Responsibilities of Muslim men
1. SHARI’AH
‘Islam’ is the second-largest faith that is followed all over the world by billions of people. According to various authentic sources, there are about 1.7 billion Muslims all over the world with Indonesia being the country having the highest Muslim population. Other countries where Islam is dominant include Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Lebanon e.t.c. However, the question that always strikes our mind and the mind of every genuine Muslim is, “Is it enough to make us count all over the world with a Muslim tag?” As Muslims, our sole responsibility is to accept Islam as the faith and also act on it. As ALLAH says in Surah Al Anqabut (Chapter 29) of Qur’an Majeed,
Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?
Al Qur’an (Ch29, v2)
Thus, accepting Islam and becoming a Muslim comes with various responsibilities and we will not be left unjudged by ALLAH (S.W.T.) for just accepting Islam.
As Muslims, we have to act on every verse of the Qur’an, every Sunnah of Prophet MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.), and his four Khulfa-e-Rashideen (Companions of the Prophet).
2. RELIGIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES OF MUSLIM MEN IN THE LIGHT OF SHARI’AH
Shari’ah itself is a broad term. The term Shari’ah is so broad that a lot of years are needed to completely study and understand it. Many things related to the life of the Muslims and how a Muslim should live the life according to the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet comes under Shari’ah. The Shari’ah has also set the important boundaries and told many important guidelines and responsibilities that are ‘Fard’ i.e. Compulsory for Muslim men. The list is large and three or four pages will not be enough to completely describe the role and responsibilities of Muslim men. However, some responsibilities are Fard (Compulsory) on us and need to be necessarily there for a Muslim. Here are some important responsibilities for men of Islam:
RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS ALLAH (S.W.T.): ALLAH (S.W.T.) is the Supreme Lord and almighty of the Universe. He is the owner, creator of the whole Universe who created us, angels, Jinns, and all living and non-living entities comprising the whole Universe. He is the all knowledgeable, all-perfect GOD without any kind of limitation. In the Qur’an, ALLAH describes himself as the GOD that cannot be compared with other weak and imperfect Gods. There is none like ALLAH (S.W.T.).
Allah – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Al Qur’an (Ch2, v255)
“Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
Al Qur’an (Ch112, v4)
ALLAH (S.W.T.) has done ‘Ahsan (an act of kindness)’ on us by giving us life to live and along with the life, we have been provided with free will. So, our very first responsibility is to respect him and follow all his commands. Who else will be worse than a person who does not worship his very own creator!
Thus, the very first responsibility of Muslim men is to recognize ALLAH (S.W.T.) as the True GOD with all might and all power having no other God comparable to Him. As a true Muslim man, one must follow all the commandments of ALLAH (S.W.T.) as prescribed by ALLAH (S.W.T.) Himself in the Qur’an and as told by Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.).
RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS ONESELF: This point is also one of the most important ones that a Muslim man usually ignores. As a true Muslim man, one must also be responsible for himself. There is an old saying of the Auliya ALLAH’s and pious men of Islam that one who knows Himself, knows the world!
As Muslims, the responsibility is also there for us to know ourselves. A true Muslim man must always ask the following questions to himself;
i) Am I following the religion correctly?
ii) Am I proving beneficial to Islam and the Ummah?
iii) Am I keeping all the commandments of ALLAH (S.W.T.)?
iv) Am I on the path of Sunnah of MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.)?
V) Are my deeds good enough to lead me towards Heaven without any questions asked on the day of Judgement?
vi) Have I been honest with the people around me all my life?
There are way too many questions and responsibilities that are there on the shoulders of a Muslim, and all these responsibilities become very easy when one thinks and asks questions to himself.
c) RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS PARENTS, CLOSE KINS, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBOURS:
Through them, we have our existence on this planet by the will of ALLAH (S.W.T.). Islam has set clear guidelines on how Muslims must be respectful and dutiful towards their Parents. The whole Qur’an is filled with verses where ALLAH (S.W.T.) asks the believers to be respectful towards their parents. Thousands of authentic narrations in various Hadith books (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn Majah, Jami’at Tirmidhi) of Prophet MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.) are also there that appreciate the Muslims who keep their parents happy and great bounties are also there in return for them.
