The first advice is to correct the belief in accordance with the tenets which the Ahl-i sunnat savants communicate in their books. For, it is this Madhhab only that will be saved from Hell. May Allâhu ta’âlâ give plenty of rewards for the work of those great people! Those scholars of the four Madhhabs, who reached up the grade of ijtihâd, and the great scholars educated by them are called Ahl as-sunna scholars. After correcting the belief (îmân), it is necessary to perform the worship informed in the knowledge of fiqh, i.e., to do the commands of the Sharî’at and to abstain from what it prohibits. One should perform the namâz five times each day without reluctance and slackness, and observe its conditions and ta’dîl-i
arkân. He who has as much money as nisâb should give zakât. Imâm-i a’zâm Abû Hanîfa says, “Also, it is necessary to give the zakât of gold and silver which women use as ornaments.”
One should not waste one’s precious life even on unnecessary mubâhs. It is certainly necessary not to waste it on the harâm. We should not busy ourselves with taghannî, singing, musical instruments, or songs. We should not be deceived by the pleasure they give our nafses. These are poisons mixed with honey and covered with sugar.
One should not commit giybat. Giybat is harâm. [Giybat means to talk about a Muslim’s or a zimmî’s secret fault behind his back. It is necessary to tell Muslims about the faults of the harbîs, about the sins of those who commit these sins in public, about the evil of those who torment Muslims and who deceive Muslims in buying and selling, thus helping Muslims beware of their harm, and to tell about the slanders of those who talk and write about Islam wrongfully; these are not giybat. Radd-ul-Muhtâr: 5-263)].
One should not spread gossip (carry words) among Muslims. It has been declared that various kinds of torments shall be done to those who commit these two kinds of sins. Also, it is harâm to lie and slander, and must be avoided. These two evils were harâm in every religion. Their penalties are very heavy. It is very thawâb to conceal Muslims’ defects, not to spread their secret sins and to forgive them for their faults. One should pity one’s inferiors, those under one’s command [such as wives, children, students, soldiers] and the poor. One should not reproach them for their faults. One should not hurt or beat or abuse those poor people for trivial reasons. One should not attack anybody’s property, life, honour,
or chastity. Debts to others and to the government must all be paid. Bribery, accepting or giving, is harâm. However, it would not be bribery to give it in order to eliminate the harm of a cruel oppressor, and also in case it is the only way to get rid of a disgusting situation. But accepting bribes is harâm in such cases as well. Everybody should see his own defects, and should every hour think of the faults which he has committed towards Allâhu ta’âlâ. He should always bear in mind that Allâhu ta’âlâ does not hurry in punishing him, nor does He cut off his sustenance. Parents’ and government’s orders, when they are agreeable with the Sharî’at, must be obeyed. On the other hand, when they are in contradiction with the Sharî’at, they should
not be protested outwardly, lest fitna (mischief, instigation) should arise. [See the 123rd letter in the second volume of the book Maktûbât-i Ma’thûmiyya.]
After correcting the belief and doing the commandments of fiqh, one should spend all one’s time remembering Allâhu ta’âlâ. One should continue remembering, mentioning Allâhu ta’âlâ as the great men of religion have taught. One should feel hostility towards all the things that will prevent the heart from remembering Allâhu ta’âlâ. The more you adhere to the Sharî’at, the more delicious will it be to remember Him. As indolence, laziness increase in obeying the Sharî’at, that flavour will gradually decrease, being thoroughly gone at last. What else should I add to what I have written already? It will be enough for a reasonable person. We should not fall into the traps of the enemies of Islam by falling for their fibs and slanders.