Hateful? Rude? Everyone Deserves Guidance

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah at Islam Today

Someone who wishes to call other people to Islam has to be prepared to deal with those who are stubborn, rude, and downright insulting in their opposition to Islam and its message. This is one of the reasons why patience and tolerance are indispensable qualities for a Muslim preacher.
Persistence is another. No matter how much hostility and rudeness someone might exhibit when hearing about Islam, it is a mistake for a Muslim preacher to consider anyone a “lost cause.”

Good Muslim, Good Human Being

By Khaled Baig at OnIslam

Ihsan is a special Islamic term, defined by the famous hadith known as the Hadith of Jibreel.
Once Angel Jibreel (peace be upon him) visited the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the guise of a man and in the presence of the Companions. This happened toward the end of the Prophetic mission and its purpose was to summarize some fundamental teachings of Islam for the education of all of us.

Above All, See Others as Human Beings

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah at Islam Today

Once, while sitting in a public venue, a young man was seated next to me who behaved quite strangely. He looked unbearably sad and distraught. He recoiled from everyone around him, as if he thought that everyone was out to cause him injury. It then occurred to me that this young man was closed off to any possibility of positive engagement with others. In order to reach out to this person, you would first have to know how to get through the barriers that he has erected around himself.
There may be a person who you want to do business with, or who you need to cooperate with in some scientific project or cultural event. Or you may want to call that person to righteousness, or protect that person from harm. Or maybe that person may be able to help you in some way and you wish to ask for help. Or maybe you know there is some way you can help that person.

The Encouragement to follow the Path of Goodness

Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) wrote in his Tafsir:
Ibn Zayd said:
[فَلاَ اقتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ ]
(But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep.) “This means, will he not traverse upon the path which contains salvation and good Then He explains this path by his saying:
[وَمَآ أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ - فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ]
(And what will make you know the path that is steep Freeing a neck, or giving food.)” Imam Ahmad recorded from Sa`id bin Marjanah that he heard Abu Hurayrah saying that the Messenger of Allah said:
«مَنْ أَعْتَقَ رَقَبَةً مُؤمِنَةً أَعْتَقَ اللهُ بِكُلِّ إِرْبٍ أَيْ عُضْوٍ مِنْهَا إِرْبًا مِنْهُ مِنَ النَّارِ حَتْى إِنَّهُ لَيُعْتِقُ بِالْيَدِ الْيَدَ، وَبِالرِّجْلِ الرِّجْلَ، وَبِالْفَرْجِ الْفَرْج»
(Whoever frees a believing slave, Allah will free for

An-Nawawi: The Unlawfulness of Cursing One Particular Man or Animal

Imam An-Nawawi recorded in Riyad us Saliheen the following chapter:

باب تحريم لعن إنسان بعينه أو دابة

Chapter: The unlawfulness of cursing a particular man or animal

Thabit ibn Ad-Dahhak Al-Ansari reported: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

مَنْ حَلَفَ بِمِلَّةٍ غَيْرِ الْإِسْلَامِ كَاذِبًا فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ وَمَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِشَيْءٍ عُذِّبَ بِهِ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَعْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَقَتْلِهِ وَمَنْ رَمَى مُؤْمِنًا بِكُفْرٍ فَهُوَ كَقَتْلِهِ

He who swears by a religion other than

An-Nawawi: The Condemnation of Arrogance, Pride, and Self-Conceit

By Imam An-Nawawi in Riyad us Saliheen
Allah Almighty said:

تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the best outcome is for the righteous.
[Surah Al-Qasas 28:83]

وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا

Do not walk upon the earth exultantly…
[Surah Al-Isra 17:37]

وَلَا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

Do not turn your cheek in contempt toward

An-Nawawi: The Virtue of Spreading Peace Among People, To Those You Know and Those You Do Not Know

Imam An-Nawawi wrote in his Sharh Sahih Muslim [Arabic text and English translation below]:
As for his saying, peace be upon him,:

أَفْشُوا السَّلَامَ بَيْنَكُمْ

Spread peace between yourselves

In it is a tremendous encouragement to spread peace and to offer it to all of the Muslims, those you know and those you do not know, such as had come in other Hadith. And the Salaam [greeting of peace] is the first of the causes of reconciliation, the key to attracting affection – this is the significance of the Salaam – and in spreading it is the possibility of

