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2009 – Jan/Feb, Issue: 015, Page: 004 Wisdom Magazine
Mawlana said: “Uthman was a man with a great love for Allah; he would sit where the sermon was to be recited and he would remain silent until the call for asr prayer. All the time that this great Caliph was sitting there nobody could talk or leave the mosque. Solemnity would surround everyone, from the learned to the Bedouins and the ignorant ones; the interior and the dome of the mosque were filled with the light of Allah. The wise ones could see the Divine light of Allah, but the unaware just felt the heat of the blazing sun.”

The reason for this vision and its effect was the outstanding behavior and spiritual status of Caliph Uthman; he had a manner that resembled that of Prophet Muhammad. His actions and morality were like those of Prophet Muhammad and this was because Uthman felt so much love and affection towards the Prophet.

PERFORMING TAWAF WITH THE PROPHET

Prophet Muhammad left with the Companions to perform the umrah (lesser pilgrimage) while the Quraysh were still in Mecca. The Quraysh would not let Prophet Muhammad and the Companions complete their pilgrimage, so the Prophet sent Uthman on ahead to Mecca with the hope that he might be able to change their minds. Prophet Muhammad waited in Hudaibia with the Companions.

When Hazrat Uthman reached Mecca he informed the Quraysh of the Muslims’ intention to perform the lesser pilgrimage; however permission was not given to them to enter the city and they kept Uthman waiting there. They told him: “You can perform tawaf around the Kaaba if you wish!”

But due to his loyalty and affection for Prophet Muhammad, Uthman refused this offer; he told them: “I cannot do this before the Messenger of Allah has had the chance to perform tawaf (around the Kaaba).” (Ahmad)

As for his absence from the Ar-Ridwan pledge of allegiance, had there been any person in Mecca more respectable than ‘Uthman (to be sent as a representative). Allah’s Apostle would have sent him instead of him. No doubt, Allah’s Apostle had sent him, and the incident of the Ar-Ridwan pledge of Allegiance happened after ‘Uthman had gone to Mecca. Allah’s Apostle held out his right hand saying, ‘This is ‘Uthman’s hand.’ He stroke his (other) hand with it saying, ‘This (pledge of allegiance) is on the behalf of ‘Uthman. (Bukhari,57/48)

A BLESSING FROM HIS STATE OF GLORY

Like the other Companions, Uthman was a reflection of Prophet Muhammad’s lofty morals; he was a reflection full of light and sincere affection. It was because of this that during his caliphate the energy, prosperity and spirituality gained from the silences in his sermons weremuch more meaningful and powerful than any words could ever be.

The mystery of the great morality of Sayyidina Abu Bakr, Sayyidina Umar and Sayyidina Ali along with the other Companions was due to the essence of love and devotion they felt from submitting themselves to the morality of Prophet Muhammad; this is the greatest character trait a person can ever attain. The attainment of such prosperity is something we can never comprehend; with their devoted actions and spiritual thoughts they became the light of faith.

Thus the main objective in our lives should be to obtain blessings from the way of life and the actions of Prophet Muhammad so that we can be guided in faith; the only way to achieve the sincerity and beauty of faith with morality and guidance is with this great blessing. Those who gain the blessing of Prophet Muhammad’s morality will be a ray of his eternal light and will truly understand the revelations of divinity, while the heedless ones will remain blind and perish in the turbulence of foolishness.

The doors of faith, knowledge, wisdom and true understanding of Allah Almighty will only open when a person gains the blessing of Prophet Muhammad’s morality and life.

The souls and minds of those who are unaware of his divine light will remain deprived and those who reject Prophet Muhammad, who have not obtained the blessing of his morality in their souls, are among the pitiful ones. Even though Abu Jahil said to him “You are Muhammad, the truthful one”, he never accepted the faith, because he had been deprived of the affection, morality and blessings of the Prophet.

As Mawlana beautifully explains:

“The holy wisdom of Ahmad was of no mystery to anyone; everybody knew that this holy person of piety had great wisdom and knowledge, but the spirituality of his divine revelations and advice was not understood by all. His spiritual inspiration and knowledge were so outstanding, so great, that it was not possible for any mind to comprehend completely. This superior essence of truth was beyond the universe of meaning, unreachable by mere intelligence or logic.

