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Islam is a religion that is often misunderstood and understated with regards to its perspectives regarding reality, philosophy, humanity, psychology and life in general. Islam is a religion that stems from the primary texts which is the quran and sunnah. However, how those texts impact the adherents minds differs with respect to how much a person benefits from those texts with sincerity. Often such sincerity is not seen in society and thus the benefits of the texts are as mentioned become negligible before people. However, there were people who did benefit greatly and who changed themselves with respect to how they viewed life as well as how they approached life based on their philosophy. There are still such people although not very prevalent or perhaps rare. Sincerity often takes precedence over actions because actions without intentions and understanding are merely rituals. However, actions even small with understanding of why such actions are performed carry great weight before Allah. Islam is a religion that emphasizes self-induced transformation, simplicity, thoughtfulness with regards to paying heed to a divine existence, resonating with the inner conscience and thus being content with oneself, understanding humanity as more than just a body with pleasures and desires, discipline through rising above one's weakness and arrogance, and certainty in oneself upon understanding that beyond the false hopes and deceptive hubris of this ephemeral world lies genuine hope which is born through trust in a divine being (God (Allah)) who grants patience and tranquility in exchange for obedience. Here are some quotes to reflect that.

Abu Bakr (a noble companion of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the first caliph) said:"O people, ask Allah for well-being (physical, but especially spiritual, well-being; and also, well-being in the Hereafter), for with the exception of certainty of Faith, there is nothing better that He gives to anyone than well-being. Always be truthful, for truthfulness is the companion of piety - and both of them are in Paradise (i.e., the truthful and pious person is in Paradise). And beware of lying, for it is indeed the companion off wickedness, and both of them are in the Hellfire. Do not break off ties of family relationships; do not plot against one another; do not despise one another; do not be jealous of one another - but instead be slaves of Allah, brothers unto one another." (Saheeh At-tawtheeq Fee Seerah Wa-Hayaat As-Siddeeq (pg. 179))

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) supplicated: O Allah, You do indeed hear my speech and see where I am; and You know both what I keep inside of me as a secret and what I outwardly show (to the people); nothing of mine is hidden from You. I am poor and needy (to You); I ask for Your help and I seek refuge with You; I am frightened and fearful (of You and Your punishment). I admit and acknowledge all of my sins. As a poor person I ask of You; and as a humble sinner I ardently supplicate to You. I supplicate to You in the way someone who is fearful and blind supplicates, in the way a person supplicates who submits his neck to You, who cries profusely for You, who humbles his body (before You), and who humbles his nose (on the ground during prostration) for You. O Allah, O my Lord, do not make me unhappy in regard to my supplication to You (i.e., answer my prayers), and be compassionate, gracious and merciful to me, O You Who are the best among those who are asked, and the best among those who give.'" (As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah by An-Nadawee (pg 389))

Umar ibn Al-Khattab (the second caliph) said: The people will be honest with their ruler as long as the ruler is honest with Allah, and if the ruler is dishonest, the people will be dishonest. (Mawsoo'at Fiqh 'Umar ibn al-khattab, by Dr. Muhammad Qal-aji, p 146)

Abu Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah (a companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) during the time of his death said: "I will give you some advice which, if you accept it, you will be fine so long as you live and after you die: establish regular prayer, pay zakah, fast, give in charity, perform Hajj and Umrah, uphold ties with one another, love one another, be sincere to your rulers and do not deceive them, and do not be distracted by this world. If man lived to be a thousand years old, he would still end up as I am now (i.e., dying). Allah has decreed death for the sons of Adam and they will surely die. The cleverest among them is the one who is most obedient to his Lord and who strives hardest for his Hereafter." (Al-Iktifa', 3/306)

When a great deal of wealth was brought before Umar ibn al-khattab, he started weeping and when he was asked as to why he was weeping he said: Allah never gives this to a people but they start to envy one another and hate one another, and if they start to envy one another that will cause enmity and division among them. (Op. cit., 4/480)

