THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER Islam, his voice became so soft that he could barely be heard, and the Prophet would ask him to repeat what he had said. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 4845 and 7302) This is the way of those who are truly faithful. A true believer may make a mistake unknowingly, but the moment it is pointed out, they immediately correct themselves. This is not something limited to the time of the Prophet of Islam. Even today, the same is expected from those who believe. The only difference is that in the past, people were corrected directly by the Prophet. Today, someone else may inform them by referring to the Quran, Hadith, or sound reasoning. Even now, when a person is made aware of their mistake through the guidance of the Quran and Hadith, they should respond as the early believers did—by correcting themselves without delay. A MATTER OF RECOGNITION Toward the end of the Makkan period, one of the events that occurred was this: The leaders of Quraysh gathered inside the Kaaba and agreed to present a list of demands to the Prophet of Islam. They planned to say, “If he fulfills these demands, we will believe in him. If not, we will have a reason to reject his claim.” One of their demands was: “Ask your Lord to bring back our forefathers from the dead—and among them must be Qusayy ibn Kilab, for he was an elder and a truthful man.