Be a Mirror to Other Believers

[ummtaalib]

Be a Mirror to Other Believers

Submitted by Mohammed Desai on

 

 

The Hadith states,

 

المؤمن مراٰة المومن

A Mu’min is a mirror unto another Mu’min

 

When a person looks into the mirror, it informs him of all his faults. It reflects the dirt that is on the face, in the nose, in the beard, etc. but the mirror doesn’t tell another of these faults. This is exactly how a Mu’min should behave with a fellow Mu’min. We act contrary to this, on finding a fault with a person we inform the entire world but the person, thus he is never notified about the problem. A person possessing Imaani brotherhood will inform his Muslim brother if he happens to detect some fault within him, and the brother that is corrected should thank the person that informed him.

 

Alhamdulillah, this quality is found in our students at the Madrasah that lead the Salaah or call out the Adhaan. Whenever, we find some error in their Salaah or Adhaan, we inform them in a manner that does not offend them and they respond by saying ‘Jazakallahu Khairan.’ If they are not corrected they will continue with their habit through their lives.

 

Another quality of the mirror, it does not exaggerate things. It informs you of things exactly as they are. If a person asks another, “How was my Bayaan, he will say, it was presented extremely well without any errors.” There were errors that he is aware of, but he downplays it or exaggerates it, whereas this is not the quality of a mirror. This is how a Mu’min should be.

 

When we go for I.D. photos, the picture of the person photographed remains on the screen even after taking the photo. We have to then request them to remove the image particularly if the photo of a woman was taken. The mirror never retains the image and fault of another, but the moment the person moves, the image disappears. A Mu’min also doesn’t tell others that the person before you had various faults in him. A true Mu’min should delete and conceal faults of others as a mirror does.

 

If we know of a fault in a person, we should attempt to built a relationship with him, even though it takes months and thereafter correct him in a kind manner, once he gains your trust and confidence. Bhai Abdul Wahhab Saheb D.B. says, “If someone is of a senior position and you are unable to correct him, then appoint a senior person to correct him. Hadrat Ali R.A. requested permission from Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam to invite his father Abu Talib towards Islam. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam didn’t permit him as the Dawat of a child won’t hold such importance in the gaze of seniors.

 

When conveying a message, we should choose an appropriate person to convey the message. Nowadays, we open people’s issues and problems before everyone, but we never confront the person involved in the wrong so that he may rectify himself. We should also do the right thing in the correct manner, not in the incorrect manner.

 

Someone stole the horse of a particular person. He was informed that so and so is the thief and has the horse in his yard. He jumped the wall of the thief at night and took his horse. The actual thief now reported him to the police for trespassing and stealing. This teaches us that the right thing must be done in the right way, not in the wrong way. He should have contacted the police first, provided proof that the horse belonged to him and get back his horse.

 

In conclusion, don’t expose the faults of people, rather correct their mistakes in a kind and compassionate manner.    

 

Khanqah Akhtari