teaching of quran

8/7/2019 teaching of quran

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POSITION OF WOMEN IN ISLAM

AS WIVES

Women are granted a 'dignified status as wives. Islam restricted the unlimited polygamy with a

maximum of four wives. The Quran declared husbands as the maintainers and protectors of

wives by saying:

"Men are maintainer of women.' (4:34)

According to Islamic Law, a woman cannot be forced to marry against her will. After marriage

she enjoys similar rights in most of the affairs. The Quran says:

"And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them .. ."(2:228)

Now these verses were revealed to guarantee protection and respect to women, which they

had been denied so far. The Holy Prophet repeatedly instructed the believers to be kind to their

wives. In a Hadith he said:

The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and the best of you are those who are best

to their wives".

This means that the best criterion of judging a husband's conduct is his treatment with his wife.

The Prophet himself demonstrated this by giving equal love, time and attention to his wives.

The relationship between husband and wife is a very special one. The Quran says:

'They (wives) are your garments. And you are their garments' (Sure 2:187)

There can never be a better explanation than this one provided by the word of Allah. The

phrase "garment onto each other" beautifully elaborates on the closeness, love and mutual

understanding between the two partners. The Holy Prophet said that the best amongst the

Muslims is the man whose behavior towards his family is the best. The Quran declares:

'... the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in (the husband's) absence what

Allah would have them guard (i.e. their modesty)" (Sura An Nisa;- 4:34).

A Muslim husband is required to be caring, loving and considerate towards his wife and the

wife should in return reciprocate her husband 's love by taking full care of his physical and

psychological needs. The Holy Prophet's instructions in his Farewell Sermon are worth-quoting

in this regard:

O' you people, you have right over your wives and your wives have rights over you. Treat your

wives with kindness and love; verily, you have taken them on the security of Allah'.


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Islamic Law even granted the right to seek divorce to a woman from her husband through

Khula'. Women were also ensured a due share in the property left by their deceased husbands

and parents.

AS MOTHER

Islam accorded an exalted status to women in the capacity of mother. The Holy Prophet

summed up all the Islamic teachings about the status of mothers by saying:

"Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.

This special status was given to mothers because of their sufferings and endurance during the

pregnancy period and the early upbringing of the children. The Quran similarly mentions the

pains suffered by a mother in this verse:

And We have enjoined upon man to be good to his parents; his mother bears him in weakness

upon weakness". (31:14)

Here the mother has been specially mentioned because of her special ordeals and sufferings

that she undergoes. For the same reason the Holy Prophet in an incident thrice insisted on

serving one's mother and only the fourth time he told the questioner to serve his father. The

Holy Prophet's own kind treatment towards his foster mother Halima is a wonderful example.

He used to call her "my mother".

According to a Hadith of the Prophet, a person gets the reward of optional hajj only by kindly

looking at one's parents. Mother is to be disobeyed only if she urges her chi ld to commit Shirk

(associating partners with Allah) or disobeying Allah and His Prophet (p.b.u.h), and even in thatcase, with due respect. Serving mother in her old age and never scolding her for the age-related

temperament carries huge reward in this world as well as in the hereafter.

AS DAUGHTER

Islam has granted several privileges to women with regard to her status as a daughter. The Holy

Quran clearly states that the decision to bestow a married couple either with sons or daughters

or neither of the two, depends upon the absolute will and power of Allah Almighty. Therefore,

both sons and daughter must be valued as a blessing from Allah Almighty, and there should be

no discrimination between a son and a daughter in the matters of right of living. A daughter

must be treated with kindness, love, and care. Islam enjoins parents to educate their daughter

since to acquire knowledge is their duty as ordained by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Islam

strongly condemns the behaviour of those parents who regard the birth of a daughter as a

matter of humiliation and an insult to their family. In this regard the Holy Quran says:


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"When news is brought to one of them, (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he

is filled with inward grief? With chance does he hide himself/for his people, because of the bad

news he has had."[16:5859]

Daughters have the right to live like normal human beings, and not to be buried alive as was the

common ancestral practice of the pre-Islamic days. Allah Almighty severely disapproves of the

heinous practice of female infanticide. With r egard to this crime, the Holy Quran says:

When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned. For what crime she was killed: "[81:8-9]

They should be given freedom to choose their husband, and should not be forced to marry in

accordance to the will of their parents. In this regard Prophet Muhammad said:

"A matron should not be given in marriage except by her consultation and a virgin should notbe given in marriage except by her permission.(Bukhari)

Quran also grants them the right of inheritance in their deceased parents' property. Prophet

