Indexed OCR Text

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(1) When congratulating the bride and bridegroom on the occasion of
their marriage, recite the following du 'â:
بَارَكَ اللهُ لَكُمَاوَ بَارَكَ عَلَيْكُمَا وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا فِىُ خَيْرٍ
(m) When any calamity befalls you, recite the following du â:
يَاحَىّ يَا قَيُّوُمُ بِرَحُمَتِكَ اَسْتَغِيْتُ
(n) Read the following du 'âs after the five daily salâts and also at the
time of sleeping:
اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيْمَ الَّذِىُ لَا إِلَهُ إِلَّ هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّوُمُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
The above du 'â should be recited three times.
Thereafter, recite the following du 'â once:
لَّ إِلَهَ إِلَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِیْکَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمُدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ
شَئِّ قَدِيْرٌ
Thereafter recite "Sub'hânallâh" 33 times, "Alhamdulillah" 33 times,
and "Allahu Akbar" 34 times.
Thereafter recite Sûrah al-Falaq (chapter 113), Sûrah an-Nâs
(chapter 114), and Âyatul Kursi one time each.
(o) Recite Sûrah Yâsîn (chapter 36) every morning, Sûrah al-Wâqi-
'ah (chapter 56) after maghrib, Sûrah al-Mulk (chapter 67) after
îshâ, and Sûrah al-Kahf (chapter 18) on Fridays. Also recite
"âmanar rasûlu" till the end of the sûrah (Sûrah al-Baqarah, verses
285-286) when going to sleep.

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(p) Recite the Quran daily as much as you can. Remember that by
reciting all the above, one is rewarded. And by abstaining from
reading them, one is not committing a sin.
Oaths and Vows
1. Do not take oaths in the name of anyone other than Allah. For example,
do not take oaths in the name of your children, your health, your eyes, etc.
It is a sin to take such oaths. If you mistakenly utter such oaths, you should
immediately recite the kalimah.
2. Similarly, do not take oaths of this nature: "If I am lying, may I lose my
îmân", even if what you are saying is the truth.
3. If, out of anger, you take an oath which is sinful to fulfil, then breach
such an oath and pay kaffârah, e.g. you take an oath that you will not speak
to your father or your mother, or any similar oath.
Etiquette in Mu'âmalât
Transactions
1. Do not be so greedy for wealth that you forget to distinguish between
halal and harâm. Furthermore, do not waste the halâl wealth that Allah has
blessed you with. Instead, spend it sparingly and on occasions of true
necessity.
2. If a person who has been afflicted with a certain calamity decides to sell
something of his because he is forced to do so (i.e. because he is
desperately in need of the cash), then do not oppress him thinking him to be
in extreme need. Nor should you ask him to reduce the price of the item.
You should either help him or purchase that item from him at an
appropriate price.
3. If your debtor is poor, do not distress him further. Instead, grant him a
respite. Waive a certain amount of the debt, or better still, waive the entire
debt.
4. If you owe money to a person and you have that amount to pay him, then
it is extremely sinful and oppressive for you to delay in fulfilling this debt
of yours.

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5. As far as possible, do not take up any debt upon yourself. If there is no
alternative, then always be concerned about paying it back. Do not become
neglectful in this regard. If your creditor tells you something (with regard to
your debt), keep quiet and listen. Do not counter-attack him nor become
angry.
6. It is a very evil habit to conceal something that belongs to someone
jokingly and which thereby causes him great distress.
7. Once a labourer has fulfilled his task, do not display any shortfall in
paying him.
8. At the time of famine, some people sell their children. It is harâm to turn
these children into slaves.
9. If you provide fire-wood (or anything else such as a stove, coal, etc.) to
someone in order that he may prepare a meal, or you provide salt to the
person in order that she may use it to prepare a meal, it is as if you have
provided them with the entire meal.
10. There is great reward in providing drinking water. If you provide
drinking water in a place where water is easily obtainable, it is as if you
have freed a slave. And if you provide this water in a place where water is
scarce, it is as if you have given life to a dead person.
11. If you have to give or receive something from someone or you have
someone's amânah in your possession, then mention this to several persons.
Alternatively, have this written down so that if you pass away, (all this will
be paid) and you will not be owing anything to anyone.
Marriage
1. As regards the marriage of your children, always try and ensure that it is
with a religious-minded person. Do not be concerned about wealth and
status. These days, many of those who are highly educated from western
institutions utter things which amount to kufr. It is not permissible to marry
such persons whereby the rest of one's life is spent in immorality.
2. It is the habit of the majority of women to describe other women to their
husbands. This is extremely evil. When the husband is attracted to one of
these women (who has been described by his wife), this wife will then sit
down and cry and regret her action.
3. If a proposal has been sent to a certain family and it is known that they
might respond favourably, do not send a proposal on behalf of any of your

