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The Value of Taqwa in Our Lives

Khutbah from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS)
8 December 2006 / 17 Zulkaedah 1427

Dear Brothers,

Let us try to achieve taqwa towards Allah (swt) in the best way that we can.  Because only with taqwa can we attain happiness in our lives here and in the hereafter.  Allah (swt) mentioned in surah Ali-Imran, verse 102:

“You who believe, be mindful of God, as is His due, and make sure you devote yourselves to Him till your dying moment.”

Let us look at the verse that was just mentioned.  Why did Allah (swt) order us to be righteous and pious towards Him?  What exactly is the importance of taqwa to the point whereby it is mentioned every single time the Friday sermon is being delivered?  The answer is because, with taqwa, you will be able to find all the goodness of life here and in the hereafter.

With being pious to Allah (swt), a person will be able to gain respect, guidance and happiness, as well as Allah Almighty’s blessings.  Moreover, the reminder of being pious and righteous as something vital and important has been the main message by Allah (swt), not only to us but also those before us.  In surah An-Nisaa’, verse 131 Allah (swt) says:

”We have commanded those who were given the Scripture before you, and We command you, to be mindful of God.  Even if you do ignore Him, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him, and He is self-sufficient, worthy of all praise.”

Therefore, there is no true goodness or success that we may attain in this life and in the hereafter except by first attaining taqwa.  And, conversely, taqwa is the main shield for us to abstain from any badness or evil.

Because taqwa is so important in our lives, we need to know how to attain it and live life with full consciousness of Allah’s presence.

My dear brothers,

So what is taqwa?  Does it mean to be “fearful,” just like most of us have understood it all this while?  If that is the definition of taqwa as we have understood it, then it does not fully comply with the true meaning of taqwa as intended in the Qur’an as if there is more meaning behind it.

A simple definition of taqwa would be:  to perform every act commanded by Allah, and to refrain from all things prohibited by Allah (swt).”

Looking at the meaning of the word taqwa as explained by al-Imam al-Ghazali rahimahu’llah; he has given it three meanings:  they are fear, obedience, and the cleansing of oneself from all sins.  As we combine these three elements into our lives, only then will we be able to leave a deep and meaningful impression.

So the question now is:  how do we develop all three elements in ourselves?

Firstly: we need to know that taqwa is not achievable by simply dreaming of it.  It is something that is very valuable.  To achieve it, we’ll need to find the key to strengthen our taqwa.  Thus, in the end, it all comes down to knowledge.

The status and importance of knowledge is very high.  Only with knowledge can a person know of Allah (swt).  As mentioned in the holy Qur’an:

“We shall show them Our signs in every region of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.  Is it not enough that your Lord witnesses everything?” [Fussilat, 41:53]

With knowledge a person’s taqwa will increase toward Allah (swt).  By knowing Allah’s greatness, we will feel that we are too small if we were to face Him.  As we learn more about Allah’s blessings and love towards ourselves, our hopes to Him for more blessings will never stop.  And the more we know about His promises, we will be more careful of what we do throughout our entire lives here on earth.

Secondly: It is very important that we strengthen our taqwa.  It will never be achieved if not nourished and strengthened.

The strength of a person’s taqwa is related to the person’s sincerity in obeying Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw).

Let us take a moment to look at our daily actions; are we measuring and carefully considering every act that we do?  Think about what Rasulullah (saw) said in a hadith:

From Abi Hurairah (ra), he said:  I heard Rasulullah (saw) say:  Leave the things that I prohibit you from doing.  For the communities before you were destroyed because they questioned a lot and their many misunderstandings with their Prophets.  So when I prohibit you from doing something, then leave it.  And when I command you to do something, perform it with your utmost ability.  (Narrated by Imam al-Bukhari)

My fellow Muslims,

Look, our beloved Prophet (saw) required us to do what he has ordered us to do within our own limits and abilities.  But as for the things that he forbade us from, he warned us not only to refrain from them, but also not to ask too many questions about them.

If we unfold this matter deeper, we will realize that the act of doing bad deeds will affect a person’s faith negatively.  Subsequently, a person’s taqwa to Allah (swt) will also slowly disappear.

