Lesson 3: Primary Sources of Manners Flashcards
Evidences for the Quran being a primary source of manners and some comments on what the evidence entails
> إِنَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ يَهْدِى لِلَّتِى هِىَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًۭا كَبِيرًۭاVerily, this Qur’ân guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allâh and His Messenger, Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم), who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (Paradise).
The word “أَقْوَمُ “ is interesting, it can be what is it best, right, what is upright. But the word itself is what is upright. Even the word “القِيَمُ” is another word for ones values, and manners
> حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَـٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍۢ لِّإِثْمٍۢ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭForbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (the dead animals - cattle - beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allâh’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allâh, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns - and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal - unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) - and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-Nusub1(stone-altars). (Forbidden) also is to use arrows seeking luck or decision; (all) that is Fisqun (disobedience of Allâh and sin). This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats), then surely, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
- This religion is complete, it covers everything
- Its perfect in beliefs, as well as manners
> ۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَVerily, Allâh enjoins Al-‘Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allâh Alone - Islâmic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsân [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allâh, totally for Allâh’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin1(i.e. all that Allâh has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help), and forbids Al-Fahshâ’ (i.e all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right), and Al-Munkar (i.e all that is prohibited by Islâmic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression). He admonishes you, that you may take heed.
- This is evidence we take manners from Allah, as Allah orders us to do so:
> ۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ
> قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّىَ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَٱلْإِثْمَ وَٱلْبَغْىَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَSay (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): “(But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are Al-Fawâhish (great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with Allâh for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allâh of which you have no knowledge.”
- Tells us Allah prohibited evil manners
> وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢAnd Verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are on an exalted (standard of) character.
- We take our manners from the messenger ﷺ as he is the greatest and most perfect example of the highest levels of manners
Evidences for the Sunnah being a primary source of manners and some comments on what the evidence entails
Hadith narrated by Bayhaqi:
> إنما بُعِثْتُ لأُتَمِّمَ مكارمَ الأخلاقِI was only sent to perfect noble manners
The Hadith of Musnad Imam Ahmed has a slight different wording:
> إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ صَالِحَ الأَخْلاقِ.I was only sent to perfect manners
The word إِنَّمَا is from “أدوات الحصر” it restricts what follows. “Nothing is true except___”. An example of the word:
> إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌۭ…The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islâmic religion) …
Hadith of Abu Hurayrah:
> تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ شَيْئَيْنِ، لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَهُمَا مَا تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا: كِتَابَ اللهِ، وَسُنَّتِي
I have left among you two things, you will not go astray after them as long as you hold on to them: the Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”
Where does إِنَّمَا come from and what does it mean?
The word إِنَّمَا is from “أدوات الحصر” it restricts what follows. “Nothing is true except___”. An example of the word:
Why did the messenger ﷺ say he was only sent to perfect noble manners when the word “إِنَّمَا “negates everything but what is mentioned?
The response is what is meant is noble manners in the complete sense of the word; manners include manners with Allah, not worshipping other than Allah and making a partner with him is from the manners Allah expects you to have with him.
It also includes your relationship/treatment of others, as such one can say the entire religion is noble manners. If we use the definition we gave of the nafs, actions etc, then it can be said the whole religion is manners.
Statement of mother ‘Aishah on the character of the messenger ﷺ
> كانَ خُلُقُهُ القُرآن. ألا تقرأُ قولَ اللهِ تعالى: ‘وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍHis manners were the Quran. Don’t you read what Allah said?:“Indeed you {oh Muhammed} are of the highest standard of character
How do we know what is right, wrong in detail?
- if a person is talking about generally to know things, such as lying, cheating people is wrong, etc then this can be achieved through the fitrah, society, etc
- But in terms of knowing and understanding them in detail, then this can only be known through the messengers. The details of when modesty is good, and when it isn’t, the details of what’s right and wrong, specific behaviors, actions, at ethereal exceptions, etc can ONLY be taken from the Quran and Sunnah. Not from yourselves, Intellect, societal customs etc
- You may get some benefits, information from customs, societies, habits and what is innate, but the detail and reality of it is only from the Quran and Sunnah
