ALLAH'S COMMANDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -3-

TO BELIEVE AS SOON AS ONE SEES THE TRUTH

Our Lord, we heard a caller calling us to faith: "Believe in your Lord!" and we believed. Our Lord, forgive us our wrong actions, erase our bad actions from us and take us back to You with those who are truly good. (Qur'an, 3:193)

NEVER TO TURN TO DISBELIEF AFTER BELIEVING

The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then have had no doubt and have strived with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They are the ones who are true to their word. (Qur'an, 49:15)

Do not try to excuse yourselves. You have become unbelievers after believing. If one group of you is pardoned, another group will be punished for being evildoers.' (Qur'an, 9:66)

TO SEEK REFUGE IN ALLAH FROM THE CURSED SATAN WHEN THE QUR'AN IS RECITED

Whenever you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed satan. (Qur'an, 16:98)

TO LISTEN AND BE QUIET WHEN THE QUR'AN IS RECITED

When the Qur'an is recited listen to it and be quiet so that hopefully you will gain mercy. (Qur'an, 7:204)

TO PONDER THE QUR'AN

Will they not ponder the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found many inconsistencies in it. (Qur'an, 4:82)

Those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: 'Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire. (Qur'an, 3:191)

We have made the Qur'an easy to remember. But is there any rememberer there? (Qur'an, 54:17)

TO KEEP THE QUR'AN IN MIND

And remember the Signs of Allah and the wise words which are recited in your rooms. Allah is All-Pervading, All-Aware. (Qur'an, 33:34)

TO READ THE QUR'AN IN ORDER

Or a little more, and recite the Qur'an in measure. (Qur'an, 73:4)

TO GIVE ADVICE WITH THE QUR'AN

You can only warn those who act on the Reminder (the Qur'an) and fear the All-Merciful in the Unseen. Give them the good news of forgiveness and a generous reward. (Qur'an, 36:11)

It is a Book sent down to you-so let there be no constriction in your breast because of it-so that you can give warning by it and as a reminder to the believers. (Qur'an, 7:2)

Warn by it (the Qur'an) those who fear they will be gathered to their Lord, having no protector or intercessor apart from Him, so that hopefully they guard against evil. (Qur'an, 6:51)

TO ABANDON THE PLACE WHERE THE QUR'AN IS BEING REJECTED

It has been sent down to you in the Book that when you hear Allah's Signs being rejected and mocked at by people, you must not sit with them till they start talking of other things. If you do you are just the same as them. Allah will gather all the hypocrites and unbelievers into Hell (Qur'an, 4:140)

TO BELIEVE IN THE UNSEEN

That is the Book, without any doubt. It contains guidance for those who guard against evil: Those who believe in the Unseen and perform prayer and spend from what We have provided for them; (Qur'an, 2:2-3)

TO BELIEVE IN THE PROPHETS

The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers. We do not differentiate between any of His Messengers. They say, 'We hear and we obey. Forgive us, our Lord! You are our journey's end.' (Qur'an, 2:285)

You who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and in the Book He sent down to His Messenger, and the Books He sent down before. Anyone who rejects Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and the Last Day has gone very far astray. (Qur'an, 4:136)

NOT TO BETRAY THE PROPHETS

You who believe! Do not betray Allah and His Messenger, and do not knowingly betray your trusts. (Qur'an, 8:27)

NOT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE PROPHETS

Those who reject Allah and His Messengers and desire to cause division between Allah and His Messengers, saying, 'We believe in some and reject the others,' wanting to take a pathway in between such people are the true unbelievers. We have prepared a humiliating punishment for the unbelievers. Those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and do not differentiate between any of them, We will pay them their wages. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 4:150-152)

TO OBEY THE PROPHETS

You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in command among you. If you have a dispute about something, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best thing to do and gives the best result. (Qur'an, 4:59)

We sent no Messenger except to be obeyed by Allah's permission. If only when they wronged themselves they had come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them they would have found Allah Ever-Returning, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 4:64)

NOT TO REBEL AGAINST THE PROPHET AND RAISE OBJECTIONS

Those who do not believe and obstruct the Way of Allah and are entrenched in hostility towards the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to them, do not harm Allah in any way and He makes their actions come to nothing. (Qur'an, 47:32)

