WHY RESPECT ALL HUMAN BEINGS?God-oriented living means that one looks at all with respect and honour, whether he belongs to one’s own religion or community or to another. According to a tradition, the

Jew. The Prophet replied, “Was he not a human being?” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1312) One principle of the God-oriented life is that everyone should be looked at with respect and honoured, whether he belongs to

another. Respect derives from the fact that I have been created by God in exactly the same way that other human beings have been created by God. Regardless

so that his gait may not be displeasing to God. When he deals with people, he is always worried lest he deal unjustly and is punished by God in the next life. The impact of this degree of faith makes the

the next world, he always prefers the latter. Faith, another name for the recognition of the Supreme God, becomes for the believer a fountainhead of limitless confidence in his Creator. When this recognition

soul, his whole personality becomes regenerated. Knowing that in all circumstances he may depend upon God, he becomes a new man.

glory of God. (39:75) This is the first quality of a muzakka person. That is, he must discover the glory of God in the present world and acknowledge it from deep within his heart. Glorifying God is always

should adopt the culture of contemplation (tadabbur), and through thinking and reflection, discover God as the Lord of the Universe. This discovery must be intellectually so deep that it should bring about

scene from Paradise has been given in the Quran in chapter Al-Qamar (The Moon) in these words: The God-fearing will find themselves in gardens and rivers, in the seat of truth with an all-powerful sovereign

Almighty for the purpose of being tested. As a prerequisite for this test, man is at liberty to deny God, to kill prophets and to oppose the da‘is (messengers) of truth. Given such a state of affairs , human

freedom would have to be withdrawn altogether in order to bring an ideal society into existence. And God, in accordance with His plan of creation, would never under any circumstances abrogate human freedom

proved foolish and unjust. God will surely punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the unbelievers, both men and women; but God pardons believing men and believing women. God is Forgiving and Merciful

against the Creation Plan of God. God created this world for the purpose of putting mankind to the test. For this purpose to be fulfilled, everyone in this world had to enjoy full freedom of speech and

people were divested of their freedom, the very purpose of the test would be defeated. Therefore, God granted special help to the believers, so that they might put an end to a system which had suppressed

order that religion might be wholly for God, the original natural state had to be re-established, that is, a state which was in accordance with the creation plan of God. Here religion (din) does not refer

to Makkah Pilgrimage, Hajj brings a person closer to God and his prophets, creating a living relationship with the history of Islam. Hajj unites God-worshippers worldwide. Hajj, one of the pillars of Islam

pledges to surrender himself before God, so that his life revolves around God alone, and to signal that he is ready to perform all kinds of sacrifice for the sake of God.

oneself off from the world and turning to God. This turning to God is not in a physical sense, but having one’s heart and mind continually directed towards God, whatever bodily activity one may be engaged

engaged in. When a person has elevated himself from the world, God endows him with wisdom, which

the glory of God.” (The Quran, 39:75) For one to be deserving of Paradise one must discover the glory of God in the present world and acknowledge it from deep within his heart. Glorifying God means discovering

discovering God through thinking and reflection, as the Lord of the Universe, while He is unseen. This discovery must be intellectually so deep that it should bring about a revolutionary change in his personality

worshipper the spirit of modesty that enhances one’s connection with God as well as with other human beings. Prayer, or salah, is worship of God. It has been made obligatory on believers five times a day. Congregational

pious life. Then, by uttering Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) he enters into the act of worship. In this way, he accepts that greatness belongs solely to God. The greatest virtue is to live in this world