The Quranic Muslim

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What the Quran and Sunnah say..

How should an ideal Muslim be?[/font]

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From Surah Muminun (The Believers)



1. Successful indeed are the believers.

2. Those who offer their Salat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness.

3. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allah has forbidden).

4. And those who pay the Zakat .

5. And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts)

6. Except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame;

7. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors;

8. Those who are faithfully true to their Amanat (all the duties which Allah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts etc.) and to their covenants;

9. And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours).

10. These are indeed the inheritors.

11. Who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever.

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The Holy Prophet pbuh said to his companions, "Just now ten verses have been revealed to me and anyone who follows them in letter and spirit will go to heaven." He then recited the first ten verses of Surah Muminun (Ibn Kathir)

Once when Aisha R.A. was questioned about the habits and the behavior of the Holy Prophet pbuh- she replied that it was according to what has been revealed in the Qur'an. Then she recited these ten verses of the Qur'an and said, "these verses describe his behavior".

So what are we after?
Success!

The word falah (translated above as 'success') has been used in the Qur'an and Sunnah on numerous occasions. The call to prayers invites every Muslim towards falah five times a day. The word signifies the attainment of all desires as well as protection from all misfortunes. It is so comprehensive in its connotation that it may be regarded as the acme of one's desire.

However, it is evident that total falah, where no desire remains unfulfilled or complete immunity from the vicissitudes of fate exists, cannot be achieved in this world which is a place of pain and suffering, where nothing is everlasting and everything must ultimately perish. However this priceless commodity will be available in another world, namely the Paradise and it is there that, people will achieve all their wishes very promptly. ( They have all that 'they call for - 36:57). In that world there will be no sorrow and no distress, insha Allah.

The 7 Attributes that guarantee Falaah

The first and most important attribute which is fundamental and basic to everything else is that a person should be a true believer.

The other seven attributes mentioned in the verse are discussed below.

The first attribute is Khushoo' (translated in the text as being concentrative) during prayers. The literal meaning of this word is "calmness", but in religious terminology it means "to bring about a state of perfect concentration in the heart" so that he does not knowingly allow any thoughts to enter his heart other than the remembrance of Allah. It also means that during prayers a person must abstain from moving his body and limbs unnecessarily, casting down one's eyes and keeping the voice low and to refrain from casting sideways glances obliquely. Also, the word means "not toying with any part of the body". There is a hadith from Sayyidna Abu Dharr that the Holy Prophet pbuh' once said, "Allah keeps an eye over His servant during prayers so long as he concentrates his attention on Allah, but when he turns his attention elsewhere and glances obliquely sideways, Allah also turns away from him." (Mazhari)

The Holy Prophet pbuh is reported to have directed Sayyidna 'Anas to keep his eyes fixed at the spot which he touched with his forehead when performing sajdah (prostration) and not to look right and left during prayers.

The second attribute of a good Muslim is that he abstains from frivolous and vain things. (Laghw, translated in the text as 'vain things') means useless talk and action which do not bring any religious reward and in its extreme form it may include sinful acts that are positively harmful and must, therefore, be avoided. And in its mild from laghw is neither useful nor harmful but it is very desirable to give up this habit. There is a hadith in which the Holy Prophet pbuh: (It is a part of one's being a fair Muslim that he gives up all that is useless for him). For these reasons guarding oneself against useless acts has been described as an attribute of a good Muslim in this verse.

The third attribute is Zakah which, literally means "to purify" but in religious terminology it means giving in charity a portion of one's wealth subject to certain prescribed conditions and the word has been generally used in the Qur'an in this sense. This meaning of the word can be applied in this verse also.

The word can also be interpreted here in its common literal sense i.e. to purify one's own self. Purification of soul is to cleanse one's soul of impurities and sins such as polytheism, hypocrisy, vanity,
jealousy, hatred, greed, miserliness. (tazkiyah).

Fourth Attribute is guarding ones private parts against unlawful liaison. (And who guard their private parts except from their wives or from those (slave-girls) owned by their right hands - 23:5,6). They satisfy their needs with their wives and their legal bondmaids according to the prescribed laws and avoid unlawful liaison.(However, those who seek beyond that are the transgressors - 7). Satisfying one's desire with someone other than one's own wife or a lawfully acquired slave-girl is strictly forbidden and the ban includes adultery (marrying a woman whom one is not allowed to marry under the religious code is also adultery), having relations with one's wife or slave-girl when she is menstruating or is confined, or having unnatural sex with them, homosexuality and bestiality, while most jurists include masturbation also in the ban.

