Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh,
Buloogh al-Maram: Exhortation to Good Character
The following hadeeth are selected from Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaanee's Bulooghul-Maram (Attainment of the Objective according to Evidence of the Ordinances). [Page 480+ eng. trans.] They touch on the importance of
good Islamic character; being truthful, avoiding lying, the evil of a suspicious mind, heedlessness, not protecting each other's honour etc.
A good reminder to the sincere heart, that even if you have been blessed with guidance to the Sunnah and hold yourself to be from Ahlul-Haqq, the Shaytaan will not leave you alone, perhaps he may destroy your deeds by wrecking your character and making you heedless and blinded by the fact that you 'ascribe yourself to the correct manhaj'. We ask Allaah to make us people of upright character, firstly with Allaah, His Messenger, His Companions, the Scholars of Islam, Our families, kinsfolk and our brothers and sisters in Islaam.
1314. Narrated by Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Adhere (you people) to truthfulness, indeed truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to paradise, and if a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded as truthful before Allaah. Avoid (you people) falsehood, indeed falsehood leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the hellfire, and if a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his object, he will be recorded as a liar before Allaah. [agreed upon]
1315. Narrated Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Avoid (you people) suspicion, for indeed suspicion is the worst form of false speech. [agreed upon]
1316. Narrated Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Avoid sitting by the roadside, they (the Companions) asked ‘O Allaah’s Messenger, we cannot do without those meeting places in which we converse,’ so he said, “Well if you insist (on that), give the road its dues.” They asked, ‘what are the roads due?’ He replied, “Lowering the eyes, abstaining from anything offensive, returning salutations, enjoining good, forbidding the evil.” [agreed upon]
1317. Narrated Mu’aawiyyah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever Allaah wishes good for, he gives him understanding of the Religion,” [agreed upon]
1318. Narrated Abu ad-Dardaa (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “There isn’t anything, which will be put on the scales (on the day of resurrection), heavier than good character.” [Abu Daawood and at-Tirmidhee reported it, and the later graded it saheeh]
1319. Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Modesty is part of Faith.” [Agreed upon]
1320. Narrated Abu Mas’ood (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “One of the things people have learned from the earlier prophecies is, ‘If you do not feel any shame, do whatever you like.’ [al-Bukhaaree reported it]
1322. Narrated Iyaad Ibn Himar (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allaah, the Most High, has revaled to me that you should be humble, so that no one transgresses against another, and no one boasts to another.” [Muslim reported it]
Note: we see hear that both transgression and pride are blameworthy characteristics, it is reported in a hadeeth that the Prophet (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stated that transgression is one of the worst of the criminal acts that are punishable in this world as well as in the hereafter. Indeed, lack of humbleness fosters and breeds both transgression and pride.
1323. Narrated by Abu ad-Dardaa (radiyallaahu ‘anhu), the Prophet (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever defends his brother’s honour in his absence, Allaah will protect his face from the hellfire on the day of resurrection.” [at-Tirmidhee reported it, and graded it hasan. Ahmad has something similar from the hadeeth of Asmaa’, daughter of Yazeed]
Note: If someone backbites a third person before somebody, the listener must stop him on the spot; and if possible one should mention his virtuous deeds and qualities instead.
1326. Narrated Tameem ad-Daree (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said three times: “The religion is naseehah (sincerity).” We asked, ‘who is it (directed) to, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, “To Allaah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common-folk.” [Muslim reported it]
1327. Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ‘anhu); Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The Fear of Allaah and the Good Character are the major things that lead to paradise.” [At-Tirmidhee reported it, and al-Haakim graded it saheeh]
Note: Good Character here includes treating people well, refraining from causes them any harm and maintaining a cheerful appearance whilst interacting with them. The Arabic word Taqwaa stands for one’s compliance with the divine commands and avoiding the prohibitions.
1330. Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallaahu ‘anhu); Allaah’s Messenger (sallaallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The believer who mixes with the people and patiently endures their harms, is better than the one who does not mix with them and does not endure their harm.” [Ibn Majah reported it with hasan chain of narrations, at-Tirmidhee also reported this hadeeth but did not mention the name of the Companion]
Source
WaAlaykumus Salaam Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh