The fact that Islamic moral values do not yet rule the world must stir all Muslims

In the words of the Qur'an God describes those, "...WHO GLADLY PURSUED
THE LIFE OF LUXURY THEY WERE GIVEN" and thus ignore their
responsibilities. (Surah Hud, 116)
It is impossible for people of virtue and good conscience and who fear
God to abandon their responsibilities and ignore the sufferings of
Muslims all over the world, even though theysee them perfectly
clearly, and to devote themselves solely to their own interests and
banal worldly gain. God will hold people who run away from their
responsibilities and leave them to others, even though they know full
well what they should do, in the hereafter.
For that reason, people must not only take action themselves in such a
situation, but must also call on other Muslims to join together,spread
moral virtues across the world and strive to bring oppression to an
end. God tells us in the Qur'anthat proper moral valuesrequire us to
"... spur on the muminun..." (Surat an-Nisa, 84).

Optimal Ways of Attaining Inner Tranquility and Serenity

This life is not our eternal dwelling but a short-lived and ephemeral
abode. A person is destined to face sundry pains, suffering, hardships
and sorrows in this transient life, as there are many reasons that
lead to boredom, dullness, irritation and anxiety. Allaah The Almighty
Says (what means): {We have certainly created man into hardship.}
[Quran 90:4]
Indeed, everyone faces suffering and hardships in their lives. Misery
and adversities are inherently characteristic of this ephemeral life.
However, what distinguishes people in this regard is the way they
handle their suffering and hardship and the methods and strategies
they employ to deal with the reasons for their dullness, irritation,
and anxiety.
Despite all the available conveniences, luxuries, and amenities that
we enjoy today, and although we possess all that we need in order to
relish a comfortable life and worldly bliss, boredom and anxiety is
stillgrowing among people! This should drive all those who seek
happiness to start looking for thereal reasons that help one attain
happiness, inner tranquility and serenity, peace of mind, stability,
and to find ways to eradicate all traces of boredom and anxiety.
Undoubtedly, among the best methods of gaining inner tranquility and
serenity and helping one to endure hardships and calamities are:
1- Sincere faith and righteous deeds: Allaah The Almighty Says (what
means): {Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he
is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We
will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the
best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16:97]
2- Adapting one's heart and preparing oneself mentally to endure
unfavorable situations, adversities and calamities makes it easy for
one to face them. It also lessens and diminishes their intensity and
severity, and helps one to move on and endure whatever happens to him.
On theother hand, if one expects only good and favorable results in
all his worldly affairs, this feeling can actually incur many crises
and hardships.
3- One should give up all illusions and phobias, as giving in to
themis one of the greatest reasons for feelings of embitterment in
this life. Indeed, one of the well-known phobias that many people
experience is the fear of the future and of the unknown. People tend
to occupy themselves with anticipating their future and are neck-deep
in their plans and concerns, instead of living in the present.
Accordingly, this results in missing the opportunity to rectifyone's
present because of the concerns and fears for a tomorrow that he may
not even live through. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {... And
more appropriate for them [would have been]* Obedience and good words.
And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been
true to Allaah, it would have been better for them.} [Quran 47:20-21]
One should not give in to such illusions and phobias; instead, one
should put his trust in Allaah,the Exalted, turning only to Him.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And upon Allaah rely, if you
should be believers.} [Quran 5:23]
4- One should not give too much weight to troubles, exaggerate one's
problems and make a mountain out of a molehill, since this creates
unnecessary anxiety and confusion. This is also the reason behind
absentmindednessand distraction, causing one to be lost and engrossed
in endless problems that crop up one after the other, creating a
vicious cycle.
5- One should bear in mind that hardships and calamities, no matter
how long they last, will soon come to an end – they are ephemeral,
like life itself. No one maintains the same living conditions all
through; change is a norm in this life. Indeed, such conviction makes
one full of hopeand helps one to endure adversities and tribulations.
Patience helps one to overcome any difficulty and is the best of
allblessings.
6- One should remember Allaah The Almighty all the time.

