#1 Smile
#2 Greet one another
#3 Feed a fasting person
#4 Look after orphans
#5 Remove an obstacle
#8 Visit the sick
#9 Be good to your neighbors
#10 Provide water for the thirsty
#11 Be kind to your parents
#12 Have mercy on children
#13 Attend a funeral
#14 Look after widows
#16 Honor your guests
#31 Love your brother
#32 Respect and appreciate your mother
#34 Be intimate with your spouse
#37 Take care of animals
#48 Respect your husband
#49 Be kind to your wife
#50 Have children
#51 Keep strong family ties
#59 Reply to someone that sneezes
#93 Give Sadaqa
#94 Make a Waqf/Sadaqah Jaariya
#95 Feed a poor person
#127 Respect your elders
#136 Be kind to debtors
#139 Share inheritance correctly
#140 Give gifts
#143 Give sadaqah to family first
#147 Make Da’wah
#155 Make things easy for others
#158 Be conscious of roles and responsibilities
#161 Conceal faults of others
#173 Respect your teachers
#179 Stop belittling yourself
#187 Make 70 excuses first
#188 Breastfeed your baby
#189 Give good names
#190 Hug and kiss your children
#199 Stop showing off – Riyaa
#205 Fulfill commitments – Practise Surah Maidah – The Table Spread
Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2010/10/14/good-deed-archive/
Friday, December 31, 2010
Good Deed #11- Be Kind to Your Parents
1. “Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood’ “(17:23-24).
2. “We have enjoined on man and woman (to be good) to his/her parents; show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (thy final) goal. If they (parents) strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love)” (31:14-15).
3. Abdullah ibn Amr related that the Messenger of Allah said: The major sins are to believe that Allah has partners, to disobey one’s parents, to commit murder, and to bear false witness (Bukhari, Muslim).
4. It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him), who observed: “I asked Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) which deed was the best.” He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘The Prayer at its appointed hour.’ I (again) asked: “Then what?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘Kindness to the parents.’ I (again) asked: “Then what?” He replied: ‘Earnest struggle in the cause of Allah (jihad).’ I refrained from asking any more questions for fear of annoying him. (Sahih Muslim: 120)
Action plan
Rights of parents:
1. You should not cause them any harm even if they commit any excesses.
2. Respect and honor them in your speech and dealings with them.
3. Obey them in permissible acts.
4. If they are in need of money, assist them even if they are non Muslim.
5. The following rights are due to parents after their death:
a. Continue making duas of forgiveness and mercy for them. Continue sending rewards to them in the form of optional acts of worship and charity on their behalf.
b. Meet their friends and relatives in a friendly way and also assist them wherever possible.
c. If you have the finances, fulfill their unpaid debts and the permissible bequests that they have made.
6. According to the Shariah, the rights of the paternal and maternal grandparents are similar to those of the parents and they should be regarded as such.
Source: Haq Islam
7. If you embarking on anything important, ask your parents advice and permission.
8. Always be patient with parents as difficult as it can be at times.
9. Ask parents for forgiveness.
10. Always ask your parents to make dua for you and always remember them in your duas.
11. Please try and avoid by all means sending parents to the old age homes or nursing homes in their old age when they are in need of your love and support the most.
Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2009/08/31/good-deed-11-be-kind-to-your-parents/
2. “We have enjoined on man and woman (to be good) to his/her parents; show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (thy final) goal. If they (parents) strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love)” (31:14-15).
3. Abdullah ibn Amr related that the Messenger of Allah said: The major sins are to believe that Allah has partners, to disobey one’s parents, to commit murder, and to bear false witness (Bukhari, Muslim).
4. It is narrated on the authority of Abdullah bin Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him), who observed: “I asked Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) which deed was the best.” He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘The Prayer at its appointed hour.’ I (again) asked: “Then what?” He (the Holy Prophet) replied: ‘Kindness to the parents.’ I (again) asked: “Then what?” He replied: ‘Earnest struggle in the cause of Allah (jihad).’ I refrained from asking any more questions for fear of annoying him. (Sahih Muslim: 120)
Action plan
Rights of parents:
1. You should not cause them any harm even if they commit any excesses.
2. Respect and honor them in your speech and dealings with them.
3. Obey them in permissible acts.
4. If they are in need of money, assist them even if they are non Muslim.
5. The following rights are due to parents after their death:
a. Continue making duas of forgiveness and mercy for them. Continue sending rewards to them in the form of optional acts of worship and charity on their behalf.
b. Meet their friends and relatives in a friendly way and also assist them wherever possible.
c. If you have the finances, fulfill their unpaid debts and the permissible bequests that they have made.
6. According to the Shariah, the rights of the paternal and maternal grandparents are similar to those of the parents and they should be regarded as such.
Source: Haq Islam
7. If you embarking on anything important, ask your parents advice and permission.
8. Always be patient with parents as difficult as it can be at times.
9. Ask parents for forgiveness.
10. Always ask your parents to make dua for you and always remember them in your duas.
11. Please try and avoid by all means sending parents to the old age homes or nursing homes in their old age when they are in need of your love and support the most.
Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2009/08/31/good-deed-11-be-kind-to-your-parents/
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tips on How to Treat Our Mothers
“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years. Give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” [Noble Quran 31:14]
They carried us in their wombs for nine months, then endured the pain of labor, and then nurtured us and did everything for us when we were helpless babies and children; they bear the teenage years with patience and advice. We hope this compilation of ways on how to treat our mothers will put a smile on the faces of your mothers, and let them know we have not forgotten what they go through.
1. Smile with a warm embrace.
2. Say thanks often.
3. Offer to wash up the dishes.
4. Make a cup of tea without her asking.
5. Recite her favorite surah.
6. Tidy round after she goes to bed, so that when she wakes up the house is tidy.
7. Buy her little ornaments for round the house so when she sees them she remembers you.
8. Rub her feet (after all, that's where paradise is)
9. Phone your mom just to tell her you love her.
10. Buy her surprise gifts.
11. Go to her when she calls you.
12. Write a poem for her.
13. If you're on the phone, and your mother is asking something tell the person to wait.
14. Cook for her.
15. Let her teach you to cook even if you know, she will enjoy the fact that you're coming to her to ask.
16. Bring your wife to her to learn how to cook, she will enjoy teaching her your favorite recipes, and both of you praise her cooking.
17. Clean the house without your mom having to ask.
18. Tell her how happy you are that she is a part of your life and your own families.
19. Always take your mother’s side in front of your wife over differing opinions; you can appease your wife later on out of sight.
20. Give her money to treat herself.
21. Make breakfast for her.
22. Do the shopping for her.
23. If your mother likes to shop, then be patient with her as she goes up and down the aisles.
24. Do your own washing and ironing.
25. Spread the salaam when you leave and return from the home.
26. Comb her hair.
27. Massage her shoulders.
28. Do well in school.
29. Pray all your prayers on time.
30. Help your younger siblings so she can put her feet up (rest).
31. Teach your younger siblings to also help around the house, a mother needs time for her Ibadah too; her Ibadah should not have to fit around housework all the time.
32. Look good and smell nice and be polite so that you're a good example of her upbringing.
33. Don't always have your mom waking you up for prayer; try to wake her up instead.
34. Help her with new technology, this stimulates her brain and keeps her mentally fit.
35. Take an interest in her hobbies. If it’s sewing, make sure she has all the things she needs. Ooo and ahhh, at her creations.
36. Listen to lectures together; watch programs together. This is what makes the bond stronger between you.
37. Take the garbage out and remember to bring them in, once they are emptied. This chore is something Muslim moms don't like as they have to cover themselves all up to take it out.
38. If affordable, try to buy her the best and freshest food at the supermarket.
39. Take her out for drives in the car, especially if you live in the city, take her to the countryside or go with the whole family and have a picnic.
40. When you drive, make sure you remember that there is a fragile vessel beside you, who would like to see what's out of the window rather than a blur because you're speeding.
41. Ask your mother about her youth, most mothers love recalling their past.
42. Be good to her relatives and her friends.
43. Name some of your children after her side of the family, as a lot of the time it's the dad who chooses the children's names.
44. Have a good relationship with your brothers and sisters; there is nothing more worrying to a mother than seeing her children at odds with one another.
45. Never raise your voice or speak in a harsh tone to your mother.
46. Tell her regularly what's going on in your life, don't let her hear your news from others.
47. Seek her opinion in all major decisions, she has been there and done that.
48. Always thank and praise her for the good job she has done over the years.
49. Kiss her when you go and come from the house.
50. Make du'a for her.
51. Always ask her to make Du'a for you and your family, this brings her closer to your family.
52. Call your mother if you're going to be late getting home.
53. Try not to stay out too late, as she will not sleep till you're safely inside.
54. Be patient when she is not feeling well, bring her all she needs, and go with her to the doctors so she has support.
55. Remind your mother to be a good Muslimah, and tell her heart softening stories and about paradise and hell.
56. Read Islamic books to her.
57. Whatever you learned in a gathering or class, share it with her.
58. Remind her to read Surah al-Kahf on Fridays.
59. Take her to the mosque if she wishes to go.
60. Make sure she has contact with other good sisters who will increase her Iman.
61. Take her to her friends yourself or arrange transport.
62. Invite her to your house on the weekend.
63. Take cooked food to her, to give her a rest.
64. Encourage her to do the Sunnah fasts, and then break fast with each other.
65. Know what makes your mother smile and do it often.
66. Be an active and a productive member of society. Mothers are happy when they see this.
67. Buy your mom flowers, the smell and prettiness of flowers do wonders.
68. Lead your mother and family in the Salah.
69. Get married and choose a spouse who your mother approves of.
70. Choose a wife who is soft hearted and will treat your mother well.
71. Don't put off jobs that need to be done around the house.
72. Remind her always of the traps of the Shaytan, remind her to do her daily Adkhars.
73. Choose your own friends wisely.
74. Pay for her to do Hajj and Umrah and go with her.
75. Don't remind her of how much you spent on her.
76. Look after her health, reminding her of the benefits of a good diet and some exercise.
77. Always ask your moms advice about your own household, this makes her happy and lets her know you value her opinion.
78. If there is any problem with your wife and mother, then never carry tales saying what the other said as most of that is done in anger.
79. Read Ruqya Ayat over water and give it to her to drink.
80. Buy her beauty products and perfumes.
81. Be there when there is any lifting to be done.
82. Let her listen and correct your mistakes when you're memorizing Quran.
83. Always intervene in any disputes between your parents calmly.
84. Give her some money from your salary every month, so she can save for something she wants to buy, or to give in charity.
85. Lay your head in each others lap, you might be 12 or 40 but in your mothers eyes you're still her child.
86. Give charity on her behalf regularly.
87. Give charity on behalf of her deceased relatives.
88. Buy her gold, women like it and it's an investment.
89. Listen to her complaints with understanding, and give her solutions that she can imply to make her life better.
90. Walk at her pace with her on the inside protected from the road.
91. If she wants to share what's in her glass with you, drink from the same side she drank from.
92. Just like children who need quality time, give this to your mother too.
93. Serve her first with food.
94. When you give her a drink, wait till she has finished then take away her glass.
95. Use affectionate terms for her and other motherly terms of affection.
96. When you see her doing something wrong, even in disobedience, treat her gently and with the utmost respect.
97. Always open the door for her.
98. Try to always speak in her mother tongue, and if your not then translate word for word, so she does not feel left out.
99. Remind her of the rights Islam has bestowed on the mother, and tell her good stories of how others treat their mothers.
100. Never cut your mother off when she is speaking, and be patient when she cuts you off.
101. Sit at her feet and listen to what she is saying.
102. Make her a large part of your grandchildren's lives; always bring them over to visit.
103. Teach your own children to respect their grandparents as well.
104. If you are in a class and you are unsure as to why your mom is calling then leave the class to answer the call.
105. When you're angry with each other, don't leave the house, and don't refuse her food, or any attempts your mother makes to make amends, try to be the first one to defuse the situation.
106. Always knock on her bedroom door before entering.
107. Don't enter into debates that you know will irritate each other, especially in the morning
and at night.
Khadejah Jones
Share Islam Team
ShareIslam.com
Source: islamswomen.com email subscription
They carried us in their wombs for nine months, then endured the pain of labor, and then nurtured us and did everything for us when we were helpless babies and children; they bear the teenage years with patience and advice. We hope this compilation of ways on how to treat our mothers will put a smile on the faces of your mothers, and let them know we have not forgotten what they go through.
1. Smile with a warm embrace.
2. Say thanks often.
3. Offer to wash up the dishes.
4. Make a cup of tea without her asking.
5. Recite her favorite surah.
6. Tidy round after she goes to bed, so that when she wakes up the house is tidy.
7. Buy her little ornaments for round the house so when she sees them she remembers you.
8. Rub her feet (after all, that's where paradise is)
9. Phone your mom just to tell her you love her.
10. Buy her surprise gifts.
11. Go to her when she calls you.
12. Write a poem for her.
13. If you're on the phone, and your mother is asking something tell the person to wait.
14. Cook for her.
15. Let her teach you to cook even if you know, she will enjoy the fact that you're coming to her to ask.
16. Bring your wife to her to learn how to cook, she will enjoy teaching her your favorite recipes, and both of you praise her cooking.
17. Clean the house without your mom having to ask.
18. Tell her how happy you are that she is a part of your life and your own families.
19. Always take your mother’s side in front of your wife over differing opinions; you can appease your wife later on out of sight.
20. Give her money to treat herself.
21. Make breakfast for her.
22. Do the shopping for her.
23. If your mother likes to shop, then be patient with her as she goes up and down the aisles.
24. Do your own washing and ironing.
25. Spread the salaam when you leave and return from the home.
26. Comb her hair.
27. Massage her shoulders.
28. Do well in school.
29. Pray all your prayers on time.
30. Help your younger siblings so she can put her feet up (rest).
31. Teach your younger siblings to also help around the house, a mother needs time for her Ibadah too; her Ibadah should not have to fit around housework all the time.
32. Look good and smell nice and be polite so that you're a good example of her upbringing.
33. Don't always have your mom waking you up for prayer; try to wake her up instead.
34. Help her with new technology, this stimulates her brain and keeps her mentally fit.
35. Take an interest in her hobbies. If it’s sewing, make sure she has all the things she needs. Ooo and ahhh, at her creations.
36. Listen to lectures together; watch programs together. This is what makes the bond stronger between you.
37. Take the garbage out and remember to bring them in, once they are emptied. This chore is something Muslim moms don't like as they have to cover themselves all up to take it out.
38. If affordable, try to buy her the best and freshest food at the supermarket.
39. Take her out for drives in the car, especially if you live in the city, take her to the countryside or go with the whole family and have a picnic.
