The Commandments of Islam

The Commandments of Islam
Dear Brother, seek a path in your relationship with society and others that is guided by the sayings of the Prophet:
“Avoid the prohibited and you will be the best worshipper, be pleased with the sustenance Allah has provided for you and you will be the richest of people, be good to your neighbor and you will be a true believer, desire for others what you desire for yourself and you will be a true Muslim, and do not laugh much, for indeed laughing much causes the heart to die.” (Tirmidhi #2305 & ibn Maajah #8081)
And he (peace be upon him) said:
“A true Muslim is he from whom Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand, and a true muhaajir is one who abandons what Allah has forbidden.” (Bukhari #10)
Islam aims to form a well knit society, in which individuals show mutual mercy and love and exemplify the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah «peace be upon him» by ordering them to do certain things and to abstain from other things.
“The Believers in their love, mercy and feelings for each other are like one body: if one part feels pain, all the other parts feel pain by fever and sleeplessness.” (Bukhari #5665 & Muslim #2586)
Islam has guided man to every good and warned them of every evil. Islam commands the following things:
It commands one to believe in the Tawheed of Allah (i.e. oneness of Allah) and forbids associating partners with Him (i.e. Shirk). Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases; and whoever associates anything with Allah, he indeed strays off into a remote error." (4:116)
The Prophet said:
“Avoid the seven destructive sins.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are they?’ He replied, “Associating partners (shirk) with Allah, sorcery, killing someone who Allah has forbidden without right, taking interest, consuming the wealth of orphans, fleeing upon confronting the enemy in battle, and accusing chaste believing women who are far removed from committing any licentious acts.” (Bukhari #2615 & Muslim #89)
It commands treating others well and forbids false consumption of wealth, such as interest, theft, deception, usurpation of property, and the like. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"O you who believe! Do not devour your property among yourselves falsely, except that it be trading by your mutual consent; and do not kill your people; surely Allah is Merciful to you." (4:29)
It commands justice and equity and forbids all types of oppression and transgression against others. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Verily, Allah enjoins justice and al-Ihsaan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah's sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin; and forbids all licentious acts, evil, and oppression, He admonishes you, that you may take heed." (16:90)
It commands that people cooperate in righteousness, and it forbids that they cooperate in evil. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Help you one another in righteousness and piety; and do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment." (5:2)
It commands with the preservation of souls, and forbids killing and participating in it, except with due right. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidences, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allah by committing the major sins) in the land!" (5:32)
Allah (peace be upon him) also says:
"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him." (4:93)
It commands well-treatment of one’s parents and forbids their disobedience. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. * And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small." (17:23-24)
It commands joining ties of relation and forbids severing them. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight." (47:22-23)
The Prophet said:
“One who severs ties of relations will not enter Jannah.” (Bukhari #5638 & Muslim #2556)
It commands and encourages marriage. The Prophet said:
“O youth! Whoever of you is able to get married let him do so, for it lowers one’s gaze and keeps one chaste. Whoever is not able then let him fast, for indeed it acts like a shield for him.” (Bukhari #1806 & Muslim #1400)
It forbids fornication and homosexuality and all things which lead to it. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Say (O Muhammad): ‘(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are al-fawaahish (great evil sins, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds) unrighteous oppression, joining partners in worship with Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which you have no knowledge." (7:33)
It orders the protection of the wealth of orphans and their well-treatment, and it forbids consuming their wealth without right. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Verily, those who unjustly devour the property of orphans, they devour only a fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire." (4:10)
It forbids grieving and ill-treating them. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression." (93:9)
It orders that one be truthful in his testimony and forbids that one lie in them (shahaadat-uz-zoor). The Prophet said:
“Shall I not tell you the three greatest sins?” They said. “Indeed O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Associating partners with Allah (shirk) and ill-treatment of parents.” He was leaning [when he mentioned that], and then sat up straight (as if he was alarmed) and said, “And bearing false witness.” [The narrator] said, “He continued to repeat this until we said [to ourselves], “If only he would stop.” (Bukhari #2511 & Muslim #87)
It commands that one fulfill his oaths and forbids that one lie in it: (al-yameen al ghamoos), which means that one intentionally lies in his oath in order to deprive another his right. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah’s Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Jannah). Neither will Allah speak to them, nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment." (3:77)
It commands humans to take care of themselves and forbids suicide, whether directly or indirectly, such as dealing with intoxicants, drugs, cigarettes, and other things which modern medicine has proven to be causes of harmful diseases. Allah (peace be upon him) says:
"And do not kill yourselves (nor kill one another). Surely, Allah is Most Merciful to you. * And whoever commits that through aggression and injustice, We shall cast him into the Fire, and that is easy for Allah." (4:29-30)
It commands truthfulness, trustworthiness, and the fulfilling of oaths; and it forbids lying, deception and treachery. Allah says:
"O you who believe! Betray not Allah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly your amaanaat (things entrusted to you and all the duties which Allah has ordained for you)." (8:27)
It commands love and unity, and it forbids disassociation and all things which lead to hate and enmity, such as bearing grudges, hatred, and envy. The Prophet said:
“Do not hate each other, do not envy each other, and do not turn your backs on each other (i.e. boycott) but rather be true slaves of Allah as brothers. It is impermissible for a Muslim to boycott his brother more than three days.” (Bukhari #5718 & Muslim #2558)
It commands generosity and forbids greed and miserliness.
