Day 9: This 'deen' is Excellent
INTRODUCTION
Verily, the best of this ummah after the Rasul (SAW) was Abubakr As-Sideeq (RA). His virtues were simply extraordinary as he was foremost in embracing righteousness. After him was Umar (RA). Umar saw a companion worthy of emulation in Abubakr so he raced with him on righteousness. In every of these actions, Umar will always find Abubakr preceding him. He had to give up the competition for good deeds with Abubakr.
One day, a companion approached Abubakr(RA) saying: “why do you overwhelm yourself with excellent deeds? Afterall, Allah (SWT) has given you glad tidings of paradise”. Abubakr (RA) responded: “By Allah, I would not be rest assured and feel safe from Allah’s punishment even if one of my feet was in Paradise”. This was a man the Rasul (SAW) said to: “I hope you will be among those to be called from all the gates of paradise”. Subhanallah!
INSPIRATION
“Verily, Allah enjoins Justice, and Ihsan (excellence) and giving help to kith and kin..."
[Surah Al-Nahl 16 : 90]
Abu Ya’la Shaddad ibn Aus, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ’alayhi wasallam, said: "Verily, Allah has enjoined excellence (ihsan) with regard to everything.
So, when you kill, kill in a good way; when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way; so everyone of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably."
[Muslim]
REFLECTION
- Our Lord is the most Excellent. Thus He enjoins upon us excellence in all ramifications.
- Excellence is a virtue. It doesn’t mean perfection but consistency in doing things right.
- The best of examples is seen in the sunnah of the noble Messenger SAW. The more we follow the sunnah the better we become.
- Excellence comprehensively consists of four components which describes a Muslim:
- Sincerity
- Awesomeness
- Completeness
- Correctness
- Even at times of war, Islam enjoins excellence. You’re not allowed to kill women, children, elderly and innocent people who aren’t fighting you.
- We are equally enjoined to be kind and merciful to animals. Allah has subdued them for us, so we should treat them nicely.
CONCLUSION
It is incumbent upon us to live in accordance with this concept of excellence and apply it to everything we do. If we do, we will be rewarded and showered with mercy and forgiveness from Allah the Almighty. In addendum, it will be an illumination that radiates the beauty in our character which can be infectious to others in accepting Islam.
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