Our Signboards
by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah ‘alayh)
Our Muslim names, Islamic dress and prayers are like the sign board found outside a shop, which informs us that sweets, chocolates, biscuits, cakes, fruit, etc., are stocked and sold inside this shop.
The person reading the signboard thus expects to find what has been advertised outside, inside that shop.
What would be the person’s reaction if they found cow dung, horse manure and cat droppings inside instead of sweets and chocolates?
Similarly, our beautiful Muslim names and Islamic garb informs others that inside our hearts, there are specific ‘merchandise’ in the form of firm Imaan in Allah Ta’ala and love for His Beloved Rasul (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). A person expects to find the attributes of trustworthiness, honesty, sincerity, forgiveness, charity, Taqwa (piety), Zuhd (asceticism), Sabr (patience), Shukr (gratitude), etc. These are the qualities and traits a person expects to find in his social dealings with us.
The Beard, Kurta, Turban, Tasbih, Cloak, Purdah, etc., are all additional signs that emphasise the person’s virtue and goodness.
What would be a person’s reaction when instead of these virtues, they find arrogance, pride, malice, greed, jealousy, etc.?