What kind of Muslims are we?

It is stated that most of our society is Muslim. When people are asked, everyone answers, Alhamdulillah, I am a Muslim. Are we really Muslims? No one asks this question to themselves, or maybe they don't want to ask it. Is this because he doesn't want to hear the answer, or is he confident and sees the question as unnecessary? In our opinion, every Muslim should ask himself this question and interrogate whether he is a complete Muslim. However, in order to do this, one must investigate what should be understood from being a complete Muslim. The sources for this research are the Holy Quran, hadiths and works written by Sunni Islamic scholars.

When these sources are examined, it is seen that the behavior and thoughts of people in today's Muslim societies on many issues are contrary to true Islam and contradict basic Islamic principles. For this reason, Muslims need to put themselves in order and correct their behavior and thoughts according to the principles of true Islam.

Allah Almighty informs us in the first 10 verses of the Surah Al-Muminun how the basic behavior of Muslims should be. It gives good news that those who follow the provisions of these verses will be the heirs and will be the believers who will be saved. Therefore, it is necessary to question how well we comply with the provisions of these verses.

Allah Almighty explains how the apocalypse will happen in the Surah At-Takwir. On the day of judgment, the sun will be folded and rolled up, the stars will fall, the mountains will be moved, pregnant camels will be abandoned, wild animals will be gathered and brought together, the seas will boil, souls will be united, the girl who was buried alive will be asked for what sin she was killed, the notebooks will be opened, the sky will be peeled off, hell will be set on fire, heaven will bring near and one will see what he has prepared. Then he will understand the nature of the deeds which he does in the world. But then it will be too late. Therefore, we should prepare ourselves for that Judgment Day and do good deeds. For this reason, Allah Almighty continues in the same sura as follows:

“This Quran is not the word of the expelled devil. (O people!) Where are you going? The Quran is only an advice to those among you who want to follow the right path and to the realms.” (Genesis, 81/25,26,27,28)

Our Lord, who informs us that we will be called to account at the end of the day, tells us that being on the right path is only possible by following the Qur'an. It is stated that the Quran is an advice to the worlds (humans and jinns), therefore salvation can only be achieved by listening to its advice. That's why the people are addressed as, "(O People!) Where are you going?" This address expresses the perversion of those who follow the wrong path regarding the Quran. He compares their situation to that of those who abandon the main road and take a crooked and wrong path. To condemn and express the perversion of these people, it is asked them, “Where are you going? Are you abandoning the Quran and looking for other ways?” Humans and jinn are in need of preaching and guidance. Those who want to follow the right path are those who are obliged to believe and worship. Entering this path is only possible by researching the truth and embracing the truth.

We would like to help Muslims make self-criticism by discussing some issues below in the light of Qur'anic verses and hadiths. Every Muslim should check whether they comply with these issues and correct their deficient and wrong behaviors and thoughts, if any. We hope that Allah Almighty will not waste our efforts in this direction and will guide us and lead us to the right path.

Do We Perform Our Prayers in Peace?

“They are in awe in their prayers.” (Believer, 23/2)

“When a servant stands to pray, he is undoubtedly in the presence of Allah. For this reason, when he looks left and right, Allah says to him: Who are you looking at? To someone better than me? Oh son of Adam! Come back to me! Because I am better than those you look at.” (Hadith)

Islamic scholars interpret the issue of awe in prayer as follows. They are in awe, inside and out. The awe in appearance: the head being in awe and bending down, the eye being in awe and not looking left or right, the ear being in awe and being ready to listen, the tongue being in awe and reading and moving with caution, the hands being in awe, just like a slave the right hand being on the left hand, the back being in awe, bending and becoming straight during bowing, and the feet being in awe, being fixed on the ground and not moving. The awe within them means that the soul is in awe, it is purified from things and delusions that occupy the mind, the heart is in awe, it constantly remembers Allah and gives itself to Him, and the soul is in awe and desires to drown in the sea of love.

To what extent can we fulfill these conditions? If our brain and mind are under the influence of all kinds of evil commands and desires of the soul and the devil, how humble can we be in our prayers? Even when entering the mosque, people are quarreling about worldly affairs, and even inside the mosque, people are talking about worldly affairs. We are witnessing relevant discussions. People in the mosque are looking at their mobile phones. Incoming news and messages occupy a person's brain and heart. When he starts to pray, what he sees and read comes to his mind. This spoils the awe in prayer. These mislead our brains and eliminate the awe in prayer. The prayer performed by such people does not bring any benefit to them and is nothing more than a tiring activity.

In a hadith, our Prophet (pbuh) says: “While performing the prayer, let us direct our hearts only to Allah and act as if we see Him in front of us. Even if we do not see Him, He sees us.”