Just look at the problems that our community is facing:  divorces, addictions, theft, fornication, and other things happening amongst the people of our community.

We need to deal with these problems in the best way that we can.  Counselling and rehab sessions are not sufficient.  We need to also include some advice on iman and taqwa.  We need to explain that what Allah (swt) has prohibited us from doing will only lead to the destruction of oneself and the community.

My brothers,

Taqwa, other than knowledge and faith, also needs ihsan or kindness for it to be perfectly complete.

With ihsan we can clear ourselves from all the bad habits and characteristics.  And with ihsan, we will be able to be more prepared to perform every obligation with wisdom and patience.  Allah (swt) said:

“Say, ‘[God Says], believing servants be mindful of your Lord! Those who do good in this world will have a good reward -God’s earth is wide - and those who persevere patiently will be given a full and unstinting reward.” [az-Zumar, 39:10]

A person who is pious to Allah (swt) will become a Muslim who will have a good relationship with Allah Almighty and also to his fellow beings.  The righteousness of a person, which is placed in the heart, can only be seen by the person’s actions.  Every step and every move of a righteous person will be monitored by Allah (swt) and blessed by Him.

Thus, Let us increase our taqwa by having full consciousness and making full use of what we have heard here in today’s sermon.  May all of us be included amongst those who are Muttaqin (pious), insyaAllah.

Glossary:
Ihsan:  Kindness, goodness, virtue, doing the best.
Iman:  Belief, faith and acceptance of Allah (swt) and his messenger.  Belief consists of believing in Allah, his angels, his books, his messengers, the last day, the garden and the fire, and that everything, both good and bad, is by the decree of Allah.
InsyaAllah: The Bahasa Melayu spelling of Insha’Allah, meaning, “If God wills” or “God willing.”
Muttaqin:  Pious, righteous and God-fearing.
Radhiallahu ‘anhu (ra):  This is an expression to be used by Muslims whenever a name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is mentioned or used in writing. The meaning of this statement is:  “May Allah be pleased with him.”
Rahimahu’llah:  “May Allah have mercy on him.”
Rasulullah:  The Prophet of God, Muhammad (saw).
(saw): These letters are abbreviations for the words “Salla Allahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam,” which means, “may the blessing and the peace of Allah be upon him.” When the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, a Muslim is to respect him and invoke this statement of peace upon him.
(swt): These letters are abbreviations for the words of “Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.” When the name of Almighty Allah is pronounced, a Muslim is to show his respect to Him by reciting this. The meaning of this statement is that Allah is purified of having partners or a son.
Taqwa:  The condition of piety and God-consciousness that all Muslims aspire to achieve or maintain.  It can be said that one’s taqwa is a measure of one’s faith and commitment to God.  The love and fear that a Muslim feels for Allah (swt).  A person with taqwa desires to be in the good pleasures of Allah (swt) and to stay away from those things that would displease Allah (swt).  He is careful not to go beyond the bounds and limits set by Allah (swt).

Cosmophilia: Islamic Art from the David Collection, Copenhagen

The McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College is presenting an exhibit of Islamic Art called Cosmophilia, from the David Collection, Copenhagen, from September 1 through December 31, 2006. (Note: Details from each of the following photos can best be seen at the McMullen website. Click on the category titles to go to the individual webpages.)

Cosmophilia
Cosmophilia (literally “love of ornament”) is an exhibition comprised of 123 of the finest examples of Islamic art from the C. L. David Collection in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Islamic art,” a term coined by Orientalists, refers not only to the arts made for the faith of Islam, but also to all arts created in lands where Islam was the principal religion. Ornament is one of its most characteristic features, as can be seen from the objects in this exhibition. The works presented incorporate the full array of Islamic art from its origins to modern times, representing vast spans of time (seventh-nineteenth centuries), space (Western Europe to East Asia), and media (textiles; ceramics; metalwares; carved ivory, wood, rock-crystal and stone; parchment; and paper). Rather than the typical organization by chronology, place of origin, function or technique, these works are presented visually to reveal how artisans in the Islamic lands explored four major themes of decoration.

Picture’s Caption: Fragment of a Silk lampas, 14th century, Central Asia or China, silk and gilded paper lamella both spun around silk and woven flat, 228 x 63.5 cm., 40/1997

Figures
Many people think that Islam prohibits figural representation, but this is not true. The Koran, the Muslim scripture, bans idolatry, or the worship of images, so images are not found in mosques and other religious settings. But many Muslims—like people everywhere—enjoyed pictures of people and animals in their everyday lives. Sometimes figures are shown realistically, as in this beautiful velvet from seventeenth-century Iran or India, inwhich an elegant lady sniffs a flower in a garden surrounded by birds and animals. in other cases, the figures are more abstract, making it possible to interpret the representation in several different ways.

Picture’s Caption: Velvet with lady in a niche, 17th century, India or Iran. Silk and metal lamella spun around silk, 143 x 69 cm. 37/1995

Writing
The central miracle in Islam is the Koran, which Muslims believe was revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad in early seventh-century Arabia. Reverence for the word therefore became a primary theme of religious art, as artists endeavored to make the physical presentation of God’s word as beautiful as its content. These two lines come from one of the largest manuscripts of the Koran ever made, a loose-leaf copy produced about 1400 for the congregational mosque built by the warlord Timur at Samarkand in Central Asia. Artists everywhere used verses from the Koran to decorate Islamic art and architecture, and the appreciation of beautiful writing led them to exploit the decorative potential of Arabic script by developing many styles to use in different media and contexts.

Picture’s Caption: Leaf from a large Koran manuscript written in Muhaqqaq script, 1400-1405, Afghanistan. Ink and gold on paper, 45 x 98 cm. 20/1987

Geometry
Artisans in the Islamic lands expanded the pre-Islamic repertory of geometric designs to create stunning compositions based on strapwork and tile patterns of triangles, squares, polygons, stars, and other regular forms. Many designs start from 45° or 60° grids that yield patterns of 8-pointed stars and hexagons, while others, such as this panel from a pair of seventeenth-century Iranian doors, are based on an extremely complex arrangement of pentagons and ten-pointed stars. Each individual element is made up of hundreds of minute rods of wood, bone, and metal that were glued together in other geometric patterns and then sliced to form tiles. Mathematicians in the Islamic lands were extremely sophisticated (algebra and algorithms, for example, were brought to the West by Muslim scientists), but artisans seem to have worked out most of these designs—even the most complex examples like this one—using traditional “tricks of the trade” without recourse to higher mathematics.

Picture’s Caption: One side of a double door, 17th century, Iran. Several types of wood; patterns inlaid with brass, ivory, and wood, 242.5 x 74 x 8.7 cm. 35/2000

Vegetation
Artisans in the Islamic lands also inherited a rich tradition of decoration with vines, stems, leaves, and flowers. Vegetal ornament was used regularly and consistently in all the arts throughout the region. The depiction of lush vegetation and verdant gardens was undoubtedly attractive to the inhabitants of this dry and often dusty part of the world, and these designs may also have recalled the Garden of Paradise promised to Muslims in the Koran. Sometimes artists depicted gardens realistically, but their most distinctive achievement was the transformation of naturalistic vegetal ornament into the arabesque, an abstracted form in which plants and leaves grow according to the laws of geometry rather than nature. In these large tiles from the hood of a fourteenth-century Persian mihrab (the niche in the Mecca-facing wall of a mosque), for example, the vines and leaves grow in choreographed symmetry from a central source.

Picture’s Caption: Mihrab tile, late 13th century, Kashan, Iran. Fritware, cast in two parts and painted in blue and turquoise in, and in luster over, an opaque white glaze, 76 x 74 cm. 1/1968

Hybrids
Artisans often combined these four themes within single works of art. This stunning doorknocker, probably made in southern Italy around the year 1100, for example, takes the shape of a lion’s head which grasps a cock-headed ring in its maw. His mane is geometricized into a flame-like halo, and the whole composition is surrounded by an Arabic inscription set on a vegetal ground. The inscription, written as if the lion itself were speaking, states “I attest that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His prophet.” The inscription is thus a visual pun, written so that when the cock’s head strikes the plate, it is as if the lion were roaring forth, attesting to his faith in Islam.

