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50 Guidelines from the Qur'an and Sunnah

Preface - Covenant with Allah

We, Muslims, all over the world, regardless of our race, color, dialects and ways of life:

· Believe that there is no God but Allah (SWT) and that Muhammad (PBUH), His messenger, is the seal of all prophets. We believe in Allah (SWT), His angels, His books, His prophets, the Day of Judgment and in Destiny (fortunate or unfortunate). We also believe that Paradise and Hell are real.

· Believe that the religion revealed by Allah (SWT) to all the prophets is “Islam”. It is the only religion accepted by Allah (SWT) whether from those who lived in the past, are living in the present or might exist in the future until the Day of Judgment. It is the religion Allah (SWT) sent to all his messengers starting from Adam (PBUH), until Muhammad (PBUH), the Seal of prophets.

· Believe that all humans were created from one soul, that we are all equal; no one is better than another except by the extent of his faith and good deeds. We believe that every prophet was sent specifically to his people except for Muhammad (PBUH), the Seal of prophets, who was sent to all mankind. His message of Islam is the ultimate message that prevails over all previous messages, and corrects what has been altered by the followers of those previous messages.

· Believe that the Muslim Ummah is responsible before Allah (SWT) to call all Mankind to join Islam and to follow its rational comprehensive way of life, for the wellbeing of all Mankind. Thus, leading people to stop submitting to other humans or to the devil’s temptations, to be steadfast in worshipping Allah (SWT), the one and only God who as the Qur’an declares, “He has not begotten and has not been begotten” (Qur’an 112:3) and “there is nothing whatever like unto Him” (Qur’an 42:11)

· Believe that this Ummah, when they were devoted to Allah (SWT) and when they properly practiced His laws, followed His rules and honestly strived for His way, were empowered and enabled by Allah to extend the message and realm of Islam.

· Believe that this Ummah, when they went astray from the right path of Allah (SWT) and the Sunnah of His Prophet (PBUH), to be more attached to the earthly desires and the thirst for money and power, became weak. The enemies and the hypocrites who infiltrated us, first under cover, then publicly, tarnished us with disunity, ethnic and sectarian racism, then spread among us all sorts of corruption and destructive concepts.

· Believe that when the Muslim Ummah gave up the unity Allah (SWT) commanded them to keep, they were easily torn to scattered helpless countries lacking both free will and international weight. Thus, it became easy prey to all the delusive powers of disbelief who conquered the Islamic countries militarily, politically, economically and culturally.

· For these reasons, we are determined to repent for all the losses and setbacks caused by our neglect, as well as those caused by our ancestors; and we make a promise before: Allah (SWT), ourselves, our nation and all Mankind that we shall be committed to the following Islamic guidelines and responsibilities. We will remind ourselves with them with every new day till the end of the night. May Allah (SWT) forgive but part of our past deeds, be pleased with us and Bless us with His victory. Ameen…

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First: In Daily Life

We should:

1. Replenish our faith through remembering Allah (SWT) by day and night (and at every instant). Call Allah (SWT) through dhikr (remembrance), and supplications mentioned in the Qur’an, and those authentically attributed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). We should draw nearer to Allah (SWT) through performing voluntary Sunnah rituals, on top of the obligatory ones, as much to our abilities as possible.

2. Care for mosques and visit them for each prayer in humbleness. Revive their role as the minarets of teaching Qur’an and Islamic sciences. There, we should strengthen our community bonds, help each other and cooperate together to solve our problems and improve our vocational, health and environmental conditions.

3. Recite a daily portion of the Qur’an, revise what was memorized, reflect on the meanings, learn its judgments and gain insight on its inimitability.

4. Study the Hadith and the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), adhere to his authentic Sunnah (example), and seek such knowledge from specialized scholars and books of authentic Hadith.

5. Adhere to proper Islamic ethics and manners as derived from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, while being mindful of Allah (SWT), judging and correcting ourselves frequently. We should be role models to those around us and we should continuously advise them in the most proper manners.

6. Adhere to Islamic manners and behavior in all social transactions and relations: with our parents, spouses, children and relatives, with our neighbors and guests, during holidays, while traveling, in sickness, while dining, in the way we dress, in maintaining our cleanliness and the Islamic 'traits of instinct' (Sunab Al-Fitrah).

7. Perfect our work and perform it with honesty, respect working hours, strive to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills through continuous reading and training. Hence, Muslims should be at the forefront of all domains of life, leading to the prosperity and advancement of humanity, according to the way set for it by Allah (SWT), Lord of all the worlds.

8. Practice a sport daily, eat in moderation, avoid food and drinks that would harm rather than benefit. Increase our ability to worship and work by getting enough sleep and some permissible recreation.

9. Use our time efficiently instead of wasting it on TV channels dedicated to distracting our Ummah with: games, contests, elicit movies, pointless shows, senseless songs or amusement celebrity news. We should also abstain from buying any media promoting such materials.

10. Read and watch serious Islamic media and arts (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV channels). Keep away from media aimed against Islam and Muslims, as well as media that would corrupt our conscience and awareness: ideologically, historically, politically, socially, or ethically.



Second: In Education and Culture
We should:

11. Learn the basics of Islam in terms of: faith, worship, conduct, and law, and teach Islam to our families. Invite our acquaintances and neighbors to study and increase their knowledge of Islam: individually, or in groups; at homes or in mosques.

12. Seek the revival of Islamic education as part of the core curriculum throughout academic levels and institutions. Collaborate with academic institutions to improve their educational as well as pedagogic standards.

13. Promote the learning and teaching of Arabic at every academic level and throughout all Muslim countries. This would be the best way to appreciate the Qur’an, comprehend its inimitability and uniqueness, and correctly understand its judgments and objectives.

14. Refrain from fanaticism or intolerance towards any of the Islamic schools of jurisprudence. Instead, the common Muslim should refer to a qualified teacher, or the Imam of his local mosque, or any recognizable reference books. Those Muslims, who are knowledgeable enough to compare and judge between the available evidences and opinions, can follow what they feel more appropriate while avoiding any personal bias or caprice.

15. Assist anyone working in the field of preaching, calling to Islam, or doing any community work serving the interest of Muslims. Refrain from fanatical preference for any one group of Muslims to another, that would fragment the efforts and disunite the Ummah.

16. Be alert and alert others of false practices erroneously followed by many Muslims (out of ignorance or ill intent) such as: sorcery, superstitions, astrology, imploring the blessing of graves of the pious dead, and other violations and errands.

17. Provide up-to-date scientific and technological information through following up current literature, and publishing abstracts, reviews and translations for specialists. Continuously update the academic curricula. Devote scientific research entirely to the benefit of our Ummah. Beware that social science information and education should be through Islamic sources, and not through Orientalists, or their secularist disciples and advocates.

18. Monitor what the Western academic and educational institutions (as well as their disciples, agents, and dubious societies and organizations in Muslim countries) are promoting in terms of perverse ideologies, false beliefs, and destructive concepts. Warn the Muslims of the errancies and misguidance therein, and unveil the Western attempts to falsify the truths of Islam and distort the history of its Ummah.