Islam places high emphasis on sound character building.   It is a valuable quality for a healthy social life.  Sunnah Character is a great blessing of Allah, for the greatest human to ever walk the earth is our beloved Master RasoolAllah – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – whom Allah Almighty describes as follows in the Holy Quran:

وَ اِنَّکَ لَعَلٰی خُلُقٍ عَظِیۡمٍ ﴿۴﴾

And undoubtedly, you possess excellent manners.

(Al-Qalam 68, Verse 4)

أَنَّ يَهُودِيًّا مِنْ فُصَحَاءِ الْيَهُودِ جَاءَ إِلَى عُمَرَ فِي أَيَّامِ خِلَافَتِهِ فَقَالَ: أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَخْلَاقِ رَسُولِكُمْ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: اطْلُبْهُ مِنْ بِلَالٍ فَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي. ثُمَّ إِنَّ بِلَالًا دَلَّهُ عَلَى فَاطِمَةَ ثُمَّ فَاطِمَةُ دَلَّتْهُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، فَلَمَّا سَأَلَ عَلِيًّا عَنْهُ قَالَ: صِفْ لِي مَتَاعَ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى أَصِفَ لَكَ أَخْلَاقَهُ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: هَذَا لَا يَتَيَسَّرُ لِي، فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ:

عَجَزْتَ عَنْ وَصْفِ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا وَقَدْ شَهِدَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قِلَّتِهِ حَيْثُ قَالَ:

قُلْ مَتاعُ الدُّنْيا قَلِيلٌ [النِّسَاءِ: 77]

فَكَيْفَ أَصِفُ أَخْلَاقَ النَّبِيِّ وَقَدْ شَهِدَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِأَنَّهُ عَظِيمٌ حَيْثُ قَالَ:

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ [الْقَلَمِ: 4]

A jew amongst the eloquent people of the jewish community came to Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – during his Caliphate and said, “Tell me about the character of your Prophet.”  Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – said to him, “Ask Bilal about it, for he is more learned than me.”  Then Sayyiduna Bilal – may Allah be pleased with him – referred him to Sayyidah Fatimah – may Allah be pleased with her – and she sent him to Sayyiduna ‘Ali – may Allah be pleased with him.  When he asked Sayyiduna ‘Ali – may Allah be pleased with him, he replied, “Tell me the worth of the world before I tell you about his character?”  He said, “It is not easy for me to assess that.”  Sayyiduna ‘Ali – may Allah be pleased with him – then said to him, “You felt overwhelmed to describe the worth of the world to me while Allah Almighty has testified on its worth and stated:

قُلْ مَتٰعُ الدُّنْیَا قَلِیۡلٌ

Say you, ‘the enjoyment of the world is little.

(Al-Nisa 4, Verse 77)

Then how can I describe the character of the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – while Allah has testified that it is indeed great, and stated:

وَ اِنَّکَ لَعَلٰی خُلُقٍ عَظِیۡمٍ ﴿۴﴾

And undoubtedly, you possess excellent manners.

(Al-Qalam 68, Verse 4)

(Tafseer Kabeer)

A’laHazrat describes the beauty of his great Akhlaq in the following manner:

تیرے خلق کو حق نے عظیم کہا

تیری خلق کو حق نے جمیل کیا

کوئی تجھ سا ہوا ہے نہ ہوگا شہا

تیرے خالقِ حسن و ادا کی قسم

Tere Khulq ko Haq ne ‘Azeem kaha

Teri Khalq ko Haq ne Jameel kiya

Koi tujh sa suwa hai na ho ga Shaha

Tere Khaaliq-e-Husn-o-Ada ki Qasam!

