Many of us think that Islam is all about prayers, Zakah and fasting. They don’t realize that Islam is so comprehensive that it should guide our whole life.

This topic is so important and so crucial; it is about the comprehensive nature of Islam. When we talk about religion, unfortunately, we limit it too much. We often restrict it to spirituality and ignore all of the other aspects of Deen.

Often we limit Islam to those instances of worship, coming together, and praying.

Islam is comprehensive

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We forget that our religion is a comprehensive religion.

• In Islam, goals are realized through the means.
• Sleeping can be just as much of  an act of worship as praying if you have the right intentions.
• It is a religion that puts the pleasure of Allah in the pleasure of the parents.
• It is a religion  that puts half of your deen in your spouse.
• Islam entrusts you with your children.
• It applies principles to every single aspect of our everyday lives.

And let’s face it, if it was all about worship then Iblees (Satan) would have never been kicked out of paradise because Iblees worshipped Allah hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years but there was something greater than that.

Many times we fail to make that distinction and fail to apply the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in our lives, in the way that we deal with people and in the way that we deal with our families and our communities.

A great scholar

Imam Ash-shaibani, one of the two greatest jurists of the Hanafi School of thought used to lecture frequently on spirituality, he spoke about tazkiyah all times but he never wrote a book on tazkiyah.

Rather, he authored Al-Mabsut, the most comprehensive encyclopedia of the Hanafi school of Fiqh.

He authored many books but he never wrote a book on spirituality. So perplexed, his students asked him, you speak so much about the diseases of the heart, purification of the soul and getting close to Allah but at the same time you have never written a book on such topics.

He said that he did. He explained saying that he wrote a book about the rules of trade and transactions and whoever dealt honestly with his money he had a pure heart.

Subhan Allah! That is to me is mind-blowing because how many of you have regretted doing business with a Muslim?

How many times you were amazed by that brother in the Masjid and exclaimed ‘mashaa’ Allah’ about his devotion and worship,  but quickly this exclamation, after you deal with him, turned into ‘astaghfirullah!’ , or even ‘inshaa’ Allah (God willing), I will get my money back from him and will bring him to justice!’

It happens all the time because, let’s face it, it is very easy to portray a sense of religion, to people; it is easy to make yourself seem like a godly person but not when it comes to your everyday dealings.

More in this video:

• You may be destroying people unknowingly.
• Writing a check for the Mosque is sufficient?
• How Allah depicts truly devoted servants.
• Story of the woman who abused her neighbors.
• The Prophet’s attention to details.
• Story of Abu Hurairah and his hunger.
• The young man who wanted to take revenge from the Prophet

Editor’s note: The above text is not strictly verbatim transcript of the video. Some editorial modification were made to make the text publishable as an article.