Peace, love, and goodness—all values and dealings advocated by our noble Messenger, who instructed us to practice them with everyone around us. Our friend Amar understood this matter, and this was his way of implementing it. Amar returned from school one day and sat talking to his father about what he had learned from his workshop. He said to his father: Do you know, father, that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to go to the market without having any need in it? His father replied: And how is that, Amar?
Amar said: I learned, father, that the Companion Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to go to the market with his friend Thufayl, who was amazed at the Companion Abdullah’s going to the market without having any need there. Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, told him that he goes to the market eager to spread peace and disseminate it among people as the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded.
His father said: My son, this is indeed a true statement, and I am proud of what you learned. Did you know that our noble Messenger actually said in his noble hadith: “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you about something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves.” (Narrated by Muslim).
Amar asked him: What does “spread” mean, father? His father replied that spreading peace means disseminating it among people and doing it frequently because Allah multiplies our good deeds when we do this action. One day, a man passed by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and greeted him with peace. The Messenger of Allah said: That is ten good deeds. Another passed and greeted with peace, and the Prophet said: Thus twenty good deeds.
Another passed and greeted with peace, and the Prophet said smiling: Those are thirty good deeds. Then the father said: Thus Amar, that was the total of good deeds, complete. Whenever peace is offered, good deeds increase. Amar replied: I understand now, father, why Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, was keen to go and offer peace to all people whenever he went to the market, where this place is crowded with people, meaning multiplied numbers of good deeds.
Whenever a Muslim’s good deeds increase, his chance of entering Paradise increases. His father advised him to offer peace to his friends, teachers, and relatives, and not forget to respect those older than him and be kind to them. Amar embraced him and said: May you be safe, father. I promise you that I will do what you advised me and I will offer peace to everyone I know, for peace is one of the ways to convey love between us and those around us, and it is the shortest path to Paradise.