“Some people even saw these actions of divine spirituality as madness and were sometimes astonished or surprised; to be able to understand these great truths a person’s spiritual knowledge and thought have to be of equal status. In short, spirituality of the mind is necessary.

“Even Moses, who received the word of Allah, faced difficulties accepting the manifestations of the truth delivered by Al-Khidr. So those who supposedly have great intelligence and opinions, tell me, what use is this intelligence that is equal to that of a mouse?

“Never forget that if a grain tried to lift a mountain, the mountain would crush it.”

This is reason why the only way to the true path of intelligence and understanding is submission to Allah Almighty and behaving in the manner of his Prophet; the soul of whoever submits with the love of the light of all lights will become the crescent moon of eternity.

SUBMITTING WITH AFFECTION

Submission to Allah with affection for Prophet Muhammad, while embracing his morality and his light of guidance, should be our way of life. Submitting with true affection means including the spirituality of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his way of living into every aspect of our lives.

This is the only way we can resemble him in our ways and actions, so we must follow his guidance and question ourselves with every action and move that is made throughout our lives.

ARE OUR PROMISES LIKE HIS?

Allah the Merciful revealed:“Fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be

enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).” (Isra, 17/34)

“Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants.” (Mu’minun, 23/8)

“Whenever ye speak, speak justly, even if a near relative is concerned; and fulfill the Covenant of Allah.” (An’am, 6/152)

Even if a person takes great care to comply with just fulfilling a trust, they will find that their actions, on the whole, will change and develop, as complying with the promise given to Allah Almighty means adhering to the path of the righteous in this life.

This is why the Messenger of Allah said that faith and deceit could not exist side by side, and why he put such great importance on keeping words or promises. There are clear accounts that Prophet Muhammad behaved in such a way even before he was blessed with prophethood. Abdullah bin Ebil Hamsa reported: “Before he was blessed with prophethood I traded with the Messenger. I owed him some money and promised that if he waited I would bring him the money. I forgot my promise; when I remembered three days later I went to where I had spoken to Prophet Muhammad and found him waiting in exactly the same place. Although he had waited for such a long time he did not reproach me, all he said was: ‘You have caused me some trouble, young man. I have been waiting for you for three days.’” (Abu Dawud)

Due to his loyalty and faithfulness in keeping promises Prophet Muhammad was called ‘Muhammad the Trustworthy’; even his worst enemies and those who did not accept his prophethood called him trustworthy and honest.

Abu Jahil said: “You never lie! We know you to be trustworthy and truthful, but we don’t want what you preach.”

This is how the monstrosity of egoism destroys a person’s character. Even the enemy, those who had drowned in the ocean of their egos, agreed that Prophet Muhammad was a person of truth and one they trusted. They had no choice but to acknowledge the great character of the Prophet. This is a character that we are all in need of. We must always ask ourselves if our lives are worthy of Prophet Muhammad’s? Or do we have a soul that is worthy of the praise of the enemies?

There are many ways of achieving such a character, but the first which comes to mind is prayer…I wonder…

DO WE PRAY LIKE HIM?

The prayer of Prophet Muhammad was a prayer devoid of all evil and bad actions. As described in a verse of the Qur’an, this is a prayer that refrains from ‘evil’ and ‘shame’, a prayer that exalts and gains a person eternal unity, a worship that is full of abundance and submission. Prophet Muhammad gave great importance to the performance of prayers. Sayyidina Ali obtained all his knowledge and guidance for prayer from Prophet Muhammad. When he stood before his Creator for prayer he would turn pale and become so involved in his worship that he was unaware of everything that went on around him, even the pain of his own body. An arrow pierced Ali’s foot in battle, but he was in so much pain that the Companions could not remove it. Ali told them: “Take it out while I am praying!” They did as he asked; they waited and while he was praying the Companions removed the arrow with such ease that after finishing the prayer Ali asked them: “What did you do?” They replied: “We removed the arrow!” Ali had been so transported when praying that he had not realized what his friends were doing. This is the true spiritual power of prayer, being so deep in contemplation that one does not feel even the greatest pain. This is the prayer that Prophet Muhammad taught to his followers…

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would perform the supererogatory prayers whenever he could; these included the prayer in the middle of the night, the prayer in the early morning, the prayer in the middle of the morning, the prayer of repentance and the prayer of praise. Prophet Muhammad prayed some of these on a regular daily basis.