Fifth Attribute of a good Muslim is that he should discharge his trust truly and faithfully .(And [success is attained] by those who honestly look after their trusts and covenant, -23:8). The word covers everything which a person has undertaken to perform or which have been placed under his care as trust.

Since it may be of many kinds, the word is used in plural, so that it may include all sorts of trusts whether they may relate to the rights of Allah or to the rights of human beings. To perform scrupulously all the injunctions and duties made obligatory by religious laws and to abstain from things which have been forbidden or declared undesirable is to look after the trust that relates to the rights of Allah. As regards the discharge of trusts relating to the rights of human beings, these take numerous forms, and the most well-known is that a person must promptly return to the owner on demand any goods which have been in his custody as trust.

Any information received in confidence is a trust and to reveal it to anybody else without the permission of the person who gave it is a breach of trust. Mutual settlement between an employer and an employee of the terms of employment, i.e. the work to be done and time to be spent in the performance of work, and the wages to be paid is a trust and binding on both the parties and a violation of this agreement by either party would constitute a breach of trust. Hence discharge of trust is an all-encompassing word.

Sixth Attribute of a perfect Muslim is to fulfill his covenant. The word (covenant) has two connotations. One is a covenant between two parties specifying the duties and obligations of either party and is binding on both and a breach of this covenant by either party is a fraud and deceit and therefore forbidden in Islam.

The other is where a person voluntarily promises to give something to someone or undertakes to do some job. Its fulfillment is also obligatory under the dictates of Sharlah. There is a Hadith which says (a promise is like a debt). It means that a promise is like a debt and must be fulfilled in the same manner as a debt must be discharged, the difference being that whereas the repayment of a debt can be enforced through a court of law, a voluntary promise is not enforceable likewise.

Nevertheless the person making the promise is morally bound to abide by it and failure to do so would be a sin unless there is a religious ground for his inability to fulfill his promise.

Seventh attribute And who consistently observe their prayers -23:9). To observe one's prayers here means to offer them regularly at the appointed time, and the word (Prayers) has been used in the plural form to include all the five prayers. In an earlier verses the word (Salah: prayer) was used in the singular because the emphasis was on Khushu which is the essence of all prayers whether they are fard, wajib, sunnah or nafl.
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A careful study of the above seven attributes would show that they encompass all the duties which man owes to Allah and to fellow men, and all the laws governing those duties. A person who possesses these attr'ibutes and adheres to them is a complete mu'min (believer) and deserving of falaah in this world and in the Hereafter.

It will also be noted that these seven attributes begin and also end with a reference to prayers which suggests that if prayers are offered in the prescribed manner with all their requirements, the other attributes will appear automatically.

Those are the inheritors, who will inherit Firdaus (Paradise) - 23:10.11.

The good Muslims who possess the attributes described above have been declared in this verse to be the heirs to the garden of Paradise.

(Maarif ul Quran)

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From Surah Furqan (The Criterion)



63. And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.

64. And those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing.

65. And those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment."

66. Evil indeed it (Hell) is as an abode and as a place to dwell.

67. And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes).

68. And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.

69. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;

70. Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

71. And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds, then verily, he repents towards Allah with true repentance.

72. And those who do not witness falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.

73. And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat.

74. And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqun"

75. Those will be rewarded with the highest place (in Paradise) because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect.

76. Abiding therein; excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to dwell.

77. Say (O Muhammad to the disbelievers): "My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied (Him). So the torment will be yours for ever (inseparable permanent punishment)."

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The Holy Qur'an has awarded the title of 'Ibad-ur-Rahman to such special servants of Allah, which is indeed the highest honour.
By selecting the name Rahman (the All-Merciful) for Himself, out of all His Beautiful Names and attributes, the hint is perhaps given to the fact that these pious people, being the slaves of the All- Merciful, should reflect and demonstrate the quality of mercifulness through their general behavior.

Although all creatures are governed by His will compulsorily, but here the voluntary worship by free will is alluded. That is to surrender completely before Allah and to make all deeds and desires conforming to His pleasure with one's own choice.

Their traits and characteristics are mentioned in the last verses until the end of the Surah. In between this description repentance from infidelity and sins and its effects are also referred to.

Special Traits of Allah's Favored Servants

In the verses under review thirteen traits and habits of the special and favoured servants of Allah are mentioned. Included among them are correct beliefs, righteous acts, both physical and financial, to obey the command of Allah and His messenger, social dealings with other persons, Allah's fear in His worship, refraining from all sorts of sins and carrying along one's wife and children on the righteous path with oneself.

