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This topic is particularly a source of paramount importance because many a times what
has been portrayed in many sources about Islam is about the pillars of Islam.
However Islam as we shall see is much more than that, in fact it is filled with many
aspects which are acts of worship in the eyes of God but hardly emphasized. The purpose
of my research is to illustrate how Islam is a meaningful and practical way of life rather
than a strict set of rituals. My goal would be to analyze situations in which Islam
In other words, how the most ordinary actions or chores done in a way satisfying certain
characteristics can become "sacred" and one could get reward for the. Thus I would be
focusing on actions and characteristics. The actions being any act committed with the
sincere intention and possessing certain characteristic. The characteristic being the real
In Islam every good action done and every bad action avoided is considered an act of
worship provided it meets certain characteristics. The characteristic being that the action
was committed sole for the purpose of pleasing Allah first and then to achieve the other
objectives. Though this might sound very superficial and one may ask how could one
ever do all actions only for God? This is where a God mercy is enforced where even
small steps taken to do simple acts are rewarded and considered great in the eyes of God.
Abu huraira Said Allah Apostle Said, A prostitute was forgiven by Allah,
because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about
to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew
out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that.1
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This hadith clearly illustrates even prostitutes,despite being considered major sin
(because of fornitication and adultery), yet it expresses the idea that even someone
working in one of the most despised of professions, in showing mercy to an animal, can
Another hadith goes further to show the value Allah places on intentions as source of
Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: He was directed to a monk. He
came to him and told him that he had killed 99 people and asked him if there
was any chance for his repentance to be accepted.
He replied in the negative and the man killed him also, completing one
hundred. He then asked about the most learned man on the earth. He was
directed to a scholar.
He [the murderer] told him that he had killed 100 people and asked him if there
was any chance for his repentance to be accepted. The scholar replied in the
affirmative and asked, Who stands between you and repentance
Go to such-and-such land; there (you will find) people devoted to worship of
Allah. Join them in worship, and do not come back to your land because it is an
evil place.
So he went away and hardly had he covered half the distance when death
overtook him; and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the
angels of torment. The angels of mercy pleaded, This man has come with a
repenting heart to Allah, and the angels of punishment argued, He never did a
virtuous deed in his life. Then there appeared another angel in the form of a
human being and the contending angels agreed to make him arbiter between
them. He said, Measure the distance between the two lands. He will be
considered belonging to the land to which he is nearer. They measured and
found him closer to the land (of piety) where he intended to go, and so the angels
of mercy collected his soul 2
Ninety-nine persons and later one hundred persons were murdered by this man. But
perhaps his conscience pricked him and he felt the innate disposition towards good. His
had a intention to correct the situation and was eager to know the correct way to find
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hope. He actually made the decision to repent and followed this decision with the first
practical steps. The above two incident clearly illustrate how Islam consider a simple
action, more valuable in Gods eye than a action done with great material and economic
value or even action that involved day and night worship of God.
So what are these characteristics that can make small actions so great and how major
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the
intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has
This hadith clearly identifies what is required for the acceptance of an action,note that
hadith does not say that action is bad if done with another intention .It emphasis that
This brings us to question of what are the characteristics of a good muslims and how one
could work towards achieving rewards for simple actions. It kind of airline miles or credit
card points where one could get rewarded for putting anything on a credit card
irrespective of any restriction as long as the credit card is being used. Islam addressees
the rewards and actions system similar in some ways but at the same time with greater
flexibility and openness. Actions which can get rewarded are not all predetermined rather
the actions one could pursue are based ones individual ability and environment. Thus rich
man would not have greater reward because he gives more in charity rather the greater
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the wealth of the person the greater accountability and responsibility the person has to
Each one) of you should save himself from the fire by giving even half of a date
(in charity). And if you do not find a half date, then (by saying) a pleasant word
(to your brethren)4
Quran and Sunnah.All these characteristics are obligatory upon every muslim.Islam is not
a religion which emphasizes only on the spiritual and devotional aspects of life,but a way
of life which includes in its teachings all activities of human-beings and promotes
comprehensive development of the human personality and social life as a whole. Helping
the needy, having good relationship with your kith and kin, yearning to seek knowledge,
having decent work and enjoying our leisure are also commandments of Allah.
Islam is not a common religion, which cuts itself from the day to day life of a person and
confines its scope solely to peoples private lifes. As we shall identify Islam is a
complete way of life, catering to all the fields of human existence, providing guidance for
all walks of life-individual and social, worldly and spiritual, economic and political,
modern and cultural. This is particular visible in Quran and hadith, which talk of man in
all stages of life-from the embryo of the mother to the grave and hereafter. Both the
sources outline the disciple of many prophets and individuals such that one would able to
handle and get insights from it to solve his/her problems, which might arise.
