Human Equality and True Honor in the Sight of Allah

Who is More Honored? \r\nIt is said: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ (O mankind!) إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى (We created you from a male and a female — meaning from one mother and one father.)\r\nوَجَعَلْنَكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا (And We made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another.)

Human Equality and True Honor in the Sight of Allah يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ (Surah Al-Hujurat:13) عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: التَّقْوَى هَاهُنَا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ. Who is More Honored? It is said: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ (O mankind!) إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَى (We created you from a male and a female — meaning from one mother and one father.) وَجَعَلْنَكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا (And We made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another.) إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ (Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the one who has the most taqwa.) Therefore, neither the white has superiority over the black, nor the Arab over the non Arab, nor the rich over the poor. إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ (Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the one who has the most taqwa.) The Measure of Nearness to Allah The nearness of Allah to His servants is according to their taqwa. The more pious a person is, the closer he is to Allah. This has been made a clear measure: if you want to assess someone’s closeness to Allah, measure it by their taqwa. That is why it is said: إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ (His true friends are none but those who have taqwa.) The Friends of Allah Have No Fear or Grief أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (Know well: the friends of Allah will have no fear upon them, nor will they grieve.) Fear refers to external dangers, and grief refers to inner sorrow. The friends of Allah are free from both — no outward fear and no inward grief. Who are these friends of Allah? الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ (Those who believed and adopted taqwa.) For them is glad tidings: لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ (They will have good news in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.) لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ (The words of Allah do not change.) ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (That is the supreme success.) The Blessings of Taqwa A person should adopt taqwa and piety so that he may be included among the friends of Allah. Who is a Wali? There are levels of wilayah (friendship with Allah). A portion of wilayah is granted to every person who recites the Kalimah. So, who is a wali? A wali is the friend of Allah. If we were to ask among you, “Who is the enemy of Allah?” no one would stand up. We are all friends of Allah — الحمد لله. Wilayah ‘Aammah and Wilayah Khaassah The lowest level of wilayah is granted to a person upon bringing faith, but this is wilayah ‘aammah (general friendship). To attain wilayah khaassah (special friendship), one must adopt taqwa. Without taqwa, even deeds are not accepted in the sight of Allah. As Allah says: إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ (Indeed, Allah accepts only from those who have taqwa.) The Qur’an is adorned with Taqwa When you look into the Noble Qur’an, you will see that after every few verses, taqwa is mentioned. Just like a person decorates a tray by placing items on top, Allah has adorned His Book with the word taqwa. As you continue reading the Qur’an, the mention of the muttaqeen (those with taqwa) will appear shining, and in some verses, the command to adopt taqwa is given twice within a single sentence. How amazing it is that in one phrase, the same instruction is repeated twice — this repetition shows the great importance of taqwa. In one breath, Allah has commanded taqwa two times. And the command of Allah is never ordinary. يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ (O mankind! Fear your Lord.) Here, اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ is in the form of a command — Allah is ordering: “Fear your Lord, adopt taqwa.” يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ (O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and spread from them many men and women. And fear Allah.) Notice — at the beginning of the verse there is taqwa, and at the end of the verse there is taqwa. In another place, Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ (O you who believe! Fear Allah, and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah.) Here too, in a single verse, the command to adopt taqwa is given twice. This repetition makes its importance absolutely clear. Taqwa Has No Limit Shari‘ah has set boundaries for everything, but when it comes to taqwa, the field has been left open. Allah said: فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ (So fear Allah as much as you are able.) And He also said: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ (O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should truly be feared.) Allahu Akbar! How clearly the importance of taqwa is shown. The Benefits of Taqwa Taqwa is a remarkable blessing. By adopting it, the doors of blessings are opened, sins are forgiven, and insight is granted. In the Qur’an it is said: مَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا (Whoever adopts taqwa, Allah will forgive his sins and will magnify his reward.) Meaning, Allah grants him a very great reward. And Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا (O you who believe! If you adopt taqwa, He will grant you furqan.) What is furqan? It is a light that distinguishes between truth and falsehood. Such insight is given, such clarity is bestowed — furqan is granted. إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا (If you adopt taqwa, He will grant you furqan.) When a