A Life of Restraint

A believer engages only in those things for which God has given His permission and refrains from what God has forbidden.

According to one tradition, the Prophet of Islam once observed: “The example of a believer and his faith is like that of a tethered horse who moves away then comes back to where he is tethered.” (Musnad Ahmad 11526)

A human being has not to lead his life in this world as an untethered horse. Rather he has to lead his life like a horse tied up with a rope. A person’s success lies in subordinating his freedom to his principles. He should lead a principled life rather than an unprincipled life.

What, in essence is this principled life? It is one, in effect, in which the believers differentiate between the lawful and the unlawful. He engages only in those things for which God has given His permission and refrains from what God has forbidden.

A person ought to think along constructive lines and avoid distractions in all situation. He should utter only those words which are right and proper, and where he thinks he cannot do so, he should remain silent. In his dealings with people, he should bind himself to the principle of justice, and should not ever deal with people unjustly. His behaviour should be responsible rather than irresponsible. He should completely avoid irresponsible behaviour.

Where a horse is bound by a material rope, a human being is bound by the divine moral and human principles laid down by God. A horse is compelled to remain within the ambit allowed by his rope. The same is true of a person when he adopts a life of principles. A person’s nobility is to remain bound by principles of self-restraint. He should adopt a life of restraint willingly and of his own choice such as the horse has adopted by compulsion.