Control Your 5M's for a Peaceful Life.pdf

Control Your 5 M’s for a Peaceful Life by Cosanie Mortaba Derogongan (DSC), MPA emphasizes the Islamic principle of self-control as a pathway to peace. Drawing on the Qur’an, Hadith, and the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the work explains how disciplining the mouth, mind, mood, manner, and money leads to inner peace, stronger faith, and harmonious relationships. By mastering these five areas, believers can embody taqwa (God-consciousness), strengthen their communities, and contribute to a just and compassionate society.

1. 5M's
ControlYour5M’sforaPeacefulLife
COSANIEMORTABADEROGONGAN(DSC)MPA
DirectorIV-NationalCommissiononMuslimFilipinos
Head,ReligiousLeadersClusterNAP/PCVE

2. ControlYour5M’sforaPeacefulLife
(COSANIEMORTABADEROGONGAN(DSC)MPA
DirectorIV-NationalCommissiononMuslimFilipinos
Head,ReligiousLeadersClusterNAP/PCVE)
Abstract
ThisarticleexaminestheIslamicprincipleofself-controlthroughtheframeworkofthe“5M’s”
—Mouth,Mind,Mood,Manner,andMoney.DrawingfromtheQur’an,Hadith,andtheSeerahof
theProphetMuhammadﷺ,ithighlightshowdisciplineinspeech,thought,emotions,conduct,
andwealthformsthefoundationofapeacefulandGod-consciouslife.Controllingthemouth
protectsfromsinfulspeech,themindnurturespureintentions,themoodfosterspatienceand
gratitude,themannerreflectsethicalcharacter,andtheresponsibleuseofmoneyensures
moderationandgenerosity.Thesefiveareasprovideaholisticpathtowardinnerpeace,social
harmony,andspiritualsuccess.
Keywords:self-control,taqwa,Qur’an,Hadith,Seerah,Islamicethics,peace
Self-controlisamongthemostessentialvirtuesinIslam,formingthefoundationofabeliever’s
faithandcharacter.TheQur’anandtheSunnahemphasizediscipline,mindfulness,and
responsibilityineveryaspectoflife.Onepracticalframeworkthatcapturesthisteachingisthe
principleof“Controllingthe5M’s”—mouth,Mind,Mood,Manner,andMoney.Eachofthese
requiresawareness,restraint,andwisdom,andtogether,theyformapathwaytowardinnerpeace
andsocialharmony.
ControlYourMouth
Thetongueisoneofthesmallestorgansinthebody,yetithasthepowertobuildordestroy.In
Islam,controllingthemouthmeansguidingspeechtowardtruth,kindness,andremembranceof
Allah,whileavoidinglies,gossip,andhurtfulwords.Theobjectiveistoensurethatwordsarea
sourceofguidance,notharm.Thisdisciplineiscrucialbecauseeverywordisrecorded,asthe
Qur’anteaches:“Notaworddoesheutterbutthereisawatcherbyhimready[torecordit].”¹The
Prophetﷺreinforcedthiswhenhesaid:“WhoeverbelievesinAllahandtheLastDay,lethim
speakgoodorremainsilent.”²Thebenefitofcontrollingspeechisimmense—itpreservestrust,
strengthensrelationships,andensuresone’stonguebecomesatoolofpeaceratherthandestruction.
TheSeerahoftheProphetﷺillustratesthisbeautifully:thoughinsultedandmockedinMakkah,
henevercursedhisenemies,showingrestraintthatlatersoftenedmanyheartstowardIslam.

