have migrated here! First Brother Ahmed's teenage son started dating Brother Haider's daughter. Yesterday I looked over the backyard fence and saw that twenty-year-old boy Najeeb with a non-Muslim girl in the house! Next it will be our kids! Let's go back to Pakistan!" This type of Gheebat is not done to intentionally expose the shortcomings and secrets of others, but rather to prove a point, express concern, or to cite an example. Regardless of the intent, publicizing such private facts is still classified as Gheebat.
Implied Gheebat
"Remember how we found out Hajj Malik doesn't pray and listens to music? I still can't believe he managed to become the head of our Islamic center!" Although not agreed upon by all Religious Authorities (but we will err on the side of caution), this type of Gheebat is when we repeat, remind, mention or discuss a defect to a person who is already previously aware of it. Although all parties have previously acquired the knowledge of the concerned person's defects, it is considered backbiting since it is classified as "causing grief and humiliation to a fellow believer."
Non-Verbal Gheebat
As though there aren't enough classifications of backbiting already, say hello to the non-verbal type of Gheebat! A sister who is suffering from bulimia walks by, and as soon as she is gone, the other sisters standing there all stick their fingers in their mouths and pretend to throw up. Little did we know that expressing a private defect or fact by way of hand gestures or physical notions which is understood by others (makes an allusion) is also Gheebat!
Listening to Gheebat
In our communities, we often find people believing that it's quite halal to listen to someone defaming another in their absence, as long as we don't take part. Technically, we are not the ones talking ill about that person...right? But according to the Holy Prophet of Islam, "The one who listens to Gheebat is one of those who do Gheebat." (Mustadrak al-Wasail)
Permissible Gheebat
Please note there are certain situations in which Gheebat is permitted. In his book Al-Makasib, Shaikh Murtadha Ansari mentions four instances: 1) when a person openly indulges in sin, 2) when there is an inquiry about the person for legitimate marriage and/or business partnership purposes (of course, only to the extent that is necessary and relevant), 3) when complaining about an oppressor, provided that the complaint is directed to someone who is in a position to redress the oppression. and 4) to discourage the person from engaging in that evil activity, provided that we have certainty that telling others about a person's sin would stop him/her from committing it. For a more detailed discussion on each of these, please click here.
The Negative Effects of Gheebat
The minute we feel as though we may have some serious or life-threatening illness or disease, there's only one thing on our mind: survival. Our Holy Prophet has said: "Slander acts quicker against the faith of a Muslim believer than leprosy does against his body." (Al-Kafi) It makes us wonder, does that instinct wanting "survival" of the faith even exist in the gossiping believers, or are we perfectly fine with our faith being eaten away every time we backbite?
An accountant's worst nightmare is to issue a transaction which allows for the exchange of a profit for a loss. But what's worse is when we do this while dealing with the treasures which will benefit us in the afterlife. Backbiting indeed annihilates good deeds! Imam Sadiq has said, "Gheebat is prohibited for all Muslims, and there is no doubt that Gheebat destroys good deeds like fire destroys wood." (Ibid)
To top things off, Gheebat not only increases our sins, but it also invalidates our previously fulfilled religious duties. Our Prophet has said "Whoever backbites a Muslim spoils his fasts and breaks his Wudhu." (Wasail al-Shia) It is stated in other traditions that the good deeds of the backbiter are transferred to the victim of his backbiting, and the victim's sins are transferred to the scroll of deeds of the backbiter!
The Promised Punishment for Gheebat
Let's give all brothers and sisters who are keen on Gheebat the benefit of the doubt. The Holy Qur'an says, "Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate about the believers, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; and Allah knows, while you do not know." (24:19) Perhaps our fellow Muslims are simply unaware of the promised punishment for defaming and backbiting others.
