By Prof. Dr. Faid Mohammed Said
The Prophetic Message and the Reformation of Concepts: A Reflection on the Philosophy of Correction and Value Recalibration
A major aspect of the Prophetic message is the reformation of concepts and the correction of perceptions, according to divine standards that often differ greatly from people’s superficial or hasty measures. This corrective dimension becomes evident through a number of Prophetic hadiths that redefine prevalent values such as strength, bankruptcy, and odour based on the criterion of truth as established by Allah, not as perceived by people.
This article reviews three examples from the noble Prophetic guidance, reflects on their philosophical and educational implications, and highlights how the Prophet ﷺ established a new awareness that focuses on evaluating the inner reality rather than outward appearances, considering the ultimate consequences rather than the immediate state, and prioritising truth over mere impressions.
Among the distinctive characteristics of the Muhammadan message is that it did not merely call people to worship Allah alone. Rather, it set out to reform concepts, correct perceptions, and reshape the collective consciousness of the community on foundations of wisdom, justice, and piety. This approach is part of the “philosophy of reform” brought by the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ, which is manifest in his words, affirmations, and guidance.
Ibn al-Qayyim put it well when he said:
“He ﷺ was the most truthful of people in insight, the most correct in judgement, the most accurate in analogy, and the most guided in method; he did not speak from desire it is nothing, but revelation sent down.”¹
From this perspective, this paper examines three examples of Prophetic hadiths that illustrate how the Prophet ﷺ redefined common concepts, reversed their standards, refined their meanings, and illuminated them with glimpses of the unseen and of wisdom.
First: The Standard of Fragrance and Acceptance The Breath of the Fasting Person as an Example
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the fasting person is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk.”²
This hadith redefines the measure of what is “pleasant” and “acceptable”. People are accustomed to associating pleasantness with a good fragrance and aversion with offensive smells. However, the noble hadith overturns this superficial perception: the smell from the fasting person’s mouth caused by hunger though disliked by people, is beloved to Allah, indeed more fragrant than musk.
This is a deliberate inversion of the concept, drawing attention to the reality that value does not lie in the outward appearance of something but in its essence, and that nearness to Allah is measured by what lies beyond the material by the intention and sincerity of the deed rather than its external form. In this way, the hadith firmly establishes the principle of “divine evaluation” over “human evaluation,” which is a central tenet in the philosophy of Islam:
“Indeed, the most honourable of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” (Al-Hujurat: 13)
Second: The True Bankrupt Person Redefining Ultimate Loss
On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Do you know who the bankrupt person is?” They said, “The bankrupt among us is the one who has neither dirham nor goods.” He said: “The bankrupt of my community is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting, and zakah, but he comes having abused this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one, shed the blood of that one, and struck this one. So this one is given from his good deeds, and that one is given from his good deeds, and if his good deeds are exhausted before all claims are settled, some of their sins will be taken and cast upon him, then he will be thrown into the Fire.”³
This noble hadith formulates a new concept of bankruptcy, one entirely different from what is commonly said among people. In everyday language, the “bankrupt” is the one who has lost his wealth, failed in trade, or been unable to repay his debts. Yet in the scales of the Hereafter, true bankruptcy is spiritual loss, despite having an apparent “balance” of righteous deeds.
Here, the brilliance of the Prophetic discourse is clear in exposing mistaken perceptions and establishing the standard of “salvation in the Hereafter” rather than “worldly success”. Not everyone who prays and fasts will be saved if they are unjust in conduct, bankrupt in conscience, and violators of people’s rights.
Third: True Strength Anger and Self-Discipline
On the authority of Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“The strong man is not the one who overcomes others by force; rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when angry.”⁴
People commonly consider the strong person to be the one with physical prowess or the one who overpowers an opponent in a physical contest. Yet the Prophet ﷺ redefined this concept and placed true strength in inner control, not outward dominance.
The one who restrains himself when angry, curbs the surge of his emotions, and acts wisely at a moment of tension is the truly strong person in the measure of Islam. This is a call to a culture of self-discipline and mastery over the self—qualities regarded by scholars as fundamental to personal development.⁵
Philosophical Foundation: Allah’s Standard, Not People’s Standard
What unites these hadiths despite the differences in their subjects is that they establish a new divine standard that overturns the worldly or superficial concept, to affirm the standards of the unseen, intention, and final outcome. The matter is not about what appears to people but about what Allah weighs. This is a firmly established Qur’anic philosophy, as in His saying:
“And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do.” (Ibrahim: 42)
And His saying:
“The Day when secrets will be put on trial.” (At-Tariq: 9)
“Secrets will be put on trial” that is, the reality of what is within the soul will be revealed, not merely its external image.
Ultimately, the Prophet ﷺ came not only to change behaviour but to reshape minds, values, and concepts, planting in the community divine standards that are not swayed by desire nor distorted by appearances. This mission remains ongoing, and it is the duty of scholars and callers in every age to redirect people towards the truth and to liberate minds from the illusory constraints that have given wealth, power, scent, or money a ruling influence over judgement. Not everything praised by people is praiseworthy in the sight of Allah, and not everything condemned in this world is condemned in the Hereafter.
Footnotes:
- Ibn al-Qayyim, Madarij al-Salikin, vol. 2, p. 438.
- Reported by al-Bukhari (1904) and Muslim (1151).
- Reported by Muslim (2581).
- Reported by al-Bukhari (6114) and Muslim (2609).
- See: al-Ghazali, Ihya’ Ulum al-Din, vol. 3, Book of Breaking Anger, Envy, and Hatred.