40. When you drive, make sure you remember that there is a fragile vessel beside you, who would like to see what's out of the window rather than a blur because you're speeding.
41. Ask your mother about her youth, most mothers love recalling their past.
42. Be good to her relatives and her friends.
43. Name some of your children after her side of the family, as a lot of the time it's the dad who chooses the children's names.
44. Have a good relationship with your brothers and sisters; there is nothing more worrying to a mother than seeing her children at odds with one another.
45. Never raise your voice or speak in a harsh tone to your mother.
46. Tell her regularly what's going on in your life, don't let her hear your news from others.
47. Seek her opinion in all major decisions, she has been there and done that.
48. Always thank and praise her for the good job she has done over the years.
49. Kiss her when you go and come from the house.
50. Make du'a for her.
51. Always ask her to make Du'a for you and your family, this brings her closer to your family.
52. Call your mother if you're going to be late getting home.
53. Try not to stay out too late, as she will not sleep till you're safely inside.
54. Be patient when she is not feeling well, bring her all she needs, and go with her to the doctors so she has support.
55. Remind your mother to be a good Muslimah, and tell her heart softening stories and about paradise and hell.
56. Read Islamic books to her.
57. Whatever you learned in a gathering or class, share it with her.
58. Remind her to read Surah al-Kahf on Fridays.
59. Take her to the mosque if she wishes to go.
60. Make sure she has contact with other good sisters who will increase her Iman.
61. Take her to her friends yourself or arrange transport.
62. Invite her to your house on the weekend.
63. Take cooked food to her, to give her a rest.
64. Encourage her to do the Sunnah fasts, and then break fast with each other.
65. Know what makes your mother smile and do it often.
66. Be an active and a productive member of society. Mothers are happy when they see this.
67. Buy your mom flowers, the smell and prettiness of flowers do wonders.
68. Lead your mother and family in the Salah.
69. Get married and choose a spouse who your mother approves of.
70. Choose a wife who is soft hearted and will treat your mother well.
71. Don't put off jobs that need to be done around the house.
72. Remind her always of the traps of the Shaytan, remind her to do her daily Adkhars.
73. Choose your own friends wisely.
74. Pay for her to do Hajj and Umrah and go with her.
75. Don't remind her of how much you spent on her.
76. Look after her health, reminding her of the benefits of a good diet and some exercise.
77. Always ask your moms advice about your own household, this makes her happy and lets her know you value her opinion.
78. If there is any problem with your wife and mother, then never carry tales saying what the other said as most of that is done in anger.
79. Read Ruqya Ayat over water and give it to her to drink.
80. Buy her beauty products and perfumes.
81. Be there when there is any lifting to be done.
82. Let her listen and correct your mistakes when you're memorizing Quran.
83. Always intervene in any disputes between your parents calmly.
84. Give her some money from your salary every month, so she can save for something she wants to buy, or to give in charity.
85. Lay your head in each others lap, you might be 12 or 40 but in your mothers eyes you're still her child.
86. Give charity on her behalf regularly.
87. Give charity on behalf of her deceased relatives.
88. Buy her gold, women like it and it's an investment.
89. Listen to her complaints with understanding, and give her solutions that she can imply to make her life better.
90. Walk at her pace with her on the inside protected from the road.
91. If she wants to share what's in her glass with you, drink from the same side she drank from.
92. Just like children who need quality time, give this to your mother too.
93. Serve her first with food.
94. When you give her a drink, wait till she has finished then take away her glass.
95. Use affectionate terms for her and other motherly terms of affection.
96. When you see her doing something wrong, even in disobedience, treat her gently and with the utmost respect.
97. Always open the door for her.
98. Try to always speak in her mother tongue, and if your not then translate word for word, so she does not feel left out.
99. Remind her of the rights Islam has bestowed on the mother, and tell her good stories of how others treat their mothers.
100. Never cut your mother off when she is speaking, and be patient when she cuts you off.
101. Sit at her feet and listen to what she is saying.
102. Make her a large part of your grandchildren's lives; always bring them over to visit.
103. Teach your own children to respect their grandparents as well.
104. If you are in a class and you are unsure as to why your mom is calling then leave the class to answer the call.
105. When you're angry with each other, don't leave the house, and don't refuse her food, or any attempts your mother makes to make amends, try to be the first one to defuse the situation.
106. Always knock on her bedroom door before entering.
107. Don't enter into debates that you know will irritate each other, especially in the morning
and at night.
Khadejah Jones
Share Islam Team
ShareIslam.com
Source: islamswomen.com email subscription
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Kindness to Parents by Aisha Stacey (3 Parts)
Part 1: Duty and Devotion
If you type the words, “kindness to parents” in Google, six of the first ten results are Islamic articles stressing the importance of being dutiful and kind to parents. Why is this so? Islam is a religion that stresses the qualities of mercy, tolerance and respect. God has ordained the good treatment of parents and warned us against treating them with disrespect. There are several verses in the Quran where kindness to parents is even coupled with the most important aspect of Islam, worshipping God alone. This indicates that being kind to parents, honoring and respecting them, is extremely important in the way of life that is Islam.
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor.” (Quran 17:23)
No word of disrespect should be uttered toward a parent, not even a look of resentment or contempt. Honoring parents can be considered a form of worship if the intention is to please Almighty God by respecting His commands.
God continues this verse by reminding us that parents are deserving of kindness because they raised their children with gentleness and often made great sacrifices for their wellbeing. His use of the word wing invokes the image of a mother bird tenderly shielding her young and calls to mind the gentleness that parents have for their children.
“And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.” (Quran 17:24)
The love and mercy that emanates from the Most Merciful God is manifest in the kind treatment existing between parents and their children. God clearly prohibits the bad treatment of parents, and in another verse of the Quran He enjoins on us the need to show gratitude to Him, our Creator, as well as our parents. Again, God clearly links the rights owed to Him to the rights owed to parents.
“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years so give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” (Quran 31:14)
Prophet Muhammad reinforced the duty to be kind to parents. A companion of the Prophet once asked him which of the many good deeds a man can do that is the most loved by God. Prophet Muhammad answered him by saying, “To offer the prayer in its proper time”. The companion then asked, “And what is next?” to which Prophet Muhammad replied, “To be good and dutiful to your parents…” [1]. The responsibility to be kind and good to parents comes right after the greatest duty in Islam, the prayer.
More than Goodness
The Arabic word that is used in the Quran and the narrations of Prophet Muhammad to denote this kindness to parents is bir, and more often than not, it is translated as goodness. However, as is the case with most Arabic words, a direct translation into English often fails to explain the true depth of the meaning. Bir does not only mean goodness; it contains shades of meaning that indicate kindness, compassion, respect and even patience. Islam, the way of life, encompasses all these qualities, and Muslims must strive to model this behavior in all of their dealings, particularly in the relationship between parents and children.
Parents care for and nurture their children their entire lives, but at one point this duty reverses, parents become old and feeble and in need of this care and nurturing themselves. The child is obligated to care for the parents by displaying all the qualities of bir and knowing that the reward for this is with God. The Prophet Muhammad said, “If anyone possesses these three characteristics God will give him an easy death and bring him into His Paradise: gentleness towards the weak, affection towards parents, and kindness to slaves.” [2]
One Man’s Devotion
Abu Hurairah was a close companion of Prophet Muhammad; he is credited with remembering and transmitting many of the Prophets’ sayings. The life of Abu Hurairah also contains many demonstrations of his love and devotion to his mother. When he first embraced Islam, no amount of pleading could convince his mother to do the same. Weeping and afraid, Abu Hurairah approached the Prophet and begged him to make supplication to God asking that his mother be guided. Prophet Muhammad complied with this request and within a very short period of time, Abu Hurairah’s mother uttered the words, “There is no God but God and Muhammad is his slave and Messenger”, thus embracing Islam.
Throughout his life, Abu Hurairah remained kind and courteous to his mother. Whenever he wanted to leave home, he would stand at the door of her room and say, “Peace be on you mother, and the mercy and blessings of God.” She would reply, “And on you be peace, my son, and the mercy and blessings of God.” He would also say, “May God have mercy on you as you cared for me when I was small,” to which she would reply, “May God have mercy on you as you delivered me from error when I was old.”
Abu Hurairah always encouraged other people to be kind and good to their parents. One day he saw two men walking together and enquired of the younger one, “Who is this man to you?” to which the young man replied, “He is my father”. Abu Hurairah advised him by saying, “Do not call him by his name, do not walk in front of him, and do not seat yourself before he does”.
This gentleness and affection between Abu Hurairah and his mother teaches us that mutual respect and love is a duty. A Muslim is obliged to show respect towards parents even if they are non-Muslim, and the greatest love he can show towards them is to supplicate to God in hope that they will be guided to Islam. At the time of the Prophet, many of those who embraced Islam found that it conflicted with the beliefs and requests of their parents, but they were taught to be kind and to obey their parents, except if the parents demanded they disobey God.
“But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.” (Quran 31:15)
Being dutiful to parents, obeying them and treating them with kindness is embedded in the teachings of Islam, however obedience to God is always the first and foremost duty in Islam.
Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[2] Tirmidhi
Part 2: The Value of Motherhood: Paradise is at Her Feet
In several verses of the Quran, God makes clear that duty, kindness and gratitude towards parents is an essential part of Islam. However, women in Islam, particularly mothers, have been singled out for the utmost respect and devotion. God Himself tells of the hardships involved in motherhood.
“And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship...” (Quran 31:14)
In the time of Prophet Muhammad, a man asked permission to go on a military expedition. The Prophet asked the man if he had a mother, when he replied yes, Prophet Muhammad said, “Stay with her because Paradise lies beneath her feet” (Ahmad, Al-Nasai). What wonderful imagery these words invoke: Mothers and children gazing at each other with love and gratitude. Tiny hands closed within larger hands. A touch to the face in times of stress and illness, or the warmth of a loving mother’s voice. Images of mothers nurturing and caring for their children, in health or sickness, in good times or trying times. Paradise lies at the feet of mothers; but what exactly do these words mean? Simply, the gates of Paradise are open for those who cherish and respect their mothers.
The role of the mother in the Islamic family is as equally important if not more as the role of the father, who is the provider and protector of his family. Not only does she go through both the joys and difficulties of pregnancy and giving birth, she dedicates the whole of her life to nurturing and caring for her children. It is her responsibility to raise and to educate them to be righteous and pious human beings. She cooks, cleans, nurtures and educates, she is also responsible for their spiritual, emotional and physical health and well-being. In return, children owe their mothers care, love, affection, respect and dutifulness. The task God assigned to mothers is large and sometimes overwhelming. Accordingly, the reward for a righteous mother is nothing less than Paradise and in this life, she is esteemed and honored.
Who is Most Worthy of Good Companionship?
In a hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad, a man came to the Prophet asking, ‘Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said, your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, then your father. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
From only these two sayings of Prophet Muhammad, we are able to understand the importance of mothers in Islam. However, in these days of materialism it is easy to forget that God obligated us to honor our parents, especially our mothers. Sometimes we find ourselves uttering words of contempt or complaining about our parents. This sort of behavior is not from Islam.
God reminds us that Prophet John (known as the Baptist) was dutiful towards his parents both loving them and obeying them [1]. He said: “O John! Hold fast to the Scripture. And We gave him wisdom while yet a child. And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy (or a grant) from Us, and pure from sins and he was righteous. And dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither arrogant nor disobedient (to God or to his parents).” (Quran 19:12-14)
Additionally, in the Quran, we are able to hear the words of Jesus; he describes himself by coupling his obedience to God with his duties towards his mother Mary.
“Verily! I am a slave of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; and He has made me blessed wherever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and alms, as long as I live, and being dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.” (Quran 19:30-32)
As busy as our lives may be, it is of great benefit to look back at the lives of the Prophets, and our righteous predecessors, to see how they treated their parents, particularly their mothers.
The Companions’ Behavior
Abdullah ibn Omar, a leading scholar from among Prophet Muhammad’s companions, once saw a man carrying his mother on his back and going around the Holy House in Mecca [2]. He did not complain or show any signs of annoyance; rather he kept repeating a line of poetry comparing himself to a camel. He looked at Abdullah ibn Omar and asked him whether by so doing he discharged his debt to his mother. Ibn Omar said, “No. You have not even paid back one twinge of the pain she felt when giving birth to you”.
Another companion from the early days of Islam, Dhibyan ibn Ali ath-Thowree also used to travel with his mother to Mecca. The journey was long and very hot; on the side of the road during their travels, he would dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. He would then turn to his mother and say, “Mother, sit in this water to cool yourself.”
Muslims who are obedient to God can never be unmindful or unkind to their parents. Great reward is offered to those who treat their parents, especially their mothers, with affection and gentleness, but a stern warning is also given. The danger of disrespect is illustrated in the following saying of Prophet Muhammad.
A man came to Prophet Muhammad and said, “A young man is dying and people are asking him to say there is no god but God, but he is unable to do so. “The Prophet then asked, "Did this man offer prayers?” The answer was yes. The Prophet then went to see the man and tried to encourage him to say there is no god but God. Still he was unable to pronounce the words. Prophet Muhammad then called for the dying man’s mother, the mother he had persistently disobeyed.
When she appeared, the Prophet asked, 'Respected lady, is he your son?” She replied yes. He then asked, “O respected lady, if we threaten to throw your son into a raging fire, would you recommend him to be forgiven?” The lady replied that she would definitely ask him to be forgiven. The Prophet then said to her, “Then declare, making God and me your witnesses, that you are now pleased with him.” The old woman readily declared, "O God, you and your Prophet are my witnesses that I am pleased with this beloved son of mine.” Then Prophet then turned to the dying man and asked him to recite, "There is no god but God, He is the One and has no partners and I witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” (At Tabarani, Ahmad)
Because of his mother’s forgiveness, the dying man was able to recite the words that, by the Grace and Mercy of God, may have allowed him to enter Paradise. The good treatment of parents can be the key to Paradise; on the other hand, bad behavior towards them may result in a punishment in hellfire.
Footnotes:
[1] Ibn Jareer al-Tabari
[2] One of the rites preformed during the Pilgrimage (Hajj) is circling the Holy House (Kaba).
Part 3: Even After Death
Islam is a religion of justice and compassion. It teaches morality and forbids bad conduct. Special status has been afforded to the elderly; they are treated with respect and dignity. Muslims are urged to honor them and this is especially true when it comes to the treatment of parents. Although death may take us at any age, parents are often elderly and as such require special care and attention. Even though the rigors of old age may cause parents to be demanding, impatient or petulant, a Muslim is still obligated to treat them with kindness and to look after them lovingly. God linked honoring parents to the command of belief in Him Alone.
