Nurturing the Companions on Noble Morals and Purifying Them from Vice

12/08/2011| IslamWeb

Lofty morals are a vital part of the creed, as sound creed cannot exist without good morals. Hence, the Prophet, , nurtured his Companions on noble morals and would deploy various methods to do so.

The Prophet, , said: “There is nothing that has a heavier weight in the scales of the believer on the Day of Judgment than good morals. Indeed, Allah The Almighty despises the obscene and rude person.” [At-Tirmithi]

 

The Messenger of Allah, , was asked about the factor that would admit people into Paradise, and he replied: “Piety and good morals.” He was also asked about the factor that would admit people into Hell, and he replied: “The mouth and genital organs.” [At-Tirmithi]

 

Good morals are not something secondary in this religion and are not something restricted to a certain type of human behavior. Rather, they are the practical embodiment of sound creed and faith. Faith is not mere feelings inside the conscience; it is also apparent behavior. If such practical behavior is absent or the opposite of it is observed, then we should wonder where the faith is and what the value of faith is if it is not transformed into fine behavior.

 

Hence, the Noble Quran connects morals to creed, and there are many Quranic examples to that effect: [Quran 23:1-11]; [Quran 6:151-153]; [Quran 13:19-22] and [Quran 17:23-38].

 

The Companions were nurtured on the fact that acts of worship are a portrayal of a type of morals, as they involve the expression of loyalty to Allah The Almighty, gratitude for His blessings, acknowledging His favors, and venerating those who are worthy of veneration and glorification - all of which are from good morals. Thus, the Companions’ morals were divine, motivated by belief in Allah The Almighty, encouraged by hope for the Hereafter, and seeking the pleasure and reward of Allah The Almighty.

 

In the Prophetic nurturing, morals are comprehensive and include all human acts, feelings, emotions and thoughts. Prayer, for example, involves certain morals that are represented in humble submission to Allah The Almighty. Speech involves morals that are represented in avoiding dirty, false, evil and vain talk. The morals that must accompany sexual intercourse are represented in adhering to the limits ordained by Allah The Almighty and avoiding His prohibitions. Dealings with others involve morals that are represented in adopting a middle course between stinginess and extravagance. Social life should involve consultation among people. The morals to be adopted at times of anger are forgiveness and pardon. Aggression on the part of one’s enemies is to be fended off, and this is the correct reaction. Thus, everything in the Muslim’s life is governed by morals, and there is no single thing that is not associated with morals.

 

Allah The Almighty made Tawheed (worshipping Allah alone) the peak of the moral methodology that is portrayed by verses 23:38 of chapter Al-Israa’ in terms of praise and otherwise.

 

In fact, Tawheed involves a fundamental moral aspect. That is, a favorable response is motivated by fairness and truthfulness with one’s self; and an unfavorable response is mainly caused by bad morals such as arrogant pride at accepting the truth and following the messengers, hubris, inflated self-esteem, fondness of showing off, falsehood-based argumentation and dispute for the sake of effecting defeat, imitation, and unfavorable strictness to traditions, in spite of their deviation. All such morals are extremely harmful to the people who hold them, and they prevent them from accepting the truth - having it become evident, and denying them happiness in both worlds even though people are certain that it is solely attainable through the way of the messengers.