Just like the prophets of God who lived the law of God by example, we must strive to become like them. We need to view the prophets of God as select few people, who were chosen by Him to this great way of life, i.e, Islam. They were sent to guide us in many facets of life. They were our leaders who taught us right from wrong. They gave us the tools to earn eternal life. We need to study them and embrace the way of life that the almighty has approved for us. We need to embrace the Almighty's call, who out of His mercy, invited us to the way of life which literally means "submission to the will of God, i.e, Islam." He is giving us a chance to eternal life in paradise. We must embrace the call because nobody can guide us but ourselves. As God says says in the glorious Qur'an: “Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path.” (Al-Qur’an 2:256). God further states: "Whoever receives guidance, receives it for his own benefit: whoever goes astray does so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent messenger (to give warning). [Qur'an: 17:15]"
We have the example of noble character and guidance (the prophets lives), we have the tools (scriptures), and we have the constant guidance, God, who is always with us. We have no excuses but to accept guidance. Whoever exchanges guidance for error, they are among the true losers. The have sold the hereafter for this temporal world. They have nobody to blame but themselves. God describes the rejectors of truth in the glorious Qur'an like the following: "They are the ones who buy Error in place of Guidance and Torment in place of Forgiveness. Ah! what boldness (They show) for the Fire! Qur'an (2:175)"
We must take the offer to eternal life. If we don't, we will become among the losers. We cannot deceive ourselves with this worldly life. It is transitory. Every moment, every day, we are closer to death. Lets make wise decisions because God wants us in paradise with Him not away from Him. He has given us the tools of guidance and has created this world with mercy. As it is narrated by Abu Huraira who reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: "My mercy excels My wrath." Lets honor God by accepting the the gift of eternal life. Lets walk with Him in this way of life.
If we study some of the prophets of God (nabiyy in Arabic) who lived the path of God, we will gain a better perspective of what is necessary to walk the straight path. We will be able to study their character, demeanor and conduct. We will be able to learn from them when our walk with God becomes difficult and challenging.
Each of the prophets were specifically sent with a special mission to guide humanity. They brought the law of God to mankind. They taught us how to live peacefully and in harmony with each other. Further more, they told us what the purpose of life is! What our mission is! How must we live our mission! What rewards we will reap! And, what destination we will end up at, depending on, if we follow the instruction manual of God. Lets look at some of the prophets of God who were steadfast with their missions. Lets learn from them when our walk with God becomes difficult.
Prophet Adem (Adam in English) is considered to be the first prophet of God and among the first human beings. He is considered the father of Human race. He was the first Muslim who who submitted to the will of God, just like today's Muslims do. Prophet Adem is most known for his disobedience to God, by eating of the forbidden tree, whom Allah commanded both Him and His wife Khavah (Eve in English) not to approach the forbidden tree. They were deceived by iblis and were kicked out of paradise for disobeying God. Adem's and Khavah's conduct, teach us what disobedience to God means, and the consequences thereof. They further demonstrate to us who our greatest enemy is, and what His mission is!
The devil (Iblis) is our greatest enemy. He is among the creation of Jin, out of smokeless fire. He was amongst the greatest Jins who used to worship God. When God created first mankind Adem and Khavah of out clay, He ordered His Angels and Iblis to worship them because God held them with high regard when He created him for their forthcoming role on earth. Iblis out of pride disobeyed God. He refused to worship a creation inferior to Him, because fire is superior to clay. He was a rebellious creature with an arrogant attitude. He said I am created from fire and He is created from clay. I am better than Him. I'm not going to worship Him. From that moment on, God kicked Him out of paradise and he became our greatest enemy. Iblis engaged in a dialogue with God and said: See this one whom You have honored above me? I will dominate his offspring and prove that I am better than them. God said only those like you will follow you, but my true servants will obey me. So He asked for respite until the day of judgement. God granted Him respite for reasons only known by Him. Until judgement day, He is our greatest enemy who only has power of temptation and nothing more. He cannot control us.
Now that we know our first prophet and how he was mislead by our enemy Iblis, lets look at some of the other prophets who walked the path of God. Lets analyze their difficulties and how they remained in the straight path with the enemy tempting them from every direction. Lets look at prophet Ayyub (Job) who is a symbol of being a "faithful servant of God with great patience."
Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the descendants of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and a nephew of Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him). He was sent to reform the people who lived in the desert situated in the north eastern corner of Palestine. He started to teach the people about God and His religion. He advised the people to do good and shun evil. As usual with all the Prophets very few people believed in him in the beginning but gradually the number of his followers began to increase. He was a prosperous man with firm faith in God. He possessed vast farms, enormous wealth, many cattle and valuable property but these things did not make him arrogant. His wealth provided him with a medium by means of which he sought God's grace. He was very patient. He suffered from a number of calamities but did not utter a single word of complaint. One day his big farm was attacked by the thieves. They killed many of his servants and carried away forcibly all his cattle. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) did not feel sorry at this loss and thanked God. After some time the roof of the house fell down and many members of his family were crushed. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was much shocked but he held fast to his faith in God. He neither shed a tear nor heaved a sigh. He prostrated before the Almighty. He remarked that possessions and children were the gifts from God. If He had taken His things, it was useless to lament over their loss. After a few years Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) suffered from skin disease. His parts of body were covered with loathsome sores. Above all, his false friends attributed his calamities to his sins. They ridiculed and looked down upon him. All the persons deserted him with the exception of his faithful wife, Rahima. She also grew tired of him in the long run and prayed for his death. She cursed her husband for retaining integrity in God. When Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was in an extremely pathetic condition he prayed: "Truly adversity has afflicted me and You are Most Merciful of all who show mercy." (21: 83) God accepted his prayer. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he suffered, and We gave him his household and the like thereof along with them, a mercy from Our store and remembrance for the worshippers.(Qur'an 21: 84) God turned to him with mercy. He was commanded to strike the earth with his foot. He complied with the order and water from the spring gushed forth. He took a bath with the water and got cured from his evil disease. After this he was restored to prosperity. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) knelt and prayed expressing a deep sense of gratitude to God. He never forgot His favors, mercy and love. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the celebrated Prophets. His example illustrates: that those who remain patient under the stress of all circumstances, art never deprived of high rewards. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And surely we try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and crops, but give glad-tidings to the steadfast, who when a misfortune befalls them, say lo! we are Gods's (possession of God) and to Him shall we surely return. Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly-guided." (Qur'an 2: 155-157) [Source: http://www.islam101.com/history/people/prophets/job.htm]
Having studied what true faith and patience in God mean, as evidenced by Prophets Ayyub's life, lets look at prophet Musa (Moses). Moses in the Old Testament, is considered a prophet, messenger, lawgiver and leader in Islam. Moses taught and practiced the religion of his predecessors and confirmed the scriptures and prophets before him. He was sent by God to Pharaoh of Egypt and the Israelites for guidance and warning. He ordered pharaoh to worship the one true God and give up His title as God. God granted Moses some miraculous abilities which he showcased to Pharaoh. But pharaoh wasn't impressed by Moses so-called-magic. After He ordered His magicians to compete with Moses, they failed and accepted Moses guidance and prostrated to the one true God. Pharaoh killed the magicians and ordered to kill Moses and His followers. In pursuit of Moses and His army, Pharaoh attempted to cross the nile river which Moses by God's power split the river in half for his army to cross into the other side. Pharaoh and His army were met with destruction. Before pharaoh was drowned He wanted to believe out of despair, but God allowed Him to be a symbol of all those who reject the message of God, which in turn, earn His wrath and are doomed for destruction. Pharaohs lifeless body was saved as narrated in the Qur'an 10:92, "So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs , revelations, etc.).". This warning is for now and our future generations where history is available due to technological advancements. Pharaoh's body was recently discovered from the Red Sea. It is currently in the Cairo Museum. Its been thousands of years and the body is still preserved. It still has the skin. It serves as a sign and a warning for our future generations.
Now lets study the life of Prophet Isa (Jesus) and Porphet Muhammad, may the peace and mercy of God be on all of His messengers.
