O devotees of Rasool! Remember! Politeness is a great blessing from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Whosoever is granted this blessing, his character starts to improve and people begin to love that person as well. So, in today’s weekly Sunnah-inspiring Ijtima’ let’s listen to some events and parables, narrations and blessed Sayings of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم regarding politeness. Firstly, let’s listen to a faith refreshing parable in relation to politeness:

Acceptance of Islam by a scholar of Torah

Sayyiduna Zayd Bin Sa’nah رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ, who was a scholar of the Torah before accepting Islam, once bought dates from the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. There were still a few days left to deliver the dates when he, in front of a big crowd, began to demand in a very harsh manner and he grabbed the shawl and lower part of the kameez (shirt) of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, whilst looking at him with anger. Looking at this, Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ looked at him with rage and said, O enemy of Allah! ‘How dare you disrespect the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم’? By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! If the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was not present at this moment, I would have separated your head from your shoulders with my sword.’ Listening to this, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘O Umar! What are you saying? Instead, you should have made my mindset to pay off the loan and made his mindset to ask for the loan recovery with politeness. That way, you would have helped us both.’ The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم then ordered, ‘O Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ! Give him his dates rightfully and then give him some extra.’ When Ameer-ul-Mumineen Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ gave more than the dates rightfully required, Zayd Bin Sa’nah asked, ‘O Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ! Why are you giving me more dates than I deserve?’ He replied, ‘Because I had looked at you with rage and scared you, that’s why the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم told me to give you extra dates in order to please you.’

Listening to this, Zayd Bin Sa’nah asked, ‘O Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ! Do you know who I am? I am Zayd Bin Sa’nah.’ Sayyiduna Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ then asked, ‘Are you that Zaid Bin Sa’nah who is a great scholar of the Torah?’ He replied, ‘yes.’