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From the Appendix of the Quran: a Reformist Translation, by Edip Yuksel, Layth al-Shaiban and Martha Nafeh-Schulte.

Here are some characteristics of those who acknowledge the truth. They:

  • Do not accept information on faith; critically evaluate it with their reason and senses (17:36)
  • Ask the experts if they do not know (16:43)
  • Use intelligence, reason and historical precedents to understand and carry out God’s commands (7:179; 8:22; 10:100; 12:111; 3:137)
  • Do not dogmatically follow the status-quo and tradition; are open to new ideas (22:1; 26:5; 38:7)
  • Are open-minded and promote freedom of expression; listen to all views and follow the best (39:18)
  • Do not follow conjecture (10:36,66; 53:28)
  • Study God’s creation in the heavens and land; explore the beginning of creation (2:164; 3:190; 29:20)
  • Attain knowledge, since it is the most valuable thing in their appreciation of God (3:18; 13:13; 29:43,49)
  • Are free individuals, do not follow crowds, and are not afraid of crowds (2:112; 5:54,69; 10:62; 39:36; 46:13)
  • Do not follow the religion of your parents or your nation blindly (6:116; 12:103,112)
  • Do not make profit from sharing God’s Message with others (6:90; 36:21; 26:109-180)
  • Read in order to know, and they read critically (96:1-5; 55:1-4)
  • Do not ignore divine revelation and signs (25:73)
  • Do not miss the main point by indulging in small and inconsequential details (2:67-71; 5:101-102; 22:67)
  • Hold their judgment if they do not have sufficient information; do not rush into siding with a position (20:114)
  • Speak the truth; do not lie, although stratagem is allowed against adversaries (8:7-8; 25:72; 33:70; 12:70-81)
  • Are kind and forgiving (42:40,43)
  • Are active, dynamic, creative and courageous people (2:30-34; 4:75-77; 15:28-30)
  • Are not egoistic and proud (25:43; 17:37)
  • Are steadfast and humble (31:17-18)
  • Are brave (33:23)
  • Do not lose hope; are optimistic (12:87; 39:53)
  • Walk humbly on earth and when harassed by ignorant people; they ignore the harassers with dignity and respond them by saying “peace” (25:72: 29:63)
  • Hold firmly to principles, but are flexible in methods (2:67-71, 142; 3:103; 5:54; 22:67)
  • Are not proud of their accomplishments, and are not saddened by their losses (57:23)
  • Seek unity not division; do not divide themselves due to jealousy (3:103; 6:159; 61:4; 42:14)
  • Put moral considerations uppermost, but do not disregard their due material interests (28:77)
  • Fulfill promises (17:34)
  • Eat and drink moderately, and avoid intoxicants and gambling (7:31; 2:219)
  • Dress decently (24:30-31)
  • Do not ridicule or mock one another (49:11)
  • Abstain from vain talk (23:4)
  • Do not discriminate based on gender and race; they know that superiority is only through God-consciousness (49:13)
  • Are loyal to what they have been entrusted and keep their pledges (23:9)
  • Treat everyone with civility and give greetings to all (2:83; 28:55; 43:89; 4:86)
  • Do not escape from problems, but rather actively focus on problems to solve them equitably, even if the solution requires a fight (49:9)
  • Avoid suspicion, spying and backbiting among the monotheists; seek peace, since they are only brothers and sisters (49:9-10,12)
  • Do not follow monarchs, princes, emirs, sultans, except when they are forced; obey those who are in charge among themselves, and when they dispute in any matter they refer it to God and the messenger (4:59)
  • Are the party of God (58:22)
  • Do not aggress, but defend themselves against aggression (7:33; 42:39)
  • Serve God alone and do not associate partners in His authority (17:22-23)
  • Dedicate themselves to God alone; they do not kill unjustly, and do not commit adultery (29:68)
  • Believe in God and live righteously (2:62, 112)
  • Love God, the Truth, more than anything else (5:54; 9:23)
  • Do not fear mankind, but fear God (5:44; 33:37, 39)
  • Maintain the contact prayers with God (23:10)
  • Repent for their sins (25:70-71)
  • Respect and honor their parents (17:23-24)
  • Love their spouses and treat them with care and compassion (30:21)
  • Give charities to relatives, the poor and destitute and towards public welfare (9:60; 17:26)
  • Practice consultations to solve social and political problems (42:36)
  • Act justly, do not commit evil and rule according to God’s laws, i.e. justice, truth and mercy (4:58, 135; 5:8; 7:28-29; 5:44)
  • Do not turn their cheeks arrogantly from people, nor roam the earth insolently, since they know that God does not like the arrogant show offs (31:18; 57:23)
  • Perform prayers and other rites of worship, without quarrelling over methodology, and they share their blessings with those who have less than they have (98:5; 22:67)
  • Obey just leaders, respect, honor and support them, but they do not idolize them (4:59; 33:56; 9:30-31)
  • Do not practice bribery and corruption (2:188)
  • Do not practice usury, but they practice charity (2:275-80)
  • Give charity in moderation (29:67)
  • Are honest and fair in financial and economic dealings (6:152)
  • Do not bear false witness (25:72)
  • Are not extravagant and wasteful, nor are they stingy (17:26-29)
  • Save lives and do not kill except in the cause of justice (17:33)
  • Respond equally, but they know that forgiveness is the best route (2:179; 13:14; 45:14; 64:14)
  • Do not devour the properties of orphans (17:34)
  • Enter into marriage with those who acknowledge, do not marry polytheists, and they do not commit adultery (5:5; 23:6-7; 30:21; 17:32)
  • Are not apathetic (5:79)
  • Enjoin good and forbid evil (3:104)
  • Hasten to do righteous work (3:114)
  • Are active towards betterment (23:5)
  • Support each other in the cause of God (8:74)
  • Raise knowledgeable people in the society in order to learn the laws (9:122)
  • Cooperate and help each other in good works; do not cooperate in evil works (5:2)
  • Fight in the cause of justice and truth with their wealth and their lives (4:75; 9:111)
  • Promote legal education (9:122)
  • Persevere in any good effort and do not fear to face difficulties and hardships; success comes only after hardships (2:45, 177; 94:5-8)
  • Fight for the rights of those who are oppressed (4:75)
  • Seek peace (2:208; 4:90; 8:61; 2:208)
  • Are progressive (15:24; 74:37)
  • Reform themselves and are reformers (6:48,54; 7:35,56,142; 11:117; 12:101; 21:72,105)

(Thanks to Kassim Ahmad of Malaysia for his contribution in the compilation of this list.)

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