Lecture notes: Building Character in Islam

 

(Introduction: The following is an edited  version of a presentation recently given on the subject Character Building in Islam.)

Creation

The Qur'an uses the passive  verb Khuliqa ("He was created") in connection to humanity, in carrying certain seemingly negative built-in aspects, such as" anxiety/impatience" (Q  70:19),"haste" (Q 21:37) and twice as "weak" (Q 4:28, 30:54).

In Arabic grammar, the presence of a passive verb would also require that the one who carried out the verb (faa'il) goes unmentioned. The doer would be assumed, or simply be unknown. Q 30:54 does not fit the above pattern, but rather the past tense verb, with the doer mentioned ("God is the one who created you all with some weakness.").

Some words of interest for this subject which stem from the same root include Akhlaaq ("character" or "manners") and "Akhlaq" ("Most appropriate" "Most natural"). 

The four seemingly negative tendencies mentioned above, "created" in us by God, are items that all of us have to deal with, and it is our dealing with those things which actually benefits us, as individuals as well as a species. Our dealing with those characteristics builds us up, it is on the job training, to allow us to do our job as stewards on the earth better. 

There are general behavioral codes which are globally accepted, i.e. don't kill, don't steal, etc, but those are external manifestations, yet the above-mentioned Quranic verses are speaking to internal conditions.

Ramadan and Character building

The month of Ramadan is the perfect opportunity to faithful people to engage in character building. Some examples of this are summarized below:

* Anxiety/impatience (Haloo'a). Listening to Quranic recitation, reading the text during the fasting period, helps to sooth anxiety.

*Hastiness. The desire for immediate satisfaction, as opposed to delayed gratification, is addressed by the discipline building of fasting, of holding back from the satisfaction of hunger and needs during the daylight hours of the month. 

* Weakness, be it physical or mental, is addressed through exercise, diet, and conscientious behavior. We often emphasis the Quranic prohibitions of gambling and alcohol. Those items are clearly forbidden in Islam, and is agreed upon in the Muslim community. There are other addictions which are worth asking about, such as tobacco, sugar, pornography, salt, and food addictions. Indeed, there are even those of us who are unable to function without a mobile phone!

Obviously the Qur'an and Sunnah don't directly speak on those items, the benefit vs.harms aspects are widely discussed, and on the above items Muslims reach different conclusions. 

We are not, for the purpose of this presentation, addressing their legal status in Islam, we are only saying that the Ramadan experience forces us to evaluate those items in our lives, to examine questions such as figuring out what is positive for us, and what is toxic for us, in light of Divine guidance.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that he has come to perfect morals. He does this by teaching "Scripture and Wisdom" (Q 62:2), which, when integrated into the mind and hearts of believers, gives them the tools needed for the perfections of morals.