The Characteristics of the Creative Mu’min – The Creative Mu’min | A Moment Please

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent

Alhamdulillah.. infinite thanks and praise are due to the Almighty Allah, who brought us into existence, and to whom we shall return. Complete peace and salutations are upon the most humbly submissive servant of Allah, Sayyiduna Muhammad, his household, his companions and all those who follow his guided path.

Every human being is, arguably creative in doing something, in one way or another. However, some creativities are more worthwhile than others. And the most worthwhile form of creativity is the one that makes you a humble servant of Allah.

As a Muslim, this article invites you to cherish one certain form of creativity if you already embrace it. If not, then this is an invitation for you, to embrace it and nurture it in yourself. That’s to be a creative believer… or a Creative Mu’min!

But what does it mean to be a Creative Believer or Creative Mu’min? And how to be one?

This article elaborates and supplements episode 42 of the “A Moment Please!” series, which has briefly answered that question.

So get your cup of coffee or tea, and spare the next 9 minutes to watch the video below (if you haven’t already) before diving further in the article.

Let’s do this… Bismillah.

What is a Creative Believer?

It’s undeniable that most of us, if not all, love creative people. And we like being or being seen as creatives.

This is because, besides being productive, creativity makes us comfortable, and that brings us happiness. However, you have to go out of your comfort zone to attain any form of comfort that creativity can earn you.

So, who is a creative believer or a creative Mu’min?

A creative believer, or a creative Mu’min is the one, who goes out of his comfort zone to attain Allah’s pleasure. Regardless of how people may perceive him. Needless to say, no success is attained while we remain in our comfort zones.

In other words, instead of finding creative ways to stay away from Allah and His commands, a Creative Believer, or a Creative Mu’min finds creative ways to stay close to Allah, in a way that was approved by Allah and practiced or demonstrated by the Messenger of Allah, The Prophet Muhammad, ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam.

In a Hadith, reported by Imam al-Bukhari (16) and Muslim (43), from the narration of Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik, the Messenger of Allah says:

ثَلاثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ حَلاوَةَ الإِيمَانِ: أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا، وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ المَرْءَ لا يُحِبُّهُ إِلا لِلَّهِ، وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الكُفْرِ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ فِي النَّارِ.

“There are three characteristics, whoever they are found in him, has attained the sweetness of Iman: When one loves Allah and His Messenger, more than he loves anyone else. When he loves another person, for nothing but for the sake of Allah. And when he hates to return to infidelity (Kufr), as much as he dislikes to be thrown into fire.”

The three qualities highlighted in the above-mentioned hadith, which when observed guarantees you sweetness of Iman, require a decent level of creativity to observe them successfully. Especially the first one, which is to love Allah and His Messenger more than you do anyone and anything, your should included. If you are able to prioritise Allah over anything and anyone, then rest assured that you possess 80% of the elements required to be a creative believer or a creative Mu’min.

So, how to be a Creative Believer or a Creative Mu’min? Or differently put, what do creative believers and creative Mu’minin do?

How to be A Creative Believer?

There are various permissible ways the Muslim becomes a Creative Believer or a Creative Mu’min. In this article, I’m sharing only four examples to illustrate how you and I can follow to be Creative Mu’minin or Creative Believers. By the will of Allah.

A Creative Mu’min Never Misses His Prayer

First, a creative believer or a creative Mu’min is punctual in establishing his obligatory prayers. Needless to mention missing a prayer is out of the discussion.

A creative believer or a creative Mu’min may be the busiest person in town or at the workplace. But he would find creative ways to perform his prayer, no matter what circumstance he finds himself in.

A creative Mu’min makes no excuses nor does he find creative reasons, whatsoever, to miss his prayer, or justify missing his prayer. Therefore, to the one who strives to be a Creative believer or a creative Mu’min, being busy or overwhelmed by work can’t be an acceptable justification for missing prayers.

In Surah al-Mu’minun, Allah highlights some qualities of the believers, in one of which He says:

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

“and they those who carefully maintain their prayers.” (Surah al-Mu’minun, 23:9).

