Prophetic Guidance Regarding Anger.

Despite the fact that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was a prophet who received Divine revelation, he also experienced human feelings and emotions just like any other human being, such as happiness, joy, sadness, distress, satisfaction, serenity, anger, irritation, and so on.

The value that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), attached to fine morals and manners can clearly be shown by placing these various and opposing feelings and emotions within their proper framework according to the Sharee‘ah. He pruned and moderated these emotions, even adding a new dimension to them by connecting them to the issue of Divine reward. The slogan of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), in this regard was his saying: “I have only been sent to perfect high moral standards.” [Al-Bayhaqi]

Anger, in principle, is a firebrand that sets fire to one’s heart, driving a person to say things that may be regretted later or lead to undesirable consequences, even if motivated by a person’s own desires or zeal for others. However, anger, as understood and applied by the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), meant speaking rightfully and taking offence at violations of the prohibitions of Allah. Anger, according to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), meant neither aggression nor exceeding the proper boundaries. The motivation behind the anger of the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was either to forbid evil or admonish others for neglecting the correct option.    

This meaning is confirmed by practical application as described by ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said, “The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) never hit anyone with his hand - neither a servant nor a woman, but he did fight in the cause of Allah. He never took revenge upon anyone for the wrong done to him, yet he certainly executed retribution for the sake of Allah when the injunctions of Allah regarding unlawful acts were violated.” [Muslim]

The occasions when the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry reveal how accurate this description of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, really was:

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), sent Usaamah ibn Zayd in a military expedition. In this expedition, Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, killed a man after the man had uttered the testimonies of faith, believing that he had only uttered them out of the fear of death. By the time the expedition went back to Madeenah, news had already reached the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who was enraged and said to him: “O Usaamah! Did you kill him after he professed La ilahaa illallah [There is none truly worthy of worship except Allah]? Why did you not tear his heart open to find out whether he had done so sincerely or not?”He continued repeating it until Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, wished that he had only embraced Islam that day.[Muslim]

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), saw a man wearing a gold ring. He got angry, pulled the ring off him and threw it away, saying: “[How can] one of you take a burning coal and place it on his hand!” [Muslim]

-      Usaamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with them, tried to intercede with the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), for a woman belonging to the noble tribe of Makhzoom so that she would not be punished for the crime of theft. Upon hearing him, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), became extremely angry, so much so that it showed on his face. He said to Usaamah: “Are you interceding when one of the commandments ordained by Allah has been violated?”Then he got up and addressed the people, saying:“The people before you were ruined because when a noble person amongst them committed theft they would leave him, but if a weak person amongst them committed theft, they would execute the legal punishment on him. By Allah, were Faatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, to have committed this theft, I would have cut off her hand.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

-      In a market of Madeenah, a disagreement occurred between one of the Companions of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and a Jewish merchant. The Jewish merchant said, “No, by Him Who gave Moses superiority over all human beings!” On hearing this, a man from the Ansaar (Helpers) got up, slapped him on the face and said, “You say this while the Prophet Muhammad is present amongst us?” The Jew went to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and said, “O Abul-Qaasim! I am under the assurance of a contract of security. What right does so-and-so have to slap me?” Signs of extreme anger appeared on the face of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and he said: “Do not give superiority to any prophet amongst the Prophets of Allah The Almighty.”

-      The Mother of the Believers herself reported situations when the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry for the sake of Allah The Exalted, out of his zeal that His prohibitions not be violated: ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) once entered the house while there was in it a thin cloth curtain on which there were some images. When he saw it, the color of his face changed [due to anger] and he said:‘O ‘Aa’ishah! The most grievous torment from Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be for those who produce such images.’”[Al-Bukhari]

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), once came across his Companions and found them arguing with each other about the Divine Decree. He became so angry that his face became, ‘as red as if the flesh of a pomegranate had been squeezed onto his cheeks.’ He said:“Is this what you have been commanded to do? Is it this for which I have been sent to you? Those [nations] before you were destroyed because they disputed about this.”

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry when people asked him about minor matters that could have lead to tougher obligations for themselves, or when they asked him about frivolous matters. Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that, “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was asked about things which he did not like, but when the questioners insisted [upon a reply] the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) got angry. He then said to the people:‘Ask me anything you like.’A man asked, ‘Who is my father?’ The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied:‘Your father is Huthaafah.’ Then another man got up and asked, ‘Who is my father, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied:‘Your father is Saalim, the Mawla [freed slave] of Shaybah.’When ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, saw the anger on the face of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! We repent to Allah The Almighty.’” [Al-Bukhari]

-      A man complained to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), about an Imaam who led people in prayer and prolonged it considerably. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got very angry and the narrator (Abu Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I had never seen the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as angry while giving a speech as he was that day. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ‘Some of you create hatred among people against faith. Whoever leads the prayer should make it brief because the congregation includes old and weak people, as well as those who have urgent work to do.’”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

-      There are other situations that indicate that the matters that angered the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), were not confined to committing violations of the Sharee‘ah; rather, he would also be angered when he saw people neglecting what was good or better. Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) delivered a Khutbah encouraging people to give money to charity, but people responded lazily  - so anger appeared on his face.” [Ahmad]

-      It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that a man insulted Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, while the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was sitting and observing the situation with a smile. However, when this man went on insulting Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, he returned the insults. On hearing this, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), got angry and left. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, followed him and said, “O Messenger of Allah! This man insulted me while you remained seated, but when I returned the insults, you got angry and left!” The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), replied: “There was an angel with you to return the insults on your behalf, but once you returned some of the insults, Shaytaan came, and I would never sit with Shaytaan.” [Ahmad]    

Thus it is clear that the anger of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was only for the sake of Allah The Almighty and never motivated by his own desire or personal interests, and this is the real criteria for attaining the pleasure of Allah The Almighty.