Do We Turn Away From Empty and Meaningless Things?

“They turn away from empty and meaningless things.” (Al-Muminun, 23/3)

Empty and meaningless things are all kinds of behaviors and thoughts that prevent people from thinking about God. Can we stay away from these? When people get together, they often address useless issues. They insist fanatically on some issues. Unnecessary claims and arguments wreak havoc. For example, discussions about sports events are at this level. Sports is something that should give pleasure to people with beautiful movements when watched. However, the violence and negativities here cause tension rather than relieving people. Both the athletes and the fans watching continue these discussions for days. Thus, a person wastes his energy and life in a useless way. It is necessary to abandon these. Because this prevents people from thinking about Allah in the Islamic sense, it is not only beneficial but also harmful. Similarly, most of the television series, movies and entertainment programs watched are empty and meaningless. These do not teach people anything, on the contrary, they lead to wrong thoughts. Those who are influenced by these try to implement what they see in their own lives. But it ends in disappointment. Because movies are fiction, artificial things. But life is not like that. There are some facts of life. For this reason, one should prefer to watch documentaries that have an educational side, instead of movies and entertainment programs on television. It is a fact that television makes people stupid and their thinking faculties are stunted. Therefore, Muslims must make their choice in the right way. He should stay away from any behavior that prevents him from thinking about Allah and worshiping Him properly.

Do We Give Our Zakat?

“Those who fulfill their duty of zakat.” (Al-Muminun, 23/4)

Zakat is an important obligatory act of worship. It maintains the social and economic justice of the society. In this respect, it has a very important function. For this reason, there are many verses regarding this in the Quran:

“Take zakat from their wealth so that you can purify them from sins. May you bless them with this.” (At-Tawbah, 9/103)

According to this verse, zakat is necessary to purify people. Thanks to zakat, the human soul is purified from reproachful and unpleasant adjectives such as love of the world. Because a person can only save the afterlife by purifying his soul.

“He who purifies his soul has attained salvation, and he who pollutes it has suffered loss.” (Shams, 91/9-10)

According to this verse, the main goal is to remove the love of this world from the heart. The basis of worldly love is money and possessions. In order to prevent the love of money and possessions from taking hold in the heart, a certain amount of these should be given to the poor without expecting anything in return. This helps protect the heart from the love of money and possessions.

In this regard, the Prophet (pbuh) says: “Those who are stingy in spending the wealth that Allah has generously given them should not think that this is good for them, on the contrary, it is very bad for them. What they were stingy with will wrap around their necks (in the form of a snake) on the Day of Judgment."

In our society, it is not witnessed that zakat is given properly. If the rich people had given their zakat to the people prescribed by Islam, at the rates determined by the Sharia, there would be no hungry and homeless people in our country today. Why do people try not to perform such an important obligatory prayer? This is something incomprehensible. The human heart is naturally inclined to love worldly possessions. However, it is a person's duty not to bring this love into the heart by giving zakat and alms. This is one of the ways to gain the afterlife in this worldly life.

“Any nation that does not pay the zakat of its wealth, the rain will cease from the sky. If it weren't for animals, not a single drop of rain would fall." (Hadith)

Droughts occur from time to time in our country. In order to get rid of such problems, we must give our zakat in accordance with the Islamic Sharia.

Do We Protect Our Chastity From Haram?

“They protect their chastity (from haram). They only have relationships with their spouses or the concubines they have. Because they are not condemned for having relations with them. If anyone wants to go beyond this, they are the ones who have crossed the limits." (Al-Muminun, 23/5,6,7)

Illegal relationships (adultery) are spreading in our society. Imitating Western society as civilization is an abnormality imposed on us. So-called progressives who try to make adultery, are actually causing the collapse of the entire moral structure of society. Presenting adultery which is free in the West, as progressive and modernity is a sabotage aimed at the collapse of the moral structure of society. Those who cannot eradicate Islam from our country by force of arms are trying to spread adultery in order to sabotage the Islamic morality of our people. Muslims must be awake against this propaganda.

“A man who commits adultery cannot marry anyone other than a woman who is an adulterer or a polytheist. A woman who commits adultery can only marry a man who is an adulterer or a polytheist. This is forbidden for believers.” (The Light, 24/3)

It is stated in a hadith on this subject: "If adultery occurs in a nation and becomes openly committed, the disease of plague will become widespread in that nation and diseases that were not seen in the nations that came before them will spread."

Could the cancer disease, which is spreading in our society and becoming more effective day by day, be a result of the spread of adultery in our country as required by this hadith? In such diseases that affect the society and against which people are unable to take precautions, one should definitely try to stay away from actions such as adultery, which is forbidden by Islam. Because human knowledge does not have the power to prevent the troubles and disasters that God has decreed.

