essay on personality in islam

Souls Assorted: An Islamic Theory of Spiritual Personality

Published: October 18, 2018 • Updated: November 20, 2020

Author s : Dr. Zohair Abdul-Rahman , and Dr. Nazir Khan

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

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What is personality, personality in the qur’an and sunnah.

Indeed Allah Most High created Adam from a handful that He took from all of the earth. So the children of Adam come in according with the earth, some of them come red, and white and black, and between that, and the lenient, the hard-headed, the filthy, and the pure. 7  

I have not seen anyone resemble the Messenger of Allah in disposition ( samtan ), characteristics ( dallan ) and mode of conduct ( hadyan ), in their standing and sitting, than Fātimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah  ﷺ . When Fātimah would enter upon the Prophet  ﷺ  he used to stand up for her, kiss her and seat her in his place; and when the Prophet  ﷺ  used to visit her, she would stand up for him, kiss him, and seat him in her place. 15

Personality versus moral character

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Personality psychology in the islamic tradition.

Lust is a spiritual illness ( nafsāni ). But when the disease increases in strength it starts to manifest in the body. It can become a mental illness  ( dimāghi ) such as Melancholia. And it is said regarding this that the disease of obsessions ( wasw ā si ) is similar to Melancholia. Lastly, it can be a physical illness of the body manifesting as fatigue, weakness, and symptoms like that . 24  

Spiritual tendencies

People differ in this regard. From amongst people, some find knowledge easier than zuhd , some find zuhd easier than  ‘ ilm , and some find  ibādah  easier than both of them. What is prescribed ( mashroo ’) is that everyone acts according to what they are capable of goodness based on the verse “Have taqwa of Allah as much as you are able” (64:16). So when the branches of faith become crowded, a person proceeds with what is most pleasing to God by acting according to what he is most capable. 26

The path to Allah is one path, inclusive of all that which pleases Allah, and what pleases Him is numerous and diversified according to times, places, people, and situations. All of these are Divinely pleasing paths, which God made numerous out of His Mercy and Wisdom for the differences of people in their dispositions ( i sti‘dadat ) and their hearts ( qulub ). And had God made them all one category despite the differences in people’s minds ( a dh h ā n ), intellects ( uqul ), and strengths and weaknesses of their dispositions, none would traverse the path to Him except [a few individuals,] one by one . 30

And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for mankind from every kind of example. But, mankind  has above all else  always been argumentative.   (Qur'an, 18:54) And thus we have sent an Arabic Qur'an down and diversified the warnings in it so that they may become conscious (of God) or it would inspire remembrance.   (Qur'an, 20:113)

Categorizing spiritual tendencies

Thinking ( fikr ) is of two types: a type of thinking that pertains to knowledge ( ` ilm ) and recognition ( ma’rifah ), and a type of thinking that pertains to pursuit ( talab ) and will ( iraadah ). So that which relates to knowledge and recognition is thinking which discerns truth and falsehood and matters affirmed and negated, while the latter relates to the thinking which distinguishes that which is beneficial and that which is harmful. 35

Knowledge type: experience vs. judgment

In the last century only, two approaches are characteristic: the deductive one, strongly theologically oriented, and the inductive one, starting from lived experience. 44

The j udging types believe that life should be willed and decided, while the perceptive types regard life as something to be experienced and understood. Thus judging  types like to settle things, or at least to have things settled, whereas perceptive types prefer to keep their plans and opinions as open as possible so that no valuable experience or enlightenment will be missed. 49

Behavior type: Action vs. restraint

Certainly the believers have succeeded. Those who are humbly submissive in their prayer. Those who turn away from ill speech. Those who observe charity. Those who protect their chastity.  (Qur’an 23:1-5).

And some people’s ṣabr for good deeds that bring benefit is stronger than their ṣabr against what brings harm. So they will have the ṣabr necessary to do the most difficult and challenging of tasks, but will not have any ṣabr that averts  them  from  their  desires. 59

Many people have the ṣabr to pray the night prayer in the heat and in the cold, as well as  [to endure]  the difficulty accompanying fasting. But they can’t seem to control  themselves in something as simple as averting  their gaze. 60

There are many people who have the ṣabr to control their gaze, but they don’t have the ṣabr necessary to preach goodness and discourage vice . 61

There is a whole class of men who at the moment of reaction to a given situation at first draw back a little as if with an unvoiced “No,” and only after that are able to react; and there is another class who, in the same situation, come forward with an immediate reaction, apparently confident that their behavior is obviously right...As we know, the former class corresponds to the introverted and the second to the extraverted attitude . 68

And of the people is he who worships Allah on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to the other direction]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.  (Qur’an 22:11) And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.   (Qur’an 30:36)

O Allah! I seek refuge with You from anxiety and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men. 75

A typology of spiritual personality

Example . Ali Ibn Abi Talib is a clear example of this category, known for his incredible passion in serving the truth and performing unmatched feats of virtue (risking his life during an assassination attempt on the Prophet, performing the  hijrah  on foot, his bravery during the Battle of al-Khandaq and his heroism during Khaybar, etc). When the  fitnah  (tribulation) occurred after the death of `Uthman, the approach of Ali was to act pragmatically to take the reins of leadership to bring stability and unity to the  ummah .  According to Ali, “Opportunity passes as quickly as clouds, so make use of opportunities for good.” 83

Example .  Umar ibn al-Khattab is the obvious example of this category. His relentless commitment to eradicating evil and opposing injustice has been noted by all who have studied his life. He announced his Islam openly in front of the Quraysh chieftains, condemned transgressions, and denounced those who perpetrated them in the strongest of terms. His justice was manifest in his swift retribution punishing the son of a governor who abused a Christian peasant in Egypt, and asking his father, “When did you enslave people when their mothers bore them free?” 85  As harsh as he was on those who did wrong, he was always harsher on himself, 86   and this in turn led him to soften on others. 87

Example.  The prime example of this category is Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq. Without hesitation he was the first man to accept Islam, immediately seeing it for the truth that it was. One of the most remarkable aspects of who he was is the role he played in bringing so many of the other leading companions to embrace the faith and the intense amount of striving for good he exemplified. 89  His experiential insight revealed to him meanings that were not readily apparent to others; when the Prophet announced that a slave was given a choice between this world and that which is with Allah and had chosen the latter, only Abu Bakr understood that the Prophet was announcing that he would soon pass away. Abu Bakr was a pillar of support for Muslims in the most calamitous moment the  ummah  experienced, namely the death of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, offering the powerful words that showed his insight: “Whoever worshipped Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad has died. And whoever worshipped Allah, then verily Allah is Ever Living, and shall never die.” 90

Example . The example of Uthman ibn Affan shines clearly in this category. He was not the most outspoken companion but rather was a tremendously reflective soul, contemplating the afterlife and punishment in the grave. It is narrated that when he stood over a grave, he would weep until his beard became wet. 92  He worried about the negative consequences of seemingly mundane actions. 93  His concern for preventing Muslims from differing about the Qur’anic text lead to his commissioning of Zaid ibn Thabit to compile the  mushaf . 94  He paid tremendous attention to the prophecies of the end-times and, when the rebels surrounded his home, he warned them of the internecine violence it would lead to, and he forbade anyone to shed blood in his defense. In one of his famous sermons, Uthman said, “O people fear Allah, for fear of Allah is a great treasure. The smartest of people is the one who checks himself and strives for that which comes after death, and gains from the light of Allah light to illuminate his grave.” 95

Say: Everyone will act according to their nature, and your Lord knows best who is rightly guided  (Qur’an 17:84).

1  Susan Cain.  Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking . (Crown Publishing Group 2012), pp. 2-3.

2  Funder, D. C. (2015).  The personality puzzle: Seventh international student edition . W. W. Norton & Company, p. 5.

3  Philip J. Corr, Gerald Matthews.  The Cambridge handbook of personality psychology . (Cambridge University Press 2009), p. xxii.

4  Gerlach, M., Farb, B., Revelle, W., & Nunes Amaral, L. A. (2018). A robust data-driven approach identifies four personality types across four large data sets.  Nature Human Behaviour ,  2 , 735-742.

5  I dowu Koyenikan,  Wealth for all: Living a life of success at the edge of your ability .  (NC: Grandeur Touch, L.L.C., 2016) .

6 Nicodemus, K. M. (2012). Personality type and job satisfaction. In R. D. Urman & J. M. Ehrenfeld (Eds.),  Physicians’ pathways to non-traditional careers and leadership opportunities  (pp. 11-17). New York: Springer.

7   Jami’ al-Tirmidhi , 3213.

8  Mulla Ali al-Qari’.  Mirqat al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih . (Dar al-Fikr 2002). Vol. 1, p. 176.

9  Al-Qurtubi,  Al-Jaami’ li-Ahkaam al-Quran , verse 17:84.  Accessed  Online .  

10   Sahih Bukhari : Accessed  Online .

11  Al-Ayni,  Umdat ul-Qari Sharh Sahih Bukhari . Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya. Beirut: 2001. vol. 15, p. 297.

12  Al-Asqalani,  Fath ul Bari . Al-Maktabah As-Salafiyya. vol. 6, pp. 369-370. The subsequent statements by al-Qurtubi and al-Khattabi are cited by Ibn Hajar.

13  This statement also points to the value of identifying and altering harmful core beliefs, which is the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

14  Al-Asqalani,  Fath ul Bari . Al-Maktabah As-Salafiyya. vol. 6, pp. 369-370.

15   Sunan Abi Dawud  ( Online ). For an interesting derivation of 33 lessons from this  hadith  see al-Jubury, Kehlan. The Prophet and his daughter. Prophetic Guidance blog (June 15, 2013).  http://propheticguidance.co.uk/the-prophet-and-his-daughter/

16   Sahih Bukhari  ( Online ).

17  See al-Sha’rawi’s comments as cited in Umar Ahmad Zakariyah.  Hayat al-Nabi fi baytihi . (Beirut: Dar al-Kotob al-Ilmiyah 1971), p. 237.

18   Muwatta Maalik : Accessed  Online .

19  The precise personality traits associated with optimism are explored more fully in Sharpe, J. P., Martin, N. R., & Roth, K. A. (2011). Optimism and the Big Five factors of personality: Beyond neuroticism and extraversion.  Personality and Individual Differences ,  51 (8), 946-951.

20   Sunan Ibn Majah  ( online ),  Sunan Abi Dawud  ( online ).

21   https://yaqeeninstitute.org/en/zohair/powerofmotivation/  

22 Al-Ani, Nizar Muhammad Sa’id.  Ash-shakhsiya al-Insaniyya fee al-Fikr al-Islamee . International Institute of Islamic Thought, Beirut: 2005, 2nd edition.

23  Ibid.

24  Umar Ahmad Ar-Rawi.  Tibb al-Quloob . Daar kutub Ilmiyya, 2003, p. 83.

25  The interested reader can refer to a prior article published by Yaqeen on the topic of  waswās ,  https://yaqeeninstitute.org/en/najwa-awad/clinicians-imams-and-the-whisperings-of-satan/  

26  Ibn Taymiyyah.  Majmoo’ al-Fatawa , vol. 6, pp. 651-652.

27   Madarij as-Salikin , vol. 1, p. 132, as cited in  Anjum, Ovamir. Sufism without Mysticism? Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah's Objectives in  Madarij as-Salikin ."  Oriente Moderno , 2010, 1 , p. 175.

28   Sahih Bukhari , Accessed  online .

29  See the discussion of Imam al-Ubbi (d.   827  A H) in his supercommentary on  Sahih Muslim ;  Ikmal ikmal al-mu’lim sharh Sahih Muslim , (Egypt: Matba’ al-Sa’adah), vol. 1, p. 119.  Aside from the gate of fasting, however, there is no scriptural proof for which deeds correspond to which gates.

30  Ibn al-Qayyim.  Tareeq al-Hijratayn wa Bab al-Sa’adatayn , p. 385.

31 Ibid., pp. 386-388.

32  Al-Dhahabi,  Siyar an-Nubala : Accessed  Online .

33  Of course, it goes without saying that these differences are with respect to voluntary actions, while obligatory actions are required of everyone. Jamaal Zarabozo writes, “This reality is all by the mercy of Allah. Beyond the obligatory deeds, people are free to pursue those good voluntary deeds that they are most attracted to. There are so many areas of voluntary deeds that it seems inconceivable that a person could not find some voluntary deed or deeds that he would like to perform in order to get closer to Allah. Allah's path to paradise is wide enough to accommodate all of those different leanings. However, this is all dependent on the individual first fulfilling, in general, the obligatory deeds. If the person does not do that, then he may not be on the straight path at all.” ( Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi , vol. 2, p. 1154).

34  Ibn al-Qayyim.  Tareeq al-Hijratayn wa Bab al-Sa’adatayn , p . 403.

35  Ibn al-Qayyim,  Madarij al-Salikin , vol. 1, p. 166.  Online . He also further classifies a subtype of the second category which is thinking about how best to achieve benefit or avoid harm, or the means to the goal, and then mentions that “These are the six categories of thinking, for which there is no seventh.”

36  Abdul-Latif ibn Abdul-Aziz al-Rabah.  Makanat al-’Ulum al-Tab’iyyah fi’l-tarbiyah Islamiyyah . Doctoral dissertation, p. 267.

37  The term  ahkām  is not used here in its narrow jurisprudential usage to refer to legal rulings but rather linguistically to describe knowledge-related judgments. Being oriented towards  ahkām   entails a pragmatic approach and focus on structure, decisions, good versus bad, true versus false, etc.

38   Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi ,  Accessed  Online . The Prophet  ﷺ  gave this advice to Wabisah ibn Ma’bad and very similar advice to Nawwas ibn Sam’an. Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d.   974  A H) makes the interesting observation that this advice applies to those persons similar to Wabisah who possess that faculty of inner perception ( idrak ), while others may need more explicit religious rulings of commands and prohibitions, and thus the Prophet addressed everyone with the advice most suited to them; see al-Haytami,  Fath al-Mubin , (Dar al-Minhaj 2008), p. 465. For judgment-oriented people, they may need objective definitive rules to avoid succumbing to personal bias ( hawa’ ) and desires ( shahawat ).

39   Sahih Muslim ,  Accessed online . Ibn al-Qayyim cites this  hadith  as proof in  Madarij al-Salikin , and also explains that a certain measure of  dhawq  is necessary for all people, without which they may succumb to doubts in their faith (vol. 3, p. 92,  online ).

40  Ibn al-Qayyim,  Madarij al-Salikin ,  online . (Arabic: “ Alati laa tanalu bi-kasb wa la dirasah ”).

41   40 Hadith Nawawi , no. 37,  accessed online , which describes the multiplication of rewards in general.

42   40 Hadith Nawawi ,  no. 19,  accessed online .

43  Al-Albani,  Sahih al-Jami al-Saghir   2328.

44   Waaijman, K. (2007). What is spirituality?  Acta Theologica ,  27 (2), 1-18.

45  Buxant, C., Saroglou, V., & Tesser, M. (2010). Free-lance spiritual seekers: Self-growth or compensatory motives?  Mental Health, Religion & Culture ,   13 (2), 209-222.

46  For instance, Hatim al-Asamm described his strategy of attaining  khushu ’ in prayer: “I stand to pray, imagining that the Ka'bah is in front of my eyes, Paradise to my right, Hell-fire to my left, and the Angel of Death behind me. I imagine that it is the last  Salah  I am about to perform, stand up in hope (in Allah, His Paradise, and reward) and fear (of Allah’s torment in the Hell-fire) and recite the  Takbir  with concentration.” (Al-Ghazali,  Al-Ihya , vol. 1, p. 179).

47  It might strike some as paradoxical for experience-oriented individuals to have an aptitude for highly theoretical subjects. However, it is their intuitive capacity that enables them to transform the seemingly theoretical into a strong lived experience. People with this approach to knowledge are also not content with merely learning what is; they want to know why it is. They have a strong need for true understanding and a recognition of the wisdom in the rulings and rituals of Islam. This goes back to their desire for experience. Without understanding the wisdom, it is hard to experience what is intended by those religious practices.

48  Roberts, B. W., Chernyshenko, O. S., Stark, S., & Goldberg, L. R. (2005). The structure of conscientiousness: An empirical investigation based on seven major personality questionnaires.  Personnel Psychology ,  58 (1), 103-139.

49  Myers, I., & Myers, P. (2010).  Gifts differing: Understanding personality type . Nicholas Brealey, p. 69.

50  Ibn al-Qayyim,  Madarij al-Salikin , vol. 1, p. 147.  Online .

51  McCrae, R. R. (1994). Openness to experience: Expanding the boundaries of Factor V.  European Journal of Personality ,  8 (4), 251-272.

52  Terracciano, A., Löckenhoff, C. E., Crum, R. M., Bienvenu, O. J., & Costa, P. T. (2008). Five-Factor Model personality profiles of drug users.  BMC Psychiatry ,  8 (1), 22.

53   Sahih Bukhari ,  accessed online . This story demonstrates how this companion had a strong experiential commitment to Islam through the love in his heart that he felt for Allah and His Messenger. The repeated commission of this sin was not interpreted as evidence of a lack of faith. Rather, it was clear that this particular individual had an addiction alongside his strong love for Islam.

54  Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "O `Abdullah! Have I been informed that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?" I said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!" He said, "Do not do that! Observe the fasts sometimes and also leave them (the fasts) at other times; stand up for the prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, and your wife has a right over you."  Sahih Bukhari ,  accessed online .

55   Sahih Bukhari ,  accessed online .

56  Sibley, C. G., & Duckitt, J. (2008). Personality and prejudice: A meta-analysis and theoretical review.  Personality and Social Psychology Review ,  12 (3), 248-279.

57  Imam al-Juwayni.  Al-Waraqaat , (Riyaadh: Dar As-Samee’ee), p. 7. There is also a historical discussion amongst the classical scholars on whether it is worse to do something prohibited or to abandon something obligatory. The former was stated explicitly by Imam Ahmad (d. 240 AH) as noted by Ibn Rajab in  Jami al-Ulum ,  and is the position of the majority as noted by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami in  Fath al-Mubeen . Meanwhile, the latter is the opinion of Imam Sahl al-Tustari (d. 284 AH) and advocated by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim in  al-Fawa’id   (1/119). The reality is that both sides have strong arguments and evidences in their favor and are easily reconciled with reference to the concept of spiritual personality such that it may depend on the person in question and their individual weaknesses.

58  Ibn al-Qayyim.  Iddat as-Sabireen , (Jeddah: Dar `Alam al-Fawa’id) p. 26.

59  Ibid.

60  Ibid.

61 Ibid., p. 27.

62   https://muslimmatters.org/2007/08/19/pornogrpahy-addiction-among-muslims-stories-tips/

63  Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali,  Jami al-Ulum wal-Hikam . Vol. 2, p. 98.  Online . Arabic:  wa qad yakun urida bil-birr fi’l al-wajibat wa bi-taqwa fi’l al-muharramat .

64  Ibn Kathir.  Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Adheem . (Riyadh: Dar at-Taybah, 1999), vol. 1, p. 164.

65  Ibn al-Qayyim.  Tareeq ul-Hijratayn , pp. 373-374. It should be clear that this is not a negative experience of fearing a vengeful and merciless deity. Rather, gathering all of the fears a person may have about the world and recognizing that only Allah is capable of Benefit or Harm, naturally dissipates their fear of this world. Fear of Allah alone becomes a source of immense courage, as a person recognizes that nothing in this world can harm them without the permission of Allah.

66   Sahih Bukhari  -  Accessed online . Perhaps it was this unique spiritual personality of Hudhayfah that earned him the position of the keeper of the Prophet’s secrets, which meant that the Prophet  ﷺ  confided in him the names of the hypocrites.

67  Jung, C. (2017).  Psychological types . Routledge, p. 307.

68  Jung, C. (2001).  Modern man in search of a soul . Routledge, p. 87.

69  Kumari, V., ffytche, D. H., Das, M., Wilson, G. D., Goswami, S., & Sharma, T. (2007). Neuroticism and brain responses to anticipatory fear.  Behavioral Neuroscience ,  121 (4), 643-652.

70  McGonigal, Kelly.  Maximum willpower . (Pan Macmillan UK, 2012). p. 52.

71  This phenomenon has been described in a previous article:  https://yaqeeninstitute.org/en/zohair/powerofmotivation/  

72  There is an established concept in psychology referred to as ‘moral self-licensing,’ whereby a person’s past good deeds make them feel entitled to indulge in desires or make excuses for unethical behavior. For instance, see A.C. Merritt, D.A. Effron, B. Monin. (2010). Moral self-licensing: When being good frees us to be bad.  Social and Personality Psychology Compass ,  4 (5), 344–357. This effect has also been examined in the context of failure to succeed in dieting: Prinsen, S., Evers, C., & De Ridder, D. (2016). Oops I did it again: Examining self-licensing effects in a subsequent self-regulation dilemma.  Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being ,  8 , 104-126.

73  Jung, C. (2017).  Psychological types . Routledge, p. 4.

74  It is important to distinguish between healthy shame ( hayaa’ ) (“I did something wrong”) which helps one to avoid bad, and toxic shame (“I am a bad person”) where one views oneself with contempt and unworthy of any good, falling into despair ( al-ya’s ), effectively denying the power of God’s mercy to reach oneself.

75   Sahih Bukhari , Accessed  Online .

76  Jung, C. (2017).  Psychological types . Routledge, p.4.

77  There are also specialties that focus on the genetic and biological basis for personality, but this is largely separate from the type vs. trait discussion, which is mainly a statistical issue.

78  Bess, T. L., & Harvey, R. J. (2002). Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Fact or artifact?  Journal of Personality Assessment ,  78 (1), 176-186.

79  Ibid.

80  Pittenger, D. J. (2004). The limitations of extracting typologies from trait measures of personality.  Personality and Individual Differences ,  37 (4), 779-787.

81   https://www.16personalities.com/articles/our-theory  

82  The names of these categories have been formulated by the authors to capture the central motif embodied in each spiritual personality.

83  Ibn Muflih,  Adab al-Shar’iyyah . (Beirut: Mu’assasat al-Risalah 1999), vol. 1, p.  378. Arabic:   al-furus tamur mithl al-sahab .

84   Sunan Abi Dawud ,  Accessed online .

85  Ibn Abdal-Hakam,  Futuh Misr , vol. 1, p. 195.

86  Such as Umar’s asking Hudhayfah whether he was mentioned amongst the  Munafiqin  due to his great fear of being insincere in his faith (Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalani,  Matalib al-Aliya h , vol. 14, p. 702,  online ).

87  See, for instance, Umar pardoning a man who was drinking ( Mustadrak al-Hakim  8198,  available online ).

88  The Qur’an actually mentions this combination in 38:45 and mentions Prophet Ibrahim as an example. His strong vision ( baseera ) and powerful pursuit of good ( ayd )  play out multiple times in his life. It is what gave him the resolve to withstand the persecution of his people, and trust that his family would grow and prosper in the barren valley of Makkah. We also find a strong drive for action as he built the Ka’ba with his hands, and he physically broke the idols as part of his preaching. The Prophet Muhammad likened Abu Bakr to  Ibrahim and Eesa, while he likened Umar to Nuh and Musa ( Musnad Ahmad ).