Check out the following link to learn how to avoid missing your daily obligatory prayers.

A Creative Mu’min Avoids Causing Injustice to Others

Second, a creative believer or a Creative Mu’min finds all the means possible to avoid harming others or taking their rights. At the same, he doesn’t allow himself to be bullied, or his right to be taken easily. A Creative Mu’min doesn’t justify his wrong actions against others. Instead, he finds ways to correct them accordingly.

In a hadith, reported by Imam Muslim (2578) from the narration of Sayyiduna Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah, the Messenger of Allah ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam says:

اتَّقُوا الظُّلْمَ، فإنَّ الظُّلْمَ ظُلُماتٌ يَومَ القِيامَةِ، واتَّقُوا الشُّحَّ، فإنَّ الشُّحَّ أهْلَكَ مَن كانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، حَمَلَهُمْ علَى أنْ سَفَكُوادِماءَهُمْ واسْتَحَلُّوا مَحارِمَهُمْ.

“Beware of injustice, for injustice will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection, And beware of stinginess because it doomed those who were before you. It incited them to shed blood and treat the unlawful as lawful.”

Causing harm to others doesn’t only have to be physical. It can be emotional. It can be mental. It can be financial and what have you. Do you know, that spreading fake news is actually a form of causing harm to other?

A Creative Mu’min Stays Away from Riba by All Means

Third, a Creative Believer or a Creative Mu’min finds creative ways to avoid riba. A creative Mu’min makes no excuses nor finds creative reasons and ways, whatsoever, to consume or accumulate riba under any beautified name. The creative Mu’min knows pretty well, that he can’t stand a war from Allah and His Messenger, let a lone win that war.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ.‏ فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ ‎

“Believers, fear Allah, and give up what is still due to you from riba, if you are true believers. For, if you do not do so, then know that you are at war with Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may retain your capital. Do not wrong others and do not be wronged.” (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:278-279).

As much as the Muslim must avoid riba, even if he will go bankrupt, he must avoid any means of accumulating haram income. Haram income doesn’t only affect you, if you accumulate it. Haram income affects you and anyone whom you feed with it. Think of your children and household.

A Creative Mu’min Distances Himself from Road to Zina

And Forth, a Creative Believer or a Creative Mu’min finds creative reasons to avoid zina and all indecent relationships that lead to zina.

Committing adultery is one of the major sins the Muslim may commit. It’s also evident the deepness of its negative impact of indulging in zina, be it at individual level, community level or societal level.

A creative Mu’min makes no excuses nor finds creative justifications, whatsoever to dive into more zina, and zina related activities. Here are 15 dangers of zina every Muslim should know.

A creative Believer is fully aware of his human desires, which can easily derail him from the path to Allah. So he’s sensitive to that…

وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنَىٰ، إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَسَاءَ سَبِيلًا

“Do not go close to adultery, for it is an indecent thing and an evil course.” (Surah al-Isra’, 17:32).

Committing zina is the outcome of many acts and interactions. Watching pornography is one. Surrounding one’s self with bad influence is another.

Let’s Wrap Up!

In a nutshell, a creative Mu’min finds creative ways to submit to Allah and follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. A creative Mu’min makes no excuses nor finds creative reasons to reject or defy Allah’s command, and in doing so follows the footsteps of Shaytan.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ، وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ

“Believers! Do not follow in the footsteps of Shayṭān. Whoever follows in the footsteps of the Shayṭān should know that he enjoins only indecency and evil.” (Surah al-Nur, 24:21)

To conclude, I must emphasize that, the Muslim must be honest with Allah, to be able to develop the courage it takes to establish the core elements of the Creative Mu’min or the Creative Believer.

At the end of the day, when you succeed in developing the personality of the Creative Believer or the Creative Mu’min, you’ll achieve a significant percentage in the process of cooking your own Nasi Lemak.

May Allah grant us the courage we need to fine tune our dunya for the best interest of our akhirah.

Until our next, I leave you in Allah’s protection. See you… and see you in Jannah.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum.

Allahu Hafiz ☺