The first characteristic of such people is that they are "slaves" which is the plural of the word (slave) . Here it means the slave who is the property of his Master. All his deeds and prerogatives together with his very life are dedicated to follow the command and will of the Master.

Only such a person can claim to be Allah's slave whose views and beliefs, thinking and desires, and deeds and actions are totally in line with the command and pleasure of his Rabb (Master) and who keeps himself alert to carry out each and every command as soon as he is required to.

The second characteristic is "they walk on the earth humbly". Here the word is used in the sense of humbleness, modesty and decorum - that is one does not walk with pride or arrogance. It does not mean that one should walk very slowly, because it is against Sunnah if it is without any need.

According to the description given in the books of his biography, the Holy Prophet used not to walk slowly. Instead his walk was on quicker side.

It is recorded in a Hadith "He used to walk in a manner as if ground was shrinking for him". (Ibn Kathir) It is for this reason that the righteous elders have described the slow walk, like that of a sick person, as a symbol of arrogance, a sham habit, and something unwanted.

Sayyidna 'Umar R.A.once saw a young man walking very slowly. He asked him" Are you sick". He replied "No". Then Sayyidna 'Umar raised his stick on him and commanded "Always walk robustly". (Ibn Kathir)

Hasan al Basri explains that the organs of sincere believers are always humble before Allah, so much so that the one who is not familiar with them feels that they are sick or disabled, while they are fit and healthy. As a matter of fact it is the awe of God which has overtaken them and which has not struck the others. It is the fright of Hereafter which has refrained them from unnecessary mundane practices. Those who do not have faith in God and keep themselves engrossed in worldly affairs suffer only with disappointment (because they do not get the desired result in this world, and lose their share in the Hereafter as well). And those who regard sustenance as the only reward from Allah SWT and neglect practicing morality have indeed very little understanding and for them there is great punishment. (Ibn Kathir)

The third characteristic: (And when the ignorant people speak to them, they reply peacefully – 25.63): It should be kept in mind that the word "ignorant" in this verse refers to a person who acts like an ignorant person, notwithstanding that he might be a knowledgeable person. Also, the word salam (peace) is not used here in its customary sense of greeting, but for any word causing peace. What is meant here is that in response to ignorance they keep composed and answer with calmness so that others are not offended and they do not commit a sin. The intended meaning is that they do not avenge from those who talk to them like ignorant people.

The Fourth Characteristic: ; (and those who pass the night prostrating and standing before their Lord, - 2564). Special mention of night worship is made here firstly, because this time being a time of rest, requires extra effort, and secondly because it rules out the possibility of showing one's worship to others.

The idea is to express that they spend their day and night in submission before Allah during the day by teaching and spreading religious tenets and struggling in the way of Allah and at night by praying before Him.

The sayings of the Holy Prophet peace be upon him have extolled the night prayers. Tirmidhi has reported, "Remain steadfast to your night prayers as this has been the practice of all righteous people before your time, and this will bring you closer to Allah SWT and will expiate the evils and keep you away from sins". (Mazhari)

Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas has said that one who has offered two or more Rak'ats after 'Isha' prayers is also covered by the verse. (Mazhari from Bayhaqi) and Sayyidna 'Uthman is reported to have observed that the Holy Prophet pbuh has said that one who has offered his 'Isha' prayer with congregation would be regarded as having worshipped half the night and the one who has offered Fajr prayer with congregation would be regarded as having offered the other half of the night in prayers.

The Fifth Characteristic (and those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Jahannam - 25:65). It means that despite their constant prayers day and night, these favoured ones do not sit content, but are always fearful of God and keep in mind the Day of Judgement. To that end they keep alive the righteous deeds as well as supplications before Allah.

The Sixth Characteristic (and those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly - 25:67). That is Allah's blessed servants are neither spendthrifts nor misers but they spend moderately. The words (israf, i.e. extravagance) and iqtar i.e. miserliness are used in the verse for the two opposite traits.

Israaf means to cross the limits. Spending on something sinful, however little it may be, is israf. Overspending in the rightful and allowed things which is wasteful would also fall under the definition of israaf. Any wasteful spending is by itself a sin and hence israf. Allah swt has said (Surely squanderers are brothers of Satan - 17:27).

