Some people tend to engage others uselessly by offering excessive unsolicited advice and remarks, which may be solely based on their personal liking. For instance, after attending a wedding party that you and your wife had planned and organised, an invitee complains to you, “Dear brother, the wedding party was …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Keeping a Secret
A famous old saying goes, “Any secret that passes beyond two is bound to spread.” Someone was asked, “Who are ‘the two’ being referred to here?” He pointed to his two lips and said, “These two!” During the last few years of my life, I do not recall whispering into …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Smile and keep smiling
I have known a person for years, as he is one of my work colleagues. Would you believe me if I tell you that to this day I do not know if he has teeth or not! He is constantly frowning and sulking, as if smiling may decrease his age …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Do not be Dictatorial!
Compare between three fathers. Each one of them sees his son sitting in front of the television screen during the days of his examination. The first one says to his son, “Muhammad! Revise your lessons!” The second says, “Majid! If you do not revise, by Allah, I will hit you …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Respond to mistreatment with kindness
Most commonly when you deal with people, they treat you how they want to treat you, and not how you want to be treated. Not everyone you meet with cheerfulness is cheerful to you in return. Some of them may even become angry, think badly of you and ask, “What …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Who kicked the cat?
Who kicked the cat? Before you answer this question, read the story in full. A person used to work as a secretary for a very ill-mannered manager who did not have a single skill of dealing with people. This manager used to accumulate his workload and take upon his shoulders …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: How the Prophet dealt with Adversaries
The Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) would always be just with the disbelievers and even be ready to sacrifice his life in order to call them to Islam and rectify their affairs. He would bear their evils with patience and try to overlook their harms. Why would he not do so …
Read More »Interpersonal Skills: Be kind at the first meeting
It was the habit in some rural areas of old Egypt that a groom before his wedding night would hide a cat in his room. On the wedding night, when alone with his wife, he would move a chair slightly to so as to free the cat. He would then …
Read More »Purify your intention for the sake of Allah
I contemplated the way some people, some of whom I have lived with for years, deal with others,. I do not ever recall them laughing, or even smiling at a joke out of courtesy, or reacting positively to the person speaking to them. I used to think that perhaps this …
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