Module 8

Islamic Perspective of Personality

Al-Fitrah (human nature)

Monotheism: Belief & worship part of human nature

Goodness prominent - evil must be controlled - purification

"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship me." [adh-Dhariyat 51:56]

- Connection with creator

- Free will
- Peace and contentment

Life is a Test
"[He] Who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is
exalted in might, the forgiving." [al-Mulk 67:2]

Directing soul to Allah

- Thoughts, emotions, actions
- Personality will be sound

Stages of the Soul

1. An-nafs al-ammaraah bi-suu' - The commaning soul
2. An-nafs al-lawwaamah - The reproachful soul
3. An-nafs al-mutmainnah - The tranquil soul

Free Will & Accountability - choose belief, actions and between good and evil.
Al Qadr - Allah knows what we will do

Niyat (Intention) - knowledge of purpose

"Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions and, verily, every man shall have that which he
intended." Prophet Muhammed (saw).

Aqeedah: certain faith which the hearts accept

"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." [ale-Imran 3:19]

One who perfects Tawheed will enter Jannah no matter what actions he has done.

Aqeedah, Emaan & Personality

When Aqeedah is firmly established in the heart, spoken by the tongue, confirmed by actions.

- Important for the soul and personality development

- Connected to purification of the soul
Module 9
Islamic Perspective of Personality: Heart

The Heart
- Intellectual faculties and understanding
- Affection and emotions
- Intentions, soul and personality

Soundness of the Heart

The Prophet Muhammed (saw) said: "...If it is sound, all the body is sound and if it is diseased,
the whole body is diseased. This part of the body is the heart." [Bukhari]

Day of judgement
- Sound and submissive heart will benefit
- Dead and diseased heart will be unsuccessful

Qalbin Saleem (sound or secure heart)

Characteristics of a Sound Heart

● Secure from every desire, doubt and service against Allah
● Loves, trusts and follows Allah and His messenger
● Pleases, loves and gives for the sake of Allah
● Positive personality characteristics

The Dead Heart

Contains no life - similitude of cattle - seal on the heart.

Characteristics of a Dead Heart

● Refuses truth or doesn't know Allah
● Unable to perceive guidance
● Slave to carnal desires, temptations and pleasures

"Base desires have deafened it and blinded it to anything other than falsehood." [Ibn Rajab]

The Diseased Heart

Life and defective - wavers between faith and desires - tried by two callers

● Diseased - ranks of dead and harsh heart

● Soundness - ranks of truthful and sound heart

Parables of Heart in the Quran

Light: Emaan, guidance. Lamp: light. Glass: heart of believer. Oil: fitrah. Flame: knowledge.
Sea: heart of disbeliever. Darkness of waves: weak heart. Dark clouds: bad influence.
[an-Nur 24:35-40]
Module 10
Diseases of the Heart

Doubts: uncertainties or misconceptions

Desires: appetites of the nafs

"In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease and for them is a painful
punishment because they (habitually) used to lie." [al-Baqarah 2:10]

Greed - envy - arrogance - laziness - desire wealth, power, prestige, authority - passionate love.

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The fire is surrounded by all kinds of desires and passions,
while paradise is surrounded by all kinds of disliked, undesirable things." [Bukhari]

Unrestrained:
- Complete control
- Contentment tied to desire
- "God" of the person

The Disease of Envy

● Unrestrained dislike of blessings
● Incurs blames
● Pleasure in removal
● No benefit (envier)

"Or do they envy people for what Allah has given them of His bounty?" [an-Nisa 4:54]

Cure of Envy
- Blinded and disliked in the heart
- Attempt to remove
- Do not act upon it, or do the opposite

Passionate Love (ishq')

Psychological sickness
- Sadness / depression
- Affect physical body

Forbidden type
● Leads to injustice or haraam
● Unlawful relationships
● Corrupts religion

Cure: Refrain from unlawful acts, remain patient, fear Allah and the day of judgement.
Module 11
Islamic Personality

The Prophet Muhammed (saw): universal, best role model.

"And indeed, you (Oh, Muhammed) are of great moral character." [al-Qalam 68:4]

Wise, just, merciful, patient, forgiving, tolerant, modest, gentle, generous, truthful, humble, kind.

Allah's messenger (saw) said: "The most perfect man in his faith among the believers is the one
with the best behaviour." [Ahmad & Abu Dawud]

The Ideal Muslim

- Virtuous behaviours -habitual (personality)
- Strive to implement Quran
- Unique or stronger virtues

Personality of Companions
The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The best of people are my generation and then those who
follow them and then those who follow them." [Bukhari]

1. Abu Bakr as Saddiq

Upright character, compassion, generous, high levels of Emaan.

2. Umar bin Al-Khattab

Straight forward, hard-working, generous, serious, self-assertive.

3. Uthmaan ibn Afaan

Honest, generous, kind, modesty, shyness, pious.

