TERM 2 - etiquette ii - CLASS 7
THE MUSLIM’s HEALTH &
ETIQUETTE OF GATHERINGS
MEETING
Whomsoever you meet, greet him with a smiling face. Express your sentiments of felicity and take initiative in offering Salam. It will invoke great blessings of God on you.
Use no words of greeting other than those enjoined by the Prophet ﷺ i.e., ‘Assalamo-’Alaikum’. Shake hands if possible and enquire after his health as well as the welfare of his family.
Put on a clean dress when you go to call on someone ; do not go out in dirty dress nor wear expensive garments while going to visit someone in order to impress him with your costly dress.
When you intend to visit someone, make an appointment with him first. Never visit anybody at inconvenient hours. Such a visit is not only an interference in others engagements but also degrades you in their eyes.
When someone calls on you, greet him with an affectionate smile. Offer him a seat in a respectful manner and entertain him according to the occasion.
When you call on someone, confine yourself to talking about useful matters, Do not waste time in useless conversation, otherwise the people will dislike and avoid you”
When you call at somebody’s house, stand outside the gate and ask for permission to enter. When permitted to enter, say ‘Salam’ and enter the house. If you get no response after pronouncing ‘Assalam Alaikum’ three times, don’t mind it and return cheerfully.
While visiting somebody, do not forget to carry some suitable gifts with you, exchange of gifts deepens feeling of mutual love and affection.
If a needy person calls on you, try to fulfill his need to the extent of your means. If he requests you to recommend his case to someone, do it. However, if you cannot comply with his request, you should decline in a polite manner. Do not keep him in hopeful illusions.
If you call on someone to seek his assistance in need, tell him your requirement in a courteous manner. If he fulfils your need, thank him. But if he declines, never mind, say ‘Salam’ to him and return cheerfully.
Do not always expect others to call on you. You should also pay visits to others off and on. It is the most pleasant thing to develop social relations and to serve others in need. Keep it in your mind that brothers in faith always develop relations for good ends.
If you notice a little straw or any other thing clinging to the face, beard or clothes of the person whom you happen to meet, remove it with your own hands, if the other person does the same for you, thank him and pray for him.
When you visit someone at night, be mindful of his comfort. Do not sit with him for long. If you come to know that he has gone to bed return cheerfully without feeling resentment.
When a group of people call on someone, the man who is talking should represent all his companions, never try to press your importance or give prominence to your own self ignoring the presence of your other companions.
It is improper for a person to come sit in the middle of a circle, while others are sitting around in a circle. This is improper because this will bother the other people sitting around in a circle and it will disrupt the flow of conversation.
Mention the name of Allah in all gatherings. Imam Abu-Dawud reported in an authentic hadith that the prophet ﷺ said, "No people who leave a gathering without having mentioned Allah (S.W.T.) in it, but they leave it like leaving a dead donkey, and it will cause deep grief to them.”
Say a supplication when the gathering is over. The supplication is what the Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic hadith reported by Imam At-Tirmithi: -
سُبْحـانَكَ اللّهُـمَّ وَبِحَمدِك، أَشْهَـدُ أَنْ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتوبُ إِلَـيْك
SUBHAANAKAL-LAHUMMA WA BI-HAMIIKA. ASH-HADU AN LA ILAAHA ILLA ANTA ASTAGHFIRUKA WA ATUBU ILAYKA
"Glory be to You, O Allah; praise be to You. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but You; I ask Your pardon and to You in repentance.”
If they say that, Allah will forgive them for all the wrongdoings that may have happened during the gathering.
ETIQUETTE OF CONVERSATION
Always speak the truth. Never hesitate, speaking the truth even at the greatest risk.
Speak only when you must, and always talk with a purpose. Too much talk and useless conversation betrays lack of seriousness. You are accountable before Allah for every word you utter.
Always speak politely. Wear a smile on your face and a sweet tone in your speech. Always speak in a moderate voice. Do not keep your voice so low as to be inaudible to the addressee, nor raise it so loud that the addressee might be overawed by your voice.
Do not spoil your tongue with dirty talk.’ Do not speak ill of others. Never indulge in backbiting. Do not complain against others. Never indulge in mimicking others to ridicule them. Do not make false promises. Never laugh at others, nor boast of your own superiority or indulge in self-praise. Never get unreasonable and rash in conversation. Do not pass remarks on others or satirize them. Do not call someone by a disgraceful name. Avoid swearing frequently.
