How Should Muslim In Non-Muslim Country Live - Part 5 (Last Part)

In This (Last) Part:

• Treating People Well.
• Hurtful Habits.
• Breaking The Law.
• The Revival Of Islam.

Treating People Well ( Fulfilling The Rights Of The People):

The final point is one which Muslims are generally neglectful of: fulfilling the rights of other human beings, i.e. treating the creation of Allah well. It is obligatory for us to treat every human being, which includes the non-Muslim we live alongside, with compassion, good manners and fairness, in compliance with the teachings of Islam.
Oppression and dishonesty are Impermissible towards Non-Muslim too.
Understand well that any form of oppression, deception, breach of trust, injury or hurt is just as impermissible and Haraam when directed towards non-Muslims as Muslims. Islam does not give permission for even animals to be treated unjustly.

Hurtful Habits:

 It is with great regret that I say this, and I hope I will be excused for saying it, but we have developed so many bad habits in our lives that we cause difficulty to others, Muslims and Non-Muslims, without even intending to. we need to avoid such habits wherever we are , but especially so in those places where we interact with non-Muslims, for it is through our character and behavior that they form their opinions about Islam.

If our character and behaviour are good, civilised and polite and based on justice, doing good for others and compassion, non-Muslims will regard Islam as decent, peaceful and religion of kindness. However, if our character and behaviour are not in accordance  to the teachings of Islam, they will become disappointed with Islam and assume that Islam teaches such behavior.
Remember, you are the ambassadors of Islam in the countries of the West. Muslims living there should not do anything that will become a cause of undue difficulty, harm or distress to others. Behave with your neighbours, associates and colleagues in such a way that gives them comfort and happiness, and through which they do not  suffer difficulty, harm or distress.

Some Bad Habits:

Our bad habits, by which we harm others, or by which we go against our word, are numerous; who knows how they entered Muslim life? However, there are some habits that I have noticed are particularly conspicuous among some groups of Muslim living in the West:

1. Insufficient attention to Hygiene.
2. Being noisy and loud.
3. Not paying due regard to traffic rules, especially when it comes to parking.
4. Breaking promises.
5. Not having due regard for the comfort and well-being of neighbours.
6. Dishonesty.

Islam does not permit any of these evils. They harm others and give Islam and Muslim a bad name. To harm another person is not the way of a decent human-being, let alone a Muslims.

Breaking The Law:

According to Islam, to stay in a country without permission after one's visa has expired is impermissible. It is reneging on an agreement and breaking a promise, which is not permissible even with a non-Muslim.
Similarly, to break the law while living there is also a breach of faith. If you do not like  the laws of a particular country or do not want to live according to them, or if Islam does not permit you to live according to them then leave that country  and move to a country  where you do not have to live by those laws. To break the law while living there is a breach of faith is contrary to the teachings of Islam and is a means of giving Islam and Muslims a bad name.
May Allah grant us all the ability to stay away from these evil habits and to live in complete accordance with the teachings of the Quran sand Sunnah. Ameen.

The Revival Of Islam:

 May Allah make our brothers and sisters attentive to these six points and give them the ability to start practising on them. If this is done, there is a strong hope that by the mercy of Allah the new generation  that is growing up in the West will be the driving force for the revival of Islam.

One point worth mentioning  is that although  Muslims are facing all kinds of challenges throughout the world, a revival of Islam can clearly be seen too, and it is not too far fetched to assume that Allah may use these very Muslims of the West to bring it about.
One reason to think this is the fact that many brothers and sisters who never used to perform prayer back home in India or Pakistan started to perform prayer after coming to the West; those men who did not observe the Shari requirement to grow a beard back home, started to do so there; those women who did not observe the rules of hijab back home, started to do so there; those who used to cause difficulties and distress and were far from the civilised and polite behaviour taught by Islam reformed themselves after coming here.
It is not inconceivable that Allah actually sent you to these countries to spread the Deen. May Allah grant us all the TAWFEEQ to practice on all these points. Ameen.
و آخر دعوانا أن الحمد للہ رب العلمین