“And worship Allah And (do) not associate with Him anything, and to the parents (do) good, and with the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy and the neighbor (who is) near, and the neighbor (who is) farther away, and the companion by your side and the traveler and what possess[ed] your right hands. Indeed, Allah (does) not love (the one) who is [a] proud (and) [a] boastful.”
Al Qur’an (Ch4, v36)
Abdullah bin Amr narrated that: the Prophet said: “The Lord’s pleasure is in the parent’s pleasure, and the Lord’s anger is in the parent’s anger.”(Hasan).
Jami` at-Tirmidhi (1899)
There is a very famous Hadith that says:
“ALLAH (S.W.T.) has kept the paradise beneath the feet of a Mother, while a father is a doorway to the Paradise.”
The above Hadith itself says enough about the status of Parents inside Islam.
Also, Islam is a full constitution that talks about the Rights of relatives, neighbours, friends, and close kins. There are thousands of hadith where MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.) has told various virtues in the Hereafter for serving the neighbours. The same goes with the relatives as well as friends.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The best of companions with Allah is the one who is best to his companions, and the best of neighbours to Allah is the one who is the best of them to his neighbour”. [At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].
Riyad as-Salihin 311
Thus, Muslim men must take the rights of Parents, Relatives, Neigbours, Friends, and Siblings seriously, as, on the day of Judgement, ALLAH (S.W.T.) will judge every act of kindness and every sin.
RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS WIVES and CHILDREN: A good wife is a gift from ALLAH (S.W.T.). Ever looked at the home filled with Joy! There is no doubt that a home filled with Joy and satisfaction has a happily married couple making a happy family and in turn a happy home. A house becomes a good home because of a good family residing in it and a good family is indeed made with a good spouse and children. Thus, a True Muslim Man must always marry a good religious woman. The Qur’an has made it clear about the type of woman a Muslim man should marry. According to Surah Baqarah (Ch2, v221) and Surah Nisa (Ch4, v23) of the Holy Qur’an,
Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise.
Al Qur’an (Ch2, v221)
Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father’s sisters, your mother’s sisters, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives’ mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
Al Qur’an (Ch4, v23)
The above verses are the seal as commanded by the ALLAH (S.W.T.) and the person who goes beyond this is surely a transgressor.
Responsibilities of Muslim men : Once a Muslim man finds a good wife for him, then Islam sets the responsibility on him to treat her well, look after her, and fulfill all her Ja’iz (things allowed under Shari’ah) wishes. ALLAH (S.W.T.) has cursed those who mistreat the women, especially their wives.
Narrated Hakim bin Mu’awiyah al-Qushairi on his father’s authority (RA): I asked, “O Allah’s Messenger, what is the right of the wife of one of us upon her husband?” He replied, “That you should give her food when you eat, and clothe her when you clothe yourself, and do not strike her on the face and do not revile her.”
Bulugh al-Maram
Thus, a True Muslim man will always keep his wife happy and fulfill all their Ja’iz wishes in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.) prescribed in the authentic Hadiths’.
CONCLUSION
Responsibilities of Muslim men: The above responsibilities and duties of Muslim men described above are not the ending to be exact. There are other responsibilities as well that a Muslim man is endowed with and a few pages are not enough to completely describe those responsibilities. However, the four responsibilities described above act as the backbone.
Islam is a very simple and easy religion that talks about the Humanity and right of every individual on this planet (whether a Muslim or a Non-Muslim). Islam asks the believers to be punctual, attentive, and serious in following the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.). ALLAH (S.W.T.) has made Islam a simple and easy religion and this is the reason that people follow Islam all over the world and is the fastest spreading religion today across the globe.