Unless those whom we have slandered and committed Gheebat against are our best friends and are extremely kind and forgiving to us, we are in big trouble. Backbiting is such a dangerous sin that only the person who we have defamed has the authority to forgive us. The Prophet once said to his companion Abu Dharr: "O Abu Dharr! Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is graver than adultery." Abu Dharr said: "Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet replied: "That is because when a man commits adultery and then repents to God, God accepts his repentance. However, backbiting is not forgiven until forgiven by its victim." (Wasail al-Shia)
If we are guilty of having committed Gheebat of a person, it is imperative for us to repent and seek the forgiveness of the victim if this is possible without any chance of severe reaction; otherwise, we must pray for the person and ask Allah to make him/her happy with us, as is outlined in the Du'a for Monday.
Regardless of our level of piety, we all love sporting fresh breath at all times. But for those of us who backbite, unless there's an unlimited supply of free Mentos on the Day of Judgment, we will be in big trouble. The Noble Messenger of Islam has said: "Whoever backbites a Muslim shall come on the Day of Resurrection with his mouth's stench more putrid than a carcass, and it shall irk those who are with him in his station. If he dies before repenting, his death is like that of one who dies while considering permissible that which is prohibited by God, the Exalted and the Glorious." (Ibid)
To those backbiters who remain silent when others speak ill of a fellow brother or sister, our Prophet once said to Imam Ali: "O Ali! When someone hears the backbiting of his Muslim brother committed in his presence, yet he does not rally to his assistance despite being capable of doing so, God shall humiliate him in the world and in the Hereafter." (Ibid)
Practical Tips on How to Avoid Gheebat
If someone brings up a person you dislike or are not exactly on best terms with, change the topic to ensure that you do not feel the urge to blurt a defect about them or end up humiliating them in some other way. If you know a person always backbites others while socializing, then try explaining how you do not appreciate what they are doing, and if they persist, leave or kick that person out of your social circle! (Insha'Allah soon they will realize why you no longer enjoy their company!) If you are unexpectedly caught up in a Gheebat-fest (as often is the case), then do something to make it known that you do not feel comfortable with anybody tainting the reputation of a fellow Muslim.
According to Islam, the first and foremost preferred response to a Gheebat scenario is to refute the backbiting and defend the victim. Prophet Muhammad has said about such a person, "God shall save him from a thousand kinds of evils in this world and in the Hereafter. And if he does not do so despite his ability to refute it, on him shall be the burden of one who commits his backbiting seventy times." (Ibid) If we cannot refute, we must speak up and stop the Gheebat. If we cannot do this, then we should signal the backbiter perhaps by way of a hand gesture to stop. If we can't do this either, than as a last resort we should leave the gossiping group, for listening to gossiping is considered just the same!
If you're suffering from Severe Gheebat Syndrome, and despite reading the numerous abovementioned traditions of the holy personalities and the divine words of the Quran still feel as though you need that extra bit of motivation, please spend a few minutes pondering upon the precious words of the Prophet: "The abandoning of backbiting is more valuable to Allah, Almighty and Glorious, than the performance of ten thousand units of recommended prayers." (Bihar al-Anwar)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Arrogance and Humility
Humility and humbleness are among the noblest virtues a believer can be blessed with, because their presence in our hearts and actions instills in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God, the most Glorious and Merciful. These exalted traits were personified by the Holy Prophet and His Household (peace be upon them), and their modesty, graciousness, and humility were a cogent validation of their divine righteousness. For example, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) would spread his cloak out such that the poverty-stricken and indigent who came to visit him could sit on it.
Islam is a comprehensive religion and has established humility as the foundation of all sublime moral excellence. Its absence in any soul removes any other virtue from the believer except for the superficial qualities.
"The servants of the Merciful are those who walk on the earth in humility." (25:63)
Humbleness is an attribute praised by the Holy Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad. In order to be blessed and honored with such virtuous characteristics, we must comprehend the true meaning of humility. In its more pure and pristine form, humility is the awareness and declaration on the part of a believing person that all good qualities held by him/her are granted by God, the Glorious and Merciful, and that all praise and thanks is to Him.
Any task we set forth upon that is void of humility is tainted, and humbleness must exist if our intention in any action is pure. As human beings, we are blessed with wealth, intellect, and success; however, we must acknowledge that these blessings are provided to us by God, and we must thank Him. Indeed, God's blessings towards us are trials and opportunities for us to earn His approval and acceptance as believers. If we continue to live without true humility, our actions will continue to be destroyed by arrogance, conceit, and selfish ambition. By continuously thanking the Most Beneficent and Merciful for the blessings He has provided us, we avoid becoming arrogant and are able to join the ranks of the true Muslims.
Arrogance: The Disease of the Soul
The Holy Prophet advised his followers to humble themselves before God and other Muslims, "And no one humbles himself before Allah but Allah will raise him (in status)." Just as humility can lead us to heaven and join us in the ranks of the Prophets and Imams, arrogance, the antagonistic force of humility, will lead us to the deepest and most dreaded pits of hell-fire. Arrogance, also known as Ujb, is among the most destructive vices a person can be stricken with. Ujb is a dangerous characteristic, and we pray to the Most-Merciful to remove it from our hearts, because arrogance leads to hypocrisy, and hypocrisy leads to Riyaa (showing off) and a complete elimination of any faith in a human being.
Arrogance is a disease that has destroyed the faith and honor of countless individuals, and both the pious and common people are susceptible to it unless we continuously praise and thank God in humility for the blessings He has provided us. Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) warns us of the several levels of arrogance "There are several levels of Ujb. One of them is when one's bad actions appear to him as good; he reckons them as good and loves himself, imagining that he is performing virtuous deeds. Another level of Ujb is represented by a person who believes that by having faith in God, he has done God a favor, whereas (in reality) it is God Almighty who has conferred a favor on him (by endowing him with faith)." (Al-Kafi)
Such evil caprices can be defeated through humility and by remembering that all good done on our part, talents we possess, and every good deed and worship we have completed are due to the divine blessings and generosity of God, the most Honorable and Sovereign.
"Give good news to the humble-hearted." (22:34)
Humility and humbleness towards God manifest themselves as modesty, patience, and respect towards other Muslims. Submission to God leads a person towards a more tranquil and meek life of purpose and substance, while self-pride and arrogance leads one to a life of darkness and hatred. It is not possible to be in actual submission while behaving arrogantly and in contempt towards others. Indeed, humble submission before the Most Glorious and Eternal Lord is the most sublime and greatest source of honor and dignity a believing person can be afforded.
Humility comes from recognizing the Might of God and that all might belongs to Him, His Greatness, and being in awe of His Majesty. The lives of Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) exemplified humility and an awareness and consciousness of God. They associated with the poor and destitute and worshiped God devotedly and steadfastly through times of peril and blessings. Imam Ali ar-Ridha (peace be upon him) worshiped God so intensely that those around him were naturally curious as to the cause. A companion asked the Imam, "O son of the Messenger of Allah! I fear that you may perish due to excess worship." Imam ar-Ridha replied, "Such a death is everlasting success." The Caliph Ma'mun said, "What sins have you committed that you pray day and night for their forgiveness?" Imam replied, "Not for the forgiveness of sins, it is for the thankfulness of His bounties. It is the demand of my servitude." (Akhlaq al-Aimma)
True humbleness asks that we remember God constantly, thank Him for His countless blessings that He has conferred upon us, use our talents and abilities in the path of God, and consider ourselves superior to no one. Indeed, "Successful indeed are the believers who humble themselves in their prayers." (Qur'an 23:02)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
United Nations on Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S)
The United Nations has advised Arab countries to take Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (AS) as an example in establishing a regime based on justice and democracy and encouraging knowledge.
The UNDP in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report, distributed around the world, listed six sayings of Imam Ali (AS) about ideal governance.
They include consultation between the ruler and the ruled, speaking out against corruption and other wrong doings, ensuring justice to all, and achieving domestic development.
The UNDP said most regional countries are still far behind other nations in democracy, wide political representation, women's participation, development and knowledge.
