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20. Morals and Ethics

Character-building

One of the earliest works to which the Prophet Muhammad applied himself was the building up of character. His heart ailed for the physical ills of humanity. The slave, the widow, the orphan, the needy, the one in distress, the oppressed and the wronged, had a very high place in his heart, and he would do what he could to help them and to make others feel for them as he himself felt. But moral considerations had a still higher place in his programme of reformation, and long before he introduced any reforms in regard to social relations, sex problems and state organization, he was engaged in the moral uplift of man. All wrongs had to be redressed, later on, by means of laws and regulations, but he was aware that even good laws could benefit humanity only when they were worked out by persons standing on a high moral plane.

It was, therefore, at Makkah and in very early days that, while introducing the high ideals of One God and One Humanity and applying himself to lead people to prayer and charity, the Holy Prophet was equally devoted to raising them to a very high moral level. Good morals and good manners are, according to the Holy Quran and Hadith, the real test of a person’s excellence, as shown by the verse of the Quran and the hadith quoted below:

“Surely the noblest of you with Allah is the most dutiful of you [or best of you in conduct].” — 49:13

“The best of you are those who have the most excellent morals.” 1

Truthfulness

The Holy Prophet was recognized by friends and foes as the most truthful of people. On repeated occasions, his bitterest enemies had to acknowledge his eminent truthfulness, on account of which he was called al-Amīn, ‘the Faithful one’. Himself so eminently truthful, he laid stress on truth as the basis of a high character:

“Surely truth leads to virtue, and virtue leads to paradise, and a man continues to speak the truth until he becomes thoroughly truthful; and surely falsehood leads to vice and vice leads to the fire, and a man continues to tell lies until he is written down a great liar with Allah.” 2

The Holy Quran mentions truthfulness as one of the most pro­minent qualities that Muslims should possess:

“…and the truthful men and the truthful women … Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.” — 33:35

Speaking of the great transformation which the Holy Prophet had brought about, the Quran bears testimony to the truthfulness of the Muslims by stating that they “witness no falsehood” (25:72), i.e., do not bear witness to what is false. The Quran also lays down the basis of a society in which people are required to “exhort one another to truth” (103:3), and states repeatedly that it is with truth that falsehood can be challenged and vanquished:

“Indeed, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, so it knocks out its brains, and lo! it vanishes.” — 21:18

“And say: The Truth has come and false­hood vanished. Surely falsehood is ever bound to vanish.” — 17:81

It exhorts again and again that truth is to be adhered to at all costs, even if it goes against one’s own interest or interest of one’s friends and relatives:

“O you who be­lieve, be maintainers of justice, bearers of witness for Allah, even if it is against your own selves or your parents or near relatives… So do not follow your low desires, that you deviate. And if you distort [the truth] or turn away [from it], surely Allah is ever Aware of what you do.” — 4:135

The princi­ple of truth is not to be deviated from even if it goes in favour of the enemy:

“O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and do not let [your] hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty.” — 5:8

And even if one is called upon to speak the truth in the face of a tyrant, it must be done:

“The most excellent jihād is the uttering of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler.” 3

Only truth shall benefit in the final judgment, as it shall take place on “a day when their truth will profit the truthful ones” (5: 119). The Holy Prophet enjoys the distinction that he made people walk in the ways which he pointed out. The quality of truth was so ingrained in the heart of his followers that they not only loved it but underwent severest hard­ship for the sake of truth. When about two centuries later, the critics laid down certain canons to judge the truth­fulness of the transmitters of Hadith, they all agreed on one point, that no Companion of the Holy Prophet had ever uttered a deliberate falsehood.

Muslims are also enjoined to be true to their promises. “Those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenants” is a twice occurring description of the true believers (23:8, 70:32), and the righteous are described as “performers of their promise when they make a promise” (2:177). Elsewhere too, it is enjoined:

“Fulfil the promise; surely the promise will be enq­u­i­r­ed into [i.e., by Allah as to its fulfilment].” — 17:34

Perseverance and patience

Perseverance is another characteristic on which great emphasis is laid in the Holy Quran and which shone prominently in the life of the Holy Prophet and those inspired by him. Persecuted on all sides, suffering the severest hard­ships, with no apparent prospects of success, the Prophet stood adamant when threatened with death. He was equally firm when offered worldly temptations. During the flight to Madinah, hidden in a cave with a search party at its mouth, he consoled his single companion, Abu Bakr, with these words:

“Grieve not, surely Allah is with us.” — 9:40

The Quran states clearly that perseverance in the cause of truth brings down an­gels from heaven to console a person:

“Those who say, Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them saying: Do not fear, nor grieve, and receive good news of the Garden which you were promised. We are your friends in this world’s life and in the Hereafter.” — 41:30–31

Patience and persever­ance are inculcated again and again in the early revelations as well as in the later ones:

“And we would certainly bear with patience your persecution of us. And on Allah should the reliants rely.”