Prophetic Guidance on Dealing with Youngsters - III

Besides enjoining upon children to obey Allah The Almighty and perform good deeds (and accustoming them to doing so), the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, instructed us regarding the necessity of guarding children from falling into prohibited things.

In a Hadeeth (narration) on the authority of Abu Moosa Al-Ash'ari, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, said:"Wearing silk and gold has been forbidden for the males of my nation and permissible for its females." (At-Tirmithi) Although this order is mainly directed at adult men, which excludes children, the Prophet, sallallaahu  ‘alayhi wa sallam, referred to the masculine gender in general, not just those held accountable for their deeds.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, took a date from the dates of Sadaqah (obligatory charity) and put it in his mouth. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ),  said to him:"Kakh, Kakh! (a word for scolding) Throw it, don't you know that we do not eat the Sadaqah?" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

However, when a child is blamed for committing an error, one hears voices strongly objecting to this, claiming that the child is still young and will not be held accountable for his (or her) deeds. Although the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, was fully aware of this fact, he, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, did not excuse or justify a wrong act. Abu Al-Hawraa'  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said, "I asked Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, what he remembered about the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam. He said, ‘I remember that I took a date from the dates of As-Sadaqah, and put it into my mouth. The Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, pulled it out of my mouth with its saliva (still on it), and put it back in the dates. Some people said, "O Messenger of Allah, what [did it matter] if you left this date for this child?" The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Sadaqah is not permissible for us, the family of Muhammad." (Ahmad).

Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, also narrated that when the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, saw a boy who had some of his hair shaved and some left, he forbade them (others) from doing that and said:"Shave it all or leave it all". (Abu Dawood).

Thus, the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, ordered them not to perform Qaza' (shaving some of the hair and leaving the rest), and he directed this order to them all, disregarding the fact that this boy was not Mukallaf (held accountable for his deeds). A sin is a sin regardless of who commits it, whether he is a child or an adult, but the issue of punishment varies accordingly.

Parents should thus guard their children from falling into bad deeds, as this is how the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, perceived these Hadeeths and acted upon them. Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him, for example, when he saw one of his sons vaingloriously wearing and flaunting a silk shirt, he tore the shirt and ordered the boy to go to his mother and ask her to dress him in another shirt. [Abdur-Razzaq, Saheeh]

Finally, it is very important for parents to pay this issue the utmost attention, and keep their children away from all prohibited deeds. For instance, males should not wear feminine clothes and vice versa; girls’ haircuts should not be similar to those of boys (or imitate haircuts popularized by disbelievers) and vice versa; boys should not wear gold chains and so on.

To conclude, Muslim scholars agree upon the fact that guardians must keep their children away from what has been prohibited for adults. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah said, "An adult should not only avoid falling into prohibited deeds, but also should prevent their child from falling into it; he should command him to perform prayers at (the age of) seven, and should beat him for neglecting it at (the age of) ten. Moreover, how can it be permissible to dress him in what has been forbidden?"

Prophetic Guidance on Dealing with Youngsters - II

Another aspect of the Prophet’s care for the young is that he guided parents and guardians to teach their children Salah (prayers), and familiarize them with it, so that they would continue performing Salah as they had been taught in their childhood.

‘Amr ibn Shu'aib  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him on behalf of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, narrated that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said:“Command your children to perform Salah at the age of seven, and beat them for (neglecting) it at the age of ten and separate them in their beds.” [Ahmad] 

In this Hadeeth, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), addresses the parents or the guardians, not the children, as the former are adults and responsible for their actions, whichever of them disobeys is a sinner and subject to punishment. It should be noted that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), did not distinguish between prayers, i.e. the young should be taught and ordered to perform all the five prayers, while taking care to accustom boys to performing it in the Masjid. This was emphasized by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him who said, "Every obeyed person (someone with authority over children) should order those who obey him (those under his authority), even if he has not reached adulthood, to perform Salah, and whoever has a boy or a young orphan and does not order him to pray, is disobedient to Allah and his Messenger, and should be severely rebuked, as he is subject to the punishment of Allah The Almighty." 

In this respect, some parents complain that their adult sons do not attend even the Jum'ah (Friday) prayers in the Masjid. In many cases, the parents themselves are to blame for this, as they neglected teaching their sons to perform Salah while they were young, so when these children grew older, it was not easy for them to perform prayers in the Masjid. Thus, the corruption of sons is usually caused by the parents themselves. This corruption renders the son of no use, neither for himself, nor for his old parents. Here we recall the words of such a son who blamed his father, saying, "O father, you had been undutiful to me when I was young, so I am undutiful to you now that you are old. And you ruined me when I was a child, so I have neglected you when you are old. As you sow, so will you reap." 

