The Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to have observed as follows: "A woman who said her five daily prayers, regularly fasted in the month of Ramadan, refrained from evil acts and did what her husband told her to do, will, on the day of judgement, be authorized to enter into paradise by whichever of the door thereof she might like to enter."

I believe that every girl should look up to Hazrat Khadija (ra), the first wife of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w), as the perfect example of the ideal wife. It was Khadija (ra) who, upon being told of the revelation received by the Prophet (s.a.w) consoled him with the following words, "Oh no, by God, Allah will never let thee down for thou art a man of goodness and kind acts."


We should always remember that Islam grants women and men equal rights. However, there is an exception which has been stated in the Holy Qur'an, "...The men have a rank above them (women). And Allah is Mighty, Wise" [Holy Qur'an 2:220]. Although women are granted equal rights in many matters, men are considered the head of the household, resulting in a smooth running family life. Men have been created physically stronger than women, hence having to earn for the family. As the man earns for his wife's necessities, she spends that wealth. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has also stated that man is the master of the family and shall be answerable for the actions and behaviours of all its members. Which is why, in some cases, Islam has placed men above the women.

BE VIRTUOUS
It is the responsibility of the wife, to be virtuous and well behaved, in order to guide her family: "So virtuous women are those who are obedient, and guard the secrets of their husbands with Allah's protection" [Holy Qur'an 4:35]. A virtuous wife is one who manages her household in the best manner, who behaves kindly towards her husband, and makes the household an abode of peace. The result of this goodness will be peace and bliss, in this life and the hereafter, InshaAllah.

BE OBEDIENT
The wife must be willing to co-operate with her husband willingly, in order to make her home, paradise on Earth. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) once said that "If it had been lawful to prostrate before anyone besides Allah, He would certainly have commanded women to prostrate before their husbands." He also stated that, "The best women is she who adorned herself to look loveable in the eyes of her husband and who was pleased when he saw her; and she gracefully accepted decisions made by her husband and obeyed them cheerfully and she always took particular care to not displease her husband in any way or looked repugnant to him."

However, there is an exception to this aspect of 'obedience'. The wife should refuse to obey her husband, if he is disobeying a command of Allah. Always remember that we must please Allah, before anyone else. For example, if he urges her not to pray, not to fast during Ramadan, or give up the commandment of Purdah, she has the right to disobey him. As well, men have no right to hurt their wives in any way. The Prophet (s.a.w) has said about those men who do so, that they are not at all good people, and that they are certainly not from among the best of men. Men have been given the right to be above women. However, if the husband abuses this right in any way, then the wife has the right to seek divorce.

In regards to obedience in Islam, the Promised Messiah (as) once said, "For women it is imperative that she should obey her husband. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has emphasized this so much that once he said, "For the woman it is imperative that she should obey her husband." The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has emphasized so much on this that once he said, "If a husband asked his wife to shift a heap of bricks from one place to another, and after she had done it, he told her to carry them back to the former place, she must do that without a question." "This should not be regarded as a act of cruelty on the part of the husband for similar obligations have been imposed upon men also in respect of their wives. These obligations are so onerous that it looks as if the woman was placed on the throne ad the man commanded to serve her and be at her beck and call for the procurement of everything she needs." [Malfoozat: Vol. 8; pp. 441-445]

THE IDEAL QUALITIES OF A WIFE
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) has stated that:

1. The wife should not allow anyone into the house whom the husband does not like and if the husband tells his wife that a certain type of men and women must not enter the house, it would be her duty to comply with this direction.
2. The wife must not give charity from her husband's money without his permission. If she does so, the reward for it shall accrue to the husband and the sin to the wife. 
3. The wife must not go out of the house without the permission of her husband.
4. She may give any amount in charity out of her own possessions, but God Almighty shall approve and prefer that the woman obeyed her husband rather than give heaps of her wealth in charity. 
5. No woman may fast, while the husband is in the house, without his approval, except the fasts which are obligatory in Ramadan. 
6. "The best of wives is the one whose sight pleases you, i.e., who keeps herself in a state that may be pleasing to her husband; and when you ask her to do a thing, she obeys you and when you are away from the house she guards your property and her own modesty for you." - Prophet (s.a.w)

In today's society, the concept of marriage is sometimes ignored. The reason for this is that many non-Muslims live their life with a partner (boyfriend/girlfriend) without marrying. In return, attaining everything that we Muslims believe should be attained after marriage. Since this mindset is prevalent in a lot of the youth, the Muslim youth sometimes forget their core teachings of marriage in Islam. Which is why, upon request, I decided to remind the youth about the importance of marriage in Islam and the reasons our Jama'at gives it so much importance.




