Oleh-Oleh Writing Contest di PB

Honesty-a Stepping Stone of Character Building

Honesty. As we mention this word, we will remember many cases that happen in Indonesia—corruption. Honesty is very expensive, it may be scary, it may be just for good person. In this article, I will discuss “Honesty” and its relationship with character building.

Honesty is a word to describe attitude. It is the harmony of information and facts. In Islam, honest is shiddiq. Shiddiq comes from the word shidq which means truth or honest. Therefore, shiddiq means truth, born out statement with deed, and believe (Munawwir, 1984:823).

Honesty must be taught to people since they are children. Family is the main education for children. The child must be given model from parents to practice moral values, for example, being fair, honest, patient, and brave. More importantly, the interaction with family, friends, and neighbors must be kept.

Education from pre school until unversity gives contribution for building character. Education is the most responsible process for building powerful character to citizen. If the citizen has powerful character such as honest, positive, and hard to defeat, they can build civilized and fair culture. In contrast, the citizen that has weaker charactera can hit and damage a nation’s foundation.

Honesty can be applied from little thing, remember 3M principle first M, Mulai dari diri sendiri, second M, Mulai dari yang kecil-kecil, the last M, Mulai dari sekarang, or 3S, Start from ourselves, Start from little thing, and Start now. Honesty originates from habit, and it can build characters. We can practice on 3S in our life. As university student, we can practice it in examination time, do the examination by yourself and never being dishonest. From the little thing, characters can be formed. If we can be honest from the little thing, we can be honest for the big thing, too.

Honesty originates from one’s own, because someone has the “internal control”, which can manage self to do goodness. Someone has the opportunity to be dishonest as it can be caused by environment, condition or from morality. In hadith of Shahih Muslim, it is stated that

عن عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَإِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلىَ البِرِّ وَإِنَّ البرَّ يَهْدِيْ إِلىَ الجَنَّةِ وَمَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَصْدُقُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الصِّدْقَ حَتىَّ يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللهِ صِدِيْقاً وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ الكَذِبَ يَهِدِى إِلىَ الفُجُوْرِ وَإِنَّ الفُجُوْرَ يَهْدِي إِلىَ النَّارِ وَمَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَكْذِبُ وَيتَحَرَّى الكَذِبَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللهِ كذاباً  رواه مسلم .

Abdullah bin Mas’ud berkata: “Bersabda Rasulullah : Kalian harus jujur karena sesungguhnya jujur itu menunjukan kepada kebaikan dan kebaikan itu menunjukkan kepada jannah. Seseorang senantiasa jujur dan berusaha untuk jujur sehingga ditulis di sisi Allah sebagai orang yang jujur. Dan jauhilah oleh kalian dusta karena sesungguhnya dusta itu menunjukkan kepada keburukan dan keburukan itu menunjukkan kepada neraka. Seseorang senantiasa berdusta dan berusaha untuk berdusta sehingga ditulis disisi Allah sebagai seorang pendusta” (HR Muslim) Shohih Muslim hadits no : 6586

There are several ways to be honest and to keep believe from other people to us:

1.         Don’t expect for profit if you help or give anything to other people.

2.        Always keep believe from other people, if someone do not believe you, assured her/him.

3.        Always talk appropriately based on facts.

4.        Always think before doing anything.

Honesty is better although it is sometimes outraged. Remember if you tell a lie, someone never gives you the trust. If you know A, you must say A, not B or C.