Islam is way of life

The difference between Islam and other religions is that they are limited to worship only, while Islam is a complete discipline of life and that is why it demands total submission. Allah said that, "embrace Islam completely".  This clearly shows that it is not possible to embrace only a few teachings and leave the remaining behind.  However, under various constraints permission is granted for some exceptions.  When you are free of those constraints then the permission for exceptions is lifted. The life style expected by Islam covers all aspects of life.  Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has also given practical teachings himself, as a role model of Islam.  For him human rights and dealings were so important that he did not even offer the funeral prayers of a person in debt until his loan was paid off.

Let us now see what Islam preaches. In Islam, teaching begins at home, and then comes the rights of neighbors followed by collective responsibilities to society. Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) said that, the best among you is he who deals best with his wife.  Only after that are the orders for other family members.  We will discuss these later.

If you think about it, you will know how much importance we are giving to these matters, as the foundation of family and next generation will rely on it.  Let's see how much practical we are, as we are the nation and followers of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He said that, I am the best among you in my treatment towards my family.  Then should we not follow him?

Here we should keep in mind that when two individuals are matrimonially united, they give woes to each other and these woes are given in the presences of the witnesses under the law, The Law of Allah.  Hence they are saying that we are made for each other under the law of Allah and will spend our lives according to it.  If either of them reverts from this then the agreement of nikkah will be nullified. No Muslim woman can stay in a revert's nikkah and nor a believer in the nikkah of an infidel woman. Thus only if you are obedient to Allah, you remain husband and wife. The sermon, according to sunnah, at the time of matrimonial rites include the Qur’anic verses which stress on having firm faith as a Muslim till death. In the second verse, commitment is made to keep your promises and third is “sila rahmi” that is, better treatment of relatives with a warning that you will be questioned about it on the Day of Judgment. Think for a moment how much do we keep our promises whereas one who breaks them is called a liar.  Holy prophet (peace be upon him) said, “a liar cannot be a Muslim, where as a thief or a burglar can be”.  Let us see why is it important to tell the truth, and treat the wife nicely? Think about our attitudes in this regard. Without peace and unity between husband and wife harmony and peace of the home is destroyed. Without peace of mind, you cannot do any planning, and without planning to wait for good results would be sheer stupidity. Brought up of children would be impossible as well.  When you give them any advice, then they will be supported by your wife to the contrary.  As a result siblings would be confused and respect for both of you would be gone. Whereas the purpose of marriage, according to Qur’an, is to produce and up bring virtuous siblings. Like others it is not the source of sexual satisfaction. They consider their siblings as their second priority and as a result their children are usually sexually and mentally demented.

You forget about sayings and traditions for a moment and see what Qur’an says.  Qur’an says that only piety is the basis of excellence or preference and the one who is pious is close to Allah without any discrimination between man and woman. Islam believes in joint leadership, but man being the head of house and bread winner, has a unique position. Any leader without piety is not acceptable in a home or country of Islamic society.

You think about your commitment in regard to truth, promise, piety and reward of mercy.  It should be clear in our mind that Islamic society demands collective system or joint system and that begins at home. Holy prophet (peace be upon him) said: Marriage is my sunnah and one who does not act upon it is not from us. Sometimes it is also mentioned as half of the faith. However, the first tradition clearly shows that if some one wants to remain free of the matrimonial ties with out valid reason then he is not a Muslim. I have already mentioned that the purpose of marriage is to produce pious siblings. Sexual gratification is secondary. It is the beauty and benediction of Islam that every act of our will be rewarded until our intentions follow Almighty’s orders. Every act with this intention would be rewarded as the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that a greeting with smile is also a charity.

It is our common experience and observation that few parents are well known philanthropists but their attitudes are different in their own homes. Mother’s laps have been replaced by the nannies. Husband and wife are totally engrossed in their business and social lives and innocent children are being badly neglected and deprived of parental love and attention. Children are the future of our nation and remember that on the Day of Judgment you will be questioned about fulfillment of your responsibilities for providing a balanced life to them and others. Would you have any answer on the Day of Judgment if you fail to bring up your children as good Muslims?  All the wealth that you are earning with a claim for your children will neither be any help to them in this world nor for the life hereafter. It is a very common observation parents earn and children   spend it, and misuse it. Here I do not mean that Islam forbids from earning money, do earn but with a harmony as you are an “ummat e wusta “(moderate nation) and Islam is a moderate religion therefore purpose of life should not be wealth but the obedience of Allah. You fulfill your responsibilities according to the teachings, as this is the only path to success.

Let us come towards children. According to science, education of a child begins from the first day in this world. A period of nine months is required to bring a child into this world, so you see from when the education begins. You must have heard form our elderly women that if a pregnant woman sees good faces good children are born; this is true as external surroundings do affect the unborn child. Under this formula if mother is a believer then children will be of good morals like her that’s why Islam has stressed on beauty of nature and piety in selecting a wife. Beauty of face should be second priority in the selection of a wife. That is why marriage among relatives is  important, as you know your relatives better. This philosophy is beyond other religion's comprehension. None of Allah's orders is without wisdom and this belief revives the faith of a believer. It is the need of the hour that we should proudly practice our religion so that our children should not have any inferiority complex in following its true path. It is now in your hands to prove and only then children can become proud Muslims.