The Islamic personality in the 21st century

Muslims since the dawn of Islam have faced numerous challenges in holding onto Islam. The early Muslims faced persecution and death if they refused to accept the pagan beliefs of the Quraish. The death of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم resulted in a number of people turning their backs on Islam and stirring doubt in the minds of other Muslims.

As Islam spread and Muslims came into contact with other cultures and customs Muslims faced the challenge of ensuring the purity of Islam and reconciling Islam with the foreign beliefs of other people.

Today a similar battle continues, that of wining the hearts and minds of Muslims around the world and integrating Muslims living in the West into Western societies. Successive governments have outlined policies on integrating Muslims in the West and a number of areas have been highlighted in order to achieve this, in summary these include:

- Promoting the superiority of Capitalism, its institutions, systems, freedoms and civilisation
- Abandoning policies which concentrate on cultural differences (such as multiculturalism) and concentrating on shared values (capitalist values)
- Promoting people and organisations who view Islam in line with liberal values
- Subverting all those who call for political Islam by branding them as extremists
- Corrupting those ideas of Islam which are political and anti-liberal such as one Ummah, Islamic state, Shari'ah, Islam is a system and Islam's applicability in the 21st century
- Branding those who hold onto Islam as backward and traditionalists

For Muslims, holding onto the Islamic personality in the 21st century has become even more important as there is a campaign to corrupt the Islamic personality and to secularise it which means Muslims will view the world from the lens of capitalism rather then Islam. So the question needs to be asked, what is the Islamic personality? How do we build it? How to we maintain and develop it? And how do we ensure it does not become corrupted?

The personality

Various thinkers throughout history have attempted to define the personality similar to the attempts to define the mind and the soul. In Ancient Greece, Socrates his student Plato, and his student Aristotle, attempted to answer the question of what is the personality. Their conclusions were very vague and included elements which were not part of the human makeup and also for them included a combination of one's clothing, speech, tastes etc.

The Muslim philosophers of the 10th century attempted to define the personality, as well as scholars such as Imam Ghazali, and they all mentioned in their respective books the different traits which can constitute the personality.

The Christians defined the personality as the struggle that occurs internally between matter and spirit. With the development of science in the 18th century experiments were carried out on human beings that lead to the study of human nature turning eventually into psychology which became the study of human behaviour. Today psychologists continue to add to the body of research on what constitutes the personality which includes one's traits, genetics and actions.
Communists also had a view on the personality and for them it was nothing more then the reflection of the reality on the mind.

Because the personality is the study of the human then its definition should be perceived from reality and should be applicable on all humans. This is because humans in all times and generations do not change in nature, the human make up, aside from some people born with deformities, humans generally are the same.

So we see all people have physical characteristics that usually distinguish them from others. Although the colour of one's eyes, earrings, hair style, clothing, the type of books they read and how much skin they may expose are what we see of other people, these are in reality the result of one's personality. This is because such characteristics would be decided by the beliefs and ideas one carries.

Hence the first part that defines a person is the ideas they carry, in this way matters are judged as good and bad, right and wrong. The second aspect of the personality is one's behaviour. Although all humans have the same instincts we see that people satisfy them differently. We see although all humans have the procreational instinct, some marry, others do not, whilst some marry the same gender. One's behaviour is the manner in which one satisfies their different instincts and this is what distinguishes one person from another.

The way one thinks and behaves defines the type of personality one has. One's behaviour is determined by the ideas one carries hence the one who views drinking alcohol as good would act upon this compared to the one who views it as wrong. So one's ideas would determine one's behaviour and this is why one's beliefs are central to defining the personality.

The Islamic personality

Islam has provided a comprehensive solution for Muslims to create for themselves a particular personality distinct from all others. With the Islamic ‘Aqeedah (creed) Islam treated thoughts of all Muslims by making for humans an intellectual basis upon which all thoughts can be built. So a Muslim's mentality is built upon the Islamic ‘Aqeedah which provides one with a distinct mentality.

At the same time, Islam treats human actions which stem from there instincts and organic needs with Shari'ah rules that emanate from the ‘Aqeedah itself. The Shari'ah rules regulate but do not suppress the human instincts. They harmonise the different instincts together but do not leave them free to be satisfied in any manner. The Shari'ah rules do permit Muslims to satisfy their needs in a way that will lead the human being to tranquillity and stability.

