Muhammad, A Guidance to follow

Muhammad, A Guidance to follow




Muhammad as a man had already died, but as a Prophet he
left behind him a legacy in the form of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. He
stressed the urgent need to hold firmly to these two sources during his
Farewell speech in the valley of Arafat. If people hold fast to them,
they will never go astray.

The teachings he left for us if put into practice in their true spirit
and proper way will bring a happy life in this world and besides the
indubitable rewards that will be received by those who believed in them
in the life after death.


In this sense, Islam is a
worldly religion which cares first for the worldly affairs of humanity. The
hereafter is merely a continuation of the worldly life. It is difficult to
portend that man can be saved in the hereafter without being saved in this
world. The safe way is to follow the way shown to us by the Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him). When his wife, ‘Aishah, was asked by a companion about the
Prophet’s daily conduct, ‘Aishah replied that the conduct of the Prophet is
the Qur’an which is the guidance from Allah and Muhammad was given authority
by Allah to interpret it. That is why his conduct is exemplary of human conduct.
Islam as brought by the Prophet Muhammad is very much misunderstood as a
religion of rituals only like prayers, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimage.
Thanks to the new developments in the world, Islam is now looked upon In a wider
perspective than the narrow-minded view.

The increased interest in
Islamic studies by Muslims and non-Muslims supported by the advanced printing
technology, has begun to open the eyes of the world about the true teaching and
intrinsic values of Islam.

• 
  
  Economy:
  

In the field of economic
development, the goal is not material gain, but human welfare in general. Islam
exhorts that the balance between the material and physical aspects, between the
individual and societal needs, be maintained in order to narrow the gap between
two opposite sides of human world. It is stated in the Qur’an:“Say,
who
is there to forbid the beauty which Allah has brought forth for His
creatures, and the good things from among the means of sustenance. Say, they are
for those who believe (in Allah) In this worldly life, to be theirs alone in the
Hereafter on the Day of Resurrection …… Say, the only things my Lord forbids
are the shameful deeds, be they open or secret, the sin, unjustified envy, the
ascribing of divinity to aught beside Allah, and the attributing unto Allah of
aught of which you have no knowledge”

So everyone is free to conduct
any business he likes outside the harmful circle he has been warned not to
indulge in. If he does not listen to this warning, he will be in trouble. Every
good quality as precondition to a successful business is encouraged by Islam.

The Prophet himself was a
businessman before he was appointed as a Prophet. His ability to run business
prudently, by his fairness and truthful conduct in dealing with people had won
him the heart of his employer, Khadijah who later offered him m&riage. He
advocated Muslims to follow the spirit of Prophet Daud (David) of hard
work, earned his living from his own labour. He also said that faith of a Muslim
is not complete If he is not good in his profession. He said: “If
you leave matters
to those who are not professional, you are waiting for the disaster”.

If he works in the production
line, his products must be compatible with products of other companies or
factories. In order to be marketable, it must suit the taste of buyers and their
standards of living. In this regard, Islam teaches not to cheat in offering the
product to the market. It must be shown as it is without any publicity it does
not deserve. In the life time of the Prophet, he found many cases in market
places where the merchants tried to cheat the customers. The Prophet said to
them: “Whoever cheated are not from
amongst us (Muslims)”.

Islam laid many regulations in
the field of economy such as trade, leasing, business transaction, contract and
others to prevent unfair dealing within the community and in the world of
business at large. What is also prevented by Islam is a monopoly and
exploitation -by one man or one group at the expense of the others.
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• 
  
  Cleanliness:
  

The first thing in the religion
brought by the Prophet Muhammad is the care of cleanliness. The concept of
cleanliness in Islam covers physical and spiritual, mundane and religious
domains.

Before performing any rituals,
prescribed by Islam, one should cleanse his body, and his dress, his place of
worship and his environment should be clean.

Before performing his prayers or
starting for pilgrimage, one has to make his ablution (wudu’). If he or she is
in a state of unclean after having had a lawful Intimate intercourse or
post-natal period or other reasons, he or she has to take a complete bath by
pouring clean water over the whole body.

In the case of daily prayer,
every Muslim has to clean his/her private parts, face, hand, feet, mouth, nose
and ears at least five times every day for the five daily prayers. This also
reminds him/her to keep his/ her soul clean from unlawful deeds.

