Living in Accordance with the Qur'an: Not Aspiring After the Lives of Deniers and Refraining from Giving into the Illusions of the Worldly Life
Contents
- Introduction
- Starting the Day Knowing that Every Moment is Predestined to Happen
- Being Aware Throughout the Day that We are Going Through a Trial
- Glorifying and Exalting God with the Deepest Respect
- Seeking Only God’s Approval and Contentment in Every Respect Throughout the Day Without Expecting Anything in Return
- Bearing in Mind that God Protects and Helps Believers
- Bearing in Mind that God Knows What Goes Through Our Minds and Our Hearts
- Devoting Our Undivided Attention to God, Turning to God in Every Thought and Action Throughout the Day
- Remembering and Mentioning God Very Often
- Remembering God Repeatedly When Meeting a Troop
- Knowing that Our Hearts Find Peace Only in the Remembrance of God
- Striving Towards Having a Good Grasp of Faith
- Keeping in Mind that Life is Short
- Keeping in Mind that God is the One Who Delivers Us from Every Hardship and Relieves Us of Every Trouble
- Acting with the Knowledge that God Will Greatly Reward Every Good Deed
- Keeping It in Mind that It is God Who Grants Beauty, Wealth, Science, Knowledge and All Other Qualities
- Giving Believers the Good News of God’s Approval and Lifting Their Spirits
- Knowing that God Loves Believers’ Deeds and Rewards Them Greatly for Their Benevolence
- Doing Good Deeds Only for the Sake of God
- Helping Each Other on Good Deeds and Piety
- Being Qualified for the Responsibilities Taken to Earn the Approval of God
- Fully Understanding that Love is the Reason Behind God’s Creation of the Whole Universe and the Trial on Earth, Deeply Loving God and His Manifestations
- Always Aspiring for Peace
- Not Sinking into Sorrow and Dismay in the Face of Troubles
- One Must Refrain from Behaving Ungratefully No Matter the Circumstances
- Overcoming Anger in the Face of Hardship
- Refraining from Being Aggressive and Skeptical
- Always Choosing the Most Pleasant Words When Speaking
- Refrain from Speaking Ill of Others or Using Hurtful, Sharp Language, a Characteristic of Idolaters and Hypocrites
- Always Maintaining a Compassionate and Lenient Demeanor
- Defending and Practicing Islam in the Sincerest Manner Through a Strong Personality, Even When Alone
- Being Brave and Unyielding in the Way of God
- Not Giving into Panic and Worry in the Face of Troubles
- Delighting in the Happiness and Joy of Faith
- Knowing that God Definitely Helps Those Who Help His Religion
- Delegating Duties
- Seeking the Advice of Others in All Affairs
- Remembering that Every Blessing We Enjoy is a Means of Trial
- Refraining from Breaching the Trust of Others; Keeping Any Given Promises
- Being Just in All Situations and Being Honest When Testifying
- Being Meticulous in Trade, Refraining from Making Ill-gotten Profits
- For Giving a Debt If the Debt or is in Dire Straits
- Holding Fast to the Causes Without Forgetting that God is the Creator of Everything
- Never Being Satisfied with Oneself
- It is God Who Teaches Knowledge. Refrain from Giving into Impertinence by Giving Credit to One’s Self for Being Knowledgeable
- Keeping in Mind that God Despises Those Who are Haughty and Refraining from Haughtiness No Matter the Circumstances
- Exhibiting a Sound Muslim Personality in Every Place and Circumstance
- Avoiding Hastiness
- Not Shying Away from Telling the Truth
- Being Resolute and Resilient
- Being Sincere in Serving Islam and Devoting One’s Life to God; Refraining from Making Excuses for Falling Behind
- Reconciling and Reuniting Believers
- Knowing that God Hears All Our Conversations; Refraining from Secret Talks
- Refraining from Talking About a Subject We Do Not Know About; Avoiding Gossip, Slander and Ill Thoughts
- Refraining from Being Quarrelsome and Engaging in Disputes with Believers
- Avoid Wasting Time in Pointless Activities and Idle Chatter
- Refraining from Giving Promises that Cannot be Kept
- Refraining from Insincere Behavior Such as “Bragging About Things One Did Not Accomplish”
- Standing United, Avoiding Separation and Dissent
- Not Following the Majority
- Refraining from Supporting Disbelievers, Traitors and Hypocrites
- Not Being Afraid of People
- Trusting Not in One’s Power and Means but God
- Holding No Fear of Being Condemned
- Spending One’s Wealth and Possessions in the Way of God Instead of Hoarding It
- Purifying the Self in Accordance with the Qur’an Instead of Defend and Justify It
- Being Helpful and Cooperative
