IF a person starts telling you, whether in private or public, something that you already knew very well, pretend as if you do not know it. Do not rush to reveal your knowledge or to interfere with the speech. Instead, show your attention and concentration.

Imam Ata Bin Abi Rabah said: “A young man would tell me something that I may have heard before he was born. Nevertheless, I would listen to him as if I had never heard it before.”

Ata was a Tabi’ee, i.e. the one belonging to the generation coming after the Companions.

Khalid Bin Safwan Al-Tamimi, who frequented the courts of two Caliphs, Umar Bin Abdul Aziz and Hisham Bin Abdul Malik, said: “If a person tells you something you have heard before, or news that you already learned, do not interrupt him to exhibit your knowledge to those present. This is being rude and ill-mannered.”

Ibrahim Bin Al-Junaid said: “A wise man said to his son: ‘Learn the art of listening as you learn the art of speaking.’”

Listening well means maintaining eye contact, allowing the speaker to finish the speech, and restraining your urge to interrupt his speech. Al-Hafiz Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdadi said in a poem: “Never interrupt a talk; though you know it inside out.”

Source: Received as an Email

Fighting the evil within us is more difficult than fighting in a battlefield. 
Ibn Qayyim mentions in Za'd Al-Ma'ad the four states of Jihaad against the self:

First: To strive in learning guidance and the religion of truth, without which there will be no success. Indeed, there can be no true happiness, nor any delight in this world and in the Hereafter, except through it.

Second: Striving to act upon what has been learnt, since knowledge without action will not benefit, rather it will cause harm.

Third: Striving to invite others towards it and to teach those who do not know, otherwise you may be considered among those who hide what Allaah has revealed of guidance and clear explanation. Such knowledge will neither benefit, nor save a person from the punishment of Allaah.

Fourth: Striving to be patient and persevering against those who oppose this da'wah (call) to Allaah and those who seek to cause harm – patiently bearing all these hardships for the sake of Allaah.
 
When a person succeeds in all these four stages, he is considered to be amongst the Rabbaniyyun (Allaah's men). Early scholars have agreed that a scholar does not deserve the title of Rabbani until he recognizes and knows the truth, acts upon it, and teaches it to others. So whosoever has knowledge, acts upon it, and teaches this knowledge to others, is considered among the Rabbaniyyun.

Source: http://www.saudigazette.com

Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi

Many Hadith describe the status of two people who love one another for the sake of Allah and describe the high position in Paradise which He has promised them and the great honour which He will bestow upon them on the Day when mankind is resurrected to meet the Rabb of the Worlds: Among them is the Hadith which describes the seven whom Allah will shade on the Day when there is no shade but His:

"...a just leader; a youth who grows up worshipping Allah; a man who is deeply attached to the mosque; two men who love one another for the sake of Allah meeting for His sake and parting for His sake; a man who is called by a beautiful woman and says, I fear Allah; a man who gives charity in secret such that his left hand does not know what his right hand is doing; and a man who remembers Allah when he is alone and his eyes fill with tears." [Bukhari and Muslim]

The two who love one another for the sake of Allah are clearly shown to be among those whom Allah will shelter with His shade and upon whom He will shower His mercy and kindness. What a great honour! It is enough honour for those who love one another for the sake of Allah that their Almighty Rabb will greet them on the Day of Resurrection and say to them:

"Where are those who loved one another for My glory? Today I will shade them in My shade on the Day when there is no shade but Mine." [Muslim]

Such is the magnificent honour and tremendous reward that will be bestowed upon those who truly loved one another for the sake of Allah on that awesome Day.

Love for the sake of Allah and not for the sake of anything else in this life which is filled with greed, desires and interests, is very difficult, and none can attain it except the one who is pure of heart, for whom this world is as nothing compared to the pleasure of Allah. It is not surprising that Allah should give them a status and blessing which is commensurate with their position in this world, above whose concerns they have risen. We find proof of this in the Hadith of Mu'adth who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Allah said: 'Those who love one another for My glory, will have Minbars of light, and the Prophets and martyrs will wish that they had the same." [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said it is a Hasan Sahih Hadith]

Allah gives to those who love one another for His sake a gift which is even greater than this status and blessing: that is His precious love which is very difficult to attain. This is proven by the Hadith of Abu Hurairah in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"A man went to visit a brother of his in another village. Allah sent an angel to wait for him on the road. When the man came along, the angel asked him, 'Where do you intend to go?' He said, 'I am going to visit a brother of mine who lives in this village.' The angel asked, 'Have you done him any favor (for which you are now seeking repayment)?' He said, 'No. I just love him for the sake of Allah.' The angel told him, I am a messenger to you from Allah sent to tell you that He loves you as you love your brother for His sake."' [Muslim]

What a great love, that raises a man to a position where Allah loves him and is pleased with him!

