SuperMuslims

Who is a Muslim? What does a Muslim do?

The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God. The first principle of Islam is known as the Shahaadah, and is as follows: “There is no one worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Final Messenger of God.” In a broader sense, anyone who willingly submits to the will of God is a Muslim.

One cannot judge Islam by looking at those individuals who have a Muslim name, but in their actions, they are not living or behaving as Muslims. Muslims are ordinary people like other humans; among them are the good and the bad. They are not perfect creatures and, therefore, make mistakes.

When we mention the characteristics of a Muslim, we do not assume that all Muslims have these characteristics, but only those who follow — to the best of their abilities — the teachings of Islam.

Characteristics of a Muslim character:

¥ A Muslim is truthful, not dishonest
¥ He is humble, not arrogant
¥ He is moderate, not an extremist
¥ He is honest, not corrupt
¥ He is reserved, not talkative
¥ He is soft-spoken, not prideful
¥ He is loving to others, not unmindful of them
¥ He is considerate and compassionate, not harsh
¥ He is polite and helpful, not insulting and disrespectful to people
¥ He is generous and charitable, not selfish and miserly
¥ He is refined and gentle in speech, not prone to swearing or cursing
¥ He is cheerful and generous, not bitter and resentful
¥ He is grateful for what he has, not ungrateful
¥ He is cheerful and pleasant, not irritable and gloomy
¥ He is alert, not absent-minded
¥ He is dignified and decent, not graceless
¥ He is sincere and straightforward, not hypocritical
¥ He is optimistic and hopeful, not cynical or pessimistic
¥ He is confident and deep in faith, not doubtful and wavering
¥ He always has faith in God’s mercy, not losing heart or becoming desperate
¥ He is diligent and vigilant, not negligent to his duties
¥ He is thankful to God and constantly prays to Him, not forgetful of His innumerable blessings

The Muslim personality is balanced. He pays due attention to his body’s needs and his outward appearance, without letting it distract him from nurturing his inner characteristics. He does not forget that man is not only composed of body and mind, but he also possesses a soul and a spirit, and feels a longing for higher things that makes him rise above this materialistic life and ascend the heights of goodness, virtue and light. With his parents, he is an example of sincere filial piety, good treatment, infinite compassion, and politeness and deep gratitude.

With his wife, he is an example of good and kind treatment, intelligent handling, deep understanding and proper fulfillment of his responsibilities and duties. With his children, he is a parent who understands his great responsibility towards them. Although he floods them with love and compassion, he pays attention to things that may affect their Islamic upbringing. With his relatives, he maintains the ties of kinship and knows his duties toward them. He understands the high status given to relatives in Islam, which makes him remain in touch with them regardless of the circumstances.

With his neighbors, the true Muslim is an example of good treatment and consideration of others’ feelings and sensitivities. He puts up with mistreatment and turns a blind eye to his neighbor’s faults while avoiding committing any such errors himself. He always adopts the Islamic attitude, whereby treating neighbors well was made a basic principle of Islam. His relationship with his brothers and friends is the best and purest of relationships, for it is based on love for the sake of God. This pure, sincere, brotherly love derives its purity from the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.

This is the clear, beautiful picture of the Muslim whose personality has been formed by Islam and whose heart, mind and soul are filled with its divine light. May Allah (SWT) help our hearts, minds, and souls to be filled with this divine light.