Islam - A Way of Life.

Islam, a religion as well as a way of life, teaches each and every one of its followers to follow a set law, Shari'ah.

Mankind's success lies within following some sort of law and set of rules, and similarly, his failure and ruin lies in breaking these laws.

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam came into this crime filled world to give it a law and way of life and living; to transform the people of the world from animals to human beings.

Allah proclaims that His sending the messenger to this world was itself a mercy, he states:

I have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.

In another place Allah states:

Indeed Allah favoured the believers when He sent within them a Prophet...

Many verses of the Holy Qur'an will clearly highlight that the Messenger Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam came into this world as a mercy and blessing; as a gift from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to His servants.

Such a merciful creator, such a merciful load, that He sent down a messenger with such calibre that he could steer an entire nation from the depth of Jahannam (Hell-fire) and put them onto a path of Jannah (paradise). A prophet who not only came for the Arabs nor only for mankind, moreover not even only for this world, but a prophet that was sent towards the entire creation, be it man or Jinn, be it this world or thousands of those created by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.

The prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam's entering this world has today became a day of celebration, just as it was the day he arrived. This day could be marked as the day Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala wrote down salvation for us from the Hell-fire; a day where Allah made us the best of nations that ever set foot on this planet; a day through which we became the nation that would bear witness upon all the preceding nations.

Such is this gift that messengers were prepared to give up their prophet-hood in order to be part of such a nation, in order to be classed as the follower of the prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam.

Such was the rank of the messenger Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam that nothing could exceed it except for his mercy for his nation. The messenger Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam was loved by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala more than words can express. Such love and affection for the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam can be perceived from the fact that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala is any acts which His servants commit, yet even Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala sends Durood (blessings) upon the prophet Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and commands the angels and believers to do the same.

Due to this rank and love, the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam was given an option to live a luxurious life of a king. But despite such rank, despite such elevation, and disregarding every personal confort, the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam chose a life of simplicity.

Such sacrifices were made by the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam that tears would dry in attempt to accumulate them. However, these sacrifices were not for gold or silver, nor for fame and rank, but merely an attempt to save his nation from the flames of the hell-fire.

He was prepared to be showered by stones by the people of Taif, suffer at the hands of relatives and disbelievers, sacrifice all of his loved ones, yet was not willing to lket a single follower fall into the clutches of Kufr (disbelief).

Those who saw and appreciated the mercy, kindness and sacrifices of the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam were willing to give their lives for him. Let alone humans, even the animals would run towards the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam; some to be slaughtered by his blessed hands, and others to complain of the brutality of their masters.

Taking into consideration these few factors it deems necessary on every believer, if not every man, that he learns the teachings of the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and puts these teachings into action.

Worldly practice shows that the return of a good favour is also a good favour, it shows that love and consideration is created between two people who share and gift to one another.

This same practice should extend towards us in the case of the beloved prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam. The gifts and consideration of the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam are so excessive that many books have been written in attempt to gather them, yet non will be able to do so with it's due right.

In conclusion, it is vital for each and every believer to learn the teachings of the Shari'ah, to practice what has been shown and sent down to us, to love the prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam in every respect.

Insha-Allah, in an effort to understand the teachings of Shari'ah I will be posting some Islamic topics once a week. I pray Allah to give me the strength and ability to finish that which I have started. I also pray that He accepts all that is said and read, and that He gives us the ability to put into practice all that we learn. Ameen.