The teaching of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) goes even further and states that the better of two brothers who love one another for the sake of Allah is the one who loves his brother more.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"No two men love one another, but the better of them is the one whose love for his brother is greater." [Reported by Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad]

Islam goes even further in spreading love in the rightly guided Muslim society by telling the Muslim that if he loves his brother, he should tell him.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"If a man loves his brother, let him tell him that he loves him." [Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, who said it is a Sahih Hadith]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) understood the impact of this strong, pure love in building societies and nations, so he never let any occasion pass without advocating this love and commanding the Muslims to announce their love for one another, in order to open hearts and spread love and purity among the ranks of the Ummah.

Anas said that a man was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when another man passed by. The first man said, "O Messenger of Allah, indeed I truly love this man." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him, "Have you let him know that?" He said, "No." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Tell him." He caught up with him and told him, "Truly I love you for the sake of Allah," and the man said, "May Allah love you who loves me for His sake." [Reported by Abu Dawud, with a Sahih Isnad]

Mu'adth began to spread this pure love among the Muslims throughout the Muslim lands, telling them what he had heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the great reward that Allah had prepared for those who loved one another for His sake, and about His great love for them. In al-Muwatta', Imam Malik gives a report with a Sahih Isnad from Abu Idris al-Khulani who said:

"I entered the mosque of Damascus, where I saw a young man who had a bright smile, and I saw the people gathered around him. When they disagreed on some matter, they referred it to him, and accepted his opinion. I asked who he was, and they told me, 'This is Mu'adth ibn Jabal." Early the next day, I went to the mosque but I found that he had arrived even earlier than I. He was praying, so I waited until he had finished, then I approached him from in front, greeted him and said, 'By Allah I love you.' He said, 'For the sake of Allah?' I said, 'For the sake of Allah'. He repeated his question, 'For the sake of Allah?' and I said, 'For the sake of Allah.' So he took hold of my collar and pulled me towards him and said, 'I have good news for you. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Allah Almighty says: 'My love is granted to those who love one another for My sake, who visit one another for My sake, and who spend on one another for My sake.'"'

Source: www.shareislam.com

Did you just say you’re bored?!

Source: www.productivemuslim.com

This is a follow-up post by Sister Khafayah to her original article on ProductiveMuslim "What's holding you back?". Sister Khafayah is a mother of four, works as a fulltime payroll manager, but more known for her great achievements as a DiscoverU LifeCoach. Her motto "Empowering the muslimah across the globe." has been received warmly by all her clients who value her coaching sessions & have achieved success with the help of Allah followed by sister Khafaya's unique coaching style. (Details of sister Khafayah found at the end of this article).

5 top tips on how to overcome the Inner chatter

We need to bring to the surface thoughts that play the same tune over and over in our minds. These thoughts range from; Natural doubts, past failures, fear of success, low esteem etc’, as well as your upbringing g and the past programming you have been subjected to have all accumulated into limiting beliefs’.

Here are 5 Top Tips! For ridding yourself of Inner chatter that does not benefit or serve you.

1. Reliance and trust in Allah

look to our greatest role models for encouragement, we need to put our trust in Allah 100 per cent, knowing that nothing can happen except by HIS will. Total trust in Allah will enable us to accomplish our wildest dreams. Hajar, Marayam, Soumaya and Asiya were all great resilient women full of drive and determination who put their trust in Allah.

Imagine you have been left in the middle of nowhere, no food, no shelter, security and a baby? How would you feel? Hajar asked Ibrahim (AS) “Has your Lord commanded you to this?” He replied in the affirmative “Yes”, then she said “ He will not abandon us”. It was her Tawwakul(Trust)that she put in Allah made her cope with such a difficult situation. Hajar embraced uncertainty, she felt the fear and accepted it.

