Excellence in Moral Behaviors

إِنَّ أَكْمَلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَاناً أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقاً.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Among the believers of perfect belief is one whose moral behavior is excellent.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَا يُوضَعُ فِي مِيزَانِ امْرِئٍ- يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ.

“Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “On the Day of Judgment, in the balance of a man, no other things will be as meritorious as excellence in moral behavior.”’”

أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَمَلَ إِيمَانُهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَرْنِهِ إِلَى قَدَمِهِ- ذُنُوباً لَمْ يَنْقُصْهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ وَ هُوَ الصِّدْقُ وَ أَدَاءُ الْأَمَانَةِ وَ الْحَيَاءُ وَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ‌[1].

“Whoever has four things, his belief is complete even if he is covered with sins from his top to his toes, and it will not harm him. They are truthfulness, safe return of the trust, bashfulness and excellent moral behavior.”

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَا يَقْدَمُ الْمُؤْمِنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِعَمَلٍ بَعْدَ الْفَرَائِضِ أَحَبَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى مِنْ أَنْ يَسَعَ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقِهِ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said to me, ‘No one comes before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, with good deeds, besides the obligatory ones, more beloved to Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, than one with excellent moral behavior that has room for all people in it.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الْخُلُقِ الْحَسَنِ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The reward for one who possesses excellent moral behavior is equal to the reward for one who worships all nights and fasts all days.”’

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَكْثَرُ مَا تَلِجُ بِهِ أُمَّتِيَ الْجَنَّةَ تَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The fact for which most people from my followers will go to paradise are piety before Allah and excellence in moral behavior.’”

إِنَّ الْخُلُقَ الْحَسَنَ يَمِيثُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا تَمِيثُ الشَّمْسُ الْجَلِيدَ[3].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Excellent moral behavior melts down sins just as the sun melts down hoarfrost.’”

الْبِرُّ وَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ يَعْمُرَانِ الدِّيَارَ وَ يَزِيدَانِ فِي الْأَعْمَارِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Virtuous deeds and excellent moral behavior develop the cities and add to longevity of life.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِلَى بَعْضِ أَنْبِيَائِهِ ع الْخُلُقُ الْحَسَنُ يَمِيثُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا تَمِيثُ الشَّمْسُ الْجَلِيدَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, revealed to one of His prophets this: “Excellent moral behavior melts down sins just as the sun melts down hoarfrost.’””

هَلَكَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَأَتَى الْحَفَّارِينَ فَإِذَا بِهِمْ لَمْ يَحْفِرُوا شَيْئاً وَ شَكَوْا ذَلِكَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا يَعْمَلُ حَدِيدُنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا نَضْرِبُ بِهِ فِي الصَّفَا[1] فَقَالَ وَ لِمَ إِنْ كَانَ صَاحِبُكُمْ لَحَسَنَ الْخُلُقِ ائْتُونِي بِقَدَحٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَأَتَوْهُ بِهِ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَهُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ رَشَّهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ رَشّاً

“During the time of the Holy Prophet a man died. The gravediggers could not dig a grave for him. They complained to the Messenger of Allah saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah, our picks do not work. It is as if we hit a rock.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Why it would be as such had your man been excellent in moral behavior

إِنَّ الْخُلُقَ مَنِيحَةٌ[4] يَمْنَحُهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَلْقَهُ فَمِنْهُ سَجِيَّةٌ وَ مِنْهُ نِيَّةٌ[5] فَقُلْتُ فَأَيَّتُهُمَا أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ صَاحِبُ السَّجِيَّةِ هُوَ مَجْبُولٌ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ غَيْرَهُ وَ صَاحِبُ النِّيَّةِ يَصْبِرُ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ تَصَبُّراً فَهُوَ أَفْضَلُهُمَا.

“The Imam said, ‘Moral behavior is a gift that, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, bestows upon His creature. From moral behavior comes habit and intentions.’ 1 then asked, ‘Which one is better?’ The Imam said, ‘A person with an established habit is not able to do anything else. The person who possesses the inten

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَيُعْطِي الْعَبْدَ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ عَلَى حُسْنِ الْخُلُقِ كَمَا يُعْطِي الْمُجَاهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَغْدُو عَلَيْهِ وَ يَرُوحُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, grants good rewards to a person of excellent moral behavior as He grants rewards to one who strives hard (does Jihad) in the way of Allah, mornings and evenings.’”

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَعَارَ أَعْدَاءَهُ أَخْلَاقاً مِنْ أَخْلَاقِ أَوْلِيَائِهِ لِيَعِيشَ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ مَعَ أَعْدَائِهِ فِي دَوْلَاتِهِمْ. - وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ وَ لَوْ لَا ذَلِكَ لَمَا تَرَكُوا وَلِيّاً لِلَّهِ إِلَّا قَتَلُوهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, has, of the moral behavior of His friends, lent to His enemies so that His friends can live with His enemies in their governments.’” In another Hadith it is stated that had it not been as such they would not have left any of Allah’s friends alive

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِذَا خَالَطْتَ النَّاسَ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ لَا تُخَالِطَ أَحَداً مِنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا كَانَتْ يَدُكَ الْعُلْيَا عَلَيْهِ‌[1] فَافْعَلْ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ يَكُونُ فِيهِ بَعْضُ التَّقْصِيرِ مِنَ الْعِبَادَةِ وَ يَكُونُ لَهُ حُسْنُ خُلُقٍ فَيُبَلِّغُهُ اللَّهُ بِ [حُسْنِ‌] خُلُقِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ.

“In your association with people you should have the upper hand (to benefit them), if you are able to do so. A servant (of Allah) who has shortcomings in his worship may have commendable moral behavior with which Allah grants him a reward of the degree of one who worships all nights and fasts all days.”

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ يَا بَحْرُ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ يُسْرٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَ لَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِحَدِيثٍ مَا هُوَ فِي يَدَيْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذْ جَاءَتْ جَارِيَةٌ لِبَعْضِ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ فَأَخَذَتْ بِطَرَفِ ثَوْبِهِ فَقَامَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ ص فَلَمْ تَقُلْ شَيْئاً وَ لَمْ يَقُلْ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ ص شَيْ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) said to me, ‘O Bahr, excellent moral behavior is prosperity. Would you like me to teach you a Hadith which is not found in the hands of any of the people of Madina?’ I said, ‘Yes, please do so.’ The Imam said, ‘Once the Messenger of Allah was in the Mosque when a girl from the people of Ansar cam

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ أَفَاضِلُكُمْ أَحْسَنُكُمْ أَخْلَاقاً الْمُوَطَّئُونَ أَكْنَافاً الَّذِينَ يَأْلَفُونَ وَ يُؤْلَفُونَ وَ تُوَطَّأُ رِحَالُهُمْ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The meritorious ones among you are those who possess excellent moral behavior, who are easy to associate with, associate others with ease and comfort others.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَأْلُوفٌ وَ لَا خَيْرَ فِيمَنْ لَا يَأْلَفُ وَ لَا يُؤْلَفُ.

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) has said, ‘A believer is easy to associate with and there is nothing good in one who does not associate with others or is associated with.’”

إِنَّ حُسْنَ الْخُلُقِ يَبْلُغُ بِصَاحِبِهِ دَرَجَةَ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Excellence in moral behavior takes one to the level of those who worship all nights and fast all days.’”