89  The Messenger  ﷺ  asked, “Who is fasting today?” Abu Bakr ( radi Allahu anhu ) replied, “Me.” The Messenger  ﷺ  asked, “Who has followed a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr ( radi Allahu anhu ) replied, “Me.” The Messenger  ﷺ  asked, “Who has fed a poor person today?” Abu Bakr ( radi Allahu anhu ) replied, “Me.” The Messenger  ﷺ  asked, “Who has visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr ( radi Allahu anhu ) replied, “Me.” The Messenger  ﷺ  then said, “Any person that has done these four things in one day will enter Paradise.” ( Sahih Muslim ,  online ).

90  Al-Baghawi,  Sharh al-Sunnah , vol. 5, p. 323.

91  A famous example of the contrast between the Hand of Power and the Eye of Vigilance is that of Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181 AH), the warrior-scholar defending the frontiers of Muslim lands against the Romans, versus Fudayl ibn Iyad (d. 187 AH) the pious ascetic and bandit-turned-worshipper who was constantly worshipping in the Holy sanctuary of Makkah; the former wrote a well-known poem in this regard.

92   Sunan Ibn Majah  ( Online ).

93  It was narrated from Humayd ibn Nu'aym that 'Umar and 'Uthman were invited to a meal, and when they set out, 'Uthman said to 'Umar: We have come to a meal where I wish we did not come. He said: Why? He said: I am afraid it was prepared in order to show off. ( Al-Zuhd   by Imam Ahmad, p. 126).

94  For a detailed discussion see al-Azami, M. M.   The History of the Qur’anic Text: From Revelation to Compilation: A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testaments .  (UK Islamic Academy 2003), p. 88.  

95]  Saheeh al-Tawtheeq fi Seerah wa Hayat Dhi'n-Noorayn , p. 107 as cited in as-Sallabi,  The Biography of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan . Darussalam 2007, p. 132.

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The complete islamic personality 5 min read.

Personal Development According to Islamic Teachings

Islam is a holistic system that impacts all areas of a person’s life. To this effect, Imam Hasan Al-Banna, a famous Muslim scholar, says, “A Muslim should strive to attain a strong body, good character, cultured thought. He should be able to earn a living, have pure belief, and correct worship. He should be able to control his desires, be careful about his time, organized in his affairs, and beneficial to those around him. These comprise the duties of every Muslim as an individual.” These ten points provide a well-rounded approach to personal development according to the teachings of Islam.

Qualities That Strengthen One’s Personality

Physical strength: the foundation of a well-rounded muslim personality.

According to the above quote, the first strength necessary for a complete Islamic personality is physical strength. Our health is a blessing and responsibility from God and the quality with which we take care of it affects all areas of our lives. If we are healthy, we have greater clarity of thinking, more energy, and enhanced emotional stability. Conversely, when we neglect our health, we fall victim to physical maladies like fatigue or lethargy, psychological issues like anxiety or depression, and spiritual struggles. For these reasons, good health is foundational in the development of the well-rounded Muslim personality.

The Second Strength: A Powerful and Present Connection With God

From good health comes the second strength which is an outward manifestation of a quality relationship with one’s Creator — good character. The Arabic word ‘matn’ means good but also firm. We can infer from this dual meaning that strong character must demonstrate itself not only in times of ease but also when things are difficult. [Read more: Character in Islam, an Introduction ]

When things are easy, it is no great challenge to maintain good conduct and treat people in the best way possible; but in the face of hardship, fatigue, frustration, disappointment, anger, and an array of other emotions, the fortitude of one’s character is put to the test. The person who has firm character can withstand these tests, but the one who is only putting on a show will eventually be exposed for who he or she really is.

Intellectual and Educational Rigor: The Key to a Strong Muslim Personality

The third strength necessary to build a strong Muslim personality is intellectual and educational rigor as the basis for attaining enlightened and refined thought. This is of utmost importance as many times this strength is neglected by people who are perceived to be “religious.” Islam is a system of life, informed by the teachings of the Divine, and embodied in the real-life example of Prophet Muhammad, the final prophet of Islam. Yet, to understand and apply Islamic teachings in a manner that goes beyond blind faith or superficial understanding, one must develop the intellect. Then one learns to think critically, cultivates powers of discernment so as to properly perceive what has value and what has priority, and comprehends the best ways to apply Islamic wisdom and practical solutions to problems facing humanity.

Why Financial Stability is Important for Spiritual Growth

The fourth type of strength necessary to build a strong Muslim personality capable of serving God and serving Islam is financial strength — being able to earn a living. It is very difficult to contribute to the well-being of society when one’s financial situation is so dire that he is primarily occupied with essential issues like food, clothing, shelter, and health care. A Muslim must always seek financial stability and sufficiency so that he can be independent and able to devote time and other resources in his service to Islam. Whether poor or affluent, all should seek some sort of financial stability.

The Importance of Pure Belief and Correct Worship in Islam

After mentioning physical, intellectual, and character strength, as well as financial stability, Imam Al-Banna then moves on to point out the importance of pure belief and correct worship. These are the basis and backbone of the first four strengths. Faith and worship are the sources by which the Muslim finds his or her direction in daily living and the kind of relationship with the Divine that is required to face the difficulties that come with service to the Truth. They constitute the well which quenches the spiritual thirst of the heart in its search for its natural inclination. [ Click here to learn more about worship in Islam. ]

The mission — to be of service to the Truth — requires much from the individual so dedicated, and herein lies the appropriateness and necessity of the last four characteristics. Firstly, the Muslim is constant in fighting his or her base desires.

In the struggle to worship God and live a righteous life there are endless difficulties and tests. These tests are sometimes very clear and open, but sometimes very subtle. They can be tests of our sincerity, whether our ego seeks excessive praise and aggrandizement, whether we are given to conciliation or argumentation, and countless other provocations by the lower self. These tests cannot be overcome except through a never-ending process of learning to control — to moderate, elevate, and channel —one’s desires.

How to Prepare for the Next Life by Managing Your Time

The next two of these characteristics are to be strict with one’s time and organized in one’s affairs. Time is life itself and the person who squanders time is squandering opportunities to develop the self and purify the heart. In this regard, Hasan al-Basri said, “O Son of Adam! You are nothing but a compilation of breaths and with each breath that passes, a piece of you is gone.” The well-rounded Muslim will also find that his or her responsibilities always outweigh the amount of time available. For this reason, the Muslim is always strict with his time and organized in her affairs so that they can reap the most benefit from this life before meeting their Lord in the next life.

The Core Objective of Islam: To Produce Benefit

The last characteristic is to be beneficial to others. We do well to reflect deeply on this. Everything that came before is lost if we are harmful to those around us. The scholars of Islam have said that the core objective of Islam is to produce benefit. Everything that we do is in the service of God, and what He requires from us is the intention and striving to bring about benefit to ourselves and all of humankind. [Learn more: Rush to Virtue ]

877-Why-Islam presents short talk on hadith highlighting attitidue of a believer. For more information please visit Islam 101 section for New Muslim Resource Center at reverts.whstaging.whyislam.org.

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Personality Development in Islam

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Islam focuses on the continuous development of the individual. In fact, and not without reason, the Prophet is reported to have once said: ‘He whose two days are equal, is a loser.’

Personality development is also explained as the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person distinctive. Personality development occurs by the ongoing interaction of temperament, character and environment.

Today, the modern corporate world has completely changed the meaning of the word ‘Personality Development.’ When it talks about personality development, it refers to the way we dress, the way we speak, the way we carry ourselves, and the way we present ourselves.

