Three
Conditions to Acquire Excellent Character
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Excerpted
from his Risâlat-ut-Tabűkiyyah
This is one example of the excellent character with
which Allâh, the Exalted, has equipped his Messenger (
). He described him as,
“Verily, you (Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.”
[Al-Qalam (68): 4]
‘Â’ishah (radiyAllâhu
‘anhâ), described him as,
“His character was just [a
reflection of] the Qur’ân.”[1]
Such excellent character cannot be attained without
three conditions:
- The foundation must be good. If one has a rough and dry nature, it
will be hard for him to submit to this [excellence of character] through
knowledge, will, or practice. On the other hand, a mild and smooth nature
will be ready and willing to receive the plowing and the seeds [to prepare
it for character excellence].
- The soul must be strong and capable of conquering calls of
laziness, transgression, and desire. Those matters contradict perfection,
and souls that cannot defeat them will always be defeated and conquered.
- [One must possess] a discerning knowledge of the truth of matters,
enabling one to put them in the rightful position, and to distinguish
between flash and cancer - between glass and jewels.
If these three qualities are present in a man, and
Allâh’s facilitation helps him, then he will be among those whom the best (husnâ)
has been decreed and for whom Allâh’s care has been secured.
Notes:
[1] Muslim, Abű
Dâwűd, Ahmad
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