“Worship God and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents…” (Quran 4:36)
One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions asked about the deeds God loved most. The Prophet replied, the prayer offered on time and honoring parents... (Saheeh Bukhari)
The sayings of Prophet Muhammad abound with words of wisdom about the obligation to be dutiful and kind to parents. He was once heard to say: “May he perish, May he perish, may he perish”. Those around him immediately asked whom he was referring to. Prophet Muhammad replied, “He whose parents (one or both) attain old age in his life and he does not enter Paradise (because of his goodness towards them).” (Saheeh Muslim)
Respect for parents is a key to the gates of Paradise. By upholding the commands of God and giving parents the affection and love due to them, we receive the reward of eternal bliss.
Beneficial Actions
There are many ways a Muslim can continue to honor and respect his or her parents after their death. He may pray and make supplications for God to show mercy towards them; he may pay any worldly debts they may have accumulated or debts owed to God such as fasting or making the pilgrimage (Hajj); and he may also give charity in their name. Keeping the ties of kinship and friendship are also ways of continuing to show love and respect to parents after their death, and Islam carefully explains what actions on the part of the living may be beneficial. The Prophet said, “When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will pray for him.” (At Tirmidhi)
A man from among the companions asked Prophet Muhammad “Is there anything left from the goodness I owe my parents that I should present to them after their death?” He replied, “Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them, fulfill their pledges, be kind to their friends, and maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction”. (Ahmad, Abu Dawood &ibn Majah)
Thus, it is understood that the kindness and gratitude we are obliged to show our parents should be continued even after their death. Prophet Muhammad also told us about a man raised to a very high station in Paradise. The man was surprised and asked how he achieved such a noble position. He was informed, “Because your son prayed for your forgiveness”. (Ibn Majah)
The Keys to Paradise
Life in the 21st century is hectic, and we are often overwhelmed by worldly concerns; so much so, we tend to forget that morals and manners are a large part of this way of life that is Islam. Kindness to parents is an obligation and we would do well to remember and to emulate the behavior of the first Muslims. They held their parents in high esteem, they loved and cherished them by following the commandments of God and knew that paradise really did lie at the feet of mothers. These were not just words to our predecessors; they were the keys to paradise.
In the narrations of Prophet Muhammad, we are able to observe the behavior of Abdullah, the son of Omar ibn al Khattab. On the road to Mecca, Abdullah met a Bedouin. He greeted him with peace, had him ride the mount that he was riding and gave him the turban that he had been wearing on his head. One of Abdullah companions commented, “May God guide you, they are just Bedouin and they are content with something simple.” Abdullah answered, “The father of this man was a close friend of my father, and I heard the Messenger of God say, “The best way of honoring one’s parents is for the son to keep in touch with his father’s friends.”
Islam recognizes the importance of the family unit, and a good and loving relationship between parents and children is essential. After God, our parents deserve our gratitude and obedience. A Muslim is obligated to show goodness and mercy to his or her parents. There is only one exception to this, if parents expect their children to associate anything with God or to do something regarded impermissible in Islam, then the child must not obey, however nothing removes the obligation to be kind and respectful.
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1624/viewall/
If you type the words, “kindness to parents” in Google, six of the first ten results are Islamic articles stressing the importance of being dutiful and kind to parents. Why is this so? Islam is a religion that stresses the qualities of mercy, tolerance and respect. God has ordained the good treatment of parents and warned us against treating them with disrespect. There are several verses in the Quran where kindness to parents is even coupled with the most important aspect of Islam, worshipping God alone. This indicates that being kind to parents, honoring and respecting them, is extremely important in the way of life that is Islam.
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor.” (Quran 17:23)
No word of disrespect should be uttered toward a parent, not even a look of resentment or contempt. Honoring parents can be considered a form of worship if the intention is to please Almighty God by respecting His commands.
God continues this verse by reminding us that parents are deserving of kindness because they raised their children with gentleness and often made great sacrifices for their wellbeing. His use of the word wing invokes the image of a mother bird tenderly shielding her young and calls to mind the gentleness that parents have for their children.
“And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.” (Quran 17:24)
The love and mercy that emanates from the Most Merciful God is manifest in the kind treatment existing between parents and their children. God clearly prohibits the bad treatment of parents, and in another verse of the Quran He enjoins on us the need to show gratitude to Him, our Creator, as well as our parents. Again, God clearly links the rights owed to Him to the rights owed to parents.
“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years so give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” (Quran 31:14)
Prophet Muhammad reinforced the duty to be kind to parents. A companion of the Prophet once asked him which of the many good deeds a man can do that is the most loved by God. Prophet Muhammad answered him by saying, “To offer the prayer in its proper time”. The companion then asked, “And what is next?” to which Prophet Muhammad replied, “To be good and dutiful to your parents…” [1]. The responsibility to be kind and good to parents comes right after the greatest duty in Islam, the prayer.
More than Goodness
The Arabic word that is used in the Quran and the narrations of Prophet Muhammad to denote this kindness to parents is bir, and more often than not, it is translated as goodness. However, as is the case with most Arabic words, a direct translation into English often fails to explain the true depth of the meaning. Bir does not only mean goodness; it contains shades of meaning that indicate kindness, compassion, respect and even patience. Islam, the way of life, encompasses all these qualities, and Muslims must strive to model this behavior in all of their dealings, particularly in the relationship between parents and children.
Parents care for and nurture their children their entire lives, but at one point this duty reverses, parents become old and feeble and in need of this care and nurturing themselves. The child is obligated to care for the parents by displaying all the qualities of bir and knowing that the reward for this is with God. The Prophet Muhammad said, “If anyone possesses these three characteristics God will give him an easy death and bring him into His Paradise: gentleness towards the weak, affection towards parents, and kindness to slaves.” [2]
One Man’s Devotion
Abu Hurairah was a close companion of Prophet Muhammad; he is credited with remembering and transmitting many of the Prophets’ sayings. The life of Abu Hurairah also contains many demonstrations of his love and devotion to his mother. When he first embraced Islam, no amount of pleading could convince his mother to do the same. Weeping and afraid, Abu Hurairah approached the Prophet and begged him to make supplication to God asking that his mother be guided. Prophet Muhammad complied with this request and within a very short period of time, Abu Hurairah’s mother uttered the words, “There is no God but God and Muhammad is his slave and Messenger”, thus embracing Islam.
Throughout his life, Abu Hurairah remained kind and courteous to his mother. Whenever he wanted to leave home, he would stand at the door of her room and say, “Peace be on you mother, and the mercy and blessings of God.” She would reply, “And on you be peace, my son, and the mercy and blessings of God.” He would also say, “May God have mercy on you as you cared for me when I was small,” to which she would reply, “May God have mercy on you as you delivered me from error when I was old.”
Abu Hurairah always encouraged other people to be kind and good to their parents. One day he saw two men walking together and enquired of the younger one, “Who is this man to you?” to which the young man replied, “He is my father”. Abu Hurairah advised him by saying, “Do not call him by his name, do not walk in front of him, and do not seat yourself before he does”.
This gentleness and affection between Abu Hurairah and his mother teaches us that mutual respect and love is a duty. A Muslim is obliged to show respect towards parents even if they are non-Muslim, and the greatest love he can show towards them is to supplicate to God in hope that they will be guided to Islam. At the time of the Prophet, many of those who embraced Islam found that it conflicted with the beliefs and requests of their parents, but they were taught to be kind and to obey their parents, except if the parents demanded they disobey God.
“But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.” (Quran 31:15)
Being dutiful to parents, obeying them and treating them with kindness is embedded in the teachings of Islam, however obedience to God is always the first and foremost duty in Islam.
Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[2] Tirmidhi
Part 2: The Value of Motherhood: Paradise is at Her Feet
In several verses of the Quran, God makes clear that duty, kindness and gratitude towards parents is an essential part of Islam. However, women in Islam, particularly mothers, have been singled out for the utmost respect and devotion. God Himself tells of the hardships involved in motherhood.
“And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship...” (Quran 31:14)
In the time of Prophet Muhammad, a man asked permission to go on a military expedition. The Prophet asked the man if he had a mother, when he replied yes, Prophet Muhammad said, “Stay with her because Paradise lies beneath her feet” (Ahmad, Al-Nasai). What wonderful imagery these words invoke: Mothers and children gazing at each other with love and gratitude. Tiny hands closed within larger hands. A touch to the face in times of stress and illness, or the warmth of a loving mother’s voice. Images of mothers nurturing and caring for their children, in health or sickness, in good times or trying times. Paradise lies at the feet of mothers; but what exactly do these words mean? Simply, the gates of Paradise are open for those who cherish and respect their mothers.
The role of the mother in the Islamic family is as equally important if not more as the role of the father, who is the provider and protector of his family. Not only does she go through both the joys and difficulties of pregnancy and giving birth, she dedicates the whole of her life to nurturing and caring for her children. It is her responsibility to raise and to educate them to be righteous and pious human beings. She cooks, cleans, nurtures and educates, she is also responsible for their spiritual, emotional and physical health and well-being. In return, children owe their mothers care, love, affection, respect and dutifulness. The task God assigned to mothers is large and sometimes overwhelming. Accordingly, the reward for a righteous mother is nothing less than Paradise and in this life, she is esteemed and honored.
Who is Most Worthy of Good Companionship?
In a hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad, a man came to the Prophet asking, ‘Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said, your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said, then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, then your father. (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
From only these two sayings of Prophet Muhammad, we are able to understand the importance of mothers in Islam. However, in these days of materialism it is easy to forget that God obligated us to honor our parents, especially our mothers. Sometimes we find ourselves uttering words of contempt or complaining about our parents. This sort of behavior is not from Islam.
God reminds us that Prophet John (known as the Baptist) was dutiful towards his parents both loving them and obeying them [1]. He said: “O John! Hold fast to the Scripture. And We gave him wisdom while yet a child. And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy (or a grant) from Us, and pure from sins and he was righteous. And dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither arrogant nor disobedient (to God or to his parents).” (Quran 19:12-14)
Additionally, in the Quran, we are able to hear the words of Jesus; he describes himself by coupling his obedience to God with his duties towards his mother Mary.
“Verily! I am a slave of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; and He has made me blessed wherever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and alms, as long as I live, and being dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.” (Quran 19:30-32)
As busy as our lives may be, it is of great benefit to look back at the lives of the Prophets, and our righteous predecessors, to see how they treated their parents, particularly their mothers.
The Companions’ Behavior
Abdullah ibn Omar, a leading scholar from among Prophet Muhammad’s companions, once saw a man carrying his mother on his back and going around the Holy House in Mecca [2]. He did not complain or show any signs of annoyance; rather he kept repeating a line of poetry comparing himself to a camel. He looked at Abdullah ibn Omar and asked him whether by so doing he discharged his debt to his mother. Ibn Omar said, “No. You have not even paid back one twinge of the pain she felt when giving birth to you”.
Another companion from the early days of Islam, Dhibyan ibn Ali ath-Thowree also used to travel with his mother to Mecca. The journey was long and very hot; on the side of the road during their travels, he would dig a little pool and fill it with cool water. He would then turn to his mother and say, “Mother, sit in this water to cool yourself.”
Muslims who are obedient to God can never be unmindful or unkind to their parents. Great reward is offered to those who treat their parents, especially their mothers, with affection and gentleness, but a stern warning is also given. The danger of disrespect is illustrated in the following saying of Prophet Muhammad.
A man came to Prophet Muhammad and said, “A young man is dying and people are asking him to say there is no god but God, but he is unable to do so. “The Prophet then asked, "Did this man offer prayers?” The answer was yes. The Prophet then went to see the man and tried to encourage him to say there is no god but God. Still he was unable to pronounce the words. Prophet Muhammad then called for the dying man’s mother, the mother he had persistently disobeyed.
When she appeared, the Prophet asked, 'Respected lady, is he your son?” She replied yes. He then asked, “O respected lady, if we threaten to throw your son into a raging fire, would you recommend him to be forgiven?” The lady replied that she would definitely ask him to be forgiven. The Prophet then said to her, “Then declare, making God and me your witnesses, that you are now pleased with him.” The old woman readily declared, "O God, you and your Prophet are my witnesses that I am pleased with this beloved son of mine.” Then Prophet then turned to the dying man and asked him to recite, "There is no god but God, He is the One and has no partners and I witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” (At Tabarani, Ahmad)
Because of his mother’s forgiveness, the dying man was able to recite the words that, by the Grace and Mercy of God, may have allowed him to enter Paradise. The good treatment of parents can be the key to Paradise; on the other hand, bad behavior towards them may result in a punishment in hellfire.
Footnotes:
[1] Ibn Jareer al-Tabari
[2] One of the rites preformed during the Pilgrimage (Hajj) is circling the Holy House (Kaba).
Part 3: Even After Death
Islam is a religion of justice and compassion. It teaches morality and forbids bad conduct. Special status has been afforded to the elderly; they are treated with respect and dignity. Muslims are urged to honor them and this is especially true when it comes to the treatment of parents. Although death may take us at any age, parents are often elderly and as such require special care and attention. Even though the rigors of old age may cause parents to be demanding, impatient or petulant, a Muslim is still obligated to treat them with kindness and to look after them lovingly. God linked honoring parents to the command of belief in Him Alone.
“Worship God and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents…” (Quran 4:36)
One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions asked about the deeds God loved most. The Prophet replied, the prayer offered on time and honoring parents... (Saheeh Bukhari)
The sayings of Prophet Muhammad abound with words of wisdom about the obligation to be dutiful and kind to parents. He was once heard to say: “May he perish, May he perish, may he perish”. Those around him immediately asked whom he was referring to. Prophet Muhammad replied, “He whose parents (one or both) attain old age in his life and he does not enter Paradise (because of his goodness towards them).” (Saheeh Muslim)
Respect for parents is a key to the gates of Paradise. By upholding the commands of God and giving parents the affection and love due to them, we receive the reward of eternal bliss.