Muhammad (p.b.u.h) also said:

If anyone cares for three daughters, disciplines them, marries them and does well to them, he

will go to Paradise. (Abu Daud)

Q. How far do you think that Islam teaches about equality between men and women?

Islam lays down clearly defined principles about the status and position of men and women. It

fully and comprehensively guides about their respective rights and duties. The Holy Quran

explicitly states:

"Men are maintainers of women" (4 : 34)

This implies that men are supposed to take the responsibility of maintenance of the household

and this is in accordance with the physical and physiological abilities and limitations of the

members of the two genders. However, in spite of this, a woman is free to make earning by

offering her talents and services in any walk of life within the specific limits defined by the

Shariah. The Quran supports this by saying:

And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them." (2 : 228 ).

The penal code of Islam is equally applicable to both men and women as both are to face

similar punishment if proven guilty. Moreover, in certain cases the witness or evidence

provided by a woman carries greater weightage than that of a man. For example , only a mothercan provide decisive evidence regarding the legitimacy of the birth of a child. The Holy Prophet

did not discriminate between men and women when he stressed on the need of acquiring

Comment [k1]: Not good


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knowledge in his famous Hadith: to acquire knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and

Muslim woman." Similarly Islam acknowledges the role and responsibility of a mother and

declares a mother superior to the father. Thus Islamic teachings are aimed at striking a balance

between the status of men and women. Generally both enjoy equal position but in many areas,

the role of one becomes more important than that of the other.

Q. What can the example of the prophet in his relationship with his wives teach Muslims

today?

The Holy Prophet set examples of eternal guidance for his followers in every capacity and

position. He treated his wives with kindness, politeness and friendly attitude. He was

considerate towards all of them and had a fixed duration of time for each of them. He would

never create a situation of discomfort for them. Modern day Muslim husbands need to follow

the example of their greatest guide. They should develop a conducive atmosphere at homes,

giving due importance to their wives. They should consult them regarding the upbringing of

children and make every effort to strengthen their family as a single social unit. Keeping in mind

the fast pace of modern life, they should not overburden their wives a nd should avoid any

possibility of a strained relationship. They should go for polygamy only if they are sure that they

can keep the other wife/wives happy by fulfilling all her social, economic and psychological

needs as prescribed by Islamic teachings. They need to rea lize that a happy family life is

possible only by striking a balance between the rights and responsibilities of each of the

spouses.

RELATION BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND NON-MUSLIMS

Islamic teachings about the community life and social interaction are aimed at promotinguniversal brotherhood, peace and love. Islam does not encourage any kind or degree of

compulsion towards the non-Muslim subjects living in a Muslim state. The Quran clearly says:

'Let there be no compulsion in religion'. (2:256)

The residing subjects as well as the visitors have this assurance about their safety in a Muslim

state. The Holy Prophet wanted to transform the whole mankind into a single brotherhood by

saying:

'O servants of God, be brothers'.

According to this Hadith all humans are creation and servants of One Supreme Allah and

therefore they should become a united fraternity before the same Supreme Authority. TheProphet demonstrated this vision practically by establishing the City-State of Madinah. In this

State, Muslims, Jews, pagan Arabs and probably a small number of Christians all entered a


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social contract for peaceful co-existence. He framed the constitution of this City-State by

signing the treaty of Madinah. One of the clauses of this Treaty sated:

To Muslims their religion, and t o Jews their religion.'

Not only this but the same clause declared and the Muslims as one Ummah (community). Thus

the Treaty provided complete religious and civic liberty to the Jews.

The Islamic Law describes the Christians and the Jews as 'People of the Book' and allows the

Muslim men to marry women from among these religious groups without converting them to

Islam. Similarly the Muslims are allowed the use of food of the People of the Book, as the Quran

says:

'The food of the People of Book is lawful un to you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful untoyou in marriage) are not only chaste women who are believers; but chaste women among the

People of the Book, revealed before your time.' (5:5)

Here the 'food' refers to the food in genera l that is 'good and pure' under Islamic Law. This

verse reflects the accommodating spirit of the Quranic teachings about non-Muslims. The

Quran addresses the Christians and the Jews collectively as "People of the Book' in many

verses. This is based on the fact that these non-Muslims share the common denominator of

belief in the divinely revealed books.

MODESTY

IMPORTANCE OF MODESTY

Modesty forms an integral portion of Islamic faith, and, plays a significant role in defining the

direction of an individual's behaviour. It restrains man from shameful and evil deeds, and keeps

him within the confinements of Islam, as ordained by AIIah Almighty. According to Prophet

Muhammad, every deen has an innate character and the character of Islam is modesty.

