Giving the Salam
Abu Hurairah (ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "You shall not enter Heaven unless you have Faith and your Faith is not complete until you show love towards one another. Would you want me to show you how you can achieve this? Shower your Salam upon one another."
General meaning -- When we give our salam to another Muslim and he answers it, we are actually praying for each other's peace in life. Thus our relationship will become closer. This is one of the signs of people who have Faith.
Who Is To Give The Salam First?
Abu Hurairah(ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "Let the one who is driving give salam to the one walking; let the one who is walking give the salam to the one sitting; let those who are small in number (or alone) give salam to those who are in a larger group and let the younger one give salam to the elderly."
General meaning--The purpose of this hadith is to avoid us from a confusing situation where we do not know whether we should be the one to give the salam first, fearing that our friend whom we meet will also give the salam. Worse, both will answer each other's salam together.
Giving Salam To Our Family
Anas(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "O my son, when you enter the house of your family, give the salam so that you and your family may receive Allah's blessing."
General meaning--We often visit our relatives, friends and neighbors. Before we enter their houses or our own, we should say the salam. If we are visiting another person's house, we should leave if our salam is not answered after the third time. That is the etiquette of visiting. The purpose of saying the salam is so that we and our family may receive Allah's blessing.
Shaking of Hands
Barra' (ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "There is no two Muslims who meet and shake each other's hand unless both their sins are forgiven before they part."
General Meaning--When we meet our relative, friend or neighbor, we should shake each other's hand. Shaking of hands has a lot of advantages, other than to strengthen the feeling of brotherhood. By doing this, both our sins will be forgiven before we part.
Say 'Bismillah' Before We Eat
Umar bin Abi Salamah(ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "Say 'Bismillah', eat with your right hand and eat what is near you."
General Meaning--No matter where we are , we should say 'Bismillah' when facing a meal. Always use our right hand and never with our left hand. Also , eat those food which are near to us and do not stretch our arms to take those food which are further away as this will only show a greedy attitude.
Never Speak ill of A Meal
Abu Hurairah (ra) said."Rasulullah (saw) never once spoke ill of a meal. If he liked it, he ate it and if he did not like it, he left it untouched."
General meaning--To speak ill of the food served by someone is bad. Such an act tells of someone ungrateful. Imagine the amount of hard work that goes into preparing and serving the food. It hurts a mother to hear her effort being slighted. Thus if you like it, eat it but if you don't , just leave it with gentle words and never with an angry tone.
Never Have Leftover Food
Jabir(ra)related that Rasulullah(saw) had asked for the leftovers of food on the plate and those stuck on the fingers to be cleaned while saying, "You do not know which part of your food that carries the blessings."
General meaning--It is bad to have leftovers when eating as those leftover food are part of God's gift to us. Make it a habit not to have any leftover even of the slightest bit. If we are quite full in the first place, do not take the food in excess. Always try to finish those food which are left on the plate and those stuck on our fingers. Maybe those leftovers are the ones that carry the blessing.
Pick Up The Food that Fell
Anas(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "If the food that you are eating falls, pick it up and clean it. Then eat it and not leave it for the satan."
General meaning--If it happens that the food you are eating falls and it can be cleaned, pick it up to be eaten. If not, the food will be wasted and wasting is the habit of satan. But if the food which falls cannot be cleaned or if it falls on a very dirty spot, do not eat it or it will only cause illness.
Do Not Drink While Standing
Ali(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said , "let none of you drink while standing."
General meaning--Drinking while standing is taken as a rude and snobbish act. Muslims should never try to imitate the unbelievers. If however, we cannot find a seat, it is excusable to drink while standing. It is still required for us to sit while eating or drinking.
To Gain Knowledge is a Duty
Rasulullah (saw) said, "To gain knowledge is a duty of every Muslim, male or female."
General Meaning--Knowledge is like a bright , guiding light in life. A person without knowledge will be in darkness. On the other hand, a knowledgeable person finds it easier to do a certain task which will allow him to earn his income. The aim to gain knowledge is to make it easier for us to serve Allah, for example , by giving charity from the income that we received. Furthermore, Allah will elevate the status of a knowledgeable person.
