Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 953 [Read full issue]
Samahah
Samahah is a comprehensive term, not easy to define in a few words. It has, nevertheless, been given a definition as "commendable easiness in matters in which people usually incline toward sternness and severity (tashdid) provided it does not lead to a mischief." Samahah is closely associated with the attitudes of liberality, generosity, gentleness, and dignified resistance to temptation and anger, and compassionate forbearance (hilm).
To avoid futile speech is an indication of good faith and a dimension of samahah, as in the following hadith: "Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him speak when he has something good to say, or else remain silent." [Muslim] One who practices samahah in his daily life also records an act of merit as in the following hadith: "May the mercy of God be on one who is lenient (samhan) when he sells, lenient when he buys, and lenient when he pays and lenient when he makes a demand." [Ibn Majah]
Compiled From:
"The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam: The Qur'anic Principle of Wasatiyyah" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 132-134