There are three main reasons or categories, that the purpose of marriage can be divided into.

TO EXPERIENCE LOVE & HAPPINESS
It is a natural for human beings to want to experience love and happiness. But in Islam, it must be done while remaining within the correct boundaries. Marriage is meant for the attainment of peace of mind and mutual love and affection. 
"And of His signs is this, that He has created wives for you from among yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them. And He has put love and tenderness between you." [Holy Qur'an 30:22]
Just as we wear clothing to cover our bodies, and safeguard them from the heat and cold. A husband and wife must act as a cover for each other's chastity and honour.
"They (women) are a garment for you and you are a garment for them."

TO RAISE CHILDREN IN A STABLE HOUSEHOLD
Procreation is another purpose of marriage. 
"Your wives are a sort of tilth for you; so approach your tilth as and when you like and send ahead some good for yourself." [Holy Qur'an 2:224]
This verse states the importance of producing a healthy progeny for one's own benefit and the benefit of the entire community. With marriage, children are able to live in a complete family environment, for the betterment of society. 

TO PROVIDE A LEGAL UNION WHICH SAFEGUARDS AGAINST MORAL/SOCIAL DEGRADATION
Upon marriage, the husband and wife become safe against immorality and fornication. This is because, marriage is a means of preventing the eyes from looking at someone else with the wrong intentions. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has stated "Marry such women as are productive and of loving nature." [Nisaee Kitabun Nikah] The purpose of marriage is to enjoy each other's love and tenderness and to feel comfortable and safe within each other's company.

Oftentimes, we are bombarded with obstacles, one after another, causing us to lose hope.  Soon after, another obstacle is put our way. When this chain of events is repeated, day in and day out, it can be quite discouraging. At this moment in our lives, it seems as if these trials will never come to an end. Causing us to ask ourselves, "Why us?" and "When will this be over?" I'm here to tell you all the bad news, that it probably won't be over. Life is a series of obstacles that we must face in order to grow and learn. But changing our mindset can truly impact the way we see these obstacles.


The Holy Qur'an clearly states:
"Do men think that they will be left alone because they say, 'We believe,' and that they will not be tested? [Al-'Ankabut Chapter 29, Verse 3]

Allah knows how we feel about such events occurring. He knows the trials we go through and the feelings that come along with it. So don't think of yourself as 'alone' while going through these struggles. Years ago, people still faced such struggles, and I assure you that our struggles are nothing compared to theirs.

Whenever I'm going through a difficult time, I can't help but remember the courage our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) had:

I feel that often times people mistake Istikhara for having a different meaning than it truly does. For the most part, this consists of people assuming that seeing a dream from Allah, regarding the situation being 'good' or 'bad' is a vital part of Istikhara. However, this is not the case. For this post, I decided to explain to you what Istikhara is, starting from the basics. Hopefully this gets rid of any misconceptions any of you have regarding Istikhara.


WHAT DOES ISTIKHARA MEAN?
The word Istikhara directly means, to ask Allah to guide one to the right sort of action concerning a job or deed. 'Khair' means good (asking Allah to guide you to the good or right answer). Meaning, you're not asking Allah to show you a vision, through a dream.

