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Fundamental principles of
Manners





Ahmad K Kakar
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Alhamdulellah [Praises to Allah]
Assalaaht wa Salaam 'ala RasulAllah [Blessing and peace of Allah upon His Messenger]

Allah swt said in His glorious book mentioning His Prophet (s.a.w)


"And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds."
[Al Qur'an 21:107]

There is no doubt that we all can understand how the sending of the Prophet (s.a.w) is a mercy in the
Hereafter as through his teaching we can obtain the Pleasure of Allah swt and His Jannah and through
his teachings we can avoid the hell fire.
But we also see how the sending of the Prophet (s.a.w) is a mercy in this world. And in this world we can
not have mercy without Akhlaq [good manners]. How so?

If you are to take the example of a village and every aspect of bad akhlaq [bad manners] is exercised in
this village such as jealousy, envy, back biting, cursing, stealing, killing so on and so forth. Can you
describe this village as a place of mercy or as a merciful village? Of course not. Therefore, in order to
have mercy or being merciful; Akhlaq is important.
For that matter we find that when Imam Malik [RA] was a young boy and his mother sends him to learn
knowledge. She gives him a piece of advice, she says "Go to Rabi'a (Rabi'atu Ra'ee, the scholar of
madinah) and learn from his manners before you learn from his knowledge." And we see the effect of that
advice in the character and personality of Imam Malik [RA] so much so that when he used to walk into the
court of the Khalifah, the Khalifah would shake in his place in reverence and respect to this great
character and personality of Imam Malik.

But a lot have been said and written about the importance of Akhlaq and a lot of that have been taken
and understood in a very imbalanced manner. Therefore, I will not stress on the importance of Akhlaq
rather in my humble attempt I will try to categorize or prioritize Akhlaq as to from where one should start
when working on improving one's Akhlaq InshaAllah.

First Principle

From the fundamental principles of manners, first and far most in categorizing Akhlaq is to have akhlaq
[good manners] with the Creator Allah swt.
And having good manners with the Creator Allah swt starts with:
1. Not to have Shirk [associating anything] with Allah swt The Creator The Al-Mighty The
Exalted One.
As Allah swt say in His glorious book on the tongue of the wise man Luqmaan Al Hakeem, advising his
son, the first advice he gives him

O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice.
[Al Qur'an 31:13]

Not to attribute sons or daughters or partners to His Dominion and not to bring that Creator Who has
created this vast universe and the likes of it; to the level of His creation. Not to bring that Mighty and
Glorious and Exalted being to the level of us tiny and poor human beings who have problem
understanding our own bodies and are helpless in the face of a microscopic disease that we can't even
see.

In a Hadith Al Qudsi Allah swt say "O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made
it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress and do not transgress." [Muslim, At-Termidhi and Ibn Maajah]

And in another hadith He swt says
I have a wondrous affair with mankind and Jinn. I create them, they worship someone else; I bless them
with my bounties, they thank somebody else for what I sent them;
My grace falls down on them while their evil deeds ascend to Me.
I express my love for them with my gifts, even though I not need them.
While they themselves avoid to Me with their sins and they desperately need my help."
[Madaarijus-Saalikeen by Ibn Al Qayyim]



2. To be conscious and aware of Allah swt and to know that your Creator is Watchful over you
and whatever you do.


Indeed, He knows what is declared of speech, and He knows what you conceal. [Al Quran 21:110]

And We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein [Al Quran 50:16]

3. To obey Allah swt. Obeying His commandments and obligations that are prescribed for us
human beings and then to stay away from what He has made haraam [forbidden].



Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your
duty to Allah in Whom ye are believers. [Al Quran 5:88]


Second Principle

Secondly is to have good Akhlaq with the Angels of Allah swt and to be aware of the presence of these
mighty, shy and noble creatures of Allah swt.
Allah swt says in the Qur'an:

- -
And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Noble and recording; they know whatever you do.
[Al Quran 82:10-12]

And as from many ahadith we know that these noble angels are indeed shy creatures, so much so that
they even get annoyed or displeased by bad fragrances let alone immoral words or actions. Therefore,
among having good Akhlaq with Allah swt and His angels is to be always aware and careful in and with
what we say or do openly or in solitude.

Third Principle

Thirdly to have good Akhlaq with the scriptures and books that Allah swt have sent down on us.
One may ask "how can we have good Akhlaq with the books or scripture?"
Having good Akhlaq with the books or scriptures is to know and understand that indeed these are
guidelines and manuals sent down by the Creator God Al Mighty and they are to be followed and obeyed.
To understand them and ponder upon them and to shape our lives, our sayings and our actions according
to them. And then having good manners with the scriptures is to not tamper with them, not to change or
interpret them according to our own whims and desires.
Allah swt says:





So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah ," in
order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to
them for what they earn. [Al Quran 2:79]



Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts? [Al Quran 47:24]







Fourth Principle


Fourthly is to have good Akhlaq with the Prophets [peace and blessings be upon them all].
No doubt that we do not live with the Prophets and that they are gone from this world and they cannot
hear us or see us. But having good Akhlaq with the Prophets is to follow their ways and take them as our
role models and to stick strictly to their ways and understanding and explanations of the books and
scriptures of Allah swt.
Allah swt:




Say, "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.
And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." [Al Qur'an 3:31].




Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the
disbelievers. [Al Qur'an 3:32].

And then among having good Akhlaq with the Prophets is not to deviate from their path and not to come
with our newly innovated rituals and practices in the matters of the religion and then attribute such lies
and falsehood to these noble Prophets. Having good Akhlaq with the Prophets is in knowing and
understanding that indeed they are the best of the best and that they are at the highest pinnacle of
manners and characters that Allah swt The Creator Al Mighty have chosen them for deliverance of His
messages.



Fifth Principle


Fifthly is to know, understand and be content with the Decree and Destiny of Allah swt upon us and our
role and responsibility of humans as the KhalifatuAllah [vicegerent of Allah] on this earth and over the
other co inhabitants of this planet.

Allah swt say:





[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the
Exalted in Might, the Forgiving-. [Al Qur'an 67:2]






And it is not [possible] for one to die except by permission of Allah at a decree determined. And
whoever desires the reward of this world - We will give him thereof; and whoever desires the
reward of the Hereafter - We will give him thereof. And we will reward the grateful. [Al Qur'an 3:145].






Sixth Principle

And lastly, to have good Akhlaq with the rest of the creations of Allah swt, having good Akhlaq with our
fellow human beings and other co inhabitants with us on this earth that Allah swt have put into our care.
Having good Akhlaq with the nature and environment and be it known that indeed these are creatures of
Allah swt same like humans and the jinn and that it will come as a witness at the Judgment for us or
against us.
Allah swt says:



Do you not see that Allah is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the
birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting
[Him], and Allah is knowing of what they do. [Al Quran 24:41]

And as known from many authenticated ahadith that even the stones and pebbles would make Tasbeeh
and praise Allah swt in the palms of the Prophet of Mercy Muhammad [Peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him].
Thus, when Allah swt mentions His Prophet in His Glorious book, He swt says:


And indeed, you are of a great moral character. [Al Qur'an 68:4]

And Indeed the Best of Speech is the Book of Allah swt and the Best guide to it is the guidance of
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
And the worst of matter are the matters newly introduced into the religion.
He whom Allah guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He leaves astray - never will you find
for him a protecting guide. [Al Qur'an 18:17]