Excellence in Character

Jabir said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
was never asked for anything to which he said, 'No.'"

'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said, "I have never seen two women more
generous than 'A'isha and Asma'. Their generosity was different. 'A'isha
used to gather things and after they had been collected together, she would
share them out. Asma' would not keep anything for the next day."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said, "The dust of the path of Allah and the smoke
of Hellfire are never joined together in the heart of a slave (of Allah). Belief and
stinginess are never joined together in the heart of a slave (of Allah)."

miserliness and ill-temper."

"We used to sit with 'Abdullah and they mentioned a man together with aspects of his character. 'Abdullah said,
'What would you think if you cut off his head? Would you be able to put
it back on again?' 'No,' they replied. He said, 'And his hand?' 'No,' they
said. 'And his foot?' they said. 'No,' he said. He said, 'You cannot change
his character until you change his physical form. The drop remains in the
womb for forty nights and then the blood congeals and then it becomes a
blood clot and then a lump of flesh and then Allah sends an angel and
he records his provision, his character, and whether he will be
happy or miserable (in the Next World).'"

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said, "A man who is known for his good character
has the same degree as someone who stands at night in prayer."

Abu Hurayra said, "I heard Abu'l-Qasim say, 'The best of you in
Islam is the best of you in character when they possess understanding (of
the deen)."

Thabit ibn 'Ubayd said, "I have not seen anyone more serious when
he sits with the people nor more jovial in his house than Zayd ibn Thabit."

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, was asked, 'Which religion does Allah Almighty love the most?' He
replied, 'The simple Hanifiyya one.'"

good character, restraint in food,
truthful speech, and upholding a trust."

the genitals and the mouth. Do you know what it is that
makes most people enter Paradise? Taqwa of Allah and good character."

Umm ad-Darda' said, "Abu'd-Darda' stood up in the night to pray.
He was weeping and said, 'O Allah! You made my physical form good, so make
my character good!' until morning. I said, 'Abu'd-Darda', your only supplication
for the entire night was for good character!' He replied, 'Umm ad-Darda',
the Muslim perfects his character until good character
enters him into Paradise; and taints his character until
his bad character enter him into Hellfire. The Muslim is forgiven while
he is asleep.' I asked, 'Abu'd-Darda', how can be forgiven while he is
asleep?' He said, 'His brother arises in the night, performs the night
prayer, and supplicates to Allah Almighty and is answered. He
supplicates for his Muslim brother and his supplication is answered.'"

Usama ibn Sharik said, "I was with the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, when some bedouins came. There were many people
on all sides. The people were silent and no one spoke except them. They
said, 'Messenger of Allah! We experience difficulty in such-and-such and
such-and-such' and it was in things which are not harmful to people. He
said, 'Servants of Allah! Allah has removed difficulty except in a case
where a man slanders someone unjustly - that is the one who is in difficulty
and destroyed.' They said, 'Messenger of Allah, can we make use of medical
treatment?' 'Yes, servants of Allah,' he replied, 'you can make use of
medical treatment. Allah Almighty did not create an illness but that He
made a cure for it - except for one disease.' They asked, 'And what
is that, Messenger of Allah?' 'Old age,' he replied. They said, 'Messenger
of Allah, what is the best thing that a man can be given?' He replied, 'Good character'."

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, was the most generous of people in giving charity. He
was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibril, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, used to meet him. Every night of Ramadan, Jibril used to
come to him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, would read the Qur'an to him. When Jibril came to him, the Messenger
of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more generous in
giving charity than the blowing wind."

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported that the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Before your time a man was
called to account and it was found that the only good thing he had done
was that he was easy in his business dealings with people. He used to order
his slaves to go easy with people who were in difficulty. Allah Almighty
said, 'We are more entitled to do that than he is, so forgive him.'"

the mouth and the genitals."

It is reported Nawwas ibn Sam'an asked the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about righteousness and sin.
He said, "Righteousness is good character and sin is what gnaws at your conscience and that which you dislike for other people to become
aware of."

that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace, said, "Who is your chief, O Banu Salama?" We replied, "Judd ibn Qays, although we think that he is a miser." He said, "What illness is worse than miserliness? Rather, your chief is 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh." And 'Amr was (serving) upon their idols during Jahilyyah and he used to arrange the marriage banquet of the Messenger of Allah if he married.

Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, said, "Mu'awiya wrote
to al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, saying, 'Write down for me something which you
heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.'
Al-Mughira wrote to him, ' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace, used to forbid gossip, wasting money, asking too many
questions, refusing to give, disobedience to parents, and burying daughters
alive."

Jabir said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,
was never asked for anything to which he said, 'No,'"