During the time of Umar ibn Al-Khattab when the judicial system was developed as a independent department of the government of a region, he wrote out some principles for judges as to how a judge should resolve disputes: "Judging is a confirmed obligation and a way to be followed. Try to understand when cases are presented to you, for there is no use in a person presenting his case if it is not understood. Treat people equally when you address them so that no noble man will hope that you will side with him unfairly and no weak man will despair of your justice. The burden of proof rests with the plaintiff and the oath is required of one who denies it. It is permissible to make a deal between muslims, except a deal that permits something that is forbidden or forbids something that is permitted. If you passed a judgment yesterday then examined it further in your mind and are guided to a different conclusion, then that should not prevent you from returning to the truth, for truth is eternal, and returning to the truth is better than persisting in falsehood. Examine carefully each issue which you are unsure about, where there is no text in the Qur'an and Sunnah, and try to find a similar case; draw analogies and see which is more likely to be pleasing to Allah and closest to the truth. Whoever claims that someone owes him some dues, set a time limit for him to produce his evidence. If he produces evidence, then restore his rights to him; otherwise ask him to drop his claim. That is better so as to eliminate any doubt. The Muslims are basically of good character, except one who has been lashed as a hadd punishment or who is known for bearing false witness. Allah is in charge of what is hidden in people's hearts. Judgment must be based on evidence and oaths. Beware of becoming impatient, because judging in accordance with truth bring a great reward from Allah and stores up a great deal of reward (in the Hereafter). Whoever has a good intention and checks himself, Allah will be sufficient for him (and he need not worry about people), but whoever shows an attitude to people which Allah knows is not his true attitude, Allah will expose him. Think of the reward of Allah in this world and in the Hereafter. And peace (be upon you)." (I'lam al-Muwwaqqi'een by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/85).

Umar ibn Al-Khattab said in a speech to the people he ruled over: I am very keen not to leave any need without meeting it,so long as we are flexible with one another. If that is not possible then we should support one another until we are all equal and have enough to survive. I wish you knew what I have in my heart for you, but there is no way for you to know except by my actions. By Allah, I am not a king to enslave you; rather I am a slave of Allah who has been given a trust. If I keep away from the public wealth and I spend it on you and make sure that you all have enough food and water in your houses, then I would be blessed. If I kept if for myself, I would have a short-lived joy, but I would be doomed for a long time." (tareekh at-tabari, 4/409)

One of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) supplications: "O Allah, Yours is the praise, all of it! O Allah, no one can withhold what You permit or permit what You withhold. No one can guide whom you decree to go astray or make go astray the one whom You guide. No one can grant provisions You have withheld and no one can withhold what You grant. No one can near what You ordained to be distant nor distance what you decree to be close. O Allah, grant us all Your blessing, mercy, favours, and provisions. O Allah, I ask You to grant me permanent bliss that neither changes nor vanishes. O Allah, You Alone we seek for help when we are afflicted with hardships. You Alone we resort to for security on a day of terror. O Allah, to You Alone I resort to protect us from the evil of that which You have withheld from us. O Allah, make us love faith and make it adorn our hearts! Make disbelief, rebellion and disobedience detestable to us. Let us be among those who are rightly guided. O Allah, make us live as Muslims and cause us to die as Muslims; and make us join with the righteous but not with the disgraced and misled."

Ali ibn Abi Talib (the 4th caliph) asked a person called Ibn A'bad: O' Ibn A'bad, do you know what the right of this food is? Ibn A'bad said: 'What is its right, O 'Ali ibn Abi Talib?" He said: 'You should say: In the name of Allah, O Allah, bless us in that which You have provided for us." He said: 'Do you know how to give thanks for it when you have finished?' Ibn A'bad said: 'How should I give thanks for it?' He said: 'By saying: Praise be to Allah, Who has fed us and given us to drink.'"(tareekh Dimashq, pg 403)

