Be Sensitive to Others’ Needs

God’s Paradise is a sublime place. Only those will be lodged there who are universal in their thinking, who are concerned for all human beings, and not just for themselves.

The Prophet of Islam once observed: “One who has his fill while his neighbour remains hungry is not a believer.” (Sunan al-Kubra, al-Baihaqi 19668)

One who has this high level of sensibility will never like it that he has had his fill and eats and drinks, knowing that there are people who are suffering from hunger and thirst because they have nothing to eat or drink. Such a person will never feel happy about being satiated while others are hungry.

This relates to human sensitivity, and not just to eating and drinking. It applies to every human being. The sign of a true human being is that when he finds people in a state of need, he is concerned, and does not rest until he has been able to fulfil their needs.

Need relates to the full spectrum of life. If you are concerned about the education of your children but have no concern for educating the children of your neighbours or of your countrymen, this will be a serious shortcoming on your part. Similarly, if you are doing everything to improve the economic condition of your family but don’t think of others then the above criterion will apply in this case likewise.

God’s Paradise is a very fine and sublime place. Only those people will be lodged there who are universal in their thinking, who are concerned for all human beings and not only just for themselves.

Similarly, in the present world the very society will be made excellent only by those who have the virtue of doing for others what they do for themselves; who think not only about themselves but also about others. They have to be concerned with providing others’ needs just as if society were a vast family and they were the members of that family.