On the authority of al-Nawwaas ibn Samaan (may Allah be
pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) who said, “Righteousness is good character. And sin is that which
wavers in your soul and which you dislike the people finding out about.” (Recorded by Muslim)
How to Attain Good Character
A person is born and grows with certain characteristics and
qualities. If these are good characteristics, the person should be
thankful to Allah (swt) that He (swt) has placed these characteristics
in them. They should use these qualities for the sake of Allah (swt).
If a person naturally has some bad qualities, such as a quick temper
or stinginess, these characteristics can be changed. Bad qualities are
not fixed and we must struggle to overcome them through patience,
practice, effort and constantly reminding ourselves to behave in a way
that is better.
There are a number of ways in which can strive to improve our character:
1) Read the Qur’an in order to see the importance of having good character.
2) Read the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (s) to see how he lived
his life, in order to understand the best example of good character.
3) Keep good company. It is easier to have good character when one is surrounded by inspiring examples.
4) Consider the negative results of bad character, and its effects on family, society and one’s own soul.
5) Perform acts that go against one’s negative instincts, such as donating in charity if one is stingy.
6) Remember Allah (swt) and His (swt) rewards and punishments.
7) Make dua to Allah (swt) for Him (swt) to help you change, because good character and its resulting actions are a gift from Allah (swt).
The Prophet Muhammad (s) used to supplicate to Allah (swt):
“Guide me to the best of manners, no one [can] guide to the best
of them but you. And turn me away from evil manners, no one [can] turn
me away from them except You.” (Recorded in Muslim)
Let’s follow the example of our beloved Prophet (s) and do the same.
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