Selections from the Ahadith
1. It reached Malik that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “I was sent to complement the virtues of courtesy and good behaviour.” [1614]
2. Anas b. Malik said, “I saw ‘Umar b. al-Khattab when he was Caliph that there were three patches, one upon the other, on his garment between the shoulders.” [1643]
Commentary
To wear old clothes is also a part of faith. One should wear what he can find as the best at a given moment. If he is well off his fine dressing without pride is also a way of expressing thanks to Allah, the best of the Providers. But there should be no extravagant and superiority. Let not their dressing make others feel hurt and ashamed because they are not able to afford it. Superiority but with humility is a virtue in itself.
3. Safwan b. Sulaim learnt that the Prophet said, “I and the person who brought up an orphan, whether he be his relation or not, would be like these two fingers in Heaven when he acts piously.” He pointed to his fore and middle fingers. [1706]
Commentary
This tradition teaches us – the parented – the duties, we have on those who are double- or single-orphans. Never will we know the value of parents around us until and unless we experience routine-situations where a parent or both the parents are out for a day or two or more; or we are out of hometown to greener pastures somewhere, which are miles away. The orphans who are parents-and-even-sibling-less as is wont in today’s world of “We two, ours one,” need to be cuddled, played with, showed compassion, as we would wish the same for our child if we are no more.
Helping a poor grandparents who have grandchildren to look after whose daughter have been abandoned by reckless ‘sires’ would also mean taking care of the orphans. ‘Looking after’ embraces educating them, spending time with them, playing with them, and all that as we do to our own child. But in no way the orphans can be treated as one’s own. And the orphans too know that the benefactors are not their own. Hence the need of formal behaviour with them, as the behaviour with whom marriage is not prohibited, yet their need of parental love be met although it can never be alike.
A desperate woman, who lost her child, wandered here and there, she picked up one that was on the way and began to suckle it. The Prophet said to his Companions, Do you think she will throw her child into the fire? They said, No. She wouldn’t. The Prophet said, Allah is the most-Merciful, that woman’s love for her child is just one part out of the hundred parts that belong to Allah.
4. Malik reported that ‘Isa son of Maryam declared, “Do not indulge in useless talk apart from the remembrance of Allah, otherwise your hearts will become hard and a hard heart is far away from Allah and you do not know it. Do not look out for the faults of men as if you yourself are the creator. Look at your faults knowing yourself to be a creature of the Lord. Men are of various kinds; some are sick and some are well. Be kind to the sick and thank Allah for your health.” [1791]
Commentary
The Prophet said: If you want to speak, speak good. Otherwise, remain silent.
Remembrance of Allah is not only in performing prayers, fasting, and repeating words like ‘Sub-han-Allah’, ‘Al-Hamdulillah’, and ‘Allahu-Akbar.’ It is also in doing those things that are approved by Allah as shown by the Messenger.
5. Abi Salih al-Samman said that Abu Hurayrah pointed out: “A man speaks something unawares that takes him to Hell and he speaks something unawares that takes him to Paradise.” [1789]