Cleanliness is not in the
physical sense only. The body should be purified as well from evil doings that
might harm his relationship with others and with God. He has to clean his mind
from bad intentions or committing unlawful acts. He has to clean his heart from
jealousy, hypocrisy and other evil desires. He has to embody hope, truthfulness,
forgiveness, compassion, holiness, the sense of brotherliness, neighbourliness
and other noble qualities.

He has to pay special attention
to his diet against all unhealthy food medically and religiously. He has to keep
his eyes, ears, tongue from evils. These are among the noble characteristics as
exemplified by Prophet Muhammad.

To clean the wealth, Islam
instituted the zakat system (way of purifying wealth). A person whose
wealth has reached a certain point is obligated to pay zakat (alms) which
is a duty enjoined by God and undertaken by Muslims in the interest of society
as a whole.

For those able persons whose
wealth does not reach the minimum rate point, he can also give voluntary
contribution to the needy. This does not mean that the needy should always be
receiving help from the able.

Prophet Muhammad said: "The
upper hand
(giver) is better than the lower one (receiver of help).”

If the receiver of zakat can
grasp the spirit of the Prophet’s saying, he will try his best to be the giver
instead of the receiver by endeavouring to better his life as encouraged by the
teachings of Islam.

In Islam the possession of more
wealth does not raise a man’s dignity, nor does poverty degrade him. It is
true that wealth is necessary for man to live on this earth, but It is only a
means, not the end. The end is happiness in life by attaining the higher values
and not losing sight of in the pursuit of wealth.

Among the great virtues of Islam
is the command to do good and the prohibition to do evil. The good should be
preserved and the evil should be discarded. In short, Islam is actually composed
of a series of commands and prohibitions. All the commands and prohibitions are
for the good of humanity. Allah the Most Knowing, the Most Merciful, did not
decree any law and regulations but for the good and benefit of his creatures.

The prohibition was decreed
because of its evil implications to humanity. The evils were created to test the
human conscience and challenge their freewill in choosing between right and
wrong.

All the commands and
prohibitions from Allah as transmitted through His Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was intended to purify the human soul in order to live a pure and
clean life adored by Allah and human genesis.

• 
  
  Orderliness:
  

One of the other teachings of
Islam is about orderliness. Discipline, regulation, management, planning and all
other terms relating to organisation are mostly. understood as alien to Islam.
On the contrary, Islam exhorts people to live in orderliness and to put the
right thing in the right place. The foundation of Islamic order rests on two
main principles, the crucial -faith in one God (Allah) and the oneness of
humanity. All the frame works were laid down in the Qur'an and the Prophet
Muhammad applied himself to working out the essential details of that order.

One of the great values taught
by Islam in this regard is to make use of the time left to humanity. The Qur'an
and the Sunnah (Traditions) mentioned about time, day, week, month, year
and century. People are lost if they did not spend the time available to them
during this life for good things. It is a great loss if people have to waste the
valuable time they have at their disposal for useless activities. It is true
that life should be enjoyable but not at the expense of human resources and
values which are essential for the continuation of their wellbeing.

Allah the Most Knowing had
created time and space suitable for human activities for they can attain
achievements in life. There are times for work, study, recreation, resting and
even celebration. All are parts of activities in worshipping Allah and serving
His cause. The Qur'an says that Allah had created day for earning and night for
resting and enjoyment. He created the sun, the moon and all outer-space objects
co that man on the earth can fix the time and arraflge the calendar. By having a
standard time and standard calendar and the movements of astronomical objects,
people are able to regulate their time table in choosing the right moment for
them in doing business and carrying out their activities.

Islam prescribes certain times
for the daily prayers, certain month for the obligatory fasting and certain time
during life time for performing the haj pilgrimage which indicates that the
religion brought by Prophet Muhammad places the life of Muslims in systematic
order. For every move and occasion made by Muslims there is a rule governing it,
be it in the form of advice, spiritual guidance or practical directive. If all
these directives are followed and understood properly, people will have high
discipline and a well-managed life.

Islam encourages people to think
correctly before taking any action. This means planning. There are many verses
in the Qur'an admonishing against doing things unthinkingly and jumping to
conclusions.

The Prophet also showed good
example in fulfilling promise and staying true to treaty, agreement or contract
made between parties.

As a man of honour he always
remained true to the principles agreed in the treaty, depicting his high
discipline and inclination of doing everything in proper order.

