A Muslim's Code of Conduct

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him ) is reported to have said:
Nine Things My Lord Has Commanded me:

1. Fear of God in private and in public;

• Taqwa is the Jewel in the Crown of Faith


• An acute awareness that God is with You


• A sense of security and confidence


• An effective check against the whispers of the Devil


• True Taqwa is oblivious to the distinction between secret and open; public or private


• “Be conscious of Allah wherever you are”

2. Justice, whether in anger or in calmness;

• Justice is the distinction of a Believer


• Justice in any situation, regardless of who the perpetrators and or victims are


• Anger has the tendency to blind justice


• Justice even in anger is trait not usually seen in common men


• Justice is not only the domain of the authorities


• Justice is demanded and can be achieved in even mundane and/or trivial maters

3. Moderation in both poverty and affluence;

• Moderation is the way of the believer


• Moderation in everything, not only in spending – even in prayer!


• Moderation in spending is emphasised here as in Surah Furqan as a trait of the Servants of the Beneficient


• Moderation in affluence is a challenge since the tendency is to spend without consideration.

4. That I should join hand with those who break away from me;

• Social relationships are predicated upon a mutual acceptance between two people


• When one party refuses this relationship and breaks away, the relationship is strained.


• A Believer seeks to mend this relationship by striving to reach out


• A difficult challenge, often ignored, but one that is rewarding.


• Sincerity and consistency without aggression are key to mending relations

5. And give to those who deprive me;

• The believer knows that it is only Allah who gives and withholds


• Giving to one who has previously deprived you is built upon the above principle


• Such giving cleans the soul of any inclination for revenge and has the potential to build trust


• The preceding three principles are reflected in the verses: “Good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with that which is better…”

6. And forgive those who wrong me;

• Forgiveness for wrongs committed against you takes a special kind of faith


• One motivation is that as Allah forgives, so must His servants if they wish to receive His Forgiveness


• The prayer of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) is a poignant example of this (if You punish them, they are Your servants; but if you forgive them then you are the Most Forgiving, Merciful)

7. And that my silence should be meditation;

• The last three principles speak about the inner state


• In a world full of noise and activity, silence is a welcome retreat


• Even silence can be constructive – meditation on the beauty of Allah’s creation and the Power behind it all

8. And my words remembrance of God;

• The hadith: “whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak something good or be quiet…” is relevant.


• Words that bring remembrance of God, invite to God, enjoin good, advise, encourage and motivate towards obedience are the best kind of speech


• Foul words, words of ridicule and insult, of arrogance and haughtiness, of disobedience and idle talk are the worst kind of speech

9. And to take lesson from my observation. 

• Observation is integral to analysis, experimentation and conclusions


• Observation not limited to events and outwardly things


• Observations include ethics, mannerisms, nature, methods etc.


• Observation without heeding the lessons is like partaking of a meal without enjoyment

May God Almighty make this a code of conduct for all of us!