The Corona virus that threatens the world today is also in this context. The increase in adultery in the world causes the emergence of such new diseases.

Today, in our society, attempts are made to make muta (temporary marriage) attractive. Desire for the opposite sex, which is the weakest part of the human soul, is something that can be easily abused. Muta marriage is one of these abuses. Muta marriage is performed for a temporary period. This act is completely against Islam. Because in Islam, marriage is made for an eternal period. Talaq (divorce) is a procedure that Allah Almighty does not like at all, but is allowed in some cases. For this reason, a marriage limited to a period such as three days, one week, one year, or one contact is haram in Islam. This type of marriage resembles adultery and disrupts the family institution in society.

Therefore, Islam foresees legitimate marriages. However, economic difficulties prevent young people from getting married. In this case, the duty of rich Muslims is to direct their economic power to investments and actions that will pave the way for young people to get married. There is a great reward here and this is a great investment for salvation in the afterlife.

Can We Avert Our Eyes From Haram?

“My Messenger! Tell the believing men not to turn their eyes to what is forbidden and to protect their chastity. Because this is a cleaner behavior for them.” (The Ligth, 24/30)

“And tell the believing women to protect their eyes from looking at what is forbidden and to preserve their chastity. They should not display their ornaments, except for the visible parts. They should cover their headscarves over their collars. O Believers! Repent to Allah together so that you may be saved.” (The Ligth, 24/31)

The most important organ that leads people to sin and pushes them towards haram is the eye. What the eye sees immediately affects a person's brain and heart. For this reason, a person must prevent his eyes from looking at haram things for the sake of his heart and soul. It is impossible to put a physical obstacle for this. Then, a person must, with his own efforts, protect his soul from the tendency to look at such haram things.

Today, we often see people around us and on television and mobile phone screens who do not dress according to Islamic sharia. Looking at these people is prohibited for men and women, as required by the verses above. Naked male and female figures fill the screens. Unfortunately, these are watched by everyone. Islam forbids this viewing. The reason for this is that a person's soul can easily be led into sin by these views. The non-Islamic images that are watched remain in people's minds. Satan always brings these images to our minds and causes the soul to desire forbidden things. These haram and evil desires of the soul lead people astray. It is not possible for those who are under the influence of these desires to be respectful in their prayers. It is not possible for them to behave in a healthy and humane manner in social relations. Such illicit desires of the soul lie behind most of the violence, harassment and murders in our society.

Most people who go online are exposed to sexual, lustful and enjoyable publications. These inevitably affect people and cause them to deviate towards haram. In addition to legal restrictions against them, education is also essential. The negativities that these publications will cause should be thoroughly analyzed and explained to people. The biggest responsibility here falls on the state and the family. In order for the society to be healthy and strong, relations between people must be regulated in accordance with Islamic rules. For this purpose, broadcasts on television and the internet must be made in accordance with Islamic standards. To some, this may be perceived as reactionary. But this is completely wrong. Because we see what the opposite situation has brought society to today. In our country, harassment and murders of women are increasing, and drug and alcohol consumption is at its peak. There is only one way to prevent them, and that is to implement the basic prohibitions and orders of Islam.

People who are against this idea and do not believe in it use the West as an example. These people take the modern life of the West as an example and see it as salvation. But it should not be forgotten that the people of the West, whom they took as an example, were selling and eating human flesh in markets until the 19th century. They were buying and selling people as slaves. He was throwing toilet waste onto the streets. That's why the streets were filthy. There was no toilet in their house. In the same ages, Islamic countries were clean and bright. However, in the last two centuries, the West's exploitation of weak countries in Africa and Asia by force of arms has enriched them. However, Islamic countries, especially the Ottoman Empire, did not do this because colonialism was against Islam. This increased the wealth gap between the West and the East. Today, we recommend those who look at this difference and look for civilization in the West to examine history within a broader framework.

In this context, the issue of headscarf is also discussed in our society. Those who admire the West see the headscarf as a rag and a symbol of reactionism. They say that by uncovering her head, a woman will be free. For them, undressing and showing low-cut clothing is a requirement of being civilized and modern. These heedless and unwary people, with their admiration for the West, fail to see that this country has never been independent for a hundred years, that it has forgotten its own culture, and has become the cultural slave of the West.

Western capitalism sees women as a sexual object and uses them as a tool to make money. For this reason, he tries to get people to do what he wants by provoking them and numbing their brains with sexuality. Women in low-cut clothing are used in all advertisements. Women's sexuality is highlighted in every advertisement. Naked models appear in car advertisements. However, the seller does not sell this naked model together with the car. So what are their purposes? Their aim is to impress the audience. Those who watch such a play become slaves of their own souls and the commands of the devil because they think it is modernity.