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children. However, if the person abandons his proposal or they respond in
the negative; it will be permissible for you to send a proposal there.
4. Allah detests it when the private affairs of the husband and wife are
discussed with one's friends and relatives. Many brides and bridegrooms
are not cautious in this regard.
5. If a person consults you with regard to a certain person (whom he intends
to marry or get married) and asks you for advice, then do not conceal any
faults of that person if you have knowledge of them. In such a case, this
ghîbah will not be harâm. However, do not unnecessarily find faults with a
person.
6. If the husband is in a good financial position and yet he does not give his
wife even the basic expenses, it will be permissible for the wife to take his
money secretly. However, it is not permissible to take money in this
manner in order to purchase something unnecessary or merely to fulfil and
uphold worldly customs and habits.
Causing harm to someone
1. If a person is not a qualified doctor, it is not permissible for him to
prescribe medicines in which there is a fear of harm. If he does so, he will
be committing a sin.
2. It is not permissible to scare anyone with any weapon or dangerous
object even if this is done jokingly as there is the possibility of the object
slipping out of one's hand (and thereby injuring the person).
3. Do not give a pocket knife to a person while it is open. Either close it and
give it to him, or keep it down so that he may pick it up himself.
4. It is a major sin to enclose a dog, cat or any other living creature in such
a way that it remains hungry.
5. It is an evil practice to ridicule or taunt a sinful person. However, there is
no harm in advising him.
6. It is not permissible to stare or fix one's gaze at an innocent person in
such a way that he gets frightened. Note, if this is not permissible, how
serious a crime it is to scare someone all of a sudden or "out of the blue".
7. If you wish to slaughter an animal, ensure that the knife is extremely
sharp. Do not cause unnecessary harm to the animal.
8. When travelling (on an animal), do not burden the animal excessively.
You should not overload it nor should you impose it to run excessively.

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Once you reach your destination (or rest-place), you should first make
arrangements for the animal's fodder, grass, feed, etc.
Day to day Manners
Eating and Drinking
1. Commence eating by reciting Bismillah. Eat with the right hand. Eat the
food that is in front of you. However, if there are several things on a platter,
such as different types of fruit or different types of sweetmeats, then take
whatever you wish and from whichever side you wish.
2. Always lick your fingers. If there is any gravy left over on the plate,
clean it as well.
3. If a morsel of food falls from your hand, pick it up, clean it, and eat it.
Do not be boastful (by abstaining from picking it up).
4. There are slices of water-melon, grapes and dates or pieces of
sweetmeats on the table. In such a case, take one at a time, do not take two-
three slices or two-three pieces at a time.
5. If you have eaten anything that is foul-smelling, such as raw onions or
garlic; then wash your mouth thoroughly if you intend sitting or being in
the company of others.
6. When preparing your daily meals, ensure that you measure all the
ingredients such as rice, flour, etc. properly. Do not cook by mere
estimation.
7. When you have completed your meal, express your gratitude to Allah.
8. Wash your hands before and after eating. Gargle your mouth as well.
9. Do not eat food that is too hot. 319
10. Always take the needs of your guests into consideration. If you go
somewhere as a guest, do not remain there for so long that you become a
burden on your hosts.
11. There are a lot of blessings in eating together.
12. Once you have completed eating, remove the dishes, utensils, food, etc.
first and then get up. It is a sign of disrespect to get up before the table has
been cleared. If you have completed eating before your companion, you
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However, if the food is such that it does not taste good when it is eaten cold, there will be no
harm in eating it while it is hot.

