|
![]()
|
AKHLAAQ
Good Moral Character
Shaikh Muhammad Akoonjee
Just as ‘Aqaa’id (Beliefs), ‘Ibaadaat (Acts of Worship), Mu’aamlaat (Dealings) and Mu’aashrat (Social Manners) are components of religion that is called Islam, likewise we should not be unmindful that Akhlaaq (Moral Character) is also a vital component for the development of our Imaan. As such, it is a teaching of the Quraan and of our Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), as he said, “The most perfect of believers in Imaan are the best of them in Akhlaaq.”
Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) has also said, “I was sent to perfect good Akhlaaq.”
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) assured and certified the noble character of our Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) in the Glorious Quraan, As He says, “Certainly you are on great Akhlaaq” i.e. an embodiment of good character and moral.
“Indeed there is for you in the messenger of Allah, a good example.”
Prophet Hadhrat Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said the following:
“There is not anything that will be placed on the scale more weighty than good Akhlaaq, and, certainly, the one who has good Aklaaq reaches by it the rank of one who continuously observe Saum (Fasts) and performs abundant (Nafl) Salaah.”
“The dearest of you to me is he who is the best of you in Akhlaaq.”
“Certainly Allah is compassionate, He loves compassion and He bestows reward on compassion that which He does not bestow on harshness.”
So perfection in Imaan and Taqwaa (Piety) cannot be attained without good character and moral.
Let us now read further and try to understand how the purification of character and moral perfects a person’s relationship with Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) and elevates his loftiness and nobility.
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) said: “The most honorable of you by Allah is the most Allah-fearing one (having Taqwaa).
The Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) said, “Certainly, in the body is a piece of flesh, when it is correct the entire body is correct and when it is corrupt the entire body is corrupt. Behold! And it is the heart.”
A man is made up of two fundamental components. The first component is visible and easily recognized — this is the physical body, which Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) created from soil. This physical and external form is called Soorah. We commonly use the word “body”.
The second component is not visible, nor is it physical and has no external form. It is the soul. The soul is pure and has a higher status and function, since it is directly connected to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa). Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says:
“Say: the soul (Rooh) is by the command of my Lord.” (Quraan)
It has an internal form recognized by different behavioral characteristics. This internal form is the personality and character and is called Seerah.
Attached to the soul is a force called the Nafs (Spirit, a place of carnal desires), which directly influences the behavior and action of a man to either do good or bad. If it is disciplined and purified from bad qualities, by a process called Tazkiyah-e-Nafs (purification of the Nafs), it will assist a man to gain the closeness of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa).
But if the soul is hindered and obstructed by spiritual defects and deficiencies, causing the person to commit evil and sinful acts under the influence of the Nafs and Shaitaan (Satan), it will now become difficult for the soul to be functional and to progress. For example, for the physical body to be functional, it must be well-balanced, healthy and well maintained. In this instance, “Well-balanced” means that the limbs and organs have to be free from all kinds of defects. “Healthy” means the body is enriched with vigor and strength and free from any deficiency. It will be “well maintained” by means of a healthy diet, exercise, bathing, puffing of oil and combing of the hair, etc.
Similarly, for the soul to be functional, it also has to be well balanced, healthy and well maintained. “Well-balanced” means the character must be free and purified from ignorance, foolishness, tyranny, cowardice, greed, shamelessness and other bad and sinful qualities; and “healthy” means the character must be enriched with knowledge of Deen (Religion), intelligence, bravery, affection, modesty and other good and praiseworthy qualities. It will be “well maintained” and developed by being nourished through the love and consciousness of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) in the heart; by abundantly remembering and praising Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) with the tongue and by the body being constantly obedient to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) and His Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam).
Hence, the end result is a beautiful personality of good moral character with a sound heart, i.e. a heart that willingly submits to Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), follows the footsteps of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) in every aspect of life and distances itself from internal and external sins. Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) tells us that on the Day of Judgment neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit except he who came to Him with a sound heart.
Tawaadhu’ (Humbleness) is one of the foundations of Akhlaaq. Without it one cannot attain the closeness, true love and obedience of Almighty Allah. Shaitaan lacked this very quality despite his profound knowledge and excessive ‘Ibaadah (worship). Hence, his arrogance made him the accursed and rejected one. “Humbleness” means to regard oneself as most insignificant and inferior to others, to the extent that if one were to witness with one’s own eyes somebody committing a sin, one would neither look down upon that person nor consider oneself superior.
