Islam and Discrimination: Wedding of Jowaibir and Zalfa(Equality in Islam, Racism and Islam)

"How beautiful it were if you could marry and establish a family,
ending this forlorn and isolated life? You could fulfill your natural
urges and also she could help you in your temporal and spiritual needs
and goals."
"O Messenger of Allah, I have neither wealth nor beauty; nor I have a
noble descent or lineage. Who will marry me? And which woman likes to
be wife of a poor, short, black and ugly man like me?"
"O Jowaibir! God has changed the individual's worth through Islam.
Many people were high-placed in the pre-Islamic society and Islam
brought them down. Many were despised non-entities and Islam bestowed
them with honor and high rank and brought them up. Islam abolished the
un-Islamic discrimination and pride of lineage. Now all people
irrespective of their color and origin are equal. Nobody has
superiority over others but through piety and obedience to Allah.
Among the Muslims, only that person would be higher than YOU whose
virtues and deeds are better than you. Now do as I tell you."
These words were exchanged one day between the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
and Jowaibir when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) came to see the
Companions of the Suffa (Ashab al-Suffa).
Jowaibir was a native of "Yamamah" where he came to know about the
Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the advent of Islam. He was poor, black and
short, but at the same time intelligent truth seeking and a man of
determination. He came to Medina to look at Islam from near; in a
short time he embraced Islam. Since he had neither money, house nor
any friends, he temporarily was accommodated along with other poor
Muslims in the Mosque by permission of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).
When it was revealed unto the Prophet Muhammad (saw) that the Mosque
was not a place of habitation, it became necessary to shift them
elsewhere. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) selected a site outside the
Mosque and erected a shed for them. The place was named as "Suffa" and
the residents were known as "Ashab al-Suffa" - all of them poor from
places far away from Medina.
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) came to visit them one day. Noticing
Jowaibir among them he decided to bring him out of this forlorn life.
It was beyond the fancy of Jowaibir to own a house and have a wife in
his condition. And that was why he replied to the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) as to how it was possible for anyone to accept him in matrimony
when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) advised him to marry. But the Prophet
Muhammad (saw) removing his doubts explained to him the changes
brought about in the social outlook of the people by Islam.
After bringing Jowaibir out of his inferiority complex, he directed
him to the house of Ziad ibn Lubaid to request him for his daughter's
hand in marriage.
Ziad ibn Lubaid was one of the wealthiest persons of Medina and
commanded high respect among his tribes. When Jowaibir entered his
house, he was surrounded by his relatives and some of his tribes-men.
Jowaibir took a seat, paused for a moment and then raising his head
said, "I have brought a message from the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Do
you like to hear it confidentially or openly?"
Ziad ibn Lubaid: "A message from the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is an
honour to me, better you tell it openly."
"The Prophet Muhammad (saw) has sent me to request you for your
daughter for myself".
Ziad ibn Lubaid asked: "Did he himself make this suggestion to you?"
Jowaibir replied: "I don't speak on my own accord. Everybody knows me,
I am not a liar"
Ziad ibn Lubaid said: "Strange! We don't give our daughters to persons
of unequal status nor outside our tribe. You go back I shall go to the
Prophet Muhammad (saw) and have a talk with him myself."
Jowaibir left the house murmuring, "By Allah (SWT), whatever the Noble
Qur'an teaches and whatever is the purpose of the prophethood of
Muhammad (saw) is totally against what Ziad ibn Lubaid says."
Those nearby heard the murmurings of Jowaibir. Zalfa, the lovely
daughter of Ziad ibn Lubaid, and the beauty queen of Medina, heard
these words of Jowaibir. She came to her father and asked: "Father,
what was that man who just went out saying? And what did he mean?"
Ziad ibn Lubaid said: "He had come to ask for your hand in marriage
and was claiming that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) had sent him for this
purpose".
"Isn't it possible that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) had really sent
him, and thus your rejection may amount to disobedience of the Prophet
Muhammad's (saw) order?"
