The Islamic Life

male agents. When she learnt that Mr. Ajwani represented a pharmaceuticals company, she lost no time in placing a sizeable order with him, and added that since she always needed large quantities of medicines in her clinic, he could take it that she would be a regular customer and that he could keep sending her supplies every month. After dinner, he immediately trunk-called his boss from his hotel to give him the good news. His boss could hardly believe his ears and thought at first that he must be joking. But two days later, he thought quite differently when he received the cheque and the order signed by her. On a subsequent occasion when I had occasion to meet Mr. Ajwani, I asked him, just by the way, to give me some good business tips. He replied, “Polite conversation and gentlemanly behaviour.” I added, “Yes, even when there appears to be no obvious advantage!” Polite behaviour falls into two categories. One follows the conventional etiquette reserved for relatives, acquaintances and people with whom one’s interests are associated. It is socially beneficial in that it makes relationships easier, smoother and more generally civilized. The other kind of good behaviour is completely natural, straight from the heart and based on genuine consideration for others. When it becomes a matter of habit with people from all walks of life, it is of inestimable value in all human relations. It is not, of course, something which one ‘switches on’ in the hopes of immediate reward, but is something rather which eventually benefits one in innumerable, often intangible, ways, simply because it makes for social harmony at its best. □