Those who give charity out of true kindness and gain affection in the heart must give with the generosity of their souls; the hearts of the generous ones who give for the sake of Allah become milder and more complaisant, they become more inclined to give charity regularly for the sake of the provider, Allah the Merciful. We can only reach this state of submission if our charity is like the charity of Prophet Muhammad.

IS OUR CHARITY LIKE THAT OF PROPHET

MUHAMMAD?

Sometimes the Prophet would have nothing to give; sometimes he would receive his share from the battle spoils. Keeping the minimum for himself, he would give the rest away to charity even before he reached home. He had compassion that had never been seen in anyone before and an unimaginable kindness; even if he had nothing to give, he gave the charity of a smile.

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Continue reading »]]> by Osman Nuri Topbaş
2008 – Jan/Feb, Issue: 009, Page: 004 Wisdom Magazine

Allah Almighty made the attribute of oneness exclusively for Himself, and created the rest of creation in pairs. He placed the law of attraction between the opposite sexes in order to unite them in marriage, through which they attain both material and spiritual perfection. It is also interesting that Allah made profane love between man and woman a stepping-stone towards divine love. Therefore, Allah Almighty commanded marriage for humanity in order to preserve the perfection they were endowed with and to preserve human offspring from all sorts of corruption.

Through marriage, humanity is able to protect their most beautiful characteristics which make them truly human. Marriage is the social and spiritual sanctuary for the spiritual and development of humanity. The continuation of the verse: “Surely we created man of the best stature” (Qur’an:95/4) is related to healthy marriages.

Through the proper fulfillment of the institution of marriage, the human soul can attain peace and contentment, the human body finds its balance and order, human morality is perfected and developed and the welfare and safety of society can be realized. In the absence of marriage, this delicate order can be broken. Marriage also enables couples to develop their latent abilities.

A woman, through showing affection and concern for her children, perfects her love and mercy and over countless hours of work masters how to be a good mother, educator and arbitrator. A man learns how to be more responsible through family leadership and he acquires maturity. The family unit is the smallest social unit, but it is the most significant one for any nation. Therefore, all the prophets, except Prophet Jesus, who was raised to Heaven, were married.

After the gift of taqwa (piety) the most significant favor of Allah upon a servant is to possess a good spouse. A good spouse is the most essential part of human happiness. The strength of nations depends on the strength of family ties. The Holy Qur’an indicates that the institution of marriage is a sign of Allah: “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.” (Qur’an:30/21)

This verse directs us to reflect on the fact that the primary purpose in marriage is to achieve a state of love and mercy for the sake of Allah. Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) always advised those who were thinking of marriage to choose good believers who have mercy and piety in their hearts.

In the following hadith the Prophet gives advice to a man who wanted to marry: “There are four things for which one marries a woman, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty or her religion. So you should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser” (Bukhari, Nikah)

The institution of marriage plays the greatest role in preserving high morality in society; without morality society could easily become corrupt and dissolve through indulgence and selfishness. Hence, the family and society should enable the young to marry when they reach the proper age and the basic necessities for marriage should be made as easy to acquire as possible.

Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) describes the best marriage as the one that is carried out without excessive spending. If the material requirements of marriage increase drastically young people may put off marriage due to an inability to handle such a huge financial burden. Then, their natural desires can only be satisfied through immoral or illegal sexual relations, thus frustrating the goal of establishing a stable family life. This will be suicide for society. The only solution that can prevent such a negative development is to give full support for those who want to marry, both spiritually and financially.

Ibn Arabi advised rich Muslims to help couples to marry, stating that the best continuous charity (sadaqa jariyah) is to help a marriage happen. Those who help bring about a marriage will be rewarded, as they too will have a share in the good acts of the offspring of the married couple.

In order to make marriage easier, the first step is to cut the cost of getting married to the basic minimum by preventing all sorts of unnecessary waste. In particular, in some marriage ceremonies, alcoholic drinks are served to cater to the desires of the guests. If the first step in the marriage is made with haram (forbidden) acts, how can we expect future happiness for this family? Allah blesses wedding ceremonies that are performed within the boundaries of Islam through the acceptance of prayers and supplications that are made on these occasions.

