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In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful. 

Interact and deal with people well

 

By Sk. Ammar Zaidan / Sk. Abdrazzag Taher Farih

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

 

14th Ramadan 1435

11th July 2014

All thanks be to Allah. We ask His forgiveness and depend on Him alone. We testify that He is the one and only God, and Muhammad is His prophet and messenger.

Slaves of Allah, my advice to you and I alike; is to fear the Almighty Allah. Allah says: {O you who believe, If you remain God fearing He will give you power of discrimination between right and wrong, and will rid you of your sins, and will forgive you. Allah is of Infinite bounty} 8:29. 

Dear Muslims, mankind is a social being by its nature. Mankind feels more secure and compassionate when interacting and mixing. Mankind tends to be intimate with society. The Quran says: {O mankind, We have created you from male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most God fearing. Allah is Knower, Aware} 49:13.

The ideal civilized society is the one whose members represent good moral or conduct in all their behavior. It is through good conduct that security and safety spread; and prosperity, stability and harmony prevails, and individuals and families and countries feel a bliss. It was said in the past: those with good morals and conduct won the goodness in this life and the life after.

Allah Has made good moral the heaviest in the scale of a slave on the day of resurrection. The messenger ppbu said: {it is them; the most loved to me; and to be seated nearest to me on the day of resurrection are those of you with the better morals or conduct}.

Dear brothers and sisters, good morals and conduct enjoy a high and honored status in Islam. A Muslim is elevated in the scale of faith and perfection. Allah describing His prophet ppbu says: {And you are of tremendous moral} 68:4. The messenger ppbu said: {I was sent to complete or complement the nobility of morals}.

Good moral is a gift from Allah granted; to whom Allah loves of His creations. The messenger ppbu said: {Allah Has allocated your morals amongst you; just as He allocated your livelihood or sustenance amongst you. The Almighty Allah gives this worldly life to whom He loves and to whom He does not love. But He gives the religion only to who He loves. So, this of whom Allah Has given him religion then Allah has loved him}.

Slaves of Allah, Islam is a collection of rituals and morals. The rituals are apparent in the daily prayers, donations (Zakah), fasting and pilgrimage (Hajj), and many more which Allah Has commanded. But those rituals would not be perfected without good morals. In fact all rituals would produce and develop good morals. In the case of prayer (Salah) Allah says: {Daily prayers (Salah) deters from lewdness and iniquity or evil} 29:45. While in donating (Zakah) Allah says: {Take alms of their wealth that would purify them and would make them grow} 9:103. Fasting prunes and improves the soul and elevates the spirit. The messenger ppbu said: {This who does not give up perjury and acting upon it then Allah does not need him to give up his food and drink (during fasting Ramadan). Pilgrimage or Hajj elevates moral. Allah says: {Pilgrimage is during well-defined months and whoever intends to perform the pilgrimage then let him remember that there is to be no lewdness or intercourse, abuse nor arguing during pilgrimage} 2:197.

It does not matter how much or how frequent worshiping is done; it does not replace beautiful morals. In fact bad morals can wipe off reward for good deeds. The messenger ppbu said: {do you know who the penniless (bankrupt) is?) . They said the penniless amongst us is the one who has no money and no provisions. He said: {The bankrupt of my nation; comes o the day of resurrection with prayers (salah) and fasting and zakah, but also comes and he had cursed this person and defamed that and had beaten that person. So each of those are given some of the reward that he has. When his reward has all gone before paying up the debt for all his bad deeds, then their sins are taken off them and loaded on to him; then he is tossed or flung into hellfire}.

The messenger ppbu had shown us that part of the good morals of a Muslim is not to be arrogant towards other slaves, and not to break down ties with the kin nor practice tattle (falsely talking about people in their back); and not to practice corruption. The messenger ppbu said: {A Muslim is this who other Muslims are safe from his words and actions}.

Dear Muslims, acquiring good morals has many leads. One of them is to follow the example of the messenger ppbu. He is the best of all mankind as far as morals are concerned, the wisest of them all, and the one with the most purified soul. All human perfection features have been placed into him by Allah the almighty. Allah says: {In the messenger of Allah you have a good example for him who looks forward to Allah and the day after and remembers Allah much} 33:21. Allah also says: {O you who believe, Be God fearing and be with the truthful} 9:119.  Scholars said: Accompany the person whose actions would lift you up, and his words would lead you to Allah. Part of that would be to look up the biography of the people of good merit and grace. Those who were successful in goodness. There is in their stories what would help in adapting their morals and help to follow their methods. Teach your children the stories of the companions and followers of the messenger ppbu.

A Muslim ought to do a lot of praying, supplications and pleading to Allah in order to guide him to better morals. The messenger ppbu used to make duaa when starting his prayers saying: {Dear God, guide me to better morals. No one guides to it but you. And keep away from me the worst morals. No one keeps them away but you}.

Dear faithful, good moral is one of the best things which can benefit the individual on the day of resurrection; and would weigh heavily in his or her scale. The messenger ppbu said: {Nothing is heavier in the scale of a faithful on the day of resurrection like a good moral or behavior}. A Muslim ought to take the messenger ppbu as an example. He used to practice all morals of the Quran in his interactions with all people. To the point that Aisha may Allah be pleased with her said: The Quran was his morals.

A Muslim also ought to be an ambassador for Islam with his morals and in all interactions and dealings with people. Islam is the religion of morality, leniency and peace.

 

Notes:

  1. Adhan - The call to prayer.

  2. Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

  3. Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.

  4. Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.

  5. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

  6. Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.  

  7. Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa) 

  8. Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.

  9. Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.  

  10. Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life. 

  11. Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

  12. Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.

  13. Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

  14. Fiqh - Religious law.

  15. Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

  16. Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.

  17. Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar.  One of the five pillars of Islam.

  18. Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.

  19. Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers.  Considered authoritative and perfect.

  20. Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

  21. Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

  22. Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.

  23. Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.

  24. Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.

  25. Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.  

  26. Iman: belief or faith

  27. Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.

  28. Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.

  29. Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise.  The place of the faithful in the afterlife.

  30. Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."

  31. Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels.  They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.

  32. Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.

  33. Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

  34. Khutbah  - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.

  35. Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.

  36. Koran - Also spelled Qur'an.  The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel.  Koran literally means "the recital."  It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)

  37. Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.

  38. Masjid - A center for Muslim activity.  It is referred to as a mosque.

  39. Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act

  40. Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).

  41. Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.

  42. Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.

  43. Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations.  He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah

  44. Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.

  45. Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.

  46. Nasara - Christians.  Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.

  47. Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

  48. Paradise - Another word for heaven.  A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live  in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.

  49. PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.

  50. Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.

  51. Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.

  52. Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.

  53. Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.

  54. Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.

  55. Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.

  56. Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.

  57. Shirk - Associating another god with Allah.  Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.  

  58. Siam  or Soam- Fasting

  59. Sunni: is a the title of  those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

  60. Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

  61. Surah - A chapter of the Koran.  

  62. Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

  63. Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)

  64. Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah.  A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.

  65. Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.

  66. Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.

  67. Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.

  68. Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.

  69. Zaboor - The Psalms

  70. Zakat - The third pillar of Islam.  Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.