- Refrain from Lying
- Using Reason Through Life
- Approaching Any Situation Rationally Rather Than Sentimentally
- Not Seeking Refuge in Disbelievers
- Not Submitting to Disbelievers
- Always Asking God for Help in Every Situation
- Not Giving into Despair in the Face of Any Hardship and Remaining Hopeful Under All Circumstances
- Keeping in Mind that God Helps His Sincere Subjects
- Keeping in Mind that God Stands by and Loves Those Who are Patient
- Exercising Great Patience in the Face of Troubles, Hardships, Illnesses and All Other Circumstances
- Not Showing a Tendency to Disbelief
- Painstakingly Preserving God’s Restrictions and Not Adhering to Unlawful Deeds
- Looking for Opportunities Throughout the Day that Will Help One Become Closer to God
- Having Due Fear and Awe of God
- Knowing that All Blessings Come Directly from God Without Attributing Any Power to the Causes
- Having a Profound Respect for God
- Meticulously Preserving Prayer and Performing Them Correctly in Reverence
- Reading the Qur’an
- Immediately Stop Talking and Listen to the Qur’an When It is Being Read
- Pondering the Verses of the Qur’an and Drawing Lessons from It
- Equating Nothing with God
- Being Forgiving
- Taking Only God and Believers as Confidant, Friend and Protector
- Not Aspiring After the Lives of Deniers and Refraining from Giving into the Illusions of the Worldly Life
- Being Constantly Aware of the Fact that Believers Always Prevail
- Commanding Good and Refraining from Evil
- Not Forgetting About One’s Self While Commanding Others to Do Good
- Restoring Prayer Sites and Mosques
- Keeping Homes, Mosques and Clothes Clean
- Dressing Elegantly When Visiting Mosques
- Eating of that on Which God’s Name is Mentioned
- Knowing that It is God Who Provides for Us
- Keeping in Mind that Believers are Responsible for Protecting All Believers
- Not Feeling Sorry for the Things We Have Lost or Becoming Spoiled by the Blessings Bestowed Upon Us
- Not Rubbing a Past Favor in a Person’s Face
- Making Room for Others in Mosques and Meetings
- Being Conscientious About Sleep; Not Sleeping More Than Needed
- Refraining from Any Turbulent Tone or Behavior and Corruption
- Not Sending a Believer Away
- Being Loyal to God, the Qur’an and Muslims
- Being Consistent in Good Moral Behavior and Benevolent Services
- Casting Evil Away in the Best Way
- Aiming for the Highest of Morals in One’s Attitude and Behaviors
- Refraining from Using Unpleasant Nicknames
- Leaving Any Place Where There are Those Who Expressively Reject the Verses of God and Make Light of Religion
- Treating Parents Well and Taking Great Care of Them in Their Elderly Years
- Treating Orphans Well and Being Meticulous About Their Rights
- Encouraging People to Feed the Poor
- Not Rebuking Those Who Beg of Their Own Accord
- Giving Away One’s Possessions Day and Night, Overtly or Covertly, in Prosperity or in Need
- Giving Away the Nice and Good Things One Likes; Refraining from Trying to Give Away the Things One Does Not Want or Like to Others
- Keeping in Mind that God Greatly Awards Those Who Give Their Possessions Away and Bestows a Great Blessing Upon Them
- Mentioning the Names of God While Praying
- Keeping in Mind that It is God Who Grants Wisdom and Praying to God to be Bestowed with Wisdom
- Inviting People to Belief in God and Islam by Preaching Religion
- Giving Advice and Preaching If It Will Prove Beneficial
- Not Requesting Any Payment for Preaching Religion
- Refraining from Coercion and Compulsion Where Religion is Concerned
- Saluting the Household When Entering a House
- Returning as a Lut at I on in the Same or a More Pleasant Manner
- Being Hospitable, Serving Pleasant Foods and Drinks Without Delay and Asking the Guests
- Refraining from Haughtiness; Always Adopting a Modest, Humble Attitude in the Way One Walks, Acts and Talks
- Refraining from Speaking Loudly
- Exalting God by Saying “Insha’allah” for Every Future Plan and Keeping in Mind that Every Plan is Materialized If God Wills
- Taking an Interest in the Subjects God Points Us Towards and Wants Us to Explore and Contemplate
- Devoting Considerable Effort to Serving Islam and the Qur’an Without Harboring Any Doubt
- Making Preparations for Struggling in the Way for God
- Duly Waging a Struggle in the Way of God with the Help of the Qur’an
- Never Adopting a Reluctant, Half-hearted Effort in the Struggle in the Way of God
- Continuing the Struggle Until All Mischief is Wiped Off the Face of the Earth and Islam Becomes the Predominant Religion
