An Example of Noble Character

THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER The Caliph then asked al-Fudayl to advise him. Al-Fudayl gave direct and admonishing words. The Caliph asked for more, and al-Fudayl continued in the same serious and cautionary tone. Harun al-Rashid listened silently—and eventually, he began to weep. At the end, the Caliph turned to his minister and said: “Whenever you take me to someone, take me to someone like this. He is the true leader of the Muslims.” (Hilyat alAwliya’ by Abu Nu‘aym al-Asfahani, Vol. 8, p. 106) If a person has the right mindset, they will take sincere advice to heart—even if it is delivered in a harsh or critical tone. They will judge it by its meaning, not by its delivery, and treat it as a matter of principle, not personal insult. If even a king can have this mindset, he can listen to criticism without losing his composure. But a common man, if he lacks this mindset, may respond poorly to the same. How someone handles criticism is one of the clearest tests of character. A person who stays emotionally balanced in the face of criticism is a person of depth. But one who becomes defensive or angry cannot be said to embody higher human qualities. Criticism reveals the depth of a person’s humanity—and their awareness of God.