Ethics

Islam wants the Muslims to live an independent life as a militarily coordinated and socially homogeneous unit. To enable the Muslim society to grow strong and vigorous every Muslim is expected to consider himself to be a member of it. The Holy Qur'an...

Islam wants the Muslims to live an independent lif...

The Holy Qur'an has strictly warned the Muslims against accepting the friendship or tutelage of the non Muslims. This does not mean that Islam is in any way against the Muslims having good relations with the fellow human beings or it exhorts them to ...

The Holy Qur'an has strictly warned the Muslims ag...

The words, Wala, Walayat, Wilayat, Waly, Mawla, Awlaand the like have been derived from the same root, viz. Waly. The various forms of this root-word and its derivatives are the most oft-recurring words in the Holy Qur'an. It is said that they have b...

The words, Wala, Walayat, Wilayat, Waly, Mawla, Aw...

Many claim to love God, but each should examine himself as to the genuineness of the love which he professes. The first test is this: he should not dislike the thought of death, for no friend shrinks from going to see a friend. The Prophet said, "Who...

Many claim to love God, but each should examine hi...

All Moslems profess to believe that the Vision of God is the summit of human felicity, because it is so stated in the Law; but with many this is a mere lip-profession which arouses no emotion in their hearts. This is quite, natural, for how can a man...

All Moslems profess to believe that the Vision of ...

THE love of God is the highest of all topics, and is the final aim to which we have been tending hitherto. We have spoken of spiritual dangers as they hinder the love of God in a man's heart, and we have spoken of various good qualities as being the ...

THE love of God is the highest of all topics, and ...

Marriage is a religious institution, and should be treated in a religious way, otherwise the mating of men and women is no better than the mating of animals. The Law enjoins that there should be a feast on the occasion of every marriage. When Abdurra...

Marriage is a religious institution, and should be...

MARRIAGE plays such a large part in human affairs that it must necessarily be taken into account in treating of the religious lifer and be regarded. in both its aspects of advantage and disadvantage. Seeing that God, as the Koran says, "only created ...

MARRIAGE plays such a large part in human affairs ...

KNOW, O brother, that in the Koran God hath said, "We will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, and no soul shall be wronged in anything." Whosoever has wrought a grain of good or ill shall then behold it. In the Koran it is also written...

KNOW, O brother, that in the Koran God hath said, ...

THE heart of man has been so constituted by the Almighty that, like a flint, it contains a hidden fire which is evoked by music and harmony, and renders man beside himself with ecstasy. These harmonies are echoes of that higher world of beauty which ...

THE heart of man has been so constituted by the Al...

AS REGARDS the joys of heaven and the pains of hell which will follow this life, all believers in the Koran and the Traditions are sufficiently informed. But it often escapes them that there is also a spiritual heaven and hell, concerning the former ...

AS REGARDS the joys of heaven and the pains of hel...

THIS world is a stage or market-place passed by pilgrims on their way to the next. It is here that they are to provide themselves with provisions for the way; or, to put it plainly, man acquires here, by the use of his bodily senses, some knowledge o...

THIS world is a stage or market-place passed by pi...

IT is a well-known saying of the Prophet that "He who knows himself, knows God"; that is, by contemplation of his own being and attributes man arrives at some knowledge of God. But since many who contemplate themselves do not find God, it follows tha...

IT is a well-known saying of the Prophet that "He ...

KNOWLEDGE of self is the key to the knowledge of God, according to the saying: "He who knows himself knows God," 1 and, as it is Written in the Koran, "We will show them Our signs in the world and in themselves, that the truth may be manifest to them...

KNOWLEDGE of self is the key to the knowledge of G...

KNOW, O beloved, that man was not created in jest or at random, but marvellously made and for some great end. Although he is not from everlasting, yet he lives for ever; and though his body is mean and earthly, yet his spirit is lofty and divine. Whe...

KNOW, O beloved, that man was not created in jest ...

Fisq as a term means disobedience to the obligatory commands of Islamic Shari'ah or committal of acts forbidden by it; its opposite is ita'ah (obedience) to the commands of God, the Supreme. A major part of the Divine commands consists of specific fo...

Fisq as a term means disobedience to the obligator...

Jaza leads to screaming, beating one's face, tearing clothes, and raising a clamour when faced with some misfortune or calamity. Jaza is one of the vices of the Power of Anger. Its opposite is sabr (forbearance), which is one of the noblest virtues. ...

Jaza leads to screaming, beating one's face, teari...

This is the vice of being unthankful for Divine blessings, and its opposite is shukr (thankfulness). The virtue of shukr consists of the following elements: 1. Recognition of blessings and their origin, which is Divine Beneficence. 2. Being delighted...

This is the vice of being unthankful for Divine bl...

Huzn Huzn means grief and remorse for losing or failing to attain something cherished. Huzn, like sakhat, follows from karahah. Absence of Trust in God This vice consists of reliance on intermediate means, not God, for solution of one's problems. It ...

Huzn Huzn means grief and remorse for losing or fa...

Sakhat is being grieved at adversities and misfortunes which may befall one to the extent of complaining about them. The opposite of the vice of sakhat is the virtue of rida which is being satisfied and content with whatever God wills. Sakhat is a ki...

Sakhat is being grieved at adversities and misfort...

Aversion' refers to a state of abhorrence for all things entailing hardship and labour. Its extreme form is maqt or hatred.' The opposite of karahah is hubb or inclination. Hubb consits of the soul's liking for pleasant and beneficial things. The ext...

Aversion' refers to a state of abhorrence for all ...