Sincerity and Its Fruits - II

If a servant strives against himself until he does not care about life
and the praise and commendation of people and dedicates all his
worship to Allaah The Almighty, he will be one of the people of
sincerity whose every action, word, love and hatred is for the sake of
Allaah The Almighty alone. The inward and outward actions of such a
person are purely for Allaah The Almighty alone. They do not seek
reward or praise from people, nor do they seek a noble position among
them, nor do they seek a great status in their hearts, nor do they
want to escape from their blame. If you turn into such a person, you
will be the most powerful person, foryour guardian is Allaah The
Almighty who is the All Powerful and most Strong. Upon reaching this
stage, you will be one of the people of honor in this world andin the
Hereafter.
Dedicating deeds to Allaah The Almighty in all sincerity has
manyfruits. In the following lines, we will touch upon some of them so
that they may encourage us to strive more earnestly to dedicate our
actions and words sincerely to Allaah The Almighty alone. Youshould
know that amongst the fruits of sincerity are that actions and words
cannot be accepted except with sincerity. No matter if an action is
good, if it is not done sincerely for the sake of Allaah The Almighty,
it will be of no avail. Abu Umaamah narrated a Marfoo' Hadeeth that
reads: "Allaah The Almighty neveraccepts any deed except what is done
sincerely for His sake." [An-Nasaa'i] The same applies to words. The
Prophet said, describing the luckiest person who will have his
intercession on the Day of Resurrection: "The one who said, 'Laa
ilaaha illa Allaah (there is no deity worthy of worship except
Allaah)' sincerely from his heart." [Al-Bukhaari]
Amongst such fruits are that sincerity strengthens the heart, makes
one more self-possessed and able to bear the burdens of worship and
obligations of Islam.If one contemplates the conditions of some of the
sincereand truthful people, he will clearly notice this. A good
example of this is the strength and self-possession of the Prophet
although his life was threatened. He said to his Companion (Abu Bakr )
while they were in the cave, and in the words of the Quran (which
mean): {He said to his companion,"Do not grieve; indeed Allaah is with
us.} [Quran 9: 40]
Surely, sincerity and truthfulness with Allaah The Almighty enable one
to support what is right and fight what is wrong regardless ofthe
power of the wrong. Hoode the Prophet of Allaah The Almighty, had no
prominent miracle unlike the other prophets. However, he called his
people to worship Allaah The Almighty alone and renounce worshiping
other than him. His people argued with him and said what Allaah The
Almighty informed us of in their story in His Noble Book: {They said,
"O Hoode, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not ones
to leave our gods on your say-so. Nor are we believers in you. We only
say that some of our gods have possessed you with evil." He said,
"Indeed, I call Allaah to witness, and witness [yourselves] that I am
free from whatever you associate with Allaah. Other than Him. So plot
against me all together; then do not give me respite.} [Quran 11:
53-55]
Also amongst the fruits of sincerity is that it enables one to get rid
of the plots and the whispers of the devils. Allaah The Almighty
informed us what Iblees said when he asked to be reprieved (what
means): {Except, among them, Your sincere servants.} [Quran 15: 40]
Sincerity also averts evil and immorality. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means) in the story of Prophet Yoosuf : { And she certainly
determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he
not seen the proof of his Lord. And thus [it was] thatWe should avert
from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our sincere servants.}
[Quran 12: 24]
Moreover, a small amount of sincere work can be a cause for attaining
the satisfaction of Allaah The Almighty as in the Hadeeth of the
Prophet in which he said: "Fear the Fire, evenif by giving half a date
(in charity)." [Al-Bukhaari]
Thus, even half a date given in charity with sincerity can protect one
from the torture of Hellfire out of the great generosity of theMost
Gracious, the Bestower. However, many tons of dates in charity to show
off will send one to the lowest depths of the Hellfire as Allaah The
Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the
lowest depths of the Fire - and never willyou find for them a helper.}
[Quran 4: 145]
Another benefit is that the slave can be supported because of his
sincerity. In this regard, Mus'ab ibn Sa'd narrated that Sa'd ibn Abi
Waqqaas thought that hewas better than other people butthe Prophet
said: "Allaah helps this Ummah because of its weak people, their
Du'aa' (supplication), their Salaah (prayer) and their sincerity."
[An-Nasaa'i]
Acts of worship cannot be preferred on the basis of their forms or
number but they are preferred according to the intention that the
heart holds. So, the description of both actions can be the same;
however, there is a gap of preference among them as wide as the
distance between the heavens and the earth. Two men may stand in
prayer in the same row but the difference in their reward and degree
is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. 'Ammaar ibn
Yaasir said, "I heard the Messenger of Allaah saying: 'Verily, a man
may finish his prayer but nothing is written for him except one tenth,
ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, quarter, third, or half of it.'
" [AbuDaawood]

