By Abdulaziz Al-Swayegh
CANADIAN students studying at the Media and Public Communications School of a Canadian university were surprised when they sat their final exam. The paper had one question: “What is the first name of the janitor at the school?” Only one student knew the answer and passed the course while the other 15 students failed. The students saw the janitor almost every day but none of them, except one, asked him his name or even talked to him. The teacher wanted his students to learn a very important lesson that success sometimes lies in simple things that we do not care about or even notice.
I learned this lesson from the late Professor Abdo Yamani, the former Minister of Culture and Information, when I worked with him. I saw him saying “Assalamu alaykum” to everyone at the ministry when he arrived in the morning. He would go to the janitor and shake hands with him and ask if he was doing well. He would ask all workers and employees, Saudis and non-Saudis, about their families and parents and whether he could do anything to help. He was such a great and kind man.
Some senior officials today intentionally avoid talking to workers and employees on their way to their offices. In fact, some of them ask janitors to prevent employees from using elevators, as they do not like waiting. Most officials pass workers and employees and never say “Assalamu alaykum.”
We can learn many things from Professor Yamani, the most important being that life does not center round academic achievements and holding senior positions. It is all about the way we treat others because our religion attaches great importance to how we treat others. As Muslims, we should put Islamic ethics into action and make them part of our daily life.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “O people, spread Salam (peace be upon you), give food, join ties with family, pray (at night) while people are asleep and you will enter Paradise in peace.”
