The Importance Of Minor Matters At Home (Article) by Ghulam Ahmed Parwez

The Importance Of Minor Matters At Home

Eleventh Letter to Tahira

My dear Tahira, you must be wondering about the fact that on the one hand, the Quran suffices with basic instructions on important matters of life, while on the other hand it gives specific guidance on minor matters in society. For instance: "Don't be caustic to people; do not shout (or yell); do not be arrogant; get permission before you enter somebody's house; How you should sit formally; if you have completed your work, do not waste other people's time in aimless talking etc. etc". But my dear, perhaps you have not pondered over how important these little things in life are! Major problems are faced in life occasionally, and these are generally confronted by special people. But you come across these everyday happenings at every step in a society, and by everybody.

Small Happenings

The foundation of the fort of life, no doubt, is built upon those facts which the Quran describes as principles, but the rest of the building is constructed on it by these bricks which are known as the daily small happenings. Just imagine, no matter how much of a 'man of principle' a person is, if he is impolite and caustic, then although the people who deal with him will learn from his principles, he will in fact cause them more distress than benefit by his impoliteness. People will shrink away from him and avoid meeting him. In fact, a person's character is depicted by these small gestures. Adhering to principles is like fuel in the car of life. It is true that a car moves with petrol in it, but you know how much Saleem cares for the engine oil that goes with the petrol. He says the lack of petrol would at the most bring the car to a halt, but if the oil is not there, it would burn the engine. If following principles is like petrol, then the 'small details' of life work like oil. If these are missing, they cause friction which can burn the delicate strands of a mutual relationship. Just consider whether these small details which the Quran describes for social life are of passing importance, or are they vital like permanent values? Is impoliteness and being caustic, which was shunned fourteen hundred years ago, considered praiseworthy today? You will see that these things are just as important today as they were then. These social etiquette and manners have their own standing, and it is absolutely necessary to follow them and to preserve them.

Social Manners at Home

These social manners and morés are important in every aspect of life, but their importance is greatly enhanced in home-life. I see so many families (husband and wife; or other relatives) where there was nothing objectionable as a rule, but ignoring these niceties at home ruined their peace and contentment; or at least it is no longer the same between a husband and wife, a life which the Quran calls a haven of love and peace. Just think of it, when a husband comes home with a smiling greeting and the wife greets him graciously, how depressions and frictions can get drowned! When one person's un-intentional mistakes could be rebutted by only a real smile, it would certainly reward one with a heavenly home. Also, if one person flares up and the other remains soft-spoken, this would douse a fire. On the other hand if a wife gets annoyed and goes to the other room poutingly, instead of discussing a conflicting problem seriously, it could create a deep rift between the two people. Also not admitting one's shortcoming, and keeping on arguing to prove one's point, can rob a home of its peace. Here I am talking about impoliteness or sour behaviour and the like, but I have observed that carelessness in small matters around the house creates a tense atmosphere at home. You must have seen your late aunt, but you did not have the opportunity to observe (or study) her home-life. You were quite young when she died. About her, I can say with certainty, that she never ever committed a crime or sin throughout her whole life.

Exemplary Righteous Woman

She was a rare example of honest and upright life, a personification of honesty and chastity. So soft hearted was she that if a thorn pricked the foot of a servant, she would cry the whole night. She was such a contented woman that she never asked your uncle to buy her clothes or jewellery. Your uncle led a simple and modest life, despite his handsome income. By simple life, I mean that whatever was left over after fulfilling their general needs, was spent on constructive purposes for the welfare of humanity. He was posted to a high office. Everybody could see the affluent life-style of his contemporaries. They had cars, big bungalows, servants, chandeliers, glitter, jewellery, and expensive clothes. In short, they had everything that is considered essential for the household of officers. Your Aunty could see all that and realized the comparatively simple life of her home, which may be referred to as "poor". But she never cared and never complained, let alone even thought of what her standard of living was compared to theirs (The Jones). You will be surprised to know that the late lady did not know what your uncle's salary was, and neither did she ever feel the need to inquire. Ponder, Tahira! Could you find such a woman today? You also have your uncle whom you know better than I do. If she was unique among women, then he was a person of outstanding qualities among men. He has lofty qualities of head and heart, even in his old age. It is so obvious that if you do not find heavenly the family life of such a husband and wife, where else would you find heaven on this earth? But you will be surprised to know that in spite of all this, the outcome of such a companionship was not as pleasant as it should have been. But do not misunderstand! You can gauge the nature of their companionship from the fact that your aunt passed away when your uncle was still a middle-aged man. But after that, the idea of a second marriage did not even cross his mind. He has said to you many times, "I did not marry again because I could not find another woman like your aunt". What I want to say is that having all those good qualities would have ensured a heavenly home, but it was not. The reason was that although the late lady had such high standards of principles, she was not careful enough about the small everyday happenings. She was not a terse or impolite woman. How could such a sensitive and sympathetic woman be like that! But she was not careful about the small niceties around the house. On the contrary, uncle used to be very careful about the little details along with the lofty principles.