Jesus is considered to be a Messenger of God and the Messiah in Islam. He was sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture, the Injīl or Gospel. Jesus was born to Mary via a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of God without the intervention of a father. Jesus was endowed the ability to perform miracles all by the permission of God rather than of his own power. Jesus lived a holy life as a symbol of purity. He spread the message of God while suffering under the prosecution. He was chosen by God to spread the message of monotheism and submission to the will of God to the Children of Israel. As it is narrated in the glorious Qur'an: "And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God. Let the people of the Gospel judge by what God has revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what God has revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel. Qur'an (5:46-47)" Jesus thus was sent as admonisher, who exemplified God's power and mercy via many miraculous events. He foretold future events and the forthcoming of Prophet Muhammad, who is to be the last prophets of God, or the seal of prophets. Jesus will return just before the end of times to revive humanity and worship the only true God, Allah. The return of Jesus will occur After the Anti-Christ (known in Islam as the Dajjal, meaning the Deceiver who claims to be God) appears and attempts to deceive people into worshipping him. Then, Jesus (the Messiah) will descend from Heaven, pursue and kill the Anti-Christ, and destroy the savage and unbelieving armies of Gog and Magog, and bring peace and brotherhood to the World.
Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca. He was orphaned at an early age and cared by His uncle Abu Talib. He was considered a very honest man. He was distinguished in character and manners. He cared for the poor and emphasized the value of spiritual character as opposed to worldly gains. He was a religious, political, and military leader. He was an illiterate man who was sent by God to revive the true religion of God, Islam, which began with Prophet Adem and his wife, Khavah, the first creation of God. Prophet Muhammad was a man of love, patience, courage, wisdom, generosity, intelligence and magnitude who inspired millions of lives throughout the world. God sent him as a special mercy to mankind, as it is narrated in the glorious Qur'an: “We sent you not except as a mercy for the peoples.(Qur'an 21:107)” His prophetic mission began at the age of forty, in which He received the first revelation. Three years later He began to proclaim the message of "One God" publicly and that He was the messenger of God. Like previous prophets, he was rejected and suffered persecution and escaped to Medina. While in Medina, he gathered 10,000 followers and marched to Mecca victorious in battles and ordered the destruction of all the idols and temples of idols. Later on, He went back to Medina. Few months after returning to Medina from The Farewell Pilgrimage, Muhammad fell ill and died. Abu Bakr then went out and spoke gently to the people, saying 'All praise belongs to Allah! 'O people, whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. But for him who worships Allah, Allah is living and never dies.' His mission lasted 22 years in which He received the entire revelation of God, the verbatim word of God, the Qur'an. By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam, and he had united Arabia into a single Muslim religious region. He changed the world. He changed humanity. His life was completely recorded referred as Sunah, from behavior, dealing with the poor and oppressed, business transactions, law, the way he received the revelations of God, his leadership in the mosque, dealing with the unjust, and ultimately, dealing with the unbelievers. He died by God's permission, but left Guidance for all mankind that will never escape us
Before His death, Prophet Muhammad delivered His final sermon. He directed his speech to all humankind on the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, 10 AH (9 March 632) in the Uranah valley of Mount Arafat. Muhammad's intention was to address all people, regardless of their religions, colors or times (his time or any time after him until the Day of Judgement). Muhammad's message was to every person everywhere for every moment forward in time. Muhammad's sermon was the same message as all prophets of God who proclaimed "Oneness of God." The sermon is as follows:
After praising and thanking Allah, Prophet Muhammad SAW said: “O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.
O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…
Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.
O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”
God sent prophets throughout the history of mankind as guidance and example of exemplary character. They all taught us that God is one and unlike any of His creation. There are twenty five prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran by name. May peace and blessings be on all of Allah's messengers. We only covered few of them to emphasize God's guidance. God said in the glorious Qur'an: "We did aforetime send apostles before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee and some whose story We have not related to thee. It was not (possible) for any apostle to bring a Sign except by the leave of Allah: but when the Command of Allah issued the matter was decided in truth and justice and there perished there and then those who stood on Falsehoods. (The Holy Quran Surah Al-Ghaafir 78)
Having covered the lives of some of the prophets, lets shift gears into current times. Lets study the character, demeanor and manners of our current friends and leaders, who walk the straight path with the Lord. Lets analyze them thoroughly so we can incorporate their good qualities in our walk with the Lord.
