Good Akhlaq to Everyone, at All Levels

If we really considered our work and business as “ibadah” (an act of worship to Allah), we would extend our good akhlaq – character and etiquettes – to everyone, regardless of what position or rank they may be, ‘above’ or ‘below’: bosses, colleagues, the cleaners, waiters, ‘rivals’, mat sallehs and non-mat sallehs, other departments, etc. We do not discriminate who are ‘deserving’ of our good conduct.

There’s always a tendency that we are ‘nicer’ to the bosses, the seniors, colleagues, potential clients and customers; yet we show poor manners to the people who have “no relevance” to us, especially those we view as “lower” in rank. And it gets even worse with the problematic “customer is always right” mentality – waiters, cashiers, reception desks, and security guards unfortunately always experience society’s dark side.

This unveils a major disease in our society today: the materialistic approach and lack of ikhlas/sincerity in dealing with people – “I’m good to you if you can benefit me somehow”.

And this is NOT the mentality of one who believes in Allah and the Last Day. The Qur’an and the Sunnah defined for us an honourable identity of good akhlaq to all levels of society. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said:
إنما بعثت لأتمم مكارم الأخلاق
“Verily, I have only been sent to perfect good characters and manners” (Malik)
This hadith tells us that the holistic objective of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, is to achieve this objective – the perfection of good akhlaq: with Allah, other human beings and all creation.
So how can we claim something to be ibadah if we neglect the fruit and objective of the ibadah by discriminating those who ‘deserve’ our good akhlaq?

The issue of good akhlaq is no insignificant matter. The Prophet was asked what are the things that cause a person to be admitted into paradise the MOST, and he replied,     
تَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَحُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ
“Taqwa (consciousness, fear) of Allah, and good character”
(At-Tirmidzi, Eng Vol 4, Book 1, Hadith 2004, sahih)

On the Day of Judgment, others will bear witness on our character, and all those barriers of rank, race and roles will disappear.

So let’s improve our conduct with everyone around us with ikhlas, the clear intention of developing our taqwa (consciousness and fear of Allah), perhaps that Allah reward our work and business conduct as ibadah in His Sights, and become a means of His Pleasure to enter us into His Paradise.

The Prophet said, "Don't consider insignificant (your) good deeds,
even if it is that you meet your brother with a cheerful face"
(Sahih Muslim, Book #32, Hadith #6359)

Boycott: Restaurants that Serve Alcohol

As Believers in this part of the world, by right we should NOT even bother considering eating at restaurants that serve alcohol & liquor, if we love Allah, His Deen, and our hearts.

This is Why:

1) It’s a supply-demand thing
The past 10 years have seen a rapid rise in restaurants serving alcohol – what happened? Businesses realized, that by serving alcohol in this majority-Muslim country didn’t seem to harm their sales or affect demands from the Muslims and non-drinking market – serving alcohol had a negligible effect on their business, despite restaurants serving alcohol never being eligible for Halal certification.
This reveals that businesses having an underlying lack of respect or sensitivity for the “official religion” of the country. But also, on the part of the consumers, it also displays how careless we are at unintentionally or subconsciously ‘allowing’ this culture to propagate because we are “just eating the food, not the alcohol”

So, by strictly cutting off this ‘demand’ in this economy, we are playing our role in the “cooperation” which was prohibited by Allah:
وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ
“And do not cooperate in sins and transgression” (Al-Ma’idah 5:2)

Now think about this : would you go to a restaurant which serves marijuana, cocaine and heroin, if it’s “legal”?
No, because it’s filthy haram stuff; in fact, we’ll probably boycott with extreme prejudice. Well, if you think about it, these drugs are ‘Haram’ because of Qiyas (analogy) FROM the original ‘Haram’ ruling of Alcohol in the first place.
So if we consider a restaurant serving drugs to be filthy because of something that was Haram “because of Qiyas”, how about restaurants serving substances which have direct Haram from the Qur’an and the Sunnah?

It’s actually absurd when we put things into perspective: people go to great lengths to promote boycotting companies because of ‘suspicions’/'conspiracy' that so-and-so company may be ‘contributing’ to certain parties or countries,
..and yet here we do nothing to play our roles to discourage the rampant and blatant haram in our backyard.

2) You’ll get better food in Paradise
“Life is short. You only live once.”
So often we hear this: now let’s change our paradigm to how we approach it.

Sure, we may think we are ‘losing out’ from not being able to eat this stuff. But have we lost tawakkul and trust in Allah when He says He has reserved for His Slaves what the eye has never seen, the ear has never heard, and the Heart cannot comprehend? (Hadith Qudsy, Narrated @ Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #54, Hadith #467)
If that’s how awesome the food in dunya is, can you imagine how much more awesome will the food in Paradise be?
Keep your eyes on the prize, guys – we’ve got better stuff waiting on the other side – we just gotta there!

