Answer
مَا الْمُرُوءَةُ؟
✅ Answer: 'Muruwwah' or 'muruwwah' has the general meaning of chivalry, manliness, humanity, character, and the like. However, the qualities and characteristics that make a person worthy of such a trait are mentioned in narrations, some of which are presented here so that we can recognize people with muruwwah based on these qualities and signs and not give this title to arrogant and proud individuals and those who transgress the divine limits.
1 عَنِ الرِّضَا عَنْ آبَائِهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ سِتَّةٌ مِنَ الْمُرُوءَةِ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْهَا فِی الْحَضَرِ وَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْهَا فِی السَّفَرِ فَأَمَّا الَّتِی فِی الْحَضَرِ فَتِلَاوَةُ کِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَ عِمَارَةُ مَسَاجِدِ اللَّهِ وَ اتِّخَاذُ الْإِخْوَانِ فِی اللَّهِ وَ أَمَّا الَّتِی فِی السَّفَرِ فَبَذْلُ الزَّادِ وَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ وَ الْمِزَاحُ فِی غَیْرِ الْمَعَاصِی.
📚 Uyun Akhbar al-Reza, Vol. 2, p. 27
Imam Reza, peace be upon him, narrated from his ancestors that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Six things are from muruwwah, three of which are at home and three are on a journey. As for those at home:
Recitation of the Quran
And populating the divine mosques (by attending mosques)
And making brothers in religion for the sake of Allah!
As for those on a journey:
Generosity with provisions
And good manners
And joking and jesting in a way that is not sinful!
2 عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ من الکوفیین من أصحابنا یقال له إبراهیم قَالَ: سُئِلَ الْحَسَنُ عَنِ الْمُرُوءَةِ فَقَالَ الْعَفَافُ فِی الدِّینِ وَ حُسْنُ التَّقْدِیرِ فِی الْمَعِیشَةِ وَ الصَّبْرُ عَلَی النَّائِبَةِ.
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 258, h. 5
Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him, was asked about muruwwah. The Imam said: Refraining from evil and indecent acts in religion
And good moderation and measure in livelihood (and income and means of life)
And being patient in times of calamity!
3 عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ الْمُرُوءَةُ اسْتِصْلَاحُ الْمَالِ.
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 258, h. 6.
Imam Baqir, peace be upon him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Muruwwah is the reform and rectification of wealth!
4 عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ الْأَنْصَارِیِّ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ تَعَاهُدُ الرَّجُلِ ضَیْعَتَهُ مِنَ الْمُرُوءَةِ.
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 258, h. 7
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: A person's attending to the affairs of his property and land is from muruwwah!
5 عَنِ الْهَیْثَمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ النَّهْدِیِّ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: الْمُرُوءَةُ مُرُوءَتَانِ مُرُوءَةٌ فِی السَّفَرِ وَ مُرُوءَةٌ فِی الْحَضَرِ فَأَمَّا مُرُوءَةُ الْحَضَرِ فَتِلَاوَةُ الْقُرْآنِ وَ حُضُورُ الْمَسَاجِدِ وَ صُحْبَةُ أَهْلِ الْخَیْرِ وَ النَّظَرُ فِی الْفِقْهِ وَ أَمَّا مُرُوءَةُ السَّفَرِ فَبَذْلُ الزَّادِ وَ الْمِزَاحُ فِی غَیْرِ مَا یُسْخِطُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ قِلَّةُ الْخِلَافِ عَلَی مَنْ صَحِبَکَ وَ تَرْکُ الرِّوَایَةِ عَلَیْهِمْ إِذَا أَنْتَ فَارَقْتَهُمْ.
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 258, h. 8.
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: Muruwwah is of two kinds:
Muruwwah on a journey and muruwwah at home!
As for muruwwah at home: Recitation of the Quran
And being present in mosques
And companionship with good people
And looking into jurisprudence and the rules of religion!
As for muruwwah on a journey:
Giving provisions
And joking in a way that does not anger Allah, the Mighty and Exalted
And minimizing disagreement with companions
And refraining from narrating things against them after parting from them!