But Muslims do not think so. The headscarf of Muslim women is a light that protects them. By covering up and wearing hijab, Muslim women prevent themselves from being seen as sexual objects. Only in this way can a woman have her true identity. If a woman prevents sexual arousal, then she is seen as a human being and treated as a human being. This is civilization. There is still this respect for veiled women in our society. On buses and ferries, people give seats to veiled women first. This is a result of the Islamic upbringing that has accumulated over centuries in our society. This accumulation will continue even if westerners and their fans do not want it. For this reason, women's headscarf and hijab are their means of salvation both in this world and the afterlife. This is a provision of the verse we mentioned above.

Such negativities seen in society are actually discord. There is the following authentic hadith regarding fitnah: “Fitnahs are thrown into people's hearts, stick by stick, just like a mat (woven from reeds). Whichever heart is touched by discord, a black stain will appear on it. In any heart that rejects it, a white spot appears in it. Thus, two separate hearts emerge: One is as white as a polished stone; As long as the world stands still, no fitna can harm this. The other is dapple black. It is like a jug upside down; This heart knows neither good nor bad. He knows as truth or falsehood. Whatever is made to him by desires (human values).” According to this hadith, Muslims must be awake against these discords and protect their hearts against these discords so that they can attain salvation.

Do We Fulfill Our Trusts and Promises?

“Those believers guard the trusts placed upon them and fully keep their promises.” (Al-Muminun,23/8)

Trust is the name of what people undertake with confidence; their promise is to protect something, no matter what the situation. Therefore, fulfilling trusts and promises is essential to ensure order, trust and stability in society. However, today we encounter many examples contrary to this. People are betraying their trust. In other words, they do not preserve the things that were given to them with trust. They don't keep their promise. In this case, people's sense of trust in each other disappears and everyone becomes uneasy.

A Muslim must comply with the ruling of the above verse. Otherwise, he will remain below a great servant. This means a debt that he will have to pay in the afterlife.

“Saying what you cannot do is a source of great wrath in the sight of Allah.” (Saff, 61/3)

“And fulfill the covenant. Surely there is responsibility in the covenant.” (Isra, 17/34)

“Those who respect their trusts and covenants.” (Mearic, 70/32)

“If any nation breaks the covenant of Allah and His Messenger, Allah Almighty will impose on that nation an enemy that is not one of them and will take some of their wealth from them.” (Hadith)

"Not keeping one's word is one of the signs of hypocrisy." (Hadith)

“We offered the trust to the heavens, the earth and the mountains, but they were afraid to load it. Man took it upon himself. Man is truly very cruel and very ignorant.” (Ahzab, 33/72)

In this verse, it is stated that what is meant by trust is religious obligations and religious affairs that are observed. These entrusted rights are rights that must be observed. Mind comes first among these trusts. As a matter of fact, human beings are considered superior to other living creatures thanks to their reason. Then comes tawhid, belief in the afterlife, prayer, alms, fasting, pilgrimage, jihad, being truthful, protecting one's tongue from unnecessary things, guarding the goods entrusted to one's trust, keeping one's word, paying attention to prohibitions, protecting one's honour, being honest and other responsibilities.

No being other than humans has accepted this trust. Because they were afraid and worried about being subjected to punishment for not being able to fulfill their rights. However, man has undertaken this trust despite the weakness and powerlessness of his body. Man could not protect this trust, could not protect his rights, and could not understand the essence of his fate. Therefore, he is cruel and ignorant.

After knowing this truth, Muslims should protect this Islamic trust and give it its due. This is only possible by strictly following the orders and prohibitions of Islam.

However, it is clearly seen that the majority of people do not protect this trust. Because Islam is abandoned in exchange for personal gain or by following desires and the devil. The Quran states that such people are ignorant and cruel. The result of this is a terrible punishment.

People ignore this threat because they have not felt it in the near future. But when the life given to them ends and they enter the ground, they will see the truth. However, it will be too late there. A person must justify himself in this world before entering the grave. This is possible by protecting the trusts of Islam. As a continuation of the verse above, in the last verse of Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah Almighty states the following:

“Allah will punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women, the polytheist men and polytheist women; He will accept the repentance of believing men and believing women. Allah is very forgiving, very merciful.” (Ahzab, 33/73)

According to this verse, in order to be free from the responsibility of the trust, it is necessary to be a believer and repent of the sins committed. What it means to be a believer is explained in the verses at the beginning of the Surah Al-Muminun. When believers make mistakes, they must immediately repent and turn to their Creator to ask for forgiveness. Only in this way is salvation possible.

Are the Bites We Eat Halal?

