Hadith as Sourse of Ethics

KINDNESS

Islam invites us to a very high moral level. Being kind, considerate, loving others, and feeling empathy is a prerequisite for Muslim and a virtuous act. We should have even these feeling for animals and plants. Such emotions are recognized by Allah s.w.t and rewarded accordingly. This is a fundamental to building a solid and powerful self. One of the important attributes is kindness. Muslim encourages being kind to all for the sake of the Almighty and for the sake of goodness. It was stated in the Holy Quran:
وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا
And they feed for the Love of Allah, the Indigent, the Orphans and the Captives (76:8) In this ayah, Allah orders us to treat our parents and relatives and especially the disadvantaged, with kindness and tenderness. He also implores us to assist and facilitate those in needs. And for the importance of kindness, it is as basic and essential for a good Muslim as being pure and truthful. Be kind and helpful to others as Allah will see it and rewarded you. Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) said:
When you carry out mercy to those on Earth, he who is in Heaven will engulf you with his mercy (Muslim and Bukhari).
In this Hadith shown that for us to be kind, we ought to be sensitive and tenderhearted. Our kindness ought to come from deep within our heart. It was clearly stated that Prophet emphasized Muslim to be kind to Allah’s creatures out of love for Allah, and out of love and appreciation for Allah’s creation. The kind and tender deeds of these creatures is an act to be rewarded by Allah Almighty. Our kindness is supposed to extend to everything around us. For examples, we need to be kind to the needy and the orphans and to feed, help and say kind words to them is a true act of piety. Furthermore, our kindness should involve not only helping hand, but also spending our money to help people. Spending our own wealth to help others that are less fortunate is an important part of our religion. We should not be kind in order to get a reward, but for the sake of Allah s.w.t and a desire to be good. Like Prophet said:
To gladden the Heart of the Weary and to remove suffering of the afflicted has its own reward. To make it clear, if one want to make a donation, one should not make a huge fuss or telling the media for it will encourage the feeling of riya’. One should not show their kindness to get rewarded. In other words, kindness should spring from your love of Allah. In addition, our religion tells us to avoid being meant. People need to be careful that one is not inconsiderate or cause trouble for others.

COURTESY

يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الأُمُورِ
وَلا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلا تَمْشِ فِي اْلأََرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
Oh my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil. Bear with patience whatever befalls you, for this is firmness of purpose in the conduct of affairs. And swell not your cheek with pride at men, nor walk with insolence: for Allah loves not the Conceited, the Vain (31:17-18).
The ayah reveals precious pieces of advice from Luqman to his son. It conveys the importance of being courtesy to the Muslim. Everyone appreciates courtesy in all its forms. A courteous person is well liked by others and his courtesy will encourage others to be courteous. This therefore produces positive feelings all around. A Muslim should greet others pleasantly and should be mild-mannered and soft-spoken. He should have humbleness and he should be courteous to all at all characteristics. Being courteous makes people feel good. It shows them that you concern about them and love and respect them. It also makes the person showing courtesy feel good. The fact that he is appreciated by others will also make him feel good.
Courtesy is a component of good manners. Good manners are required of each Muslim. The Prophet (pbuh) urged us to be humble, modest, courteous, and respectful of others, and he urged parents to teach their children such qualities. Prophet stressed that:
أكمل المؤمنـين إيـماناً أحـسنهم خلقـاً وخيــاركـم خيـارهـم لنسائهم
The finest among the faithful is the one whose moral character is high, and the best among you are those who are kindest to their women (tirmidhi).
It is in good taste to have good manners. It is good to be lady like and act like a gentleman, as the case may be. Be gentle and courteous to others and kind and considerate to them. You should respect others and respect their ideas even if you don't agree with their point of view. In addition to these things you should use restraint in your daily affairs. You should be humble and not vain about yourself, your belongings or your accomplishments. You should not brag about any of these things since they really come from Allah. You should be modest and low-keyed. It is also very important in Islam to be moderate and not to go to excesses in anything whether that is in your manner of living or spending or even eating. Excesses are not good and they can lead to trouble many times and Islam warns us to avoid excess. Another hadith that emphasized the courtesy are:
حق المسـلم على المسـلم ست: ....إذا لقيـه فسـلم عليـه.....
Obligations of a Muslim toward another are six, one of which is to greet him first (Muslim)
من أخلاق المؤمن: حُسن الحديث إذا حدث، وحسن الإسـتماع إذا حُدِث، وحسن البِرِّ إذا لُقي، ووفآءٌ بالوعد إذا وعد
Of the manners of a Mu'min are: When he talks he speaks nicely; when someone speaks he listens; upon meeting others he welcomes them with a smile; and when he promises he fulfills his promise ( Dailemi)

