1. Truthfulness in Words

Truthfulness (ṣidq) is the foundation of integrity. It shapes trust, purifies intention, and aligns speech with faith. The Prophet ﷺ said:

وَالصِّدْقُ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ، وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ

“Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise.”(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6094, Muslim 2607)

Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explained that truthfulness in word and deed gathers all virtues; it is the soul of faith and the essence of trust. The truthful heart is transparent, what it says reflects what it believes. Allah commands:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

“O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are truthful.” (Surah al-Tawbah 9:119)

Al-Ghazālī wrote in Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn that the truthful person guards his tongue as he guards gold, for the tongue shapes destiny. A believer who lies, even in jest, plants doubt in the heart, a seed that may sprout hypocrisy.

2. Sincere Striving in Obedience to Allah

ʿĀʾishah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) linked noble character with striving for Allah’s obedience, sincerity is what breathes life into actions. Without it, deeds are shells without souls.

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.’” (Surah al-Anʿām 6:162)

Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī noted that sincerity (ikhlāṣ) is the soul of worship. When a person strives purely for Allah, obedience becomes joy, not burden. His heart finds peace in servitude, not fatigue.

Good character thus begins with internal sincerity, the quiet resolve to please Allah even when unseen. The companions were known for weeping privately at night while smiling kindly in public. Their obedience was unseen devotion, not performance.

3. Giving to the Beggar

Generosity is a hallmark of noble character. Giving to those in need softens the heart, purifies wealth, and builds compassion between believers.

الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

“Those who spend their wealth by night and by day, secretly and publicly — they will have their reward with their Lord.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:274)

Imām Ibn Abī al-Dunyā in Makarim al-Akhlāq emphasised that generosity reflects gratitude; it shows a heart aware that its blessings come from Allah. The Prophet ﷺ never said “no” when asked for help and he smiled when giving, making the charity double in value: one material, one emotional.

ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) once said, “I found the sweetness of wealth only in giving it.” The noble character rejoices in sacrifice.

4. Returning Favours

To return a favour is to preserve gratitude. Islam nurtures a culture of mutual respect, where kindness echoes back and forth among believers.

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ

“Is there any reward for good other than good?” (Surah al-Raḥmān 55:60)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever does you a favour, repay him; and if you cannot, then make duʿā for him until you think you have repaid him.” (Abū Dāwūd 1672, authentic)

According to Ibn Ḥibbān, returning favours cements community bonds and eliminates envy. It turns one act of good into a continuous cycle of gratitude. Ibn al-Qayyim adds that this habit refines the heart, it trains it to recognise grace rather than entitlement.

5. Maintaining Relationships (Silat al-Raḥim)

Maintaining family ties is a cornerstone of Islamic ethics. Breaking kinship ties severs divine blessings, while maintaining them invites mercy.

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

“And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs (kinship). Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.” (Surah al-Nisāʾ 4:1)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The one who maintains family ties is not the one who merely reciprocates. Rather, the one who truly maintains ties is the one who, when others cut him off, still keeps in touch.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5991)

Imām al-Nawawī explained that maintaining relationships purifies the ego, because it forces humility. One who reconciles despite hurt shows moral strength; he mirrors the prophetic way of responding to harm with goodness.

6. Kindness to Neighbours

The Prophet ﷺ placed immense importance on neighbours’ rights, to the point that he thought Jibrīl (ʿalayhi al-salām) might make them heirs. Islam teaches that good character begins at home, and extends next door.

وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ

“Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbour, the neighbour farther away…” (Surah al-Nisāʾ 4:36)

Imām al-Ṭabarī wrote that this verse gathers the heart of social ethics, neighbourliness ties society together. Ibn Ḥajar explained that harming a neighbour is a grave sin, while showing kindness earns continuous reward, even after death. Aishah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Jibrīl kept recommending treating neighbours kindly until I thought he would make them heirs.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6014, Muslim 2625)

7. Kindness to Companions and Friends

Good companionship shapes faith. A believer’s friends mirror his heart, they either polish it or cloud it. The Prophet ﷺ gave a vivid analogy:

“The example of a good companion and a bad one is that of the perfume seller and the blacksmith. The perfume seller may give you perfume, sell it to you, or you might just smell its fragrance. But the blacksmith burns your clothes or you get a foul odour.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2101, Muslim 2628)

Al-Ghazālī commented that noble character shows most clearly in friendship, patience, forgiveness, and loyalty. Ibn Abī al-Dunyā noted that good companions help you remember Allah when you forget, and remind you of humility when you boast. To be kind to friends, then, is to be a source of tranquillity, not turmoil.

8. Honouring the Guest

Hospitality reflects sincerity. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honour his guest.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6135, Muslim 47)

هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ

“Has the story reached you of the honoured guests of Abraham?” (Surah al-Dhāriyāt 51:24)

Ibn Kathīr wrote that Allah honoured Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhi al-salām) by recounting his hospitality to the angels — showing that honouring guests is part of the legacy of prophets. The early Muslims would rush to host travellers and treat them as gifts from Allah. ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) said, “Serving a guest brings light to the home.”

9. Returning What Has Been Entrusted to Us

Trustworthiness (amānah) is a defining quality of faith. It represents honesty, reliability, and the fulfilment of responsibilities. The Prophet ﷺ was known even before prophethood as al-Amīn, the trustworthy.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا

“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due.” (Surah al-Nisāʾ 4:58)

Ibn Taymiyyah wrote that betrayal of trust is among the signs of hypocrisy. Fulfilling it, on the other hand, elevates a person spiritually. In Madarij al-Sālikīn, Ibn al-Qayyim noted that honesty is not limited to property but includes time, words, and duties, a true believer returns every trust, seen or unseen.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“There is no faith for the one who cannot be trusted.” (Musnad Aḥmad 12575, ṣaḥīḥ)

10. Modesty (al-Ḥayāʾ) – The Crown of Character

Al-Ḥayāʾ (modesty or shyness) sits at the summit of good character, the crown of all virtues. It guards the believer from sin and refines the soul. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Every religion has its distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty.” (Ibn Mājah 4181, authentic)

وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ

“And Allah is not shy of the truth.” (Surah al-Aḥzāb 33:53)

Ibn Rajab wrote that modesty springs from awareness of Allah’s constant watch. It’s not mere bashfulness, it’s the restraint born from reverence. When ʿĀʾishah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhā) described the Prophet ﷺ, she said: “He was more modest than a veiled virgin in her chamber.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3562)

Al-Ghazālī explained that modesty is the fruit of faith and the mother of all ethics. It keeps hearts soft, actions pure, and intentions upright. Thus ʿĀʾishah concluded her list: “And the head of all this is al-Ḥayāʾ.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)