Having good character is not a goal, but having good character is a process. What is the difference? Any time we mix our goals with our means, we become stagnant, which is the recipe for disaster. For example, building a mosque- is it a goal or a means? It is a means. What happens is that we think that our goal is to build a mosque, and once the mosque is built, then what? Nothing. We already achieved our goal, which leads us to become very stagnant. Is giving zakah a goal or a means? It is a means, because the goal is to eliminate poverty. Is fasting in Ramadan, in itself, a goal or a means? It is a means to transform us into better people. Performing salah- is that a goal or a means? It is a means so that we become more purified.
When we set anything as a means, it becomes a process, such as having good character. It’s a process because there is always room for improvement. It requires determination and patience for us to constantly work on our bettering our character.