Iqtar means to spend with miserliness. In Islamic jurisprudence it means to be tight fisted where a believer is directed to spend. In case one does not spend at all at a place where he has been directed to spend, then .that is the worst situation.

Therefore, the message of the verse is that Allah's blessed servants are neither spendthrifts nor misers but in the matter of spending they take the middle path.

There is a saying of the Holy Prophet: That is "It is the sagacity of man to adopt the middle path in spending".

Also, "The person who sticks to the middle path and moderation in spending will never become a destitute and poor". (Imam Ahmad - Ibn Kathir)

The Seventh Characteristic; (And those who do not invoke any other god along with Allah - 25:68).

The first six characteristics included the principles of obedience and now the characteristics of disobedience are described. Among these the very first one relates to belief, that is these blessed servants do not associate any one with Allah SWT in His worship, This point establishes that shirk is the biggest sin of all.

..contd.

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The Eighth and Ninth characteristic (Do not kill a person whom Allah has given sanctity - 25:68). This is the description of the major and grave sins pertaining to one's deeds. It is mentioned that Allah's blessed servants do not go even near them; neither they indulge in adultery nor do they kill innocent people. After describing the beliefs and big sins of one's deeds the verse that whoever will involve himself in the above mentioned sins will get punished accordingly.

The next verse mentions some details of the punishment to be faced by the aforementioned sinners.

Doubling of chastisement will be exclusive to infidels i.e. the first chastisement will be for infidelity and in case they have also committed sins the chastisement will be doubled. Secondly, it is also mentioned about this chastisement that it will be perpetual (25:69) i.e. the punished will be placed there forever after being disgraced and condemned. On the other hand no believer will be condemned for ever in the Jahannam, no matter how big a sin he has committed.

Muslims will be taken out of the Jahannam when they have completed their term there.

In the next verse there is a solace for the above type of sinners in that if they seek Allah's forgiveness and act righteously, then Allah SWT is expected to change their sins into righteous deeds.

In other words, once they have repented on their past sins and accepted Islam, their past sins will be taken away from their record and all that will be left in the record would be nothing but righteous deeds. It is because Allah has promised that when an infidel accepts Islam, all sins he might have committed during infidelity are pardoned. Hence their previous record which was full of sins and evil deeds will be forgiven and scraped, and will be replaced with a fresh record of good and righteous deeds which they would perform after submitting to Islam.

(And whoever repents and does righteous deeds he turns to Allah truly - 25:71).

In brief if a Muslim indulged in a sin by negligence and then realized that he has done wrong and repented and after that kept himself away from the sin, his repentance will be accepted by Allah SWT, and hopefully he will get the same benefit as described in the first verse i.e. his sins will be converted into virtues.

The tenth characteristic (And those who do not witness falsehood - 25:72).

That is they do not participate in the meetings where lie and falsehood has currency. The biggest falsehood is the kufr (disbelief) and shirk, and the next in order comes the common lie and acts of sin. In other words the blessed and favoured servants of Allah avoid attending such meetings.

Ibn Abbas said that these meetings or assemblies refer to infidels festivals, carnivals and field days; while Sayyidna Mujahid and Muhammad Ibn Hanifah are of the view that they relate to music concerts. According to 'Amr Ibn Qais they refer to vulgar and cheap dance parties. Zuhri and Imam Malik term them as liquor drinking parties (Ibn Kathir).

In any case there is no contradiction in all these explanations because all such gatherings come under the definition of assembly of falsehood. The righteous people should avoid such gathering, as even an intentional look at them is tantamount 'to participation in them.

Some commentators have taken the sentence,- to mean that they do not give false evidence, Muslim have recorded Sayyidna 'Abbas quoting that the Holy Prophet said that false evidence is the gravest of the major sins.

Sayyidna 'Umar said that if the offence of giving false evidence is proved against someone, he should be flogged with forty stripes, and then his face be painted black and taken round the market place, and after that put in jail for a long time. (Mazhari)

The Eleventh Characteristic (and when they pass by the absurd things, Pass by with dignity - 72). That is if by chance they happen to pass by immoral gatherings, they walk away with dignity and grace. In other words as they do not attend such gatherings intentionally, if they happen to pass by them sometimes by chance they just walk away from there in a dignified manner. That is despite their belief that their evil acts are hateful, they do not take pride or regard themselves superior for not indulging in them. Once Sayyidna Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud happened to pass by an absurd and dissolute gathering, so he did not stop there but simply walked away. When the Holy Prophet pbuh learnt about this incidence he remarked "Ibn Masud has become (dignified)" and then recited this verse wherein it is enjoined to walk away from dissolute gatherings with dignity. (Ibn Kathir)

The Twelfth Characteristic And those who, when they are reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall at them as deaf and blind ones - 25:73

That is when the blessed servants of Allah are reminded of His verses and the Hereafter, they do not throw themselves upon them as if they were blind and dumb, but pay heed to them like sober and sensible persons, and act upon them. They do not behave like the ignorants or negligent persons as if they have not seen or listened i.e. not understood the message.

