Once having said Shahadah and thus having accepted Allah as our creator and Muhammad (SAW) as His Messenger, the next and ultimate step is to please our Lord and thus Obtain his Mercy and love.

The question arises as to how to please our Lord, so that he will Love us?

Is it by doing what our heart says

Or IS it by using our intellect?

Or is it by mysticism and meditation

Or is it to ask a wise man

Or is it to consult a manual.

The answer is very clear to an intelligent person.

Everything has a manual even a simple VCR comes with a manual to show the purchaser how to best make use of it and how to look after it?

So why should the human being with such a complex physiological and psychological make up not come with a manual?

In fact we do come with a manual. Our manual is the Quran and Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the teacher of this manual and the Sahaba (companions) are the best followers of the Quran and the Prophet(SAW).

And Allah says:

Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Quran), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Quran) and Al­Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error.(3:164)

So since our aim in life is to please Allah and go to Jannah (heaven). How will our Lord be pleased with us?

Well Allah says to His Messenger(SAW)

Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31)

So for every Muslim who has said the Shahadah this verse describes in a nut shell what he or she has to do to obtain Allah's love.

Not only has Allah blessed us by sending us the book of Guidance but he has also sent us the best of His creation to explain the Book of Guidance clearly to us and Allah Himself says

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.(33:21)

And Allah also says in Surah Al-Hashr

....And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. (59:7)

Again Allah says:

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.(4:59)

A Muslim has to show total obedience to the Prophet otherwise he or she will have no faith

And Allah says:

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.

In the next verse Allah again tells his Messenger

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW)." But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbeliever's(3:32)

These verses clearly indicate that disobedient to either Allah or His Messenger or both takes one out of Islam. Therefore one has to make sure that they are obedient to Allah and His Messenger.

Obedience to Prophet is associated with obedience to Allah in forty different instances in the Quran. Disobedience to the Prophet (SAW) will result in a person being barred from paradise and he or she will be dragged into the hell fire.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said

" All my followers will enter paradise except those who refuse . "They said , " O Allah's Messenger ! Who will refuse ? " He said " Whoever obeys me will enter paradise and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it) . "

All the paths are blocked for Man except for those Muslims who follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (saw) For such believers all roads to goodness are open .

As was mentioned earlier the best followers of the Quran and the prophet were the companions of the Prophet (SAW).

They undoubtedly the best in terms of understanding the religious obligations, the Sunnah of the Prophet and the way of establishing the Islamic teachings. Their belief is an example for us, as Allah says in the Quran:

"So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, they are rightly guided, but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." [2:137]

And they are the best people, and the Prophet (s.a.w.) said

"The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them..."

And he also said,

"Do not abuse my Companions, for if any of you were to spend gold equal to (mountain of) Uhud in charity, it would not equal a handful of one of them or even half of that"

"Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people"

The Sahaba (Companions) are praised in many Quranic verses:

"You are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind, you enjoin good and forbid evil, and you believe in Allah." [3:110]

"And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajiroon (the Emigrants from Makkah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madeenah who helped the Muhajiroon) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success." [9:100]

"Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave their pledge to you (O Muhammad) under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down calmness and tranquility upon them..." [48:18]

And Allah also described them: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah and showed not their backs to the disbeliever's, of them some have fulfilled their obligations and some of them are still waiting, but they never changed (i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah) in the least." [33:23]

So let us look at how they followed the prophet so that we know how to follow Allah and His Messenger correctly.

Let us turn our minds back to the early days of Islam and listen to those people who truly knew how to follow and love the Messenger of Allah.

On the day of the battle of Badr the Muslims said "Go forth , O Messenger of Allah, to your desired destination , for we are with you. We swear by Him who has sent you with the truth that (even) if you decided to cross this sea, will would all follow you, not even a single man from us will fall behind. Go forth with the blessing of Allah ."

When the verse for the prohibition of alcohol came down they didn't ask why is it prohibited they just poured it away and he who had alcohol in his mouth spat it out.

And when the verses for hijab came the Muslim Women didn't say why or but our female rights or girl power or why us and not the men, they immediately cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their heads and faces with the cut pieces of cloth.

On another occasion because the men mixed with the women in the street, and so the Messenger of Allah (SAW), said "Draw back, for you (women) must not walk in the middle of the road; keep to the sides of the road."

Then the women walked so close to the walls that their garments rubbed against them.

