The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page ccc
GENERAL INTRODUCTION had been over-generous as a Bedouin would be pleased with very little. 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said: "This man's father was a friend of my father's and I have heard the Holy Prophet say that it is one of the highest virtues for a man to honour his father's friends. " Keeping Good Company He always preferred to keep company with the virtuous and if he observed any weakness in any of his Companions he admonished him gently and in private. Abū Mūsā Ash'arī relates: "The Holy Prophet illustrated the benefit to be derived from good friends and virtuous companions and the injury to be apprehended from evil friends and vicious companions by saying: 'A man who keeps company with virtuous people is like a person who carries about musk with him. If he partakes of it he derives benefit from it, if he sells it he makes a profit out of it and if he merely keeps it he enjoys its fragrance. A man who keeps company with evil persons is like one who blows into a charcoal furnace; all that he can expect is that a spark may alight upon his clothes and set them on fire or that the smoke emitted by the charcoal may upset his brain'. " He used to say that a man's character takes on the colour of the company he keeps and that therefore one should be careful to spend one's time in the company of the good (Bukhārī and Muslim). Safeguarding People's Faith The Holy Prophet was very careful to safeguard against possible misunderstandings. On one occasion his wife Şafiyyah came to see him in the mosque. When the time came for her to return home it had become dark and the Prophet decided to escort her to her house. On the way he passed by two men and, wishing to avoid any speculation on their part as to his companion, he stopped them and lifting the veil from the face of his wife said: "See, this is Şafiyyah, my wife. " They protested saying: "O Messenger of Allah! why did you imagine that we should fall into any misconception regarding you?" The Prophet replied "Satan (i. e. evil thoughts) often courses through a man's blood. I was afraid lest your faith be affected" (Bukhārī, Abwābul-I'tikāƒ). Overlooking Faults of Others He never gave publicity to the faults and shortcomings of others and admonished people not to proclaim their own faults. He used to say: "If a person covers up the faults of another, God will cover up his faults on the Day of Judgement. " And, "Every one of my followers can escape the consequences of his errors (i. e. by true repentance and reform) except those who go on proclaiming their wrongdoing" and illustrated this by saying: "A man commits cclxxiv