Asalamu Alikum
Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem
Your Lord has decreed that you worship nothing but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word for contempt, nor repel them but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy, even as they cherised me in childhood. (Al-Isra’ 17:23-14)
Obedience to Allah (s) Come First
If parents ask their children to do something which Allah (s) has forbidden, children should obey Allah (s) over the order of their parents. However, they should respectfuly explain to their parents the reasons for their disobedience. If the parents are not Muslims, Rasulullah (s) taught us to be kind and respectful to them. We should take care of them and continue to explain Islam to them.
Rasulallah (s) is reported to have said:
“(The religion of) Islam is clean. Hence, you should also keep yourself clean. No one will be allowed to enter Paradise except he who is clean. This cleanliness is of both the body and the mind.”
A’isha (r), Rasulullah’s wife, reported that he said:
“The Miswak (tooth stick) is a means of purifying the mouth, and is pleasing to the Lord.”
Enjoined on every part of Human body is charity, every day when the sun rises; doing justice between two people is charity; and helping a man onto his beast and leading it is charity; and a good word is charity; and removing harmful things from the road is charity.
Be Kind, as Allah has been kind to you. (Al-Qasas 28:77)
Ibn’Abbas (r) reported that Rasulullah (s) said:
He is not one of us who dies without having shown kindness to our young ones and repect to our older ones.
Rasulullah (S) is also reported to have said:
If anyone is pleased to love Allah (S) and His Messenger, or rather to have Allah (s) and His Messenger love him, he should speak the truth when he says anything, and fulfill his trust when he is in position of trust.
The Qur’an tells us to be truthful and trustworthy in many places. For example:
“And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is) (Al-Baqarah 2:42)
O you who believe! Fulfill (all) obligations.(Al-Ma’idah 5:1)
O you who believe! Why say you that which you do not? Grieviously hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. (As-Saff 61:2-3)
Since modesty means purity of intention, it is also an essential aspect of Islamic ‘Tahdhib’. It is reported that Rasulallah (s) said:Every religion has its special characteristics: the characteristic of Islam is modesty.
Rasulullah (s) said: Modesty is part of faith, and faith leads to Paradise.
According to Rasulullah (s), on the Day of Judgement, among the seven types of people Allah (s) will take under his protection, the person who acts in accordance with the following Hadith:He is most charitable who gives so secretly that his left hand not know what his right hand has given.
Anger is another trap from the Shaytan to break our faith. Rasulullah (s) warned:”Anger comes from the Shaytan; the Shaytan was created from fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry he should perform Wudu”
Rasulullah (s) gave the following advice in regards to controlling anger.
When one of you is angry while standing, let him sit down; and if his anger goes away (it is good); otherwise let him lie down.
According to a Hadith, Rasulullah (s) asked his Sahabah (r):
“Who do you think is strong or powerful?”
They replied “He who throws people down.”
“No,” said Rasulullah (s), “It is he who controls himself when he is angry.”
Allah (s) has promised that on Day of Judgement, He will reward those who do not let their anger rule their actions. Rasulullah (s) said:”Whoever controls his anger, while he has the power to show it, Allah (s) will call him on the Day of Resurrection before all creation, and reward him greatly.”
The Qur’an promises that those who control their anger are among those whom Allah(s) loves:Those who spread generously in ease and in difficulty, and those who control their anger, and are forgiving toward people: Surely Allah loves those who do good.
Say to My servants that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)
“I asked the Messenger of God : Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of God replied, “He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands.” (Muslim)
Narrated Abu Darda (radhi allahu anhu), ‘Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘When a person curses (La’nah; to ask that something be deprived of Allah’s Mercy) somebody or something, the curse goes up to the heaven and the gates of the heaven are closed. Then it comes down to the earth and its gates are closed. Then it turns right and left, and if it does not find an entrance to go anywhere, it returns to the person or thing that was cursed, if he or it deserves to be cursed; otherwise, it returns to the person, who uttered it.’ [Abu Dawood] Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) also warned, ‘Those who frequently resort to cursing would neither be accepted as witnesses nor as intercessors on the Day of Resurrection.’ [Saheeh Muslim]
Hasad is a disease of the heart and it causes impurity to the heart, when Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) was asked who are the best of people? He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied: “the one with a clean heart and truthful tongue.” They asked: ‘We understand a truthful tongue, but what does a clean heart mean?’ he answered: ‘It is the heart of one that is pious, pure, and is free of sin, transgressions, hatred and Hasad.” [Ibn Majah]
Allah revealed verses of the Qur’aan to be recited as a protection from the jealous, “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of envious when he envies.” [Soorah al-Falaq (113): 1]
In order to discourage envy, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Do not look to those above you. Look to those below you, as it will more likely remind you of Allah’s favors bestowed on you.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] On another occasion, he said: “If one of you looks at someone wealthier and better built than him, he should also look at someone of lower standard than himself.” [Saheeh Muslim]
‘A’isha reported that a woman from the tribe of Makhzum used to borrow things (from people) and then denied (having taken them). Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) commanded her hand to be cut off. Her relatives came to Usama b. Zaid and spoke to him (requesting him to intercede on her behalf). He spoke to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) about her.