Allah Almighty remarked your character as “great”

He beautified your creation

Neither there was anyone like you nor will there ever be, O King

I swear by the Divine Being who created you and your beautiful personality

(Hadaaiq-e-Bakhshish)

Imam Booseeri – may Allah be pleased with him – describes his beautiful character in his world famous Qaseedah Burdah shareef as follows:

فَماَ تَطَاوَلُ اٰمَالُ الْمَدِيْحِ اِلٰى

مَافِيْهِ مِنْ كَرَمِ الْاَخْلَاقِ وَالشِّيَمٖ

Fama tataawalu aamaalil madeehi ilah

Mafeehi min karamil akhlaaqi wash shiyami

How can His admirers Praise the Holy Prophet (May Allah send peace and blessings upon him), for it is beyond the ability of man to do justice to the Sweetness and Greatness of His Character?

اَكْرِمْ بِخَلْقِ نَّبِىٍّ زَانَهٗ خُلُقٌ

بِالْحُسْنِ مُشْتَمِلٍ مبِالْبِشْرِ مُتَّسِمٖ

Akrim bekhalqi nabiyin zaanahu khuluqun

Bil husni mushtamilim bil bishri muttasimi

What a beautiful manner, Allah has made the Bodily Figure of the Holy Prophet (swallal lahu alayhi wasallam). What beauty, those pleasant smiles display that on the Sacred Face are signs of Happiness and Liveliness.

Sayyiduna Ali – may Allah be pleased with him – narrates that the final description is this, that in the first meeting everyone who met Him, had fear.  But after speaking to Him for a little while, he was found saying that he will never find another Person like Him from today till Qayaamat.

كَانَ لِلْأَجَانِبِ كَالْوَالِدِ يَحُلُّ عُقَدَهُمْ وَيَكْفِي مُهِمَّهَمُ، وَبَلَغَ حُسْنُ خُلُقِهِ إِلَى أَنَّهُمْ لَمَّا كَسَرُوا سِنَّهُ، قَالَ:

«اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ قَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ»

The Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – was like a father even to strangers.  He would solve their problems and eliminate their difficulties.  His good conduct stretched to a level where when his enemies broke his tooth, he made Du’a for them (instead):

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ قَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Oh Allah, guide my people, for they do not know.

(Tafseer Kabeer)

The root cause of corruption, cheating, indecency, malice and jealousy in our today’s society is bad character.  If we can rectify our characters and reform ourselves the very society will be home to a peaceful and prosperous inhabitance.

There are numerous Ahadeeth where there are glad tidings mentioned for those who possess good character and values.  Studying those Ahadeeth will motivate us to acquire good Akhlaq.

A Mu’min is a Mirror to Another:

حَدَّثَنَا أَصْبَغُ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي خَالِدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: الْمُؤْمِنُ مَرْآةُ أَخِيهِ، إِذَا رَأَى فِيهَا عَيْبًا أَصْلَحَهُ

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

A believer is the mirror of his brother, when he sees a flaw in it, he rectifies it.

(Al-Adab al-Mufrad Hadeeth No. 238)

Akhlaq Guarantees Perfection of Iman:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ البَغْدَادِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الحَذَّاءُ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْمَلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا وَأَلْطَفُهُمْ بِأَهْلِهِ.

Sayyidah ‘Ayesha – may Allah be pleased with her – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

The most perfect amongst the believers in Iman is he who possesses good character and is lenient towards his family.

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 2612)

Sunnah Teaching of Treating our Wife fairly:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَكْمَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا، وَخَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِنِسَائِهِمْ.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

The perfect amongst the believers in Iman is he who possesses good character and the best of you is he who is good towards his wife.

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 1162)

Dearest and Closest to RasoolAllah:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الحَسَنِ بْنِ خِرَاشٍ البَغْدَادِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَبَّانُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُبَارَكُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ رَبِّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِنَّ مِنْ أَحَبِّكُمْ إِلَيَّ وَأَقْرَبِكُمْ مِنِّي مَجْلِسًا يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ أَحَاسِنَكُمْ أَخْلاَقًا، وَإِنَّ أَبْغَضَكُمْ إِلَيَّ وَأَبْعَدَكُمْ مِنِّي مَجْلِسًا يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ الثَّرْثَارُونَ وَالمُتَشَدِّقُونَ وَالمُتَفَيْهِقُونَ

قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَدْ عَلِمْنَا الثَّرْثَارُونَ وَالمُتَشَدِّقُونَ فَمَا الْمُتَفَيْهِقُونَ

قَالَ: الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ.

