(84) Look with both eyes
We tend to be experts at noticing other people’s faults and commenting on them. But we rarely tend to be experts on noticing the good they have and the right things they do in order to comment positively.
Take, for example, a teacher with his students. All teachers tend to criticise the lazy student who does not do his work and is always late to his lessons. However, not many teachers comment positively about the student who is hardworking, punctual, and has good handwriting.
We often criticise the faults in our children but praise them little when they do good. This makes us lose many opportunities through which we can win over hearts.
Therefore, from the most important of all skills is to praise the good that people may have. The people of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari –may Allah be pleased with him– had great interest in reciting and memorising the Qur’an. Perhaps, they surpassed many other Companions in reciting the Qur’an with a melodious voice.
Once, they accompanied the Prophet Peace be upon himon a journey. When the people woke up one morning and gathered, the Prophet Peace be upon himsaid, “I can recognise the voices of our Ash’ari companions as they recite the Qur’an at night.
555
I also know their locations just by listening to their recitation at night, without ever needing to see where their places are when they stop over in the morning.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
If you were to have been with the Ash’aris and had heard the Prophet Peace be upon himpraising them in front of others, you would realise how it would make them even more enthusiastic.
One morning, the Prophet Peace be upon himmet Abu Musa and said to him, “You should have seen me last night as I attentively listened to your recitation. You have been given one of the flutes of the people of David.”
Abu Musa became overjoyed and delighted upon hearing this. He said, “If I had known that you were listening to my recitation, I would have recited even more proficiently.” (al-Hakim, Sahih. Its origin is in al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Yes, the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon himnever used to hide his feelings.
Rather, he would share them with his family. Just as he would tell the wrongdoer that he had erred, he would also tell the doer of good that he had done good!
‘Amr bin Taghlib –may Allah be pleased with him– was a man from amongst the Companions. He was not as distinguished in terms of knowledge as Abu Bakr, nor in terms of bravery as ‘Umar, nor in terms of memory as Abu Hurayrah. However, his heart was filled with faith, and this was something the Prophet Peace be upon him was well aware of. One day as the Prophet Peace be upon him was seated, there came to him some wealth which he began to distribute amongst the people. The Prophet Peace be upon him had a special way of distributing charity, war booty, or gifts amongst the people.
556
He would never arbitrarily give to people. Rather, following his own policy, he would give to some and not to others. However, some of those to whom the Prophet Peace be upon himdid not give harboured ill feelings as a result and questioned why they got nothing.
When the Prophet Peace be upon himfound out about this, he decided to rid their hearts of this ill feeling before it got worse. Thus, he stood amongst the people, thanked and praised Allah, and then said, “To proceed, by Allah, I give to some people and leave others out. The one I leave out is more beloved to me than the one to whom I give. I give to some people because of the impatience and discontent present in their hearts. I leave others because of the contentment and goodness Allah has bestowed upon them, and one such person of them is ‘Amr bin Taghlib.”
When ‘Amr bin Taghlib heard his praise in the midst of the people, he was overjoyed. He would always relate this hadeeth thereafter and say, “The sentence which Allah’s Apostle said in my praise is dearer to me than the possession of the finest red camels.” (al-Bukhari)
One day, Abu Hurayrah came forward and asked the Prophet Peace be upon him, “Who is the most felicitous person to obtain your intercession on the Day of Resurrection?”
It was, indeed, a good question. Surely much better than the question posed by another person who had asked, “When is the hour?”
The Prophet Peace be upon himsaid in order to encourage Abu Hurayrah, “I knew for sure that nobody would precede you in asking such a question due to the determination I have observed in you to obtaining knowledge.
557
The most felicitous person to obtain my intercession on the Day of Resurrection is he who has said, ‘There is no one worthy of worship except Allah’, sincerely from his heart.”
Salman the Persian was one of the best Companions, though he was not an Arab. He was the son of noble Persian whose father used to love him intensely and keep him very close to himself, so much so that he would often lock him up in the house out of fear for what may happen to him.
Allah entered faith into the heart of Salman – may Allah be pleased with him. He left his father’s house and travelled to Syria in search of the truth. A person tricked him and sold him to a Jew, pretending that he was a slave. After many other events, he finally reached the Prophet Peace be upon him.
The Messenger of Allah Peace be upon himappreciated him greatly. One day, as he Peace be upon himwas sitting amongst his Companions, Surat al-Jumu’ah was revealed to him. The Prophet Peace be upon himbegan to recite it to his Companions, as they listened attentively. He recited, “He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger from amon themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom. And verily, they had been before in manifest error.”
When he recited, “And others from among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Mighty, the Wise”, a man from amongst the Companions said, “Who are those people, O Messenger of Allah?” He Peace be upon himdid not respond.
He asked again, “Who are those people, O Messenger of Allah?”
558
The Prophet Peace be upon himturned to Salman, placed his hand on him, and said, “Even if faith were near the Pleiades, a man from amongst them (i.e., the Persians) would surely find it.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)

A point of view...
Be optimistic and have good opinion of people. Encourage them so they give more.
559