gt8145a@prism.gatech.edu (FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM) (04/25/91)
A PRESENTATION OF KITAAB RIYAADAT AL-NAFS WA TAHDHIIB AL-
AKHLAAQ WA MU'AALAJAT AMRAAD AL-QALB (THE BOOK OF TRAINING
THE SOUL AND IMPROVING ONE'S MORALS AND TREATING THE DISEASES
OF THE HEART) IN THE BOOK IHYAA' 'ULUUM AL-DIN BY AL-IMAM AL-
GHAZAALI
Is it not strange that we spend so much of our time being concerned with the
diseases of the body, when the worst that can happen is the passing of our
finite life (al-Hayaatu l-faaniya)? Is not the treatment of the diseases
of the heart, which threaten the lasting life (al-Hayaatu l-baaqiya), more
worthy of our attention? It is with this in mind that al-ghazaali begins
to instruct us on the importance of good morals (khuluq Hasan) and how to
achieve them in ourselves and in our children.
This, according to al-ghazaali, is the meaning of God's words (qad aflaHa man
zakkaaha wa qad khaab man dassaaha) (surat ashshams, ayat 9-10) (Whoever
purifies [the soul] is successful and whoever impurifies it is lost.)
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD MORALS IN THE PROPHETIC TRADITIONS
God subhanahu praised the messenger alayhi ssalam by revealing (wa innaka la
'alaa khuluqin 'aZiim) (Surat al-qalam, ayah 4) (Indeed, you (Muhammad) are of
high moral character.)
'aa'isha radiy allahu anha said, "The messenger's morals were the Quran."
A man asked the messenger of God alayhi ssalam, "What are good morals?" The
messenger responded by reciting the 199th ayah of al-a'raaf: (khudh al-`afwa
wa'mur bil-`urfi wa a`riD `an al-jaahiliin),whose translation may be (Be
forgiving, command that which is known among the people, and avoid the
argumentative.) The messenger alayhi ssalaam added to this by saying,
"Good morals are to renew ties with him who broke ties with you, give to
him who refused to give to you, and forgive transgressions against you."
The messenger of God alayhi ssalaam, on the authority of abu hurayra,
radiy allahu anh, said, "I was sent to perfect the virtues of morality."
abu al-dardaa' said that God's messenger said: "The heaviest thing that
can placed in a person's scales on the day of judgement is God-consciousness
and good morals."
According to abul-`laa' ibn al-shakhiir a man came to the messenger alayhi
ssalaam and said, "What is religion?" So the messenger said, "Good morals."
The man moved to the messenger's right and asked him, "O messenger of God,
what is religion?" He said, "Good morals." The man moved to the messenger's
left and asked the same question. The messenger alayhi ssalaam replied,
"Good morals." The man moved behind him and asked, "O messenger of God,
what is religion?" The messenger alayhi ssalaam turned and said, "Do you
not understand? It is that you do not become angry."
According to abu dharr radiy allahy anh, a man came to the messenger alayhi
ssalaam and said, "Enjoin upon me [a righteous act.]" The messenger of God
alayhi ssalaam said, "Be conscious of God wherever you are." The man said,
"And after that?" The messenger alayhi ssalaam said, "Follow up an ill-deed
with a good deed to erase it." The man said, "And after that?" The messenger
said, "Treat people with good morals."
The messenger alayhi ssalaam used to say in his du`aa' "O God, you have created
me beautiful so make my morals beautiful (Hassanta khalqii fa Hassin
khuluqii). This hadith was reported by abu mas`uud al-badri.
It is reported that the messenger alayhi ssalaam said, "The honor of a
believer is his religion, his final recourse is good morals, and his
manliness is his reason." (karam al-mu'min diinuh wa Hasabuhu Husn al-khuluq
wa muruu'atuhu `aqluh)
Abu hurayra radiy allahu anhu is reported to have said: The messenger alayhi
ssalaam said, "The most beloved of you to me and the closest of you to me on
the day of judgement are those of you with the best morals."
Ibn abbas radiy allahu anhuma reported that the messenger alayhi ssalaam said:
"There are three things if you don't find them-or at least one of them-in a
person then you should not give any of his works any weight:
God-consciousness such that it prevents him from disobeying God, wisdom (Hilm)
with which he can word off the foolish, or morals by which he can live among
people."
