LISTENING ATTENTIVELY WHEN THE QUR'AN IS RECITED
(Surat as-Saff; 2-3)
"You were bandying it about on your tongues, your mouths uttering something about which you had no knowledge. You considered it to be a trivial matter, but, in Allah's Sight, it is immense."
(Surat an-Nur; 15)
LISTENING ATTENTIVELY WHEN THE QUR'AN IS RECITED
When the Qur'an is recited, listen to it and be quiet so that hopefully you will gain mercy. (Surat al-A‘raf; 204)
As the verse makes clear, listening carefully to recitation of the Qur'an is not only a praiseworthy act but an obligatory act of worship. In the second part of the verse, Allah states that this is a way to attain His mercy.
The Qur'an is the divine word of Allah. Hence, the respect shown to Allah must be displayed to His word as well. Being silent and listening is the first step. Whether one reads the Qur'an in Arabic, English or any other language, it must be with the same respect. In an environment where everyone is occupied, it is necessary to inform people of this ruling.
Some consider it sufficient to hear the Qur'an on the radio in an environment where everyone is occupied and inattentive. However, because the Qur'an is the sublime word of Allah, it must be received with attention and respect. Moreover, one should contemplate the verses and take heed from them.
SEEKING REFUGE FROM SATAN WITH ALLAH WHEN THE QUR'AN IS RECITED
Allah has tested man by giving Satan the ability to suggest negative thoughts to him. The influence of his suggestions varies according to the depth of one's faith. Satan has the most power to influence unbelievers, while he is deprived of authority over God-fearing believers.
He said, ‘My Lord, because You misled me, I will make things on the earth seem good to them and I will mislead them all, every one of them, except Your slaves among them who are sincere.' (Surat al-Hijr; 39-40)
Despite the fact that Satan cannot make true believers swerve from the right path, he may still strive to cause them harm, distract them or make them forget. No doubt, those people who act under the influence of Satan disturb believers through their speech and attitudes, numbing their minds and hindering them from engaging in good deeds.
One of the aims of Satan is to prevent a Muslim from reading Allah's words with attention and understanding or putting them into practice in the course of a day. Because Allah guides believers to right conduct through the Qur'an, Satan's unique aim is to divert them from it. For this reason, he wishes that they fail to properly understand its content and tries to distance them from the Qur'an.
When they are faced with the strategies of Satan, Allah commands believers to take refuge with Him:
Whenever you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan" (Surat an-Nahl; 98)
Those who have faith in Allah and put their trust in Him will be secure from the evil insinuations of Satan:
He [Satan] has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. (Surat an-Nahl; 99)
AVOIDANCE OF JEALOUSY AND SELFISH GREED
For believers, faith entails exemplary behavior. But this does not mean that they have come to the end of their testing because, like everyone else, Muslims also have a lower self.
Allah reveals in the Qur'an that, in keeping with the purpose of the environment of testing, He inspires people to avoid the wicked tendencies of the ego. Jealousy and greed are characteristics of the baser self:
. . . But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and guard against evil, Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa'; 128)
Jealousy is a reprehensible feeling arising from envy, inferiority or bitterness that he does not possess a thing which others have, he cannot achieve success, he does not receive the appreciation and praise like others. Man is prone to this feeling, and any blessing (either material or spiritual) that Allah grants to some of His servants may make it surface:
Or do they in fact envy other people for the bounty Allah has granted them? We gave the family of Ibrahim the Book and Wisdom, and We gave them an immense kingdom." (Surat an-Nisa'; 54)
As an essential part of the test they face in this world, believers constantly struggle against this vice and try to purify themselves of it. When confronted with events that may cause feelings of jealousy, a Muslim should display the proper attitude and behavior instructed in the Qur'an, that is, to know that everything belongs to Allah alone, that everything occurs by His will, that Allah chooses whom He wills, that He grants whatever He wills, and that the decision rests with Him alone. Allah creates everything with a good and divine purpose. Each blessing is given merely to test man in this world, and the real abode is that of the Hereafter. That is why believers always act in fear of Allah.
Jealousy, pride and arrogance result in deeming one's self an equal to Allah (Allah is Surely Beyond That) Thus, they are classical attributes of Satan, whose revolt against Allah was due to his arrogance and envy of Prophet Adam (as).
This attribute is evident in the attitudes of unbelievers and hypocrites who follow in Satan's footsteps. The jealousy that unbelievers feel becomes so severe that, in time, it penetrates all their opinions and actions, so they become representatives of Satan. Allah advises believers to seek refuge in Him when faced with the evil of those who envy:
Say: ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of Daybreak. . .' (Surat al-Falaq; 1)
‘And from the evil of an envier when he envies.' (Surat al-Falaq; 5)
RETURNING A GREETING
Greeting is an expression of good wishes. At the gates of Paradise, believers will be greeted with the greeting of peace.
It is obligatory for a believer to return a greeting with a better greeting or at least a similar one:
When you are greeted with a greeting, return the greeting or improve on it. Allah takes account of everything. (Surat an-Nisa'; 86)
According to the mentality of ignorant people, not returning a greeting or pretending not to hear it are considered a mark of superiority. Underlying such conduct are wicked attitudes. In Islam, such an attitude is detested. Returning a greeting is a command of Allah for all believers.
GREETING WHEN ONE ENTERS A HOUSE
In the Qur'an, Allah describes a concept of faith that entails constant remembrance of Allah at every moment. Remembering Allah and the Hereafter only when one encounters an extraordinary event, while remaining thoughtless during the mundane course of life, is contrary to Qur'anic teachings. Again, with many examples from the prophets, the Qur'an says that they were leaders who turned to Allah and always had the Hereafter in mind.
Remembering Allah and the Hereafter in important and unusual events, but being in heedlessness and committing error in the events of ordinary day-to-day life is totally contrary to the spirit of the Qur'an. Every moment a believer lives and every situation he experiences are opportunities to draw him nearer to Allah, add to his moral excellence, and increase his rewards in the Hereafter. In the Qur'an, Allah gives many directions that guide believers to the realization of these virtues. One of them is to greet the members of a household when entering a home:
. . . And when you enter houses greet one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good. In this way, Allah makes the Signs clear to you so that hopefully you will use your intellect. (Surat an-Nur; 61)
If one ponders over the meaning expressed in the verse, he would comply with the obligation that Allah ordered. By so doing, one mentions a name of Allah, as-Salam ("The Source of Peace"). Muslims frequently convey their good will to one another and thus consolidate their love and unity. Moreover, in this way they remember Allah together, and greeting is an expression of trust and security among believers.
GETTING PERMISSION BEFORE ENTERING THE HOUSES OF OTHERS
Allah has ordained measures that will ensure material and spiritual well-being. He also communicated through the Qur'an the means to prevent disturbing situations. For example, whatever one's intentions may be, entering another's dwelling without permission is prohibited:
You believers! Do not enter houses other than your own until you have asked permission and greeted their inhabitants. That is better for you, so that hopefully you will pay heed. (Surat an-Nur; 27)
Even when wrongdoing is out of the question, behaving otherwise causes doubt and may be perceived as a threat to the security and privacy of the household.
