AN IDEAL PERSONALITY
Prophet's Moral Teachings
These teachings show that Islam had come to illuminate the lives of the people with the light of virtue and good
manners, to create in them brightness of character, and to fill their laps with the pearls of good conduct. It made the
stages that came in the process of achieving this great objective as an important part of the prophet hood
Similarly it declared all attempts to create disruption in these stages as an expulsion from the religion and equivalent to
throwing away the yoke of faith from one's neck.
The position of morality is not like that of the means of pleasures and luxuries, from which indifference may be
possible. But morality is the name of the principles of life which the religion must adopt and must care for the respect
of its standard-bearers.
Islam has enumerated all these virtues and principles and has encouraged its followers to make them parts of their lives,
one after another.
If we collect all the sayings of the holy Prophet about the importance of good moral character, then a voluminous book
will be prepared, about which many of the great reformers will be ignorant.
Before we enumerate these virtues and state their details, it will be proper if we quote some examples of how strongly
and emphatically Islam has called upon the people to adopt good moral character.
Usama bin Shareek says:
“We were sitting in the presence of the Messenger of Allah so quietly as if birds were perched on our heads.
Nobody had the courage to open his mouth. In the meanwhile some people came and asked: “Amongst the slaves
of God who is the dearest to Him.” The Prophet replied: “One who has the best moral character.”
-(lbn Haban)
Another tradition has it:
“They asked what is the best thing given to man ?” He replied: “Best moral character.”
-(Tirmizi)
The Prophet was asked
: “
Which Muslim has the perfect faith ?” He answered: “He who has the best moral character.”
(Tibrani)
Abdullah bin' Amar has reported:
“I have heard the Prophet as saying: 'Should I not tell you who amongst you is the most likeable person to me 1
And who will be the nearest to me on the Day of the Judgment l' He repeated this question twice or thrice. The
people requested him to tell them about such a person. He said 'He who amongst you has the best moral
character.' “
(Ahmed)
In another hadith, he has said:
“On the Day of the Judgement there will be nothing weightier in the balance of a momin than the goodness of
character. Allah dislikes an obscene and a rude talker and the bearer of a good moral character reaches to the
level of the observer of the prayer and fasting, on account of his character.”
(Imam Ahmed)
There would be nothing surprising if such teachings were to come from a philosopher who was busy in his campaign of
moral-reform. But the great surprise is that these teachings come from a man who strived for establishing a great new
faith, when all other religions turn their attention first only towards the performance of worship and such other religious
rites.
The last Prophet gave a call for the performance of various Corms of worship and for the establishment of such a
government that was involved in a long-drawn war with its large number of enemies. Inspite of the expansion of his
religion and the immense increase in the various tasks of his followers, the Prophet informs them of the fact that on the
Day of the Judgment there will be nothing weightier in their balance than their good moral character, then definitely
this reality is not hidden from him that in Islam the value of morality is very high.The fact is that if religion. is the name
of good conduct between man and man, then on the other hand in its spiritual sense it is also the name of the best
relationship between man and his God, and in both these aspects there is the same reality.
There are many religions which give this glad tiding that you may embrace any belief, your sins will be washed away
and offering fixed prayers of any religion will cancel your mistakes.
But Islam does not believe in this. According to it, these benefits will be available only when the axis and centre of
belief is a conscious step towards virtue and payment of the compulsory dues, and when the proposed worship can
become the real source of washing away the sins and generating the real perfection. In other words evil can be removed
by those virtues which man makes his own and by which he is able to reach high and lofty standards. The holy Prophet
has very forcefully emphasised these valuable principles so that the Ummah may understand it very clearly that the
value of morality may not go down in its eyes and the importance of mere forms and shapes may not increase.
Hazrat Anas has reported:
Hazrat Anas has reported:
“Allah's Messenger has said: 'A slave achieves, by means of the goodness of his character, great position and
high honour in the Hereafter, though he may be weak in matters of worship; but on account of his wickedness of
character he is thrown in the lowest recesses of the Hell.” -
( Tibrani ).
Hazrat Ayesha narrates:
“I have heard the Prophet as saying: 'Momin, by goodness of his character, achieves the high position of the one
who observes fast and offers prayers.”
-( Abu Dawood).
Ibn Umar is reported to have narrated:
“I have heard the Prophet as saying :
'A Muslim who observes moderation in matter of worship, on account of the goodness of his character and
decency achieves the position of that man who observes fast and recites Allah's verses during prayers in the
night.”
-(Ahmed)
Abu Huraira has quoted the Prophet as saying:
“A Momin's nobility is his religiousness, his tolerance is his intelligence, and his lineage is his goodness of
character.”
-(Hakim)
Abu Zar has narrated: “Successful is the man who had purified his heart for faith, kept his heart on the right lines,
his tongue was truthful, his self was content, and his nature was on the right path.”
-(Ibn Haban)
Continued---------------------------------------