— 14:12

“O you who believe, be steadfast and try to excel in stead­fastness…” — 3:200

“So be patient. Surely the good end is for the dutiful.” — 11:49. 4

Patience and prayers are said to be the two doors through which Divine help is received:

“O you who believe, seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient.” — 2:153

Courage

Courage is another great quality on which stress is laid. The heart in which there is fear of God cannot entertain fear of others than God, and this makes a Muslim fearless in the face of severest opposition:

“Those to whom people said: Surely men have gathered against you, so fear them; but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and He is an excellent Guardian. … It is the devil who only frightens his friends, but do not fear them, and fear Me, if you are believers.” — 3:173, 175

“So do not fear the people and fear Me…” — 5:44

“Do you fear them [i.e., your enemies]? But Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.” — 9:13

“Do not fear, surely I am with you — I do hear and see.” — 20:46

“Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and fear none but Allah.” — 33:39

It was on account of their fearlessness and great moral courage that the Muslims, in the Holy Prophet’s time, defended themselves in battles against three to ten times their numbers and won on all occasions. Later, in the battles they had to fight against Persia and the Roman Byzantine Empire, their numbers bore no comparison with the enemy forces, and they were almost always victorious. The courage which they showed on the battle-fields was in fact due to their firm faith.

Humility and selflessness

However, while facing so boldly all opposition to the cause of truth, Mus­lims were required to develop the quality of humility:

“And do not go about in the land exultingly.” — 17:37

“And do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land exultingly. Surely Allah does not love any self-conceited boaster.” — 31:18

“Surely He does not love the proud.” — 16:23

Humility, in fact, should be deeply rooted in a Muslim’s heart because of the five daily prayers when all standing on terms of perfect equality bow down and prostrate themselves before their Lord as one body. The Holy Prophet’s own example is a beacon-light in this respect. In his deal­ings with others he was humble and never placed himself on a higher pedestal. He was their spiritual guide and their ruler, but he was just one of them, being true to his picture as portrayed in the Holy Quran: “I am only a mortal like you” (18: 110, 41:6).

Along with humility, selflessness is another great quality with which Islam arms every Muslim to fight the battle of life. There are repeated injunctions in the Quran that God’s pleasure is to be the only motive for one’s actions, not personal gain or loss:

“And away from it [i.e., the fire of hell] shall be kept the most faithful to duty, who gives his wealth, purifying himself. And none has with him any favour for a reward, except the seeking of the pleasure of his Lord, the Most High. And he will soon be well-pleased.” — 92:17–21

“And they [i.e., the servants of Allah] give food, out of love for Him, to the poor and the orphan and the captive. [They say:] We feed you, for Allah’s pleasure only — we desire from you neither reward nor thanks.” — 76:8–9

“And among people is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah.” — 2:207

Other qualities

The quality of sincerity should be developed by being first sincere in obedience to God:

“Serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience.” —39:2 (see also 7:29, 40:14, etc.)

“And they are enjoined nothing but to serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright…” — 98:5

Hypocrisy is condemned in the severest terms in the Holy Quran:

“They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief; they say with their mouths what is not in their hearts.” — 3:167

“O you who believe, why do you say things which you do not do? It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say things which you do not do.” — 61:2–3

“So woe to the praying ones, who are unmindful of their prayer, who do good to be seen, and refrain from acts of kindness!” — 107:5–7

All qualities which make man stand on a high moral plane are inculcated one after another. Thankfulness is one of them:

“O you who believe, eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if He it is Whom you serve.” — 2:172

“If you are ungrateful, then surely Allah is above need of you. And He does not like ungratefulness in His servants. And if you are grateful, He likes it for you.” — 39:7

A Muslim is required to be grateful to people as well. The Holy Prophet said: “Whoever is not thankful to people is not thankful to Allah”.5 Thankfulness to people means repaying their kindness, as the Quran says:

“Is the reward of goodness anything but goodness?” —55:60

The high morals depicted in the Quran were the morals of the Holy Prophet, and it was in this shape that he wanted to mould the character of his fol­lowers. Even a cursory glance at the lives of his Companions and his first four successors, who were the rulers of a vast empire, would show that the Holy Prophet achieved a mighty success in this respect. One of the many descriptions of the high moral plane on which his Companions stood occurs in the Quran as follows:

“And the servants of the Beneficent are they who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, Peace! And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing. … And they who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, and the just mean is ever between these. And they who do not call upon another god with Allah, nor slay the soul which Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice, nor commit forni­cation. … And they who witness no false­hood, and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly. And they who, when reminded of the messages of their Lord, do not fall down at them deaf and blind. And they who say: Our Lord, grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes, and make us leaders for those who guard against evil.”

— 25:63–64, 67–68, 72–74

Social conduct

In the moral code of Islam, respect of, and kindness to, parents occupies a very high place. The Quran says:

“…and do good to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say no word to them showing annoyance, nor rebuke them, and speak to them a gene­rous word. And make yourself gentle to them with humi­lity out of mercy, and say: My Lord, have mercy on them, as they brought me up when I was little.” — 17:23–24

“And We have enjoined on man concerning his parents … saying: Give thanks to Me and to your par­ents. To Me is the Eventual coming. And if they strive with you to make you set up partners with Me, of which you have no know­l­edge, do not obey them, and keep kindly company with them in this world.” — 31:14–15

Here disobedience to parents is permitted if there is a clash of duty to one’s Mak­er. Even then, kind behaviour towards them is enjoined. It is reported:

“A man came to the Prophet and asked his permission for jihād. He asked: Are your parents alive? The man said, Yes. He said: Then do jihād in their way [i.e., stay with them and be of service to them].” 6

Special emphasis was placed by the Holy Prophet on showing consideration to one’s mother, so much so that paradise was des­cribed by him to be beneath her two feet.7 A man once asked the Holy Prophet: “Who has the greatest right that I should keep company with him with good­ness?” The Prophet said: “Your mother”. The man asked: “Who then?” The Prophet said: Your mother”. The man asked a third time: “Who then?” The Prophet said: Your mother”.The man asked: “Who then?” The Prophet said: “Then your father”.8

The Quran, too, specially points out the right of the mother in the verse:

“And We have enjoined on man the doing of good to his parents. His mother bears him with trouble and she gives birth to him in pain. And the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months.” — 46:15

Parents were required to be kind and gentle towards their children. The sufferings of parents in providing for and protecting their children was described by the Holy Prophet as “a screen from the fire” for the parents.9 In one hadith he is reported to have said:

“He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our little ones and respect to our great ones.” 10

The words of this hadith are general and apply not only to those younger or older in age but also to degrees of position and autho­rity.

To do good to one’s near of kin is mentioned among the fundamental teachings of the Holy Quran:

“… but righteous is the one who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and the angels  and the Book and the prophets, and gives away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the traveller and to those who ask and to set slaves free and keeps up prayer and gives the due charity.” — 2:177

“And serve Allah, and do not set up any partner with Him, and be good to the parents and to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the neighbour of your kin and the alien neigh­bour [i.e., of a different community or religion], and the companion in a journey and the traveller and those whom your right hands possess [i.e., those whom you are in charge of].” — 4:36

The Holy Prophet is reported as saying:

“Raḥim11 is an offshoot of Raḥmān; so Allah said: Who­ever makes his ties close with you [i.e., with relatives] I will make My ties close with him, and whoever severs his ties with you I will sever My ties with him.” 12

The word raḥim means ‘womb’ and signifies relationships, and Raḥmān is an attribute of Allah meaning ‘the God of mercy’ or the ‘Beneficent God’. The hadith signifies that relationship is deeply connected with mercy in its very nature. So whoever makes ties of relationship close by kindness to relatives, God is kind to him, and whoever severs the ties of relationship by ill-treatment towards relatives, God is displeased with him. The plural of raḥim, which is arḥām, occurs in the following verse:

“O people, keep your duty to your Lord, Who creat­ed you from a single being and created its mate of the same [kind], and spread from these two many men and women. And keep your duty to Allah, by Whom you demand one of another your rights and to the ties of relationship (arḥām).” — 4:1

