Five Etiquettes with Allah

New Writers

Five Etiquettes with Allah

Muhammad Shabbir Raza Attari

(Jamia tul Madina 7^th year, Faizan e Madina Faisalabad)

Alongside other excellences of Islam, one great attribute is respect and manners. Be it words or actions, people or situations, Islam provides the manners and etiquettes for everything. If the rank and status of something is high, the required level of respect is also high. Allah Almighty is the creator of everything, therefore deserving of the greatest level of respect. It is stated in the Quran:

وَ قُوۡمُوۡا لِلّٰہِ  قٰنِتِیۡنَ (۲۳۸)

“Stand with courtesy before Allah.”^[1]

These are five key etiquettes with Allah Almighty, as described in the Quran.

1.   Recognise His Unique Oneness: The act of shirk, associating partners with Allah, is the most disliked thing in the sight of Allah. The Quran condemns shirk and commands us to purge ourselves from this abhorrent trait:

وَّ اَنَّ  الۡمَسٰجِدَ لِلّٰہِ  فَلَا تَدۡعُوۡا مَعَ اللّٰہِ  اَحَدًا (۱۸)

“The masjids (mosques) are for only Allah, so do not worship anyone alongside Allah.”^[2]

2.   Pure Outer: Just as the purity of the hearts is necessary in the grand court of Allah, outward purity is also important. It is stated in the Quran: “Do not approach salah in the state of intoxication, until you have the sense to understand what you say; nor in the state of impurity without having a ritual bath.”^[3]  Attaining outward purity for the prayer is also mentioned in the 6^th verse of Surah Al-Ma’idah, and verse 79 of Surah Al-Wāqiʿa necessitates wudu prior to touching the Quran.

3.   Pure Inner: Do not be ostentatious. A sign of the hypocrites is mentioned in the Quran:

یُرَآءُوۡنَ النَّاسَ

“They therefore unwillingly do it for show.”^[4]

Performing actions with sincerity is a praiseworthy attribute of the believers and an etiquette when present in the court of Allah. Allah Almighty states:

وَ  اَقِمِ  الصَّلٰوۃَ   لِذِکۡرِیۡ (۱۴)

"Establish salah for My remembrance.”^[5]

4.   Punctuality: We are punctual in meeting people of influence and status. It is even more vital for us to enter the court of the One who is deserving of all praise, the Creator, within the prescribed times. Allah Almighty states:

اِنَّ الصَّلٰوۃَ  کَانَتۡ عَلَی الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ  کِتٰبًا مَّوۡقُوۡتًا (۱۰۳)

 “Indeed, salah has been made obligatory upon the Muslims at fixed times.”^[6]

May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to perform all our worship within the appointed times and the ability to perform the five daily prayers in the masjid with congregation without missing the initial takbir. Āmīn.

5.   Humility: Come to Allah without any claims of rank, knowledge, or worth. Stand in His court as a pauper, focusing on Allah with heart, mind and soul. This is a hallmark of the successful believers:

قَدۡ  اَفۡلَحَ  الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ ۙ    (۱)الَّذِیۡنَ ہُمۡ  فِیۡ صَلَاتِہِمۡ خٰشِعُوۡنَ ۙ    (۲)

“Undoubtedly, the believers reached their goals. ˹They are˺ those who totally humble themselves in their salah.”^[7]

May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to adopt these etiquettes when entering His noble court.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم