"To be in Islam is to act with virtue, modesty, compassion, peacefulness, forbearance, Allah's three thousand gracious attributes, His unity, His tranquility, and His equality. Islam embraces all equally in both joy and sorrow. If one is hungry, all are hungry. If one is sad, all are sad. If one is happy, all are happy.
"In this state of Islam, if we have a quarrel with somebody after the afternoon prayer, we must make peace, and embrace each other by the time of the early evening prayer. Any evil influences created must be thrown away before the next time of prayer. We must ask God for forgiveness for the faults we committed and strive for repentance. For what is happening now, during this very breath, we must glorify His name. And we must surrender co God the next breath, the next time of prayer to come. Whether or not we are alive in the next moment is Allah's will. May His will be fulfilled. If we have this faith with perfect certitude, if we have this intention with every breath, if we can acquire His qualities and His actions, then that is the state of Islam lived by true believers.
"Whatever suffering each one of us faces, we must have patience. If we undergo even greater suffering, we must have contentment. If we undergo still greater difficulty we must surrender it to God. And when our suffering extends yet further, beyond our endurance, we can do nothing but praise Him. This is Islam &151; to praise Allah for whatever happens.
"To worry about what has happened before or what is to come later is not Islam. If one constantly worries about what has gone by, his heart will be filled with grief and darkness. Grief and darkness are not Islam. Envy, jealousy, and treachery are not Islam. For what has gone by, all we can do is ask for forgiveness and strive for repentance, and then complete whatever needs to be done now. This is the correct state of Islam, the state that a man who is a true believer must attain.
If our hearts attain this state of clarity, we will never see differences anywhere. If His qualities develop in us, we will never show discrimination toward anyone. Allah does not see any differences. Truth sees no differences. The prayer that accepts Allah as the only One worthy of worship sees no divisions. His equality and His peacefulness do not see any differences. Islam brings that equality and that peacefulness to every heart. It demonstrates unity and compassion to every heart.
"Just getting together and talking about these things is not the true voice of Islam. Islam is not idle talk. In order to give voice to Islam, we must bring these words into our hearts, make them steadfast within us, and then act accordingly. We must praise Allah saying, 'All praise is to You,' greet His prophets, saying, 'God bless them and grant them peace,' and greet those who have faith, saying, 'May the peace of God be upon you.' That is the true voice of Islam. Coming together to glorify Allah alone is Islam."