‘Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah? He (s.a.w.) then stood up and addressed (people) saying: O people, those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”
One of the worst forms of theft or cheating is cheating in prayer. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, how can a person steal from his prayer?” He said: “By not doing rukoo’ and sujood properly.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad)
- Obedience to Parents
Your Lord has decreed that you worship nothing but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word for contempt, nor repel them but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy, even as they cherised me in childhood. (Al-Isra’ 17:23-14)
Obedience to Allah (s) Come First
If parents ask their children to do something which Allah (s) has forbidden, children should obey Allah (s) over the order of their parents. However, they should respectfuly explain to their parents the reasons for their disobedience. If the parents are not Muslims, Rasulullah (s) taught us to be kind and respectful to them. We should take care of them and continue to explain Islam to them.
- Cleanliness
Rasulallah (s) is reported to have said:
“(The religion of) Islam is clean. Hence, you should also keep yourself clean. No one will be allowed to enter Paradise except he who is clean. This cleanliness is of both the body and the mind.”
A’isha (r), Rasulullah’s wife, reported that he said:
“The Miswak (tooth stick) is a means of purifying the mouth, and is pleasing to the Lord.”
- Kindness to All People
Enjoined on every part of Human body is charity, every day when the sun rises; doing justice between two people is charity; and helping a man onto his beast and leading it is charity; and a good word is charity; and removing harmful things from the road is charity.
Be Kind, as Allah has been kind to you. (Al-Qasas 28:77)
Ibn’Abbas (r) reported that Rasulullah (s) said:
He is not one of us who dies without having shown kindness to our young ones and repect to our older ones.
- Telling the Truth and Keeping Promises
Rasulullah (S) is also reported to have said:
If anyone is pleased to love Allah (S) and His Messenger, or rather to have Allah (s) and His Messenger love him, he should speak the truth when he says anything, and fulfill his trust when he is in position of trust.
The Qur’an tells us to be truthful and trustworthy in many places. For example:
“And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is) (Al-Baqarah 2:42)
O you who believe! Fulfill (all) obligations.(Al-Ma’idah 5:1)
O you who believe! Why say you that which you do not? Grieviously hateful is it in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. (As-Saff 61:2-3)
- Modesty and Humility
Since modesty means purity of intention, it is also an essential aspect of Islamic ‘Tahdhib’. It is reported that Rasulallah (s) said:Every religion has its special characteristics: the characteristic of Islam is modesty.
Rasulullah (s) said: Modesty is part of faith, and faith leads to Paradise.
According to Rasulullah (s), on the Day of Judgement, among the seven types of people Allah (s) will take under his protection, the person who acts in accordance with the following Hadith:He is most charitable who gives so secretly that his left hand not know what his right hand has given.
- Controlling Anger
Anger is another trap from the Shaytan to break our faith. Rasulullah (s) warned:”Anger comes from the Shaytan; the Shaytan was created from fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry he should perform Wudu”
Rasulullah (s) gave the following advice in regards to controlling anger.
When one of you is angry while standing, let him sit down; and if his anger goes away (it is good); otherwise let him lie down.
According to a Hadith, Rasulullah (s) asked his Sahabah (r):
“Who do you think is strong or powerful?”
They replied “He who throws people down.”
“No,” said Rasulullah (s), “It is he who controls himself when he is angry.”
Allah (s) has promised that on Day of Judgement, He will reward those who do not let their anger rule their actions. Rasulullah (s) said:”Whoever controls his anger, while he has the power to show it, Allah (s) will call him on the Day of Resurrection before all creation, and reward him greatly.”
The Qur’an promises that those who control their anger are among those whom Allah(s) loves:Those who spread generously in ease and in difficulty, and those who control their anger, and are forgiving toward people: Surely Allah loves those who do good.
- Backbiting and Slandering
Say to My servants that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)
“I asked the Messenger of God : Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of God replied, “He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands.” (Muslim)
- Cursing
Narrated Abu Darda (radhi allahu anhu), ‘Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘When a person curses (La’nah; to ask that something be deprived of Allah’s Mercy) somebody or something, the curse goes up to the heaven and the gates of the heaven are closed. Then it comes down to the earth and its gates are closed. Then it turns right and left, and if it does not find an entrance to go anywhere, it returns to the person or thing that was cursed, if he or it deserves to be cursed; otherwise, it returns to the person, who uttered it.’ [Abu Dawood] Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) also warned, ‘Those who frequently resort to cursing would neither be accepted as witnesses nor as intercessors on the Day of Resurrection.’ [Saheeh Muslim]
- 9.Preventing Jealousy
Hasad is a disease of the heart and it causes impurity to the heart, when Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) was asked who are the best of people? He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) replied: “the one with a clean heart and truthful tongue.” They asked: ‘We understand a truthful tongue, but what does a clean heart mean?’ he answered: ‘It is the heart of one that is pious, pure, and is free of sin, transgressions, hatred and Hasad.” [Ibn Majah]
Allah revealed verses of the Qur’aan to be recited as a protection from the jealous, “Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn from the evil of envious when he envies.” [Soorah al-Falaq (113): 1]
In order to discourage envy, the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Do not look to those above you. Look to those below you, as it will more likely remind you of Allah’s favors bestowed on you.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim] On another occasion, he said: “If one of you looks at someone wealthier and better built than him, he should also look at someone of lower standard than himself.” [Saheeh Muslim]
- Stealing or cheating
‘A’isha reported that a woman from the tribe of Makhzum used to borrow things (from people) and then denied (having taken them). Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) commanded her hand to be cut off. Her relatives came to Usama b. Zaid and spoke to him (requesting him to intercede on her behalf). He spoke to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) about her.
‘Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah? He (s.a.w.) then stood up and addressed (people) saying: O people, those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off.”
One of the worst forms of theft or cheating is cheating in prayer. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, how can a person steal from his prayer?” He said: “By not doing rukoo’ and sujood properly.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad)
