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my faith
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ISLAM
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fulness, peace and appreciation, steadfastness and
active service. This high-level morality and good char-
acter will, undoubtedly, nourish and reinforce morality
and good character at the human level. For in his rela-
tionship with his fellow men, the Muslim must show
kindness to kin and concern for the neighbor, respect
for the elderly and compassion for the young, care for
the sick and support for the needy, sympathy for the
grieved and cheer for the depressed, joy with the
blessed and patience with the misguided, tolerance
toward the ignorant and forgiveness of the helpless,
disapproval of the wrong and rise above the trivial.
Moreover, he must respect the legitimate rights of oth-
ers as much as he does his own. His mind must be
occupied with constructive ideas and serious pursuits;
his heart must beat with compassionate feelings and
good will; his soul must radiate with peace and sereni-
ty; his counsel must be sincere and courteous.
The Muslim’s moral obligation is to be a vivid example
of honesty and perfection, fulfill his commitments and
perform his tasks well, seek knowledge and virtue by all
possible means, correct his mistakes and repent his
sins, develop a good sense of social consciousness
and nourish a feeling of human response, provide for
his dependents generously without extravagance and
meet their legitimate needs. Nature and the world are
the field of exploration and the object of enjoyment for
the Muslim. He must utilize their elements and ponder
their marvels, read them as signs of Allah’s greatness
and preserve their beauty, explore their wonders and
discover their secrets. But whether he uses them for
utility or for sheer enjoyment, he must avoid waste and
excess. As a responsible agent of Allah and a consci-
entious trustee, he must always be mindful of others
who share the world with him and who will succeed him
in the future.