“They ask you what is halal for them. Say: Good and pure things have been made lawful for you.” (The Table, 5/54)

“Eat lawful and pure from the sustenance that Allah has given you, and fear Allah in whom you believe.” (The Table, 5/88)

“O you who believe! Eat of the pleasant and clean things We have provided for you and give thanks to Allah, if it is Him that you serve.” (Al-Baqara, 2/172)

“O people! Be obidient towards God and moderate in worldly demands. Because there is no one who dies without fully obtaining the sustenance that Allah has decreed for him. Even if his sustenance is delayed, he will definitely receive it. So fear Allah and be moderate in your requests. Do not stray into illegitimate ways, take what is halal and leave what is haram." (Hadith)

What is halal lokma? The answer to this question has two parts:

1) The way of earning money followed to obtain the edible morsel must be in accordance with Islam. It is not halal to eat sustenance items purchased with earnings obtained in ways contrary to Islam. For example, it is not halal to eat interest earnings, profits obtained from trading by lying, earnings obtained by deceiving people, earnings obtained by theft or fraud, earnings obtained by giving bribes and such income earned through haram and prohibited ways according to Islam.

2) Food items eaten must be halal and clean. For example, in Islam, blood, pork, dead animal flesh, and the flesh of animals slaughtered in the name of someone other than Allah are haram. It is forbidden to eat them. Likewise, consumption of unclean foods is also haram.

Nowadays, considering these two issues, it is really difficult to find halal food. Because do we pay attention to how correctly our earnings are earned? Unfortunately, we witness that society does not pay attention to this. It can be seen everywhere that Muslims do not act completely honestly in their trade. Very few people are an exception to this. Unfortunately, people who are judged to be Muslims by their appearance resort to deceit and lies in their trade. What is earned through this trade is not halal.

There are doubts whether the foods we consume are halal or not. It is said that pork is mixed into many foods. It is known that many foods contain unhealthy substances and additives. In this case, we have to be meticulous to find clean and halal food. It is necessary to encourage clean and halal foods and make economic contributions to those who produce them.

It is very important for our Muslim brothers to pay attention to the above two points in order to eat halal food. Because haram food entering the human body disrupts the entire spiritual and therefore material order of that body. As a result, diseases and depressions occur. Sufis, who are the people of Sufism, talk about how spiritual manifestations and discoveries disappear when they eat haram food. Therefore, in order for our material and spiritual life to be peaceful and healthy, we must attach great importance to the halal nature of the food we eat.

As stated in the hadith above, a person's sustenance will come to him no matter what. Therefore, it is the duty of a Muslim to demand halal sustenance and try to obtain it by halal means. It is not the job of a wise person to get carried away by ambition and resort to un-Islamic means in order to gain more profit. Because man's sustenance is the morsels that go down his throat. No matter how much money you have, the number of bites that will pass down your own throat is certain. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't take more bites. Because everyone's sustenance has been determined in eternity and put into practice in the world. Here, complying with halal earnings and halal food criteria in order to pass the exam in the wordly life is a must for every Muslim.

Do We Protect the Sunnah of Our Prophet?

“Surely, for the sake of My glory, you have in the Messenger of Allah a very good example for those who have hope in Allah and the last day and remember Allah much.” (Al-Ahzab, 33/21)

“Therefore, whatever the Prophet gives you and brings you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.” (Al-Hashr, 59/7)

“Whoever obeys the Prophet obeys Allah.” (The Women, 4/80)

“O Prophet, you will undoubtedly lead people to the straight path of Allah.” (Shura, 42/52)

“I left you two things; as long as you hold on to them, you will not go astray. The book of Allah and my sunnah.” (Hadith)

“Those who obey me will enter heaven, those who oppose me do not want heaven.” (Hadith)

It is understood from the above verses and hadiths that obeying the Prophet is Allah's command. What does it mean to follow the Prophet? It means doing the things that he has done throughout his life and not doing the things that he has not done and stayed away from. In other words, it means accepting the things he gives us and staying away from the things he forbids. We call this the Sunnah of the Prophet. Today, the sunnah of the Prophet is written in a large body of literature, in authentic hadith books. We need to learn and apply these.

Today, most Muslims live outside the Sunnah. They even have no idea what the Sunnah of the Prophet is. Muslims immediately say salawat when the Prophet is mentioned. This is a beautiful thing. However, it is also important that we live our lives in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet. If we want heaven, we must obey the Messenger. There are many situations in our behavior today that are contrary to the Sunnah. For example, men and women who are not confidential to each other chat together, musical entertainment is organized, obscene movies are watched on television, some of the interest is claimed as halal and eaten, people lie and are deceived, the rights and laws of others are violated, the weak are oppressed. Such events are common in our society. These are against the Sunnah and do not obey the Prophet. So, don't we want heaven by doing these behaviors? We will understand how sad the consequences of these are in the afterlife, but it will be too late. Therefore, Muslims must come to their senses. One should embrace the Sunnah, which is the path of the Prophet, as soon as possible. For this, one must thoroughly study an authentic hadith book and learn and apply what he needs to do.

