Adopting a Soft and Lenient Approach when Dealing with People:
‘Ataa bin Farrookh (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
On one occasion, Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) purchased a plot of land from a certain person. However, despite Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) calling the person to receive payment for the land, the person was delaying.
When Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) met the man thereafter, he asked him, “What prevents you from coming to collect your money?” The man replied, “The reason that I delayed in coming to collect the money is that I felt that you have not paid me a fair price for the land! Every person that I meet is rebuking me over the price at which I sold you the land.” Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) asked, “Is this really the reason for you not coming to collect your money?” The man replied in the affirmative.
Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) addressed the man saying, “The sale is complete, However, I give you an option to cancel the sale and take back your land or to leave the sale as is and take your money.”
Hazrat ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thereafter explained to him the reason for giving him the option of cancelling or allowing the sale to continue saying, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had made du‘aa saying, ‘May Allah Ta‘ala bless that person with Jannah who adopts a soft and lenient approach with people at the time of purchasing, selling, making payment and requesting payment.”
(Musnad Ahmed #410)
