Hadith 31:Allah Loves Kindness and Leniency

Aqeedah Values:

1. Affirming love as one of the Divine attributes of Allah Almighty, in the manner that befits Him, the Most High:

2. It is permissible to curse disbelievers in general, but it is not permissible to curse specific people, as they might embrace Islam eventually, and cursing means to be deprived from the mercy of Allah the Almighty.

The Greeting of Islam:

1. The greeting of Islam is a great statement and a guidance from Allah for those whom He loves among his creation, as it was reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, "Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring." So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e., Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i.e., Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus, the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi…'"

2. The greeting of Islam combines a supplication and report…

The supplication: asking Allah Almighty to keep the one you greet safe from any harm or evil in this life and the hereafter.

The report: telling the one you greet that he is safe from any harm or evil from your side.

3. Allah informed us about the hostility and hatred in the hearts of disbelievers to the Muslims, thus we should not start to salute them with the greeting of Islam because of their hostility, in accordance with the hadith of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ): "Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you…"

4. If the non-Muslim starts with the greeting "Assalam Alaykom," then he is telling you that you are safe from any harm from his side. So, he deserves to be answered with the same greeting.

5. Answering the non-Muslim should be 'wa-alaikum (upon you)' at any time, whether he says "As-samu" or "As-salamu", it was narrated in the two Sahih books (al-Bukhari and Muslim): "If one of the People of the Scripture (i.e., Christians and Jews) greets you, saying As-Salāmu 'alaykum, then say (to him): Wa 'alaykum (And upon you)."

 The Jews Ethics:

1. Distorting words is deeply-rooted in the Jews, they switched as-sam (death) with as-salam (peace), in this incident and Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an:

2. What the Jews did is because they envious of the greeting of peace (As-salam alaykom), Imam Ahmad narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The Jews do not envy you for anything more than they envy you for the Salam and saying ‘Amin’." Grade Sahih (al-Albani)

Some Aspects about The Mother of Believers Aisha:

1. Her earnest concern for the Messenger’s pride and status (ﷺ) and her zeal to protect him.

2. Her strong character is shown when he answered back the Jews despite her young age.

3. Her smartness, may Allah be pleased with her, as she understood the Jews distorted words.

Dawah Values:

1. When Allah loves something, it because of its great benefit.

2. The Prophet, peace be upon him, encourages to be lenient even with his enemies.

3. Leniency is a strong cause for Almighty Allah’s love.

4. Hearts soften for the person who is lenient, people love the lenient person because Allah love’s leniency in everything.

5. Leniency with people encourages them to accept advice and dawah.

6. Wisdom should accompany leniency, leniency is proper and needed in some situations, on the other hand, firmness and even fighting are needed in other situations.

7. “Be calm! O 'Aisha” The Prophet tells Aisha to be lenient and came while receiving them, hoping they would embrace Islam after they experience kindness and leniency encouraged by Islam, even though they were hostile and vulgar in the way they entered and distorted the greeting of peace.

Generic Values:

1- The Prophet (ﷺ) was lenient with the Jews and answered them back with what befits what they said.

2. Sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) implies leniency, kindness and compassion with people who are sitting with him, or those who ask him, the needy and the eager to get help whether Muslims or non-Muslims.

3. The Muslim should avoid any kind of foul language, even if it was to reply back to an insult, it should be enough for the Muslim to respond back with the same of what the transgressor said to him.

4. "Haven't you heard what they have said?": drawing the attention of the listener to a meaning that it was thought he did not understand or notice.

5. The hadith confirms what Allah says in the Qur’an: "You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allāh…"

6. If the person supplicates to Allah for something which implies transgression or injustice, Allah does not accept his supplication. In one of the narrations of the hadith it is mentioned that Allah’s Messenger said to Aisha: "…my invocation against them will be accepted while theirs against me will be rejected (by Allah)."

7. The woman should defend her husband.

8. The man should teach his wife proper words and conduct, the Prophet (ﷺ) did approve Aisha when she cursed the Jews, despite their insult to him.