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demanded Muslims to be humble and respectful for others. They should be clean-hearted and fair intheir transactions and dealings. They should not hurt any one, should not use impolite language andshould neither defame one another, nor insult one another by bad names. The Prophet (SAWS) has

given glad tidings that the nearer to him in paradise will be those who are the best among you inmanners and the farther to me in paradise will be those who are worse among you in morals 5. One HolyHadith states that one cannot be a true Muslim until one likes for his brother what one likes forhimself 6. An other tradition of the Prophet (SAWS) says that the best amongst you are those who areuseful for others 7. Muslims have been asked to show mercy to all because all creatures are part of thefamily of Allah and Allah will not have mercy on those who do not have mercy on His creatures 8.

The Holy Prophet of Islam (SAWS) possessed the magnificent status of prophecy and divine leadership,but his manners in dealing with the people and his way of life were so simple and gentle that when hewas among the people and a newcomer wanted to know about him, he had to ask, `Which one of you isthe Prophet'? He never spoke with a morose face, nor did he ever apply rough, awkward words. TheHoly Prophet of Islam did not care to sit down in the seat of honour in gatherings, and on entering anyplace would sit down in the first empty seat available. He did not let anybody stand up before him and

treated others most respectfully. When travelling, the Prophet would work like the others and wouldnever let any of his persons do his work. Once one of his companions requested him to be allowed tohelp him with his chores. The Holy Prophet of Islam answered: I do not like to be treated as if I wereprivileged because Allah does not like any of His creatures to consider themselves privileged or to betreated as if they were privileged over others'. And he got up and collected firewood 9.

He invariably stood by his words and pledges. He paid affectionate visits to his relatives and friends butwould never take their side unduly. The Holy Prophet of Islam would never permit anybody to backbiteothers and said: I want to meet people with a loving heart'. The Prophet treated everyone with greatrespect and considered nobility and honour to be owing to faith, piety, and good behaviour. He was notinterested in wealth or status, nor did he revere anybody for his riches or position. The Holy Prophet ofIslam never attempted to retaliate against the insults and disrespect of anybody, and forgave people'smistakes or their misconduct. His reaction to the torment and disregard of ignorant people wasforgiveness and tolerance. In spite of all the tortures and torments that the Quraish had inflicted uponthe Holy Prophet of Islam, on conquering Makkah, he forgave them and set them free.

You will come across people who are considered to be religious minded but they insist on tiny mattersmore than on morals and good behaviour. Some people are inwardly pious but when they chance todeal with others they forget the beautiful and wise lessons that were taught to them by the Messenger(SAWS). It is regrettable that those who were taught lofty manners have forgotten them completely.However, one should keep in mind that the public and social matters are much more important thanindividual and private ones. As far as the matter of religious practices (Huqooq al Allah) is concernedthey are more private and therefore less public than moral teachings (Huqooq al Ibaad), which arerelated to human beings and even to every creature.

Every one knows that adultery has been sternly prohibited in Islam and those who are found guilty of itare sentenced to punishments like whipping or even death. But in Islam, backbiting, though it is not acrime of capital punishment, has been regarded as worse than adultery. The reason is clear; backbitingis taken lightly and it causes conflict and disturbance in the society while, generally, people takeadultery as a grave sin and it happens less. Many people are seen to perform their religious dutiesenthusiastically, but in the meantime they carry out such immoral behaviour that purges away thespirit of their good deeds. For instance, during the Hajj we see people while circling the Kabah,stoning the Satan and in other activities where the crowds are huge, not caring for the weak, the illand the women, lacking all social consideration and only concerned with their own well being. Islamemphatically warns against violating the moral requirements and regards them as first and foremost.But the problem is that most of us consider the word of the teachings and not the spirit and innermeaning that lay beneath. It is reported on the authority of Hazrat Sahl bin Maaz that his father said,we set out on a journey of Jihad with the Prophet (SAWS) and while staying at a place some people

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filled houses and blocked the road. So, the Prophet (SAWS) sent a person to call that one who fills ahouse or blocks a road there is no Jihad for him (his Jihad is useless) 10.

The moral teachings of Islam cover all the areas of life. We have been guided how to lead our personaland social life. Islam has left no stone unturned to provide its followers with the best set of morals andmanners. Cleanliness has been regarded as half of the Iman (faith). It is narrated, Allah is clean andHe likes cleanliness 11. Qualities such as truth, trustworthiness, and keeping promise have been givendue importance in Islam. The Prophet (SAWS) has said: Beware of lies, they lead you to debaucheryand they will take you to hell. Hold fast to truth, it leads you to righteousness and takes you toParadise. Likewise, there are some other traditions such as One who deceives is not one of us. Onewho can not keep his promise can never be a true Muslim, one who can not guard a trust can never bea true Muslim 12.

The Prophet of Islam (SAWS), due to his fair and transparent dealings, was called Al-Sadiq and Al-Ameen (the truthful and the trustworthy) even by his bitter enemies. Before prophethood, he used tobe a successful trader and every one liked him to handle his/her business. People used to give their

deposits to the Prophet for safety and he always fulfilled their expectations. Once a trader asked theProphet in a market to wait for him till he came back and the Prophet (SAWS) promised to do so. TheProphet (SAWS) waited for three days. When the trader remembered the Prophet (SAWS) he rushedback to the market and found the Prophet (SAWS) waiting at the place of promise. The Prophet saidnothing except, You made me wait for so long.