Umar once came to the messenger and said "O Messenger of Allah I love you more the whole world and what it contains except myself and the Messenger said " No Umar you will never taste the sweetness of Iman until I become dearer to you than the whole world and all it contains including yourself "

These were hearts that truly loved Allah and His Messenger and that is why they are known as the best generation and ten of them were given the news of a place in paradise by the Prophet (SAW) himself even though they were still alive. These were the ideal Muslims and we should try to be like them as much as possible. As for those people who want to devise a better way than the Sahabah to follow the Quran and the Prophet we can only say that they are on a lost cause as the Prophet (SAW) said

"The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them..."

This is also reported by Muslim, Aboo Dawood, at-Tirmidhee, An-Nasa'ee and others. and he (SAW) said

"Do not abuse my Companions, for if any of you were to spend gold equal to (mountain of) Uhud in charity, it would not equal a handful of one of them or even half of that"
[al-Bukharee, Muslim].

And he said,

"Whoever abuses my Companions, upon them is the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people"

[Saheeh, At-Tabaranee].

Thus we can not have Iman until we love and obey Allah's Messenger (SAW) the way the Sahaba obeyed and loved him. In another hadith The prophet said

" Everyone will be with the one he loves."

Who would not want to be with the Prophet in the Jannat Al-Firdous? Unfortunately many Muslims do not follow the Quran and the Prophet's Sunnah as the companions did some of them want to devise their own ways (such as the Sufi's) other want to have an Islam which suits their desire (such as the modernists) and their are many others who want to understand Islam in a different way and this has led them to stray away from the path of Islam.

In this time of ours were we have so many deviant sects we have to remember the golden rules and that is Follow what Allah has said in His Book Al Quran and what the prophet (SAW) has said. The prophet (saw) has foretold us about our situation in the following hadith

However we know this would happen because the Prophet has told us that this will happen. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "The tribes of Israel broke into seventy- two sects. My Ummah shall break up into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire, except one: what I am upon and my Companions." [At-Tirmidhee]

So it is clear from the above saying of the Prophet (saw) that all paths other than what the Prophet (saw) Himself was on and what His companions were on will lead to the hellfire were we do not want to be so we should follow Islam as shown to us by the Prophet and His companions.

The prophet (SAW) did not leave anything out He even told us the manners of how to go to the toilet. Without the prophet (SAW) telling us about this we would not have known. So how can we know about far more complicated matters such as how to love the Prophet or follow him or get close to Allah without being told?

To end this is what the Prophet (saw) told us to do in our time

Unfortunately the deviant Muslim sects such as the Sufis and the Modernists when asked about toilet manners they will refer to hadith [sayings of the Prophet (SAW)] but when it comes to loving and following the they will not refer to what Allah says and what the Prophet says nor what the rightly guided khalifs did but they will come with their own system of loving the Prophet (SAW) and thus adding to the religion something that was not there. No Muslim no matter how pious he/she is will achieve the piety of the Sahaba so how can we invent a better way to love the Prophet (SAW) than the way of the Sahabah? The answer is very simple. We cannot invent a better way to get closer to Allah nor a better way to love the Prophet (saw). And the Prophet (SAW) has warned us of the severe consequences of inventing new matters in religion. We are fortunate that Allah Himself will protect the Quran, otherwise we would have added or even deleted parts of it like the Christians and thus no longer have a book that is totally error free.

It is quite clear from the above and the following hadith that we must follow the path that the prophet and His companions were on. They did not celebrate his birthday and other invented things so why should we? In fact this is an insult to them because we are indirectly saying that we know better than them.

On the authority of Abu Najih Al-Erbadh bin Sariah, who said: The messenger of Allah gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. We said: "O Messenger of Allah, it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so council us." He said: "I council you to fear Allah and to give absolute obedience even if a slave becomes your leader. Verily he among you who lives [long] will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khalifahs - cling to them stubbornly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray is in Hell-fire."

(The rightly-guided Khalifahs were Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then 'Ali.)

Complete adherence to Islam produces the most upright human being.

Thus the manners and behavior of a civilized person should be derived from the best speech (the Quran) and from the best example (Muhammad SAW).

It is well known that the Prophet (saw) was extremely trustworthy and had the best behavior towards all people. he insisted upon the importance of honesty, sincerity, good behavior and positive attitudes. the Prophet (saw) also said:

"I am a guarantor of a house in the highest part of paradise for the one who makes his behavior good" (Abu Dawud- hassan)

As a mercy to all mankind Allah sent his greatest creation to the whole of mankind.

He (SAW) was the ideal Leader, ideal man , the ideal, Husband, the ideal, friend, the ideal father. Every aspect of His (SAW) life was a perfect role model for human being to imitate.

