Ethics of Islam

starts after the three-day limit and continues to grow as days pass
by. Growth of the sin continues until the make up. Rasûlullah
‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “Go to a
person who has offended you and make up! Forgive the person
who oppressed you. Be good to a person who treated you badly!”
There will be ten rewards (thawâb) for a person who says
“Assalâmu ’alaikum” and twenty rewards for one who says
“Assalâmu ’alaikum wa rahmatullah” and thirty rewards for one
who says “Assalâmu ’alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakâtuh”.
There will also be equal amounts of rewards for those who return
the greetings in the same manner, i.e., ten rewards for one who
says, “Wa ’alaikum salâm”, twenty rewards for one who replies
“Wa ’alaikum salâm wa rahmatullah” and thirty rewards for the
one who returns the greetings (salâm) by saying “Wa ’alaikum
salâm wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh”. A person who does not
make up within the three-day limit will be punished in Hell if he
does not receive forgiveness or intercession (shafâ’at). It is
permissible, and even mustahab, [1] to perform “hijr” to a sinning
person for the purpose of giving him a lesson. It is a methodical
isolation imposed for the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Rasûlullah ‘sall-
Allâhu ’alaihi wa sal-lam’ states in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “The best and
most valuable of all good deeds and worships is ‘hubb-i fillâh’ and
‘bugd-i fillâh’.” “Hubb-i fillâh” means loving for the sake of
Allâhu ta’âlâ and “bugd-i fillâh” means dislike and separation for
the sake of Allâhu ta’âlâ. Allâhu ta’âlâ asked Mûsâ (Moses)
‘alaihis-salâm’: “What have you done for Me?” When he
answered that he had performed “salâts” and fasted and given
alms and made remembrance (Dhikr), i.e., mentioned His name
often. Allâhu ta’âlâ said to him: “The “salâts” you have
performed are a proof (burhân) for you, i.e., they will protect you
from doing evil deeds; the fast you have performed is a shield for
you, i.e., it will protect you from Hell fire; the alms (zakât) you
have given will give you shade during the Judgement day; and the
remembrance (Dhikr) you have made will give you light during
the day of reckoning at the gathering place. Yâ Mûsâ! What have
you done for Me? This time Mûsâ ‘alaihis-salâm’ begged Allâhu
ta’âlâ to reveal to him how he could do something for Him. “Yâ
Mûsâ,” said Allâhu ta’âlâ. “Have you had love for My friends and
have you stayed away from My enemies?” Thereupon Mûsâ
[1] A meritorious act, which Islam commends, although it is not
obligatory.
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