Modesty plays the role of a shinning bright light which illuminates the differences between the

right and the wrong path. Only when a person is en lightened with the knowledge of virtue and

sin, he is able to choose the right path. An immodest person is steeped into the world of

ignorance and obviously fails to realize the consequences of his actions.

Modesty brings man closer to Allah Almighty. A modest person is also provided with Allah's

security, favours and blessings. It also enables him to dignify his position in the society, and gain

respect of others.

MODESTY TOWARDS ALLAH


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The most important aspect of modesty is its observance towards God because such an

observance is bound to ensure modesty towards all the other sections of society. Modesty

towards God, as a matter of fact, transforms an ordinary believer into a special servant of God

who becomes an asset for the society in which he lives. A modest person has a strong belief

that God is ever Watchful and knows the secrets of our hearts because lie. is closer to us than

our jugular vein. Thus such a person will always avoid all those acts and even temptations that

are likely to displease God. The following Quranic verse guides us to strengthen our faith about

God's unlimited and boundless knowledge:

"We indeed created mean and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him for We

are nearer to him than his jugular vein". (50:16)

This means that God not only is fully aware of all our deeds and acts but also our intentions that

we might make before any practical act. Such a belief will guide a believer to earn God's favour.

A modest believer tries to be as humble and sub missive before God as possible. Through a

number of traditions of the Holy Prophet we come to know about the companions who would

literally cry with tears during daily prayers as well as while praying to God privately (Du'a) .

Surah 23 in its early verses ensures special welfare of those believers who humble themselves

in their prayer. The Surah says:

'Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with fall submissiveness.

And those who turn away from vain talk. And those who pay Zakat. And those who guard their

chastity".23:1-5)

These verses show the fundamental qualities of the modest bel ievers who are not only humblebefore God but also are equally good elsewhere. These Quranic verses are further supported by

a saying of the Holy Prophet thae states:

"Whoever is modest towards God, God will raise him up (in esteem)".

Thus modesty serves as the gateway towards earning God's pleasure and that is the ultimate

goal of every true believer

Now an unshaken faith in God's attributes of being Ever, Knower and Ever Aware will instruct a

true believer to be extremely careful in his social conduct.

Such a person will try to be an obedient ser vant of God by trying to follow the 'Right Wary'

mentioned in Surah 1 (The Opening). This will help a modest person to live a righteous life

especially by making efforts to earn by Halal (permitted) means and thus he will take care of his

body and mend in the light of this golden saying of the Holy Prophet.


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Be modest before God; the correct way to be modest before God is to control your heart and

head and keep them pure. Be careful about the stomach and the things therein ".

Hence a truly modest person is not only concerned about his acts of worship but is equally

mindful of all aspects of his daily life. In this way he is blessed by becoming a friend of God

because the Holy Prophet in a tradition has clearly stated:

"One who earns for himself (by Halal means) is a friend of God".

MODESTY IN DRESSING

Muslims are required to dress in a modest manner as prescribed by the Quran and Sunnah. By

modesty in dressing, it is meant that all kinds of dressing should be avoided which is indecent,

against Islamic injunctions, and raises a feeling of disgust in a person. Modesty in dressing canbe practiced in the following ways.

y The attire worn by both Muslim men and women should conceal their private parts. Theobjective of clothing is not only to provide protection to the body from heat and cold,

but also to hide the private parts. In this regard, the Holy Quran says:

He made you garments to protect you from heat, and coats of mail to protect from your

(mutual) violence.[16:81]

y Clothing which is worn to show off vanity, conceitedness, and pride is disapproved inIslam. One should avoid wearing garments which hang down and drag along the ground

since it is an indication of pride, hence involving the one who wears it, in a sin. Prophet

Muhammad said;

On the Resurrection Day Allah will not look at him who trails his lower garments out ofpride."

[Agreed upon]

y The attire should be not of a thin fabric which exposes the private parts, nor should betight enough that the figure of the body to revealed. Verify, Prophet Muhammad said:

I have not seen two types of the inhabitants of Hell (because they will come later on). One,

people carrying whips like the tails of oxen beating other people with them. The other type,

women who would be dressed but appear to be naked (those) tempting men and being

tempted towards them. Their heads be like the humps of camels inclined to one side . They will

not enter Paradise and will not smell its fragrance. Surely the Fragrance of Paradise is smell

from distance. [Muslim]


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y Muslim women are forbidden to display their beauty, jewels, and ornament to men whoare unlawful for them.

y Men are restricted from the wearing of silk cloths, gold, as well as the use of saffron.MODESTY TOWARDS M EMBERS OF OPPOSITE SEX

Modesty is among the fundamental social te achings, of Islam. Modesty sums up all the virtues

and morals that Islamic teachings aim at inculcating in the Believers. There are clear

instructions in Islam about Modesty towards God, towards fellow beings and towards the

members of the opposite sex.

