A SYSTEM PLANNED IN ITS EVERY DETAIL

 

Breathing, eating, walking, etc, are very natural human functions.  But most people do not think about how these basic actions take place.  For example, when you eat a fruit, you do not contemplate on how it will be made useful to your body.  The only thing on your mind is eating a satisfying meal; at the same time, your body is involved in extremely detailed processes unimaginable to you in order to make this meal a health-giving thing.

The digestive system where these detailed processes take place starts to function as soon as a piece of food is taken into the mouth.  Being involved in the system right at the outset, the saliva wets the food and helps it to be ground by the teeth and to slide down the esophagus.

The esophagus transports the food to the stomach where a perfect balance is at work.  Here, the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach digests the food.  This acid is so strong that it has the capacity to dissolve not only the food but also the stomach walls.  Of course, such a flaw is not permitted in this perfect system.  A secretion called mucus, which is secreted during digestion, covers all the walls of the stomach and provides a perfect protection against the destructive effect of the hydrochloric acid.  Thus the stomach is prevented from consuming itself.

The point that deserves attention here is that evolution can by no means explain the system briefly summarized above.  Evolution maintains that today’s complex organisms have evolved from primitive cellular forms by the gradual accumulation of small structural changes.  However, as stated clearly, the system in the stomach could in no way have been formed step by step.  The absence of even one factor would bring about the death of the organism.

When food is received into the stomach, the ability of the gastric juices to break down food is effectuated as a result of a series of chemical changes.  Now, imagine a living being in the so-called evolutionary process in whose body such a planned chemical transformation is not complete.  This living being, unable to develop this ability autonomously, would not be able to digest the food it ate and would starve to death with an undigested mass of food in its stomach.

In addition, during the secretion of this dissolving acid, the stomach walls simultaneously have to produce the secretion called mucus.  Otherwise, the acid in the stomach would destroy the stomach.  Therefore, in order for life to continue, the stomach must secrete both fluids (acid and mucus) at the same time.  This shows it was not a step-by-step coincidental evolution that must, in effect, have been at work, but rather a conscious creation with all its systems intact.

What all this shows is that the human body resembles a huge factory made up of many small machines that work together in perfect harmony.  Just as all factories have a designer, an engineer and a planner, the human body has an “Exalted Creator.” - islamreligion,com

WHAT DOES ISLAM SAY ABOUT TERRORISM?

 

Islam, a religion of mercy, does not permit terrorism.  In the Quran, God has said:

“God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes.  God loves just dealers.” (Quran 60:8)

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, used to prohibit soldiers from killing women and children,[1]  and he would advise them: “...Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child.”[2]  And he also said: “Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years.”[3]

Also, the Prophet Muhammad has forbidden punishment with fire.[4]

He once listed murder as the second of the major sins,[5]  and he even warned that on the Day of Judgment, “The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed.[6]”[7]

Muslims are even encouraged to be kind to animals and are forbidden to hurt them.  Once the Prophet Muhammad said: “A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died.  On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth.”[8]

He also said that a man gave a very thirsty dog a drink, so God forgave his sins for this action.  The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was asked, “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?”  He said: “There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.”[9]

Additionally, while taking the life of an animal for food, Muslims are commanded to do so in a manner that causes the least amount of fright and suffering possible.  The Prophet Muhammad said: “When you slaughter an animal, do so in the best way.  One should sharpen his knife to reduce the suffering of the animal.”[10]

In light of these and other Islamic texts, the act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenseless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings and properties, the bombing and maiming of innocent men, women, and children are all forbidden and detestable acts according to Islam and the Muslims.  Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the vast majority have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with Muslims.  If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1744, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #3015.

[2]Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1731, andAl-Tirmizi, #1408.

[3]Narrated inSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #3166, andIbn Majah, #2686.

[4]Narrated inAbu-Dawood, #2675.

[5]Narrated inSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #6871, andSaheeh Muslim, #88.

[6]This means killing and injuring.