6 عَنْ أَبَانٍ الْأَحْمَرِ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ علیهما السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ النَّاسَ تَذَاکَرُوا عِنْدَهُ الْفُتُوَّةَ فَقَالَ تَظُنُّونَ أَنَّ الْفُتُوَّةَ بِالْفِسْقِ وَ الْفُجُورِ کَلَّا الْفُتُوَّةُ وَ الْمُرُوَّةُ طَعَامٌ مَوْضُوعٌ وَ نَائِلٌ مَبْذُولٌ وَ اصْطِنَاعُ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَ أَذًی مَکْفُوفٌ فَأَمَّا تِلْکَ فَشَطَارَةٌ وَ فِسْقٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ علیه السلام مَا الْمُرُوَّةُ فَقُلْنَا لَا نَعْلَمُ قَالَ الْمُرُوَّةُ وَ اللَّهِ أَنْ یَضَعَ الرَّجُلُ خِوَانَهُ بِفِنَاءِ دَارِهِ وَ الْمُرُوَّةُ مُرُوَّتَانِ مُرُوَّةٌ فِی الْحَضَرِ وَ مُرُوَّةٌ فِی السَّفَرِ فَأَمَّا الَّتِی فِی الْحَضَرِ فَتِلَاوَةُ الْقُرْآنِ وَ لُزُومُ الْمَسَاجِدِ وَ الْمَشْیُ مَعَ الْإِخْوَانِ فِی الْحَوَائِجِ وَ الْإِنْعَامُ عَلَی الْخَادِمِ فَإِنَّهُ مِمَّا یَسُرُّ الصَّدِیقَ وَ یَکْبِتُ الْعَدُوَّ وَ أَمَّا الَّتِی فِی السَّفَرِ فَکَثْرَةُ الزَّادِ وَ طِیبُهُ وَ بَذْلُهُ لِمَنْ کَانَ مَعَکَ وَ کِتْمَانُکَ عَلَی الْقَوْمِ سِرَّهُمْ بَعْدَ مُفَارَقَتِکَ إِیَّاهُمْ وَ کَثْرَةُ الْمِزَاحِ فِی غَیْرِ مَا یُسْخِطُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ علیه السلام وَ الَّذِی بَعَثَ جَدِّی صلی الله علیه و آله بِالْحَقِّ نَبِیّاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَیَرْزُقُ الْعَبْدَ عَلَی قَدْرِ الْمُرُوَّةِ وَ إِنَّ الْمَعُونَةَ لَتَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ عَلَی قَدْرِ الْمَئُونَةِ وَ إِنَّ الصَّبْرَ لَیَنْزِلُ عَلَی قَدْرِ شِدَّةِ الْبَلَاءِ
📚 Amali al-Saduq, p. 329
Aban said: People discussed futuwwah and muruwwah in the presence of Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him.
The Imam said: Do you think futuwwah and muruwwah are with sin and immorality?!
It is never so!
Futuwwah and muruwwah are food that is laid out (for others to eat) and kindness and generosity that is given and doing good to others and refraining from causing harm. But what (is in the minds of some) is malice and immorality!
Then the Imam said:
What is muruwwah? We said: We do not know! The Imam said:
I swear by Allah, muruwwah is for a person to place his tablecloth in the wide open space in front of his house (i.e., for others to use)!
And muruwwah is of two parts: muruwwah at home and muruwwah on a journey!
As for the muruwwah that is at home:
Recitation of the Quran
And being a companion of mosques
And walking with brothers for their needs
And being kind to the servant, for this action pleases a friend and angers and humiliates an enemy!
As for the muruwwahs that are on a journey, they are:
Making the travel provisions abundant, good, and delicious
And giving them to your companions
And keeping the secrets of your companions after you have parted from them
And a lot of joking and jesting in a way that does not anger Allah, the Mighty and Exalted!
Then he said:
I swear by the One who sent my grandfather with the truth as a prophet, indeed Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, provides for the servant in proportion to his muruwwah
And indeed, help descends from the sky in proportion to the need, and indeed, patience descends in proportion to the severity of the calamity!
7 عَنِ الصَّادِقِ علیه السّلام أَنَّهُ قَالَ: خَمْسٌ هُنَّ کَمَا أَقُولُ لَیْسَتْ لِبَخِیلٍ رَاحَةٌ... وَ لَا لِکَذَّابٍ مُرُوءَةٌ...
📚 Al-Khisal, Vol. 1, p. 8.
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said in a hadith: Five things are as I say: There is no comfort and ease for the miser.... And there is no muruwwah for the great liar...!
8 عَنِ الصَّادِقِ علیه السلام قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلی الله علیه و آله: أَقَلُّ النَّاسِ مُرُوَّةً مَنْ کَانَ کَاذِباً
📚 Amali al-Saduq, p. 14.
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The person with the least muruwwah is the one who is a liar!
9 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَکَمِ قَالَ قَالَ لِی أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَی بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ... یَا هِشَامُ لَا دِینَ لِمَنْ لَا مُرُوَّةَ لَهُ... وَ لَا مُرُوَّةَ لِمَنْ لَا عَقْلَ لَهُ.... وَ اسْتِثْمَارُ الْمَالِ تَمَامُ الْمُرُوءَةِ
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 19 and 20
Hisham said: Imam Kadhim, peace be upon him, said to me: ...O Hisham! There is no religion for one who has no muruwwah.... And the use and utilization of wealth is the perfection of muruwwah!
