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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_Discipline_of_the_Soul_Character_Sick, page : 11
claim. Firtly, he will say that character (khuluq) is the form of the inward in the
same way that the created form (khalq) of man is the form of the outward. No
one is able to alter his external appearance; a short man cannot make himself
tall, neither can an ugly man render himself handsome, and vice versa; and thus
is the case with inward ugliness. Secondly, he will assert that goodness of
character proceeds from suppressing one‟s desire and anger, and that he has
tested this by means of a long inward struggle, which demonstrated to him that
these things are part of one‟s character and nature, which can never be
separated from the human creature, so that busying oneself with such struggling
is profitless and a waste of time.
(To such an objection) we would say: Were the traits of character not susceptible
to change there would be no value in counsels, sermons and discipline, and the
Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would not have said: “Improve your
characters!” How could such a denial with respect to the human creature be
made? It is possible to improve the character even of an animal; a falcon can be
transformed from savagery to tameness; a dog from mere greed for food to good
behavior and self restraint, a horse from defiance to docility and obedience, and
all of these things constitute a change in character.
same way that the created form (khalq) of man is the form of the outward. No
one is able to alter his external appearance; a short man cannot make himself
tall, neither can an ugly man render himself handsome, and vice versa; and thus
is the case with inward ugliness. Secondly, he will assert that goodness of
character proceeds from suppressing one‟s desire and anger, and that he has
tested this by means of a long inward struggle, which demonstrated to him that
these things are part of one‟s character and nature, which can never be
separated from the human creature, so that busying oneself with such struggling
is profitless and a waste of time.
(To such an objection) we would say: Were the traits of character not susceptible
to change there would be no value in counsels, sermons and discipline, and the
Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would not have said: “Improve your
characters!” How could such a denial with respect to the human creature be
made? It is possible to improve the character even of an animal; a falcon can be
transformed from savagery to tameness; a dog from mere greed for food to good
behavior and self restraint, a horse from defiance to docility and obedience, and
all of these things constitute a change in character.