Al-Bayhaqi: Excellence and Generosity Toward Neighbors

Al-Bayhaqi records in his book Al-Adab, the Chapter on Excellence Toward Neighbors:

باب‏:‏ في الإحسان إلى الجيران

Chapter: On Excellence Toward Neighbors

Allah Almighty says:

وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the

Al-Bayhaqi: Being Merciful to the Creation

Al-Bayhaqi رحمه الله records in his book Al-Adab, the Chapter on Mercy for the Creation:

باب‏:‏ في تراحم الخلق

Chapter on Being Merciful to the creation

Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reported: I heard the Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم say:

جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الرَّحْمَةَ مِائَةَ جُزْءٍ، فَأَمْسَكَ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ، وَأَنْزَلَ فِي الأَرْضِ جُزْءًا وَاحِدًا، فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ الْجُزْءِ يَتَرَاحَمُ الْخَلْقُ حَتَّى تَرْفَعَ الْفَرَسُ رِجْلَهَا عَنْ وَلَدِهَا خَشْيَةَ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُ‏

Al-Bayhaqi: Leaving Envy and Hatred by seeking refuge from the Envier when he envies

Al-Bayhaqi wrote in his book Al-Adab, Chapter on Envy:

باب‏:‏ ترك الحسد والأمر بالاستعاذة من شر حاسد إذا حسد

Chapter: Leaving Envy and Affairs by seeking refuge from the Envier when he envies

Allah the Glorious, the Exalted said:

 ‏قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ‏ إلى قوله‏:‏ ‏‏وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ‏

Say, I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn… from the Envier when he envies.

[Surah Al-Falaq 113:1-5]

Al-Bayhaqi: Love for people what you love for yourself

Al-Bayhaqi recorded in his book Al-Adab, Chapter on Love for one’s Brother:

باب‏:‏ لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يحب لأخيه ما يحب لنفسه

Chapter: None of you have faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

لا يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ لأَخِيهِ مَا يُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ‏

None of you have faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 15]

Imam Ahmad: People of Paradise have hearts free of Envy and Malice

Recorded in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad:

Anas ibn Malik رضى الله عنه said that when he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم , he said: “Coming upon you now is a man from the people of Paradise.” So a man came from the Ansar whose beard looked disarrayed by the water from Wudu (ablution), and he was carrying both of his shoes with his left hand. The next day the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated the same words, and the Ansar came in the same condition. The third day the Prophet repeated the same again, and the Ansar man showed up in the same condition.

Ibn Taymiyyah: Righteousness is to fulfill the Rights of Allah and the Rights of His servants

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله writes in his Kitab Al-Iman [English translation and Arabic text below]:
The following words – “righteous,” “witness,” and “truthful,” – may be cited separately to refer to the Prophets. Allah the Exalted says about Al-Khalil (the Prophet Abraham):

وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

We gave him his reward in the world and, indeed, in the Hereafter he will be one of the righteous.
[Surah Al-Ankabut 29:27]

Ibn Taymiyyah: Good Character is the Creed of the Salaf

Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said in Al-Aqidah Al-Wasitiyyah:
By these principles [Ahl us-Sunnah wal Jama’ah] encourage well-known righteous deeds and forbid evil deeds in accordance with what is ordained by the Sharia. And they believe in practicing Hajj (pilgrimage) and Jihad (struggle for the cause of Allah), in attending Friday communal prayers and the holidays with the leaders, be they pious or wicked, and in observing the community prayers. They believe in advising the Ummah (nation of Muslims), and they firmly believe in the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم saying:

Ibn Qudamah: The Causes and Remedies of Anger, Malevolence, and Envy

Ibn Qudamah رحمه الله writes in Minhaj Al-Qasidin [English translation and Arabic text below]:
Anger is a flame of fire, and when man is angry he has some relation to the accursed Satan who said, as mentioned in the Quran:

خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ

You created me from fire, and him from clay.
[Surah Al-A’raf 7:12]

Ibn Qudamah: The Character, Manners, and Miracles of Prophet Muhammad

Ibn Qudamah writes in his book Minhaj Al-Qasidin [English translation and Arabic text below]:
We should know that outward manners are indicative of inward ones, in the sense that man’s practical deeds are guided by spiritual contemplation and his knowledge. Inward secrets implant deeds and adorn it. We will now highlight some manners of the Prophet, peace be upon him, in order to strengthen our faith by observing his noble manners.