Ziad ibn Lubaid asked: "What do you feel about it?"
Zalfa said: "I feel you should bring him back before he reaches to the
Prophet Muhammad (saw), and then go yourself to find out the truth."
Ziad ibn Lubaid brought Jowaibir back to his house with due respect,
and then himself hurried up to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). When he saw
him he said:
"O Messenger of Allah, Jowaibir came to my house and brought such and
such a message from you, I would like to inform you that our custom is
to give our daughters to persons of equal status and belonging to our
tribe, who are all your helpers and companions."
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "O Ziad, Jowaibir is a faithful man.
That dignity and honor which you are talking about has now been
abrogated. Every believer man is equal (for marriage purpose) to every
believer woman."
Ziad ibn Lubaid returned to his house and explained the matter to his
daughter, Zalfa. She said, "Please do not reject the proposal put by
the Prophet Muhammad (saw). This matter concerns me. I accept Jowaibir
whatever his condition may be. If the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is
pleased with it, I am also pleased."
The wedding was duly solemnized; Ziad ibn Lubaid paid "Mahr" (dowry)
from his own wealth and offered good articles to the newly married.
They asked the bridegroom, "Have you got a house where to take the
bride?" Jowaibir said, "No, I had never thought that I would get a
wife and settle in domestic life. It was the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
who came suddenly and had a talk with me and sent me to Ziad ibn
Lubaid's house".
Ziad ibn Lubaid arranged for him a house equipped with complete
household equipments, and transferred the bride superbly adorned with
ornaments and perfumes.
Night came. Jowaibir did not know where the house was meant for him.
He was guided to the house and led to the bridal-chamber. When he saw
the house and its equipments and looked at the dazzling bride, his
past came to his mind and he said to himself, "How poor I was when I
entered this city. I had nothing - neither money nor beauty, neither
any lineage nor family - now Allah (SAW) made these affluences
available to me through Islam. Indeed it is Islam that has brought
such changes in the social outlook of the people beyond any
imagination. How grateful I am to Allah (SAW) for bestowing upon me
all these Blessings!"
In spiritual ecstasy he went to a corner of the room; spent the night
in recitation of the Noble Qur'an and prayer. It was dawn when he came
to himself and then decided to fast in gratitude to Allah (SAW).
When women came to see bride Zalfa in the morning they found her
untouched. They kept the matter secret from Ziad ibn Lubaid. Two
nights and days passed in the same manner. Jowaibir was fasting during
days and praying during nights. The women of the family of the bride
were worried. They thought perhaps Jowaibir was impotent and had no
need for a woman. At last, they put the matter before Ziad ibn Lubaid.
He informed the Prophet Muhammad (saw).
The Prophet Muhammad (saw); called Jowaibir and asked, "Don't you have
any desire for woman?"
Jowaibir replied: "Incidentally, I have very intense desire of that kind".
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said; "Then why didn't you go near your bride?"
"O Messenger of Allah, when I entered the house I found myself amidst
that affluence. A state of gratitude and devotion took me over. I
thought it necessary to offer thanks and prayers to Allah (SWT) before
doing anything. Tonight I shall go near my wife."
Jowaibir and Zalfa lived a most happy life. When the call for a Jihad
(Holy war) came, he participated in it with the enthusiasm typical of
a brave Muslim, and achieved martyrdom under the banner of Islam.
After his martyrdom, Zalfa was the most sought after woman for a wife
and people were eager to pay the greatest Mahr for her.
Islam and Discrimination: A white has no superiority over a
black(Equality in Islam)

Islam and Discrimination, Equality in Islam, Racism and Islam, Islam and Race, One Human Race

Racism is one of the severe diseases of human society in this age.
Everyone remembers how black Africans were transported across the
oceans, packed in specially designed ships, thought of and treated
like livestock. They were made slaves, forced to change their names
and religion and language, were not entitled to hope for true freedom,
and were refused the least of human rights. Because among some Western
people the attitude to non-Westerners has unfortunately changed little
in modern times, the political and social condition of black people
often remains, even where they live amid the native Westerners as
theoretically equal fellow-citizens, that of despised inferiors.
