Obedience: to who and why we should obey.
It occurred to me to write something about obedience some time ago but it seems like an appropriate time to link it to the birthday of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
I have realised the importance of obedience and how it can benefit us and keep peace in our lives over the years.
When I was a teenager I did not see it's importance at all. At that time it was better to argue and ask why.
However, I gradually saw that it does not really get anywhere to do that a lot of the time. When we don't obey authority we are often punished, shouted at, ridiculed or even hit at times depending on the circumstance and who is in control.
I once was travelling and some soldiers were shouting at people to move and stand in line. People shouted back that they were late.
It seemed like everyone has special circumstances.
All that happened was that they shouted more. Everyone was shouting and yet still had to get in line, nothing changed.
A soldier shouted at me to move to a particular place. I did, because I did not want to be shouted at or exhaust myself from entering into the battlefield. There seemed no point.
He saw that I moved and turned away from me and did not shout again. It ended the problem.
From this evidence I have seen that each time when we obey authority we make peace and prevent all the times of calamities that can happen to us.
When we reach our appointments on time People will think we'll of us.
When we do what someone wants they will be happy with us.
When we obey the law we will not have to worry about going to prison, paying fines or being humilated and called a criminal.
Obedience then makes a person a good citizen. People are happy to work with them, deal with them and trust them.
They respect authority so people respect them.
This does not mean of course, that people should automatically do what other people want or ask when it is wrong or harmful.
In such situations it is better to politely decline and give the reason or reasons.
Some people complain about not wanting to obey a ruler, their husband or other authority. However, obedience in permissible matters makes peace in the house or other place.
In the case of husband and wife it may increase the feelings of love, trust and respect between the husband and wife.
Many women feel safer with their husband in control.
However, this is another issue.
I was talking about obedience and how it benefits us.
We are told in the Quran to obey Allah and the Prophet Muhammad peace bd upon him.
Another verse tells us to follow the Prophet peace be upon him, then Allah will love us.
Therefore, we are asked to follow the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him because he was the most excellent in character and the best example for a person to be.
If we follow him we will be likewise.
The problem is that nowadays a lot of teachers and callers to Islam only want to talk about Islam, argue with people they think are wrong and tell people things.
The real problem in our lives and times nowadays is the lack of a good example, and not having teachers and scholars who are actually showing what they talk about.
I once had a woman teaching me about the n arrations of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his life.
She told us how clearly and slowly he spoke.
Yet she spoke so fast it was hard to keep up.
I wondered why she did not try to show us how the Prophet peace be upon him spoke before telling us.
It is confusing to tell us something and show the opposite.
So times are more difficult for us to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Does that mean we should give up? Of course not. The Quran has told us the importance of following his example.
It may just require more effort and be slightly harder to understand and implement.
The good side of that is that when things are more difficult to achieve, there is more reward.
So we can listen to lectures and read books but we should try to understand how we should implement such things into our own lives and become better, more Islamic people.
This may prevent more people all over the world complaining about Muslims and what they do.
Muslims are called terrorists, extremists and backward, oppressive, ignorant people.
When I once complained to a woman about this opinion she just asked me, but were they really like that?
The truth can be sad at times.
Following the example of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him might lead people to admire Islam and even enter it as happened in the early times.
At the same time we get reward from God for following his example and obeying him, whether people admire us or not.
Some people even say they see him in their dream. This is probably a sign of closeness to him.
So now that it's the time when we are celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I thought this was a suitable subject to mention.
This is how we can really make a relationship and come closer to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Obedience can also lead to increased feelings of love.
Is our relationship with him only going to a party on his birthday?
Is it only saying how much we love him?
He left his sayings, actions and example in words and deeds.
He also said in his last sermon that he had left two things, whoever takes them will not go astray: the Quran and his sayings and example.
It is also said that in times such as ours when people have gone away from the sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him there is increased reward for following him.
Whoever resurrects one of his examples after people's forgetying about it will attain the reward of 50 martyrs.
What are some of these forgotten sunnahs?
1). His gentleness, leniency and tolerance of others.
2). His taking care if the weaker members of society, the orphans, widows and women
3 ). His fairness and honesty in his dealings with people
4 ). His humbleness despite of his high status
5). His providing for the needs of others and encouraging his followers to put the needs of others before themselves.
There are of course many more but I thought that these were some of the more important ones.
When we learn about his life and the life of the early Muslims they just seem so different and far to those we know how.
The only way to change the bad image of Islam that has been created by people not following it or representing it correctly is to demonstrate the real teachings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
By actually being gentle (not just saying that he was)
Being humble and looking after others.
And following his good example.
Hopefully then Allah will fulfil his promise of living those who follow him and blessing them with abundant bounties.
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