The Hadith of 'Your Smiling at Your Brother's Face is Charity: A Study from Da’awa and Hadith Perspectives'

Abstract

     The current study, entitled ''The hadith of your smiling at your brother's face is charity; a study from Da’awa and Hadith Perspectives'', aims to correct the misconception prevailing among some preachers that preacher's smile or laugh at the invited audience is disliked that it detracts the value of the preacher, and harms Da'wa. This study has clarified the error of this perception with the evidences from Qur’an and Sunnah, sayings and actions of ancestors, and requirements of lived reality.

     The study includes an introduction and two chapters. The first chapter deals the study of the Hadith. This chapter contains two sub-titles.  The first deals with the hadith and its narrators.  The second deals with the documentation of hadith and the proof of its validity. The second chapter deals with the study of Da’wa which includes three sub-titles. The first deals with the smile (definition, its relationship to laughter, its types and rulings). The second deals with the importance of smile and the third deals with the benefits of smiling.

     The study has concluded these findings: smiling, laughing and being fluent with the audience and people is a major reason for preacher's success.  Frowning and gloominess are a reason to alienate from the Da'wa. What is disliked is excessive laughter, not smiling and laughing in moderation. Smiling has benefits that affect individual and society, in various fields of da'wa, economy, society, health, and others.