In the life of a Muslim, there is a very noble
duty called “giving good advice.” In Arabic, this is called (giving) Nasihah.
The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Ad-Deenu an-Nasihah”
(Muslim), which means, religion is based upon sincere advice.
But this advice must come with gentleness, with respect, with wisdom, and above all without arrogance or judgement. Giving advice in Islam is not merely words that come out of the mouth; it is a responsibility that comes from the heart, with the intention of helping a brother or sister towards goodness, towards the straight path that Allah has shown.
To help you understand this better, let me
share a short anecdote. There was a young man who worked as a delivery driver.
Every day he would take his small car and deliver parcels. He was always
polite, well-mannered, treated people with respect, and carried himself
respectably. But one day, a gentleman noticed that this young man looked tired,
his clothes were not very clean, and his car was making a lot of noise, as if
it was about to break down.
Instead of criticising him or making hurtful
remarks, this gentleman approached him kindly and started a conversation. He
learnt that the young man was going through great difficulties, struggling to
care for his family, and had even stopped school for a while in order to focus
on helping them. His car was very old, and he was struggling to drive it,
especially when he had many deliveries.
So, without making him feel ashamed, without
making him think he was being pitied, the gentleman decided to help him. He
took the car to a mechanic, had it fully repaired, fitted good brakes and
tyres, and arranged a complete servicing. Even though the cost of living was
very high, at that moment the man did not look at money. He looked at how he
could help this young man and give him confidence to set his life in order, on
the right path, and not fall into despair in his hardship. He turned this
difficulty into ease for the young man, purely for the pleasure of Allah.
The boy was deeply moved by this unexpected act
– a kindness he had not anticipated. He said nothing, but his tears said
everything. As a Muslim, he made many Duahs (prayers) for the person who
had done good to him, and he thanked him with all his heart.
This action, if we look closely, may not seem
much for the one who gives, but it is an immense relief for the one who
receives such a favour. This favour becomes a source of comfort. This is the
very spirit of Islam: to relieve a difficulty, even if it seems small. And in
that moment of intense gratitude, a believer must thank Allah, and also the
person who has done that good deed for His sake. Whoever does good for the
cause of Allah, placing his hope only in Allah and in the reward that comes
directly from Him, then it is good for all of us, every believer, to remember
that extraordinary Duah which Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Hazrat Isma’il (as)
made when they were building the Ka’aba Shareef:
“Rabbana taqabbal minna, innaka
Anta As-Sami’ul-‘Alim”
O our Lord, accept this (action) from us;
surely You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Al-Baqara
2: 128)
Every small action done with sincerity carries
immense weight with Allah. And sometimes, Allah gives us the opportunity to do
good, not only to relieve another person, but also to purify ourselves.
This is a gift from Allah, and an action that
deserves that we make the Duah of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Hazrat Isma’il
(as). It is a short Duah, but its weight in blessings is immense. Allah loves
when we thank Him. He loves that His servants remain grateful to Him, even for
the difficulties He places upon their path. This life is indeed a life of
trials. Allah tests His servants to know who is best in deeds and intentions.
Whoever performs a good action for the pleasure of Allah, that action becomes a
treasure of love and respect towards Allah. Allah knows best every heart and
with what intention each person does something. Sometimes, a person may wish to
do good, but the outcome is not what he expected. His intention was good, but
unfortunately, the consequence of his action did not bring the desired result.
This also happens. Therefore, such a person will not be condemned by Allah,
because his intention was good, though it may be that he chose the wrong word
or did something that did not bring the result he had hoped for.
It is like a student who has studied the whole
year. He has made many sacrifices, focused on his studies, and did not amuse
himself as other children of his age did, but in the end he only just passed
“borderline” or even failed. One cannot blame this child at that moment. He
made efforts to succeed, but perhaps the exam paper was beyond his reach, or he
misunderstood the question.
In the same way, Allah, the Greatest Master and
Teacher, does not condemn the one who strives with sincerity, who not only
makes sacrifices in worldly matters, but also does not neglect his Salat
(prayers). We must understand that each person has certain qualities and
abilities unique to him. But this does not mean that he will succeed one
hundred per cent in worldly or academic attempts. Perhaps Allah knows his
efforts and has chosen to guide him towards a brighter path, such as working
for the cause of Allah, for example.
Thus, every person has aptitudes that Allah has
placed within him. No one is perfect. Each person has his qualities and also his
faults. To help remove those faults, the one who notices them must become a
mirror for him.
