Libinette
Umm Zubayr
:salam2:
This is an essay i've written, i'd like to share it with you.
Islam as a way of life.
In Islam, God is the center of the Reality, al-Ghaib, (which is the belief of the Hidden or the Unseen), indeed, He is the One Who does everything, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, the Provider of all things with their sustenance. He is the Alternator of night and day, Who renews the earth after it is dead and brings out of it, by means of rain from the sky and nourishment within the ground, the growing things which constitutes food for men and plants. And It is He Who will bring forth the bodies of men from their graves and their souls on that Day, concerning which there’s no doubt, when He Will judge them according to the most absolute and impartial standards of justice and mercy. He is the Supreme, the Irresistible, the All-Knowing and the All-Wise, the One who is accountable to no one but to Whom all things are accountable, the Merficul, the Gracious and the Forgiving.
The meaning of the word Islam is ‘the total submission to the will of Allah’. This means that whatever you do, and whatever happens to you is from Allah . The Arabic word for ‘Islam’ means surrender of one’s will to the only true God worthy of worship and anyone who does so is called a Muslim. The word also implies ‘peace’ which is a natural consequence of total submission to Allah . Islam’s first requirement is belief, and its second is action.
Consequently, when you acknowledge these notions, it changes your life, the way you see things, how you behave towards your parents, your neighbours…
In order to guide humankind in the straight path, Allah has revealed to Prophete Muhamed , the Best Book, the Qur’an.
The Qur’an speaks in powerful, moving language of the attributes of God, His immense power and creativity of the coming of the Last Day and the Life Hereafter. It lays down moral and ethical principles to govern all aspects of human life, both individual and collective. It also narrates the stories of earlier Prophets however its main theme is the reality of God’s existence and supreme power, the purposefulness of His creation.
The Islamic personality also called Islamic identity belongs to someone who has rejected the supposition that things happen by pure accident or blind chance but has accepted and lives by the 100% certainty that there is a Being Who is responsible for all creation and To Who we shall return. Therefore taqwa is a vital attitude which develops in the Muslim’s heart as he lives. Gradually, there grows within him an awareness of the fact that he is always before God, a profound sense of responsibility. Iman makes a distinction between the muslim, the one who submits to God and the mu’min, the one who posess faith. Taqwa and iman are the two most important and basic qualities of the Muslim and the mu’min.
This is Islam’s view of Reality, the view shared by countless Muslims throughout the world. These concepts form a vital part of the Muslim’s consciousness, usually beginning in childhood. He grows up with the awareness of God’s reality and power, His kindness to His creation with the realisation that this life is only a very small part of a Reality so vast that the mind of a human being cannot conceive of it (except in a limited manner).
God brought him out of non-being into existence: from a sperm and an egg in the bodies of his parents into an embryo growing in his mother’s womb, then into an independent life when he was born into the world, from helpless infancy into childhood, and from adulthood into an old age during which he becomes weak, helpless child all over again and from there into an another Life which will be the finale state of all human beings. In that Life, those who acknowledged God as their Lord, followed His guidance an strove to please Him will be in a condition of enduring happiness beyond the capacity of the human mind to imagine, while those who denied Him and devoted themselves to deities other than God, rejecting His guidance and living for themselves or for their passions, will be in an unimaginably fearful state of agony and torment.
I will now take a look at the attitudes and qualities which Islam teaches and which the Muslim is encouraged to practise as a daily basis.
Without sincerity, the Muslim’s relationship with both God and men is null. Sincerity towards God should prompt him to worship, to absolute honesty with himself regarding his motives and intentions; he should try not to have any trace of hypocrisy, greed, selfishness, envy or desire for reputation or power. He should not manipulate his brother for his own purposes, and should genuinely desire their good, liking for them what he likes for him. This quality is absolutely needed and essential for daily life especially in today’s world, turned as it is away from spiritual values and toward materialism and the worship of self.
The other attitude, I’d like to mention is: responsibility. Responsibility towards God, towards other human beings. His task is first to fulfil his own obligations to God and to other people, regardless of what others may do, and then try to change as far as possible, whatever he sees wrong and evil. His attitude should be ‘I am responsible for doing whatever I can’ because he knows that he will be accountable not only for his own attitudes and actions but for anything else over which he had control or influence in the society and the world around him as well.
Because the Muslim has an ever-present consciousness of God and his responsibility to Him, every aspect and act of his life are to be constantly submitted to the standards of Islam.
As we have seen, to live the life of a Muslim with its five daily prayers, month of fasting each year, and obedience to all the rules of Islam, a considerable degree of self-discipline is needed. These acts of worship punctuate the life of a muslim and require the participation of all aspects of man’s nature: his soul, his mind, his feelings and his body.
