HADITH EXPLANATION – “FEAR ALLAH WHEREVER YOU ARE …..”

 

Abu Dharr and Mu‘adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said,

“Fear Allah wherever you are, follow the vicious deed with a good one which will obliterate it and deal with people by good manners.”

[Tirmidhi – Kitab Al-Birr was-Silah (Book on Righteousness and Keeping good Relations with Others),hadith 1987; and he said it is an authentic, good hadith.]

 

Explanation of the Hadith

This great advice is all-comprehensive as it includes the rights due to Allah and His worshippers. The right due to Allah is that His worshippers should fear him. Fearing Allah is the advice directed by Allah to people in the past and the present as Allah says,

“We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you (O Muslims) that you (all) fear Allah.” (Surah An-Nisa, 4 : 131)

 

What is meant by “Fearing Allah”?

Fearing Allah means that a worshipper should avoid Allah’s wrath, punishment and anger by doing good deeds and shunning evil ones. Sometimes, piety is mentioned with the Name of Allah as He says,

“And fear Allah to Whom you shall be gathered back.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5 : 96)

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (Surah Al-Hashr, 59 : 18)

 

Fearing Allah means avoiding His wrath and anger which lead to His punishments in this world as well as the Hereafter, as Allah says,

“And Allah warns you against Himself (His Punishment).” (Surah Ali-’Imran, 3 : 28)

“He is the One Who forgives (sins).” (Surah Al-Muddaththir, 74 : 56)

 

Allah deserves to be feared by His worshippers, so that they will obey and worship Him because of His Sublime Attributes, His Greatness, Superiority and Power.

Sometimes fearing Allah may be mentioned along with His punishment, the place of such punishment which is Hell fire, or the time of such punishment, which is the Day of Judgement. Allah says,

“And fear the Fire, which is prepared for the disbelievers.” (Surah Ali-‘Imran, 3 : 131)

“Then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2 : 24)

“And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2 : 281)

“And fear a Day (of Judgement) when a person shall not be of avail to another” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2 : 48)

 

Fearing Allah entails performing prescribed deeds and abandoning prohibited and dubious acts. It may also entail performing optional, desirable acts and abandoning undesirable deeds. This is the highest rank of fearing Allah, as He says,

“Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings|. This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah greatly (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah greatly (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and spend from what we have provided for them [i.e., give zakah, spend on themselves, their parents, (their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allah’s Cause – Jihad, etc.); and who believe in (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which has been sent down (revealed) to you and in [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] which were sent down before you and believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense for their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell, etc.).” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2 : 1-4)

 

Savings of the Pious Predecessors on fearing Allah

Mu’adh bin Jabal said, “There will be a call on the Day of Judgement: Where are the people who feared Allah? They will stand up near Allah, Who will not hide Himself from them.” It was said to Mu’adh, “Who are the people who feared Allah?” He said, “They shunned polytheism and worshipping idols and were sincere in worshipping Allah.”

‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz said, “Fearing Allah is not just fasting throughout the day and performing optional night prayer and then performing bad deeds. Fearing Allah means abandoning what Allah prohibited and performing the deeds proscribed by Him. If a person was guided to additional better deeds, they are the exceedingly good in his record.

Abud-Darda said, “Fearing Allah means that one should hole Him in piety and abandon even the bad deed equal to the weight of an atom. A person fearing Allah should even abandon some things he thinks legal, fearing that they may be illegal. Allah set out to His worshipper: what they will see in the Hereafter as He says,

“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.” (Surah Az-Zalzalah, 99 : 7,8)

Do not make little of any good deed to be performed and do not make little of any bad deed to be avoided.

 

Commenting on Allah’s saying,

“Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared.” (Surah Al-Imran, 3 : 102),

Ibn Mas’ud said, “Allah should be obeyed and never disobeyed. He should be remembered and never forgotten. He should be thanked and never repudiated.’’