DREAMS AND ISTIKHARA
People sometimes think of their dreams, as answers from God. However, dreams sometimes consist of our thoughts, ambitions, etc. which are already made up in our minds. Often times we mistake these dreams/thoughts for Allah's word. In the time of marriage or finding a life partner, people ask their relatives to do Istikhara as well. However, the most important people in this marriage are the guy and girl getting married. So they should do Istikhara for themselves. We are taught from a very young age to ask Allah for a suitable life partner, this is also a sort of Istikhara. So once again, it is important that the guy and girl do Istikhara. If two people get contradicting dreams it could mean that the message was actually the same but misinterpreted. Be certain that you can't get two different answers from Allah, it's a mistake in our own interpretation. Which is why, the guy and girl should pray, and go with their gut feeling, not what others dream of.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ISTIKHARA
The importance of Istikhara can be seen from the following Hadith:
Narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to teach us the way of doing Istikhara, in all matters as he taught us the Surahs of the Qur'an. He said, "If anyone of you thinks of doing any job he should offer a two rak'at prayer otehr than the compulsory ones and say (after the prayer): "Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi'ilmika, Wa astaqdiruka biqudratika, Wa as'alaka min falika Al-'azlm Fa-innaka taqdiru Wala aqdiru, Wa ta'lamu Wala a'lamu, Wa anta 'allamu l-ghuyub, Alahumma, in kunta ta'lam anna hadha-lamra Khairun li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati 'Amri Faqdirhu wa yas-sirhu li thumma barik li Fihi, Wa in kunta ta'lamu anna hadha-lamra shar-run li fi dini wa ma'ashi wa'aqibati 'Amri Fasrifhu anni was-rifni anhu. Waqdir li al-khaira haithu kana Thumma ardini bihi.' (O Allah! I ask guidance from Your knowledge, and Power from Your Might and I ask for Your great blessings. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do no and You know the unseen. O Allah! If You know that this job is good for my religion and my subsistence and in my Hereafter, Then You ordain it for me and make it easy for me to get, And then bless me in it, and if You know that this job is harmful to me in my religion and subsistence and in the Hereafter, Then keep it away from me and let me be away from it. And ordain for me whatever is good for me, And make me a satisfied with it). The Prophet (peace be upon him) added that then the person should name (mention) his need.

HOW DOES ONE PERFORM ISTIKHARA?
If any problem comes your way, the following steps should be taken to perform Istikhara:

• Perform 2 Rak'ah of (Nafl) prayer:
• In the first Rak'ah read Surah Al-Kafiroon
• In the next Rak'ah read Surah-Al-Ikhlas 
• (Perform the rest of the prayer as you would normally)
•  Read the Dua for Istikhara

CAN ONE DO ISTIKHARA WITHOUT KNOWING THE PRAYER?
It would be beneficial to memorize the Istikhara prayer. However, if one is unable to do so, then they can say the prayer in their own words. Basically, if you don't know the prayer, you are still able to do Istikhara, but the words (of the prayer) that have been taught to us by the Prophet (peace be upon him) would be more effective and result in more blessings.

PRAYING FOR DECISION PURPOSES
Please remember that Istikhara is not only for marriages! Istikhara should be an important part of every important decision that you make in your life. For example, if something comes up, and you only have a few moments to make a decision, you can still do Istikhara because it's technically just a prayer.

I do hope that this clears away any misconceptions that you had regarding Istikhara. It is beneficial to make it a habit to recite the Istikhara prayer whenever we can. I don't think any one of us would want to make the wrong decision, leading to problems in the future. Whether this be a decision regarding school, people, friends, jobs etc., pray to Allah to help you make the decision that would be beneficial to you in this world and the next.


REFERENCES

• Fiqahi Masail Episode #4, #5 & #25. 
• Faith Matters, Episode #114

For many, taking the first step towards wearing a Hijab can be a difficult one. I, as well as many other Muslim women can relate. The first step that a woman must take before wearing a Hijab is to understand the purpose of it. I've already explained that purpose in my previous post: The Commandment of Hijab. Without understanding the true purpose and benefits of Hijab, you will not understand the beauty of it. Once you have understood that by wearing a Hijab you are pleasing Allah, your Creator,  the following steps becomes a lot easier. Here is a list of some of the most common questions/comments that Muslim girls think of, that stop them from wearing the Hijab:

• What will others think?
• I don't even have 'Hijab friendly' clothing.
• I don't know how to wear the Hijab.
• I won't look good in Hijab.
• No one in my family wears the Hijab.

