Islamic Principles and Teachings: Sincerity, Worship, Morality, and Community

الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ

Religion is sincerity. Lesson: Islam is founded upon sincerity to Allah, His Messenger ﷺ, and His creation.

الدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ الْعِبَادَةِ

Supplication is the essence of worship. Lesson: Duʿāʾ is one of the greatest acts of worship.

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

A person will be with whom he loves. Lesson: Love determines companionship in the Hereafter.

الأَنَاةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَالْعَجَلَةُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ

Deliberation is from Allah and haste is from Shayṭān. Lesson: Think before acting.

الْمَجَالِسُ بِالأَمَانَةِ

Gatherings are a trust. Lesson: Protect confidential conversations.

الْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ

Modesty is a branch of faith. Lesson: Modesty strengthens faith.

الْخَمْرُ جِمَاعُ الإِثْمِ

Alcohol is the source of many sins. Lesson: One sin can lead to many others.

الْمُؤْمِنُ غِرٌّ كَرِيمٌ وَالْفَاجِرُ خِبٌّ لَئِيمٌ

The believer is simple and noble; the sinner is deceitful and ignoble. Lesson: Honesty is true nobility.

الظُّلْمُ ظُلُمَاتٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Oppression will be darknesses on the Day of Judgment. Lesson: Never wrong others.

الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّةُ الْكَافِرِ

This world is a prison for the believer and a paradise for the unbeliever. Lesson: Live for the Hereafter.

الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى

The upper hand is better than the lower hand. Lesson: Giving is better than taking.

الطُّهُورُ شَطْرُ الإِيمَانِ

Purity is half of faith. Lesson: Cleanliness is part of religion.

الْجَرَسُ مَزَامِيرُ الشَّيْطَانِ

Bells are the flutes of Shayṭān. Lesson: Avoid distractions that lead to heedlessness.

الطَّاعِمُ الشَّاكِرُ كَالصَّائِمِ الصَّابِرِ

The thankful eater is like the patient fasting person. Lesson: Gratitude is worship.

الْبَادِئُ بِالسَّلَامِ بَرِيءٌ مِنَ الْكِبْرِ

The initiator of salām is free from pride. Lesson: Humility builds brotherhood.

السِّوَاكُ مَطْهَرَةٌ لِلْفَمِ مَرْضَاةٌ لِلرَّبِّ

The miswak purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord. Lesson: Hygiene is beloved to Allah.

الْغِيبَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الزِّنَا

Backbiting is worse than fornication. Lesson: Guard your tongue.

الْقُرْآنُ حُجَّةٌ لَكَ أَوْ عَلَيْكَ

The Qur'an is evidence for you or against you. Lesson: Act upon what you learn.

النِّسَاءُ حَبَائِلُ الشَّيْطَانِ

Women are the snares of Shayṭān. Lesson: Guard yourself from temptation.

التَّائِبُ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ كَمَنْ لَا ذَنْبَ لَهُ

The repentant one is like one who never sinned. Lesson: Never despair of Allah's mercy.

الِاقْتِصَادُ فِي النَّفَقَةِ نِصْفُ الْمَعِيشَةِ

Moderation in spending is half of sustenance. Lesson: Wisdom appears in finances, relationships, and learning.

الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ

The intelligent person prepares for what comes after death. Lesson: Real intelligence is preparation for the Hereafter.

الْمُؤْمِنُ مَأْلَفٌ

The believer is sociable. Lesson: Be beneficial and approachable.

الْغِنَاءُ يُنْبِتُ النِّفَاقَ فِي الْقَلْبِ

Songs grow hypocrisy in the heart. Lesson: Protect your heart from harmful influences.

التُّجَّارُ يُحْشَرُونَ فُجَّارًا إِلَّا

Traders will be raised as sinners except the God-fearing and truthful. Lesson: Business requires honesty and taqwā.

التَّاجِرُ الصَّدُوقُ الْأَمِينُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ

The truthful merchant will be with the Prophets. Lesson: Honest trade is highly rewarded.

آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ

The signs of a hypocrite are three. Lesson: Avoid lying, broken promises, and betrayal.

الْكَبَائِرُ: الإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ

The major sins include shirk, disobeying parents, murder, and false oaths. Lesson: Protect faith, family rights, and human life.

الْبِرُّ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ

Righteousness is good character. Lesson: Character is the essence of religion.

الْخَلْقُ عِيَالُ اللَّهِ

Creation are Allah's dependents. Lesson: The best people benefit others.

الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ

A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand others are safe. Lesson: Do not harm others.

وَالْمُؤْمِنُ مَنْ أَمِنَهُ النَّاسُ عَلَى دِمَائِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ

A believer is trusted by people. Lesson: Trustworthiness is a sign of faith.