Muhammad Ibn Abi Imran narrates that he heard someone ask Shaykh Hatim al-Asum how he reached to his level of reliance upon Allah. Shaykh Hatim al-Asum replied, "I became convinced in four things (i.e. that these four things penetrated my heart). One, I am convinced that no one else will eat the provision Allah has decreed for me, so I am content. Two, I am convinced that no one else is going to do good works except me, so I am busy doing them myself. Three, I am certain death shall come unexpectedly, so I am busying myself in expectation of it. And four, I am certain I shall never escape the sight of Allah, so I am shy to disobey Him while He is watching."

2. Self- Indulged powerful statements of positive affirmation

Affirmations are positive statements that you speak out loud when you need encouragement. They are always formatted to accentuate the positive as if the desired results have already been achieved. So, if you are being held back by self-limiting belief that you'll never be able to memorise the Qur’an , for example, you could start saying these affirmations:

· So far Allah is pleased with me I careless what anyone else thinks!

· No matter what happens, I can handle it

· Which favours of your Lord will you deny

· Just do it! Face it Head on!

· Allah will not burden the shoulder of HIS slave with what he cannot bear

· Allah knows I can handle it and that’s why HE has given me this test!

· I deserve the success that has come into my life.

Choose 3 top power statements that serve you, write them down and place them where you can see them always. If you repeat your affirmations several times in the morning, whenever you have spare time during the day, and again before you go to bed, you will be conditioning your self-conscious mind to start the process of making you successful by removing the inner chatter and barriers that are holding you back.

3. Befriend Fear

Fear of failure or success is the biggest and main obstacle that holds people back, and as a result we end up sabotaging ourselves unconsciously, at the same time hiding our self esteem. Don’t play the regret game. A great person once said “How do you know that the thing you are regretting isn’t the thing that led you to something great? There are no regrets except lessons to learn. Fear throws us off balance, giving us a sense of insecurity an uncertainty. You need to become fearless, just feel the fear and do it anyway. Whenever you walk through fear, you overcome an inner barrier that has held you back and you can now move on to new terriority. We will never exactly welcome fear, but we can learn to accept it as part of change. See your fear as an opportunity to grow and play to your strengths.

4. Commit to positive thinking!

Avoid statements such as “I can’t do it” instead start saying “How can I do this?” This way you will become more open to new possibilities and solutions. Notice the negativity in your attitude, i.e., such as, “Who will give me a job at this age?” Change it to “I will get a job at this age, how is this possible? “I feel powerless” replace it with “I empower myself by taking responsibility for my own life” Start exploring ways to make it come true! You will become more aware of your subconscious inner chatterbox and challenge the thoughts immediately.

5. Why? - think about why you are really replaying and looping a thought on over and over.

Ask yourself these questions;

· Is this thought you believe true? i.e. “I never complete a task”

· Can you absolutely say for certain it’s true?

· How do you react and feel when you believe this thought?

· If you did not have this thought, what would life be like? Close your eyes and look at your life without it, how do you feel?

· Turn this thought on its head by saying “I complete tasks!” Now how does that feel?

I will conclude with the following story;

A grandfather told his grandson, that inside all humans “There is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves."

"One wolf is evil and ugly: He is anger, envy, war, greed, self-pity, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, selfishness and arrogance."

"The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, joyful, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, justice, fairness, empathy, generosity, true, compassion, gratitude, and deep VISION.

The grandson looked up at his grandfather and asked, "Which one will win?" The grandfather replied, "The one you choose to feed!"

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If you're a sister and interested in being coached by sister Khafayah, build your self esteem, self-confidence, self worth by achieving your biggest dreams. Help banish beliefs that hold you back, get rid of procrastination,find direction and focus in your life and finally being the change you want to be! Then e-mail sister Khafayah NOW and book a lifecoach session with her. Quote ProductiveMuslim.com when you e-mail. Her e-mail is:Khafayah@discoverulife.com

The ideal Muslim character is distinct and balanced. The Muslim is the embodiment of the teachings of the Quran and the ‘Sunnah’ (sayings, actions and the approvals of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )). He follows the teachings of the Book of Allaah (i.e. Quran) and the example of the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in all affairs, relations, and situations – starting with his relationship with his Lord, his own self, his family and the people around him.

In what follows is a brief overview of some qualities of the ideal Muslim personality.

His attitude towards Allaah

One of the most distinguishing features of the (ideal) Muslim is his deep faith in Allaah, The Exalted, and his conviction that whatever happens in the universe and whatever befalls him, only happens through the will and the decree of Allaah. The Muslim is closely connected to Allaah, constantly remembers Him, puts his trust in Him and is obedient towards Him.

