How To Adopt Good Morals

Women

Good morals

Umm-e-Milad Attariyyah

What are good morals?

A person asked the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم about good morals, so He صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم recited the following verse:

خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَ اْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَ اَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجٰهِلِیْنَ(۱۹۹)

And, O Beloved; adopt forgiveness, and command good, and turn away from the ignorant.

(Part 9, Surah Al-A’raaf, Verse 199; Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 3, p. 61)

The fact is that the term ‘good morals’ is understood through the morals of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

When Makkah Mukarramah was conquered, all the chiefs of the Quraysh were standing in humility and shame. Those who used to go to great lengths to try and eradicate Islam, those who used to deny the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, those who used to do evil, those who used to swear at him, those who used to insult his honour, those who used to throw stones at him, those who used to lay thorns in his path, those who used to oppress the poor and helpless Muslims, those who used to lay them on scorching sand, those who used to heat iron in fire and sear the bodies of Muslims, today, they were in the custody of the army of Muhajireen and Ansaar, whose swords were waiting for a signal from the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; but may we be sacrificed upon the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as he established an enduring and universal model of his high morals for the entire world.

The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said in his gracious tone: ‘There is no blame on you today, go, you are all free’. (Zurqaani ‘Alal-Mawahib, vol. 3, p. 449) It is written in Seerat-e-Halbiyyah that many people entered the folds of Islam on hearing this from the blessed tongue of Noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. (Seerat-e-Halbiyyah, vol. 3, p. 141)

Sayyiduna ‘Uqbah Bin ‘Amir رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said: ‘One day, I came to the court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to me: ‘O ‘Uqbah! Shall I not inform you of the best morals of the people of this world and the Hereafter? Join ties with those who break relation with you, give to him who deprives you, and forgive him who oppresses you.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 6, p. 222, Hadees 7959)

How to adopt good morals?

Read and listen to the Ahadees and narrations, accounts and sayings of the pious predecessors on the virtues of good morals and the disadvantages of ill morals time and time again. Create in yourself noble attributes, such as patience and perseverance, kindness and forbearance, love and gentleness, forgiveness, modesty, courtesy and respect for elders, compassion and kindness for the younger ones, selflessness, compassion and welfare for all Muslims, and hold fast to the way of any accomplished spiritual guide; اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه this will improve your morals.

Dear Islamic sisters! Make sure to remember that whatever has been said about good manners is related to one's Mahram and other women. As for talking to unrelated men in times of need and compulsion, it is written in Siraat-ul-Jinaan: ‘It is befitting for women who guard their chastity and decency that when they have to talk to an unrelated man due to some need or compulsion, there should be no elegance in their tone and no gentleness and softness in their voice, rather, there should be estrangement in their tone and unfamiliarity should be apparent in their voice so that the other person does not covet evil.’ (Siraat-ul-Jinaan, vol. 8, p. 17)