4 Islamic Ethics That Bring Light on the Day of Judgment
Ethics
are fundamental elements of how Muslims deal with others, and it offers a
living, practical reflection of Islam. Thus, those who embody these values and
serve as good examples to others are promised immense rewards and abundant
blessings.
Some
Ethics in Islam
Among
these virtues are the following:
1. Patience:
Imam
Muslim narrated from Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari that the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) said: “Patience is an illuminating
torch.”
Illuminating
torch refers to a type of light that generates a degree of heat and burning,
like the light of the sun. This differs from the moon, whose light is pure
radiance without burning. Allah, the Almighty, says, {He
is the One Who made the sun a radiant source and the moon a reflected light.}
[Yunus 10:5]
Since patience is
difficult for the soul and requires striving against oneself, restraining it,
and preventing it from pursuing its desires, it is described as illumination. Indeed,
the linguistic meaning of patience is restraint. The expression “execution by
patience,” for example, refers to holding a person in confinement until he is
killed.
There are
several praiseworthy forms of patience: patience in obeying Allah, patience in
refraining from disobeying Him, and patience in accepting Allah’s decrees.
Patience in acts of obedience and in avoiding prohibitions is superior to
patience in enduring painful decrees. (1)
Illness
is one of the painful decrees, particularly the loss of eyesight. At-Tabarani
narrated from Ibn Mas`ud that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) said: “Whoever loses his sight in this
world, Allah, the Almighty, will grant him light on the Day of Resurrection,
provided that he was righteous.”
Growing
old also requires patience, endurance, and the ability to bear hardship. At-Tabarani
narrated with a good chain of transmission from Abu Umamah that the Messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If
anyone grows a grey hair in Islam it will be a light for him on the day of
resurrection.”
2. Justice:
Imam
Muslim narrated from Abdullah Ibn Amr that the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) said: “Those who are fair
and just will be near to Allah on thrones of light, at the Right Hand of the
Most Merciful, Glorified and Exalted is He, and both of His Hands are Right,
those who are fair and just in their rulings and towards their families and
those who are under their authority.”
This
immense virtue applies to everyone who acts justly in any position of
responsibility they hold, whether as a caliph, ruler, governor, guardian of an
orphan, administrator of charity, or in any other capacity. It also applies to
those who fulfil the rights and obligations they owe to their families and
those under their care. (2)
If you
wish to attain this light, then fulfil the responsibilities that justice
entails and bear witness to the truth without favouring your relatives or treating your enemies unfairly. Do not let your hatred of a people drive you away
from truth towards falsehood, from justice towards oppression, or towards
preferring aggression over what is right. (3)
3. Love for Allah’s Sake:
Loving
those who obey Allah, following their example, and walking in their footsteps
are among the means of attaining Allah’s light. Abu Dawud narrated in his Sunan
from Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There
are people from the servants of Allah who are neither prophets nor martyrs; the
prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection for their rank
from Allah, the Most High. They (the people) asked: Tell us, Messenger of
Allah, who are they? He replied: They are people who love one another for the
spirit of Allah (i.e. the Quran), without having any mutual kinship and giving
property to one. I swear by Allah, their faces will glow and they will be
(sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the Day) when the
people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve. He
then recited the following Quranic verse: {Behold! Verily for the friends of
Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.} [Yunus 10:62]
The
expression “they love one another through the spirit of Allah” has been
interpreted as referring to the Quran. This is also the interpretation given to
Allah’s words: {And so We have sent to you ˹O Prophet˺ a spirit by Our command.} [Ash-Shura
42:52]
Allah
called it a spirit, and Allah knows best, because hearts come to life through
it, just as souls and bodies are brought to life through their spirits. (4)
Those who
love one another for the sake of Allah attain divine light because their love
is free from worldly motives and personal interests. They place seeking Allah’s
pleasure above satisfying their own desires, turn away from worldly pursuits,
and direct their attention towards the Hereafter. They therefore set aside
their own inclinations and give precedence to the inclinations of their
Prophet, as he said: “None of you is a believer
till his desire follows what I have brought.”
4. Relieving Hardship:
Whenever
a Muslim faces hardship, he hastens to find a way to remove it. Sometimes,
however, he cannot overcome it alone and must seek someone who can help him
resolve his difficulty or ease his burden. Allah, the Almighty, has therefore
granted an immense reward to those who assist others, help them overcome their
difficulties, and relieve their distress: a light that will dispel the terrors
of the Day of Resurrection.
At-Tabarani
narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
said: “Whoever relieves a believer of a
hardship, Allah, the Almighty, will grant him two branches of light on the
Bridge, whose radiance will illuminate a multitude of people that none can
count except the Lord of Might.”
If a
Muslim cannot find anyone to relieve his distress, the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) has guided him to a supplication that
illuminates his heart and removes his sorrow.
Imam
Ahmad narrated from Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, that
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whenever a servant is afflicted by anxiety or sorrow and
says: “O God, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy servant, the son of Thy
handmaid, and at Thy disposal; my forelock is in Thy hand; Thy judgment is
effective regarding me; just concerning me is Thy decree; I ask Thee by every
name Thou hast by which Thou hast called Thyself, or sent down in Thy Book, or
taught any of Thy creatures, or kept to Thyself in the hidden place of the
unseen, to make the Qur’an the Spring of my heart and the means of clearing
away my care and grief.”, God will surely remove his grief and give him joy
instead of it.”
They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, should we learn these words?” He
replied, “Certainly. Everyone who hears them should learn them.”
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