Central Khutbah: “The Greatness of The Believer Is Reflected in His Character”

Faith is not reflected only in prayer, fasting, and the recitation of the Qur’an. Its strength is also seen in the way a person speaks, listens, forgives, thinks about others, and treats his family. The first generations of Muslims understood that good character (akhlaq) is not a secondary part of religion, but one of its most important fruits.

A person may speak a lot about faith while at the same time hurting people with his tongue. He may perform many voluntary acts of worship while neglecting his parents, spouse, and relatives. He may call others toward goodness while being known for suspicion, arguments, and searching for the faults of others.

Allah, the Most High, says:

“O you who believe, avoid much suspicion, for indeed some suspicion is sin. And do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another.”
(Qur’an, Al-Hujurat, 12)

The first generations were especially careful in how they interpreted the actions of other Muslims. It is reported from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him:

“When something reaches you about your brother that you dislike, seek from one to seventy excuses for him. If you find an excuse for him, accept it; and if you do not find one, say: ‘Perhaps he has an excuse that I do not know.’”
(Al-Bayhaqi, Shu‘ab al-Iman, 6/323)

Having a good opinion of people does not mean being naïve or denying obvious injustice. It means that a person does not build judgments upon assumptions and does not interpret every unclear word in the worst possible way.

How many relationships would be preserved if, before judging, we stopped and said: perhaps I did not understand correctly; perhaps he did not know; perhaps he is going through a difficult trial; perhaps he did not intend what I thought.

It is reported from Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, that after it was mentioned before him that nine-tenths of well-being lies in consciously overlooking people’s mistakes, he said:

“Well-being has ten parts, and all of them are in consciously overlooking mistakes.”
(Al-Bayhaqi, Shu‘ab al-Iman, no. 8028, 10/575)

Wisdom is not to react to every word, every look, and every unintentional mistake. A person who notices everything, comments on everything, and responds to everything will find it difficult to preserve peace within his family and community. Sometimes overlooking someone’s mistake is a greater proof of strength than giving a harsh response.

A man came to Wahb ibn Munabbih, may Allah have mercy on him, and informed him that someone had insulted him. Wahb replied:

“Could Satan not find another messenger besides you?”
(Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’, 4/71; Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-Safwah, biography of Wahb ibn Munabbih)

Not every hurtful word needs to be passed on. Transmitting insults often brings no benefit; rather, it spreads hostility and opens the door to conflict. The person who conveys everything he hears may think he is only informing others, while in reality he becomes a means through which Satan separates people.

The true scholars did not seek victory in arguments; they sought to reach the truth. Imam Al-Shafi‘i, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“I have never presented the truth and the proof to someone and they accepted it without that increasing their value in my eyes; and no one opposed me arrogantly after the truth had become clear to him without his value decreasing in my eyes.”
(Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-Safwah, in the biography of Imam Al-Shafi‘i, from Rabi‘ ibn Sulayman)

It is also reported from him:

“I never debated with anyone except that I wished for him to be guided, supported, protected, and that Allah’s care would be over him.”
(Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’, in the biography of Imam Al-Shafi‘i)

The purpose of a conversation is not to humiliate the other person. When a believer speaks about the truth, he does not seek to defeat a person, but rather to help the truth prevail. He does not rejoice at another person’s mistake, nor does he use it to display his own superiority.

The difference between sincere advice and an argument is often seen in the intention. The one who advises wants goodness for the other person, chooses kind words, and is ready to admit his own mistake. The one who argues wants to win, expose his opponent, and show that he is more intelligent.

The first generations also spoke extensively about guarding the tongue. It is reported from Wuhayb ibn al-Ward, may Allah have mercy on him:

“Wisdom consists of ten parts: nine are found in silence, and the tenth is in keeping away from people.”
(Ibn Abi al-Dunya, As-Samt; Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’, biography of Wuhayb ibn al-Ward)

He also said:

“The servant remains silent, and then his intellect becomes gathered and complete.”
(Ibn Abi al-Dunya, As-Samt; Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’)

Silence is not always wisdom, because the truth must be spoken when necessary. However, many of our regrets come from words that did not need to be spoken. A person rarely regrets beneficial silence, but often regrets a quick response, backbiting, or an insult spoken in anger.

Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“When you see a person busying himself with the faults of others while neglecting his own faults, know that he has been deceived.”
(Ibn Abi al-Dunya, As-Samt, p. 198)

It is easy to speak about the weaknesses of others. It is much harder to sit with oneself and acknowledge one’s own arrogance, jealousy, harshness, negligence, and injustice. A wise person uses his time to correct himself, not to compile a list of other people’s mistakes.

The beautiful character of the first generations was especially evident in their relationship with their parents. It is reported from Ibn ‘Awn:

“I never saw Muhammad ibn Sirin speak to his mother without being humble and submissive before her.”
(Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’, 2/274)

Adh-Dhahabi reported that Ibn Sirin lowered his voice so much in front of his mother that a person who did not know him would have thought he was ill.
(Adh-Dhahabi, Siyar A‘lam an-Nubala’, 4/620)

Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, saw a man carrying his mother during tawaf. The man asked him whether he had fulfilled his duty toward her through this act. Ibn ‘Umar replied:

“No, you have not even repaid her for one of her labor pains.”
(Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, chapter on honoring parents; Al-Fakihi, Akhbar Makkah, no. 642, 1/312)

A person may show good character toward strangers while keeping his harshness for his family. However, true nobility begins at home: in the way one speaks with one’s spouse, in patience toward children, and in humility before parents.

The first generations also paid close attention to earning lawful wealth. Wuhayb ibn al-Ward, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“If you were to pray as much as the height of this pillar, it would not benefit you until you look at what enters your stomach: whether it is lawful or unlawful.”
(Abu Nu‘aym al-Asbahani, Hilyat al-Awliya’, biography of Wuhayb ibn al-Ward; Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-Safwah)

Religion is not only what a person does in the mosque. Religion is also the way he earns, sells, buys, repays debts, and deals with entrusted wealth. It is not possible to build piety upon unlawful earnings, deception, or taking the rights of others.

Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar, may Allah have mercy on him, left one of the shortest and most complete principles for preparing for the Hereafter:

“Whatever you wish to be with you in the Hereafter, send it forward today; and whatever you do not wish to be with you in the Hereafter, leave it today.”
(Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat al-Safwah, biography of Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar)

If we wish prayer, righteousness, forgiveness, and a pure heart to welcome us in the Hereafter, we must prepare them today. If we do not wish to be met by the rights of others, unlawful wealth, backbiting, and people whom we have hurt, we must free ourselves from these things before the day comes when injustice can no longer be repaired with money.

The greatness of the believer is not measured only by the amount of his words and knowledge. It is seen in his sincerity, gentleness, silence when silence is beneficial, speech when truth is needed, respect for parents, guarding his tongue, and willingness to accept the truth.

The most beautiful trace of knowledge is good character.

(Central khutbah by the Religious Leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on June 26, 2026, at the “Association Islamique de Luxembourg” in Bonnevoie)