Modesty towards opposite sex means to observe certain limits of decency and, indeed piety, in

matters of talking and interacting by other means. In fact, pre-Islamic Arabia was sunk in the

ocean of immorality, indecency and immodesty and the Islamic teachings made a successful

attempt to reverse the whole scenario. So the Holy Quran and Sunnah introduced and guid ed

the Muslims about all aspects of living a modest l ife and observing moral values. Surah 100 (The

Believers) states an important characteristic of the true believers who are cautious about their

talking by saying:

'The believers are those who avoi d vain talk". (100:3)

This is very important for the men and women who are not intimately related to each other

because vain and indecent talk is bound to lead to the major sin of fornication which has been

strongly condemned in Islam. The Quran even instructs the believers to lower their gaze

because that carries the potential of opening the floodgates of all immoral acts including

fornication and adultery. It says.

'Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze, and guard their modesty: And say

to the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty ..." (24:30-31)

The Holy Prophet for the some reason also said:

Guard your modesty and lower your gaze.

The Holy Prophet himself set the best example of modesty by never raising his gaze while

talking to unfamiliar women. The Quran similarly enjoins the dYiuslim women to avoid all such

acts that are likely to attract and tempt men towards them because such temptation may set in

vicious cycle of many immoral deeds. The Quran says:

..that they (women) should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (mustordinarily) appear thereof, that th ey should drew their veils over their bosoms and not display

their beauty except to their husbands .


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.that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden

ornaments.(Surah Nur)

The Islamic teachings discourage and even condemn all modes of vanity, boasting and showing

off in general by the bel ievers and in particular by the believing women. The Quran, therefore,

repeatedly asks the Muslim women to observe Hejab (Purdah) in order to remain modest. It

says:

'0 Holy Prophet Tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast

their outer garments (Jalabecb or Ilejab) over the persons (when abroad). That is most

convenient that they should be known (as such) and not molested. (33:59) (The Allies)

Thus, we can see that the core of Islamic teachings about modesty revolve around the

commandments concerning showing off by different means by vain talks, by seductive steps or

dress or by similar modes. This is so because Islam stands for training its followers in observing

and developing self-restraint and self-control in all walks of life. The members of opposite sex

have been specially instructed in observing the limits prescribed by God so that they may not

indulge in the worst kind of immorality, that is, adulte ry. The Quran, for this reason, says:

'Do not come near adultery, for it is a shameful deed and an evil, opening the road (to other

evils)".(17:32)

As a healthy alternative to adultery Islam has provided the option of'limited polygamy' so that

the Muslim men can save themselves against the major sin of adultery for which the severe

punishment of 80 stripes has been prescribed.

In view of all this the Holy Prophet declared modesty as a mark of identity of Islam..By

observing modesty not only Muslim men earn the blessing and favour of God but also the

Muslim women are able to enhance their social standing and value. In brief, Islam simply

discourages members of opposite sex from mixing or coming closer unless absol utely necessary

because this is just the first step towards many acts of disobedience of God.

Finally, modesty between mother and sons an d father and daughters is to be observed in the

light of the Quranic injunctions and the life of the Holy Prophet.

MODESTY TOWARDS FRIENDS AT SCHOOL OR WORK

Modesty carries vast meaning in the Islamic teachings of ethics. It is something more than just

decency or a display of good manners. indeed, the element of modesty sums up all the good


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manners, decent behaviour and an exemplary conduct of a believer not only towards God; his

own self but also to the members of the community to which he/she belongs. The Holy Prophet

in one of his traditions has associated the nice behaviour of a person with his faith by saying

'A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe'.

This means that true faith in Islam requires that a believer should not only be pious in matters

of acts of worship but he should also prove himself a genuine believer by demonstrating

gentleness towards his fellow beings.

As a matter of fact, the Islamic teachings. comprise of two fundamental categories of acts:

firstly the religious duties or'Ibadat and secondly the social duties or Mu'amalat. Islam stands

for maintaining a wonderful balance between and blend of these two spheres of duties. For

this reason we are required to avoid extremes of either path and should follow this guiding

tradition of the Holy Prophet:

"The best of courses is the middle course (in daily matters)".