Do We Jihad in the Path of Allah?

“O you who believe! Shall I show you a trade that will protect you from severe torment (both in this world and the next)? You believe in Allah and His Prophet and strive in the way of Allah with your wealth and your life (Jihad). This is the best move for you, if only you knew. If you do so, Allah will forgive your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow in the afterlife. This is the greatest salvation.” (Saff, 61/10-13)

Our Prophet is asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Which deed is more virtuous?” In his answer, our Prophet says: "It is faith in Allah and jihad in the way of Allah."

The Prophet is asked: "Which of the people is superior?" In his answer, the Prophet says: "He who strives in the way of Allah with his life and property."

The above verses and hadiths indicate how important and valuable it is to do jihad in the way of Allah. Just as the polytheists and infidels are trying to destroy Islam against Muslims, Muslims must also fight collectively against them. He who dies while fighting in the way of Allah becomes a martyr. It is known how valuable martyrs are in the sight of Allah. Jihad is better than performing voluntary prayers for seventy years. It is stated in a hadith that heaven is under the shadow of swords.

What is understood from jihad is to fight back in the same way that the opponents of Islam fight to destroy Islam. If they come to the fight with weapons, they should fight back with the same weapons. For this, the equipment must be prepared in advance. Polytheists and infidels sometimes carry out armed attacks to destroy Islam, and sometimes they try to destroy Muslims from within by sowing discord among them. In both, one must be prepared to resist.

The reason for the massacre of Muslims in Bosnia is that they handed over their weapons to the United Nations. If they had weapons in their hands, they would not have suffered such a massacre. As a matter of fact, the massacre stopped after Turkey sent them weapons. In this world, we have to not trust the words of the enemies and always be equipped against them.

In recent centuries, those who have realized that they cannot destroy Islam by force of arms have been making efforts to cause discord among Muslims and change the basic beliefs of Islam. Muslims should be awake against these. One should stay away from sectarian fights. One should try to understand thoroughly what the Quran and the Sunnah mean. For this, one should read the books written by Sunni scholars.

The knowledge of the West must be answered with knowledge. One should stay away from terrorism and radical behavior that will tarnish Islam. It should not be forgotten that the imperialists want Muslims to get involved in terrorism. We should not be tricked. All the beauties of Islam should be shown to the whole world. This is jihad in the way of Allah. The reward is heaven without any doubt.

Do We Avoid Telling Lies?

“Do not follow what you do not know, because the ear, the eye and the heart are all responsible. He will be interrogated on the Day of Judgment." (Isra, 17/36)

"A person does not say a word without an angel watching over him and recording what he says." (Qaf, 50/18)

It is stated in a hadith: “There are four habits that whoever has them becomes a complete hypocrite. Whoever has one of these habits will have an attribute of hypocrisy until he abandons it:

1) He betrays something when he is entrusted with something,

2) He lies when he speaks,

3) When he makes a promise, he breaks his promise,

4) He goes beyond the limits in hostility and commits injustice.”

“The person who leaves his home and spreads lies, tomorrow in the afterlife, his nose and eyes will be slit with an iron hook.” (Hadith)

Lying is one of the signs of hypocrisy. Honesty in words and deeds leads to goodness. Good deeds take people to heaven. As long as a person tells the truth, he is recorded as a Siddiq (truthful) in the sight of Allah. Lying leads people astray, and its end is hell. If a person makes a habit of lying, he is written as a very liar in the sight of Allah. Therefore, it is the duty of a Muslim to abandon lies and be truthful in words and actions.

However, lying has become very natural in our society today. There are many lies spoken in business and social relations. There are people who deceive people by telling false dreams and false occurrences, and who describe themselves as teachers. These lies shake the order of society. It causes insecurity and unrest in society and destroys abundance in society. Therefore, Muslims must save themselves from the disease of lies. For this reason, he should not forget that the two angels who record his conversations are always with him. He should think about what situation he will be in when these records are shown to him tomorrow in the afterlife. No Muslim wants to be marked as a liar in the afterlife tomorrow. But for this, he must get rid of this disease while he is in the world.

Do We Help Orphans, the Poor and the Needy?

