Our Responsibilities as a Muslim – Akhlaq – Part 2
Nothing is Nobler than Sound Character:
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ رُمْحٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنِ الْمَاضِي بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي إِدْرِيسَ الْخَوْلَانِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا عَقْلَ كَالتَّدْبِيرِ، وَلَا وَرَعَ كَالْكَفِّ، وَلَا حَسَبَ كَحُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ»
Sayyiduna Abu Dhar – may Allah be pleased with reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
There is no intellect like planning, no piety like abstinence from sins and there is no nobility like that of sound character.
(Sunan Ibn Majah Hadeeth No. 4218)
Hospitality is a Virtuous Sunnah Akhlaq:
أَخْبَرَنَا الشَّيْخُ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، أَنْبَأَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، ثَنَا مُعَلَّى بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ، ثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْخُزَاعِيُّ الْبُنَانِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ: دَخَلَ سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ فَأَلْقَاهَا لَهُ، فَقَالَ سَلْمَانُ: صَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: حَدِّثْنَا يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ مُتَّكِئٌ عَلَى وِسَادَةٍ فَأَلْقَاهَا إِلَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا سَلْمَانُ، مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُسْلِمِ فَيُلْقِي لَهُ وِسَادَةً إِكْرَامًا لَهُ إِلَّا غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ»
Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates that Sayyiduna Salman al-Faarisi – may Allah be pleased with him – visited Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – while he was reclining on a pillow, so he offered it to him.
Sayyiduna Salman – may Allah be pleased with him – said, “Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth.”
Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – then said, “Tell me the Hadeeth O Abu Abdillah.”
He said, “I visited the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – while he was reclining on a pillow, so he offered it to me and then said to me, “O Salman, when a Muslim visits another Muslim brother and he offers him pillow (as a gesture of hospitality) to honour him, then Allah Almighty has already forgiven him.”
(Al-Mustadrak Hadeeth No. 6542)
Why purchase Slaves when People can be Indebted to You because of Your Good Akhlaq:
Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
It amazes me when a man who buys slaves with his wealth and then frees them. Why does he not buy people by doing good to them and earn its reward in abundance?
Meaning, when he does good for the people, they will be indebted to him.
(Al-Jame’ al-Sagheer)
Helpful Beings are the Special Servants of Allah Almighty:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ طَارِقٍ الْوَابِشِيُّ، ثنا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلْقًا خَلَقَهُمْ لِحَوَائِجِ النَّاسِ يَفْزَعُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي حَوَائِجِهِمْ أُولَئِكَ الْآمِنُونَ مِنْ عَذَابِ اللهِ»
Sayyiduna ‘Ibn ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with them – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – said:
There is a creation of Allah Almighty whom He has created to help people in need and people flock towards them when in need. They are the ones who are safeguarded from Allah’s punishment.
(Al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer Tabrani Hadeeth No. 13334)
Signs of Good Character (by Imam Ghazali)
They are in control of their desires.
Safeguard the trust.
Fulfil their promises.
Engage whole-heartedly in their prayers.
Are gentle towards people.
One sign in particular of a good Muslim is that he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
He either stays quiet or says good things.
He does not swear or tell lies.
He does not backbite.
He is not jealous.
He wishes well even for those who cause him harm and swear him.
Sayyiduna Malik Ibn Deenar’s Wisdom:
There was a man who would swear Sayyiduna Malik Ibn Deenar – may Allah be pleased with him – but he, in return, used to send him Halwa (sweet meat).
He mentioned the reason upon asking, “He sends us what he has, and we send him what we have.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ، عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًا أَوْ مَظْلُومًا» ، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَذَا نَنْصُرُهُ مَظْلُومًا، فَكَيْفَ نَنْصُرُهُ ظَالِمًا قَالَ: «تَأْخُذُ فَوْقَ يَدَيْهِ»
Sayyiduna Anas – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed.
The Sahaba asked, “Ya RasoolAllah, we can help the oppressed but how are we to help the oppressor?”
He replied, “By getting hold of his hands (from oppressing others).”
(Sahih Bukhari Hadeeth No. 2444)
Good Akhlaq Supersedes Worship:
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي الجَعْدِ، عَنْ أُمِّ الدَّرْدَاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَلاَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ الصِّيَامِ وَالصَّلاَةِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ، قَالُوا: بَلَى، قَالَ: صَلاَحُ ذَاتِ البَيْنِ، فَإِنَّ فَسَادَ ذَاتِ البَيْنِ هِيَ الحَالِقَةُ.
Sayyiduna Abu Darda – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
Should I not inform you of something greater in status than that of the Fasts, Salah and Charity?”
The Sahaba said, “Of course.”
He said, “Mutual harmony, for indeed the internal conflict is destructive.”
(Sunan Al-Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 2509)
Lack of Akhlaq can Bring Destruction to Islam:
حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَكِيعٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، عَنْ حَرْبِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ يَعِيشَ بْنِ الوَلِيدِ، أَنَّ مَوْلًى لِلزُّبَيْرِ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ بْنَ العَوَّامِ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: دَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ دَاءُ الأُمَمِ قَبْلَكُمْ: الحَسَدُ وَالبَغْضَاءُ، هِيَ الحَالِقَةُ، لاَ أَقُولُ تَحْلِقُ الشَّعَرَ وَلَكِنْ تَحْلِقُ الدِّينَ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا، وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا، أَفَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا يُثَبِّتُ ذَلِكَ لَكُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ.
Sayyiduna Zubair ibn al-‘Awwam – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
You have been afflicted by the disease of the former nations; envy and malice, which uproots. I am not saying that it uproots the hair, but it uproots Islam. I swear by the One in whose Hand my life is! You will not enter paradise until you have brought Iman, and you cannot become believers until you develop mutual love. Should I not inform you of that which will establish that for you? Spread “Al-Salam” among yourselves.
(Sunan Al-Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 2510)
Horrible Consequences of Cutting off Communication with Muslim Brothers for three days:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ الْبَزَّازُ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَحِلُّ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَهْجُرَ أَخَاهُ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثٍ، فَمَنْ هَجَرَ فَوْقَ ثَلَاثٍ فَمَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ»
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
It is not lawful for a Muslim to cut off communication with his fellow Muslim brother for more than three days. One who cuts off the communication for longer than three days and dies (in this state), he will go to hell.
(Sunan Abi Dawood Hadeeth No. 4914)
Severity of Cutting off Connection with Muslim brothers for a Year:
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ السَّرْحِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ حَيْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الْوَلِيدِ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ أَبِي أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي خِرَاشٍ السُّلَمِيِّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «مَنْ هَجَرَ أَخَاهُ سَنَةً فَهُوَ كَسَفْكِ دَمِهِ»
Sayyiduna Abu Kherash al-Sulami – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:
One who cuts off ties with his Muslim brother for a year then it is as if he has murdered him.
(Sunan Abi Dawood Hadeeth No. 4915)
