2. THE QUALITIES OF A BELIEVING WOMAN

2. The qualities of a believing woman ~ 26 ~ abundance — for them God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.29 These then are the basic attributes which both men and women must cultivate if they are to endear themselves to God and become His favored servants: ISLAM. The initial step to be taken is to embrace Islam, which means that one should willingly obey God, leading one’s life within the bounds of God’s commandments. ISLAM (faith). Islam begins really to take root with the conscious discovery of God, which is known as iman (faith). When iman is genuine, the men or women concerned cannot but surrender themselves to God. Discovering God as their Creator causes them to treat Him as an object of worship and to mold their thinking upon the truth. They control their desires and dedicate their wealth to the cause of God. They even stop eating, and drinking the whole day throughout the month of Ramadan in obedience to God’s will. Their consciousness of their servitude to God makes them remember God constantly, on all occasions and at all times.