Picture’s Caption: Lion-headed doorknocker, 11th century, Southern Italy. Cast and engraved bronze, partly inlaid with niello, 44.3 cm. 50/2000

Curated by Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom, Cosmophilia was organized by the McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College in collaboration with the David Collection, Copenhagen. Major support has been provided by the Calderwood Charitable Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Patrons of the McMullen Museum. The exhibition is dedicated to Norma Jean and the late Stanford Calderwood, who did so much to foster the study of Islamic art at Boston College. This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

“The Whole of It is from Our Lord”

The following question was asked about how much one could believe that the Qur’an was not written by Allah (swt) and still remain a Muslim:

And if some of it [the Qur’an] was “written by man,” or a person believes that some of it was “written by man,” how much of it must fall in that category before that person is, in your view “not a Muslim.”

My answer:

The answer is quite simple:  belief that any part of the Qur’an was “written by man” will cause one to fall out of Islam (i.e., become “not a Muslim”).

“And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: ‘We believe in the Book; the whole of it is from our Lord:’ and none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.’” (3:7)

Islam is not a “cafeteria religion” where one can pick and choose which parts to believe in.

Adab

‘Abd al-Hamid ibn Yahya al-Kitab, an Umayyad official credited with the creation of this genre, defined its aims as follows:

“Cultivate the Arabic language so that you may speak correctly; develop a handsome script which will add lustre to your writings; learn the poetry of the Arabs by heart; familiarize yourself with unusual ideas and expressions; read the history of the Arabs and Persians, and remember their great deeds.”
– Paul Lunde, Islam: A Brief History, p. 88

On Da’wah in the West

The following is a comment I wrote to Emmanuel, a Catholic Malaysian blogger, who was responding to a post written by MENJ regarding South Korean missionaries who are being expelled from Afghanistan.  After posting this comment, I thought I would cross-post it onto this blog and some others.

Emmanuel: Da’wah, as practiced by Muslims in the West, is almost invisible. I do not say this negatively, merely as a statement of fact. In the US (at least), da’wah to non-Muslims is rarely done face-to-face, unlike, say, the Mormons or JWs. We don’t ride around the neighborhood on bicycles in white shirts and dark ties, asking people to convert. We also don’t pass out cartoon tracts like Jack Chick’s or booklets like the JW’s, leaving them lying around for people to read (although I will say I don’t think badly of the JW booklets). In fact, the only Muslim da’wah group I’ve ever met members of face-to-face were only interested in meeting other Muslims, trying to get lax brothers and sisters to become more devout. Certainly no one ever came up to me and asked me to become Muslim, which is more than the Christians (including some members of my family) can say.

But far too many Christian missionaries use underhanded tactics in trying to convert people. Unlike MENJ, I do think it is constructive, both in the long- and short-term, to ban missionaries. Read the famous article, The Stealth Crusade, published in Mother Jones magazine four years ago, and you’ll begin to understand some of our concerns.

Pre-Ramadhan Sale and August Wallpaper

Salaam ‘alaikum.

Firaushah.com is happy to announce its Pre-Ramadhan Sale! Prices for all of our Sparkly tudungs have been cut by US$10 each. With Ramadhan starting next month, in late September (on or around the 23rd), insha’allah, many of us will be rather busy in preparing for Eid. Now is the best time to purchase one of the beautiful Sparkly tudungs, before you begin visiting family during the month of Shawwal.

The August wallpaper is also available for Mailing List Members. This month’s picture is of Costus pulverulentus (and an ant). Sadly, we don’t know what the common name of this plant is, but we do know that it’s a perennial tropical herb distantly related to ginger. The photograph was taken here in Singapore, just outside the new National Library.

Importance in Living the Attributes of an Excellent Muslim Community

Khutbah from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
14 July 2006 / 18 Jamadilakhir 1427

Dear brothers,

Fear Allah (swt) truly. Return to Islam. Return to the true teachings of Islam. Be a true Muslim, who is proud of his religion and practices Islam fully. Allah (swt) reminds us in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 208:

“O you who believe!  Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily!  He is to you a plain enemy.”

