Page 25 - Pakistan Link - May 17, 2019

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Being a Muslim: What Does It Mean? Gems from the

Holy Qur’an

n By Dr Muzammil H. Siddiqi

ye who believe! Enter
into Islam whole-heart-
O edly; and follow not the
footsteps of the Evil One; for he
is to you an avowed enemy. (Al-
Baqarah 2:208)
A Muslim is a person
who is all the time
submitting and From the translation by
surrendering to Muhammad Asad (Leopold Weiss)
Allah. A Mus-
lim enters into About the translator:
Islam, walks on Muhammad Asad, Leopold
the straight path, Weiss, was born of Jewish parents
step by step moves in Livow, Austria (later Poland)
ahead, goes higher and higher in 1900, and at the age of 22 made
and never stops this movement his fi rst visit to the Middle East. He
until the end of his/her life. Be- later became an outstanding foreign
ing a Muslim is a process. It is a correspondent for the Franfurter
continuous struggle within one- Zeitung, and aft er his conversion to
self and with the outside world Islam travelled and worked through-
to transform and to make every- out the Muslim world, from North
thing better. Africa to as far east as Afghanistan,
Ibn Kathir, the famous com- India and Pakistan. Aft er years of
mentator of the Qur’an explains devoted study he became one of the
the above ayah with these words: leading Muslim scholars of our age.
Allah commands His servants His translation of the Holy Qur’an is
who believe in Him and who have one of the most lucid and well-refer-
accepted His Messenger to hold enced works in this category, dedi-
fast to all the principles and laws cated to “li-qawmin yatafakkaroon”
of Islam, to do all His commands Being a Muslim is to know terrible. sad. It is to care for them, strug- (For people who think).
and to avoid all His prohibitions as that Allah chose from amongst Being a Muslim is to wor- gle for their rights and protect
much as they can. the human beings some individu- ship Allah and to make Allah, His them wherever they are. Chapter 32, verses 19 – 21
Being a Muslim is not just a als. He gave them His message Messenger and His Deen the pri- Being a Muslim is to be good As for those who attain to faith
label or an ethnic or family iden- and made them guides of hu- ority of life. to all human beings and to all the and do righteous deeds – gardens of
tity. To be a Muslim is to belong manity. Th ere were many Proph- Say: If it be that your fathers, creation of Allah. It is to deal with rest await them, as a welcome [from
to Allah, to accept Islam as a way ets and Messengers and Prophet your sons, your brothers, your every person, friend or foe with God], in result of what they did; but
of life and to mold one’s behavior Muhammad was the Last and Fi- mates, or your kindred; the wealth fairness and justice. It is to be tol- as for those who are lost in iniquity
on the pattern of Prophet’s Mu- nal among them. May the peace that ye have gained; the commerce erant and peaceful, kind and cour- – their goal is the fi re: as oft as they
hammad’s Sunnah. It means to and blessings of Allah be upon in which ye fear a decline; or the teous to neighbors, to coworkers, will try to come out of it, they will
be a Muslim in one’s beliefs, wor- him and upon all His prophets dwellings in which ye delight - to associates and to strangers. It be thrown back into it; and they will
ship, morals, manners, family re- and messengers. Messengers are dearer to you than Allah, Or is to be involved in humanitarian be told, “Taste [now] this suff ering
lations, social relations, business came to guide human beings and His Messenger, or the striving in work, building relations with all through fi re which you were wont to
pursuits, private and public, every to tell them the purpose of their His cause - then wait until Allah people. It is also to covey Allah’s call a lie!”
aspect of life. existence. Messengers must be brings about His decision: and Al- message to all people, with wis- However, ere [We condemn
Being a Muslim is to know followed and their teachings and lah guides not the rebellious. (Al- dom and without any coercion them to] that supreme suff ering, We
that Allah is One, to have deep examples must be taken seriously. Tawbah 9:24) and compulsion. It is to invite shall most certainly let them taste
