Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah

May Allah Exalt his Mention

Written by: Abdurrahman al-Sheha

Translated by: Abdurrahmaan Murad

(Taken from Sheik Mahmoud Murad's book 'Common mistakes in Translation')

Abu Sufyan added, ’Caesar then asked for the letter of the Messenger of Allah and it was read. Its contents were:

"I begin with the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad, the slave of Allah, and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. I invite you to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah). Accept Islam and you will be safe; accept Islam and Allah will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the peasants (i.e. your nation). O people of the Scriptures!

Come to a word common between you and us, that we worship Allah, and that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as Gods besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)" [3.64]

Abu Sufyan added, ’When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine dignitaries surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what they said. So, we were ordered out of the court.’ ‘When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said to them, ”Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha's (i.e. the Prophet's) affair has gained power. This is the King of Bani Al-Asfar fearing him.”’

Abu Sufyan added: 'By Allah, I became surer and surer that his Deen would be victorious till I ended up accepting Islam.' (Bukhari #2782)

Place of Birth and Childhood:

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was born in the year 571 (according to the Gregorian calendar) in the tribe of Quraish [which was held noble by all Arabs] in Makkah [which was considered the religious capital of the Arabian Peninsula].

The Arabs would perform Hajj in Makkah, and circumambulate around the Ka'bah which was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismael, may Allah exalt their mention.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was an orphan. His father passed away before he was born, and his mother died when he was six years old. His grandfather, Abdul-Mutalib, took care of him, and when he died, his uncle, Abu Talib, took care of him. His tribe and the other tribes worshipped idols made from stone, wood and even gold. Some of these idols were placed around the Ka'bah.

People believed that these idols could ward off harm or extend benefit.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was a trustworthy and honest person. He never behaved treacherously, nor did he lie or cheat; he was known amongst his people as 'Al-Ameen', or 'The Trustworthy'. People would entrust him with their valuables when they wanted to travel.

He was also known as 'As-Sadiq' or 'The Truthful' for he never told a lie. He was well-mannered, well-spoken, and he loved to help people. His people loved and revered him and he had beautiful manners. Allah, the Exalted, says:

 “Indeed you are of a great moral character .“ [68:4]

Thomas Carlyle said in his book: 'Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History':

'But, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. His companions named him "Al Amin, The Faithful." A man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke and thought. They noted that he always meant something. A m an rather taciturn in speech; silent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the only sort of speech worth speaking! Through life we find him to have been regarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man. A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, cordial, companionable, jocose even - a good laugh in him withal: there are men whose laugh is as untrue as anything about them; who cannot laugh. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-meaning man! Full of wild faculty, fire and light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working out his life - takes in the depth of the Desert there.'

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, liked to seclude himself in the cave of Hira before he was commissioned as a prophet. He would stay there many nights at a time.

He, may Allah exalt his mention, did not practice falsehood; he did not drink any intoxicants, nor did he bow to a statue or idol, or take an oath by them or offer to them an offering. He was a shepherd over a flock of sheep which belonged to his people. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:

'Every prophet commissioned by Allah was a shepherd over a flock of sheep.' His companions asked him: 'Even you, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Yes, I would take care of a flock of sheep for the people of Makkah.' (Bukhari 2143)

When Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, turned forty, he received divine revelation; he was at the cave of Hira. The Mother of the believers, A'ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The first thing that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention, received, while in the Cave of Hira in Makkah, were good visions [dreams]. Every time he had a dream, it would come true and clear, like the split of the dawn. Later on, Allah’s Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention, began to love being alone in meditation. He spent lengthy periods for days and nights to fulfill this purpose in the Cave before returning back to his family. He would take a supply of food for his trip. When he came back to his wife Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, he would get a fresh supply of food and go back to the same Cave to continue his meditation.’

‘The Truth came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira. The Angel Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, came to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and commanded him to read.

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, replied, ”I cannot read!“ Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, embraced Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, until he could not breathe, and then let him go saying: ”O Muhammad! Read!“ Again, Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, replied: ”I cannot read!“ Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, embraced Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, for the second time. He then ordered him to read for the third time, when he did not he embraced him tightly until he could not breathe, and then let him go saying: ”O Muhammad! ?

