The moral values believers display in the face of advice and reminders

In one verse of the Qur’an, Allah (God) says: “Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success.” (Surah Al-’Imran, 104)

 Believers are completely scrupulous in the face of Allah’s commands and recommendations. They avoid any behavior they think might be displeasing to Allah and never persist in any wrong actions. This moral virtue of believer is described as follows:

Those who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their bad actions (and who can forgive bad actions except Allah?) and do not knowingly persist in what they were doing. (Surah Al-‘Imran, 135)

However, human beings are prone to make mistakes. They may sometimes go wrong out of ignorance, or sometimes from forgetfulness, or at other times because of the promptings of their own lower selves or of satan. People’s purpose in this world is to be tested throughout the lives Allah creates for them through this and similar events, to mature by learning ever more about the moral values of the Qur’an, to free themselves of their errors and to attain a high level of virtue with which our Lord will be pleased.  If people use their intellect and conscience in the best possible way and act in all sincerity, they may hope for Allah’s forgiveness. Allah tells us in several verses that He is “Forgiving” and “Merciful.” In one verse our Lord reveals this attribute as follows:

"Tell My servants that I am the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful,” (Surat al-Hijr, 49)

Our Lord also advises believers to be forgiving to one another:

Make allowances for people, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant. (Surat al-A‘raf, 199)

He also tells believers: “Say to My servants that they should only say the best.  Satan wants  to stir up trouble between them. Satan is an outright enemy to man.” (Surat al-Isra’, 53)

Believers are therefore careful to choose the best words when issuing a reminder or advice to one another.  They apply this virtue in the best way because of their love and powerful support for one another. Their speech is genuine, with no hypocrisy. They behave honestly, thinking only of the good of other Muslims. Desiring someone’s good means wishing them not to be humiliated in Allah’s presence on the Hereafter, for them not to suffer a regret which cannot be rectified and from which there can be no return but to be able to account for themselves with an easy conscience. In the same way that believers avoid any action that is unlawful or that they think may be displeasing to Allah, so they also wish to protect their brothers and sisters from such errors. Because believers are one another’s guardians, give one another advice compatible with the Qur’an and remind one another of the truth. The Qur’an says that this virtue so honestly applied by believers will come as a great mercy on them:

And remind them, for truly the believers benefit from being reminded. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 55)

The person to whom believers give advice may sometimes have a serious behavioral deficiency according to the Qur’an.  As required by Qur’anic moral values, believers will still approach that person gently, with proper moral values, and with maturity and tolerance. This is very important in not misleading the person involved. It is wrong for the person who is treated with love and compassion to think, “Well, nothing has happened, nobody is standing up to me and they are still treating me well” and weaken with wrong reasoning and think “So I may as well carry on as I am.” The most appropriate behavior, according to the moral values of the Qur’an, is to immediately react, politely, to what has been said and to strive to amend one’s ways and put his error right, to the extent of one’s ability. Behaviors not befitting to the morals of the Qur’an,  such as making difficulties, hanging back, taking advantage of Muslims’ good intentions, ignoring errors or trying to force someone into an impasse should all be avoided. Because it is our Almighty Lord Who bestows all blessings on people and takes them back when He so chooses. It is also Allah Who creates the person committing an error and the reminder issued concerning it. Prompt action and accepting what one is told is the best behavior according to the moral values of the Qur’an. For a person to say, “I was in the right there,” “That is not what happened, If I tell the truth of the matter I will be seen to be justified” or “Other people do the same, so why are they not criticized?” in an effort to protect one’s lower self, merely causes that person to ignore his own deficiencies. This will delay that person’s displaying the proper moral values, and may even prevent him earning Allah’s approval and even endanger his life in the Hereafter... As Allah says in another verse from the Qur’an: 

“Our Lord, we heard a caller calling us to believe: “Believe in your Lord!” and we believed. Our Lord, forgive us our wrong actions, erase our bad actions from us and take us back to You with those who are truly good.” (Surah Al- ’Imran, 193)

It must not be forgotten that it is Allah Who gives people the ability to speak and express themselves. Nobody can say one word unless Allah so wishes. It is our Lord Who creates all things, and all things take place in the destiny ordained by Him. Therefore, making a mistake, putting that mistake right, and issuing a warning or reminder concerning it are all things ordained by Allah. Because of their love and deep respect for Allah, Muslims happily and enthusiastically do whatever Qur’anic moral values require. They look at everything as an act of observance for earning Allah’s approval, as a result of which they enjoy the ease of conscience that comes from displaying the virtues that Allah finds pleasing.