Most of us have a friend or a leader who we consider honest and trust-worthy. They are true to their words and never let us down. They are special and God-sent for us. Even if we don't have many friends, they are all we need. But what makes them more trust-worthy than others? Have you ever stopped to question the qualities that they have compared to your other friends that are less trust-worthy? Over the next few paragraphs, I will attempt to emphasize key qualities that make one friend more trust-worthy and honest over other friends. Once we determine trust-qualities, we will try to incorporate them in our life when walking the straight path with the lord, because God requires a noble character.
If we were to look at our friends or leaders who are trustworthy, we will notice that they are also responsible. They tend to have a plan for all that they do. They try to manage uncertainties and have a contingency plan in case they fail. They value each task no matter its significance. They are not perfect but strive for perfection. They are not easily influenced by others. What they do has a purpose and they are steadfast with their task. It is safe to assume that a person who is responsible is also trust-worthy. Likewise, God is the most trust-worthy and wants us to trust Him wholeheartedly.
Responsibility is the foundation of trust. It is the reason why our actions are fueled with passion and desire. Often times, the most trust-worthy people carry the highest responsibility. One who is responsible acts on behalf of others not because of themselves. They have a calling to make a difference. They see a need that needs to be addressed and strive hard to fulfill it. They have an inner standard that they have to answer to. It is not governed by other people, but it is inside their heart. It is a benchmark that they set out themselves. If that standard is not met, they will try their best to achieve it. And no matter the outcome, they they take full responsibility.
What exactly is Responsibility? Responsibility is having control of resources, power and decisions that may effect others, not necessarily only us. Responsibility is having a lot of power and control, but having higher purpose than the power at hand. Responsibility is answering for our moral actions to our-self and answering for our success and failures to others. It is having standards that we strive to achieve no matter if anybody ever finds out. Responsibility is having accountability for our actions not only to people but to God, who sees and hears all things. Responsibility is an innate quality that is nurtured by faith in God. We all have it, but we must cultivate it.
A responsible person is highly ethical and would never jeopardize the whole for a small gain. They are not driven by personal gains but by external challenges. They have a purpose in what they do. They are driven by missions instead of desires. They are more concerned with meeting others needs than personal desires. They are more concerned with long-term stability than short-term satisfaction. They are difference makers. More importantly, a responsible person values commands from someone who is above Him.
Trust-worthy people are honest. They tell the truth. The are objective and direct on point. They believe that an early failure is better than an imperfect ending, and try to get everyone on board. They speak based on circumstances not feelings. They are upfront about problems. They tackle the problem before it becomes too large to control.
Trust-worthy people are not afraid to deviate from the norm in order to accomplish their purpose. However, they are consistent in their values and beliefs. They are true to their promises. They are always fair and never biased. To them, everyone deserves the same respect and opportunity. Success belongs to those who strive the hardest not those who are closest to them. They are loyal. Their mission is as important as their private affairs.
Trust-worthy people know themselves. They understand the gifts and talents they have. They also understand what skills and characteristics they lack. They are humble and practice humility. They respect criticism and can distinguish criticism from jealousy. They listen to others. They have a high sense of integrity. They are morally grounded and seek the best of the whole, not personal best. They know their capacity and will not engage in more than they cannot handle. They do not miss-use power, instead, they will only use it for the greater good.
Having established clear qualities of trust-worthy people, ask yourself: are you trust-worthy? Do people trust you with important tasks? Do people place their future in your hands? If you believe you are trust-worthy, ask yourself: what were some tasks that people believed and depended on you to accomplish them successfully? What was the result?
Assess yourself by people and more importantly, by God. Look at the trust God has in you. What tasks has He ordered you to do. Does He place great responsibility in your life? If He has, that is an indicator that He has great faith and trust in you. He is pleased with you and wants to do work through you. And the greater the responsibility He has for you, the greater the trust you need.
Walking with the Lord is not just being righteous, it is doing work for Him as well. Walking with the Lord is not easy. In fact, it can be very difficult. Before you consider walking with the lord, ask yourself: "are you prepared to be tested like the prophets were. Are you prepared to do His will, not yours?" Walking with the lord requires patience, obedience, and trust. When I say trust, I mean lots of it. You will be in difficult situations that will not make sense to you. You may not understand the task but you must carry through. Doubt, difficulties and panic will set in, but you must prepare yourself to do what you are told. Walking means obeying not necessarily understanding. Walking requires trust and a willing heart. More importantly, trust means you walk while God paves the way. It will be difficult. You may not understand why or what you are doing. You may even not see the results you envisioned but you will see results that God wills. It will never be boring. It will be rewarding. And what God starts, He will finish. Just look at the prophets. They never failed because God was with them all along!
