1. A soul that is pure at birth and has the potential for good or: 4. Free will to choose between the path of righteousness and

evil 2. A natural disposition to believe in Allah ( H) and to worship Him alone 3. The ability to think and comprehend, using the mind and H intellect that Allah ( ) has provided the path of evil, along with limited free will to carry out the choice that is made 5. Responsibility for their choices, which is related to the free will and ability.55 54 Ibid., p. 156. 55 Zarabozo, 2002, p. 110. Personality P ersonality is generally defined as enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself.

We generally react to and deal with the world and those around us in a consistent and unique manner. As distinct as each of us is in our physical features, we are equally unique in our personalities. Character traits Personality traits are prominent aspects of personality that are exhibited in a wide range of social contexts. They are characteristic ways in which the person interacts with the world. These traits make up our personality.

Research within psychology has only recently confirmed what Allah, the All-Compassionate, All-Merciful revealed to us in the Qur'an. There is evidence to indicate that each of us is born with a distinct, unique temperament, which influences many aspects of our developing personality. Temperament is seen as: ªRelatively consistent, basic dispositions inherent in the person that underlie and modulate the expression of activity, reactivity, emotionality, and 1 sociability.'' It has its origins in the genetic codes that guide the development of the brain, and elements of it are apparent from birth. Within a few months after birth, temperamental individuality is clearly established. This character then influences a person's reactions to, and interactions with, the environment.

The environment may have an impact upon the personality as well. Allah indicates this natural, inherent characteristic of humans in this verse: {He [Moses] said: Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it].} (Qur'an 20: 50) Although the word `form' may refer to those aspects that are common to humans, it also applies to traits that differ from one individual to the next. This adds to the diversity in experience and is part of Allah's plan in creation. For example, some people may be more extroverted, preferring social connections, while others may be more introverted or reserved. While certain aspects of personality are genetic, experience and H the choices that we make also shape who we are.

As mentioned earlier, Allah ( ) created humans with the potential for both good and evil. The test for every human being is to choose which of these H characteristics we will support and develop, and which we will 2 attempt to control or eliminate. Allah ( ) says: {And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness. He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instils it [with corruption].} (Qur'an 91: 7-10) 1 Eder, R. A. & Mangelsdorf, S.

C., 1997, Basis of Early Personality Development: Implications for the Emergent Self-Concept, in Hogan, R., Johnson, J. A., & Briggs, S. R. (Eds.), Handbook of Personality Psychology, San Diego, CA: Academic Press, p. 210. 2 Zarabozo, 2002, p. 60. The choices that we make will be reflected in our behaviour, thoughts, and emotions.

This verse suggests that it is possible for the personality of an individual to be changed or adapted, preferably towards the path of goodness. Human beings are not simply `victims' of genes or environment, but instead are freely acting agents who can choose to develop our full potential. We cannot use the excuses of genetics or environment to avoid responsibility and accountability. If, for example, a man claims to have been born with a tendency to be aggressive just like his father, he cannot expect this innate tendency to exonerate him and prevent him from being held accountable for his H own bad behaviour. This is a test from Allah ( ), and He has provided him with the tools to be successful in the test.

Allah is also merciful and understands the challenges faced by each and every human being; He will take those factors into consideration when passing judgment. The stories of many of the Companions of the Prophet ( ) | highlight this important point. These Companions were individuals who disbelieved, followed their own desires, and engaged in sins, but they changed to become men and women with lofty aspirations and righteous behaviour. Their main objective shifted from a focus on H S this world to the worship of Allah ( ), and this was reflected in their behaviour and attitudes. `Umar ibn al-Khat..taÃb ( ), for one, went from being a man who was strongly against Islam and the Prophet | ( ), to one of the most righteous and just members of the Muslim community, and one who was much loved by the Prophet ( ) | himself. The personality of the believer The true believers have a distinct personality with a particular way of thinking about, and relating to, the world that is different from that of other people.

In addition to having their own unique personality traits, they follow the guidance of Allah in all areas of | life, and they work on developing noble and virtuous characteristics. Allah's Messenger ( ) said in the following hadiths: «The most perfect man in his faith, among the believers, is the one with the best à wood) behaviour.» (a sound hadith recorded by Abu Da «Nothing is weightier on the scale of deeds than one's good manners.» (recorded by Bukhari) «The Prophet ( | ) asked: Would you like me to tell you which one of you I love the most and who will be closest to me on the Day of Judgment? The Companions fell silent, and the Prophet repeated his question two or three times until they said: Yes, O Prophet, tell us. He said: The ones among you with the best manners.» (recorded by Bukhari) According to these hadiths, the nature of Muslims is to be very concerned about performing good deeds and acquiring virtues. They never tire of attempting to perfect themselves; they continue to struggle until the end of their lives.