Ali ibn abi Talib (radiy allahu anhu) said that the messenger alayhi ssalaam
used to say at the beginning of his prayer, "O God guide me to the best
morals. None guide to them except you. O God, divert bad morals away from
me. Indeed, none divert bad morals except you."
Anas radiy allahu anhu said that the messenger alayhi ssalaam said, "The
servant may achieve by good morals some of the highest degrees in the next
life and some of the most honored positions, even though he may have been
weak in 'ibaada (formal acts of worship.)" ---Please note that i believe
weak in worship refers to nafl (superogatory prayers, not fara'iD, or the
required prayers.)
Anas radiy allahu anhu said that the messenger salla allahu alayhi wa sallam
said, "The servant may reach the lowest levels of Hell through bad morals."
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD MORALS IN THE SAYINGS OF ASSALAF ASSAALIH
(THE PIOUS ANCESTORS)
Yahya ibn Mu`aadh said: In the generosity of morals are the treasures of
provision. (fi si`at al-akhlaaq kunuuz al-arzaaq)
Wahb ibn munabbih said: "The parable of a person with bad morals is the broken
porcelin vase--it can neither be repaired nor will it return to clay."
--
FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt8145a
Internet: gt8145a@prism.gatech.edugt8145a@prism.gatech.edu (FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM) (05/01/91)
DESCRIPTIONS IN THE QURAN OF GOOD MORALS
Many of us believe that avoiding the forbidden things (Haraam) makes the
struggle with the nafs unnecessary. If, however, we pondered some of the
ayaat in al-tanziil al-`aziiz which describe the true believers and then
compared ourselves with these descriptions, we would realize that
mujaahadat al-nafs (struggle against the soul) is a necessity for everyone.
God tabaraka said in the first 10 ayaat of surat al-mu'minuun : (qad aflaHa
al-mu'minuun alladhiina hum fii Salaatihim khaashi`uun walladhiina hum
`an al-laghwi mu`riDuun.....'uulaa'ika hum al-warithuun)
(The believers are indeed the successful--those who tremble in fear and
hope in their prayers and those who avoid idle talk, those who pay zakaat
(poor dues), those who guard their private parts, except for their wives
and those whom their right hands possess, for whom they are not blamed--
and whosever desires more than that is indeed a transgressor--the ones
who are conscious of their trusts and contracts, and the ones who are
steadfast in prayer. Indeed they will be the inheritors.)
God ta`aala said in the 223rd ayaa of surat al-baqara
(please note that this ayaa is not the 223rd of al-baqara. (the footnote
in the edition i was looking at was incorrect. I would appreciate it if
anybody who does know this aya's location would tell me.) It begins with
al-taa'ibuuna al-`aabiduun.
Those who repent, those who worship, those who praise God... and give
good tidings to the believers.)
God ta`aala said in the 2nd and 3rd ayaat of surat al-anfaal
(Indeed the believers are those who when God is mentioned their hearts
tremble in fear; those who, when they hear God's signs recited upon them,
their belief is strenghtened; those who put complete trust in their Lord;
those who establish prayer and spend of that which God has provided for
them. They are the true believers.)
God ta`aala said beginning with the 63rd ayaa of surat al-furqaan:
(The worshippers of God who walk gently and softly, and if the
argumentative address them, they bid them farewell with "peace"; those
whom night finds prostrating to their Lord and standing in prayer to Him;
those who say "O our Lord, divert from us the torture of hell, indeed its
torture is eternal, never departing. Indeed, it is a bad resting place and a
bad abode; those who, when they spend, do not do so except in obedience to
God and do not withhold from spending when God commands--they are
balanced between the two--; and those who do not call with God any other
god, nor do they kill a soul which God has forbidden its killing, except
with justice; nor do they fornicate--and whoever does any of that will
find the rewards of his sins. His punishment will be doubled on the day of
Judgment and he will live with his punishment forever, disgraced--Except
those who repent and believe and do good works, for those God will
replace their bad deeds with good deeds. Indeed God is oft-forgiving, full
of mercy. Whosoever repents and does good deeds has indeed repented in
truth--and those who do not give false witness; and those who, when they
walk by people talking idle talk, continue walking, maintaining their
dignity. Those who, when they are reminded of God's signs, do not lean
close to listen while remaining deaf and blind (like the hypocrites); those
who say, "O God, grant us from our wives and children happiness, and make
us a good example for the God-conscious." They will be rewarded precious
rooms because of their perseverance, and they will be greeted with the
greetings of "salaam (peace)." They will abide therein forever, a good
resting place and a good abode.
