Don’t be a jerk: it’s not just for Muslims…Dovetailing nicely on yesterday’s discussion, Wil Wheaton—yes, that Wil Wheaton—posted some great advice on his tumblog recently (taken from here).
- Don’t smoke when someone around you is visibly uncomfortable
- When someone buys you food or coffee, try to return the favor within a week
- If you ask your friends for help with housework, feed them as payment
- If you stay the night at someone’s house, make the bed or fold the blankets when you leave
- Don’t let your arguments escalate in public. Find someplace else to continue where others won’t feel uncomfortable
- Don’t use a speakerphone to have a 2 person conversation unless your hands are unable to hold the phone
- Always leave the last piece for the person who bought it unless they insist they won’t eat it
- When someone else cooks for you, offer to help clean up the kitchen
- Turn the volume down when you’re watching a video or playing a game on your phone in a public place, or better yet, use headphones
- Pay back borrowed money as soon as possible no matter how little the amount is. Don’t assume that they don’t need it and never make them ask you for it
In short, don’t be a jerk.
And if you see good advice somewhere, take it. Don’t discard it just because it comes from some unlikely source.
May Allah guide us to give better advice in a better manner, and may He help us to accept sincere advice from whoever or wherever, ameen.
