TAUHEED

SLO 7.1.1:Explain an overview of the impact of belief (Tawhid)in the unity of God on
human lives (purity of heart and mind, thoughts and beliefs);

Purity of Heart and Mind

A heart is the most important part of a person because it is the “inner self” of any
person. In Quran, this inner self is known as the “Qalb” or the “Heart”. What favors us
(Muslims) in the sight of Allah (SWT) is the state of our heart. What will save us on the
Day of Judgment is a sound heart. So we can say that heart is playing a very important
role in our life and it has an amazing position in Islam.

When we have a pure heart then ultimately our character and soul will also be pure.
The “Heart”, in Quranic terminology, is not just a piece of flesh in our body, but it is the
center of all our feelings, emotions, desires, remembrance and attention. In Holy Quran,
Allah Almighty says: “Their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah” (Quran, 39:23). If
you want the peace of heart and purity of your soul then remember Allah Almighty by
heart.

There has always been an emphasis on improving our character in our religion Islam.
The Prophet (SAW) said: “Nothing is heavier on the believer’s Scale on the Day of
Judgment than good character” (Tirmidhi). From above saying we can conclude that on
The Day of Judgment a person’s good character and pure heart will matter. In another
hadith ‘Abu Huraira narrated: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), said, “Allah does not
look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and
accomplishments.”’ (Sahih Muslim)

Allah Almighty said in Quran: “He has succeeded who purifies the soul, and he has
failed who corrupts the soul.” (Quran, 91:9-10). We learn from the above Ayah that our
success in the Hereafter depends upon the purification of our hearts in this life.

Therefore, focusing deliberately every day on improving the state of heart helps us gain
good character and increase our overall productiveness.

Purity of Thoughts and Beliefs

Below are some tips from Quran and Sunnah that help you to purify the thoughts and
beliefs of a person:
Begin with Repentance: Sins are obstacles that restrict the opportunity to do good
works; so begin your journey of purifying thoughts with sincere repentance. In Holy
Quran, Allah Almighty says: “Allah loves those who constantly repent” (Quran, 2:222).
We can get Allah’s blessings and love while repenting. Our beloved Prophet (SAW) said
that: “the best of creation, would seek repentance over 70 times a day; repentance from
a sin reduces its sweetness – it discourages you from doing it again.”

Pay Attention to your inner thoughts: Allah Almighty is so close to us that even the
thoughts that occur in our minds are known to Allah (SWT). Whether it’s good or bad
thought Allah knows. In Quran Allah says: “And We have already created man and
know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein”
(Quran, 50:16). When we feel accountable to Allah for our thoughts, we intentionally
judge the matter with understanding. We pay attention to our inner thoughts that help
us to figure out other aspects of life and things about which we are focusing. By doing
this we can increase our productivity, happiness and mental comfort.

Perform Obligatory Prayers: Performing obligatory prayers is one of the obvious things
that every one of us should do. Sound actions originate from sound states. If you are
struggling to keep up with the prayers, look at the spiritual causes that might be
hindering your access to this blessing. Actions are based on Intentions. So we need to
check out our intentions that are we should be sincere in intentions if we want to seek
Allah’s pleasure. We should have sound actions and sincere intentions behind every act
of goodness just like performing prayers on time by heart. Allah says in Quran: “He has
succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays.”
(Quran, 87:14-15)

Increase Small Acts of Kindness: When we tend to focus on our own mistakes rather
than others, we become aware of all our deeds. Once we purify our thoughts we add
good and beautiful things to it. Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran:”Take from their
wealth a charity by which you cleanse them and purify them, and invoke blessings
upon them.” (Quran, 92:103). Charity means not only giving wealth, but also giving
people your time, your effort, and even a smile or a kind word.

Read Quran Daily: Make it a routine to read the amount of Quran no matter its one
page or few lines that you can read easily after one of the obligatory prayers daily. Allah
Almighty says in Quran: “Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the
remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are
assured.”(Quran, 13:28). Read Quran daily it is the greatest form of Dhikr
(Remembrance of Allah). Giving time to the Quran keeps us connected to Allah, making
it more likely that we will consciously avoid sinning. It also helps in clearing our minds
of unnecessary things, hence achieving clarity and peace.

In short, to achieve a high level of productivity, our hearts need to be light and
beautiful. To purify our soul we should do the things that are mentioned above. May
Allah give us the strength to purify our heart and soul in a rightful manner!

SLO 7.1.2.Explain the concept of Tawhid with examples (sincerity towards religion and
worships, courage, and steadfastness);

Sincerity Towards Religion and Worship

In Islam, we must always practice our faith with sincerity (al-ikhlas), honesty (al-sidq),
and goodwill (al-nasihah). Each of these virtues includes a vertical dimension (in
relation to Allah) and a horizontal dimension (in relation to other people); they tell us
how to behave with Allah and how to behave with others. Virtues in Islam such as these
act as guiding principles in all of our affairs, from our mundane daily interactions to the
conduct of nations and everything in between. They are meant to be in the front of our
minds at all times, to be considered in all of our decisions.

The first deed a Muslim must do to make good his or her Islam is to purify his or her
intention (al-niyah) in worship and religious deeds. We should act sincerely for the sake
of Allah and dedicate our deeds to no other, whether by way of idolatry (al-shirk),
hypocrisy (al-nifaq), or ostentation (al-riya’).
The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬said:
Verily, deeds are only by intentions. Verily, every person will have only what they
intended.

