Become a good human being before you can ever become a good Muslim.

I seek refuge in Allah from knowledge that brings no wisdom, from a heart that lacks kindness, from desires that bring discontent, and from supplications that go unanswered.:-  Messenger of Allah May Allah's peace and blessings be on him .

"All humans are dead except those who have knowledge; and all those who have knowledge are asleep except those who do good deeds; and those who do good deeds are deceived; except those who are sincere, and those who are sincere are always in a state of worry." (Imam ash-Shafi'i)

     You must become a good human being before you can ever become a good Muslim.

The cornerstone of Islamic teachings in this area is the requirement that we do not cause anyone any hurt through our words or actions. A famous hadith states, "A Muslim is the one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe." .
Keeping others safe from our hands and tongues does not only mean that we do not hurl stones or abuses at them, it also means that we do not say or do anything that will hurt them.

This hadith clearly describes this as a defining trait of a Muslim. While it refers to "other Muslims," scholars agree that it is a general requirement that equally applies to non-Muslims except those who are at war with the Muslims. A person who, through his intentional or careless actions or words inflicts unjustified pain on others is not worthy of being called a Muslim.

Try to improve yourself in regards to Islam all the time. Make a goal, write it down and tell a friend.

Pray "rabbi zidni 'ilma" (my Lord increase my knowledge) and other duas for improvement and guidance. Ask your sheikh to teach you a good du’aa for you from the Sunnah.

See a good deed? Have a good idea? Do it! Now. Even picking up the trash around the masjid has reward in it.

Remember: “I am as my servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of me to himself, I make mention of him to myself; and if he makes mention of me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly even better than that. And if he takes one step towards me, I take ten steps towards him. And if he comes walking to Me, I go running towards him.” (Hadith Qudsi)

What is implied by the term Tasawwuf is nothing but Ihsan. With that in mind we can understand the joy of the person who once reported to his mentor that he had achieved Ihsan in his prayers. He felt being in the presence of Allah every time he stood up for prayers. "It is great that you should feel that way while praying,” his mentor replied. "But, do you have the same feelings when you are dealing with others? Have you attained Ihsan in relations with your spouse and children? What about Friends and relatives?  .

One must not restrict the concept of Ihsan to the performance of ritual prayers. The term is general and applies to all endeavors in our life.

Ihsan

Ehsanis in an Arabic term meaning, goodness or excellence, which is related to the word "goodness" (Arabic Husn).

It is a matter of taking one's inner faith (Iman) and showing it in both deed and action, a sense of social responsibility borne from religious conviction.

Ehsan is one step ahead of Adl (Justice) when someone is prepared not only to gives other's rights

But he is also prepared to sacrifice his own rights to make others happy.

In Islam, "Ehsan is the Muslim responsibility to obtain perfection, or excellence, in worship"

According to the Hadith of Gabriel in which Muhammad (peace be upon him) states,

"[Ehsan is] to worship God as though you see Him, and if you cannot see Him, then indeed He sees you." (Bukhari.and  Muslim).

Ehsan, meaning "to do beautiful things," is the highest of the three levels of Islam: (1) Islam, (2) Iman and (3) Ehsan. In contrast to the emphases of Islam
(What one should do) and Iman (why one should do), the concept of Ehsan is how to do something good with beauty.

Imam Malik one day entered the Masjid after Asr. Towards the front of Masjid An-Nabawee he drew closer and sat down. Rasul Allah had commanded that anyone who enters the Masjid should not sit until he first prays 2 rakas as a salutation of the Masjid. Imam Malik was of the opinion however that Rasul Allah's forbiddance of praying after ASR took precedence and so he would teach his students to not pray the tahiyyatul Masjid if they entered between the Asr and Maghrib time. At that moment that Imam Malik sat down, a young boy had seen him sit without first praying the 2 raka's of Tahiyyatul Masjid. The young boy scorned him, "Get up and pray 2 rakas!"

Imam Malik dutifully stood up once again and began praying the 2 Rakas. The students sat stunned: What was going on? Had Imam Malik's opinion changed?

After he had completed the Salah, the students swarmed around and questioned his actions. Imam Malik said, "My opinion has not changed, nor have I gone back on what I taught you earlier. I merely feared that had I not prayed the 2 raka’s as the young boy commanded, Allah may include me in the Ayah...

"And when it is said to them, 'Bow (in prayer)', they do not bow." - Al Mursalat 77/48.

Imam Ahmad held the opinion that eating camel meat nullifies ones Wudu, an opinion that the majority of scholars differed from. Some students asked him, "If you find an Imam eating camel meat in front of you and - without first making Wudu - then leads the Salah, would you pray behind him?" Imam Ahmad replied, "Do you think I would not pray behind the likes of Imam Malik and Sa'eed ibn Al-Musayab?"


"Invite (fill Amr - Allah is commanding) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction and argue with them in a way that is best!” - Surah An-Nahl 16/125.

There is no need to philosophize. No need to talk in the flower gardens. It is right there, plain and simple for anyone who would take heed.

There in that Ayah are the three ingredients to apply when we disagree with someone. The same Allah that taught us to debate the truth taught us how to do it:

1 - With Hikma (wisdom) 2 - With good instruction, and 3 - To argue in a way that is best.

 Wisdom and Islam
Al-Hikma or wisdom means a total insight and having sound judgment concerning a matter or situation through understanding cause and effect phenomena. Al-Hikma constitutes one of the three major teachings of Prophet Muhammad (p). Verse 2:129 of the Qur'an, below, expresses Prophet Muhammad's mission with the three major categories: Al-Kitab (The knowledge of the Holy Qur'an), al-Hikma (the wisdom) and al-Tazkiyah (the inner-self purification). Each category is dependent upon the other. These three fundamental teachings combined are the foundations required to make the character of a true Muslim.

"Our Lord! Send among them an Apostle of their own, who shall rehearse your signs to them and instruct them in the Holy Qur'an (al-Kitab) and wisdom (Hikma), and sanctify them (yuzakeehim), for you are the Exalted in Might, the Wise."

What does it mean to have Hikma when differing with someone? The grandsons of Rasul Allah (saw) once set one of the most beautiful examples of Hikma in advising others. Al-Hasan and Al-Husain - in their young age - once saw a senior man performing Wudu incorrectly. Together they arranged a plan to teach the man without insulting him, advising him in a manner befitting of his age.

Together they went to the senior and announced, "My brother and I have differed over who amongst us performs Wudu the best. Would you mind being the judge to determine which one of us indeed performs Wudu more correctly?"

The man watched intently as the two grandsons of Rasul Allah performed Wudu in an explicit manner. After they had completed, he thanked them and said, "By Allah, I did not know how to perform Wudu before this. You have both taught me how to do it correctly."

We must understand that there are two dimensions to Hikma. Firstly, there is the Hikma of knowledge - Hikma Ilmiyyah. And secondly, there is the Hikma of Action - Hikma Amaliyyah.

Some people may have Hikma of knowledge. But we see that when they try correcting others, advising them, they lack the Hikma of Action. This causes many a common folk to reject the Hikma of knowledge.

To show Hikma when we differ requires the following:

Sincerity

 If we differ, our intentions should be that we are differing in the sincere hope of coming away with the truth. Our intentions should be sincere to Allah.

We should not differ just to release some hate or envy in our heart. We should not differ to embarrass someone like we may have been embarrassed.

Rasul Allah said, "Whoever learns knowledge - knowledge from that which should be sought for the sake of Allah - only to receive a commodity of the material world, he shall not find the fragrance of Jannah on the day of resurrection." - An authentic hadith narrated by Abu Dawood in Kitab Al-Ilm.

To have Hikma when differing means we should rarely depart from an atmosphere of kindness and gentleness, we should seldom allow ourselves to become angry and raise our voices.

Fir'own (Pharaoh) was one of the evilest people that lived. Musa was one of the noblest. Look at how Allah told Musa to advise Fir'own...

"Go, both of you, to Fir’own. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech, perhaps he may remember or fear (Allah)."

A man once entered upon the Khalifa and chastised him for some policies he had taken. The Khalifah replied, "By Allah, Fir’own was more evil than me. And by Allah, Musa was more pious than you. Yet, Allah commanded him...'And speaks to him with gentle speech, perhaps he may remember or fear (Allah).'"

 Never trade in kind words for harshness, especially when dealing with other Muslims.

Look at the power of a sincere and polite word: Mus'ab ibn Umar was the first of ambassador of Rasul Allah in Madinah. Before Rasul Allah had arrived in Madinah, Mus'ab taught Ahl al-Madinah about Islam and they began to enter the Deen.

This enraged SA’d ibn 'Ubaydah, one of the chieftains of Madinah. He sheathed his sword and set off for the head of Mus'ab ibn 'Umar. When he confronted Mus'ab he threatened, "Stop this nonsense you speak or you shall find yourself dead!"

Mus'ab replied in the way that should be a lesson for us all. This man before him did not stop at rudeness and ignorance; he wanted to slit his throat.

Mus'ab said, "Shall you not sit and listen for a few moments. If you agree with what I say then take it, and if not, we shall desist from this talk." SA’d sat down.

Mus'ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of SA’d ibn Obadiah’s face shone like a full moon and he said, "What should a person do who wishes to enter into this Deen?" After Mus'ab had told him he said, "There is a man, if he accepts this Deen, there shall be no home in Madinah that will not become Muslim. Sa'd ibn Muadh."

When SA’d ibn Muadh heard what was happening, he was infuriated. He left his home to go and kill this man called Mus'ab ibn Umar for the dissention he had caused. He entered upon Mus'ab and announced, "You shall desist of this religion you speak of or you shall find yourself dead!"

Mus'ab replied, "Shall you not sit and listen for a few moments. If you agree with what I say then take it, and if not, I shall desist from this talk." SA’d sat.

Mus'ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of SA’d ibn Mu'adh's face shone like a full moon and he said, "What should a person do who wishes to enter into this Deen?"

