Originally posted 2017-11-07 19:48:31.
In this article, we will try to understand some important attributes of believers. A believer is someone who believes in the existence of Allah and the Hereafter with no doubt, as well as the Revelations sent down to guide mankind. It is the Qur’an which gives various lessons, admonitions and inspirations to a believer and is the only guide for mankind. Therefore, a believer is completely defined by the lessons of the Qur’an and therefore it is essential that we draw all our points from the Qur’an.
“This is a blessed Book which We have sent down – follow it and be conscious of your Lord , so that you may receive mercy.” (Qur’an 6:155-157)
Majority of people on earth simply lead their lives in the flow of day to day occurrences of events. Having no awareness of Allah, their decisions and responses to these occurrences are not always that which will please Allah. However, this does not bother them. Primarily, they are motivated in life by their own interests. All humans will find themselves now and again, in a situation where there is a decision they have to make; there will be a narrow margin between the best response that would be most pleasing to Allah and a response which is easier to carry out, but not the best one in Allah’s sight. A believer who truly fears Allah and hopes to attain Paradise will have the will-power to obey what his conscience tells him to do, and thus take up the best response for Allah’s sake. Allah is constantly watching all people, both believers and disbelievers and He is testing them to see whether they take the best response or not.
“It is He Who created life and death to test you to reveal which of you is best in deeds.” (Qur’an 67:2)
The above verse reveals an important purpose in the creation of man. Believers are those who always strive to do the best deed primarily out of love and fear of Allah. In many verses, Allah commands believers to do good deeds
“Believers, bow down, prostrate yourselves, worship your Lord and do good deeds so that you may succeed.” (Qur’an 22:77)
Most people live and serve only the stake-holders in their lives. Outside these, instead of being selfless, compassionate and caring, they care less about the interest of others while vehemently protecting their own. They even encounter problems in the relationships with their own people due to a lack of goodness of their own souls.
The people around a believer may find it strange seeing his or her consistent right actions. This is because only when one comprehends the existence of Allah and the purpose of life and also becomes a devoted believer himself or herself, can true uprightness in conduct and behaviour make sense. A person who has little or no faith in the Hereafter cannot be said to have the will-power to have the best manners, conduct and deeds.
“On the Day when every soul will find all the good it has done presented in front of him, it will wish there were a great distance between him and all the evil he comitted. Allah cautions you about Himself. Allah is full of kindness to His servants.” (Qur’an 3:30)
Since the Qur’an informs us that the Hereafter is our permanent home, everything in life comes second to Allah’s approval for a believer. For instance, at work, the money to be earned is not the primary goal. Or for instance, a job at the end of a course of study is not the primary goal. The way a believer perceives life is that every moment of living is a ‘means’ to earn Allah’s approval and hence Paradise in the Hereafter. Any worldly reward at the end is merely the worldly reward and is secondary to the prime objective of the Hereafter. In fact, the believer sees himself as a slave of Allah and on a mission to fulfill his purpose stated in the Qur’an. He sees those as his objectives in life, and not any worldly achievements.
“What is with you runs out but what is with Allah goes on forever. Those who were steadfast will be recompensed according to the best of what they did. Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did.” (Qur’an 16:96-97)
That is why at any instance, the believer never compromises perfect behaviour, even if it does not work in favour of his worldly objectives. For instance, he will find time to help a needy person even if he is running late to work and will never pretend to ignore a person in need. In addition to his righteousness in simple day to day events, the true believer is on a ‘steep path’, defined in the Qur’an as the path of those who achieve Allah’s Garden.
“Yet, he has not embarked upon the steep path. What will explain to you what the steep path is? It is to free a slave. To feed people in days of shortage. To bring the orphans near as well as the very poor. Only then he would become one of the believers, who exhorts people to the truth and to kindness. These are the companions of the right”.
(Qur’an 90:8-15)
Let alone doing additional good deeds for the sake of Allah, disbelievers are always open to the whisperings of Satan and the desires of their own souls. Without the protection of Allah and the criterion of the Qur’an, they are free to observe no boundaries and are open to all instigations of evil. All small acts of evil such as lack of proper mannerism and bad language right up to big crimes such as theft and murder all stem from a lack of faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment. It may be said that a disbeliever can be good in the world. If a disbeliever keeps away from some evil deeds, or does any good, he does so for reasons such as the following:
1) It makes him feel good inside doing the right thing.
2) It is the norm of the society; people will reject him if he does such and such. Doing good will make him look good in front of people.
3) It will harm his long term worldly interests if he does a bad action, for instance getting a promotion, or jeopardize an existing relationship with a partner if he cheats.
Such a person whose motives revolve only around this world can commit sins when these worldly motives no longer comply with his interests. For instance, a disbeliever slacks in his current job if he is due to leave the position soon. This is because he no longer has the worldly goal of gaining the approval of colleagues or get a promotion. Or a husband cheats on his wife because she does not interest him anymore and he no longer feels there is anything to lose if she leaves him, even if she is the most loyal and considerate partner.
Since worldly motives do not drive the believer, rather to earn the eternal Gardens of Paradise and avoid the Fire of Hell, no loss or gain in the world is a justification for even the mildest incorrect behaviour. The believer is well aware that Allah will call into account, even his smallest deeds:
“On that Day, people will come forward in separate groups to be shown their deeds: whoever has done an atom’s weight of good will see it, but whoever has done an atom’s weight of evil will see that.” (Qur’an 99:6-8)
Thus, a person due to resign from a job will not slack the least, since he has to remain loyal to Allah by not taking salary for work he did not do. The husband does not treat his wife with even the slightest of harshness, even when things do not work out well since Allah will take into account all his deeds.
A correct understanding and implementation of the religion of the Qur’an makes a person live by the most superior morals in the world. This superior morality of true believers, above and beyond all disbelievers and hypocrites is identified in this verse:
“You are the best nation ever to be produced before mankind. You enjoin the right, forbid the wrong, and believe in Allah.” (Qur’an, 3:110)
We have seen that the believer is the person with supreme morality in the world and has an unshakable criterion of right and wrong and who never wavers from doing the right action. We have also seen faulty reasonings behind good actions of disbelievers. However, the most important reason why even a good-doing disbeliever is guilty of crimes in Allah’s sight is that he arrogantly refused to accept his Creator, his Maker and the one who provided him with everything. A disbeliever, no matter how good he may seem on the outside is committing great wrong in the sight of Allah at each moment of his life. He is guilty of denying his Lord, who gave him hearing, sight, understanding, of all the delicious and healthy food growing from the earth, spouse and children, home, wealth and career. A single breath a human takes is a great miracle and blessing from Allah. In the sight of Allah, to be arrogant of the fact that Allah is the One who gave one all these are unforgivable crimes no matter how much the disbeliever wishes to belittle these.
“That is because you wrongfully enjoyed and rejoiced on earth. Enter the gates of Hell, there to remain – an evil home for the arrogant.” (Qur’an 40:75-76)
Source: http://www.quranicpath.com/quranicpath/understanding_believers.html