Modesty towards friends requires that we should take utmost care in using our tongue because

this body organ can be a source of comfort as well as a weapon of inflicting injury on others.

The Quran enjoins us to use our tongue in a positive way by saying:

"nor defame, nor-be sarcastic to each other; nor cull each other by offensive nick

names".(49:11)

We all know about these weaknesses of humans and for this reason the Quran guides us on

these apparently petty matters which in fact hurt the feelings of any person. The Quran alsoforbids us from ridiculing our fellows because this may also hurt them and if they reply us in the

same coin then a vicious cycle may be set in so it says:

"O you who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others. It may be that the latter are

better than the former; nor let some women laugh at others, it may be that the latter may be

better shun the former" (49:11)

Islamic teachings also ensure the domestic and personal privacy of fellow beings. They

command its to avoid suspicion of all kinds about others. The Quran says:

"O you who believe! Avoid suspicion such as possible for suspicion in some cases is a sin; and

spy not each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs; would any of you like to eat

the flesh of his dead brother"(49:12)

This Quranic verse sums up some of t he most common human weaknesses in everyday life.

Several people (to not bother to think about the degree of their sinful acts when they indulge in


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backbiting or speaking ill of each other on their absence. One is often tempted by Sata n when

one tries to spy other's private matters. This also-leads to a feeling of jealousy amongst

colleagues or friends and the holy Prophet has warned of the consequences of jealousy by

saying:

"Jealousy eats up all the good deeds just like the fire eats up wood".

Then, we often experience a common happen ing when we see that any of our friends develop

some kind of hostility. Here again the Quran asks us to play the role of a peacekeeper by saying:

"The believers arc but a single brotherhood, so make peace and reconciliation between your

two contending brother and fear God so that) you may receive mercy ". (49:11)

This means a person who re-establishes friendly terms between two fellows gets special mercyof God. Sincerity demands us that if we find any shortcoming in our friends we should tell this

in a polite and decent manner so that he may rectify himself without feeling insulted or hurt.

The Quran repeatedly asks its to adopt a polite tone:

"Speak kindly to the people".(2:83)

The Holy Prophet in his traditions has also linked polite behaviour with the signs of true belief.

He said:

"The believer is neither a taunter, nor a curler, nor indecent nor an abuser".

He even went to the extent of equating pol iteness to an act of charity by saying:

"Even a kind word is a Charity".

The Muslims should repeatedly exchange greetings with their fellows, as this is also mean of

observing and promoting modesty and cordiality. At the same time they are required to

observe simplicity in their dress and on other occasions in daily life. They should be respectful

and helpful to their friends and should be generous in helping them whenever such an occasion

comes. Thus we can see that Islamic teachings are replete with guidance about observing

modesty in all spheres of life.

TEACHING OF QURAN ABOUT RIBA

Islam provides guidance about moral, spiritual, social and economic aspects of daily life. In anIslamic society material well-being of its members is considered as important as their spiritual

development. The pre-Islamic Arab society had developed major economic ills in addition to


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corruptions in other spheres of life. The Makkan society was evolving into a tribal capitalistic

economy. The rich exploited the poor and the weak especially by means of Riba or usury. Ribs is

any excess on the capital that has been extended as a loan to someone in need. I n this way the

lender is able to exploit the borrower who becomes more and more poor. The essence of Usury

was that it was certain and that whether the borrower gained or lost, the usurer took his

"pound of flesh". Same was the situation at Madinah.

Islam put a ban on this kind of financial system and provided comprehensive and effective

alternatives. The Prophet received many revelations against Riba and these revelations

condemned it in a number of ways. The Quran asked the believers to abandon usury:

"0 you who believe! Devour not usury doub led and multiplied and fear God so that you may

prosper'. (3:130)

This means that the real means of getting prosperous and rich is the fear of God which guides

us to take care of His creatures and servants. The Quranic verses ensure severe punishment for

those who practice usury by saying:

Allah will deprive usury of all blessings but will give increase for deeds of charity; for He loves

not ungrateful and wicked'. (2:276)

This means that taking usury is a form of wickedness and thanklessness towards Allah and both

acts are fully disliked by Him. He loves simplicity and thankfulness. He loves those who spend in

His way without charging any extra money or even without an expected reward except for the

blessing of Allah. As opposed to usury, Allah has fully permitted legitimate trade, which

promotes a healthy economy. The Quran says:

'... but Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury (2:275)

Legitimate trade or commerce increases the prosperity of men and nations while a dependence

on usury would just breed and encourage a race of idlers, cruel blood-suckers and worthless

fellows who do not know their own good. The lofty aim and ultimate goal of the Islamic society

is to ensure healthy and just circulation of wealth and discourage concentration of wealth in

few hands. The Quran says:

"...so that this (wealth) may not circulate solely among the wealthy among you...'