One of the most virtuous deed is to bid Salaam (saying may peace be upon you) while meeting eachother. It has been regarded as an expression of love and great reward has been promised for the same.Paying visits to the sick, attending funeral and sharing ones grief and joy have also been profuselyemphasized in Islam. The Prophet (SAWS) used to take the lead to bid Salaam. He always instructedpeople to show kindness to the weak, sick and needy. His behaviour towards the needy was amazinglyaffectionate, and he would do his best to remove the troubles and sufferings of the poor. He loved thechildren very much, bid them Salaam (peace) whenever he met them and put his hand on their headsshowing mercy. Hazrat Anas bin Maalik, a companion, narrates that he lived with the Prophet for tenyears but the Prophet never scolded him nor asked about a reason for his action 13.

Today we see that youths do not pay respect to their parents. The men, instead of being a shield to thewomen, commit violence against them. The younger are deprived of the love of the elders, so they alsogrow rude and ill mannered. Whereas Muslims are asked to pay exclusive attention to their parents andto stay obedient to them, even their happiness has been regarded as the happiness of Allah.

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness toparents. If one of them or both of them to attain old age with you, say not "Fie" untothem nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them thewing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as theydid care for me when I was little. 14

Likewise, Muslim men were repeatedly warned not to violate the rights of women. The will andtestimony, which The Prophet (SAWS) dictated on his deathbed, included repeated warnings concerningthe right of the women. He is reported to have said: The best amongst you are those who are good totheir family and I, among you, am the best to my family 15.

The Prophet (SAWS), in spite of being occupied with other peoples work, had fixed a time duringwhich he used to pay visits to his wives and talk to them of love and pleasure. Hazrat Aaishah narratesthat he never minded doing chores with them and used to stitch his shoes, milk the goats and sweepthe house. Similarly, the parents have been made aware of the rights of children. The Prophet (SAWS)has been reported saying that it is the right of a child that he/she is given good name and taught in thebest of manner while an other Hadith states that the best gift that parents give to their child is theteaching of Adab (courtesy, etiquettes, and education). The elders have been ordered to behave

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tenderly with the young while the young have been called upon to respect the elders. In Islam it is anact of great reward to maintain ties of kinship with relatives even with those who snap them, whilethose who severe the ties of kinship have been strongly deplored.

The neighbours have been given much importance in Islam. Various Hadith of the Prophet (SAWS)emphasize to behave well with neighbours. The Prophet (SAWS) says: No one who harms hisneighbours can enter in to paradise. 16. Once the Prophet (SAWS) swore by Allah thrice and said: Onecan never be a believer whose neighbour is not secured by his mischief 17 and One who is killeddefending his neighbour one will die as a martyr 18.

It is to be noticed that neighbour is not only one who lives besides ones house. In its broader Islamicmeaning a neighbour is everyone who shares a part of ones life. Helping the poor and fulfilling onesneed is an act of great reward in the eye of Islam. Muslims have been immensely encouraged to feed ahungry, give drink to a thirsty, dress a naked and guide someone gone astray. The Prophet (SAWS) saidto his wife Aaishah: Do not send a poor away empty handed, give him even if you have only a piece ofdate. O Aaishah! Love the poor, Allah will love you. 19 In other Hadith he says that one who adopts an

orphan will be with him in Jannah (paradise). It is worth mentioning that these acts of kindness are notconfined to Muslims only. Every needy should be looked after without any distinction of caste, creedand colour.

This is a birds eye view on the moral system of Islam. I hope that this much will suffice to create aninterest in the reader to explore the ocean of Islamic moral teachings and to adopt them as his/herway of life. For a Muslim, the only thing that can lead him/her to success in this world and thehereafter are the teachings of Islam. But, those who ignore these bright teachings will go astray andwaste their life. The Glorious Quran mentions both the parties in its inimitable style:

Lo! Those who believe and do good works, theirs will be Gardens underneath whichrivers flow. That is the Great Success. 20

The likeness of those who disbelieve is the likeness of one who calls unto that whichhears naught except a shout and cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have nosense. 21

1 Short cut of Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, meaning peace be upon him. It is a blessing sent to the Prophet by Muslims.2 Surah 33, Al-Ahzab, Aayah: 213 Surah 59, Al-Hashr, Aayah: 74 Surah 33, Al-Ahzab, Aayah: 365 Musnad-I-Ahmad, Musnad-us-Shamiyin, narrated by Abu Salabah Khashini6 Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Iman, Hadith No. 137 Al-Jami-us-Saghir, Hadith No. 4044; Kanzul Ummal, Hadith No.430658 Kanzul Ummal, Hadith No. 16171; Majma-uz-Zawaid, Hadith No. 137069 Kohlul Basar, pp. 67, 68.10 Mishkat, p. 34011

Sunan-i-Tirmizi, Hadith No. 295112 Musnad-I-Ahmad, Musnad-I-Hazrat Anas bin Malik13 Kanzul Ummal, Hadith No. 1865314 Surah 17 Al-Israa or Bani Israel, Aayah: 23, 2415 Ibn-I-Majah, Kitab-un-Nikah, Hadith No. 197716 Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Iman, Hadith No. 7317 Sahih-ul-Bukhari, Kitabul Adab, Hadith No. 567018 Kanzul Ummal, Hadith No. 1117219 Sunan-I-Tirmizi, Abwab-uz-Zuhd, Hadith No. 245720 Surah 85. Al-Buruj. Aayah: 1121 Surah 2. Al-Baqara, Aayah: 17