It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (ra) that the Prophet (saw) said: “Thinking well of people is part of worshipping properly.” (Abu Dawud)

All human being have been created with a natural inclination to do good, even though there is some inclination to do evil due to the whispers of Satan. Allah (swt) said: “Adhere to the fitrah of Allah with which He has created all people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah.” (Qur’an 30: 30). He (swt) said: “We have certainly created human beings in the best stature.” (Qur’an 95: 4)

Similarly, the Prophet (saw) is reported to have said that every human child is born with the fitrah, in a natural state of goodness. Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (saw) said: “No child is born except with the fitrah (of pure Islamic Monotheism), and then his parents convert him into a Jew or a Christian or a Magian (fire-worshipper), just as an animal gives birth to a perfect baby animal. Do you find any among them that are mutilated at birth?” (Bukhari)

As such, we should always look at the positive qualities of our fellow human beings and think well of them. After all, we are all human beings and in that respect all equal in the sight of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) said: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair of a) male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (the person who is) the most righteous of you, and Allah has Full Knowledge and Well-Acquainted.” (Qur’an 49: 13)

Therefore, there is no good in being overly-suspicious or spying on one another. In most cases, suspicion only leads to backbiting, gossiping, rumor mongering, jealousy, and envy, all of which consequently lead to enmity of each other and the weakening and break-up of the community. That is why these actions were forbidden by Allah’s Messenger (saw).

It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that Allah’s Messenger said: “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not seek out one another’s faults; do not spy on one another; do not compete with one another (in material wealth); do not envy one another; do not hate one another; and do not turn away from one another. O slaves of Allah, be brothers (and sisters to one another).

It is really counterproductive to seek out people’s private faults and afterwards spread news of them in public, since no one is perfect. Allah’s Messenger Muhammad (saw) is reported by the companion Anas (ra) as saying: “Allah of Adam’s descendants are prone to error, and the best of the error-prone are those who repent often.” (Ibn Majah). In another hadith, the Prophet (saw) said: “A Muslim is a brother to a Muslim. He does not wrong him or let him suffer (nor does he forsake him when he is in need). Whoever takes care of his brother’s needs, Allah will take care of his needs too. Whoever relieves a Muslim of some distress in this world, Allah will relieve him of some distress on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allah will conceal his fault on the Day of Resurrection.” (Abu Dawud)

Thus, according to the main hadith under discussion, if we concentrate of having good thoughts about people and cease from looking and seeking for their faults, we will benefit from the good that Allah (swt) has placed in them through the mutual cooperation in good works which will naturally develop among us.

It was narrated by Ibn Umar (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (swt) said: “You will find that people are like a hundred camels among whom a man cannot find one that is fit for riding.” (Muslim)

Furthermore, with this approach of looking for the good side of others we will not waste much of our precious time on useless idle talk about our fellow human beings that can eat up our righteous deeds. Instead, we will reflect on our own selves and how we will fare in our graves and in front of Allah (swt) for judgement on the Day of Resurrection. This in itself is as the hadith states: “Part of perfection of our worship of Allah.”

Let us weigh what we think about our fellow human beings and be especially careful about what we say about them, for indeed good thoughts about people joins hearts together, which in itself is part of proper worship of Allah.

by Yahya M.A.O