Ramadan in UAE: It's our duty to attain goodness

Dubai - With the fear of God in our mind and heart we can achieve success.

What is goodness? It is essentially a belief in the basic goodness of mankind for which what is needed most is a kind heart. And a kind heart, although is a gift of God, can be developed if we care to read the Holy Quran and the Sunnah (sayings of the Holy Prophet) with sincerity to seek guidance.

The finer principles of life such as compassion, honesty, integrity, truthfulness — the soul of goodness — are not flexible and time and space cannot change them. It will be a misstatement to say that every different being has his own idea of being a good human.

A good man shouldn’t consume alcohol, shouldn’t gamble, shouldn’t have the intention to harm others, shouldn’t steal, shouldn’t commit sexual acts before marriage; these are some of the universal truths which will remain so till eternity. Of course, in today’s world it is difficult to attain the status of a 100 per cent good human being, but it is our duty to do our best to attain goodness in all spheres of life. With the fear of God in our mind and heart we can achieve success.

During this holy month of Ramadan, Muslims all over the world should make a pledge to try their very best to achieve excellence of character which is a necessity to regain their lost glory. We are always focusing attention on the rituals — prayers, fasting, Haj and Zakat. No doubt they are the pillars of our religion, but inattention to excellence of character is eating into the vitals of the Muslim nation.

Remember, genuine goodness is something drawn from the heart, the soul of a person. Authentic goodness is shown in action, more than just pretty words. When we live a life of authenticity, our spirits soar and we give flight to those around us.

A cursory glance of the Holy Quran and sayings of the Holy Prophet will help us define a “genuinely” good person and assessing what characteristics are representative of a good person. Some people have a few characteristics that depict a good person, but may have characteristics that overshadow the good. A person may give you the shirt off their back, but turn around and rob a bank. A genuinely good person stands firm by the definition of good, in public as well as private. They are consistent in character. They are real.

Authenticity is the litmus test for defining a truly good person. A person who goes through life wearing masks, being deceptive, but occasionally shows good characteristics, isn’t authentic. He is playing a character based on scripts. An authentically good person is transparent and shows the core of who he is consistently, allowing the utmost trust to be instilled.

Compassion comes from the heart of a good person. It extends from the heart to others and offers empathy, support and understanding. A compassionate person feels other’s pain as if it were their own. They are willing to reach out and offer comfort. They are the type that won’t mind if you call at 2am if you need a shoulder to cry on.

A good person is filled with kindness. He plants seeds that help others thrive. The kind person offers himself to others. He won’t wait until a catastrophe strikes, but practices kindness in everyday life. He recognises the needs in others without having to be asked to step in and help. His conscience doesn’t allow him to neglect others. He doesn’t just help within his comfort zone, but is willing to make sacrifices.

Forgiveness is a characteristic of a good person. They let go of resentment, anger and bitterness. They don’t allow toxins to overshadow joy in their lives and the joy they can offer to others. They unfold a loving heart without seeking revenge. They aren’t a doormat to be walked on, but realize we all make mistakes.

A person can begin to be defined as good when he/she is respectful of other human beings. Not just the ones that are near and dear to his/her heart, but to all of human kind. Respecting others is a sign that this person cares about the who instead of about how it will make him/her look. It’s called common decency and it is very rare these days. A good person stands firm for their beliefs, not just when it’s comfortable, but when anything threatens to come between him and his beliefs. He rises above adversity and holds faith that he can endure the storms in life.