I looked in the mirror and saw my face. Oh, mine! The struggles of studies have taken away the radiance from my face, and it doesn’t look as good as it did a few years ago. Youthfulness is fading, and perhaps all I expect now is grey hair. Not lost in this quick sheepy thought, I said my mirror zikir, “اللهُمَّ كما حسَّنْتَ خلْقِي فحَسِّنْ خُلُقِي” (O Allah, just as You have beautified my appearance, beautify my character).

I once again realized the power of this dua! It is a dua with some positive psychological effects, and I have always prescribed it to people who have complained about their “not-too-good-lookingness.” It makes one appreciate what they have and not whine about what they don’t have control over.

It is said, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder?” Yes, maybe that is true to some extent, but beauty is indeed in the hands of the Creator, who created everything and perfected them according to His will. This is one lesson from that dua… we are just Allah’s creation, and to Him, we are all beautiful because He described Himself as “Who has perfected everything He created” (Sajdah 32:7).

ٱلَّذِیۤ أَحۡسَنَ كُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلۡقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِینࣲ

Who has perfected everything He created. And He originated the creation of humankind from clay.

If by human rating you think you lack what qualifies for beauty, then always remember that “And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others” (Nisa 4: 32). If you think someone’s big nose, wide eyes, light skin, etc., define beauty, then take these as what Allah blessed them with, say MashaaAllah, and don’t be jealous. Remember the fact is that you have got some things that such a person lacks!

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡا۟ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِیبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبُوا۟ۖ وَلِلنِّسَاۤءِ نَصِیبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ وَسۡـَٔلُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۤۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیمࣰا

And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others. Men will be rewarded according to their deeds and women ˹equally˺ according to theirs. Rather, ask Allah for His bounties. Surely Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.

But what should we all strive to beautify? Our character! In the dua, we seek Allah’s help for this, not the beauty of our face, fingers, and noses! Our character, our inner beauty should be our areas of competition and envy. As we seek Allah’s aid on this, then we should not forget to personally pay attention to it too. Just as we rub creams and lotions on our bodies, so should we rub compassion, respect, modesty, and other beautifiers onto our character.

O Allah! Beautify our character for us as You have beautified our creation.