Inquiry about ethics in Islam

All praise is due to Allah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. I ask Allah (the Glorious) to provide us and you with good disposition and guide us to the best qualities for no one guides to the best manners but You. Before we judge any behavior, disposition, or good manner as an (etiquette), we would like to explain first the meaning of each of them.

We say: "Az-Zawq" is judging something according to its taste and some words may be derived of it as a matter of metaphor. Ibn Faris said in "Maqayis Al Lughah": Az-Zawq is Judging something according to its taste and some words are derived of it as a figure of speech. I have tasted such and such means I tried it. It was reported in the book of Al Khalil: Every bad thing befalls on a human, he tastes it. It is said: He tastes the bow. This means: he has tested its ability and power.

The author of "Lisan Al `Arab" said: Ibn Al A`raby said regarding Allah's Saying: "So, taste the torment." [Surat Al `Imran: 106]. He said: Taste could be done by the mouth and by any other organ.

Az-Zabidy said in "Taj Al `Arus": He has a good taste for poetry that means he was raised for poetry. I never tasted sleep (i.e., I never slept). I tasted the hand of so and so (i.e., touched it). I have tasted the pain of his departure. All these expressions are figures of speech.

It was reported in (Al Mu`jam Al Wasit) that Az-Zawq is the instinct that distinguishes the qualities of something through the sensory system that is located in the mouth. Az-Zawq in literature and art means a morale sense which causes comfort or constriction in one's soul when looking at something results from compassion or thinking. It is said: He has a good taste for poetry which means: He understands poetry and an expert in criticizing it. It was reported in the Hadith: "Allah hates the male and female tasters." (i.e., those who hate what they have and like to seek what is in peoples' hands.) A person who has a good taste is an expert.

See "Al Muhit Fi Al Lughah" of Ibn `Abbad and "Al Sihah" of Al Jawhary under the word (taste).

These are the meanings of "Taste" in terminology which does not refer to the term used nowadays the word (taste) for good manners, elegance in style, and the way of dealing and understanding.

As for (etiquette), it is a very polite behavior that calls for respecting oneself, respecting others, and kind dealing with them. It is also the art of good qualities, and elegant conduct which is socially accepted. The origin of this word is French (etiquette) which means: adopting the new modern system that is compatible with the current time. It includes ethics, good manners, and good social relationships.

Some of those who oppose the Islamic call these days give the word (etiquette) for the Islamic proprieties inherited from the best of creatures (peace be upon him) and they called it (etiquettes) in Islam. Of which: Salutation with the hand, chatting, visiting others, meeting people with a smiley face, seeking permission, giving a gift, visiting the sick, thanking people for good deeds, and keeping up one's promises, humbleness, in addition to other Islamic manners. We call those things "manners" to preserve our language and abandon the imitation of those who oppose our religion.

Allah (Glory be to Him) commanded us to do this where He says: "And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment." [Surat Al `Imran: 105]. He also says: "And follow not any Auliya' (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate partners in worship with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember!" [Surat Al A`raf: 3].

This includes disagreeing with them in all their sayings and actions. In order to know the ruling of imitating disbelievers, see the following article: "Imitating the disbelievers and the ruling on their festivals" and the Fatwa titled "The prohibition of imitating disbelievers and befriending them."

As for speaking with the non-Arabic language, scholars have called it reprehensible if people use it in their everyday speech. If it leads to losing something of the Arabic language, it will become prohibited because it is the language of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. By neglecting the Arabic language, its understanding and rulings will be lost. Let me convey the words of Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah be merciful with him) and reminds you of the importance of what we have mentioned, as was reported in "Iqtida' Al Sirat-ul-Mustaqim" which means "there are two meanings for what Imam Ahmad said about the reprehensibility of these names i.e.,

the names of months and persons in non-Arabic language:

The first meaning is: If the meaning of these names are not known, it may be prohibited. So, a Muslim should not pronounce what he does not know. Therefore, I called it reprehensible to use the Non-Arabic amulets when they are written in Hebraic or Syriac for fear they would convey impermissible meanings.