Self-control is controlling his/her temper when it is very stressed. For example, in case of personal injury, the Muslim is urged to forgive, to forgive for the sake of God, he is also excepted to keep his appetites and desires under control rather than allowing them to control him. Self-discipline and self-control are reflected in many aspects of both the private and public life of a Muslim.
The true Muslim has no illusions about his own greatness or importance, he is humble and aware of his own limitations. He does not seek fame, power or money but rather the pleasure and approval of Allah .
The Muslim’s dignity comes from his being the slave of God and fearing no one but his Creator; therefore no one can threaten or intimidate him because he knows that what befalls him depends not on other people but the Lord of the people.
Islam teaches that human beings are all equal creatures of God, all sharing the same conditions. The Muslim’s obligation is to live in harmony not in competition and to be helpful, kind, just and compassionate towards everyone regardless of whether they are of the same or different faith, race, culture or status.
Prophet Muhamed was a living example of the finest and the most beautiful manners, and he stressed on politeness and consideration as an expression of the Muslim’s faith. In many Qur’anic verses and Hadiths of the Prophet , we find described the nature of the relationship which should exist among Muslims. As I have said above, a Muslim should desire for himself what he he desires for his brother. Here is one beautiful hadith which I have learned recently, about this topic:
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said:
‘Beware of suspicion. Suspicion is the falsest kind of speech. Do not spy or pry. Do not be rivals nor envy one another. Do not hate one another nor show enmity to one another. Be slaves of Allah, brothers, as you have commended to be. The Muslim is the brother of the other Muslim. He does not oppress him nor disappoints him nor despise him. God fearing is here’ and pointed to his chest (3 times) ‘It is enough evil for a man that he should despise his Muslim brother. The blood, honor and property of every Muslim are sacred to another Muslim. Allah does not look at your bodies, or your forms, but he looks at your hearts and your actions’.
Islam is not a simple belief system or ‘a religion’ in the commonly understood sense of the word. But rather it is what in Arabic is called deen: a total frame of reference, a complete system and way of life which embraces the entirety of man’s existence as I have tried to demonstrate in this essay.
Neither is Islam a vague religion which is practised with asking people to be kind, good, and have a moral. It is clear and specific about matters which are prohibited (haram) as well as about those which are obligatory (fardh), and about those there is no question. The guide for the Muslim’s daily conduct in all aspects of his life is first: the Holy Qur’anand second, the Prophet’s example or practice (the Sunnah). Finally, as a conclusion, I wanted to say that Islam is not something you do or practice a period in your lifetime but is a conviction, a choice of life, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week.
This is an essay i've written, i'd like to share it with you.
Islam as a way of life.
In Islam, God is the center of the Reality, al-Ghaib, (which is the belief of the Hidden or the Unseen), indeed, He is the One Who does everything, the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, the Provider of all things with their sustenance. He is the Alternator of night and day, Who renews the earth after it is dead and brings out of it, by means of rain from the sky and nourishment within the ground, the growing things which constitutes food for men and plants. And It is He Who will bring forth the bodies of men from their graves and their souls on that Day, concerning which there’s no doubt, when He Will judge them according to the most absolute and impartial standards of justice and mercy. He is the Supreme, the Irresistible, the All-Knowing and the All-Wise, the One who is accountable to no one but to Whom all things are accountable, the Merficul, the Gracious and the Forgiving.
The meaning of the word Islam is ‘the total submission to the will of Allah’. This means that whatever you do, and whatever happens to you is from Allah . The Arabic word for ‘Islam’ means surrender of one’s will to the only true God worthy of worship and anyone who does so is called a Muslim. The word also implies ‘peace’ which is a natural consequence of total submission to Allah . Islam’s first requirement is belief, and its second is action.
Consequently, when you acknowledge these notions, it changes your life, the way you see things, how you behave towards your parents, your neighbours…
In order to guide humankind in the straight path, Allah has revealed to Prophete Muhamed , the Best Book, the Qur’an.
The Qur’an speaks in powerful, moving language of the attributes of God, His immense power and creativity of the coming of the Last Day and the Life Hereafter. It lays down moral and ethical principles to govern all aspects of human life, both individual and collective. It also narrates the stories of earlier Prophets however its main theme is the reality of God’s existence and supreme power, the purposefulness of His creation.
The Islamic personality also called Islamic identity belongs to someone who has rejected the supposition that things happen by pure accident or blind chance but has accepted and lives by the 100% certainty that there is a Being Who is responsible for all creation and To Who we shall return. Therefore taqwa is a vital attitude which develops in the Muslim’s heart as he lives. Gradually, there grows within him an awareness of the fact that he is always before God, a profound sense of responsibility. Iman makes a distinction between the muslim, the one who submits to God and the mu’min, the one who posess faith. Taqwa and iman are the two most important and basic qualities of the Muslim and the mu’min.
