So in this article, we will go through what are the characteristics of Muslims and to learn more, all you have to do is just keep reading.
What Are the Characteristics of the Muslim?
Muslims are not a different breed and most of the characteristics of the Muslim you can find in anyone but the difference here is one thing and it’s that Islam teaches us how to act properly and how to behave because Allah has sent us a role model to follow and try to behave the way our prophet (peace be upon him) did.
So we really have two guides in life, the holy Quran, and our prophet, so any good characteristics Muslims have are because of what we have learned from our religion such as honesty, forgiveness, and selflessness.
So, here’s a list of the characteristics of the Muslims.
- Honesty
- Forgiveness
- Selflessness
- Humility
- Adaptability
- Optimism
Honesty
The Prophet was the most honest person ever to exist, and he taught us how important it is to have integrity and honesty.
But even if you are not a Muslim it’s no no-brainer that honesty is good and lying is bad because building anything on honesty is always what works out best, unlike the opposite, it only keeps getting worse.
Honesty is mentioned in the Quran more than once, so here are some of the Surahs that mention honesty:
1. Surah Al-Baqarah
Surah Al-Baqarah 23:
وَإِن كُنتُمۡ فِي رَيۡبٖ مِّمَّا نَزَّلۡنَا عَلَىٰ عَبۡدِنَا فَأۡتُواْ بِسُورَةٖ مِّن مِّثۡلِهِۦ وَٱدۡعُواْ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation:
And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful.
Surah Al-Baqarah 94:
قُلۡ إِن كَانَتۡ لَكُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةٗ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُاْ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation:
Say, [O Muhammad], “If the home of the Hereafter with Allah is for you alone and not the [other] people, then wish for death, if you should be truthful.
Surah Al-Baqarah 111:
وَقَالُواْ لَن يَدۡخُلَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوۡ نَصَٰرَىٰۗ تِلۡكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمۡۗ قُلۡ هَاتُواْ بُرۡهَٰنَكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation:
And they say, “None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian.” That is [merely] their wishful thinking, Say, “Produce your proof, if you should be truthful.”
2. Surah Al-Imran
Surah Al-Imran 17:
ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ وَٱلۡقَٰنِتِينَ وَٱلۡمُنفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَغۡفِرِينَ بِٱلۡأَسۡحَارِ
Translation:
The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.
Surah Al-Imran 93:
كُلُّ ٱلطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِلّٗا لِّبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَـٰٓءِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسۡرَـٰٓءِيلُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةُۚ قُلۡ فَأۡتُواْ بِٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ فَٱتۡلُوهَآ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation:
All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel had made unlawful to himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, [O Muhammad], “So bring the Torah and recite it, if you should be truthful.”
Surah Al-Imran 95:
قُلۡ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُۗ فَٱتَّبِعُواْ مِلَّةَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ حَنِيفٗاۖ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
Translation:
Say, “Allah has told the truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of the polytheists.”
3. Surah Al-Nisa
Surah Al-Nisa 69:
وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَۚ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقٗا
Translation:
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.
Surah Al-Nisa 87:
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ لَيَجۡمَعَنَّكُمۡ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ لَا رَيۡبَ فِيهِۗ وَمَنۡ أَصۡدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حَدِيثٗا
Translation:
Allah – there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is more truthful than Allah in statement.
4. Surah Al-A’raf
Surah Al- A’raf 70:
قَالُوٓاْ أَجِئۡتَنَا لِنَعۡبُدَ ٱللَّهَ وَحۡدَهُۥ وَنَذَرَ مَا كَانَ يَعۡبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَآ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ
Translation:
They said, “Have you come to us that we should worship Allah alone and leave what our fathers have worshipped? Then bring us what you promise us, if you should be of the truthful.”
5. Surah Al-Tawbah (9:119)
Surah Al-Tawbah 119:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ,
Translation:
“O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true.”
And these are only few examples from Surahs from the Quran that mention how important truth is.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is also one of the most important things in the characteristics of Muslims.
As a Muslim who grew up in a Muslim household, I have always listened to my family talking about how important forgiveness is and how our religion encourages us to forgive; whether it is because of a silly sibling fight, or because someone did something to upset in general whether it’s a family member, a neighbor, or even a stranger.
When I grew up I realized how important it is when I read the Quran on my own over and over again each time I understand something I may not have realized the first few times and each time I read; I get some clarity and become more understanding and that’s the beauty of the Quran.
Forgiveness is essential because we all make mistakes and if we don’t forgive and forget each other we will keep holding into the bad things in our lives and eventually lose the people we love.
Selflessness
I have always seen this in my family and as a kid, you are not always selfless or even think about such a thing but then as you grow up; you start to become selfless with time.
But in Islam in every story of the prophet; you learn about how selfless he was around everyone, and the Quran mentions the importance of being selfless as well, so here are a few surahs from the Quran that discuss selflessness:
Surah Al-Hashr (59:9):
“وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ”
Translation:
“And [also for] those who were settled in the home [i.e., Al-Madinah] and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what they [i.e., the emigrants] were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.”
Humility
Muslims are characterized as the most modest and humble type of people. Really, humility teaches a lot in one’s life. It teaches the best way to ask for help to fulfill the requirements. The best way one may know about how to be humble is only by following our lovely prophet, Peace Be upon Him.
Adaptability
Knowing how to adapt quickly and easily is literally one of the best things and it makes you more grateful for your life.
Believing in Allah and knowing that he wants the best for you no matter where you are in your life and knowing that even when your life gets harder is because he is testing you.
Knowing that whatever happens is your fate and it’s all part of a bigger plan and even if you can’t have what you want right now, it may be because Allah has something better saved for you and just you have to be patient and wait for it and in the meantime; you will continue doing your best.
“وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ” (سورة الطلاق : 3)
And whoever relies upon Allah – He will be sufficient for him. (At-Talaq :3)
Optimism
Who doesn’t like being around an optimistic person maybe just not too optimistic but in general, optimistic people are always fun to be around so why not be that person yourself?
Also not being optimistic kinda defeats the previous point, knowing that whatever happens is what Allah wants for you.
Good Muslims in general have a good moral compass that makes them know what’s the right thing to do because they always know what to come back to when they can’t find the answer.
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