3. ControlYourMind
Themindisthebirthplaceofthoughtandintention,andthusshapeseveryaction.InIslam,
controllingthemindmeansdirectingthoughtsawayfromenvy,arrogance,andheedlessness,and
towardpurity,reflection,andremembranceofAllah.Theobjectiveistopurifyinnerthoughtsso
thatoutwardactionsfollowinrighteousness.Itsimportanceishighlightedinthehadith:“Actions
arejudgedbyintentions,andeverypersonwillhavewhattheyintended.”³TheQur’anfurther
assures:“Indeed,intheremembranceofAllahdoheartsfindrest.”⁴Thebenefitistranquility
andclarityofpurpose.IntheSeerah,theProphet’ﷺsretreattotheCaveofHirawasa
demonstrationofmentalpurification—heseparatedhimselffromthecorruptionofhissocietyto
preparehisheartandmindforrevelation.Thisremindsusthattofulfillresponsibilitiesandlive
withfaith,themindmustfirstbedisciplinedandfilledwithlight.
ControlYourMood
Emotionsarenatural,butifleftunchecked,theycancauseharmtooneselfandothers.Controlling
moodmeansregulatinganger,sadness,andexcitementsothattheydonotleadtoinjusticeor
regret.Theobjectiveisnottosuppressfeelingsbuttobalancethemwithpatience(sabr)and
gratitude(shukr).TheQur’anpraises:“Andthosewhorestrainangerandpardonpeople–and
Allahlovesthedoersofgood.”⁵TheProphetﷺtaughtthattruestrengthliesintheabilityto
controlanger,notinoverpoweringothers.⁶Thebenefitofemotionaldisciplineisinnerpeace
andharmoniousrelationships.TheSeerahprovidesaclearlesson:atUhud,evenaftersevere
injuryandthelossofcompanions,theProphetﷺrefrainedfromcursinghisenemies.Instead,he
prayedfortheirguidance,provingthatmasteryofmoodtransformshardshipintomercyand
strength.
ControlYourManner
Goodmanners(akhlaq)arethevisibleexpressionofone’sfaith.Controllingone’smannermeans
cultivatinghumility,respect,kindness,andfairness.Theobjectiveistotranslatebeliefinto
conduct,makingcharacteraformofworship.ItsimportanceisevidentintheQur’an’scommand
toshowhumilitytoparents:“Andlowertothem[yourparents]thewingofhumilityoutof
mercy…”⁷TheProphetﷺdeclared:“Thebestamongyouarethosewhohavethebest
mannersandcharacter.”⁸Thebenefitisthatnoblemannersinspirerespect,strengthen
community,anddrawpeopletowardIslam.IntheSeerah,whenaBedouinpulledharshlyatthe
Prophet’scloakdemandingwealth,herespondednotwithangerbutwithgenerosityandpatience.¹
Hisgentlenesswithchildren,respectforelders,andfairnessinjudgmentareenduringexamplesof
refinedmannersthatcontinuetoguidetheummahtoday.

4. ControlYourMoney
WealthisablessingfromAllah,butalsoatest.Controllingmoneymeansearninglawfully,
avoidingwaste,andspendinginwaysthatpleaseAllah.Theobjectiveistoensurewealthremains
aservant,notamaster.ItsimportanceishighlightedintheQur’an:“Indeed,thewastefulare
brothersofthedevils,andeverhasSatanbeentohisLordungrateful.”⁹TheProphetﷺwarned
thatonlywhatweconsume,wear,orgiveincharityistrulyours;therestwillbeleftbehind.¹⁰
Thebenefitoffinancialdisciplineisbarakah,purificationthroughzakatandsadaqah,andfreedom
fromthearroganceofmaterialism.ThecompanionsoftheProphetﷺembodiedthisethic—Abu
Bakr(RA)donatedallhiswealthforIslam,while‘Uthmanibn‘Affan(RA)fundedpublicwells
andarmies.¹¹Theirexamplesremindusthatwealth,whencontrolledandshared,becomesa
sourceofrewardandsocialbenefit.
Conclusion
TheQur’anandSunnahcallbelieverstodisciplinetheirmouths,minds,moods,manners,and
money.Thesefiveareasformaholisticframeworkforpeacefulliving—bringingharmonywith
Allah,oneself,andsociety.TheSeerahoftheProphetMuhammadﷺprovidesalivingmodelof
theseprinciplesinaction.Controllingthe5M’sisnotonlyaboutself-restraintbutalsoabout
activelychannelinghumanfacultiestowardtruth,justice,compassion,andeternalsuccess.
Footnotes
1Qur’an50:18.
2Ṣaḥīḥal-Bukhārī,Kitābal-Adab,no.6018;ṢaḥīḥMuslim,Kitābal-Īmān,no.47.
3Ṣaḥīḥal-Bukhārī,KitābBadʾal-Waḥy,no.1;ṢaḥīḥMuslim,Kitābal-Īmān,no.1907.
4Qur’an13:28.
5Qur’an3:134.
6Ṣaḥīḥal-Bukhārī,Kitābal-Adab,no.6114;ṢaḥīḥMuslim,Kitābal-Birr,no.2609.
7Qur’an17:24.
8Ṣaḥīḥal-Bukhārī,Kitābal-Adab,no.3559.
9Qur’an17:27.
10ṢaḥīḥMuslim,Kitābal-Zuhd,no.2958.
11IbnKathīr,Al-Bidāyahwaal-Nihāyah,vol.7(Beirut:Dāral-Kutubal-ʿIlmiyyah,1985),
200.