God's commandments and examples in the Quran set for us
the best standards of morality to live with as submitters
to Him alone..
Animals and Birds: Submitting Creatures*
[6:38] All the creatures on earth,
and all the birds that fly with wings, are communities
like you. We did not
leave anything out of this book.** To their Lord,
all these creatures will be summoned.
Let's reflect on the beauty of each of the
following elements of character and let's all strive to
achieve the highest of morality for mankind, set by God,
The Almighty.
- As believers, our response to God's guidelines and our
dedication in worshiping Him, keeping His laws and
maintaining righteousness are basically the building
blocks of our character. If we love God the most(2:165),
then we stick to His standards as set and detailed in His
scripture without wavering.
[13:18] Those who
respond to their
Lord deserve the good rewards. As for those who failed to
respond to Him, if they possessed everything on earth -
even twice as much - they would readily give it up as
ransom. They have incurred the worst reckoning, and their
final abode is Hell; what a miserable destiny.
[19:65] The Lord of the heavens and
the earth, and everything between them; you shall worship
Him and steadfastly
persevere in worshiping Him. Do you know of
anyone who equals Him?
[52:48]
You shall steadfastly
persevere in
carrying out your Lord's command - you are in
our eyes - and glorify and praise your Lord when you get
up.
The Believers
[9:112] They are the repenters, the worshipers, the
praisers, the meditators, the bowing and prostrating,
the advocators of righteousness and forbidders of evil,
and the keepers of GOD's laws. Give good news to such
believers.
[33:23]
Among the believers
there are people who fulfill their pledges with GOD.
Some of them died, while others stand ready,
never wavering.
- Appreciate
and honor our parents:
[17:23] Your Lord has decreed
that you shall not worship except Him,
and your parents
shall be honored. As long as one or both of
them live, you shall never say to them, "Uff" (the
slightest gesture of annoyance), nor shall you shout
at them; you shall treat them amicably.
- Being steadfast in face of adversity and
persecution:
[22:35] They are the ones whose
hearts tremble upon mentioning GOD, they steadfastly
persevere during
adversity, they observe the Contact Prayers
(Salat), and from our provisions to them, they give to
charity.
[14:12] "Why should we not
trust in GOD, when He has guided us in our paths? We
will steadfastly persevere
in the face of your
persecution. In GOD all the trusters shall
trust."
[3:146] Many a prophet had
godly people fight along with him,
without ever wavering
under pressure in the cause of GOD, nor did they
hesitate or become discouraged. GOD loves the
steadfast.
- Practice justice and be equitable and fair
You Shall Not Bear False Witness
[4:135] O you who believe,
you shall be
absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when
you serve as witnesses,
even against
yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives.
Whether the accused is rich or poor, GOD takes care of
both. Therefore, do
not be biased by your personal wishes. If you
deviate or disregard (this commandment), then GOD is
fully Cognizant of everything you do.
[11:85] "O my people,
you shall give full
measure and full weight, equitably.
Do not cheat the
people out of their rights, and
do not roam the earth
corruptingly.
[16:90]
GOD advocates justice,
charity, and
regarding the
relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and
transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take
heed.
Regard the Orphans
[4:2]
You shall hand over
to the orphans their rightful properties. Do
not substitute the bad for the good, and do not
consume their properties by combining them with yours.
This would be a gross injustice.
- Declare, promote and stand firm for the truth. There
is no room for compromise in the heart of a believer.
[2:42]
Do not confound the
truth with falsehood, nor shall you conceal the truth,
knowingly.
[72:14] " `Among us are the
submitters,
and among us are the
compromisers.' " As for those who submitted,
they are on the right path.
[72:15]
As for the compromisers, they will be fuel for
Gehenna.
[4:143]
They waver in
between, neither belonging to this group, nor
that group. Whomever
GOD sends astray, you will never find a way to guide
him.
- Standing for our rights is a command as well as
a chance to set a good example of a strong submitter
to God alone.
[42:39]
When gross injustice
befalls them, they stand up for their rights.
[26:227] Exempted are those who
believe, lead a righteous life, commemorate GOD
frequently, and stand
up for their rights. Surely, the
transgressors will find out what their ultimate
destiny is.