[7]Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1678, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #6533.

[8]Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #2422, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #2365.

[9]This saying of Muhammad has been mentioned in more detail onthis page.  Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #2244, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #2466.

[10]Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1955, andAl-Tirmizi, #1409.

GOD’S BEING & THE LIMITS OF HUMAN IMAGINATION

 

Everything in our limited experience must have a beginning and end.  We ourselves are born and we ultimately die.  This is the case with our parents and forefathers as well as with our children and descendants.  Such relationships permeate creation. 

Some people, due to intellectual weakness or simplicity, assume that everything must be comparable to their own past experience.  They rely on the imagination, which is really only capable of visualizing that which has in one way or another already been experienced.  This is why the imagination is incapable of grappling with absolutes and with universal concepts. 

Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was referring to the limits of human reason when he said:

"People will keep asking questions until they come to asking: ‘God created the universe, but who created God?’ Whoever has thoughts like this should simply declare: ‘I believe in God.’ Seek God’s help and desist from such thoughts."[1]

The human mind has limitations, and our human perspective is deficient.  Because of this, some people fall into misgivings with respect to God’s pre-existence.  We need to realize that we are dealing here with a matter of faith; in other words, a matter which transcends the limitations of human reason. 

After making the statement quoted above, it is mentioned that Prophet Muhammad advised reciting the chapter of the Qur’an entitled "Purity of Faith" (Chapter al-Ikhlas):

"Say: He is Allah (God), the One.  Allah (God), the Self-Subsisting.  He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him." (Quran 112:1-4)

The crucial verse here is "He begets not, nor is He begotten".  It shows that God’s perfection and Self-Subsistence defy human experience and transcend the limits of the human imagination. 

So God says: "Allah (God), the Self-Subsisting.  He begets not, nor is He begotten" and immediately follows it with: "and there is none like unto Him." We cannot compare God with anything in our experience.  Likewise, we find that God commands us: "Do not give likenesses to God." (Quran 16:74) This is the way our faith in God should be. 

Prophet Muhammad advised those who were plagued with doubts like "Who created God?" to: "Seek God’s help and desist from such thoughts." Nothing can be gained from pursuing the line of thinking as to "Who created God?" God’s nature cannot be compared to created existence, nor can it be compassed by the limitations of human reason.  The human mind, however, can conceive of God’s existence and acknowledge that He is the Creator of all things.  In fact, the human mind resists any attempt to compel it to deny God’s existence. 

Communist regimes of the 20th century tried to compel their subjects to embrace atheism.  They employed every forceful means at their disposal, but the people refused to deny God.  They resisted the most authoritarian attempts to crush their belief in God’s existence. 

The human mind acknowledges the existence of a Creator.  Reason cannot escape from such an acknowledgment.  The mind, consequently brings us to seek guidance about God and gives us a natural inclination to worship Him.  We are receptive to God’s Messengers, and God would not leave His creatures without guiding them to the wisdom as to why they were created.  Indeed, God says: "I have only created humanity and the Jinn to worship Me." (Quran 51:56)

The intellect certainly recognizes God, but it is not capable of comprehending all of His attributes.  The role of God’s Prophets and Messengers is to teach people what they need to know about their Lord and how God wishes them to worship Him.  This protects people from concocting all sorts of rituals and rites from their own imaginings that have no basis in revelation from God. 

Prophet Muhammad said, addressing God in supplication: "You are the First, so nothing precedes You.  You are the Last, so nothing comes after You.  You are the Manifest, so nothing comes above You.  You are the Hidden, so nothing comes below you.  Fulfill our debts for us and enrich us so we will not be poor."[2]

God is the First who is not preceded by anything else.  This is a concept that cannot be fully grasped by the imagination, but it can certainly be accepted by the mind and heart.  Our awareness of the limitations that our minds have is a crucial awareness. 

