Virtues and Manners

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): Do you know who is the bankrupt? They gave him the expected answer, which is that the bankrupt is the poor person who has no wealth or property. He then told them that the bankrupt in this nation (of Muslims) is the one who comes on the Day of Judgment with abundant good deeds, such as praying, fasting, and giving charity; but with an account of bad deeds like insulting others, beating others, consuming others’ wealth without right, accusing others of committing immoral acts, and killing others. All of them will seek retribution, for whatever rights they do not receive in the life of this world they will receive in the Hereafter. So, retribution will be exacted against him and each of them will take some of his good deeds. If his good deeds are not enough to settle the score, then some of their own evil deeds will be cast on him then he will be thrown in the fire of Hell.

- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428ه . - بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي- الطبعة الأولى1418ه - نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ. - صحيح مسلم؛ للإمام مسلم بن الحجاج، حققه ورقمه محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، دار عالم الكتب-الرياض، الطبعة الأولى، 1417هـ. - شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن، الرياض، 1426هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that the five prayers prescribed to be performed during the day and night, the Friday prayer every week, and the fasting of the month of Ramadan every year expiate minor sins committed between them, provided that major sins are avoided. As for major sins like adultery and alcoholic drinking, these can only be expiated by repentance.

1. Some sins are minor and some are major.
2. The expiation of minor sins is contingent upon the avoidance of major ones.
3. Major sins are sins for which a legal punishment is prescribed in this world, a warning is issued with regard to the Hereafter by punishment or Allah's wrath, or their perpetrators are cursed, such as adultery and drinking alcohol.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 209) (233). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 183). نزهة المتقين بشرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى سعيد الخن (1/ 158). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص108). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم بن عيد الهلالي (1/ 209).

The people of Suffah were some of the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who were poor emigrants who left their homes and wealth in Makkah and emigrated to Madīnah. They were more than seventy men. Suffah was a shaded area at the back of the Prophet's Mosque, where they would sleep. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) describes their clothing that they used to wear in summer and winter alike, as he himself was one of them. He says: "none of them had a cloak (ridā’) over them". They had either a lower garment (izār) or a sheet (kisā’). If someone wanted to wear a ridā’, he had to wear a lower garment underneath it. The ridā’ is know today as a jacket or coat. Abu Hurayrah says that none of them had a ridā’; rather, each had one garment to cover himself from the shoulder downward. It resembled a short sheet that the man would tie around his neck because it was not large enough to be tailored and worn. Some of those sheets reached up to the middle of the shins, and others reached the ankles. Then Abu Hurayrah says that one of them would hold his sheet together with his hand while praying to avoid exposing his private parts while bowing or prostrating. This was the state of many Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They lived in poverty and need, and were not prone to the world and its adornments. Even after wealth became abundant to them later on, they were not concerned with collecting it. They remained content and ascetic until they died.

1-فتح الباري (277/11). 2-كنوز رياض الصالحين (273/7). 3-شرح رياض الصالحين لابن عثيمين (267/3).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) highlights that true richness is not in the abundance of wealth. Rather, it is self-sufficiency. So a person becomes the richest of people when he sufficiently relies on what he already possesses and is contented with it, without being keen to gain more or insisting on demanding more.

1-شرح صحيح مسلم (140/7). 2-فتح الباري (272/11). 3-كنوز رياض الصالحين (5/8).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) spoke about people who unjustly dispose of the Muslims' property and take it wrongfully. This is a general meaning regarding wealth, which was earned and collected through improper means and spent improperly. Falling under this category are consuming the orphans' wealth, unduly handling endowment money, denying trusts, and taking public funds without any right. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that their punishment will be Hellfire on the Day of Judgment.

1. Money in the hands of people is actually the property of Allah Almighty, which He has put in their trust so that they will spend it on legitimate purposes and refrain from disposing of it wrongly. This generally applies to the rulers and the ordinary people.
2. Shariah puts great emphasis on public funds, and that whoever takes any charge of it will be accountable on the Day of Judgment for how it was collected and how it was spent.
3. This warning also includes anyone who illegally disposes of money, whether it belongs to him or others.

صحيح البخاري (4/ 85) (3118). فتح ذي الجلال والاكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 372). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 231). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 424).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the Muslim from cursing and reviling his Muslim brother, stating that this is an act of Fusūq, which means disobeying Allah and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and fighting his Muslim brother is an act of Kufr, yet it is minor Kufr.

1. It is obligatory to respect the Muslim's honor and life.
2. The grave outcome of one who reviles a Muslim unjustly, for such a person is Fāsiq (defiant sinner).
3. Reviling and fighting a Muslim weakens and diminishes faith.
4. Some acts are called "Kufr" although they do not reach the major Kufr that results in apostasy.
5. "Kufr" here refers to minor Kufr that does not result in apostasy according to the unanimous agreement of Ahl-us-Sunnah, since Allah Almighty has established the brotherhood of faith for the believers in case of fighting and disputing, as He says: {If two groups of the believers fight one another, make peace between them} until: {The believers are but brothers.}

صحيح البخاري (1/ 19) (48). صحيح مسلم (1/ 81) (64). فتح ذي الجلال والاكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 362). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 216). توضِيحُ الأحكَامِ مِن بُلوُغ المَرَام، للبسام (7/ 412).

Islam encourages empathy as well as good manners and speech in all gatherings. Islam also forbids everything which may harm, frighten, or cause negative or evil thoughts. Two people privately conversing in the presence of a third hurts the feelings of the third person and makes him feel sad and undeserving of taking part in their conversation. It also makes him feel ignored and left out. Hence, Islam forbids this kind of private conversation.

صحيح البخاري, تحقيق: محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر, دار طوق النجاة ترقيم محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي, ط 1422. صحيح مسلم, تحقيق: محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي, دار إحياء التراث العربي. منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان. دار ابن الجوزي. ط1 1428ه. توضِيحُ الأحكَامِ مِن بُلوُغ المَرَام، للبسام. مكتَبة الأسدي، مكّة المكرّمة.الطبعة: الخامِسَة، 1423 هـ - 2003 م. رياض الصالحين، للنووي، تحقيق : ماهر الفحل. دار ابن كثير - بيروت. الطبعة الأولى 1428ه - 2007م. تسهيل الإلمام بفقه الأحاديث من بلوغ المرام، للشيخ الفوزان. الناشر : الرسالة. الطبعة الأولى : 1427– 2006م.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out the prohibition of cursing the dead and speaking ill of their honor, and that this is considered among the bad manners. This is because they have reached the result of what they have done, be it righteous or evil. Moreover, cursing the dead does not reach them, but it only hurts the living ones.

1. The Hadīth proves that cursing the dead is prohibited.
2. Refraining from cursing the dead serves the living people's interest and protects society from mutual malice and hatred.
3. The wisdom behind the prohibition of cursing the dead is that they are already facing the consequences of their deeds, and cursing them will avail nothing, and it will only hurt their living relatives.
4. One should not speak useless words that serve no interest.

صحيح البخاري (2/ 104) (1393). فتح ذي الجلال والاكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (2/ 631). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (4/ 385). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (3/ 277).