6:82 Those who have attained to faith, and who have not obscured their faith by wrongdoing-it is they who shall be secure, since it is they who have found the right path!"
Life is not difficult . This is not an onerous responsibility. What is onerous is the handicap that we develop every time we shirk this responsibility. Every time we do a good deed the next one becomes easier. Every time we do a bad deed, the next one becomes easier. It is a self regulating mechanism where you can play the game of life as an advanced player or as a handicapped player.
It is like walking on a treadmill, each time you do something wrong, the incline becomes steeper. Each time you do something good, the incline is reduced.
When you are on life’s journey, it is not the eyes that show you the path, but the heart. If the heart is not clean, you will not know if you are going on the right path.
The code of conduct is simple. In addition to the 5 pillars of Islam there are another 8 points which are easy to follow.
1. Belief in one God
Worship none but Allah.
2. Do good to your Parents.
According to Hadith the following were always mentioned by the prophet as being amongst the most sinful things.
a. Joining others with God.
b. Disobeying parents.
c. Bearing false testimony.
3. Be not afraid of having children. Do not kill children for any reason what so ever.
It is God’s promise that He will provide for us and provide for our children.
I know of many families that have 9 children and 11 children. All of them have done well in life. *
4. Avoid shameful deeds, even in secret.
5. Do not take another Human life, other than in pursuit of justice.
6. Do not touch the property of an orphan except to fulfill your Fiduciary duties to him or her.
7. Do not cheat in the matter of giving account for measures and weights.
8. Do not demand of people more than they are able to bear.
It is God's promise I have exercised some discretion in listing it for humans. For humans it is applicable in a different way. It is almost incumbent on us to raise the capacity of others by providing them guidance and training. God will surely judge us or those of us who have been given this ability to be teachers and mentors to others specially those who are in our trust. Our children, our spouses, our grandchildren, our servants, or others who serve us. How can we ever repay them for the companionship that they provide and the meaning that they give to our lives. Money is no compensation if we have the capacity to give to them of ourselves.
9. Be just in expressing your opinion even if it goes against your next or near of kin.
10. Observe your duties to God.
Duties to God are just 10% of the code of conduct.
How many of us practice even 50% of what is required. How many of us have given in to weakness and need to clean their hearts. Test yourself against each of these points and find out.
The tests are simple. For example respecting our parents and caring for our children define a Muslim but most people respect their parents and care for their children. It is only when put to a test that we find out if this is just lip service or for real. Our parents are our link to wisdom, the wisdom of another world. Our children are our links to change and of a future world. It is not a duty that we shirk by not giving them importance, we ignore them at our own peril.
Bibliography
6:151 Say: "Come, let me convey unto you what God has [really] forbidden to you: "Do not ascribe divinity, in any way, to aught beside Him; and [do not offend against but, rather,] do good unto your parents; [146] and do not kill your children for fear of poverty - [for] it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them; [147] and do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret; and do not take any human being's life-[the life] which God has declared to be sacred -otherwise than in [the pursuit of] justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason; [148]
6:152 and do not touch the substance of an orphan - save to improve it-before he comes of age." [149] And [in all your dealings] give full measure and weight, [150] with equity: [however,] We do not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear; [151] and when you voice an opinion, be just, even though it be [against] one near of kin. [152] And [always] observe your bond with God: [153] this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might keep it in mind.
6:153 And [know] that this is the way leading straight unto Me: follow it, then, and follow not other ways, lest they cause you to deviate [154] from His way. [All] this has He enjoined upon you, so that you might remain conscious of Him.
*
"and do not kill your children for fear of poverty - [for] it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them; " 6.151
This verse was revealed to discourage the practice of killing children at birth even burying them alive, either because they were girls or because the family was too poor. In the modern context people have abortions or do family planning. In India many people have abortions when they find out that the fetus is female. I have discussed this verse in the modern context.
Without meaning to discourage family planning, I am focussing on the second part of the verse which says," it is We who shall provide sustenance for you as well as for them."
This does not mean that Allah expects people to sit around and wait for the sustenance to decend from Heaven. It does mean that if you look around for sustenance, you are guaranteed to find it. God helps those who help themselves.
Similarly poverty alone is no reason to have fewer children, if what you want is more children. In the affluent countries people have fewer children not because of poverty but because they want to maintain a certain standard of life. Absent from this thinking is that their own livelihood is ultimately provided by Allah. We tend to believe that our wealth and success results from our hard work and intelligence and take God out of the equation altogether. Submitting to God means that you cannot take him out of the equation.
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