His faith is pure and clear, uncontaminated by any strain of ignorance, superstition or illusion. His belief and worship are based on the Quran and the authentic ‘Sunnah’.  

The Muslim is alert and open-minded to the magnificence of Allaah. He knows that it is Allaah who is in control of the affairs of the universe and of mankind, and He (Allaah) Knows all and Witnesses every secret.

A Muslim feels in the depths of his soul that he is in constant need of the help and support of Allaah, no matter how much he may think he can do for himself. He has no choice in his life but to submit to the will of Allaah, worship Him, strive towards the Right Path and do good deeds.

This will guide him to be righteous and upright in all his deeds, both in public and in private. 

A Muslim recognizes the signs of the unlimited power of Allaah in the universe, and so his faith in Allaah increases: Allaah, The Exalted, Says (what means): “Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding. Such as remember Allaah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! You created not this in vain. Glory be to You! Preserve us from the doom of Fire.” [Quran 3: 190-191]

His attitude towards his body, mind and soul

The Muslim pays due attention to his body’s physical, intellectual and spiritual needs.

He takes good care of his body, promoting its good health and strength. He is active, doesn’t eat in excess; but he eats enough to maintain his health and energy. He understands that a strong believer is more loved by Allaah than a weak believer. Allaah, The Exalted, Says (what means): “…Eat and drink; but waste not by excess, for Allaah loves not the wasters.” [Quran 7: 31]

The Muslim keeps away from drugs and stimulants. He also does not forget to exercise regularly to maintain his physical fitness.

The Muslim also keeps his body and clothes very clean. He bathes frequently. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) placed a great emphasis on cleanliness and bathing. Cleanliness makes the Muslim more likeable to people. He also takes care of his mouth and teeth.   

It is no surprise that the Muslim is concerned with his clothing and appearance. The Muslim does all of this in accordance with the Islamic ideal of moderation, avoiding the extremes of exaggeration and negligence.

Allaah Says (what means): “Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allaah which He has brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing? Say: Such, on the Day of Resurrection, will be only for those who believed during the life of the world. Thus do We detail Our revelations for people who have knowledge.” [Quran 7: 32]

As for his intellectual care, the Muslim takes care of his mind by perusing beneficial knowledge. He is responsible to seek knowledge whether it is religious or secular, so he may understand the nature and the essence of things. Allaah Says (what means): “…and say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [Quran 20: 114]

The Muslim does not forget that man is not only composed of a body and a mind, but that he also possesses a soul and a spirit, and feels a longing for higher things that make him rise above this materialistic life and scale the heights of goodness, virtue and light.

Therefore, the Muslim pays as much attention to his spiritual development as to his physical and intellectual development, in a precisely balanced fashion which does not concentrate on one aspect to the detriment of others.

His attitude towards people

With his parents, the Muslim is an example of sincere filial piety. He treats them with kindness and respect, infinite compassion, utter politeness and deep gratitude. He recognizes their status and knows his duties towards them. Allaah Says (what means): “And serve Allaah. Ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents…” [Quran 4: 36]

With his wife, the Muslim exemplifies good and kind treatment, intelligent handling, deep understanding of the nature and psychology of women, and proper fulfillment of his responsibilities and duties.

With his children, the Muslim is a parent who understands his great responsibility towards them which is, as well as flooding them with love and compassion, to pay attention to anything that may influence their Islamic development and give them proper education, so that they become active and constructive elements in society, and a source of goodness for their parents, community, and society as a whole. 

With his relatives, the Muslim maintains the ties of kinship and knows his duties towards them. He understands the high status given to relatives in Islam, which makes him keep in touch with them, no matter what the circumstances.

With his neighbors, the Muslim illustrates good treatment and consideration of others’ feelings and sensitivities. He puts up with mistreatment and turns a blind eye to his neighbor’s faults while taking care not to commit any such errors himself.

The Muslim relationship with his brothers and friends is the best and purest of relationships, for it is based on love for the sake of Allaah. He is loving, not cold towards them; he is loyal and does not betray them; he is sincere and does not cheat them; he is gentle and never harsh; he is tolerant and forgiving; he is generous and he supplicates for them (his brothers and friends).

In his social relationships with all people, the Muslim is well-mannered, civil and noble, characterized by the attitudes which Islam encourages.