Ref: http://www.human-rights-in-islam.co.uk/A_United_Nations_Imam_Ali_ibn_abi_talib.htm
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (AS)'s sayings:
The UNDP quoted the following sayings of Imam Ali (AS) in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report:
1. "He who has appointed himself an Imam (ruler) of the people must begin by teaching himself before teaching others. His teaching of others must be first by setting an example rather than with his words, for he who begins by teaching and educating himself is more worthy of respect than he who teaches and educates others."
2. "Your concern with developing the land should be greater than your concern for collecting taxes, for the latter can only be obtained by developing; whereas he who seeks revenue without development destroys the country and the people."
3. "Seek the company of the learned and the wise in search of solving the problems of your country and the righteousness of your people."
4. "No good can come out in keeping silent to the government or in speaking out of ignorance."
5. "The righteous are men of virtue, whose logic is straightforward, whose dress is unostentatious, whose path is modest, whose actions are many and who are undeterred by difficulties."
6. "Choose the best among your people to administer justice among them. Choose someone who does not easily give up, who is unruffled by enmities, someone who will not persist in wrong doings, who will not hesitate to pursue right once he knows it, someone whose heart knows no greed, who will not be satisfied with a minimum of explanation without seeking the maximum of understanding, who will be the most steadfast when doubt is cast, who will be the least impatient in correcting the opponent, the most patient in pursuing the truth, the most stern in meting out judgment, someone who is unaffected by flattery and not swayed by temptation and these are but few."
NOTE: You may also read page 82 of the UNDP report on
Imam Ali bin abi Taleb: (556-619 A.D.) knowledge and work
- No vessel is limitless, except for the vessel of knowledge, which forever expands.
- If God were to humiliate a human being, He would deny him knowledge.
- No wealth equals the mind, no poverty equals ignorance, no heritage equals culture, and no support is greater than advice.
- Wisdom is the believer’s quest, to be sought everywhere, even among the deceitful.
- A person is worth what he excels at.
- No wealth can profit you more than the mind, no isolation can be more desolate than conceit, no policy can be wiser than prudence, no generosity can be better than decency, no heritage can be more bountiful than culture, no guidance can be truer than inspiration, no enterprise can be more successful than goodness, and no honour can surpass knowledge.
- Knowledge is superior to wealth. Knowledge guards you, whereas you guard wealth. Wealth decreases with expenditure, whereas knowledge multiplies with dissemination. A good material deed vanishes as the material resources behind it vanish, whereas to knowledge we are indebted forever. Thanks to knowledge, you command people’s respect during your lifetime, and kind memory after your death. Knowledge rules over wealth. Those who treasure wealth perish while they are still alive, whereas scholars live forever; they only disappear in physical image, but in hearts, their memories are enshrined.
- Knowledge is the twin of action. He who is knowledgeable must act. Knowledge calls upon action; if answered, it will stay; otherwise, it will depart.
Source: Ali bin abi Taleb, Nahj Al-Balagha, Interpreted by Imam Muhammad Abdu, Vol. 1, Dar-Al-Balagha, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1985.
The UNDP in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report, distributed around the world, listed six sayings of Imam Ali (AS) about ideal governance.
They include consultation between the ruler and the ruled, speaking out against corruption and other wrong doings, ensuring justice to all, and achieving domestic development.
The UNDP said most regional countries are still far behind other nations in democracy, wide political representation, women's participation, development and knowledge.
Ref: http://www.human-rights-in-islam.co.uk/A_United_Nations_Imam_Ali_ibn_abi_talib.htm
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (AS)'s sayings:
The UNDP quoted the following sayings of Imam Ali (AS) in its 2002 Arab Human Development Report:
1. "He who has appointed himself an Imam (ruler) of the people must begin by teaching himself before teaching others. His teaching of others must be first by setting an example rather than with his words, for he who begins by teaching and educating himself is more worthy of respect than he who teaches and educates others."
2. "Your concern with developing the land should be greater than your concern for collecting taxes, for the latter can only be obtained by developing; whereas he who seeks revenue without development destroys the country and the people."
