“Who is the best of people?”

It was not a question asked casually. It was asked by the greatest generation to ever walk this earth, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They were not content with proximity. They were not satisfied with titles. They wanted excellence. Even when the ranks of Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, and Aisha bint Abi Bakr seemed unreachable, they still asked.

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ never answered with a name.

Reflect on that.

He could have said “Abu Bakr” and ended the matter. But that answer would have frozen aspiration. It would have replaced striving with comparison. Instead of creating a generation of excellence, it would have created a generation of spectators.

So he answered with qualities.

He said, “The best of people is the one with a truthful tongue and a pure heart.”
Reported in Musnad Ahmad 6666 and graded authentic by scholars.

This is the foundation of perfectionism in Islam. Not flawlessness. Not comparison. But refinement of character.

The Prophet ﷺ was once asked about righteousness and sin. He said:

“Righteousness is good character, and sin is what wavers in your chest and you dislike that people become aware of it.” (Sahih Muslim 2553).

Truthfulness is not merely avoiding lies. It is alignment between the tongue and the heart. It is coherence. When the internal and external match, the human being becomes whole.

Modern psychology confirms that cognitive dissonance, the stress caused by internal contradiction, elevates cortisol levels and contributes to anxiety and emotional fragmentation. Truthfulness restores integration. It lowers internal stress and increases psychological resilience.

But the companions pressed further.

What is a pure heart?

The Prophet ﷺ described it in layers.

1. A Heart That Fears Allah
A pure heart is conscious of Allah. It is so aware of Him that it hesitates before sin. This is not paranoia. It is reverence.

Allah says:

The sound heart, al-qalb as-salim, is free from arrogance, rancor, and spiritual disease.

Neuroscience tells us that repeated acts of conscious restraint strengthen neural pathways associated with self-control and long-term reward processing. Taqwa is not merely spiritual poetry. It is neuroplasticity in action. The more we choose Allah over impulse, the more our brains are shaped toward discipline and serenity.

This is the core of mental health and Islam. The heart leads. The body follows.

2. A Heart Free of Transgression
Transgression is not only what the limbs commit. It can live in intention.

If a person wishes harm but lacks opportunity, the seed of that harm is already planted. The Qur’an reminds us:

The Islamic psychology of resilience begins here. We confront not only behavior but motives.

Unchecked resentment rewires the brain toward rumination and hostility. It increases stress hormones and weakens immune function. Spiritual disease becomes physiological burden.

3. A Heart Free of Envy
Hasad is not admiring a blessing. It is resenting it.

It is looking at someone else’s gift and believing it should have been yours. It corrodes gratitude. It poisons relationships. It erodes sincerity.

The Prophet ﷺ warned:

“Beware of envy, for envy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood.” (Sunan Abu Dawud 4903).

Envy narrows the heart. Gratitude expands it.

Modern studies on gratitude show that regular gratitude practices increase dopamine and serotonin activity, strengthening emotional stability and reducing depressive symptoms. Islam did not wait for neuroscience to discover this. It prescribed it fourteen centuries ago.

It was not simply the volume of his deeds.

Scholars have narrated that what distinguished Abu Bakr was something settled firmly in his heart. His sincerity, his certainty, his inner orientation toward Allah.

This reframes our understanding of hope and humility in Islam. Rank with Allah is not achieved by spectacle. It is achieved by sincerity.

We often treat Ramadan as an accumulation project. More prayer. More fasting. More recitation.

All of that matters.

But Ramadan is primarily a purification project.

Allah says:

The goal is taqwa. Internal refinement.

This is why overcoming shame in Islam is inseparable from repentance and forgiveness in Islam. We do not deny what lives inside us. We confront it with honesty. Then we cleanse it.

Ramadan is not only a month to fill your scale. It is a month to empty your heart.

Before adding more worship, remove what poisons it.

Here are actionable steps grounded in the Sunnah and supported by modern insight.

1. Daily Istighfar for Heart Cleansing
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6307).

Spiritual benefit: Clears accumulated spiritual residue.
Psychological benefit: Regular self-reflection reduces shame cycles and promotes self-compassion.

Action: Commit to 100 sincere istighfar daily, especially after Fajr or before sleep.

2. Supplication for a Pure Heart
The Prophet ﷺ frequently made the du‘a:

“O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2140).

Spiritual benefit: Acknowledges our vulnerability.
Neuroscientific benefit: Verbal intention strengthens neural goal circuits.

Action: Repeat this du‘a daily with presence.

3. Actively Suppress Envy with Du‘a for Others
When you feel envy, immediately make du‘a for the person’s increase.

Spiritual benefit: Transforms hasad into barakah.
Psychological benefit: Interrupts rumination loops.

Action: Train the heart to respond to envy with generosity.

4. Fast Beyond Food
The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever does not give up false speech and acting upon it, Allah has no need of his leaving food and drink.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1903).

Spiritual benefit: Aligns internal and external fasting.
Biological benefit: Fasting activates autophagy and cellular repair, but its spiritual reward depends on ethical restraint.

Action: Guard the tongue. Monitor inner commentary.

Who are the best of people?

Not those with the most public deeds. Not those with the loudest reputations.

The best are those whose tongues speak truth and whose hearts are free of corruption.

Ramadan invites us inward. It calls us to confront envy, resentment, arrogance, and hidden transgression. It asks us to polish the heart before presenting it to Allah.

We may never reach the rank of Abu Bakr. But we can purify what lives within us.

And that is where greatness begins.

1. What does perfectionism in Islam really mean?
Perfectionism in Islam is not flawlessness. It is striving for ihsan, excellence in sincerity and character, while recognizing human imperfection and seeking repentance.

2. How can I start overcoming shame in Islam?
Begin with sincere tawbah. Allah says, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah” (Qur’an 39:53). Shame should lead to repentance, not paralysis.

3. Why is envy so spiritually dangerous?
Envy destroys gratitude and sincerity. It consumes good deeds and corrodes relationships, weakening both spiritual and emotional resilience.

4. How does Islam address mental health?
Islam emphasizes heart purification, gratitude, discipline, and repentance. These align with psychological practices that enhance emotional regulation and resilience.

5. What is the connection between fasting and purification of the heart?
Fasting trains self-control, reduces impulsivity, and increases God-consciousness. It is designed to refine the internal state, not merely restrict food.