Punctuality

For example, he believed in being on time. You must have noticed, punctuality was so important for him, and he was intensely particular about it. But your aunt, (like it is usual for the woman in our society), was never bothered by punctuality. This is a small issue, but think how much friction they must have been having on this one point, throughout the day. By friction, I do not mean quarrelling, I mean mental confrontations. Particularly, for a sensitive person like your uncle, this type of mental friction was worse than quarreling. We often noticed that whenever they had to go out somewhere, uncle used to be ready and waiting outside the door, but Aunty took her time coming out from the house.

Not a thing in its place

On inquiry you found out that she could not find one of the shoes of the pair. This was the second difference in their habits. Uncle believed in a neat life style. You could get at this neatly kept things even in the darkness of night. You only had to reach for the thing you wanted, and you would find it even in the dark. In contrast, aunty's predicament was that if she found the salt shaker, then she would not find the pepper shaker. If the motor was in front of her, then she could not find the pressing stone. Whenever you went to her house, the first thing you heard was, "I had it in my hand a minute ago, but can't remember where I put it". This was the third point of incompatibility in their habits. Uncle's memory is so sharp, till today, that he can tell you where a stone or electric post used to be thirty years ago.

Absent-Minded

Aunty's forgetfulness was such that one evening I saw the girdle on the stove and she looked worried. When asked, she told that she had forgotten to knead the flour. She realized this only when she put the girdle on the stove. On the other hand, uncle's habit was such that if he would not get his meal on time, then he would not eat.

Mismanagement

We had seen that when heading towards the bathroom from his room, on the way he would straighten a bed, or move a chair to its proper position, or arrange a curtain properly, or pick up a child's misplaced book and put it in the satchel. But when he reached the bathroom, he would notice that soap was missing, but the towel was there. If his shirt was there then his vest was not. He used to protest loudly over this. He knew how heavily the scales of untidiness tilted towards his wife's good traits. These drawbacks of her were due to wrong upbringing. He felt quite unnerved by it, as you can guess! But do not measure your aunt as raw material in house hold affairs or management. Absolutely not. The only thing was that she was not as careful as your uncle about small niceties around the house. It would not have mattered if your uncle, too, was like that. However, since his disposition was different, he used to suffer. If only aunty would have tried a little it would not have been difficult to over come her shortcomings. She should have done so.
Now, your friends, if not you, would surely remark: "See Mr. Parwez is after all a man, so he has sided with men". He says, "Aunty should have changed and made her habits congruent with uncle's. Why does he not say that uncle should have tried to walk along aunty's traits"? But dear, if you look carefully, you will discern the fact that I am not for or against anybody. It is obvious that aunt's carelessness was not a good habit. On the contrary uncle's life-style was commendable. That is the reason why I have said that aunty should have changed her habits to eliminate the friction. If uncle would have been the careless one, and aunty careful, then I would have suggested the same thing for uncle.
If you ask, what if both had been careless? Then either they would have corrected their habits with mutual consent, or if that was not possible then they would have gone along with each other without friction.

Compatibility

But how this kind of careless home affects children is quite obvious. It is absolutely necessary for a husband and wife to be compatible, first of all in principles then in matters of habits and directions. Do you know why Quran forbids the marriage of a believer Momin to a non-believing Mushrik woman or vice-versa? (2:221) Faith and disbelief are two antagonistic principles that take you to two different tracks of life. (I have told you this many times before). Quran wants to highlight this fact that men and women of antagonistic beliefs can never have a harmonious married life. If two such people do get married, then they would have a life of hell. Quran says, people who want to perpetuate such a relationship do beckon you to the fire. But God beckons you, as per this commandment, to a life that promises to be heavenly and protects you from destruction (2:221).
Have you pondered Tahira, why Allah considers the incompatibilities in matrimonial relationships as hell? These verses bring forth principal differences in faith, which are widely opposite ways of life. The Quran goes as deep as to say: Women impure are for men impure and women impure for men impure. In contrast to it: And women of purity are for men of purity and men of purity are for women of purity. (24:26). "Impure and pure" are very concise terms of Quran. They encompass the purity and impurity of mind and heart, piety and sordidness of habits, and of a character being pleasant or unpleasant. Quran discerns the compatibility of beliefs and practices as a basic condition for a husband and wife. It ties a hellish man with a hellish woman, and a heavenly man is strung together with a heavenly woman. Therefore, it is incumbent for making your married life heavenly, that a wife should instill all the good habits of her husband and a husband should make himself congruent with all the pleasant traits of his wife. In this context everyday niceties need to be especially pampered. Leave alone our headstrong men whose brains are ridden with the faulty notions that men are in every way superior to women and have an upper-hand over them, and that therefore it would be an insult to condone their wives good traits. But our women, too, are too lazy to bring a change in themselves. Whenever, or if ever the husband encourages them to change, they retort by saying that they have been molded that way and that they would remain the same, whether they are good or bad.
"You can find the woman you desire from the West, so bring them from there". Just think, my daughter, what a negative mentality this is, and how destructive this kind of foolishness could be. If a husband and wife's relationship is like a body and apparel, then they have to fit to each other. The apparel should fit the body. The Quran says: They are your garments and you are their garments (2:187).
Now do you understand why the Quran emphasizes the everyday niceties, and how important they are for home-life? God be with you. My blessings for young Javed!
Please listen, by no means should your Uncle see this letter. He just cannot stand anything said against your late aunt. That respected lady had such a high character, and what a husband he was with such a purity of thought! Where one would find such people now!


Parwez
July 1956