3. "Seek the company of the learned and the wise in search of solving the problems of your country and the righteousness of your people."
4. "No good can come out in keeping silent to the government or in speaking out of ignorance."
5. "The righteous are men of virtue, whose logic is straightforward, whose dress is unostentatious, whose path is modest, whose actions are many and who are undeterred by difficulties."
6. "Choose the best among your people to administer justice among them. Choose someone who does not easily give up, who is unruffled by enmities, someone who will not persist in wrong doings, who will not hesitate to pursue right once he knows it, someone whose heart knows no greed, who will not be satisfied with a minimum of explanation without seeking the maximum of understanding, who will be the most steadfast when doubt is cast, who will be the least impatient in correcting the opponent, the most patient in pursuing the truth, the most stern in meting out judgment, someone who is unaffected by flattery and not swayed by temptation and these are but few."
NOTE: You may also read page 82 of the UNDP report on
Imam Ali bin abi Taleb: (556-619 A.D.) knowledge and work
- No vessel is limitless, except for the vessel of knowledge, which forever expands.
- If God were to humiliate a human being, He would deny him knowledge.
- No wealth equals the mind, no poverty equals ignorance, no heritage equals culture, and no support is greater than advice.
- Wisdom is the believer’s quest, to be sought everywhere, even among the deceitful.
- A person is worth what he excels at.
- No wealth can profit you more than the mind, no isolation can be more desolate than conceit, no policy can be wiser than prudence, no generosity can be better than decency, no heritage can be more bountiful than culture, no guidance can be truer than inspiration, no enterprise can be more successful than goodness, and no honour can surpass knowledge.
- Knowledge is superior to wealth. Knowledge guards you, whereas you guard wealth. Wealth decreases with expenditure, whereas knowledge multiplies with dissemination. A good material deed vanishes as the material resources behind it vanish, whereas to knowledge we are indebted forever. Thanks to knowledge, you command people’s respect during your lifetime, and kind memory after your death. Knowledge rules over wealth. Those who treasure wealth perish while they are still alive, whereas scholars live forever; they only disappear in physical image, but in hearts, their memories are enshrined.
- Knowledge is the twin of action. He who is knowledgeable must act. Knowledge calls upon action; if answered, it will stay; otherwise, it will depart.
Source: Ali bin abi Taleb, Nahj Al-Balagha, Interpreted by Imam Muhammad Abdu, Vol. 1, Dar-Al-Balagha, Beirut, 2nd edition, 1985.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thank You Allah (SWT): Be thankful to GOD
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. the legendary Wimbledon player was a prominent African American Tennis player who was born and raised in USA, was dying of AIDS. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?"
Be thankful to GODTo this Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. replied: The world over
5 Crore children start playing Tennis,
50 Lakh learn to play Tennis,
5 Lakh learn professional Tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the Grand Slam titles,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?"
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"
Be thankful to GOD for 99.99% of good things in life.
When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?' - Sydney J. Harris
Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Learn from your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith in GOD and drop the fear.
Be thankful to GODTo this Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. replied: The world over
5 Crore children start playing Tennis,
50 Lakh learn to play Tennis,
5 Lakh learn professional Tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the Grand Slam titles,
50 reach Wimbledon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?"
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"
Be thankful to GOD for 99.99% of good things in life.
When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?' - Sydney J. Harris
Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Learn from your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith in GOD and drop the fear.
Do you know, what is religion?
Once a man came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and said: O messenger of Allah, what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his front and asked: O Messenger of Allah, what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his left side and asked: what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his back side and asked the same question: what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said looking at him: Not to be angry is Good Conduct.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was asked: What is misfortune?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Bad Conduct.
Sadly we often hear Muslims saying that, "We Muslims have the worst character."
With the beautiful example of our dear Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in front of us, we should be showing and teaching people what good character is.
If we live and act with good character we will benefit in numerous ways and our lives will also serve to be an invitation to the deen (religion) of Islam.