Likewise, God is the Last, whose existence persists without end.  As such, God is truly the Inheritor: "And remember Zechariah, when he cried unto his Lord: ‘My Lord! Leave me not childless, though You are the Best of inheritors.’" (Quran 21:89)

God is timeless and eternal, without beginning or end.  By contrast, all created things have a beginning and end. 

God says about the Sun: "And the Sun runs its course to a point determined." (Quran 36:38) The Sun and other celestial bodies are far older than the living things on Earth.  But just like the fleeting lives of terrestrial beings, the stars are born and they die.  All things in the universe must come to an end. 

God cannot be understood according to the terms of material existence.  He is not bound by the laws of physics which are themselves part of the nature of what He created.  It is no surprise that the mind cannot fully grasp the Creator, since the mind is itself created and subject to the limitations of its created nature.  The mind can only fall into confusion and self-deception if it tries to rationalize that which is beyond its powers. 

Rather, we should apply our mental efforts to matters our minds are capable of engaging with – the universe that God created and the vast horizons of knowledge that it presents.  God has given us the rational ability and the imaginative power to uncover and conceptualize the physical laws of nature.  We can harness such knowledge to benefit humanity in ways that please God. - islamreligion.com

FOOTNOTES:

[1]Sahih Muslim

[2]Sahih Muslim

How Excellent Lawful Wealth Is in the Hands of a Righteous Person!

 

Some of the Ahaadeeth of the Prophet  are quite terse yet convey a multitude of meanings, and this is no surprise since they were produced by the one who was given the keys of eloquent speech and wise sayings. Some of his statements serve as fundamental principles, general rules, and just standards. On every given topic, there are Ahaadeeth that are considered all-inclusive fundamental principles under the heading of which all the respective subtopics fall. Some of these terse Ahaadeeth address the topic of wealth, establishing the correct Islamic viewpoint on wealth and setting fixed criteria for dealing with it and ways of disposing of it.

One of these is the following Hadeeth, which was narrated on the authority of ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with him: “The Prophet  sent for me, commanding me to pack my clothes and arms and go to him. I did what he asked and came to him while he was performing ablution. He looked at me from head to toe then said: ‘O ‘Amr, I want to send you in charge of an army so that Allah will bless you with spoils, and I will give you your lawful share of the spoils.’ I said: ‘I did not become Muslim in pursuit of wealth; I became Muslim out of the desire for embracing Islam so that I would be with the Messenger of Allah !’ He said: ‘O ‘Amr! How excellent lawful wealth is in the hands of a righteous person!’” [Ahmad and Al-Bukhari. Abu ‘Awaanah, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Al-Albaani: authentic]

According to its very wording, the Hadeeth clearly states that wealth is praiseworthy if it is lawfully gained and in the hands of a righteous person. The lawfulness of wealth means that it is pure and earned through lawful means, and the righteousness of the owner means that he uses his lawful wealth in what benefits him and his community. He fulfils the Rights of Allah with regard to his wealth by paying the obligatory Zakaah on it and may spend it in  charity voluntarily. This is a praiseworthy attitude towards wealth, as evidenced by his saying “How excellent lawful wealth is…” In the same vein, another Hadeeth lauded wealth when it is lawfully earned and rightfully spent. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet  said: “This wealth is sweet (alluring); whoever earns it lawfully and spends it rightfully, then what excellent help it is!” [Al-Bukhari] In this case, wealth is an excellent means for a Muslim to fulfil the due rights over him, uphold the ties of kinship, relieve the distressed, , and spares himself from the humiliation of begging for money, as well as all the other benefits of wealth. The Sharee‘ah texts that laud wealth and commend richness should be interpreted in this light.

By the same token, the Hadeeth indicates the gravity of the affliction when wealth is in the hands of a wicked, corrupt person; he withholds the Rights of Allah with regard to his wealth, and therefore, it becomes a destructive tool incurring his own destruction and a means of causing mischief on earth. Such a person may also combine the sin of acquiring wealth unlawfully with that of wastefulness. This meaning was stated by the Prophet  in the second part of the previously-cited Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Abu Sa‘eed, may Allah be pleased with him: “...and he who obtains it wrongfully is like one who eats but is never satisfied.” [Al-Bukhari] This is in addition to having a gluttonous soul and a heart overcome by the Fitnah (temptation) of wealth. The Sharee‘ah texts that dispraise wealth, warn against extravagance, and encourage asceticism and renouncing greediness for the worldly pleasures should be interpreted in this light.