person adopts taqwa, the doors of blessings are opened for him. وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ In another place it is mentioned وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِمْ ۚ مِّنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ The commentators explain this in a remarkable way: A human being is made of two parts — the body and the soul. The body is created from clay, and its needs also come from the earth. For example, water comes from the ground, wheat grows from the soil, crops for clothing come from the land, houses are built from materials of the earth, fruits and other necessities also come from the earth. Allahu Akbar! Yes, since the body is made from clay, Allah placed its provisions in the earth so that its needs may always be fulfilled from there. What is Barakah (Blessing)? Barakah means that in your provision (rizq) there is respect, food and drink, family, and peace of life included. When barakah is present, life feels full of comfort. But today, because barakah has been taken away, people are worried. Why do we struggle from place to place? Because there is stress about provision. People work two jobs, yet household expenses are not covered. Every family member works, but still the expenses are not enough. They say, “What can we do?” The medicine bottle keeps going to the doctor. This is because barakah has gone — the blessing is no longer there. Who is Responsible for Provision (Rizq)? My friends! Allah opens the doors of provision through taqwa (piety). Where does provision come from? It comes from the treasures of Allah. Everything that exists has its treasures with Allah, and He sends it down in a measured amount. Every living creature on earth has its provision guaranteed by Allah. Many creatures do not store food for themselves, yet Allah provides for them — and He provides for you as well. A man once came to Hazrat Bayazid Bastami and said: “Sir, I have many children, but my provision is very limited, and I am very worried.” Hazrat Bayazid replied: “Go back home, and keep in your house those whose provision is guaranteed by Allah, and remove from your house those whose provision is your responsibility.” The wisdom here is clear: every soul’s sustenance is Allah’s responsibility, so trust Him and rely on His promise. Taqwa and the Doors of Provision Provision (rizq) is the responsibility of Allah. Yes, I also believe that in our lives we should keep proper order and discipline. This does not mean that life should have no system — rather, there must be arrangement. We should work hard, but our eyes and hearts must remain fixed on Allah. When this happens, no one will take bribes. When a person’s focus is on Allah, he will not eat from dishonest earnings, because he will ask only from Allah. But when people forget Allah and put their trust only in worldly means, then all these problems arise. Therefore, if we adopt taqwa (piety), Allah will open the doors of provision for us. Taqwa Works Everywhere You ask: what is taqwa? Taqwa is that blessing which benefits a person in every stage — it helps in this world, in the barzakh (life after death before resurrection), in the grave, on the Day of Judgment, and in Paradise. It is useful everywhere. Taqwa is like a powerful cure that works in all situations. How does the Qur’an explain this? وَقَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاصْبِرُوا (And Musa said to his people: Seek help from Allah and be patient.) إِنَّ الْاَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُوْرِثُهَا مَنْ يُشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ (Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah; He gives it as inheritance to whomever He wills among His servants.) وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And the good end is for the pious.) See how taqwa beautifies life in this world, brings provision, and also ensures success in the Hereafter. Truly, taqwa is the blessing that improves both worlds — this life and the next. The Bridge of Sirat and Taqwa On the Day of the Hereafter, friends will become enemies to one another — except for those who are pious. Taqwa will benefit there too, just as it benefits in this world and on the Day of Judgment. Friends will turn into enemies, except for the pious ones: الاخلاءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقِينَ (That Day, close friends will be enemies to each other, except the pious.) Everyone will have to cross the Bridge of Sirat. What will happen then? وَإِن مِّنكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا (There is none among you except that he will pass over it.) كَانَ عَلَى رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَّقْضِيًّا (This is a decree decided by your Lord.) ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا (Then We will save those who were pious.) But the wrongdoers and sinners will be thrown headfirst into Hell. So who will safely cross the Bridge of Sirat? Those who are pious. SubhanAllah! Such people will also be presented with Paradise: وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ (And Paradise will be brought near for the pious.) And who will be taken towards Paradise? وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ زُمَرًا (Those who feared their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups.) This shows beautifully that taqwa is the key to safety on the Day of Judgment and entry into Paradise. For Whom is Paradise? Paradise is for the pious (muttaqin). وَالْمَلَئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ بَابٍ (The angels will enter upon them from every gate.) سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمُ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ (“Peace be upon you, for the patience you showed.”) SubhanAllah! So, who will be given Paradise? In one place, Paradise is described in such detail that an entire section (rukū‘) is devoted to its virtues and scenes. At the end, the conclusion is: تِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِي نُورِثُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا مَنْ كَانَ تَقِيًّا (This is the Paradise