By Alh. Imaam Muh’Faatihu Akindayo
A Divine Reminder on Humility, Obedience, Justice, and Accountability
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
Being a Muslim is one of the greatest blessings a person can receive. But Islam is not merely a name, an identity or a declaration made with the tongue. It is a way of life that demands faith, obedience, good character, humility, mercy, justice and responsibility.
The Qur’an and Sunnah remind believers that faith must be reflected in how we treat Allah, how we treat other people and how we conduct ourselves when nobody is watching.
A good Muslim is therefore not simply one who calls himself a Muslim, but one who continuously strives to live according to the teachings of Islam.
Humility: The Hallmark of a True Believer
One of the clearest signs of a true believer is humility.
Allah says:
“And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say words of peace.”
(Qur’an 25:63)
Humility is not weakness. It is strength under control and an awareness that whatever a person possesses ultimately comes from Allah.
It should be reflected in our speech, leadership, family relationships, business dealings and interactions with society.
A Muslim should therefore guard his heart against pride, envy, hatred and the feeling that he is better than others.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) warned against arrogance, saying that no person with even an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.
This is a serious reminder that outward acts of worship must be accompanied by a sincere and humble heart.
Following the Prophet Is Part of Faith
Allah says:
“Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it.”
(Qur’an 59:7)
The life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) remains the perfect model for Muslims.
It is not enough to profess love for the Prophet while ignoring his teachings. His Sunnah should influence our worship, manners, family relationships, business dealings, leadership and treatment of other people.
Following the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah means allowing the teachings of Islam to shape both our private and public lives.
Leadership Is an Amanah, Not a Privilege
Islam places a serious responsibility on anyone entrusted with authority.
Whether the responsibility concerns a family, mosque, organisation, community or nation, leadership is an amanah — a trust from Allah.
The Prophet (ﷺ) warned that whoever is placed in charge of people and deceives those under his authority faces severe consequences in the Hereafter.
This warning applies not only to political leaders. Parents, teachers, employers, religious leaders, community heads and every person given responsibility over others should remember that authority comes with accountability.
Power should therefore be used to serve, protect and uphold justice—not to intimidate, exploit or oppress.
Beware of Oppression
The Prophet (ﷺ) warned:
“Beware of oppression, for oppression will be layers of darkness on the Day of Resurrection.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Oppression can take many forms.
It may involve denying another person his rights, abusing authority, cheating in business, practising corruption, showing unjust favouritism, committing domestic injustice, spreading false accusations or deliberately harming another person.
A good Muslim should never use his position, wealth or influence to make life unbearable for others.
Justice must remain a fundamental part of a believer’s character.
Guard Your Tongue
Islam places enormous importance on what a person says.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
The tongue may be small, but the consequences of its words can be enormous.
Gossip, insults, false accusations, mockery, rumours, backbiting and words that create hatred can damage families, friendships and entire communities.
A good Muslim should therefore learn when to speak, what to say and when silence is better.
Before speaking, a believer should ask: Is it true? Is it beneficial? Is it necessary?
Wealth, Knowledge and Position Are Tests
Wealth, knowledge, influence and position are not necessarily signs that Allah is pleased with a person.
They can also be tests.
A Muslim who has been blessed with wealth should remember the poor and needy. A person with knowledge should use it to benefit others. Someone entrusted with authority should use it justly. And anyone blessed with influence should remember that influence comes with responsibility.
The believer should therefore practise charity, gratitude, moderation and generosity while avoiding extravagance, dishonesty and the misuse of wealth.
The Prophet (ﷺ) also taught that a person will be questioned about his wealth—how he earned it and how he spent it.
A Good Muslim Must Constantly Examine Himself
One of the most important qualities of a sincere believer is self-examination.
A Muslim should not spend his life judging everyone else while refusing to examine his own heart and actions.
He should regularly ask himself:
Am I sincere in my worship?
Am I honest in my dealings?
Do I treat my family fairly?
Have I wronged anyone?
Do I forgive others?
Am I fulfilling the rights of those placed under my care?
Am I prepared to meet Allah?
Such questions are not meant to create despair. Rather, they encourage repentance, improvement and a stronger relationship with Allah.
The believer should neither become complacent about his deeds nor despair of Allah’s mercy.
Islam Is Faith Demonstrated Through Character
Ultimately, being a good Muslim goes beyond appearance, titles or public declarations of faith.
It is demonstrated through character.
It is seen in how a person treats the weak, how he behaves when given power, how he handles wealth, how he speaks about others, how he treats his family and how honestly he conducts his affairs.
A person may be respected by society, wealthy in material possessions or powerful in position, but none of these guarantees success before Allah.
What matters is sincerity, obedience, humility, righteousness and the fulfilment of the rights of Allah and His creation.
A Final Reminder
Being called a Muslim is an honour, but remaining a righteous Muslim requires continuous effort.
We must constantly return to Allah through repentance, strengthen our faith, follow the Qur’an and Sunnah, guard our tongues, reject arrogance, uphold justice and treat others with mercy.
Let every Muslim therefore ask himself—not only “Am I a Muslim?”, but “What kind of Muslim am I?”
May Allah make us among ‘Ibād ar-Raḥmān — the servants of the Most Merciful. May He grant us sincerity, protect us from hypocrisy and arrogance, guide us to the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, forgive our shortcomings, help us fulfil the rights of others and admit us into Al-Firdaws by His mercy.
Ameen.
“Our Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Yourself. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”
(Qur’an 3:8)
Alh. Imaam Muh’Faatihu Akindayo Akinode is the Imaam/Missionary Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Ajilete Branch,Yewa South, Ogun State, Nigeria.