When Allah's (SWT) Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was
raised as a Prophet, the same kind of racism, under the name of
tribalism, was prevalent in Makkah. The Quraish considered themselves
in particular, and Arabs in general, superior to all the other peoples
of the world. Allah's (SWT) Messenger came with the Divine Message and
proclaimed that no Arab is superior over a non-Arab, and no white is
superior over black and superiority is by righteousness and
God-fearing alone (Surat Al-Hujurat, 49:13). He also declared that
even if an Abyssinian Black Muslim were to rule over Muslims, he
should be obeyed.
Allah's (SWT) Messenger eradicated the problem of racial or colour
discrimination so successfully that superiority is not by birth or
colour or blood, but by God-fearing and righteousness.
The message of Islam is for the entire human race. According to Islam,
Allah (SWT) is the God of the entire world and the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) is a messenger for the whole of mankind. Islam unites the entire
human race under one banner without any kind of discrimination.
Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Hujurat, "O Mankind! We have created you
from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you
may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight
of Allah is he who has most Taqwa among of you. Verily, Allah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware." Noble Qur'an (49:13)
In surah Al-Room Allah (SWT) says, "And one of His signs is the
creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your
tongues and colors; most surely there are signs in this for the
learned." Noble Qur'an (30:22)
With this verse, Islam declares equality among people as one human
race, one humanity, that is because Islam respect a human for being a
human not for any other reason; Islam does not distinguish between two
races, or two groups of people, or between two colors, and the Prophet
Muhammad (saw)addressed the people signifying that concept during the
last Hajj pilgrimage, saying: "O People! Your God is one; your father
is one; no preference of an Arab neither over non-Arab nor of a
non-Arab over an Arab or red over black or black over red except for
the most righteous. Verily the most honored of you is the most
righteous."
Not only did Islam emphasize the equality principle theoretically, but
did it practically in some of the worship acts that translated this
principle into a sensible fact that does not escape people minds,
thus: in the mosques where Friday prayer is held once every week, as
well as the five daily prayers; equality is exercised practically and
all the differences vanishes among people. That is, whoever came to
the Mosque first, took his place in the front rows despite his
financial states or position, and whoever come late, his place is late
and if you look at any row among the prayer's rows, you would find in
that row the rich and poor, the knowledgeable and the one with no
knowledge, the Arab and the non Arab, no differences all the same in
sight of Allah (SWT), their direction during prayer, as well as their
reveled book, as their Lord is one and also their movements during the
prayer following one Imam.
Also in the holy land where the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the Umrah
is performed, the equality is even clearer and stronger that is
because during prayer people may differ in their clothes but during
Hajj pilgrimage and Umrah the Ihram situation oblige every one to only
wear simple white clothes which equates the rich and the poor, the
governor and governed, all walking around the Holy Kaaba asking one
lord.
Also, another practical application of equality in Islam, is the
equality among people in front of the law and regulations. What is
allowed is for all people and what is forbidden as well upon all
people. The obligations are upon everyone, and whoever deserved
punishment gets it, regardless.
An example of such was when some of the companions (Sahaba)talked to
Osama Bin Zaid, the favorite of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), to
intervene for the sake of the well reputed woman from Quraish tribe
who deserved punishment for stealing (that is cutting her hand), Osama
Bin Zaid talked to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the Prophet Muhammad
(saw) got angry and said, "Those before you were districted, that is
because the renowned is untouched when he steals, and the poor is
punished, verily if Fatimah daughter of Muhammadstole, I would have
cut her hand."
This is Islam: emphasizing the equality and applying it in the society
since 1400 years ago, when during that time mankind used to suffer the
worst distinction among people and individuals in society and readied
the enslaving of the human to his brother the human. The eradication
of racism consciousness is one of the outstanding moral achievements
of Islam.
