Developing a good personal character

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?