10 عَنْ مُعَاوِیَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام قَالَ: کَانَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِیٍّ علیه السلام فِی نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ عِنْدَ مُعَاوِیَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ خَبِّرْنِی عَنِ الْمُرُوَّةِ فَقَالَ حِفْظُ الرَّجُلِ دِینَهُ وَ قِیَامُهُ فِی إِصْلَاحِ ضَیْعَتِهِ وَ حُسْنُ مُنَازَعَتِهِ وَ إِفْشَاءُ السَّلَامِ وَ لِینُ الْکَلَامِ وَ الْکَفُّ وَ التَّحَبُّبُ إِلَی النَّاسِ
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 257.
Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him, was with a group of his companions in the presence of Mu'awiyah, may Allah's curse be upon him. Then he said to Imam al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him: O Abu Muhammad! Tell me about muruwwah! The Imam said:
A person's muruwwah is by protecting and preserving his religion
And his taking a stand to reform his property and land
And the goodness of his disputes
And revealing peace (salam)
And gentleness of speech
And refraining (from oppression and disliked matters)
And being kind and friendly to people!
1 1 عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ التَّیْمِیِّ قَالَ: خَرَجَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ علیه السلام عَلَی أَصْحَابِهِ وَ هُمْ یَتَذَاکَرُونَ الْمُرُوَّةَ فَقَالَ أَیْنَ أَنْتُمْ مِنْ کِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَالُوا یَا أَمِیرَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ فِی أَیِّ مَوْضِعٍ فَقَالَ فِی قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ یَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَ الْإِحْسانِ فَالْعَدْلُ الْإِنْصَافُ وَ الْإِحْسَانُ التَّفَضُّلُ.
قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: سَأَلَ مُعَاوِیَةُ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِیٍّ علیهما السلام عَنِ الْمُرُوَّةِ فَقَالَ شُحُّ الرَّجُلِ عَلَی دِینِهِ وَ إِصْلَاحُهُ مَالَهُ وَ قِیَامُهُ بِالْحُقُوقِ فَقَالَ مُعَاوِیَةُ أَحْسَنْتَ یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَحْسَنْتَ یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ فَکَانَ مُعَاوِیَةُ یَقُولُ بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ وَدِدْتُ أَنَّ یَزِیدَ قَالَهَا وَ أَنَّهُ کَانَ أَعْوَرَ
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 257.
Amr ibn Uthman said: Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, came out to his companions, and they were discussing muruwwah. The Imam said: Why do you go somewhere other than the Quran?! They said: O Amir al-Mu'minin! Where is it in there? He said: In the words of Allah, the Mighty and Exalted (in Surah An-Nahl, verse 90), where He says: 'Indeed, Allah commands justice and benevolence,' so justice is fairness, and benevolence is grace and kindness!
Abd al-Rahman ibn Abbas narrated in an elevated form that Mu'awiyah, may Allah's curse be upon him, asked Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, peace be upon him, about muruwwah. The Imam said:
A person's being miserly with his religion
And rectifying his wealth
And standing up and taking action for rights!
Then Mu'awiyah, may Allah's curse be upon him, said: You have done well, O Abu Muhammad, you have done well!
After that, Mu'awiyah, may Allah's curse be upon him, would always say: I wished that Yazid (may Allah's curse be upon him) had said these words, and one of his eyes was blind!
2 1 أَصْلٌ مِنْ أُصُولِ قُدَمَائِنَا، قَالَ: دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ قَالَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا الْمُرُوَّةُ قَالَ تَرْكُ الظُّلْمِ عِنْدَ الْقُدْرَةِ وَ مَوَاسَاةُ الْإِخْوَانِ فِي السَّعَةِ وَ إِظْهَارُ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ كِبْرٍ وَ الْقَنُوعُ وَقْتَ الْعُسْرِ بِالاسْتِكَانَةِ وَ مَنْ عُرِفَ بِالتَّرْئِيَةِ سَقَطَ عَنْهُ اسْمُ الْمُرُوَّةِ
📚 Mustadrak, Vol. 8, p. 222
A man came to Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him, and said: O son of the Messenger of Allah! What is muruwwah? He said:
Refraining from oppression when in power
And showing empathy and helping religious brothers when one has abundance and ability
And revealing Allah's blessings without arrogance
And contentment in times of hardship with humility
And a person who is known for showing off and pretension, the name of muruwwah is removed from him!
✅ The above narrations are some of the things that, by having them, we are worthy of the trait of muruwwah, and therefore, we can never attribute the trait of muruwwah and manliness to bully and oppressive people who are known for transgressions, killing, and vengeance that are outside of the divine limits.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر