Continuation of the explanation of the hadith of Asma'ah ibn Sharik (may Allah be pleased with him): (… They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the best thing given to a person?” He said, “Good character.”)

The Shaykh : Finally, the Bedouins asked a question related to the chapter and the section we are discussing, which is “good character.” They asked the Messenger (peace be upon him) about the best thing given to a person, and he (peace be upon him) answered by saying: This question and answer are clear, as is apparent. However, it is necessary to remind you that the question of one questioner differs from the question of another. These Bedouins were believers; they were Muslims. So when they asked about the best thing given to a person, we must remember that they meant the Muslim person. Otherwise, if we stray from this meaning and take the answer with the question in its absolute sense—what is the best thing given to a person? Good character—even if he were a disbeliever? The answer is: No. That is, what is the best thing given to a person after his Islam and faith? Otherwise, no matter how good a person’s character is, if he is a disbeliever in his Lord, this goodness of character benefits him in no way whatsoever. As He (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: . The disbeliever is contrary to what some of the young people today imagine, that the inventors and innovators who provide benefits and treatments for all these nations, from which all the people of the earth benefit, are of great status with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Due to their ignorance of the Qur'an, they forget this reality and think that these people have a great status with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So here, when we read this question: “What is the best thing given to a person?” and we hear the answer: “Good character,” we must keep in mind this reality that the person intended here is the believing person. And at that point, the best thing given to the believing person is good character. As for the person in general, even if he is a disbeliever, the best thing given to this disbelieving person is not good character. No, this does not benefit him in anything, no matter what matters he is given that are in their essence good matters, but they do not benefit him in anything with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). How so, when our Lord (Mighty and Majestic) addresses His Prophet (peace be upon him) in his person primarily, and his community is intended secondarily to him, saying: . So these polytheists, no matter what benefits or services of any kind they provide, these services do not benefit them in anything as long as they are disbelievers and polytheists regarding the Lord of the Worlds (Glorified and Exalted is He). Therefore, we must understand this question: “What is the best thing given to a person?” with the condition of the Muslim person, and the answer at that point is: Good character is the best thing given to the Muslim.

The Shaykh : From this hadith and the hadiths that preceded in the previous lesson, the importance of good character in Islam becomes clear to you. Therefore, each of us, whether male or female, must treat himself and treat his morals, and improve and prune at least some of his nature so that he has good character. And the concern of the Messenger (peace be upon him) for good character and his care for it reached the point of asking his Lord to improve his character, and he is as our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) described him by saying: . And yet, from his biography and his guidance, it was that when he stood before the mirror—and standing before the mirror is permissible by the Shari'ah for combing the hair and cleaning the face, and for other permissible adornment, whether for a man or a woman—he (peace be upon him) would say when he stood before the mirror: . This is a supplication that every Muslim man and woman must be concerned with memorizing, and it is two concise sentences: . When he stood before the mirror, he would find what he reads in the Qur'an from the words of our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He): . So he must remember, by this assessment he sees in the mirror, that he is in need of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) granting him success to straighten his morals, his nature, and his character. For this recitation and this supplication are among the causes that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) prescribed for His believing servants to improve their morals. As we explained in the previous lesson, the matter is not as some say, that every person is as he is created and there is no room for improving his natures and morals. It is not so, otherwise many of the texts we mentioned in the previous lesson would be invalidated. And now we remind you of this text, which is that the Messenger (peace be upon him), when he stood before the mirror, asked Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) to improve his morals as He had improved his appearance. And this is undoubtedly a teaching for us, because he (peace be upon him), as we mentioned earlier from the Qur'an, is in the best of what is found of a person on the face of the earth in terms of good character: . But we are the ones who need to straighten ourselves and improve our morals greatly and greatly, by causes. We always train ourselves; when we are angry, we rein in the reins of our selves, and when we are provoked, we do not flare up, and so on. And from these causes, we supplicate to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) when we stand before the mirror and say: .