Hadiths on the Virtue of Good Character
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – has narrated several hadiths regarding the importance of good character. Below are some of these teachings:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “The most complete believers in faith are those who possess the best character, and the best among you are those who are kind to their families.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Nothing is heavier on the scales of a believer on the Day of Judgment than good character. Indeed, Allah detests the vulgar and immoral.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – mentioned: “Indeed, Allah raises a servant to a high status through his good character equivalent to that of fasting and prayer.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – explained: “A servant can achieve the highest ranks in the Hereafter through their good character, even if their acts of worship are few. Conversely, ill-character can lead a person to the lowest levels in Hell.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – asked: “Shall I not inform you of those who are most beloved and closest to me on the Day of Judgment?” He repeated it three times, and when asked for clarification, he said: “Those with the best character.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – remarked: “Piety is good character.”
Hadiths about Commendable Traits
Hadiths about the Trait of Trustworthiness
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – shared numerous hadiths emphasizing the significance of trustworthiness. Here are a few:
- Abu Huraira – may Allah be pleased with him – reported: “While the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was addressing the people, an Arab came to him and asked: ‘When is the Hour?’ The Prophet continued his discussion. Some of the people said: ‘He heard what was said and disliked it.’ Others said: ‘No, he didn’t hear.’ When the Prophet finished his talk, he asked: ‘Where is the one who inquired about the Hour?’ He responded: ‘Here I am, O Messenger of Allah.’ The Prophet advised him: ‘When trust is breached, then await the Hour.’ The man asked: ‘How is it breached?’ He answered: ‘When authority is entrusted to those who are unfit, await the Hour.’
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “The first thing you will lose from your religion is trustworthiness.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – indicated: “A sign of a hypocrite has three characteristics: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays that trust.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – mentioned: “Four traits, if found in you, then you have no concern for what you missed in this world: the preservation of trust, truthfulness in speech, good character, and abstinence in consumption.”
- Anas bin Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – reported: “The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم addressed us, saying: ‘There is no faith for the one who has no trustworthiness, and there is no religion for the one who has no covenant.’
Hadiths about the Trait of Forgiveness
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – conveyed many hadiths that stress the significance of forgiveness. Below are some examples:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Indeed, Allah has mercy only on the merciful among His servants.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “Whoever does not show mercy will not receive mercy.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – remarked: “Allah does not increase a servant’s honor except by forgiveness.”
- Abdullah bin Umar – may Allah be pleased with them both – narrated: “A man once asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how many times should we forgive our servant?’ The Prophet remained silent. The man repeated his question twice more, and finally, the Prophet responded: ‘Forgive him seventy times a day.’
Hadiths about the Trait of Truthfulness
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – shared a number of hadiths concerning truthfulness. Below are a few notable examples:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Indeed, honesty leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A person will continue to be truthful until they are recorded as one of the truthful. And indeed, lying leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the Fire. A person will continue to lie until they are recorded as a liar with Allah.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – advised: “Turn away from doubt to certainty, for honesty brings tranquility while lying brings anxiety.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – commented: “The best people are those with a pure heart and a truthful tongue.”
Hadiths about Blameworthy Traits
Poor character is defined as the demonstration of offensive traits and the avoidance of admirable behaviors. Numerous hadiths have been documented regarding blameworthy traits.
Hadiths about Extravagance and Wastefulness
Numerous hadiths have been narrated by the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – regarding extravagance and wastefulness. Here are some examples:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Eat, drink, give charity, and wear clothing as long as it does not involve extravagance or pride.”
- Abu Huraira – may Allah be pleased with him – reported: “Allah is pleased with you for three things and dislikes you for three: He is pleased with your worship of Him without associating anything with Him, your holding onto the rope of Allah together, and your avoiding disputes. He dislikes gossip, excessive questioning, and wasting money.”
Hadiths about Lying
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – conveyed several hadiths that highlight the significance of truthfulness. Below are a few:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “Woe to the one who narrates a story to make the people laugh, while containing lies. Woe to him! Woe to him!”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – remarked: “I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who abandons lying, even if playfully.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – pointed out: “A sign of a hypocrite has three characteristics: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays that trust.”
- Aisha – may Allah be pleased with her – reported: “There was not a trait more hated by the Messenger of Allah than lying. A man would speak a lie in the presence of the Prophet, and he would continue to feel distressed until he realized he had to repent for it.”
Hadiths about Hypocrisy
Numerous hadiths have been documented regarding hypocrisy, as narrated by the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him. Below are some notable examples:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “It is not befitting for one with two faces to be trustworthy.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – noted: “Whoever has two faces in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Judgment.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – declared: “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest level of the Fire; the lowest level has doors sealed upon them, and flames will ignite from underneath and above them.”
Hadiths about Coarse Speech
The Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – shared several hadiths regarding coarse speech, some of which include:
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – stated: “A believer is neither one who curses, nor one who reviles, nor one who is obscene or foul-mouthed.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – mentioned: “A servant may utter a word without realizing it, which will cause him to fall into the Fire farther than the distance between the east and the west.”
- The Prophet – peace be upon him – said: “Indeed, one of you may speak a word that displeases Allah, not realizing its impact, and Allah will record His displeasure with that word until the Day he meets Him.”