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Good Character
This includes suppressing one's anger, and being gentle and humble. Allah
Most High has said: Surely, you are of tremendous nature, (The Holy Quran: 68/4)
and: Those who suppress their anger, and forgive other people – assuredly, Allah
loves those who do good. (Quran: 3/134)
Bukhari and Muslim relate that Abdullah Ibn Amr (May Allah be pleased with you)
said, "The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) was never immoderate or obscene. He
used to say, 'Among those who are most beloved to me are those who have the
finest character.'"
They also narrate that Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) said, "Never was
the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) given the choice between two things without
choosing the easier of them, as long as it entailed no sin. If it did entail
sin, he was of all people the most remote from it. Never did he seek revenge for
something done against himself; but when the sanctity of Allah was challenged,
he would take vengeance for His sake alone."
The meaning of good character is
the inclination of the soul towards gentle and
praiseworthy acts. This may take place in one’s personal actions for
Allah Most High, or in actions which involve other people. In the former case,
the slave of Allah has an open and welcoming heart for His commandments and
prohibitions, and does what He has imposed on him happily and easily, and
abstains from the things which He has forbidden him with full contentment, and
without the least dissatisfaction. He likes to perform optional good acts, and
abstains from many permitted things for the sake of Allah Most High whenever he
decides that to abstain in that way would be closer to perfect slavehood to Him.
This he does with a contented heart, and without feeling any resentment or
hardship. When he deals with other people, he is tolerant when claiming what is
his right, and does not ask for anything which is not; but he discharges all the
duties which he has towards others. When he falls ill or returns from a trip,
and no-one visits him, or when he gives a greeting which is not returned, or
when he is a guest but is not honored, or intercedes but is not responded to, or
does a good turn for which he is not thanked, or joins a group of people who do
not make room for him to sit, or speaks and is not listened to, or asks
permission of a friend to enter, and is not granted it, or proposes to a woman,
and is not allowed to marry her, or ask for more time to repay a debt, but is
not given more time, or asks for it to be reduced, but is not permitted this,
and all similar cases, he does not grow angry, or seek to punish people, or feel
within himself that he has been snubbed, or ignored; neither does he try to
retaliate with the same treatment when able to do so, but instead tells himself
that he does not mind any of these things, and responds to each one of them with
something which is better, and closer to goodness and piety, and is more
praiseworthy and pleasing. He remembers to carry out his duties to others just
as he remembers their duties towards himself, so that when one of his Muslim
brethren falls ill he visits him, if he is asked to intercede, he does so, if he
is asked for a respite in repaying a debt he agrees, and if someone needs
assistance he gives it, and if someone asks for favorable terms in a sale, he
consents, all without looking to see how the other person had dealt with him in
the past, and to find out how other people behave. Instead, he makes "what is
better" the imam of his soul, and obeys it completely.
Good character may be something which a man is born with, or it may be acquired.
However, it may only be acquired from someone who has it more firmly rooted in
his nature than his own. It is well known that a man of sensible opinion can
become even more sensible by keeping the company of intelligent and sensible
people, and that a learned or a righteous man can learn even more by sitting
with other people of learning or righteousness; therefore it cannot be denied
that a man of beautiful character may acquire an even more beautiful character
by being with people whose characters are superior to his own.
And Allah gives success!
By: Imam Al-Bayhaqi
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