Rasululah's (saw) Will
Rasulullah(saw) said, "I leave you with two things. If you abide by them you will never be led astray, and that is the Quran and hadith."
General Meaning--Al Quran and the hadith form the basic guidance in the lives of Muslims. A person will always be safe if he follows them. Thus, never forget the Quran and hadith.
The Virtue of Reading the Quran
Umamah(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "Read the Quran, for it will come in the Day of Qiyamah as a torch to those that had read and followed it's teachings."
General Meaning--Studying and following the teaching of the Quran will bring a ot of goodness. Just by reading it is an ibadah. Every letter that is being read has a reward and each of this reward is multiplied by ten times. Such is the reward given to someone who reads the Quran.
Teaching Is The Best Of Charity
Rasulullah(saw) said , "The best of charity is a Muslim who learns a knowledge and later teaches it to his Muslim brother."
General Meaning--A person who learns a knowledge or skill and then teaches it to another person , even if it is one sentence, is highly regarded in Islam. If we teach our friend a certain skill, and he later teaches it to another friend, who also teaches it to another friend, imagine how many people can benefit from our act. We will not lose anything by sharing our knowledge, but only to bring us great rewards from Allah.
The Du'a Most Often Recited by Rasulullah(saw)
Rasulullah(saw) most often recited the following du'a, "Oh Allah, our Lord, grant upon us the happiness in this world and happiness in the hereafter and protect us from the torture of the hellfire."
General meaning--As good Muslims, we should follow the habits of Rasulullah (saw) . Thus, we are to recite the du'a most often recited by him. The du'a is short , simple and complete. Try to recite it after every prayer.
Du'a For Our Parents
Rasulullah (saws) said, "When the son of Adam (human being) dies, his deeds are stopped except for three things, namely, his good deeds, his knowledge, and his pious child who prays for him."
General Meaning--When a person dies, he will be separated from this world all together except for the good deeds that he has done during his lifetime (for example, charity), the knowledge that he has taught to others and his child whom he has brought up properly such that the child is willing to pray for him. As a good son or daughter, we should always pray for our parents with the du'a, "Oh Allah, forgive me and my parents. Have mercy on them just like they have pitied and loved me when I was young."
It Is Sinful To Disobey Our Parents
Mughirah bin Shu'bah(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "verily, Allah forbids you from disobeying your parents."
General Meaning--Allah commands every Muslim to care for his parents properly, with kindness and courtesy. We are to heed their advice. Never show our stubbornness and disobey them with harsh words. As their child, we should repay their kindness in providing for and bringing us up. To disobey our parents is a disgraceful act and a serious sin.
Heaven Lies Under the Feet of Our Mother
Anas(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "Verily, Heaven lies under the feet of our mother."
General Meaning--Whoever intends to enter Heaven should respect and dignify his parents, especially his mother. Our mother has carried and given birth to us. Furthermore, her du'a will be granted by Allah. Thus, we must serve her well.
Do Not Mourn for the Dead
Rasulullah (saw) said, "The dead will be tortured in his grave because he is mourned and wept by his family".
General Meaning--When there is death in our family, especially if the dead is our parent, we should not mourn his death as practiced by non-Muslims. Do not weep excessively and lament his death. We should remember that every living thing must die and face it with faith. It is all right to weep in silence or the dead will be tortured in his grave.
Be Good To Neighbors
Rasulullah(saw) said, "H who believes in Allah and the Day of Resurrection, do not let him harm his neighbor. And whosoever has faith in Allah and the Day of Judgement, let him speak only of what is good or else remain silent."
General meaning-- Neighbors (Muslim) are our immediate family. It is wrong to be on bad terms with them. We should never ill-treat them. Remember that the day will come when we need their help. That is why peace and understanding are necessary for a closer relationship.
Do Not Disturb Our Neighbors
Rasululallah(saw) said, "A person, whose neighbor became disturbed by his actions, will not enter Heaven."
