“The highest of virtues is to maintain your relations with those who cut their ties with you, to give to those who do not give to you, and to forgive those who speak evil of you.”
(Ibn Hanbal, XXIV, 383)
Abu Mahdhura, one of the mu’adhdhins of the Prophet (saw), recounts how he acquired the title of “the mu’adhdhin of the Prophet”: “I went out with a group of people, and we were somewhere on the road to Hunayn when the Messenger of Allah (saw) was returning from Hunayn. We encountered the Messenger of Allah somewhere on the road. One of the Companions called the adhan for prayer in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (saw). We heard the voice of the mu’adhdhin and we were heedless about it (the adhan), so we started shouting, imitating, and mocking it. The Messenger of Allah (saw) heard us, so he sent some people to call us to his presence. He said, ‘Who is the one whose voice I heard so loudly?’ The people all pointed to me, and they were telling the truth. He dismissed the others but kept me there with him. Then he (saw) said, ‘Stand up and recite the adhan.’ I stood up, and up until that point, there was nothing more aversive to me than the Prophet's command and what he was asking of me. I stood up, and the Messenger of Allah (saw) himself taught me the adhan. Once I completed reciting the adhan, he beckoned me and handed me a small pouch containing some silver coins. Next, he placed his hand on my forehead, moving it over my face, then across my chest and heart, until his hand reached my navel. Following this, he prayed for me, saying, 'May Allah bless you and shower His blessings upon you.' and he commanded me to recite the adhan in Mecca. Consequently, all the hatred I had felt towards the Messenger of Allah disappeared, and was replaced with love for the Messenger of Allah.” (Nasa‘i, Adhan, 5-6; Ibn Majah, Adhan, 2)
The Prophet Muhammad’s attitude towards Abu Mahdhura, who mocked the adhan, is a living example of how Muslims, who are obliged to follow his way (Sunnah), should behave in the face of wrong attitudes. It was this exemplary behavior of the Messenger of Allah that illuminated the darkness of jahiliyyah with the light of Islam and made the period he lived in the “Asr al-Sa‘adah”.
In the above hadith, which gives very important messages about “doing what is befitting for oneself”, the following advice is given to Muslims:
Visiting relatives
The observance of the kinship ties formed by blood or marriage and the visits of relatives to each other are characterized as silat al-rahim. If we look at the Qur’anic verses on this subject, we will see that it is mentioned together with the right of Allah (Nisa, 4:1); it is described as a bond that Allah has ordered to be safeguarded (Ra’d, 13:25); those who have reason and faith observe this bond (Ra’d, 13:21); and those who are deprived of faith and divine guidance break this bond (Muhammad, 47:22).
Our Prophet (saw) also drew attention to the issue of silat al-rahim with recommendations such as “Allah will keep good relations with him who keeps good relations with kith and kin” (Bukhari, Adab, 13); “Whoever is pleased that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be prolonged, then he should keep good relations with his kith and kin.” (Bukhari, Adab, 12), and the Prophet said that this is an action that will lead one to Paradise (Bukhari, Zakat, 1).
It is important not to abstain from such a righteous deed, which involves many virtues and heavy responsibilities, for any reason.
Sharing what you have
One of the qualities praised in the Holy Qur’an is spending in the way of Allah, in other words, giving without expecting anything in return. It is stated that this is a characteristic of virtuous believers as follows: “…Rather, the righteous are those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets; who give charity out of their cherished wealth to relatives, orphans, the poor, needy travelers, beggars, and for freeing captives; who establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and keep the pledges they make; and who are patient in times of suffering, adversity, and in the heat of battle. It is they who are true in faith, and it is they who are mindful of Allah.” (Baqarah, 2:177)
Although what is meant by “giving” in the hadith is giving from wealth, it would not be wrong to consider many other types of deeds within this scope. As a matter of fact, some non-financial acts of kindness, such as showing a smiling face to a fellow believer, guiding someone who has lost his way, or removing things that cause harm to people from the road and putting them aside, were considered charity by our Prophet (saw). From this point of view, extending a helping hand to those who turn away from us in times of distress, greeting those who pass by without greeting us, and showing a smiling face to those who are sullen towards us, in short, responding with goodness even to those who do evil to us, are considered among the most virtuous deeds within the scope of the above hadith.
Forgiving the evil-doer
Forgiveness, which is one of the most sublime qualities that human beings can possess, is not to see evil or mistakes as normal. Rather, it entails demonstrating a virtuous disposition by recognizing that all individuals are prone to making mistakes. Forgiveness doesn't promote wrongdoing; rather, it aims to create an atmosphere where individuals who have erred will refrain from repeating their misdeeds due to the discomfort they feel. To withhold forgiveness is to shackle the mind and heart with detrimental sentiments like anger, resentment, enmity, hatred, and stress, triggered by the mistakes of others. Conversely, forgiveness liberates one from all such negative emotions and thoughts, enabling them to soar freely, akin to birds. While refusing to forgive begets responding to wrongdoing with more of the same, forgiveness embodies an approach in harmony with the Quranic directive, “Repel evil with what is better” (Fussilat, 41:34). This path involves striving to gain the favor of the Merciful Creator who esteems forgiveness and endeavors and those who remain steadfast as devoted servants.
Consequently, those believers who aspire to genuinely emulate the Prophet's (saw) example ought to internalize the attributes delineated in the preceding hadith. Moreover, they should consider the adage, “Responding with kindness to good conduct is within everyone's capacity, while responding with kindness to ill behavior is exclusive to the virtuous,” as a guiding principle. This maxim should inform their conduct in every circumstance, prompting them to exhibit an attitude that befits their character and values.
