Adab(manners)
Importance of Adab (Manners):
The early generations (al‑Salaf) indeed bestowed “adab” (refinement of character and scholarship) great care, striving diligently to pursue it and persevering earnestly in its acquisition.
The salaf would say:
"Knowledge without manners is like fire without wood, and manners without knowledge is like a soul without a body."
Some Ahadith about the Importance of Adab:
On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"The rights of a Muslim over another Muslim are six: When you meet him, greet him with peace; when he invites you, respond to his invitation; when he seeks your advice, give him sincere advice; when he sneezes and praises Allah, say to him: 'May Allah have mercy on you'; when he is ill, visit him; and when he dies, follow his funeral."
[Reported by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawud]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Indeed, the best among you are those who have the best character."
[Reported by Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, and Tirmidhi]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Indeed, the closest of you to me in sitting on the Day of Resurrection are those of you with the best character, those who are easygoing and gentle."
[Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"By Him in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something which, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves."
[Reported by Muslim]
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both):
The Prophet ﷺ was asked: "Which aspect of Islam is best?" He said:
"To feed (the hungry) and to greet with peace those you know and those you do not know."
[Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent."
[Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Indeed, Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all matters."
[Reported by Bukhari and Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The believer is not one who slanders, curses, is indecent, or foul-mouthed.”
[Reported by al-Tirmidhi]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“I was only sent to perfect good character.”
[Musnad Ahmad, 2/381; authenticated by al-Albani]
Imam Ibn Qayyim (rh) defined Adab in a very beautiful way in Madarij as-Salikeen (3/140):
"It is the knowledge of rectifying the tongue and speech, placing words in their proper context, beautifying expressions, and protecting them from error and fault."
It is reported that the mother of Imam Malik, one of the greatest jurists in Islamic history, would say to him:
"Go to Rabi’ah and learn from his manners before his knowledge."
Ibrahim bin Habib advised his son:
"My son, go to the jurists and scholars, learn from them, and take from their manners, character, and guidance, for that is more beloved to me than much hadith (narration)."
Abu Abdullah al-Balkhi said:
"The manners of knowledge are more than knowledge itself."
Imam ‘Abdullāh ibn al‑Mubārak said:
“If a man is described to me as possessing the knowledge of both the ancients and the later, I do not lament (Regret) missing the chance to meet him; but if I hear of a man distinguished by refinement of the soul (adab al‑nafs), I long to meet him and grieve at having failed to do so.”
To al‑Shāfi‘ī it was asked, “How has your desire for adab (refinement) grown?” He replied:
“By hearing in a single letter from him something I have never heard before, so that my very limbs wish to have ears to luxuriate in it.”
They then asked him, “And how do you pursue it?” He said:
“As a woman lost in the desert seeks her only child—there is no recourse save to that.”
Mukhallad ibn al‑Ḥusayn said to Ibn al‑Mubārak:
“We are in far greater need of abundant refinement adab than of abundant ḥadīth.”
Al‑Ḥasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Verily, a man may spend two years refining his soul with adab, and then another two years.”
And Sufyān ath‑Thawrī said:
“Whenever a man resolved to write ḥadīth, he first cultivated adab and spent twenty years in piety and discipline
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