The Lantern of Guidance
Chapter 8, Section 1

The Haqiqa (Reality, Truth) of the Khulq (Behavior) 

Discussion  Join  

Khulq (Behavior) is a deeply rooted formation within the Nafs (Self, Psyche) that is the very origin of the good or evil deeds—the source that eases the good or the evil conduct. The genesis of the good Khulq (Behavior) is of several sources:

1.    The purified constitution: From the very beginning of the creation and biological birth of the Nafs (Self, Psyche) the Khulq (Behavior) was cleansed from all that is evil. From his/her childhood the evermore-effortless traces of good disposition could be observed e.g. truthfulness, trustworthiness, sacrifice and loving friendship. And of course the parental purity, good environment and nutrition have some contribution to this good behavior.
2.    The good habits: Nafs (Self, Psyche) is nurtured and exposed to good training by the righteous teachers, Sheikhs and so on and spends time in companionship with good folk. Therefore good Khulq (Behavior) is formed within the Nafs (Self Psyche) and the evil behavior uprooted away.
3.    ‘Aql (Intellect): The Nur (Divine Light) within the Aql (Intellect) guides towards the discerning between the good and evil, guides towards the good Khulq (Behavior) whereat Irādat (Élan) appears within his heart, and repetition of this use of ‘Aql (Intellect) deeply enroots within the Nafs (Self, Psyche) good Khulq (Behavior).
4.    Imān (Faith): A person vis-à-vis the belief in Hereafter, worrying about the day of the recompense and accounting, becomes greedy for good Khulq (Behavior) and disgusted with bad behavior.
5.    Tauhid (Divine Oneness): When the Sālek (Traveler) is exposed to the Tajalli (Lucent Manifestation) of the Dhāt (Divine Inmost Essence) whereat Fān (Evanesced) from his own Self and subsisting upon the Haqq (The Absolute Reality and Truth, Allah), His/her heart becomes the ‘Arsh (Divine Throne) and his Nafs (Self, Psyche) the Muzhir (A place/conduit through which certain objects manifest) for Sifāt (Divine Attributes), from the sea of Dhāt (Divine Inmost Essence) the Divine Attributes & Characteristics shall flow within the attributes of the Nafs (Self, Psyche) and hence the propensity for the Divine Khulq (Behavior). And beyond this Khulq (Behavior) there is none. And the person reaching this rank has nowhere else to travel to and the Kamāl (Perfection) of this position is that of the Prophet’s: And you are for sure upon a grandiose Khulq (Behavior) (Qur’an [68:4]). And after the prophet the Khawās (Pl. Special People) may found some level this rank according to their measure of Qurb (Divine Nearness).

As there is in the Hadith (Prophetic Narration): For Allah there are 170 Khulq (Behaviors) and he who is given one of these s/he shall enter the Paradise. And the Dhāt (Divine Inmost Essence) is the reservoir for all Akhlāq (Pl. of Khulq Behaviors). And whomsoever is endowed with even one such behavior s/he is given a great fortune: The Akhlāq (Behaviors) are preserved with Allah, and when Allah—The Sublime—wills something good for some slave, bestows upon him from amongst them (good behaviors).

People have a Zāhir (Surface Manifest) called Bashariyat (Humanity) and Bāten (Inmost Depth) called Ādamiyaat (Human-ness). Khalq (Creation) is the shape/form of the Bashariyat (Humanity) and Khulq (Behavior) is the shape/form of the Ādamiyat (Human-ness). Tomorrow when the human beings are resurrected collected, when all the Truths are unveiled and the Bāten (Inmost Depth) becomes Zāhir (Surface Manifest), human beings are resurrected according o the shape of their Akhlāq (Pl. Khulq Behaviors).

Therefore if the human being was behaving like an animal, then s/he resurrected as an animal. As when Mo’āz Bin Jabal asked the prophet for the Tafsir (Exegesis) of the verse: The Day that the Trumpet shall be sounded, and ye shall come forth in crowds (Qur’an [78:18]) and the prophet responded: O Mo’āz my Ommah (Nation) shall be resurrected in twenty rows… and the prophet mentioned some rows people are resurrected as scorpions and some others as monkeys and some others like dogs and so on.

Some say that there is no way to change the Khalq (Creation): There is no change for Creation of Allah (Qur’an [30:30]) nor there is a way to change the Khulq (Behavior) as it is in the Hadith (Prophetic Narration): Allah has concluded (finished with) the Khalq (Creation) and Khulq (Behavior) and provision and time of death. But some others say that change for Khulq (Behavior) is possible as it is in the Hadith (Prophetic Narration): Better/beautify your Akhlāq (Pl. Kulq Behaviors), and this is the correct way otherwise no effort or struggle would allow for bettering one’s behavior.

There are two kinds of behavioral attributes:

1.    An attribute that is intrinsic to the person’s behavior likened to the sweetness of the date, there is nothing the person can do about it.
2.    An attribute that is subject to the application of the deeds training and so on and the person can do much with this aspects of his behavior.

The messenger of Allah was asked: is there something that causes the people to enter to the paradise and he replied: Taqwā (Righteousness) and good Khulq (Behavior). As again narrated by the Abi Dardā’ prophet saying: There is nothing weighing more on the scale of judgment than the good Khulq (Behavior) and indeed the owner of such good behavior reaches the status of a sincere faster or worshipper.

Abdallah Bin Mubārak exegetes the good Kuhlq (Behavior) to be: Keeping a nice face (in spite of personal hardships and trials) make a generous effort and withholding harm to others.

‘Āisha has narrated from the prophet: The revered Akhlāq (Pl. Khulq Behavior) are ten, that could be within a man but not within his son and within a son but not within his father and it could be within a slave but not within his master, Allah portions to distribute as IT wishes as good fortune for people:

1.    Truthfulness in words
2.    Truthfulness during the duress
3.    Not to have full stomach and the neighbor or the companion hungry
4.    Giving what a person requests e.g. a pauper
5.    Withholding the ??? (Translation ?)
6.    Preserving the trust
7.    Maintaining the relationships with the blood lines
8.    Protecting the companion
9.    Welcome the guest
10.  And the topmost of these behaviors is Hayā (Shyness, Timidity)

And in the full text of the narration made by the Abi Dardā’:

It was a customary for the Akhlāq (Pl. Khulq Behavior) of the messenger that he was most generous to the people, and would not rest at home in the night unless he had given away any money he had until he did not find anyone to offer to, and he would offer it during the night and would not go home unless they were given away, and he would not obtain provision from this world unless that much necessary for the average consumption of his people and what he would give away simple things like dates flour and so on for the sake of Allah, and the same for expensive things, he would not be asked unless he would give and even then he would continue with the same average living, preferring them over himself, what he saved he would give away even though he might have needed it, and he used to repair his sandals and patch his gown and he participated with the daily chores of his family e.g. cutting the meat for them and he was the one amongst the people with the most Hayā (Shyness, Timidity) and humbleness.

End.


© 2005-2002,  Dara O.  Shayda