Islam As It Is
Islamic Society
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others, one sign of a true believer being his
strictness with himself, and his tolerance towards
others.
To bear out the principles of Islam, the emphasis
should be more on actions than on words. Anas, a
companion of the Prophet, tells of a Muslim who died
waging a holy war. Someone commented that he
could rejoice in the knowledge that he would go to
Paradise. But the Prophet disagreed: “How can you
tell? It may be that this man engaged in futile talk,
and indulged in unworthy miserliness.” On another,
similar occasion, the Prophet said: “God does not
look at how you appear, but at your actual deeds.”
An Islamic society should, therefore, be a serious-
minded society, in which its members should refrain
from idle chatter and apply themselves diligently to
the more important of life’s tasks.
Another characteristic of a truly Islamic society is
that its members work for their living. They do not
make demands, but earn whatever they receive.
They never think of snatching things away from
others, but use their God-given faculties to provide
themselves with the necessities of life. Abu Abd al-
