On the authority of Abī Dardā’ that the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam) said:
“There is nothing heavier on the scales than good manners.”
In this hadīth there is an exhortation by the prophet for every male and female Muslim to be possessors of good manners, indeed Allah gave his Prophet (alayhis salātu was salām) the most complete of manners, He praised him for them in His statement:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ۬
And verily you (Muhammad [sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam]) are on an exalted standard of character. (Al-Qalam:4)
And (in addition) Ā’isha, Mother of the Believers (Allāh be pleased with her) was asked about the manners of the Prophet (sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam) so she replied:
“His character was the Qurān,”(1)
meaning he submitted to its commands and abandoned its prohibitions; he would desire that which it exhorted to and fear that which it induced fear in; he adorned himself with the moral excellence which is in it, and took heed with that which is in it from stories (of the past) and parables, and good manners is by way of speech and action.
Good manners are connected to the rights of Allāh, performing them in the most complete manner, and it concerns the rights of creation by interacting well with them – generally and specifically – by way of speech and action. Due to this, it has been mentioned regarding its tremendous virtue and great reward, i.e. the statement of the Prophet (sallallāhu alaihi wa sallam):
“There is nothing heavier on the scales than good manners”, this is a supplication of the Prophet (alayhis salātu was salām), clearly showing that the male and female Muslims should adorn themselves with best of manners. It is not possible (in reality) that a servant (of Allāh) possesses good manners except that he has concern with the Book of Allah and the Authentic Sunnah of the Messenger (alayhis salātu was salām), because good manners are taken from these two weighty tremendous (sources), the Noble Qurān and the Authentic Sunnah.
And in the reported supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْك»
O Allāh! You are the King, there is no deity worthy of worship except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have committed wrong against myself and admitted to my error, so forgive me all my sins. Verily, You, only You forgive the sins. (O Allāh!) Direct me to the best manners, for none except You directs to the best manners. Divert me from the worst manners, for only You divert from the worst manners. Glorified and Exalted You are. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You. (2)
‘Awn Al-Ahad As-Samad Sharh Al-Adab Al-Mufrad vol.1 pgs 295-296
(1) Sahīh Muslim
(2) Sahīh Muslim