We all know that Allah has a plan for us. However, we have a big responsibility in helping to fulfil this plan. The choices we make, our faith, determination and persistence are all factors that could change or impact this plan. There are many aspects of life that give us the opportunity to choose between right and wrong or good and bad. We can choose what we want to do today, the career we wish to go into etc. However, there are also some aspects of life that we have little to no control over. Our destinies could be impacted by outside forces such as nature, altering the destinies of all the people of that certain location. For example, if a hurricane strikes a certain city, then that city as a whole experiences an outside force impacting all those people's destinies. Also, the circumstances of a wider population of people can impact the destiny of an individual in this population. We can see this happening in the world today, people who are higher in rank (government officials) and have authority over the citizens of that location, are affecting the destinies of the population by making the wrong decisions.

WHY DOES ALLAH TEST US IF HE KNOWS THE OUTCOME?
Many times we wonder, why does Allah test us if He knows the outcome? Just remember that He may know the outcome, but we don't. We must remember that merely knowing, and actually testing are two different things. A great example that Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (ra), (the fourth successor of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community), gave when asked this question was:
Let's say we know that putting wheat into a mill will make flour, is that enough? Will merely knowing, actually make the flour and allow it to be fed to people? No. You would test the mill by putting the wheat in it, to see how it makes the flour and if it actually does make flour the way it's supposed to. So, everything in Allah's Universe, isn't just for the knowledge but for creative testing.

CAN OUR DESTINY/FATE BE CHANGE BY PRAYER?
There are two aspects of fate, the unalterable fate and the alterable fate. We can generally change little things if we pray for them. Allah can do anything He pleases, so if we pray hard enough he can change something in our lives (get rid of a trial etc.). However, if changing our fate would impact the fate of things that Allah doesn't want to change, then our prayers won't change our fate. For example, it was Allah's promise that His prophets would succeed and their enemies would be destroyed. If someone prayed that Allah changed their fate, and it impacted the fate of His prophets, then He would not change the fate of the one who prayed. Things that are higher in rank can't replace that which is lower. Similarly, many question how praying for a longer lifespan can increase our lifespan when it's already predetermined in our destinies. We must remember that the creator of anything knows the lifespan of what he/she creates. Allah also knows the lifespan of his creations. However, no creator says that their creation will stop working on this day at this hour. It gives a rough span of the maximum and minimum number of years it will work for. If the creation is used roughly, then the lifespan decreases, if it is used with care, then the lifespan increases. Similarly, Allah doesn't fix our lifespan in that on this day at this hour we will pass away, our lifespan is subject to our way of life.

DO WE FOLLOW OR CREATE OUR DESTINY?
There are many aspects of our destinies that cannot be changed and are up to Allah completely. For example, we didn't have a choice in the matter of where we were born, who our parent's were, if we were healthy or unhealthy, our religion or race (of many). But if we move to a new country, if we convert to a new religion, or if we make a decision, we are changing our destiny. For example, if someone is born in a country where there is little to no freedom of religion, there's mass poverty and the conditions are unsafe, then all the people of that country have a similar destiny in terms of what their lives will be like. However, let's say someone from this population has the financial support to move out to a much safer and developed country, is their destiny still the same? What i'm trying to say is that human effort and decisions combined with fate can decide ones life on Earth.

The reason I'm writing about this is because many times we take for granted our predetermined destinies. The majority of us should be thankful to have been born in Ahmadi families, having been Ahmadi from birth, and having grown up in developed countries. This wasn't something we chose or had any say in, it was entirely Allah's decision. Alhmadulillah!

• An Elementary Study of Islam by Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, 1996, Islam International Publications Ltd.

To remind myself of Allah and to remember that Allah will reward me for the good that I do, I: 

HADHRAT KHALIFATUL MASIH IV
Huzur (may Allah strengthen his hands) has defined the 'minimum Islamic purdah' as wearing a loose fitting outer garment and a headscarf. The face can be left uncovered, if no makeup is worn. However, this purdah requirement is more adequate for sisters new to Islam (who are unable to wear the complete burqa). He has also advised women born and raised in Pakistan (who have moved to Western countries) to maintain the form of purdah that they practised there (in Pakistan).