Look at what a kind word did. SA’d ibn Muadh went home to his Madinah tribe that night and announced to them all, "Everything of yours is Haram upon me until you all enter into Islam."

That night, every home in Madinah went to bed with Laa ilaaha illaa Allah...all because of a kind word.


A Bedouin came to Rasul Allah and told him, "Give me from what Allah gave you, neither from the wealth of your mother nor from the wealth of your father." The Sahabas were furious at the man and step forward to discipline him for what he said. Rasul Allah commanded everyone to leave him.

Then by the hand, Rasul Allah took him home, opened his door and said, "Take what you wish and leave what you wish." The man did so and after he completed, Rasul Allah asked him, "Have I honored you?" "Yes, by Allah," said the Bedouin. Ašhadu an la ilaha illaa lillah, wa ašhadu anna Mohammedan (n) Rasul Allah (Meaning he embraced Islam)

When the Sa’haba heard of how the man changed, Rasul Allah taught them. "Verily the example of me, you and this Bedouin is that of a man who had his camel run away. The townspeople tried capturing the camel for him by running and shouting after the camel, only driving it further away. The man would shout, 'Leave me and my camel, I know my camel better.' Then he took some grass in his hand, ruffled it in front of the camel, until it came willingly.

'By Allah, had I left you to this Bedouin, you would have hit him, hurt him, he would have left without Islam and eventually have entered hellfire."

  
 Role model, Abu Bakr: R.A.
          Mercy and love

Abu Bakr once disputed with another companion about a tree. During the dispute Abu Bakr R.A. said something that he rather would not have said. He did not curse, he did not attack someone's honor, he did not poke a fault in anyone, and all he said was something that may have hurt the other companion's feelings.

Immediately, Abu Bakr - understanding the mistake - ordered him, "Say it back to me!" The companion said, "I shall not say it back." "Say it back to me," said Abu Bakr, "Or I shall complain to the Messenger of Allah." The companion refused to say it back and went on his way.

Abu Bakr went to Rasul Allah and related what had happened and what he said. Rasul Allah called that companion and asked him, "Did Abu Bakr say so and so to you?" He said, "Yes." He said, "What did you reply." He said, "I did not reply it back to him." Rasul Allah said, "Good, do not reply it back to him (do not hurt Abu Bakr). Rather say, 'May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr!'"

The Companion turned to Abu Bakr and said, "May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr?" Abu Bakr turned and cried as he walked away.

Let us leave today with a resolve to revive this air Rasul Allah and his companions breathed, an air of mercy and love and brotherhood.

We see this consideration for others throughout the life of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam. Of course, such an attitude shows itself in "minor" details. For example, whenever the Prophet Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam visited a group were some people were asleep and others were not, he would greet them with a low enough voice so those awake could hear him while those asleep would not be disturbed. Every night when he used to get up for Tahajjud (midnight prayer) ---a voluntary prayer for the rest of us---he would walk out of the bed very quietly so as not to disturb his sleeping wife.

Whenever he saw someone commit a wrong that needed to be corrected in public for the education of others, he would mention it in general terms, not naming the person who did it. This last practice also shows the two extremes in this regard that must be avoided. On the one hand is the temptation to compromise on the issue of right and wrong to avoid hurt feelings. On the other is the temptation to correct the wrong with total disregard to the fact that one might be insulting or injuring the other person. While we may see these extreme attitudes in people who seem to be poles apart in terms of their practice of religion, both stem from the same narrow vision of religion that holds our dealings with others as worldly affairs, outside the realm of Islam!

It is good to remember that Islam is a way of life. We must submit our whole life, not a small subset of our choosing, to the commands and teachings of Allah and His Prophet, Sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam. Our commitment to Islam must not only be life-long but also life-wide.

The action of foremost importance is prayer. See it as an introspective action, and attempt to derive tranquility from it. Concentrate. Rather than offering prayer reluctantly, find peace from it, as a break from your busy life.
Make sure that you read the Quran every day no matter how little. This is the speech of Allah, a guidance to you and all that exists. Have a relationship with the Quran. You can even read just a few lines and the translation before you go to sleep.

Be good to your parents.

Keep your cool, and treat people gently. Anger undoes faith.

 Excellence leads to perfection, and perfection is our ultimate goal. We strive to perfect our characters so that we may reach the highest attainable status in the sight of Allah (swt), and also to perfect our surroundings and our work so that we won’t feel ashamed when we present them in front of Allah (swt), the Messenger and the Believers.

Those who achieve excellence and perfection in this world will lead because the Divine Rule says so, and if anyone else leads the Muslims, the Muslims will always be lagging behind. We must change our current condition, and when we do that, certainly, Allah (swt) will change the condition of our entire Ummah.

Try to keep your indulgent instincts suppressed and find a Halaal outlet for your urges. You cannot satisfy your desires anyway. 'If man is given a valley of gold, he will desire another'.

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And earn Sawab-e-Jariya..May Allah swt make it a source of Sawab-e-Jariya for u and me .Ameen 

P.S.: "Have fun praying    don’t forget to make dua for me.