The Importance Of Good Manners In Islam

As-salamu alaykum, wa Rahmatu Allahi, wa barakatu. Manners or Akhlaq in Islam occupies a very prominent estate. To the extent of that we are told, in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam, that 'Ad-Dinu mu'amalah'- 'religion is nothing but social interaction'. And social interaction is nothing but Akhlaq, and behaviour, and manners.

In other words, one cannot be a true believer without portraying a good manner or a good Akhlaq.

And that is why when we go back to the glorious Qur'an, you realise that Allah Tabaraka wa Ta'ala, out of all that our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, stood for, Allah singled out his Akhlaq, and talked more of the Akhlaq and the manners of the Holy Prophet, where He mentioned: "wa innaka la'ala khuluqin adheem"(68:4), 'that indeed you the Holy Prophet, you are of a higher standard of behaviour and higher standard of manners".

That is why, if you look at each and every act of worship that we have within the religion of Islam, their philosophy is nothing but good manners, or good behaviours.

For example, one of the philosophy of Salat, which we do daily is to ensure that our behaviours, our manners are of higher standards. Likewise, the Hajj that we go every year, one of its philosophies or one of its reasons is to ensure that after Hajj, we come back with good Akhlaq, with good manners, or with good behaviours. Same thing applies to the fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan, one of its philosophy is to ensure that we have a good Akhlaq and we have a good behaviour.

So, therefore, having good Akhlaq or good manners is non-negotiable when it comes to the teachings of Islam. One cannot claim to be a Muslim without having a good manner and without having a good behaviour.

So, therefore, our beloved Prophet Muhammad, in numerous traditions that are reported from him, encourage us to try as much as we can wherever we are, to portray good Akhlaq and to portray good behaviour, because he mentioned in one of his beautiful traditions that "afadilukum ahasinukum Akhlaqah"- "the best of all of you is the one who has the best of all Akhlaq and the best of all behaviour'. And at the end of the tradition, Prophet mentioned, 'I am of a good Akhlaq, and I am of a good behaviour, and he is not one of us who fails to portray good Akhlaq and good behaviour'.

So, therefore, let us all try, as much as we can, to portray good behaviour wherever we are in our life.