The Quran about Muslim character

In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful

Walking along the street, being in public transport or shopping in the store, in general, communicating in everyday life with different people, we often encounter, to put it mildly, an unkind attitude towards each other. Shouts, swearing, obscene speech – these are the realities of our life. Disrespectful attitude to the elders has already become the norm, and woman’s swearing (including very young women) does not surprise anyone.

In an effort to find the reasons for this state of society, a lot of television programs and newspaper articles have been devoted to this topic, but the behavior of the majority has not changed. And, probably, the whole thing, first of all, is the correct upbringing and adequate perception of that (upbringing) by the person himself.

We are all different and all have different upbringing. And in order for people to harmoniously coexist together and respect each other with respect, there is a universal behaviour for all, described in the Quran:

And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, God is ever, over all things, an Accountant. (4:86)

Unfortunately, this command of God is not performed by everyone. Rudeness, arrogance, abusive language, barely noticeable nod in response to greetings, etc., have become quite typical phenomena of our life. A person, who reads the Quran and puts God’s command into practice, will not certainly do this. After all, the Lord commands to him completely different behaviour:

And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, the disobedient induces dissension among them. Indeed disobedient is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy! (17:53)

This dissension is very noticeable in our time. This is especially evident on the example of the conflict of religious beliefs. So, considering a person as a foreigner, adherents of one or another direction in Islam, referring to the authority of the messenger of God, look at him as an enemy who deserves aggression.

Do not greet the first Jews or Christians, and if you meet one of them on the road, push him to the narrowest part. (Muslim, “Gardens of the Righteous”)

But Muhammad is described in the Quran quite differently:

And indeed, exalted your character by the greatness! (68:4)

And his behaviour was distinguished by generosity and forgiveness, even to foreigner and polytheists. We are convinced that the messenger adhered to God’s commands, and therefore we are obliged to behave in a proper way:

And if any one of those who associate others with God seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of God. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know! (9:6)

Of course, one can understand the believer’s feeling when he sees and hears sinful things, but this is not a reason for enmity and intolerance. A believing person does not have any right to transgress the laws of the Most High, as he is warned in the guidance:

… And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from forbidden for battles place for earthly worship lead you to transgress. And cooperate in circumspection and righteousness, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. Beware of God, indeed, God is severe in penalty! (5:2)

Eliminating of evil, ignorance and rudeness is an indispensable condition for a person who believes in the One God. How to do it? After all, we can fight with bad things in different ways. The answer to this question is also in the Quran:

Repel, by [means of] what is best, [their] evil. We are most knowing of what they describe. (23:96)

In this regard, a commendable feature of a true believer is the behaviour described below:

And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (25:63)

It must be admitted that many of the believers do not often experience the above described behaviour. In order to correspond to this, the believer, first of all, must change himself. After all, most of us accepted the faith after sinful life. Each of us has something to be ashamed of the deeds done before. All of this, of course, left its imprint in the soul, and it can be eliminated only by the person himself:

For each one are successive maintainers before and behind him who protect him by the decree of God. Indeed, God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when God intends for a people evil, there is no repelling it! And there is not for them besides Him any patron! (13:11)

A real calamity among believers is mutual hostility and enmity. In any religious direction, these feelings are awakened by the essence of their own ideology (aqidah), which could arise on the basis of human interpretations of the theses of faith and Prescriptions. However, if you steadfastly adhere to the Quran, there will be no room for hostility and hatred:

And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was an intimate friend. But none is granted it except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion [of good]. (41:34-35)

Perhaps God will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, love. And God is competent, and God is Forgiving and Merciful. God does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of your duty and do not expel you from your homes – from being righteous toward them and acting in balance toward them. Indeed, God loves those who act in balance! (60:7-8)