Iyaz bin Himar relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said: “Allah, the Most Exalted, has revealed to me that you should show courtesy and be cordial with each other so that nobody should consider himself superior to another nor harm him.” (Muslim)
This hadīth highlights the importance of courtesy and cordiality. Politeness or cordiality paves the way for lasting goodness. This is in fact the single salient trait of human character which distinguishes a civilized man from an uncivilized one. Since Islam aims at making a person man in the real sense, it moulds the very inner traits of those who pledge to live by its teachings.
Here Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) reveals the Divine wish that one should be humble and courteous towards others. A Muslim should be kind, gentle and considerate. He should never use his strength against his fellow beings. His ability, influence, wealth, shrewdness and physical prowess should not be used for the purpose of either suppressing and persecuting others or causing harm to them. One ought to be gentle, merciful, sympathetic and mild-tempered. By virtue of the intensity of his faith, the sincerity of character and his insight and perspicacity, a Muslim should work for the welfare and well-being of the Ummah in particular and society in general.
On many occasions, the Blessed Messenger enjoined his followers to be polite with one another. In another hadīth he said: “A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hands, other Muslims are safe.”