 

Fearing Allah may refer, in most cases, to avoiding evil deeds.

Abu Hurayrah was asked about fearing Allah. He said, “Have you ever walked on a road full of thorns?” The inquirer replied, “Yes.” Abu Hurayrah asked again, “What have you done?” The man replied, “If I saw a thorn, I would avoid it, bypass it or take another track.” Abu Hurayrah said, “This is the very essence of fearing Allah.”

Ibn Al-Mu‘tazz adopted this example and said, “Abandon grave and minor sins, for this is the essence of fearing Allah. Do as a man walking in a road full of thorns who avoids what he see. Do not make little of a minor sin. Mountains are made of pebbles.”

 

All in all, fearing Allah is the great advice of Allah to people in the past as well as the present, and it is the advice of the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) to his nation. “Whenever the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) dispatched a detachment, he would advise its leader to fear Allah and deal in a good way with his fellow Muslims.” [Muslim – Kitab Al-Jihad was-Siyar (Book on Holy War), hadith 1731]

When the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) delivered a sermon in the Farewell Hajj on the day of slaughter, he advised people to fear Allah and obey their rulers. [Muslim – Kitab Al- Imarah (Book on Faith), hadith 1838]

When he (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) preached to people and they said to him, “It seems as if it were the a sermon of a person who bids us farewell. Thus advise us.” He (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “I advise you to fear Allah and listen to and obey your rulers.”

 

The Pious Predecessors, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab, Aly bin Abi Talib, ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz and many others, used to advise people to adhere to it (Fearing Allah).

 

Fearing Allah in secret and public

The Prophet’s (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) saying – “Fear Allah wherever you are” – means that one should fear Allah in secret and public, whether people see him or not.

When a person knows that Allah sees him wherever he is and that he knows all about his affairs whether secret or public, he will abandon evil deeds committed in secret. Allah refers to this very same meaning in His saying,

“And fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.” (Sura An-Nisa, 4 : 1)

Wuhayb bin Al-Ward said, “Fear Allah in the very same degree He has power over you, and be shy before Him in the very same degree He is near you.” A man said to him, “Advise me.” Wuhayb said, “Fear Allah and does not consider Him the least one Who looks at you.”

Once a man tried to seduce a Bedouin woman. When they were alone, he said, “None sees us but the planets.” She said, “Where is the Being Who created them?

Imam Ahmad used to say, “If you are alone one day, do not say ‘I am alone’, but say, ‘There is an All- Watcher with me.’ Never think that Allah is unaware even for an hour or that unhidden things are not known by Him.”

 

When the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) advised Mu’adh to fear Allah in secret and public, he guided him to the means that might help him in this regard. He (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) advised Mu’adh to be humble before Allah as he would be humble before widely respected man in his family. This means that he should always feel that Allah is near him and that He knows the ins and outs of him. Once he has such feeling in his heart, he will fear Allah.

Mu‘adh adhered to the advice of the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam). Once ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab charged him with a certain job. When he returned, he had no money. When his wife blamed him for not having money, he said, “There was a being who was keeping watch over me and preventing me from taking anything.”

In this saying, Mu’adh meant his Lord. His wife thought that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab dispatched a man to keep watch over her husband and she complained about him to other people.

When a person maintains this status of piety in almost all his affairs, he is a true believer who worships Allah, as if he had seen Him, and who avoids the major deadly sins.

 

In a nutshell, fearing Allah in secret is a sign of perfect faith. It has a great influence to the degree that Allah sows the seeds of love and esteem in the hearts of the believers towards those who fear him.

 

The Good deeds remove the evil deeds

In this hadith, the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “follow the bad deed with a good one which will obliterate it”.

