Islamic Morals [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Lesson: 39 Good Manners and the Islamic Behaviour

Scholars of
morality have divided moral issues into two categories:

1 - Morals
in the common meaning as discussed in earlier pages

2 - Morals in the
particular meaning that includes good manners and Islamic behaviour.

It is obvious
that one of the ways of advancing the noble Holy aims of Islam in an Islamic
society is correct behaviour. The great Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.s.), addressing
the sons of Abdul Muttalib says: You can never gather people around you with
your wealth, so treat them with a smile face.

In order to
understand to the extent Islam given importance to good behaviour we point out
to some of the verses and traditions:

Verses

Thus it is due to mercy from Allah that you deal with them gently, and had you
been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you

And when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace. And most surely you conform
yourself to sublime morality.

From this series
of verses we learn that the Islamic society too must, like their leaders, attract
people towards them and Islam.

Traditions

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) is recorded to have said: I have been appointed to carry the greatness
of man to perfection.

He has also said: The weightiest of all deeds in the balance of deeds is nice
behaviour and manners.

Imam Baqir
(a.s.) says: Most perfect from the viewpoint of Faith are those who are good
mannered.

Imam Sadiq
(a.s.) said: the Faithful Mo-min, on the Day of Judgement, does not present
to Allah anything more dear to Allah than good behaviour with people, except
the obligatory duties.

Similarly the
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) says: Nearest to on the Day of Qiyamat, among you will
be the one who had the best morals and who had behaved most nicely with his
family members.

And Imam Baqir
(a.s.) has said: Meeting your brother with a smiling face and removing his trouble
is a good deed.

Therefore,
in Islamic programmes, orders have been issued for good and nice human behaviour
and on the other hand, words have been said regarding good conduct even in wars.
Here are some:

Verses

And speak to them kind words.

Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury; and Allah
is Self-sufficient, Forbearing.

And let those fear who, should they leave behind them weakly offspring, would
fear on their account, so let them be careful of their duty to Allah, and let
them speak right words.

Traditions

Imam Baqir
(a.s.) has, while explaining the verse qooloo linnaasi husnaa says: O our Shias!
Be our beauty! And do not deviate to make us feel ashamed and speak nicely with
people and restrain your tongues from foul language and futile talks.

The Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) has said in this connection: Decorate or beautify yourselves with
good behaviour because the residence of nice people in Paradise and beware!
Of bad-natured people as they will burn in Hellfire.

Similarly he
has also said: Bad behaviour vitiates human deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.

Now that you
perused some verses and traditions your attention is being drawn to two other
topics too:

A: Good behaviour
and a warn human attitude is desired and expected from ever one but it is all
the more so in case of the friends of the progeny of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his family members were the ideals in this
matter of nice behaviour and good nature and, hence, we, their followers, should
also be a decoration for them and should never act in a way which may make them
disgusted:

B: The well-wishers
of our society and the office-hearers of the Islamic Republic and the heads
of families should strive to guide our society toward Islamic attitude and to
behave mildly and soberly with the ignorant. They must nor get disappointed
in the matter of their improvement even if they talk harshly and sarcastically
because virtues and good morals do have roots in human nature and it is essential
for a gardener to nourish moral plants in a proper manner. Treasures of virtues
are hidden in their hearts and expert people want to take out these treasures,
because, nature has taught them what a perfect man should possess. Materialism
has covered it with a curtain. Therefore a sympathetic teacher wants to remove
that barrier and to make man remember what he has forgotten. How nice are the
words of Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) in this regard: Remind them of the forgotten
bounties and dig out the pearls of intelligence which are lying hidden in their
nature. The Prophets and men of God, before being teachers of the newcomers,
are the nourishers of those virtues which are hidden in the heart of humanity
and therefore the responsibility of such sympathisers are very crucial and grave.
So they must tolerate harsh and hard things and behave nicely with the ignorant.

O Lord! Guide
us all so that we may have the virtues and morals of Your Apostles and of our
Imams to become their true followers.