CONTENTMENT

One will not feel happiness unless you are content. Not aspiring for aims beyond your reach will give you a feeling of contentment. Doing your best, and being satisfied with what you have will also give you a feeling of being content. Islam encourages us to be content and gentle. Unreasonable expectations make us miserable and unhappy since the goals are not realizable. It is a wholesome thing and a good thing to be content with who we are, how we are, and what we have. Besides, Allah is gentle and loves people who are gentle and mild mannered. To be gentle at heart makes a person more likely to be content. On the other hand, a greedy person will always want more and more. He will drive toward such aim, often at the expense of himself and others. The more he receives, the more he wants, and the harder he tries. The more this goes on, the more compulsive he becomes. This leads him to worries and unhappiness. Sooner or later, other people will be hurt by him directly or indirectly. Much trouble in the world is it today, in the past, or in the future, is a result of greed. This excessive drive may be for power, self-indulgence, or other aspects of life. The more people follow greedy desires, the more likely they are to cause or initiate trouble. Islam urges us to be moderate and to avoid being greedy. Moderation is wonderful in every aspect of life. When content, we build the basis for our happiness. Like Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) says:
إذا نظر أحدكم إلى من فُضِّلَ عليـه في المـال والخَلْق، فليـنظر إلى مَنْ هو أسْـفَلَ منه
When you see a person who has been given more than you in wealth and beauty then look to those who have been given less (Bukhari)
You are content if you appreciate what you have, whatever Allah Almighty has given you. Don't try to compare yourself to others who have more than you, lest you become envious. Instead, compare yourself to those who have less than you, and be thankful. Being content gives you a feeling of being satisfied and you are more likely to be happy. You develop serenity and gentleness within you. The Almighty is gentle and loves gentle Muslims.

COMPASSION

Who are the most merciful and the most compassionate? It is Allah Almighty of course. And who cares very much about us and knows our weaknesses and frailties? It is Allah Almighty of course. The answers were clear and very important. Allah's mercy and compassion are so vast as to remind us that He repeated it in every Surah of the Holy Quran except one (The exception is Surah Taubah.)! Allah's care and love for all of us and for all creatures on earth is truly boundless. This reflects His Compassion to us. Islamic Directives urge us to be compassionate too. In other words, Muslims should develop a feeling of empathy for others. Muslims are supposed to have an understanding and appreciation of the circumstances of others. If you understand their circumstances and have sympathy, you can help other people better. Islam recommends giving a helping hand especially at times of need, and the person will be well rewarded by the Almighty. A good Muslim will feel for others and will try to help others. By doing so, Allah will increase his Thawaab (reward for meritorious act) and credit him accordingly. What is Thawaab? Thawaab is the reward Allah will grant for the meritorious or good deeds a person does in his life time. This was stated in the Holy Quran: إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ…
... Lo! Allah's mercy is near to those who do good (7:56)
This ayah repeated in the Holy Quran by us many times so that we may be constantly reminded of Allah's compassion toward us. Therefore we must follow and constantly try to extend our compassion to others. We say this phrase when we pray, before we eat, or when we start any endeavor. We do that to affirm Allah's presence and mercy in our hearts. Quote from the Quran:
رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate now after You have guided us, but grant us mercy (3:8)
Some hadith also stressed about this. إرحموا من في الأرض، يرحمـكم من في السـماء
Have compassion on those who are on Earth, so that the one in Heaven will have compassion on You. (Tirmidhi)
Allah will reward us very much when we show mercy, compassion, and love toward our fellow man. It is essential for all Muslims to be understanding of and helpful to others. On the other hand Islam also warns Muslims and urges them to avoid the opposite. Islam advises against cruelty to others. Cruelty breeds cruelty, and often leads to hurt feelings, destruction, and giving pain to innocent unsuspecting people. Cruelty of a ruler is especially bad and to be fought against. Many people will suffer from a cruel ruler. Also take the cruelty of a conqueror to a nation and how devastating it can be. The textbooks of history tell us a great deal of such instances. Cruelty is a dreadful disease, and Islam prohibits it. Islam also urges Muslims to struggle against any cruel man, ruler or not. Cruelty to animals is just as bad and can lead to a good deal of suffering. Islam warns sternly against all kinds of cruelty. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) said:
أفضل الجهاد مَنْ قال كلمةُ الحق عند سلطانٍ جائر
The highest Jihad is to speak up for the truth in the face of the Tyrant Ruler who deviates
From the right path. (Tirmidhi And Ibn Maajeh)

