Advertising in this era is not just limited to businesses; people promote themselves to attract attention. Selfies is one of the tools of advertising amongst the youngsters.

Every occasion, every place, and every time, people are enthusiastic to click their own pictures and upload them on their Whatsapp status or put it up on Facebook or Instagram, if only to receive appreciation from others, or perhaps as self glorification.

Go to a hotel: you find people taking pictures of food and how they eat. Go to a wedding: you find girls and boys all dressed like celebrities, taking pictures with everyone who comes along. Even a funeral gathering has no exception, people click pictures of the deceased, and record the video for their recent updates.

As we try to impress the world, we forget our basic ethics as being Muslims. Modesty and humility are among the basic characteristics of a true Muslim. Every Prophet and his pious followers had this quality of modesty engrained in them; as modesty is part of faith.

The quality under discussion is not just limited to dressing and external appearance, as we always take it to be. It is about being a low-key(not seeking attention)figure in the public.

Perhaps this was the reason many times the Companions (or the Sahaba) of Prophet Muhammad (saws) lived amongst the next generation Muslims un-noticed and un-recognised. There would have been many artists and painters during the time of the Sahaba, but we do not have any portraits made of them.

We find biographies of Sahabiyah describing their lifestyle, but none talk about their physical beauty or even glorify their achievements. Yes, modesty is not claiming attention for oneself, and it was modesty which stopped them from doing that.

Our relationship with Allah (swt) is not just confined to prayers and fasting, it is well beyond that. It is the total submission of oneself, his or her life, and one’s way of living, to the commands of Allah (swt).

The hidden or repressed feelings and the tendencies which we entertain, which go against Islam, should be abandoned totally, without any regrets.

Surely, changes in the right direction will not happen overnight. However, when every individual tries at his, or her, level to give up what is incorrect, this could, one day, bring a big collective difference towards positivity. Allah willing.

Yet for those who argue, to prove their point. There were many who obstinately disagreed with the truth in the history, and will happen so, now and in the future.

The spirit of evil is ever active and uses men to practice deception by means of highly embellished or attractive words and plausible or reasonable excuses and objections, and Allah (swt) permits these things in His plan, so as to let it become a source of test for the people of faith.

Those with strong faith will be steadfast and will not let go of their faith even with strong temptation, whereas the less fortunate ones will be taken in by the deceit of evil.