Chapter VI: Seclusion
(13) Honour those to whom honour is due. Honour one who is understood to be honourable in rank from his nature, conduct, appearance and dresses and his status and rank. It is reported that when Hazrat Ayesha was in her tent in a journey, a beggar came to her when food was served to her and begged some food.
Hazrat Ayesha said : Give him a piece of bread. Thereafter a man came to her riding on a horse. Hazrat Ayesha said : Call him to this feast. She was asked : You have given a bread to the begger, while you called the horse man to a feast. What is the reason ?
Hazrat Ayesha said : God has given different persons different ranks. We should entertain them according to their ranks. This poor man will be pleased with a piece of bread, but to give to this rich man a piece of bread is out of etiquette.
It has been reported that once the Prophet entered a room and the people came there and the room was full. Then Zarir-b- Abdullah, the chief of the tribe, came there but finding no place to sit he sat upon the door. Seeing this, the Prophet gave him his shirt to sit thereon. He began to kiss it and handed it over to the Prophet and said : May God honour you as you have honoured me. The Prophet said : When any honourable man of a people comes to you, honour him. The foster mother of the Prophet, Halima, once came to him and the Prophet gave her his own shirt to her to sit on and said : Mother, you are welcome.
You intercession will be accepted . You will be given what you want. She said : I intercede to you for my own people. The Prophet said : You are the owner of my dues and the dues of the people of Hashemite dynasty. Then he gave the entire booty gained in the battle of Hunain to her. Halima sold it it to Hazrat Osman for one lac dirhams.
(14) Compromise disputes among the Muslims if you have got means. The Prophet said : Shall I not inform you of a greater rank than that of prayer, fasting and Zakat ? The companions said : Surely. The Prophet said : It is to compromise disputes.
1 22 The Book of Wordly Usages Vol-Il
Dispute between two persons is destructive. The Prophet said :
To settle dispute between two persons is the best charity. The Prophet said : Fear God and settle disputes among you, God will then compromise disputes among the believer. The Prophet said : He who settles dispute between two persons is not a great lair.
He also said : Every lie is recorded except three lies — (1) the lie of a man in a war battle as it is a deception , (2) the lie of a man to settle dispute between two persons, (3) and the lie of husband to please his wife.