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Do methodologically sound criteria exist for determining what is correct and what is in error? They certainly do. Those criteria are clear and precise, and we shall be discussing some of them.

One: The Religious Criterion

This criterion is established upon three sources:

1. The Qur’ân. Allah says: “Lo! those who disbelieve in the Reminder when it cometh unto them (are guilty), for lo! it is an unassailable Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or from behind it. (It is) a revelation from the Wise, the Owner of Praise.” [Sûrah Fussilat: 41-42]

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10. HAVING GOOD MANNERS, CHARACTER AND BEING HUMBLE

Many of us think that “a perfect Muslim” is simply one who is correct in the observance of the salah (ritual Prayer), the fasting, the zakah (payment of a certain portion of one’s wealth to the poor), and the Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah). This indeed is not the case.

Hadith:
1. Abu Musa (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

“The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat (prayer) is the one who comes to perform it in the mosque from the farthest distance. And he who waits for Salat to perform it with the Imam (in congregation) will have a greater reward than the one who observes it alone and then goes to sleep.”

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

COMMENTARY:

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9. SINCERELY REPENTING TO ALLAH

Allah says:

“O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and you would then seek My forgiveness, I would forgive you.”

When a person sins and then sincerely turns to Allah for forgiveness, one will find Allah ready to accept his repentance and to forgive him, as this verse indicates:

“And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself, but then seeks forgiveness from Allah, he will find Allah forgiving and merciful.”
(Surat an-Nisaa 4:110)

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7. HAVING FEAR AND HOPE IN ALLAH

“Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.”(Surah Yusuf 12:87)

One must be hopeful of Allahs mercy and forgiveness and fearful of His punishment. It is this fear that should lead one to seek Allahs forgiveness with hope. Allah says:

“Know that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
(5:98)

[Continued..]

4. DUA –
CALLING UPON ALLAH IN DUA (Supplication)

Allah the most compassionate says in the Holy Quran:

“Call on Me. I will answer your prayer, but those who are too arrogant to serve me will surely find themselves humiliated in Hell” (40:60).

Allah the Exalted, has said:

“And your Lord says: Pray unto me: and I will hear your prayer” (Quran 40:60),

“Call upon your Lord Humbly and in secret”
(Quran 7:55),

“When My servants question thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me”

It should be the desire of every Muslim to draw nearer and closer to Almighty Allah the most compassionate and the most merciful. By drawing closer and near to Allah we gain his help in every aspect of our lives in this world and to be merciful to us so that we may gain mercy in the hereafter in order to enter Jannah in the next world.

When we call upon him he would answer our calls and when we ask of him for anything he would give it to us and when we draw nearer to him then our sincerity and intentions will enable us to become closer to him.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha’ (i.e., great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e., disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil, wicked deed).” [Qur’an (29:45)]

AHADITH:

1. Abu Hurairahu (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) saying:

“Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?”

They replied:
“No soiling would left on him.”

He (S.A.W.S.) said:

Hadith: Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

“Were people to know the blessing of pronouncing Adhan and the standing in the first row, they would even draw lots to secure these privileges. And were they to realize the reward of performing Salat early, they would race for it; and were they to know the merits of Salat after nightfall (‘Isha’) and the dawn (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

COMMENTARY:

Once upon a time there lived a poor man named Ali. He worked hard for his living and was contented with whatever he had. Now Ali had a neighbour Kasim who was as stingy as he was rich. It never gave him pleasure to see others, specially his poor neighbour, happy. He was always on the look out for an excuse to get Ali into trouble.

Hadith:
Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

“Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates ranks (in Jannah)?”
The Companions said: “Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.”
He (S.A.W.S.) said: “Performing the Wudu’ thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next As-Salat (the prayer) after observing Salat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat.”
[Muslim]

COMMENTARY:

Muslims enjoy the highest standard of personal hygiene of all the people in the world. In Islam, cleanliness and purification are not only requirements for the performance of worship, or when embracing Islam, but are part of a Muslim’s very faith. Allah says in the Qur’an:

*”Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers etc.).*
[Al Baqarah: 222]

Cleanliness in Islam is of three kinds:

We Muslims, are followers of Prophet Mohammad (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), right? What better example of patience do we have than that of our own blessed Prophet himself?