Allah سبحانه وتعالى in the Qur'an mentioned in a number of ayaat the traits Muslims should be characterised with, amongst the many ayaat the following outlines this very clearly:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا
وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا
وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا
إِنَّهَا سَاءتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ قَوَامًا
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا
يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا
وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا
وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
أُوْلَئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَامًا
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا

"And the servants of (Allah) most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant (people) address them, they say, Peace! Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrating and standing. Those who say, Our Lord! Avert from us the Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous; Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in; Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold just (balance) between those (extremes); Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, nor commit fornication, and any that does this (not only) meets punishment; (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in disgrace; Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah is oft-forgiving, most merciful; And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion; Those who witness no falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honourable (avoidance); Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind; And those who pray; Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous; Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy; therein shall they be met with salutation and peace; Dwelling therein, how beautiful an abode and place of rest!"
[Al-Furqan: 63-76]

This verse represents a complete whole that elucidates the different virtues, the Muslim character and demonstrates the Islamic personality.

Common misconceptions
There are a number of misconceptions that exist amongst Muslims in regards to the Islamic personality. Some believe the individual with a beard and who wears the Islamic dress with the Islamic hat is an Islamic personality. Some believe it's impossible to be completely Islamic as we can never be like angels.

Such misconceptions only exist because what constitutes the Islamic personality has become blurred in the minds of the Muslims. So those who envisage that only an angel can have an Islamic personality are making a serious misjudgement. The resultant damage they cause to society is enormous, because they look for angelic figures from amongst the people and never find them because they cannot find such a person even amongst themselves.

Thus they despair and give up all hope in Muslims. Such thinking helps promote the idea that Islam is utopian, impossible to implement, and is composed of supreme ideals and standards that humans cannot implement or maintain. Many people as a result turn away from Islam or accept their weakness and turn away from implementing Islam completely in their lives because they are rendered too paralysed to act.

Islam was not revealed to the angels, rather to the imperfect humans. Hence Islam recognises that from time to time a Muslim may fall short of his or her adherence to Islam. However this in no way justifies not using Islam as a basis. Islam is realistic and it deals with the realities humans face.

When Islam mentions the pious mumin, it mentions this in the context of the level of the ideal Islamic personality. Those who fall below this are not rendered un-Islamic. Thus the common Muslims who are below this level and who act in accordance with Islam, or those who confine themselves to performing the Fard (compulsory) actions and abstain from performing the Haram (prohibited) are Islamic personalities.

An individual who has a beard, wears the jilbiyah and comes across as pious is not necessarily an Islamic personality. This is because the traits of a Muslim are not the determining factor in deciding one's personality. What decides one's personality in being Islamic is if they have adopted the Islamic Aqeedah as a basis for their views and inclinations. Hence an individual could actually have very little knowledge on Islam but because he always refers to Islam to find the ruling for his actions this would make him an Islamic personality. The type of clothing one wears, their piety and smile indicate that this person does actions which Islam promotes but they in no way prove that the person holds the Islamic Aqeedah as a basis for such actions.

Strengthening the personality

Islam demanded the performing of actions beyond the Fard actions and demanded the avoiding of actions beyond the Haram (forbidden actions) to strengthen one's behaviour. This ensures ones inclinations are capable of deterring any inclination incompatible with Islam. All this is intended to enhance the Islamic personality and set it on the path towards a sublime pinnacle.

However the types of personalities among the people will vary in their degree and strength. What matters in judging whether someone holds an Islamic personality or not is whether he or she takes Islam as the standard for their thinking and inclinations. It is on this basis that the Islamic personality, mentality and behaviour are defined and characterized.

Constant observation of building one's thoughts and inclinations on the basis of the Islamic ‘Aqeedah must be maintained at every moment in life for the individual to remain an Islamic personality. After the initial formation of the personality, work is focused on maintaining it by developing the mentality and the inclinations.

The inclinations are developed through worshipping the Creator and drawing closer to Him by doing acts of obedience, and by constantly building every desire for anything on the Islamic ‘Aqeedah. Development of one's thinking is achieved by understanding the Islamic Aqeedah and then by understanding and comprehending all its results i.e. the ahadith, tafseer, fiqh and all the other disciplines.

Those who Commit sins

Many Muslims perform actions incompatible with Islam and many Islamic personalities sometimes display behaviour contradicting Islam. One may think such actions and behaviour are clearly incompatible with Islam and ostracise the person in question from Islam, and would therefore render him or her non-Islamic or even Kafir on some occasions.

