In Islam, we believe that encouraging certain good qualities in others can help them do well in many parts of their life. Some of these qualities include believing strongly (Iman), being humble, working hard (Ihsan), staying patient (Sabr), being hopeful, caring about others, being disciplined, and saying thank you. When communities support each other in having these qualities, it helps everyone grow and be successful in how they act, what they believe, and their jobs.
In everyday life, we might admire someone who seems perfect in every way, but sometimes our feelings can make us think someone is better than they really are.
In Islam, being perfect is more about why you do things than how they turn out. It's important to have good intentions in everything you do, which is called niyyah. Here are some important things about having good intentions in Islam:
- Sincerity
- Goals as the Basis
- Aiming for Superiority
- Embracing Your Imperfection
- Compensation for Intentions
In Islam, being perfect means having really good reasons for doing things, rather than just doing them perfectly. Even though we try our best to be great, we also know that we're not perfect, so it's important to always think about why we're doing things and make sure our reasons are good.
According to the Quran:
The following two verses from the Quran discuss the significance of intention and acting thoughtfully:
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:265):
"And the example of those who spend their wealth seeking means to the approval of Allah and assuring [reward for] themselves is like a garden on high ground which is hit by a downpour - so it yields its fruits in double. And [even] if it is not hit by a downpour, then a drizzle [is sufficient]. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing."
Surah Al-Mulk (67:2):
"Who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving."
Even though these verses don't talk about doing things quickly, they do talk about doing them with good reasons. The first verse says it's important to spend money wisely and ask Allah for forgiveness, no matter how fast or how much you spend. The second verse says that life and death will show who did the best things, which means it's more about why you do things than how fast you do them.
According to Hadith's:
The following two hadiths highlight the significance of intention and thoughtfulness in action:
Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 1, Hadith 1:
Narrated by 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: "I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.'"
Sahih Muslim, Book 20, Hadith 4533:
Narrated by Abu Huraira: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed: He who called (people) to righteousness, there would be reward (assured) for him like the rewards of those who adhered to it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who called (people) to error, he shall have to carry (the burden) of its sin, like those who committed it, without their sins being diminished in any respect."
Sahih Muslim, Book 6, Hadith 254:
Narrated by Abu Huraira: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: 'Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds.'"
To sum up, what we do shows why we do it and how much we think about it. The stories and words from Islam teach us that why we do things matters a lot. They tell us that having good reasons makes our actions really special to Allah and turns regular things into something like praying. So, in the story of the Turtle and the Rabbit, although the Turtle was not as fast as the Rabbit, it helped the Turtle win the race because it didn't sleep and didn't waste time.
