The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 22 RIGHTS IN ISLAM “HUQOOQUL-ISLAM” By Ashraf Ali Thanwi ( Rahimu Allah) The general rights to be observed mutually among all Muslims are enlisted: Forgive the mistakes of another Muslim. Show sympathy over his grief. Hide his faults. Accept his excuse. Remove his difficulty. Always wish for his well-being. Safeguard his love. Have respect for his pacts. Visit him when he is ill. Attend his funeral. Accept his invitation. Accept his gifts. Repay his kindness. Thank him for his favours. Help him in his time of need. Protect his wife and children. Fulfill his needs. Listen to his requests. Accept his intercession. Do not make him despondent in his ambitions. Say Yarhamukallah (May Allah bestow his Mercy on you.)upon him saying Al-Hamdu-lillah (Praise be to Allah) after sneezing. Return his lost property. Reply his greeting (Salaam). Speak to him kindly and courteously. Treat him kindly. If one Muslim takes an oath on the strength of the other, it should be honoured by the other. Help him when he is oppressed, and stop him when he oppresses others. Be his friend, not his enemy. Do not disgrace him. Love for him what you love for yourself. Greet him (with salaam) when meeting him. Never break off ties for more than 3 days if an argument arises. Do not be suspicious of him. Do not be jealous of him nor bear enmity towards him. Where possible observe amar bil ma’roof and nahi anil munkar (to command good and prohibit evil) towards the next Muslim. Have mercy on the little ones and respect the elders. Create peace between 2 Muslims whom have had an argument. Do not backbite another Muslim. Do not cause harm to his body, wealth or honour. Help him mount his animal or load his goods on to it when he is unable to do so. Do not ask him to leave and then take his place. Two people should not speak in whispers while a third is in their presence. Prophet (saw), but it is also solid proof of the weakness of someone’s Iman. This negative aspect revolves around a person’s shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allah (SWT) has ordered us to do through the Qur’an or our Prophet’s (saw) Sunnah. This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allah (SWT). This means that someone does not follow an obligation of Islam due to the fact of being shy in front of others about it. This is totally forbidden because then one is giving the people of this dunya more respect than the One who Created this whole universe. An example of this type of bad haya is to neglect making one’s prayer in a public place due to being embarrassed in front of others. Another example would be that many sisters feel embarrassed to wear hijab for fear of being laughed at or made fun of. If someone really had haya they would never contradict ANYTHING that Allah (SWT) has ordained upon us even if they found it a test and a trial. Modesty (haya) and maintaining one’s honor and dignity are of primary importance in preserving the moral fiber of any society. This is why modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which protects her from many sins and which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This haya has been made a part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men. Haya is a special characteristic of a Mu’min (believing, practicing Muslim). Haya and Iman are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together or they both perish. The Prophet (saw) has said in one hadith, “When there is no haya left, then do as you please.” There are many wonderful benefits of haya. First, Allah (SWT) loves haya. We know this by the following hadith: “Surely Allah (is One who) has haya and is the Protector. He loves haya and people who cover each other’s faults.”(Bukhari) Secondly, haya itself is a greatness of Islam as our Prophet (saw) indicated: “Every way of life has a innate character. The character of Islam is haya.” Or “Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya).” (Abu Dawood) Third, haya only brings good and nothing else. Our Prophet (saw) said: “Haya does not bring anything except good.” (Bukhari) Fourth, Haya is a very clear indication of our Iman. As the Prophet (saw) had mentioned to the Ansar who was condemning his brother about being shy: “Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith.” (Bukhari) Last, Haya leads us to PARADISE. As the Prophet (saw) told us: “Haya comes from Iman; Iman leads to Paradise. Obscenity comes from antipathy; and antipathy leads to the fire.” (Bukhari) As mentioned before, since the actual word Haya is derived from Hayat, which means life, it is only obvious that when someone has Haya in them, they will live a life of Islam. On the other hand if they do not have Haya they are living a life that is dead “Islamically”, but alive according to this dunya. The Prophet (saw) said: “Haya and trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allah for them.” (Baihaqi)
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