In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful 

 

(Extracted from the teachings of Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi)

 

• Learn your religion as much as is needed, either by reading books or by asking scholars.

• Protect yourself from every sin.

• If sin is committed, immediately repent and ask forgiveness (tau’bah).

• Do not violate the rights of others; do not harm others by tongue or hand. Do not say negative things about others.

• Do not keep the love of wealth and the desire of a “big name” in your heart, and do not excessively engage in seeking superior food and superior clothes.

• If someone points out your mistake, do not argue, immediately accept it and repent from it.

• Do not travel, except for a great need, as during travel you decrease in wariness and a lot of undesirable things happen, a lot of good deeds are missed, your daily routine of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) is interrupted and nothing happens on its proper time.

• Do not laugh excessively and do not talk excessively, and take special care to avoid talking with strangers of the opposite gender (ghair-mahram) frankly and freely.

• Do not quarrel or argue with others.

• Be aware of the orders of the Shariah every moment of your life.

• Do not be lazy for worship.

• Spend most of the time alone in solitude.

• If you have to mingle with others then be the most humble to others, serve others, and do not show pride.

• And mingle minimally with the rich.

• Stay away from the irreligious person.

• Do not find faults in others, do not have bad opinion about others, keep your eye on your own shortcoming and try to fix them.

• Try to fulfill your prayers (Salah) in best possible way on the right time with full attentiveness.

• Constantly remember your Lord either through tongue or heart, and do not let any time be wasted.

• If you feel pleasure in remembering Allah, and you feel joy, then thank your Lord for this.

• Be polite.

• Organize a timetable for all your work, and thoroughly stick to it.

• What ever loss or sorrow you come across, believe it is from Allah and do not worry about it and remind yourself that “I will get reward for this difficulty”.

• Do not keep the accounts of worldly affairs in your heart and do not talk and discuss about worldly matters all the time; instead think about your Lord.

• Benefit others as much you can: either worldly benefit or religious benefit.

• Do not decrease your food and drink to such a degree that it will make you sick; on the other hand do not increase it so much that it will make you lazy during worship.

• Do not hope to get benefit/profit from other than Allah; do not let your thoughts wander such that you think “we might get benefit from so and so”.

• Eagerly and restlessly seek your lord.

• For a blessing either small or large, be thankful to your Lord for it, and do not be despaired by poverty.

• Forgive the mistakes and faults of people under your authority.

• Hide the faults of others, but if someone is trying to harm someone, and you happen to know about it, then inform that person (i.e. the one who might get harmed).

• Serve guests, travelers, the poor, scholars and the elderly.

• Keep righteous company.

• Fear you Lord all the time.

• Remember death.

• Ponder and go though the events of your day; if you remember a good deed, thank your Lord for it and if you remember a sin, seek repentance

• Do not tell lies on any condition.

• Do not attend unlawful gatherings.

• Live the life of modesty and forbearance.

• Do not be proud.