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should give him company. Continue eating little by little so that he does not
get up hungry out of shyness. If there is any reason for you to get up before
him, excuse yourself.
13. It is sunnah to bid your guest farewell till the door.
14. Do not drink water in one gulp. Instead, take it in three sips. When
breathing in or out, do not do so in the tumbler. Instead, move your mouth
away from the tumbler. Say Bismillah when drinking and Alhamdulillah
upon completing.
15. Do not drink water from a utensil (or bottle) from which there is a fear
that too much of water will flow out. Nor should you drink from a utensil
(or bottle) which you do not know what is inside. (e.g. a bottle that is very
dark in colour). There is a fear of there being insects, worms, thorns, etc. in
such bottles.
16. Do not stand and drink water unnecessarily.
17. If you have to give water to others after you have drunk from it, then
give it to the person who is on your right-hand side. This person will then
give it to the person who is on his right-hand side. The same rule will apply
if you have to distribute anything else, such as betel leaves, perfume, sweet-
meats, etc.
18. Do not drink from the side of a utensil which is cracked.
19. Do not allow children to go outside in the evening. At night, close the
doors after saying Bismillah. Cover all utensils after saying Bismillah.
Switch off all the lights when going to sleep and extinguish all fires as well.
20. If you have to send any food or drink to anyone, cover it and send it.
Clothing
1. Do not walk around with just one shoe or sandal. Do not cover yourself
with a blanket, shawl, etc. in such a way that it is difficult for you to walk
or take out your hands (from underneath).
2. Commence wearing your clothes from the right-side. For example, the
right sleeve, the right leg, the right shoe, etc. When removing your clothes,
commence from the left-side.
3. Upon wearing your clothes, recite the following du'â. In doing so, your
sins will be forgiven.
4. Do not wear clothes which reveal the aurah. (In which there is no purdah
or which show the shape of your body).

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5. Do not sit in the company of rich women"
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who wear extravagant
clothes and jewellery. In doing so, you will unnecessarily begin to attach
importance to this world.
6. Do not consider it disgraceful to wear patched clothes.
7. Clothes should not be worn with too much of formalities and care, nor
should they be dirty and untidy. Wear average clothes and keep them clean.
8. Apply oil to your head and comb your hair regularly. However, do not
spend too much time in this. Apply henna to your hands.321
9. Apply surmah to your eyes three times each.
10. Keep your house clean and tidy.
Sickness and Tending to the Sick
1. Do not compel a sick person to eat and drink.
2. Do not indulge yourself when you are sick (by overstepping the
prescribed diet of the sickness).
3. Never use amulets (ta 'wîdh) that are contrary to the Shari'ah, nor should
you use charms, superstitious remedies, etc.
4. If someone has come under the influence of an evil eye (nazr) and you
suspect322 that the cause of this is a particular person, then ask the person
(whom you suspect) to do the following: he should wash his face, both
hands up to and including the elbows, both the feet, thighs, and private
parts. When this person washes all these parts, the water that falls from his
body should be collected. This water should then be poured on the head of
320
This rule applies to women. As for men, it is not permissible for them to sit in the company
of any woman who is a ghayr mahram.
321
This rule applies to women.
322
It should be borne in mind that one should not unnecessarily be suspicious of anyone. One
should be extremely cautious in this regard. Once you are certain of a particular person, don't just
go and inform him to go and wash his face and other parts. You should first try and determine as
to whether this person will be insulted if you ask him to do so or not. If he will not be insulted, and
will not feel hurt, go and inform him. This rule concerns the person who is suspicious of a
particular person. As for the person who has been suspected, the rule concerning him is that if
anyone needs this water, he should not refuse them. Instead, he should wash the parts that have
been mentioned and give the person the water because it has been mentioned in the Hadith that the
person who has been requested for such a favour, should not refuse. The reason for this is that if
the person's suspicion proves to be true, he will benefit from your water. If it is false, there is no
difficulty in giving the water. Therefore, one should not refuse such request.

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the person who has come under the influence of this evil eye. Insha Allah,
the person will be cured.
5. A person who has been afflicted by sicknesses and diseases which are
repulsive to others, such as scabies and white liver, should seclude himself
from others so that he does not cause any harm or discomfort to them.
Dreams
1. If you experience a fearful dream, blow on your left three times in such a
way that a few droplets of saliva come out each time. Thereafter read
A'ûdhubillâhi minash shaytânir rajîm three times. Also change your
position of sleeping. Do not mention this dream to anyone. Inshâ Allah, no
harm will afflict you.
2. If you wish to mention your dream to anyone, choose a person who is
intelligent or who has your interests in mind. This is so that he does not
give you any evil interpretations.
3. It is a major sin to concoct dreams.
Salâm or Greetings
1. Inculcate the habit of greeting each other by saying "As salâmu
'alaykum" and reply by saying "Wa 'alaykumus salâm". All other methods
of greeting are nonsensical.
323
2. The person who greets first receives more reward.
3. When a person conveys someone's salâm to you, reply by saying
"'Alayhim wa 'alaykumus salâm".
4. If one person from a group of people makes salâm, it will suffice on
behalf of the rest. Similarly, if one person in a group replies, it will suffice
on behalf of the rest.
Additional notes: It is prohibited to bow when greeting by hand. If you are
at a distance and you greet someone or that person greets you, it will be
permissible to use your hand. However, you should also make a verbal
salâm or reply. Muslim children who study in government schools should
not greet in methods that are adopted by the west and non-Muslims.
Instead, they should greet the teachers according to the Islamic method (i.e.
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One could add the words "wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu" in the salaam and the reply.
This has been established from the Hadith.

