GB Writes

Allah states:

“Those whom believe pay attention: Revere Allah and speak a Straight-Word.”

(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.33, V.70)

Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated:

“ad-Dīn (al-Islām) is an-Nasīhah (Correction).”

(an-Nawawī)

“Always speak Truth, even if it’s bitter.”

(ibn-Hibbān&al-Bayhaqī)

Sometimes, we’re correctly gently. Sometimes, we’re corrected harshly. However, regardless of how we’re corrected: we must at All-Times possess at-Tawādhi` (Humility), to accept receiving an-Nasīhah (Correction). Trust me, I know via Personal Life-Experience: an-Nasīhah doesn’t always feels good. Yet, at the Same-Time: it ain’t about how we “feel”, it’s about what’s Right and what’s Wrong. At the Same-Time: there’s a Difference between being Right and being Correct. What someone relates can be Factual-Info., but it can also be conveyed in a Shitty-Way (lacking Positive-Character/Behavior).

As Muhammad stated:

“Character will weigh heaviest upon the Scales.”

(an-Nawawī)

This is precisely how/why the Ole-Saying:

“It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

has so much Truth/Honesty to it, in spite of the Saying being very Cliché.

Consideration must/should be taken, relative to one’s Audience, regarding Nasīhah-Methods which one chooses to use. At the Same-Time though, every Nasīhah can’t be delivered in a “Nice/Sweet-Way”. Also, let me clarify: there’s a Difference between being harsh and being disrespectful. In no Way am I advocating that Disrespectful-Nasīhah be imposed upon anyone. What I’m definitely saying though, is that sometimes Nasīhah has to be a Hard-Lesson.

Amongst the Most-Important Things needed, in order to ensure that an-Nasīhah is actually accepted:

ar-Ri’f/Tolerance

as-Sabr/Patience

One must deal with the Reality that everyone isn’t going to convey Things in a Nice-Way, or Correct-Way. One must endure the Existence of Persons whom’re Harsh-Individuals. One must deal with the Reality that everyone’s not going to respect/accept our Nasīhah. One must endure Persons whom’re Stubborn-People.

As Muhammad stated:

“Arrogance is denying Truth, as well as belittling Other-People.”

(an-Nawawī)

An Ideal-Way to remember this is the 2-Differences between the `Ālim (Knowledgeable-Person) and the Jāhil (Ignorant-Person):

1. An `Ālim is always willing to recognize/accept the Reality that they don’t know everything. A Jāhil thinks/feels that they know everything.

2. An `Ālim is always willing to recognize/accept the Reality that they can learn something from anyone, regardless of whether they’re Right or Wrong. A Jāhil thinks/feels that they’re the Only-Person whom can teach someone something.

Throughout the Course of our Lives, there’s 2 Staple-Occurrances which’ll always happen:

Someone’s going to correct us.

We’re going to correct someone.

It’s no gettin-around this. It’s just going to take place. Yet, we all must attempt to show-up as the Best-Versions of ourselves (thereby ensuring the Best Nasīhah-Results).

We’ve 0-Control, as per how an-Nasīhah is conveyed to us. We’ve Complete-Control, as per whether we choose to accept an-Nasīhah. We’ve 0-Control, as per how Others accept an-Nasīhah from us. We’ve Completely-Control, as per how we convey an-Nasīhah.

Gareth Bryant