Upon hearing this, the tailor kissed the imam’s feet, asked for forgiveness, and began staying in his blessed company.^[1]

O devotees of the Messenger! You have just heard about the good manners of Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه. There is a great lesson for us in this incident. The tailor deliberately made one sleeve tight and one sleeve loose as a joke, but look at the character of Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه! He رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه found positive points even in the situation and made duʿā for the tailor.

Such an act is very difficult to do today. Being optimistic and searching for positives is a distant matter, people even search for negative points in a good situation! Our pious elders, who were true servants of Allah, managed to find positive things even in negative situations.

The story of Rābiʿah Baṣriyyah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْهَا

Sayyidunā Sufyān Thawri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه reports, “A man in Basrah was taken to the gallows to be punished for adultery. The renowned saint, Rābiʿah Baṣriyyah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْهَاwalked by and said, ‘This is the tongue with which you recited لَا اِلَہَ اِلَّا اللہ.’”^[2]

O devotees of the Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! A man was about to be hanged as punishment for a major sin, but instead of mentioning his evil, Sayyidatunā Rābiʿah Baṣriyyah رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْهَا looked for the goodness in him and mentioned it. If only we had a positive mindset and developed the habit of seeing good, hearing good and speaking good, for an evil tongue is a reflection of an evil heart.

Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would remain silent

Dear Islamic brothers, being cautious of one’s speech is the basis of wisdom and piety. It is mentioned in a hadith, “Adopt the company of