How to Build Life on Iman
It is obvious from the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that a believer is not only required to believe fundamental subjects of faith by heart and declare them by mouth but is also required to lead life according to his or her Faith.
Living on Faith in an Islamic state is easy as the state facilitates its people to practice Islam. However, it is not that easy in a complex contemporary society. Because Iman and Islam are not just the practice of a few ritual worships. Its application covers family life, society, state, and every affair of life. Therefore, wisdom is needed in application of Iman in all affairs. Believers need to acquire skills for building life on Iman and practice Islam in all affairs. The following steps will be helpful:
Step 1: Try to understand what Faith is from the Quran and Prophet’s (PBUH) life. Accept Faith as the basis to lead life and be committed to live on Faith in all circumstances. Always remain conscious to meet the requirements of Faith. Always remember that the result of an action depends on the intention. Prophet (PBUH) said: “The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended” (Bukhari).
Step 2: Before doing any work, inquire the rules of Allah and the methods of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for doing that work. Most of the time we observe people inquire about the rules of Allah and the methods of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in rituals like Prayer, Fasting, Hajj, Zakat etc. However, they take little care to inquire about the rules of Allah and the methods of Muhammad (PBUH) in worldly affairs like Family life, Social life, Economy, Judiciary, Government and Legislation, etc. This is a concerning level of ignorance of some Muslims about their religion. Muslims should know that Islam is not like other religions that are engaged in just some ‘Ritual worship’. Rather, it is a complete Code of Life and has a Rule for everything. Therefore, believers must do everything according to Islamic Rule. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“The head of the affair is Islam” (Imam Ahmed). This very short hadith has a huge effect in life. It regulates everything of life. It tells a believer to use Islamic Code to lead his all affairs of life. So, every matter of a believer should be settled according to Islam. For this purpose, Muslims are required to know the Rules of Allah and the Methods of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for everything they do.
Companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to check the validity of any work they intended to do by asking the prophet ( PBUH). If it was permissible, they would proceed and if it was not permissible, they would abstain from that work. An example, here is a “Business Transaction” during Hajj. Prior to Islam people used to do trade during pilgrimage at Makkah. There was a big bazaar for this event. A Companion asked the Prophet (PBUH) about the validity of trade during Hajj. Prophet (PBUH) did not answer him until the angel Jibril came down with the verse of the Quran as follows:
“There is no sin if you seek the bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage by trade)” (Quran 2:198).
From the above example, we understand that companions of the Prophet (PBUH) used to check the validity of anything prior to engaging in that action. Prophet (PBUH) used to give rulings on any subject based on revelation from Allah on that subject. After Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Rightly guided Caliphs used to check Quran and Sunnah prior to making any decision. This system shall be followed without any change. Believers should verify the validity of anything with respect to the Quran and Hadith before they do. Also prior to enacting any law, leaders must verify the validity of that law with respect to the Quran and Sunnah. Even the Prophet (PBUH) did not introduce any legislation without approval from Allah. He did not give any ruling from himself on the inquired subject. He confirmed the ruling on the subject only after receiving revelation from Allah. Unfortunately, nowadays leaders in the Muslim World are making Law and Legislation by leaving the Quran and Sunnah. This is beyond their jurisdiction.
Step 3: After verification with respect to the Quran and Sunnah, a believer should proceed to do the intended work, if it is permissible. He should not proceed if it is not permissible.
Step 4: After deciding to proceed with the approved work, a believer should try to know the method of the Prophet (PBUH) for doing that work and then do that work according to his method.
Step 5: While doing any work, believers should remember that Allah witnesses and Angels record whatever they do. This helps believers to maintain purity at work and encourages them to do good work and avoid wrongdoing.
Step 6: While doing any work, believers should think about the reward and punishment on the Day of Judgment for doing that work. Hope of reward should encourage a believer to try his or her best to do good work. Fear of severe punishment in the afterlife for wrongdoing helps a believer to control the tempatation for doing wrong. Thus, accountability to Allah makes a believer pious and society becomes virtuous where everyone enjoys a good life.
Step 7: Despite the above efforts, mistakes may also happen sometimes. Therefore, believers need to review their work daily. If any mistakes happen, they should repent, promise not to repeat, and continue to do more and more good deeds.
The above steps towards building a life on Iman will not happen easily at the start and it is not a one-time job. It is only possible if believers are determined to build habits according to the above steps. In fact, we first make our habits and then habits make our life. This is the reason why Aristotle said: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is then, not an act, but a habit.”
Habit truly operates our life. Habits begin and manifest deep in our minds and tell us to do things automatically. We do not need to think and plan for the work that we are habituated to do. It may be a good or a bad habit; in either case, whatever we are habituated to do, we do it automatically.
This is the reason why no one needs to tell us to wash our hands before and after eating food, brushing our teeth before sleeping and dressing well before going out. As these are a part of our habits, we do these automatically even without thinking.
The same is the case with Faith in Allah, the Prophet, the Quran, Angels, the Final Day of Judgment and Destiny. If these Articles of Faith are understood well, embedded in the soul of believers, and taken as the basis for leading life, then believers will start to think according to these before and during the time of execution of any task. Slowly it will become a habit of the believers and they will start to check everything in the mirror of Iman before doing that. This means actions based on Iman should be made a habit and then this habit will build the life of the believers on Iman. In this process, we will become true believers. Our habit to live on Iman will bear fruits in this world and ultimately, we will be a dweller of Paradise in the Eternal Life by the Mercy of Allah.
How to build life on Iman and Islam (Summary of actions by a believer)
Builds life on Iman , Islam Faithful to Islam Believes and accepts Islam
Study verses of Quran Understand concept Study hadith related .related to faith in Islam of Faith in Islam to Faith in Islam
Study verses of Quran Understand actions to live Study hadith about about actions of a believer with Iman and Islam actions of a believer
. Study verse of Quran Understand Order of Allah Study hadith that . that relates to each work and Prophet’s(pbuh) method relates to each . you do for each work work you do
Compare your work Verify your work, method Compare your work with guidance of Quran acceptable to Allah or not with guidance of hadith
.Do Permissible work forbidden work avoid
*Follow Quran and Hadith . *Reject all way of life except Islam.
*Acquire skill and work efficiently. *Avoid temptation for wrongdoing. *Use lawful means at all work. * Avoid un- lawful means always.
* Be focus and work hard for reward . * Fear punishment for wrongdoing. *Do all obl.igatory rituals timely . * Do not neglect obligatory rituals.
* Do all obligatory(fard) duties. *Do not do what is forbidden (haram).
*Call people to Islam and teach Islam. *Save people from wrongdoing.
*Work for satisfaction of Allah only. *Do not act arrogantly.
* Make intention, acquire knowledge, plan and work consistently to build life on Islam. Aim to be physically, intellectually, and spiritually strong as a Muslim to do good deed and avoid evil. Always try to work together with all, for promoting virtue and stopping vice in the family and society.
About habit will help to build a believer,his family and society on Islam and get benefit in this world and in the afterlife. . ***