This Hadeeth and the other supporting ones about the enjoined attitude towards wealth – like the one narrated by Abu Sa‘eed, may Allah be pleased with him, in its two parts: “This wealth is sweet (alluring); whoever earns it lawfully and spends it rightfully, then what excellent help it is! He who obtains it wrongfully is like one who eats but is never satisfied,” – they are considered a Prophetic standard and an Islamic methodology of moderation in pursuing wealth, with neither excessive asceticism nor the dispraised accumulation of wealth and exceeding the proper limits in its acquisition and spending. These Ahaadeeth, therefore, direct the Muslims towards the correct viewpoint on the true nature of wealth and underline that Islam does not dispraise wealth in an absolute sense, as some Sufis claim, nor does it praise it in an absolute sense. The subject matter of the praise and dispraise here is not the wealth itself but rather the states of people in acquiring, spending, or disposing of it. Whoever seeks (lawful) wealth with the intention of providing for himself and his dependants and reforming the universe with such wealth by investing and spending it on what is good and beneficial to the individual and community, then how excellent such wealth is! Some of the Companions were wealthy and successful traders. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was a trader, and his wealth was well spent in support of Islam and the Muslims. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet  said: “No wealth has benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr.” Thereupon, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, wept and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I and my wealth are only for you, O Messenger of Allah!” [Ibn Maajah, Al-Albaani: authentic] There were many other rich Companions whose wealth was a source of mercy and help for people and which was spent in support of the Islamic causes, like that of the third caliph, ‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, who equipped the Muslim army for the Battle of Tabook with nine hundred and fifty camels and rounded them up to one thousand with fifty horses.

As for those who seek after wealth to accumulate it and boast about it, turning it into a means to cause mischief on earth and corrupt the economy through engaging in forbidden transactions such as Riba and gambling, they contribute to the poverty and unemployment in their societies by concentrating wealth in the hands of one social class. Accordingly, wealth, in their hands, becomes a means of destruction and evil, just like Qaaroon, whose story was related in the Quran. He wronged his people by dealing with Riba with their wealth and claiming that he had earned and obtained such wealth exclusively by means of his knowledge and efforts! This corrupt viewpoint on wealth and the economic injustice were enough sin for him to deserve the immediate destruction that befell him. Contrary to his aspirations to dominate the earth, Allah, The Exalted, destroyed him by causing the earth to swallow him, and he will continue to sink until the Day of Resurrection. Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.} [Quran 28:81] - islamweb.net

Signs of Heart Disease

 

There are numerous signs of a sickness of the heart. The first of them, is finding it difficult to live by the purpose of our creation, which is to know Allah The Almighty, love Him, yearn to meet Him, turn to Him in repentance and to prefer doing all this to any other desire. Indeed, whoever gives precedence to his or her whims, over the love of, and obedience to, his or her Lord, then his or her heart is certainly diseased.
Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Have you seen the one who takes as god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him?} [Quran 25: 43]. Some of the righteous predecessors said that this verse refers to the person who is led by his or her base wants and whims; hence, he or she lives like an animal, with no knowledge or worship of Allah The Almighty, in violation of His orders and prohibitions. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {but those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as grazing livestock eat, and the Fire will be a residence for them.} [Quran 47:12]

Let us not forget that as we sow, so shall we reap. Therefore, if a person not only does not live life according to what pleases Allah The Almighty, but instead actively pursues a lifestyle of disobedience to Him through His very blessings, he or she will neither find comfort nor be relieved of pain, after death, in the Hereafter. Allah The Almighty, Says (what means): {He will gulp it but will hardly [be able to] swallow it. And death will come to him from everywhere, but he is not to die. And before him is a massive punishment.} [Quran 14:17]