The Prophet said, "whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allah, then Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, will replace it with something better than it." (Narrated in Ahmad and An-Nasa’I, with a sahih isnad)

3) There are SO many other Halal alternatives.
Seriously. Alhamdulillah.

4) Many of these restaurants have some food which are cooked with alcohol.
And some waiters don’t know or they just don’t tell you.

5) Protect your faith!
No, we’re not saying that these restaurants are HARAM per se. But just like ‘work’ isn’t just about “not violating company policies”, religion isn’t just about steering from Haram – it’s about performing what’s best and most Pleasing to our Creator, within this limited amount of time in the dunya!

The Prophet said (the meaning of which) there are things which are clearly halal, and things which are clearly haram – and in between are things which are the “grey areas”. If we stay away from the grey areas, we’ve protected our religion and our honour (Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
And is there anything else more worth protecting?

Imagine going to a pharmacy, and you finding out they don’t just serve medicine, they also serve lethal poisons. And you’re no drug expert.
Take the gamble? Or just go to another risk-free pharmacy?

 
So this is our advice from the heart to our brothers and sisters out there: Abandon restaurants that serve alcohol. 

Sure, we may be “only one person”, but big things have small beginnings. And Allah will not change the state of a people until we first change what is in ourselves.
 

Why Bother Outperforming beyond Expectations? - Because Work is IBADAH

If we really considered our work and businesses as “ibadah” (i.e. an act of worship), then we would strive for excellence, to outperform beyond expectations and deliver the best, regardless if whether the boss, the company, the client acknowledges or rewards us or gives us raise/bonus.

All Human beings have limitations and shortcomings, and everyone has individual needs and motivations behind their deeds. Naturally, no human evaluation will ever be perfect.

Instead, we should strive to outperform because we want to please Allah, the Perfect One Who has enjoined us to perform with excellence (ihsan) in all things (16:90), Who will never allow a single atom’s weight of our deeds to be lost (18:30), Who is All-Just and will replace with the BEST of rewards (3:195), Who is All-Aware of all that we do (57:13), one Who his All-Rich and Free from All Needs (Al-Ghany), Most-Generous (Al-Akram), Most Merciful (Ar-Raheem). Allahu a’lam – Allah knows best.

We should be determined to deliver with the confidence that, if His creatures fail to acknowledge your excellence in this dunya, Alhamdulillah, have the conviction of the promise that He has reserved greater rewards for you in the Hereafter, that never fades away.

The Promise of Hereafter isn’t a fairy tale or an academic exercise – this is the Truth of Truths and should be the driving force behind our motivations.

Thus if we were to feel demotivated or burnout because people fail to acknowledge or recompense our performance, or if we lack the motivation for excellent performance, or give good customer service simply because “it makes no difference to my pay anyway”, then we need to question our ikhlas and tawakkul (sincerity and trust) in Allah: are we REALLY taking our “work”/”business” as ibadah, or are we concerned about the cash, the fame, the promotion?

Allahu A’lam, Allah Knows Best.

That being said, nevertheless bosses, managers and superiors should never be negligent in acknowledging or rewarding good performance – that in itself is a trait of ihsan and ‘adl (justice). 

 

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٩٠﴾

“Verily, Allah has enjoined (that you perform with) Justice and Ihsan (excellence),

and giving to kith and kin,

and forbids all evil and filthy deeds,

and all forms of oppression.

He admonishes you, that you may take heed”

(Surah An-Nahl 16:90)

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ

"Is there any reward for Ihsan (goodness, excellence) other than Ihsan?” (55:60)

Beware the Social Media - from Envy, Kibr and Riyaa

We have to be careful in ensuring that Facebook, Twitter, Blog or any other platform of communication doesn’t become a source of Hasad (envy), Kibr (arrogance), or Riyaa’ (showing off/ostentation).

Envy, when we post pictures or share thoughts which can invite jealousy for those who aren’t granted with the same – be it looks, children, food, cars, wealth, etc.

Arrogance, when we feel superior over others over whatever blessings Allah had granted us, or because we denied and/or forgot that these blessings came from Allah, or when our criticism transgress boundaries

Showing Off / ostentation, when the sincerity our outward public deeds becomes distorted by the pursuit for “likes”, praises and attention, instead of the pleasure of Allah.

Whenever any sort of these feelings start creeping into our hearts, Allah taught us to say  

مَا شَاءَ اللَّـهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ

“That which Allah has willed! There is no power except from Allah!” (Surah Al-Kahf 18:39)

This phrase reminds ourselves that every single blessing granted or withheld by Allah is by His Wisdom, Mercy and Justice, and it will not exist if Allah did not Will it. There are specific wisdoms and reasons behind everything; don’t be quick to jump to emotions over what Allah has apparently granted to yourself, or to others – a blessing can be a source of ruin, if not used in the way that Allah is Pleased with.