(59:7)

This implies that Islam does not encourage concentration of wealth in selected hands because it

is bound to lead to several social evils and. crimes arising from undue disparity and increasing

frustration among the deprived.


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For these reasons the Quran states usury as a war against God and His Messenger:

"If you do not give up (usury) then be wa rned of war against God and His Messenger' (2:279)

Major reason for condemning Riba is the fact that it is a way of making money without any

degree of hardwork. Islam on the other hand, encourages its followers to make actual effort for

earning in the light of this Hadith:

One who works for himself is a friend of God.'

The Prophet not only condemned Rib a but also took practical steps to abolish this cursed and

cruel practice. When he signed the treaty with the Christians of Nafran, he added a special

clause which stated that if the people of Ngjran indulged in Riba the treaty would stand nul and

void and the Muslims would feel compelled to wage a war against them. The Banu Mughirah inArabia was notorious for charging usury. After the Conquest of Makkah he abolished all their

usury and ensured that they would not practise this in future. The Prophet's 2t uncle Abbas was

a big moneylender and usurer. On his farewell sermon the Prophet declared,

`All interests on loans taken during the Age of Ignorance stand abolished, and I abolish all

interest on the loans advanced by my uncle Abbas'.

Q. Give examples from the teachings of the Qur'an and from the life of the Prophet to show

how Muslims should act in their relationships with any two of the following.

(a) friends

(b) strangers

(c) business partners

(a)RELATIONS WITH FRIENDSTeachings of the Qurnn and instructions of the Sunnnh constitute it comprehensive package of

guidance for the Muslims in their individual as well as communal lives. Teachings about social

interaction are a very important part of Islam's guiding principles. The ultimate goal of Islam is

to create, and then nourish n healthy society, all members of which are caring, loving and

supportive towards each other. The Companions of the holy Prophet in this regard set

examples that are just enough to provide guidance to the Muslim community. The Quran

acknowledges their mutual love by saying:


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"Muhammad is the Messenger of Corgi, and those with him (his Companions) are firm and

unyielding towards all deniers of Faith, but full of mercy towards one another.' (Al-Fath 48:29)

These Companions then demonstrated their deep love and compassion not only towards each

other, but also towards the Messenger of God on innumerable occasions. Abu Bakr for

example, proved his friendship with the Holy Prophet several times. He always believed in the

Prophet without questioning. He spent generously, and without even least hesitation when

commanded by the Holy Prophet. The greatest occasion, is perhaps, his generous spending at

the time of the Tabuk expeditions. He had placed all his wealth on the disposal of the Holy

Prophet . Earlier, he had purchased chased several slaves, and set them free especially at

Makka, and Inter at Medina, too. The Quran admires this quality of Abu Bakr by saying:

'He that spends his possessions (art others) so that he might grow, in purity, not as payment of

favours received, but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Sustainer.' (al-Lail 92:18 -

20)

A great number of other events can also be quoted while mentioning Abu Bakr's services to the

Holy Prophet. His support during the whole journey of Hijra is another glaring example. He not

only himself suffered hardships for this noble mission, but had appointed his children 'Asma

and Abdullah for the same during the three day stay in the cave of Thaur.

'Uthman bin Allan, 'Umar bin Khattab al-Arqam and Abdullah bin Masood serve as other great

examples of support for their greatest Companion, Holy Prophet Muhammad. Uthman too,

spent generously on the call of the Holy Prophet. He emigrated twice, first to Abyssinia and

later to Medina. Umar provided moral strength and courage to the early Muslim community atMnkka. Al-Arqam offered his home to the Holy Prophet for the preaching and propagation of

Islam in Makka.

Abdullah bin Masood, accordingly, offered various services to the Holy Prophet He remained

closely attached to the Prophets. He would tend to his needs, both inside and outside the

house. Ile would accompany him on journeys and expeditions. He would wake him when he

slept. He would shield him when he washed He would carry his staff and his miswak

(toothbrush), and attend to his other personal needs.

