7/30/2019 True Muslim

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WHAT IS A TRUE MUSLIM LIKE?

The first advice is to correct the belief in accordance with the tenets which the Ahl as- sunnatsavants communicate in their books. For, it is this Madhhab only that will be saved from Hell. MayAllahu ta'ala give plenty of rewards for the work of those great people! Those scholars of the four

Madhhabs, who reached up the grade of ijtihad, and the great scholars educated by them are calledAhl as-sunnat scholars. After correcting the belief (iman), it is necessary to perform the worshipinformed in the knowledge of fiqh, i.e., to do the commands of the Shariat and to abstain from whatit prohibits. One should perform the namaz five times each day without reluctance and slackness,and observe its conditions and tadil-i arkan. He who has as much money as nisab should give zakat.Imam-i azam Abu Hanifa says, "Also, it is necessary to give the zakat of gold and silver whichwomen use as ornaments."

One should not waste one's precious life even on unnecessary mubahs. It is certainly necessary notto waste it on the haram. We should not busy ourselves with taghanni, singing, musical instruments,or songs. We should not be deceived by the pleasure they give our nafses. These are poisons mixed

with honey and covered with sugar.

One should not commit giybat. Giybat is haram. [Giybat means to talk about a Muslim's or azimmi's secret fault behind his back. It is necessary to tell Muslims about the faults of the harbis,about the sins of those who commit these sins in public, about the evil of those who tormentMuslims and who deceive Muslims in buying and selling, thus helping Muslims beware of theirharm, and to tell about the slanders of those who talk and write about Islam wrongfully; these arenot giybat. Radd-ul-Mukhtar: 5-263)].

One should not spread gossip (carry words) among Muslims. It has been declared that various kindsof torments shall be done to those who commit these two kinds of sins. Also, it is haram to lie and

slander, and must be avoided. These two evils were haram in every religion. Their penalties arevery heavy. It is very thawab to conceal Muslims' defects, not to spread their secret sins and toforgive them for their faults. One should pity one's inferiors, those under one's command [such aswives, children, students, soldiers] and the poor. One should not reproach them for their faults. Oneshould not hurt or beat or abuse those poor people for trivial reasons. One should not attackanybody's property, life, honor, or chastity. Debts to others and to the government must all be paid.Bribery, accepting or giving, is haram. However, it would not be bribery to give it in order toeliminate the harm of a cruel oppressor, and also in case it is the only way to get rid of a disgustingsituation. But accepting bribes is haram in such cases as well. Everybody should see his owndefects, and should every hour think of the faults which he has committed towards Allahu ta'ala. Heshould always bear in mind that Allahu ta'ala does not hurry in punishing him, nor does He cut off

his sustenance. Parents' and government's orders, when they are agreeable with the Shariat, must beobeyed. On the other hand, when they are in contradiction with the Shariat, they should not beprotested outwardly, lest fitna (mischief, instigation) should arise. [See the 123rd letter in thesecond volume of the book Maktubat-i Mathumiyya.]

After correcting the belief and doing the commandments of fiqh, one should spend all one's timeremembering Allahu ta'ala. One should continue remembering, mentioning Allahu ta'ala as the greatmen of religion have communicated. One should feel hostility towards all the things that will

prevent the heart from remembering Allahu ta'ala. The more you adhere to the Shariat, the moredelicious will it be to remember Him. As indolence, laziness increase in obeying the Shariat, thatflavor will gradually decrease, being thoroughly gone at last. What else should I add to what I havewritten already? It will be enough for a reasonable person. We should not fall into the traps of theenemies of Islam by falling for their fibs and slanders.