A reminder to myself and to you, that we may avoid being amongst those whom Allah has said:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّـهِ كُفْرًا

“Have you not seen those who have changed the Blessings of Allah into disbelief?” (Surah Ibrahim 14:28)

Envy

وَلاَ يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي قَلْبِ عَبْدٍ الإِيمَانُ وَالْحَسَدُ

"And two (things) will never be gathered in the heart of a salve: Faith and envy."

(Sunan An-Nasa'i Eng Vol. 1, Book 25, Hadith 3111, hasan)

 لاَ تَبَاغَضُوا، وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ إِخْوَانًا‏

"Do not hate one another and do not envy one another. Let the slaves of Allah be brothers!" (Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 408)

قَالَ قِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ ‏"‏ كُلُّ مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا صَدُوقُ اللِّسَانِ نَعْرِفُهُ فَمَا مَخْمُومُ الْقَلْبِ قَالَ ‏"‏ هُوَ التَّقِيُّ النَّقِيُّ لاَ إِثْمَ فِيهِ وَلاَ بَغْىَ وَلاَ غِلَّ وَلاَ حَسَدَ ‏"‏

"It was said to the Messenger of Allah (): ‘Which of the people is best?’ 

He said: ‘Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech.’ 

They said: ‘Sincere in speech, we know what this is, but what is pure of heart?’ 

He said: ‘It is (the heart) that is pious (taqwa) and pure, with no sin, injustice, rancor or envy in it.’” 

 (Sunan ibn Majah - Eng Vol. 1, Book 37, Hadith 4216, sahih)

Arrogance

وعن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ “لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر” فقال رجل” إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسناً ونعله حسناً‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “إن الله جميل يحب الجمال الكبر بطر الحق وغمط الناس” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏  

 

The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said, "He who has, in his heart, an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah (Paradise)!" 

Someone said: "(What about) A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" 

Messenger of Allah said, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty (i.e., "there is nothing wrong in that). 

Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people."

(Sahih Muslim)

إن من أحبكم إلي، وأقربكم منى مجلساً يوم القيامة أحاسنكم أخلاقاً، وإن أبغضكم إلي وأبعدكم مني يوم القيامة، الثرثارون والمتشدقون والمتفيهقون” قالوا‏:‏ يا رسول الله قد علمنا “الثرثارون والمتشدون” فما المتفيهقون‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “المتكبرون” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه الترمذي وقال‏:‏ حديث حسن‏)‏‏)

"The dearest and nearest among you to me on the Day of Resurrection will be one who is the best of you in manners; 
and the most dislikable among you to me and the farthest of you from me will be the pompous, the garrulous, and Al-Mutafaihiqun." 
The Companions asked him: "O Messenger of Allah! We know about the pompous and the garrulous, but we do not know who Al-Mutafaihiqun are." 
He replied: "The arrogant people."
(At-Tirmidhi, who graded it hasan)
 

أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَهْلِ النَّارِ كُلُّ عُتُلٍّ جَوَّاظٍ مُسْتَكْبِرٍ ‏"

"Should I not inform you of the people of the Hell-Fire? 
They are all those violent, arrogant and stubborn people."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Eng Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 440)

Psychological Barriers vs. The Need for Change

Many a times we create psychological barriers against ourselves to give excuses that prevent us from changing towards good. Things like "I'm not ready", "Too busy to seek knowledge", "I'm too sinful and therefore I shouldn't advise others", "My knowledge is too shallow, I'm not ready to do da'wah", "too difficult", "If God has decreed i'm like this, then what's the point?"

Trouble is, excuses like this are only heard when it comes to matters of religion or anything good. But do we make these excuses when it comes to matters of the dunya - like finding a job, starting a business, promoting their sales products, etc?
We don't, because we recognize the NEED for it.

If we recognize the value and the need to do something, we will put in the effort for it and overcome any obstacles that come in between.
If we don't recognize the need, we'll continue fishing for excuses.

If we have true iman and yaqin in the Allah and the Last Day, we will see the need.

A word of advice for tarbiyah of ourselves, and our families.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ 
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they (first) change what is in themselves.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:11)

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ ﴿١٨٥﴾
"Every soul will taste death,
and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection.
So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire].
And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion." (Surah Al-Imran 3:185)

The Disctinction Between "Knowing" and "Believing" - The Essence of Iman (faith)

The water supply disruption recently should have taught us a profound lesson in preparations and provisions. 