Beneficial Actions
There are many ways a Muslim can continue to honor and respect his or her parents after their death. He may pray and make supplications for God to show mercy towards them; he may pay any worldly debts they may have accumulated or debts owed to God such as fasting or making the pilgrimage (Hajj); and he may also give charity in their name. Keeping the ties of kinship and friendship are also ways of continuing to show love and respect to parents after their death, and Islam carefully explains what actions on the part of the living may be beneficial. The Prophet said, “When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will pray for him.” (At Tirmidhi)
A man from among the companions asked Prophet Muhammad “Is there anything left from the goodness I owe my parents that I should present to them after their death?” He replied, “Yes, four things: Pray and ask forgiveness for them, fulfill their pledges, be kind to their friends, and maintain the ties of kinship that come from only their direction”. (Ahmad, Abu Dawood &ibn Majah)
Thus, it is understood that the kindness and gratitude we are obliged to show our parents should be continued even after their death. Prophet Muhammad also told us about a man raised to a very high station in Paradise. The man was surprised and asked how he achieved such a noble position. He was informed, “Because your son prayed for your forgiveness”. (Ibn Majah)
The Keys to Paradise
Life in the 21st century is hectic, and we are often overwhelmed by worldly concerns; so much so, we tend to forget that morals and manners are a large part of this way of life that is Islam. Kindness to parents is an obligation and we would do well to remember and to emulate the behavior of the first Muslims. They held their parents in high esteem, they loved and cherished them by following the commandments of God and knew that paradise really did lie at the feet of mothers. These were not just words to our predecessors; they were the keys to paradise.
In the narrations of Prophet Muhammad, we are able to observe the behavior of Abdullah, the son of Omar ibn al Khattab. On the road to Mecca, Abdullah met a Bedouin. He greeted him with peace, had him ride the mount that he was riding and gave him the turban that he had been wearing on his head. One of Abdullah companions commented, “May God guide you, they are just Bedouin and they are content with something simple.” Abdullah answered, “The father of this man was a close friend of my father, and I heard the Messenger of God say, “The best way of honoring one’s parents is for the son to keep in touch with his father’s friends.”
Islam recognizes the importance of the family unit, and a good and loving relationship between parents and children is essential. After God, our parents deserve our gratitude and obedience. A Muslim is obligated to show goodness and mercy to his or her parents. There is only one exception to this, if parents expect their children to associate anything with God or to do something regarded impermissible in Islam, then the child must not obey, however nothing removes the obligation to be kind and respectful.
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1624/viewall/
Monday, December 27, 2010
Moral System of Islam (III&E brochure)
Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances. To achieve these rights, Islam provides not only legal safeguards, but also a very effective moral system. Thus, whatever leads to the welfare of the individual or the society is morally good in Islam and whatever is injurious is morally bad. Islam attaches so much importance to the love of God and love of man that it warns against too much formalism. We read in the Qur'an: It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the freeing of captives; to be steadfast in prayers, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which you made; and to be firm and patient in pain and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-conscious. (2:177)
We are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-conscious man in these verses. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow-men.
We are given four directions:
1) Our faith should be true and sincere.
2) We must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men.
3) We must be good citizens, supporting social organizations.
4) Our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances.
This is the standard by which a particular mode of conduct is judged and classified as good or bad. This standard of judgment provides the nucleus around which the whole moral conduct should revolve. Before laying down any moral injunctions, Islam seeks to firmly implant in man's heart the conviction that his dealings are with God, who sees him at all times and in all places; that he may hide himself from the whole world, but not from Him; that he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive God; that he can flee from the clutches of anyone else, but not from God's.
Thus, by setting God's pleasure as the objective of man's life, Islam has furnished the highest possible standard of morality. This is bound to provide limitless avenues for the moral evolution of humanity. By making divine revelations as the primary source of knowledge, it gives permanence and stability to the moral standards which afford reasonable scope for genuine adjustments, adaptations and innovations though not for perversions, wild variation, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. It provides a sanction to morality in the love and fear of God, which will impel man to obey the moral law even without any external pressure. Through belief in God and the Day of Judgment, it furnishes a force which enables a person to adopt the moral conduct with earnestness and sincerity, with all the devotion of heart and soul.
It does not, through a false sense of originality and innovation, provide any novel moral virtues, nor does it seek to minimize the importance of the well-known moral norms, nor does it give exaggerated importance to some and neglect others without cause. It takes up all the commonly known moral virtues and with a sense of balance and proportion it assigns a suitable place and function to each one of them in the total scheme of life. It widens the scope of man's individual and collective life – his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his activities in the political, economic, legal, educational, and social realms. It covers his life from home to society, from the dining-table to the battle-field and peace conferences, literally from the cradle to the grave. In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by norms of morality.
It stipulates for man a system of life that is based on all good and is free from all evil. It encourages the people not only to practice virtue, but also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to bid good and to forbid wrong. It wants that their verdict of conscience should prevail and virtue must be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those who do not respond to this [evil] call are gathered together into a community and given the name Muslim. And the singular object underlying the formation of this community (Ummah) is that it should make an organized effort to establish and enforce goodness and suppress and eradicate evil.
Here we furnish some basic moral teachings of Islam for various aspects of a Muslim's life. They cover the broad spectrum of personal moral conduct of a Muslim as well as his social responsibilities.
God-Consciousness
The Qur'an mentions this as the highest quality of a Muslim: The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most God-conscious. (49:13)
Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one's promises are moral values that are emphasized again and again in the Qur'an:
And God loves those who are firm and steadfast. (3:146)
And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the God-conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in times of hardship, and restrain their anger, and pardon their fellow men, for God loves those who do good. (3:133-134)
Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear patiently whatever may befall you; for this is true constancy. And do not swell your cheek (with pride) at men, nor walk in insolence on the earth, for God does not love any man proud and boastful. And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; for the harshest of sounds, indeed, is the braying of the ass. (31:18-19)
In a way which summarizes the moral behavior of a Muslim, the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: "My Sustainer has given me nine commands: to remain conscious of God, whether in private or public; to speak justly, whether angry or pleased; to show moderation both when poor and when rich; to reunite friendship with those who have broken off with me; to give to him who refuses me; that my silence should be occupied with thought; that my looking should be an admonition; and that I should command what is right."
Social Responsibility
The teachings of Islam concerning social responsibilities are based on kindness and consideration of others. Since a broad injunction to be kind is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam lays emphasis on specific acts of kindness and defines the responsibilities and rights within various relationships. In a widening circle of relationships, then, our first obligation is to our immediate family – parents, spouse, and children – and then to other relatives, neighbors, friends and acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our fellow Muslims, all fellow human beings, and animals.
Parents
Respect and care for parents is very much stressed in the Islamic teaching and is a very important part of a Muslim's expression of faith.
Your Sustainer has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life time, do not say to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on them Your mercy, as they cherished me in childhood. (17:23-24)
Other Relatives
And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in need, and to the traveler; and do not squander your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift. (17:26)
Neighbors
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) has said:
"He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is hungry."
"He does not believe whose neighbors are not safe from his injurious conduct."
Actually, according to the Qur'an and Sunnah, a Muslim has to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbors, but to the entire mankind, animals and trees and plants. For example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of game is not permitted. Similarly, cutting down trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a pressing need for it.
Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system of morality by virtue of which mankind can realize its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from self-seeking egotism, tyranny, wantonness and indiscipline. It creates God-conscious men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence, discipline and uncompromising with falsehood. It induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self-control. Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in all situations. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be expected.
We are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-conscious man in these verses. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow-men.
We are given four directions:
1) Our faith should be true and sincere.
2) We must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men.
3) We must be good citizens, supporting social organizations.
4) Our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances.
This is the standard by which a particular mode of conduct is judged and classified as good or bad. This standard of judgment provides the nucleus around which the whole moral conduct should revolve. Before laying down any moral injunctions, Islam seeks to firmly implant in man's heart the conviction that his dealings are with God, who sees him at all times and in all places; that he may hide himself from the whole world, but not from Him; that he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive God; that he can flee from the clutches of anyone else, but not from God's.
Thus, by setting God's pleasure as the objective of man's life, Islam has furnished the highest possible standard of morality. This is bound to provide limitless avenues for the moral evolution of humanity. By making divine revelations as the primary source of knowledge, it gives permanence and stability to the moral standards which afford reasonable scope for genuine adjustments, adaptations and innovations though not for perversions, wild variation, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. It provides a sanction to morality in the love and fear of God, which will impel man to obey the moral law even without any external pressure. Through belief in God and the Day of Judgment, it furnishes a force which enables a person to adopt the moral conduct with earnestness and sincerity, with all the devotion of heart and soul.
It does not, through a false sense of originality and innovation, provide any novel moral virtues, nor does it seek to minimize the importance of the well-known moral norms, nor does it give exaggerated importance to some and neglect others without cause. It takes up all the commonly known moral virtues and with a sense of balance and proportion it assigns a suitable place and function to each one of them in the total scheme of life. It widens the scope of man's individual and collective life – his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his activities in the political, economic, legal, educational, and social realms. It covers his life from home to society, from the dining-table to the battle-field and peace conferences, literally from the cradle to the grave. In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by norms of morality.
It stipulates for man a system of life that is based on all good and is free from all evil. It encourages the people not only to practice virtue, but also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to bid good and to forbid wrong. It wants that their verdict of conscience should prevail and virtue must be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those who do not respond to this [evil] call are gathered together into a community and given the name Muslim. And the singular object underlying the formation of this community (Ummah) is that it should make an organized effort to establish and enforce goodness and suppress and eradicate evil.
Here we furnish some basic moral teachings of Islam for various aspects of a Muslim's life. They cover the broad spectrum of personal moral conduct of a Muslim as well as his social responsibilities.
God-Consciousness
The Qur'an mentions this as the highest quality of a Muslim: The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most God-conscious. (49:13)
Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one's promises are moral values that are emphasized again and again in the Qur'an:
And God loves those who are firm and steadfast. (3:146)
And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the God-conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in times of hardship, and restrain their anger, and pardon their fellow men, for God loves those who do good. (3:133-134)
Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear patiently whatever may befall you; for this is true constancy. And do not swell your cheek (with pride) at men, nor walk in insolence on the earth, for God does not love any man proud and boastful. And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; for the harshest of sounds, indeed, is the braying of the ass. (31:18-19)
In a way which summarizes the moral behavior of a Muslim, the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: "My Sustainer has given me nine commands: to remain conscious of God, whether in private or public; to speak justly, whether angry or pleased; to show moderation both when poor and when rich; to reunite friendship with those who have broken off with me; to give to him who refuses me; that my silence should be occupied with thought; that my looking should be an admonition; and that I should command what is right."
Social Responsibility
The teachings of Islam concerning social responsibilities are based on kindness and consideration of others. Since a broad injunction to be kind is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam lays emphasis on specific acts of kindness and defines the responsibilities and rights within various relationships. In a widening circle of relationships, then, our first obligation is to our immediate family – parents, spouse, and children – and then to other relatives, neighbors, friends and acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our fellow Muslims, all fellow human beings, and animals.
Parents
Respect and care for parents is very much stressed in the Islamic teaching and is a very important part of a Muslim's expression of faith.
Your Sustainer has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life time, do not say to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on them Your mercy, as they cherished me in childhood. (17:23-24)
Other Relatives
And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in need, and to the traveler; and do not squander your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift. (17:26)
Neighbors
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) has said:
"He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is hungry."
"He does not believe whose neighbors are not safe from his injurious conduct."
Actually, according to the Qur'an and Sunnah, a Muslim has to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbors, but to the entire mankind, animals and trees and plants. For example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of game is not permitted. Similarly, cutting down trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a pressing need for it.
Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system of morality by virtue of which mankind can realize its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from self-seeking egotism, tyranny, wantonness and indiscipline. It creates God-conscious men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence, discipline and uncompromising with falsehood. It induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self-control. Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in all situations. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be expected.
Human Rights in Islam (III&E brochure)
Since God is the absolute and sole master of men and the universe, He is the Sovereign Lord, the Sustainer, and Nourisher, the Merciful, whose mercy enshrines all beings; and since He has given each man human dignity and honor, and breathed into him of His own spirit, it follows that, united in Him and through Him, and apart from their other human attributes, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual distinction can be made among them, on account of their accidental differences such as nationality, color or race. Every human being is thereby related to all others and all become one community of brotherhood in their honorable and pleasant servitude to the most Compassionate Lord of the universe. In such a heavenly atmosphere, the Islamic confession of the oneness of God stands dominant and central, and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness of humanity and the brotherhood of mankind.
Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with the state or at war. The Qur'an very clearly states: O believers, be securers of justice, witnesses for God. Let not detestation for a people move you not to be equitable; be equitable – that is nearer to the God-fearing. (5:8)
Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. And if anyone violates this sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, the Qur'an equates it to the killing of entire mankind. “Whosoever slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for corruption done in the land, should be as if he had slain mankind altogether.” (5:32)
It is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded. Women's honor and chastity are to be respected under all circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed, and the wounded or diseased treated medically, irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from among its enemies.
When we speak of human rights in Islam, we really mean that these rights have been granted by God; they have not been granted by any king or by any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings or legislative assemblies can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognized by the dictators. They can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish; and they can openly violate them when they like. But since in Islam human rights have been conferred by God, no one on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights given by Him. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them. Nor are these basic human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.
The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by God, because the former is not applicable on anybody while the latter is applicable on every believer. They are a part of the Islamic faith. Every Muslim, or administrators who claim to be Muslim, will have to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God, or make amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying lip service to them, the verdict of the Qur'an for such government is clear and unequivocal: Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers. (5:44)
Human Rights in an Islamic State
1. The Security of Life and Property
In the address which the Prophet delivered on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another until you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet has also said about the dhimmis (non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim state): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e. dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."
2. The Protection of Honor
The Qur'an states: You who believe, do not let one make fun of another, do not defame one another, do not insult by using nicknames, and do not backbite or speak ill of one another. (49:11-12)
3. Sanctity and Security of Private Life
The Qur'an has laid down the injunctions:
1) Do not spy on one another. (49:12)
2) Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of the occupant's consent. (24:27)
4. The Security of Personal Freedom
Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to produce his defense is not permissible in Islam.
5. The Right to Protest Against Tyranny
Among the rights that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right to protest against a government's tyranny. Referring to this, the Qur'an says: God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured thereby. (4:148)
In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and authority belongs to God, and with man there is only delegated power which becomes a trust; everyone who becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in lawful reverence before his people towards whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to use these powers. This was acknowledged by Abu Bakr, who said in his very first address as Caliph: "Cooperate with me when I am right, but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate."
6. Freedom of Expression
Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it should be used for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom is much superior to the concept prevalent in the West. Under no circumstances would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated. It also does not give anybody the right to use abusive or offensive language in the name of criticism. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the Prophet whether a divine injunction had been revealed to him on any given matter. If he said that he had received no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed their opinions on the matter.
7. Freedom of Association
Islam has also given people the right to freedom of association and formation of parties or organizations. This right is also subject to certain general rules.