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if the teachers are Muslims). If the teacher is not a Muslim, one should
merely say "salâm" or "As salâmu 'alâ manit taba'al huda". The words "As
salâmu 'alaykum" should not be used for the kuffâr. These rules apply to all
Muslims.
Sitting, Lying down and Walking
1. Do not walk around in a flirtatious manner.
2. Do not lie down on your stomach.
3. Do not sleep on a roof which does not have any barrier as there is the
possibility of rolling off the roof.
f 324
4. Do not sit half in the shade and half in the sun.
5. If you have to go out of the house due to necessity, walk on the side of
the road. It is a sign of shamelessness for women to walk in the centre of
the road.
Sitting in a gathering
1. Do not remove someone from their sitting place so that you may sit there
yourself.
2. In a gathering, a woman got up from her place and went for some work
and you deduced that she will return soon. In such a case, you should not
allow anyone else to sit there as it is her right to sit there.
3. If two women decide to sit together in a gathering, do not go and sit in-
between them. However, there is no harm if they happily allow you to sit
there.
4. If a woman comes to meet you, then upon seeing her you should move a
bit whereby she will feel appreciated and honoured.
5. Do not sit in a gathering like a "queen". Wherever there is a place, sit
there with humility.
6. If you wish to sneeze, cover your mouth with a cloth or your hand and
try to stifle your sneeze.
7. As far as possible, prevent yourself from yawning. If you are unable to
do so, cover your mouth.
8. Do not laugh too loudly.
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This is applicable in India where people generally sleep on the roofs in summer. In our
country, a barrier-less bunk is a perfect example.

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9. Do not sit in a gathering in a proud manner. Sit with humility like a poor
person. If there is any relevant thing to say, say it. However, do not speak
anything that is sinful.
10. Do not stretch out your feet when sitting in a gathering.
Safeguarding the Tongue
1. Do not speak without thinking. You should only speak once you have
pondered over what you wish to say and you are convinced that it will not
be badly received.
2. It is a sin to address a person or speak of him in the following terms: "he
has no îmân", "may Allah's punishment, curse, or anger descend on a
certain person", "may he enter hell", etc. It is a sin to speak in this manner
irrespective of whether one is addressing a human or an animal. If the
person who has been addressed in this manner does not deserve such
remarks, all these curses will actually descend on the person who uttered
them.
3. If anyone addresses you in this useless manner, you have the right to
reply in the same way. However, you cannot exceed what that person says.
If you exceed, you will be committing a sin.
4. Do not be two-faced whereby you "play according to the tune" of one
person when you are in his company, and according to the "tune" of another
person when in the latter's company.
5. Don't ever back-bite nor should you listen to such back-biting and tale-
bearing.
6. Never ever speak a lie.
7. Do not praise a person directly nor should you exaggerate in praising him
in his absence.
8. Don't ever involve yourself in ghîbah. Ghibah means speaking in the
absence of a person in such a way that if he were to hear it, he would be
grieved. This is irrespective of whether what you say is the truth or not. If
what you say is false, it is regarded as slander or defamation. This is even
more sinful.
9. Do not argue with a person. Do not try to give precedence to what you
have to say.
10. Do not laugh excessively as this causes the illumination of the heart
(and countenance) to disappear.

