The Way to Live

By Imam Abdullah El-Amin, MMNS

With ALLAH’S name, The Merciful Benefactor, Merciful Redeemer

“This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion:  Yet fear them not, but fear Me.  This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Al-Islam as your religion.”

In what is believed to be the last ayat of revelation, ALLAH is saying He completed His favor on us.  He says we are not to fear the unbelievers because they are aware that they are unable to sway the true believers from the path of The Religion, Al-Islam.  So therefore the only way for us to live, is by the tenets that Almighty ALLOAH laid down for us.  So, since we believe the Qur’an is the last instruction from ALLAH, and is for all time, Al-Islam is not only “a” way of life, as is popularly said; it is “the” only way to live.

We, as human beings, face many challenges daily while on our journey in this life.  Many of these challenges seem gigantic and overwhelming–and they come one after another but little as we know, these challenges are a blessings and good for us as well.  They are good because first of all ALLAH allowed them to happen.  Overcoming challenges gives us one of the most valuable things in life–which is experience.  Regardless of how many times you tell a baby the stove is hot, he oftentimes has to get burned before he really learns.

A bank president was asked once, “What is the secret of your success?  He answered “two words.”  “And what are they, sir?  “Right decisions,” he answered.  “And how do you make the right decisions?’  The bank president answered, “One word.”  And what is that word sir?”  He answered, “Experience.”  “And sir, how do you get experience?” The bank president answered, “Two words.”  “And what are they?’  The bank president answered, “Wrong decisions.”

We must constantly remind ourselves and others that we, as believing sons and daughters of our first father, Adam, have nothing above us except ALLAH, The Almighty.  Satan, the Shaitan knows this but tries to trick us into believing that mistakes we make are a testament to his superiority over us. 

But these mistakes and wrong decisions we make are allowed by ALLAH to make us wiser and stronger. 

“Do you think that you will not be tested?  We tested those before you.”

If we were not tested and given hardships, our humanity would not reach its highest height.  Just remember that ALLAH has perfected our way of life which is showing us the way to live. 

There is no problem or hardship we cannot overcome using the perfected Words and guidance of ALLAH.  Prayer, zakat, fasting, and other spiritually enhancing actions coupled with obedience to laws of living such as diet, no intoxicants, good treatment of other humans, especially women, and others, have perfect guidance for living and overcoming obstacles.

Keep in mind that Al-Islam is perfect–striving to live it puts you on that path of righteousness.

As Salaam alaikum
Al Hajj Imam Abdullah El-Amin