The Hidden Power of Good Character: What is Righteousness in Islam?
Good moral character is one of the most revered qualities in Islam. Allah, the Almighty, has commanded people to ennoble their character, along with performing the five daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, paying zakat, performing pilgrimage and fulfilling other religious obligations.
Following the precepts of religion, coupled with good moral character, will lead a person to true faith, making him more God-fearing and purer in thought and action. If a believer is diligent in worship and demonstrates good moral character, he can become beloved of Allah ﷻ, which will ultimately bring him closer to God.
A person’s character reveals the quality of his relationship with the Creator. If a person has a strong character and a good disposition, these qualities manifest themselves not only in good times but also in difficult ones. After all, a strong person is considered to be one who controls himself in the heat of anger, rather than one who has powerful muscles and an athletic build.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of God ﷺ said, “The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
A Muslim should strive to improve his character. The best example in everything, including character, for every believer is the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. To follow his example, it is necessary to know his qualities.
It is precisely by studying his life that the seeds of good deeds can be planted in a person’s soul, which, with further watering with the necessary knowledge, will grow into a good character. Allah endowed His Messenger ﷺ with the best character.
Yunus reported that Al-Hasan said, “One day Aisha was asked, ‘O Mother of the Believers, what was the character of the Messenger of God ﷺ?’ She replied: ‘His character was the Koran.’” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad).
All of Muhammad’s ﷺ good qualities were innate, not acquired. Almighty Allah endowed him with a good character, just as He did to all other prophets and messengers (peace be upon them). All prophets (peace be upon them) were granted knowledge and wisdom from birth.
Allah, the Exalted, said in the Holy Koran (meaning of the commentary), “And when Yahya reached adulthood, Allah, the Exalted, commanded him, ‘O Yahya! Hold fast to the Book (Torah).’ And We granted him (Yahya) wisdom and judgment while he was still a boy.’” (Safwat at-Tafasir, Sura Maryam, ayah 12).
The commentators of the Koran said that Yahya was given knowledge of the scriptures of Allah ﷻ when he was still a boy. The commentators of the Koran also claim that Almighty Allah bestowed upon the Prophet Ibrahim all his virtues when he was still a child, as narrated in Sura Al-Anbiya (meaning of the commentary), “And We have already given the Prophet Ibrahim guidance, testifying to the Oneness of Allah, the Exalted, and the injustice of the pagans and the ability to do good deeds. We had already chosen him as a Prophet when he was a child and We knew that he was fit for Prophethood.” (Safwat at-Tafasir, Sura al-Anbiya, ayah 51).
Scholars also say that Ibrahim was thrown into the Fire when he was only 16 years old and when he was about to slaughter his son Ishaq for sacrifice, when Ishaq was only seven years old. The Prophet Yusuf received a revelation when his brothers were about to throw him, a small child, into a well.
The Koran says this (meaning of the commentary), “And after his father sent Yusuf with his brothers, and they took him away, they decided to place him in the depth of a well. Then We revealed to Yusuf that he will certainly inform them (this will happen when he tells them that he is their brother Yusuf, against whom they conspired and thought they had rid themselves of him) of what they did to you while they did not know that you were Yusuf.” (Safwat at-Tafasir, Sura Yusuf, ayah 15).
Imam Ar-Razi, commenting on this ayah, writes, “The meaning of this revelation was that the Almighty was comforting him in this way, and also relieving him of his heartache and loneliness with the promise that he would later receive salvation from this trial.”
Ali ibn Abu Talib reported that he heard the Messenger of God ﷺ say, “When I grew up, I was instilled with a hatred of idols and songs. I only intended to commit an act during the Jahiliyyah twice and each time, Allah, the Most High, placed a barrier between me and that act. After that, I never intended to commit anything bad until the beginning of my prophethood.” (Narrated by Bazzar).
The Prophets (peace be upon them) were born like this, and then Allah ﷻ further illuminated their hearts with knowledge until they reached their goal and achieved perfection without training or practice, but only through their Lord’s purification.
The righteous may also be born with some of these qualities but not all. However, for them, acquiring and perfecting these qualities and acquiring a good character is easier. Through their efforts and taming their nafs (ego), they replenish the missing qualities, correct deviations and achieve perfection.
Mutarrif reported that Imran ibn al-Husayn said, “The Messenger of God ﷺ was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, are the people of Paradise and the people of the Fire known?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The man asked, ‘Then why do people do anything?’ He said, ‘Everyone will be made easy for that for which they were created.’” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
A believer demonstrates good character in many areas of life: in his words, deeds, worship of God, in his interactions with his family, loved ones, and everyone around him.
It could be said that our entire religion embodies good morals. A person’s faith (iman) will not be complete until he succeeds in improving his morals; Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of God ﷺ said, “The most perfect of the believers is the one who has the best character and the best of you are those who treat their wives best.” (Narrated by Ibn Hibban, At-Tirmidhi).
A Muslim with good character has the best tool for calling people to Islam. However, when someone without good character takes on the call to Islam, he is more likely to turn people away from the religion and few will benefit from his knowledge and experience.
A wise person accepts guidance only from someone he aspires to be like, from someone who pays attention and respects him. Almighty Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be gentle with the people he called to Islam.