One of the best of the virtues is learning and teaching religious knowledge, because it is this knowledge that enables people to distinguish between good and evil. The Prophet Muhammad ( | ) exemplified virtuous character H traits, and he is our model for personality development and selfactualization. Allah ( ) mentions his character in the Qur'an: {And indeed, you are of a great moral character.} (Qur'an 68: 4) The Prophet | ( ) said: «Indeed, I was sent to perfect (or complete) noble (traits of) character.» (recorded by Bukhari) The Prophet ( | ) directed us to the path of purification of the H soul and the path of moderation and balance. Since these paths lead us to fulfil the natural inclination to worship Allah ( ), there will be no distress or conflict in our personality. Sound mental and emotional health can also be attained by restraining the negative attributes of the self, such as jealousy, greed, anger, and so forth.

Positive character traits As the believers submit their souls to Allah (H) and direct themselves to the straight path, they attempt to engage in virtuous behaviours. Over time, the virtuous behaviours become habitual and enter into their behavioural repertoire; they become part of their personality, as Al-Jaza'iry mentions: When these traits result in the desire for virtue and the truth, love of good deeds, longing to perform charitable deeds, and being pleased with good things, being displeased with disgraceful things, and when this is the basic source of motivation to habitually do good deeds, then this is called `good character'.3 There are many positive character traits, and these are discussed in more detail in other sources.4 Some of the traits that the believers strive to develop include kindness, mercy, truthfulness, humility, patience and justice. Kindness, compassion and mercy Kindness and compassion are fundamental character traits whose absence in an individual may lead to various sorts of evil. This kindness must extend to everyone and everything with whom the individual interacts, including spouses, children, relatives, animals, the environment, and society as a whole. The significance of kindness is mentioned in several hadiths.

The Prophet (|) said: «Kindness is not found in anything but that it adds to its beauty, and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective.» (recorded by Muslim) 3 al-Jaza'iry, A. B. J., 2001, Minhaj al-Muslim, Riyadh: Darussalam, Vol. 1, p. 287. 4 See for example al-Hashimi, The Ideal Muslim and The Ideal Muslimah (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House). | The Prophet ( ) said: «Allah is kind and loves kindness. He rewards kindness with what he does not give for other good deeds.» (recorded by Muslim) | The Messenger of Allah ( ) said: «He who is deprived of kindness is in fact deprived of everything that is good.» (recorded by Muslim) Truthfulness and honesty Islam is the religion of truth, and one of the noble characteristics H of its followers is honesty and truthfulness. Allah ( ) says: {And the one [the Prophet] who has brought the truth and [they who] believed in it Ð those are the righteous.} (Qur'an 39: 33) | The Messenger of Allah ( ) said: «Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to paradise.

A man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the fire, and a man will keep on telling lies until he is written as a liar before Allah.» (recorded by Muslim) Truthfulness is manifested in several ways:5 1. Truthful speech: whenever the believers speak, they ensure that they are speaking the truth 2. Truthfulness in dealings and transactions: the believers are honest in dealing with others by avoiding cheating, forgery, or any form of deception 3. Fulfilling promises: being true to one's promises is a sign of truthfulness 4.

Avoiding false impressions: avoiding displaying on the outside what is not reality on the inside. 5 al-Jaza'iry, 2001, pp. 330-331. Humility Humility is one of the noblest virtues for people to develop, but it is also one of the most challenging. Allah (H) praises His servants who are humble: {...Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him, [who are] humble towards the believers, stern against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic...} (Qur'an 5: 54) The Prophet (|) said: «Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble to one another. One should neither boast above another nor transgress against another.» (recorded by Muslim) He (|) also said: «Charity does not decrease wealth. If one forgives, Allah increases his honour, and if one humbles himself before Allah, Allah raises him in status.» (recorded by Muslim) S `Umar ibn al-Khat.t.aÃb ( ) was well-known for his humility, and there are several stories from his life that reflect this.

H.asan alBas.ri said: `Umar went out on a hot day, holding his cloak over his head. A young man passed by on a donkey, and he said: O young man, let me ride with you. The young man got off the donkey and said: Ride, O Commander of the Faithful. He (`Umar) said: No; you ride, and I will ride behind you. Do you want me to have the more comfortable place (in the front) while you ride in the less comfortable place (at the back)?

So he rode behind the young man, and he entered Madinah riding behind him, with the people looking on.6 It was narrated that `Urwah ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them) said: 6 SallaÃbi, A. M., 2007, `Umar ibn al-KhattaÃb: His Life and Times, Riyadh: .. International Islamic Publishing House, p. 241. Ã b carrying a vessel of water on his I saw `Umar ibn al-Khat.t.a shoulder, and I said: O Commander of the Faithful, you should not have to do this. He said: When the delegations came to me listening 7 and obeying, I felt a little proud, and I wanted to put a stop to that. Patience Patience is one of the most important characteristics for the Muslim to develop, and it is one of the greatest lessons in life.