Maasyiral Muslimin wa zumratal Mukminin rahimakumullah,

In leading our lives as practicing Muslims, we must realize that our true objective, our actual vision in life, is to gain Allah’s Pleasure, so as to be freed from the torment of hellfire, and so that we may gain entrance to paradise. This is our first, utmost vision.

And to achieve this vision, we need to know that it cannot be achieved by isolating ourselves from the community, and by praying on the prayer mat only. Islam is not an individualistic religion. Islam is not a religion that emphasizes on the hereafter only, such that its followers are those who are isolated from this world.

Instead, Allah (swt) sends Islam to mankind as rahmatan lil ‘alamin, as guidelines for an excellent life in this world and in this hereafter. Hence, Allah makes Islam a religion which is Syamil and Kamil. That is, complete and encompassing everything. That motivates its followers to excel in this world and in the hereafter. This is clear from the prayer which Allah (swt) teaches us in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 201 :

“And of them there are some who say: ‘Our Lord!  Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!’”

This is the best dua for Muslims. That contains the philosophy of Islam, which is goodness in this world and in the hereafter.

Maasyiral Muslimin rahimakumullah,

The previous sermons have explained to us the basis for developing an excellent Muslim community. Not excellent in this world only, but excellent in the hereafter too, insyaAllah.

Today’s sermon will conclude those principles so we can easily remember them.

Two very basic things and very important for every Muslim. Two things that must be possessed by every Muslim. They are, firstly: KNOWLEDGE. And secondly, GOOD CHARACTER.

Without knowledge, a Muslim can be easily influenced by misleading schools of thought, such that it may cause him to lead a path away from Islam. Knowledge is very important. It is obligatory upon every Muslim to seek knowledge, both worldly and religious knowledge. Islam does not segregate between the two. In Islam’s tradition, knowledge is divided to two categories only; fardhu ‘ain and fardhu kifayah. All the knowledge required by a Muslim is fardhu ‘ain for him. He must learn it. Whether it is religious knowledge or knowledge required to live in this world. So, fardhu ‘ain for Muslims is to learn about prayers, and it is fardhu ‘ain for Muslims to learn how to read and write, so that he may live well in this world.

Knowledge which is required by the community is called fardhu kifayah.  It is compulsory for the Muslim community to have a scholar or an expert in every field of knowledge. If not, all of us will be sinful.

So we can see here how Islam prioritizes knowledge. We cannot simply say that worldly knowledge is more important than religious knowledge, or the other way round. All knowledge is from Allah (swt). The obligation is to learn fardhu ‘ain first. And, later, to be followed by fardhu kifayah.

However, my respected brothers, knowledge alone is not enough. A knowledgeable man without good character will be looked down upon. It is pointless to have a sea of knowledge when his poor character will cause people to resent him. Islam emphasizes on good character. There are many examples in the Qur’an that guide us on how to have good character. Rasulullah (saw) himself possessed a very high level of good character. Allah (swt) says in Surah Al-Qalam, verse 4:

“And Verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted (standard of) character.”

We need to learn what is considered good character in Islam. Manners which do not go against values that are highly prized by mankind. And to learn it, we must possess knowledge. This is why knowledge and good character are closely linked, and is the first step for us to achieve the vision of an excellent Muslim community in this world and in the hereafter.

Dear brothers,

With these two principles, knowledge and good character, we will be more confident and able to interact better with other communities, Muslim or non-Muslim. We will know the boundaries that are allowed, and reject politely those that are against our religion. We will not be as described in the idiom, a frog under its own husk, isolating one’s self from his surrounding environment. But we will be the captain, the one to steer the flow of the community around us toward success together. We will not fight the flow. We will also not follow the flow. But we will be the one to direct the flow toward excellence together. Excellence together with our multi-racial community. And the excellence of individuals together with our Muslim brothers in this life and in this hereafter.

This is the peak of knowledge and good character, two main principles. To be a model and an example to other communities. To show clear evidence to others, that Islam is a complete and all-encompassing religion. A religion that makes its followers excel. A religion that should be studied and practised by every person in this world.