The modern concept of personality development focuses on the external outlook. But when Islam speaks about personality development, it mainly focuses on developing the personality of the individual from within and making him a better person, from the point of view of his character. Islam is a complete system that impacts all areas of a person’s life. Allah ( swt ) tells us in the Qur’an:

“Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, (making) a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky? It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded” (Quran 14:24-25).

This is a verse which speaks about Personality Development of the individual in detail.

The first aspect mentioned in the verse is about the roots of a tree. The meaning of the roots of a tree refers to the Eeman of the individual. If the roots are firmly fixed in the earth, the tree becomes stronger and longer and if the roots are not firmly fixed it can fall any time. Thus, an individual can only develop when he has strong belief in every aspect of Islam.

The second aspect mentioned in the verse is about the branches of a tree. The branches refer to continuous development of the individual’s personality. Thus, an individual should continuously strive for his knowledge, social, moral and talent development.

The third aspect mentioned in the verse is fruits. Fruits refer to the return what an individual can give to the society. Thus, the personality of an individual can only be effective and fruitful when he contributes to the society using his skill and talent.

Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) once said, “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.”  (Daraqutni, Hasan)

Salah is a tool which helps an individual to develop his spiritual personality. Praying five times a day, makes a person God conscious. Hajj is a tool which helps an individual to develop his social personality. When an individual performs Hajj, he learns and witnesses equality and universal brotherhood, which helps him for the rest of his life.

Reading the Qur’an is an act which helps to develop his intellectual personality. Reading Qur’an regularly, helps a person to gain more knowledge and helps him understand the purpose of life. Reading and understanding the life of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) helps a person to develop his moral personality. When a person reads the life of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ), he also strives to imitate and behave in the same manner.

Islam focuses on the continuous development of the individual. In fact, Prophet Mohammed ( saws ) is reported to have once said: “He whose two days are equal, is a loser.”   (Daiylami)

This hadith clearly specifies that the individual has to focus on continuous improvement. If he does not do something different or does not learn something new the next day, he is termed to be a loser.

Believers are always in a race towards Paradise. They always try to have their today better than their yesterday. They want to keep on increasing their piety and good deeds. They try to devote more time, energy, and resources with each passing day to winning Allah’s pleasure.

Always wanting their inner self to be on a constant course of improvement, they do not want to ever repeat their mistakes. Indeed, they learn from their experiences, and try to purify their hearts and their intentions to make them better all the time. Thus, a Muslim’s two days are not equal.

A Muslim’s competition is with himself, because he knows that as he get better, he wins more of Allah’s pleasure and, thus, higher and better places in Paradise. It is immaterial how good one is, when compared to others. However, when a believer sees another trying harder than oneself for Allah’s pleasure, it motivates him, too, to do the same.

The Companions of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) competed with each other, but not for the things of this world. When the individual continuously strives for all this, he tends to develop his personality from within. If each day we make only one tiny improvement; tell one less lie, do one additional act of charity, learn a hadith , just think how much you will improve over time.

To develop the personality from within, the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) emphasizes people to be truly righteous, to have good intentions, to be truthful, to keep up the promise, to develop tolerance, to be polite, to be kind, to be thankful, to be steadfast, to be honest, to be cooperative, etc.

Developing all these qualities will make a person best in character. On the other hand, the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) instructs people not to indulge in backbiting, not to lie, not to be suspicious, not to be jealous, not to get angry, not to be proud, not to abuse people, not to be a hypocrite, not to taunt, not to mock, not to discriminate, not to indulge in any kind of fraud or cheating.

It is not without reason, therefore, that Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) is reported to have once said: “The best of people are those with the most excellent character.”  (Tabarani)

In another verse, Allah ( swt ) related development of one’s personality to success and failure. He ( swt ) tells us in the Qur’an: “He is, indeed, successful who purifies it. And he is, indeed, a failure who corrupts it.” (91: 9-10)

The verse explains personality development through purification of one’s soul. The inspiration for recognizing good and evil has been mentioned which also explains the meaning of personality development that is to purify the self from wickedness and to nourish it with the fear of Allah ( swt ) and righteousness.

In other words, true personality development is to nurse – or train – the self in such a way that goodness and righteousness are encouraged and achieve prominence. The real progress of the self and the nourishment of the soul lie in developing this quality.

This reality can be understood by an example: a plant can grow only when it gets a congenial environment and it is properly watered. Otherwise a powerful breeze would be sufficient to uproot it.

The individual should, first of all, purify himself from disbelief and transgression and should accept the divine guidance and become an obedient slave of Allah ( swt ). The path of obedience is the path of the Shariah , by following which man can become righteous and virtuous.

The best and the most effective recipe presented by the Qur’an for one’s personality development is Allah’s exalted and perfect Shariah. By directing man to the right method of personality development, the Qur’an has kept man away from all those unnatural and awkward methods and ways which the followers of many other ideologies have invented with the objective of personality development.

The Qur’an wants man to concentrate on this reality so that he may shape his life accordingly and when he may return from this testing ground of the world, the goal of his success may be before his eyes. Thus, this verse also gives importance to the development of personality from within.

Islam provided a well-rounded approach for personality development. A man should be able to earn a living, have pure belief, correct worship, able to control his desires, be careful about his time, organized his affairs and beneficial to those around him.

In order to achieve all this, a person should be physically, spiritually and intellectually strong. Thus, Islam gives importance for a person to develop his personality in all these three dimensions.

As Allah ( swt ) says in the Qur’an: “And verily, you (O Muhammed) are on an exalted standard of character.” (68:4). Indeed, Ayesha ( ra ) described Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) thus: “His character was the Qur’an.”

The Qur’an and the life of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) give us certain guidelines on the “do”s and “don’t”s for an individual to build a strong personality. They are the best source of guidance for a person to develop his or her character and overall personality.

Of course, no workshop can create the impact which the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad ( saws ) can create. Good manners and character lead to prosperity, while bad ones lead to misery.

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The ideal personality of the Muslim

• Section: Ideal Muslim

His attitude towards Allah One of the most distinguishing features of the (ideal) Muslim is his deep faith in Allah, The Exalted, and his conviction that whatever happens in the universe and whatever befalls him, only happens through the will and the decree of Allah. The Muslim is closely connected to Allah, constantly remembers Him, puts his trust in Him and is obedient towards Him.

His faith is pure and clear, uncontaminated by any strain of ignorance, superstition or illusion. His belief and worship are based on the Quran and the authentic ‘Sunnah’. The Muslim is alert and open-minded to the magnificence of Allah. He knows that it is Allah who is in control of the affairs of the universe and of mankind, and He (Allah) Knows all and Witnesses every secret.

A Muslim feels in the depths of his soul that he is in constant need of the help and support of Allah, no matter how much he may think he can do for himself. He has no choice in his life but to submit to the will of Allah, worship Him, strive towards the Right Path and do good deeds.

This will guide him to be righteous and upright in all his deeds, both in public and in private.

A Muslim recognizes the signs of the unlimited power of Allah in the universe, and so his faith in Allah increases: Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): “Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in) the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding. Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! You created not this in vain. Glory be to You! Preserve us from the doom of Fire.” [Quran 3: 190-191] His attitude towards his body, mind and soul

The Muslim pays due attention to his body’s physical, intellectual and spiritual needs.

He takes good care of his body, promoting its good health and strength. He is active, doesn’t eat in excess; but he eats enough to maintain his health and energy. He understands that a strong believer is more loved by Allah than a weak believer. Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): “…Eat and drink; but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.” [Quran 7: 31]

The Muslim keeps away from drugs and stimulants. He also does not forget to exercise regularly to maintain his physical fitness.

It is no surprise that the Muslim is concerned with his clothing and appearance. The Muslim does all of this in accordance with the Islamic ideal of moderation, avoiding the extremes of exaggeration and negligence.