• 
  
  Friendliness:
  

Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was a warmhearted and faithful friend. He loved his companions. He
extended greetings to those he knew and to those he did not know. He treated all
people around him with kindness and affection.

He was very courteous to all
those who met him. He never contradicted anybody who is not opposed to the
teachings of Islam. He treated equally the humble and the lofty. He claimed no
distinction and lived amongst his companions as if he was not their leader.

• 
  
  Neighbourliness:
  

He regarded the neighbours as
brothers and sisters because of their closeness and living in the same vicinity.
He once smelt the aroma of the soup cooked by his wife. He told her to give some
of it to the neighbours who also smelt it. He said it was not right for a Muslim
to sleep with a full stomach after having had a good meal but let his neighbour
starve. He laid the foundation for a friendly relation and cooperation among
neighbours exemplifying that living as a neighbour one has one’s right and
responsibility.


In regard to the rights
of a neighbour, the Prophet said: “Help
him if he asks your help; give him relief if he seeks your relief; show him
concern if he is distressed and when he is ill; attend his funeral if he dies;
congratulate him If he meets any good; sympathize with him if any calamity
befalls him; do not block his air by raising your building without his
permission and do not harass him.”

• 
  
  Goodwill:
  

He was a good exemplar to those
who subscribe to a harmonious society. Islam exhorts people not to violate the
rights of others and injure their interest, but should positively cooperate with
each other and establish a mutual relationship and social cohesion.

To safeguard the unity and
solidarity of the nation and to achieve the welfare and wellbeing of the
community, Muslims have been enjoined to avoid mutual hostility, social
dissension, backbiting one another, and hurting others with their hand or
tongue.

Islam as brought by the Prophet
Muhammad exhorts Muslims to visit the sick, to help the needy and assist the
weak. Islam makes no discrimination on the basis of race, colour or language.
Its appeal Is to the entire humanity.

• 
  
  Women:
  

The Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) brought changes for the betterment of women.

Woman is recognised by Islam as
a full and equal partner of man in the procreation of humankind. He is the
father, she is the mother, and both are essential for life. Her role is no less
vital than his. By this partnership she has an equal share in every aspect; she
is entitled to equal rights; she undertakes equal responsibilities, and in her
there are many qualities and so much humanity as there are In her partner.

She is equal to man in bearing
personal and common responsibilities and in receiving rewards for her deeds.

She is equal to man in the
pursuit of education and knowledge.

Islam enjoined the seeking of
knowledge upon Muslims, it makes no distinction between man and woman.

She is entitled to freedom of
expression as much as man is. Her sound opinions are taken into consideration
and cannot be disregarded just because she is a female.

Islam grants woman equal fights
to contract, to enterprise, to earn and posses independently. Her life, her
property, her honour are as sacred as those of man.

Islam has also given woman a
share of inheritance. Before Islam, she was not only deprived of that share, but
was herself considered as property to be inherited by man.

• 
  
  Statehood:
  

When Prophet Muhammad arrived at
Madinah, he initiated the formation of an Islamic state. After establishing
political brotherhood and the authority of the state of Madinah, he began
negotiations with various tribes around the dy and made treaties with them.

When the Makkan unbelievers
launched a series of attacks on Madinah, Prophet Muhammad was able to confront
them, and when the Makkans were finally defeated in the battle of the Trenches
(Al-Khandaq), he was able to make truce with them at Hudaibiyah for ten years.
This treaty was a masterpiece of practical statesmanship on the part of Prophet
Muhammad.

His diplomacy in sending and
receiving envoys to and from the various chiefs of tribes and foreign rulers,
his fairness In conducting judiciary, and his general pardon at the liberation
of Makkah, was another proof of his lofty statesmanship.

The State he established in
Madinah was not a matter of chance. It was the very nature of his mission that
he would establish a state to enforce the way of Allah. People might accept a
new faith but it would take time to change their habits, custom and way of life.
And even If a small group of people succeeded In changing their way of life,
there would be many others who would not let these people practise their belief
and try to stop them by force. So the Islamic State became an urgent necessity
to protect the Islamic way of life.

The State founded by Prophet
Muhammad was invested with physical force, as every State must necessarily be,
to fulfil its function of stopping aggression and oppression.

A democratic system In Islam is
expressed through the term shura (council). The Qur'an says: “And
those who respond to their Lord and keep up prayer and their affairs (of
government) is by council among themselves and who spend out of what we have
given them.”.