which We will give as inheritance to Our servants who were pious.) SubhanAllah! All the descriptions and beauties of Paradise are for the pious. إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ مَفَازًا حَدَائِقَ وَأَعْنَابًا وَكَوَاعِبَ أَتْرَابًا وَكَأْسًا دِهَاقًا (Indeed, for the pious there is success: gardens, grapevines, companions of equal age, and a full cup.) لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا كِذَّابًا جَزَاءً مِّن رَّبِّكَ (They will not hear any idle or false speech there — a reward from your Lord.) إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ فِي ظِلَالٍ وَعُيُونٍ وَفَوَاكِهَ مِمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا هَنِيئًا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ إِنَّا كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ (Indeed, the pious will be in shade, springs, and fruits of whatever they desire. “Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you used to do.” Thus do We reward the doers of good.) See how beautifully Paradise is described — SubhanAllah! Stages of the Hereafter and Taqwa My friends! The stages of the Hereafter will be achieved through taqwa, and even the stages of this world are gained through taqwa. If you want honor in this world, adopt taqwa — see how Allah grants respect even here. In this world, honor comes through taqwa, and in the Hereafter, success also comes through taqwa. Worldly Honor and Taqwa You may say, “Speak about something of this world too.” So let me talk about the world: even in this world, honor comes through taqwa. The story of Hazrat Yusuf (Joseph) is an example. Surah Yusuf, which the Qur’an calls نَحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ أَحْسَنَ الْقَصَصَ (We narrate to you the best of stories), carries a great lesson. This Surah is given such importance because Allah mentions two groups in it — the group of Yusuf’s brothers, and the group of Yusuf himself. Yes, sometimes one person alone can be like an institution. A single individual can outweigh an entire group. The Qur’an itself gives proof: إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً (Indeed, Ibrahim was a whole nation by himself.) See! Yes, it happens — one person, through taqwa and faith, can carry the weight of an entire community. There were two groups — the group of Yusuf (peace be upon him) and the group of his brothers. A test came upon the brothers, and they said: اقْتُلُوا يُوسُفَ أَوِ اطْرَحُوهُ أَرْضًا (“Let us kill Yusuf or throw him away into some land.”) They thought they would commit this sin and then repent to become righteous afterwards. So they carried out their sin. Yusuf (peace be upon him) also faced a test: وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الَّتِي هُوَ فِي بَيْتِهَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ (The woman in whose house he was tried to seduce him.) But by Allah’s mercy, he was saved from this trial. Eventually, the woman herself testified, and it had to be admitted: يُوسُفُ أَيُّهَا الصِّدِّيقُ (“O Yusuf, the truthful one!”) SubhanAllah, Allahu Akbar! Then what happened? Allah brought him out of prison and placed him on the throne. Yusuf (peace be upon him) said, “Make me in charge of the treasury (Finance Minister).” He was a prophet, and Allah had granted him the ability to manage affairs. He took control of the government and showed how it should be run. When famine struck, the group of his brothers suffered greatly, while Yusuf (peace be upon him) remained on the throne, managing the crisis with wisdom. This shows how taqwa and patience raised Yusuf (peace be upon him) from prison to power, while his brothers fell into hardship. Then Allah presents a powerful scene in the Qur’an — truly amazing. The brothers of Yusuf came to ask for grain. Their money was not enough, yet they wanted full measure. They said, “Our money is not complete, please give us full measure and show us charity.” These were also sons of a prophet, and Yusuf (peace be upon him) was the son of a prophet too. They failed their test, while Yusuf succeeded. They were on the ground, while Yusuf was on the throne. The Qur’an paints this scene beautifully — SubhanAllah, what a Book! قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ مَسَّنَا وَأَهْلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَجِئْنَا بِبَضَاعَةٍ مُزْجَاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا الْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْزِي الْم...ِينَ (They said: “O noble one, hardship has touched us and our family, and we have brought only poor goods. So give us full measure and be charitable to us. Surely Allah rewards those who give charity.”) When Yusuf (peace be upon him) saw their condition, he asked: مَا فَعَلْتُمْ بِيُوسُفَ (“What did you do with Yusuf?”) And they replied… They asked: ا إِنَّكَ لَا يُوسُف (“Are you indeed Yusuf?”) He replied: قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفَ وَهَذَا أَخِي (“Yes, I am Yusuf, and this is my brother [Binyamin].”) He continued: قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا (“Indeed, Allah has been gracious to us.”) إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ (“Whoever adopts taqwa and patience…”) فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (“…then surely Allah does not waste the reward of those who do good.”) Therefore, in every era and in every age, whoever becomes like Yusuf — with taqwa and patience — Allah will raise him from the ground to the throne. His worldly life will be honored, and his Hereafter will also be successful. Taqwa and Nearness to Allah In the past, scholars gained closeness to Allah because of their taqwa. Today, because of the lack of taqwa, we have lost our honor. Think about it: the same Dars-e-Nizami curriculum was studied by Hazrat Qasim Nanotvi, Hazrat Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, Hazrat Mahmood Hasan (Shaikh-ul-Hind), Hazrat Anwar Shah Kashmiri, and Hazrat Ashraf Ali Thanvi. Yet today, every student who studies the same books does not become like Thanvi or Nanotvi. What is the difference? The difference is taqwa. They studied the same books, but