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), allowed children to be present in the Masjids, and sometimes even interrupted a sermon for them. 

Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 

While the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, was on the Minbar (pulpit) giving us a speech, he saw (his grandsons) Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (who were small children) coming in wearing red shirts, walking and falling over every now and then. The Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, came down (from the pulpit), carried the children and seated them on his lap, and then he said: "Verily, Allah (The Almighty) speaks the truth (which means): {Your wealth and your children are only a temptation…} [Quran: 64, 15] And he added: "I saw these two children walking and tumbling, I felt so impatient that I interrupted my speech in order to help them up." [An-Nasaa'i].

Thus, it is clear that preventing children from attending Masjids is not from the guidance of the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, as he, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, brought them to the Masjid and acknowledged their presence with their parents. Although there is no doubt that their attendance often distracts and annoys the worshippers because of their crying or playing, the Prophet, sallallaahu  'alayhi wa sallam, overlooked this, as these children reap the benefits of attending the Masjid. These benefits include familiarizing the children with Masjids, being accustomed to attending prayers and sermons, and praying. The guardian should be keen on bringing his children to the Masjids, while doing his best to reduce and limit their noise, by either standing next to them in the row during the prayers, or closely monitoring them after it. By doing this, the recurrent complaints in the Masjids due to  the noise of the children and the negligence of the parents will no longer pose a problem.

Prophetic Guidance on Dealing with Youngsters - I

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), is the most perfect man ever. He taught people while taking into consideration their way of thinking and their degree of faith. His way of teaching is best described by Al-Hakam ibn Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a mature man (when this incident occurred). Ibn Mu'awiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, after committing an error while praying, "I have never before seen an instructor who gave better instruction than he, may my father and mother be sacrificed for him. He neither remonstrated with me, nor beat me, nor abused me." [Muslim] 

If this was the Prophet's way of treating and teaching adults, surely the children were favored by more of his good guidance and leniency of treatment. In that sense, the stepson of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam, Umar ibn Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported, "I was a boyunder the care of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and my hand would wander about the dish. He said to me: "O boy, mention the name of Allah (sayBismillaah before you start eating), eat with your right hand and eat from what is near to you." I always followed this way of eating after this incident." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

It is thus clear that the most of honorable of people, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), did not disdain to eat with his stepson like many people do. Even when the boy made a mistake, he hastened to teach him the right way to eat in a very gentle manner. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam, was not rough with him, neither did he rebuke him nor dismiss him from the house. Consequently, this manner of teaching had a great effect on the boy, who said, "I always followed this way of eating", as well as on the Muslim nation as a whole.

What do you think would have happened if the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), had rebuked the boy or dismissed him, or cursed him (supplicated Allah The Almighty to cut his hand, for example) like some parents may have done in that situation? Would the boy have gained this benefit of learning the etiquette of eating? Would the nation have gained any benefit from (learning of ) such maltreatment?

Moreover, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), joked with boys, made them happy, and gave them nicknames in their childhood. This is illustrated in the Hadeeth (narration) narrated by Abu Tayyah, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, "The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam, was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu 'Umayr, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) he used to say: "O Abu 'Umayr! What did Al-Nughayr (the nightingale) do?" It was a nightingale with which he used to play."

The question is: where do some of today's educators stand in comparison to this Prophetic guidance in dealing with young people with compassion, delighting them with jokes and gifts, or at least speaking a good word that opens their eyes and ears, and enables  them to benefit from the knowledge and behavior of their educators? Where are the educators who call youngsters by their Kunyah (patronymic nickname), which makes them pleased? On the contrary, a few educators intentionally give the children under their charge nicknames that they deeply resent. It is worth mentioning that as long as these children are called by these hurtful names, the sin of offending them will return to those who invented the names in the first place.

Another aspect of the Prophet’s care for the young is that he guided parents and guardians to teach their children Salah (prayers), and familiarize them with it, so that they would continue performing Salah as they had been taught in their childhood.

'I Have Been Sent to Perfect Good Manners' - III

Many people tend to think of good character and manners as something superfluous or unnecessary. They may neglect to check their shortcomings in this regard, believing it enough for them to perform several voluntary acts of worship in addition to the obligatory ones. This is not a correct way to approach the matter of good character and manners. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is every Muslim’s first role model in performing good deeds and worshipping Allah The Almighty with diligence and devotion. Not only that, he is also our role model in bettering and correcting ourselves. Therefore, we should seek to emulate his  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) noble character and fine manners.

It is enough for us, if we really want to know the importance of character and manner, to know that good character and manners are the heaviest thing on one’s scales on the Day of Judgment. This is when their good deeds are placed on the right side of the scale, and their evil deeds on the left. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "The heaviest aspect, the heaviest matter [that will help a believer] that will be in the Meezaan (scales) on the Day of Judgment, is good Akhlaaq."

Therefore, even if a person had not performed many voluntary acts of worship, they could make that up on the Day of Judgment by their good character and manners. In addition, the better their character and manners, the closer a person will be to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) on the Day of Judgment as well as in Paradise.The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: 

"Those of you who will be closest to me on the Day of Judgment will be those who have the best Akhlaaq."  

"Those who are most beloved to me, and the closest to me in the Hereafter, are those who have the best Akhlaaq amongst you. And the people who are the most hated by me and the ones who are the furthest from me in the Hereafter are those who have the worst Akhlaaq."  