Although a worshipper is ordered to adhere to fearing Allah in secret and public, he may not perform some good deeds or even commit some evil ones. Therefore, the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) ordered him to perform a good deed that will obliterate this sin, as Allah says,

“And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salat (prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).” (Surah Hud, 11 : 114)

Ibn Mas’ud recorded that once a man kissed a woman. The man went to the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) and told him what happened. The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) kept silent until the above verse was revealed. The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) summoned the man and recited the verse. Another man asked, “Is the ruling of this verse for him specifically?” The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) replied, “No, it is for all people. [Bukhari – Kitab At-Tafsir (Book on Interpretation), hadith 4687; Muslim – Kitab At-Tawbah (Book on Repentance), hadith 42/2763]

 

In the Holy Qur’an, Allah described those who fear Him, just like the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) described them in this hadith. Allah says,

“And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqun (the pious).

Those who spend (in Allah’s Cause – deeds of charity, alms, etc.) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good doers).

And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; – and none can forgive sins but Allah – And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.

For such, the reward is Forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allah’s Orders.” (Surah Ali-’Imran, 3 : 133-136)

Allah described those fearing Him with good characteristics such as spending in the cause of Allah, repressing anger and pardoning people. Thus they give what they have and abstain from harming others. This is the very essence of good manners with which the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) advised Mu‘adh. Then, Allah described them saying,

“And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins.” (Surah Ali-‘Imran, 3: 135)

This indicates that the people fearing Allah may commit grave sins or minor sins such as wronging themselves. Yet, they do not persist in such sins. Once committed, they remember Allah, ask forgiveness for them and repent from doing them.

 

The meaning of “remember Allah” is that they remember His Greatness, Supreme Power, Revenge and the punishment He prepared for the transgressors. Remembering all this, they revert to Him immediately, ask for forgiveness and abandon evil deeds. Allah says,

“Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious), when an evil thought comes to them from Shaitan (Satan), they remember (Allah), and (indeed) they then see (aright).” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7 : 201)

 

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “A man committed a sin, and said, ‘O Allah I committed a sin. So forgive me.’ Allah says, ‘My slave knows that he has a Lord Who forgives sins or punishes for them. I have forgiven the sin of my slave.’ The man committed a second sin, a third and even a fourth. Following the fourth sin, Allah says, ‘Let My slave do whatever he wants.” [Bukhari – Kitab At-Tawhid (Book on Monotheism), hadith 7507; Muslim – Kitab At-Tawbah (Book on Repentance), hadith 2758/29,30]

This means that as long as he committed a sin, he would ask for forgiveness, he should do whatever he wants.

In one of his sermons, ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul-‘Aziz said, “When any of you does good deeds, he should thank Allah. When any of you commits bad deeds, he should ask Allah for forgiveness. People must perform the deeds which Allah ordained for them.”

This means that a worshipper must commit the sins which Allah ordained for him as the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Allah has written for Adam’s son his share of adultery which he commits inevitably.” [Bukhari – Kitab Al-Isti’dhan (Book on Seeking Permission), hadith 6243; Muslim – Kitab Al-Qadar (Book on Predestination), hadith 20/2657]

Yet, Allah made an outlet for the worshipper. This outlet is repentance and asking for forgiveness. If he stuck to both, he will avoid the evils of sins. If he insisted on committing sins, he would perish.

 

‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Have mercy (on others) and Allah will display mercy on you. Forgive others’ sins and Allah will forgive yours. Woe to the people who did not act according to religious preaching! Woe to those who insist on committing evil deeds while they know!” [Musnad Ahmad – vol. 2, p. 165; Al-Adab Al-Mufrad – hadith 380]

The people who do not act according to religious preaching are those who listen to sermons, but do not make use of what they hear.

