Life-of-Muhammad

244Life of Muhammad saindulge in these vices and the resolve to keep away fromfalsehood has now saved me from the other two also."INQUISITIVENESSThe Holy Prophet sa always exhorted people againstinquisitiveness and to think well of each other. AbuHuraira ra relates: "The Prophet sa said: ‘Save yourselvesfrom thinking ill of others for this is the greatestfalsehood, and do not be inquisitive or apply epithets toeach other out of contempt nor be envious of each otherand do not entertain ill feelings towards each other; leteach of you regard himself as the servant of God andtreat others as his brothers as God has commanded,'and also ‘Remember that every Muslim is a brother toevery other Muslim. No Muslim should trespass againstanother or desert another in times of distress or lookdown upon another on account of his lack of substanceor learning or any other thing. Purity springs from theheart and it is enough to defile a man's heart that heshould look down upon his brother. Every Muslim mustregard another Muslim's life, honour and property assacred and inviolate. God does not regard your bodiesnor your countenances nor your external actions butlooks into your hearts" (Muslim, Kitabul Birr Was Sila).FRANK AND STRAIGHTFORWARD DEALINGHe was anxious to safeguard Muslims againstindulgence in any form of unfairness in theirtransactions. Passing through the market-place on oneoccasion, he observed a heap of corn which was beingput to auction. He thrust his arm into the heap andfound that though the outer layer of the corn was drythe corn inside was wet. He inquired from the owner thecause of this. The man explained that a sudden showerof rain had made part of the corn wet. The Prophet sasaid that in that case he should have allowed the wet