Everything in the universe—the sun, the moon, the stars—have all completely subjugated themselves to God’s will; they cannot make the slightest deviation from the path that God has ordained for them. Similarly, all other elements in nature function in obedience to the laws of nature laid down for them by the Creator. The entire universe has surrendered to God, the Lord of the Universe.
But there is a difference between the status of man and that of the physical world. The physical world has been given no option but to submit to God, whereas man has been given free will, so that he may opt for either good or bad ways. To this end he has been given a thinking faculty, and a conscience with which to make moral judgements for himself. He has the ability to accept and follow certain principles in life or refuse to do so. He is not bound by fixed laws like all other created beings. He has been given freedom of thought, option and action.
It is through this freedom of choice that man is being tested. But after being given a thinking faculty, a conscience and an ability to judge between good and bad, man was not just left to his own resources. God did not leave man in a world where there was no way to find the Truth. Divine provision for him went much further. To see how God gave His guidelines to humankind, we have to go right back to the beginning of creation. God created Adam, the first man—whom He had made not just an ordinary mortal but also a prophet—and taught him everything that He wanted from man, so that human beings would not be left without proper direction or guidance. From time to time thereafter, God sent prophets to the world—the last of these being the Prophet Muhammad—so that human beings, who tended to stray, could be recalled to the path of virtue.
Source: Spirit of Islam April 2020
The universal interpretation of religion is an understanding of the creation plan of God. God created an ideal world which was perfect in all respects. He ordained that this ultimate world be inhabited by impeccable ideal human beings. To achieve this target, God first settled man on Earth giving him complete freedom. The present world is a selection ground for this grand project. Here, it is being observed as to who makes proper use of his freedom and who misuses it. At the end of history, those who have abused their freedom will be rejected, and those who may have exercised it judiciously will be selected and settled in heaven. Contrary to atheist thinkers who term the concept of paradise a beautiful idealization of human wishes, it would be more accurate to call it a beautiful interpretation of human history.
A study of the Quran reveals that there is only one product desired by the Creator through various activities of history. This product is called a godly man (rabbani insaan) in the Quran (3:79). That is to say, that the real goal of God’s creation plan is the development of divine personality within an individual—a “man created in God’s image.” As long as such divine (rabbani) individuals continue to be born, the course of history will not come to a halt. Only when such people cease to exist, the present period of history would be brought to an end. Subsequently, its second period, the life hereafter, would commence in the next eternal world.
Source: Interpretation of Human History
An important aspect of the true face of Islam is the right concept of God and the purpose behind man’s creation and his relation with the universe.
The first thing the Prophet has told us is that there is a God of this universe. He is the one and only God and has no partner in any capacity. He is Almighty and He is the controller of all the happenings in the Universe. Here I would like to quote a verse from the Quran which expresses fully and succinctly the Islamic concept of God:
“God: there is no deity save Him, the Living, the Eternal One. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows all that is before them and all that is behind them. They can grasp only that part of His knowledge which He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth; and their upholding does not weary Him. He is the Sublime, the Almighty One! (2:255)
Other matters explained by God's Prophet are the purpose of man's creation and His relation with the universe. He made it clear that since man was born to be tested, he had been granted freedom of action and God had conveyed to him His Will. Now the Lord wants to see who obeys His will and who does not. This world is, in fact, our field of action where we have been placed to take our test. A time has been fixed for this test. The time for an individual is the duration of his lifespan, and the time for entire humanity will extend till doomsday. After that the Lord of the universe will gather all men and women together and will reward or punish them in accordance with their deeds. And then those who pass this test will be rewarded with paradise and those who fail will be sent to Hell. This will take place in the life Hereafter.
The present world is the beginning of our life and the Hereafter will be our final destination. In this way God has made us aware of our future. This future world has been kept hidden from our eyes, which was necessary if we are to be tested here. But when this testing period is over, this hidden world will appear before us with the same clarity as this present world is visible to us now. We will see this life only after death.
Understanding this, we should strive in this world of test, so we are held deserving of Paradise in the Hereafter by God Almighty.
