Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 578 [Read full issue]
Morality Test
Abu Qulabah narrated:
"Some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) decided to relinquish the world, forsake their wives, and become like monks. The Prophet told them with asperity, People before you perished because of their asceticism; they made excessive demands on themselves until Allah brought hardships on them." (Reported by Abdur Razzaq, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn al-Mundhir).
The Messenger of Allah's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) call bears an important message for us, which is, that morality is not the preserve of the monks, to be practised in the monasteries, nor the privilege of the mystics, to be observed within the precincts of the shrines. Morality is meant for practical application in all spheres of life. The highest spiritual and moral standards which the world sought in monks, priests and the mystics were transferred to the Prophet, to the seat of Government and the Judges' bench. He exhorted the businessmen to fear God and practise honesty in their dealings and transactions. He taught the policemen and the soldiers the lesson of piety and restraint. The Prophet dispelled man's misconception that one who renounced the world and commemorated God in the wilderness was the friend of God. He denied that true fellowship with God consisted in being a hermit. On the contrary, true saintliness consisted in participating in the affairs of the world as a ruler, magistrate, army commander, police inspector, businessman, industrialist. In fact, displaying through all other activities of the temporal life, a pious and honest character whenever one's faith is put to the test.
In this way, the Prophet retrieved morality and spirituality from the restrictions of monasticism and brought them into all spheres of practical life. He enforced morality and spirituality in economic, social and political affairs and in the conduct of peace or war, establishing the supremacy of the righteous moral code in all these fields of life.
Compiled From:
"The Message of The Prophet's Seerah" - Syed Abul Ala Mawdudi, pp. 25, 26