TO RECALL THE PROPHETS AND REMEMBER THEM

And remember Our servants Ibrahim, Ishaq and Ya'qub, men of true strength and inner sight. (Qur'an, 38:45)

Remember Our servants Isma'il, Al-Yasa' and Dhu'l-Kifl; each of them was among the best of men. (Qur'an, 38:48)

Be steadfast in the face of what they say and remember Our servant Dawud, who possessed true strength. He truly turned to his Lord. (Qur'an, 38:17)

TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL TO THE PROPHETS

You who believe! Do not put yourselves forward in front of Allah and of His Messenger; and have fear of Allah. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. You who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet and do not be as loud when speaking to him as you are when speaking to one another, lest your actions should come to nothing without your realising it. Those who lower their voices when they are with the Messenger of Allah are people whose hearts Allah has tested for heedfulness.They will have forgiveness and an immense reward. As for those who call out to you from outside your private quarters, most of them do not use their intellect. If they had only been patient until you came out to them, it would have been better for them. But Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 49:1-5)

TO HELP AND HONOUR THE PROPHET

Those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making good things lawful for them and bad things forbidden for them, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them. Those who believe in him and honour him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful.' (Qur'an, 7:157)

So that you might all believe in Allah and His Messenger and honour Him and respect Him and glorify Him (Allah) in the morning and the evening. (Qur'an, 48:9)

TO BELIEVE IN THE ANGELS

You who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and in the Book He sent down to His Messenger, and the Books He sent down before. Anyone who rejects Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and the Last Day has gone very far astray. (Qur'an, 4:136)

TO BELIEVE IN ALL THE HOLY BOOKS

Those, who believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down before you, and are certain about the hereafter. (Qur'an, 2:4)

TO AVOID SIN

If you avoid the serious wrong actions you have been forbidden, We will erase your bad actions from you and admit you by a Gate of Honour. (Qur'an, 4:31)

Why do their scholars and rabbis not prohibit them from evil speech and acquiring ill-gotten gains? What an evil thing they invent! (Qur'an, 5:63)

Abandon wrong action, outward and inward. Those who commit wrong action will be repaid for what they perpetrated. (Qur'an, 6:120)

Say: 'My Lord has forbidden indecency, both open and hidden, and wrong action, and unrightful tyranny, and associating anything with Allah for which He has sent down no authority, and saying things about Allah you do not know.' (Qur'an, 7:33)

NOT TO BE DECEIVED BY THE LIFE OF THIS WORLD

The life of this world is merely a game and a diversion. If you believe and guard against evil, He will pay you your wages and not ask you for all your wealth. (Qur'an, 47:36)

It is not your wealth or your children that will bring you near to Us-only in the case of people who believe and act rightly; such people will have a double recompense for what they did. They will be safe from all harm in the High Halls of Paradise. (Qur'an, 34:37)

Wealth and sons are the embellishment of the life of this world. But, in your Lord's sight, right actions which are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope. (Qur'an, 18:46)

NOT TO KILL CHILDREN OUT OF FEAR OF BEING POOR

Do not kill your children out of fear of being poor. We will provide for them and you. Killing them is a terrible mistake. (Qur'an, 17:31)

NOT TO SEE ONESELF AS SUFFICIENT

But as for him who is stingy and self-satisfied, and denies the Good, We will pave his way to Difficulty. (Qur'an, 92:8-10)

NOT TO DEFEND AND PROTECT THE LOWER SELF

To whoever avoids the major wrong actions and indecencies- except for minor lapses-truly your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He has most knowledge of you when He first produced you from the earth, and when you were embryos in your mothers' wombs. So do not claim purity for yourselves. He knows best those who guard against evil. (Qur'an, 53:32)

NOT TO TAKE ONE'S LOWER SELF AS GOD 

Have you seen him who takes his whims and desires to be his god-whom Allah has misguided knowingly, sealing up his hearing and his heart and placing a blindfold over his eyes? Who then will guide him after Allah? So will you not pay heed? (Qur'an, 45:23)

TO PURIFY THE LOWER SELF

So have fear of Allah, as much as you are able to, and listen and obey and spend for your own benefit. It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful. (Qur'an, 64:16)

And the self and what proportioned it and inspired it with depravity or heedfulness, he who purifies it has succeeded, he who covers it up has failed. (Qur'an, 91:7-10)

And among the people there are some who sell their own souls, desiring the good pleasure of Allah. Allah is Ever-Gentle with His servants. (Qur'an, 2:207)