Source: The True Face of Islam
Contrary to common belief, Islam does not teach extremism. Islam actually teaches its adherents to follow the mean or the balanced path. In the fourth chapter of the Quran the following injunction has been given:
“Do not go to excess in your religion.” (4:171)
The same point has been made in a hadith. The Prophet of Islam observed:
“You should restrain yourselves from committing excesses (ghulu) in religion. For it was due to their having gone to extremes in religion that the previous communities were destroyed.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3029; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 3248)
Ghulu means extremism. The way of extremism is wrong, whatever the circumstances, for it goes against the spirit of religion. Indeed, it is proneness to extremism, which at times culminates in war and violence. Those who suffer from extremist tendencies remain dissatisfied with the path of moderation, since this strikes them as being far from the ideal. That is why they so easily incline towards violence, and are ever ready to open hostilities in the name of achieving their objectives.
Moderation, which is the opposite of extremism, is closely interlinked with peace. When people possess the virtue of moderation, they necessarily think in terms of peace and will engage in their struggle in a peaceful manner. Where there is moderation there is peace, and vice versa.
According to a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad observed: The moderate action is the best of all actions. Hazrat Ali advised the people: ‘Adopt the middle path.’ (Tafsir Qurtubi, 2/154)
The middle path means the path of moderation. One instance of it can be seen in the following verse of the Quran:
“Be neither miserly nor prodigal, for then you should either be reproached or be reduced to penury.” (17:29)
The same point, worded differently, has been made in another verse which characterizes “the true servants of the Merciful” as “those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but maintain a just balance between those extremes” (25:67).
According to this verse, moderate spending means neither lavishness nor miserliness but rather a balanced expenditure, which will make life much easier to lead. In the same way, as regards optional fasts, prayers, etc., a middle path is desirable for man, as this enables him to maintain such a pattern of behaviour over a long period of time.
The middle path, to put it differently, is the non-emotional way. If a man loses his mental balance when confronted with any difficult situation in life, he goes to one extreme or the other. But if he keeps his feelings under control, he will be able to determine the proper course of action by giving it ample thought. A well-considered deed is always a moderate one. One who does not follow a moderate path will exceed all bounds both in friendship and in enmity. He will also be given to undue optimism and pessimism in respectively positive and negative situations, and will unnecessarily regard some individuals as too bad and others as too good. However, it is the verdict of nature that in this world a moderate approach in life always succeeds, while taking the path of extremes inevitably leads to failure.
So far as Islam is concerned, it is an entirely tolerant religion. Islam desires peace to prevail in the world. The Quran calls the way of Islam ‘the paths of Peace’ (5:16). The state of peace can never prevail in a society if a tolerant attitude is lacking in the people. Tolerance is the only basis for peace; in a society where tolerance is absent, peace likewise will be non-existent.
Source: The True Face of Islam
In a hadith, the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, observed: My generation is the best one, then the second generation, and then the third generation. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2533)
This means that Islamic virtue was at its peak in the first generation and that there was a decline in righteousness through the second and third generations. This stage is known in the history of Islam as the period of the Prophet's companions and the period of the Prophet's Companions' companions.
There is nothing mysterious about it. Degeneration, a law of nature that applies to every group, set in after the first generation itself. By the third generation, the roots of Islam had weakened and by the fourth generation, the characteristics of the first generation had been considerably diluted.
This process went on until after a few centuries that period commenced when we do find individuals in considerable number who had imbibed the true spirit of Islam, but society on the whole was found drastically lacking in the features of the early Islam. This state of affairs is entirely in accordance with the prophetic prediction:
“Islam began as a stranger. And, finally, it will again become a stranger. Let, then, the strangers be blessed” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 145).
But it will never happen that all Muslims A to Z abandon Islam. Rather, according to the hadith, there will be many individual Muslims who will remain in the original religion in every age. The Prophet of Islam said, “Verily, my nation will split into seventy-three sects; all of them are in the Hellfire except for one denomination.” They said, “Who are they, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet said, “Those who follow my way and my Companions.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2641)
In this hadith, there is a clue to discover the true face of Islam, that is to study the Quran and Sunnah and biographies of the companions. All these three sources are preserved. One who wants to find the true face of Islam and follow it, needs only to refer to these sources.
Source: Islam Rediscovered
In this world when a person sets out on journey, he finds two paths, one leading to God and the other path to different destinations. Now the way of the true seeker of God is to take extra care to adhere strictly to the path of God, without ever turning off it. One who adheres to the straight path leading towards God will without doubt reach God. On the other hand one who turns off at every bye-lane will be lost on the way. His path will never lead him towards God.