If the couples do not appreciate the significance of the marriage and only consider it a formal act for being together, it will usually result in dissolution. In Islam, of all permitted things by Allah, divorce is the most displeasing act. In the following hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) states:

“Get marry and do not divorce! The Throne of Allah is shaken by divorce.” (Muhtar al-Ahadith al-Nabawiyya,228)

In particular, this is true when one of the spouses leaves or violates the sanctity of the marriage just for the sake of seeking pleasure when there is no real problem in the relationship. This is a sin that is not forgiven by Allah, since such this spouse has heedlessly destroyed the rights and trust of the other spouse.

THE RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF COUPLES
In Islam, the head of the family is the husband, as can be understood from the following verse: “Men are in charge of women, because Allah has given the one a merit (grace) over the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women)” (Qur’an:4/34)

According to Islam, the man is responsible for all the financial costs of married life; therefore, he has been given leadership in the family. However, this leadership does not mean that he has power over or the right to oppress women. This leadership is only to put an order to family affairs, since he represents the family in external affairs. On the other hand, women are in charge of the internal order and organization of the family.

The man has the responsibility of earning a living and providing for the costs of maintenance and financing the family home. He has the physical strength to protect his family. The man has also the duty to lead in prayer. He therefore has been given the responsibility of leadership.

This priority of the man is also manifested in the order of creation; first Adam was created, then Eve was created. Adam and Eve were created from the same soil, thus explaining the reality of the attraction between men and women. In a divinely inspired hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) informs us on behalf of Allah: “I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known, hence I created the creation.”

As this hadith explains, the cause of creation is divine love. Profane love is a step toward this divine love, and this characteristic is engraved in the nature of all creation. However, this love should be channeled by divine guidance, that is, through marriage. Therefore, Islam bases family life on the roots of love, high morality, virtue, piety, good interaction, mercy, loyalty and patience, as well as other similar characteristics.

Family life, which was started first in Paradise by Adam and Eve, was continued by their offspring in the world and eternalized by Islam. The laws that Islam introduced make married life a paradise, a continuous spring of mercy. In order to attain this happiness, we should manifest the beauties manifested by our ancestors, Adam and Eve; spouses should love each other spiritually and cooperate in piety. In short, they should be a single soul in two different bodies.

For a happy family life, the rights of the women should be protected and developed. Throughout history, when the rights of women have been respected, societies have lived a life of paradise on earth. However, on the other hand, when they have not been respected, societies have tasted a hellish life. The Prophet (pbuh) commanded his ummah (community) in the Farewell Speech concerning the rights of women:

“O men! Respect the rights of women. Treat them with mercy and love. Fear Allah concerning their rights. You have married them as Allah’s trust; they became your legal wives since you have promised Allah to promise protect their honor and chastity.”

Women should take part in family life in those areas to which they are most suited, such as raising children with lofty characters, organizing the home life and other relevant fields. If they are employed in occupations that go against their nature, the family structure of society will be harmed. A good family life can only be provided when the wife and husband respectively use their innate powers properly, as described by Islam. It should also be emphasized that in the modern age an artificial competition of equality between men and women is leading them to points which are contrary to their natures. In particular, this competition is destroying the feminine qualities of women and their pride in motherhood.

THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR US ALL…
The Prophet (pbuh) gave the best example of a happy family life. He not only practiced the rules of happiness in his life, but also trained his Companions and his own children. When his beloved daughter Fatimah married Imam Ali, the Prophet commanded his daughter to organize the internal matters of the family and charged Imam Ali to organize the external matters. In this way, he established the distribution of responsibilities on the basis of justice and the nature of the spouses.

His daughter, Fatimah, was very dear to him. Whenever she would come to him, he would stand up out of overflowing love and would seat her in his place. Such a beloved daughter came to her father arid opened her heart to him. She talked of all the chores of the house: the grinding of the grain and the need to go herself and bring water to the house with great difficulty. Then she requested that she be provided with a servant to help her with the execution of these chores. The Prophet responded that no arrangements had yet been made for the Ashab Suffah (residents of the mosque). Until they were taken care of, he could not pay attention to any other matter. (Abu Dawud, Vol. ll, p. 343).