Allah Says (what means): “Say: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing? Say: Such, on the Day of Resurrection, will be only for those who believed during the life of the world. Thus do We detail Our revelations for people who have knowledge.” [Quran 7: 32]

As for his intellectual care, the Muslim takes care of his mind by perusing beneficial knowledge. He is responsible to seek knowledge whether it is religious or secular, so he may understand the nature and the essence of things. Allah Says (what means): “…and say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” [Quran 20: 114]

The Muslim does not forget that man is not only composed of a body and a mind, but that he also possesses a soul and a spirit, and feels a longing for higher things that make him rise above this materialistic life and scale the heights of goodness, virtue and light.

Therefore, the Muslim pays as much attention to his spiritual development as to his physical and intellectual development, in a precisely balanced fashion which does not concentrate on one aspect to the detriment of others.

His attitude towards people

With his parents, the Muslim is an example of sincere filial piety. He treats them with kindness and respect, infinite compassion, utter politeness and deep gratitude. He recognizes their status and knows his duties towards them. Allah Says (what means): “And serve Allah. Ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents…” [Quran 4: 36]

With his wife, the Muslim exemplifies good and kind treatment, intelligent handling, deep understanding of the nature and psychology of women, and proper fulfillment of his responsibilities and duties.

With his children, the Muslim is a parent who understands his great responsibility towards them which is, as well as flooding them with love and compassion, to pay attention to anything that may influence their Islamic development and give them proper education, so that they become active and constructive elements in society, and a source of goodness for their parents, community, and society as a whole.

With his relatives, the Muslim maintains the ties of kinship and knows his duties towards them. He understands the high status given to relatives in Islam, which makes him keep in touch with them, no matter what the circumstances.

With his neighbors, the Muslim illustrates good treatment and consideration of others’ feelings and sensitivities. He puts up with mistreatment and turns a blind eye to his neighbor’s faults while taking care not to commit any such errors himself.

The Muslim relationship with his brothers and friends is the best and purest of relationships, for it is based on love for the sake of Allah. He is loving, not cold towards them; he is loyal and does not betray them; he is sincere and does not cheat them; he is gentle and never harsh; he is tolerant and forgiving; he is generous and he supplicates for them (his brothers and friends).

In his social relationships with all people, the Muslim is well-mannered, civil and noble, characterized by the attitudes which Islam encourages.

The Muslim does not envy others. He fulfils his promises. He has the attitude of shyness. He is cheerful. He is not pushy. He is patient. He avoids slandering or uttering obscenities. He does not unjustly accuse others. He is shy and modest. He does not interfere in that which does not concern him. He refrains from gossiping, spreading slander and stirring up trouble. He avoids false speech and suspicion. When he is entrusted with a secret, he keeps it. He is modest and never arrogant. He does not make fun of anyone. He respects his elders. He mixes with the best of people. He strives to reconcile between the Muslims. He calls others to Islam with wisdom and beautiful preaching. He visits the sick and attends funerals. He returns favors and is grateful for them. He guides people to do good. He always likes to make things easy and not difficult.

The Muslim is fair in his judgements. He is not a hypocrite, a sycophant or a show-off. He does not boast about his deeds and achievements. He is straightforward and is never devious or twisted, no matter what the circumstances. He loves noble things and hates foolishness. He is generous and does not remind others of his gifts or favors. He is hospitable and does not complain when a guest comes to him. He prefers others to himself as much as possible. He relieves the burden of the debtor. He is proud and does not think of begging.

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The Concept of Islamic Personality and Spiritual Development

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

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Personality in Islam is understood as an all encompassing way of life, resulting in an approach that is able to connect every aspect of behavior, attitude, and feeling for Muslims. The existing gap in instrumentation capable of capturing the major elements of the Islamic personality can only be filled by beginning with an organic definition and concept for personality from the Islamic perspective. This study presents reconceptualization of personality in religion as an Integrative Islamic Personality Model (IIPM) developed by using the ideas of Carl Rogers and Said Nursi. This model comprised of four constructs; Belief in God, Awareness of Prophetic Teaching, Self-striving and Self-regard. This personality measurement within Islamic and Western perspectives is greatly considered to be beneficial to educators and counselors in order to measure relevant personality of an individual. Bütünleştirici İslami Kişilik Modelinin Geliştirilmesi Öz İslamda kişilik Müslümanların davranış, tutum ve duygularını her açıdan bağlayıcı bir yaklaşıma sebeb olarak hayatın tümünü kapsayacak şekilde anlaşılır. Islami kişiliğin ana değerlerini kapsayabilecek ölçek için var olan boşluk sadece İslami perspektife bağlı ve kişiliğin orjinal kavramı ile başlanarak dolduralabilinir. Bu çalışma Carl Rogers ve Said Nursi'nin fikirlerinden yararlanarak geliştirilen Integrative Islamic Personality Model (IIPM) adında dindeki kişiliğin yeniden kavramlaştırma çalışmasını sunar. Bu model dört bölümden oluşur; Belief in God, Awareness of Prophetic Teaching, Self-striving, ve Self-regard. Islam ve Batı perspektifini içeren bu kişilik modeli bireyin belirtilen kişilik ölçümü için eğitimcilere ve rehbercilere büyük oranda fayda sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

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Principles of Self Development in Islam (part 1 of 3)

Description: islam’s perspective on self development.  part 1: inspiration from divine guidance nurtures human development..

• By Syed Imtiaz Ahmad
• Published on 18 Feb 2013
• Last modified on 29 Mar 2015
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Islam places a great deal of emphasis on ‘self-development’ where an individual takes the responsibility for understanding the purpose of human life, and for shaping that life in the best possible manner, for one’s own benefit and the benefit of the society at large; Islam also provides comprehensive guidance to achieve this goal.

Human development consists of processes of growth and change that takes place from birth to the end of life.  The development process is externally influenced from sensory inputs through the organs, and it is internally self-propelled from things which happen within the human body and mind.  Our focus here is the development of the human mind, which takes place through sensory inputs and internal mental processes.  This development includes learning through the senses and cognition that occurs when learning is abstracted into knowledge for subsequent use.

Islam identifies two sources which play the roles of nurturing or corrupting human development.  Inspiration from divine guidance nurtures human development.  Not paying attention to divine guidance and succumbing to conspiracies, arising from within or externally from one’s environment, corrupts human development.

Human development may be looked at from different perspectives, both as a basic human interest and as formalized disciplines of studies such as psychology, science, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and so on.  Contemporary studies on human development often engage in analysis and remedies when human development is impeded due to temperament, problems with identification or one’s identity, parenting, society, chance, and other factors.  Here, we will focus primarily on basic principles of human development-aiming at covering the factors that may impede proper development.  Keeping in mind that people have varying human capacities, what should be done in order to ensure that they all develop into the best possible capabilities for achieving the desired goals? While there are many factors that are essential for human development, we will first highlight those that may be more fundamental.  The foremost factors playing a seminal role are those of being aware of self, being ever mindful of doing the right thing, and to avoid acting on mere impulses.

How does one bring these factors into play? It is through a process called identification or ‘constructing an identity’ (i.e.  finding principles that help develop the best possible human potential, and role models that vivify those principles).  It may be viewed as an anchoring process which gives us a sense of belonging to something distinct and valuable.  Rather than simply and haphazardly adopting the practices we notice around us, it may often be easier to look at a good role model and then simply emulate that person.  However, finding good role models in our contemporary living environment may not be easy and at times confusing, particularly if these so-called role models are going through life changes themselves and the consequences of following their life style may only become known much later.  Furthermore, one role model, no matter how good, may not be able to exemplify everything in life.  Even if that were to be true, the principles that the role model exemplifies may not be obvious.  Principles can only be derived through repeated observations and experimentation.  History helps us here.  We can look at several role models from history and we can look at lessons drawn from the history of civilizations.  Coming back now to identification, the single most important factor in human development, we need to identify with some infallible source of guidance, the unquestionable principles for human development, and carefully select some role models.  Most will accept God as the infallible source of guidance, the knowledge that God sent down to us on the good and bad in human civilization, and the Prophets who acted as role models for achieving excellence in human potential.  Being mindful of God, therefore, gives one an identification of what is best for developing human potential.  It prevents alienation.  One can always find solace in the presence of God; literally converse with God in prosperity and adversity, keeping one’s personality in harmonious balance, avoiding excesses on oneself or others in prosperity, and avoiding harm from stress in adversity.  The other important factors that may emerge from this process of identification are being truthful and upright, and seeking individual and collective well being in our affairs.  In order to achieve these goals, the quest for knowledge that exists and participation in deriving new knowledge from what exists are essential pre-requisites.