This is the secrete that made Islam and Muslims prevail nations in the
past. It is a mistake to think that Islam prevailed only because
Muslims like dying in the battles as other like to live. Islam did not
prevail through battles only, but because Islam is a complete unique
guidance for life, unique in it's rituals, beliefs, dealings and
morals and from all with all that the religion of Allah is comprised,
and with all that Muslims won and prevailed in the past, and with it
Muslims can prevail and rule these days or any other time.

Mistakes are part of destiny

No one wants to make a mistake and do himself or others mischief.
However, making mistakes is an important part of our trial in the
life of this world. Allah created our trial in the life of this
world in this way. Anyone can make a mistake but what is important
is that he repents after his mistake and strive not to repeat this
mistake.
Allah reveals in the verses of the Qur'an that human beings are weak
creatures who can forget and be mistaken. A person can make a
mistake when he does not think something through, ignores
something, does not take the necessary precautions, is overwhelmed
by his weak points, forgets or is mistaken. This is very natural.
However the important thing is how the person reacts after this,
rather than the mistake itself. However big the mistake is, as soon
as the person decides to resign himself and begins to show the
attitude hoped to please Allah, that mistake disappears -by Allah's
leave. Almighty Allah reveals as such in Surah Al- Imran:
" Those who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember
Allah and ask forgiveness for their bad actions (and who can forgive
bad actions except Allah?) and do not knowingly persist in what
they were doing." (Surah Al 'Imran, 135)
Allah Creates Everything We Do
Everything a person lives throughout his or her life, everything they
do, every situation they face, all of them are created by Allah
with all of the pros and cons. In the verses it is revealed that
not even a single leaf falls without the knowledge of Allah.
(Surah al-An'am, 59). In Surat al-Qalam, it is revealed "Everything
they did is in the Books. Everything is recorded, big or small."
(Surat al-Qamar, 52-53). This means that the person makes that
mistake because Allah wills him to do so; it is in his destiny to
make that mistake. When he acts according to the Qur'an, something
good will happen after that mistake.
For example, a person may break a vase when walking by it because he
is not careful enough or does not look ahead. Or he can bump into a
dinner plate prepared with great effort and knock it off a table. He
may cause the people waiting for him to delay their jobs because he
fell asleep. Now in all these there is a variety of reasons created
by Allah. Allah is the One Who breaks that object. Maybe that object
would have caused a conflict between its owners or broken in a
dangerous way that would harm someone. Maybe Allah will make a much
more beautiful one to be purchased instead. In the same way, Allah
is the One Who makes the food spill on the floor. Maybe there is an
bad ingredient inside that food and it would have made someone ill.
Maybe that food would have prevented that person from eating
something healthier. Also Allah is the One Who does not wake a person
who is late for a job because he fell asleep because maybe his
friends waiting for him need to be late as well. Maybe this will
protect them from some danger or maybe bring the means to carry out
a more important job.
If one does not realize these facts, when he makes a mistake he
would panic and feel anxiety and sorrow. He would feet unease and
dismay. His sadness would increase even because of the effect of
this situation on other people and his troubles increase day by day.
However, it is not in line with the moral values of the Qur'an to
feel sad, dismay and troubled because of a mistake, which took
place in his destiny by Allah's will. Muslims overthrow their
discomort and anxieties as a result of their mistakes again by
turning to Allah and acting according to the moral values of the
Qur'an. They do not fall into depression like people who do not live
by the morality of religion. They do not feel sadness, sorrow or
hopelessness by evaluating their mistakes with an emotional state
of mind. They only experinece a very deep and strong sense of
regret. However this is not an evil kind of regret; it is a Muslim
kind of regret because this feeling of regret helps them hold onto
the Qur'an even more strongly. They pray to Allah even more deeply.