This is Islam’s view of Reality, the view shared by countless Muslims throughout the world. These concepts form a vital part of the Muslim’s consciousness, usually beginning in childhood. He grows up with the awareness of God’s reality and power, His kindness to His creation with the realisation that this life is only a very small part of a Reality so vast that the mind of a human being cannot conceive of it (except in a limited manner).
God brought him out of non-being into existence: from a sperm and an egg in the bodies of his parents into an embryo growing in his mother’s womb, then into an independent life when he was born into the world, from helpless infancy into childhood, and from adulthood into an old age during which he becomes weak, helpless child all over again and from there into an another Life which will be the finale state of all human beings. In that Life, those who acknowledged God as their Lord, followed His guidance an strove to please Him will be in a condition of enduring happiness beyond the capacity of the human mind to imagine, while those who denied Him and devoted themselves to deities other than God, rejecting His guidance and living for themselves or for their passions, will be in an unimaginably fearful state of agony and torment.
I will now take a look at the attitudes and qualities which Islam teaches and which the Muslim is encouraged to practise as a daily basis.
Without sincerity, the Muslim’s relationship with both God and men is null. Sincerity towards God should prompt him to worship, to absolute honesty with himself regarding his motives and intentions; he should try not to have any trace of hypocrisy, greed, selfishness, envy or desire for reputation or power. He should not manipulate his brother for his own purposes, and should genuinely desire their good, liking for them what he likes for him. This quality is absolutely needed and essential for daily life especially in today’s world, turned as it is away from spiritual values and toward materialism and the worship of self.
The other attitude, I’d like to mention is: responsibility. Responsibility towards God, towards other human beings. His task is first to fulfil his own obligations to God and to other people, regardless of what others may do, and then try to change as far as possible, whatever he sees wrong and evil. His attitude should be ‘I am responsible for doing whatever I can’ because he knows that he will be accountable not only for his own attitudes and actions but for anything else over which he had control or influence in the society and the world around him as well.
Because the Muslim has an ever-present consciousness of God and his responsibility to Him, every aspect and act of his life are to be constantly submitted to the standards of Islam.
As we have seen, to live the life of a Muslim with its five daily prayers, month of fasting each year, and obedience to all the rules of Islam, a considerable degree of self-discipline is needed. These acts of worship punctuate the life of a muslim and require the participation of all aspects of man’s nature: his soul, his mind, his feelings and his body.
Self-control is controlling his/her temper when it is very stressed. For example, in case of personal injury, the Muslim is urged to forgive, to forgive for the sake of God, he is also excepted to keep his appetites and desires under control rather than allowing them to control him. Self-discipline and self-control are reflected in many aspects of both the private and public life of a Muslim.
The true Muslim has no illusions about his own greatness or importance, he is humble and aware of his own limitations. He does not seek fame, power or money but rather the pleasure and approval of Allah .
The Muslim’s dignity comes from his being the slave of God and fearing no one but his Creator; therefore no one can threaten or intimidate him because he knows that what befalls him depends not on other people but the Lord of the people.
Islam teaches that human beings are all equal creatures of God, all sharing the same conditions. The Muslim’s obligation is to live in harmony not in competition and to be helpful, kind, just and compassionate towards everyone regardless of whether they are of the same or different faith, race, culture or status.
Prophet Muhamed was a living example of the finest and the most beautiful manners, and he stressed on politeness and consideration as an expression of the Muslim’s faith. In many Qur’anic verses and Hadiths of the Prophet , we find described the nature of the relationship which should exist among Muslims. As I have said above, a Muslim should desire for himself what he he desires for his brother. Here is one beautiful hadith which I have learned recently, about this topic:
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said:
‘Beware of suspicion. Suspicion is the falsest kind of speech. Do not spy or pry. Do not be rivals nor envy one another. Do not hate one another nor show enmity to one another. Be slaves of Allah, brothers, as you have commended to be. The Muslim is the brother of the other Muslim. He does not oppress him nor disappoints him nor despise him. God fearing is here’ and pointed to his chest (3 times) ‘It is enough evil for a man that he should despise his Muslim brother. The blood, honor and property of every Muslim are sacred to another Muslim. Allah does not look at your bodies, or your forms, but he looks at your hearts and your actions’.
Islam is not a simple belief system or ‘a religion’ in the commonly understood sense of the word. But rather it is what in Arabic is called deen: a total frame of reference, a complete system and way of life which embraces the entirety of man’s existence as I have tried to demonstrate in this essay.
Neither is Islam a vague religion which is practised with asking people to be kind, good, and have a moral. It is clear and specific about matters which are prohibited (haram) as well as about those which are obligatory (fardh), and about those there is no question. The guide for the Muslim’s daily conduct in all aspects of his life is first: the Holy Qur’anand second, the Prophet’s example or practice (the Sunnah). Finally, as a conclusion, I wanted to say that Islam is not something you do or practice a period in your lifetime but is a conviction, a choice of life, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week.