FORGIVENESS

Have you ever been in a situation where you were hurt by someone? You could either get back at him or forgive and forget? What Islam says is that the one who has a good heart will try to forgive. Forgiveness is a wonderful quality and everyone ought to be quick to show it whenever possible. "Islam certainly urges Muslims to forgive. When we forgive, we must do it from the bottom of our hearts. It shouldn't be just lip service; it ought to be something we truly feel. The person who forgives will one day be in need of forgiveness himself and he will receive it in return. The most forgiving of all is Allah Almighty, and He has mentioned that repeatedly in the Holy Book, the Quran. We should also try to be as forgiving as possible. See what Allah says:
…وَإِن تَعْفُوا وَتَصْفَحُوا وَتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And if you pardon, overlook, and forgive, verily Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate. (16:14) A person who gets hurt and is quick to retaliate is a person of low caliber. But the one, who forgives, is a person of high caliber. Such a person will be well credited by the Almighty for his acts. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) has said:
…أمرك ربكَ أن تعفوا عمّن ظلمك، وتعطي مَن حَرَمك، وتصلَ من قَطَعَك
Your Lord has commanded you to forgive the One, who has done you wrong, And give to the one who has not given you, and Visit the one who has shunned you.
مَنْ سرَّهُ أنْ يُشْرفَ له البُنْيان وتُرفَع له الدرجات،
فلْيعْفُ عمَّن ظلمه، ويُعْطِ مَن حَرَمَه، ويصِل مَن قَطَعَه
A seeker of distinction let Him forgive the ones who harmed Him, forgive the ones who denied Him, and visit the ones who cut off their relations with Him. (Ibn Ka'b)
To forgive means not only do you have a big heart, but you understand too. It means you are in control of your emotions and actions and thus can forgive. The highest form of forgiving is when you are able to react or take revenge, and yet abstain from doing that and instead forgive. Better still, is your ability to forgive when you are angry. On the other hand a person who wants to take revenge or retaliate is a person lacking in good Islamic spirit. Taking revenge will lead to more hurt feelings, more destruction and to more losses. Revenge will strain revenge and ought to be avoided. Not much can be gained by revenge except more trouble and destruction. Such are the directives of Islam and the recommendations of Allah's Messenger. The best historic example is when the Muslims triumphed over Mecca. Though they had been severely mistreated by the Meccans for almost 20 years, Muhammad (pbuh) showed unparalleled forgiveness for he forgave them all including his most bitter enemies, without any conditions whatsoever. This shows us the extent to which forgiveness can go. What a good example for all of us!

SELF CONTROL

What you practiced today was the Islamic principle of self-control. Whenever you become so enraged that you almost take action and yet you willfully control yourself and calm yourself down you practice self-control. Whenever you do this you have obeyed a recommendation of Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh).
Islam urges us to control ourselves. In anger a person can make bad decisions, and can say things he doesn't really mean or normally wouldn't say. In anger, a person can hurt and injure the feelings of others and end up destroying his relationship with them. On a larger scale, a ruler of a country or governor of a district can make a decision in anger that may prove disastrous, hurting innocent people or even damaging a country. An angry person is not himself and cannot think clearly; his emotions rather than his mind are governing his decisions. As quote on the Holy Quran:
وَسَارِعُواْ إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرْضُ
أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ
وَاللّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
And hasten to earn forgiveness of your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the Heavens and Earth, prepared for the Righteous who spend alike in Prosperity and in Adversity, for those who curb their anger and those who forgive. (3:133-134)
In addition to that, Messenger of Allah said:

قلتُ يا رسول الله أيُّ المسلمين أفضلْ،

قال: مَنْ سَلِمَ المسلمون مِن لسانه ويَدِه

The excellent Muslim is the one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe (Muttafaq Alayh)

Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) encourages us to control ourselves. He says that by doing so we will have performed a part of Jihad, the struggle for the cause of God. It is recommended that we control our anger especially when we have the power to retaliate. In anger a person may say cruel and hurtful things and then the injured person may retaliate and the problem multiplies. That is because our emotions may make us do things that may not be right for that situation and those we may later regret. As Muslims we benefit when we practice self-control. In this was we given ourselves time to think and reason and whatever made us angry can be considered thoroughly. By controlling ourselves we will give ourselves time to cool off and not react hastily.
The only time Prophet Muhammad became angry was when someone abused the name of the Almighty or His Holy Book, the Quran. In cases where our religion is attacked or the name of our Creator is abused, it is permissible to show anger. But in most circumstances it is better to show self-control. We live in a country where many people, the media, and the press abuse Islam and the Quran, even the name of God—often out of ignorance and perhaps prejudice. Therefore, it is our duty to explain Islam as we understand it. We must keep doing this diligently and with perseverance. This is our greatest form of Jihad. For examples, if Allah's name is abused and people refuse to listen to one explanation, then one will be angry for sure. Only ignorant people abuse Allah's name or His religion. Since we are Islam's champions, we must do everything possible to provide correct information and to correct those who are spreading inaccurate information.

RESPONSIBLE

We are obliged to fulfill our responsibilities to the best of our abilities, and it is our responsibility to live Islamic as best as we can. Islam commands us to be responsible." Abdul-Rahman then added after some thought, "Personal responsibility can be a burden, yet we have to carry it until the job is done. The Holy Quran says:
مَّنِ اهْتَدَى فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدي لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا
وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى…
...He who is guided will be guided for himself, and he who strays, will stray for him, And no soul will carry the burden of another's soul (17:15)
As can be seen, we are strictly responsible for ourselves, be it our welfare or demise. We are also responsible for the welfare of others in as much as our interaction with them. We are responsible for the welfare of our parents and children, our relatives, in the school and community. The responsible must be carried out well, conscientiously and to the best of our abilities. No lip service should be given to such an important quality. In other words, we should fulfill our intentions and not merely talk about them; we must put our thoughts into action, action of the highest quality. Allah’s Messenger said:

ألا كلـكم راع وكلـكم مســؤل عن رعيــته
Truly, each of you is responsible to the Lord. be you leaders or followers, بادروا بالأعمال الصالحه فستكونُ ِفتـناً كقِطَع الليل المظْلم:
ُيصبحُ الرجُلُ مؤمِناً ويُمـسئُ كافراً ويُمـسئُ مؤمِناً وُيصبحُ كافراً يبـيعُ دِيـنَهُ بِعَرَضٍ مِنَ الدنْـيا
Take initiative to do good works, as there will be times of Turmoil, like a dark night where a Believer wakes up as a Believer and ends his day as non-believer; and wakes up as non- believer and ends his day as a believer. He sells his faith for the worldly goods (Muslim)
It is a privilege to carry responsibilities, and it is cowardice to shun them unless we are incapable of the task. The person who is neglectful of carrying out his responsibilities is one who is negligent of the teachings of Islam."
One of our greatest responsibilities is to work for Islam. For example, every Islamic endeavor, such as living Islamicly, teaching Islam to our children, studying Islam, or teaching it to others, are great ways of carrying out responsibilities. Writing for Islam, in books or newspapers, lecturing about it in churches, schools, radio or television, are most meritorious. The society has to learn about Islam and the guidance it brings, since ignorance about Islam is common in many countries. Even the very act of applying Islam and encouraging what is good and prohibiting what is evil is carrying out our responsibilities. Doing so can go a very long way to produce a healthier society."