Allah describes him thus:

And verily you ,(O Muhammad), are an exalted standard of character." (Surah al-Qalam 68:4)

and in another verse Allah says:

"We have not sent you except as a mercy for (all) the worlds" (Surah al-Anbiya; 21:107)

About character the Prophet (saw) also said:

I have been sent for the purpose of perfecting good morals

And he also said:

"Indeed Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and gives due to gentleness that which HE does not give due to in harshness". (ibn Maajah)

We can see from the lives of some Sahabah that Islam dramatically changed their behavior and character. Some of them when they were kaffirs (non-Muslims) they would beat their slaves, bury their daughters alive, drink alcohol and so on. But when they became Muslims they changed totally and became amongst the best people to live on the face of this earth.

In this section we will look at the what are considered bad manners in Islam and how to build get rid of them and develop civilized (Islamic) manners .InshaAllah.

Islamic Laws have regulated the mutual rights and duties of the members of society in order to ensure social stability. Such rights and duties are either special or general.

If the family is the basis of the society, and the basis of the family is the division of labour between husband and wife, and the upbringing of children is the most important function of the family, then such a society is indeed civilized. In the Islamic system of life, this kind of a family provides the environment under which human values and morals develop and grow in the new generation; these values and morals cannot exist apart from the family unit. If, on the other hand, free sexual relationship and illegitimate children become the basis of a society, and if the relationship between man and woman is based on lust, passion and impulse, and the division of work is not based on family responsibility and natural gifts; if the role of women is merely to be attractive, sexy and flirtatious, and if women are freed from their basic responsibility of bringing up children; and if, on her own or under social demand, she prefers to become a hostess or a stewardess in a hotel or ship or air company, thus using her ability for material productivity rather than the training of human beings, because material production is considered to be more important, more valuable and more honourable than the development of human character, then such a civilization is 'backward' from the human point of view, or 'jahili' in Islamic terminology.

The family system and the relationship between the sexes determine the whole character of a society and whether it is backward or civilized, jahili or Islamic. Those societies which give ascendance to physical desires and animalistic morals cannot be considered civilized, no matter how much progress they may make in industry or science. This is the only measure which does not err in guarding true human progress.

In all modern jahili societies, the meaning of 'morality' is limited to such an extent that all those aspects which distinguish man from animal are considered beyond its sphere. In these societies, illegitimate sexual relationships even homosexuality, are not considered immoral. The meaning of ethics is limited to economic affairs or sometimes to political affairs which fall into the category of 'government interests'.

Among jahili societies, writers and journalists advise both married and unmarried people that free sexual relationships are not immoral. However, it is immoral if a boy uses his partner, or a girl uses her partner, for sex, while feeling no love in his or her heart. It is bad if a wife continues to guard her chastity while her love for her husband has vanished; it is admirable if she finds another lover...

From the point of view of 'human' progress, all such societies are not civilized but are backward.

The line of human progress goes upward from animal desires toward higher values. To control the animal desires, a progressive society lays down the foundation of a family system in which human desires find satisfaction, as well as providing for the future generation to be brought up in such a manner that it will continue the human civilization, in which human characteristics flower to their full bloom. Obviously a society which intends to control the animal characteristics, while providing full opportunities for the development and perfection of human characteristics, requires strong safeguards for the peace and stability of the family, so that it may perform its basic task free from the influences of impulsive passions. On the other hand, if in a society immoral teachings and poisonous suggestions are rampant, and sexual activity is considered outside the sphere of morality, then in that society the humanity of man can hardly find a place to develop.

Thus, only Islamic values and morals, Islamic teachings and safeguards, are worthy of mankind, and form this unchanging and true measure of human progress, Islam is the real civilization and Islamic society is truly civilized.

Marriage in Islam

The affection which Allah has created in the hearts of the two spouses is one of His great signs for the people of understanding.

       Such people can look at this aspect of Allah's creation and be reminded of the greatness of Allah's work and power and the magnificent mercy Allah has placed in His creation. Please refer to Sura Ar-Rum: 21.

And among His signs are that He created for you from your selves mates that you may attain calm unto them and He placed between you affection and compassion.   Surely in that are signs for a people who reflect.

He is the one who created you from a single soul and made from it its mate that he may attain calm unto her.

