TANBIHAN (Should I translate this or just delete?) ONE: From the etiquette of sneezing is that the one who sneezes lowers his voice and covers his nose so that no trace of his sneeze harms the one sitting with him. In the Sunan of Abī Dāwūd and al-tirmidhī from Abū Hurayrah, When the Messenger used to sneeze, he would cover his mouth with his hand or garment and lower his voice. Al-Tirmidhī said the ḥadīth is rigorously authentic. TWO: Al-Bukharī transmitted in his Ṣaḥīḥ from Abū Hurayrah from the Prophet, Allah loves sneezing and dislikes yawning. When one of you sneezes and consequently praises Allah the High 1, it is the duty of every Muslim who hears him, to pronounce, May Allah have mercy upon you. Yawning, however, comes from Shaytan. When one of you (feels the need) to yawn, let him repel it as far as possible, for Shaytan laughs when one of you yawn. THE FIFTEENTH & SIXTEENTH TRAITS: Greeting First; Offering Advice Muslim narrates in his Ṣaḥīḥ from Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger said, The rights of one Muslim over another are six. It was said, what are they O Messenger of Allah? He replied, When you meet him, greet him; when he invites you, respond; when he seeks your advice, offer advice; when he sneezes and praises Allah, respond by saying, May Allah have mercy upon you ; when he takes ill, visit him; and when he dies, follow his funeral. Greeting First When you meet him, greet him means greeting first. It is also holds the meaning of spreading peace (ifsha al-salam) established in a number of traditions, some of which will be mentioned, with the will of Allah, under the trait of giving food. Offering Advice 1 He pronounces alhamdu lillah
When he seeks your advice, offer advice meaning that when he seeks your advice pertaining a certain matter, offer him advice. Advice holds such a great importance that the Prophet made it faith itself when he said thrice, al-din is al-nasihah (advice or goodwill) It was said, to whom O Messenger and he responded, to Allah, His Messenger, the leaders of the believers and the general public. The Shaykhayn narrated it. In the Ṣaḥīḥs of Muslim and al- Bukhraī from Jarīr, I pledge allegiance to the Prophet to listen and obey. He added the clauses, as far as I am able and advice to every Muslim. Al-Nasīḥah to Allah is believing in Him; acting sincerely for Him; and striving in His way. Al- Nasīḥah to the Messenger is believing in him and following him, defending him and calling to his sunnah. Al- Nasīḥah to the leaders of the believers is to obey and assist them; to advise them when they err; and to remind them when they forget. The Prophet said, When Allah wishes well for a leader, He gives him a truthful minister who reminds him when he forgets and assists him when remembers. Similarly, when Allah wishes bad for a leader, He gives him a bad minister who does not remind him when he forgets and does assist him when he remembers. Narrated by Abū Dāwud and declared authentic by ibn Ḥibbān. Al- Nasīḥah to the general public holds various examples: - Teaching them what benefits them in this world and the next. - When one seeks your advice regarding a marital or business partner; or placing wealth in someone s trust; or the suitability of a neighbor and so forth, it becomes compulsory upon you to clarify that person s state, by mentioning the vices of that individual with the intention of advice. - THE SEVENTEENTH TRAIT: Removing harm from the Masjid Ibn Abbās transmits that a lady who used to remove harm from the Masjid passed away and the Prophet was not informed of her burial. The Messenger said, When someone passes on then inform me. He then performed her funeral prayer (over her grave)
and said, I saw her removing harm the Masjid in Jannah. Narrated by al-tabrānī in his al-kabīr. Ibn Mājah narrated in his Sunan from Abū Sa īd al-khudrī from the Messenger, Whoever removes harm (dirt) from the Masjid, Allah builds him a house in Paradise. The one who removes harm from or cleans the Masjid is entitled to enter Paradise, for he has fulfilled two rights, the right of Allah by cleaning His House and the right of those who pray in the Masjid by cleaning the area from such things that could soil their clothes or harm their bodies. It was previously established that the man who removed harm from the road of the believers entered Paradise. FIVE TRAITS (EIGHTEENTH TO TWENTY-SECOND): Smiling to the Face of a Muslim; Guiding One Who is Lost; Guiding the Partially Blind; Forbidding Evil; Sharing water Abū Dharr said that the Messenger said, smiling to your brother s face is a charity; enjoining good is a charity; forbidding evil is a charity; guiding a man in an unfamiliar land is a charity; removing a thorn, bone or anything harmful from the path is for you charity; and pouring over from your vessel into your brother s is a charity. Narrated and declared authentic by al-tirmidhī. Also transmitted by Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣaḥīḥ with the addition, guiding the partially blind is for you a charity. The ḥadīth mentions these five traits along side the trait removal of harm from the pathway in the same context which necessitates them all having the same reward. In addition, the tradition considered all of these traits as charity. The reward for charity is Paradise, such as the trait loaning a doe for her milk. Smiling to the face of a Muslim Smiling to the face of a Muslim or as in another narration, to meet your brother with a delightful face and yet in another, meeting your brother while your face is pleasant. The intent of all these narrations are the same to meet your brother smiling, with a pleasant face, showing him happiness on account of meeting him. This strengthens the ties of love and compassion between brothers. He might have been sad, and meeting with you might be the cause for the removal of part or all of his sadness. Or he might have been wanting to ask a question, and your smile encourages him to do so.
