Being A Good Muslim By # 3.1

      Most people think being a good Muslim is all about accepting that Allah is God and Muhammad is his prophet. Well, that’s not all.

      Being a good Muslim involves praying 5 times a day, have good manners, fast, control our tongues and private parts, and respect the elders. The 5 times of prayer are in the morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night. If we don’t pray there are consequences. The prophet (SAW) had a vision, “I saw tonight two angels, they came to me and took me to a sacred land until we approached a man lying on his back, and a man standing over his head with a rock in his hands. He throws the rock to hit the man’s head with it, while his head becomes scattered. The rock rolls away and the man go to retrieve it. Meanwhile, the head of the man lying on his back collects and returns back to normal. And so on until the day of resurrection.” So the Prophet (SAW) said “You have worried me tonight…so tell me about what I have just seen.” “What you saw tonight, the man whose skull was being demolished, is a man whom Allah has taught the Qur’an…but slept on it at night and did not use it during the day.”

      Being a good Muslim means having good manner especially to our parents. Allah SWT says (what means): "And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you are dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age in your life, never say 'uff’ (an expression of displeasure), nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And humble yourself to them out of mercy and say, 'My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.'" [Qur’an, 17:23,24].

      It also requires you to maintain good relations with relatives if you were good Muslim. Allah SWT says (what means): ''Worship Allah and associate none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the needy, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess.”

      Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful. “[Qur’an, 4:36]. We have to control our tongue and private parts. The Prophet said, "Whoever guarantees me (the chastity of) what is between his legs (i.e. his private parts), and what is between his jaws (i.e., his tongue), I guarantee him Paradise."

      Another important factor that many of us need to change is "bad company". A good companion would discourage you and stop you from doing bad. A bad companion would, however, encourage you and, in many cases, make you do wrong and that is one of the reasons why we are suffering from the negative "Peer Pressure" problem.

      Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The similitude of good company and that of bad company is that of the owner of musk and of the one (iron-smith) blowing bellows, and the owner of musk would either offer you free of charge or you would buy it from him or you would smell its pleasant odor, and so far as one who blows the bellows is concerned, he would either burn your clothes or you shall have to smell its repugnant smell.”

      Being a good Muslim, we have to fast 30 days on Ramadan, which Muslim called the holy month. Allah (SWT) says (what means), "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become God-fearing." (The Qur’an, 2:183).

      A question remains, are we good Muslims?***