Let us now look at the other qualities referred to when the word Akhlaaq is used in Prophetic teachings. They are:
- Tauheed - Oneness of Allah
- Ikhlaas – Sincerity
- Taubah - Repentance
- Muhabbah – Love
- Shouq – Enthusiasm
- Uns — Tranquility
- Khauf — Fear
- Zuhd — Abstinence from the comforts of the world
- Tawakkul — Reliance
- Hilm — Tolerance
- Radhaa — Pleasure
- Rajaa — Hope
- Qanaa’ah — Contentment
- Shukr – Gratitude
- Sabr — Patience
- Sidq – Honesty / Perfection
- Tafweedh — Entrusting
- Muraaqbah — Meditation of the presence of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa)
There are other qualities as well which have been given in various books of by Ulamaa and Mashaaikh especially in the writings related to Tariqah.
These qualities are also called as Aakhlaaq-e-Hameedah (praiseworthy characteristics and traits) and
Akhlaaq-e-Faadhilah (out-standing characteristics and traits).
Opposite to these praiseworthy qualities, are the qualities which are sinful and forbidden and from which we have been warned to abstain. As Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) says in the Quraan:
“And leave out the external sins and the internal (sins).”
Hadhrat Anas reports: The Messenger (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) said to me:
“O my son! If you are able to attain morning and evening (spend the entire time) while there isn’t in your heart malice for anyone then you should do so.” Then he said: “O my son! And that is from my practice and whoever loves my practice, so, indeed, he loves me and whoever loves me, will be along with me in Jannah (Paradise).
Here are the qualities called Akhlaaq-e-Zameemah (blameworthy characteristics and traits) and Akhlaaq-e-Razeelah (debasing characteristics and traits).
- Hirs — Greed
- Tama’ — Avarice
- Kizb — Lies
- Hasad — Jealousy
- Riya – Show off
- ‘Ujb — Conceit
- Bughdh and Haqd -Hatred and Malice
- Hubb-ud-Dunyaa — Love of the world
- Ghadhab — Anger
- Bukhl — Stinginess
- Takabbur — Arrogance
- Hubb-e-Jaah — Love for fame
For understanding what all these terminologies are referring to, one will have to consult with Ulamaa and if someone seriously desires to create Akhlaaq Hameedah in himself, he should consult a Sheikh-e-Kaamil (Perfect Spiritual Guide)
We will now relate three stories from many of the stories regarding the conduct and tolerance of our beloved Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) and the beloved servants of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), the first story relates to our Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) and the other two relate to the beloved servants of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa).
The Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam)’s life is filled with incidents where he did not avenge a bad deed with a bad deed, In fact, the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) responded with a good deed, despite the torments and sufferings he suffered at the hands of the non-believers.
One example of this is during the Battle of Uhud, when Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was severely wounded and bleeding, the Sahaabah (Companions) could not bear to see the suffering which the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) was undergoing, so they requested the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) to curse the non-believers. Instead, our Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) made this Du’aa:
“Oh Allah! Guide my people because they do not know.”
Once, the slave girl of Hadhrat Zainul ‘Aabideen, whose real name was Hadhrat Ali and who was the son of Hadhrat Husain, while helping him to perform Wudhu (a specific way of ablution to do before Salaah), dropped the container of water injuring his face. Hadhrat Zainul Aabideen looked at her with rage in his eyes. The slave girl recognized this and said to him, “Allah states in the Quraan:
“And those (Allah-conscious ones) restrain their rage.”
Hadhrat Zainul ‘Aabideen immediately lowered his gaze of anger. She then recited, “And they forgive the people.”
Hadrat Zainul ‘Aabideen said to her, “I have forgiven you.” She then said, “Hadhrat! The verse is still not complete,” and she then read, “And Allah loves the righteous ones.”
Upon this Hadhrat Zainul ‘Aabiden exclaimed: “Go, I have set you free!”
lmaam Abu Hanifah was known for his tolerance. One day, while Imaam Abu Hanifah was conducting a class, a man who had some grudge against Imaam Saheb started saying some disrespectful words about him. Imaam Abu Hanifah paid no attention to the man and carried on teaching. He even told his students to pay no heed to him. After the class was over, when Imaam Abu Hanifah left, this man followed him and continued hurling abuse at Imaam Abu Hanifah a When he reached the door of his house, he stood at the door and the man continued saying vulgar and abusive words. When the man stopped, Imaam Abu Hanifah said to the man, “Brother! If you have anything more to say, say it because I will go in my house and you have not yet finished what you have to say.” The man was surprised at lmaam Abu Hanifah’s response and he felt ashamed, and left.
What glorious qualities these beloved servants of Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa) possessed!
May Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aalaa), out of His grace, give us the ability to make our external and internal according to the pious methods of our Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) and may He make us from amongst His beloved servants. Aameen!
Back
|