In another collection of the Prophet’s sayings it is also stated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The orphans of Badar have priority over you.” (Abu Dawud, Vol. 11, p.343). At last, he gave this advice to his daughter. “Before going to sleep, you should recite 33 times SubhanAllah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 34 times Allahu-Akbar. Having a servant or slave cannot compare to this remembrance of Allah.” He said: “For you this remembrance of Allah shall be much better than a servant” (Abu Dawud, Vol. ll, p. 340).

THE ROLE OF THE MOTHER
The mother should play the role of uniting the family members with her affection and leadership in the affairs of the home. She must train and educate the children; therefore, Allah Almighty endowed women with many noble qualities, such as great sensitivity, mercy, politeness and the instinct to look after children for the continuation of the family.

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Continue reading »]]> by Osman Nuri Topbaş
2009 – May/Jun, Issue: 017, Page: 004-WISDOM MAGAZINE

O wayfarer! Do not think your knowledge is the reason for the mi’râj It is none other that service and adab that has taken the prophet to heaven

Rahmetî

Serving others is one of the social dimensions of servitude which Allah Almighty demands from His servants. The life of a believer bears fruits and gains depth and meaning by serving the creation. Serving others, which is an important element of Islamic morality, is really an act of seeking Allah and His approval through freeing oneself from the selfishness of the nafs and tending to the creation with a giving soul. Every sincere service that is performed for the sake of Allah and which is far from selfish benefit is a search for a union with the Lord Almighty.

Therefore, all kinds of service should be performed in as perfect a form and manner as possible. This is possible through conforming to certain âdâb and measures. As much as it is important to show diligence in performing material and spiritual services, the quality of this service is also very important. The blessing and acceptance of any service in the eyes of Cenab-i Haq is dependent on this. For this reason our elders have said “Service is important but adab in service is even more important”. They state the importance of serving with a sincere and enlightened heart and performing it with the correct procedure.

It is absolutely necessary to have knowledge, wisdom, competence, dignity, a strong character and disposition if we are to succeed in serving others. On the contrary, it is useless to expect a fruitful result from services that are performed negligently and without sincerity.

It is possible to list the âdâb and measures that a person of service should take:

1. Grasping the Importance of Service

The person of service should think that the service is a great prize and blessing for himself and see this as the first rule of service. He should understand that the continuation of service is possible through giving thanks (shukr) and constantly being in a state of praising (hamd) and thanking his Lord.

The greatest service is to exalt the name of Allah (i‘lâ kalimat Allâh) and doing missionary work (tablîgh), that is, communicating and explaining the religion of Islam to others as it is encapsulated in the testimony of faith (kalima al-tawhîd), lâ ilâha illallâh muhammad rasûlallâh. This is a grand invitation (da‘wah)and a sacred responsibility entrusted to the believers. The Qur’ân and the Sunnah are a trust bestowed on us from Allah and His Messenger. We have to deliver this trust to the coming generations in the same way and understanding that the Companions of the Prophet and our blessed forefathers of previous centuries have done. These services will be our wealth in the Hereafter and, Allah willing, will be our passes to Heaven.

Our late Master, Mûsâ Efendi, who was an outstanding person that dedicated his entire life to serving Allah’s creation, explained the value and the importance of service as follows:

“A believer should strive to undertake all worship and deeds of excellence with sincerity and as the opportunities arise, without considering their greatness or insignificance. Many people do great services whilst neglecting small ones. In fact, it is not known in which act of service Allah’s pleasure lies.

One should realize that the opportunity to serve does not come to all. There are many people who have the ability to serve in every way but because the time and place are not favourable, they are bereft of it. Those who serve should see service as a blessing and increase their modesty and should even be in a state of thankfulness for those who they serve for the reason that they have been a vehicle for this blessing.”

Imâm Rabbânî describes the necessity of being in a state of thankfulness towards the one who is being served by the one serving since he also saw it as a blessing:

“Just as the way one person can inspire many people to gain maturity and perfection, many people can also inspire one person to gain maturity and perfection. Because, even though a master can inspire maturity and perfection in his students, it is certain that as a result of mutual reflection they are also a reason for the master’s perfection and maturity.”