It can be seen from all these examples that the objective of Islamic teachings is to elevate the

status of friendship to that of brotherhood. The Prophet therefore, used the same expression in

his Ahadith. For example, he high lighted the essential attributes of a Muslim towards his friends

by saying:

'None of you truly believes unless he loves for his brother that which he likes for himself"


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Friends, this means, are required to be decent and considerate towards each other. The Quran

also commands in this regard in Surah al-Hujrat (49:11)

(b) RELATIONS WITH STRANGERS

Islamic teachings encompass all aspects of l ife, and guide the Believers in their relations and

interaction with fellow humans, both familiar persons and strangers. The ultimate goal of social

teachings of Islam is to train its followers in a way that they are able to attract oth ers to the fold

of Islam. Thus, Islam wants that all those social barriers be removed that divide humans into

such groups and lasses as might engage into mutual hostility and unhealthy rivalry. The Quran

in this regard say:

"0 mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into

nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other); verily

the moat honoured of you in the eight of Allah' .is the one who is the most pious of you; and

Allah has full knowledge, and is well acquainted." (49:13)

The Quran, therefore, declares the whole mankind a single family on the basis of common

parentage.

The Holy Prophet for the snmo ronson instructed the Muslims to act upon this Quranic

commandment by saying:

'Give food and greeting to those you know, and thuse you do not know.'

It is to be noted that t he Islamic mode of greeting is unique in the way that it is a direct

supplication by the one who offers it, and the recipient in turn reciprocates in the same way.The Holy Prophet himself was in the habit of taking initiative in extending greetings to others.

He also set several examples of showing kindness and cordiality towards his guests, especially

those who happened to be strangers. He had, in this regard, exclusively re- served a portion of

the Mosque at Medina, the Porch or Suffah, where strangers were accommodated quite

comfortably. He used to encourage his Companions to donate generously for the maintenance

of the Suffah. As a result of this, many notable Companions were taken care of, the most

glaring example being Abu Hurairah, the greatest name in the Hadith literature.

Soon after the Hijra, the Holy Prophet established the matchless institute of the Mawakhat(universal brotherhood between the Muhajireen and the Ansar) based on common faith,

regardless of one's nativity or nationality.

This wonderful mission was accomplished in line with the Quranic injunction that states:


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"The Believers are a single brotherhood, so make peace between your two contending

brothers.' (49:10)

Then in order to set an example, the Holy Prophet declared 'Alice as his brother. The institution

of Mawakhat proved to be the strongest bind- ing force for the unity of the Muslim Ummah.

Faith alone was declared sufficient to unify strangers in the bond of fraternity. The Holy

Prophet in this regard instructed:

'0 servants of God! be brothers.'

This again illustrates that mere service of God (true submission before His will) is sufficient to

bring strangers closer to each other.

Finally, the Islamic teachings stress on adopting such ways and manners as can attract all toIslam as well as towards each other. In this regard, a polite tone and a cordial way of addressing

others is an effective means of demonstrating this spirit of Islam. The Quran, therefore, enjoins

the Muslims to speak to all in a kind way.

And speak kindly to mankind.' (al-Baqarah 2:83)

The Holy Prophet further expanded the scope of this Islamic principle by saying that:

'Even a kind word is a charity.'

This simply shows us how important and rewarding are many simple acts of our daily life.

Indeed the inherent benefits of apparently trivial acts and ways are far reaching, as they ensure

the building of a society that in erected on the pillars of mutual love and promoting welfare of

all regardless of degree of familiarity of its members towards each other.

(c) RELATIONS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS

Islamic teachings attach great importance to all kind of relations and partnerships, including the

business partnerships. All dealings and transactions carried out by the Muslims have to be

based on thorough honesty and truthfulness, and in this regard the Holy Prophet went to the

extent of saying:

'He who cheats is not among us'.

By so saying, the Holy Prophet established a strong link between true faith and honesty in

dealings. The Quranic verses and glaring examples from Holy Prophet's life provide complete

guidance about how to establish and promote business partnership. The most fundamentalQuranic instruction in this regard is about making agreements in writing, in order to avoid

confusions and disputes in future. The verse of Dayn (verse of transactions) (2:282) says:


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"O you who believe! When you deal with each other in transactions involving future obligations

in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing. Let a scribe write down faithfully as between

the parties, let not the scribe refuse to write". (2:282)

We can see that in the modern world, the advice given in this verse is universally acted upon in

all forms of agreements made between any two parties.

