proper guidance of individuals in any society is very important to make it a peaceful society and have Sunnahs prevailed in it because a society is formed by individuals. The society in which an individual is not provided with proper guidance falls prey to plight. If we want to create the environment around us according to the Islamic values, then we will have to provide proper guidance to other people too along with our own reform. If we remain heedless from this important task of guidance, considering it to be a burden, then the society will keep getting worse, which to some extent can also be witnessed.
Blessed teachings of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to educate his blessed companions رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُم from time to time. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had great expertise in being acquainted about the nature, habits and psyche of people. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would treat everyone according to his rank and would teach the other person in such a way that he would wholeheartedly accept it.
Once, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw a gold ring in a companion’s hand. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم took that ring off and threw it away, and said, ‘Does anyone of you want to take an ember of Hell in his hand?’ The impact of this blessed teaching of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم upon the blessed companion رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ was such that after the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم left, he was told to pick up the ring and avail some other benefit from it. But he رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ said, ‘No! By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! I will never pick up the ring that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has thrown away.’ (Sahih Muslim, pp. 891, Hadees 2090)
Passion of acting upon the blessed saying of the Holy Prophet ﷺ
Dear Islamic brothers! If that companion wanted, he could have picked up the ring and benefited from selling it, or could have given it to someone as a present, or could have given it to someone for whom it was permissible to wear, i.e. he could have made a woman its owner; but he didn’t do so because the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had thrown it away.
Commentator of Sahih Muslim, ‘Allamah Nawavi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ عَلَيْه says, ‘This statement of the companion of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم contains a great mind-set for fulfilling the command of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and refraining from what he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked to refrain from. Moreover, he رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ did not perform the act of picking up the ring being allowed for him based on weak justifications and left it there (being permissible) for needy and other people so that whomsoever wishes among them may pick it up. So it became permissible for people to pick up the ring and use it at that time. Furthermore, if he had picked up the ring himself, then this act of picking up the ring and using it by selling it or in any other way would have also been permissible for him because the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not forbid from using the ring completely, instead, he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم forbade from wearing it. Using it in any other way than wearing it was permissible for him. But despite this, he avoided picking it up and made the intention of leaving it as a Sadaqah (i.e. charity) for the needy.’ (Sharh-un-Nawavi ‘ala Sahih Muslim, vol. 7, pp. 65-66, Juz 14)
Blessed teaching method full of wisdom
The blessed way of teaching provided by the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم possessed wisdom. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would not educate everyone upon their mistakes directly so that the other person doesn’t feel to be disgraced. If he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would become aware of some people’s shortcomings, then he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would provide guidance over that shortcoming and inappropriate action collectively. The benefit of this was that others would also attain guidance (over it).
It is stated in Abu Dawood: Sayyidatuna ‘Aishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهَا states: When the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would become aware of a fact of someone, then he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would not say, ‘What is the matter of so-and-so who says this’, rather, he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would say, ‘What is the state of those people who utter such statement’. (Abu Dawood, vol. 4, pp. 328, Hadees 4788)
Neither scolded nor told him off
If the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ever felt the need of reforming over a mistake directly, then he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would do so in an extremely affectionate and compassionate manner so that the other person agrees to accept the truth.
Therefore, once, what happened was that a villager entered the Masjid and started urinating in a corner. The blessed companions started to stop him. Upon this, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Do not stop him. Leave him.’ When he finished urinating, then the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم called him and said, ‘These Masajid are not for urinating and spreading filth in them. These are for the Zikr of Allah Almighty, Salah and reciting the Holy Quran.’ (Sahih Muslim, pp. 164, Hadees 285)
It is mentioned in Ibn Majah: That villager became so impressed with the compassionate conduct of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم that he mentioned the blessed way of teaching of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the following words, ‘فَقَامَ إِلَیَّ بِأَبِی وَأُمِّی، فَلَمْ يُؤَنِّبْ وَلَمْ يَسُبّ’ i.e. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came towards me. May my parents be sacrificed upon him. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم neither scolded me nor told me off. (Ibn Majah, vol. 1, pp. 300, Hadees 529)
Be mindful that it had not been long since that blessed companion had embraced Islam. Moreover, he was also away from the company of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Hence, this act was performed by him due to being unaware of the Shar’i rulings. Otherwise, the ruling of Shar’iah is, ‘It is Haraam to urinate in Masjid.’ (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih, vol. 2, pp. 194, under the Hadees 491, summarised; derived from: Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 1, pp. 645)
I plea to all devotees of the Prophet that no matter which walk of practical life you belong to, if you want to bring yourself and your acquaintances up in the right manner, then study the blessed Seerah of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. By doing so, we will come to know that how the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught people with wisdom while taking care of their nature and psyche.
May Allah Almighty bless us with the passion of following the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sincerely.
اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
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