May Allah (SWT) make it possible for us to practice upon the beautiful teachings in the Noble Qur'an the perfect example of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Ameen
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/mis55.asp
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his front and asked: O Messenger of Allah, what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his left side and asked: what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then he came to his back side and asked the same question: what is religion?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Good Conduct.
Then Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said looking at him: Not to be angry is Good Conduct.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was asked: What is misfortune?
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied: Bad Conduct.
Sadly we often hear Muslims saying that, "We Muslims have the worst character."
With the beautiful example of our dear Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in front of us, we should be showing and teaching people what good character is.
If we live and act with good character we will benefit in numerous ways and our lives will also serve to be an invitation to the deen (religion) of Islam.
May Allah (SWT) make it possible for us to practice upon the beautiful teachings in the Noble Qur'an the perfect example of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Ameen
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/mis55.asp
Akhlaq (Good Conduct): Good Character in Islam, Noble Character and Islam
The word Akhlaq is the plural for the word Khulq which means disposition. "Disposition" is that faculty (Malakah) of the soul (Nafs) which is the source of all those activities that man performs spontaneously without thinking about them. Malakah is a property of the soul which comes into existence through exercise and repetitive practice and is not easily destroyed. A particular disposition (Malakah) may appear in human beings because of one of the following reasons:
Note: The dictionary meaning of disposition is one's usual mood or temperament. Disposition could be a tendency or a habitual inclination like: "a disposition or argue."
1. Natural and physical make-up (Fitrah): It is observed that some people are patient while others are touchy and nervous. Some are easily disturbed and saddened while others show greater resistance and resilience.
2. Habit: This is formed because of continual repetition of certain acts and leads to the emergence of a certain disposition.
3. Practice and conscious effort: Which if persistent will eventually produce a disposition.
Even though the physical make-up of an individual produces certain dispositions in him, it is by no means true that man has no choice in the matter and is absolutely compelled to abide by the dictates of his physical make-up. On the contrary, since man has the power to choose, he can overcome the dictates of his physical nature through practice and effort, and can acquire the disposition of his choice.
Of course, it should be admitted that those dispositions which are caused by the mental faculties such as intelligence, memory, mental agility and the like, are not alterable. All other dispositions, however, may be changed according to man's will. Man can control his lust, anger and other emotions and desires, and channel them to edify himself and propel himself along the path of perfection and wisdom.
It is of great importance to be mindful that Akhlaq forms an important component of our religion Islam and our Imaan (faith).
Allah (SWT) speaks about the importance of good character in the Noble Qur'an where HE says:
1. And say to My servants (that) they speak that which is best. (17:53)
2. Worship Allah, and do not associate partners with him. And be good to your parents, and the relatives, and to the orphans, and to the poor people, and the neighbor that is close to you and the neighbor that is not close to you, and your companion on the journey. (4:36)
3. Allah (SWT) speaks about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as, "And most certainly you are on sublime morality (exalted standard of character)." (68:4)
Many Ahadith can be quoted concerning good character. The following are some of what the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Ahadith on good character01. I have been sent is to perfect good manners.
02. There is not anything that will be placed on the scale weightier than good Akhlaq, and, certainly, the one who has good Akhlaq reaches by it the rank of one who continuously observes Saum (Fasts) and performs abundant (Nafl) Salah.
03. The dearest of you to me is he who is the best of you in Akhlaq.
04. Fear Allah (SWT) wherever you are, follow up an evil deed with a good deed, and meet with the people, interact with the people, with good Akhlaq.
05. The most complete of believers in Imaan (faith) are those who are best in character.
06. The most (important) things that cause people to reach Heaven are divine piety and a good temper.
07. Verily, a servant can gain the rank of him who both fasts during the day and keeps vigil at night, keeping up prayers, through his good disposition.
08. Imam Ali (as) said to his son, Imam Hassan (as): O' my son! No wealth is more valuable than intelligence and no poverty is similar to ignorance; no terror is worse than arrogance, and no life is more pleasant than being good tempered.
09. Imam Ali (as) says, Good behavior lies in three traits: Avoiding unlawful things, acquiring the lawful ones, and being fair to one's family members.
