Good Akhlaq – The Noblest of All Possessions

The Prophet ﷺ was sent to help us worship Allah in the best possible way, but he ﷺ, himself, emphasised certain acts of worship because they have more weight in the sight of Allah. One of those actions is to do with character, also known as akhlaaq. 
The Prophet ﷺ said,“The heaviest thing on the scale of good deeds is good manners.” [Tirmidhi] 

Moreover, in another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said,“The most beloved of you to me and the closest of you to me on the day of judgement will be those with the best manner.” [Tirmidhi] 
In both of these Hadith, the Prophet ﷺis signifying the value and importance of having good manners. The Prophet is also guaranteeing that a person with good manners and good character will be with him in Paradise. We always say that we wish to have lived with the Prophet ﷺ, we wish we were there so we could have struggled with him and earned Paradise with him. Well, here is your chance to be with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Paradise. Why is it that believers with good manners will be with the Prophet ﷺ in Paradise? It makes sense. People of similar character and manners will be placed together. 

Allah Himself described the character of the Prophet by saying
:وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ 
“And verily, you (Muhammad ﷺ) are on an exalted (standard of) character.” [68:4] 

My dear respected brothers and sisters, do we want to be with the Prophet ﷺ in Paradise? If yes, then how can we expect to enter Paradise when we have the bad habit of swearing every few sentences. How can we be with the Prophet ﷺ when we lie, mock, cheat, belittle others, and deal with each other harshly? Gossiping, backbiting, spreading rumours, slandering, these are not actions that would lead one to Paradise. Arrogance, pride, and boastfulness are qualities that were displayed by the worst of creation, Iblees, and his followers, such as Firawn and Nimrood. 
Our behaviour can be a means for someone to accept or reject Islam. Our behaviour can also be a means for someone to either love or hate Islam. Our behaviour can also be a means for someone to either study more about Islam or totally disregard it. There was a man named Thumamah ibn Uthal, who was the chief of his tribe. He hated Islam and even wanted to harm and kill the Prophet ﷺ. One day when the Prophet ﷺ saw Thumamah in a desperate situation, the Prophet gave him the best of food and drink, spoke to him gently, and treated him well, even though the Prophet knew that Thumamah came to harm him. Thumamah couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing manners and character of the Prophet ﷺ, and as a result, he accepted Islam. The moral of the story is that your manners and the way you conduct yourself has an impact on those around you. 

I would like to focus on one aspect of our character: the way we speak with one another. The Prophet ﷺ guaranteed Paradise to those who can control two organs, and one of them was the tongue. With the tongue, we can say salam and spread good words. It is with the tongue that we recite the Quran and praise Allah. However, with the same tongue that we can speak in a disrespectful and rude manner. 

The scholars said something amazing about the tongue. Allah gave the tongue as a gift. He has also protected it with 32 guards that are very sharp, meaning the teeth. If Allah protects your tongue, then so should you. The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart. So, be careful with your words. 

When you swear, backbite, and slander, some of your good deeds are actually being transferred to your victim. It is like you are giving your hard-earned good deeds away for free. If someone speaks badly about you, smile, because he has just given you some of his good deeds. To summarise, we must improve our character, especially the way we use our tongue. 

We ask Allah to allow us to purify our speech and beautify our character. And we ask Allah to unite us in Paradise with those who display good character. Ameen.