Attention is drawn here to our duties towards other people by enjoining the keeping of duty to the “ties of relationship”. Duties towards others are included in ties of relationship because, by declaring the whole of mankind to be descendants of the same mother and father, they are all declared to be, as it were, members of the same family. Therefore, the teaching of Islam to do good to relatives includes the whole of humanity.13

Kindness and good relations with one’s neighbours are strong­ly emphasized. In 4:36 quoted above, Muslims are thus enjoined: “be good to… the neighbour of your kin and the alien neigh­bour”. The neighbour of kin means a relative or a Muslim neighbour. The “alien neighbour” means an unrelated neighbour or a neighbour of another religion. The Holy Prophet said:

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour.” 14

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honour his neighbour.” 15

“[The angel] Gabriel continued to enjoin me with good treatment towards the neighbour until I thought he would make him heir of the property [of the deceased neighbour].” 16

“None of you has faith until he loves for his brother or for his neighbour what he loves for himself.” 17

Kindness and generosity towards one’s servants and em­p­loyees is mentioned in a number of Hadith reports, with the injunction to treat them on a basis of equality, as for example:

“Whoever has his brother under his charge, he should give him to eat out of what he him­self eats, and give him to wear of what he himself wears, and impose not on them a task which they are not able to do, and if you give them such a task, then help them [in doing it].” 18

The care of the orphan was one of the earliest injunctions that Islam gave, and the Holy Prophet had always shown a deep anxiety for the welfare of the poor and the orphans. The care of the orphan and the poor is described as an uphill task, but one which must be accomplished:

“But he [i.e., man] does not attempt the uphill road. And what will make you comprehend what the uphill road is? It is to free a slave, or to feed in a day of hunger an orphan near of kin, or the poor man lying in the dust. Then he is of those who believe and exhort one another to patience, and exhort one another to mercy.” — 90:11–17

Anyone who pays no attention to this is spoken of as belying religion:

“Have you seen him who denies religion? That is the one who is rough to the orphan, and does not urge the feeding of the needy.” — 107:1–3

Orphans should not be treated as living on the charity of others but must be treated as brethren — “they are your brethren” (2:220) — and strict injunctions are given regarding safeguarding their property:

“And give to orphans their property, and do not substitute worthless things for their good ones, nor devour their pro­perty, adding to your own property. This is surely a great sin.” — 4:2

Looking after widows and the poor is an act of the highest merit, akin to jihād and worship of Allah. The Holy Prophet said:

“One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor person is like the one who exerts himself hard [lit., ‘conducts jihād’] in the way of Allah, or the one who stands up for prayer in the night and fasts in the day.” 19

(See note20)

Behaviour towards other Muslims

The unity and brotherhood of all mankind is a fundamental conception of Islam. Muslims were, however, particularly exhorted to be kind to one another and to help one another. Believers are frequently described in the Quran as brethren, for example:

“The believers are brethren so make peace between your brethren…” — 49:10 (see also 3:103, 9:11, 59:10, etc.)

The quality of being “merciful among them­selves” (48:29) is expressly mentioned. Muslims have been specifical­ly prohibited from deriding others or looking down upon other Muslims with contempt, seeking faults in and being unduly suspicious of one an­other:

“O you who believe, do not let a people laugh at another people, perhaps they may be better than they; nor let women laugh at women, perhaps they may be better than they. Neither find fault with one another, nor call one another by [offensive] nick-names. Evil is a bad name after faith; and whoever does not repent, these it is that are the wrongdoers. O you who believe, avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is sin; and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You abhor it! And keep your duty to Allah, surely Allah returns to mercy again and again, is Merciful.” — 49:11–12

Hadith describes Muslims as parts of one structure and compares them to a human body; when one member of it ails, the entire body ails. The Holy Prophet said:

“You will recognize the believers in their having mercy for one another and in their love for one another and in their kindness towards one another like the body; when one mem­­ber of it ails, the entire body ails, one part calling out the other with sleep­lessness and fever.” 21

Books of Hadith are full of reports of a similar nature, some of which are given below:

“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he does him no injustice, nor does he leave him alone [to be the victim of another’s injustice]; and whoever fulfils the need of his brother, Allah fulfils his need; and whoever removes the distress of a Muslim, Allah removes from him a distress out of the distresses of the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover his sins on the Day of Resurrection.” 22

“Help your brother whether he does wrong or wrong is done to him. The Companions said: O Messenger of Allah! We can help one to whom wrong is done, but how can we help one when he himself does wrong? He said: Take hold of his hand from doing wrong.” 23