Another sign of a diseased heart is that a person is not disturbed by insubordination to Allah The Almighty. A poet spoke of how a dead person does not feel the pain of any wound; using that analogy, conversely, a sound heart feels great pain when a sin is committed, and, so, is quick to repent to Allah The Almighty, as He Says (what means):

· {Indeed, those who fear Allah - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.} [Quran 7:201]
· {And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know.} [Quran 3:135]

The meaning of “remember [Allah] ” in both verses, refers to the act of bearing in mind His magnificence, His threats and His punishments, and so, they seek His forgiveness. On the other hand, the one who has a diseased heart will keep on committing sin upon sin.

In another place in the Quran, Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.} Commenting on this verse, Al-Hasan  said that this means committing one sin after the other, to the extent that the heart becomes blind. In contrast, a person with a sound heart will follow an evil deed with a good one and make sure to repent after a wrongdoing.

A diseased heart, moreover, manifests itself when a person does not feel any pain of being unaware of the truth, whereas, someone with an upright mind could not tolerate that when coming across any confusing matters, or having false beliefs. Verily, ignorance is a serious calamity that pains anyone with a sound heart.

Some scholars would say: “Allah was never disobeyed with anything worse than ignorance.” Also, Imaam Sahl  was asked: “O father of Muhammad! What is worse than ignorance?” He replied: “To be oblivious of one’s obliviousness.” Indeed, such a state entirely hinders the path to knowledge, for a person is unaware of his or her need for it. It was once said that ignorance before one’s death is death itself; the bodies of the ignorant are like graves for the soul and they will have no resurrection until the Day of Resurrection.

Another sign of having a diseased heart is deviating from what is useful to what is harmful. Many people, for instance, refrain from listening to the Quran, about which Allah The Almighty Said (what means): {And We Send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.} [Quran 17:82]. Instead, they listen to songs that instill hypocrisy, and perhaps disbelief, in their hearts and stir their base desires. Such people sin, by preferring what Allah and His Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, hate.And that, in itself, is a consequence of having a diseased heart and only increases it in sickness.

On the other hand, the more the heart is sound, the more it loves what Allah The Almighty and His Messenger,sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, do, as He Says (what means):{but Allah Has endeared to you the faith and Has Made it pleasing in your hearts and Has Made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.} [Quran 49:7] The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “He would taste the sweetness of faith, who is content with Allah as [his] Lord, with Islam as [his] religion and with Muhammad, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as [his] Prophet.” [Muslim] He, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said:“No man from among you will have [perfect] faith, until he loves me more than his own self, children, family and all mankind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The last symptom of an ill heart is that a person settles in this worldly life, satisfied with it and is at peace in it, feeling no sense of alienation, such that he or she no longer looks forward to the Hereafter or works for it. Conversely, when a heart becomes sound, it yearns for the Hereafter, to the extent that it perceives the sickness of others, while they do not see its soundness. The state of a person with such a heart, in life, bears the spirit of the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Be in this life as if you were a stranger or a traveler.” [Al-Bukhari] - islamweb.net

Ranks of Friends

 

Grab a pen and paper and try to write down the names of all your friends, and then classify them into categories. You will discover that some of them are not really friends but rather casual companions.

One of them may be your fellow commuter whom you meet every day on the bus or tram. He greets you, so you greet him, and he asks you a question, so you answer him. He requests that you close the window, and if you do, he thanks you, or he steps on your foot and, if he realizes it, he apologizes. A word leads to a smile, and a smile leads to a chat, and as the days pass, you find yourselves exchanging greetings and talking to each other as if you were close friends, although you may not even know his  name nor have any clue about what he really is!

