The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 19
Natural, Moral and Spiritual States of Man 19 proprieties of peacefulness that one should ignore trivialities and be ready to forgive. The term 'laghv', according to Arabic lexicon, means the certain kind of behaviour, for instance, when a mischief monger indulges in loose talk or does something to cause harm, but in fact is unable to cause harm or create trouble; hence it is the sign of peacefulness to condone such senseless misdemeanour. The fourth form of renouncing evil consists in Rifq and Qaul-i-Hasan [gentleness and politeness] and the natural state that gives birth to this quality is called Talāqat, or cheerfulness. Until a child learns to speak, it displays cheerfulness in place of courtesy and politeness. This shows that the root of courtesy is cheerfulness. Cheerful- ness is a natural faculty and courtesy is a moral quality that is generated by the proper use of this faculty. In this context the teaching of God Almighty is: وَ قُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا () لا يَسْخَرُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاء مِنْ نِسَاءٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِنْهُنَّ وَلَا تَلْمِزُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بالالقاب (1) اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّيِّ وَإِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمَ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا ولَا يَغْتَبْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا . . . . . وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ إِنَّ اللهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمُ ) وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمَ ، إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَ الْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا (1) 10 Translation: 'Say to people that which is really good. ' 'Let not one people laugh at another people; it may well be that those who are laughed at are really praiseworthy. Let one group of women not deride other women; it is possible that those who are mocked at are really good. Do not cast aspersions and do not address your fellow 10 (1) Al-Baqarah, 2:84 (ii)Al-Hujurāt, 49:12 (iii) Al-Hujurāt, 49:13 (iv) Banī Isrā'īl, 17:37 [Publisher]