The Muslim does not envy others. He fulfils his promises. He has the attitude of shyness. He is cheerful. He is not pushy. He is patient. He avoids slandering or uttering obscenities. He does not unjustly accuse others. He is shy and modest. He does not interfere in that which does not concern him. He refrains from gossiping, spreading slander and stirring up trouble. He avoids false speech and suspicion. When he is entrusted with a secret, he keeps it. He is modest and never arrogant. He does not make fun of anyone. He respects his elders. He mixes with the best of people.  He strives to reconcile between the Muslims. He calls others to Islam with wisdom and beautiful preaching. He visits the sick and attends funerals. He returns favors and is grateful for them. He guides people to do good. He always likes to make things easy and not difficult.

The Muslim is fair in his judgements. He is not a hypocrite, a sycophant or a show-off. He does not boast about his deeds and achievements. He is straightforward and is never devious or twisted, no matter what the circumstances. He loves noble things and hates foolishness. He is generous and does not remind others of his gifts or favors. He is hospitable and does not complain when a guest comes to him. He prefers others to himself as much as possible. He relieves the burden of the debtor. He is proud and does not think of begging.

Source: www.islamweb.net

The Muslim community is based on sincerity, purity of human feelings and fulfillment of rights and needs to every member.

The Muslim has a mission in life. Within the community he calls the people to Islam with good preaching and the best character. He teaches from what he learns and deals with those whom he comes in contact with based on Islamic values and morals. All this is done seeking the pleasure of Allaah, the Exalted, while striving to attain the reward of His Paradise.

Wherever the Muslim is, he should be a beacon of guidance and a positive source of correction and education, through both his words and deeds.

The true Muslim has a refined social personality of the highest degree, which qualifies him to undertake his duty of calling others to Islam. He demonstrates the true values of his religion and the practical application of those values by attaining beautiful Islamic attributes. His distinct social character represents a huge store of Islamic values, which can be seen by the way in which he interacts with the people around him.

The Muslim, as Islam meant him to be, is a unique and remarkable person in his attitude, conduct and relationships with others at all levels. He treats them well by being friendly with them, humble, gentle of speech and avoiding offence. He likes others and is liked by them. He tries to follow the example of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) as he was the best of people in his attitude towards others. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Nothing will weigh more heavily in the Balance of the believing slave on the Day of Resurrection than a good attitude towards others.”  [At-Tirmithi]

Because Islam is based on truthfulness, the Muslim is always truthful with all people. Truthfulness leads to goodness and goodness leads to Paradise. Therefore the Muslim strives to be true in all his words and deeds.

The Muslim never gives false statements, because this attitude is forbidden in the Quran. Allaah, the Most Glorified, Says (what means): “…And shun the word that is false.” [Quran 22: 30]

The Muslim seeks to offer sincere advice to everyone he comes in contact with. It’s not just the matter of volunteering to do good out of generosity; it is a duty enjoined by Islam. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said “( The essence of) Religion is (offering sincere) advice.” [Muslim]

By the favor of Allaah, the Muslim is a guide for others to righteous deeds, whether by his actions or words. He never cheats, deceives or stabs in the back. These shameful acts are beneath him, as they contradict the values of truthfulness. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said:  “…whoever cheats is not one of us.” [Muslim]

When the Muslim promises something, he means to keep his promise. This attitude stems naturally from truthfulness, and indicates the high level of civility attained by the one who exhibits it. Allaah Says (what means): “And fulfill every engagement, for [every] engagement will be enquired into [on the Day of Reckoning].” [Quran 17: 34]

One of the worst characteristics that Islam abhors is hypocrisy, therefore the Muslim can never be a hypocrite; he is frank and open in his words and opinions. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “One of the worst people is a double-faced man, who comes to one group with one face and to another group with a totally different face.” [Al-Bukhaari]

Islam does not approve of begging. It makes it a sin that a person should beg when he has enough to satisfy his immediate needs. Therefore, the Muslim does not beg. If he is faced with difficulty and poverty, he seeks refuge in patience, whilst doubling his effort to find a way out. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Whoever refrains from asking from people, Allaah will help him…” [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

A sign of one's excellence in Islam, is his ignoring what does not concern him. The Muslim should only participate in what concerns him, such as anything that is his property, right, obligation or under his control. To be concerned with something entails preserving and taking care of this thing that one is allowed to be concerned with. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “A sign of a person’s being a good Muslim is that he should leave alone that which does not concern him.” [At-Tirmithi]

The Muslim never searches for people’s faults or slander their honor. He doesn’t slip into the error of pride, boasting and showing off. He judges fairly, is never unjust (even to those whom he does not like) or biased by his own whims, and avoids suspicion. He does not rejoice in the misfortunes of anyone. He carefully avoids uttering any word of slander, cursing, malicious gossip and foul language.

