The Content of Good Character – Shaykh Surkheel Abu Aaliyah

Shaykh Surkheel Abu Aaliyah explores the most comprehensive verse in the Qur’an, as it relates to the core character of a believer.

The Qur’anic verse in question is from Sura al Ahzab 33:21.

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

Indeed you have in the Messenger of Allah a most beautiful pattern of conduct [to be followed].

He then looks at three crucial scholarly words of wisdom which, taken collectively, sum-up the content of character for a Muslim. The first of them is Imam al Zarnuji’s words: “The best knowledge is knowledge of one’s state, and the best action is to safeguard that state.”

The next is the saying of Shaykh ‘Abd al Qadir al Jilani: “Be with the Real [God], without creation; and with creation, without ego.”

The last one is this gem of an advice from Yahya ibn Mu‘adh al Razi: “Let your dealing with another person be of three types: If you cannot benefit him, do not harm him. If you cannot gladden him, do not sadden him. If you cannot speak well of him, do not speak ill of him.”

With gratitude to Shaykh Surkheel and The Humble I.