Thus, we see that those with a beautiful character and pleasant manners will be in close proximity to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) while those who possessed a bad character and harsh manners will be far away from him. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) even described the latter, whose principal characteristics are that they are vulgar, crude, and coarse in their manner of talking. They are arrogant and look down upon people. They have a thoroughly bad and decayed character, and they do not scruple to hide it from other people.

Good character and manners are also a cause for one’s admittance to Paradise. Someone asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) "What is the one characteristic that will cause the most [number of] people to enter Paradise?" The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) replied: "To have the Taqwa (fear; consciousness) of Allah and to have good Akhlaaq." Thus, we see that good character and manners come directly after Taqwa, which is piety and being aware of the presence of Allah The Almighty and His watchfulness over you. Does this not emphasize the blessing of having a good character and virtuous manners?

The importance of good character and manners does not end here; good character and manners have many more merits and virtues. However, we will now discuss the two extremes when it comes to manners: one is to say that good character and manners are not very significant in religion and become careless about them; and the other is to be negligent in one’s obligations, under the pretext that good character and manners will save them from punishment.

Both the above approaches are wrong. Good character and manners are an essential part of the teachings of Islam; hence, they should not be ignored or neglected. On the other hand, one should ensure that they are not abandoning the acts of worship that are obligatory upon every Muslim, like praying five times a day, fasting the month of Ramadan, etc. One is also encourage to perform voluntary acts of worship according to one’s ability, including the Dhuha (forenoon) prayer, Tahajjud (voluntary night prayers), etc. Having a good character and manners does not mean one should not make some effort to perform these extra acts of worship, “saving up” for the Hereafter.

'I Have Been Sent to Perfect Good Manners' - II

In Islam, nothing is considered a greater blessing – after Eemaan (faith) – than having a good character and manners. This blessing is far superior to anything worldly that Allah The Almighty may have bestowed upon a Muslim – from wealth to status to children.

Some of the narrations  that emphasize this are:

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "The best blessing that a person can be given in this life is Akhlaaq (good character)."

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "Mankind has not been given anything better than good Akhlaaq (good character)."

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "I command you to be of good Akhlaaq (good character and manners)."

The importance of adorning oneself with a good character and pleasant manners is clear enough in the fact that the rewards of having and cultivating these two features are greater than, or at least equivalent to, the rewards of extra and continual worship. Through good character and manners, a person can obtain blessings he would otherwise not be able to obtain. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated, “The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: ‘By his good character a believer will attain the degree of one who prays during the night and fasts during the day.’” [Abu Daawood]

Not many of us are constantly engaged in acts of worship, praying all night and fasting all day; yet, if we want to be amongst those who obtain good deeds, all we have to do is constantly improve and refine our character, while cultivating good manners in ourselves.

Moreover, one should know that good character and manners is a sign of one's strength and perfection of Eemaan. Therefore, a person who does not have good character and manners cannot be said to have strong Eemaan, regardless of what label or status he assigns himself. No matter what he says or boasts of, if a person is coarse, arrogant and unmannerly, then he is not a good Muslim. Even if he fasts and prays day and night, he has yet to perfect his Eemaan and strengthen it.

On the other hand, someone who performs the minimum of good deeds, or only the obligatory acts of worship, yet has good character and manners, then he is far better than another person who zealously performs voluntary acts of worship but has a bad character and unpleasant manners. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "The people who have perfected their Eemaan most perfectly, are those who are best in Akhlaaq." In another narration, he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), says: "The best of the believers are the ones who are best in their Akhlaaq." In the same Hadeeth, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), says: "The best of you are those of you who are best to their wives." Contemplate this Hadeeth: why is it that the best of us are those who are best to their wives? It is because it is very easy to be courteous and well-mannered to people we see once a day, like a neighbor, or once a year, like a visiting relative. But when one shows good manners to one’s own wife, who he eats, drinks, sleeps and wakes up with, it is only then that one really reaches the height of perfection and excellence in good character and manners.

It is also important for Muslims to show friendliness towards one another, because when they are cold towards and aloof from each other, they create barriers between one another. Therefore, the Muslim should smile at his brother, greet him with the greeting of Salaam, shake his hand, and so forth. This prevents Shaytaan (Satan) from planting discord and disunity between the Muslims.

Good character and manners are very beloved to Allah The Almighty. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty, and He loves noble Akhlaaq [character and manners] and He hates, he despises lowly characteristics." He,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), also said: "Allah The Almighty has containers on the face of this earth, and the containers of your Lord are the hearts of His servants." The hearts of His servants act like containers of Allah The Almighty, which means that they fill up with the mercy, love, and knowledge of Allah The Almighty. These servants of Allah The Almighty act like containers to His mercy:"The most beloved of these containers are the ones that are the most soft, and the ones that are most gentle." Those with soft hearts and gentle natures are the ones whom Allah The Almighty loves the most. 

