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Chapter X: Living and Character of the Prophet

If one who prevents evils possess these three qualities, he can earn merits for preventing sins. If he does not possess these qualities , he exceeds many a time the limits of Shariat. The Prophet said : He who is not patient in enjoining good and for bidding evil and has got no knowledge of enjoining good and for bidding evil shall not enjoin good and prohibit evil, So it appears that knowledge, patience and kindness are necessary in the matter of advice.

Hasrat Hasan Basari said : If you are an adviser for good deeds, first fulfill them yourself or else you will be ruined. Anas reported. We asked the Messenger of God : O Messenger God, shall we cease to enjoin good and prohibit evil to others if we do not act fully according to our sermons and refrain from doing evils? The Prophet said : If you are unable to act fully according to your sermons, still you will enjoin good. If you are unable to give up fully what you prohibit , still you will prohibit it. A certain sage advised his sons. If anyone amongst you wishes to enjoin good, he should advice himself first with good qualities of patience and hope for rewards from God . He who hopes for rewards of God will not find any difficulty therein. One rule of Hasbat or advice is to remain satisfied with patience. For this reason, God kept patience attached with advice. The wise Loqman advised his son : O dear son, establish prayer, enjoin good and prohibit evil, Be patient at the danger that will befall on you for this.

(4) Absence of greed. One who takes up the mission of advice should not keep much connection with the world and should not have fear. He who depends on men will not be able to prevent sins. Once a speaker advised Caliph Mamun and spoke harshly with him. The Caliph said to him : O gentleman, be

Vol-H The Book of Wordly Usages 193

modest as he who was better than you was .sent by God to people worse than yourself with the instruction of advising them with soft words. God says; Tell him soft words, so that he may take lesson and fear . Once a slave came to the Prophet and said : Give me permission to commit fornication . At this, the companions raised a loud cry. The Prophet said : Bring him to me When he sat before the Prophet, he said : Do you like that somebody should commit fornication with your mother ? He said : Never. The Prophet said: So nobody like that another should commit fornication with his mother. He thus asked him whether he liked formination with his daughter, sister, niece and aunt and each time he replied in the negative. The Prophet then touched his chest with his hand and prayed : O God, purify his mind, pardon his sins and his private parts. From that time, there was no action more heinous in his sight than fornication.

Source: Imam Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Islamic Sciences)
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