Their religious enthusiasm, determination to live by the moral
values of the Qur'an, submission to Allah, faith in the hereafter
and fear of Allah increase tremendaously. They take very sincere
decisions to become better in every way and become more
enthusiastic and energetic by striving more in this way. They know
that even if they could take the time back, they would still make
the same mistakes. When they criticize themselves and feel regret
for their actions, they do not forget that all things have occured
according to destiny. Therefore they do not "live in a sense of
guilt" as irreligious people do. Allah revealed in the Qur'an as
such:
"Everything they did is in the Books. Everything is recorded, big
or small. (Surat al-Qamar, 52-53)
It is impossible to claim that a person will never make any mistakes
throughout his life and is complete and flawless because human
beings are created as weak creatures who can make mistakes. Our
Almighty Lord is the One Who is forgiving and accepts repentance.
Therefore, a believer needs to take lessons from the mistakes he
made knowingly or unknowingly or because he followed his inner
self. What he needs to do is to regret it and follow the truth and
submit to our Lord and strive not to repeat that mistake. Of course
he needs to be very careful about not making any mistakes and
commit any further sins and protecting the boundaries of our Lord.
But even if he makes a mistake it is a very good quality of faith to
ask for forgiveness from Allah. The names of Allah as "The Acceptor
of Repentance" (At-Tawwab), "The All-Forgiving" (Al-Ghaffar), "The
All-Merciful" (Ar-Rahman) are manifested on the believers who
regret their mistakes, ask for forgiveness and turn to Allah.
Believers Take Lessons From Their Mistakes
As a result of their faith and fear of Allah, mistakes help
believers become more clean morally. Maybe they make a mistake on
one thing, but they remember that mistake all their lives and avoid
making a similar mistake by taking lessons from it.
However, Allah created human beings especially in a character so
that they can use their conscience, feel regret and repent, turn to
Him and ask for His forgiveness and take decisions not to repeat
that mistake.
A person must do all he can not to make a mistake; and strive to act
in a very moral way by using his mind, will and conscience to the
end. But when there is a mistake, he needs to act in the way as
described in the Qur'an.
If that mistake has helped the person to better understand his
weakness in the face of Allah's infinite power and his need for
Allah, then this shows that person's sincere faith and fear of
Allah. If he regrets his mistake and fears to be held responsible
in the Day of Judgment, and if he submits to Allah's mercy and
forgiveness, then he is abiding by the moral values of the Qur'an by
Allah's leave. Such a person prays sincerely so Allah accepts his
repentance and forgives him. He promises to Allah with a true heart
not to repeat that mistake. In one verse, our Lord heralds that He
will accept the repentance of his sincere servants:
"But if anyone makes repentance after his wrongdoing and puts
things right, Allah will turn towards him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving,
Most Merciful." (Surat al-Ma'ida, 39)
The Qur'an is the only measure for believers, so their approach to a
person who makes a mistake is always in line with the moral values
of the Qur'an. A believer knows that every person is a human being
who is weak and who can make a mistake easily. He does not forget
that Allah is the One Who creates everything –by Allah's leave- and
he can distinguish a sincere mistake from a deliberate one. When a
person is sincere, his love or respect would not change because of a
single mistake - by Allah's leave.

Enthusiasm to talk about Islam gives people liveliness

Why do believers feel the need to tell others about Islam enthusiastically?
Why is the reason believers are constantly enthusiastic?
Allah commanded that there is a group among believers who call
people to the good and right:
"Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and
enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have
success." (Surah Al 'Imran, 104)
In the direction of this verse of Allah, sincere Muslims seek to
tell people about the beauty of the morality of the Qur'an and the
wrongness of living in a disagreeable way with this morality and
channel them towards Allah's religion. Since they live the beautiful
morality of religion, and know that this brings a very comfortable
life to people, they want others to experience the same peace and
beauty. What is more important, since they are aware how real hell
is, they want all people to live a life that would please Allah and
so avoid eternal torment in hell.
It is very important for even a single person to see the truth,
because for this person there is the eternal life of either the
garden or the hell as a return for his deeds in this world.