'I Have Been Sent to Perfect Good Manners' - I

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), was the epitome of graciousness, courtesy and good breeding. His character and manners were pleasing and worthy of emulation, and his behavior more so.This was one of the qualities of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), Allah The Almighty Himself stated in the Quran (which means): {And indeed, you are upon a noble conduct, an exemplary manner} [Quran, 68:4]

In defending His Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), from the spurious allegations of the polytheists of the Quraysh, one of the first things Allah The Almighty mentions is his good manners and noble character. Furthermore, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "The only reason I have been sent is to perfect good manners." [Al-Bukhari, Ahmad] In this Hadeeth (narration), we realize the great significance of having good manners that complement one’s character and values.

Some of the beautiful manners that Islam endorses in Muslims are:

·        Showing kindness and courtesy towards others

There are numerous verses in the Quran that enjoin having good manners and treating others well. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful.} [Quran, 4:36] Everyone should benefit from one’s kindness, good companionship and benevolence, not just one’s peers and age group, but also one’s parents, relatives, the poor, the orphans; even some stranger who is one’s companion while travelling.

·        Abandoning useless talk and vulgar language

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And tell My servants to say that which is best…} [Quran, 17:53] A Muslim should utter good words, not spew shameful and off-putting language. ‘Adullaah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) never used bad language; neither a 'Faahish nor a Mutafahhish. He used to say: 'The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.'” [Al-Bukhari] He,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), also said: “…anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quiet. (i.e. abstain from all kinds of evil and dirty talk).” [Al-Bukhari]

·        Being humble and shunning arrogance

Allah The Almighty describes His servants as those who walk with humbleness on earth, not showing arrogance or superciliousness towards others. He Says (what means): {And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily…}[Quran, 25:63]This is a characteristic of the true believers. Allah The Almighty hates arrogance and pride in all its forms.

In addition, there are many Hadeeths (narrations) that denounce arrogance and pride and encourage Muslims to cultivate humbleness in themselves. These include:

·        "He will not enter Paradise who has even a speck of pride in his heart," [Muslim]

·        "Shall I inform you of the people of Paradise? They are every weak and humble person, if he takes an oath to Allah, it will be fulfilled. Shall I inform you of the people of the Fire? They are every cruel, violent and proud person." [Al-Bukhari and others]

Thus, we find that having good manners is one of the themes found continually throughout the Quran and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), which doubly proves and signifies their importance. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), repeatedly advised his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to keep refining their manners:

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ): “Be mindful of Allah, wherever you are, and follow up any bad deed with a good one to wipe it out, and act towards other with an excellent character.” [At-Tirmithi]

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "Do not underestimate anything among the good deeds, even if it is only to meet your brother with a friendly face." [Muslim]

·        The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "If someone curses you or tries to find fault with you, in a matter that does not exist in you," in other words, he accuses you of having a fault that you do not have, "do not find fault with him in a matter that he does have." The Prophetic guidance here is that even if someone lies about you and slanders you, do not point out the mistakes he himself has. He,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), went on to say: "Leave him, because the evil of that deed will be against him, and the good will be for you."

·        In another Hadeeth, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: "Do not ever curse any person."

Prophet Muhammad's justice and equality.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) asked people to be just and kind. As the supreme judge and arbiter, as the leader of Muslims, as generalissimo of a rising power, as a reformer and apostle, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had always to deal with people and their affairs. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had often to deal with mutually inimical and warring tribes when showing justice to one carried the danger of antagonizing the other, and yet he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) never deviated from the path of justice. In administering justice, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) made no distinction between believers and nonbelievers, friends and foes, high and low. From numerous instances reported in the traditions, a few are given below.

Sakhar, a chief of a tribe, had helped the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) greatly in the siege of Taaif, for which he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was naturally obliged to him. Soon after, two charges were brought against Sakhar: one by Mugheerah, may Allah be pleased with him, of illegal confinement of his (Mugheerah's) aunt and the other by Banu Saalim of forcible occupation of his spring by Sakhar. In both cases, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) decided against Sakhar and made him undo the wrong. [Abu Daawood]

Abdullaah Ibn Sahl, may Allah be pleased with him, was deputed to collect rent from Jews of Khaybar. His cousin Mahisah, may Allah be pleased with him, accompanied him but, on reaching Khaybar, they had separated. Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, was waylaid and done to death. Mahisah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported this tragedy to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) but as there were no eye-witnesses to identify the guilty, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) did not say anything to the Jews and paid the blood-money out of the state revenues.  [Al-Bukhari]

A woman of the Makhzoom family with good connections was found guilty of theft. For the prestige of the Quraysh, some prominent people including Usaamah Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, interceded to save her from punishment. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) refused to condone the crime and expressed displeasure saying:

"Many a community ruined itself in the past as they only punished the poor and ignored the offences of the exalted. By Allah, if Muhammad's (My) daughter Faatimah would have committed theft, her hand would have been severed." [Al-Bukhari]

The Jews, in spite of their hostility to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) were so impressed by his impartiality and sense of justice that they used to bring their cases to him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and he decided them according to Jewish law. [Abu Daawood]

Once, while he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was distributing the spoils of war, people flocked around him and one man almost fell upon him. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) pushed the men with a stick causing a slight abrasion. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was so sorry about this that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) told the man that he could have his revenge, but the man said: "O messenger of Allah, I forgive you." (Abu Daawood)

In his fatal illness, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) proclaimed in a concourse assembled at his house that if he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) owed anything to anyone the person concerned could claim it; if he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had ever hurt anyone's person, honor or property, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) could have his price while he was yet in this world. A hush fell on the crowd. One man came forward to claim a few Dirhams which were paid at once. [Ibn Hishaam]

