Developing a culture of listening is an essential attribute of being a complete human, as the ability to hear is among the most important of God’s blessing bestowed on mankind, mosque-goers will hear on Friday.
In fact, the aspects most dear to oneself and that sense of hearing and sight are key to learning and understanding the world around you, the imam will say.
“And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.” (An-Nahl: 78)
Mosque-goers will hear that it is one of the key elements that enable us to communicate effectively and a key aspect in familial matters.
In fact, the Prophet was the best of people in speech and in listening too, the imam will say, adding that the Prophet Mohammed listened to people and respected their opinions.
This was especially important for when the Prophet would listen to his wives intently and reflect.
Another occasion where listening plays a very important role is when parents listen to their children as it builds a personality, establishes the foundations of constructive dialogue and results in the children never hiding secrets from their parents.
The attribute of developing a culture of listening enables the listener to give full attention to others while in conversation and focus on what they are saying. This, the imam will say, is in line with how Islam has attributed great importance to such a civilised etiquette.
It was said that Umar Ibn Al Khattab, one of the Prophet’s most trusted followers, stopped his army and went to speak to a woman who needed his help.
The imam will say: “He smiled at her, nodded his head, solved her problem and then let her carry on. Thereupon, one of his men said, ‘You stopped the entire army for one old lady?’
“Umar replied: ‘Woe to you! Do you know who she is?’ The man said no. Umar replied, ‘This is a woman whose complaint Allah, the Most Sublime, listened to from above the seven heavens: this is Khawla bint Thaalabah. By Allah, if she did not leave me until night fell, I would not tell her to leave until she had got what she came for’.”
That was referring to when God listened to a woman who came to complain about her husband to the Prophet. The Prophet’s wife did not hear her complaints, but then God revealed in the Quran shortly afterwards an Ayah stating that God has heard her complaint.
‘Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.’” (Al-Mujadilah: 1)
The imam will say that being a good listener is a noble character, a praiseworthy merit and amongst the refined attitudes.
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