4. Ali bin Abi Talib

Clever, eloquent speaker, humble, modest, pious.

Potential for Change

- Weakness does not justify sin
- Given as a test
- Change or adapted

Al Junayd said: "A person is not to be blamed for his nature. Rather, he is to be blamed if he
acts according to his nature."

Example of companions: Prior to Islam as disbelievers and after Islam.

Islam's relation to personality: Optimism, not bound to genetics/environment, Allah's assistance.

Module 12
Positive Personality Characteristics

Good Character
Submit to Allah and direct themselves to straight path.

Kindness & Compassion

Fundamental trait - extended to everyone - absence = evil.

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "He who is deprived of kindness is in fact deprived of
everything that is good." [Muslim]

Truthfulness & Honesty

Religion of truth - noble characteristic.
- Speech
- Transactions
- Promises
- False impressions

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness
leads to paradise…" [Muslim]

Humility
Most challenging and noblest virtues - against arrogance.
Umar Ibn al-Khattab was well known for his humility.

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble to
one another. One should neither boast above another nor transgress against another." [Muslim]

Patience
- Trials and tribulations
- Greatest lesson
- 90x in Quran
● Respond to evil with good
● Pardon and forgive
● Remember the reward

"And seek help through patience and prayer…" [al-Baqarah 2:45]

Justice
Fair and equitable - discrimination and unequal treatment.
Categories: with Allah, in judgements, with family, in speech, in belief.

"Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives…" [an-Nahl 16:90]
Module 13
Negative Personality Characteristics

Bad character
- Opposite of positive
- Test from Allah
- Eliminate to purify soul

Arrogance
Man is small and weak compared to Allah and His creation - no right

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Shall I not inform you about the inmates of hell? It is every
violent, impertinent and arrogant person." [Bukhari and Muslim]

Showing off
Minor shirk - hypocrisy - distorted intention

Signs of ar-riyaa'
● Increasing acts when praised
● Decreasing acts when criticised
● Presence of others - increased acts
● Alone - forgetful and lazy

"Those who make show (of their deeds) and withhold simple assistance." [al-Maun 107:6-7]

Oppression
1. Unjust with Lord
2. Unjust with another person
3. Injustice against oneself

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no
barrier between it and Allah."

"And they wronged Us not - but they were (only) wronging themselves." [al-Baqarah 2:57]

Cheating
Blameworthy/disgraceful trait - all three forms of oppression - breaking promises.

The messenger of Allah (saw) said: "He who deceives (cheats) is not of us." [Muslim]

Conclusion:
- Believer attempts to develop positive personality traits
- Eliminate or reduce negative personality traits
- Following the guidance in Quran and Sunnah
Module 14
Purification of the Soul: Introduction

"He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself, and mentions the name of his Lord and
prays." [al-Alaa 87:14-15]

Tazkiyah al Nafs: purification of the self (increase/grow)

"Purification of something from adulterants, its growth and development and to bring it to the
height of its perfection." [Islahi]

Ihsaan
Hadith of Jibreel
Aware of Allah's presence
Ultimate level - muhsin

Dassaha (tadsiyah)
- To bury something
- Debases soul
- Buries soul in sin

Purification to human, Allah or prophet

- "He has succeeded who purifies it…" [as-Shams 91:9]
- "Rather, Allah purifies whom He wills…" [an-Nisa 4:49]
- [al-Baqarah 2:151]

Heart's safety and soundness is not protected:

1. Shirk which nullifies tawheed
2. Innovation opposing Sunnah
3. Desire against Allah
4. Contradicts remembrance of Allah
5. Nullifies purity and sincerity

Purification of the soul through Ihsan and tawheed.

Module 15
Purification of the Soul: Importance & Goals

Purifying soul - one goal of sharee'ah.

Entire religion revolves around (worship).

Purify or corrupt the soul

- Closeness to Allah
- Success or failure
- Benefits to self

"And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for his soul. And to Allah is the destination."
[Faatir 35:18]

● Role of prophet (saw): to aid purification of the soul

● Problems - result of own actions
● Allah - determines success/failure
● Less faith - less support

Complete reformation of a person: goals, way/view of life, fulfilling purpose, removes disbelief.
Victory - free of disease - Allah's please, not worldly gain - dignity, honour, respect - gifts of Allah

Goal of Purification of the Soul

Nothing can take precedence over primary goal - consistent secondary goals

Goal: Complete & truthful servant of Allah, worship and please only Him.

- Strengthening faith
- Submit to Allah
- Outward & inward

Ibaadah
1. Determine what Allah/His messenger are pleased with
2. Enacting upon them (heart, speech, actions)

Accepted Ibaadah: Sincere - following Quran & sunnah.

Intention: driving force, accompanies actions, clear/unclear

The messenger (saw) said: "Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions…" [Bukhari]

Purification of soul affects relationships:

Lord - Own soul - Mankind - Animals - Environment.

The soul is only purified - goals are guided by Quran & sunnah.