And Allah said:

[Yet] those who were given the Scripture became divided only after they were sent
[such] clear evidence, though all they are ordered to do is worship Allah alone,
sincerely devoting their religion to Him as people of true faith, keep up the prayer,
and pay the prescribed alms, for that is the true religion.

Courage:
Courage means to stand up to defend the truth even in the face of possible oppositions,
and to call people to goodness and forbid evil and racing to do good deeds.
Courage is steadfastness in the heart when faced with calamity, even if one is physically
weak.

[Abu Bakr] as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most courageous of this
ummah after the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him),
although ‘Umar and others were physically stronger than him. But he surpassed all the
Companions in his steadfastness of heart in every situation in which mountains would
tremble. In those situations, he was steadfast at heart and calm, and the courageous
ones among the Companions and their heroes would turn to him, and he would calm
them down and encourage them."(Al-Furusiyyah p. 500).

He also said:

Courage comes from the heart; it is steadfastness and calm at times of fear.

It is a characteristic that results from patience and positive thinking, for when a person
thinks that he can overcome trouble and has patience to help him, he will remain
steadfast.

By the same token, cowardice results from negative thinking and impatience, which
makes a person think that he cannot overcome the problem and he does not have
patience to keep him calm. The origin of cowardice is negative thinking and thinking
that the worst will happen…"(Ar-Ruh p. 236).

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most
courageous of people, as al-Bukhari (2908) and Muslim (2307) narrated from Anas (may
Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) was the best of people and the most courageous of people. One
night the people of Madinah were in a state of alarm, and some people went out
towards the sound [that had caused the alarm]. They were met by the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who was coming back, as he had
already gone to investigate the matter. He was riding the horse of Abu Talhah bareback,
with his sword around his neck, and he said: “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid.”

There are many ways and means of developing courage, among which we may mention
the following:

Being strong in faith and remaining steadfast therein.

Studying the biographies of the brave and courageous among the heroes of Islam.
Having the courage to speak the truth and tell others about it.
Having the courage to denounce evil and forbid it.
Maintaining self-control.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: “The strong man is not the one who wrestles others to
the ground; rather the strong man is the one who controls himself at times of anger.”
Narrated by al-Bukhari (6114) and Muslim (2609).

Steadfastness
Surely those who say Our Lord is Allah, then are steadfast, the angels descend upon
them saying; Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you
were promised. We are your guardians in life of this world and in the hereafter, you
shall have therein what your souls desire and you shall have therein what you ask for.
A provision from the Forgiving, the Merciful. (41:30-32)

These verses mention two important qualities of a believer;

1) Faith in Allah as their Lord,

2) Steadfastness in His way.

Professing faith is only the first step. A higher requirement is action. An even higher
stage is the state of Istiqamah, i.e. firmness in action, continuing and persevering in
good. That is the true test of a believer. Most believers have faith and do good actions.
But when exposed to discomfort and difficulty, it becomes hard to stay firm on faith.
Weakness, lethargy, skepticism . . creep in..

Believers who have the strength and determination to persevere after the proclamation
of faith are honored by the descent of angels on them who whisper to them the promise
of many rewards.

They are promised that:

a) They will have no fear or grief on them. Many verses of the Qur’an promise the
removal of fear and grief from believers. Commentators explain that fear is for the
future, of events that have yet to occur. Grief is about the past, of sins committed,
mistakes made, or unpleasant events that took place in the past. Believers will achieve a
state of tranquility that will set their hearts at rest about the future, for Allah will be
with them in whatever they do. They are also not grieved or haunted about the past as
they hope that Allah has forgiven them their sins and has rewarded them for all the
troubles they bore in the past.

b) The angels will be their guardians and their friends in this world as well as in the
hereafter. Although these angels cannot be seen or heard, their protection and guidance
is transmitted to the human being through inspirations of the mind. This inspiration
brings strength and Sukoon (peace) to the believers. Examples of this unexplainable
strength can be seen in history, where small groups of believers were able to face great
odds with a lot of courage and calmness.

c) The reward of Paradise will be theirs. They will be given all they wish for, and call for
therein. The greatest honor and pleasure for believers is that they will receive all these
rewards as the honored guests of Allah in Heaven. Although there will be many
material and physical rewards in Heaven, the ultimate reward is the mental and
spiritual pleasure derived from knowing that Allah is pleased with them. Allah says in
the Holy Qur’an: Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women
gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, and goodly dwellings in gardens of
perpetual abode, and the best of all is Allah’s pleasure, that is the grand achievement.
(9:72)

The verses above emphasize the importance of steadfastness. Steadfastness or Istiqamah

is the ability to remain firm on what one believes, and not to be swayed by desires,
outside influences, circumstances etc. A hadith of Imam Ali (a) says; Allah dislikes
that His creatures be of many colors, so do not sway from the truth Shaykh
Muhammad Jawad Mughniyyah when commenting on the verse: keep us guided on
the right path (1:6) in Tafsir al-Kashif says that Istiqamah is such an important attribute
that we can say that entire Islamic teachings can be summarized in this word.

Believers are very firm on the right path. Their resolve is strong, and the winds of
change do not shake their strong roots. This quality shows itself during:

i) Times of difficulty when it requires great strength to be patient and persevere.

ii) Moments of temptation when it seems attractive to do that which God would not like
you to do.
iii) When the resolve to continue serving God and His people seems to weaken. Too
much opposition in various aspects eats away at the determination to work for God,
and it requires Istiqamah to continue.

https://www.al-islam.org/military-management-battles-prophet-s-muhammad-dhahir
-watr/leadership-and-command