8. Freedom of Conscience and Conviction
Islam has laid down the injunction: There should be no coercion in the matter of faith. (2:256)
On the contrary, totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals of their freedom. Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority, curiously enough, postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on the part of man. At one time, slavery meant total control over man – now that type of slavery has been legally abolished, but in its place, totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of control over individuals.
9. Protection of Religious Sentiments
Along with the freedom of conviction and freedom of conscience, Islam has given the right to the individual that his religious sentiments will be given due respect and nothing will be said or done which may encroach upon his right.
10. Protection from Arbitrary Imprisonment
Islam also recognizes the right of the individuals not to be arrested or imprisoned for the offenses of others. The Qur'an states clearly: No bearer of burdens shall be made to bear the burden of another. (35:18)
11. The Right to Basic Necessities of Life
Islam has recognized the right of the needy people for help and assistance to be provided to them: And in their wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and destitute. (51:19)
12. Equality before the Law
Islam gives its citizens the right of absolute and complete equality in the eyes of the law.
13. Accountability of Rulers to the Law
A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested in connection with theft. The case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied, "The nations that lived before you were destroyed by God because they punished the common man for their offenses, and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their crimes. I swear by Him Who holds my life in His hand that even if Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, had committed this crime, I would have amputated her hand."
14. The Right to Participate in the Affairs of State
And their business is (conducted) through consultation among themselves. (42:38)
The Shura or the legislative assembly has no other meaning other than that: the executive head of the government and the members of the assembly should be elected by free and independent choice of the people.
Lastly, it is to be made clear that Islam tries to achieve the above mentioned human rights and many others not only by providing certain legal safeguards, but mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower level of animal life to be able to go beyond the mere ties fostered by the kinship of blood, racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and economic privileges. It invites mankind to move on to a plane of existence where, by reason of his inner excellence, man can realize the ideal of the brotherhood of man.
Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with the state or at war. The Qur'an very clearly states: O believers, be securers of justice, witnesses for God. Let not detestation for a people move you not to be equitable; be equitable – that is nearer to the God-fearing. (5:8)
Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. And if anyone violates this sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, the Qur'an equates it to the killing of entire mankind. “Whosoever slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for corruption done in the land, should be as if he had slain mankind altogether.” (5:32)
It is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded. Women's honor and chastity are to be respected under all circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed, and the wounded or diseased treated medically, irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from among its enemies.
When we speak of human rights in Islam, we really mean that these rights have been granted by God; they have not been granted by any king or by any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings or legislative assemblies can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognized by the dictators. They can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish; and they can openly violate them when they like. But since in Islam human rights have been conferred by God, no one on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights given by Him. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them. Nor are these basic human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.
The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by God, because the former is not applicable on anybody while the latter is applicable on every believer. They are a part of the Islamic faith. Every Muslim, or administrators who claim to be Muslim, will have to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God, or make amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying lip service to them, the verdict of the Qur'an for such government is clear and unequivocal: Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers. (5:44)
Human Rights in an Islamic State
1. The Security of Life and Property
In the address which the Prophet delivered on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another until you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet has also said about the dhimmis (non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim state): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e. dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."
2. The Protection of Honor
The Qur'an states: You who believe, do not let one make fun of another, do not defame one another, do not insult by using nicknames, and do not backbite or speak ill of one another. (49:11-12)
3. Sanctity and Security of Private Life
The Qur'an has laid down the injunctions:
1) Do not spy on one another. (49:12)
2) Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of the occupant's consent. (24:27)
4. The Security of Personal Freedom
Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to produce his defense is not permissible in Islam.
5. The Right to Protest Against Tyranny
Among the rights that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right to protest against a government's tyranny. Referring to this, the Qur'an says: God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has been injured thereby. (4:148)
In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and authority belongs to God, and with man there is only delegated power which becomes a trust; everyone who becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in lawful reverence before his people towards whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to use these powers. This was acknowledged by Abu Bakr, who said in his very first address as Caliph: "Cooperate with me when I am right, but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate."
6. Freedom of Expression
Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and expression to all citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it should be used for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom is much superior to the concept prevalent in the West. Under no circumstances would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated. It also does not give anybody the right to use abusive or offensive language in the name of criticism. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the Prophet whether a divine injunction had been revealed to him on any given matter. If he said that he had received no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed their opinions on the matter.
7. Freedom of Association
Islam has also given people the right to freedom of association and formation of parties or organizations. This right is also subject to certain general rules.
8. Freedom of Conscience and Conviction
Islam has laid down the injunction: There should be no coercion in the matter of faith. (2:256)
On the contrary, totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals of their freedom. Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority, curiously enough, postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on the part of man. At one time, slavery meant total control over man – now that type of slavery has been legally abolished, but in its place, totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of control over individuals.
9. Protection of Religious Sentiments
Along with the freedom of conviction and freedom of conscience, Islam has given the right to the individual that his religious sentiments will be given due respect and nothing will be said or done which may encroach upon his right.
10. Protection from Arbitrary Imprisonment
Islam also recognizes the right of the individuals not to be arrested or imprisoned for the offenses of others. The Qur'an states clearly: No bearer of burdens shall be made to bear the burden of another. (35:18)
11. The Right to Basic Necessities of Life
Islam has recognized the right of the needy people for help and assistance to be provided to them: And in their wealth there is acknowledged right for the needy and destitute. (51:19)
12. Equality before the Law
Islam gives its citizens the right of absolute and complete equality in the eyes of the law.
13. Accountability of Rulers to the Law
A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested in connection with theft. The case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied, "The nations that lived before you were destroyed by God because they punished the common man for their offenses, and let their dignitaries go unpunished for their crimes. I swear by Him Who holds my life in His hand that even if Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, had committed this crime, I would have amputated her hand."
14. The Right to Participate in the Affairs of State
And their business is (conducted) through consultation among themselves. (42:38)
The Shura or the legislative assembly has no other meaning other than that: the executive head of the government and the members of the assembly should be elected by free and independent choice of the people.
Lastly, it is to be made clear that Islam tries to achieve the above mentioned human rights and many others not only by providing certain legal safeguards, but mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower level of animal life to be able to go beyond the mere ties fostered by the kinship of blood, racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and economic privileges. It invites mankind to move on to a plane of existence where, by reason of his inner excellence, man can realize the ideal of the brotherhood of man.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Human Rights in Islam by Azra Awan (WHY-ISLAM brochure)
We live in an age that is striking in its unprecedented technological sophistication. Unfortunately, the prejudices and inequities that have plagued the human race historically, continue to exist, and are responsible for untold human suffering. It is in this context that the subject of human rights is especially pertinent.
What constitutes human rights? Can we come to a common understanding of these rights and thereby ensure that these are universally granted to every member of society? These questions have been the subject of historic documents such as the Magna Carta, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, the American Bill of Rights, and the Geneva Convention.
What is often overlooked, however, is that these questions have also been addressed by various religious traditions. The Islamic model of human rights in particular is striking in its rigor, its vision and its relevance to modern times.
Islam’s contribution to human rights can be appreciated when compared against the backdrop of world history as well as the realities of modern times. Social, racial, gender, and religious inequities have always existed. Economic and social disparities have resulted in oppression of the lower classes; racial prejudices have been the cause of subjugation and enslavement of people with darker skin; women have been weighed down by chauvinistic attitudes, and pervasive attitudes of religious superiority have led to widespread persecution of people with different beliefs.
When considering the question of human rights and Islam, it is important to remember the distinction between textually prescribed rights, and their misapplication and misinterpretation by imperfect human beings. Just as Western societies still fight against racism and discrimination, Muslim societies struggle to fully implement Islamic human rights.
Divinely Mandated
The distinguishing feature of human rights in Islam is that these rights are the natural outcome of a broader practice of faith; deeds and social behavior that Muslims believe are divinely mandated. The Glorious Quran says: Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition. [Quran, 16:90-91]
Dignity and Equality
Human rights can be seen as stemming from two fundamental principles: dignity and equality. Dignity is a fundamental right of every human being merely by virtue of his or her humanity.
The Glorious Quran says: Verily we have honored the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment. [Quran 17:70]
Regarding equality, the Quranic verse is explicit: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. [Quran 49:13]
Thus, what distinguishes one human being from another, in the sight of God, is the person’s piety and God-consciousness.
The proliferation of humanity into many races and ethnicities is a testament to Gods Majesty and Wisdom. Physical and racial differences among human beings do not imply inequality. Furthermore, racial superiority and discrimination is prohibited in Islam and contradicts its essence. This concept is exemplified in the following prophetic tradition: No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man, or the black man any superiority over the white man. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay.
Equality of Women
As creations of God, women are accorded spiritual equality with men. They are rewarded for prayer and charitable acts, and likewise held accountable for their actions, good or bad, while on earth.
The Glorious Quran says: If any do deeds of righteousness, be they male or female, and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them. [Quran 4:124]
Both men and women have responsibilities towards their families and societies as is clear from the following verse: The Believers, men and women, are protectors of one another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in Power, Wise. [Quran, 9:71]
Under the laws of Islam, women have the right to own property and businesses, engage in financial transactions, vote, receive inheritance, obtain an education and participate in legal and political affairs. The fact that Muslim societies do not always accord women all these rights is an example of how human beings can fall short of fully implementing the Divine Will.
The Right to Life and Safety
The most basic right of a human being is the right to live.
The Glorious Quran recognizes this right in the following verses: Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred, except for just cause. [Quran, 17:33]
Whosoever kills a human being without due reason (not in retaliation for murder or corruption on earth), it is as though he had killed all of mankind. [Quran, 5:32]
Islam’s position on life is that it is a sacred trust from God. No human being is permitted to take the life of another, unless it is for justice administered by a competent court following due process of law.
Not only do human beings have the right not to be harmed, they have the right to be safeguarded from harm, physical or otherwise. So under Islamic law, people are legally liable for instance, if they did not prevent a blind man from dying of a perilous fall, if they were in a position to do so.
Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that one deals with the enemy nobly on the battlefield. Islam has drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm etc., the instructions of the Prophet are as follows: "Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman". "Do not kill the monks in monasteries". During a war, the Prophet saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: "She was not fighting. Why then was she killed?" Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life even if their state is at war with an Islamic state.
Freedom of Beliefs
Contrary to popular misconceptions, a genuine Islamic state is obligated to not only permit but respect diversity. Thus non-Muslims in an Islamic state are allowed to worship in accordance with their religion.
When Spain was under Muslim rule, the city of Cordova, was considered the intellectual center of Europe, where students went to study philosophy, science and medicine under Muslim, Jewish and Christian scholars. (4)
This rich and sophisticated society took a tolerant view towards other faiths. Tolerance was unheard of in the rest of Europe. But in Muslim Spain, thousands of Jews and Christians lived in peace and harmony with their Muslim overlords. (Burke, 1985, p. 38) (5)
The Right to a Basic Standard of Life
A basic standard of life includes the minimum essentials necessary for survival, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention. Anyone suffering from deprivation of these economic necessities is entitled to receive aid in order to meet their needs. It is the duty of every Muslim with adequate means to give from their wealth, in order to eradicate poverty from society.
The Glorious Quran says: And in their wealth, the beggar and the outcast had due share. [Quran 51:19]
The Right to Justice
Islam requires that Muslims possess upright character and deal justly with the entire human race, irrespective of their ethnicity, nationality, creed, and whether they are friend or foe.
The Glorious Quran says: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety, and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. [Quran, 5:8]
The sense of justice that Islam encompasses is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because, as I read in the Qur'an, I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world. [Lectures on the Ideals of Islam see Speeches and Writings of Sarojini Naidu, Madras, 1918, p. 167]
Rights and Mutual Responsibility
From the foregoing discussion, it is clear that Islamic law has divinely mandated rights for individuals in their specific roles as spouse, parent, child, relative, neighbor, friend, and even foe. In its distribution of rights and responsibilities, Islam has addressed the social, racial, gender, and sectarian issues plaguing the world. Although much of the world, including Muslim nations, have yet to fully implement it, the model of rights and mutual responsibilities enshrined in Islam, has a tremendous potential for individual and social reform.
Footnotes
1. http://www.bookrags.com/history/america-1900s-lifestyles-and-socialtrends/sub5.html
2. Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam. It is an obligatory charity paid by Muslims to the poor and needy; normally 2.5% of certain assets that have been held for 1 year.
3. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/385
4. Digest, 1973, p. 622
5. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/522/
What constitutes human rights? Can we come to a common understanding of these rights and thereby ensure that these are universally granted to every member of society? These questions have been the subject of historic documents such as the Magna Carta, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, the American Bill of Rights, and the Geneva Convention.
What is often overlooked, however, is that these questions have also been addressed by various religious traditions. The Islamic model of human rights in particular is striking in its rigor, its vision and its relevance to modern times.
Islam’s contribution to human rights can be appreciated when compared against the backdrop of world history as well as the realities of modern times. Social, racial, gender, and religious inequities have always existed. Economic and social disparities have resulted in oppression of the lower classes; racial prejudices have been the cause of subjugation and enslavement of people with darker skin; women have been weighed down by chauvinistic attitudes, and pervasive attitudes of religious superiority have led to widespread persecution of people with different beliefs.
When considering the question of human rights and Islam, it is important to remember the distinction between textually prescribed rights, and their misapplication and misinterpretation by imperfect human beings. Just as Western societies still fight against racism and discrimination, Muslim societies struggle to fully implement Islamic human rights.
Divinely Mandated
The distinguishing feature of human rights in Islam is that these rights are the natural outcome of a broader practice of faith; deeds and social behavior that Muslims believe are divinely mandated. The Glorious Quran says: Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition. [Quran, 16:90-91]
Dignity and Equality
Human rights can be seen as stemming from two fundamental principles: dignity and equality. Dignity is a fundamental right of every human being merely by virtue of his or her humanity.
The Glorious Quran says: Verily we have honored the children of Adam. We carry them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment. [Quran 17:70]
Regarding equality, the Quranic verse is explicit: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. [Quran 49:13]
Thus, what distinguishes one human being from another, in the sight of God, is the person’s piety and God-consciousness.
The proliferation of humanity into many races and ethnicities is a testament to Gods Majesty and Wisdom. Physical and racial differences among human beings do not imply inequality. Furthermore, racial superiority and discrimination is prohibited in Islam and contradicts its essence. This concept is exemplified in the following prophetic tradition: No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man, or the black man any superiority over the white man. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay.
Equality of Women
As creations of God, women are accorded spiritual equality with men. They are rewarded for prayer and charitable acts, and likewise held accountable for their actions, good or bad, while on earth.
