Dear Counselor,

I know that we Muslims should hold our beloved Prophets in great respect and relate to them as our role models, but honestly I find difficulty committing to that.

How can one adhere to the way of thinking and attitudes of people, with all due respect to them, who lived centuries ago? I even sometimes find difficulty relating to them at all, even when I’m perfectly capable of extracting morale from incidents that took place through the course of their lives. The gap between their type of living and our modern times  grew massive.

By the way I live in Riyadh, supposedly a Muslim country, but this isn’t making life anyway easier for me, particularly with regards to the issue in question.

However I do believe that in their lives we can find answers to many mind-boggling matters we presently live.

— From: Ahmed Khan

Answer offered by Dr. Farooq Hassan
Ph.D. in Islamic Studies (Usul-ul-Fiqh),University of Karachi
Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies and Ethical Behavior in Humanities Department
- N.E.D. University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi.


Salam dear,

To make sure that Allah is pleased with you, try to follow his instructions, His injections and His teachings in the Qur’an. Allah says: “And obey God and the Apostle: that you may obtain mercy”– (Surah Al-Imran, Family of Imran 3:132)

And to please Allah, try also to follow the teachings of  Prophet (PBUH). In this respect Allah says: “He who obeys the Apostle, obeys God: but if any turns away, We have not sent you to watch over their evil deeds”– (Surah Al-Nisa, The Women 4:80)

Prophets show how we should conduct ourselves and what path we must opt to avert Allah’s displeasure and earn His blessings. The lives of the prophets are for all times, past  present and future.

Let me give you an example, Prophet Youssuf (AS). He was tortured by his step brothers, sold as a slave and later imprisoned for a crime he hdd not commit.  But Youssuf (AS) was patient, extremely patient. Patience, a godly virtue, rewarded him in the end with great status and honour. Had he not been patient, would he have been able to achieve what he did?!

Later on, Prophet Youssuf (AS) became the treasurer of the country, the highest position of the kingdom at that time. When his step-brothers came to him destitute and helpless, he could have punished them. He, on the other hand, chose to forgive them. Forgiveness is loved by Allah and He loves those who forgive others. Wasn’t Youssuf (A.S) right in forgiving them?!

Many examples of forgiveness can be taken from the life of Prophet (PBUH) and implemented in our lives for peaceful relationships with others and satisfactory and successful life in this world also. At the time of conquest of Makkah Prophet (PBUH) set a good example of forgiveness for the worst enemies, we can adopt this example of forgiveness in our life and can improve our qualities of life.  Therefore, principles cannot be bargained on. Such principles are for all times and were practiced by all prophets.

If you wish to live a true life, based on true, universal principles of Islam, you have to look back to the lives of the Prophets and apply them to your life. In matters of style you can flow with the crowd, with the current ; but, in matters of principles, you have to stand like a rock.

May Allah help us all in following the Prophets (PBUT).

Amen

Posted on: August 9, 2011