Samar Yahya

 

ISLAM pays great attention to how people deal with each other in daily life. There are more Hadiths or sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that mention the virtues of having good character and good manners with people than there are sayings about the rituals of worshipping God, which points out the importance of a pleasant character in Islam.



Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is our guide in dealing respectfully and kindly with people, to keep our relationships on the right track.



He (peace be upon him) said, “I have been sent to perfect the best of manners”, and he also said, “The best among you are the best in character.”

Not the best in wealth, physical strength, beauty, job title, or lineage, but the best in character.



As Muslims, we have to always be aware of how we deal with people, in our families and in our social circles. This means to love and appreciate other people, and to not violate their rights.



Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) repeatedly reminded his companions, “The most beloved of Allah’s servants to Allah are those with the best manners.”



Some of the good traits a Muslim should have are honesty, truthfulness, humbleness, helpfulness, generosity, kindness, gentleness and concern. A real Muslim is to tell the truth even if it is against his own personal interest and to be truthful in words and actions. Honesty also implies doing one’s work as sincerely and as flawlessly as possible.



Humbleness is another commendable trait highly regarded in Islam, and it is the mark of a true Muslim. Part of humbleness is to avoid having an inflated sense of self-importance over others. It is treating all people with equal respect, the old and the young, your superior but also your subordinate at work. Being modest also means treating people tenderly and cordially.



Islam teaches us not to show pride or arrogance. As Muslims we should not fall in the trap of pride and arrogance.



Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a very approachable person; he was well mannered in his speech and actions. 



Generosity should be at the core of Muslim societies. Islam teaches us that the poor have a share in our wealth, so it is not optional to give charity. It is their right. The Qur’an teaches us that we should be generous, give the needy, and share our wealth.



The Prophet (peace be upon him) constantly stressed the importance of giving in charity. He said, “Protect yourselves from the Hell-fire even by giving a piece of a date as charity.”



The best example is when the early Muslims who were persecuted in Makkah fled to Madinah to settle down in a place where they could worship Allah safely and freely. They arrived in Madinah only with the clothes on their bodies, leaving behind their homes, wealth, riches, and families. The Muslims of Madinah received these immigrants with exceptional generosity, welcoming them in their homes, sharing with them their money, food, clothing, farms, and animals.



By following this example, the Muslims of today could greatly lessen the suffering endured by the displaced Syrian refugees fleeing into neighboring countries.



The most generous of all people during his time, was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He always gave everyone whatever it is they asked of him.



A man once came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked for something. He (peace be upon him) said, “I have nothing in my possession. Alas, go and borrow on my account! If anything comes, we will pay for it.”



One of the central principles of Islam is helping others. A Muslim’s primary goal is to worship God, but this goes hand-in-hand with the humane and kind treatment of other people, parallel to performing rituals of worship.



Before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) started to receive the revelation, he would spend a great deal of time meditating in a cave outside Makkah. Among the issues that he reflected on was how the women, orphans, and those without tribal protection were treated.



The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw an old man walking and trembling under the weight of water, which he carried in a leather jacket. Seeing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) took the load and carried it to the man’s desired destination.



A young, slave boy was grinding some grain on a grinding mill driven by hand. As he ground the grains he was crying. This perturbed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he asked the boy why he was weeping. The boy said, “I am sick. I cannot grind the grain. My master will beat me if I do not finish my job.”



At this, the Prophet stepped forward and ground the rest of the grain saying, “Always call me if you have any grain to grind. I will do it for you.”



As Muslims we have the best role model in forgiveness, kindness, and tenderness.



An old woman intended to leave Makkah since she did not like the idea of a new religion being preached by a young man named “Muhammad”. Incidentally, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw her struggling and he offered to help. She did not realize that it was Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was helping her and carrying her belongings and accompanying her all the way to the outskirts of the city. Complaining all the way about a new faith being preached, which required giving up old customs and practices, she finally asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) his name. On coming to know that this was the man who was preaching the new religion, she not only retraced her steps and changed her decision of leaving Makkah, but she also accepted Islam.