The second meaning is: The reprehensibility that a person speaks non-Arabic language because the Arabic language is the motto of Islam and its people.

Languages from the greatest mottos of nations and by which they are distinguished. He said: As for speaking with them without a need whether in the names and months of people, such as dates and the like, it is forbidden if you ignore the meaning without any doubts among scholars. As for using it while you know the meaning, the words of Imam Ahmad are explicit in its reprehensibility, when he stated that the word (Adhrimah) and similar words are reprehensible although their meanings are not prohibited. Al-Shafi`y said: as Al Salafy reported with a known chain of narration from Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Hakam who said: I heard Muhammad ibn Idris Al-Shafi`y saying: Allah named those who seek the bounty of Allah in purchase and selling as merchants and the Arabs still name them as merchants. The Prophet (peace be upon him) called them with the same name which Allah named them. As for "brokers", it is one of the non-Arabic names, therefore, we do not like that an Arab, who speaks Arabic, calls a merchant but a merchant and does not pronounce something with non-Arabic language that is because the tongue which Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) chose for Muslims is Arabic, so Allah revealed His Book in Arabic and made it the language of His Prophet (peace be upon him). Therefore, we say: Everyone who is capable of learning Arabic should do so because it is the first tongue by which the Qur'an was revealed. It is not permissible to forbid someone to pronounce something in non-Arabic language. Al-Shafi`y said: it is reprehensible for those who know the Arabic language to say something in non-Arabic language and to speak with it with the non-Arabic language.

This is what the Imams reported from the Companions and the Followers. We have already mentioned what `Umar and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) said in this regard.

Ibn Taymiyah said: It was reported from a group of the Followers that they were speaking with a word after another of the non-Arabic language. Abu Khildah said: Abu Al `Aliyah spoke to me in Persian. Mundhir Al Thawry said: A man asked Muhammad ibn Al Hanafiyyah about bread. He said: O slave girl, Take this Dirham and buy "Tanbiza" (i.e., bread), thereupon, she went to buy Tanbiza and came back. So, the non-Arabic word after another is something new, but they used to do a lot either when the addressee is non-Arab or speaks with non-Arabic language to make them understand the Arabic language.

He said: "As for getting used to speaking with non-Arabic language until it becomes a custom for the people of a city, the family members, a person with his or her friend, for the people of a market, for emirs, the people of a profession, or the people of Fiqh (Jurists), no doubt it is reprehensible because it is a kind of imitating non-Arabs as previously mentioned. Therefore, when the former Muslims dwelled in the Levant (the region covering Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine), Egypt which its language was the Roman, the land of Iraq and Khurasan which their language was the Persian, and the people of Morocco which its people are the barbers, they made the people of those Arab countries speak Arabic until it overcame their own languages, Muslims and non-Muslim."

He said: The best way is to get used to speak Arabic until the young children get used to it everywhere which results in the emergence of Islam and its people and to be easy for the people of Islam in understanding the meanings of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the words of the Predecessors, unlike those who got used to a language then wanted to move to another which will be difficult for him.

Let it be known that getting familiar with a language affects powerfully the mind, the manners, and religion. It also affects imitating the Companions of this nation and the Followers, and imitating those Companions and Followers increases the power of the mind, religion, and good manners.

The Arabic language is part of religion and knowing it is obligatory and incumbent because understanding the Qur'an and the Sunnah cannot be understood but in Arabic. What cannot be done by an obligatory matter, it must be an obligatory too. Some of them are obligatory for individuals and some of them are obligatory as collective."

Hence you know that it is obligatory to avert from the word (etiquette) because it is widely spread among Muslims. These people do not abide by many of the Shari`ah rulings, and in the same time they are proud of replacing the Arabic language with non-Arabic, count that elegance and advancement, moreover, they describe their opponents with deterioration and backwardness.

Let us hold with the guidance of the Prophet and keep away from those opponents who keep away from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) who was sent with the best book that was revealed to the best nation.