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THE Holy Qur’aan declares “Indeed, the most honourable among you in the sight of God Almighty, is the one who is most God-conscious.” (Ch 49: v 13)Actually, according to the Holy Qur’aan and the teachings of the last and final messenger of Allah Almighty, Muhammed, a believer has to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbours, but to the entire mankind, animals and useful trees and plants.
For example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of mere sport is not permitted. Similarly cutting trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a very pressing need for it.
Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system of morality by virtue of which mankind can realise its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from selfishness, tyranny, unruliness and indiscipline.
It creates God-fearing men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence and discipline and uncompromising with falsehood. It induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self-control. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be expected.
Wider scope of moral obligations
Islam takes up all the commonly known moral virtues and with a sense of balance and proportion it assigns a suitable place and function to each one of them in the total scheme of life. It widens the scope of man’s individual and collective life — his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his activities in the political, economic, legal, educational, and social realms.
It covers his life from home to society, from the dining table to the work place, literally from the cradle to the grave. In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life instead of being dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by norms of morality.
It stipulates for man a system of life which is based on all good and is free from all evil. It invokes the people, not only to practice virtue, but also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to do good and forbid evil. It wants that verdict of conscience should prevail and virtue must not be subdued to play second fiddle to evil.
The basic moral teachings of Islam for various aspects of a believer’s life cover the broad spectrum of personal moral conduct as well as his social responsibilities.
Social teachings of Islam
In the Islamic value system, good social conduct and commendable manners occupy a prominent position. Of course, it is the obligation of every true Muslim to first declare and affirm his unflinching submission to Allah Almighty, the Lord, Creator and Sovereign of the universe.
His commands and injunctions, and nobody else’s, have to be complied with by a believer in all situations, and he does not recognise and pay homage to any other deity. This is called Tawheed or Monotheism in the Islamic terminology. This right to be worshipped and obeyed vests with Allah and belongs to Him alone.
After duty to the One and only Lord and Creator, a Muslim must discharge his duty to his fellow human beings. We must pay head to the duty that we owe to other human beings beginning with parents, relations, neighbours and the community at large.
In this order of values, Islam requires its adherents to render all help and support to the people in distress. Great reward awaits those who help their fellow humans who are weak, disadvantaged and suffer any hardship. Allah Almighty has said in the Holy Qur’an: “And do good, that you may prosper”. (Ch: 27 v: 77).
Helping the needy Muslim is a form Ibadah (worship), and we get great reward in this world as in the next, it helps remove all our problems of this world as well as those of the next.
Allah Almighty has also declared, “And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw (yourselves) into destruction (by refraining from spending in the cause of Allah). And do good; indeed Allah loves the doers of good.”(Ch: 2 v 195).
Ibn Umar — one of the close companions of the Last and Final Messenger of Allah Almighty — reports the Messenger of Allah as saying Muslims are like brothers who do not harm each other. Further, one who fulfils the need and removes the difficulty of another being, will get Allah’s help in his own difficulty. Similarly, one who covers the faults of another (not spreading or gossiping), will have Allah’s cover for his own faults.
Another companion, Abu Hurairah relates that the Messenger of Allah said, “Charity is due for every part of human body, each day on which the sun rises”.
He went on to explain that to pay this due, bringing about a fair reconciliation between two opposing parties is an act of charity; helping someone to mount his animal (or mode of transport), or to load his baggage on, is also an act of charity, a polite word is a charity, every step taken to the mosque for prayers (Salaah) is charity, to remove something which causes trouble (to the public) from the public path or road, is charity, etc.
Abu Hurairah also reported that the Messenger of Allah said,“He who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy (by Allah).” The Messenger of Allah was also reported to have clearly said, “Do not envy one another, do not harbour malice against one another and are not enter into commercial transaction when another person has entered into that (transaction); but be you, Oh slaves of Allah, brothers (to each other).”
Anas — yet another companion — reported, The Messenger Prophet said, “No one of you shall become a true believer until he desires for his fellow brother what he desires for himself.”
For further information on Islam please contact: Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Council of Islamic Scholars Publications Department P.O. Box W93, Waterfalls, HarareTel: 024-2614078 / 024-2614004 e-mail: [email protected]