The obligatory percentage of charity (zakât) one has to give from his wealth is clearly stated in Islam. In this regard, the person who gives zakât as a percentage of his possessions has performed the service required of him in regards to his wealth. However, because it is not possible to quantify the amount one should donate in charity from the abilities and opportunities the Lord Almighty has bestowed upon him, he needs to commit himself to service for the sake of Cenab-i Haq, as his strength allows until his last breath. The result is that the servant constantly sees his acts of service as inadequate and so ever asks himself what more there is to be done; he remains in constant pursuit of service. One of the most vibrant examples of this is ‘Abdullâh ibn Umm Maktûm (May Allah be pleased with him), one of the Companions of the Prophet. This Companion was exempted from participating in jihâd because he was blind. But his participation in the Battle of Qâdisiyya with the intention of at least holding the flag is a clear manifestation of his desire to serve Allah under any condition.

From this point of view, every believer should understand the greatness of the responsibility and the consequences of lagging behind when there is an opportunity to serve. He should realise that such complacency can place at risk the rewards to be had in the Hereafter.

2.
Ornamenting the Heart with Spiritual Traits

Acts of service which are not fed by spiritual nourishment are like buckets of water that are poured onto sand in the hope of growing crop. A seed thrown onto dry land is destind only for the stomach of a field mouse, whereas the seeds of service that are scattered with spirituality are the sycamores of the future. For this reason, the person of service needs to be careful about the spiritual nourishment of his personal life. He needs to reach spiritual maturity through giving weight to spirituality, refinement in morality and conduct, as well as to elegance and reciprocity.

The heart of the person who serves should be like a fertile ground. The creatures walking on that ground tread on it, spilling their wastes on it, but the ground merely recycles all of this and grows beautiful varieties of vegetation which then feeds every creature that walks on it. The heart of the person in service should be like this fertile ground; with such beauty in his heart, the scenery and flow of might should impact upon those who are served just like a spontaneous poem.

One needs to pay attention to four principles in order to acquire these characteristics. The heart should be:

a. With Allah at all times

b. Full of the love of Allah and His Messenger

c. Full of love for one’s brethren in religion

d. Full of love, compassion and mercy towards the creation for the sake of the Creator.

We should revive ourselves with the love of the Lord Almighty and then plan our lives accordingly.

3.
Conserving sincerity (ikhlâs) and steadfastness (istiqâmah)

Sincerity and steadfastness should be the two indispensable characteristics of the person of service. To be a true master of service is an honourable blessing from Allah to His servant. The value of this honourable blessing should be appreciated and one should strive to have sincerity and steadfastness in everything they do. If not, it should be known that this blessing will be removed. Likewise, the person climbing a high mountain needs to be more careful about where he puts his foot and what he holds onto; it is much more dangerous to take a wrong step or to hold a weak branch when one is at the peak. The following hadîth is a beautiful statement of this truth: “…the pious face great danger” (Bayhaqî, Shu‘ab al-Imân, V: 345).

Sincerity is the most important requirement for the correctness of service. When there is sincerity, discord, egoism and greed disappear. The path to allocating a share for oneself will be secured and the obstacles on the path of service will be reduced.

The people of service should exhibit a stable character before anything else. People admire those who have strong characters and who are dignified examples to follow and be taken as role models. From this point of view, the people of service should be trustworthy in their words and within their essence (ahl al-sidq), conscience that they are of the Ummah of a prophet endowed with attributes such as “the Trustworthy” (al-Amin) and “the Truthful” (al-Sâdiq). All of these can only be realized with a form of servanthood that remains on the straight path.

4.
Being Compassionate, Merciful and Forgiving

A mature and perfect human being is a person of heart. Compassion and altruism should be his most glowing characteristics and innate nature. Mercy in a believer’s heart is like a fire that never goes out. The path to the outlet of the heavens of maturity that a human soul can reach traverses the lands of mercy and service. Mercy is a divine essence which is a testimony of our faith in this world and which brings us close to our Lord.

People of service should make it a priority to show compassion and mercy towards the creation they serve by contemplating the Lord Almighty’s names, Rahmân and Rahîm; this is because service is a work of mercy. All beautiful things are acquired through mercy, compassion and humbleness. The most distinguished sign of mercy is charity. From this point of view, the people of service also need to be generous because sublime morality and attributes complement each other. The merciful person will be generous, the generous one will be humble and the humble person will be the ideal one for service. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

“Allah Almighty is generous and beneficent; He loves generosity and high morality.” (Suyûtî, al-Jâmi‘al-Sagîr, I: 60)

Also, low morality and unpleasant attributes are inseparable. The person deprived of mercy and compassion is mean, a mean person is arrogant and an arrogant person is far from serving others.

