Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 260
260 islam’s response to contemporary issues Not only did they endeavour to be of service to others but were hesitant to receive and beg favours from others. ‘Auf Ibn M a lik Ashja‘ i relates: Seven, eight or nine of us were with the Holy Prophet sa on one occasion when he said: Will you not make a covenant with the Messenger sa of Allah? We had only shortly before made our covenant. So we said: We have made our covenant with you, Messenger sa of Allah. Holy Prophet sa repeated his question and we made the same response adding: What covenant shall we now make with you? He said: That you will worship Allah and will not associate aught with Him, that you will observe the five obligatory prayers, will obey Allah, and will not ask anyone for anything. Thereafter, I have noticed that if a riding whip fell from the hand of one of them, he would not ask anyone to restore it for him. 5 The emphasis on service is not just a dry and austere approach, but an attempt to refine human attitudes and to inculcate in man a taste for more sophisticated values. Once more refined tastes are developed; human beings can be trained to enjoy being of service to others far more than merely being recipient of favours and service provided by others. One half of faith is service to God’s creation. The motto in Islam seems to be that an act of goodness is a reward in itself. It is beyond the realm of argument; it can only be experienced. Seeking the Pleasure of God In cultivating higher values in human behaviour, Islam does not stop short at that. Islam creates amongst its followers a consciousness that appreciation by God of all one’s goodness is all that matters and should matter. This emphasis obviates the urge for showing-off one’s