Forbidding Evil Previously we stated that enjoining good and forbidding evil is one trait. That was an error from my side due to my misunderstanding of this ḥadīth which lists them as two separate traits. Even more astonishing was my lack of knowledge of another hadith which lists them as two traits. In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Abū Dharr narrates that the Messenger said, As each morning enters, charity becomes necessary for every limb in your body. Every pronouncement of SubhānaLlah, AlhamduliLlah, Lā ilāha illallah and Allahu Akbar is considered a charity respectively; enjoining good is an act of charity; and forbidding evil is an act of charity. Two units at the time of Duha suffices you all of this (charity for all limbs). Guiding one who is lost Guiding a man in an unfamiliar land refers to guiding a Muslim who lost his way due to travels or the like. Your guiding him is written as a charity through which you will enter Paradise. Sharing water Pouring over from Your Vessel into Your Brother s also necessitates entry into Paradise, since you gave water to your brother and thereby saved him the difficulty of crowds and the trouble of drawing water. Guiding the Partially Blind Guiding the partially blind, whereby you guide a man with weak eyesight from falling in a hole, or tripping over a stone; or when he wished to purchase a particular commodity, you select for that which is good and suitable, so that he does not suffer lost. This, similar to the trait guiding one who is lost be it a male or female and is recorded as a charity and causes the one practicing on it to enter Paradise. FOUR TRAITS (TWENTY-THIRD TO TWENTY-SIXTH):
Raising Your Voice so that One with a Hearing Deficiency May Hear; Guiding the Blind; Directing One in Need towards His Need; Aiding the Weak. Abū Dhar from transmits from the Messenger who said, There is no human being save that he has to give charity every day when the sun rises. It was said, O Messenger of Allah, where should we find sadaqah to give charity with? He replied, The doors of good are many: pronouncing subhanallah, alḥamdu lillah, Allahu Akbar and Lā ilāha illallah respectively; enjoining good; forbidding evil; removing harm from the pathway; raising your voice so that one with a hearing deficiency may hear; guiding the blind; directing the one in need towards his need; striving to assist the oppressed and desperate; and assisting the weak (by carrying his goods); all of these are charities from you to yourself. Narrated by Ibn Ḥibbān in his Ṣāḥīḥ. The meaning of subhanallah is to free Allah from all deficiencies, such as having a child or partner or resembling anything created. The meaning of alhamdu lillah is to establish all perfection for Allah. Lā ilāha illallah establishes the lordship of Allah and negating it from all besides Him. Each one of these pronouncements is a charity for the one who recites it, through which he may enter Paradise. Guiding the Blind Guiding the blind means to assist him since he cannot see. Raising Your Voice so that One with a Hearing Deficiency May Hear Raising your voice in order that he may hear that which is beneficial for him or protects him from harm. Raising your voice for him to listen to backbiting or carrying tales is a major sin. Directing One in Need towards His Need Directing one in need towards his need be it something he owns or requires. An example of the first would be when someone misplaced his book or garment and you point out where it is and an example of the second when he needs to purchase a specific commodity and you advise him where he may find it. Aiding the Weak
Striving to assist the al-lahfān and desperate. Al-Lahfān means oppressed. Thus, when the oppressed calls out for assistance and you assist, a charity is recorded for you with which you may enter Paradise. Assisting the weak with the strength of your arms, whereby you assist him by carrying some of his belongings which he is unable to carry by himself. All of these are charities from you to yourself meaning that you have benefited yourself by assisting your Muslim brother and consequently, Allah rewards you with Jannah.