10. Imam Hassan (as) says: The most preferable adornment is graceful manners.
11. Imam Hassan (as) says: Verily, the best of bests is a good temper.
12. Imam Ali ibn Husayn (as) said: Fair speech increases wealth, stretches sustenance, postpones death, creates love among family members, and causes the person to enter Heaven.
13. Imam Sadiq (as) said: There are three things that each of which is brought by a person to Allah (SWT), Allah (SWT) will necessitate Heaven for the one: donation in poverty, a good temper with all people, and justice to one's self.
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/mis55.asp
Note: The dictionary meaning of disposition is one's usual mood or temperament. Disposition could be a tendency or a habitual inclination like: "a disposition or argue."
1. Natural and physical make-up (Fitrah): It is observed that some people are patient while others are touchy and nervous. Some are easily disturbed and saddened while others show greater resistance and resilience.
2. Habit: This is formed because of continual repetition of certain acts and leads to the emergence of a certain disposition.
3. Practice and conscious effort: Which if persistent will eventually produce a disposition.
Even though the physical make-up of an individual produces certain dispositions in him, it is by no means true that man has no choice in the matter and is absolutely compelled to abide by the dictates of his physical make-up. On the contrary, since man has the power to choose, he can overcome the dictates of his physical nature through practice and effort, and can acquire the disposition of his choice.
Of course, it should be admitted that those dispositions which are caused by the mental faculties such as intelligence, memory, mental agility and the like, are not alterable. All other dispositions, however, may be changed according to man's will. Man can control his lust, anger and other emotions and desires, and channel them to edify himself and propel himself along the path of perfection and wisdom.
It is of great importance to be mindful that Akhlaq forms an important component of our religion Islam and our Imaan (faith).
Allah (SWT) speaks about the importance of good character in the Noble Qur'an where HE says:
1. And say to My servants (that) they speak that which is best. (17:53)
2. Worship Allah, and do not associate partners with him. And be good to your parents, and the relatives, and to the orphans, and to the poor people, and the neighbor that is close to you and the neighbor that is not close to you, and your companion on the journey. (4:36)
3. Allah (SWT) speaks about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as, "And most certainly you are on sublime morality (exalted standard of character)." (68:4)
Many Ahadith can be quoted concerning good character. The following are some of what the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) Ahadith on good character01. I have been sent is to perfect good manners.
02. There is not anything that will be placed on the scale weightier than good Akhlaq, and, certainly, the one who has good Akhlaq reaches by it the rank of one who continuously observes Saum (Fasts) and performs abundant (Nafl) Salah.
03. The dearest of you to me is he who is the best of you in Akhlaq.
04. Fear Allah (SWT) wherever you are, follow up an evil deed with a good deed, and meet with the people, interact with the people, with good Akhlaq.
05. The most complete of believers in Imaan (faith) are those who are best in character.
06. The most (important) things that cause people to reach Heaven are divine piety and a good temper.
07. Verily, a servant can gain the rank of him who both fasts during the day and keeps vigil at night, keeping up prayers, through his good disposition.
08. Imam Ali (as) said to his son, Imam Hassan (as): O' my son! No wealth is more valuable than intelligence and no poverty is similar to ignorance; no terror is worse than arrogance, and no life is more pleasant than being good tempered.
09. Imam Ali (as) says, Good behavior lies in three traits: Avoiding unlawful things, acquiring the lawful ones, and being fair to one's family members.
10. Imam Hassan (as) says: The most preferable adornment is graceful manners.
11. Imam Hassan (as) says: Verily, the best of bests is a good temper.
12. Imam Ali ibn Husayn (as) said: Fair speech increases wealth, stretches sustenance, postpones death, creates love among family members, and causes the person to enter Heaven.
13. Imam Sadiq (as) said: There are three things that each of which is brought by a person to Allah (SWT), Allah (SWT) will necessitate Heaven for the one: donation in poverty, a good temper with all people, and justice to one's self.
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/mis55.asp
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