Ten Manners In Islam

Praise be to Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our souls and our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

1. Praying for someone who does good to you
Praying for the one who treats you kindly by saying Jazak Allahu khayran

It was narrated that Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has a favor done for him and says to the one who did it, ‘Jazak Allaahu khayran’ has done enough to thank him.

2. Shaking hands with the opposite gender
It is not permissible for a man to shake the hands of a non-mahram woman.

Narrated Maqal ibn Yassaar (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “If one of you were to be struck in the head with an iron needle, it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman he is not allowed to.”

3. Drinking
It is permissible to drink; however, it is better to drink while sitting.

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “None of you should drink while standing; and if anyone forgets, he must vomit.”

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace be upon him) drank Zam-Zam (water) while standing.”[6]

Narrated An-Nazzal (may Allah be pleased with him): Ali came to the gate of the courtyard (of the Mosque) and drank (water) while he was standing and said, “Some people dislike to drink while standing, but I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) doing (drinking water) as you have seen me doing now.”

Imam Nawawee (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “There is no contradiction in these ahaadeeth, praise be to Allah, and none of them are daeef (weak). Rather, they are all saheeh. The correct view is that the forbidding mentioned in them is to be understood as meaning that it is disliked. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drank whilst standing indicates that it is permissible to do so. This is all that needs to be said on the matter.”

4. Sneezing
When someone sneezes, they should praise Allah by saying “Alhamdulillah” (Praise be to Allah).

If you hear someone sneezing and praising Allah, you should ask Allah to bestow His Mercy on them by saying “Yarhamukallaah” (May Allah bestow His Mercy on you).

If someone says this to you, you should reply, “Yahdeekumullaahu wa yuslihu baalakum” (May Allah guide you and improve your condition).

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “If anyone of you sneezes, he should say ‘Al-Hamdulillah’ (Praise be to Allah), and his (Muslim) brother or companion should say to him, ‘Yar-hamuka-l-lah’ (May Allah bestow his Mercy on you). When the latter says ‘Yar-hamuka-llah”, the former should say, ‘Yahdikumul-lah wa Yuslih balakum’ (May Allah guide you and improve your condition).

5. Greeting
It is the duty of all Muslims to great each other by saying As-Salaamu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you)

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) 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,’ Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam’s creation.

6. Eating with the right hand
Muslims should always eat and drink with their right hands only. Narrated Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “When anyone of you intends to eat (meal), he should eat with his right
hand. And when he intends to drink, he should drink with his right hand, for Satan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.”

7. Saying Bismillah before eating
It is Sunnah to say Bismillaah (In The Name Of Allah)

Narrated ‘Umar bin Abi Salama (may Allah be pleased with him): I was a boy under the care of Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him), and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. So Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said to me, “O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you.” Since then, I have applied those instructions when eating.”

8. What to say after eating
After eating, it is Sunnah to say “Alhamdu lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan feehi, ghayra makfiyyin
wa laa muwadda’in, wa laa mustaghnan ‘anhu Rabbanaa” (All praise is to Allah, praise in abundance, good and blessed. It cannot be compensated for, nor can it be left, nor can it be done without our Lord)

Narrated Abu Umama (may Allah be pleased with him): Whenever the dining sheet of the Prophet was taken away (i.e., whenever he finished his meal), he used to say: “Al-hamdu lillah kathiran taiyiban mubarakan fihi ghaira makfiy wala muwada’ wala mustaghna’anhu Rabbuna.”

9. Respecting Parents
We should always respect our parents. Allah, the Most High, says in the Quran: “And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them, but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy, as they did bring me up when I was small.”

Narrated Muaawiyah ibn Jaahimah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I want to go and fight (in jihad) and I have come to consult you.”
He said, “Do you have a mother?”
He said, “Yes.”
He said, “Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet.”

10. Lying and Cheating
It is not permissible to lie and cheat in Islam

I. Lying
Narrated Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e., wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar.”

Narrated Samura bin Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I saw (in a dream) two men came to me.” Then the Prophet narrated the story (saying), ‘They said, the person, the one whose cheek you saw being torn away (from the mouth to the ear) was a liar and used to tell lies, and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection.’

II. Cheating
Narrated Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) happened to pass by a heap of eatables (corn). He thrust his hand in that (heap) and his fingers were moistened. He said to the owner of that heap of eatables (corn): “What is this?”
He replied: “Messenger of Allah, these have been drenched by rainfall.”

He (peace be upon him) remarked: “Why did you not place this (the drenched part of the heap) over other eatables so that the people could see it? He who deceives is not of me (is not my follower).”

And It is only Allah Who grants success. May Allah Exalt the mention of His slave and Messenger Muhammad, and render him, his household, and companions safe from Evil.

By Imran Ayub