Doing service for humanity is one of the greatest ways we can show our devotion to Allah. All of the revealed scriptures place great emphasis on helping others. In Islam, helping others and solving their problems is not only an important virtue, it is also a profound act of worship. It is a means of righteousness that promotes peace on Earth and allows us to earn Allah’s eternal reward in the Hereafter.

Allah likes it so much when we help others that He forgives us our sins for something as simple as moving some thorns out of the path where people walk.

Abû Hurayrah quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “A man was going on his way when he saw brambles in the path. He moved these out of the way. Allah so esteemed his virtuous act that He granted him forgiveness.” [Sahih Muslim]

In another narration of the same hadîth, Abû Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said he saw a man strolling in Paradise. The deed that he had performed was to cut down and removed a tree from the path that was causing trouble to passers by.

In his commentary on this hadîth, al-Nawawi says that there is reward for any virtuous deed that provides help to others.

Scholars explain that the main lesson to draw from this hadîth is the inherent virtue of easing the distress of others in any way: “The prayers and other ritual acts of worship that we perform are fruitless unless we engage in the service of humanity.”

Allah grants His forgiveness to those who sacrifice of themselves to help the victims of misfortune. Allah does not only grant forgiveness for those who engage in such virtuous deeds, but in His infinite mercy, he makes their account easy on the Day of Judgment.

Abû Hurayrah relates that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever removes one of the hardships of a believing soul, Allah will remove from him one of the distresses on the Hereafter. Whoever solves someone else’s problem, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter… Allah is ever assisting His servant as long as that servant is helping his brother.” [Sahîh Muslim (4867)]

This hadîth shows us that the greatest form of devotion, the best way to please Allah, is to provide service to humanity. Today our world is thirsting for peace. Though there are many programs and efforts being carried out, we are falling short. Yet the solution is clear – it lies in providing service to humanity.

Before the coming of Allah’s final Messenger, the people of Mecca lived in ignorance. Their society was harsh, far removed from the values of human dignity, fraternity, love, and affection. When those same people were brought under the guidance of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), their conduct alone was enough to communicate their newly realized social conscience. Islamic teachings, like those mentioned above, formed the basis of a new social reality for the Muslims.

We can see these values in the way all of the prophets conducted their lives. Through the example that Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and the other Messengers set, Allah guided the rest of humanity. Therefore, we should follow their righteous mode of conduct and live our lives accordingly. We need to study, especially, how the prophets maintained a state of peace in a prevailing atmosphere of gloom.

When Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he created bonds of brotherhood between the local inhabitants and the emigrants from Mecca. In this way, he encouraged them to render assistance to one another and live together in harmony. The Prophet, in his wisdom, brought two different peoples together into one combined society, who became the best generation humanity has ever witnessed. When the Jews of Madinah saw the conduct of this combined society of the emigrants and the local people, they were greatly impressed. Some of them embraced Islam after seeing the reality of the faith in practice.

Solving other peoples’ problems is a way to soften hearts and establish harmony. Sometimes a cruel man’s hardness melts away when he sees some gentle soul, out of sheer kindness, help him out of his difficulties. There are abundant examples of this in our daily lives and in the life of the Prophet, but unfortunately many of us do not take heed. This is one of the reasons why there is so much sorrow in the world.

Pakistan extends along either side of the historic Indus River, following its course from the mountain valleys of the Himalayas down to the Arabian Sea. Bordering on India, China, Afghanistan and Iran, it is strategically located astride the ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe. Pakistan’s 796,095 square kilometers of territory include a wide variety of landscapes, from arid deserts to lush, green valleys to stark mountain peaks.

Geographically, Pakistan can be divided into three regions: the lowlands along the Indus in the south and east, the arid plateau of Baluchistan in the southwest, and the mountains of the north. The provinces of Punjab and Sindh, in the east and south, are well irrigated by the Indus and its tributaries. The land is fertile and produces most of Pakistan’s food. This area, which includes the cities of Karachi, Islamabad (the capital), Lahore and Rawalpindi, is the most densely-populated in the country.

The southwestern province of Baluchistan covers almost half Pakistan’s territory. The land consists of a stony plateau, sparsely populated and very dry. Outside of the provincial capital of Quetta, travel in Baluchistan is extremely restricted.

Pakistan’s mountainous north contains the second tallest peak on Earth, K2 (28,250 ft., 8611 m), and over 300 glaciers. Three great mountain ranges stretch across this part of the country: the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindu Kush. The region’s topography is constantly changing, as frequent earthquakes help the mountains grow at the remarkable rate of 7 mm (1/4 inch) a year.

Pakistan’s climate varies according to elevation. April through September are the most pleasant months in the mountains, although they bring oppressive heat to the low-lying plains of the Indus Valley, where midday temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees F). December through February are the coolest months, as lowland temperatures drop to between 10-25 degrees C (50-77 degrees F) and the air in the mountains falls below freezing. Monsoons reach the southern areas of the country in late summer, although precipitation is minimal in Baluchistan and in the north and limited in most of the interior.

The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the one Almighty God. One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself to the service of Allah. This means to act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the Qur’an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged us to do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur’an).

Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts will bring about peace in our external conduct as well.

Islam is careful to remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the five pillars of the religion: the declaration of faith in the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer, fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to Makkah; and believe in the six articles of faith: belief in God, the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day of Judgment and God’s decree, whether for good or ill.

There are other injunctions and commandments which concern virtually all facets of one’s personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as diet, clothing, personal hygeine, interpersonal relations, business ethics, responsibilities towards parents, spouse and children, marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with non-Muslims, and so much more.