Therefore they face all sorts of sacrifices, even it means that a
single person will be saved from hell and reach Allah's grace. When
needed they can spend their months and years day and night in order
to familiarize this person to the morality of religion and embrace
this superior morality. In the same way, they can put forth all of
their financial means for a single person's hereafter with
enthusiasm and desire. Their enthusiasm gives them great physical
and spiritual strength. They continue to speak about Allah's
religion in the best way until the end of their lives. However it
needs to be clarified that believers continue their preaching with
the same enthusiasm even if not a single person finds faith as a
result of their efforts. This is because their responsibility is
only to speak about the religion. Allah is the One Who will give
people guidance. However in the Qur'an it is revealed that in spite
of the sincere and profound effort shown by our Prophet (saas),
many polytheists in Mecca did not believe and Allah reminded this
situation to the Prophet (saas) with the verse, " You cannot guide
those you would like to but Allah guides those He wills. He has
best knowledge of the guided." (Surat al-Qasas, 56) .
www.islamadavet.org
Believers' Enthusiasm and Excitement Is Very Different From An
Understanding of "Enthusiasm Based On Self-Interest"
The enthusiasm of believers is due to their love of and committment
to Allah. They have directed their love passionately not to this
world, but to Allah Who created them from nothing, grants them
their livelihood, gives them life and is all-merciful and
all-compassionate.
The most important reason for this is that believers evaluate things
with an open mind. They are aware that Allah is the One Who gives
them life, protects all living and non-living things on earth and
that all beings other than Him are dependent on Him.
As a result of their love of and committment to Allah, they strive
to please Allah throughout their lives. The desire to earn the good
pleasure of Allah is the most important source of believers'
enthusiasm and joy. The desire to earn the good pleasure of Allah
and go to the Garden Allah prepared for believers gives them an
endless strength, enthusiasm and joy.
People who do not live according to the moral values of religion
seem to be very ethusiastic when their own interests are concerned.
However, when there is a situation conflicting with their
interests, they lose all of their enthusiasm and excitement. Because
they do not have sincere faith in Allah and the hereafter, they
forget many commandments of the religion at such a moment. They do
not think that the life of this world is created as a trial, that
He will test people with many good and evil-looking incidents and
that He will reward those who show good patience. Because of the
sickness in their hearts they fall into suspicion and (Allah is
beyond that) they doubt Allah's help. Instead of trusting in Allah,
they fall into despair and begin to make assumptions about Allah. So
the sickness, which they attempt to hide in their hearts, begin to
reflect in their speech. In the Qur'an, it is revealed that such
people will suddenly lose their enthusiasm in such situations and
begin to susppect Allah's promise as such:
"When the hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said,
'What Allah and His Messenger promised us was mere delusion.'"
(Surat al-Ahzab, 12)
Of course, they behave like this because they do not have strong
faith in their hearts. These people cannot comprehend that every
thing they face is created as a trial and they are distinguished
from those with sickness in their hearts by their reactions to the
trial. Believers who have sincere faith experience the peace and
enthusiasm of being submitted to Allah with a solid trust and of
knowing that Allah's help is close.
www.kolaylikdiniislam.b eyazsiteler.com
What Is the Source of Believers' Enthusiasm?
"The believers are only those who have had faith in Allah and His
Messenger and then have had no doubt and have struggled with their
wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They are the ones who are
true to their word. (Surat al-Hujurat, 15)
As it is revealed in the verse above, in the Qur'an Allah defines
believers as, "Those who had faith and had no doubt and have
struggled in the way of Allah". This attribute of believers no doubt
explains the enthusiasm in their hearts very explicitly. Likewise,
believers strive for the values they believe in doubtlessly,
regardless of what happens, only with the strength given by the
enthusiam of their faith.
