“If Islam preaches good character, why are Muslims around us full of bad behavior?”

“If Islam preaches good character, why are Muslims around us full of bad behavior?”

As much as it pains us to hear these statements, we cannot hide from this criticism lingering in the heads of the non-Muslims – and perhaps even Muslims – around us.

As the attacks get heavier, our defensive mechanisms start to appear and take the form of the words of “Brother, you need to judge Islam, not Muslims.”

Isn’t it sad that we have to justify it with those words?

In the time of the sahabah, as they entered new lands – as people marveled at the loftiness of their morals in addition to their courage and moral integrity – people would race to them, in awe -  and ask them “I want to become Muslim. Teach me how to be like you”. The righteous people of the past carried the banner of Islam by their actions, not by their words.

“Judge Islam by Islam itself, not by the Muslims”

The utterance of these words reveal an undeniable ugly truth in our closets – Muslims today are not walking the talk. The same people who have accessed to the Book that commands :

“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do?! Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do!” (Surah As-Saf 62:2-3)

““Enjoin you righteousness on the people and you forget (to practise it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture! Have you then no sense?” (Quran Chapter Al-Baqarah 2: Verse 44)

And here we are, we say, “Judge Islam, by Islam, not by Muslims”

How abysmal is this statement, O followers of Muhammad sallAllahualayhi wa sallam? The acknowledgement of this statement leads to the inevitable admission that “Muslims are not following Islam”.

We talk of integrity, but the question is this: How can we aspire to be people of integrity if we can’t live by the principles we claim we follow? Or worse yet, how about those who don’t even bother to KNOW what these principles are?

Do we not know that our Prophet – whom we call claim to follow and love – had said:

“Verily, I have only been sent to perfect good morals and character” (narrated in Muwatta of Malik)

Have we lost the plot, O followers of Muhammad? Have we forgotten that the Message of Islam – in its entirety, with its obligations and prohibitions – is for the refinement of perfection in character?

So let’s walk the talk. We have a purpose in life, so let’s live like we do.  

Learn the Qur’an, learn the sunnah, implement them and teach others: love for others, what you love for yourself: a life of integrity and purpose, guided by the Almighty, to seek His Pleasure.

You’ve got one shot at life. Forget “the others” and “what will they say about me?!”.

Change begins with Me and You. Right here, right now.

“Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves” (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:11)