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11. If you have made ghîbah of a person, seek his forgiveness. If you are
unable to do so, make du'â-e-maghfirah on his behalf. In doing this, there
is hope that you will be forgiven on the day of judgement.
12. Do not make false promises.
13. Do not laugh in such a way that the other person feels insulted or
offended.
14. Do not be boastful of something that you own or a quality which you
possess.
15. Do not occupy yourself with poems and poetry. However, if the subject
matter is not contrary to the Sharî'ah and you occasionally quote a few
lines when making du'â or when advising someone, there is no harm in
this.
16. Do not mention things that you hear from here and there because the
majority of such things are false.
Miscellaneous etiquette
1. After writing a letter sprinkle some dust onto it so that the purpose for
which the letter was written is fulfilled.325
2. Do not speak evil of time (complaining about the weather, climate, etc. is
also included in this prohibition).
3. Do not speak too concisely nor should you speak in a very detailed
manner, nor should you exaggerate. Speak according to what is necessary.
4. Do not turn your ear towards the singing of anyone.
5. Do not imitate anyone's ugly features nor should you imitate their evil
ways.
6. If you see any fault or shortcoming in anyone, conceal it. Do not mention
it to others.
7. When you intend doing something, think over it carefully taking the end-
result into consideration and then execute it calmly. By rushing, most tasks
end up in failure.
8. If anyone seeks advice from you, advise them with that which is best in
your opinion.
325
The Hadîth from which this etiquette has been extracted is general. No specific reason has
been mentioned. However, the commentators have mentioned that the wisdom and reason for
sprinkling dust over the letter could be that people in the past used to write with reeds and feathers
and the ink used to take very long to dry. By sprinkling dust onto it, the ink used to dry quicker.
thereby preventing any smudges and making it more ligible.

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9. As far as possible, control your anger.
10. If you have said or spoken anything with regard to anyone, seek
forgiveness from them. If not, you will be in great distress on the day of
judgement.
11. Direct others towards good and prevent them from evil. However, if
you have no hope of their accepting your advice or you feel that they will
cause you harm if you do so, it will be permissible to maintain silence.
However, continue regarding the evil act to be evil and do not associate
with them unless there is a need to do so.
REFORMATION OF THE HEART
The harms of over-eating and its cure
Many sins are committed on account of over-filling the stomach. There are
several factors which have to be taken into consideration:
(a) Do not become too accustomed to eating sumptuous meals.
(b) Safeguard yourself from harâm sustenance.
(c) Do not fill your stomach beyond its limit. Instead, set aside a bit of
hunger which equals a few morsels. There are many benefits in this:
(i) One of them is that the person's heart remains pure whereby he
recognizes the bounties of Allah. This results in his developing a love for
Allah.
(ii) Tenderness and softness remains in his heart whereby he perceives
pleasure in his du 'âs and dhikr.
(iii) His soul is not allowed to consider itself to be great.
(iv) When the soul is harmed even slightly, the person immediately
remembers the punishment of Allah. In this way, the soul safeguards him
from sinning.
(v) He is not inclined towards sinning.
(vi) He remains light-headed, he is able to sleep less, and does not feel lazy
in offering tahajjud and other forms of 'ibâdah.
(vii) He has mercy for those who are weak and starving. In fact, he
develops kind-heartedness towards everyone.
The harms of speaking excessively and its cure
The soul takes great delight in speaking excessively, and in so doing, the
person plunges himself into many sins. A person can only save himself

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from the following sins if he safeguards his tongue. These sins are: lying,
back-biting, cursing, accusing someone, boasting and bragging about
oneself, arguing and debating with someone unnecessarily, submitting to
the rich and laughing in such a way that the person who is laughed at feels
humiliated and disgraced.
The method of safeguarding the tongue is that one should not blurt out
anything and everything that comes to one's mind. Instead, one should
ponder carefully and check whether what one wishes to say entails a reward
or a sin, or does not constitute a reward nor a sin. If it is such that it entails
a lot of sin or a little sin, then one should keep silent. If the soul prompts
one to speak from within, one should explain to it that it is easy to break
one's desires for a little while now while the punishment of the hereafter is
extremely severe. If it entails reward, utter it. If it does not entail any
reward nor any sin, even then he should not utter it. However, if the soul
insists, then utter a little of it and thereafter remain silent. A person should
ponder in this manner in all his conversations. In a few days, the soul will
develop a natural dislike for excessive speech. Another method of
safeguarding the tongue is not to associate with others unnecessarily. When
one is alone, the tongue will automatically remain silent.
The harms of anger and its cure
When a person is angry, his intellect does not function properly and he
loses the perception to consider the consequences of this anger. It is for this
reason that he utters anything and everything. At times, he even goes
beyond the limit by using his hands (physical force). It is therefore
necessary to control and curb this anger.
The method of controlling one's anger is that the person should
immediately remove the person upon whom his anger has descended from
his sight. If he does not move away, the person who is angry should leave
that place himself. He should then think and ponder that just as this person
is at fault (or blameworthy), I am much more blameworthy in the sight of
Allah. And just as I would like Allah to forgive me for my mistakes and
sins, in the same way I should also forgive him for his mistakes. Thereafter
the person should recite "A 'ûdhu billâh" several times, drink water or make
wudû. In this way his anger will subside.
Once he comes back to his senses and still feels that the person deserves to
be punished for his mistake or fault, he should first try and establish the

