A Muslim is different......

A Muslim does not criticize for the sake of discussion or showing his anger, he does so with the intention of providing benefit...

Muslims have a very important difference when compared to the people of the ignorant societies. The people of the ignorant societies put the flaws they see in each other into words because of the rage they feel for that person. Or else they do not carry the intention to make the person any better. The only thing they want is to get rid of the characteristics of that person, which they find besetting, harming their own interests and contravening the quality of their own lives. They thus hope to be free of that disturbance and live a better life.

This point of view of the said people can be clearly understood from the content of the criticism they direct to the other party. The points are all focused on the person making the criticism. This person does not care the least about what other flaws the other has in points that does not concern him. But if he, himself is in question, he would make the smallest detail a criticism material.

The wording used in this criticism is again another important sign that puts forward this same point of view. Such people, when they see a flawed attitude that might affect them, lose their temper. And they express the anger they feel inside on the first impulse and without ever waiting. That is most of the time what "criticism" consists of among the people of the ignorant society. There is no intention other than fulfilling the earthly desires like expressing the anger felt for that person, disputing and altercating.

Muslims do not criticize with the aim of fighting, disputing, causing trouble or discharging their anger. Muslims' aim is the approval of Allah. And Allah had demanded Muslims "to enjoin the right and to forbid the wrong" in each other. Consequently a Muslim would not make criticism because a flaw of the other person bothers himself but for that person to be better and to benefit from it. He gives voice to the imperfections he sees in the other to be instrumental in him living by the morality Allah would approve, in him becoming worthy of the Heaven and avoiding the mistakes that might cause him to go to hell.

This responsibility Allah laid on Muslims is also a very valuable moral feature that improves the friendship among the Muslims; that increases the warmth, closeness and trust they feel for each other. It is very important for every believer to adopt this point of view. If a trustworthy, sensible, sincere Muslim advises a person; he should not harbor any kind of doubt against him; he should know that there is no hidden agenda behind those words and thus he should be able to benefit from that criticism without ever feeling any kind of discomfort. They should be definitely sure that, in contrast with what the people of ignorant societies mean by "criticism", a Muslim never carries the intentions of starting a fight, disputing, offending the other person, humiliating, mocking, patronizing, causing disturbance, discharging anger and taking revenge.

He should rejoice from the situation he is in, by thinking:" This person is my Muslim brother; if he is giving me an advice that is definitely because he honestly thinks that I am in short of that feature. All those words are because he wants me to be better and that I would not have any missing points in living by the morality of the Qur'an. He is a person who fears Allah, who believes in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter and the Qur'an. It is – by Allah's leave- not possible for him to carry ulterior motives and do something that would harm me. There is nothing that would make me uneasy, suspicious or irritated because I have been criticized. Allah is backing me up with the Muslims. Allah makes me hear my flaws and how to correct them through my Muslim brothers. Alhamdulillah, Insha'Allah I would do my best to get the most of it."

The indoctrinations that everyone is being given covertly or openly in the ignorant societies stating "Criticism is a bad thing."," No one wants to be criticized", "Criticism effects a person very negatively," "People criticizing the other definitely is upset and angry with the person they are criticizing." are all wrong according to the Qur'an. These rules might apply in the ignorant societies but Muslims are completely away from such point of view. No matter how much a Muslim is subjected to such indoctrinations, he should be at ease and comfort of knowing that these rules have no validity whatsoever among the Muslims. This is because the Muslims are the most well mannered, most sincere, most trustworthy, most truthful and most genuine people of the world. For that reason criticism coming from people who fear Allah is a very big blessing for a Muslim.

Jul 29, 2010

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