NOT TO WRONG ONE'S OWN SELF

Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves. (Qur'an, 10:44)

What are they waiting for but the angels to come to them or your Lord's command to come? That is like what those before them did. Allah did not wrong them; rather they wronged themselves. (Qur'an, 16:33)

The Book will be set in place and you will see the evildoers fearful of what is in it. They will say, 'Alas for us! What is this Book which does not pass over any action, small or great, without recording it?' They will find there everything they did and your Lord will not wrong anyone at all (Qur'an, 18:49)

TO BE TOGETHER WITH THE BELIEVERS

Restrain yourself patiently with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, desiring His face. Do not turn your eyes from them, desiring the attractions of this world. And do not obey someone whose heart We have made neglectful of Our remembrance and who follows his own whims and desires and whose life has transgressed all bounds. (Qur'an, 18:28)

You who believe! Have fear of Allah and be with the truly sincere. (Qur'an, 9:119)

NOT TO SEE ONE'S SELF AS ASCENDANT OVER THE OTHERS

Do not strut arrogantly about the earth. You will certainly never split the earth apart nor will you ever rival the mountains in height. (Qur'an, 17:37)

NOT TO BE ENVIOUS OF OTHERS

If a woman fears cruelty or aversion on her husband's part, there is nothing wrong in the couple becoming reconciled. Reconciliation is better. But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and guard against evil, Allah is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 4:128)

NOT TO RIDICULE ANYONE

You who believe! People should not ridicule others who may be better than themselves; nor should any women ridicule other women who may be better than themselves.And do not find fault with one another or insult each other with derogatory nicknames. How evil it is to have a name for evil conduct after coming to faith! Those people who do not turn from it are wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 49:11)

NOT TO BACKBITE AND SLANDER

Woe to every faultfinding backbiter. (Qur'an, 104:1)

TO BE HUMBLE AND GENTLE WITH THE BELIEVERS

The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk lightly on the earth and, who, when the ignorant speak to them, say, 'Peace'. (Qur'an, 25:63)

NOT TO GOSSIP

You who believe! Avoid most suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is a crime. And do not spy and do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat his brother's dead flesh? No, you would hate it. And have fear of Allah. Allah is Ever-Returning, Most Merciful. (Qur'an, 49:12)

NOT TO CALL THE BELIEVERS BY NICKNAMES THEY DO NOT LIKE

You who believe! People should not ridicule others who may be better than themselves; nor should any women ridicule other women who may be better than themselves. And do not find fault with one another or insult each other with derogatory nicknames. How evil it is to have a name for evil conduct after coming to faith! Those people who do not turn from it are wrongdoers. (Qur'an, 49:11)

TO SAY THAT WHICH IS BEST TO THE BELIEVERS

Those who listen well to what is said and follow the best of it, they are the ones whom Allah has guided, they are the people of intelligence. (Qur'an, 39:18)

TO TAKE THE BELIEVERS AS FRIENDS AND INTIMATES

You who believe! Do not take the unbelievers as friends rather than the believers. Do you want to give Allah clear proof against you? (Qur'an, 4:144)

Or did you suppose that you would be left without Allah knowing those of you who have strived and who have not taken anyone as their intimate friends besides Allah and His Messenger and the believers? Allah is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 9:16)

TO PREFER THE BELIEVERS TO ONE'S OWN SELF

Those who were already settled in the abode (Madina), and in faith, before they came, love those who have migrated to them and do not find in their hearts any need for what they have been given and prefer them to themselves even if they themselves are needy.It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful. (Qur'an, 59:9)

TO BRING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GARDEN TO THE BELIEVERS

Those who believe and migrate and strive in the Way of Allah with their wealth and themselves have a higher rank with Allah. They are the ones who are victorious. Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight. (Qur'an, 9:20-21)

Allah has bought from the believers their selves and their wealth in return for the Garden. They fight in the Way of Allah and they kill and are killed. It is a promise binding on Him in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur'an and who is truer to his contract than Allah? Rejoice then in the bargain you have made. That is the great victory. (Qur'an, 9:111)

TO PERFORM PRAYER

And to perform prayer and have fear of Him. It is He to Whom you will be gathered.' (Qur'an, 6:72)