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method of punishment by ascertaining how a person is punished for such a
mistake. Once he has established the method and is satisfied that it is
according to the Shari'ah, he should mete it out. Example, if the
punishment being meted out is for the benefit and welfare of the person at
fault as in the case of punishing one's children in order to mend their wrong
ways, or if by meting out punishment, there is benefit for a third person as
in the case of punishing the oppressor to help the oppressed.
If a person curbs his anger in this way, he will be able to bring it under his
control within a few days. He will no longer be hot-tempered.
Malice and hatred is also born from anger. Once a person has complete
control over his anger, malice and hatred will also disappear from his heart.
The harms of jealousy and its cure
When you see a person living comfortably, eating and drinking well, living
with honour and respect, and upon seeing all this you begin to "burn"
within you, begin to have hatred for him or become happy when he
experiences any lapse - then this is known as hasad (jealousy or envy). This
is a very evil characteristic and is also sinful. Such a person passes his
entire life in bitterness. In other words, his worldly life and his Dînî life are
both abhorrent and unpleasant. Great efforts therefore have to be made in
order to come out from this great calamity.
The first cure for this is that the person should think to himself that "by my
envying him, I am causing harm to myself and no harm whatsoever is
befalling him. The harm that it is causing me and my loss is that all my
good deeds are being wiped out." This has been deduced from a Hadith in
which it is mentioned that hasad devours good deeds just as fire devours
dry wood. The reason for this is that this person is indirectly forwarding an
objection to Allah by saying (indirectly): "so-and-so person does not
deserve those bounties. Why did You give him these bounties?" If someone
raises an objection to Allah in such a manner, how serious a sin it will be?
It is obvious that such a person will always live with malice and sorrow in
his heart. As for the person who has been envied, he has suffered no loss
whatsoever. By your envying him, the bounty which he possesses will not
disappear. Instead, the person whom you have envied will benefit in the
sense that all your good deeds will go to him.
Once you have thought over all these factors in your mind, praise this
person (whom you are jealous of) and say good things about him to others.

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You should also add by saying: "All thanks are due to Allah in that he has
all these bounties. May Allah give him all these bounties two-fold." If you
happen to meet this person, meet him with respect and humble yourself. In
the beginning, your soul will be greatly burdened in doing this. However,
hasad will gradually disappear from your heart.
The harms of love for wealth and its cure
The love for wealth is such an evil characteristic that once it enters the
heart, the love and remembrance of Allah disappears. This is because such
a person is in constant perplexity as to how can I accumulate more wealth,
what type of jewellery and clothing must I purchase, what type of goods
must I have, how many utensils must I possess, how much household
effects must I have, what type of house must I build, what orchard must I
possess and what property must I purchase ... and so on. If one thinks in this
manner day and night, when will one have the time to remember Allah?
One of the harms of this is that once the love for all this enters the heart,
such a person does not wish to die and present himself to Allah. He thinks
that once he dies, all these comforts and luxuries will also go. At times, the
person does not even wish to leave this world while he is about to die. Once
he learns that it is Allah who has caused him to leave this world, he
develops enmity towards Allah and thereby leaves this world in a state of
kufr.
Another harm of this is that once the person becomes infatuated with this
world and the accumulation of wealth, he does not differentiate between
halal and harâm. He does not consider the rights of others nor does he
worry about lies, deception, fraud, etc. His only goal is that he has to
accumulate irrespective of how or from where. It is for this reason that it is
mentioned in the Hadith that love for this world is the root of all evil. If this
is such a great evil, every Muslim should endeavour to save himself from
this calamity and remove the love for this world from his heart.
One of the cures for this is that the person should remember death
abundantly and he should constantly think that he will have to leave all this
wealth one day. What is the benefit, then, in attaching so much of
importance to it? In fact, the more importance you attach to it, the more
remorse you will experience when leaving it.