The Glorious Quran says: If any do deeds of righteousness, be they male or female, and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them. [Quran 4:124]
Both men and women have responsibilities towards their families and societies as is clear from the following verse: The Believers, men and women, are protectors of one another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in Power, Wise. [Quran, 9:71]
Under the laws of Islam, women have the right to own property and businesses, engage in financial transactions, vote, receive inheritance, obtain an education and participate in legal and political affairs. The fact that Muslim societies do not always accord women all these rights is an example of how human beings can fall short of fully implementing the Divine Will.
The Right to Life and Safety
The most basic right of a human being is the right to live.
The Glorious Quran recognizes this right in the following verses: Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred, except for just cause. [Quran, 17:33]
Whosoever kills a human being without due reason (not in retaliation for murder or corruption on earth), it is as though he had killed all of mankind. [Quran, 5:32]
Islam’s position on life is that it is a sacred trust from God. No human being is permitted to take the life of another, unless it is for justice administered by a competent court following due process of law.
Not only do human beings have the right not to be harmed, they have the right to be safeguarded from harm, physical or otherwise. So under Islamic law, people are legally liable for instance, if they did not prevent a blind man from dying of a perilous fall, if they were in a position to do so.
Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that one deals with the enemy nobly on the battlefield. Islam has drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm etc., the instructions of the Prophet are as follows: "Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman". "Do not kill the monks in monasteries". During a war, the Prophet saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: "She was not fighting. Why then was she killed?" Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life even if their state is at war with an Islamic state.
Freedom of Beliefs
Contrary to popular misconceptions, a genuine Islamic state is obligated to not only permit but respect diversity. Thus non-Muslims in an Islamic state are allowed to worship in accordance with their religion.
When Spain was under Muslim rule, the city of Cordova, was considered the intellectual center of Europe, where students went to study philosophy, science and medicine under Muslim, Jewish and Christian scholars. (4)
This rich and sophisticated society took a tolerant view towards other faiths. Tolerance was unheard of in the rest of Europe. But in Muslim Spain, thousands of Jews and Christians lived in peace and harmony with their Muslim overlords. (Burke, 1985, p. 38) (5)
The Right to a Basic Standard of Life
A basic standard of life includes the minimum essentials necessary for survival, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention. Anyone suffering from deprivation of these economic necessities is entitled to receive aid in order to meet their needs. It is the duty of every Muslim with adequate means to give from their wealth, in order to eradicate poverty from society.
The Glorious Quran says: And in their wealth, the beggar and the outcast had due share. [Quran 51:19]
The Right to Justice
Islam requires that Muslims possess upright character and deal justly with the entire human race, irrespective of their ethnicity, nationality, creed, and whether they are friend or foe.
The Glorious Quran says: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just, that is next to piety, and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. [Quran, 5:8]
The sense of justice that Islam encompasses is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because, as I read in the Qur'an, I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world. [Lectures on the Ideals of Islam see Speeches and Writings of Sarojini Naidu, Madras, 1918, p. 167]
Rights and Mutual Responsibility
From the foregoing discussion, it is clear that Islamic law has divinely mandated rights for individuals in their specific roles as spouse, parent, child, relative, neighbor, friend, and even foe. In its distribution of rights and responsibilities, Islam has addressed the social, racial, gender, and sectarian issues plaguing the world. Although much of the world, including Muslim nations, have yet to fully implement it, the model of rights and mutual responsibilities enshrined in Islam, has a tremendous potential for individual and social reform.
Footnotes
1. http://www.bookrags.com/history/america-1900s-lifestyles-and-socialtrends/sub5.html
2. Zakah is one of the pillars of Islam. It is an obligatory charity paid by Muslims to the poor and needy; normally 2.5% of certain assets that have been held for 1 year.
3. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/385
4. Digest, 1973, p. 622
5. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/522/
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Quranic Way of Life
Some of the lessons learnt from the Quran that apply to our general living:
1. Respect and honor all human beings irrespective of their religion, color, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job and so on. [17/70]
2. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception. [33/70]
3. Choose the best words to speak and say them in the best possible way. [17/53, 2/83]
4. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19]
5. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious. [22/30]
6. Do not confound truth with falsehood. [2/42]
7. Say with your mouth what is in your heart. [3/167]
8. Speak in a civilized manner in a language that is recognized by the society and is commonly used. [4/5]
9. When you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative. [6/152]
10. Do not be a bragging boaster. [31/18]
11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain. [23/3, 28/55]
12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play, then pass by with dignity. [25/72]
13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious or overt. [6/151]
14. If unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct yourself expeditiously. [3/134]
15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people. [31/18]
16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit. [17/37, 31/18]
17. Be moderate in thy pace. [31/19]
18. Walk with humility and sedateness. [25/63]
19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and salacious stares. [24/30-31, 40/19]
20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, it is better to keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter, but it might have grave consequences. [24/15-16]
21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence. [24/12-13]
22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in ignorance and afterwards repent of what you did. [49/6]
23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you must verify it for yourself. In the court of your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning. [17/36]
24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and nobody knows more than yourself. Remember, above everyone endowed with knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge. [12/76] Even the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was asked to keep praying, "O My sustainer! Advance me in knowledge." [20:114]
25. The believers are but a single brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and sisters unto one another. [49/10]
26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others. [49/11]
27. Do not defame others. [49/11]
28. Do not insult others by nicknames. [49/11]
29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might deplete your communal energy. [49/12]
30. Spy not upon one another. [49/12]
31. Do not backbite one another. [49/12]
32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for safety. One who conveys to you a message of safety and security and also when a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy. [4/86]
33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else, compliment the inmates. [24/61]
34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission; and then greet the inmates and wish them a life of blessing, purity and pleasure. [24/27]
35. Treat kindly: your parents, relatives, orphans, and those who have been left alone in the society. [4/36]
36. Take care of: the needy, the disabled, those whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their needs, those whose businesses have stalled, and those who have lost their jobs. [4/36]
37. Treat kindly: your related neighbors and unrelated neighbors, and companions by your side in public gatherings, or public transportation. [4/36]
38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the street, and the one who reaches you in a destitute condition. [4/36]
39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [4/36]
40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them with reminders of your generosity. [2/262]
41. Do not expect a return for your good behavior, not even thanks. [76/9]
42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with others in evil and bad matters. [5/2]
43. Do no try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues. [53/32]
44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways first. Actions speak louder than words. You must first practice good deeds yourself, and then preach. [2/44]
45. Correct yourself and your families first (before trying to correct others). [66/6]
46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out of ignorance, and then repents and amends. [6/54, 3/134]
47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, and become a source of tranquility and comfort to people. [3/134]
48. Call people to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful exhortation. Reason with them most decently. [16/125]
49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the divine code and have adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement. [6/70]
50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule the divine law unless they engage in some other conversation. [4/140]
51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed. [4/54]
52. In your collective life, make rooms for others. [58/11]
53. When invited to dine, go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too early to wait for the preparation of meal or linger after eating to engage in bootless babble. Such things may cause inconvenience to the host. [33/53]
54. Eat and drink (what is lawful) in moderation. [7/31]
55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly. [17/26]
56. Fulfill your promises and commitments. [17/34]
57. Keep yourself clean and pure. [9/108, 4/43, 5/6]
58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite character from inside out. [7/26]
59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavor. [29/17, 2/188]
60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor bribe the officials or the judges to deprive others of their possessions. [2/188]
Source: http://english.islamway.com/bindex.php?section=article&id=271
1. Respect and honor all human beings irrespective of their religion, color, race, sex, language, status, property, birth, profession/job and so on. [17/70]
2. Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception. [33/70]
3. Choose the best words to speak and say them in the best possible way. [17/53, 2/83]
4. Do not shout. Speak politely keeping your voice low. [31/19]
5. Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious. [22/30]
6. Do not confound truth with falsehood. [2/42]
7. Say with your mouth what is in your heart. [3/167]
8. Speak in a civilized manner in a language that is recognized by the society and is commonly used. [4/5]
9. When you voice an opinion, be just, even if it is against a relative. [6/152]
10. Do not be a bragging boaster. [31/18]
11. Do not talk, listen or do anything vain. [23/3, 28/55]
12. Do not participate in any paltry. If you pass near a futile play, then pass by with dignity. [25/72]
13. Do not verge upon any immodesty or lewdness whether surreptitious or overt. [6/151]
14. If unintentionally, any misconduct occurs by you, then correct yourself expeditiously. [3/134]
15. Do not be contemptuous or arrogant with people. [31/18]
16. Do not walk haughtily or with conceit. [17/37, 31/18]
17. Be moderate in thy pace. [31/19]
18. Walk with humility and sedateness. [25/63]
19. Keep your gazes lowered devoid of any lecherous leers and salacious stares. [24/30-31, 40/19]
20. If you do not have complete knowledge about anything, it is better to keep your mouth shut. You might think that speaking about something without full knowledge is a trivial matter, but it might have grave consequences. [24/15-16]
21. When you hear something malicious about someone, keep a favorable view about him/her until you attain full knowledge about the matter. Consider others innocent until they are proven guilty with solid and truthful evidence. [24/12-13]
22. Ascertain the truth of any news, lest you smite someone in ignorance and afterwards repent of what you did. [49/6]
23. Do not follow blindly any information of which you have no direct knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception) you must verify it for yourself. In the court of your Lord, you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning. [17/36]
24. Never think that you have reached the final stage of knowledge and nobody knows more than yourself. Remember, above everyone endowed with knowledge is another endowed with more knowledge. [12/76] Even the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was asked to keep praying, "O My sustainer! Advance me in knowledge." [20:114]
25. The believers are but a single brotherhood. Live like members of one family, brothers and sisters unto one another. [49/10]
26. Do not make mockery of others or ridicule others. [49/11]
27. Do not defame others. [49/11]
28. Do not insult others by nicknames. [49/11]
29. Avoid suspicion and guesswork. Suspicion and guesswork might deplete your communal energy. [49/12]
30. Spy not upon one another. [49/12]
31. Do not backbite one another. [49/12]
32. When you meet each other, offer good wishes and blessings for safety. One who conveys to you a message of safety and security and also when a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous or (at least) of equal courtesy. [4/86]
33. When you enter your own home or the home of somebody else, compliment the inmates. [24/61]
34. Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission; and then greet the inmates and wish them a life of blessing, purity and pleasure. [24/27]
35. Treat kindly: your parents, relatives, orphans, and those who have been left alone in the society. [4/36]
36. Take care of: the needy, the disabled, those whose hard earned income is insufficient to meet their needs, those whose businesses have stalled, and those who have lost their jobs. [4/36]
37. Treat kindly: your related neighbors and unrelated neighbors, and companions by your side in public gatherings, or public transportation. [4/36]
38. Be generous to the needy wayfarer, the homeless son of the street, and the one who reaches you in a destitute condition. [4/36]
39. Be nice to people who work under your care. [4/36]
40. Do not follow up what you have given to others to afflict them with reminders of your generosity. [2/262]
41. Do not expect a return for your good behavior, not even thanks. [76/9]
42. Cooperate with one another in good deeds and do not cooperate with others in evil and bad matters. [5/2]
43. Do no try to impress people on account of self-proclaimed virtues. [53/32]
44. You should enjoin right conduct on others but mend your own ways first. Actions speak louder than words. You must first practice good deeds yourself, and then preach. [2/44]
45. Correct yourself and your families first (before trying to correct others). [66/6]
46. Pardon gracefully if anyone among you who commits a bad deed out of ignorance, and then repents and amends. [6/54, 3/134]
47. Divert and sublimate your anger and potentially virulent emotions to creative energy, and become a source of tranquility and comfort to people. [3/134]
48. Call people to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful exhortation. Reason with them most decently. [16/125]
49. Leave to themselves those who do not give any importance to the divine code and have adopted and consider it as mere play and amusement. [6/70]
50. Sit not in the company of those who ridicule the divine law unless they engage in some other conversation. [4/140]
51. Do not be jealous of those who are blessed. [4/54]
52. In your collective life, make rooms for others. [58/11]
53. When invited to dine, go at the appointed time. Do not arrive too early to wait for the preparation of meal or linger after eating to engage in bootless babble. Such things may cause inconvenience to the host. [33/53]
54. Eat and drink (what is lawful) in moderation. [7/31]
55. Do not squander your wealth senselessly. [17/26]
56. Fulfill your promises and commitments. [17/34]
57. Keep yourself clean and pure. [9/108, 4/43, 5/6]
58. Dress-up in agreeable attire and adorn yourself with exquisite character from inside out. [7/26]
59. Seek your provision only by fair endeavor. [29/17, 2/188]
60. Do not devour the wealth and property of others unjustly, nor bribe the officials or the judges to deprive others of their possessions. [2/188]
Source: http://english.islamway.com/bindex.php?section=article&id=271
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Modesty (3 Parts)
Part 1: An Overview
Modesty and shyness play a special part between the affairs of the Creator and the created. All prophets and Messengers encouraged modesty, as the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “Indeed from the teachings of the first prophets which has reached you is, ‘If you do not have shyness, then do as you please.” (Al-Bukhari)
Modesty as a sense of shame or shyness in human beings is a shrinking of the soul from foul conduct, a quality that prevents one from behaving badly towards others or encouraging others to behave badly towards you. Islamic ethics considers modesty as more than just a question of how a person dresses, and more than just modesty in front of people; rather it is reflected in a Muslim’s speech, dress, and conduct: in public in regards to people, and in private in regards to God. Any talk of modesty, therefore, must begin with the heart, not the hemline, as the Prophet of mercy said, ‘Modesty is part of faith,’ [1] and that part of faith must lie in the heart.
Take reservation in speech. As with everything in Islam, speech should be moderate. Raising one’s voice in venting anger simply shows one lacks the ability to contain it, and only damage will ensue from it. Uncontrolled anger, for example, can lead one to verbally abusing and physically assaulting another, both of which take off the veil of bashfulness one is endowed with, exposing the shameful ego within. The Prophet said: “A strong person is not the person who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong person is the person who contains himself when he is angry.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
A strong person who believes feels shy in front of God and His creation, since God knows and sees everything. He feels shy to disobey his Lord and feels shame if he sins or acts inappropriately, whether in private or public. This type of modesty is acquired and is directly related to one’s faith, where one’s awareness of God increases one’s “shyness” in front of Him.
Islamic morality divides modesty into natural and acquired. Modesty is a quality inherent in girls and boys, a certain type of modesty that is natural in human beings. It manifests itself, for instance, in a natural human urge to cover one’s private parts. According to the Quran, when Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree, they became aware that their private parts were exposed, and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise, a natural result of their modesty.