He does not make fun of people but is gentle, kind, compassionate and merciful, strives for people’s benefit and seeks to protect and help them.

One of the virtues of such a great value and importance that Islam, not only recommends, but also orders Muslims to characterize themselves with, is generosity. Therefore, the Muslim is generous and gives freely without waste to those who are in need. When he gives, he does not remind people of his generosity. He is patient, tries hard to control his anger and is forgiving. He does not bear grudges or resentments, and is easy on people, not hard.

One of the worst diseases of the heart is envy, which leads to foul conduct and bad behavior. Therefore the Muslim is not envious, because he knows that the pleasures of this life are as nothing in comparison to the reward that Allaah has prepared for the believers, and that whatever happens in life happens according to the decree of Allaah.

The Muslim, who truly understands the teachings of his religion, is gentle, friendly, cheerful and warm. He mixes with people and gets along with them. He is humble and modest; and does not look down at other people. He is lighthearted and has a sense of humor and does not disdain others. His jokes are distinguished by their legitimate Islamic nature. He is keen to bring happiness to people. It is an effective means of conveying the message of truth to them, and exposing them to its moral values, because people only listen to those whom they like, trust and accept.

The Muslim keeps secrets; keeping secrets is a sign of maturity, moral strength, wisdom and balanced personality. He is concerned about the affairs of people in general. He is happy to welcome his guests and hastens to honor them.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Every religion has a (distinct) characteristic and the characteristic of Islam is modesty.”  [Ibn Maajah]

The Muslim adheres to the principle of modesty in all things. He does not accept every custom that is widely accepted by others, for there may be customs which go against Islam.

The Muslim does not enter a house other than his own without seeking permission and greeting people. He sits wherever he finds room when he joins a gathering. He avoids whispering and conversing privately when he is in a group of three. He gives due respect to elders and those who deserve to be respected (like scholars etc.).

Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "Invite mankind to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious." [Quran 16:125]

The Muslim is aware of his duty to call others to Islam, and does not spare any effort to do so. He enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil and mixes with righteous people. He visits the sick cheerfully. He attends the funeral of the Muslim and accompanies the body until it is buried.

Source: www.islamweb.net

Abu Huraira reported Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) as saying: Verily. Allaah would say on the Day of Resurrection: Where are those who have mutual love for My Glory's sake? Today I shall shelter them in My shadow when there is no other shadow but the shadow of Mine. (Muslim, 6225)

Imam Ali Ibn Abi al 'Izz al Hanafi   

(False) security and despair are ways leading out of the folds of the community of Muslims. The right attitude for the people of the Qiblah lies between the two.
That is to say, a slave should remain between fear and hope. For, the right and the approved kind of fear is that which acts as a barrier between the slave and the things forbidden by Allah. But, if fear is excessive, then the possibility is that the man will fall into despair and pessimism. 

On the other hand the approved state of optimism is of a man who does good in the light of the Shari'ah and is hopeful of being rewarded for it. Or, conversely, if a man committed a sin, he repents sincerely, and is hopeful of being forgiven. Allah (swt) said:

"Verily, those who believed, and those who migrated and fought in the way of Allah, it is they who are hopeful of Allah's mercy. And Allah is very Forgiving, very Merciful." (Al-Baqarah, 218)

In contrast, if a man indulges in sins and excesses, but is hopeful that he would be forgiven without doing anything good, then, this is self-deception, mere illusion and false hope. Abu 'All Rowzbari has said, "Fear and hope are like the two wings of a bird. If they are well balanced, the flight will be well balanced. But, If one is stunted, the Right would also be stunted. And, to be sure, if the two are lost, the bird will soon be in the throes of death." Allah has praised the people of hope and fear in the following verse:

'Is one who worships devotedly during the night, prostrating himself or standing, fearing the Hereafter, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (is equal to him who doesn't do these things)?' (Al Zumar, 9)

Hope then also demands fear.  If that was not the case, one would be in a state of false security.  Conversely, fear demands hope.  Without that it would be despair.

Source: www.idealmuslimah.com