What this deviation means is that he has become subservient to his desires attaching importance to immediate interests; he has fallen prey to negative feelings such as anger, hatred, jealousy, egoism, etc.; or he has simply run in any direction he finds open before him, without giving his destination much thought.
On the other hand, the God-oriented path is one on which he earnestly considers God’s commands. He sets his course after serious deliberation, on the basis of accountability, instead of pursuing immediate gains or temporary satisfaction.
The goal of Islam is to induce man to give up his ungodly ways, so that he may lead a totally God oriented life, another name for which is the straight path. One as yet untouched by Islam directs his attention towards things and beings other than God. That is, he is concerned with creation rather than the Creator. Islam shows him how to focus his thoughts and feelings on God alone. When man adopts a path directed to a certain destination, he considers it necessary to keep to that path without turning to the left or the right. For if he makes constant detours, he will fail to reach his destination. The same is the case with man’s journey towards his Maker.
Source: Principles of Islam
Man has been granted the power of hearing, seeing and thinking, so that by using these faculties, he may discover the right path for himself—what is referred to in the Quran as ‘the straight path’ (sirat-e-mustaqim). Deviation from the straight path is a proof of the fact that he did not make proper use of the capabilities granted to him by God. Such a man will be held accountable by God. No excuse whatsoever will be accepted by Him. (30: 57)
Moreover, an important principle of human life is avoidance of arrogance. In this regard the Quran says: “Do not walk with pride on the earth; for behold, God does not love arrogant and boastful people.” (31:18)
This verse of the Quran gives us to understand that arrogance is the source of all evil. By contrast, modesty is the greatest source of all good. According to the Quran, the kind of man desired by God is one who is totally free of arrogance and is a modest person in the full sense.
In the chapter al-Fajr of the Quran, we are told that all the pleasant or unpleasant experiences faced by man occur solely as a means of putting him to the test, but man takes such incidents in a negative manner. Having pleasant experiences causes him to suffer from a superiority complex (akraman), whereas unpleasant experiences give him an inferiority complex (ahanan). (89: 15-16)
According to the Quran, both the above mentioned complexes affect man in an extremely adverse way. The right thing for him to do is that in both sets of circumstances, pleasant or unpleasant, he should consistently tread the path of moderation. Those who prove to be moderate in personality and conduct are described in the Quran as souls at peace (nafs al-muthmainnah) (89: 27), that is, complex-free souls.
According to the Quran, the kind of man desired by God is one who is totally free of arrogance and is a modest person in the full sense. The Quran tells us that the greatest success for man is his gaining entry into Paradise in the eternal life after death. “Truly, this is a great victory! It is for the like of this that all should strive.”(37: 60-61). This is a clear indication that, according to the Quran, man’s goal should be one and only one, and that is, Paradise. The greatest feature of Paradise is that it is the realm of the Lord of the universe. And without doubt, there can be no success greater than finding oneself in close proximity to one’s Lord in the eternal life after death. This unique desirability of Paradise is expressed in this verse of the Quran which gives voice to a sincere and heartfelt human longing: “My Lord, build me a house in nearness to You in Paradise.”
Source: Spirit of Islam December 016
According to the Quran God has laid down a set path for the entire universe—even for so small a creature as the bee (16:68-69)—a path which every part of the universe must strictly follow: “Then turned He to the heaven when it was smoke, and said unto it and unto the earth: Come both of you, willingly or loth. They said: We come obedient” (41:11).
Just as it is imperative that all things of the universe move on the path appointed by God, so that they may be perfect in their functioning, so also must man—if he aspires to success—submissively follow the divinely appointed path (16:69). But, as man is “on trial” in this world, he has not just been told the path he must follow, but has also been given the license to hold to it, or to reject it as he sees fit, “Lo, we have shown him the way, whether he be grateful or disbelieving”(76:3). Even so, once God has shown man the straight path, he ought to follow it in the belief that it is the only way that leads to success: “How should we not put our trust in God when He hath shown us our ways? ... In God let the trusting put their trust.”(14:12) If man, influenced by some fleeting temptation, strays in some other direction, he will lose his foothold on God’s path; and when he loses that, he will meet with nothing but failure in this life (6:154).