and strong faith and trust in Al- Being a Muslim is to know Being a Muslim is to have them to join the brotherhood of of a suff ering closer at hand, so that
lah, and to love Allah more than that this life is not the only life. good character, good morals and Islam, become the people of Allah, they might repent and mend their
anything and everything. Allah Th ere will be life aft er death and manners. It is to be truthful, hon- but it is also to respect them and ways.
is the Creator, Owner, Master and all human beings will stand be- est, patient, humble, kind, courte- deal with them with justice even if Chapter 32, verses 23 - 34
Lord of this whole universe, but a fore Allah to give the account ous, generous, and hospitable. It they do not accept Islam.
Muslims says further that Allah is of their lives. Th e righteous will is to live pure and clean life with Being a Muslim is to care And, indeed, [O Muhammad,]
my Lord, my Master, my Creator be rewarded with eternal bliss in no alcohol, drugs, fornication, for all creatures and for the en- We did vouchsafe revelation unto
and my Owner. Allah is Loving, Jannah. Th ose who rejected Al- adultery, homosexuality or any vironment, without wasting the Moses [as well]: so be not in doubt
Kind, Compassionate and Merci- lah and His Messengers will be evil. resources and without hurting or of [thy] having met with the same
ful. He is also Powerful, Just and punished in Jahannam. It is our Being a Muslim is to love and harming anyone. [truth in the revelation vouchsafed
He knows everything. All the choice to choose whatever path care for one’s family. It is to be Being a Muslim is to be opti- to thee].
Good Names belong to Him. It we want. If we choose the right a good spouse, loving, kind and mistic, never lose hope and never And [just as] We caused that
is to know that Allah created and path, Allah helps us to move in caring to children, obedient and give up. It is to be sure that in the [earlier revelation] to be a guidance
creates everything for a purpose. that direction. However, if we respectful to parents, kind and end the truth will prevail and the for the children of Israel, and [as]
He created us, human beings, for choose the wrong path, it is our loving to brothers and sisters and falsehood will vanish. It is to re- We raised among them leaders who,
a purpose. choice and consequences will be to all relatives - members of our main steadfast and work hard with as long as they bore themselves with
extended fam- wisdom and patience. patience and had sure faith in Our
ily. A Muslim scholar gave ten messages, guided [their people] in
B eing qualities of a Muslim: accordance with Our behest – [so,
a Muslim is 1. Salim al-‘Aqidah: A person too, shall it be with the divine writ
to love other of sound faith, revealed unto thee, O Muhammad.]
Muslims. It is 2. Sahih al-‘Ibadah: Worship-
to consider ev- er in a correct way Chapter 33, verse 35
ery Muslim a 3. Qawiyy al-jism: Strong Verily, for all men and women
brother or sis- physically who have surrendered themselves
ter. It is to have 4. Matin al-khuluq: A person unto God, and all believing men
no racial, eth- of solid character and believing women, and all truly
nic, color, or 5. Muthaqqaf al-fi kr: A per- devout men and truly devout wom-
language prej- son of refi ned mind en, and all men and women who are
udice. It is to 6. Qadir ‘ala al-kasb: Able to true to their word, and all men and
love to be with earn women who are patient in adver-
Muslims as 7. Mujahid linafsihi: Self dis- sity, and all men and women who
much as pos- ciplined humble themselves [before God],
sible, live with 8. Haris ‘ala waqtihi: Consci- and all men and women who give
them, deal entious about his time in charity, and all self-denying men
with them, 9. Munazzam fi shu’unih: Or- and self-denying women, and all
interact with ganized in his aff airs men and women who are mindful
them, feeling 10.Nafi ’ lighairihi: Benefi cial of their chastity, and all men and
happy when to others women who remember God un-
they are happy (Khutbah at Islamic Center ceasingly: for [all of] them has God
and feeling sad of Hawthorne, CA – Jumadal Ula readied forgiveness of sins and a
when they are 17, 1434/ March 29, 2013) mighty reward.
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