18 replies to this topic

[ghazala]

Do not be a stuck-up!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

ALLAH Almighty commands us not to be stuck-up. He commands us to be laid back and down to earth type of people.

Let us look at Noble Verse 17:37 "Nor walk on the earth with insolence: for thou cannot rend the earth asunder, nor reach the mountains in height."

"And swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for ALLAH loves not any arrogant boaster. (The Noble Quran, 31:18)"

Insolence, or arrogance, or undue elation at our powers or capacities, is the first step to many evils. Besides, it is unjustified. All our gifts are from ALLAH Almighty. Arrogance also closes the doors of the ability to correct oneself but on the other hand blinds a person and lead him to evil acts;

“Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed.” Al-Baqarah 2: 87

Rasulullah (pbuh) said: “The one who possesses an iota of Kibr (pride) in his (spiritual) heart (intention, consciousness) shall not enter al-Jannah”
Kibr that openly opposes and negates Imân results in the banishment of its possessor from entering al-Jannah as is found in His (ALLAH, the Most High) statement:

“And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn (Yastakbirûn – Have Kibr) My worship, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!" Ghâfir 40:60
Wa Allâhu a‘lâm

[ghazala]

No offensive name calling is allowed! And do not look down on others!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

"O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong. (The Noble Quran, 49:11)"

Calling people with offensive nicknames, which means to call a person with a name that he hates, is not permissible. However, if a person does not hate to be called by a given nickname, then this is not included in calling each other with offensive names which the verse mentioned dispraised its doer.

The relations among the members of the Islamic society are based on two fundamental principles: first, awareness of the strong bond of brotherhood which links one individual to another, and second, the protection of the rights of the individual and the sanctity of his life, honor, and property, as guaranteed by the Shari'ah of Islam.

Any words, deed, or behavior which contravene or threaten these two principles is prohibited by Islam, the degree of prohibition depending on the magnitude of material or moral injury which might result from it.
ALLAH has prescribed a number of things related to the preservation of brotherhood and what this implies with regard to what is to be held sacred among human beings. The first among these is the prohibition of mocking, deriding, and scoffing at others. The Believer who fears ALLAH and hopes to attain the Garden in the Hereafter will not scoff at any individual nor make people the object of his jokes, scorn, sarcasm or mockery, because this is nothing but pride, arrogance, and contempt for others, as well as ignorance of the scale by which ALLAH measures goodness.

[ghazala]

HONOUR YOUR PARENTS

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In Islam it is obligatory for us to show kindness, respect, and obedience to our parents. The position of parents, and the mutual obligations and responsibilities, have been addressed in Islam in great detail. In fact kindness and obedience is so strongly emphasized that ALLAH has linked showing gratitude to one's parents with showing gratitude to ALLAH -

Sadly we are living in a time where children speaking disrespectfully to their parents and about their parents, is the norm rather than the exception. However Islam places great emphasis on respectful and considerate behaviour to even our enemies, so to not uphold the obligations laid down by ALLAH to our parents is actually one of the major sins.

Let's see what the Nobel Quran says about Parents.

"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 honour. 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." (The Noble Quran, 17:23-24)"

"We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did. (The Noble Quran, 29:8)"

"And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal. (The Noble Quran, 31:14)"

"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam." (The Noble Quran, 46:15)"

"And remember We took a covenant from the Children of Israel (to this effect): Worship none but God; treat with kindness your parents and kindred, and orphans and those in need; speak fair to the people; be steadfast in prayer; and practise regular charity. Then did ye turn back, except a few among you, and ye backslide (even now). (The Noble Quran, 2:83)"

Let's see what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh);

Disobedience to parents is a major sin
Anas narrated from Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) about
the major sins. He (Mohammed) observed: Associating anyone with ALLAH, disobedience to parents, killing a person and false utterance. (Muslim)

One of the dearest deeds to God is being good & dutiful to parents
Narrated 'Abdullah: I asked the Prophet(pbuh) "Which deed is the dearest to ALLAH?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents"...(Bukhari)

Being dutiful to parents is one of the keys to enter Paradise
Abu Huraira reported Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) as saying: Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: God's Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (because he has been undutiful to them). (Muslim)

Acts of kindness we can do for our parents after their death
While we were with Prophet Muhammad of ALLAH(pbuh). A man of Banu Salmah came to Him and said: Apostle of ALLAH is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after their death? He replied: Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends. (Abu Dawood)

The High Status given to Mothers
A man came to the Prophet(pbuh) and asked him for permission to join a military expedition. The Prophet(pbuh) asked him if he had a mother, and when he replied that he had, he said, "Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet." (Ahmad)

[ghazala]

Acts of compassion:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

"And what will explain to you what the steep path is? It is the freeing of a (slave) from bondage; or the giving of food in a day of famine to an orphan relative, or to a needy in distress. Then will he be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude and encourage kindness and compassion." Chapter 90, Verses 12-17

The Qur’an shows great compassion to orphans, the widows, the poor and the slaves. It wants to liberate these poorer and oppressed sections from their situation. Zakah, a toll tax, has been made obligatory on all believing Muslims, men or women to help these sections. Thus the Qur’an says, “(Zakat) charity is only for the poor and the needy and those employed to administer it, and those whose hearts are made to incline, and (to free) the captives, and those in debt, and in the way of ALLAH and for the wayfarer – an ordinance from ALLAH. And ALLAH is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (9:60)

Not only that the Qur’an wants to remove those who are arrogant because of their wealth and power and empower the weak so that there is no suffering in the world. It says clearly and unambiguously “And We desired to bestow a favour upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the leaders, and to make them the inheritors.” (28:5) Thus the Qur’an favours the mustad`ifin (the weaker sections) to the mustakbirin (those powerful and arrogant).

The powerful and the arrogant people are insensitive to others suffering and want to grab as much as they can – be it wealth, be it territory or be it symbols of power. In the Qur’anic approach the powerful are most insensitive and hence most un-compassionate. They are overpowered by the greed and hence can never understand others needs. Therefore, the Qur’an says that “And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in ALLAH’s way – announce to them a painful chastisement.” (9:34)

In several verses of the Qur’an one finds strong denunciation of the accumulation of wealth. The chapters 104 and 107 are devoted to denunciation of accumulation of wealth and not helping the poor and sufferers. Thus compassion is an important concept in Islam.

Messenger of ALLAH (PBUH) said, "ALLAH shows compassion only to those among His slaves who are compassionate". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].