After years of going through performance appraisals, it
becomes more and more apparent that the most valuble human resource assets, the
best of people: aren’t necessarily the smartest, most intelligent or even the
most experienced.
Because you do have brilliant, intelligent and experienced
individuals who are arrogant, uncooperative, condescending, self-centered,
refuse to teach and/or do not add value. At the same time, you have bright and
young individuals who, while relatively less competent, obtain much greater
achievements than others more senior or more experienced, demonstrating
significant mileage to those years. Sometimes, those who excel at their jobs
are the ones who got relatively lower scores in uni. And the ones with great
attitude – the more their experience, the better they get.
Clearly the most important characteristic in human beings in
all jobs everywhere: is attitude – those who are proactive, willing to learn,
constantly challenging themselves to succeed, love teaching and coaching others,
persistent and disciplined in achieving their goals, those who admit mistakes for
continuous progression, etc. – they produce quality work and add value to their
surroundings.
Ironically, these traits of great attitude are not taught in
university or in default school syllabuses, these are not things which most
parents don’t tell their children to develop, and in fact, most of the time,
not the main things which are sought after during HR Recruitment either – the
emphasis is on scores, exams and certificates.
Our focus in developing people – especially the youth –
should be attitude, sincerity and good character.
The same holds true for adherents of religion – the best of
people who create the best quality deeds, aren’t necessarily the ones with the
most knowledge, or the most experienced ones. Sometimes those with knowledge
and experience are guilty of arrogance and poor character.
The ones with the best of good deeds are the ones who are
driven with sincerity, with the best attitude and best character: which pretty
much sums the meaning of good “akhlaq”. And that is why the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
said:
"
إِنَّ مِنْ أَحَبِّكُمْ إِلَىَّ وَأَقْرَبِكُمْ مِنِّي مَجْلِسًا يَوْمَ
الْقِيَامَةِ أَحَاسِنَكُمْ أَخْلاَقًا وَإِنَّ أَبْغَضَكُمْ إِلَىَّ
وَأَبْعَدَكُمْ مِنِّي مَجْلِسًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الثَّرْثَارُونَ
وَالْمُتَشَدِّقُونَ وَالْمُتَفَيْهِقُونَ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ
اللَّهِ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا الثَّرْثَارُونَ وَالْمُتَشَدِّقُونَ فَمَا
الْمُتَفَيْهِقُونَ قَالَ " الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ "
"The most beloved to me and the closest to me on the
Day of Resurrection will be those of you who have the best akhlaq (character/attitude).
And the most hateful to me and the furthest from me on the
Day of Resurrection will be the prattlers (those who talk foolishly), boasters
and the arrogant ones”
(Narrated by at-Tirmidzi, graded hasan)
And just like “work experience”, it is only those with good
character who will produce quality good deeds, and it is only these kind of
people of whom long life (i.e. “experience”) will be a continuous blessing for
them. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
“The best of people is he whose life is long, and his deeds
are good;
While the worst of people is he whose life is long and his
deeds are evil” (Narrated by At-Tirmidzi, graded hasan)
It’s easy to see how the matter of good akhlaq isn’t just a
matter of achieving success in this world – at our office, in our studies, etc –
it is also the means of success Hereafter. Let us not forget the holistic
objective that God sent Messengers to humankind; the Prophet said:
“Verily, I have only been sent to perfect good akhlaq” (Narrated
in Muwata imam Malik)
So let’s put in the serious effort to improve our akhlaq,
and work towards planting the seeds of good akhlaq in the future leaders – our youth.
May Allah make us amongst those with the best of Akhlaq, and
those who live a long life of righteousness. Amin
No comments:
Post a Comment