“The Prophet said: ‘Believers are in relation to one another as [parts of] a structure, one part of which strengthens another,’ and he inserted the fingers of one hand amid those of the other.” 24

“Do not hate one another and do not be jealous of one another and do not boycott one another, and be servants of Allah as brethren; and it is not lawful for a Muslim that he should sever his relations with his brother for more than three days.” 25

Finally, in his last pilgrimage sermon at Mina, the Holy Prophet said:

“Sur­ely Allah has made sacred to you your blood and your property and your honour as this day of yours is sacred in this month of yours in this city of yours.” 26

Transformation wrought by the Holy Prophet Muhammad

The most outstanding characteristic of the life of the Holy Prophet is the amazing success which he achieved within the short space of less than a quarter of a century. No reformer brought about such an entire change in the lives of a whole nation inhabiting such a vast country. None, in fact, found his people at such a depth of degradation as the Prophet found the Arabs, and no one raised them materially, morally and spiritually to the height to which he raised them. Twenty-three years’ work of the Prophet quite metamorphosed them. Superstition gave place to a rational religion. They were clean­­sed of deep-rooted vice and bare-faced immorality; and further, they were inspired with a burning desire for the best and noblest deeds in the service of, not a country or nation, but, what is far higher than that, humanity. Old customs which in­vol­ved injustice to the weak were all swept away, and just and reasona­ble laws took their place. Those who prided themselves on ignorance became lovers of knowledge, drinking deep at every fountain of learn­ing to which they could get access.

No faith ever imparted such a new life to its followers on such a wide scale — a life affecting all branches of human activity, a transformation of the individual, of the family, of the society, of the nation, of the country, an awakening material as well as moral, intellectual as well as spiritual — as did the religion of Islam.

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Notes to Chapter 20

1. Bukhari, book 61: ‘Virtues of the Prophet and his Companions’, ch. 23, h. 3559.

2. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 69, h. 6094.

3. Mishkat, book 17: ‘Governing and Judgment’, ch. 1, sec. 2, h. 3534 (v. 2, p. 198).

4. See also in the Quran 11:112 and 42:15 for perseverance in the right path.

5. Abu Dawud, book 43: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 12, h. 4811 (DS: book 40, ch. 11).

6. Bukhari, book 56: ‘Jihād’, ch. 138, h. 3004.

7. Nasa’i, book 25: ‘Jihād’, ch. 6, h. 3104 (DS: h. 3106).

8. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 2, h. 5971.

9. Bukhari, book 24: ‘Zakāt’, ch. 10, h. 1418.

10. Mishkat, book 24: ‘Good Morals’, ch. 15, sec. 2, h. 4751 (v. 2, p. 454).

11. Editor’s Note: This word raḥim should not be confused with the name of God Raḥīm which means Merciful and occurs in Bismillāh after Raḥmān or Beneficent.

12. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 13, h. 5988.

Editor’s Note: The words “with you” in this hadith mean “with the ties of relationship”. The next hadith, h. 5989, is similar except that it uses the words “with it” instead of “with you”.

13. Editor’s Note: The explanation of 4:1 given here is taken from Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Urdu commentary of the Quran, Bayān al-Qur’ān.

14. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 31, h. 6018.

15. Ibid., ch. 31, h. 6019.

16. Ibid.,ch. 28, h. 6014 and h. 6015.

17. Muslim, book 1: ‘Faith’, ch. 17, h. 45a (DS: h. 170); see also h. 45b (DS: h. h. 171).

18. Bukhari, book 2: ‘Faith’, ch. 22, h. 30.

19. Bukhari, book 69: ‘Supporting the Family’, ch. 1, h. 5353.

20. Editor’s Note: Some aspects of ethics have also been covered earlier in this book. See the chapter Charity under ‘Conception of charity in Islam’ and ‘Voluntary charity’ (p. here–here), and the chapter Marriage under ‘Mutual relation of husband and wife’ (p. here).

21. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 27, h. 6011.

22. Bukhari, book 46: ‘Oppression’, ch. 3, h. 2442.

23. Ibid.,ch. 4, h. 2444.

24. Bukhari, book 8: ‘Prayer’, ch. 88, h. 481.

25. Bukhari, book 78: ‘Good Morals (Adab)’, ch. 57, h. 6065.

26. Ibid., ch. 43, h. 6043.