Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

Three powerful councils from Prophet Jesus on character improvement

ahmad-zuhd:311ʿAbdullāh from my father > Hāshim > Ṣāliḥ > Abū ʿImrān al-Jawnī > Abū al-Jald

that ʿĪsá (Jesus) ﷻ advised the ḥawārīs (disciples), "Do not speak incessantly without the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah ﷻ lest your heart would become hard, for indeed the hard-hearted is distant from Allah ﷻ but he is unaware of it."

"And do not look at the sins of the people as though you are lords (masters), rather you should look at your own sins as though you are slaves."

"And the people are of two ˹types:˺ the ones who are safe, and the ones that are put through trial. So be merciful to those under trial and praise Allah for your safety."  

الزهد لأحمد:٣١١حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أبِي حَدَّثَنَا هَاشِمٌ أَخْبَرَنَا صَالِحٌ عَنْ أَبِي عِمْرَانَ الْجَوْنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَلْدِ

أَنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَوْصَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ: «لَا تُكْثِرُوا الْكَلَامَ بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ﷻ فَتَقْسُوَ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَإِنَّ الْقَاسِيَ قَلْبُهُ بَعِيدٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ ﷻ وَلَكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُ۔»

«وَلَا تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى ذُنُوبِ النَّاسِ كَأَنَّكُمْ أَرْبَابٌ وَلَكِنَّكُمُ انْظُرُوا فِي ذُنُوبِكُمْ كَأَنَّكُمْ عَبِيدٌ۔»

«وَالنَّاسُ رَجُلَانِ مُعَافًى وَمُبْتَلًى فَارْحَمُوا أَهْلَ الْبَلَاءِ فِي بَلِيَّتِهِمْ وَاحْمَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى الْعَافِيَةِ۔»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Mālik
malik:56-8Mālik > Balaghah

Malik related to me that he heard that Isa ibn Maryam used to say, "Do not speak much without the mention of Allah for you will harden your hearts. A hard heart is far from Allah, but you do not know. Do not look at the wrong actions of people as if you were lords. Look at your wrong actions as if you were slaves. Some people are afflicted by wrong action and some people are protected from it. Be merciful to the people of affliction and praise Allah for His protection."  

مالك:٥٦-٨وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ

أَنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ كَانَ يَقُولُ لاَ تُكْثِرُوا الْكَلاَمَ بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ فَتَقْسُوَ قُلُوبُكُمْ فَإِنَّ الْقَلْبَ الْقَاسِيَ بَعِيدٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ وَلاَ تَنْظُرُوا فِي ذُنُوبِ النَّاسِ كَأَنَّكُمْ أَرْبَابٌ وَانْظُرُوا فِي ذُنُوبِكُمْ كَأَنَّكُمْ عَبِيدٌ فَإِنَّمَا النَّاسُ مُبْتَلًى وَمُعَافًى فَارْحَمُوا أَهْلَ الْبَلاَءِ وَاحْمَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَى الْعَافِيَةِ