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Another cure is that one should not establish too many associates and
contacts. That is, he should not engage in too many dealings with too many
people. He should not acquire goods, household effects, houses, properties
more than what is necessary. He should not expand his business beyond the
limits. He should limit these things to necessity and comfort. In short, he
should restrict himself to the basic necessities.
The third cure is that he should not involve himself in unnecessary
expenses. This is because when a person has unnecessary expenses, his
greed for additional income increases; and this greed is the cause of all
other evils.
The fourth cure is that he should develop the habit of eating simple food,
and wearing coarse clothing.
The fifth cure is that he should sit more in the company of poor persons and
sit very little in the company of the rich. This is because by sitting in the
company of the rich, one develops a desire and lust for everything.
The sixth cure is that he should read and study the lives of those pious
servants who abandoned this world.
The seventh cure is that he should give away or sell that item for which he
has great attachment.
By adopting these means, Insha Allah the love of this world will disappear
from the heart and all those far-fetched ambitions with regard to
accumulating wealth, purchasing goods, leaving behind a house for the
children, etc. will be automatically repulsed.
The harms of miserliness and its cure
Many fard and wâjib obligations and duties such as zakât, qurbâni, helping
a needy person, assisting one's poor relatives, etc. are not fulfilled on
account of miserliness and stinginess. When these are not fulfilled, one is
actually committing a sin. This is the harm that is caused to one's Dîn. A
stingy person is regarded as despicable and useless in the eyes of everyone.
This is the worldly harm. Is there anything worse than this?
One of the cures of this is that love for this world and love for wealth
should be removed from the heart. Once this love has been removed, there
is no way that miserliness can remain.
Another cure is that the person should impose on his nafs and give away
that item which is beyond his needs. Although this will be difficult on the
nafs, one should endeavour in this regard and try and bear this difficulty.

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As long as traces of stinginess have not been uprooted from the heart,
continue adopting the above measures.
The harms of desiring fame and honour and its cure
When a person desires fame and honour for himself, he envies and resents
the fame and popularity of another person. The harms of this (envy and
jealousy) have been mentioned previously. Upon hearing about someone's
disgrace and degradation, the person becomes happy. It is a very evil
characteristic to wish evil for someone. A further harm of this is that the
person tries to acquire fame through prohibited means, e.g. a person spends
a lot of money and goes into unnecessary expenses in weddings merely for
fame. At times he acquires this wealth through bribery and at times by
taking interest loans. All these sins were committed merely for name and
fame.
The worldly harm of this is that such a person has many enemies and many
who are jealous of him. Such persons continuously try to disgrace him,
defame him, cause him harm and try to put him into difficulties.
One of the cures for this is that he should think to himself that all those who
will think great of me or praise me will not live forever nor will I live
forever. After a few days, no one will even bother to ask about me. If this is
the case, it is a sign of great immaturity to feel happy about this baseless
thing.
Another cure is that this person should do something which will cause him
great disgrace and defamation. However, this thing should be such that it is
not contrary to the Shari'ah. For example, the person should sell the stale,
left-over bread to the poor people at a cheap price. This will be a source of
great disgrace. 326
The harms of pride and haughtiness and its cure
The meaning of pride and haughtiness is that a person considers himself
greater than others as regards knowledge, 'ibâdah, religiousness, status,
lineage, wealth and possessions, honour, respect, intelligence or in anything
else. To consider yourself to be greater than others and to regard them
326
Because one does not normally sell stale bread to poor persons. Stale bread is normally
given for free.

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inferior to you is a major sin. It is mentioned in a Hadith that the person
who has pride equal to a mustard seed will not enter jannah. As for this
world, people hate such a person and become his enemies even though they
may be courteous towards him outwardly. Another harm of this is that such
a person does not follow or accept the advice of anyone. He is not prepared
to accept the truth. Instead, he takes it badly and decides to cause harm to
the person who has given him the advice.
The cure for this is that he should ponder over his origins - that he has been
created from clay and an impure sperm. All the bounties that he has been
blessed with have been given to him by Allah. If He wishes, He can take
back all of them. On what basis, then, should he feel proud? He should also
ponder over and remember the greatness of Allah. When he does this, he
will no longer consider himself to be great. In addition to this, he should
meet the person whom he had looked down upon with deference and in a
humble manner. In this way, pride will come out of his heart. If the person
does not have the capacity to do this, he should at least make it his duty that
whenever he meets anyone of a lower class or standard, he should be first
in greeting him. In so doing, Insha Allah his nafs will develop humility.327
The harms of boastfulness and its cure
If a person considers oneself to be great and distinguished or wears
beautiful clothing and jewellery and begins to boast and brag, then this
characteristic is considered to be extremely evil even if one does not
consider others to be deficient. It is mentioned in a Hadith that this
characteristic destroys one's Dîn. Furthermore, this person does not make
any effort to reform himself because if he regards himself to be
distinguished, he will not look at his own faults.
The cure for this is that one should constantly look at one's own faults and
ponder over them. The person should think to himself that the qualities and
characteristics that are within me have all been granted to me by Allah and
there is no excellence in me. After pondering over all this, he should
express his gratitude to Allah and make du 'â to Him that these bounties are
not taken away from him.
327 Offering abundant nafl salaats is also a cure for pride and haughtiness. Another cure for this
is that the person should eat all the bits that are left over after partaking a meal.

