The Religion Of Islam vol.2

Chapter XVIII - True Believers

Their Manners And Characters

As Described In The Koran

The Holy Koran describes the Muslim, i.e. the true believers as follows:

“Believers are they who fear God and fear nothing else” (III – 102).

“They hold together and unit together” (III – 1-03).

“They are protected from harm since they abide by the instruction of their Lord and Benefactor, the True God, Allah” (V – 108).

“Their lives, honour and property are sacred” (IV – 92).

“Believers should not disregard those who salute them and wish them peace, even if the saluters are unbelievers” (IV – 95).

“They should not sit when God’s attributes are ridiculed” (IV –140).

The prefer their co-religionists for true friends “O ye who believe do not take the unbelievers for guardians (true friends) rather than the believers” (IV – 144).

Their behaviour when giving witness is “To be upright and bear witness with justice and let no hatred of a people incite them to act inequity ably” (V – 8). Believers are not to ask inquisitive questions “O you who believe! Do not put questions above things which if declared to you may give you trouble; but wait until things are revealed to you by the Koran” (V – 101). ^([1])

 

Their duties to God are given in the following verses: -

“O ye who believe! Be careful of your duty to God, and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may prosper” (V – 35)

“O you who believe! Turn sincerely to God (from your own passions) so that He will pardon your past evil-doings and will cause you to enter paradise in the hereafter” (LXVI – 8).

Believers’ exalted grades are described as follows: -

“They are true believers whose hearts become full of loyalty when Allah (God) is mentioned; and when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord they put wholly their trust; those who keep up prayer and spend benevolently out of what the Almighty God has granted them. These are the true believers surely; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and honourable sustenance” (VIII – 2-4).    

 

The righteous are described as they "Who walk on the  earth in humbleness, and When the ignorant (i.e. the foolish) address them, they say (nothing but) peace ! peace !; and they who pass the night (before going to bed) prostrating themselves before their Lord (through love and good hope)..."

 

"And they who When they spend, are neither extravagant nor parsimonious but keep always in the moderate and middle way. And they who do not worship or bow down to any but Allah and they who do not kill any soul, except in the requirement of justice.

"And they who do not commit fornication. And they who do not give false witness, or bear witness to what is false"

"And when they pass by vain scenes they pass by nobly and gentlemanly, i.e. they take no part in such vain sceneries. And they who when reminded of the enjoinments of their Lord, do not fall dawn deaf and blind. And they who say, ‘ O Our Lord! grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes; and make us guides to those who seek to be 'righteous'." (XXV-63-74).

 

The above Koranic description of the righteous shows how great was the transformation wrought by the advent of the Prophet, a people having been at the depth of degradation being converted into such righteous servants of the only true God

True believers are also they :-

           

"Who should be firm against the enemies and not to lose heart but should rely upon God for victory”.

“O you who believe! when you meet a party (of the enemies) then be firm and keep remembering God to help you and make you Victorious. And obey God and his Apostle and do not quarrel between yourselves, for if you do, you will be weak in hearts and your power will depart; so be patient as God supports those who arc patient". (VIII 45-46).

 

And also who are not coward, nor should be weary and faint-hearted against their enemies:-:

"Be not slack so as to cry for peace when fighting against the enemies, while you have the upper hand, and God is with you, and He will not bring your struggle to naught”  (XLVII-35).

 

And who should help each other and give asylum to those who adopt exile towards the cause of God :­

"Surely those who believed and fled their homes and struggled hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, and those who give shelter -and help - these are guardians of each other” (VIII-72).

And who do not ask for exemption from joining the army of the

Muslims when at war :-

"And who do not ask leave to stay away from striving hard against the offending enemies with their property and their persons" (IX-44).(1)

 

And who do unite with those who are true in works and deeds

"O you who believe! Be careful of your duty to God and be united only with those who are truthful" (X-119)

 

Believers are they who study and teach others: -

"Believers are to practise prayer and charity."

And who say what is best: -

"Say, O! Prophet, to my servants that they should speak the truth and what is best to be said" (XVIlI-53).

 

And who should never despair or exult: -

“No evil or anything disliked befalls on the earth nor in your own souls but it is predestined and recorded before God brings it into existence…. so that you may not despair (of God's mercy) or grieve of what has escaped you, nor should you be exultant at what God has granted you: Allah does not love -any arrogant boaster". (LVII-22-23)

 

And who are to make peace and act equitably :-

"If two parties of the believers should quarrel, make peace between them; but if one of them acts wrongfully towards the other, fight that which acts wrongfully until it returns to submit to God's command! then if it returns, make peace between them with justice and act equitably. Surely Allah loves those who act equitably. The believers are but brethren- therefore, make peace between your brethren and adopt righteous conduct so that the Almighty God shower His blessings and mercy upon you  (XLIX - 9-10).

 

And who avoid suspicion and spying

"O you believers ! avoid most of suspicion; for surely suspicion is a sin, and do not spy, nor let some of you backbite others   (XLIX-13).

"And  who  remember God in humility”.  (LVII-16).

 

And who are sincere lovers of truth: -

"Those who believe in Allah and the message of his Apostles are the lovers of truth and are themselves truthful and faithful   (LVII-19).

 

And who do what they say:-

"O ye who believe ! it is most hateful sight of God that you say what you will not put into action; believers are they who fulfill their promise and not simply talk without confirming by deeds what they say by their lips" (LXV-3).

 

And who are helpers of God’s ordinances: -

“O  Believers!  be ye helpers of God’s ordinances” (LXI-14).([2])

And who put their trust wholly in God: -

"There is no deity but Allah; therefore, let the, believers put their trust in  God only”'  (LXIV-13)

"And who do righteous deeds" (LXXXV-11)

 

([1])  As Islam discouraged rigorous practices such as monastic life, it also prohibited asking questions relating to details on many points, which would make this or that practice obligatory, and such was left to individual will or circumstances of the time or place.

([2])  If we seek God’s help, we must first help God’s cause, i.e. dedicate ourselves entirely to Him and without reserve by obeying His ordinances and forbidding what He has declared forbidden