The Sunday Mail
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ISLAM respects people who gather at a place and endeavours to make the gathering desirable by repelling all that which causes offense in any way (making people hate the gathering).
Therefore, Islam instructs its followers to maintain the highest degree of personal hygiene (be clean-bodied, with no bad smell, clean-dressed and with no offensive aspect in appearance).
The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) regularly explained the virtue and blessings that accrue to the one who is particular in this regard when attending congregational prayers and gatherings.
It also instructs them to listen to the speaker without interrupting him until he finishes talking. In his speech during the Farewell Pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said: “Ask people to keep quiet.” This was in order to teach them that when being spoken to, they should listen with maximum attention.
Etiquette of conversation
One should always speak clearly so that the listener may understand. Ayshah, then wife of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said, “The Prophet’s words were so clear-cut that everyone could understand them.”
He never started off in a murmur nor would he trail off in a low tone. He would also not chew up any words in between. Meaning to say every word was spoken and pronounced very clearly.
One should cheer up when meeting others and speak in a pleasant manner. This was the teaching and practice of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him).
He said, “Do not underestimate any kind of acts, even to meet your community member (brother) cheerfully.” And he also said, “A good word is (regarded as) an act of kindness.”
Etiquette of joking
Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said to his companion Hanzala, who thought that life should be free from fun and entertainment and that he had committed hypocrisy when he played and jested with his wife and children, “But, Hanzala, refresh your heart from time to time.”
Here the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) explained to the man that permissible fun and self-refreshment is desirable for the human soul to regain its activity and liveliness.
Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) also taught them the rules of conduct as regards to joking, when asked about his joking with them, by saying: “Yes, but I speak truthfully.” Joking should not drive a person to lie in order to make others laugh, as understood from Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), “Woe to him who lies when speaking to make people laugh. Woe to him! Woe to him!”
A bedouin called Zaher used to bring presents from the desert to the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), and he (peace be upon him) used also to supply him with provisions on leaving. On one occasion, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) jokingly said about him, “Zaher is our ‘desert’ and we are his city.”
The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) loved him, although he was not too good looking. One day, the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to him from the back while he was unaware and got hold of him in a grip from which he could not release himself. Zaher said, “Release me”. Then when he managed to look behind him and recognised who it was, the Prophet (peace be upon him) jokingly called out, “Who will purchase this slave?”. Zaher said, “O Messenger of Allah, You will find me not sellable.” The Prophet (peace be upon him), answered, “You may not be sellable, but to Allah, you are so dear.”
General practice of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him)
When the Companions of the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) were asked about the behaviour of the Prophet (peace be upon him) among his companions, they would narrate that, “He was always cheerful, easy mannered and lenient. He was not rough, noisy, vulgar, insulting, or miserly.
He used to overlook what he disliked without depriving others of hope or answering them negatively. He refrained from disputation, chattering and curiosity. He spared others from three things: He never cut them off whilst they were speaking, neither would he go around finding fault with them, nor would he spy on them.
He spoke only what he hoped would be rewarded. When he spoke, his listeners lowered their head quietly and when he was silent they spoke. They never spoke haphazardly in front of him. If one talked in his presence they listened to him until he had finished. He used to laugh and wonder at what they laughed or wondered at. He was patient with strangers who were rude in both their talk and requests.”
(To be continued….)
For further information on Islam or a free copy of the Holy Qur’aan,
please contact:
Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Council of Islamic Scholars
Publications Department,
P.O. Box W93, Waterfalls, Harare
Tel: 04-614078 / 614004, Fax : 04-614003
e-mail: [email protected].
