SUPERIOR MORALITY
Love Thy Neighbours
SUPERIOR morality is the highest form of morality. It means consistently adhering to good ethics in every situation, regardless of experiencing negative behaviour from others. Superior morality is not based on the reactions of others, but rather on one’s own higher principles and standards. In Islam, morality is considered a form of worship, not a reciprocal human behaviour. A saying of the Prophet Muhammad is: “Do not be reciprocators (or imitators) who say, ‘If people do good, we will do good, and if they do wrong, we will do wrong.’
Rather, prepare yourselves so that even if people mistreat you, you will still treat them well.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) This means not becoming like those who only respond to others based on how they are treated. Instead, prepare yourself to treat others well even if they mistreat you. In Islam, the reward for worship increases with the addition of qualitative factors.
Similarly, when a person continues to exhibit good behaviour towards others despite experiencing negative treatment, their reward also increases. This is because they have reached a level where they prioritize the principles of good character over their own emotions. Sacrificing one’s emotions can be seen as sacrificing one’s ego, which is a significant sacrifice.
When a person remains unaffected by the negative behaviour of others in extreme situations and continues to uphold good character, this approach becomes a means of personal growth.
In normal situations, good character is simply considered as social manners. However, in extreme situations, exhibiting good character becomes a supreme form of worship. In normal situations, the display of good character does not necessarily contribute to the advancement of one’s personality. However, when a person remains unaffected by the negative behaviour of others in extreme situations and continues to uphold good character, this approach becomes a means of personal growth.
Regarding good morality, the Bible (Matthew 22: 39) states, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” The greatest opportunity for a person in terms of morality lies in their relationship with their neighbours. A neighbour is the closest companion to an individual. After the members of one’s own household, the people one encounters first are their neighbours. Maintaining a good relationship with them and treating them well is an important aspect of a person’s true character. Whether the neighbour belongs to the same religion or a different one, whether they are from one’s own community or another, they should always be considered and treated with respect. Their rights should be fulfilled in accordance with the demands of humanity. The Prophet Muhammad said, “Verily, they are not believers; verily, they are not believers; verily, they are not believers.” It was asked, “Who, O Messenger of God?” He said, “Those whose neighbours are not safe from their mischief.”
The Prophet Muhammad said, "Verily, they are not believers; verily, they are not believers; verily, they are not believers." It was asked, "Who, O Messenger of God?" He said, "Those whose neighbours are not safe from their mischief."
According to this Hadith, if Muslims mistreat their neighbour and cause them distress, it raises doubts about their faith and Islam itself. The instructions regarding neighbours in religious teachings indicate that a sincere person should unilaterally observe the rights of their neighbour. They should strive to treat them with kindness, disregarding any negative behaviour from them. A person’s humanity and the manifestation of their religious sentiments are first tested in their relationship with their neighbours. The neighbour is the identification of whether there is a human sentiment within an individual or not. If a person’s neighbour is happy with him, it can be understood that he is a righteous person. Conversely, if the neighbour is unhappy with him, it is evidence that he is not a righteous person. Being a good neighbour is proof of being a good human being. God will include such individuals in His blessings.