Another one on your list is the work colleague. You may be an employee, and his office is opposite to yours, and you see him all day long. You may be a worker, and his machine is right next to yours. Or he may be working with you in the same store, or his store is next to yours in the marketplace. You spend more time with him than with your own family, and you meet with him more often than you meet with your friends and loved ones! You may share moments of seriousness, humor, contentment, and anger with him, while the two of you have totally different appearances, minds, and backgrounds.

You may also find on the list a traveling companion whom you meet on a train and share the desire to ward off boredom. You exchange greetings and small talk, or make some observations on what you see and hear during the journey. Within a few hours, you share food and you fall asleep in the same space. The barriers between you start to fall and you see and know about one another what only your household members or close relatives would see or know about you, although you are totally unrelated and you have no brotherly affection for each other.

There is also the coffee house companion, the sports companion, and many other different categories of companions. Your relationship with some of them might last for long until you start calling them ‘friends’, but they are not friends. You neither picked them willingly to be your friends nor chose their companionship, but life put them in your way and burdened you with them. If you do not conduct an inventory of them the way a merchant conducts an inventory of his merchandise then you vet them and only keep the good ones and cast away the bad ones, you would not know down which abyss such friendships lead you. A companion drags his companions down the path he is treading, and they tend to follow his example.

You may accompany a person down a path or a journey or know him from work and interact with him friendly as courteously as a well-mannered person should interact with others while being unaware of his life. He would become associated with you, and he becomes known as your “friend,” and his evils would affect you accordingly. You may be harmed by such association, and he may become a source of disgrace to you. He may also influence you in a way you are unaware of. Every word you hear can be likened to a seed thrown into a fertile land; it may be a good seed that generates goodness within you, or an evil one that gives rise to evil within you. Many righteous people were corrupted because they kept the company of a wicked person who changed their state drastically and made life misery for them. Conversely, many wicked people were rectified and became righteous because they kept the company of the righteous. A person may be safe from his sinful urges on his own and distract himself from them with knowledge or art, or practicing spiritual or physical exercise, but a wicked companion may come along, out of the blue, to trigger such sinful urges within him and cause him to taste their bitterness.

Another may be living a sinful life leading him ultimately to Hellfire, but he would be blessed with a righteous friend who would steer him away and lead him towards Paradise instead. A friend who reminds you of Allah is not like the one who causes you to forget His remembrance. A friend who leads you to the mosque for worship is not like the one who leads you to a brothel to commit sin. A friend who tells you about a book that he read and encourages you to read it as well is not like the one who describes the beauty of a female dancer that he had watched to incite you to watch her too.

If you seek a friendship that fosters your righteousness and a deed that rectifies all deeds, then write down the names of your friends, companions, and acquaintances with whom you are on friendly terms, and investigate the state of each and every one of them: is he righteous or unrighteous? Is he loyal to his friends, or does he only care about what benefits and pleases him? Is he a source of comforting company, or is he rough and annoying? If you do so, you will find that your companions are indeed different. You will find among them the one who is devoted to fasting and prayer and has the outward appearance of the righteous but is actually using this ‘outward righteousness’ as a ladder to rise in the world and a trap to catch money thereby. You will find out that his true character belies his false pretense of piety. If you make a covenant with him, he betrays you, and if you enter into a transaction with him, he cheats you.

You will also find the one who is honest and trustworthy, but he does not observe fasting nor prayer and is a Muslim in name only. Such a companion will ruin your religiosity.

You will find among them the one who is a righteous, devout worshiper, who is trustworthy and honest, but he has an insatiable lust and unbridled urges, and he talks about nothing else. He refrains from committing sins but indulges in speaking about them! Such a person harms you by arousing your dormant desires and waking the latent urges inside you.

There is also the one who is righteous and trustworthy and guards his tongue but is not friend-material, nor is he an enjoyable companion. If he were on the banks of the Euphrates while you are burning with thirst, he would not hand you a glass of water!

Another is the one who is willing to help and please his friends but would not mind compromising his own religion in the process. He may betray the trusts and undermine his honor for the sake of his friends, helping them commit sins, devour people’s rights, and steal their wealth. He perceives such compromise acceptable and allowable for the sake of friendship! Such a companion takes your hand until he leads you to Hellfire with him!