“Take the believers under your wing and protect them.” (Al-Hijr, 15/58)

“Then do not be unjust to the orphan, do not turn your face sour, and do not turn away the one who asks for help.” (Ad-Duha, 93/ 9,10)

“Have you seen the one who denies religion and the punishment and reward in the afterlife? That's the kind of people who push orphans away. Not only do they not try to feed the poor and needy, but they also do not encourage others." (Al-Maun, 107/1-3)

One day, our Prophet said: "I and the person who takes care of the orphan will be together in heaven like this" and showed his index and middle fingers, slightly apart.

“He who helps husbandless women and the poor with their work will be rewarded as if he had waged jihad in the way of Allah.” (Hadith)

“What a bad meal is a wedding dinner where the rich are invited and the poor are not invited.” (Hadith)

“Oh my God! "I strongly warn everyone against violating the rights of two weak people, an orphan and a woman." (Hadith)

“Take care of the poor. Do not doubt that you receive help and sustenance from Allah thanks to the weak among you.” (Hadith)

It is the duty of a Muslim to help orphans, the poor and the needy and to protect them. It is stated in the hadiths that whoever helps them will receive the reward of jihad.

Therefore, it is our duty to take care of the poor and needy in society and to try to ensure that they have living conditions like other people. This increases peace and abundance in society. Societies whose people live in trust always protect each other and are therefore strong. For this reason, it is essential for Muslims to comply with the issues stated in the above verses and hadiths.

Unfortunately today, we see the opposite. While luxurious entertainments, lavish weddings and banquets are being held, people are also seen looking for food in garbage bins. “He who is full while his neighbor is hungry is not one of us.” says the Messenger of Allah. What a contradiction this is that rich people can sleep comfortably in their beds while there are people sleeping on the streets. However, don't we know that the sustenance that Allah gives us is thanks to the weak among us, so we must protect the poor and needy?

Our ancestors established foundations to prevent poor people from going hungry, sheltering and marrying. He established foundations to shelter and feed stray animals. He established foundations to prevent wild animals in the forest from starving. Today, we enjoy belittling our ancestors, sometimes insulting them, and ignore the poor and needy around us. Thus we declare that we are modern and progressive. What kind of mistake is this? O human beings! Wake up and obey God's commands so that your life in this world and the afterlife will be peaceful. Otherwise, a very bad ending awaits you.

Are We Trying to Become Knowledgeable? Are We Reading?

“Oh my Lord! Say increase my knowledge.” (Ta-ha, 20/114)

“Are those who know and those who do not know the same?” (Az-Zumar, 39/9)

“Allah gives a great understanding of religion to the person, if He wishes good for.” (Hadith)

“Only these two people are envied: The one who spends and consumes the wealth that Allah has given him in the right way; A person who rules appropriately with the knowledge God has given him and teaches it to others.” (Hadith)

“Whoever takes a path to acquire knowledge, Allah will make the path to heaven easy for that person.” (Hadith)

“The world and the things in it are worthless. The only exceptions are the remembrance of Allah, things that bring us closer to Him, the scholar who teaches knowledge, and the student who wants to learn.” (Hadith)

“Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator! He created man from a blood clot. Read! Your Lord is the most generous, who makes people remember what they do not know and teaches them to write with a pen.” (Al-Alaq, 96/1-5)

These verses of Surah Al-Alaq are the first verses to be revealed in the Quran. In these verses, God Almighty orders His Messenger to read. So what to read? At that time, what the Messenger will read is the Quran. There are many things for Muslims to read today. Authentic hadith books, especially the Holy Quran, and the books written by Sunni Islamic scholars. What was commanded to the Prophet is also commanded to his ummah, the Muslims. Therefore, it is obligatory for us to read the books in question. This is how knowledge is learned. In Islam, after faith, having knowledge is the most important duty of a Muslim. Thanks to science, people find the right path and apply it. The worship and deeds of those who do not have knowledge of religion are incomplete. Because they do not have knowledge of religion, they cannot realize that their practices are incomplete and wrong. Therefore, reading and acquiring knowledge are obligatory for Muslims.

The Prophet recited the Quran, but he did not know the writing. Allah Almighty created him as an illiterate person so that they would not be able to say that he read and wrote the Qur'an from other sources. However, Allah Almighty taught His Prophet the knowledge of ledun, and therefore the Prophet had very deep material and spiritual knowledge. As a matter of fact, in Surah The Women, “And He taught you what you did not know. God's grace has truly been great to you.” The verse (The Women, 4/13) points to this.

Allah Almighty taught people to write with a pen. Thanks to this, knowledge was transmitted from person to person by writing. It has been said: “Knowledge is a hunt, writing is its binding.” The poet says:

“There is no book that becomes obsolete with time,

Only what he wrote remains eternal over time.

If you write, write nice things,

May He make you happy with your writing on the Day of Judgment.”