Huzur (may Allah strengthen his hands), stated in the Concluding Address delivered to Lajna at the Annual Ijtema UK:
“With reference to women, the attacks that are being levied against Islam these days relate to the issue of ‘Purdah’, or wearing of the veil or a scarf. Men can present countless explanations and justifications in support of the institution of ‘Purdah’ in Islam. However, if anyone can answer this attack, it is a practicing and a God fearing Ahmadi woman who can demonstrate the proper answer. Therefore, instead of becoming the victim of any complex, like a brave Ahmadi Muslim woman, with your practice and with your arguments, convey this message to your friends and in your society that this Quranic teaching is to safeguard your chastity. It is there to restore your lost honor. It is not an imprisonment.” He went on to say that: "Purdah is an Islamic injunction and a distinctive mark of an Ahmadi woman. It bestows honor to an Ahmadi woman. Remember that along with the scarf, the remainder of dress should be loose fitting. Allah’s commandment is that your beauty should not be revealed. Some non-Ahmadi girls can be seen wearing a scarf in reaction to this prohibition on the wearing of a scarf, but they are wearing tight jeans and blouses. Such ‘Purdah’ is of no value. It is total hypocrisy. ‘Purdah’ should be such that is truly ‘Purdah’ and is befitting your honorable status.” [November 19, 2006]

MODESTY IN OTHER RELIGIONS

• “Any man who prays or prophesizes with something on his head disgraces his head but if any woman who prays or prophesizes with her head unveiled disgraces her head. It is one and the same thing as having her head shaved. For if a woman will not veil herself then she should cut off her hair. But, if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, she should wear a veil. For a man ought not to have his head veiled since he is the image and reflection of God but the woman is a reflection of man” (1 Corinthians 11:4-7)
• “Women must not wear men’s clothing nor a man wear women’s clothing for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this” (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Allah knows what is best for us, so placing this commandment in the Holy Qur'an must have been for our own good. Just remember the words of our Khalifa (may Allah strengthen his hands),

"The secret to our success is in following the instructions of the Holy Qur'an"
[January 30th, 2004 - Friday Sermon].


Stay Tuned For More Posts in the Hijab Series -
Hijab Series: How To Start Wearing the Hijab
Hijab Series: How To Rebut Stereotypes About Hijab
Hijab Series: My Hijab Story

During Ramadan, I've noticed that many people tend to drink glasses upon glasses of water at Sehri and then Iftar. Many times during Sehri, those who are fasting try to drink as much water as they can before Fajr. Whereas, during Iftar, those who are opening their fast drink glasses of water to get rid of their thirst. For this reason, I wanted to redirect you to the following Hadiths:

As humans, we sin. Think of it in this way, God created us as humans, not Angels. By doing so, He already knew that we would be inclined to sin and do wrong deeds. We have been created as weak, which is why we need Allah's help and support. Allah is Al-Hayyi and Al-Qayyyum. Meaning, He is the One Who brings into existence and supports what He has created. We have been told in the Qur'an to seek help from Allah:

Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. [1:5]

WHAT IS ISTIGHFAR?
The root of istighfar is ghafar, meaning to cover up. Istighfar means to get strength from Allah to refrain from sin and evil, and to be able to display this strength to refrain from sin. It helps to suppress any feelings or thoughts that may distance one from Allah.


SIN AND ISTIGHFAR
We should note that sin is not a prerequisite for Istighfar. As people, we wish to make Allah happy and in order to do so we want to become perfect beings. To achieve this perfection we ask Allah for strength. Even the Prophets needed Istighfar, so that no sin should be committed. Istighfar is also needed after an evil has been done. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) brought people who had completely gone astray to the highest point of civilization through Istighfar.

In the Holy Qur'an, Istighfar is seen as drawing the strength and support of Allah which leads to attaining nearness to Allah and salvation. The Holy Qur'an states:

But surely the righteous will be in the midst of gardens and springs, receiving what the Lord will give them; for they used to do good before that. They used to sleep but a little of the night; and at the dawn of the day they sought forgiveness...[51:16-19]

This verse shows that the one who does Istighfar is doing a righteous deed and is the recipient of countless blessings. Istighfar isn't to protect one from the torment of fire rather a part of goodness. For example, if one becomes a Mohsin he is at a stage where he is unable to sin. However, them doing Istighfar isn't necessarily to protect them from Hell, rather to get the necessary strength and support from Allah so that they stay firm on the right path and don't fall into the wrong path. Only because he knows that as a human, he can easily fall weak, and needs Allah's help.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISTIGHFAR AND REPENTANCE
Istighfar and repentance are two separate things. The strength to repent comes after one does Istighfar. This is because, until we seek strength from Allah (through Istighfar) we are unable to do anything. It is with this strength that we can then stand up and express remorse about a wrongdoing or sin.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