Another companion may be pious, helpful to his friends, and complying with the Limits of Allah. He does not commit sins nor engage in forbidden acts, but he is ignorant of the proper etiquettes of social interactions, table manners, and all the common norms of decorum. Such a person would disgust you and get on your nerves.

There is also the foolish and vulgar, or the reckless and foul, or the one who befriends you for your prestige or high position. He uses you as an adornment for today and an asset for tomorrow. To him, you are a trophy on the wall!

In brief, we can say that there are five different categories of companions: 1) a companion who is like the air; you cannot dispense with him, 2) a companion who is like food; you cannot live without him, but it may taste bad or be difficult to digest, 3) a companion who is like a medicine that tastes bitter but sometimes is necessary, 4) a  companion who is like wine; it delights the one who drinks it but ruins his health and honor, and 5) a companion who is like a calamity that befalls you.

As for the companion who is like air, it is he who benefits you with regard to your religion and worldly life. You enjoy his friendship, and you find delight in his company.

The companion who is like food is he who benefits you with regard to your worldly life and religion but sometimes annoys you due to his roughness, lack of a sense of humor, and harsh nature.

As for the companion who is like medicine that tastes bitter, he is the one whom you may need and benefit of, but you do not approve of his religiosity nor enjoy his company.

The one who is like wine is he who helps you satisfy your pleasures and gratify your desires, but he corrupts your moral character and incurs loss on you in the Hereafter.

Finally, the companion who is like a calamity is he who does not benefit you with regard to your worldly life or religion, nor do you enjoy his companionship or conversation, but you inevitably have to keep his company.

You should take religion as a standard, and the pleasure of Allah as a scale. The one who benefits you with regard to your religion, hold on to him, unless you cannot endure his companionship. The one who harms you in this regard, cut him off and forsake him, unless you are compelled to keep his company. In this case, such companionship is considered a necessity, and necessities overrule prohibitions (i.e. permit what is normally forbidden), provided that such company does not exceed the scope of necessity.

As for the one who does not harm you with regard to your religion nor benefit you with regard to your worldly life, but he is a pleasant and enjoyable person to be around, you should settle for enjoying his pleasant personality provided that such companionship does not prevent you from carrying out your duties or lead you to futility or sin.

As for the companions who cannot be classified under any of these categories, they are the ones about whom an Arab poet said (translation of meaning):

“If you do not have knowledge to benefit us, nor are you religious that we may keep your company for that sake, and you are not one expected to help when disaster strikes, it would be better if we mold a clay figure to replace you!” - islamweb.net

Why Do our Morals Change Across Situations?

 

The morals of the believers are not supposed to come into play exclusively at times of ease and convenience. In fact, true morality self-manifests during the moments of hardship, adversity, and crisis. Some people may seem well-mannered with a polite attitude and bashful conduct as long as they are calm and the surrounding circumstances are convenient and favorable. However, when they are subjected to anger or experience hardship, unfortunate conditions, and the like of adverse circumstances, they turn into completely different people, far from the well-mannered people you knew! Sadly, a person (who was once well-mannered) would turn into a bad-tempered, fierce, verbally abusive, harsh, intimidating, and vulgar transgressor! We see this saddening transformation quite often, and the extent to which someone’s character can change is quite shocking. Is this how distant Islamic morality is from our hearts and souls, due to which it fails to change such qualities?

It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah  said: “A believer is neither a slanderer nor a curser, nor is he obscene or vulgar.” [Saheeh At-Tirmithi: 1977] Ibn Battaal  said that ‘obscene’ means the one who is verbally abusive and commits obscene actions. ‘Vulgar’ means foul-mouthed (An-Nihaayah). How could a person turn into one who fits such a bad description denounced by the Prophet  in a single moment because of a situation or a word or a dispute!