A person is not ostracised from Islam unless they abandon the Islamic ‘Aqeedah either by speech or action. One is not divested of their personality unless they no longer take it as the basis for thoughts and inclinations. This is because humans are liable to have discrepancies in their actions - they are not infallible.

However if one consistently contradicts Islam then this would bring into question what he takes as a basis. In the situation where one consistently contradicts Islam this is evidence that the person does not take Islam as a basis, however a lapse, which usually takes the form of individual discrepancies, this proves ones weakness but does not mean someone is no longer an Islamic personality.

What needs to be kept in mind is that the associating of thoughts with actions is not a mechanical process where concepts always function in line with ones ‘Aqeedah. It is a social process that can be separated from the ‘Aqeedah or re-associated with it. Hence Muslims will from time to time be disobedient and violate the commands and prohibitions of Allah سبحانه وتعالى in one of their actions. This can be for a number of reasons:

- A person might imagine that it was in his interest to do what he did but then repents and comprehends the error of what he has done.
- A person may occasionally fail to link his concepts to his ‘Aqeedah, because he was reactionary or emotional
- A person may be ignorant of the contradiction between any concepts alien to Islam and his ‘Aqeedah
- Ones heart may be influenced by Satan, causing him to distance himself from his ‘Aqeedah in one of his actions.

A violation of Allah سبحانه وتعالى's commands and prohibitions does not on its own take someone outside the fold of Islam. A disobedient person or a Faasiq (sinner) is not considered Murtad (apostate), but disobedient in the act in which he was disobedient. A person remains a Muslim as long as they embrace the Islamic ‘Aqeedah of Islam. In the instance that the Muslim commits the action of disobedience it should not be said he is a non-Islamic personality, as long as his adoption of the Islamic ‘Aqeedah as a basis for his thoughts and inclinations is intact and free of doubt.

The Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) were involved in various incidents during the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم when a companion would violate a command or prohibition. Such violations did not remove the Sahabah from the fold of Islam, nor did they compromise his Islamic personality. This is because they were humans not angels. They are just like all other people and they are not infallible because they are not Prophets.

For example, Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah رضي الله عنه conveyed to the Quraish of Makkah news of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم's intention to invade them, although the Prophet was careful to maintain the secrecy of the invasion.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم twisted the head of Al-Fdl Ibn Al-‘Abbas when he saw him staring with lust and desire at a woman talking to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
In the year of the Conquest of Makkah, the Ansar spoke about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and claimed he had abandoned them and returned to his kinsfolk despite his vow not to do so.

The senior Sahabah fled the war at Hunain and left the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم alone with few companions.
These are just a few incidents which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never considered as undermining the Islam of the instigators or as a stain upon the personality of the Sahabah concerned. The criterion for judging whether a Muslim holds an Islamic personality is the soundness of his Islamic ‘Aqeedah and the building of his thoughts and inclinations upon it. As long as this occurs the occasional gaps in conduct will not compromise his Islamic personality.

Today's Struggle

It is of utmost importance to build the Islamic aqeedah soundly and correctly as the rest of Islam is built upon this. Any shortcomings in understanding the Islamic aqeedah will result in one compromising Islam and leave one open to adopting from other then Islam. Embracing the Islamic ‘Aqeedah means belief in the entirety of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم's message, and those detailed matters whose evidence is beyond doubt; and the acceptance of all this must be matched with contentment and submission.

Mere knowledge is insufficient and refusal to accept even the most minor of matters definitely proven to be part of Islam ostracises the person and detaches him from the ‘Aqeedah. Islam is an indivisible whole as far as belief and acceptance is concerned and relinquishing even a fraction of it is Kufr (disbelief). Hence belief in the separation of the Islamic Deen from life's affairs (secularism) is indisputably Kufr.

Muslims in the West are on the receiving end of a barrage of propaganda against Islam and their non-adherence to Islam effectively places the victory in the hands of the West before the struggle and debate begins. Similar to this are all those who view the Islamic personality as spiritual only, abandoning the worldly life due to its corruption and remaining silent in the face of the propaganda directed at Islam.

Adherence to Islam apart from being compulsory has a number of profound effects.
Adherence to Islam shows to the wider Muslims that Islam can be easily followed and does provide solutions to the various problems humans face.

Adherence also shows to non-Muslims that Muslims have values which are eroding in the West such as looking after elders, treatment of women, respectable youth and the fact Islam represents a value system which people in the West should aspire to.

Holding onto Islam after building the Islamic aqeedah correctly, soundly and rationally will ensure the purity of one's personality and in today's climate is even more critical due to the propaganda directed at it.