The Prophet's Great Character (Khuluq Azim)
What does "khuluq azim" (great character) mean in verse 4 of Surah Al-Qalam regarding the Prophet (PBUH)?
بندانگشتی|تابلوی خوشنویسی از آیه ۴ سوره قلم God has described the Prophet of Islam as possessing khuluq azim (great moral character) due to his embodiment of the most perfect form of human ethics. Allamah Tabatabai has interpreted khuluq azim as moral excellence, while others have defined it as good character, proper conduct, and gentleness in behavior. Other interpretations of khuluq azim include being a holder of religion or having the patience to tolerate a people that others cannot endure.
The Prophet has been characterized as possessing moral qualities such as patience, forgiveness, clemency, steadfastness in truth, and wisdom in managing affairs according to reason. The Prophet was also far removed from negative moral traits. Some scholars have interpreted the manifestation of these moral qualities as examples of khuluq azim.
Verse Text
The Prophet's Moral Virtues (PBUH)
The most important interpretation of khuluq azim refers to moral virtues, which include steadfastness in truth, extensive generosity, wisdom in managing affairs, tolerance, endurance of hardships, humility, and forgiveness.[1]
The Prophet's great character stems from his possession of all noble moral traits. Commentators have interpreted khuluq azim as having patience for truth, widespread generosity, managing affairs according to reason, striving to help believers, and avoiding envy and greed.[2] Some have identified "khuluq azim" as religion itself.[3]
Allamah Tabatabai has interpreted khuluq azim as moral virtues.[4] One manifestation of "khuluq azim" has been described as the ability to bear a people that others cannot endure.[5] Some have interpreted khuluq azim as good character, proper conduct, and gentleness in behavior.[6] The Risala Qushayriyya explains "khuluq azim" as being unaffected by people's harshness after recognizing the truth.[7]
The Prophet's Social Ethics (PBUH)
Martyr Motahhari believes that the Prophet's possession of khuluq azim primarily refers to his social ethics. He maintained that ethics stemming from greatness of spirit is called great character, and God praised the Prophet's great character due to his responses to disbelievers and polytheists.[8]
According to the Quran, the Prophet exemplified the highest level of flexibility and compromise when gentleness was required. Divine revelation counts the Prophet's kindness and compassion as one of the reasons for his success[9]: ﴿ ﴾It is by God's mercy that you were gentle with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.﴿(Al-Imran:159).
Referenceس
- ↑ Qurashī, ‘Alī Akbar, Aḥsan al-Ḥadīth, Qom, Daftar-e Nashr-e Navīd-e Islām, 1391 sh, j 11, ṣ 279.
- ↑ Ṭabarsī, Faḍl ibn Ḥasan, Tarjama-ye Majma‘ al-Bayān fī Tafsīr al-Qur’ān, motarjem: Muḥammad Bīstūnī, bī-jā, Intishārāt Āstān-e Quds-e Raḍawī, bī-tā, j 25, ṣ 212.
- ↑ Muḥammadī Ray-Shahrī, Muḥammad, Mīzān al-Ḥikma, Qom, Dār al-Ḥadīth, 1375 sh, j 3, ṣ 477; Kāshānī, Mullā Fatḥullāh, Minhāj al-Ṣādiqīn fī Ilzām al-Mukhālifīn, Tehrān, Kitābfurūshī-ye Muḥammad Ḥasan ‘Ilmī, 1336 sh, j 9, ṣ 369.
- ↑ Ṭabāṭabā’ī, Muḥammad Ḥusayn, Tarjama-ye Tafsīr al-Mīzān, tarjuma: Mūsawī Hamadānī, Sayyid Muḥammad Bāqir, Qom, Jāmi‘a-ye Mudarrisīn Ḥawza-ye ‘Ilmiyya-ye Qom, Daftar-e Intishārāt-e Islāmī, 1387 sh, j 19, ṣ 619.
- ↑ Fayḍ Kāshānī, Muḥsin, Tafsīr al-Ṣāfī, Qom, Mu’assasa al-Hādī, 1416 q, j 7, ṣ 259.
- ↑ Muntaẓirī, Ḥusayn ‘Alī, Islām Dīn-e Fiṭrat, Tehrān, Nashr-e Sāya, 1385 sh, ṣ 366.
- ↑ Tarjama-ye Risāla-ye Qushayriyya, Qushayrī, ‘Abd al-Karīm ibn Hawāzin, tarjuma: ‘Uthmānī, Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad, taṣḥīḥ: Furūzānfar, Badī‘ al-Zamān, Tehrān, ‘Ilmī Farhangī, 1374 sh, j 1, ṣ 390.
- ↑ Muṭahharī, Murtazā, Majmū‘a-yi Āthār, Tehrān, Ṣadrā, 1390 sh, j 27, ṣ 583.
- ↑ Subḥānī, Shaykh Ja‘far, Manshūr-e Jāvīd, Qom, Mu’assasa-ye Imām Ṣādiq, bī-tā, j 7, ṣ 345.