CULTIVATING ONE'S CHARACTER
We have to constantly
search our behavior to insure its consistency with that of the
believers.
While walking in the market not so long
ago, I happened to see a group of foreign Muslim sisters heading my
way. Needless to say I was very happy, because it is not often that
I run across other Muslim women when out and about.
From the manners of giving the salams, I
greeted them first. To my dismay, they all looked at me from the top
of my khimar-clad head to where my Abaya (outer garment) pooled
around my feet with a look of total disgust, and walked away without
uttering a word in response. I was so hurt and shocked that all I
could do was stand there with my mouth wide open behind my niqab.
It never ceases to amaze me how many of
us claim to follow the Qur'an and Sunnah, yet our actions are in
total contradiction to what we say we believe. It was part of the
manners of those who lived with the Prophet, sal-lallahu alayhe
wasallam, that they would constantly search their thoughts, hearts
and behaviors, to make sure they were consistent with those of the
believers, and to discard those things which were characteristic of
the hypocrites.
For Allah says, "They say, 'We believe
in Allah and in the apostle, and we obey:' but even after that, some
of them turn away: they are not (really) believers." [24:47] Along
with this, Allah paints for us a complete picture of the believers
when He says, "Those who turn (to Allah) in repentance; that serve
Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of Allah;
that bow down and prostrate themselves (in salah); that enjoin good
and forbid evil; and observe the limits set by Allah - so proclaim
the good tidings to the believers." [9:112]
Also, Yahya ibn Muadh, rahimahullah,
talked about the believers possessing the following characteristics
in one of his essays:
"It is to be full of modesty, and to be
harmless too. To be full of goodness and not to be corrupt. For the
tongue to be truthful, for the words to be little and to be
plentiful in good actions. To have little slip-ups and not be
excessive. To be good to one's relatives, building closeness between
them. To be dignified and grateful, and to be full of contentment if
Allah restricted some provision. To be forbearing and friendly to
his brothers, and to be compassionate and chaste. Not to curse,
swear, insult, backbite, nor to gossip. Not to be hasty, envious,
hateful, arrogant, or vain, neither to lean towards worldliness or
to extend long hopes and wishes. Not to sleep too much, nor to be
absent-minded, nor to show off nor be hypocritical. Not to be
selfish, but to be soft and cheerful and not servile. Loving for the
sake of Allah, being pleased for His sake and being angry only for
His sake. His provision is taqwa, and his worries are what will
happen to him in the Afterlife. His friends remind him, his beloved
is His Protector and Master, and his struggle is for the Hereafter."
How many of us possess these qualities?
How many of us are striving to cultivate these characteristics
within ourselves? How can we profess to be true believers when we
don't even spread the salams, and protect each other from harm and
hurt? We're not, for the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said,
"By Allah, he does not believe. By Allah, he does not believe. By
Allah, he does not believe." He was asked, "Whom, O Messenger of
Allah?" He said, "The one who does not safeguard his neighbor from
his harms." (Bukhari)
Allah also says about the believers
that, "The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another:
they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe
regular salah, practices regular charity, and obey Allah and His
Messenger. On them will Allah pour His Mercy: for Allah is Exalted
in power, Wise. [9:71}
As Muslims, we must remember that Islam
is not a religion based on theories, but it is something that is
alive and practical, and must be implemented into practice in every
aspect of our lives. Since we are striving to achieve true success,
our attitudes should be as Allah says, "The answer of the believers
when summoned to Allah and His Messenger, in order that He may judge
between them, is no other than this: they say, 'We hear and we
obey;' it is such as these that will attain felicity." [24:51]
As it was the practice of those who came
before us, let us then too search our hearts, souls, thoughts and
actions on a daily basis in order to cultivate the character of a
believer, and stamp out any weeds of hypocrisy before they can gain
root. Let us remember what Fudayl ibn Iyadh, rahimahullah, said, "A
believer plants a palm tree and fears that thorns will grow. The
hypocrites plant thorns expecting ripe dates to grow."
Sumayya bint Joan
Last modified:
July 19, 2007
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