General Meaning--We should always ensure that we are at peace with our neighbor. A considerate attitude is very important. Never make any noise or disturb the cleanliness of his compound. A person who deliberately irritates his neighbor will only anger Allah.
To Receive and Give Gifts
Aishah(ra) related, "Rasuluallah(saw) received and gave gifts."
General Meaning--To give and receive gifts is a virtue. This practice can make our relationship much closer. Always exchange a gift with a gift. However, we should remember that the value of a gift is not in its price but in the sincerity that goes with it.
Respect For Guest
Rasuluallah(saw) said, "Those who believe in Allah and the hereafter, must be respectful of his guests."
General Meaning--To visit one another is highly encouraged to foster a good relationship. As the host, we must receive and entertain our guest with a smile and a friendly tone. This is a clear sign of hospitality and is considered charity.
Every Mumin Should Support One Another
Rasulullah(saws) said, "One mumin to another mumin is like a building that supports one another."
General Meaning--Every mumin, regardless of his race or language, must cooperate with one another in doing good deeds. Whenever we know that our friend is weak in a certain matter, we should help and support him so that we can progress together. This is similar to a building where every wall, pillar, floor and roof support one another so that the building can stand erect.
The Strong Person
Abu Hurairah(ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "He is not strong and powerful who throws people down, but he is strong who controls himself from anger".
General Meaning--When in anger, we often cannot control ourselves and sometimes do something that we will regret later. At this moment, we are actually controlled by Satan. A strong person is one who can control his feelings and not one who wins in a fight or a quarrel. Thus, when in anger, it is advisable to perform ablution in order to reduce our anger.
The Proud Person
Rasulullah (saw) said, " A person who has pride in his heart will not enter Heaven, even if the pride is very small."
General Meaning-- To be proud is a dishonorable attitude. A person who brags about his wealth or talks well about himself and speaks ill of others is not a good Muslim. Islam teaches us to do things in moderation.
Allah Values Your Heart
Abu Hurairah(ra) related that Rasulullah (saws) said, "Indeed Allah does not look at the beauty of your face or body, but Allah looks at your heart."
General Meaning--Allah values a person not because he is handsome or rich or because he holds a high status in the community. Allah values a person through the beauty of his heart, whether he has a virtuous heart or he is one who holds jealousy all the time. A rich and handsome man who earns his wealth through cheating others is looked upon as very low by Allah. On the other hand, an ugly and poor man who constantly helps others is looked upon as very honorable by Allah. Thus, we must make sure our heart is filled with only good intentions.
Shame Implies Faith
Ibnu Umar (ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, "Verily, shame is a part of faith."
General meaning--Usually, a person who has no sense of shame will do anything according to his fancies, regardless of social etiquette or the law of his religion and country. On the other hand, a person with a sense of shame will think twice before doing something, whether that deed is wrong and thus will reduce his self-worth.
Whispering Between Two People
Ibnu Mas'ud (ra) related that Rasulullah (saw) said, "When three persons are together, two of them must not whisper to each other and exclude the third person, unless you are in a big group, as this would hurt him."
General meaning--If we are in a group of three, we must not whisper to only one of our friends and exclude the other one. This will only hurt him even if what we are whispering about is good and does not concern him. We can only whisper to each other if we are in a big group.
Religion Without Prayer is Like a Body Without a Head
Ibnu Umar (ra) related that Rasulullah (saws) said, "One who foregoes the obligatory prayers is without a religion because the position of these prayers is that of a head on a body."
General Meaning--A person who admits having a religion but does not perform his five obligatory prayers is a person whose religion is not complete. He is not considered a good Muslim even if he does other good deeds. The importance of prayers in our life is like the importance of our head to our body.
Deeds Most Loved by Allah
Rasulullah (saw) said, "The deeds most loved by Allah are those done regularly , even if they are small."
General Meaning-- Even if what we are doing may look small and little, we should do it regularly and willingly. In giving charity, we should do it consistently even if we feel that the sum is small. It is also all right for us not being able to understand a lesson all at one time, but we must ensure that we continue to learn it again everyday.