Equality

Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) asked people to shun notions of racial, family or any other form of superiority based on mundane things and said that righteousness alone was the criterion of one's superiority over another. It has already been shown how he mixed with everyone on equal terms, how he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) ate with slaves, servants and the poorest on the same sheet (a practice that is still followed in Arabia), how he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) refused all privileges and worked like any ordinary laborer. Two instances may, however, be quoted here:

Once the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) visited Sa'd Ibn 'Ubaadah, may Allah be pleased with him. While returning, Sa'd sent his son Qays with him. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) asked Qays to mount his camel with him. Qays hesitated out of respect but the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) insisted: "Either mount the camel or go back." Qays decided to go back. [Abu Daawood]

On another occasion he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was traveling on his camel over hilly terrain with a companion, Uqbah Ibn 'Aamir, may Allah be pleased with him. After going some distance, he asked 'Uqbah, may Allah be pleased with him, to ride the camel, but Uqbah thought this would be showing disrespect to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). But the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) insisted and he had to comply. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) himself walked on foot as he did not want to put too much load on the animal. [An-Nasaa'ee]

The prisoners of war of Badr included Al-'Abbaas, the uncle of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Some people were prepared to forgo their shares and remit the Prophet's ransom but he declined saying that he could make no distinctions. [Al-Bukhari]

During a halt on a journey, the companions apportioned work among themselves for preparing food. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) took upon himself the task of collecting firewood. His companions, may Allah be pleased with them, pleaded that they would do it and that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) need not take the trouble, but he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) replied: "It is true, but I do not like to attribute any distinction to myself. Allah does not like the man who considers himself superior to his companions." [Az-Zarqaani]

Nurturing the Companions on Noble Morals and Purifying Them from Vice

Lofty morals are a vital part of the creed, as sound creed cannot exist without good morals. Hence, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), nurtured his Companions on noble morals and would deploy various methods to do so.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: “There is nothing that has a heavier weight in the scales of the believer on the Day of Judgment than good morals. Indeed, Allah The Almighty despises the obscene and rude person.” [At-Tirmithi]

The Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), was asked about the factor that would admit people into Paradise, and he replied: “Piety and good morals.” He was also asked about the factor that would admit people into Hell, and he replied: “The mouth and genital organs.” [At-Tirmithi]

Good morals are not something secondary in this religion and are not something restricted to a certain type of human behavior. Rather, they are the practical embodiment of sound creed and faith. Faith is not mere feelings inside the conscience; it is also apparent behavior. If such practical behavior is absent or the opposite of it is observed, then we should wonder where the faith is and what the value of faith is if it is not transformed into fine behavior.

Hence, the Noble Quran connects morals to creed, and there are many Quranic examples to that effect: [Quran 23:1-11]; [Quran 6:151-153]; [Quran 13:19-22] and [Quran 17:23-38].

The Companions were nurtured on the fact that acts of worship are a portrayal of a type of morals, as they involve the expression of loyalty to Allah The Almighty, gratitude for His blessings, acknowledging His favors, and venerating those who are worthy of veneration and glorification - all of which are from good morals. Thus, the Companions’ morals were divine, motivated by belief in Allah The Almighty, encouraged by hope for the Hereafter, and seeking the pleasure and reward of Allah The Almighty.

In the Prophetic nurturing, morals are comprehensive and include all human acts, feelings, emotions and thoughts. Prayer, for example, involves certain morals that are represented in humble submission to Allah The Almighty. Speech involves morals that are represented in avoiding dirty, false, evil and vain talk. The morals that must accompany sexual intercourse are represented in adhering to the limits ordained by Allah The Almighty and avoiding His prohibitions. Dealings with others involve morals that are represented in adopting a middle course between stinginess and extravagance. Social life should involve consultation among people. The morals to be adopted at times of anger are forgiveness and pardon. Aggression on the part of one’s enemies is to be fended off, and this is the correct reaction. Thus, everything in the Muslim’s life is governed by morals, and there is no single thing that is not associated with morals.

Allah The Almighty made Tawheed (worshipping Allah alone) the peak of the moral methodology that is portrayed by verses 23:38 of chapter Al-Israa’ in terms of praise and otherwise.

In fact, Tawheed involves a fundamental moral aspect. That is, a favorable response is motivated by fairness and truthfulness with one’s self; and an unfavorable response is mainly caused by bad morals such as arrogant pride at accepting the truth and following the messengers, hubris, inflated self-esteem, fondness of showing off, falsehood-based argumentation and dispute for the sake of effecting defeat, imitation, and unfavorable strictness to traditions, in spite of their deviation. All such morals are extremely harmful to the people who hold them, and they prevent them from accepting the truth - having it become evident, and denying them happiness in both worlds even though people are certain that it is solely attainable through the way of the messengers.

Kindness to Children

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated,

Once the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and I went out during the day. While on the journey, he did not talk to me and I did not talk to him. When we reached the market of Bani Qaynuqaa’, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) sat in the front-yard of (his daughter) Faatimah's house and asked: “Is Luka’ home? (i.e., 'the small boy' - his grandson Al-Hasan)” But Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, kept the boy inside for a while. I guessed that she was either changing his clothes or giving him a bath. After a while, the boy came out running and the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) embraced him and kissed him on the mouth; then he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “O Allah! Love him, and love whoever loves him.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In other narration of this incident, Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, came out walking quickly and jumped into the lap of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) who had his arms extended towards him, and who then hugged and kissed him.

