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This
includes suppressing one's anger, and being gentle
and humble. Allah Most High has said: Surely,
you are of tremendous nature, [68:4] and: Those
who suppress their anger, and forgive other people
– assuredly, Allah loves those who do good.
[3:134]
Bukhari and Muslim
relate that `Abdallah ibn `Amr, radhiallahu `anhu,
said, "The Messenger of
Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, 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 `Aa'isha, radhiallahu `anha, said, "Never
was the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa
sallam, 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 givse a greeting which is not
returned, or when he is a guest but is not honoured,
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 favourable 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 orf
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!
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