Morality

A-úthú billáhi minash shaytánir rajím. Bismilláhir Rahmánir Rahím!

[Arabic du’á]

The question of morality is a very vast and important. It could not be dealt with in a short period of time. I will try today to focus on one aspect of this question, that is the relationship between the Islamic forms of worship and morality. There are some Muslims who seem to believe that morality and acts of worship are two different and separate things. We see Muslims who pray but they still cheat and lie. They fast but they do not abstain from what is wrong,. They may give Zakat but they do not care how they earn their money whether form Halal or Haram , and they also make Haj but they return with hearts full of wickedness and evil.

Such acts of worship may be Islamic in form and appearance, but most certainly they are not Islamic in substance and spirit. The Prophet has stated the foremost purpose of His message and the method of his call to the people in these words:

I have been sent to complement or to perfect the best of manners or the good morals.

Thus, the purpose of the great message , which has left an indelible impression on the history of life , was nothing less but to strengthen the manners and the moral character of the people of the world so that the world of beauty and perfection may be illuminated before their eyes and they may try to achieve it consciously and with knowledge.

The worships that have been decreed in Islam and which has been included in the basic pillars of the faith are not some mystic exercises that link man with unknown mysterious being and which subjects people to perform useless acts and meaningless movements and ceremonies.

All the Islamic forms of worships are designed for a noble purpose . They are designed to train and to enable people to accuire correct morals and habits and to live righteously, and to adhere to these virtues till the end , whatever be the changes in their circumstances. The holly Quran and the Sunah clearly demonstrate these facts.

Salat is a compulsory form of worship which was commanded by Allah who says:

……and establish Salat , for Salat prohibits or restrains from obscenity and unjust deeds or evil 2945.

To keep away from evil , wickedness and to purify from bad deeds are also realities of Salat . In a Hadith -Qudsi Allah says :

I accept Salat from those who pray in humility to my greatness, are not contemptuous to my creatures, do not insist on sinning against me, spend their day in remembering me and are kind to poor , the needy the widow, the week and the suffering.

Zakat which is one of the Islamic pillars is not merely a tax that is collected from those who can afford it . It is designed and intended for a noble purpose also. Its foremost purpose is to sow the seeds of kindness , sympathy and benevolence , and to provide a chance to introduce among the various sections of the society the relationship of love and friendliness.

The Purpose of paying Zakat has been stated in the Quran in the following words:

From their goods or property take alms so that it may purify and sanctify them.

Thus , to purify and sanctify one’s self of the wordy impurities and to raise the standard of the society to the heights of decency and purity is a part of the wisdom behind the levy of Zakat.

For this reason , the prophet has taken it in a very wide sense. He has said:

To smile in the face of your brother is a charity. To command good deeds and enjoin or seek to prevent evil is charity. To guide a person in a place where he could go astray is charity. To remove a harmful thing from the road is charity. To pour water from your jug into the jug of your brother is charity. To guide a person with weak vision is charity.

Similarly, Islam has made Siyam compulsory. But it did not envisage Siyam as a temporary deprivation of foods and drinks but rather a step towards keeping away from all prohibited things. In this regard the Prophet has said:

Fasting is not abstaining from food and drink, but it is keeping away from wicked and obscene things … . .

The Quran states the purpose of Siyam in these words:

Fasting has been prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may become righteous. 1183.

Someone may think that making Haj and traveling to the holly land , which is one of the pillars of Islam , is merely a form of worship that has no relation with the world of morality and good manners. This is a clear misunderstanding and wrong- You should not be surprised if you meet or see a person or persons who are far away from morality and good manners during Haj. Allah says :

For Haj are the months well known. If any one undertakes that duty therein, Let there be no obscenity, nor wickedness , nor wrangling. Whatever good you do, Allah knows it. And take a provision for the journey But the best provision is right conduct So fear me O you that you are wise.

This is merely the main outline of the forms of worship which are well known and generally practiced in Islam and they are its basic pillars. They show us what a deep relationship is there between religion and morality and how strong and lasting is this relationship.

These forms of worship may differ in substance and form , but they all meet at the objective declared by the Prophet when He said:

I have been sent to perfect the best of manner or morality.

Salat, Siyam, Zakat, Haj and other forms of worship are the stepping stones for real perfection , and are the means of purity and sanctity that makes the secure and magnificent . On account of high attributes and noble qualities that are the inalienable parts and the consequences of these forms of worship, they have been given a very high and important place in our religion.

If these forms of worship do not purify the hearts of people , and if they do not nourish best qualities in those who observe them, and if they do nor improve and make from relationship between Allah and his servants, then there is nothing left for people but falling into loss and misgidance.

Allah says:

Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner (at judgment) for him is Hell; therein shall he neither die nor live. But such as comes to Him as believers who have worked righteous deeds –for them are ranks exalted (high positions). Gardens of Eternity beneath which flow rivers . They will dwell thereinfor ever. Such is the reward of those who purify themselves from evil.

[du’á in Arabic]

Ameen! Aqeemus Salaah!