FERVOR AND COURAGE WHICH IS PRAISEWORTHY

The criterion here is that the only fervor or courage which is praiseworthy is that which has been praised by Allah and His Prophet (sas). Allah is the one whose praise is beauty and whose censure is dishonor, and this is to no one other than Allah, neither poet, nor orator, nor anyone else. Thus, when an Arab from the tribe of Bani Tameem said to the Prophet (sas) “My praise is beautification, and my censure is disgrace”, the Prophet said to him: “That is Allah!”.

Allah has praised courage and forbearance in His path, as in the sahih, narrated by Abu Musa Al-Ash’ariy (may Allah be pleased with him):

It was said to the Prophet: A man may fight out of courage, and he may fight out of fervor and excitement, and he may fight to be seen by others, so which of those are (truly) in the path of Allah? The Prophet said: Whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be uppermost is in the path of Allah.”

Just as Allah said:

[And fight them until there is no more chaos and discord, and all religion is solely for Allah] Qur’an 8/39

This, in fact, is the purpose for which Allah has created mankind, as He said:

[And I have not created the jinn and humankind except that they may worship Me.] Qur’an 51/56

Thus any act which is in pursuit of the overall goal for which the entire creation has been created is praiseworthy in the sight of Allah; and it is that which has some remaining benefit for its doer, and Allah will benefit him because of it. These then are the righteous deeds (Al-a’maal As-Saalihaat) referred to in the Qur’an. In this regard, people can be divided into four categories:

1) Those who strive and work for the sake of Allah with courage and forbearance. These are the believers who deserve the reward of paradise.

2) Those who strive and work for other than Allah with courage and forbearance. These benefit from their efforts in this life, and there is nothing of that for them in the hereafter.

3) Those who work for Allah, but without courage and without forbearance. These have an element of hypocrisy (nifaaq) and lack of faith (imaan) to the degree of their cowardice and discontent.

4) Those who do not work for Allah, and who have no courage and no forbearance. These have no share neither in this world nor in the hereafter.