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Third Article
It is stated through sacred hadiths that one should treat all people with kindness, speak with gentleness and a soft tone.
O beloved! It is known that the learned have said: The Exalted One, through His grace and mercy to His servants, has announced protection, compassion, care, and affection (through various means) necessary in dealings with one another.
As He instructed and taught people through the following sacred hadiths, saying:
“O Adam! You only give to those who give to you, depart from those who come to you, speak with those who speak to you, feed those who feed you, and honor those who honor you. There is no superiority for you in doing these things. Rather, excellence lies in doing good to one who does evil to you, departing from one who cuts off ties with you, speaking with one who keeps their distance from you, feeding one who does not feed you, and honoring one who betrays you. So be forgiving and humble. Cover the faults of people and be merciful towards them so that you may be shown mercy.”
“O Adam! Only those who are humble before My majesty, those who interrupt their daytime preoccupations with worship, those who restrain their desires from themselves purely for My pleasure, those who show compassion to a brother who is lost and alone, those who provide sustenance to those afflicted by calamity and misfortune, those who are merciful to orphans and treat them as if they were their fathers, those who support widows with kindness like a loving husband – only these can enter My Paradise. Whoever possesses these qualities and makes supplication to Me, I will say to him, ‘Enter.’ I will grant him whatever he desires and make him beloved in the hearts of My servants.”
“O Adam! My wealth is My wealth, and you are My servant. A guest is My messenger. If you withhold from My messenger what is Mine, do not think that you will attain eternal blessings.” “O Adam! My wealth is My wealth, the wealthy are My representatives, and the poor are My dependents. Whoever shows stinginess in spending My wealth on My dependents, I will cast him into Hell. Do not act arrogantly towards Me!” “O Adam! Be of good character with My servants so that I may love you and make you beloved to My servants.” “O Adam! Place your hand upon your chest and love for others what you love for yourself.” “I increase the love in the hearts of those who abandon harshness, rigidity, gossip, and backbiting. I will purify them from faults and doubts.” “O Adam! As you show mercy, so shall you be shown mercy. How can you expect mercy from Me if you do not show mercy to My servants?” “O Adam! Whoever supports orphans and widows seeking My pleasure, I will shade him under the shadow of My Throne on the Day when no shade exists.” “O Adam! Spend so that you may also receive spending.”
And it is also said: “O Moses! I chose you because of your compassion for My creatures. For when you were tending the sheep of Shu’ayb (peace be upon him), one of the sheep strayed. You pursued it until you were exhausted. When you caught it, you did not beat it, but rather said, ‘Woe to me! Why have you and I exerted ourselves so much? It is for this compassion that I gave you prophethood.’”
“O Adam! Remember Me when you are angry so that I may be angry with you when I am angered. Be pleased with My help, for it is better than your helping yourself.” “O Adam! Be of good character with My servants and visit those among them who are sick so that I may make you beloved to their hearts.”
Allah the Exalted says on the Day of Resurrection: “O Adam! I was ill, but you did not visit Me.”
The servant replies, "O my Lord! How could I have visited You when You are the Lord of all the worlds?"
Allah the Exalted says: “This servant became ill, but you did not visit him. If you had gone to see him, you would have found Me with him.”
Allah the Exalted says: “O Adam! I asked you for food, and you did not feed Me.”
The servant replies, "O my Lord! How could I have fed You when You are the Lord of all the worlds?"
Allah the Exalted says: “This servant asked you for food, but you did not feed him. If you had fed him, you would have found Me with him.”
Allah the Exalted says: “O Adam! I asked you for water, and you did not give Me water.”
The servant replies, "O my Lord! How could I have given You water when You are the Lord of all the worlds?"
Allah the Exalted says: “This servant asked you for water, but you did not give him water. If you had given him water, you would have found Me with him.”
“O Adam! When I test you with a trial, do not complain to those who visit you. Then I will replace your flesh with healthier flesh and your blood with healthier blood, and you will begin to act again.” “O Adam! I have made love obligatory between those who love one another for My sake.”
Allah the Exalted says on the Day of Resurrection: “By My honor and majesty, where are those who love one another? I will shade them under the shadow of My Throne today.” “O Adam! The poor person is My messenger; what you give to him, you have given to Me. If you do not give him what he desires, you have not given it to Me.”
“O Adam! Do not inflict harm upon any of My creatures for My sake!”
Nazm
In the garden of the world, O intelligent one, this is the beloved of humankind and jinn:
Let no one be wronged by you, nor do you wrong anyone.
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Know that our esteemed elders have said: Surely, Allah, the Most High, with His Compassion, Mercy, Forgiveness, Generosity, Concealer of Faults, Gentle, Loving, and Noble, in His Sacred Utterances, is established upon the station of “Indeed, you are upon a great moral character” (The Pen, 68:4), concerning our Companion, Protector, Intercessor, Gentle, and Sound Muhammad, the Trusted One, the Helper of the Needy, the Most Exalted Prophet, and the Chosen One (peace be upon him). His dealings with creation, his ease of understanding and fostering friendship with all people, his trustworthiness, his sweet discourse with his companions, his respectful treatment of his esteemed wives and children, and those who follow him and adhere to his example, along with the pious predecessors, Islamic scholars, and virtuous ascetics—all consistently practiced beautiful character, dealing with the entire populace with grace and speaking in gentle tones.
Muslim, Birr, 37; See also Tirmidhi, Zühd, 53.
Muwatta, Shi’r, 16.
Muslim, Birr, 43.
Muslim, Zakat, 36.
Ibrahim Canan, Hadis Encyclopedia, XVI, 252.
Tirmidhi, Birr, 63.
Mahfi: Meaning hidden or concealed, here a praise signifying not publicly displaying his superior virtues.
Munawi, at-Tarif, p. 564.
Allah the Exalted says on the Day of Resurrection: “By My Majesty and Glory, where are those who love one another? I will shade them with My Shade on this Day.” “O Adam! The poor is My messenger; what you give to him, you have given to Me. If you do not give him what he wants, you have not given it to Me (as you wished).” "O Adam! Do not oppress any of My creatures for My sake!”
It is said: He would sit cross-legged, propping one knee up. He embodied all virtues; he was hidden and his eyes were moist.