Therefore, no blessing will be expected from a service performed in a rude, hurtful and harsh manner, that has no connection with good morality. This becomes even more important in service such as education, guidance and missionary work, which directly address human beings. In the following verse, the Prophet, and by extension, the whole Ummah is addressed:

“It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee…” (Âl ‘Imrân, 3:159)

The exoteric aspects of religion are evaluated and taught by the intellect and the spiritual, esoteric aspects, which are the essence, by the soul. Mercy and affection increases the outcome of nurturing, directing and managing people. Many people, who cannot be ruled by brute force, yield to affection and compassion.

Truly, the love felt for a teacher increases the attachment to him and increases interest in what he teaches because his affectionate and compassionate approach enables him to influence via a spiritual channel rather than an intellectual one. By this, the inspiration gains a suitable content for the spiritual inclinations of the one who is the receiver, enabling the greatest reform within the personality. For this reason, people, especially students, should be approached through affection and compassion since most will surrender to these. The true conquerors of the world are those who can conquer hearts.

The sovereigns who are selfish and deprived of affection and mercy obtain a forced submission from those under their governance because they cannot rule their souls. For this reason, their achievements remain minimal. This is a delicate factor that concerns parents as much as administrators.

Truly, in a person of service, egoism and pretence should make their way for love and affection. Delicate, beautiful flowers can only blossom like this. Those who reach perfection in their behaviour through affection and mercy always search for the stricken and miserly creatures that need spiritual and material help. They feel the suffering of those who fall into misery.

One of the attributes of Allah Almighty that expresses His forgiveness is His name, al-‘Afuw. So too the person of service should be forgiving. Forgiving is a natural result of becoming one with Allah’s morality. Looking at the creation with the gaze of the Creator prepares the grounds for forgiveness. Those who want to be filled with divine merriment are those who spread the fragrance of forgiveness. We should prepare the grounds for our own faults to be forgiven by first being forgiving ourselves. In reality, the person who does not forgive has ruined himself.

In addition, the person of service should be one who covers faults and shameful actions, not the one who inquires about these. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“Whoever covers the faults of his friends, Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Judgement. Whoever reveals the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will reveal his faults as well. Allah will even shame him with his faults in his own home.” (Ibn Mâja, Hudûd, 5)

“Whoever reproaches a believer with a failure, he will not die before he commits that same failure.” (Tirmidhî, Qiyâmah, 53)

5. Acting with Consultation

Acting with consultation when serving the other is a Divine order and an important Sunnah. Addressing the Prophet, the Lord Almighty said:

“… Consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust (in Him).” (Âl ‘Imrân, 3:159)

He has declared in the following verse that believers should counsel each other in important matters, “…and whose affairs are a matter of counsel…” (Shûra, 42:38)

The beloved Prophet sought counsel from his Companions in almost all matters he saw important. To set an example for his Ummah, in every matter and incident he would prefer consultation, although he was supported by revelation in all matters. At Badr and Khandaq he determined where and how they would encounter the enemy by consultation. At the Battle of ‘Uhud, though his own inclination was to adopt a defensive strategy, because of the advice of his Companions recommended he confront the enemy outside Madina, the Prophet left his own preference and acted accordingly.

A human being is always under the influence of his emotions; he thinks and acts upon them. From this point of view, the consultation of the people of service will guarantee actions which are both correct and rewarding.

However, it is important that the people who are sought for counsel be intelligent, knowledgeable and pious, along with being affable and good at teamwork. It is obvious that many minds yield better decisions than just one. The Messenger of Allah stated this truth in the following words:

“Those who make pray for guidance (istikhâra) will not face disappointment, those who consult (istishara) will not regret it and those who are economical will not face poverty.” (Haythamî, Majmû‘ al-Zawâ’id, II, 280)

Feedback from consultation should definitely be applied. Consultations that are done without sincerity, just to please others, will not bring any benefit. Only those who are competent should be sought for counsel and everyone should state their ideas openly, without hesitation so that truth and mercy will come out of it. If the person who is sought for counsel is not competent in the subject, the result will be ineffective and full of mistakes. From this point of view, bizarre mistakes such as asking a matter of medicine from a lawyer should be strictly avoided.