 

The Meaning of Good Deed

The Prophet’s (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) saying – “Follow the bad deed with a good one which will obliterate it,” – may refer to repentance. In the Holy Qur’an, Allah tells us that when a person abandons a sin, Allah forgives his sin and grants him repentance. Allah says,

“Allah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they to whom Allah will forgive.” (Surah An-Nisa, 4 : 17)

“Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 25 : 70)

“And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death).” (Surah Ta-Ha, 20 : 82)

 

The “good deed” may mean a thing greater than repentance, as Allah says,

“And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e., the five compulsory Salat (prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e., small sins).” (Surah Hud, 11 : 114)

 

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “If a person commits a sin and then performs ablution, prays and asks Allah for forgiveness, Allah will forgive him.” Then, the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) recited the following verse,

“And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins.” (Surah Ali-‘Imran, 3 : 135) [Abu Dawud – hadith 1521; Tirmidhi – hadith 3006; Ibn Majah – hadith 1395; Musnad Ahmad – vol. 1, p. 2,10]

 

One day ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan performed the ablution well, and then said, “I saw Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) perform ablution, the best ablution, and then observed, ‘He who performed ablution like this and then went towards the mosque and nothing (but the love of) prayer urged him (to do so), all his previous (minor) sins would be expiated.’ ” [Bukhari – Kitab Al-Wudu’ (Book on Ablution), hadith 164; Muslim – Kitab At-Taharah (Book on Purification), hadith 226/3,4]

Abu Hurayrah said, “The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, ‘Should I not suggest to you that by which Allah obliterates the sins and elevates the ranks (of a man).’ They (the hearers) said, ‘Yes, Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam).’ He (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, ‘Performing the ablution thoroughly despite odds, taking more paces towards the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after observing a prayer, and that is mindfulness.’ ” [Bukhari – Kitab Mawaqit As-Salah (Book on Prayer Times), hadith 528; Muslim – Kitab Al-Masajid (Book on Mosques), hadith 667/283]

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven. And whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Bukhari – Kitab Fadl Laylat Al-Qadr (Book on Excellence of the Night of Revelation), hadith 2014; Muslim – Kitab Salat Al-Musafirin (Book on Travelers’ Prayer), hadith 670/175]

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins, then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.” [Bukhari – Kitab Al-Hajj (Book on Pilgrimage), hadith 1521; Muslim – Kitab Al-Hajj (Book on Pilgrimage), hadith 1350/438]

Abu Hurayrah also reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever says, ’Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,’ one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam on the sea.” [Bukhari – Kitab Ad-Da’wat (Book on Supplications), hadith 6405; Muslim – Kitab Ad-Dhikr Wad-Du’a (Book on Supplications and Remembrance), hadith 28/2691]

Abu Hurayrah also reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “If one says one-hundred times in one day: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, the Alone Who has no partner, to Him belongs Dominion and to Him belong all the Praises, and He has power over all things (i.e. Omnipotent)’, one will get the reward of manumitting ten slaves, and one-hundred good deeds will be written in his account, and one-hundred bad deeds will be wiped off or erased from his account, and on that day he will be protected from the morning till evening from Satan, and nobody will be superior to him except one who has done more than that which he has done.” [Bukhari – Kitab Ad-Da’wat (Book on Supplications), hadith 6403]

There are many related hadiths in this regard.

 

Good deeds expiate minor sins provided that a person does not insist on them

‘Uthman bin ‘Affan reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Whenever a Muslim attends a prescribed prayer and he perfects its ablution, bowing and humbleness, it will be an expiation for sins, save the major ones, throughout his life.’ [Muslim – Kitab At-Taharah (Book on Purification), hadith 7/228]

As for the major grave sins, they are not expiated unless one repents, because repentance is obligatory on worshippers as Allah says,

“And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zalimun (wrongdoers, etc.).” (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49 : 11)

Punishments for grave sins expiate them. Punishments include legal ones such as the prescribed legal penal code or ad hoc punishments imposed by the ruler.

