Lesson 56

1. Lesson 56 Good Manners Towards Allah, the Qur’an and the Prophet (SAWS)

2. Manners • Manners are exercising one's self through education and training to behave properly, i.e. practical behavior.

3. Proper manners towards Allah: • Remember, praise, glorify, and thank Allah at all times.

4. Be modest before Allah; obey and worship Him with sincerity in the way He ordained.

5. Fear Allah and His punishment.

6. Retain hope of Allah’s Mercy.

7. Strive for His Mercy by supplication • and good deeds.

8. Never swear by other than Allah and His Names.

9. Never lie in swearing (making an oath). Making an oath unintentionally is not punishable.

10. If someone swears deliberately to do something then he violates his oath, he must expiate, unless the oath was to do an evil act or to ignore a good one. There is also an exception for the one who said "In Sha’a Allah" (if Allah wills), depending on his intention.

11. The expiation of the oath is to feed or clothe ten indigent people, manumit a slave, or fast three days, according to this order.

12. A vow is permissible for Allah Only. The one who vows must fulfill the vow whether in absolute or conditional terms, unless he vowed concerning a sinful act or vowed about something he does not own.

13. Proper manners towards the Glorious Qur’an: • Know the value of the Qur’an as being the Word and Law of Allah sent for the good of His bondmen in this worldly life and their success in the Hereafter.

14. Be keen to recite and finish it recurrently.

15. Recite in the best state of purification and respect, with the face towards the Qiblah.

16. Be conscious of Allah, the Almighty, and seek refuge in Him from the accursed Satan.

17. Submit to, concentrate, and understand what is recited.

18. Recite secretly if one fears showing off • or causing confusion to others' recitation.

19. Prostrate when one comes across • an Ayah of prostration.

20. Learn the rules of correct recitation (Tajwid) that is, to utter every letter correctly without exaggeration or artificiality. This recitation should be taught by well-trained readers.

21. Proper manners towards the Prophet (SAWS): • Obey, love and revere the Prophet (SAWS).

22. Follow his footsteps by reviving his tradition and methodology

23. When he is mentioned, exalt his name and pray for benediction on him, that is done by saying: “Salla Allahu `Alayhi Wa Sallam” (i.e. Prayers and peace be upon him)

24. Lower one’s voice in his mosque and at his tomb.

25. Evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah

26. Proper manners towards Allah: • Allah says: • ﴿فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلاَ تَكْفُرُونِ ﴾ • [البقرة: 152]

27. This means: • “Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” • (Al-Baqarah: 152)

28. Allah also says: • ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيراً *  وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً ﴾ • [الأحزاب: 41،42]

29. This means: • “O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon.” • (Al-Ahzab: 41 - 42)

30. And says: • ﴿فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنْفِقُوا خَيْراً لأَنفُسِكُمْ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴾[التغابن: 16]

31. This means: • “So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey; and spend in charity, that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.” • (At-Taghabun: 16)

32. And: • ﴿... وَطَائِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِاللهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ ﴾ • [آل عمران: 154]

33. This means: • “While another party was thinking about themselves (as how to save their own selves, ignoring the others and the Prophet SAW) and thought wrongly of Allah - the thought of ignorance.” • (Al-`Imran: 154)

34. Allah says: • ﴿قُلْ يَاعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُو الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴾ • [الزمر: 53]

35. This means: • “Say: "O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.''” • (Az-Zumar: 53)

36. Allah says: • ﴿وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالَّذِينَ هُم بِآيَاتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴾ • [الأعراف: 156]

37. This means: • “And My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqun (pious) and give Zakah; and those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.).” • (Al-A`raf: 156)

38. Swearing by Allah: • Allah says: • ﴿ لاَ يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا عَقَّدتُّمُ الأَيْمَانَ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ذَلِكَ كَفَّارَةُ أَيْمَانِكُمْ إِذَا حَلَفْتُمْ وَاحْفَظُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴾ • [المائدة: 89]

39. This means: “Allah will not punish you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation (a deliberate oath) feed ten Masakin (poor persons), on a scale of the average of that with which you feed your own families; or clothe them; or manumit a slave. But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should fast for three days.

40. That is the expiation for the oaths when you have sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allah make clear to you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) that you may be grateful.” • (Al-Ma’idah: 89)

41. Allah says: • ﴿وَلاَ تَجْعَلُوا اللهَ عُرْضَةً لأَيْمَانِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوا وتَتَّقُوا وَتُصِلْحُوا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَاللهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ * لاَ يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللهُ بِاللَّغْوِفِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ وَلَكِن يُؤَاخِذُكُم بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَاللهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴾ • [البقرة: 224-225]

42. This means: “And make not Allah's (Name) an excuse in your oaths against your doing good and acting piously, and making peace among mankind. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower (i.e. do not swear much and if you have sworn against doing something good then give an expiation for the oath and do good).

43. Allah will not call you to account for that which is unintentional in your oaths, but He will call you to account for that which your hearts have earned. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Forbearing.” (Al-Baqarah: 224 - 225)

44. The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: • “Whoever finds it necessary to take an oath should either take it in the Name of Allah or keep silent.” • (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)

45. The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: • “And swear by Allah Only, and swear by Allah Only when you are speaking the truth.” • (Reported by Abu-Dawud and an-Nasa’i)

46. The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: • “He who swears by anyone but Allah is a polytheist.” • (Reported by at-Tirmidhiyy)

47. The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: • “He who swears an oath in which he tells a lie to take the property of a Muslim by unfair means will meet Allah while He is angry with him.” • (Reported by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim)

48. Vows: • Allah says: • ﴿يُوفُونَ بِالنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا كَانَ شَرُّهُ مُسْتَطِيراً ﴾[الإنسان:7]

49. This means: • “They (are those who) fulfill (their) vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide-spreading.” • (Al-Insan: 7)

50. Allah says: • ﴿وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللهِ إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ وَلاَ تَنقُضُوا الأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلاً إِنَّ اللهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴾ • [النحل: 91]