How does Al-Qurʾān guide us to build a strong character framework

Character is defined as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. It refers to the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. Character generally defines the moral or ethical qualities of a man, thus make him to be called as a man of honorable character.

While Al-Qurʾān lays down a broader framework of humanity, it addresses all matters that improve the quality of man by defining his character, making him a useful entity of the community and make him stand out from other who prefer building up a reputation by any means to look noble and respectful, no matter what he hides behind his masquerade.

With this premise in view, we share ayat / verses from Surah Al Qalam (The Pen) which form the basis of a framework for the true character of a believer.

The Character Framework from Surah Al-Qalam

We can derive 5 core traits to build a strong character. In one of our next posts we would mention 5 traits that eliminate or tarnish the image of a man and ultimately his character.

• Build: Strong Inner Identity (Not Dependent on People)
• When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was mocked and attempts were made by them for his character assassination, Allah reassures Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that “You are not mad… you are upon great character.” (68:2–4)
• That is the  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reassured that his identity comes from Allah’s معيار (standard) - and not from Public opinion, Criticism and Lay by validation., not simple labels.
• Therefore one must define oneself by Values and Principles.
• In order to be man of true and honest character, one should let social media, workplace, or society define your worth.
• Build: Exceptional Character (Akhlaqt)
• (68:4) "and you are certainly on the most exalted standard of moral excellence."
• Why it is being said is that Character is the highest form of Da'wah (inviting others to one's faith)
• Thus a strong and good character is reflected in consistency, Integrity, and اخلاق under pressure.
• Practically speaking, controlling one's anger under odds (as did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when being rebuked and restrained his anger not to further intimidate his opponents) and still holding on to his honesty and treating even his staunch.
• One must always be honest to himself and others, specially in difficult times because in such times men try to indulge into conduct unbecoming.
• Treating people well is one of the best character trait of a believer. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never treated people harshly and was always a helping hand, even to his enemies. This helped The Prophet ﷺ won hearts before arguments.
• Build: Independence from Corrupt Influence
• In verses 8-13 of the surah, the theme is Not to obey the deniers.
• People who are Slanderer, Backbiter, Preventer of good and Aggressive sinner should always be avoided for while being in company of such people, one tends to adopt their bad habits which tarnish his good character. 
• Remember: Your environment shapes your character
• So what to do? Don’t follow: Toxic leaders, Corrupt systems, and Peer pressure
• Learn to say “no” with conviction
• Build: Gratitude and Awareness in Blessings
• The Story of أصحاب الجنة (68:17–33) tells us a great lesson. 
• Remember: Wealth is a test of gratitude - while Ingratitude leads to loss
• Therefore always say: “In shā’ Allah” (recognize Allah’s will)
• Give charity regularly which is a means of acknowledging blessings.
• Never ever assume that success is self-made - it is a blessing from Allah. So do not be arrogant of your success, rather inculcate humility and gratitude for success, for it could be taken away if one is not grateful.
• Build: Accountability Mindset
• It said (68:35–36) → “Will We treat Muslims like criminals?”
• This means that Life is not random and Justice will happen.
• Therefore, think long-term and prefer آخِرَة (Hereafter) over dunya (wordily life)
• Before doing anything, ask: “How will this look before Allah?”

When one incorporates these traits in himself, he is sure to reform himself and would always prefer his character over his reputation, for a strong character is more enduring as it comes from within than the reputation which is always short lived and is always dependent on external factors which are borrowed to please others, and not oneself - what to talk of our Creator. 

Core Takeaway

Remember, True success is not: Wealth, Status, or Approval by others, Rather it is the Strong character rooted in awareness of Allah.

In time we will add more selected ayat / verses from this surah.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Surah 68 Al Qalam (The Pen)  already published. You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For verses on Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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The best among you is the best in character and manners (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Character is something that differentiates a good and pious man from a bad or lewd person. In other words, it is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. No religion or society looks up to someone who does not have strong moral and character qualities. Likewise, those with and mouth and tongue are the least liked people. Like all divine religions, Islam too lays a lot of emphasis on the character qualities and mannerism. In fact, a man of good character would stand the test of time and his qualities encourage others to follow him and respect him. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the best role model for the world for he displayed an extreme high level of character, matchless I would say. He ﷺ never used bad language, neither a “Fahish” nor a “Mutafahish”  - the two terms used in the Hadith being shared today and will be explained after the Hadith. 

Read more: Are you among the best Muslims, as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 78 - RGood Manners and Form (Al-Adab) /  كتاب الأدب / Chapter 39: Good character, generosity, and miserliness /  باب حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ، وَالسَّخَاءِ، وَمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ ) as Hadith 6035, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقٌ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو يُحَدِّثُنَا إِذْ قَالَ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاحِشًا وَلاَ مُتَفَحِّشًا، وَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ خِيَارَكُمْ أَحَاسِنُكُمْ أَخْلاَقًا ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Masruq: We were sitting with `Abdullah bin `Amr who was narrating to us (Hadith): He said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahhish, and he used to say, 'The best among you are the best in character (having good manners)."'

