5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

For instance, he could say, “May Allah give you the maidens of Paradise who are even more beautiful than yourself! Don’t forget to say Amen!” He could also throw in a whole new topic, such as asking him about a brother who has just travelled, or his new car, and so on, just so that there is no opportunity left for anyone to feel embarrassed. Patching up Experience... It is not a disgrace for one to err, but it is for one to persist upon the error. Patching up (84) Look with both eyes We tend to be experts at noticing other people’s faults and commenting on them. But we rarely tend to be experts on noticing the good they have and the right things they do in order to comment positively. Take, for example, a teacher with his students. All teachers tend to criticise the lazy student who does not do his work and is always late to his lessons. However, not many teachers comment positively about the student who is hardworking, punctual, and has good handwriting. We often criticise the faults in our children but praise them little when they do good. This makes us lose many opportunities through which we can win over hearts. Therefore, from the most important of all skills is to praise the good that people may have. The people of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari – may Allah be pleased with him – had great interest in reciting and memorising the Qur’an. Perhaps, they surpassed many other Companions in reciting the Qur’an with a melodious voice. Once, they accompanied the Prophet  on a journey. When the people woke up one morning and gathered, the Prophet  said, “I can recognise the voices of our Ash’ari companions as they recite the Qur’an at night. I also know their locations just by listening to their recitation at night, without ever needing to see where their places are when they stop over in the morning.” (alBukhari and Muslim) If you were to have been with the Ash’aris and had heard the Prophet  praising them in front of others, you would realise how it would make them even more enthusiastic. One morning, the Prophet  met Abu Musa and said to him, “You should have seen me last night as I attentively listened to your recitation. You have been given one of the flutes of the people of David.” Abu Musa became overjoyed and delighted upon hearing this. He said, “If I had known that you were listening to my recitation, I would have recited even more proficiently.” (al-Hakim, Sahih. Its origin is in al-Bukhari and Muslim) Yes, the Messenger of Allah  never used to hide his feelings. Rather, he would share them with his family. Just as he would tell the wrongdoer that he had erred, he would also tell the doer of good that he had done good! ‘Amr bin Taghlib – may Allah be pleased with him – was a man from amongst the Companions. He was not as distinguished in terms of knowledge as Abu Bakr, nor in terms of bravery as ‘Umar, nor in terms of memory as Abu Hurayrah. However, his heart was filled with faith, and this was something the Prophet  was well aware of. One day as the Prophet  was seated, there came to him some wealth which he began to distribute amongst the people. The Prophet  had a special way of distributing charity, war booty, or gifts amongst the people. He would Look with both eyes never arbitrarily give to people. Rather, following his own policy, he would give to some and not to others. However, some of those to whom the Prophet  did not give harboured ill feelings as a result and questioned why they got nothing. When the Prophet  found out about this, he decided to rid their hearts of this ill feeling before it got worse. Thus, he stood amongst the people, thanked and praised Allah, and then said, “To proceed, by Allah, I give to some people and leave others out. The one I leave out is more beloved to me than the one to whom I give. I give to some people because of the impatience and discontent present in their hearts. I leave others because of the contentment and goodness Allah has bestowed upon them, and one such person of them is ‘Amr bin Taghlib.” When ‘Amr bin Taghlib heard his praise in the midst of the people, he was overjoyed. He would always relate this hadith thereafter and say, “The sentence which Allah’s Apostle said in my praise is dearer to me than the possession of the finest red camels.” (al-Bukhari) One day, Abu Hurayrah came forward and asked the Prophet , “Who is the most felicitous person to obtain your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?” It was, indeed, a good question.