A person of service should know to prefer the enjoyment of his brothers involved in service over his own. Those who want to perform service entirely alone will tire quickly, become distressed and change their views. They will start belittling everyone. They will become slaves to their love for leadership. The true and mature person of service is a person of purified soul who has shed his mortal being and sees himself right at the back of the caravan of service.

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The lifestyle of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the best example for each and every human being. He is the best example of a religious leader. He is the finest example of a state leader. He is the example to follow for those who enter the garden of divine love. He is the highest example of gratitude and humility for those who are showered with the gifts of God. He is the greatest example of patience and submission, in the most challenging times and places. He is the best example of generosity and of disinterest in collecting bounty. He is the finest example of mercy towards the weak, the lonely and the enslaved, and he is exemplary in pardoning the guilty.

If you are wealthy, contemplate the humility and generosity of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who gained the hearts of the leaders who controlled all of Arabia.

If you’re weak, adopt the example of the prophet during the period he spent in Mecca under the rule of the oppressive and usurping polytheists.

If you’re a triumphant conqueror, take your example from the life of the courageous prophet who defeated his enemies in Badr and Hunayn.

If you lose a battle, may Allah protect you; remember the example of the prophet who walked with dignity, courage and reliance on Allah among martyred and wounded companions after the battle of Uhud.
If you are a teacher, contemplate the example of the prophet who taught God’s orders by conveying his soft and sensitive enlightenment to the people of Suffa in the school of his Mosque.

If you are a student, bring to mind all example of the prophet who sat on his knees before the Archangel, the Trustworthy Gabriel.

If you are preacher or a sincere spiritual guide for people, listen to the voice of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who spread wisdom to his companions.

If you aim to defend the truth, to convey it to others and lift it up, yet have to helper in this matter, then look at the life of the prophet, who proclaimed the truth in Mecca against the oppressors while inviting them to it. If you have defeated your, enemies, broken their resistance and triumphed over them, if you have destroyed the superstitions and declared the truth, then bring to your mind the example of the prophet pm the day he conquered Mecca. He entered this holy city as a triumphant commander, yet with great humility, sitting on his camel as if he were in the state of sajdah; that is prostration before God, as an expression of gratitude to Allah. If you’re a farmer take your example from the prophet, who, after conquering the lands of Bani Nadr, Khaybar and Fadak, chose skilled people to develop and manage those lands in the most productive way.

If you are lonely, with no relatives, bring to mind the example of the orphan of Abdullah and Aminah, their most beloved and only innocent son.

If you are an adolescent, pay attention to the life of the prophet who, as a young man and candidate for prophethood, served in Mecca as a shepherd, tending the sheep of his uncle Abu Talib.

If you are a businessman and travel for trade, think about the experiences of the most honored person, Muhammad while leading the caravan from Mecca to Busra in Syria.

If you are a judge or a referee, bring to mind his justice and foresight when he solved the conflict among the tribes of Mecca over who should have the prestige of putting back the Black Stone, as they were on the verge of killing each other.

Again, turn your eyes to history and consider the example of the prophet as he, in his masjid in Medina, treated equally the poor in distress and the wealthy, and as he judged between them with utmost fairness.
If you are a husband, look carefully at the pure life style, the compassion and the deep feelings of the prophet as an exemplary husband. If you are parent; earn about the example of the father of Fatimah al-Zahra, and study the manner of the grandfather of Hasan and Husayn.

Regardless of your qualities and the state in which you find yourself, day or night, you will find him as the most perfect role model, teacher and guide.

He is so perfect to teacher that by following his example you can correct all your mistakes, eliminate chaos from your life and bring order to your life. Through his light and guidance, you can overcome the difficulties of life and attain real happiness.

As a matter of fact, his life is a bouquet composed of the most rare and elegant flowers and roses with the finest of fragrances.

source: Muhammad The Prophet of Mercy: Scenes from His Life, by Osman Nuri Topbas, Istanbul 2009, Erkam Publishing. pages, 49-52