Always say what is just and fair regardless of any loss to yourself, your friend or relative.
Be soft-spoken, reasonable and sympathetic in your conversation. Do not utter sharp, harsh and teasing remarks.
When women happen to talk with men, they should speak in a clear, straight and rough manner. They ought not speak in delicate, sweet tone lest the listener should enter into any foul expectation.
If the impudent wish to entangle you in dialogue or argument offer them ‘Salam’ politely and leave them. Those who indulge in loose talk and absurd conversation are the worst lot of the Ummah.
Keep in view the mental level and outlook of the man you are talking to so as to make him understand. If the addresses cannot hear or is unable to catch your meaning, repeat what you have said before without any resentment.
Always be brief and to the point in your talk it is unfair to prolong discussion without rhyme or reason.
When you wish to explain the tenets of Islam want to speak on the teachings of Islam be simple and clear and speak In a passionate and heartwarming style. ‘
Never indulge in flattery, nor ingratiate with anybody. Always mind your honour and respect and avoid any thing below your dignity.
Do not interrupt and interfere in then conversation with out their permission, ‘nor intercept others conversation in order to say something yourself. If, however, you must speak, do so with the permission of other.
When you talk to someone, give due regard to his age, status and his relationship to you. Do not talk with your parents, teachers and elders in a manner in which you would talk to your friends. Likewise when you are talking to youngsters, speak with affection and elderly dignity.
While engaged in conversation, do not point out towards anyone lest he should conceive any misunderstanding or suspicion. Abstain from eavesdropping on others.
Listen more and talk lees. Do not reveal your secrets to others,, Once you disclose a secret, to someone, never expect it to remain a secret anymore.
MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH
Health is not only a great blessing of Allah but also a valuable trust from the Almighty Regard your health as of great value and take every care to safeguard it. Health once lost is hard to recover as the little worm eats into the books and destroys great libraries, similarly a little negligence or an ordinary sickness ruins the life. To neglect the rules of hygiene and to be indifferent towards the proper maintenance of health is callous, even as it is an act of ingratitude to the Almighty.
You should always be cheerful, glad, alert and active. Make your life well-ordered, elegant, and ‘healthy by means of good living, cheerful manners, joyful similes and lively disposition. Avoid sorrow, anger, grudge or anxiety, envy, jealousy, slander, narrow-mindedness. These moral ills have an adverse effect on the digestive system and a defective digestive system is the major cause of poor health.
Do not lift more ‘burden than your strength can bear. Do not waste your physical energy. It is obligatory that you should save and protect your physical strength and use it with moderation according to your capability.
Be an early riser. Keep your sleeping hours within limits of propriety. Don’t sleep little, for in that case your body will not get proper rest and your limbs will feel exhausted and weary. On the other hand, do not sleep for long hours, for in that case you will become lazy and inactive.
Learn self-control. Keep your passions, fancies, desires and lusts under control. Guard against your ideas getting distracted or your eyes going astray.
Eat at the proper time. Abstain from over-eating. Don’t munch all the time. Take food only when you feel the appetite and stop eating before your stomach is filled so that you should still feel slightly hungry when the meal is over.
Always eat simple fare. Eat whole wheat breads; do not eat while the food is piping hot. Avoid spiced and pungent foods and have no unnecessary craving for tasty delicacies.
Take a nap after the mid-day meal and go for a stroll after dinner. Avoid strenuous physical and mental exertion immediately after the meals.
Take good care of your eyes. Don’t expose your eyes to glaring light. Don’t set your gaze upon the sun. Don’t read in either faint or intense light. Always study under a clear and soothing light.
Be careful about dental hygiene and protect your teeth. Clean teeth keep you fresh; produce a good effect on digestion. Form the habit of cleaning your teeth with a Miswak
When the need arises to answer the call of nature fulfill it promptly. Delay in answering the call of nature affects the brain and the stomach badly.
Pay full attention to keeping yourself pure clean and tidy.
Remember there is an authentic Hadeeth which says, "Cleanliness is Half of Faith (Imaan)".
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