The two terms used in this Hadith are Fahish and Mutafahhish. A range of different meanings have been attributed to the word فحش (Fuhsh) and its derivatives.  Having taken into consideration the context of this Hadith, the word فاحش (Fahish) is in reference to all statements and actions deemed lewd and indecent; it is not only restricted to words having a sexual connotation. A person is also considered “Fahish” when immorality and obscenity has become a normal part of his character (i.e he himself is immoral). A “Mutafahish”, on the other hand, is one who, despite not being innately immoral, does something immoral or obscene intentionally.

This means that any noble and pious man rises above from others in mannerism and character and his tongue and actions a resource of inspiration and tranquility. We much too often come across people who are bad mouthed and even in their normal conversation they use words that are derogatory and immoral. The use of slang has further intensified usage of words that are unbecoming of a decent man. The use of words like f**k, mother f****r has somehow become routine words and even children are seen using these words like f***** up when trying to a poor state due to tiredness or have done a wrong thing. The irony is that even parents use these words in front of their children, who then take a cue from their parents and use these profusely.

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, and all non-Muslims reading my post, let us rein in our tongue and action that actions that are sued by people of low character or those who use these immoral words in trying to force upon themselves on others. Likewise, bad manners that go to any extent are their usual domain. 

Those who have been around Prophet Muhammad ﷺ never found him to be innately immoral nor seen indulging in immorality and obscenity. In fact, he minced each word that he uttered which spoke of his high character qualities. Likewise, when in the company of people, he never displayed any immoral manners that would intimidate others or something that leave a bad impression over others. In fact, he was the embodiment of extreme honesty, loyalty, generosity, and patience. He showed extreme compassion to others, and was fair in making good and impartial judgments. He had the strength oof the character to stand up to defend what he was tasked to by the Lord and performed his prophetic responsibilities with courage and resilience. 

Let us emulate the high character and mannerism of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and differentiate ourselves from those with loose tongue and lewdness both in their actions and manners.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our special page: Are you among the best Muslims, as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more Hadiths on the same subject.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith Resource Reference: | Hadith Answers |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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We must Judge People by their Character

We generally are in the habit of forming an opinion about others very quickly. Normally our judgement of someone's character is his regularity in offering prayers, giving away alms and charities and helping others. When we such people, we often treat them is pious and God fearing. But is it enough to judge a man's character? Perhaps not true always for many a times such people who are outwardly looking nice and pure, are often found to be otherwise from inside. The same story of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Before we proceed further, let us see what character really means:

The head of the matter is good character. With respect to Allah, good character means adhering to the sound creed (aqeedah) and performing acts of worship (ibadah). With respect to people, good character means being just, merciful, forgiving, kind, and patient in our interactions with others (mu'amalat).

• Character is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
• Britannica Dictionary definition of CHARACTER: the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves : someone's personality — usually singular. He rarely shows his true character—that of a kind and sensitive person. This is a side of her character that few people have seen.
• Character defines who we are. So when we judge someone else, we often judge them based on character. For example, when someone always seems to do the right thing, we classify him/her as a person of high ethical standards. Likewise, when someone is constantly negative, we consider him/her to have a pessimistic view.

Whenever Allah places a man on the pedestal of prophethood, the main criterion has always been character. The same was true for Prophet Muhammad when he was being blessed with the honour of prophethood, Allah said: And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character (Surah 58. Al Qalam (The Pen)- verse 4)

Thus, while we select a person for any job, we must select him for his wealth, his outward appearance, attire or eloquence in speech. Instead, we should try to find his hidden character qualities which of course can be found out by series of tests. Though there are people who sometimes evade such tests and find inroads into a company, establishment or even as the premiers and presidents of the country.  However, they are exposed one day though at the cost of some heavy losses.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is reported to have said: “The evilest in my nation are garrulous, braggarts, and pompous. The best of my nation is those with the best character.” “Verily, the believers with the most complete faith are those with the most excellent character and who are most kind to their families.”

In the personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ we find an excellent role model of character which was even accepted by his harshest of enemies. Before being given the prophethood, he was a merchant and no one ever raised a finger on his honesty and handling of their goods with even an iota of doubt of his honesty and fair handling. He was truthful, upright and extremely considerate. The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is embodiment of character qualities which if followed in true letter and spirit, no Muslim would have failings in his life for following a true faith and confessing to Tawhid, and the Sunnah, one is unable to go wrong ever.

Having just introduced the basics of character, let us now watch an enlightening video below by one of the most eminent scholars of present times,  Wahiduddin Khan and see how he defines character for a true believer:

Wahiduddin Khan (1 January 1925 – 21 April 2021) was an Islamic scholar and peace activist known for having written a commentary on the Quran and having translated it into contemporary English and talking on issues related to Islam.

Having read and seen the video above, please take a reappraisal of yourself and gauge the strengths and weaknesses of your character. And if there are failings, do take corrective measures to remove them. Likewise select people of the highest level of integrity and character qualities so that they serve us as is the right of doing so.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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