The Dua for Good Character | Hidden Treasures Episode 23 | Mufti Sultan Mohiuddin
By Mufti Sultan Mohiuddin | 2026-07-30T16:31:15.763955+00:00 | Topic: Purification | Masjid: Miftaah Institute
Summary
The Du'a for Good Character
- From Imam Bukhari's Adab al-Mufrad, Episode 23 of Hidden Treasures.
- Story of the companions Abu al-Darda' and his wife Umm al-Darda'.
- Abu al-Darda' spent an entire night praying Tahajjud.
A Unique Supplication
- During his Tahajjud, Abu al-Darda' was crying profusely.
- He repeatedly made a very specific du'a throughout the night.
- Umm al-Darda' found his continuous supplication unusual.
Why Only Good Character?
- Umm al-Darda' questioned her husband's singular focus.
- She asked why he only prayed for good character all night.
- This du'a is commonly recited casually when looking in a mirror.
The Path to Jannah
- Abu al-Darda' explained the profound reason behind his du'a.
- A believing servant continuously works to beautify their character.
- This pursuit of good character serves as their ticket to Jannah.
The Lofty Character of the Prophet (PBUH)
- No one can claim perfect character for themselves.
- Only Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is described with the most lofty character.
- We are called to continuously strive for good character, not claim its perfection.
The Danger of Bad Character
- Abu al-Darda' also warned about the opposite scenario.
- Neglecting one's character allows it to deteriorate and rust.
- This 'rusty character' can lead a person into the pits of Hellfire.
The Du'a for Good Character
Hidden Treasures — Episode 23
The first treasure that I would like to share with you all today is a very beautiful story that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah brings in his Adab al-Mufrad, wherein he narrates from Abu al-Darda' rahimahullah and his wife, Umm al-Darda' rahimahullah. She says that Abu al-Darda' one night stood up the whole entire night praying tahajjud, and in his tahajjud he was crying:
"Oh Allah, just as You have beautified my exterior, please beautify my interior as well."
A du'a that you normally just read when you look into the mirror — she found it a little bit odd that the whole night he's crying and he's just making a du'a that you're just supposed to say in front of the mirror once. This unusual practice of his led her to ask him: why is it that the whole night you found nothing —
— you never found anything to ask your Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala except for good character? That's all you could ask Allah for?
So he explained to her, he said:
(Imam Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith 289)
"O Umm al-Darda', a believing servant of Allah continues to work on and beautify, embellish their character until not the good character — because no one can ever claim that they have good character or that they've perfected their character, like Allah claims about the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam very beautifully:"
"You, O Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, have the most lofty of character."
No one could actually claim that for themselves. But he says that a person continues to work on themselves and beautify their character until that pursuit — that pursuit of beautification of their character — enters them into Jannah, serves as their ticket to Jannah. But then he says the opposite is true as well. What's the opposite?
(Imam Bukhari, Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Hadith 289)
That a person continues to let their character just sit there — stale, stagnant — not work on it, until it deteriorates, it rusts, and that rusty character, may Allah save us and protect us, lands them into the pits of hell.
The Lesson: Beauty on the Inside
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala give us the ability — in this world, in this environment where everybody's just really focused on the aesthetic of everything. Everyone's just focused on: well, the camera's gotta be right — it's pretty ironic saying this in front of a camera — but the camera's gotta be right, the lighting has to be right, you gotta make sure you capture my best angle, you gotta make sure I look good. SubhanAllah, this man wants to look good inside, and he's not proclaiming that he's attained that level — rather he's telling Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala: "Oh Allah, I can't get this good character until I cry and beg You for it."
So may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make husnul khuluq — good character, beauty on the inside — a primary focus of ours, until it becomes an actual desire of ours to acquire. And insha'Allah that desire — may Allah allow it to enter us into Jannatul Firdaus as well.