One of the scholars says: “The compatibility between being created from a blood clot and teaching with a pen stems from this: The lowest level of a human being is the level in which he is a blood clot. His highest position is the position in which he is a scholar. Allah Almighty reminds man of the blessing He has given him by taking him from the lowest level, like a blood clot, to the highest level, like learning knowledge.”

Unfortunately, it is seen that Muslims today are unaware of Islamic sciences. Nobody feels the need to read. We are trying to be content with what theologians say. However, how true is what every teacher says? Try to verify these by reading various reliable hadith and interpretation books. In this way, you will reinforce true Islamic knowledge. Muslims' deficiencies in this regard cause them to stray into wrong directions in society. Don't follow the fraudsters who pervert Islam and pose as teachers. Otherwise they harm both themselves and society.

O Muslim brother! Be alert about religion and try to learn the true Islam so that you do not follow these fraudsters.

Reading, acquiring knowledge and writing are part of being a Muslim. This is the greatest blessing our Lord has given us. Because He is the owner of the greatest Bounty. All of His blessings are free. His blessing has nothing to do with pursuing any purpose.

O Muslim brother! Now don't be insensitive to these blessings. Read, gain knowledge and write what you know. Remember that whoever enters this path, Allah will make the path to heaven easy for that person. Thus, convey Islam to people. This is what opponents of Islam fear most. They do not want the real Islam to be learned and spread.

Know that in the Qur'an, God Almighty condemns the unbelievers because of the lack of understanding, knowledge and mental exercise in religion:

“This is so because they are a community that cannot reason (understand).” (Al-Hashr, 59/14)

This verse addresses the unbelievers. Our Lord addresses us and says the following:

“(O Muslim community!) Your fear is greater in their hearts than the fear of Allah. This is because they are a people who do not understand and unable to comprehend.” (Al-Hashr, 59/13)

The reason for all this is the lack of Islamic jurisprudence in the hearts and minds of the unbelievers. For this reason, they have become a society that cannot reason, cannot comprehend, and has no understanding.

Do We Apply the Moral Rules of Islam?

“And surely you are of sublime morality.” (Pen, 68/4)

Muaz bin Cebel, who was sent as governor to Yemen, says that while he was leaving, the Messenger of Allah said to him: “When I put my foot in the stirrup, the last advice of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to me was this: “O Muaz bin Cebel! Beautify your morals for people.”

“With the beauty of one's moral character, a person rises to the level of someone who prays at night and fasts in severe heat and becomes dehydrated.” (Hadith)

“I was sent to complete good morals.” (Hadith)

“The most mature believers in terms of faith are the best in terms of morality.” (Hadith)

It is stated in Kaside-i Bürde:

“You are superior to all prophets in creation and morality,

The prophets could not even come close to him in knowledge and generosity.”

Imam Razi says: “Morality is a spiritual ability. It is very easy for people who are characterized by it to do good things. Doing beautiful things is one thing, doing them easily is another. The state that enables good things to happen easily is called morality. Since these are fixed and deep-rooted in the person, they are called huluk (morality) because they are within the range of creation. Even if its creation requires a long period of asceticism and struggle, it is what man was created for. Therefore: Behavior changes with friendship and treatment. He can make the beautiful ugly and the ugly beautiful. This varies depending on the situation of the friends and companions you are with. As a matter of fact, in a hadith: “A person follows the religion of his friend. Then, let him take good care of the person he befriends.” is commanded. That's why being together with good people is a situation that is seen as good and encouraged, and being friends with bad people is a situation that is seen as ugly and is avoided.

The mother of believers, Hz. Ayşe (rah) was asked about the morality of the Messenger of Allah, she replied: "You read the Quran, right? "The morality of the Messenger of Allah was truly the Qur'an."

We understand from these hadiths that being moral means following the Sunnah of the Prophet. What do we understand from being moral? We express some of them below:

● Keeping one's word and fulfilling one's promise,

● Continuing the usual good deeds,

● Being friendly and soft-spoken towards Muslims,

● Speaking clearly,

● Being measured when giving advice,

● Being sedate and dignified,

● Inviting people to prayer, scientific meetings and similar worship in a dignified and sedate manner,

● Offering to guests,

● Saying goodbye to his friends when he goes on a journey, making a will and praying for them, and asking for their prayers,

● Istikhara and consultation,

● Traveling back and forth using different routes to perform some acts of worship,

● Starting good deeds from the right side,

● To give good news and congratulate people for good deeds,

● To help orphans, the poor and the needy,

● Eating the food in front of oneself,

● Not looking for faults in food,

● Wearing moderate clothes and avoiding excesses,

● Sitting in assemblies with decorum,

● Spreading greetings,