More importantly, the difference between “knowing” and “believing”

When we learnt about a water shortage that could last 7 days, we felt worried for ourselves and our family. It was "knowledge" that drove us into action - We dug up our old water containers, stocked up our backup supplies and purchased more. We warned our friends and family of the imminent difficulties that lay ahead, and we helped each other to prepare.

The consequences were very real, and it just knowing about the disruption drove us into action: the power of belief. 

If these were the kind of preparations we made for a 7-day disruption, what effect should it have on our lives from our belief in the Last Day?

The Day lasting 50,000 years (70:4), when we have no water to drink except from the Hawd (pond) of our Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam), when the sun is so close above us that some will be sweating up to their ears, when every single one of our deeds - no matter how big or small - shall be presented to us (99:7-8)? When we will undergo the one final evaluation that will determine our destiny forevermore (3:185)? When people will be blaming each other, to the extent that they will be fleeing from their own families (80:34-36)? When the criminals would even offer to ransom off their own children to save themselves (70:11)?

How much provisions have we prepared ourselves for this heavy Day? Do we put the effort to the quality of our solah (prayers), knowing that it is the very first deed that will be judged? Do we realize the amazing rewards Allah has promised us for praying on time, in jamaah, in khusyoo - thus we put super extra effort to ensure we have sufficient “backup supply” to aid us?

Do we actively seek His Pleasure, knowing that we can only enter Paradise by His Mercy and Pleasure of us?

Do we put in the effort to be of the exclusive 7 groups of people who will receive Allah's shade from the burning sun? Do we put in the effort to follow the sunnah of the Prophet, so we can be identified as his followers, and be granted permission to drink from his pond? Do we improve our iman and taqwa, knowing that this is the only way we will have sufficient Light to cross a bridge that is thinner than hair and sharper than a razor?

Do we realize that, unlike water disruption, we don't know WHEN this time will come, and thus we find no excuse to delay our repentance (tawbah) and turn to Allah?

Do we constantly remind each other of the inevitability of this Destination, and help each other towards it, just as we do during water supply disruption?

Or do we have the attitude of a smoker: one who knows of the hazards of smoking cigarettes, but doesn’t drive one into action and just ignores the warnings? And only takes heed when the doctor detects something?

Like the one who, only after departing this world and seeing the Reality, cries out to Allah and begs to be returned for a second chance (32:12)?

News of water supply disruption was knowledge that drove us into believers – belief that was reflected in our hearts (fear), our words (to warn others), and our actions (to prepare) - and this is the essence of iman (belief/faith).

So where do we stand with respect to our iman in the Last Day?

Like the smoker, or the believer?

إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ ﴿٣٧﴾

“Indeed herein is a reminder for whoever has a heart or who listens while he is present [in mind].” (Qaf 50:37)

May Allah make us amongst those who heed His warnings, amongst those who constantly prepare ourselves towards this Day, and to make us amongst those who assist each other towards it.

Let the short and concise surah al-‘Asr be a reminder to us:

وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ﴿٣﴾

“(I Swear) By the Time - 

Indeed, mankind is in a constant state of loss

Except those who have iman, work righteous deeds,

And eagerly advise each other towards the TRUTH,

And eagerly advise each other towards patience.”

How vulnerable we are..

The local events in the past few days have demonstrated to us how vulnerable we as human beings really are when Allah tests us with two simple commodities - water and oil.
Water, when supply was interrupted for a great deal of inhabitants in the Klang Valley, and Oil, when the petrol subsidy was reduced by 20 cents.
Ponder upon the following:
1. The reason for water shortage in the first place was BECAUSE of oil spillage. It is as if Allah is teaching us a lesson that : these are two great blessings, and when you don't manage them responsibly and properly, disasters can happen.
How well are we managing the other blessings of Allah? Our wealth? Our families? Our good health? Our free time?
2. A small misconduct (oil spill) can have a snowball effect result in huge difficulty to many others - Don't consider our sins as insignificant, especially when it affects others.
3. How much some react over the price increase of a basic commodity, when in fact we spend so much more on unncessary things and luxuries we don't need.
4. Allah didn't even take these blessings away from us completely - some additional difficulty. What kind of response do we witness around us?
Do we remember the great trials of the Dajjal towards the End of time, as narrated by the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam)? When there will be no food and water, and he will roam the earth with those supplies, claiming to be god? When a person will go to sleep as a believer, but wake up as a disbeliever?
What we are facing isn't half - or one tenth - as difficult as those trials, and this is the disgrunted response we have; some even going to the extent of cursing fellow Muslims..?
May Allah make us amongst the patient.. and amongst those who utilize His blessings with Thankfulness and Moderation.
اِنَّ فِيْ ذٰلِكَ لَاٰيٰتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُوْرٍ
"Verily, in this there are indeed signs for those who are steadfast (patient) and grateful"
(Surah Saba' 34:19)