Character
by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh)
As Muslims, our character, morals and etiquette should differentiate us from others. Non-Muslims are not so attentive to our beautiful Salah, Tilawah, Zikr, and other Ibadat as they are to our character and dealings with others.
Wherever the Sahabah (Radhiyallahu ’anhum) went, their character attracted many people, often becoming the focus of attention and admiration.
When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) invited the Quraysh to the worship of ONE Allah, he climbed Mount Safa and called out to his people, calling every family of the Quraysh. When they arrived, he asked them: ‘If I told you that horsemen were advancing to attack you from the valley on the other side of the hill, would you believe me?’
Simultaneously and immediately, they all responded: ‘Yes, we have always found you honest.’
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) presented his credentials to them: That person who has never spoken a lie for 40 years, do you think he is going to do so now, in his invitation to the worship of One Allah?
How many of us can present trustworthiness, honesty and truthfulness as outstanding traits within us, let alone beautiful speech and etiquette in our dealings with people?
This is one of the main reasons why many non-Muslims remain aloof from Islam. Our poor character and dealings have become barriers to them entering Islam. It is as if we are standing at the door of Islam, keeping them out or pushing them away. Have we ever given thought as to how we are going to answer for this?
Islam is not only Salah, Fasting, Hajj and ‘Umrah. These forms of worship only make up one branch of Shariah. The person may be fulfilling the rights of the Creator (Allah Ta’ala), but he is at the same time displeasing Allah Ta’ala by neglecting and violating the rights of creation (Makhluq).
There are five branches of Shariah :
♦ Aqa`id: Beliefs
♦ Ibadat: Worship
♦ Mu’amalat: Business transactions and dealings.
♦ Mu`asharat: Social dealings
♦ Akhlaq: Character
Every Muslim has to make an effort to correct allof these branches for the perfection of Islam. It must not be that any one of us returns to Allah Ta’ala with plentiful Ibadat, which subsequently benefits others and is lost to ourselves.
Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) relates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) once asked his companions:
‘Do you know who is a pauper?’
The Companions replied that a pauper is a person who has no money or property.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained and said: ‘A pauper from among my followers (Ummah) is one who will come on the Day of Judgement with a good record of Salah (prayers), Saum (fasting), and Zakah (compulsory charity); but also he had abused somebody, slandered someone or beaten another person. Then all the oppressed persons will receive a part of the aggressor’s good deeds. Should they fall short of his aggression, then the aggrieved persons’ sins and defaults will be transferred from them to him, and he will be thrown into the Fire (Hell).’[1]
Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) also narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no Dinars or Dirhams (money to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.”[2]
I often say: ‘Pay back HERE, to save your back THERE.’
If we want safety and salvation, we have to get our deeds in order and make amends for our shortcomings HERE -in this worldly life. Otherwise, THERE, on the Day of Resurrection, there will be great regret and humiliation.
May Allah Ta’ala protect us all, Aameen.
[1] Tirmidhi
[2] Sahih al-Bukhari