The Prophet used to modify slightly certain old proverbs in use to give a new meaning based on the thrust of his teaching. Among the Arabs there was a proverb, which exhorted people to leave a camel untied but put faith over its safety in God. When a person asked the Prophet about it the Prophet asked him to tie the camel and then depend on God for its safety. It was a more practical answer than asking anybody to depend blindly on God without doing one’s own duty. (Tirmidhi, Hadith Encyclopaedia CD, Ver.2.1, 2000, Hadith No. 2441)
Similarly there was a proverb, which exhorted people to help one’s brother whether he was an oppressor or a person who was oppressed by others. The Prophet gave a different interpretation for the same when somebody said to him that it was right to help a brother who was oppressed but asked how it was right to help him when he was an oppressor. The Prophet answered him saying that preventing him from treating people cruelly was the real help to him. (Bukhari, 1971, Hadith No.3.624, p.373)
An exellent essay on the Prophet's method of teaching.
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