The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever commits a grave sin and he was punished for it, such punishment expiates this sin.” [Muslim – Kitab Al-Hudud (Book on Legal Punishments), hadith 43/1709]

Punishments also include disasters ordained by Allah such as illnesses and pains, as the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” [Bukhari – Kitab Al-Marad (Book on Disease), hadith 5641, 5642; Muslim – Kitab Al-Birr Was-Silah (Book on Righteousness and Keeping Good Relations with Others), hadith 52/2573]

 

Allah described the true faithful as those who avoid committing major sins. Allah says,

“And reward those who do good, with what is best (i.e. Paradise). Those who avoid great sins and AI-Fawahish (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) except the small faults, verily, your Lord is of vast forgiveness.” (Sura An-Najm, 53 : 32)

Interpreting “small faults”, scholars have two different opinions:

First: They may refer to the acts made before committing a great sin, such as touching a woman or kissing her.

Second: They may refer to committing a great sin once and repentance from it immediately after.

It seems that both opinions are true and that the verse refers to both. Thus the truely faithful is the one who rarely commits a great sin and once he committed it, repents from it. Or, he is the one who commits a small fault which incomparable to his good deeds which expiate for such faults, provided that he not insist on them, as Allah says,

“And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.” (Surah Ali-‘Imran, 3 : 135)

 

Good Manners

The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “… and deal with people with good manners.” This is one of the prerequisites of fearing Allah. The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) mentioned good manners, because they need to be clarified.

Many people believe that fearing Allah means only to fulfill the rights due to Allah, without paying the least attention to the rights due to the worshippers. Performing both rights is very rare and none but the Prophets and truly faithful can do it.

In the Holy Qur’an, Allah considered dealing with people with good manners as one of the prerequisites of fearing Him, as He says,

“Prepared for Al-Multaqun (the pious). Those who spend (in Allah’s Cause – deeds of charity, alms, etc.) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves AI-Muhsinun (the gooddoers).” (Surah Al-lmran, 3 : 133, 134)

The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) considered dealing with people with good manners as the most perfect trait of the believers.

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “The most perfect believers are those who have the best manners.” [Abu Dawud – hadith 4682; Tirmidhi – hadith 1162; Musnad Ahmad – hadith 2/250]

Usamah bin Shurayk said, “The Companions asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam), what is the best trait given to the Muslim?’ The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) replied, ‘Good manners.’ ” [Ibn Majah – hadith 3436; Musnad Ahmad – hadith 4/278]

The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) told us that the good-mannered person reaches the rank of one who fasts and offers optional night prayer, so that a Muslim will not give priority to fasting and prayer on account of good manners, believing that the latter is less than the former.

‘Aishah reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Through good manners, a believer reaches the rank of one who fasts and offers optional night prayer.” [Abu Dawud – Kitab Al-Adab, hadith 4798; Musnad Ahmad – hadith 6/90,133]

Finally, good manners are the weightiest deeds put in the record of deeds of a Muslim, and a good-mannered person is the most beloved person to Allah and the nearest one to the Prophets.

Abud-Darda reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Nothing put on the scale is weigher over good manners. A good-mannered person reaches the rank of one one who fasts and offers optional night prayer.” [Abu Dawud – Kitab Al-Adab, hadith 4799; Musnad Ahmad – hadith 6/442,446]

‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Should not I tell you of the most beloved of you to Allah and the nearest to me on the Day of Judgment?” They said, “Yes.” The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Those who have the best manners.”

 

What is meant by good manners?

There are many sayings adopted by the Pious Predecessors in defining good manners.

Al-Hasan said, “Good manners entail generosity, giving charity and bearing mistakes committed by others.”

Ibn Al-Mubarak defined good manners saying, “They are smiling at others, doing goodness and abstaining from harming people.”

Salam bin Abi Mutai’ was asked about good manners and he said, “You see him smiling when you come to him, as if you are giving him what you are asking him to give you! If he has nothing in his hands save his soul, he will give it. So whoever asks him should show piety.”

He is just like the sea which you can reach from any direction. Goodness is its waves and generosity is its beach.

Imam Ahmad said, “Good manners mean that you should neither get angry nor nervous.”

He also said, “Good manners entail bearing others faults.”

 

By: Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali , From the book: Jami’ al Ulum wal Hikam.