Ismail Suleiman Sani, Kano
Decency is not just about restraint. It’s about courage, the courage to be fair when it’s unpopular, to listen when it’s inconvenient, and to act with integrity when no one is watching. When decency fades, polarization thrives. When it flourishes, communities heal.
In an age of viral outrage and digital noise, decency feels like an endangered virtue. It rarely trends, seldom shouts, and almost never demands attention. Yet, it remains the invisible thread that holds the social fabric together.
Across cultures and faiths, decency is revered, but in Islamic tradition, it is elevated to a spiritual discipline. Known as ‘adab’, it encompasses far more than politeness. It is a moral architecture built on humility, compassion, and justice.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, while underscoring that decency is not merely learned, it is divinely cultivated said, “My Lord trained me and gave me adab, and He gave me the best training,”.
In Nigeria, particularly Muslim communities, where social and religious tensions often simmer beneath the surface, the call for decency is not just philosophical, it’s urgent. Whether in politics, public discourse, or daily interactions, the erosion of respectful conduct has real consequences. When decency fades, polarization thrives. When it flourishes, communities heal.
Islamic teachings offer a blueprint. The Qur’an urges believers to “speak kindly to people” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83) and to “repel evil with what is better” (Surah Fussilat 41:34). These are not passive instructions, they are active calls to elevate discourse, even in the face of provocation.
But decency is not just about restraint. It’s about courage, the courage to be fair when it’s unpopular, to listen when it’s inconvenient, and to act with integrity when no one is watching. In this sense, ‘muru’ah’ the Islamic concept of noble character becomes a form of quiet resistance against moral decay.
In our Hausa communities, northern Nigeria to be specific, where tradition and modernity often collide, the revival of decency could be transformative. It’s not about nostalgia for a “simpler time,” but about reclaiming a shared moral compass. One that transcends tribe, class, and creed.
A question that might cross the readers’ minds is ‘How to live decent in an era of digital noice and stereotype environment? Of course there are etiquettes for one to stand strong and conquer the fear of living his/her daily life and modern challenges.
In Islam, decency isn’t a lofty ideal reserved for sermons, it’s a lived reality, woven into the fabric of everyday life. From the way one greets a neighbor to how one conducts business, Islamic ethics offer a roadmap for moral conduct that’s both timeless and deeply practical.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ famously said, “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” This isn’t just a moral suggestion, it’s a spiritual imperative, irrespective of your daily engagement as a business persons, civil servants, laborers, house wives, students, leaders, the masses; politicians and of course religious leaders.
A very fundamental question that may hit the heart of the reader of this piece could be “how these values show up in our daily life? Hopefully, the following areas discussed might ease understanding and curve the curiosity, insha Allah.
1. Speech and Interaction: Muslims are taught to speak kindly, avoid gossip, and greet others with peace (As-salamu Alaikum). Even online, the principle of haya (modesty) encourages respectful engagement.
2. Dress and Conduct: Modesty isn’t just about clothing, it’s about humility in behavior. Whether in the market or the mosque, Muslims strive to reflect dignity and restraint.
3. Business and Work: Honesty, fairness, and avoiding exploitation are core tenets. A handshake isn’t just a deal, it’s a moral commitment.
4. Family and Community: Respect for elders, kindness to children, and generosity to neighbors are daily expressions of decency rooted in Islamic ethics.
Islam, being the religion of all time, has proven its metamorphosis nature in suiting the principles of decency in the contemporary and fractured setting we live in, this is because, these values are being tested in the following ways.
Digital Spaces that’s social media often rewards outrage over civility. Maintaining ‘adab’ online, avoiding slander, showing restraint, is a new frontier for Islamic ethics. In the case of workplace especially secular environments, Muslims may struggle to uphold values like gender interaction boundaries (handshake for examples) or prayer schedules. Balancing faith with professional demands requires wisdom and courage. And it is important to remember the popular proverb which says, “there is no smoke without fire” This means, it will be very difficult if not impossible for someone who doesn’t understand his own values, neither his rights nor his limitations to practice the subject matter under discussion.
Another important area oc concern, is consumerism and vanity. The culture of self-promotion that clashes with Islamic humility. Decency means resisting the urge to flaunt wealth or status (mai capacity) even when society encourages it.
There are issues of global and glocal injustice, from Islamophobia to political oppression. Muslims are called to respond with dignity and justice to these kind un injustice and ignorance, not vengeance. Decency becomes a form of resistance. At this point, I will like to remind us that two wrongs never make a right. Sometimes people ignorantly attack or stereotype you base on either your ascribed or acquired identity, you are expected to resist to any form of descrimination intelligently and high sense of decency.
Therefore, Islamic ethics aren’t static, they evolve with context while staying rooted in divine principles. In contemporary settings, these values offer a moral anchor amid rapid change.
Again decency, in the Islamic worldview, isn’t weakness, it’s strength. It’s the quiet power to choose integrity over impulse, compassion over cruelty, and humility over pride.
In a world increasingly shaped by speed, spectacle, and division, decency may seem outdated, too quiet to compete, too gentle to lead. But in truth, it is precisely this quiet strength that makes it revolutionary.
Islamic ethics remind us that decency is not weakness, but wisdom. It is the daily discipline of choosing dignity over ego, compassion over cruelty, and justice over convenience. Whether in the bustling streets of your local community or the digital corridors of global discourse, the revival of ‘adab’ moral refinement, is not just desirable, it is necessary. Decency is not a relic of the past. It is the foundation of a future worth building.
Ismail Suleiman Sani writes from, Kano