To put trust in perspective, our leaders are our guiding light. We trust them because they have knowledge that we don't. They understand the future better than we do. Just like we take orders from leadership because we trust them, we must take orders from the lord. He has knowledge above all. He sees the future and has power over all things. More importantly, He knows our abilities to carry through with the task at hand. A true leader does not give a critical task to an incompetent person, and similarly, God with His infinite wisdom would never burden you with more than you can handle. He knows you are capable, and will allow you to carry-on, on your own at times.
Any time we walk the straight path with the lord, He will test our character. He will place us in difficult situations which reveal our flaws to us and give us the opportunity to correct them. The very first characteristic of a true believer is trusting God and doing His will. Trust is developed overtime through trials and difficult situations. God teaches us trust in many ways. Sometimes it is through a promise that He will certainly come through. We just have to wait and continue serving the lord. Another way God teaches us trust is through impossible and/or unthinkable ways. While we struggle with tasks, He actually shapes our character. He teaches us trust in the process.
When walking the straight path with the lord, our trust in Him is tested with confusion, uncertainties, amazing promises and unexpected outcomes. It is directly proportional with our task at hand, and future missions that He has for us. God uses silence, unexpected challenges, impossible tasks to test our character and faith. He instills in us fear and doubt so we become aware of ourselves. The more challenges we face, the more aware we become of our deficiencies, and have the opportunity to tackle them. The more God shows us our insignificance, the more aware we become of His power. But God never fails to come through. He only uses circumstances to shape our character. He uses these circumstances to increase our faith and trust in Him. Then He delivers.
Trust in the lord means acceptance of his greatness. You should know that all power comes through God. Just look at His prophets. All the miracles they performed were by the will of God. They couldn't do anything by themselves. He always supplied them with the right tools. Similarly, we should never trust our abilities only, but Trust Gods power instead. What He wills, will happen. He has control over everything. He will cause all pieces of the puzzle to align perfectly in order for His will to happen.
Walking with the lord is more about glorifying God than yourself. It means walking the straight path and doing work for God not you. Your work will be reflective of Gods presence in your life. Your work will glorify God. Your work will reward you with eternal life, but more importantly, He will use you to invite others in paradise. The more you walk with the lord the more He desires to reveal His face to you. You will gain wisdom that is only obtainable through Gods mercy. The peace and love of God will encompass all your life. He will reveal secrets specifically to you and only for you. He will give you understanding that will amaze you.
God is looking for humility, faithfulness and loyalty. If you want to serve the lord, serve Him with a righteous attitude. Serve God in private. Develop a private history with God, and When the right time comes, He will develop a public history with people. God knows your bad qualities and will want to correct them before you become a public figure. He knows when you are ready to represent Him in a greater way. He will make you a qualified servant of God in private and public.
You were created to walk with the lord. He created your with a purpose. He gave you all the tools necessary to complete your life mission. As it is stated in the Glorious Qur'an: "O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful. [Qur'an 5:35]" When you walk with the lord, you actually worship Him with your obedience, task or character. Walking with the lord is intended to cleanse your heart from worldly impurities. It is a constant struggle. It is a spiritual nourishment that gets you to your greatest destination that you will ever set foot in. As prophet Muhammad said: "Within Paradise are things that no eyes have ever seen, nor ears have ever heard, and that things in it are beyond our imagination and comprehension."
Remember, walking with the Lord means doing His will. It means serving the Lord they way He instructs you. It is more than just a righteous character. It is about glorifying God and worshipping Him in all that you do. It means praising Him alone. It means carrying through with what He orders you to do, just like His prophets did. Pride must go when walking with the lord. Pride is an attribute of the arrogant. Embrace humility. Seek and share the truth. Gain wisdom. And lastly, whoever walks with the lord will be engaged in work greater than himself. And indeed, those who walk with the Lord are always successful. They will live a joyous life and will be compensated for their righteous character and service with eternity in paradise.
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