- Patience and pardoning are real reflection of a
strong character. However, there is always
this misconception that patience and forgiveness are
meant to be as a replacement for standing for our
rights while they just modify or shape our style of
carrying out that command.
[42:40] Although the just
requital for an injustice is an equivalent
retribution, those
who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by
GOD. He does not love the unjust.
[42:41]
Certainly, those who
stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls
them, are not committing any error.
[42:42]
The wrong ones are
those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to
aggression without provocation. These have incurred a
painful retribution.
[42:43]
Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true
strength of character.
Do Not Use Bad Language
[4:148] GOD does not like the
utterance of bad language,
unless one is
treated with gross injustice. GOD is
Hearer, Knower.
[4:149] If you work
righteousness - either declared or concealed -
or pardon a
transgression, GOD is Pardoner, Omnipotent.
- We should keep our word when we promise, another
chance to be a good representative of the truth.
[70:32]
And the believers keep
their word; they are trustworthy.
-We should be compassionate towards the real submitters
and believers, and stern with the disbelievers. We should
follow the great example of Abraham who was extremely kind
and clement(9:114) and in the same time absolutely stern
with God's enemies(60:4-7).
[5:54] O you who believe, if you
revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in
your place people whom He loves and who love Him.
They will be kind with
the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will
strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame.
Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He
wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.
- We should avoid vain talk and never ally ourselves with
the rejectors:
[23:3]
And they avoid vain talk.
[68:4]
You are blessed with a
great moral character.
[68:5] You will see, and they will
see.
[68:6] Which of you are condemned.
[68:7] Your Lord is fully aware of
those who strayed off His path, and He is fully aware of
those who are guided.
[68:8]
Do not obey the rejectors.
[68:9]
They wish that you
compromise, so they too can compromise.
[68:10]
Do not obey every lowly swearer.
[68:11]
A slanderer, a backbiter.
[68:12]
Forbidder of charity, a transgressor, a sinner.
[68:13]
Unappreciative,
and greedy.
- We should not
spread lies and we should verify everything we hear:
[24:15]
You fabricated it with
your own tongues,
and the rest of you repeated it with your mouths without
proof. You thought it was simple, when it was,
according to GOD, gross.
What to Do
[24:16]
When you heard it, you should have said, "We will not
repeat this. Glory be to You. This is a gross falsehood."
Crucial Advice
[17:36]
You shall not accept any
information, unless you verify it for yourself. I
have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain,
and you are responsible for using them.
- Our knowledge and guidance should be a source of beauty,
wisdom and confidence, not arrogance:
[31:18]
"You shall not treat the
people with arrogance, nor shall you roam the earth
proudly. GOD does not like the arrogant showoffs.
How to Spread God's Message
[16:125]
You shall invite to the
path of your Lord with wisdom and kind enlightenment, and
debate with them in the best possible manner.
Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He
knows best who are the guided ones.
- Use
your best possible manner, choose good words and
never put people down:
Treat Each Other Amicably
[17:53]
Tell My servants to treat
each other in the best possible manner, for the
devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely,
the devil is man's most ardent enemy.
[41:34]
Not equal is the good
response and the bad response. You shall resort
to the nicest possible response. Thus, the one who used to
be your enemy, may become your best friend.
Believers Set the Example
[49:11] O you who believe,
no people shall ridicule
other people, for they may be better than they.
Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be
better than they. Nor
shall you mock one another, or
make fun of your names.
Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining
faith. Anyone who does not repent after this, these are
the transgressors.
- Be charitable , volunteer and walk the extra mile:
[3:17]
They are steadfast,
truthful, submitting, charitable, and meditators at dawn.
[2:184] Specific days (are
designated for fasting); if one is ill or traveling, an
equal number of other days may be substituted. Those who
can fast, but with great difficulty, may substitute
feeding one poor person for each day of breaking the fast.
If one volunteers (more
righteous works), it is better. But fasting is
the best for you, if you only knew.
All of the above values naturally become an essential
part of those who love God the most.
Happy and blessed Ramadan, peaceful Friday and may God
bless you,
