An Example of Noble Character

THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER Instill such deep faith in individuals that humility lowers their gaze, that a sense of accountability in the Hereafter stirs in their hearts, that God’s greatness envelopes them so completely that they live in constant remembrance of Him. Let their selflessness bind them together in unity. Once these qualities take root in individuals, everything else will follow—just as a fruit grows naturally on a living tree. A TRAVELER’S LIFE Abdullah ibn Umar narrates that the Prophet of Islam once placed his hand on his shoulder and said: “Live in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller passing through.” Following this, Abdullah ibn Umar used to say: “When evening comes, do not expect the morning; and when morning comes, do not expect the evening. Take advantage of your health before illness strikes, and your life before death.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6416) In this saying of the Prophet and the explanation by his Companion, the true philosophy of life is revealed. When a person is at home, they feel settled, as if they are in a permanent place. This mindset shapes how they live. But someone traveling in a foreign land sees themselves as temporarily placed—and that outlook shifts their entire perspective.