H Patience is actually mentioned more than ninety times in the Qur'an. Allah ( ) says: {And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah], who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.} (Qur'an 2: 45-46) {And be patient [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah...} (Qur'an 16: 127) Patience means to restrain oneself from what is harmful, and to 8 endure what one dislikes with a sense of acceptance and submission. H To restrain oneself from that which is harmful means to avoid approaching any acts of disobedience to Allah ( ). If Muslims experience suffering, they endure it patiently and respond to evil with H only that which is good. They pardon and forgive those who caused H harm, remembering the rewards that Allah ( ) has promised.

Allah ( ) says: {Say: O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world is good, and the earth of Allah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account [limit].} (Qur'an 39: 10) 7 Ibid., p. 242. 8 al-Jaza'iry, 2001, p. 292. | The Prophet Muhammad ( ) modelled forgiveness and patience with those who harmed him. He humbled himself, even during adversity and when people mocked him. He ( ) said: | «Charity does not decrease wealth.

If one forgives, Allah increases his honour, and if one humbles himself before Allah, Allah raises him in status.» (recorded by Muslim) | Allah's Messenger ( ) said: «Whoever refrains from asking, Allah will grant him independence; whosoever seeks selfsufficiency, Allah will make him self-sufficient. Whoever tries to be patient, Allah will give him patience; and no one is granted a gift better and more comprehensive than patience.» (recorded by Bukhari) Throughout their lifetimes, the believers are either in a condition | of gratitude or a state of patience. The Prophet ( ) said: «How wonderful is the affair of the believer. All of his affairs are good, unlike anyone else. When he experiences a joyful occasion, he is grateful; and it will be good for him.

If he suffers misfortune and endures it patiently, then it will also be good for him.» (recorded by Muslim) Justice Justice means to be fair and equitable and to avoid discrimination, unequal treatment and oppression. Justice is indispensable for individuals as well as for society. It results in individual contentment and subsequent healthy functioning of the society. {Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives, and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression...} (Qur'an 16: 90) When justice is absent, people become disgruntled and may act to obtain their due rights, sometimes resorting to violence. There are various categories of justice:9 H 1. Justice with Allah ( ): by worshipping Him alone with no partners, and by obeying His commands 2.

Justice in judgments between people: by giving every person H what is rightfully due to them. Allah ( ) commands that justice be employed when settling disputes between believing men and women: {And if it returns, then make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.} (Qur'an 49: 9) 3. Justice among wives and children: by not giving one preference over another 4. Justice in speech: by not testifying falsely or lying 5.

Justice in belief: by not believing other than the truth. S The effect of justice upon society is illustrated in this story about `Umar ibn al-Khat.t.aÃb ( ): It is reported to have been said that once Caesar sent a messenger to `Umar ibn al-Khat..taÃb to monitor his activities and situation. When his envoy entered Al-Madinah, he started searching for `Umar and asked, `Where is your king?' They replied, `We do not have any king but an honored Amir. He went outside of AlMadinah.' So he went looking for him and discovered him sleeping on the sand using his stick as a pillow. This was a small staff, which he always carried with him, and he used it to stop others when they were doing evil.

When he saw him sleeping like that, he sensed humility in his heart and said to himself, `This is the man whom all the kings are worried about, yet look at his condition. O `Umar, you have been just so you can sleep. While our king is a tyrant, so there he stays up the whole night in fear.'10 9 Ibid., 2001, pp. 311-312 10 Ibid., 2001, p. 313. Positive psychology An interesting development in contemporary secular psychology has been the emergence of a new field called `positive psychology.' This is defined as the scientific study of optimal human functioning, with the primary goal of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.11 In their introduction to this field, the founders describe positive psychology: A science of positive subjective experience, positive individual traits, and positive institutions promises to improve quality of life and prevent the pathologies that arise when life is barren and meaningless. The exclusive focus on pathology that has dominated so much of our discipline results in a model of the human being lacking the positive features that make life worth living.

Hope, wisdom, creativity, future mindedness, courage, spirituality, responsibility, and perseverance are ignored or explained as transformations of more authentic negative impulses. The authors... predict that the next century will see a science and profession that will come to understand and build the factors that allow individuals, communities, and societies to flourish.12 The table below lists some of the strengths of human beings that the theorists originally developed as goals for human development and clinical intervention. 11 Myers, 2007, p. 628. 12 Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M., 2000, Positive psychology: An introduction, American Psychologist 55(1). List of human strengths13 Strengths of cognition: 1.

Curiosity/interest 2. Love of learning/knowledge 3. Rationality/judgment 4. Originality/ingenuity 5. Personal intelligence/emotional intelligence/social intelligence Strengths of emotion: 6.

Appreciation of beauty and excellence/awe/wonder/ gratitude 7. Hope/optimism/future-mindedness/planning 8. Love of life/zest Strengths of will: 9. Courage/integrity 10. Industry/ perseverance Relational and civic strengths: 11.

Kindness/generosity/care/nurturance 12. Responsibility/justice/tolerance 13. Humour/playfulness