If anyone continuously asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide from him where he did not reckon [Abu Dawud]

HOW TO DO ISTIGHFAR

Continuously recite Astaghfirullah - "I seek forgiveness from Allah" to abstain from doing wrong such as envy, jealousy, pride etc.

Sayyad-ul-Istighfar (Best Prayer for Seeking Forgiveness)
Hadhrat Buraida relates the Holy Prophet (saw) said that whosoever recites this prayer morning or evening and dies on that day or that night he will enter heaven:


O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You. You created me and I am Your servant. And I am steadfast in Your convenant and Your promise to the best of my capability. I seek refuge in You from the evil effects of my deeds. I acknowledge Your blessings and favours. I confess my sins, so You forgive me, as there is none except You who forgives sins.

Prayer for Forgiveness and Pardon
Hadhrat Abu Musa-al-Ashari tells us of this prayer of the Holy Prophet (saw):


O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my lack of knowledge, my transgressions in my affairs and all my affairs about which know more than I do. Forgive my sins, my intentional or unintentional mistakes and my frivulous jokes. All these are my failings. O Allah, forgive my earlier or later sins. Forgive my hidden and manifest sins. You cause things to advamce and cause them to retard. You have authority over everything.

An Effective Prayer for Forgiveness



I seek forgiveness from Him, except Whom there is none worthy of worship. He is Living and Self-Subsisting. He brings others to life and sustains them. I incline towards Him and repent.

Basically, the one who resorts to Istighfar and admits his weakness to Allah becomes nearer to Him. When you continuously recur to Istighfar and turn to Allah for help, it allows you to resist evil tendencies with the help and strength given to you by Allah.

[39:43] Allah takes away the souls of human beings at the time of their death; and during their sleep of those also that are not yet dead. And then He retains those against which He has decreed death, and sends back the others till an appointed term. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect.

[10:57] He it is Who gives life and causes death, and to Him shall you be brought back.

Lately, I feel like the word taqwa is being used more often. Huzur (may Allah strengthen his hands) continuously stated in his Friday Sermon on July 4, 2014, that we should all aim to adopt taqwa.


Piety, God-Fearing, Righteous...these are all words that mean taqwa. However, I would say that the best word to describe taqwa is being God-concscious. This is an essential quality of a believer, and one of the central concepts in the Qur'an. Some of you may have heard the following example of taqwa: If you were to walk through a path of thorns, what would you do? You would be extremely cautious to avoid the thorns. You would protect your clothes and self from being harmed. And you would be completely aware of your surroundings while walking. This is taqwa. While walking through this dangerous journey of life, we must protect ourselves from sin so that we can complete this journey untouched by sin. In order to do this, we must understand that God is everywhere, and aware of our every action. We must also understand our relationship with Him. He is our Creator and we are His servants. As servants, we must always try to please our Creator and avoid doing anything that displeases Him. However, what makes this challenging yet rewarding is expressing such a level of alertness, when He is not actually visible. We know that Allah is not physically present or visible by our eyes. But, He is always Present and Unseen.


HOW DO YOU LOSE TAQWA?
Love of this world goes hand in hand with greed, pride, hatred and enmity towards fellow human beings. All of these traits can cause you to feel like you have power, and don't need Allah. Not being aware of Allah is what leads to these traits. This is because if you were aware that Allah dislikes such characteristics in His servants, you wouldn't adopt them.

This isn't a concept that's only seen in Islam, it's also seen in other religions such as Christianity. The fear of God in order to fear displeasing Him, is a central theme in the Bible as well. And the reason for this is that if we aren't aware of God and His presence, then we won't be able to refrain from displeasing Him altogether. Think of it in this way, when a child knows that their mother is watching, they are less likely to do something that will displease her. In the same way, when a believer is aware that Allah is present and watching, they will be less likely to displease Him.