The Sustained Goodness
Virtue and its significance in building a society are topics of much contemplation. The author of this article reflects on their belief that anyone who lacks belief in virtue or does not feel its power may find it hard to engage in public service, and how this belief was reaffirmed through the story of Mistah bin Uthatha, his untruthful statement, and Abu Bakr's forgiveness. The author emphasizes the importance of being virtuous, forgiving, and continuing to do good, even in the face of harm.
The Importance of Virtue in Public Service and Building a Better Society:
In his book "Shortcut for a Better Life", the writer Ziad Rayess mentions: In the past, I had formulated a strong conviction that anyone who didn’t believe in virtue and didn’t keenly feel its strength would find it difficult to get involved in public service. I thought that such a person would also be missing an important factor of success in his work life or private social life. After reflecting on the story of Mistah bin Uthatha (may God be pleased with him) and the divine guidance showing the importance of continuing to work for good, it was confirmed to me and instilled in me how important virtue is in building society. Of course, the story of Mistah bin Uthatha, which discusses the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Mother of the Believers, Aisha (may God be pleased with her) is the context of the Lying Incident. The revelation in the Quran urged Abu Bakr to continue giving, which he had stopped doing after he heard what Mistah had spoken about Aisha.
Mistah had spoken untruthfully, and when God revealed that Aisha was innocent, Abu Bakr, who had been giving money to Mistah bin Uthatha because he was his relative, said, “By God, I’ll never give anything to Mistah again after what he said about Aisha.” And God revealed this verse: “Do not let the people of virtue and affluence among you swear to suspend donations to their relatives, the needy, and the emigrants in the cause of Allah. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love to be forgiven by Allah? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 24:22, trans. Mustafa Khattab). Then Abu Bakr said, “Certainly, by God, I love to be forgiven by God,” and he began giving money to Mistah again, saying, “By God, I will never stop again.” (1)
Being virtuous is certainly not easy, and it requires training, positive intention, and dedicating your work to Almighty God. What Abu Bakr did was break down the ego and submit to the All-Compassionate, longing for forgiveness.
It’s important to see the other moral of this story as well: don’t cut off good deeds, no matter how the other party harms you. Know that this is one way to build a better world and a shared society, which will only happen if we are virtuous and forgiving.
People should remember the idea that being blessed with work and wealth may be because God gave an elder, widow, or their wealth through you. So be careful not to withdraw from giving or participating in sustained goodwill. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Seek among your weak ones, for you are given provision and help only because of the weak amongst you,” (2)
And God knows best.
Conclusion:
The story of Mistah bin Uthatha teaches us that being virtuous is not easy, and it requires a positive intention, dedication to God, and a willingness to let go of our egos. Additionally, we should never cut off good deeds, even if others harm us, and engage in long-lasting goodwill. We must be careful not to stop giving because, as we should remember that our work and wealth may be blessings given to others through us. The importance of virtue and its impact on building a better world and a shared society cannot be overstated.