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Fatwa CenterDefinition of ‘man’ in sight of Allah
Question
Many people claim that I am a man, but in the sight of Allaah, what is the definition of a man, and what are his qualities? Who is a man, and who is not?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
The term ‘man’ in the general linguistic meaning is the adult male; Al-Mu’jam Al-Waseet, which is an Arabic language lexicon, reads, “Man: the adult male of the sons of Aadam (Adam).”
In the special meaning, it could mean the man who comprises the good qualities, so it places an emphasis in the description of manliness (the characteristics and qualities considered to be typical of men); as Allah says (what means): {Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.} [Quran 33:23]
Shaykh Abdul Kareem Al-Khateeb 
said in his book At-Tafseer Al-Qur’aani lil-Quraan:
“In the saying of Allah: {men} is an indication that they are people whose manhood has been perfected, and their humanity is proper for them... so they were truly men; there is nothing that is lacking in their humanity... Kufr (disbelief), Shirk (associating partners to Allah), hypocrisy, and the weakness of faith, all these are spiteful diseases that assassinate the humanity of the human being and make him lose the meaning of manliness in him… the man, the real man, is the one whose mind is emancipated from misguidance, whose soul has been purified from blemishes, and whose heart is free from deviation...”
Allah knows best.
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