One of the most important characteristics of the Islamic Ummah (nation) is that it is unique and independent, as confirmed by the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
{You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.}[Quran 3:110]
{And thus We have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.} [Quran 2:143]
Ibn Katheer said, “‘Just’ here stands for the ‘best’.” In the noble Sunnah, there are many Hadeeths which confirm the independence and eminence of the Muslim Ummah:
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, , said: “Do the opposite of what the polytheists do: let the beards grow and trim the mustaches.” [Al-Bukhari]
Uniqueness is required even in clothing. A Muslim should have a good appearance as the Messenger of Allah, , said: “Set right your saddles and clothing in order that you would seem distinguished [i.e. in tidiness and gracefulness] in the sight of the people. Indeed, Allah The Almighty does not like indecency or acting indecently [even by not keeping a good appearance].”
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, , said: “Whoever has hair, let him treat it well.” [Abu Daawood]
As the Muslim family is the first cell of the Muslim community, this characteristic should be inherent in it.
It is not selfishness to seek to have one’s family distinguished from all the other families. On the contrary, it is a Sharee‘ah-recommended demand to which Allah The Almighty drew attention in the Quran when He Says that Zakariyya (Zechariah), may Allah exalt his mention, said (what means): {“So give me from Yourself an heir who will inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You].”} [Quran 19:5-6]
In the Quran, Allah The Almighty Says that Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael), may Allah exalt their mention, said (what means): {Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.} [Quran 2:128]
Allah The Most Merciful Says (what means): {And those who say, “Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.”}[Quran 25:74]
And, even in the position of closeness to Allah The Almighty, Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention, did not forget his offspring; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And [mention, O Muhammad], when Ibraaheem was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] Said, “Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people.” [Ibraaheem] said, “And of my descendants?” [Allah] Said, “My Covenant does not include the wrongdoers.”}[Quran 2:124]
Having a unique family is a dire necessity particularly at this time where there are a lot of variations and specialties. Many families do not know which kind of uniqueness they should have and live with no goal or program for their life; the sole distinction they may have is limited to a set of petty objectives, like success in school, or getting a car.
The uniqueness required by Islam is the uniqueness of personality, glowing thought, serious work, and sublime goals. Muslims will not be able to restore their reverence and position among other nations unless they revive their uniqueness even to the least degree, and the least amount of eminence is that a Muslim individual should counterbalance, with his scientific excellence in his specialty, two of the disbelievers, in compliance with the statement of Allah The Almighty (what means): {Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.} [Quran 8:66]
The ratio in the battle should be one of the Muslims versus two of the polytheists, i.e. 1:2. This verse is precise and not abrogated, which means that it would remain in force until the Day of Judgment.
If this is obligatory in military terms, it should be more obligatory in life’s struggles.
Please note that the “obligatory” here is not intended to give the same juristic meaning, but what is intended thereby is confirmation. A Muslim physician should be, by virtue of his medical knowledge and experience, equal to two physicians from among the polytheists; a Muslim poet should be equal to two poets from among the polytheists, and so on. That is the least degree of uniqueness about which we should endeavor to bring up our families.
There are many practical steps to make the family distinguished, including:
· Asking Allah The Almighty for uniqueness. The Quran instructs us more than once to do that. Allah The Almighty Says, relating about Zakariyya (Zechariah), may Allah exalt his mention, (what means): {At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, “My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.”} [Quran 3:38] Thus, Zakariyya (Zechariah), may Allah exalt his mention, asked his Lord for his descendants to be good. Allah The Almighty Says that Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt his mention, said (what means): {“My Lord, Grant me [a child] from among the righteous.”} [Quran 37:100]
· Giving children good names and describing them with good attributes, as the Prophet, did. Indeed, such titles have an important role in the life of man, who, in turn, does his best to make himself worthy of that particular title. That happened with Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them. In this respect, it is narrated on the authority of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him, that once, the Prophet, , took out Al-Hasan and ascended the pulpit with him, and then addressed the people saying: “This son of mine is a Sayyid [master], and perhaps Allah will bring about through him reconciliation between two factions of Muslims.” [Al-Bukhari]
That title was not given to Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, in vain: he was the master of the situation when he gave up the office of Caliphate to Mu‘aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with them. In this way, all the Muslims assembled around one man, and for this reason, that year was called the Year of Assembly.
· From among the titles that have a good effect on children, we can mention “Saahib Al-Himmah” (He who has zeal), “Abu Al-Ma‘aali” (One with High Ambitions), “Al-Haafith” (The Keeper), “Al-‘Afeefah” (Chaste Woman), “Ath-Thiqah” (The Reliable), “As-Sadooq” (The Truthful), as well as all other titles which motivate children to do their best to adhere to those attributes, and seek to be distinguished by them.
· To be concerned with helping the mother to be a distinguished mother, and raising her above the level of thw trivialities and follies in which some women of this age live.
· To clarify the criteria of success and uniqueness. A lot of children do not know the criteria of real success and when a Muslim is considered to have failed or succeeded. This is one of the serious matters to be clarified. For instance, children should learn that the principal criterion of success is whether the target achieved would please Allah The Almighty or not. This means that a lot of things thought to be successful are not really so when measured by the criterion of whether it attains Allah’s pleasure.
· To teach children the biographies of the eminent and distinguished persons who served their Ummah, like the prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, the righteous people, and Mujaahids (holy warriors) and what they presented to their Ummah. Parents should accompany their children to meet righteous scholars and attend their gatherings. The effect is such that according to a certain study, 63% of famous persons were introduced to celebrities at an early age. Children should also be instructed to memorizing poetry that encourages ambition.
· To seek to be distinguished and achieve family uniqueness is an essential necessity and not a social or moral luxury. It is a necessity imposed upon us by our fiducial and moral duty and it is one of the means of Da‘wah (propagation), for many people would not enter Islam unless Muslims seem eminent in all fields.