A man remains a human being in the eyes of God only so long as he remains on the straight path. One who deviates from it, descends to the level of an animal.
‘Who is more rightly guided? He that goes grovelling on his face, or he that walks upright along a straight path’?
‘Say: “It is He who has created you and given you ears and eyes and hearts. Yet you are seldom thankful” (67:22-23).
Thus we learn from the Quran that following the straight path means living the kind of life in which we make use of the powers of the intellect and the heart. Now, what is special about these powers? Their speciality lies in their expressing the superiority of man over other creatures; it is these powers which raise him from the level of mere existence to that of the moral human being.
Source: Al Risala June 1990
In chapter 38 of the Quran, the prophet David is thus addressed by God: “Rule with justice among men and do not yield to lust (intense desire), lest it should turn you away from God’s path.” (38: 26)
God has laid down a straight path of virtue for man and then implanted the sense of this in human nature. If man were to trust his instincts and follow this silent guidance, he would never become prey to deviation. He would unerringly follow this straight thoroughfare of life until he reached his final destination.
There is only one thing that leads man astray from this path of divine guidance, and that is his own unquenchable desire. Lust causes man to waver at every turn in life; the wise man is one who does not allow himself to be swayed by its influence. One who succumbs to his own desires will necessarily fall by the wayside, his ultimate fate being abasement and destruction.
Human desires lead man astray in many ways. At times they lure him away from the deeper realities of life towards the false glitter of the world. At times momentary gain leads him far from the path of permanent gain. At times, man allows himself to be provoked by matters of sheer prejudice and, giving no forethought to the outcome, involves himself in such confrontations as lead to serious hostilities. In the end, it is he himself who suffers the maximum losses. To lead a successful life, man must keep his negative urges under control, rather than be controlled by them, for his own insatiability is his greatest enemy. The better way of life, as opposed to one guided by desire, is that based on a sound code of ethics. Far from falling a victim to his baser self, man should conform to a set of high human principles. He should be governed in thought, word and deed not by the mere urge to pursue selfish aims, but by a deep and innate scrupulosity.
Source: Al Risala May-June 1999
The Prophet’s manner of speech should act as a model for all believers. Who is a believer? He is one who fears God, and knows that the angels are recording his every word. Aware of the fact that he will have to answer to God for everything he says, he assumes a deep sense of responsibility. When he speaks, it is as if he is addressing a divine and angelic company. He is restrained in his speech; he thinks before he speaks; he weighs his words carefully before presenting his ideas to his listeners. Fear of God takes away his loquacity. Fear of the Hereafter, and of being answerable to God for his words, dampen his oratorical zeal.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2021
The desired relationship between man and God is that of a living relationship. This relation exists at all times and at every moment through the remembrance of God, prayer, worship, contemplation, reflection, and drawing lessons from God’s signs, etc. Man asks God for blessings at every moment and he receives them from God at every moment. Just as man is dependent on God for his existence, so is he totally dependent on God for his survival. If God ceased to sustain him even for a moment, man would be destroyed. In accordance with religious belief, God is not only the Creator but also the Sustainer. That being so, the theory of evolution is, in effect, a negation rather than an affirmation of God.
Source: Spirit of Islam May 2013
The concept of spirituality in Islam is based on God-realization through contemplation, another name for which is contemplative spirituality.
The ultimate reality in Islam is God. God is the Creator of man. Man’s purpose in life is to realize God and worship Him.
According to Islam, God is separate from man. He is self-existent. Man’s goal in life is to try to seek this separate and permanent God at the level of consciousness.
Traditionally, the method of meditation practiced in Sufism (mysticism) is generally regarded as representing the method of meditation in Islam. However, this is not correct. Meditation in Islam is based on contemplation, reflection, and the drawing of spiritual lessons from material events and nature. Thus the basis of meditation in Islam is thinking and reflection.