The basic problems of life remain the same or similar, but the ways and means of solving
them and the techniques of their handling have undergone various changes with the
passage of time.
4
As Mr. Justice Cardoza once said,
The greater need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between
conflicting claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth5
World religions have many been causes of many wars but at the same time being have
united communities ,countries and people.Similarly Islam has been used many a times as
a reason for many wars and battles however Islam is as we shall see it religion of peace
I have created the Jinn and the man only so that they may serve me6
Allah commands the believers to have Emaan and dedicate our whole lifes to him, thus
spans the entire life of a muslim and all his/her actions.Each and every act of a muslim
,working,sleeping and even using the toilet. In other instances, Islam holds a very
significant position on serving others and setting an example of good character and
behavior.The essence of this is visible in many hadiths of prophet, one such hadith is as
follows
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said,There is no person who does not have the obligation
of (doing) charity every day that the sun rises.
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Whereupon he was asked, O Messenger of Allah, from where would we get
something to give in charity (so often)? To which he (peace and blessings be
upon him) replied,
Indeed the gates to goodness are many: glorifying God, praising
Him, magnifying Him, saying There is no god but Allah,
enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong, removing (any
source of) harm from the road, making the deaf hear (and
understand), guiding the blind, showing the seeker his need,
striving as far as your two legs could carry you and with deep
concern to give succor to him who asks, carrying with the strength
of your arms (the burdens of) the weak. All these are (acts of)
charity. And he added, And your smiling in the face of your
brother is charity, your removing of stones, thorns, and bones
from peoples paths is charity, and your guiding a man gone astray
in the world is charity for you7
This hadith clearly illustrate how a simple act like smiling in which one need not think or
put effort can be considered charity. In fact in others hadiths,the Prophet, )sallallahu
alayhi wasallam), told that all good deeds are considered as charitable acts. Ordering
good is a charitable act.,Forbidding evil is a charitable act. Helping a man who has bad
charitable act. Emptying your cup in the cup of your brother is a charitable act. Also in
the hadith it is mentioned that "A man spending money upon his wife is charity". In
"No Muslim plants a plant or soils a seed and has it eaten by a bird, animal or
human except that it will be a charitable act for him" 8
According to Ibn Rajab,a historical Scholar of Islam these hadiths prove that the muslims
are encouraged to do good acts and charitable deeds. He continues to explain that in
Islam one is rewarded and encouraged to actions need not be superficial or only elite
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could do, in fact there so many options that one should at least have the will and desire to
Islam makes sure man lives life to the fullest, making use of each and every
aspect,leading a blessed and decent life by following the commandments of Allah. This
In another hadith
At the same time Islam forbids self-dential, self-destruction and cowardice in regard to
the challenges of life. Material prosperity is desirable, though not a goal in itself.
Moderation is already encompassed in the Islam, the teachings of Islam, since they are
divinely revealed, are balanced in all of their aspects. Even though Islam is a complete
way of life, it preaches moderation and rejects extremism. On the one hand, Islam does
not preach complete rejection of all worldly pleasures in view of the life hereafter; and on
the other hand it does not teach that earthly life is just for pleasure and enjoyment. wealth
and worldly pleasures can be partaken of in this life as long as they are enjoyed in a way
that is in obedience to God following the action and characteristic model explained
above. However, Muslims are taught to maintaining a balance between man's spiritual
and physical needs, the teachings of Islam are best suited for the needs of human beings
in particular and society in general. Since Islam is based on clear guidance from God, it
rejects all man-made religious excesses, such as certain forms of monasticism where
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people try to completely "reject the world" and other forms of extreme self-denial. This
clearly communicate the fact that Islam is truly a balanced and meaningful way of life
and not just a set of preordained rituals. In conclusion, we can realize how many beautiful
aspects of Islam are often unnoticed and unmention how easily we judge religions by its
people when we should in fact judge a religion solely on basis of its scriptures. When
look at these scripture we realize that many acts of rituals in the name of Islam are done
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NOTES
University Press, 1928. v, 142 pp. Reprinted 2000 by The Lawbook Exchange,
6. Dr. Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Al-Hilali; The Nobel Quran English
Shaariyiat , 51 : 56
8. Muhyi al_din Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Al- Nawawi Al Nawawi Forty
Page -48
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9. Abu Abdullah Al Bukhari Iman Bukhari Book Of Morals and
-431
-431
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