And to whom should this responsibility be given to? The responsibility to show the beauty and completeness of Islam? None other than us Muslims. We are responsible for this explanation. And this explanation is what is meant by dakwah. Not just to call people toward goodness, but to practice and internalize the meaning of Islam itself. Allah (swt) says in surah An-Nahl, verse 125:

“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e., Islam) with wisdom (i.e., with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.”

Hopefully with this explanation, we will be more conscious of our role in this world, our objective, and how we can play our role and achieve the objective. And we pray to Allah, may our efforts be blessed, be given taufiq and ‘inayah, so as to elevate Islam.

Islam is exalted, and there is none that is more exalted than it.

Glossary:
Dakwah: The call to Islam. Also known as Da’wah.
Dua:  Term designating personal prayer, supplication, and communication with God, as distinct from salah (formal worship). Muslims make du’as for many reasons and at various times, such as after salah, before eating a meal, before retiring to sleep, or to commemorate an auspicious occasion such as the birth of a child. Personal du’as can be made in any language, whereas salah is performed in Arabic.
Fardhu ‘ain:   An action which is obligatory on every Muslim.
Fardhu kifayah.:  Collective duty. A duty on the whole community. However, if the duty has been fulfilled by a part of that community then the rest are not obliged to fulfill it.
‘inayah:  Care, concern.
InsyaAllah: The Bahasa Melayu spelling of Insha’Allah, meaning, “If God wills” or “God willing.”
Kamil:  Perfect, complete.
Rahmatan lil ‘alamin:  The blessing bestowed by Allah on the entire universe.
Rasulullah:  The Prophet of God, Muhammad (saw).
(saw): These letters are abbreviations for the words “Salla Allahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam,” which means, “may the blessing and the peace of Allah be upon him.” When the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, a Muslim is to respect him and invoke this statement of peace upon him.
Shaitan:  Shaitan (Satan) is the source of evil in the world. He always tries to misguide and mislead people. The Qur’an states that Satan is not an angel but a member of the Jinn. His other name is Iblis.
(swt): These letters are abbreviations for the words of “Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.” When the name of Almighty Allah is pronounced, a Muslim is to show his respect to Him by reciting this. The meaning of this statement is that Allah is purified of having partners or a son.
Syamil:  The Bahasa Melayu spelling of Shamil, meaning, “All comprehensive; encompasses everything.”
Taufiq:  Prosperity, success, reconciliation.

New Wallpaper @ Firaushah.com

The July wallpaper for Firaushah.com is now available. Wallpapers are free for our customers and mailing list members, and for those people who have filled out our hijab/tudung survey. So, if you haven’t signed up (or filled out the survey), please take a few seconds to do so now so you can download both June and July’s wallpapers for FREE!

The Firaushah Hijab/Tudung Survey

Firaushah would like to know more about what women look for in hijabs and tudungs. Of course we have our own ideas about what makes for a beautiful hijab or tudung, but we’d like to find out what you think too. Please take a few moments to answer our very short questionnaire. In appreciation for your taking the time to fill out our survey, we’d like to offer you a FREE wallpaper for your computer desktop!

An Exemplary Ummah

Khutbah from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
2 June 2006 / 5 Jamadil Awal 1427
Dear Brothers

Let us maintain our taqwa to Allah (swt) by doing all that He commands and avoiding all that He forbids. And InsyaAllah, we will become the best Ummah.

Allah says in surah Al-Imran (3), ayat 110:

You are the best of Peoples evolved for mankind. Enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah.

From the verse that has been quoted just now, Allah (swt) has clarified that Muslims are the best community that Allah (swt) has created. Muslims not only believe in Allah (swt), but also invite others to believe in Allah (swt), doing all the good deeds, stopping and avoiding one’s self and others from doing bad things.

It is very clear from the verse that Muslims are supposed to be an inspiration and model to the others. Muslims should guide and bring others to righteousness, to Islam and to believe in Allah (swt), whether in a direct way or by giving good examples by doing good deeds.

That was what our prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions were doing.