TO PRAY IN EARNEST HUMILITY

Those who are humble in their prayer. (Qur'an, 23:2)

TO PERFORM PRAYERS 5 TIMES A DAY

Safeguard the prayer-especially the middle one. Stand in obedience to Allah. (Qur'an, 2:238)

Perform prayer from the time the sun declines until the darkening of the night, and also the recitation at dawn. The dawn recitation is certainly witnessed. (Qur'an, 17:78)

Perform prayer at each end of the day and in the first part of the night. Good actions eradicate bad actions. This is a reminder for people who pay heed. (Qur'an, 11:114)

TO PERFORM PRAYERS AT THE OBLIGATORY TIMES OF THE DAY

When you have finished prayer remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on your sides. When you are safe again perform prayer in the normal way. The prayer is prescribed for the believers at specific times. (Qur'an, 4:103)

TO KEEP UP ONE'S PRAYERS

Keep up prayer and give alms and bow with those who bow. (Qur'an, 2:43)

TO TURN ONE'S FACE TO MECCA WHEN PERFORMING PRAYER

Wherever you come from, turn your face to the Masjid al-Haram. This is certainly the truth from your Lord. Allah is not unaware of what you do. (Qur'an, 2:149)

We have seen you looking up into heaven, turning this way and that, so We will turn you towards a direction which will please you. Turn your face, therefore, towards the Masjid al-Haram. Wherever you all are, turn your faces towards it. Those given the Book know it is the truth from their Lord. Allah is not unaware of what they do. (Qur'an, 2:144)

NOT TO PRAY TO SHOW OFF

So woe to those who perform prayer, and are forgetful of their prayer, those who show off. (Qur'an, 107:4-6)

TO RECITE THE QUR'AN IN THE PRAYERS

Say: 'Call on Allah or call on the All-Merciful, whichever you call upon, the Most Beautiful Names are His.' Do not be too loud in your prayer or too quiet in it, but try to find a way between the two. (Qur'an, 17:110)

TO BOW AND PROSTRATE ONESELF

You who believe! Bow and prostrate and worship your Lord, and do good, so that hopefully you will be successful. (Qur'an, 22:77)

Keep up prayer and give alms and bow with those who bow. (Qur'an, 2:43)

Say: 'Believe in it or do not believe in it.' Certainly, when it is recited to them, those who were given knowledge before it fall on their faces in prostration. (Qur'an, 17:107)

So glorify your Lord with praise and be one of the prostrators. (Qur'an, 15:98)

TO BE CONTINUOUS IN PRAYERS

Instruct your family to perform prayer, and be constant in it. We do not ask you for provision. We provide for you. And the outcome rests on doing your duty. (Qur'an, 20:132)

Safeguard the prayer-especially the middle one. Stand in obedience to Allah. (Qur'an, 2:238)

TO INSTRUCT ONE'S FAMILY TO PRAY

Instruct your family to perform prayer, and be constant in it. We do not ask you for provision. We provide for you. And the outcome rests on doing your duty. (Qur'an, 20:132)

NOT TO APPROACH THE PRAYER WHEN DRUNK OR IN A STATE OF MAJOR IMPURITY

You who believe! Do not approach the prayer when you are drunk, so that you will know what you are saying, nor in a state of major impurity-unless you are traveling-until you have washed yourselves completely. If you are ill or on a journey, or any of you have come from the lavatory or touched women, and you cannot find any water, then take for yourselves clean earth, wiping your faces and your hands therewith. Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving. (Qur'an, 4:43)

TO SHORTEN THE PRAYERS DURING WAR AND REMEMBER ALLAH AFTERWARDS

When you are travelling in the land, there is nothing wrong in your shortening your prayer if you fear that those who do not believe may harass you. The unbelievers are your clear-cut enemies. When you are with them and leading them in prayer, a group of them should stand with you, keeping hold of their weapons. When they prostrate, the others should guard your backs. Then the other group who have not yet prayed should come and pray with you. They too should be careful and keep hold of their weapons. Those who do not believe would like you to be negligent of your arms and equipment so that they can swoop down on you once and for all. There is nothing wrong, if you are bothered by rain or you are ill, in laying your weapons down; but take every precaution. Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment for the unbelievers. When you have finished prayer remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on your sides. When you are safe again perform prayer in the normal way. The prayer is prescribed for the believers at specific times. (Qur'an, 4:101-103)