What Virtues Does the Religion of Islaam Command With?

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، أما بعد

The following illustrations by two scholars of Islaam cite the virtuous characteristics and noble mannerisms which the religion of Islaam commands with and calls to;

 

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee (rahimahullaah) said:

 

“So the religion; its origin is having belief in Allaah; and its fruits are to proceed in all that He loves and pleases Him and having sincerity in that for Allaah. Can it be imagined that there could be a religion more excellent than it? And more esteemed and better?

The religion has commanded with having belief in all of that which the Prophets were given, as well as to testify and affirm to their Messengership and to acknowledge the truth which they came with from their Lord. Likewise to not make distinction between them; and that they are all truthful Messengers of Allaah, and His sincere trustworthy ones. It is impossible that any remonstration and reproach could be leveled at Him.

So it (the religion) commands with every truth; and acknowledges every truth, and determines the religious realities which have a dependence/reliance upon the revelation of Allaah to His Messengers. It proceeds along with the natural logical advantageous realities, and it does not reject a truth in an aspect from the standpoints, nor does it ratify falsehood, nor does falsehood propagandize over it. It is predominant over all of the other religions.

It commands with virtuous actions and noble mannerisms and with the welfare of the servants. It encourages justice, virtue, mercy and good, and it restrains against oppression, outrage and foul mannerisms. There is no quality of perfection which the Prophets and Messengers stipulated – except that it (the religion of Islaam) regulates and affirms it. There is no religious and worldly beneficial interest which the legislations call to except that it encourages it, and likewise there is no cause of corruption except that it prohibits it and commands with avoidance of it.

The intent: is that the beliefs of this religion; they are what purify the hearts and rectify the souls and by way of them the noble mannerisms and virtuous actions take root.”[1]

 

Shaikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-‘Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:

 

“The Islamic religion: is belief and legislation; it is perfect and complete in its belief as well as in its legislation:

1. It commands with the Tawheed of Allaah, The Most High, and forbids shirk.
2. It commands with truthfulness and forbids lying.
3. It commands with justice and forbids tyranny.
4. It commands with faithfulness and forbids betrayal.
5. It commands with fulfillment and forbids treachery.
6. It commands with obedience to parents and forbids disobedience (to them).
7. It commands with enjoining the ties of kinship; and they are the close relatives, and forbids severing the ties.
8. It commands with harmonious neighbourliness and forbids ill-nature.

So generally speaking; Islaam commands with the enjoinment of every virtuous mannerism and forbids every lowly trait.

It likewise commands the enjoinment of every righteous deed; and forbids every bad deed.

Allaah, The Most High said:

 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

((Indeed, Allaah enjoins justice and Al-Ihsaan [good conduct and kindness] and giving to kinsfolk, and He forbids Al-Fahshaa [immorality and evil deeds] and Al-Munkar [prohibited forms of bad conduct] and transgression. He admonishes you that you may be reminded.))” (An-Nahl: 90)[2]

 

Why do we see shortcomings and deficiencies from some of those that affiliate themselves to the religion?

 

Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee said:

 

“There has not occurred any deficiency upon the Muslims except due to their abandonment of something from their religion, since whenever their undertaking of the religion was complete; then likewise all of their circumstances were upright, and when their undertaking of it was weak; then deficiency occurred in accordance to that. Hence this is a clear proof that rectitude revolves around the religion of Islaam – in (accordance to) presence as well as absence.

So the origin of rectitude and its branches and its undertaking and its completeness is through proceeding upon the religion of Islaam which is the straight path and the clear truth.”[3]

 

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[1] Taken from the treatise: Ad-Durrah Al-Mukhtaarah fee Mahaasin Ad-Deen al-Islaam, part of Majmu’ Mu-allafaat Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee vol 23 p.761-762

[2] Majmu’ Fataawa wa Rasaa-il Shaikh ‘Uthaimeen vol 5 p.101-102

[3] Taken from the treatise: Nubdhah Mukhtasarah Ijmaaliyah ‘an Al-Islaam, part of Majmu’ Mu-allafaat Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee vol 23 p.784