For a long time, our minds have been conditioned to connect religiousness with outward appearances more than with a person's convictions. It has become the dominant tendency in our society to take our first impression about a person's ideology and thinking from what that person looks like. We forget other critical factors that make up a person's identity and character.
For example, it is easy for a man to let his beard grow and wear a short robe, which in Saudi society gives people the impression that he is religious. Yet, there are many important things that we do not know about this person.
Outward customs have come to carry more weight than matters of worship. This has turned matters on their heads so that societal norms have come to play an inordinate role in the conceptualization of religious law. This has led to a very narrow and constricted understanding of religious teachings for which the main impetus for conformity is the threat of public disgrace.
The Saudi societal fabric, for instance, has a predominantly shame-culture orientation. This is fine. This is not something negative in itself. A sense of shame is part of faith. However, it becomes something negative when our understanding of the sacred texts becomes crippled by fear of public censure and when the shame-culture dictates to us how we interpret the verses of the Qur'ân.
The culture of religiousness which informs the understanding of many people is one where form is given priority to content. You can see the conspicuous signs of religion everywhere and at all times, but many of those who exhibit these signs are as far as can be from Islam's guidance, magnanimity, and purity. We all to often find people behaving in ways that are diametrically opposed to Islamic teachings, which in turn gives "religiousness" a bad reputation. Certainly, the truth is not to be judged on the basis of some people's bad conduct, but taken instead from the Qur'ân and Sunnah. Nevertheless people are impressionable and are affected by what they see.
When the concept of religiousness is obscured and diluted by cultural biases and inherited tradition, it creates a society which judges religious commitment by superficial standards. This, in turn, causes a lot of people to be turned away from religion on account of the conduct they witness and experience from people their society judges to be "religious".
Those who, by society's standards, openly display a badge of piety through their outward appearance have an added responsibility to behave in a manner that will endear other people to Islam. They need to become a true reflection of Islam's lofty values and guidance to those around them. They have to be an example both to Muslims and non-Muslims.
True religiousness is not only in our confession and our appearances. It is in our behavior and in how we conduct our lives. It is the outward manifestation of the love of Allah that exists in our hearts.
Abû Hurayrah relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not look at your bodies or your outward appearances, but He looks at your hearts." [Sahîh Muslim]
In Islam, there is no intermediary between the individual and his or her Lord. This means that the crucial aspect of all of our works is what s in our hearts. The Prophet (peace e upon him) came to humanity as a warner and a giver of glad tidings to call people to Allah - to take them from the darkness of ignorance to the light of faith. In doing so, many of the long-standing traditions of the society of the time were overturned. Islam brought a true concept of religiousness that embraced all aspects of a person's life, including good manners, God-consciousness, dutifulness, eschewing sin, and even shedding tears out of awe and love of Allah.
This is why one of the seven types of people who will be "shaded by Allah on the day when there will be no shade save for His shade" is someone who "remembered Allah in solitude with eyes overflowing with tears." This world, with its delights and tribulations, is a test. Those who give preference to what is with their Lord over what others possess and who are upright, eschewing sin because they genuinely fear Allah, these are people who enjoy true religiousness.
Limiting religiousness to outward appearances and conspicuous observances is actually a disservice to Islam and is harmful for Islamic work. Proper ethical behavior and mannerly conduct is what fosters genuine religiousness. When improper conduct is linked to a superficial and traditionally-defined appearance of religion, it makes people averse to the Message.
This is why Allah says to His Messenger: "Had you been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you." [Sûrah Al 'Imrân: 159]
We really need to call non-Muslims to Islam through our good conduct, before we even say anything to them about Islam. Our good dealings with people should be more eloquent than our preaching. We should be known for our scrupulous ethics, our tolerance, and our ability to forgive.
When we make our Islamic convictions visible in public, let us at the same time be a true living example of Islam, one that people will admire, and one that will win their hearts.
