Good manners, respecting others, and ensuring their rights result in friendly bonds between people, and removes dislike and grudges from their hearts. In this way the hearts become pure, sympathetic, and kind; so feelings of love and brotherhood prevail. The Messenger of Allah  said: “He is not from my nation, he who does not respect our elderly, have mercy upon our young, and honor our scholars.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Good moral conduct is the path to beneficial knowledge:

Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {…Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is acquainted with what you do.} [Quran 58:11]

We are so much in need today for beneficial knowledge that leads us towards the progress, glory, and dignity that we have lacked for a long time. At the same time, this would achieve for us the satisfaction of our Lord and knowledge that is not a result of [following] the inseparable two: whims and ignorance. Good manners save us from such things.

A student of knowledge – any type of knowledge –cannot obtain it without acquiring good manners first. Should a person obtain some knowledge without obtaining good manners, it shall have negative consequences on him in this life and in the Hereafter, because he risks being a bad scholar.

Our predecessors frequently cautioned about taking knowledge from someone who lacks good manners.

One of the righteous predecessors said, “One who seeks religious knowledge and does not have good manners is likely to tell a lie about Allah [The Exalted] and His Messenger.”

Another person said, “Through good manners, knowledge can be understood, and through knowledge, deeds are soundly performed.”

Good manners are a necessity:

Good manners are necessary for every Muslim with Allah The Exalted, the Prophet Muhammad  and with all creation. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {…And speak to people good [words]…} [Quran 2:83]

When there is interaction between a Muslim and another person, each one should fulfill the criterion of rights and obligations; and it is necessary to understand the principles needed for interacting with others. This is what is meant [here] by good manners. This can only be gained through acquiring knowledge. Some would say good manners are a kind of etiquette; but in reality they are a Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) and religion and a way by which to draw nearer to Allah The Exalted; and they are subject to the five basic Sharee‘ah rulings. Good manners are an obligation upon every Muslim to seek and to abide by [in everyday life]. Good manners constitute the following five basic Sharee‘ah rulings: that which is obligatory, forbidden; recommended, and that which is permissible, and that which is disliked.

• Obligations are known through good manners:

Through good manners a Muslim knows what his obligations are in worship, in daily practices, in his interaction with others and in his conduct. The Messenger of Allah  said, “May Allah have mercy upon a man who is forgiving if he sells, [who is forgiving] if he buys, and [who is forgiving] if he collects money due to him that he had lent out.” [Al-Bukhari]

• Good manners are the nation's image:

We require good manners so that a youth respects his elders, a student respects his teacher, a teacher respects his students, offspring respect their parents; a wife respects her husband. The Messenger of Allah  said, “He is not from my nation he who does not respect our elders, have mercy upon our young, and honor our scholars.” [Musnad Ahmad]

• Good manners are the result of the Da‘wah of the Prophets:

Good manners are the means to every virtue, and they are one of the purposes for sending messengers and the result of their Da‘wah (call to Islam).

The Messenger of Allah  said:

- “I was sent to perfect righteous manners.” [Ahmad]

- “A believer reaches with his good manners the rank of one who is fasting and praying throughout the night.” [Ahmad]

- “There is nothing heavier in the scales [of the Hereafter] than good manners.” [Abu Daawood]

- “I guarantee a house on the outskirts of Paradise for he who leaves arguing even if he is right; and a house in the center of Paradise for he who does not lie even when he jokes; and a house in Upper Paradise for the one who has good manners.” [Abu Daawood]

When you realize the value of good manners in Islam and how Islam gives much importance to it then know that acquiring good manners is comprised of two stages:

First: The manners that parents teach their children.

Second: The manners that a person acquires as he grows up.

Parents should teach their children basic manners, so that they become an essential part of their lives and they can easily acquire them as they grow up. Should teaching a young child good manners be ignored, it is very difficult to achieve that after he has grown up.

Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones…} [Quran 66:6]

Ibn ‘Abbaas  said (that protecting them in the verse means): “Educate them and teach them good manners.”

