God says
O you who have attained to faith! Remain conscious of God; and let every human being look to what he [or she] sends ahead for the marrow! And [once again]: Remain conscious of God, for God is fully aware of all that you do.- Q.59: 18
Blessed be He in whose hand all dominion rests, since He has the power to will anything: He Who has created death as well as life,* so that He might put you to a test [and thus show] which of you is best in conduct, and [make you realize that] He alone is almighty, truly forgiving. - Q.67:1-2
* Since what is termed here as “death” is stated here to have been created , it cannot be identical with “non-existence”, but obviously must have a positive reality of its own. To my mind, it connotes, the state of transition from life as we know it in this world to the – as yet to us unimaginable – condition of existence referred to in the Qur’an as “the hereafter” or “the life to come” (al-akirah).
And, verily, thine [O Prophet] shall be a reward never-ending – for, behold, thou keepest indeed to a sublime way of life;* … Q.68: 3,4
* The term khuluq rendered by me as “a way of life”, describes a person’s “character”, “innate disposition” or “nature” in the widest sense of these concepts, as well as “habitual behaviour” which becomes, as it were, one’s “second nature” (Taj al-‘Arus). My identification of khuluq with “way of life” is based on the explanation of the above verse by ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas (as quoted by Tabari), stating that this term is here synonymous with din : and we must remember that one of the primary significance of the latter term is “a way [or “manner”] of behaviour” or “of acting” (Qamoos).
Prophet said
1. “I have been sent to take good conduct to its conclusion”-- H: Muatta. N: Malek. / H: Ahmed. N: Abu Hurairah.
God in His infinite mercy asked us to follow the the example of the Prophet, in order to make it easy for us to obey Him and achieve good conduct. “Indeed in the Apostle of God you have an excellent example for everyone who looks forward [with hope and awe] to God and the Last Day, and remembers God unceasingly” - Q.33: 21, and “He who obeys the Apostle obeys God”…. Q.4: 80
2. Bibi Ayshah, speaking of the Prophet many years after his passing away, repeatedly stressed that ‘his way of life (khuluq ) was the Qur’an’. – H: Muslim, Tabari & Hakim on the authority of Sa’id ibn Hisham. Also, Abu Daud & Nisai and several others.
3. A desert Arab got up and passed urine within the mosque. People caught hold of him. The Prophet said “Leave him and throw a bucket of water or a torrent of water upon his urine. Verily, you have been raised to bring ease, and not to inflict hardship” – H: Bukhari. N: Abu Hurairah.
4. “…Whoever acquires good conduct, there is for him a mansion in the loftiest part of paradise.” – Fragment of a lengthy Tradition quoted by Tirmizi on the authority of Anas.
