gt8145a@prism.gatech.edu (FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM) (04/25/91)
MEANING OF THE WORD KHULUQ
The words "khalq" and "khuluq," according to al-ghazaali, are closely
related. The Arabs say: fulaanun hasan ul-khuluqi wal-khalqi. (So and so
is good in appearance and morals. So khalq refers to the structure of the
human which is percieved by physical vision (baSar), and khuluq is the
structure of the human which is perceived by inner vision (baSiira.) A
person's khuluq, or moral structure, is good when the actions which flow
easily from it are praiseworthy, both rationally (`aqlan) and legally
(shar`an.) If instead a person's moral structure lends itself to prohibited
actions, we say the person has bad khuluq.
It is important to realize that there is not an essential relationship
between khuluq and actions. For example, there are many people with the
virtue of sakhaa' (liberality with their property), but who do not give for
want of property. Moreover, there are many people who give much, but do so
to show off (riyaa' al-naas.)
THE FOUR PILLARS OF GOOD KHULUQ
According to al-ghazaali, the first of the four pillars of good khuluq is
knowledge of what is good and bad and right and wrong and truth and falsehood.
This knowledge is wisdom, or Hikma. And God jalla jalaalu said in the Quran
(wa man yu'ta al-Hikmata fa qad 'uutiya khayran kathiiran) (Surat al-baqara,
aya 269) (And whosoever has been granted wisdom, he has indeed been granted a
great good.)
The second pillar is mastering the suppression and release of anger as reason
and law (al-`aql washshar`) dictate.
The third pillar is mastering desire (ashshahwa) under the guidance of reason
and law.
The fourth pillar (quwat al-`adl) is that which balances out the extremes of
the second and third pillars, anger and desire.
If anger is uncontrolled, then we say that person is rash and transgressive
(mutahawwir). If anger is overly surpressed, then we say that person is a
coward. If desire is uncontrolled, then we say that person is lustful. If
desire is absent, then we say that person is lifeless.
Thus the bases of all good morals are wisdom, the faculty of balancing,
courage, and restraint (al-`iffa).--
FADEL,AYMAN HOSSAM
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
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