through taqwa they found pearls and diamonds of wisdom. We also study the same books, but we think we will act later, after collecting knowledge. Today, we live carelessly. Those scholars would never fill their stomachs with unlawful wealth, but now their descendants eat from haram earnings. Those scholars would spend the whole night awake in prayer, while today their descendants are used to sleeping comfortably on soft beds. The Heart and the Filth Within We do not work on our hearts. Where does taqwa reside? التقوى ههنا (Taqwa is here) — أشار الي الصدر (the Prophet ﷺ pointed towards the chest). Therefore, the heart must be changed, and then taqwa will be born inside it. But today, we have turned the heart into an idol-house, a temple of false gods — in fact, to speak the truth, we have made the heart into a filthy place. ما هذه الشِّمَالِيلُ الَّتِي أَنْتُمْ لَهَا عَاكِفُون (What are these idols to which you are devoted?) Inside the heart, idols are placed: someone has placed the idol of a woman, someone the idol of wealth and money, someone the idol of position and status. Just as a house that contains pictures is deprived of the angel of mercy, likewise, how can the divine light of Allah enter a heart that contains the image of something other than Him? This shows that true taqwa begins with cleansing the heart from all idols and attachments other than Allah. We must refine it, build it, and work hard on this heart. When taqwa enters the heart, and when you study with the intention that “O Allah, we will keep learning and keep acting upon it,” then real change will come. Put yourself first: أَوْ صِي نَفْسِي أَوَّلاً وَإِيَّاكَ بَعْدَهُ (I advise myself first, and then you afterwards.) This is exactly why taqwa is missing from our lives. We speak, but our words do not affect others. We complain that people do not listen. My friends! If the words coming from our tongue are not heard by our own ears — which are so close — then how will they be heard by ears that are far away? It should be like this: whatever we say, our own ears should hear it, our own mind should think about it, and our own heart should act upon it. We speak for people, but we must also make the intention that we are studying Qur’an and Hadith so that we will read and act upon it ourselves. This highlights that true da‘wah begins with self-application — when our own heart, mind, and ears respond to what we say, then others will be moved too. The Remarkable Incident of Hazrat Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri I read in the life history of Hazrat Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (رحمه الله) that through him some Hindus accepted Islam. Someone asked those Hindus, “Why did you become Muslim?” They pointed towards Hazrat Kashmiri and said: “We do not see the face of a liar in him. This face cannot be the face of a false person.” SubhanAllah! Taqwa shone upon their faces in such a way that the worship they performed in solitude was transformed into light upon their faces. What is Taqwa? Now the final point: what exactly is taqwa? There is a famous narration about taqwa. Hazrat Umar (صلى الله عليه وسلم) once asked Hazrat Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, “What is taqwa?” He replied: “Have you ever walked on a path full of thorns?” Hazrat Umar said: “Yes, I have.” He asked: “How do you walk on it?” Hazrat Umar replied: “I gather my clothes and walk carefully, so that my garment does not get caught in any thorn.” He said: “That is taqwa — O human being! Live your life in such a way that your garment does not get stained by any sin.” This is taqwa: وَلِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ (Keep your clothes pure.) وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ (And the garment of taqwa — that is the best.) وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى (And take provisions for the journey, but the best provision is taqwa.) SubhanAllah! Wherever the Qur’an mentions husband and wife, there is repeated emphasis on taqwa, taqwa, taqwa. Read Surah An-Nisa — after every few verses, taqwa is mentioned. Why? Because without taqwa, married life cannot be lived properly. That is why Allah says: وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ مُلَاقُوهُ (And fear Allah, and know that you will meet Him.) May Allah, the Lord of Glory, create taqwa within us. Ameen. Our teacher Hazrat Ghulam Habib used to say: “Leave every action that weakens your connection with Allah — that is taqwa.” Some people think that taqwa only means becoming a Sufi and avoiding food from the marketplace. My dear, that is just a small part of taqwa. Taqwa is not the name of one single thing. It applies from the hair on your head to the nails of your feet. It is connected to your entire life. So let us ask the Qur’an itself: what is taqwa? The Qur’an explains it to us. True Righteousness and Taqwa لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ (Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the east or the west.) وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ (But true righteousness is in the one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets.) وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ (And who gives wealth, despite loving it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask, and for freeing slaves.) وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا (And who establishes prayer, gives zakat, and fulfills their promises when they make them.) وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ (And those who are patient in poverty, hardship, and during battle.) أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ (These are the ones who are truthful, and these are the ones who are pious.) Those who act upon all these qualities are truly أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا — the truthful ones — and وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ — the pious ones. May Allah, the Lord of Glory, grant us the ability to become such people. وَآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا أَنِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