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

• Honesty is a virtuous trait, while dishonesty is not. • Fulfilling others’ rights is virtuous conduct, while denying those rights is not. Only those deeds are favoured by God that are righteous. It is such people who are entitled to receive God’s reward. Deeds that are not righteous are neither accepted by God nor approved by Him. In this world, only the righteous seed takes root and flourishes. Similarly, only a righteous person experiences true progress in life. For someone whose actions are not righteous, there is neither growth nor success in the world that God has created. THE TEACHING OF PATIENCE A Western commentator, William Paton, has written, “One of the fruits of Islam has been that stubborn, durable patience which comes of the submission to the absolute will of God.” This observation is entirely accurate. In Islamic teachings, patience holds great importance. Many verses of the Quran, directly or indirectly, relate to patience. Patience is such a vital quality that without it, faith and Islam become unimaginable. The present world is designed in such a way that people frequently encounter unpleasant experiences—both at home and in society. If a person responds to every such occasion by engaging in conflict with others, they cannot progress far in life. That is why Islamic teachings strongly emphasize