*How many times have you shouted at your parents? How many times have you felt so angry that you were just about to hit someone? Does this happen a lot? You’re not the only one.*

Many people now are unable to control themselves and end up arguing with others, often the ones that they love – their parents, their brothers, their sisters, their husbands or wives. Here we’re listing some reasons that stir people’s anger and ways given from the Qur’an and Sunnah to overcome this anger and control yourself.

“And if all the trees on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Verily, Allah is All Mighty, All Wise.”
(31: 27)

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described the greatness of Allaah in the most beautiful way:

“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah
orders the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly) then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.”

[Quran (Surah Al-Fusillat, Verse 34)]

REFLECTIONS FROM THIS VERSE:

* First, Allah says that goodness and evil are not equal.

* The mischief and evil practiced by the opponents of good might apparently make goodness seem absolutely helpless and powerless.

It is natural to feel strongly that people who do evil and injustice should be held accountable immediately. Every person who has suffered injustice, irrespective of financial or social status, almost certainly wants the perpetrator of injustice to be punished. Every normal person would like the robber or the rapist, for example, to be taught a lesson. Although we see numerous cases where Allah’s justice is served immediately in this life, we also know that many escape punishment and seem to go on enjoying their lives.

ABU BAKR (R.A.)’S INAUGRAL ADDRESS

Abu Bakr (RadiyAllahu Anhu) mounted the pulpit as the Caliph of Islam. Then he spoke to the gathering as follows:

“O people, I have been elected your leader, although I am not better than anyone from among you. If I do any good, give me your support. If I go wrong, set me right. Listen, truth is honesty and untruth is dishonesty. The weak among you are powerful in my eyes, as long as I do not get them their due, Allah willing. The powerful among you are weak in my eyes, as long as I do not take away from them what is due to others, Allah willing.”

Islam greatly approves cleanliness. According to the Qur’an:

“Allah loves those that turn to Him in repentance and purify themselves”
(2:222)

When man rues his mistakes and returns to the path of truth, this is called an act of repentance. As such, it purifies man’s inner self. Just as by using water we can cleanse the dirt from the body, so by repentance we can purify the soul—the inner-self. That is why Islam lays great stress on both these things.

One night, Caliph Umar (r.a.) as usual went in disguise with his companion Ibn Abbas (r.a.) to see the condition of the people. They strolled from one quarter to another. At last they came to a colony where poor people lived.
While passing by a small house, the Caliph heard a whispering talk within. The mother was telling her daughter that the amount of milk fetched by her for sale that day was very little. She told her that when she was young, and used to sell milk, she always mixed water with milk, and that led to considerable profit. She advised her daughter to do the same.

After receiving the surrender of Jerusalem and completing the tour of Syria when Caliph Umar (RadiyAllahu Anhu) was returning to Madina he led the prayer at Jabiah. On this occasion he delivered an address which is preserved in history. The major part of his address was:

Abu Hurayrah RadiyAllahu Anhu said that the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

“The servant says: My wealth! My wealth! However, he gets from his wealth three things: What he eats and finishes. What he wears and makes shabby; and what he gives away and pleases others with. Whatever else is besides this, goes and is left for the people.”

[Related by Ahmad and Muslim]

This Hadith also emphasises and shows us the care taken by people in amassing wealth. Allah pointed this out in the Qur’an by His statement:

“And for the love of good he is strong.”
(Al-Qur’an 100:8)

WHAT BENEFITS THE DEAD

Abu Hurayrah RadiyAllahu Anhu narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit.

All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit.

The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died.

Many have heard the need for Allah’s mercy, yet not fully understand its meanings and implications to our existence and forgiveness in the hereafter. Comprehending its meanings, therefore, can help us to strive more through deeds and worship to earn His mercy rather than missing out on His blessings in this life and forgiveness in the hereafter.

To get an idea of its importance, let us first remind ourselves of the high status that Prophet Muhammad (Sallellahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) holds before Allah.