We used to think that foolish people are those who are poorly-educated, ill-mannered, and have these sinful (evil) qualities. However, we were shocked to find many people whom we thought to be educated fitting the description as well!

Al-Qurtubi  said: “A vulgar, foul-mouthed person is described as foolish because vulgarity is only compatible with ignorance and small-mindedness.”

Some people would argue that their obscenity and vulgarity are justified by the fact that they have been angered, that the situation called for it, that other people triggered them by their misbehavior, or that calmness in such situations is harmful and passive! There is no doubt that this is an erroneous way of thinking that may incur evil consequences on people. The Prophet  said: “…and if a man verbally abuses you or shames you for something in you that he knows about, do not shame him for something in him that you know about; let him bear the evil consequences of it (his abuse), and you receive the reward for it, so do not curse.” [Saheeh At-Targheeb: 2782]

Al-Qaari  said: “Obscenity and vulgarity are entirely blameworthy qualities that are unbecoming of the believers…” He added: “He who is guided by Allah should avoid it (obscenity and vulgarity); accustom his tongue to good, polite language; and follow the example of the Prophets of Allah, for they are the most excellent role models.” [Mirqaat Al-Mafaateeh]

There are also people who use foul, vulgar, and reprehensible words under the pretext that they were commonly used by the early Arabs! Al-Maawardi  said: “What falls into the category of vulgarity and foul language in terms of the obligation of avoiding it is all what seems disgraceful and reprehensible, even if it may be considered good and acceptable after search and deliberative contemplation.”

An-Nawawi  said: “Scholars said that euphemisms should be used in such situations when a person would feel ashamed to use overt language. Accordingly, sexual intercourse should be euphemistically referred to as engaging in intimacy, consummation of marriage, cohabitation, and the like… Likewise, urinating and defecating should be euphemistically referred to as answering the call of nature or relieving oneself instead of using overt words like urine or stool. Similarly, euphemism should be used for the (physical) defects that people may be ashamed to express overtly, such as leprosy, halitosis, body odor, and the like. Beautiful euphemistic expressions that convey the intended meaning should be used in situations like the abovementioned ones and their like. Know that such euphemisms may be used as long as there is no need to use overt language. If there is a need to use it for the purpose of clarification and education and it is feared that the addressee would not understand metaphors or would understand something different, then, in this case, one should use overt language instead to ensure that the addressee understands the correct meaning, and this is the rationale for using overt language in some Ahadeeth. As explained above, this was to ensure that the addressee understands the intended meaning in these contexts, as it should be given priority over mere politeness.” [Al-Athkaar]

The people who need adherence to morality the most are the callers to Allah. It is unbecoming of them to act contrary to their moral principles, and their refined morality should rather manifest in all situations, regardless of how intense those situations are and no matter how wicked their opponents may be. The Prophet  said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari: 6475] These, then, are the distinct manners of the believers. A believer should always speak good or remain silent. Speaking good has many manifestations, and silence could be of great benefit when no good could be spoken.

Verily, bashfulness is at the very core of the believers’ morality and the central moral value of Islam. Whenever a person adheres to bashfulness, he assumes control of himself and (becomes able to) change his bad morals. Therefore, we should be perfectly mindful of integrating it in educational curricula and practicing it in our lives. The Messenger of Allah  said: “Bashfulness is not to be found in anything but that it adorns it, and obscenity is not to be found in anything but that it mars it.” [At-Tamheed: 9/257]

‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The most wicked quality a believer may have is obscenity.” It is the most wicked of all bad morals because it makes a person unsafe (to be around) and his reactions would not be trusted.

Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays  said: “Shall I tell you what the worst diseases are? They are obscenity and bad moral character.” According to this wise man, Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays, obscenity is among the most serious diseases to which people should assign care to treat it.

Al-Qaasimi  said: “A person’s speech mirrors his virtues and soundness of his mind. Therefore, you should confine your speech to what is good, speak little, and beware of repugnant language as it alienates the honorable people from you and instead attracts the wicked ones to you.” - islamweb.net