Two things are mentioned in this verse. One, to fall at Divine revelation i.e. to listen them with full attention. This is a virtuous and commendable act. Second, to fall at the verses like deaf and dumb people/which means to listen to the message but without any purpose or commitment and act in a manner that the real message has not been registered, and even if they follow the Qur'anic message it is not in line with the practices of the companions of the Prophet or their followers.

Such people follow their own whims based on hearsay, which is as bad as not following the Divine message.

Self-study of religious precepts is not enough but they need to be acted upon in the light of interpretation given by classic scholars.

As it is condemned in the verses under study that Divine message is ignored. It is also pointed out with equal emphasis that it is listened and acted upon without due diligence, that is without comprehending the intent and spirit of the precept and according to one's own sweet will.

Ibn Kathir has reported that he inquired that if he comes across a people who are in the state of sajdah (prostration), whether it is correct for him to join them in sajdah. Sha'bi replied in the negative explaining that it would not be correct for him to join in their prostration unless he finds out the purpose of that act. It is not proper for a believer to join in any action without knowing the purport of that act, rather he should seek to know the purpose behind an act before taking it up for himself. When one has not listened the verse of prostration, nor does he know the reason for their prostration it is not allowed for him to go in prostration.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that there is a new tendency among the younger generation and modern educated people to study the Qur'an but to achieve this purpose they often deem it enough to study the Qur'an and try to understand it through the translations of the Qur'an on their own. This practice being against the correct principles of learning something, often makes them fall into misconceptions. It is a well-settled fact that education and knowledge cannot be imparted only through books unless guidance of a teacher is available for explaining the intricacies of the subject which normally go unnoticed by an ordinary reader.

It is rather strange why people feel that this basic rule does not apply to Quran and its related subjects and try to indulge in interpreting the Holy Book according to their own wishes. This type of study and interpreting Qur'an on one's own without the help and guidance of a well qualified teacher also falls under the purview of this verse i.e. "they do not throw themselves upon as if they were blind and dumb". May Allah lead us to the right path.

The Thirteenth Characteristic And those who say, "Our Lord, Give us, from our spouses and our children, coolness of eyes and make us heads of the God-fearing. (25.74)

This verse contains a prayer for one's spouses and children. One can draw solace from his dear ones (wife and children) if they submit to the way of Allah. That is the true bliss for a man, and if the good health and well being of the wife and children is also added to this, it is also in order.

What is alluded here is that the righteous servants of God do not care about correcting themselves only, but also take care of the virtuous actions of their children and spouse, and keep trying for their
improvement, and it is a part of their efforts that they pray Allah to make them take the right path.

The second sentence of this verse says (and make us heads of the God-fearing - 25:74)
Everyone is the head or Imam of his family. Thus, if his family members become God fearing, one will automatically be their head or Imam.

SO, what is their reward?

(Such people will be rewarded with the high place - 75) The righteous people having special closeness to Allah will be given high chambers in Paradise which will look like stars to common people. (al-BukhEri, Muslim, Mazhari)

It is narrated in Musnad of Ahmad, Bayhaqi, Tirmidhi that the Holy Prophet said "In Paradise there will be such upper Houses that their interior could be seen from outside and the exterior from inside". Sahabah inquired from him as to who will live in them. Then he pbuh replied "Those who keep their speech clean and soft, greet every Muslim, feed the poor, and offer Tahajjud prayers at night when others are sleeping." (Mazhari)

And will be received therein with prayers of their eternal life and peace - 25:75). That is beside other boons of Paradise they will have the honour that angels will greet and felicitate them.

Then in the last verse the infidels and disbelievers have been warned again of the chastisement on which the Surah is concluded.

(Say (0 Prophet) My Lord will never care about you, if you will not invoke Him - 25:77).

You would have no value or importance before God if you do not call Him and pray to Him. It is because the very purpose of man's creation is that he should worship Allah, (I have not created Jinn and mankind eucept'to worship Me -' 51:56).

(Maarif ul quran)