Ramadan Reflections 1444/2023 Part 18
Cultivating Prophetic Character (As-Sadiq, Al-Ameen)
It’s vitality important to remember, that before Muhammad ibn Abdullah ﷺ, The Last Messenger and Seal of the Prophets, was appointed to prophethood at the age of 40, when he ﷺ first encountered the Archangel Gabriel in the Cave of Hira on Jabal An-Nur, The Mountain of Light, he ﷺ was known by all and sundry and far and wide, as As-Sadiq, Al-Ameen, the truthful, trustworthy one.
When we want to emulate and raise our children in the prophetic way, these two qualities of truth and trustworthiness are vitally important because it speaks to the integrity and principles of character ethics, rather than the pomp and show of personality ethics. There is a stark and fundamental difference between a person's internal character and external personality. In the ideal world, like in the Prophet ﷺ, the two are exactly congruent because he is al-insaan ul-kaamil, the complete human being, with the perfect balance of jamali (traits of mercy, beauty and grace) and jalali traits (traits of power and majesty), derived from the Attributes of Allah.
Noble character is inherent to a person, while a showy personality is a carefully curated and cultivated mask for the world to see. We find that Islamic scholarship never teaches about prophetic personality and rather, they always teach about prophetic character.
Today, these core values of character, ethics, morality and principles are rapidly disappearing in our relationships, as we live inauthentic, two faced lives; one way behind closed doors and another way public eye. We live in a world of true lies, fake news, false information, distorted facades, and we wear a multitudes of masks (one to suit each occasion) and project carefully cultivated personalities and display carefully curated lives in the world of social media and the public eye.
We have to remind ourselves and each other, that it is critically important to return to prophetic core values in the month of Ramadan, as the criterion to live our lives and to build relationships with one other. We want to be people of truth and trustworthiness. We want to be in the company of the truthful and trustworthy ones. The Qur'an states that it is the highest category of human beings in rank, after the Prophets, May God's Peace and Blessings be upon them all.
وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًۭا ٦٩
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be in the company of those blessed by Allah: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous—what honourable company!”
[Surah 4 An-Nisa (The Women), Verse 69]
والله أعلم
