Piety enriches this life and the hereafter

Dialogues

Piety is obedience to God and reverence for Him in private and public. It is the safeguarding of the soul against anything that could corrupt it. Provision is the food a traveler carries, and it also refers to sustenance in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever fears God will provide him with a way out of every hardship, especially those caused by the wicked among people. Among the behaviors that make a person pious and equip him with what he needs in this life and the next, we mention the following:

- Purifying the heart from envy and hatred: A wise Muslim fears his Lord in private and public by striving to cleanse his heart of any form of envy and hatred toward his Muslim brothers. Piety becomes firmly established in the heart as it is purified from envy and hatred toward those with whom we share the faith. A truly pious Muslim is one who strives to meet his Creator with not even a speck of envy or hatred in his heart toward any Muslim.

- Sincerity and Trustworthiness: The pious person devotes himself to every action he undertakes and strives for trustworthiness in all that he says and does, especially in private. His sincerity and trustworthiness are provisions he needs in his life and, undoubtedly, after his death. The pious believe that their commitment to sincerity is a sign of God’s pleasure with them, and that their trustworthiness in this world will automatically transform into a reserve of good deeds that will await them in the Hereafter.

- Fearing God in refraining from harming His creation: One who fears his Lord strives to restrain his evil-commanding self from harming his Muslim brothers in any way. The Lord of Might hears and sees every moment of your life what you say and do. He rewards those who restrain their tongues from speaking ill and those who prevent their hands from harming innocent Muslims and peaceful people.

- Piety in the heart: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do not envy one another, do not inflate prices on one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut each other in trade. Be servants of God as brothers. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him, nor does he look down on him. Piety is here,” and he pointed to his chest three times. “It is sufficient evil for a person to look down upon his Muslim brother. Every Muslim is forbidden to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth, and his honor.”

A Kuwaiti writer