Abu Bakr (the first caliph said): "To proceed: O people, I have indeed been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you. If I do well, then help me; and if act wrongly, then correct me. Truthfulness is synonymous with fulfilling the trust, and lying is tantamount to treachery. The weak among is deemed strong by me, until I return to them that which is rightfully theirs, Inshallah. And the strong among you is deemed weak by me, until I take from them what is rightfully (someone else's), Inshallah. And wickedness does not become widespread among a people, except that Allah inflicts them with widespread calamity. Obey me so long as I obey Allah and His Messenger. And if I disobey Allah and his messenger, then I have no right to your obedience. Stand up now to pray, may Allah have mercy on you." (Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah (6/305, 306))

Narrated by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) when he left makkah to go to madinah due to persecution by those who disliked the message he spread: "All praise is for Allah, who created me, prior to which time I was non-existent. O Allah, help me overcome the terror of the world, the vicissitudes of time, and the hardships of night and day. O Allah, be my companion on my journey, and my Successor over my family; and bless me in that which you have provided for me; make me humble to You; make me upright in character; make me beloved to you; and do not make me dependent upon people. O lord of the weak ones, and O my lord; I seek refuge with your noble countenance, for which the heavens and earth shine, and with which the darkness is expelled, and upon which the matter of the first ones and last ones become good (and upright)- from Your anger befalling me and from Your wrath descending upon me. I seek refuge with You from the termination of Your Favour (upon me), from the suddenness of Your wrath, from the departure of good health that You bless (me) with, and from all (forms of) Your wrath. It is Your Right that I should strive to please you as much as I am able to. There is neither might nor power except with You." (As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah By Ibn Kathir, (3/23-234))

Abu Bakr once said in a sermon: "Allah accepts only those deeds that are done for the sake of His Countenance, so perform your deeds for Allah. Be sincere for the time when you will be poor and needy (i.e., when you will be in need of rewards in the Hereafter). O slaves of Allah, learn a lesson from those among you who have died, and reflect on those who came before you. Think: where were they yesterday? And where are they today? Where are the tyrants who.... were renowned for victories in the wars they waged? Time has caused them to waste away, and now their bodies are rotten and decayed..... And where are the kings who more than anything else were enamored with lands and with buildings on those lands? They are far away now, and no one remembers them; it is as if they are non-existent. But they are not really non-existent, for Allah, the Possessor of Might and Majesty, has kept alive for them the consequences of their actions, though He has cut off from them their desires. Now that they are gone, their deeds remain theirs, though the world (which they once claimed to own) has fallen into the hands of others. Now here we are as their successors on earth. If we truly learn from them, we will be saved. But if we sink (to their depths and ways), we will be just like them. Where are the beautiful-faced ones who were so enamored with their youth? They have become dust, and the things regarding which they were negligent have become a cause of misery for them. Where are the kings who built cities, fortified them with walls, and built wondrous things inside of them? They have left all of that for those who came after them. Their homes are empty, while they are now in the darkness of their graves." (Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah (6/305))

Ali Ibn Abi Talib said describing Allah: He has knowledge of every place, of every moment in time. He did not create things from raw material; neither did He create things from something that already existed. Rather He created what He created in a perfect manner and gave it shape and shaped it perfectly. He is One in His supremacy, and nothing is beyond His control. He does not benefit from acts of obedience on the part of His creation. He responds quickly to those who call upon Him. The angels in heaven and on earth obey Him. His knowledge of those who are long dead is like His knowledge of those who are still living. His knowledge of what is in the highest heaven is like his knowledge of what is in the deepest earth. His knowledge encompasses all things, and He does not become confused by the multitude of voices and languages. He is the All-Seeing Controller, the Knower of all things, the Ever Living, Self Sustaining. Glory be to Him, and exalted be He far above his attributes being likened to human attributes. (Hilyat al-Awliya', 1/73)

These quotes should suffice to provide a general understanding of what islam emphasizes with respect to positive perspectives regarding life and oneself. In addition, these quotes show how islam provides principles as to how we should deal with others including how a ruler should rule over those he rules over.