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “After I heard the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) saying this, there was nobody that I loved more than Al-Hasan.” He, may Allah be pleased with him, also said, “It is never that I saw Al-Hasan after having heard this, except that I cried.”

The saying of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him: “…He did not talk to me…” was probably due to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) being busy thinking about something, or being inspired, or receiving revelation at the time.

His saying: “…And I did not talk to him…” is due to him, may Allah be pleased with him, glorifying and honouring the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ); this was the practice of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, whenever they would see the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) silent.

This narration is a reflection of how great the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was, due to his coming to visit this child, which illustrated the love and mercy that he had for him. This was despite the great responsibilities he had as a leader of the entire Muslim nation and the fact that he was busy being a guardian over their affairs, the custodian of their treasury, or Bayt Al-Maal, thedispatcher of the Muslim armies and the teacher and preacher to all Muslims; Moreover, he was also receiving revelation from his Lord and contemplating over what happened to the previous nations who had disobeyed Him.

Despite all this, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) did not forget, in the midst of all these tasks and responsibilities, to check on his grandchild and bring joy to him, as well as checking on his daughter and son-in-law. He,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) sat in front of the house waiting for his grandchild to come out, and extended his arms towards him when he did so; he hugged and kissed him, and this love was reflected and reciprocated by the reaction of the child who walked quickly and jumped into the lap of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam (may  Allah exalt 
his mention ).

Another narration that reflects the kindness that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had for children is that which is narrated by Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “I never saw anyone kinder and more merciful with children than the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). His son, Ibraaheem, would breastfeed from a woman in the ‘Awaali area of Madeenah; he would go and visit him and we would accompany him. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would enter the house in which Ibraaheem was and find him with some splashes of the milk that he had drunk, on his face; he would pick him up and kiss him.”

‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him,who was one of the companions accompanying the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) in his visits, said, “After the death of Ibraaheem, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: ‘Ibraaheem is my son and he died whilst at the age of breastfeeding; he will have two women breastfeeding him in Paradise until he concludes the age of breastfeeding.’"[Muslim]

This narration reflects the noble manners of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and his kindness to children. It also highlights the virtue of being merciful with children and kissing them.

Ibraaheem, may Allah be pleased with him, died when he was sixteen or seventeen months old, which is why the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said that he died whilst at the age of breastfeeding, because the complete breastfeeding term is usually two full years, as mentioned in the Qur’aan.

Many of those who are busy with worldly affairs or matters related to the religion are thereby deprived of other matters; they are busy teaching or leading others, or attaining wealth, and are thereby deprived from kissing their children, playing with them, and nurturing them properly. No matter how busy a person claims to be, it is impossible that he could be busier than the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was, who had time for this despite his numerous and great responsibilities. The propagators of Islam, and others in general, have a duty towards their families and kinsfolk which they must fulfil, despite their responsibilities.

A child has a very special position in the Islamic community, and he should receive the required attention and care which would make him grow up balanced and well mannered.

Unlike what some may believe, possessing manhood, dignity and honour does not contradict caring for and playing with children; this is reflected in the narration of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said, “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) kissed Al-Hasan once while Al-Aqra’ Ibn Haabis was sitting with him, so Al-Aqra’ said, `I have ten children and never did I kiss any of them.` The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) therefore looked at him and said: ‘Allah will not be merciful with the one who is not merciful to others.’” [Al-Bukhari]

A person who works as an Islamic preacher in a prison in a western country said that an imprisoned drug addict once informed him that he would always stub out his cigarette on his child’s body, until he killed the child. This is truly an ugly face of the West that is reflected by this story; what kind of civilisation do they have? What benefit did they gain from their technology when their communities are overwhelmed with immorality, lack of faith, and children who are murdered and tortured like animals? This has become such a widespread phenomenon that there are now designated telephone numbers for children to call and seek help and protection if their parents harm or torture them.

But who are these children seeking protection from? It is from their own parents, who torture them in such a barbaric manner that it shatters the feelings of those who get to hear about it.

A true believer should take lessons from the names of Allah, and one of His names is the All-Merciful, so a believer should strive to be merciful; Another of His names is the Compassionate, so a believer should work hard to be compassionate and kind to others, especially his children.

The father’s love for his children should not be buried under his load of work, or his numerous tasks; on the contrary, he should express his love and kindness to them and strive to nurture them properly.

The Da'wah of the Prophets.

