Four Principles for a Noble Character
- Categories: Islamic Morals -
It is not imagined that one can have noble character except if
it is founded upon four pillars:
The
First: Sabr
(Patience)
The
Second: 'Iffah
(Chastity)
The
Third: Shujaa'ah
(Courage)
The
Fourth: 'Adl
(Justice)
Patience
inspires him to be tolerant,
control his anger, endure the harms that he receives from others,
to be forbearing and deliberate in his decisions. It motivates him
to be gentle and not to be rash or hasty.
Chastity
inspires him to avoid every
imprudent characteristic, whether in statement or action, and
encourages him to have a sense of modesty and integrity which is
the epitome of all good. It prevents him from fornication,
stinginess, lying, backbiting and spreading tales to cause
separation and discord between the people.
Courage
inspires him to have a sense
of self esteem, to emphasize high and noble manners and to make it
apart of his natural disposition. It also encourages him to exert
himself and to be generous, which is in essence, true courage and
it leads to strong will and self determination. It encourages him
to distance himself from his ardent lowly desires, to control his
anger, and to be forbearing because by such, he can control his
temper, take it by the reins and curb his violent and destructive
behavior just as the Messenger (salla Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
said:
"The Strong is not the one who
can wrestle his opponent to the ground but rather the strong is the
one who can control himself when he gets angry." [Agreed
upon]
This is true genuine courage
and it is the sole trait that the slave utilizes to conquer his
opponent.
Justice
encourages him to be impartial
in his behavior with people and to be moderate between the two
extremes of negligence and extremism. It motivates him to be
generous and kind; which is the middle course between absolute
degradation and arrogance, and to make this a part of his
disposition and makeup. It encourages him to be courageous; which
is the middle course between cowardice and imprudence, and to be
forbearing; which is the middle course between extreme unnecessary
anger and ignominy.
These four virtuous
characteristics are the axis and provenance of all noble manners
and the foundation of all repugnant
and ignominious characteristics are built upon four
pillars:
The
First: Jahl
(Ignorance)
The
Second: Dhulm
(Oppression)
The
Third: Shahwah
(following ones lowly desires)
The
Fourth: Ghadab
(Anger)
Ignorance
allows him to view good in the
form of evil and evil in the form of good, and to consider that
which is complete to be incomplete and that which is incomplete to
be complete.
Oppression
causes him to put things in
places which are not appropriate for them, so he gets angry when
it's time to be happy and he is happy when it's time to be angry.
He is ignorant and hasty when it's time to be deliberate and
deliberate when it's time to be hasty, he is stingy when it is time
to be generous and generous when it's time to be stingy. He is weak
when it is time to be courageous and assume responsibility, and he
assumes responsibility when it is time to take a step back (and let
someone else undertake the initiative). He is gentle and lenient
when it is time to be harsh and firm and he is harsh and firm when
it is time to be lenient. He is humble when it is time to be
superior and arrogant when it is time to be humble.
Following
(his) lowly desires encourages him to be diligent in
obtaining that which the soul ardently desires, to be stingy and
greedy. It encourages him to adorn himself with all types of
despicable and imprudent characteristics.
Anger
incites him to be arrogant,
jealous, envious, to hold enmity of others and to be imprudent and
shameless.
The foundation
of these four repugnant and blameworthy characteristics; are two
pillars:
Either extreme self
ignominy,
Or extreme self
pride.
Translator: Shadeed Muhammad, Abu
Az-Zubayr
Reference: Madaarij ul Salikeen: Vol 2, P
308.