( Al-A'raaf: 189 )

According to this, the relationship between husband and wife should be one of affection, compassion and mutual understanding.  If husband and wife do not find this in their marriage, then they need to look to their Islam and the completeness of their uboodiya (slavery and complete worship) to Allah Most High.  By each of them focusing on the completeness of their Islam and carefully maintaining their obligations toward the other - instead of focusing on the faults of the other - the affection, compassion and great calm or peace of home life will insha Allah be found.

Muslims and Non-Muslims should reflect on the affection which Allah has created in the hearts of the two spouses

It is amazing that two people may only have seen each other for just a few minutes prior to being married yet deep love and affection is instilled in their hearts for each other. And it remains in most cases for their entire life on this earth.

However if we look at the uncivilized relationships in which people try so hard to get the right partner even doing what can be best described as test drives and not just with one women but many dozens of women. Still the relationship or marriage fails in most cases.

Allah is the one who controls the hearts and it is from He whom we should ask for a good spouse.

Islam is not like man made religions which either deal with just a few aspects of life or require a monkish secluded life style.

Islam is a mercy from Allah to guide us in every aspect of our lives so we can lead our short days on this earth in a civilized (Islamic) way. Only a civilized (Islamic) way can help the heart to be content.

Most of the entertainment we see around us is both immoral and degrading to human beings especially to the females and only befitting for animals. Thus it is not surprising that Islam , which builds the most upright human beings, would forbid such entertainment. Such kinds of entertainment can only lead to destruction of mankind, as we can see around us.

InshaAllah we will look in this section at which types of entertainment are permitted and which types of entertainment are forbidden.

Human being have been given a high honor by Allah. Even the angels were asked to bow done to our father Adam. Only satan the cursed who was among the jinn and not among the angels refused Allah's order. Thus reserving his place in hell and those that follow him in this world will follow him to hell in the next world.

It was satans evil whispering which lead to our father Adam and our mother Hawa (Eve) being striped of their clothing and sent to earth. It is the same evil whisperer who whispers in the hearts of men and women to become disobedient to Allah's orders resulting again in exposure of peoples nakedness. Not only is it the whispering of satan we have to cope with but it is also the whispering of his helpers among the humans beings who attack us from every angle possible to try to persuade us to leave our civilized way of life (i.e. Islamic way of life ) for their barbaric uncivilized way of life (i.e. kaffir way of life).

They will either come with smiles, pretending to be our well wishers, or they will try to humiliate us in order to make us ashamed of being civilized or they come out with clever arguments to confuse the simpletons. And if all else fails they will even use force. Which we can see with the Muslim prisoners. Who have their heads and beards shaved by the kaffirs.

As Muslims we should realize that we are civilized and different from animals. The animals are not required by Allah to be clothed as they have been created without a mind to think about what is right and wrong If other human beings (kaffirs) want to think that are animals then that is their business and they can think what they like about themselves.

However a Muslim is a civilized person and has to both behave and look in a civilized fashion. Thus it is required by both Muslim men and Muslim women to dress and behave in a way that Allah approves of.

InshaA

The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said :

" Cleanliness is equal to half the faith and saying: Praise be to Allah (i.e. Alhamdu Lillah) makes the scale of good works outweigh. The utterance of 'Subhan Allah' (Glorified is Allah!) and 'Alhamdu Lillah' (Praise be to Allah!) fill the space between the heavens and the earth (with blessings). Salat (prayer) is light, alms giving is a proof (of one's faith), and to be steadfast is as good as light, and the Holy Qur'an is a plea in your favour or against you (as the case may be). Everyone begins his morning ready to bargain with his soul as a stake and frees it or loses it"” (Muslim).

* Maintaining purification is an act that leads to acceptance of supplication. The Noble Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said:

"If a Muslim sleeps while he is pure (having performed ablution) then when he wakes up during night he mentions the name of Allah and asks Allah anything of the good things in this life and the Hereafter, Allah will surely give him what he asked" (Ahmad & Tabrani).

* It is one of the qualities of true nature. The Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said:

"Ten acts are demands of true nature, namely: clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, brushing the teeth with Miswak, snuffing up water in the nose, clipping the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes, and cleaning the private parts with water (after call of nature) The narrator said: I have forgotten the tenth, but it may have been rinsing the mouth" (Muslim).

Ibn 'Abbaas said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by one of the gardens of Madeenah, and heard the sound of two men being punished in their graves. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "They are being punished, but they are not being punished for any major sin. One of them used not to clean himself properly after urinating, and the other used to spread malicious gossip." (Reported by al-Bukhaari; see Fath al-Baari, 1/317). Indeed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that "most of the punishment of the grave will be because of urine." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 2/326; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 1213).

Etiquette of Sleeping

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