Islamic code of conduct has specified certain strict limitat ions about the nature of various

means and modes of earning. Riba or usury, defined in any excess on the principal amount, has

been strongly condemned in Islam. The Quran categorically declared:

'God has permitted trade and forbidden usury. (2:275)

"God will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity'. (2:275 & 276)

So, any business partnership involving earnings based on usury is forbidden. This is because

usury is aimed at increasing the indebtedness of the borrower, .and is thus a kind of

exploitation of the weak, whereas Islam encourages helping the weak and the poor. Similarly,

no such partnership is permissible in which profit of one partner is guaranteed, but that of the

other is not. All such transactions full in the category of usury. All these transactions that

involve ordinary gambling as well as those that resemble gambling in any form are also

forbidden in the light of the following Quranic verse:

'O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, dedication of stones and divination by arrows

are an abomination of Satan's handiwork, so avoid them'. (6:90)

Thus transactions involving speculations or lottery or any surprise mon etary games as well asthose related to liquor are not allowed in Islam. Islam provides effective and beneficial

alternatives to these forbidden forms of trade dealings, and they include Mudarbah and

Muaharekah. In Mudarbah, one partner provides the capital and the other th e labour. The

partner providing money or capital is called the Sahib al-Maal or the Rabb al-Mall (the financer),

while the one providing the labour is called the Mudarib (the entrepreneur).

The financer acts as the dormant partner, and the entrepreneur acts as the trustee and the

agent to employ and manage the capital. The Mudarbah agreement can also be consummated

between several partners, and the profits or losses are to be shared according to the terms

agreed. It was popular during Holy Prophets; time, and remained popular among the

companies as well. Even today in the Muslim world, many banks operate on the basis of the

Mudarbah model. Even conventional banks offer such investment schemes.

In Musharekah or Shirkah model, two or more persons contribute to the financing as well as

the management of the business, in equal or unequal proportions. Profits may be divided in an


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equitable ratio agreed upon between the partners, but the losses are incurred in proportion to

the capital.

Islam also commands us to strictly adhere to and abide by all the terms agreed in the

agreement. The Quran clearly says:

And fulfill every engagement, for every engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of

Reckoning)' (17:34)

The Holy Prophet strengthened this injunction by saying: One who does not keep his promise

has no religion'.

Not only this, the Holy Prophet demonstrated this in his early Makkan life by showing a strong

sense of responsibility. There is a mention of a commercial partner of the Holy Prophets atMakka. This man, named Sa'ib reported: "We relayed each other; if Muhammad led the

caravan, he did not enter his house on his return to Makka without clearing accounts with me

Such honesty made the Holy Prophet`. famous with such honoured titles as al-Sadiq (the

truthful) and al-Amin (the trustworthy), and when the Holy Prophet worked with the same

honesty for Khadija as her trade agent, she was so impressed that she decided to marry him.

In Islamic mode of business or business partnership, all those methods which harm others are

not permissible. Hoarding is one such method. The Holy Prophet said:

'Hoarding is accursed'.

Similarly any business transaction, the complete details of which are not clear, and on that

account is open to dispute, is not valid. According to a saying of the Holy Prophet:

'God's messenger has prohibited a fraudulent and ambiguous transaction'.

This means that it is incumbent upon the business partners that they should never keep

anything secret from each other, and should make the division of all profits in a transparent and

unambiguous manner.

Hence, we can see that Islamic injunctions comprehensively and clearly make everything clear

regarding trade transactions and partnerships.

Q. Suggest ways in which the teachings of the Qu'ran and example of the Prophet guide the

lives of:

(a) Muslim individuals

(b) Muslim communities


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Islam, being a comprehensive and complete code of life, provides adequate, guidance for both

individual and communal aspects to its followers. Muslims, in their individual capacity, are

guided by clearly defined Quranic injunctions and the glorious life of the Holy Prophet `'lg , . A n

individual Muslim is required to fulfill his duties towards his Supreme Lord while taking full care

of the rights of his fellow beings. In other words, a balanced way of life is needed with the

objective of earning the pleasure of God as well as trying to be a role

IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHTS OF FELLOW BEINGS

Allah Almighty has established a human society in which all the people are knitted into

relationships with one another. Most of the relationships are very specific and basic, and are

fully apparent to others, for e.g. relationship between parents and children, husband and wife

etc. But there is one indiscernible relationship which every soul shares with another, though


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they may be oceans and miles apart. This relationship is that of 'humanity' and is generally

applicable to all, originating from any caste or creed. Hence, every human being is not only

obliged to fulfill certain rights with regard to the known relationships he's bonded into, but is

also required to respect the rights of every individual, whether known or unknown, rich or

poor, Muslim or Non-Muslim, enemy or friend. If the relationship of humanity is infused into

the hearts of mankind, many social evils, injustices, oppressive forms of conduct would come to

an absolute end, and a peaceful system, free from turbulence and violence, would be

established.


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