Who’s Your Role Model?

Role models are people that we often look up to and endeavour to emulate their qualities and attributes. Through media input, famous people often play a major role in our lives. We tend to imitate our role models; some go as far as having tattoos of their idols on the bodies. Others try to follow in their role models' footsteps, whether it is their good habits or bad.

We try to walk and talk like our role model, we want to be rich and famous like them. When we are choosing our role models we look at how rich and famous they are, how good looking they are, how superior they are in their field. We think if we follow these qualities and attributes we would be happy and content. However this type of thinking is destroying us. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise, boyfriend/ girlfriend culture is the norm, and many are engaged in drug and alcohol abuse. Some as young as school age are involved in such activities.
When choosing role models, we often look at the wrong criteria. Ideally we should choose our role models who will benefit us in this life and hereafter. We need to follow people that will help us become better Muslims and show us how to have best of character in life.

Who better to be a role model than our beloved Prophet (S.A.W). Holy Prophet (S.A.W) is of the most exceptional character of all creation and is equal to none. He (S.A.W) possesses all incomparable quality, such as patience, mercy, compassion, fairness, hospitality, bravery, sympathy, humility and much more than mere words can express.

The Sunnah is the perfect example for Muslims to follow. By living our lives in accordance to Sunnah we would not only benefit in this world but also hereafter. Sadly, some Muslims today don't even know what the term "Sunnah" means. It carries no weight in their lives nor does it inspire them to correct their actions, causing them to slide down the slippery road of destruction and misery.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (R.A) narrated, The Prophet (S.A.W) never used bad language. He (S.A.W) used to say "The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character."

We are living in a confused society. We need to learn more about the life of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and adopt His (S.A.W) teachings in our daily lives. By practising the Sunnah of Holy Prophet (S.A.W) we would improve our conduct and become better human beings. Let us be more tolerant, more forgiving and show compassion to all of humanity, irrespective of their race or religion.