FEARING GOD’S PUNISHMENT, EVEN WHEN ONE IS DEALING WITH THE LOWLY

FEARING GOD’S PUNISHMENT, EVEN WHEN ONE IS DEALING WITH THE LOWLY

1998 11-12 November-December 11 FEARING GOD’S PUNISHMENT, EVEN WHEN ONE IS DEALING WITH THE LOWLY (107) Once when the Prophet was at home with his wife, Umm Salamah, he summoned the maidservant for some errand, but she seemed to take a long time in coming. Seeing signs of anger on the Prophet’s face, Umm Salamah got up to see what had happened to the girl. She opened the curtain and saw her playing outside with the goat’s kids. She called to her once again, and this time she came. The Prophet was holding a tooth-stick at the time, “If I had not feared the retribution of Judgement Day,” he said to the girl, “I would have hit you with this tooth-stick”.

(AI-Adab al-Mufrad)

Promise

1998 11-12 November-December 11-12 Promise (285) In mutual dealings in social life, it often happens that a person gives his word to another. There is apparently no third person or group between the two, yet there is always a third present and that is God who is the supreme witness. That is why every promise becomes a divine promise.

A believer therefore is extremely sensitive about giving his word. His conviction is that every commitment made between two persons is under the watchful eyes of God, and that he will be accountable for its fulfillment in the court of God. This compels him to be highly responsible as regards his promises. Whenever he gives his word to anyone he makes a point of keeping it.

People who invariably fulfil their promises are predictable characters in a society, and give their society that particular quality which exists on a vast scale throughout the universe. Every part of this universe is functioning with the most exact precision. For instance, we can learn in advance about any star’s or planet’ s rotation and where it will be moving after a hundred or even a thousand years. Similarly, we know in advance what the boiling point of water will be. In this way the entire universe evinces a predictable character.

Many other virtues come in the wake of the regular fulfillment of promises. One of these is mutual trust. In a society where mutual trust exists, there is no discord and dissension between the people; there is an atmosphere of confidence and peaceability as there is no fear of promises being broken.

Readiness to fulfil promises is a commendable trait; it is iman (faith) that makes man the possessor of this highest of human virtues.