وَالْمُجَاهِدُ مَنْ جَاهَدَ نَفْسَهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ

A warrior is one who struggles against his lower self. Lesson: The greatest struggle is against the nafs.

وَالْمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ الْخَطَايَا وَالذُّنُوبَ

An emigrant is one who leaves sins. Lesson: True hijrah is abandoning disobedience.

الْبَيِّنَةُ عَلَى الْمُدَّعِي وَالْيَمِينُ عَلَى الْمُدَّعَى عَلَيْهِ

Proof is upon the claimant and the oath upon the defendant. Lesson: Justice requires evidence.

الْمُؤْمِنُ مِرْآةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ

A believer is a mirror for another believer. Lesson: Believers should advise, protect, and support one another.

إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ

Actions are only according to intentions. Lesson: Every person shall have only what he intended.

الْمُؤْمِنُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ

Believers are like a single person; if his eye suffers, his whole body suffers. Lesson: The Muslim community should function like one body.

السَّفَرُ قِطْعَةٌ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ

Travel is a portion of hardship. Lesson: Do not prolong absence from family unnecessarily.

الْقَفْلَةُ كَغَزْوَةٍ

The return from battle is like the battle itself. Lesson: Completing good deeds carries reward.

سَيِّدُ الْقَوْمِ فِي السَّفَرِ خَادِمُهُمْ

The leader of a group during travel is their servant. Lesson: True leadership means serving people.

طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ

Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. Lesson: Learning your religion is an obligation.

أَصْدَقُ الرُّؤْيَا بِالْأَسْحَارِ

The truest dreams occur before dawn. Lesson: The pre-dawn hours are especially blessed.

خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ

The best among you is he who learns the Qur'an and teaches it. Lesson: The highest people learn and teach the Qur'an.

أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ

The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently, even if small. Lesson: Consistency is better than intensity.

مَطْلُ الْغَنِيِّ ظُلْمٌ

The delay of a wealthy person in repaying debt is oppression. Lesson: Pay debts promptly.

حُبُّكَ الشَّيْءَ يُعْمِي وَيُصِمُّ

Your love for something blinds and deafens. Lesson: Do not let emotions overpower reason.

مَا قَلَّ وَكَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَأَلْهَى

What is little but sufficient is better than what is abundant but distracting. Lesson: A little with barakah is better than abundance with heedlessness.

طَلَبُ كَسْبِ الْحَلَالِ فَرِيضَةٌ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ

Seeking lawful earnings is an obligation after obligatory duties. Lesson: Halal livelihood is a religious duty.

حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ

Love of the world is the root of every sin. Lesson: Do not let dunya dominate your heart.

أَفْضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ أَنْ تُشْبِعَ كَبِدًا جَائِعًا

The best charity is feeding a hungry stomach. Lesson: Feed people whenever possible.

مَنْهُومَانِ لَا يَشْبَعَانِ: مَنْهُومٌ فِي الْعِلْمِ وَمَنْهُومٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا

Two types of people are never satisfied: one eager for knowledge and one eager for worldly things. Lesson: Be greedy for knowledge, not for worldly possessions.

أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ

The best jihad is speaking a word of truth before an unjust ruler. Lesson: Moral courage is one of the highest virtues.

لَغَدْوَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوْ رَوْحَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا

A morning or evening spent in the path of Allah is better than the world and all it contains. Lesson: The Hereafter is worth more than the entire world.

فَقِيهٌ وَاحِدٌ أَشَدُّ عَلَى الشَّيْطَانِ مِنْ أَلْفِ عَابِدٍ

A single jurist is harder on Satan than a thousand worshippers. Lesson: Knowledge strengthens worship.

طُوبَى لِمَنْ وَجَدَ فِي صَحِيفَتِهِ اسْتِغْفَارًا كَثِيرًا

Glad tidings to the one who finds abundant seeking of forgiveness in his record. Lesson: Increase your daily istighfar.

رِضَا الرَّبِّ فِي رِضَا الْوَالِدِ وَسَخَطُ الرَّبِّ فِي سَخَطِ الْوَالِدِ

The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of the father, and the displeasure of Allah is in the displeasure of the father. Lesson: Seek Allah's pleasure through dutifulness to parents.

حَقُّ كَبِيرِ الْإِخْوَةِ عَلَى صَغِيرِهِمْ كَحَقِّ الْوَالِدِ عَلَى وَلَدِهِ

The right of the elder brother over the younger is like the right of a father over his children. Lesson: Family relationships require both respect and responsibility.

كُلُّ بَنِي آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ

Every child of Adam frequently sins, but the best sinners are those who repent. Lesson: Success is not never sinning, but always returning to Allah.