The Rule of Openness and Winning the Hearts
Islam, as the most complete divine religion, has room for everyone and has no limitations for accepting people. Everyone, with different colours, races, appearance, social status, and language can ascend to this peak. It is like a university without conditions for admitting new students. The doors are open to everyone. But it does not end here.
It is true that God has given everyone the opportunity to enter the path towards happiness. But one should also have the inner power that attracts people to goodness. It is like the door is open, and there is something that pulls the hearts of the people towards it.
We should all act based on these two rules of “openness” and “attraction”. But do the people really act based on these in the Islamic countries? Is everyone allowed to the mosques? Do religious people treat their enemies with kindness? Do they answer to every question people have? If it is not so, there will be a crisis. Someone should destroy the walls between people and spiritual places. Mosques should not be just Islamic exhibitions so that people could visit them every once in a while.
People also need to prepare their hearts for accepting the truth. Each person believes that his opinions are the right ones. This belief closes the heart and mind to new ideas. But people should open these closed doors and prepare themselves for accepting new ideas with open arms.
Imam Ali once persuaded a pagan to become a Muslim without much effort, just by acting based on the Islamic rules:
He was going to Kufa when he came across a pagan. They continued their way together till they got to a junction.
“Which way are you going?” asked the pagan.
“I am going to Kufa”, said Imam Ali.
“But I need to take the other path”, said the man.
Imam Ali took the second way with him. The man was surprised and asked Imam Ali why he wasn’t going to Kufa.
“I am just doing what good friends need to do. When someone says goodbye, you should accompany him or her for a short distance. This is what Prophet Muhammad taught us,” said Imam Ali.
“What a great religion and what a great prophet!” said the man.
After that, the man went to Kufa with Imam Ali and he embraced Islam after a short while.
We, too, could try to enlighten the world and to make it a better place by the use of the laws and rules of our religion.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
Backbiting= Eating the flesh of your dead brother
Backbiting is prohibited in Islam
Why Backbiting is considered a great sin?
Reasonable Grounds of Backbiting
Treatment and Penance of Backbiting