The entire cosmos becomes an object of reflection, that is to say, the Creator is realized through pondering over His creations. This verse of the Quran provides an apt illustration of Islamic meditation:
“There are signs in the creation of the heavens and the Earth, and in the alternation of night and day for people of understanding; who remember God while standing, sitting and [lying] on their sides, and who ponder over the creation of the heavens and the Earth, saying, ‘Lord, You have not created all this without purpose. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the Fire'. (3:190-191)
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (d. AD 652), a Companion of the Prophet says: "Even when a bird was seen flying in the air, the Prophet would draw a lesson and teach us". (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 21361)
God’s universe provides an introduction to God. The existence of creation speaks of the existence of the Creator. The vastness of space speaks of the unfathomably vast power of God. The co-existence of various parts of the universe is an indication of the successful planning of God. The universe in continuous action is an indication that the Lord of the universe is a living being. The meaningfulness of the universe is an expression of the meaningfulness of God’s being. The loftiness of the mountains, the brilliance of the sun, the flowing of the river and the blowing of the wind are signs of God's majesty. From the chirping of the birds to the galaxies and black holes in space, all declare the glory of God. Meditation is to ponder over these divine manifestations and attributes in order to get to know them in their depths, because it is through these signs that God can be realized. This is Islamic spirituality, another name for which is contemplative spirituality.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2021
Mysticism is a discipline, in which an attempt is made to establish a direct communion with God through contemplation. Thus Sufi mysticism simply means achievement of the mystical goal by following the Sufi way.
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, mysticism is a “quest for a hidden truth or wisdom.” The Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought defines it thus: “Mysticism is the direct experience of the divine as real and near, blotting out all sense of time and producing intense joy.” According to the mystics, the final state produced by mystical exercises is inner joy or spiritual bliss, whereas the subject of Islamic spirituality is the search for divine truth.
The highlight of human existence is consciousness or the mind. The goal of Islamic spirituality is to use one’s thinking capacity to successfully discover divine truth at the level of the mind, or consciousness. The search for truth, by its very nature, is entirely an intellectual exercise. Its findings too are intellectual in nature. It is successful when the seeker finds rational answers to the questions he poses about the universe and his own existence. The search for truth is not a vague matter. It begins from the conscious mind and also culminates there.
The case of mysticism is quite different. Mysticism is based essentially on intuition and is not a conscious intellectual process. As such, the mystical experience is more an act of spiritual exhilaration than an effort to apprehend the truth in intellectual terms. Mysticism, as popularly conceived, makes the basic assumption that the physical, material, and social needs of man act as obstacles to his spiritual progress. Therefore, mysticism teaches him to reduce his physical needs to the barest minimum; to renounce worldly and social relations; and if possible to retire to the mountains or jungles. In this way, he will supposedly be able to purify his soul. Thus, by giving up the world and by certain exercises in self-abnegation, a mystic expects to awaken his spirituality.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018
Essentially Sufism is a way of purifying the soul. Sufism (tasawwuf) ought to be just as important today as it has ever been throughout its long history. Being a way of purifying the soul– a necessity for each new generation– its role should never diminish with changing times and circumstances. Yet, paradoxically, although it still has millions of adherents, as a form of religion, it is definitely in a state of decline.
This is because the traditional form of tasawwuf, which has been shaped by many historical accretions, has no great appeal for the modern educated mind. For instance, tasawwuf, as we now know it, is embroidered by tales of miracles and mysticism, and for support for its ideology, it relies upon doubtful analogies. But the scientific mind is skeptical of analogies and is impatient with mysticism.
There is also the question of Sufism being heart-based, the heart in ancient times being regarded as the seat of thought and emotion. But now modern science has shown the heart to be nothing but an organ which controls the circulation of the blood and it has been conceded that it is the mind which is the center of both thought and emotion. This being so, tasawwuf should now be developed as a mind-based philosophy. It will thus have a much stronger attraction for educated minds.
The need of the hour therefore is to modernize Sufism, couching it in the contemporary idiom, and explaining its ideology in a way that should address the present-day individual, whose major concern is as much with intellectual development as it is with purification of the soul.
In such a situation what is required is that tasawwuf is developed as a mind-based activity. In this way it will be possible to update spirituality, and people will find far greater attraction to mind-based spirituality.
Source: Spirit of Islam October 2015
If the true spirit of Islam is inculcated in a person, he becomes so compassionate to all living beings that even at the cost of his own comforts he extends a helping hand to others. Islamic belief softens the hearts of its believers. That is why when Islamic belief penetrates into people’s hearts they will of necessity become kind and compassionate to others. They will see everyone with eyes of ‘love and compassion,’ they will have this urge within them to serve others, and fulfill others’ needs.