Calling to Allah is the way of the Messenger Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) (may Allah exalt his mention) and his followers, as Allah, the Most High, Says (what means): "Say [O Muhammad]: 'This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with him.'" [Quran: 12:108]

Calling to Allah was the mission of all the Messengers and their followers, in order to bring the people out of darkness into light, from Kufr (unbelief) to true Eemaan (faith), from Shirk (polytheism) to Tawheed (monotheism), and from the Fire to Paradise. This call to Allah rests upon firm pillars, and is established upon foundations which are absolutely essential. If any of these are missing, the Da'wah (call to Islam) will not be correct and will not produce the desired results - no matter how much time or effort is expended - and this is the reality which we witness with regard to many of the present-day calls which are not supported by those pillars and built upon those foundations. These pillars, which support the correct Da'wah, are clearly shown in the Book (the Quran) and the Sunnah (prophetic tradition), and can be summarised as follows:

1. Knowledge of that which one calls to:

Since the ignorant person is not suitable to be a Daa'ee (caller). Allah, the Most High, said to His Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) (what means): : "Say [O Muhammad]: 'This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight (Baseerah), I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him...'" [Quran: 12:108] 'Baseerah' is knowledge. So the caller is certain to face those who are scholars of misguidance, those who will attack him with doubts and futile arguments in order to rebut the truth. Allah, the Most High, Says (what means):  "…And argue with them in a way that is best..." [Quran: 16:125]

2. Acting in accordance with that which he calls to:

This is so that he will be a good example - his actions attesting to his words, and leaving no excuse for the opponents of the truth. Allah, the Most High, informs us that His Prophet Shu'ayb said to his people (what means): : "…I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden to you; I only intend to reform as much as I am able…" [Quran: 11:88]

3. Purity of intention (Al-Ikhlaas):

Da'wah should be made purely and sincerely, seeking Allah's pleasure to seek the Face of Allah (and seeking His Reward) - not for show, repute, status, leadership, nor desiring worldly goals. If any of these goals adulterate it, the call is no longer for Allah; rather it is for one's own benefit or for the attainment of worldly goals. Allah informs us that His Prophets said to their people (what means): : "…I ask of you for it [i.e., this message] no payment…" [Quran: 6:90] And (what means): : "…I ask not of you for it any wealth…" [Quran: 11:29]

Let us take a glimpse at the way in which two of the well-known Prophets, Nooh (Noah) and Ibraaheem (Abraham), may Allah exalt their mention, called to Allah:

Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention:

The name of Prophet Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, has been mentioned in the Quran forty-five times. Let us recall some of these Aayaat (verses) and Soorahs (chapters). Allah the Most High and Exalted says what means: "And We certainly sent Nooh to his people, and he remained among them a thousand years, and the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers." [Quran: 29:14] And: "Indeed, We sent Nooh to his people, [saying]: 'Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment. He said: 'O my people! Indeed I am to you a clear warner.’" [Quran: 71:1-2] And so came to pass a tradition by Allah, the High and Exalted, in which the propagation faced trials, ordeals etc. Along with that, barriers were erected by the enemies of Allah as a means of standing in the way of the call to monotheism and towards its callers. This is the lengthy history of humankind, from the time of the Prophet Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, to our present day; full of dedicated powers standing in the path of Da'wah to Allah, the High and Exalted, being publicly insurgent and intimidating, without shame or discretion. Prophet Nooh, may Allah exalt his mention, remained among his people for a very long time, but none except a very few believed his call. So the rest were taken away by the flood, as they were wrong-doers.

Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention:

Indeed Prophet Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, was a true Muslim, avoiding any creed except that of Islam (submitting oneself to Allah only, and following His commands), and believing that Islam is the first and final message to the whole of humanity. This was also the belief of those who succeeded him from among his progeny: Ismaa`eel (Ishmael), Is-haaq (Isaac), Ya`qoob (Jacob), and Al-Asbaat (the twelve descendants of Jacob who form the twelve tribes of Israel), may Allah exalt their mention. They passed this creed on to Prophet Moosaa (Moses) and `Eesaa (Jesus), may Allah exalt their mention, and the matter finally concluded with the Muslim descendents of Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention.

The story of Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, in the Noble Quran shows us that the orderly conduct of living, the manner of morals, and principles of behaviour and ethics cannot be implemented and firmly upheld except if the `Aqeedah (creed) connects the spirit with the body. Indeed, Ibraaheem was at the peak of his youth when Allah, the High and Exalted, gave him maturity and adulthood, as he denounced the worshipping of idols by destroying them. He ridiculed and mocked them, and finally smashed them into pieces. Not only that, but he also ridiculed the mentality of the people, and opposed them, saying (what means): "Uff to you and to what you worship instead of Allah. Then will you not use reason?" [Quran: 21:67]

Thereafter, his people were overtaken by pride, which lead them to offence, just as it always does the tyrant oppressors and the powerless alike, when they have no proof. So, they resorted to outrageous, tyrannical force, and severe punishment; they said to him (what means): "…Burn him and support your gods – if you are to act." [Quran: 21:68]

But, Allah's mercy and assistance for those who call others to Him totally voided their sayings and nullified their plan (to throw Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, into a blazing fire); Allah Says (what means):  "We [i.e., Allah] said: 'O Fire! Be coolness and safety upon Ibraaheem." [Quran: 21:69] Take a good look at the 'father of prophets'. He suffered, but was patient; and was gifted. In return, he was thankful, so the generous end (of this conflict) was befitting to him because of his graceful patience. From his progeny, the best of nations were sent out to the people, guiding with the Command of Allah, and establishing Allah’s legislature upon guidance and light. So, similar action must be displayed by the people of Da'wah: being patient in the face of rejection, and in suffering in the Path of Allah.

Translated by: Aboo Talhah Daawood bin Ronald Burbank