Allah says:
" And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift),so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty " (17:29)
It commands one to be frugal in all matters and forbids wastefulness and the squandering of money uselessly. Allah says:
"And give to the near of kin his due and (to) the needy and the wayfarer, and do not squander wastefully. Surely the squanderers are the brothers of the Shaitans and the Shaitan is ever ungrateful to his Lord." (17:26-27)
It commands moderateness and forbids fanaticism and extremism in religion. Allahsays:
"Allah intends for you ease and He does not want to make things difficult for you." (2:185)
The Prophet said:
“Be aware and stay away from extremism in religion, for indeed the only thing which destroyed those before you was extremism in Religion.” (Nasa'íe #3039 & ibn Maajah #3057 )
It commands humility and forbids pride and arrogance. Allah says:
"And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking, and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the voice (braying) of the ass." (13:19)
About pride, the Prophet said:
“He who has even a mustard seed’s worth of pride in his heart will not enter Jannah.” A person asked, “O Messenger of Allah, people like to wear nice clothes and sandals.” He said, “Indeed Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty. Arrogance is to reject the truth and belittle others.” (Muslim #91)
The Prophet said about self-conceit:
“Whoever drags his clothes on the ground out of self-conceit, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.”(Bukhari #3465 & Muslim #2085)
It commands people to console others and not feel happy about others’ grief. TheProphet said:
“Do not feel happy about your brother’s grief, it might be that Allah will show mercy to him and put you through a trial.” (Tirmidhi #2508)
It forbids Muslims from interfering in affairs which do not concern them. The Prophetsaid:
“Indeed from the good traits of a true Muslim is that he leaves that which does not concern him.” (Tirmidhi #2317 & ibn Maajah #3976)
It commands respecting people and forbids debasing them and holding them in contempt. Allah says:
"O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former; nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. And do not defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames." (49:11)
It commands one to jealously protect and guard one’s maharim , and it forbids cuckoldry (i.e. the person is not protective of his relatives and turns a blind eye to their promiscuity).
The Prophet said:
“Three will not enter Jannah: one who maltreats his parents, a cuckold (Day’youth) and women who act like men.” (Nasa'ie #2562)
It prohibits resembling members of the opposite sex. Ibn ‘Abbaas («may god exalt their mention») said:
“The Messenger of Allah cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men.” (Bukhari #5546)
It commands that people exert efforts in doing good to others, and it forbids that they remind them of their favors upon them. Allah’s (The Almighty) says:
"O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury." (2:264)
It commands thinking good about others, and it forbids suspicion and backbiting. Allahsays:
"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful." (49:12)
It commands that one guards his tongue from all evil talk, and that he use it for good and beneficial things which would benefit himself and his society; such as remembering Allah, and reconciliation between people. Likewise, it forbids the individual to use it in evil. The Prophet said:
“May your mother lose you O Mu‘adh! Are people thrown into the Hellfire on their faces or nostrils except for what their tongues reaped?” (Tirmidhi #2616 & ibn Maajah #373)
It commands with well-treatment of the neighbor and forbids harming them. TheProphet said:
“By Allah he is not a true believer! By Allah he is not a true believer! By Allah he is not a true believer!” It was said, “And who is he, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Him whose neighbor is not safe from his evil.” (Bukhari #5670)
It commands that one seek righteous companions and forbids that one seek evil companions. The Prophet said:
“The example of a righteous and evil companion is like one who carries perfume and another who is a blacksmith. As for the one who carries perfume, he will either give you some perfume, you might buy some, or [at least] you will find a pleasing scent with him. As for the blacksmith, either he (the blacksmith) will burn his clothes, or you will find a hideous odor from him.” ( Bukhari #1995 & Muslim #2628)
It orders people to settle their disputes and prohibits anything which leads to enmity and hatred. Allah says:
"There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah's Cause), or Ma’roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind, and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward." (4:114)
It orders that people be sincere to each other [by giving good advice] and forbids that advice be withheld when it is sought. The Prophet said:
“The religion is sincere counseling.” We asked, “To whom?” He replied, “To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their general folk.” (Muslim #55)
It orders people to help relieve worries of Muslims, to give them respite [in paying back debts] and to conceal their faults. The Prophet said:
“Whoever relieves some worry of a believer, Allah will relieve a worry of his on the Day of Requital. Whoever makes things easy for one in times of hardship [by giving respite to one who is not able to pay back a debt] Allah will make things easy upon him in this life and the next. And whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah helps his slave as long as he helps his brother.” (Muslim #2699)
It orders that one have patience and fortitude in times of hardships, and forbids that one become worried and discontent. Allah says:
"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones." (2:155-157)
It orders one to forgive, pardon, and turn away from one who does evil to him, and forbids that one seek revenge and retribution. Allah says:
"And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Jannah as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious). Those who spend [in Allah's Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the good doers)." (3:133-134)
It commands mercy and it forbids cold-heartedness. The Prophet said:
“Allah shows mercy to those who show mercy. Show mercy to those on earth, and Allah will be merciful to you.” (Abu Dawood #4941 & Tirmidhi #1924)
It commands people to be kind and lenient to each other, and it forbids harshness. TheProphet said:
“Nothing is done with kindness except that it is beautified, and nothing is devoid of kindness except that it is flawed.” (Muslim #2594)
It commands that one return evil with good, and forbids that one reciprocate evil with evil. Allah says:
"Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly): then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend." (41:34)
It commands the spreading of knowledge and forbids concealing it. The Prophet said:
“Whoever was asked about knowledge but conceals it, he will be brought on the Day of Resurrection muzzled with the leashes of Hellfire.”(Abu Dawood #3658 & Tirmidhi #2649 )
It commands that Muslims enjoin virtue and righteousness and prevent evil and vice, each according to his ability. The Prophet said:
“Whoever of you sees an evil act, let him change it with his hand, if he is not able, then with his tongue, and if he is not able, then with his heart, and that is the lowest branch of Iman.” (Muslim #49)