Another reason that keeps believers' enthusiasm alive is that they
live in between fear and hope as revealed in the verse, "... And
invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is
near to the doers of good." (Surah Ar-Araf , 56) "Living in between
fear and hope" means:
Believers could never be completely sure whether Allah is pleased
with them or not, and whether they showed morals that could be
rewarded with His Garden. Therefore, they are aware Allah's
torment on the Day of Judgment and constantly strive to make their
morals better. At the same time they know in their conscience that
they strived as much as they possibly could in order to earn Allah's
good pleasure, contentment and love. Thus they have great hope
that they could reach the grace and Garden of Allah Who is
infinitely merciful. Since they experience these two feelings, hope
and fear, at the same time, they never find their efforts
sufficient and never consider themselves exempted from mistakes and
deficiencies. As it is revealed in the verse, "... And those
who...fear their Lord and are afraid of the evil of [their] account
." (Surat Ar-Rad, 21) , they are aware of Allah's torment every
moment. They embrace Allah's religion with enthusiasm and show
great effort. Their fear of Allah withholds them from being
intimidated or slacking off and keeps their enthusiasm alive
constantly. Knowing that Allah heralds those who believe and do good
deeds with His Garden sparks and revives them. In return for this
continuous enthusiasm, Allah promises believers this good tiding:
"Give good news to the believers that they will receive immense
favor from Allah." (Surat al-Ahzab, 47)
Believers Are Enthusiastic and Determined in Their Prayers
A faithful person comes through with meticulousness and enthusiasm
in his prayers. He performs his prayers five times a day as well as
ablution and fasting as commanded by our Almighty Lord throughout
his life with enthusiasm. As it is narrated from Bin Omar (ra), the
Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
"Islam is based on five cornerstones. Witnessing that there is no god
but Allah and Mohammad (saas) is the Messenger of Allah. Performing
the prayer, giving alms, going on a pilgrimage to Allah's house Kaba
and fasting in Ramadan." (Bukhari, Faith 1, 2, Interpretation of
verse (2) 30; Muslim, Faith 19-22. Moreover look at. Tirmidhi, Iman
3; Nesaî, Faith 13)
The enthusiasm of believers is completely different from the
enthusiasm of those who do not live the moral values of religion.
Next to their temporary excitement, believers' is a continuous
enthusiasm based on faith in Allah.
www.a9.com.tr
In the Qur'an It is Pointed Out That All Prophets Strove With Great
Enthusiasm and Excitement For Telling Others the Word
Even though every prophet has been faced with a number of
difficulties while telling the word to people, they have never been
intimidated. On the contrary, they have tried every way to show their
communities the right path. In the Qur'an, the Prophet Noah
(pbuh)'s sincere efforts in this regard are pointed out as such:
" He said, 'My Lord, I have called my people night and day but my
calling has only made them more evasive. Indeed, every time I
called them to Your forgiveness, they put their fingers in their
ears, wrapped themselves up in their clothes and were overweeningly
arrogant. Then I called them openly. Then I addressed them publicly
and addressed them privately. I said, "Ask forgiveness of your
Lord. Truly He is Endlessly Forgiving. " (Surah Nuh, 5-10)
As it is revealed in the verses, the Prophet Noah (pbuh) preached the
moral values of the religion with enthusiasm in order to familiarize
the people's hearts to faith where he lived. He told about the
greatness of Allah day and night. Whenever they heard about the
right, they turned away from this call obstinately. Thanks to the
Prophet Noah (pbuh)'s enthusiasm and excitement to preach the moral
values of religion and carry out Allah's command, he was not
affected by their actions and continued his mission with a solid
determination. Despite their arrogance, he searched for different
ways to make them like the faith. He wanted to save them from the
irreligious system in which they live by telling them about the
existence of Allah; sometimes openly and sometimes secretively.
However, it is important not to forget that the Prophet Noah (pbuh)
and those who preach Allah's religion with great enthusiasm and
sincerity will be rewarded for every word they speak and effort
they show on this path –by Allah's leave- because as it is revealed
in the verse, " Those who make repentance, those who worship, those
who praise, those who fast, those who bow, those who prostrate,
those who command the right, those who forbid the wrong, those who
preserve the limits of Allah: give good news to the believers. "
(Surat at-Tawba, 112) , Allah heralds those who command the good
and forbid the wrong.