4 Principles for a Noble Character..............

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Four Principles for a Noble Character

Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah [rahimahullah]

“It is not imagined that one can have noble character except if it is founded upon four pillars:

The First: Sabr (Patience)

The Second: 'Iffah (Chastity)

The Third: Shujaa'ah (Courage)

The Fourth: Adl (Justice)

Patience, inspires him to be
tolerant, control his anger, endure the harms that he receives from
others, to be forbearing and deliberate in his decisions. It motivates
him to be gentle and not to be rash or hasty.

Chastity, inspires him to avoid
every imprudent characteristic, whether in statement or action, and
encourages him to have a sense of modesty and integrity which is the
epitome of all good. It prevents him from fornication, stinginess,
lying, backbiting and spreading tales to cause separation and discord
between the people.

Courage, inspires him to have a
sense of self esteem, to emphasize high and noble manners and to make
it apart of his natural disposition. It also encourages him to exert
himself and to be generous, which is in essence, true courage and it
leads to strong will and self determination. It encourages him to
distance himself from his ardent lowly desires, to control his anger,
and to be forbearing because by such, he can control his temper, take
it by the reins and curb his violent and destructive behavior just as
the Messenger (SAllaahu alaihi wa salam) said:

“The Strong is not the one who can wrestle his opponent to the
ground but rather the strong is the one who can control himself when he
gets angry.”

This is true genuine courage and it is the sole trait that the slave utilizes to conquer his opponent.

Justice, encourages him to be
impartial in his behavior with people and to be moderate between the
two extremes of negligence and extremism. It motivates him to be
generous and kind which is the middle course between absolute
degradation and arrogance, and to make this apart of his disposition
and makeup. It encourages him to be courageous which is the middle
course between cowardice and imprudence, and to be forbearing which is
the middle course between extreme unnecessary anger and ignominy.

These four virtuous characteristics are the axis and provenance of all
noble manners and the foundation of all repugnant and ignominious
characteristics are built upon four pillars:

The First: Jahl (Ignorance)

The Second: Dhulm (Oppression)

The Third: Shahwah (following ones lowly desires)

The Fourth: Ghadab (Anger)

Ignorance, allows him to view good in
the form of evil and evil in the form of good, and to consider that
which is complete to be incomplete and that which is incomplete to be
complete.

Oppression, causes him to put things in
places which are not appropriate for them, so he gets angry when its
time to be happy and he is happy when its time to be angry. He is
ignorant and hasty when its time to be deliberate and deliberate when
its time to be hasty, he is stingy when it is time to be generous and
generous when its time to be stingy. He is weak when it is time to be
courageous and assume responsibility, and he assumes responsibility
when it is time to take a step back (and let someone else undertake the
initiative). He is gentle and lenient when it is time to be harsh and
firm and he is harsh and firm when it is time to be lenient. He is
humble when it is time to be superior and arrogant when it is time to
be humble.

Following (his) lowly desires,
encourages him to be diligent in obtaining that which the soul ardently
desires, to be stingy and greedy. It encourages him to adorn himself
with all types of despicable and imprudent characteristics.

Anger, incites him to be arrogant, jealous, envious, to hold enmity of others and to be imprudent and shameless.

The foundation of these four repugnant and blameworthy characteristics are two pillars:

Either, Extreme Self ignominy.

Or Extreme Self Pride.

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Quote :: The First: Sabr (Patience)
The Second: 'Iffah (Chastity)
The Third: Shajaa'ah (Courage)
The Fourth: Adl (Justice)

It's what we really need this era.

I need so much patience in my work Shocked