The Islamic Art of Correcting Your Seniors

The Islamic Art of Correcting Your Seniors

by Nisaar Y. Nadiadwala on Friday, July 8, 2011 at 5:33pm

 

Lately I had made a mistake in an issue and it could have cast some trouble for me on the day of akhera. A reader and also a family friend corrected me but felt very bad for pointing out my mistake harshly...In the field of Da'wah and Islah at times you may meet a situation where your need to correct your seniors. They may be your father, or husband or elder or your teacher, and you find a desire to correct them but your are hesitant. How do you go ahead?

   In Surah Maryam, there is a dialgoue between Ibrahim a.s. and his father Azar. Read it again.. Surah Maryam ch 19 verse no 42.. onward... yaa Abaati !!! O my father !!!. Ibrahim a.s. is speaking to a man who promoted idol worship but he was his father, yet he did not avoid correcting his father, rather he spoke in a respected manner.. O My Father.....the same Ibrahim a.s. speaks to his ruler in Surah Baqarah...he argues wisely and does not keep himself far from doing da'wah to his ruler too. When Moses a.s. is commanded to go to Pharaoh he is reminded by Allah.. "speak to him softly perchance he may take a heed....."Allah the knower  of unseen knew that Pharoah will not take heed but an important lesson in etiquett was essential for the coming generation of Islamic callers.. known as daee's of Islam. In all the three above cases we learn two important lesson in Daw'ah and Islah....Don't run away from correcting elders and seniors... Do it with respect and kindness ...

  A woman came to the messenger of Allah s.a.w. and spoke baut her husband's hard efforts in worshiping..people thought that she is praising her husband.Umar bin Khattab was sitting over there and he understood that the lady was actually complaining about her husband's over stretched worship denying her rights as a wife ....The lesson for wives...You may complain about your husband's weakness to his seniors but with appreciation and not as allegations...

  Umar bin Khattab r.a. did not like the Prophet of Allah prayng salatul Janazah (the prayers for forgiveness for the dead) for a hypocrite.. he hold the dress of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh )and prevented him politely.. a mark of respect towards the beloved Prophet.

 Once the same Umar got into an arguments with his senior and the voices of both reached a height that troubled the messenger of Allah.. the Prophet did not like Umar bothering Abu Bakr who was senior in age to Umar and higher in contribution as well...Umar, later on, never raised his voice above the voice of Abu Bakr and it was seen even during the most severe crises  the ummah faced when the Prophet (pbuh ) died.. Umar was holding a sword and challenging any one who dared to say that the Prophet had died.. No one dared him till Abu Bakr came and said .. Umar sit down ! and Umar sat down.. Allah be pleased with both of them...

 Seniors can err and make mistakes or even a blunder at times.. Dont rebel against them, cool down.. Use your best diplomatic approach and achieve sawab for a great correction. Ahem Ahem Ahem.. any one for me?

Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala writes and speaks on socio-educatinal values from Islamic perspective. He can be reached at nisaar_yusuf@yahoo.com

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