Upright Moral Character
From an appendix in “UPRIGHT MORAL CHARACTER: A Concise Guide to Attaining Dignified Islaamic Character” (published by troid.org) by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen (may Allaah have Mercy on him):
QUOTE:
…The shaykh (may Allaah have Mercy on him) would not be pleased when people gave him special privileges due to his status.
Once, he was late for a charity engagement in Buraydah, and his driver was driving fast on the highway to get him there on time. On the way, their car was stopped at a police checkpoint. When the officer saw the shaykh in the car, he told them to proceed.
As they moved on, the shaykh asked the driver why they were stopped. The driver explained that he had been driving over the speed limit.
“Go back to the checkpoint,” he ordered. When they returned to the checkpoint, the shaykh asked the officer why he had stopped them.
“For speeding,” the officer replied.
“So then why did you let us go?” the shaykh asked.
“You were likely in a hurry and had something important to attend to.”
“No!” said the shaykh, “How much is a speeding ticket?”
“Shaykh, there is no need…”
“How much is a speeding ticket?” the shaykh insisted.
“Three hundred.”
The shaykh then handed the officer 150 riyals, and ordered him to take another 150 from the driver, and said, “Because he broke the law and I did not advise him,” and he insisted that the fine be paid!
Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. Then of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allah’s leave, foremost in good deeds. That — that is indeed a great grace.”
(Surah Fatir 35: 32)
Imam Ahmad (Rahimaullah), recorded that Qays bin Kathir said, “One of the people of Al-Madinah came to Abu Ad-Darda’, (Radhi Allahu Anhu) when he was in Damascus.
Abu Ad-Darda’(Radhi Allahu Anhu) said, `What brought you here, my brother’
He said, `A Hadith which I heard that you narrate from the Messenger of Allah.’
He said, `Have you come for trade’ He said, `No.’
He said, `Have you come for any other reason’ He said, `No.’
He said, `Have you come only to seek this Hadith’ He said, `Yes.’
He, may Allah be pleased with him said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) say:
“Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will show him the way to Paradise. The angels lower their wings being pleased with the one who seeks knowledge. Whoever is in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the sea, ask for forgiveness for the scholar. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like that of the moon over all other heavenly bodies. The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinars and Dirhams, but they left behind knowledge; and whoever receives it, receives an abundance of good fortune.”
(Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