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The harms of doing good deeds merely for name and fame and its cure
This boasting and bragging is of several types. At times a person may
clearly speak about how much Quran he read or that he remained awake at
night (busy in 'ibâdah). At times, he will subtly include this in a
conversation, e.g. a few people were speaking about the Bedouin Arabs. So
this person entered into the conversation and said: "Whatever you are
saying is wrong. I experienced so-and-so thing with these persons."
Although the conversation delved on something else, by this person
mentioning these things, everyone came to know that he performed hajj as
well. At times, this boasting is executed practically, e.g. with the intention
of "showing off", the person sits down with a tasbih in front of everyone.
At times this "showing off" takes the form of caution and carefulness, e.g. a
woman has the habit of reciting the Quran all the time. However, on a
certain occasion, because a few women were sitting near her, she began
reading the Quran carefully and in the proper manner (paying full attention
to the rules of tajwid). At times this boasting takes the form of one's posture
and expression, e.g. a person sits down closing her eyes and lowering her
head whereby the person looking at her will think that she is a very pious
person, she always engages in the dhikr of Allah, she remained awake last
night and therefore she is feeling sleepy now. There are many other ways of
"showing off" one's good deeds. Whichever form this may take, they are all
detestable. All good deeds which have been executed merely for show will
be transformed from rewards into punishment in jahannam.
The cure for this is the same as that which was mentioned above because
boasting and "showing off" is done for the reason that one wishes to acquire
name, fame and earn the praises of people.
An important note on the different cures
The cures that we have mentioned for the different evils cannot be acquired
by carrying them out a few times. For example, if a person is able to control
his anger 2-3 times, it does not mean that this evil has been uprooted. If one
does not experience anger on one or two occasions, he should not be
deluded by the fact that his nafs has now been reformed. Instead, the person
should practice these cures for a long period of time. If he becomes
neglectful in this regard, he should express his remorse and sorrow, and be

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on his guard in the future. Insha Allah, after a very long time all these evils
will be uprooted.
An easy cure for all the evils that are within the nafs and for all the sins that
are committed by the different parts of the body is that when any evil or sin
is committed, some sort of punishment should be meted out to the nafs.
There are two types of punishments which could be easily meted out by
everyone. One is that the person should specify a certain amount of money
(according to his financial position). When he commits any sin, he must
distribute that amount of money (which will be his fine) to the poor. If he
repeats that sin, he will have to pay the fine again. Another punishment is
that he should skip one or two meals. If the person makes an all out
endeavour in meting out these punishments, Insha Allah, all evils and sins
will disappear. We will now mention the good acts and deeds which reform
the heart.
The Method of Taubah
Taubah is such a great thing that one can have all one's sins forgiven
through it. If a person always ponders over his condition and knows that at
some time or the other one definitely commits a sin, then he will consider
taubah to be necessary all the time.
The method of obtaining this quality is that one should ponder over all the
warnings and punishments for the different sins and evils that have been
mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. He should think of them and ponder
over them. In doing this, his heart will be disinclined to commit any sin. At
such a time, the person should also make a verbal taubah. He should also
complete all the salâts, fasts, etc. that he has missed. If he has displayed any
shortcoming in fulfilling the rights of certain persons, he should seek their
forgiveness or fulfil them. As for the sins that he has committed in passing,
he should express remorse over them, adopt the expression of a crying
person and earnestly seek the forgiveness of Allah.
The Method of Fearing Allah
Allah says: "Fear Me." Fear is such a great thing that one saves oneself
from sinning through it. The method of acquiring this quality is the same as
that for taubah. That is, the person should always think and ponder over the
punishment of Allah.