Islamic scholars consider modesty to be a quality that distinguishes human beings from animals. Animals follow their instincts without feeling any shame or a sense of right or wrong. Hence, the less modesty a person has, the more he resembles animals. The more modesty a person has, the closer he is to being human. Islam has mandated certain legislations which induce this sense of modesty within humans. These legislations range from seeking permission before entering any room and distancing one from others while relieving oneself, to mandating certain manners of dress for men and women alike. Another way that modesty may be attained is by associating with modest people - people in whose presence a person feels embarrassed to do anything shameful - as the Prophet said: “I advise you to be shy toward God, the Exalted, in the same way that you are shy toward a pious man from your people.” [2]
Being shy of a stranger’s gaze is one of the driving forces behind modesty in dress. This can be seen in children, who naturally shy away from strangers, sometimes hiding from them in their mother’s skirts or behind their father’s legs. In Islam, screening most of your body off from the gaze of a stranger, especially of the opposite sex, is actually mandated as a means to avoid falling into conduct that may lead to extra-marital or pre-marital sex. God says, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! God is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their adornment.” (Quran 24:30)
The verse then mentions the people before whom one is exempted from veiling; the ones who cannot be called ‘strangers’. Also, the command is relaxed as one matures: an aged woman who has no hope of marriage can discard the overcoats that screen what they are wearing underneath. [3]
As seen from this verse, Islamic ethics view modesty not as a virtue for women only, but for men as well. Thus, men must also dress modestly, being careful to wear loose flowing and opaque clothes through which the area between their waist and knees are totally covered. Tight pants or translucent clothing is prohibited. This modesty is reflected upon Muslim male clothing throughout the world, long shirts reaching below the thighs, and loose flowing trousers.
It may still seem, however, that women bear the main brunt of ‘dressing modestly’. When one reflects, however, about the predator and the prey in illegal relations between the sexes; the prey which is hidden escapes being a victim. Besides, another verse says modesty in dress actually identifies one as being a believing woman, [4] a ‘target’ which the devout Muslim, or any decent man, would be motivated to protect rather than abuse.
The way to develop modesty is to think about whether he or she would do the sin they are contemplating in front of their parents. A person with a shred of shame in their heart will not commit any lewd act in front of their parents. So what about doing so in front of God? Is not God much worthier that such acts not to be done in His sight? Thus, Islam considers that the modesty of a believer in front of God must be greater than in front of people. This is manifest in the saying of the Prophet when a man asked him about remaining naked in the house while alone. The Prophet responded: “God is more deserving than other people of shyness.” (Abu Dawood)
Early Muslims used to say, “Be shy toward God when you are in private in the same way you are shy in front of people when you are in public.” Another one of their sayings is, “Do not be a devoted slave of God in your public behavior while you are an enemy to Him in your private affairs.”
Modesty can therefore be seen as the means by which morals and ethics in society are maintained and pursued. Shyness from people and society may be a reason to be modest, but this modesty will not remain due to the fact that what is immodest one day in a secular society may be totally acceptable in another. Thus, the key to modesty is knowing that God is aware of what you do and shying away from that which He forbids. God only desires what is best for us. So to seek what is best for us is to submit to what He has in mind for us. The only way to properly know what that is, is to believe in what he sent down to us through His Prophet, Muhammad, and to embrace the religion (Islam) that His Messenger brought us.
Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[2] Ahmad in his work “Az-Zuhd”
[3] Quran 24:60
[4] Quran 33:59
Modesty (Part 2): Stories on Modesty I
Muhammad and Modesty before God
The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “Every religion has its characteristic, and the characteristic of Islam is modesty.” (al-Muwatta)
Modesty, in the sense of shyly protecting oneself with propriety from the lustful or envious gaze, means one takes care about how to express oneself in word and deed. One does not want others to look at one strangely or as if one is blameworthy. It encourages one to be proper in behavior and thought with other people, and with one’s relationship with God. The Prophet once said to his companions: “Be bashful before God according to His right to modesty before Him.” They said: “O Messenger of God, verily we are shy, praise be to God.” He said: “That is not it. Modesty before God according to His right to modesty is that you protect your mind in what it learns; your stomach in what it ingests. And remember death and the tribulations attached to it; and whoever wishes for the Hereafter, leaves the adornments of this life. So whoever does all that is truly bashful before God according to His right to modesty.” [1]
Modesty and shame apply to every aspect of one’s life, and awareness of God’s presence helps one to be bashful and seemly in the way we comport ourselves in every activity we are engaged in. It crowns the moral ethics of behavior and practice, for it inspires him to do all that is beautiful and prevents him from doing all that is wicked. It is a shield of chastity for the body and of purity for the soul, as private shame concerning one’s wickedness stems from being aware that God is watching. The Prophet said: “Modesty is from the faith, and the faith is in Paradise.” (Ahmed)
Muhammad and the Wedding Feast
On the occasion of his marriage in Medina with Zaynab, the daughter of Jahsh, the Prophet invited the people to his wedding feast. This was a late morning invitation, and most people simply rose and left after eating, as was the custom. The bridegroom, however, remained sitting and some people, perhaps thinking that this was a signal that they, too, should remain with him, stayed behind after the other guests had left. Out of propriety, the Messenger of God did not like to tell the people to go away, so he got up and left the room with his ward, ibn Abbas.
He went as far as the room of Aisha, another of his wives, before returning back to Zaynab’s room, expecting the guests to have taken the hint. However, they were still there, sitting in their places, so he turned away once again and went back to Aisha’s room, still accompanied by his ward.
The second time they returned the people had left, so the Messenger of God went in. Ibn Abbas was going to follow him, but Muhammad took the dividing curtain and drew it across the doorway, blocking the egress. [2]
One of the story’s lessons is that a person’s home is private and one should be shy of abusing an invitation to it. Moreover, because Muhammad was too nice to ask people to leave, his actions provide an example of how to teach a lesson without being offensive. He used a non-verbal means to show the people they should leave and, once his private space was vacated, he used another non-verbal gesture to drive home the fact that the invitation was over.
Moses and Zaphorah
After waiting for a long time in the queue, being only two females among all the males, someone finally helped them, and they were able to take their flock of sheep and goats home. Their father was old, and they had no brother to do their outside chores. Being one of the most onerous of tasks, drawing water from the well in order to water one’s livestock was one performed by men; a lucky day for them to come home early with the drove freshly watered. The father was surprised about their early return, and when he inquired into the occurrence, his daughters told him that a man who seemed a traveler had helped them. The father asked one of them to seek the man out and invite him home. Upon returning to the well, the lady approached him shyly. When she was in earshot, she gave him her father’s invitation so that he might recompense him for his help. He kept his gaze low to the ground as he replied to her, saying that he had done it for the sake of God alone, and required no compensation. However, realizing that this was God sent help, he accepted the invitation. As she was walking ahead of him, the wind blew her dress, which revealed part of her lower legs, so he asked her to walk behind him and point out the way he should follow when he reached a fork in the foot path.
Once they arrived at the house, the father presented him with a meal and asked where he was from. The man told him that he was a fugitive from Egypt. The daughter who had brought him home whispered to her father: “O Father, hire him, because the best of the workers is one who is strong and trustworthy.” He asked her: “How do you know he is strong?” She said: “He lifted the stone lid of the well that cannot be removed except by many together.” He asked her: “How do you know that he is trustworthy?” She said: “He asked me to walk behind him so that he couldn’t see me as I walked, and when I conversed with him, he kept his gaze low with shyness and respect.”
This was Prophet Moses, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, who had run away from Egypt after killing someone by mistake, and the father of the girls was a God fearing man from the tribes of Midian; a man who was sonless, but had had these two daughters.
The verse in the Quran that tells us this story stresses upon the manner of her approaching Moses: “So one of the two (daughters) came to him walking modestly...” (Quran 28:25)
Both the way Zaphorah approached Moses and his care about not seeing more of her than was needful at the time describe acute senses of propriety. Neither had a chaperone, nor could people see what they did, yet both conducted themselves with the utmost decorum. This was done out of fear of the One who sees everything. The outcome was that when her father proposed to Moses that he marry one of his daughters, Moses considered them a suitable marriage prospect. He and his daughters also saw in him all the virtues a man needs as a mate for a woman to consent to his guidance and nurture through life. Moses accepted, and also ten years hired as a shepherd.
Footnotes:
[1] This paraphrases a prophetic narration found in the collection of Tirmidthi.
[2] Ibn Abbas reported the story in a Prophetic narration collected by Al-Bukhari.
Modesty (Part 3 ): Stories on Modesty II
Muhammad and the Rebuilding of the Kaaba
The modesty of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was the most prominent trait of his personality. Even from an early age, his sense of shame in an open society of the Arabs prior to Islam was remarkable. In one instance, after the treasures had been stolen from inside, the people were rebuilding the Kaaba with a roof in order to prevent thieves from entering it again. Muhammad, while still a young man, took part. He went with his uncle, al-Abbas, to carry blocks of stone. His uncle told him to put his sarong [1] around his neck to protect himself from the sharp edges of the heavy rocks.
As he moved to comply with this sensible advice, he was overcome with dizziness, and he collapsed in a dead faint. His eyes gazed fixedly skywards as he lay on his back on the ground, his sarong loosened but still covering his privates. A few moments later, he came round, yelling, “My clothing, my clothing!”
Hastily, he wrapped his sarong securely around himself again. Never again in his life would anyone outside the family ever even catch a glimpse of his loins.
The story above was told by one of the Prophet’s companions, Jabir bin Abdullah, and shows Muhammad’s strong sense of shame and propriety about his body was ingrained, even before prophethood. He was known to be more modest than a cloistered virgin both before and after receiving revelation from God.
Moses and the Mockers
Another story about Moses, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, demonstrates that he was as equally bashful and shy about his own body as young Muhammad. He never appeared in front of anyone without fully covering himself, which led some of his people (the Children of Israel) to disparage him hurtfully. They said, “He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.”
God wished to clear Moses of what they said about him. One day, when Moses had taken off his clothes and put them on a stone while in seclusion, he started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes in order to take them and put them on again, but the stone took off with his clothes and fled. Despite his nakedness, Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, “O stone! Give me my clothes!”
But the stone continued to flee until it reached a group of Israelites, where it stopped. That is how they were able to see him naked, finding in his form the best of what God had created.
Thus God cleared him of what they had accused him of. Moses, however, was rather upset. He took his clothes and hastily put them on, and then started hitting the stone with his stick. The Prophet of Islam, the one who narrated the story, swore that the stone still had some traces of the hitting, even today; three, four or five marks. That was what God refers to in His saying: “O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Moses, but God proved his innocence about that which they alleged. And he was honorable in God’s sight.” (Quran 33:69)
This story shows how shy Moses was about letting his body be seen in public. In fact, only his anger at being deprived of the barrier between his body and the world led him to allow the whole of his body to be seen, the exposure of which was by God’s will in order to clear him of the slander applied by his detractors. Of course, he could not hold that exposure against God, so he took it out on the rock – the means by which his exposure was engineered, and hence his innocence was established from what his slanderers alleged.
Muhammad and the Garden Well
What is respectable to view between people of course varies. How much of a woman’s body can be exposed to a husband is different from what she can expose to her brother, which in turn differs from what can be seen by a complete stranger, and vice-versa. This is true concerning what is permissible to see between people of the same sex, too. What a father, brother or son can respectably view of each other is different from what a man outside the family circle is permitted to see, as what a mother, daughter or sister can view of each other in contrast to a strange woman.
Once, when the Prophet went into a garden, he asked his companion, Abu Musa al-Asharee, to guard its gate. In the garden was a well, and he sat upon its wall dangling his legs inside it. After a while, Abu Bakr came by, wanting to enter the garden. Abu Musa went to tell the Prophet that his father-in-law wanted to share the garden with him, so the Prophet said, “Tell him the good news that the gardens of Paradise await him, and let him in.”
So Abu Bakr, Aisha’s father, went into the garden and sat beside the prophet, whose sarong was pulled up to just above his knees, and dangled his legs in the well with him. A little later, Umar al-Khattab turned up. He wanted to relax in the garden, too. Again Abu Musa sought the Prophet’s permission for him, informing him of another of his father-in-law’s presence at the gate. He said, “Tell him the good news that the gardens of Paradise await him, and let him in.”
Umar, Hafsa’s father, took the free place beside the Prophet, and dangled his legs in the water next to him.
Both of these men had had the sensitivity to sit next to the prophet, and thus the prophet was able to preserve propriety without having to pull his lower garment over his knees.
Some time after that, his son-in-law, Uthman al-Affan, whom his daughter Ruqayyah had married, also sought entrance to the garden. When Abu Musa transmitted the Prophet’s message by saying, ‘The gardens of Paradise await you after some trials,’ and let him in, Uthman observed that the only free spaces on the wall were on one of the three walls that the Prophet and his fathers-in-law were not occupying, which meant he might see more of the Prophet’s legs than they. As he hesitated, the Prophet pulled his sarong down over his knees, so Uthman took the place opposite him. [2]
Islam teaches that there are some parts of the body that should not be revealed in public, and the closer these parts are to one’s privates, the more they are prohibited to reveal. Although all three men who sat with him had close family ties with him, which is why he let his knees be seen, when the Prophet’s thighs were threatened by exposure, he took steps to hide them.
Footnotes:
[1] A cotton cloth wrapped around the waist, covering lower body to the calves/shins. Worn by men in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand these days, and used by Arab men before (but called izar).
[2] One lesson interpreted from this story was that it constituted a sign that his fathers-in-law would be buried next to him when they died, but his son-in-law would be buried somewhat removed, as indeed actually happened. (Fath-al-Bari)
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/21/viewall/
Modesty and shyness play a special part between the affairs of the Creator and the created. All prophets and Messengers encouraged modesty, as the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “Indeed from the teachings of the first prophets which has reached you is, ‘If you do not have shyness, then do as you please.” (Al-Bukhari)
Modesty as a sense of shame or shyness in human beings is a shrinking of the soul from foul conduct, a quality that prevents one from behaving badly towards others or encouraging others to behave badly towards you. Islamic ethics considers modesty as more than just a question of how a person dresses, and more than just modesty in front of people; rather it is reflected in a Muslim’s speech, dress, and conduct: in public in regards to people, and in private in regards to God. Any talk of modesty, therefore, must begin with the heart, not the hemline, as the Prophet of mercy said, ‘Modesty is part of faith,’ [1] and that part of faith must lie in the heart.