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BELIEVERS IN THE PROPHETIC TRADITIONS
Anas radiy allahu anh reported that God's messenger salla allahu alayhi wa
sallam said: The believer loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Abu ShurayH al-khuzaa`i and abu hurayra radia allahu anhuma both reported
that the messenger alayhi ssalaam said: Whoever believes in God and the
Day of Judgement should honor his guests.
They also reported that the messenger alayhi ssalaam said: "Whoever
believes in God and the Day of Judgement should honor his neighbors."
They also reported that he alyahi ssalam said: "Whoever believes in God
and the Day of Judgement should say good things or remain silent."
It is reported that the messenger of God alyahi ssalam said: "If you see a
believer who is silent and respectable in his manner (Samuut wa waquur)
then get closer to him, for he teaches wisdom."
THE SALAF'S DESCRIPTION OF GOOD MORALS
Some of them tried to give a listing of good morals and they said: "Good
morals is to be quick to feel shame, to hurt people as little as possible, to
reform as much as possible, to be truthful in speech, to speak rarely, and
to work hard. Good morals is to make few errors and have little curiosity
in the affairs of others. It is to be righteous, to mend that which has been
torn (waSuul), to be dignified in manner , to be perseverent, and to be
thankful. It is to be content, forebearing, gentle, undemanding, and full of
pity for others. It is no to be one who curses others, or one who insults
others, nor one who backbites. Nor is it to be hasty, petty, miserly or
envious. It is to be friendly in greeting and happy to be asked to help
(bashshaash wa hashshaash). It is to love for God and hate for God, to be
content for God and be angry for God.
Haatim al-aSamm said: "The believer is busy in thought and pondering,
while the hypocrite is concerned with material things and hopes false
hopes. The believer has lost hope in all but God, while the hypocrite hopes
from all except God. The believer feels secure from everybody except God,
while the hypocrite fears everyone except God. The believer will sacrifice
his money before his religion, while the hypocrite will sacrifice his
religion before his money. The believer will do a good deed and cry, while
the hypocrite will do a bad deed and laugh. The believer likes empty
places and being alone, while the hypocrite likes mixing with people. The
believer plants for good, yet fears corruption, while the hypocrite stirs
things up and hopes for a good harvest. The believer commands and forbids
to ensure the correct policy is implemented, while the hypocrite
commands and forbids in order to become the leader, and thus he causes
corruption.
yuusuf ibn asbaaT said: "There are ten characteristics of good morals: to
disagree rarely, to be just and fair, not to ask about the mistakes of
others, to explain away what appears to be bad deeds of others, to seek
out excuses for others, to blame oneself, to busy oneself exclusively with
finding our one's own shortcomings instead of others', to have a smile on
one's face for both the young and the old, and to be beautiful in speech to
those below you in station as well as those above you."
sahl ibn Hasan was asked about good morals so he said: "The least of them
is to bear the hurt caused by others, not to ask for compensation for a
good deed, to have mercy on a transgressor, to ask for his forgiveness and
have pity for him.
EXAMPLES OF THE PRACTICE OF THE COMPANIONS AND THE SALAF OF GOOD
MORALS
`ali bin abi Taalib karrama allahu wajhah was reported to have called to a
servant, but he didn't answer. He called a second time, and then a third.
So he went to him and found him lying down on his side. He said, "Did you
not hear me?" The boy said, "Yes, I did hear you." He then asked, "Why
didn't you come then?" He replied, "I feel secure from your punishment so
I became lazy." He then said, "Go away, for I free you for God's sake."
It is said that a man was insulting al-aHnaf ibn Qays. Al-aHnaf didn't
respond to the insults. Then, when he approached his neighborhood he
turned and said, "If you have anything else you want to tell me, say it here
and now because I'm scared that if some of the foolish people in the
neighborhood hear you they might hurt you."
`umar ibn `abd al-`aziiz was asked, "When should I speak?" He replied,
"Speak when you desire to remain silent." He was then asked, "When
should I remain silent?" He replied, "Remain silent when you desire to
speak."
--
FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt8145a
Internet: gt8145a@prism.gatech.edu