Sunday morning, or should I say Sunday early morning. It was around 2am, before the dawn, just woke up, waiting for Subuh. Starving, I got some food and decided to watch one of the Nouman Ali Khan's lectures on YouTube. It was just a random choice, but Alhamdulillah.. learned something that I didn't realise before. So, this article is basically what I learned from that short lecture. It's mainly a reminder for me first, then everybody else, in shaa Allah. :)
If you ask a non-Muslim, especially in the west, what do they know about Islam? Most of them would answer: hijab, pray several times a day (i.e. known as salah, not like the normal pray defined in the English dictionary), fasting, go to Mecca for pilgrimage, etc. All these things are related to rituals or rules, if you like. I'm not saying they are not important, because they are. These are parts of Islam, part of a way of life, commanded by Allah*, for our own good. However, here I'm not writing about why these benefit our life, as it needs a separate article to explain it. Rather, I'd like to share with you something that is extremely essential for us to take a lesson from.
Back then, during the early prophecy life of Prophet Muhammad SAW**, how did people in the society know that a person was one of the companions of the Prophet? One might answer, because they were always with him. That's why they were called companions. OK, but actually there are other reasons, which are more profound. If I change the question slightly different, how did the people back then recognise that a person was a Muslim?
Did you know that the revelations to pray (i.e. salah), wear hijab for women, fast during Ramadhan, not to drink alcohol, and many other rules descended years later after Muhammad SAW became a prophet? I'm sure most Muslims know, but there is something deeper we can learn from this fact. If we go back to the questions in the previous paragraph, how did people know that a person was a Muslim back then? They didn't perform salah, they didn't fast, they drank alcohol like everybody else, the women didn't wear hijab, etc. So, what was it that made them identifiable as Muslims?
The answer is one: their character! They were known as people of brilliant character. They were people of kindness, justice, honesty, forgiveness, compassion, generosity, modesty, and dedication. You can do your own research by reading the life of Prophet Muhammad SAW and his companions and friends (e.g. Abu Bakar as-Shiddiq, Umar ibn Abu Bakr, Ustman, ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abu Thalib, Khalid ibn Walid, and many more). Many times I was amazed while reading some of the biographies of these excellent people. Their character is on different level, really! mashaAllah!
This made me contemplate. We can perform salah five times a day, fast during Ramadhan or even add it with voluntary fastings outside Ramadhan, wear hijab, avoid drinking alcohol, avoid gambling, etc, but if our character stinks, can we call ourselves true Muslims?
It's true that the command to wear hijab for women came later, but to be modest was one of the first things commanded by Allah SWT. It's also true that paying zakat (the obligatory charity during Ramadhan) was commanded later, but being generous was also one of the first things commanded by Him. They are just some examples. The point is that all the rules came later, but the foundation had always been there.
Brothers and sisters, including myself, let's ponder upon this deeply. We have a noble amanah, keep and hold it firmly. Do our best to improve ourselves from day to day to get closer to Him, to be a true Muslim, a true mu'miniin, in sha Allah.
"The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character." - Prophet Muhammad SAW, narrated by Al-Bukhari -
"There is none heavier in the scales of the Hereafter than good character." - Prophet Muhammad SAW, narrated by Al-Tarmidhi and Abu Daud -
"A Muslim is one whom other people are safe from his tongue and his hand." - Prophet Muhammad SAW, narrated by Al-Bukhari -
* "Allah" in Arabic means "the worship One"
** Prophet Muhammad SAW became a prophet from the age of 40 years old (He passed away in the age of 63 years old).
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