Principles of Self Development in Islam (part 2 of 3)

Description: islam’s perspective on self development.  part 2: the concept of answerability and self-purification..

• Published on 25 Feb 2013
• Last modified on 15 Jul 2013
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• Viewed: 39,309

Purification from Corruption

Both eyesight and hearing are indispensable for human learning and development.  They can propel us to unimagined heights of human excellence.  However, we must learn to use them properly.  Otherwise what we see and hear can influence us to regress and live a sub-human existence.

How do we purify ourselves from the corrupting influences around us? We need to distinguish between what is desirable and what is undesirable in the light of certain guiding principles.  We may call it the exercise of the mind, and similar to other forms of exercise, the exercise of the mind requires a well balanced approach.

The process of purification of the mind is known in Islam as tazkiyyah .  A pre-requisite of engaging in tazkiyyah is to know that the human mind is prone to becoming corrupted.  The corruption may be attributed to acquired elements within oneself, or to external influences, or both.  However, the responsibility for any undesirable behavior rests with the person who commits it and not the person or the environment that caused it.  We all bear direct responsibility for our actions.  The legal system will make us answerable if we break a law, and God will make us answerable if we defy divine guidance.  One cannot use the excuse that the devil made me do it, or my boss made me do it, and so on.  If we are caught speeding on a roadway, we cannot be absolved simply because others were speeding and did not get caught.  God sees and hears everything.  Just as the speeding regulations are meant to save us from hurting ourselves as well as others, the divine guidance is simply for our own benefit.  The concept of answerability for one’s actions is called mas’uliyyah .  Success in purification of the mind, soul, or psyche requires recognition that the world can pollute the mind, the soul can corrupt itself via instigation, and desires can conspire to overwhelm one’s mind, and drive us into capriciousness or eccentricity.  Consider the following statement from the Quran:

“Verily, the soul is inclined to evil.” (Quran 12:53)

Everyone is born with a soul that is pure, free of corruption or impurity.  The natural instinct or disposition of every human soul is to do what is right.  As one grows, the harmful messages through the eyes, hearing, touch, smell and other senses affect the purity of the human soul.  Therefore, every human experience must be scrutinized for its potential corrupting influences.  Reforming these corrupting influences, within the human mind, is called the process of purification or tazkiyyah .  The following statements in the Quran illuminate this concept:

“And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it.  And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness.  He has succeeded who purifies it.  And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].” (Quran 91:7-10)

“But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires, and lusts.  Verily, Paradise will be his abode.” (Quran 79:40-41)

Despite the best efforts that one may make at purification of the mind, deviations are still possible.  We may make mistakes or commit sins.  What happens then?  A properly trained human mind possesses what is called a self-reproaching soul ( nafs-e-lawwama ).  It will react by an admission that something has gone wrong; it will accept the failing with humility, and it will engage the mind to reform itself accordingly.  On the other hand, someone who has a headstrong soul ( nafs-e-ammara ) will view such admissions as undignified, and over time they will be more prone to greater deviations in future.  A wrongful act if recognized with a thoughtful commitment to avoid repetition is an act of self-purification and proper human development.  On the contrary, a reckless disregard of such actions leads to further corruption of the soul and self-degeneration.

Principles of Self Development in Islam (part 3 of 3)

Description: islam’s perspective on self development.  part 3:  being mindful of god and reflecting on our actions leads to improving ourselves. .

• Published on 04 Mar 2013
• Last modified on 10 Nov 2013
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System of Self Development

Consider the following excerpt from a Tradition (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, about one of the things that happened to him during his Night Journey.  He said: “…Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.’  (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half.  When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced.  I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it.  So I returned to Allah and He said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change’.”

The prayer we offer to God is an act of His remembrance and the guidance that He has revealed for shaping our lives.  We engage in this formal act of worship five times a day.  What about the rest of the time? This requires us to reflect on the moral of the above saying of the Prophet.  Perhaps an ideal number to stand formally before God would have been fifty times a day as the Prophet was informed first.  But this would have been too much of a burden to carry for most human beings, as the Prophet Moses interjected, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  While the formal number of times we pray is five, the rest of the period must be filled, to the best of our ability, in continuous remembrance of God and reflections on our actions in the light of that guidance.  The beauty of Islam is that it is not a set of rituals that are performed in a certain method; it is more than that! Islam is a way of life; all that we do in it should be done to please Allah alone. So mundane actions such as eating, drinking, exercise and sleep take on a spiritual dimension and are rewarded by God!

We need to be mindful of Allah at all times, regardless of the time and place, and to take heed of His guidance in all our affairs.  We need to be thoughtful, rather than impulsive, before we speak, and before we act.  We need to reflect on what we may have uttered and done.  The process of purification of the mind in Islam is dubbed as the most difficult form of human struggle.  It must be pursued with vigor, patience and perseverance, with belief in what God has revealed, and actions that manifest that belief at all times, in adversity as well as prosperity.

Many of us were told during our childhood to maintain a diary and to record in it the various things that happened during the day.  The wisdom of that advice lies less in creating a legacy and more in reflecting, as we normally would do when we record things, and to sort out things that may be desirable from those that may be undesirable.  There is a need to regularly recall imprints made on our mind by what we may see, hear, feel, and do, and re-establish our connection to what is desirable.  This way we can avoid impulsive behavior based on what we may encounter in our environment.  It is impossible to sort out things as we encounter them, particularly when they occur in rapid succession, or in theatrics that spellbound us momentarily.  We must take the time to re-examine those things in slow motion and without the momentary influences and background noises.  We all need moments of quiet reflection and solitude, trying to make sense out of our affairs in the light of divine guidance.

One may ask as whether there are some special words that one can utter for engaging in remembrance of God and reflecting on our thoughts and actions. While there are no bounds on what one can say and utter, here are some examples of what one can say:

...There is no true god (deity) but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. ( La e’laha il’la Allah Muhammad Rasool Allah )

This simple expression provides the pinnacle for human development.  Reminding ourselves that there is no true deity but God provides the best possible framework for human development since what God (Allah) tells us to do is for our own good, and there is no need for us to succumb to any power contrary to what God tells us. 

Another statement one can say is:

...All praise be to Allah ( Al-hamdu-lillah )

La ilaha illa Allah guides us to do the right things.  Whatever good comes to us is from Allah.  La ilaha illa Allah is the anchor for doing the right thing, and Al-hamdu-lillah (all praise be to God) is a recognition, with all humility, that we are grateful for God’s numerous blessings upon us. These expressions should serve as reminders for us to purify our minds and souls to please God alone.

Examples of other expressions for remembrance of God for self-development are:

‘How Perfect is God’ ( Subhanallah ) and ‘God is the Greatest’ ( Allah Akbar ).

