How Do You Define Your Character?

Bismillah 

 

Perfection of noble character was one of the most important objectives of the Prophet’s mission. When asked about the best of the believers, the Prophet ﷺ replied, “They are those who have the best character and manners.” (At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood)

 

In fact, the Quran uses the comprehensive Arabic word birr to refer to faith. Allah ﷻ says,

 

لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ‎﴿١٧٧﴾

 

Righteousness (birr) is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (Quran, Al Baqarah 2:177)

 

The word birr is a rather comprehensive term which includes all forms of righteousness, in word and deed. It is for this reason that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Righteousness (birr) is good character.” (Muslim)

 

So, as believers, we know the importance of good manners and character, but have you ever reflected what is defining your character?

 

Qatadah reported: I said to Aisha (RA), “O Mother of the believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Aisha said, “Have you not read the Quran?” I said, “Of course.” Aisha said, “Verily, the character of the Prophet of Allah was the Quran.” (Muslim)

 

Did you actively look in the Quran to seek guidance and let its Ayaat shape your character? Let’s not let a day passed by without reading the Quran and understand it's meaning to motivate us to better our relationship with Allah, the Most High, with our parents, our family, our neighbors, and others, and better our treatment of animals, caring of the environment and our trade practices.

 

Allah ﷻ has immense rewards for those who observe good character. Textual proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah to this effect are numerous, including the following:

 

Good character will be the heaviest righteous deed to be placed on a person’s scale of deeds on the Day of Judgement.

 

The Prophet ﷺ said, “No deed that will be placed on the scale of deeds [on the Day of Judgement] will be heavier than good character. Indeed, a person with good character will attain the rank of those with a good record of voluntary fasts and prayers.” (At-Tirmidhi)

 

It is the very deed that will lead people to enter Paradise the most.

 

When the Prophet ﷺ was asked about which act leads people to enter Paradise the most, he replied, “Piety and good character.” (At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah)

 

Of all people, those who have good character will be the closest to the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement.

 

The Prophet ﷺ said, “The dearest to me among you and the nearest to me on the Day of Judgement are those who have the best character.” (At-Tirmidhi)

 

The Prophet ﷺ guarantees a house in the highest part of Paradise to those who have good character:

 

“I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for those who give up arguing, even if they are in the right; and I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for those who abandon lying even when joking; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Paradise for those who have good character and manners.” (Abu Dawood)

 

May Allah make us of the righteous and grant us noble character. Aameen.

 

Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala aalihi wasahbihi wassalaam