- Immigrating for the Sake of God in Case of Need, Providing Shelter to the Immigrants
- Painstakingly Refraining from Committing a Sin
- Refraining from Squandering Money or Wealth
- Never Giving into Satan’s Whisperings; Seeking Refuge in God from Satan’s Whisperings
- Not Allowing Satan to Influence One’s Behavior and Thoughts
- Knowing that Satan’s Deceit is Ineffectual and Does Not Have Any Influence on Those Who are Sincere in Their Belief
- Constantly Remembering and Reminding God’s Blessings and Expressing Gratitude for Them
- Asking God for Forgiveness and Mercy and Repenting Sincerely
- Asking for Forgiveness at Dawn
- Praying to God in a Hopeful and Fearful Manner
- Traveling in the Way of God
- Never Hanging Back and Slacking in Living in Accordance with Islamic Moral Values
- Worshiping Only God
Mankind! God’s promise is true. Do not let the life of this world delude you and do not let the Deluder delude you about God.
Do not direct your eyes longingly to what We have given certain of them to enjoy...
So turn away from him who turns away from Our remembrance and desires nothing but the life of this world.
Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds.
Do not let their wealth and children impress you. God merely wants to punish them by them during their life in this world and for them to expire while they are disbelievers.
Do not direct your eyes longingly to what We have given certain of them to enjoy. Do not feel sad concerning them. And take the believers under your wing.
And what of him the evil of whose actions appears fine to him so that he sees them as good? God misguides whoever He wills and guides whoever He wills. So do not let yourself waste away out of regret for them. God knows what they do.
You who believe! Do not let your wealth or children divert you from the remembrance of God. Whoever does that is lost.
Mankind! Have fear of your Lord and fear a day when no father will be able to atone for his son, or son for his father, in any way. God’s promise is true. So do not let the life of this world delude you and do not let the deluder delude you concerning God.
If anyone desires to cultivate the hereafter, We will increase him in his cultivation. If anyone desires to cultivate this world, We will give him some of it but he will have no share in the hereafter.
The life of this world is nothing but a game and a diversion. The abode of the hereafter–that is truly Life if they only knew.
Know that the life of this world is merely a game and a diversion and ostentation and a cause of boasting among yourselves and trying to outdo one another in wealth and children:
like the plantgrowth after rain which delights the cultivators, but then it withers and you see it turning yellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the hereafter there is terrible punishment but also forgiveness from God and His good pleasure. The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.
The life of this world is merely a game and a diversion. If you believe and guard against evil, He will pay you your wages and not ask you for all your wealth.
To mankind the love of worldly appetites is painted in glowing colours:
women and children, and heaped-up mounds of gold and silver, and horses with fine markings, and livestock and fertile farmland. All that is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world. The best homecoming is in the Presence of God.
Abandon those who have turned their religion into a game and a diversion and who have been deluded by the life of this world. Remind by it lest a person is delivered up to destruction for what he has earned with no protector or intercessor besides God. Were he to offer every kind of compensation, it would not be accepted from him. Such people are delivered up to destruction for what they have earned. They will have scalding water to drink and a painful punishment because they disbelieved.
Do they imagine that, in the wealth and children We extend to them, We are hastening to them with good things? No indeed, but they have no awareness!
Do not let their wealth and their children impress you. God merely wants to punish them by them in this world, and for them to expire while they are disbelievers.
As for those who desire the life of this world and its finery, We will give them full payment in it for their actions. They will not be deprived here of their due. But such people will have nothing in the hereafter but the Fire. What they achieved here will come to nothing. What they did will prove to be null and void.