Sincerity and Its Fruits-I

Allaah The Almighty has created all of creation to worship Him, and He
sent Messengers to people so they would worship Him alone with no
partner.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah, [being]
sincere to Him in religion} [Quran 98: 5]
• {And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to
him that, "There is nodeity except Me, so worship Me."} [Quran 21: 25]
• {And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying],
"Worship Allaah and avoid Taaghoot.} [Quran 16: 36]
Allaah The Almighty cannot be worshipped perfectly except by
dedicating all acts of worship to Him in all sincerity.
Sincerity is the basic building block of religion, the essence of
worship, and prerequisite for the acceptance of any action. It is
likethe foundation of a building and the soul to the body. Therefore,
Allaah The Almighty made the actions of non-Muslims like dust
dispersed because they lack the essential two elements: belief in the
oneness of Allaah The Almighty and sincerity. Allaah TheAlmighty Says
(what means): {AndWe will regard what they have done of deeds and make
them as dust dispersed.} [Quran 25: 23]
Such loss will be the fate of all those who did not sincerely dedicate
their worship to Allaah The Almighty, and those who sought with it
other than Allaah The Almighty. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
{Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully
repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be
deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter
but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what
they used to do.} [Quran 11: 15-16]
The loser in the true sense of the word is the one who performs
numerous deeds and then Allaah The Almighty makes them as dust
dispersed and throws him inHellfire on his face. Abu Hurayrah narrated
a Marfoo' Hadeeth that reads:
"The first one among the people to be judged on the Day of
Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be broughtand
Allaah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them.
He will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say, 'I fought for
Your sake until I was martyred.' He will say: 'You are lying; rather
you fought so that it would be said that you were brave, and that was
said.' Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown
into Hell. "And there will be a man who acquired knowledge and taught
it, and recited the Quran. He will be brought and Allaah will remind
him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them. He will say: 'What
did you do with them?' He will say, 'I acquired knowledge and taught
it, and I recited the Quran for Your sake.' He will say: 'You are
lying; rather, you acquired knowledge so that it would be said that
you were a scholar, and you recited the Quran so that it would be said
that you were a reciter, and that was said.' Then He will order thathe
be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. "And there will be a man
to whom Allaah gave abundant wealth of all kinds. He will be brought
and Allaah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge
them. He will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say, 'I did
not leaveany way that You like charity to be spent but I spent charity
for Your sake.' He will say: 'You are lying; rather, you did that so
that it would be said that you were generous, and that was said.' Then
He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell."
[Muslim]
May Allaah The Almighty guard usagainst such disappointment.
Glory be to Allaah The Almighty, from Whom none of our affairs
ishidden. He knows the treachery of the eyes, and all that the breasts
conceal. No matter how much a person deceives and misleads people with
his outward appearance, all such deception will be to no avail. Allaah
The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the hypocrites [think to]
deceive Allaah , but He is deceiving them. And when theystand for
prayer, they stand lazily,showing [themselves to] the people and not
remembering Allaah except a little.} [Quran 4: 142]
Moreover, the Prophet said: "Allaah does not look at your outward
appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your
deeds." [Muslim]
Surely, people will know the truth soon, either in the worldly life or
in the Hearafter. Allaah TheAlmighty Says (what means): {As for the
foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits
the people, it remains onthe earth. Thus does Allaah present
examples.} [Quran 13: 17]
One of the greatest reasons behind the absence or lack of sincerity in
our actions is seeking worldly gains or aspiring to earn the praise
and commendation of people. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "Sincerity cannot be
combined in the heart together with love of being praised and
commended, and greed for what other people have, except in much the
same way that water and fire, and lizard and fish are combined."
He added, "
So if your conscience tells you to seek sincerity, then turn to greed
first, and slaughter it with the knife of despair, then turn to the
love of being praised and abandon it in the same way those who love
the pleasures of this world abandon the Hereafter. If you are
successful in slaughtering greed and in abandoning love of being
praised, then sincerity will be easy for you. And if you ask, and what
will facilitate slaughtering greed and abandoning love of being
praised for me? I reply: as for slaughtering greed, then what will
facilitate this for you is your knowledge with certainty that there is
nothing whatsoever that is desired, except that with Allaah alone are
its treasures, none possesses them except Him,and the slave is given
nothing from them except by Him. As for abandoning love of being
praised, then what will facilitate this for you is your knowledge that
no one's praise benefits and adorns, and no one's dispraise harms and
makes one ugly, except the praise and dispraise ofAllaah Alone. A
Bedouin said to the Prophet 'Indeed whoever I praise is adorned, and
whoever I dispraise is unadorned.' The Prophet said: 'That is [for]
Allaah The Almighty [alone].' " [At-Tirmithi and Ahmad]
So abandon seeking the praise of the one whose praise does not adorn
you and whose dispraise does not make you any worse, and seek the
praise of the One whose praise is the source of all beauty and whose
dispraise results in all forms of ugliness.