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said in a Hadith
reported by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra): “A believer is the mirror of another
believer; a believer is the brother of another believer. He protects him
against difficulties and safeguards him in his absence.” (Abu Dawud)
This means that when a Muslim sees his brother
in difficulty, he must help him, protect him from what he may lose, and above
all, preserve his dignity when he is not present. One must not criticise him,
slander him, or make false accusations. And above all, a believer must not have
two faces towards another believer. Doublefacedness and double speech are the
marks of hypocrites. Therefore, if a believer wishes to remain sincere, he must
not act like a hypocrite. When he knows how to protect his Islam, his dignity,
and his faith, and acts as Allah wishes him to act, then this is the essence of
Islamic brotherhood; this is what Allah desires for His servants – that they
become like one united body; when one part of that body suffers, they all
suffer, and they help one another towards healing and victory over all
difficulties and problems.
The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) also
said: “None of you will truly become a believer until he loves for his
brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
This Hadith is very profound. It teaches that a
Muslim must wish good for his fellow, just as he wishes good for himself. If he
loves peace, he must wish peace for others. If he hates injustice, he must hate
injustice for others too. This is what is called sincerity of the heart.
In everyday life, people seek information,
distinguishing between truth and falsehood. In the same way, a Muslim must
strive to be a true believer – not only in appearance, but in his behaviour, in
his heart, and in the way he treats others. Jealousy, envy, unjust criticism,
tarnishing reputations – all these do not make a Muslim perfect, even if he
performs much worship. A believer must not think that he himself is the best; that
judgement belongs to Allah alone, to decide Who is best or not.
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Be servants of
Allah and brothers as Allah has commanded you.” (Muslim)
This Hadith reminds us that brotherhood in
Islam is not merely a word; it is an obligation. We must respect, honour,
support, encourage, motivate, and help our fellow – all of this is a duty of a
Muslim brother or sister towards another Muslim brother or sister. And when
giving advice, it must be done with gentleness, without mockery, without
exaggeration, without hypocrisy, and without judgement.
When giving advice, it is important not to
assume the worst. Sometimes, a person may be making a mistake but is not aware
that he is making a mistake. Or he may be suffering inwardly, too shy to ask
for help. In such a case, one may dare to ask a question, but only after much
observation and reflection. Do not rush headlong into a situation that you
yourself do not understand. This is the Islamic wisdom which dictates that we
carefully weigh the pros and cons, and look at a situation from all angles
before deciding to take any action.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:
“Invite to the way of your Lord
with wisdom and good exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner.”
(An-Nahl 16: 126)
This verse clearly shows that the method of
inviting towards Islam, or correcting a mistake, must be with Hikmah (wisdom),
with gentleness, with respect – not with anger, not with humiliation.
When a Muslim sees another in sin, he must
correct him as he would correct himself. Not with contempt, but with respect
and kindness. Not with arrogance, but with humility. Not with judgement, but
with understanding. A true believer protects the property of his brother from
loss; he protects him from harm, from difficulties. And above all, he protects
his honour in his absence. He does not backbite him, nor slander him, nor
betray him.
In Islam, sincere advice is a form of Ibaadah
(worship). But it must come with good intention – not to show that one is
better, but to help the one who needs help towards goodness.
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever
guides to good will have the same reward as the one who does it (that good
action – for guiding towards good).” (Muslim)
This Hadith encourages believers at all times
to be a source of good, and not a source of harm – whether for themselves or
for others.
Therefore, in every interaction, in every word,
in every action, a Muslim must ask himself: “Am I helping my fellow towards
good? Am I correcting him with respect? Am I preserving his dignity?” If
yes, then he is following the path of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). If not, then he
must revise his intention.
So keep in mind that good advice in Islam is a
noble act. But it must come with gentleness, wisdom, respect, and above all
with sincere intention to help, not to create more problems. One must not act
to humiliate someone, nor to judge him, and especially not to show superiority.
A believer is the mirror of another believer. And in that mirror, one must find
goodness, brotherhood, compassion, and above all, love for what is right. Insha-Allah.
May Allah accept all of us as people who have good intentions for the well-being of the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and for all humanity. It is our duty, each one of us in the Divine Manifestation of this era, to make good intentions for progress. And progress begins with oneself – when one takes the initiative to reform oneself and become a mirror of Islam in which every believer can see himself reflected. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 07 November 2025~16 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1447 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.