All praise and thanks is truly Allah's. We praise Him, seek His help and ask His forgiveness. We take refuge in Allah from the bad of our selves and from the evil of our actions. Whomever Allah guides, none can lead him astray. And whomever He leads astray, there is none to guide him. I testify that there is no one worthy of worship but Allah alone, without any partner to Him. And I testify that Muḥammad is His slave and messenger. May Allah's prayers and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, and upon his family and companions.
To proceed:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"There is nothing heavier in the scale of the believer on the Day of Resurrection than excellent character." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhī)
Dear believers! Ponder upon this statement of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. Akhlāq (character) is a central part of Islam. For a person's character serves as an indicator of their attachment to the rules of the Islam. You can measure the quality of your attachment to the rules of Islam by the quality of your character.
You see, with some people, the more they apparently become closer to the religion, the harsher they become with others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more disrespectful they become towards others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the ruder they become with others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more they mock, curse or attack others they view as wrong. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more they look down upon family and friends who aren't so religious or perhaps just unintentionally fall into sin.
Why? This is not the way things should be…
The more you attach yourself to the religion, the better your akhlāq should become. If you think you're becoming more religious, however your akhlāq isn't improving, then there's probably something wrong. Chances are that by becoming closer to the religion, you seek to make yourself feel good, and seek that the people admire you and are impressed by you and make you the person they ask for religious questions. Well if that's the case, then there's a problem. You're now looking down upon others and thinking that you're better than them, because you think you're more religious than them. O slave of Allah, this is a disease of the heart. And so what happens to akhlāq as a result of this disease? It goes out the door. You become harsher and more disrespectful to the people. And so do you think a person with a diseased heart as such can truly be said to be a religious person?
Thus, if you think you're all religious and pious, then judge your character. Let's not judge others – we must think well of others and have good opinions about them. But do have a look at yourself. Are you merciful, gentle, sympathetic, polite, selfless and humble with others? Are you always having good assumptions about them, trying to think positively about them? Or are you harsh, mean, foul-mouthed, selfish and rude with others? Always thinking negatively of and looking down upon them?
Dear brothers and sisters, now you see that quality of character is an indication of quality of religiosity. Now do you see how the person with the greatest character in human history was also the most God-fearing and God-conscious person in human history, our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ? Does that not now bring into perspective aḥādīth such as:
"The best of you in Islam are those of you most excellent in character, when they gain understanding of the religion." (Narrated by al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mufrad and Aḥmad in his Musnad)?
To conclude: becoming closer to religion should mean becoming a better person. Becoming more religious should make you a better son, a better daughter, a better brother, a better sister, a better friend, a better student. It's a sign of an improved state with Allah that your states with His slaves improve as well. If they don't, then there's a disconnect between your apparent increase in religiosity and your sincerity in doing so, and that you'll need to fix up.
To proceed:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا شَيْءٌ أَثْقَلُ فِي مِيزَانِ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ خُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ
Dear believers! Ponder upon this statement of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. Akhlāq (character) is a central part of Islam. For a person's character serves as an indicator of their attachment to the rules of the Islam. You can measure the quality of your attachment to the rules of Islam by the quality of your character.
You see, with some people, the more they apparently become closer to the religion, the harsher they become with others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more disrespectful they become towards others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the ruder they become with others. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more they mock, curse or attack others they view as wrong. The more they apparently become closer to the religion, the more they look down upon family and friends who aren't so religious or perhaps just unintentionally fall into sin.
Why? This is not the way things should be…
The more you attach yourself to the religion, the better your akhlāq should become. If you think you're becoming more religious, however your akhlāq isn't improving, then there's probably something wrong. Chances are that by becoming closer to the religion, you seek to make yourself feel good, and seek that the people admire you and are impressed by you and make you the person they ask for religious questions. Well if that's the case, then there's a problem. You're now looking down upon others and thinking that you're better than them, because you think you're more religious than them. O slave of Allah, this is a disease of the heart. And so what happens to akhlāq as a result of this disease? It goes out the door. You become harsher and more disrespectful to the people. And so do you think a person with a diseased heart as such can truly be said to be a religious person?
Thus, if you think you're all religious and pious, then judge your character. Let's not judge others – we must think well of others and have good opinions about them. But do have a look at yourself. Are you merciful, gentle, sympathetic, polite, selfless and humble with others? Are you always having good assumptions about them, trying to think positively about them? Or are you harsh, mean, foul-mouthed, selfish and rude with others? Always thinking negatively of and looking down upon them?
Dear brothers and sisters, now you see that quality of character is an indication of quality of religiosity. Now do you see how the person with the greatest character in human history was also the most God-fearing and God-conscious person in human history, our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ? Does that not now bring into perspective aḥādīth such as:
خَيْرُكُمْ إِسْلاَمًا أَحَاسِنُكُمْ أَخْلاَقًا إِذَا فَقِهُوا
To conclude: becoming closer to religion should mean becoming a better person. Becoming more religious should make you a better son, a better daughter, a better brother, a better sister, a better friend, a better student. It's a sign of an improved state with Allah that your states with His slaves improve as well. If they don't, then there's a disconnect between your apparent increase in religiosity and your sincerity in doing so, and that you'll need to fix up.
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