Character and Manners in Islam | Al-Adab al-shar'iyya

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Akhlaq and adab: what the two words cover

Akhlaq means character, what is corrected from within: patience, generosity, restraint in anger. Adab means conduct, what is learned and practised: how to enter, greet, eat, write, keep silent. The two hold together, and the works in this section nearly always treat both, starting from character and moving to practice.

The reference works

Al-Adab al-shar'iyya by Ibn Muflih: the fullest of the genre, in three to four volumes, arranged by situation, from parents to neighbours by way of the table and travel.
Adab al-dunya wa al-din by al-Mawardi: more literary, mixing verses, hadiths, poetry and maxims.
Al-Akhlaq wa al-siyar by Ibn Hazm: short, direct, with remarkable psychological insight.
Makarim al-akhlaq by al-Kharaiti: an early collection arranged by virtue.
Al-Adab al-mufrad by al-Bukhari: the reference hadith collection on the subject, shelved in our Thematic hadith section.

For whom, and in what order

This is one of the most approachable sections on the site: the language is generally simpler than in the sciences, and the chapters are short. To begin, Ibn Hazm's Al-Akhlaq wa al-siyar or an annotated thematic collection. Al-Adab al-shar'iyya comes next: it is a reference work, opened at the situation in hand, not a book to read through.

What to check

Takhrij above all: this genre carries many reports, and a good edition states the source and grading of each. Then the volume count and the editor, since Al-Adab al-shar'iyya circulates in very uneven editions. Finally the presence of a chapter index, which changes everything for reference use.

Related sections

For the inner work that precedes conduct, Purification of the soul. For the source hadiths, Thematic hadith. For the daily formulas, Supplications and dhikr. Overview: Spirituality.

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What is the difference between akhlaq and adab?

Akhlaq means character, what is corrected from within: patience, generosity, restraint. Adab means conduct, what is learned and practised: how to greet, eat, write, keep silent. The works here nearly always treat both together.

Which book should I start with?

With Ibn Hazm's Al-Akhlaq wa al-siyar: short, direct, with remarkable psychological insight. Ibn Muflih's Al-Adab al-shar'iyya comes next, but it is a reference work in three or four volumes, not a book to read through.

Is this section suitable at an intermediate level?

It is one of the most approachable on the site: the language is generally simpler than in the sciences, and the chapters are short. The level required is stated on every listing.

Where are the hadiths on conduct?

Al-Bukhari's Al-Adab al-mufrad is the reference collection on the subject. It is shelved in our Thematic hadith section, with the other collections arranged by theme.

Character and Manners