Our Prophet (saw) was born in a Jahilliah society that was full of cruelty and injustice. It is very easy for someone who is born in such a society to be influenced and get involved in all kinds of negative and bad deeds.

However our Prophet (saw) did not let himself become influenced. He became a model to be followed. Our Prophet (saw) became a leader that led his society to righteousness, starting with his own family members, his relatives and, later, to his close companions. He became a model to be followed from his character, practices and leadership that changed the Jahilliah society.

What about us today? Are we leaders and models for others to follow? Or are we ourselves following the non-Islamic values and lifestyles? We don’t need to form a committee or do research to find the answer. It is very clear and obvious that we are not ahead, we are left behind in many fields. We are merely followers and not being role models.

In fact, in good behavior, we are not role models. By right we are supposed to be followed in our good behavior, because we are given the blessings of Islam that is filled with good values.

Just look at how our teenagers are dressing and socializing, and the crimes they are involved in. In addition, there are some Muslims participating in mungkar entertainment and partying in public places without feeling shy. It is done in the name of entertainment.

These are the challenges of Dakwah today. The Prophet Muhammad (saw). faced this in his time. Such that he prayed:

“Then the Messenger will say: ‘O my Lord! Truly my people took this Quran for just foolish nonsense.’ Thus have We made for every prophet an enemy among the sinners, but enough is your Lord to guide and to help.” (Surah al-Furqan 25:30-1)
Dear Brothers,

It is not surprising to hear from non-Muslims, saying that Islam is the best religion in this world but Muslims are not role models. If that is the opinion of the non-Muslims about us, because of our attitudes and actions that do not comply with our religion and not being role-models to the others, just imagine how Allah (swt) sees us after giving us the blessing of Islam.

If we Muslims do not lead and are not being followed by others in doing good deeds and promoting universal values, but only being followers, sooner or later we Muslims will be part of the society that we are following.

So, from now on, let us have the determination to be leaders in righteousness and promoting good values. We must be a role model to others and let us call and invite others to Allah (swt) by showing good deeds.

In every field that we are doing, we must always strive very hard to achieve excellence. For example, we as parents should show good examples to our children. As workers, we should work hard and consider our work as an amanah. In behavior or akhlaq, Muslims have to show kindness and good akhlaq to all. For surely, good akhlaq builds trust and wins respect from others. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said,

I have been sent to complete the best of akhlaq.

In our relationship with other races, Muslims must always be kind to neighbours, friends, and colleagues. We must be gentle and show kindness to them because this is what Allah (swt) taught us in Surah Mumtahinah (60), ayat 8:

“Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for your Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.

In summary, every Muslim must be a role model, a qudwah hasanah. Hopefully through this, it will create a healthy environment for our families and, later, for our society.

If we read the history of our Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions, we will find that a lot of non-Muslims converted to Islam after witnessing the behaviors, actions and attributes of our Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions.

Let us be the Ummah with good behavior. Be an excellent Ummah that is a model and inspiration to all. Follow all the Islamic values. Let us be leaders, leaders in good behavior, leaders in promoting good values. By this we will be a model Ummah, the best Ummah and a community of excellence.
Glossary:
Akhlaq: The practice of virtue. Morals.
Amanah: The trust. Of all creation, only human beings carry the “trust,” which is free will.
Dakwah: The call to Islam. Also known as Da’wah.
InsyaAllah: The Bahasa Melayu spelling of Insha’Allah, meaning, “If God wills” or “God willing.”
Jahilliah: The time of ignorance before Islam was realized. Describes polytheistic religions.
Mungkar: Things or actions that would be displeasing to Allah (swt).
Qudwah Hasanah: To lead by example; to be a role model.
(saw): These letters are abbreviations for the words “Salla Allahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam,” which means, “may the blessing and the peace of Allah be upon him.” When the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, a Muslim is to respect him and invoke this statement of peace upon him.
(swt): These letters are abbreviations for the words of “Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.” When the name of Almighty Allah is pronounced, a Muslim is to show his respect to Him by reciting this. The meaning of this statement is that Allah is purified of having partners or a son.
Taqwa: Piety, fear of God, righteousness; goodness.
Ummah: The global community of all Muslim believers; international personhood of Islam.