CHARACTER
Al-Risala (English), November 1987, p. 5
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
CHARACTER
1987 11 November 5-7 CHARACTER (946) “Man of character” means being predictably good, honest and dependable, and consequently inspiring in others a healthy respect for these very qualities.
We often hear the opinion expressed of some worthy individual that he is a “man of character”. What exactly do we mean here by “character”? It is a word which applies to the personality and behaviour of anyone who has a strong set of principles and who believes in adhering to them, no matter what the consequences. Being a “man of character” means being predictably good, honest and dependable, and consequently inspiring in others a healthy respect for these very qualities. The term is most often used of someone in adverse circumstances who might imaginably compromise with his conscience, because of the pressures brought to bear on him, but who courageously refuses to flinch from his original position. A man of character then is one who listens to and obeys his conscience, even if it means becoming unpopular with those whose friendship he values, Character, indeed, is the moral facet of human nature which both provides us with a yardstick for, and acts as a monitor of our own social behaviour.
A characterless individual, on the other hand, will say what he pleases, and act as the mood takes him, without any reference to the effect of his words and actions on others. But a man of character thinks of others first, puts them before himself and sedulously refrains from conduct which could cause them grief or distress.
Ethics, the branch of philosophy which deals with human morals, is an extremely wide and ramified subject, which is split up into several schools of thought. We do not wish at this point to enter into a debate on its more arcane aspects: it is our aim rather to present a survey of certain simple principles, which, if faithfully adhered to, would improve individual human behaviour and, in consequence, produce a better society.
The principles we have in mind are those laid down by the Prophet Mohammad to enable members of society to regulate the entire range of human activities on a superior moral basis. Adherence to them means a better and more fruitful interaction between the individuals making up society, hence a friction-free atmosphere in which genuine social progress can be fostered. The best thing about these principles is their simplicity. They are so easy to understand that even the most unlettered of individuals can follow them – provided they have the will to do so.
Three Hadith
1. Do as you would be done by
This is a straightforward but all-embracing precept, there being no situation in which it does not hold good. It means quite simply, treating others as we would like them to treat us, no matter what the circumstances. It means setting the same standards for ourselves as we set for others. And if it is not immediately clear to us how our behaviour should be patterned, it is only a question of our putting ourselves in the place of the other man, and doing our best to Imagine his feelings as if they were our very own. If we expect to have the respect of others, we must ourselves give respect where it is due. In this way justice becomes both reciprocal and universal.
2. Do good to others, or at least let no harm befall them.
By this, the Prophet means that we must always accept the role of the giver. Our first thought should be for the good of others, never of our own. Even if it is not possible for us to feel genuinely well-intentioned towards others, we should at least refrain from abusing them or doing them any other disservice. To be successful in this, we must exercise a strict control over our thoughts, words and deeds.
3. Never stoop to saying that you will requite good with good and evil with a worse evil.
Join hands with those who sever their ties with you, be forgiving and good to your transgressors.
The above precepts may seem difficult to the point of being impossible to follow, but they were the very bedrock upon which the Prophet built his own life. A man of genuine character, he went out of his way to deal with friend and foe alike, was quick to be conciliatory, did his best to mend broken relationships, was compassionate towards those who sought to harm him and showed forbearance even to those who actually wronged him. These were moral triumphs, and it should be the goal of every Muslim, no matter from what walk in life, to strive towards that supreme sublimity of character which made such feats a reality. It should be appreciated that following the “principle” of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is what modern psychologists would call a “knee-jerk” response and has little to do with principled behaviour. Those who act out of vengefulness, or who even nurse such feelings, are simply debasing their own characters. No one of a superior character ever degrades himself in this way, being quick to see that revenge does as much psychological harm to himself as it does material harm to his enemies. He also sees it for the divisive force which it is in society.
A society can only be as good as the individuals of which it is composed. It is, therefore; of overriding importance that individuals who wish to live within the fold of society should grasp the significance of the principles outlined above, and begin unhesitatingly to put them into practice. It is only by making one’s motto. ‘Do as you would be done by’ that truly cohesive forces, as a matter of individual and concerted effort, can bring society to the peak of harmonious moral perfection.