Conclusions

Finally, here is an assurance of the rewards promised to us by God in this world and Hereafter:

“He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself.  And mentions the name of his Lord and prays.” (Quran 87:14-15)

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Essay On Personality In Islam

Personality In The Light Of Islam Definition Personality is generally defined as enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself. We generally react and deal with the world and those around us in a consistant and unique manner. As distinct as each of us is in our physical features, we are equally unique in our personalities. ‘People’s personalities differ’ (Sahih Bukhari) 1 ‘Classification of people into neat and clear personality types is not easy. This is because each individual exhibits characteristics of more than one personality type depending on the situation. For example Abu-Bakr (RA) was known as a soft person whereas Omar (RA) was known as the tough person. When the prophet passed away, Abu-Bakr (RA) was firm while Omar (RA) temporarily overwhelmed. It was the soft-spoken Abu-Bakr (RA) who was determined to wage war against the apostates …show more content…

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Great Islamic personalities

Eight distinctive qualities of Imam Abu Hanifah  رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه

Eponymous founder of the largest Islamic school of thought today and Imam to hundreds of millions of adherents across the globe, the Greatest Imam (Imam Al-A’zam ) , Nu’man Bin Saabit رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, better known by his teknonym Abu Hanifah ,  holds a unique position in the history of Islam. Hailed as a genius of Islamic Law, his authority, juristic acumen, and intelligence is widely acknowledged. Great Islamic personalities.

Perhaps his name was a sign of his future role in the formulation of Islamic Jurisprudence, as Imam Ibn-e-Hajar Al-Haytami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explained: ‘Lexically, ‘Nu’man’ refers to the blood by which the entire anatomy is maintained and because of which all mechanisms of the body are able to function; the blessed person of Imam Al-A’zam رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is like that life-force and epicentre of Islamic Jurisprudence. (Al-Khayraat-ul-Hisaan, p. 31)

Divine grace favoured him with many unique merits and qualities, eight of which are described below:

• He was an eminent Follower (Taabi’i), being born in the second of the three blessed generations. During his lifetime, he was privileged to encounter four companions of the Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, viz.: Anas Bin Malik, Abdullah Bin Abi Awfa, Sahl Bin Sa’d Al-Sa’di, and Abu Tufayl Amir Bin Wasilah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُم. (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih,Muqaddamah-tul-Mu`allif, vol. 1, p. 75) Great Islamic personalities
• He had had four thousand teachers and approximately eight hundred students; more than any other Imam of jurisprudence. (Al-Khayraat-ul-Hisaan, p. 37; Al-Manaqib-lil-Kardari, vol. 1, p. 15)
• After the Companions , he was the first widely followed founder of a legal tradition (Mujtahid) that survived the test of time. The codification of and approach to jurisprudence that he initiated was adopted by all subsequent jurists and hadith scholars, including Imam Malikرَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه in his Hadees compendium, the Muwatta.  (Tabyeez-us-Sahifah, p. 138; Mirat-ul-Manajih, Muqaddamah, vol. 1, p. 15)
• All jurists after him drew on his approach to legal deduction (Istidlaal) and inference (Istinbaat). Imam Al-Shaafi’i famously alluded to this: ‘مَنْ اَرَادَ اَنْ يَتَبَحَّرَ فِی الْفِقْهِ فَهُوَ عِيَالٌ عَلَى اَبِی حَنِيفَةَ’ ‘ Everyone who  wants to gain expertise in jurisprudence is dependent on Abu Hanifah .’ Others added that Imam Abu Hanifah is the garden of Islamic Law; jurists and non-jurists alike need him.   (Rad-ul-Muhtar, Muqaddamah, vol. 1, p. 151)
• Allah Almighty granted special acceptance to his school of thought, making it the largest school in terms of number of adherents. According to ‘Allamah Ali Al-Qaariرَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, two thirds of the Muslim population adhere to the school of Imam Abu Hanifah. (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih, Muqaddamah-tul-Mu`allif, vol. 1, p. 74) Great Islamic personalities
• Along with knowledge, he was a beacon of asceticism, piety, worship, and spirituality, the likes of which are seldom found. (Majmu’ah Rasaail Abul-Hasnaat, p. 37)  He completed the recitation of the Quran seven thousand times at the place where he passed away.  (Mirqat-ul-Mafatih, Muqaddamah, vol. 1, p. 77)
• The academic genealogies of all jurists (Fuqaha) and Hadees scholars (Muhaddiseen) link back to him, making them his direct or indirect students. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, Muqaddamah, vol. 1, p. 15)
• His school of thought was able to bring Islam to and flourish in lands which no other school of thought could reach, including Pakistan, India, Byzantium, Turkey, and Ancient Transoxiana. (Majmu’ah Rasaail Abul-Hasnaat, p. 37)

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The Ideal Personality of a Muslim | Some Personality Traits of Muslim Style

The ideal Muslim character is unmistakable and adjusted. The Muslim is the encapsulation of the lessons of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).He takes after the lessons of the Book of Allah and the case of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in all issues, relations, and circumstances that is beginning with his association with his Lord, his own self, his family and the general population around him.

The exception amongst the most recognizing highlights of the Muslim is his subtle confidence in Allah Almighty and his faith that whatever occurs in the universe and whatever comes to pass for him, just occurs through the will and the decree of Allah (SWT). The Muslim is firmly associated with Allah, Muslim continually recalls that Him and puts his trust in Him and is devoted towards Him.

A Muslim also perceives the indications of the boundless energy of Allah Almighty in the universe, thus his confidence in Allah (SWT) increases. Allah says in Holy Quran: “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and (in), the difference of night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding.  They remember God, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord!  You did not create all of this in vain.  Far removed are you from every imperfection!  Preserve us from the punishment of the Hellfire.” (Quran 3:190-191)

Some Personality Traits of Muslim Style

Some qualities of the Ideal Muslim personality are mentioned below that every Muslim should adopt:

• Allah comes first: Just like our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), we should give absolute priority to Allah’s orders. Muslims should follow His commands with devotion and love. Allah says in Holy Quran: “Say, Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for God, Lord of the worlds. No partner has Him. And this I have been commanded and I am the first (among you) of the Muslims.” (Quran, 6:162-163)
• Attitude towards body, mind, and soul: The Muslim should pay due attention to his body’s physical, intellectual and spiritual needs. He takes great care of his body, advancing its great wellbeing and quality. He is dynamic, doesn’t eat in overabundance; however he eats enough to keep up his wellbeing and vitality. He comprehends that a solid believer is more cherished by Allah than a feeble believer. As Allah Almighty says in Quran: “…Eat and drink; but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.” (Quran 7: 31). Concerning his intellectual care, the Muslim deals with his mind by examining useful information. He is mindful to look for learning whether it is religious or general, so he may grasp the nature and the realization of things. Allah says in Holy Quran: “…and say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.”  (Quran 20: 114). Therefore, Muslim pays as much attention to his spiritual development as to his physical and intellectual development, in an absolutely balanced pattern which does not concentrate on one aspect to the loss of others.
• His attitude towards other people: Muslim is a case of sincere dutifulness and love with his parents and relatives. He treats them with benevolence and regard, unending sympathy, express good manners and profound appreciation. He perceives their status and knows his obligations towards them through Allah’s order. Allah says in Holy Quran: “Worship God and do not ascribe any partner to Him and (show) kindness to the parents.” (Quran 4:36). Muslim’s association with his siblings and companions is the best and purest of connections since it depends on affection for Allah (SWT). He is adoring towards them and not cruel. He is faithful to them and does not deceive them. He is sincere and does not cheat them. He is tolerant and pardoning. He is likewise liberal and supplicates for their satisfaction and prosperity.He calls others to Islam with intelligence and delightful preaching. He visits the enfeebled and goes to funerals. He returns supports and is thankful for them. He controls individuals to do great. He generally likes to make things simple and not tough.

In short, the above mentioned some qualities; every Muslim tries to make as part of their character and personality.  Hence, a society that has citizens with such qualities is one that will appreciate genuine satisfaction and peace. May Allah help us to symbolize these qualities and favor us with the ability to show Islam in the greater part of its awesome magnificence! Ameen

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TOPIC: Essay on Muhammad's Personality and Islam Muhammad's Personality and Assignment

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