Sayyiduna Jabir – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

Dearest to me from amongst you and the closest to me on the Day of Judgment will be those who possess good characters, and the ones farthest from me will be the gossipers, those who rant and the Al-Mutafaihiqoon ones from amongst you.

They asked, “Ya RasoolAllah, we know what is Al-Thartharoon and Al-Mutashaddiqoon but we do not know what is Al-Mutafaihiqoon?”

He replied, “It means ‘the arrogant’.”

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 2018)

One with Sound Akhlaq equals in Virtue to the one who Prays and Fasts:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ يَعْنِي الْإِسْكَنْدَرَانِيَّ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَحِمَهَا اللَّهُ، قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيُدْرِكُ بِحُسْنِ خُلُقِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ»

Sayyidah ‘Ayesha – may Allah be pleased with her – narrates that she heard the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – saying:

Indeed with his good character, a believer can attain the station of the one who fasts (all day) and prays (all night).

(Sunan Abi Dawood Hadeeth No. 4798)

The Weight of Akhlaq on Mizan:

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ مَمْلَكٍ، عَنْ أُمِّ الدَّرْدَاءِ، عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَا شَيْءٌ أَثْقَلُ فِي مِيزَانِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ مِنْ خُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُبْغِضُ الفَاحِشَ البَذِيءَ.

Sayyiduna Abu Darda – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Porphet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

Nothing will be heavier than the good character on the scale of a believer on the Day of Judgment.  Indeed, Allah Almighty hates the obscene and vulgar.

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 2002)

Hell is Forbidden for the One with Sound Akhlaq:

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْهَاشِمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُمَحِيَّ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ الْأَوْدِيِّ،  عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:  حُرِّمَ عَلَى النَّارِ كُلُّ هَيِّنٍ لَيِّنٍ سَهْلٍ قَرِيبٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ

Sayyiduna Ibn Mas’ood – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

The fire of hell is forbidden for everyone with good character, moderate and (in good gatherings) close to people.

(Musnad Ahmed Hadeeth No. 3938)

Good Akhlaq is a Form of Charity:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ العَظِيمِ العَنْبَرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الجُرَشِيُّ اليَمَامِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زُمَيْلٍ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ مَرْثَدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:

تَبَسُّمُكَ فِي وَجْهِ أَخِيكَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ،

وَأَمْرُكَ بِالمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهْيُكَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ صَدَقَةٌ،

وَإِرْشَادُكَ الرَّجُلَ فِي أَرْضِ الضَّلاَلِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ،

وَبَصَرُكَ لِلرَّجُلِ الرَّدِيءِ البَصَرِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ،

وَإِمَاطَتُكَ الحَجَرَ وَالشَّوْكَةَ وَالعَظْمَ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ،

وَإِفْرَاغُكَ مِنْ دَلْوِكَ فِي دَلْوِ أَخِيكَ لَكَ صَدَقَةٌ.

Sayyiduna Abu Dhar – may Allah be pleased with him – reported that the Holy Prophet – may Allah send peace and blessings upon him – has stated:

You smile for your fellow brother is a form of charity in your favour.

Enjoining good and prohibiting evil is a form of charity in your favour.

Giving direction to a lost person in an aera is a form of charity in your favour.

Your eyesight (helping a blind with your vision) for the one with poor eyesight is a form of charity in your favour.

Removal of stones, thorns and bones from the pathway is a form of charity in your favour.

Poring from your bucket into the bucket of your fellow brother is a form of charity in your favour.

(Sunan Tirmidhi Hadeeth No. 1956)

to be continued – part 2