As it is put in a hadith, “By God, he is not a Muslim who eats his fill, while his neighbour goes hungry.” (Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith No. 112) This shows that a Muslim is one who is as concerned with others’ hunger and thirst as he is with his own, who is concerned not only with his own person but with the whole of humanity. According to another hadith, you should “extend greetings to people, feed them and earn your place in heaven.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 23784)
This shows that according to Islam that person is worthy of heaven whose heart is impatient for others’ peace and good will, who is eager to share with everyone, whether it be food, clothes or medical help, etc. In short, one should share in people’s pain and suffering.
Islam is a religion of humanity. Islam considers serving others as a great act of worship. According to the teachings of Islam, it is only in serving people that we shall have a share in God’s mercy.
If even after adopting the beliefs of Islam, feelings of love and compassion do not well up in the heart of its adherent, he should rethink whether or not Islamic beliefs have truly found a place in his heart and mind, whether or not he is able to fully practice what he believes and whether or not he has succeeded in moulding himself entirely into the path of Islam.
Source: Simple Wisdom
According to Islam, the spirit of religion is its real part and the form of religion is a relative part. Islam forbids stressing on the relative part, which is called extremism in Islam. Islam’s emphasis is on the spirit. So far as form is concerned, the way of tolerance will be adopted.
Islam attaches great importance to the life Hereafter. According to the teachings of Islam, man should make the success of the Hereafter his greatest concern. If a living awareness of this concept is produced in man, material differences, and controversies will be minimized and replaced by a non-materialistic or other-worldly outlook. The following verse of the Quran is significant in this regard: “And God calls to the Home of peace.” (10:25)
This means according to the creation plan, peace and harmony should prevail in human society. God Himself is peace. He intended this world to be peaceful, and only a peaceful world will be able to receive His blessings. A peaceful world is like Paradise on Earth. It is only in such a world that we can meet and establish contact with God Almighty, the Creator of man and the universe.
God-consciousness is the spirit of religion. Every form, activity, and teaching of Islam aims at inculcating God-consciousness in a believer, well-wishing towards fellow human beings. As a believer proceeds along the journey of life, he faces numerous kinds of situations, such as unpleasant behaviour from others, experiences of success and failure, moments of complaint, incidents of disputes and controversy and so on. When a believer has the heightened awareness of being accountable before God, he becomes God-conscious. He cannot afford to debase his character. He is extremely cautious in his speech and actions, which fosters in him the development of noble virtues. He becomes a very responsible person. For a believer, life’s experiences are an opportunity for spiritual development and purification of the soul.
Source: Spirit of Islam September 2020
According to a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad observed: The moderate action is the best of all actions. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet's Companion, advised the people: ‘Adopt the middle path.’ (Tafsir Qurtubi, 2/154)
The middle path means the path of moderation. One instance of it can be seen in the following verse of the Quran: “Be neither miserly nor prodigal, for then you should neither be reproached nor be reduced to penury.” (17:29)
The same point, worded differently, has been made in another verse which characterizes “the true servants of the Merciful” are “those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but maintain a just balance between those extremes.” (25:67)
According to these verses, moderate spending means neither lavishness nor miserliness but rather a balanced expenditure which will make life much easier to lead. In the same way, as regards optional fasts, prayers, etc., a middle path is desirable for man, as this enables him to maintain such a pattern of behaviour over a long period of time.
This middle path—the best path to follow—relates to all spheres of life. Man must shun extreme paths in all matters, for this accords with both the spirit of religion as well as with worldly success.
The middle path, to put it differently, is the non-emotional way. If a man loses his mental balance when confronted with any difficult situation in life, he goes to one extreme or the other. But if he keeps his feelings under control, he will be able to determine the proper course of action by giving it ample thought. A well-considered deed is always a moderate one; one who does not follow a moderate path will exceed all bounds both in friendship and in enmity. He will also be given to undue optimism in positive and pessimism in negative situations, and will unnecessarily regard some individuals as too bad and others as too good. However, it is the verdict of nature that in this world a moderate approach in life always succeeds, while taking the path of extremes inevitably leads to failure.
Source: Spirit of Islam December 2018
Islam is an answer to the demands of nature. Islam as it is, is in fact a counterpart of human nature. This is why Islam has been called a religion of nature in the Quran and Hadith.