The manners required for a person when he is grown is to supplement what was missed, and this is what is required, because it is necessary for the reformation of the soul. With a righteous soul the body becomes sound; rather, a person’s whole life and affairs become sound.

Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {He has succeeded who purifies it [the soul], And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].} [Quran 91:9-10]

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.} [Quran 49:13]

The Muslim community is one of the most culturally diverse societies in the world. This especially holds true in America where Muslim immigrants, from places like the Middle East and Southeast Asia, among other places, are living their lives as strange bedfellows in a country that is foreign to them and, most importantly, where the predominately non-Muslim populace is generally mistrustful of Muslims. It's unfortunate that the flag of Islam is often times not enough to unite Muslims from varying cultural backgrounds.

The sleepy suburb of Dayton, Ohio is just one city in America where many Muslims live but very few connect with their Muslim brethren who mix in the exact same society as them. They cross paths on a regular basis but know little outside of their own culturally based sub-communities. "Our community is clearly split into smaller international communities," shares Soumy Ana, a Muslim teacher residing in Dayton. "Moroccans meet with Moroccans, Egyptians meet with Egyptians and Pakistanis stay amongst Pakistanis. Muslims here are clearly more comfortable with people from their birth country, who speak the same language, have the same profession and follow the same beliefs."

The Cultural Divide

Muslims from varying cultures usually look within their own 'mental' borders when it comes to socializing with others in the community and making friends. For example, a Pakistani Muslim will feel unity with one of their fellow compatriots more so than with a Muslim from another country who may not even speak the same language as they do. The scenario plays out in communities across the world and is prevalent in Mosques where even worshippers, in the congregational prayer, line themselves up according to their birthplaces. As a result of this cultural division, there is no viable unity in the Ummah, which is still an unfulfilled dream in the Islamic faith. "Understanding one another is sometimes hard because of the cultural differences. Culture and upbringing play a huge part in communication," says Ana, "For instance, I like to share my feelings while my Arab neighbor hides a lot of her feelings. She thinks I am too bold and I get angry when I do not know what is going on from her side. I notice that people from the same country tell almost everything to each other. They tell me little because they do not feel connected to me while they feel connected to someone else from the same country.”

Building Multicultural Bridges

With Islam consistently under fire from the mass media 'microscope', now more than ever Muslims must unite under the same banner of "La ilaaha illa Allah," regardless of race or socioeconomic standing. Coming together as Muslims is the best way for communities to create a sense of brotherhood, which will translate into an improved society by establishing a common bond and future goals. It starts with you. There are three ways to embrace the diversity of Muslims in your community and bring everyone together:

Self-discovery — Examining your own thoughts and feelings towards different cultures of Muslims will go a long way in laying the groundwork for acceptance and understanding. Do you feel intimidated or fearful of other cultures? Are you confused by their customs or national dress? Is a fear of rejection the only thing holding you back from extending a hand in friendship? These are all questions that you must ask yourself, first, in order to discover any preconceived notions lingering in your mind.

Social awareness — Exploring your community to find out exactly which cultures make up the fabric of your society is an essential step you can take to find out more about their backgrounds. Make a list of all of the cultures represented in your community as well as any social organizations specifically created for them. Next, use the power of the Internet to learn more about their customs and traditions.

Inclusion — It's easy to complain that a certain clique of Muslims is excluding you from their gatherings for whatever reason. But what's a bit more difficult is for you to reach out to include Muslims from various backgrounds into your own social functions. No one ever said it would be easy and there is always a risk of rejection. However, unless Muslims put themselves out there 'come what may' the cultural divide between Muslims will never be bridged.

It's not just about bringing people together, but rather it is also about giving people a sense of worth and social value which will plant a seed of trust that can be cultivated for years to come. Encourage your children to follow the same culturally diverse principles in school or on the playground. "Children should be given the pride of being Muslim and no pride at all being Malay or Pakistani or Saudi, etc.," summates Ana, "children should be taught by their parents that they do not have any nationality. Their nationality is Islam. This way, they will feel connected with all Muslims."