Some of The Moral Traits Set by The Holy Prophet, SAW (i i i)

The term ‘Ma’ruf’ and ‘Munkar’ have excessively been used in the Quran and Ahadith of the Prophet, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him. Literally ‘Ma’ruf’ means an act, habit or a social custom known to be good and upright while ‘Munkar’ is all that is disgusted and rejected by pure nature. This standard keeps footed until human natures are corrupted. Man’s straying from ‘Fitrah’ (true nature) makes a profound change in defining the things. As in a hadith related by Ibn Razin we find a warning by the Holy Prophet, SAW, that a time was to come when ‘Munkar’ (abomination) would be presumed as ‘Ma’ruf’ (virtue)’and ‘Maruf’ would be taken to be ‘Munkar’. Actually it is not but change of the standards which give new explications to the values and traditions. Morality has no doubt its effects on man’s material life. Our Prophet, SAW, once mentioned this while saying: “Excellence in the moral character and goodness of neighborhood causes the development of the towns and an increase in human average age.”(Ahmed) But what the Prophet, SAW, did the great in this case is binding of Morality with Iman. He restored the actuality of Morality by making it a matter blended with ‘Iman’ (Faith), sprouting from the pure human ‘Fitrah’ (nature). In the following lines a brief sketch of the Moral Traits set by Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him is given.

1: Justice

Justice is mistakenly thought to be a matter irrelevant to Morality and dealt only in the courtroom. This term is commonly used as antithesis of tyranny and cruelty, bitter taste of which is undergone everywhere in the life and is an outcome of indecency and impurity of Fitrah. Justice can never be delivered as long as the standards are under influence of a dirty nature. This disturbance of standards in establishing justice became evident many time before the Prophethood of Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him and even during his suffering the hardships in his Dawa efforts as the Messenger. The powerful chieftains of the Quraish kept the privilege reserved for them to do wrongs without fear of any accountability. Our Holy Prophet, SAW, as a boy, took part in the meeting called by one of his uncles, Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib, at the house of Abdullah ibn Jud’aan. It resulted in the Fadhul Alliance, a pledge to stand for helping the wronged people. And it was when Al-Aas bin Waail, an influential chieftain of Makkah usurped the price of the merchandise of a merchant from Zubaid (Yemen) who raised his call to the collective conscience and moral sense of the Quraish to help him. Muhammad, SAW, remembered this event with great appreciation and wished to be part of it if such a pact was again made during his Prophethood.

Long after that Abu Jahl, one of bitterest opponents of Islam and the Prophet, SAW, did the same. He bought some camels from an Araashi (man from the Khas’am clan) and showed prevarication in making payment. The disappointed man made his request for help to the leaders of the Quraish but none of them did more than making him subject to their witticism. They jokingly referred him to Muhammad, SAW, to ask for help. The Prophet, SAW, took him with him to the house of Abu Jahl, knocked at the door. At the opening of the door, the Prophet, SAW, simply told him to pay the man price of his camels. Abu Jahl, feeling a moral inferiority in the presence of Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, meekly paid the man for his camels.

After the scale of justice had been set in its place, once when Usama bin Zaid, RA, interceded for the forgiveness of a woman who made theft, the Holy Prophet, SAW, reacted sharply and said: “The communities before you were destroyed because they had double standard of justice. When some influential persons committed any crime they were left unpunished but when the poor were caught for lawbreaking they enforced the law to punish them. I swear in the name of Allah Who has Muhammad’s life in His hand, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad had made theft I would have cut off her hand in punishment.” (Nisai, Ahmed, Muslim)

2: Truthfulness and Honesty

Truthfulness is one of the most significant moral traits taught by our Holy Prophet, SAW. In one of his great sayings, frequently repeated in the congregational Khutbahs (speeches) he put enormous emphasis on truthfulness: “Truthfulness leads to the virtue and the virtue leads to the Paradise. A man exhibits his truthfulness until he is recorded with Allah as a truthful. The falsehood leads to the evils and the evils lead to the Hellfire. A man keeps on lying until he is recorded with Allah to be a liar.” (Agreed upon)Truthfulness of the Holy Prophet’s was eminently admitted among the Pagans of Makka not only himself to be the truthful and honest but this moral trait the core of his Dawa.

