رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُم and they wanted to hit him, but the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forbade them from hitting him and said to him, “Come closer to me. Would you like anyone to commit adultery with your mother?” He said, “Not at all.”

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Then other people would never tolerate such a shameful act with their mothers.” Then the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked him, “If the same act is done with your daughter. Will you like it?” He humbly said, “No.” The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “If anybody commits such a shameful act with your sister? And with your aunt?”

In this manner, the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked about every relation, and he kept replying in the negative and saying people would not grant their consent either. Then the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم placed his blessed hand on his heart and supplicated to Allah Almighty, “O Allah Almighty! Purify his heart, protect his private parts and forgive his sins.” After this incident, the young man developed a hatred towards adultery for the rest of his life.^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers, you have just heard how lovingly and affectionately our Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made individual efforts and reformed that young man in a most pleasant manner to prevent him from evils. Therefore, adopting an effective strategy, the one who presents the call towards righteousness should show tolerance, because the thing which can be accomplished by being gentle cannot be done through harshness. As far as the preacher is concerned, he should be softer than wax and cooler than ice. To reform someone by scolding them is very difficult.