We often hear that we are what we
eat. No doubt ancient or modern health professionals took, and continue to take
great care, when dealing with human health care problems and continue to
explore the effects that food has on them. We also take great care about what
we eat, not only to sustain our lives, but also so that all the necessary quality
ingredients are included to ensure a healthy life and as a result we have all
developed our own tastes.
However, we are not going to talk in
this article about the benefits derived from our food but rather about the intriguing
taste of our characters. Man’s character is either a credit to the quality of
his life or discredist it to the point of shame and lowliness. As a Muslim, I always
look for the traits, or tastes in my life, that make me positively happier and
please our Lord Allah in the first place.
A life can only be honourable and
qualitative as long as we are mindful of its place and dutiful responsibility in
this world. Islam, unlike other religions, focuses comprehensively and intensively
on human development so that a person is empowered and equipped with all the necessary
positive qualities to ensure a life of fulfilment.
The Quran makes this point in this
verse: ‘He it is Who has sent to the gentiles a Messenger from among themselves,
one who rehearses to them His verses, purifies their lives, and imparts to them
the Book and the Wisdom although before that they were in utter error.’
A very beautiful verse that so
succinctly highlighted the purpose of the mission of the Prophet Mohammad,
peace and mercy of Allah be upon him. Indeed the Prophet has said: ‘I have been
sent in order to accomplish for mankind their honourable characters’.
Anyone, who has studied the life of
the Prophet, lifting himself above all prejudices and biased opinions, finds in
him a perfect spiritual and moral leader who paves the way to connect with God
the Almighty.
Islam came to lift the mankind from
the abys of ignorance and distinguishes itself by its enlightening teaching, in
sharp contrast to what has been regarded as the era of Ignorance. So in the
above verse, the prophet does not only ‘rehearse God’s verses to people’, but
he helps ‘purify their lives and hearts’ too. He not only teaches people ‘the
Book’ that was revealed to him but he also teaches them the ‘Wisdom’ as well. Wisdom
results from the highest function of human intellect in judgement and understanding.
It was a part of prophetic mission to teach the good and proper use of human
judgment and intellectual faculties to raise human life above the animalistic
desires and unjust attitudes. The Quran has said: ‘He grants wisdom to those
whom He wills; and whoever is granted wisdom has indeed been granted much good.
Yet none except the people of understanding take heed’ S2 V269
The emphasis placed on acquiring and
teaching wisdom to mankind becomes obvious in this verse: ‘O Prophet! Good and
evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is good, and you will see that
he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom
friend (of yours). But none attains to this except those who are steadfast ;
none attains to this except those endowed with mighty good fortune. And if you
are prompted by a provocation from Satan, seek refuge with Allah. He, and He
alone, is All-Hearing, All-Knowing’. S41 V34-36
Verses like this fill the pages of
the Quran and the teaching of the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon
him. Unfortunately the learning and teaching of such wisdom is rare in the
Muslim educational institutions and even rarer are the necessary actions
required to achieve it.
Islam is, unfortunately, seen only as
a collection of rituals of certain obligatory acts, hardly any of which are
performed in the required manner and result in the intended outcome. Islam
embraces the good qualities in people’s lives and appreciates them and promises
good rewards for them.
The Prophet has always been known as
patient educator and he very proudly said to people: ‘I am sent as a teacher’. That
is a different mission than to being the Prophet, one who receives revelation
and a Book and preaches them to their people.
Once the Prophet, peace and mercy of
Allah be upon him, said to a person who came to the Prophet and became a Muslim
and whose name was al-Ashajj: ‘O Ashajj! You have two qualities in you that
Allah loves them; forbearing and carefulness’. By praising the man and
appreciating these manly characters in him, that are the good qualities of a
responsible leader, the Prophet encouraged others to followed suit and grow
those characters in themselves as well. The Prophet also drew the attention of
others to find in themselves or in their characters that quality that may be
pleasing to Allah or to grow one.
We find in Islamic teachings an
intensive emphasis on character building guidance that develops a man socially,
morally and spiritually to high rank. Only the strength of such a fortified
character can help a man fend against all unseen harmful elements in life.
In another hadith, the Prophet,
peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, teaches another companion a beautiful
wisdom to live with in life for everyone, saying: ‘the upper hand is better
than the lower hand, start (your charity) with those for whom you are
responsible, the best charity is what is given after fulfilling your needs, and
whoever seeks chastity Allah will grant him that, and whoever seeks
dispensation with people Allah will grant him protection from needs of people.’
There is a wide range of teachings
in the Quran and in the guidance of the Prophet that build and strengthen the
social, moral and spiritual characters of human being. Islamic teachings are
not the kind of ‘religious teachings’ of a ‘religion’ that are all about
occasional display of rituals and that has nothing to do about the lives of
people or a nation. Islam guides, educates and rewards the goodness that a
person has acquired in his characters that which will uplift him higher in
respectful rank. This is a struggle we
are all expected to go through in order to purify ourselves.
Allah, through His Book the Quran,
speaks directly to every single human being and invites them to reflect on
every thoughts and actions that affect their lives and its outcome. Allah says
in the Quran:
‘Surely We created man in the best
mould. Then We reverted him to the lowest of the low; except those who have
faith and do righteous deeds. Theirs is a never-ending reward. Who, then, can
give the lie to you, (O Prophet) about the reward and the punishment? Is Allah not
the greatest of all sovereigns? S95
In conclusion, as a time well spent
looking after our health is a worthy cause, a time spent on the development of
our characters and personal behaviour is also a much worthier cause for our
benefits and the benefits of all those who are around us. We expend so much
thought on our diet, should we not spend little more on developing our characters?