A man once came to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him what he should do in a certain matter. The Prophet replied, 'Consult your heart about it'. By the heart the Prophet meant common sense. That is, what one's common sense tells one would likewise be the demand of Islam. What does human nature desire more than anything? It desires, above all, peace and love. Every human being wants to live in peace and to receive love from the people around him. Peace and love are the religion of human nature as well as the demand of Islam. The Quran tells us, "God calls to the home of peace".
One of the teachings of Islam is that when two or more people meet, they must greet one another with the words, Assalamu Alaikum (Peace be upon you). Similarly, salat, or prayer, five times daily is the highest form of worship in Islam. At the close of each prayer all worshippers have to turn their faces to either side and utter the words Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah (May peace and God's blessings be upon you). This is like a pledge given to people: "O people you are safe from me. Your life, your property, your honour is secure with me."
This sums up the spirit of true religion, the goal of which is spiritual upliftment. It is the ultimate state of this spiritual upliftment which is referred to in the Quran as the 'soul at peace.' (89:27)
Thus a true and perfect man, from the religious point of view, is one who has reached that level of spiritual development where nothing but peace prevails. When a person has attained that peaceful state, others will receive from him nothing but peace. He may be likened to a flower which can send out only its fragrance to man, it being impossible for it to emit a foul smell. One who has found the true essence of religion no longer has the will or the capacity to do harm. He gives life not death, to others. He benefits others, doing no injury to anyone. In short, he lives among the people like flowers and not like thorns. He has nothing but love in his heart to bestow upon others.
A believer who worships God can feel himself becoming imbued with a special kind of peace and in turn he will live as a peaceful person in society. He will be a well-wisher to everyone and will consider all as his fellow beings.
Source: Spirit of Islam January 2018
According to a tradition, the Prophet once observed: “When a person plants a tree and then he dies and this tree grows and bears fruit which human beings and birds eat, then this will be a continuous form of charity so long as the creatures of God keep benefiting from it.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 15616)
Being of use or being helpful is an immutable principle in Islam. It is called continuous charity. This means that when a person does something good which benefits others, for instance, he plants a tree or builds a bridge and then he dies but his work is still extant after his death and continues to benefit people, then this kind of continuous charity is regarded as being of great importance and deserving of a great reward.
Continuing charity in fact reflects a noble aspect of a person’s character. It shows a high level of altruism when a person does something which will benefit succeeding generations, long after he has left this world.
Munificence is a noble virtue. One who is of such a character does not do something good only when the need arises. He rather does things which are of general benefit. His wish is that even his death does not put an end to his beneficence. He wishes that the good he does should continue even when he has left this world.
Being of service to others is in fact the perfection of humanity. In giving to others he finds even more for himself, more than he has given to others. Such an act obliterates the concept of ‘we’ and ‘they’. And establishing an environment of human oneness is indeed a great service to humanity.
Source: The Spirit of Islam
It is desirable in Islam that everyone should be imbued with the spirit of charity. On all occasions he should be ready to give alms. The Prophet of Islam once observed that every Muslim is exhorted to give alms. When asked if the person concerned did not have anything to give, the Prophet replied he should work and earn and then he should keep some of his earnings for himself and give the rest to others. Then again he was asked what the person should do if he was unable to earn. The Prophet said, then he should help the needy. Again he was asked what he should do if he couldn’t help the needy. The Prophet replied, he should urge others to do good. He was asked what if he could not do this either. Then the Prophet observed that he should refrain from doing evil as that is also a form of charity. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 1445)
Alms-giving is not an occasional act. It has to be performed regularity. When this spirit of charity is born within one it finds expression at all times. One who possesses this charitable spirit will surely act in accordance with it.
Charity in fact, expresses well-wishing for others. When this spirit of well-wishing is awakened, a person feels the inner compulsion to help others. If he has money he will help others with it. If he does not have money, he will earn some so that he may meet his own requirements and then give the rest to others. And if he does not have money, he will try to help others with his other capabilities, for instance, removing thorns from the path, or guiding travellers. This feeling will sometimes express itself in the form of urging others to do good. To reform others, he will say good words to them. The last form of charity is that he should save others from such of his actions as may harm them.
Source: The Spirit of Islam