‘Honesty is the best policy’ is a famous proverb but its true spirit is found only in the moral character and the teachings of the Messengers and particularly in that what the last Prophet, Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him had inculcated in the hearts and minds of his followers. He advised to keep stuck to the truthfulness and honesty even if you feel yourself in jeopardy. Eventually there is salvation in it. (Ibn Abi Adunya) Once he said: “leave all that causes a doubt in your heart and resort to what has no doubtfulness. And in falsehood there is definite a dubiousness. (Tirmidhi)

3: Hayaa (Modesty) and Piety

The Arabic term ‘Hayaa’ is generally translated ‘Modesty’ but it has such an expatiation in meanings that like many other terms in the Quran or articulated by the Holy Prophet, SAW, this also is difficult to be elucidated by any single English word. ‘Hayaa’ is actually a shoot forth of pure Fitrah. Modern Western civilization is extremely of a materialistic disposition and sexual orientated. Thus Fitrah (Nature) in their cultures has got immensely polluted. ‘Shahwaat’ (carnal pleasures) are kept preponderant there. Extravagantly sensual gratification is placed above all the moral values there. Due to impurity of Fitrah and sense of Hayaa (modesty) is dead and nudity is a common trait there.

Just after departing from Hayaa dozens of sinful doors become open and man is swayed to be astray. Refraining from corruption, remaining away from obscenity, respecting the elders, doing no indecent act or uttering no improper word from the tongue is when due to the fear of getting nabbed by the law, the guilty people generally are success in finding loopholes to exploit the law. But if Hayya is the motive behind noble acts and tendencies then there remains no room for vulgarity and vice. Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, is reported to have said: “Hayaa is completely a good.” (Muslim) In another agreed upon Hadith he said that Hayaa results in nothing else but a virtue in any case.

God-fearing or piety is a requisite of the Quran, excessively repeated and demanded to be practically proved. Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, used to start all his sermons with the stress on this inner quality. He used to advise the people for enhancing the trait of Taqwa (piety). The guidance depends only on piety. The success in Akhirah is hinged on this quality.

4: Adherence to the Promises and Covenants

Man’s life, in fact, is strung in written and a lot of unwritten promises, pacts and covenants. Marital and family life, jobs contracts, social values and general laws of the country necessary to abide by. In the most cases conformity to the laws and promises is a constraint and man is forced to adhere to them. The politicians fool the people through their false promises to win their support in elections. They shamefully break their oaths sworn in the name of Allah to do their utmost for integrity of the country, solidarity of the nation and to take care of the interests of the people.

But Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, declared it a moral obligation. When Hudaibiya Pact was signed most of the prominent companions of the Prophet, SAW, thought it a humiliating document for the Muslims and the Makkans had apparently an upper hand in it. But when it was reached there remained no room to break the pact. One who do not keep adherent to the covenants and promises are told to not having a Deen to follow.

5: Mildness, Moderation and Balance in Attitudes

Extremism has always been a ruinous and destructive state of mind. Unfortunately we are breathing in a poisonous environment of extremity these days. Extremism has grown in the name of Islam and the price of overweening pride of the extremists is nothing else but more and more casualties of the innocent people in bomb blasts and suicide attacks by so-called Mujahideen. Ignoring the wisdom of Islam and without chalking out a real strategy to serve the cause of Islam, a never ending war has been waged bringing more ravage and damage for the Muslim community than causing any big harm to the enemies of Islam. Islam does not approve extremism may it be in Ibadaat or for a great noble cause. Our Holy Prophet, SAW, once heard three men out of his quarter. One of them showed his resolution to keep busy in worship and praying all at the night time. The other expressed his decision of consecutively keeping fast. And the third determined not to marry the women and spare himself for devotion to Allah. The Holy Prophet, SAW, taught them by his own example: “I fear from Allah and have the piety more than all of you but I fast and sometime do not fast, I pray at night and I sleep also. I have married the women. The one who turns himself away from my Sunnah has no concern with me.” (Agreed upon) The behavior under influence of an excess of love or intense of malice and hatred never has been a healthy one. Islam does not recommend such attitude, behavior or act, may it be in the name of Islam and for good cause. Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, while rejecting this attitude once repeatedly said: “Ruined are the violent and extremists.” (Muslim) The Holy Prophet, SAW, is reported to have said: “The better way of dealing the matters is moderation and balance.” (Al-Behaqi) In another hadith he is reported to have said: “Show a balance in expression of your affection for one whom you love because it is likely there come a time you have to vent your anger against him. And be mild in spitting your feelings of anger, probably the time come when he becomes your fast friend.” (Tirmidhi, Al-Behaqi)

