An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents................................................................2 Foreword...........................................................................34 1. god’s people..................................................................36 Those who show mercy will be dealt with mercifully ........................................................................................36 Whatever happens is the will of God.........................36 Remaining steadfast in the face of persecution.........36 The most worthwhile work is preaching the word of God.................................................................................37 The preacher of God’s word wishes people well, no matter how they treat him...........................................37 A good deed is of no value if it makes one proud.....38 Of all actions, the most sublime is remembrance of God.................................................................................38 An able and righteous man – the most treasured asset ........................................................................................39 Qualities of leadership.................................................40 ~ 2 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents What those who sit with leaders should be like........41 Sycophantic subordinates portend disaster...............42 Lip service is not proof of real attachment.................42 Even self-sacrifice is of no value without total sincerity.........................................................................43 It is wrong even to hint a partnership with God.......43 Have trust in God right up till the end.......................44 Thinking of God in moments of crisis........................44 On hearing the Hereafter mentioned, he waived his claim...............................................................................46 Fear of God made the stick fall from his hand...........47 Fearing God’s punishment, even when one is dealing with the lowly...............................................................48 The greatest favour to seek from God is forgiveness48 Avoiding anger.............................................................49 Knowing the world, but not the Hereafter.................50 They will be of good cheer on meeting God..............50 What really matters is the man within.......................51 ~ 3 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents Extending unstinted support.......................................52 In between two possibilities........................................52 The heart and the tongue: of all things the best and the worst........................................................................53 Obedience to the Prophet, come what may...............54 Sincerity and piety the essence of Islam.....................54 True faith brings visions of unseen realities..............55 The Qur’an is for admonition, not just for recital......56 Bear hardship with patience, and one’s sins will be forgiven in the next world...........................................57 The eminent should grieve for the lowly...................57 2. What is Faith?...............................................................59 Lose all, gain all............................................................59 Knowledge is more than just information..................59 Affluence is the greatest trial.......................................59 All man’s sins, except pride, may be forgiven...........60 The Prophet’s way of giving advice............................60 When evil lives on........................................................61 ~ 4 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents Remaining on speaking terms.....................................61 Follow in the footsteps of the early Muslims: that is the only way to reform...............................................61 Hoping for something is not enough. It must be worked for.....................................................................61 Not hating even the direst of enemies........................62 A true believer shows no hesitation in answering the call of the Almighty......................................................62 The God-fearing treats others best..............................63 Bowing at the very name of God.................................63 Salvation is for those who tread the path of the Prophet and his Companions......................................64 Conversing with God more and with men less.........65 Remembrance of God the greatest act of worship.....65 God’s own are those who accept the Qur’an.............65 Liking criticism.............................................................66 Rising above love and hate..........................................67 Patience and forbearance in the face of ignorance....68 Swallowing one’s anger increases one’s faith............71 ~ 5 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents Immune to flattery........................................................71 To praise someone to his face is to destroy oneself...72 Not letting praise go to one’s head.............................72 Blessed are those who tolerate the severity of the righteous........................................................................73 Receiving praise, not with conceit, but with humility ........................................................................................74 Reject reproof and you reject what is good................75 Working in one’s own sphere, and avoiding conflict with the government of the day..................................75 Fearing no one in giving admonishment...................76 Reckon with oneself before being reckoned with......76 Learning from everything that happens.....................77 Meditation the greatest of activities............................77 The Companions worshipped by thinking of God and the Hereafter.................................................................78 In everything there is a lesson to be learned..............78 The nature of a true believer........................................78 3. Worship.........................................................................80 ~ 6 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents Worshipping God and not harming others................80 Knowing God is the greatest worship........................80 Good Character-the very essence of religion.............81 It is the spirit of worship that is important................81 Lodge God in one’s heart: that is the best of states...82 Remembering God is a constant state of prayer........82 God looks after one who prays to Him......................83 To help a Muslim in need is a great act of worship...83 Truly destitute are those bereft of God’s grace in the Hereafter........................................................................85 Hastening to pray in times of difficulty.....................85 Letting one’s heart be moved by the Qur’an..............87 Prayer places one under divine protection................87 Congregational prayer brings one closer to God.......87 Self-seeking places one far from God.........................88 A show of piety is not reverence.................................88 Keeping within the bounds of propriety when fasting ........................................................................................89 ~ 7 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents The state induced by prayer should be abiding........89 God can hear even the smallest whisper....................90 Religion is worthless if its end is material gain.........91 True worship entails meekness and humility before God.................................................................................91 God loves the humble cry of His servant...................92 How to be prudent.......................................................92 Mention what is good: pass over what is evil............93 Three all-embracing duties..........................................93 True knowledge is that which induces fear of God..94 No one is exempt from danger of going astray.........95 How saint-worship gradually turns into idol-worship ........................................................................................95 The law of God is applicable to everyone..................96 When those bound for Paradise find their way barred ........................................................................................97 Only disinterested action is of moral value................99 Between hope and fear.................................................99 ~ 8 ~ An Islamic Treasury of Virtues Table of Contents There is charity in forgiveness...................................100 The corrupting influence of power...........................101 Those who do not fear God cannot understand the state of mind of those who do...................................101 Sometimes the obscure are more amply rewarded than the famous..........................................................103 Preferring to be unostentatious.................................103 Living in fear of Doomsday.......................................104 Setting no special value upon one sown actions.....105 The worth of honest earnings....................................106 4. Sincerity.......................................................................107 Being sincere means abstaining from what is forbidden.....................................................................107 Weighing up one’s actions before