Chapter on the Divine Word: “And indeed, you are surely upon an exalted standard of character” (Qur’an 68:4)

The Prophet ﷺ said, “The believers whose faith is most complete are those who possess the finest character.”

Al-Bukhārī and Muslim relate—from Mālik, from Ibn Shihāb, from ʿUrwah, from ʿĀʾishah—who said: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was offered a choice between two matters, he would choose the easier of the two so long as it entailed no sin. If it was sinful, he was the farthest of people from it. He never took revenge for himself; he would only seek retribution when one of Allah’s sanctities was violated, and then he would do so for Allah’s sake.”

Hishām ibn ʿUrwah narrated—from his father, from ʿĀʾishah—that she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never struck anything with his own hand, neither a woman nor a servant, except when fighting in the path of Allah. Nothing done to him personally ever moved him to retaliate; but if one of Allah’s sacred limits was broken, he would avenge it for Allah.” Reported by Muslim.

Anas said: “I served the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years, and, by Allah, he never once said to me ‘Uff,’ nor did he ever say about something I had done, ‘Why did you do that?’ nor about something I had neglected, ‘Why did you not do that?’”

ʿAbd al-Wārith narrated—from Abū al-Tayyāḥ, from Anas—who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the best character of all people.” Recorded by Muslim.

Hammād ibn Zayd reported—from Thābit, from Anas: “He ﷺ was the most generous of people,”