6: Humbleness

Arrogant people generally have an air of haughty aloofness. In fact it is a psychological ailment but in self deceptiveness they show to being something above all others. Negative impacts of the lowness of such moral character become evident not only on the personality of the arrogant but on whole of the surroundings of one who behaves arrogantly. Being vain about their appearance, race, colour, social status, wealth and power they hardly desist themselves from insulting the common people. They are not shy of insolence to the most honored persons. Evil of arrogance is not particular to only political leaders. Sometime we find the same inadmissible attitude in our religious scholars and heads of the religious parties also. They behave with conceit bragging about their religious knowledge which is quietly unapproved thing in the light of the morality taught by the Holy Prophet, SAW.

The Holy Prophet, SAW, is reported to have said: “Should I not tell you about those who will be put in the Hellfire? All the cruel and those who exhibite their pride of being great” (Agreed upon) At another place the Messenger of Allah is reported to have said:“The one who will bear arrogance of an atom weight and size Allah will make him lay prone in the Hellfire.” (Ahmed) “Verily, Allah, the Most Exalted, has revealed to me that show humbleness. No one should be there to wrong others and show his pride and eminence over others.” (Muslim) Another Hadith says: “One who expresses humbleness toward his Muslim brother Allah will raise him to a high degree and the one who demonstrates his aloofness Allah will bring him to lowness.” (Tabrani)

7: Mercy and tender heartedness

The world we live in seems to be swarming with the hungry wolves. Only in the two World Wars in only the first half of the last century millions of the people were put slain in Europe. Then Maqtal (place of murdering the people) was decided to shift to the Muslim world. Since then in the faceless wars massacre of thousands of the Muslim children, women and elders has taken place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan and many other places and still, in the name of ‘War on Terror’ a terrible amount of butchery goes on. The most tragic scene is that the rulers of the Muslim countries become a support for those who kill their people. They should not forget that “The one who takes side of the cruel and tyrant while knowing he is cruel, is discarded from Islam” (Ahmed, Tabrani)

Tender heartedness and mercifulness is one of the greatest attributes of a Muslim. Allah says, as told in a Hadith related by Imam Muslim, “My mercy precedes my anger.” May they be the aggressor super powers or the militants and the terrorists as the butchers, having lost mercy, they are mischievous. As individuals and as a community we, as the Muslims, should prove to be kind and merciful towards all around us. Allah’s mercy depends upon whether we are kind hearted or not. The Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, is reported to have said: “The one who shows no pity and mercy is never granted mercy by Allah.” (Agreed upon) Indulgence and forgiveness is a show of mercy and because Allah Himself is the Pardoner and Forgiver, so He like those who, having chance and power to revenge, follow the trait of forgiveness.

8: Generosity

Stinginess and avariciousness are horrid and abominable attitudes and because of their pernicious impacts on the Muslim society they are immensely rejected by Islam. Miserliness and immorality are adverse behaviors totally inconsistent to the Faith of a true Muslim. Allah’s Messenger, be peace and blessings upon him, is reported to have said: “Miserliness and Iman (true belief) can never remain together in the heart of a believer.” (Tialsi) Who can be more callous than one who himself leads a luxurious life but remains unconcerned about the need of food and clothing of hundreds of the people around him longing for the basic needs.

Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, is reported to have said: “Allah says ‘O son of Adam! Spend (to meet the needs of the others) you will be rewarded in the same way.”(Agreed upon) A tradition related by Tahawi says: “Best of the people are those who are generous.” Avoiding from two extremes, extravagance and stinginess, spending for the needs of the family members and the members of the community is the behavior recommended by the Quran and the Messenger, SAW.

9: Trustworthiness

The Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, had a tremendous quality of being trustworthy and he has taught us to develop the same quality in ourselves as the true believers. A limited concept of Amanah (trust) is honestly keeping of some material items of someone in custody with the trust to be returned to their owner on his demand. But in the light of the Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet, SAW, it is a thing far larger than commonly understood.

Lust of power is now a virus and most of the politicians are in its grip. Their want for power is not to serve but they are greedy of making fortunes through power. The responsibilities of a public office, as the head of the state and government, holding an assignment as an officer in a government or private office, the membership of the national and provincial assemblies or in local governments all are the trusts. Keeping this sense of trust in sight we have been commanded in the Quran to give the responsibilities only to those who are honest, sincere and have capability of holding them. Wicked, imposter and dishonest elements, lacking the quality of trustworthiness are found in every field of life but the politics is a particular pasture of them now.

Secrets of the individuals and institutions are also the trusts as long as they are not harmful to the honour, life and property of the one, whose secret is kept with any authority or agency. Privacy of the citizens of the country is also a trust and its breach is allowed only in case it is indispensible for the integrity of the nation and stability of the country. This rule is derived from Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, who is reported to have said: “The matters secretly decided in a gathering of some people are the trust except the three types of gatherings; the one where a plot for a murder is hatched, the second, where an evil plan of adultery is decided and the third where unrightfully grabbing the wealth or property of someone is intrigued.” (Ahmed)

10: Courage and Determination

The psychological expert are of opinion that most of the cruel minded people, may they be the arbitrary rulers, military commanders or those who resort to terrorism, by nature they are cowards. Their ferociousness actually is a cover to their cowardliness. Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings upon him, was extraordinarily courageous and spirited. Not for weeks and months but during the whole of 23 years of his baneful struggle in discharging his prophetic duties he faced severest hostility but he remained unwavering and could not be intimidated. His companions used to say that even the bravest of us, in the hottest moments of fighting and very critical situation in the battlefield, took shelter behind him. (Ahmed) A tradition says: “When Ibrahim, be blessings of Allah upon him, was put in fire, he said: ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and (He is) the best Disposer of affairs.’ And when the people (hypocrites) said to (the believers and) Muhammad, SAW: Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it increased them in Faith and they said: “Sufficient for us is Allah, and (He is) the best Disposer of affairs.” (Bukhari) The Messenger of Allah, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, once advised his companions saying: “Once you have seen, heard and witnessed Haqq (truth) then the fear of the people should not stop you from proclaiming it.” (Ahmed)

Conclusion

It is unfortunate that Muhammad, SAW, the last Messenger of Allah, has been subject to the malice of the non-Muslims for centuries. The more wrong is done by his so-called devotees who have imaginarily placed him on a mythical permundane seat. He set the unique moral traits as a humble servant of his Lord, Allah, the most Exalted, as a model human character in this world. All the Messengers and Prophets were human being to guide the human beings on the earth. Allah says: “If there were upon the earth angels walking securely, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel (as a) Messenger.” (Al-Israa: 95) Muhammad, be peace and blessings of Allah upon him, was not commissioned to lead the Jinn or the angels. Now from his Ummah an element there are the people unsatisfied on his being the best man in entire human history they want him to be placed at a supernatural position as the followers of Christ have done. Thus his remarkable role in setting incomparable moral traits to mould undisciplined minds into cultured citizens of high morality remains in dust. Imitating the birthday celebration events of the followers of the Christ eyes are cast on some otherworldly horizons to fit him there, neglecting what the great deed of transforming a new man and shaping an unmatched civilization with redefined moral values done by him.