Comprehensive view of righteousness

Righteousness does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or west; true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away ones property in love of Him to ones kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves and in establishing prayer and dispensing the Zakat. True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and at the time of battle (between Truth and falsehood). Such are the truthful ones; such are the God-fearing. (Al-Baqrah: 177)We often conceive righteousness in very narrow terms of rites and rituals such as offering prayers, keeping fast, paying Zakat and performing pilgrimage. Beyond this certain other acts such as growing beard, wearing flowing garments, using miswak and mixing a lot of Arabic terms in conversation has come to be included under its ambit. But this verse of Surah Baqrah provides a very comprehensive view of the righteousness. It embraces basic precepts of Deen such as belief in Allah, His Prophets, Angels, Books, the Day of Judgment as well as helping build an inclusive society where every individual takes care of his fellow beings. The essence of righteousness lies in fulfilling the needs of the needy, sharing their grief, providing succour and helping the wayfarers, and sacrificing his own resources for his kinsmen and in freeing slaves. It also includes honouring promises and remaining steadfast in adversity and in times of battles and when tragedies strike in the way of Allah. Thus a comprehensive view of righteous behaviour combines both the prayers, supplication, and prescribed rites and rituals and the duties towards the fellow human beings. If rituals are removed, the religion might be reduced to mere social service.And if the duties towards the fellow beings are neglected, the religion would be rendered a bundle of rites and rituals.Culled from islamicvoice.com
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