Take reservation in speech. As with everything in Islam, speech should be moderate. Raising one’s voice in venting anger simply shows one lacks the ability to contain it, and only damage will ensue from it. Uncontrolled anger, for example, can lead one to verbally abusing and physically assaulting another, both of which take off the veil of bashfulness one is endowed with, exposing the shameful ego within. The Prophet said: “A strong person is not the person who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong person is the person who contains himself when he is angry.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
A strong person who believes feels shy in front of God and His creation, since God knows and sees everything. He feels shy to disobey his Lord and feels shame if he sins or acts inappropriately, whether in private or public. This type of modesty is acquired and is directly related to one’s faith, where one’s awareness of God increases one’s “shyness” in front of Him.
Islamic morality divides modesty into natural and acquired. Modesty is a quality inherent in girls and boys, a certain type of modesty that is natural in human beings. It manifests itself, for instance, in a natural human urge to cover one’s private parts. According to the Quran, when Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree, they became aware that their private parts were exposed, and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise, a natural result of their modesty.
Islamic scholars consider modesty to be a quality that distinguishes human beings from animals. Animals follow their instincts without feeling any shame or a sense of right or wrong. Hence, the less modesty a person has, the more he resembles animals. The more modesty a person has, the closer he is to being human. Islam has mandated certain legislations which induce this sense of modesty within humans. These legislations range from seeking permission before entering any room and distancing one from others while relieving oneself, to mandating certain manners of dress for men and women alike. Another way that modesty may be attained is by associating with modest people - people in whose presence a person feels embarrassed to do anything shameful - as the Prophet said: “I advise you to be shy toward God, the Exalted, in the same way that you are shy toward a pious man from your people.” [2]
Being shy of a stranger’s gaze is one of the driving forces behind modesty in dress. This can be seen in children, who naturally shy away from strangers, sometimes hiding from them in their mother’s skirts or behind their father’s legs. In Islam, screening most of your body off from the gaze of a stranger, especially of the opposite sex, is actually mandated as a means to avoid falling into conduct that may lead to extra-marital or pre-marital sex. God says, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! God is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their adornment.” (Quran 24:30)
The verse then mentions the people before whom one is exempted from veiling; the ones who cannot be called ‘strangers’. Also, the command is relaxed as one matures: an aged woman who has no hope of marriage can discard the overcoats that screen what they are wearing underneath. [3]
As seen from this verse, Islamic ethics view modesty not as a virtue for women only, but for men as well. Thus, men must also dress modestly, being careful to wear loose flowing and opaque clothes through which the area between their waist and knees are totally covered. Tight pants or translucent clothing is prohibited. This modesty is reflected upon Muslim male clothing throughout the world, long shirts reaching below the thighs, and loose flowing trousers.
It may still seem, however, that women bear the main brunt of ‘dressing modestly’. When one reflects, however, about the predator and the prey in illegal relations between the sexes; the prey which is hidden escapes being a victim. Besides, another verse says modesty in dress actually identifies one as being a believing woman, [4] a ‘target’ which the devout Muslim, or any decent man, would be motivated to protect rather than abuse.
The way to develop modesty is to think about whether he or she would do the sin they are contemplating in front of their parents. A person with a shred of shame in their heart will not commit any lewd act in front of their parents. So what about doing so in front of God? Is not God much worthier that such acts not to be done in His sight? Thus, Islam considers that the modesty of a believer in front of God must be greater than in front of people. This is manifest in the saying of the Prophet when a man asked him about remaining naked in the house while alone. The Prophet responded: “God is more deserving than other people of shyness.” (Abu Dawood)
Early Muslims used to say, “Be shy toward God when you are in private in the same way you are shy in front of people when you are in public.” Another one of their sayings is, “Do not be a devoted slave of God in your public behavior while you are an enemy to Him in your private affairs.”
Modesty can therefore be seen as the means by which morals and ethics in society are maintained and pursued. Shyness from people and society may be a reason to be modest, but this modesty will not remain due to the fact that what is immodest one day in a secular society may be totally acceptable in another. Thus, the key to modesty is knowing that God is aware of what you do and shying away from that which He forbids. God only desires what is best for us. So to seek what is best for us is to submit to what He has in mind for us. The only way to properly know what that is, is to believe in what he sent down to us through His Prophet, Muhammad, and to embrace the religion (Islam) that His Messenger brought us.
Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[2] Ahmad in his work “Az-Zuhd”
[3] Quran 24:60
[4] Quran 33:59
Modesty (Part 2): Stories on Modesty I
Muhammad and Modesty before God
The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “Every religion has its characteristic, and the characteristic of Islam is modesty.” (al-Muwatta)
Modesty, in the sense of shyly protecting oneself with propriety from the lustful or envious gaze, means one takes care about how to express oneself in word and deed. One does not want others to look at one strangely or as if one is blameworthy. It encourages one to be proper in behavior and thought with other people, and with one’s relationship with God. The Prophet once said to his companions: “Be bashful before God according to His right to modesty before Him.” They said: “O Messenger of God, verily we are shy, praise be to God.” He said: “That is not it. Modesty before God according to His right to modesty is that you protect your mind in what it learns; your stomach in what it ingests. And remember death and the tribulations attached to it; and whoever wishes for the Hereafter, leaves the adornments of this life. So whoever does all that is truly bashful before God according to His right to modesty.” [1]
Modesty and shame apply to every aspect of one’s life, and awareness of God’s presence helps one to be bashful and seemly in the way we comport ourselves in every activity we are engaged in. It crowns the moral ethics of behavior and practice, for it inspires him to do all that is beautiful and prevents him from doing all that is wicked. It is a shield of chastity for the body and of purity for the soul, as private shame concerning one’s wickedness stems from being aware that God is watching. The Prophet said: “Modesty is from the faith, and the faith is in Paradise.” (Ahmed)
Muhammad and the Wedding Feast
On the occasion of his marriage in Medina with Zaynab, the daughter of Jahsh, the Prophet invited the people to his wedding feast. This was a late morning invitation, and most people simply rose and left after eating, as was the custom. The bridegroom, however, remained sitting and some people, perhaps thinking that this was a signal that they, too, should remain with him, stayed behind after the other guests had left. Out of propriety, the Messenger of God did not like to tell the people to go away, so he got up and left the room with his ward, ibn Abbas.
He went as far as the room of Aisha, another of his wives, before returning back to Zaynab’s room, expecting the guests to have taken the hint. However, they were still there, sitting in their places, so he turned away once again and went back to Aisha’s room, still accompanied by his ward.
The second time they returned the people had left, so the Messenger of God went in. Ibn Abbas was going to follow him, but Muhammad took the dividing curtain and drew it across the doorway, blocking the egress. [2]
One of the story’s lessons is that a person’s home is private and one should be shy of abusing an invitation to it. Moreover, because Muhammad was too nice to ask people to leave, his actions provide an example of how to teach a lesson without being offensive. He used a non-verbal means to show the people they should leave and, once his private space was vacated, he used another non-verbal gesture to drive home the fact that the invitation was over.
Moses and Zaphorah
After waiting for a long time in the queue, being only two females among all the males, someone finally helped them, and they were able to take their flock of sheep and goats home. Their father was old, and they had no brother to do their outside chores. Being one of the most onerous of tasks, drawing water from the well in order to water one’s livestock was one performed by men; a lucky day for them to come home early with the drove freshly watered. The father was surprised about their early return, and when he inquired into the occurrence, his daughters told him that a man who seemed a traveler had helped them. The father asked one of them to seek the man out and invite him home. Upon returning to the well, the lady approached him shyly. When she was in earshot, she gave him her father’s invitation so that he might recompense him for his help. He kept his gaze low to the ground as he replied to her, saying that he had done it for the sake of God alone, and required no compensation. However, realizing that this was God sent help, he accepted the invitation. As she was walking ahead of him, the wind blew her dress, which revealed part of her lower legs, so he asked her to walk behind him and point out the way he should follow when he reached a fork in the foot path.
Once they arrived at the house, the father presented him with a meal and asked where he was from. The man told him that he was a fugitive from Egypt. The daughter who had brought him home whispered to her father: “O Father, hire him, because the best of the workers is one who is strong and trustworthy.” He asked her: “How do you know he is strong?” She said: “He lifted the stone lid of the well that cannot be removed except by many together.” He asked her: “How do you know that he is trustworthy?” She said: “He asked me to walk behind him so that he couldn’t see me as I walked, and when I conversed with him, he kept his gaze low with shyness and respect.”
This was Prophet Moses, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, who had run away from Egypt after killing someone by mistake, and the father of the girls was a God fearing man from the tribes of Midian; a man who was sonless, but had had these two daughters.
The verse in the Quran that tells us this story stresses upon the manner of her approaching Moses: “So one of the two (daughters) came to him walking modestly...” (Quran 28:25)
Both the way Zaphorah approached Moses and his care about not seeing more of her than was needful at the time describe acute senses of propriety. Neither had a chaperone, nor could people see what they did, yet both conducted themselves with the utmost decorum. This was done out of fear of the One who sees everything. The outcome was that when her father proposed to Moses that he marry one of his daughters, Moses considered them a suitable marriage prospect. He and his daughters also saw in him all the virtues a man needs as a mate for a woman to consent to his guidance and nurture through life. Moses accepted, and also ten years hired as a shepherd.
Footnotes:
[1] This paraphrases a prophetic narration found in the collection of Tirmidthi.
[2] Ibn Abbas reported the story in a Prophetic narration collected by Al-Bukhari.
Modesty (Part 3 ): Stories on Modesty II
Muhammad and the Rebuilding of the Kaaba
The modesty of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was the most prominent trait of his personality. Even from an early age, his sense of shame in an open society of the Arabs prior to Islam was remarkable. In one instance, after the treasures had been stolen from inside, the people were rebuilding the Kaaba with a roof in order to prevent thieves from entering it again. Muhammad, while still a young man, took part. He went with his uncle, al-Abbas, to carry blocks of stone. His uncle told him to put his sarong [1] around his neck to protect himself from the sharp edges of the heavy rocks.
As he moved to comply with this sensible advice, he was overcome with dizziness, and he collapsed in a dead faint. His eyes gazed fixedly skywards as he lay on his back on the ground, his sarong loosened but still covering his privates. A few moments later, he came round, yelling, “My clothing, my clothing!”
Hastily, he wrapped his sarong securely around himself again. Never again in his life would anyone outside the family ever even catch a glimpse of his loins.
The story above was told by one of the Prophet’s companions, Jabir bin Abdullah, and shows Muhammad’s strong sense of shame and propriety about his body was ingrained, even before prophethood. He was known to be more modest than a cloistered virgin both before and after receiving revelation from God.
Moses and the Mockers
Another story about Moses, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, demonstrates that he was as equally bashful and shy about his own body as young Muhammad. He never appeared in front of anyone without fully covering himself, which led some of his people (the Children of Israel) to disparage him hurtfully. They said, “He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.”
God wished to clear Moses of what they said about him. One day, when Moses had taken off his clothes and put them on a stone while in seclusion, he started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes in order to take them and put them on again, but the stone took off with his clothes and fled. Despite his nakedness, Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, “O stone! Give me my clothes!”
But the stone continued to flee until it reached a group of Israelites, where it stopped. That is how they were able to see him naked, finding in his form the best of what God had created.
Thus God cleared him of what they had accused him of. Moses, however, was rather upset. He took his clothes and hastily put them on, and then started hitting the stone with his stick. The Prophet of Islam, the one who narrated the story, swore that the stone still had some traces of the hitting, even today; three, four or five marks. That was what God refers to in His saying: “O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Moses, but God proved his innocence about that which they alleged. And he was honorable in God’s sight.” (Quran 33:69)
This story shows how shy Moses was about letting his body be seen in public. In fact, only his anger at being deprived of the barrier between his body and the world led him to allow the whole of his body to be seen, the exposure of which was by God’s will in order to clear him of the slander applied by his detractors. Of course, he could not hold that exposure against God, so he took it out on the rock – the means by which his exposure was engineered, and hence his innocence was established from what his slanderers alleged.
Muhammad and the Garden Well
What is respectable to view between people of course varies. How much of a woman’s body can be exposed to a husband is different from what she can expose to her brother, which in turn differs from what can be seen by a complete stranger, and vice-versa. This is true concerning what is permissible to see between people of the same sex, too. What a father, brother or son can respectably view of each other is different from what a man outside the family circle is permitted to see, as what a mother, daughter or sister can view of each other in contrast to a strange woman.
Once, when the Prophet went into a garden, he asked his companion, Abu Musa al-Asharee, to guard its gate. In the garden was a well, and he sat upon its wall dangling his legs inside it. After a while, Abu Bakr came by, wanting to enter the garden. Abu Musa went to tell the Prophet that his father-in-law wanted to share the garden with him, so the Prophet said, “Tell him the good news that the gardens of Paradise await him, and let him in.”
So Abu Bakr, Aisha’s father, went into the garden and sat beside the prophet, whose sarong was pulled up to just above his knees, and dangled his legs in the well with him. A little later, Umar al-Khattab turned up. He wanted to relax in the garden, too. Again Abu Musa sought the Prophet’s permission for him, informing him of another of his father-in-law’s presence at the gate. He said, “Tell him the good news that the gardens of Paradise await him, and let him in.”
Umar, Hafsa’s father, took the free place beside the Prophet, and dangled his legs in the water next to him.
Both of these men had had the sensitivity to sit next to the prophet, and thus the prophet was able to preserve propriety without having to pull his lower garment over his knees.
Some time after that, his son-in-law, Uthman al-Affan, whom his daughter Ruqayyah had married, also sought entrance to the garden. When Abu Musa transmitted the Prophet’s message by saying, ‘The gardens of Paradise await you after some trials,’ and let him in, Uthman observed that the only free spaces on the wall were on one of the three walls that the Prophet and his fathers-in-law were not occupying, which meant he might see more of the Prophet’s legs than they. As he hesitated, the Prophet pulled his sarong down over his knees, so Uthman took the place opposite him. [2]
Islam teaches that there are some parts of the body that should not be revealed in public, and the closer these parts are to one’s privates, the more they are prohibited to reveal. Although all three men who sat with him had close family ties with him, which is why he let his knees be seen, when the Prophet’s thighs were threatened by exposure, he took steps to hide them.
Footnotes:
[1] A cotton cloth wrapped around the waist, covering lower body to the calves/shins. Worn by men in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand these days, and used by Arab men before (but called izar).
[2] One lesson interpreted from this story was that it constituted a sign that his fathers-in-law would be buried next to him when they died, but his son-in-law would be buried somewhat removed, as indeed actually happened. (Fath-al-Bari)
Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/21/viewall/
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