Recite with the Name of Your Rubb! Who created,

Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed

blood: Proclaim! And your Rubb is Most Bountiful.? [96:1-3]

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, returned home trembling. He entered his home and told Khadeejah: “Cover me up, cover me up!“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, covered Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, until he felt better. He then informed her about what happened to him in the Cave of Hira. He said: ”I was concerned about myself and my wellbeing.“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, assured Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, saying: “By Allah! You don’t have to worry! Allah, the Exalted, will never humiliate you! You are good to your kith and kin. You help the poor and needy. You are generous and hospitable to your guests. You help people who are in need.“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, took her husband Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, to a cousin of hers named Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza. This man became a Christian during the Era of Ignorance. He was a scribe, who wrote the Scripture in Hebrew. He was an old man who became blind at the latter part of his life. Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, said to her cousin, ”O cousin, listen to what your nephew [i.e. Muhammad , may Allah exalt his mention, ] is about to tell you!“ Waraqah said: ”What is it you have seen, dear nephew?“ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, informed him of what he had seen in the Cave of Hira. Upon hearing his report, Waraqah said, ”By Allah! This is the Angel Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, who came to Prophet Musa, may Allah exalt his mention. I wish I would be alive when your people will drive you out of Makkah!“ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, wondered: ”Are they going to drive me out of Makkah?!“ Waraqah affirmed positively saying, ”Never has a man conveyed a Message similar to what you have been charged with, except that his people waged war against him - if I am to witness this, I will support you.” Waraqah lived only a short period after this incident and passed away. Revelation also stopped for a while.’ (Bukhari #3)

The chapter of the Qur'an quoted in the hadeeth above marks the beginning when he was commissioned as a Prophet. Allah, the Exalted, then revealed to him: ?O you (Muhammad (may Allah exalt his mention) enveloped (in garments); Arise and warn! And your Rubb (Allah) magnify And your garments purify [74:1-4]

This chapter of the Qur'an marks the beginning when he was commissioned as a Messenger. With the revelation of this chapter of the Qur'an the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, began calling his people to Islam openly. He began with his own people. Some of them refused adamantly to listen to him because he was calling them to a matter which they had not witnessed before.

The Deen of Islam is a complete way of life, which deals with religious, political, economical and social affairs. Furthermore, the Deen of Islam did not only call them to worship Allah alone, and to forsake all idols and things they worshipped; rather, it prohibited them from things they considered pleasurable, such as consuming interest and intoxicants, fornication, and gambling. It also called people to be just and fair with one another, and to know that there was no difference between them except through piety. How could the Quraish [the noblest tribe amongst Arabs] stand to be treated equally with the slaves!! They did not only adamantly refuse to accept Islam; rather, they harmed him and blamed him, saying that he was a crazy person, a sorcerer and a liar.

They blamed him with things they would not dare to have blamed him with before the advent of Islam. They incited the ignorant masses against him, and harmed him and tortured his companions. Abdullah b. Masood, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'While the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was standing up and praying near the Ka'bah, a group of Quraish were sitting in their sitting place, one of them said: 'Do you see this man? Would someone bring the dirt and filth and bloody intestines from the camels of so and so, and wait till he prostrates, and then place it between his shoulders? The most wretched amongst them volunteered to do it, and when the Prophet , may Allah exalt his mention, prostrated, he put the filth between his shoulders, so the Prophet , may Allah exalt his mention, stayed in prostration. They laughed so hard that they were about to fall on each other. Someone went to Fatimah, with whom Allah is pleased, who was a young girl, and informed her of what had happened.

She hurriedly came towards the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and removed the filth from his back, and then she turned around and she cursed the Quraishites who were sitting in that sitting. (Bukhari #498)

Muneeb al-Azdi said: 'I saw the Messenger of Allah in the Era of Ignorance saying to people:

'Say there is no god worthy of being worshipped except Allah if you would be successful.' There were those who spat in his face, and those who threw soil in his face, and those who swore at him until midday. Whenever a certain young girl came with a big container of water, and he would wash his face and hands and say: 'O daughter do not fear that your father will be humiliated or struck by poverty.' (Mu'jam al-Kabeer # 805)

Urwah b. az-Zubair said, 'I asked Abdullah b. Amr al-Aas to tell me of the worst thing the pagans did to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and he said: 'Uqbah b. Mu'ait approached the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, while he was praying near the Ka'bah, and he twisted his garment around his neck.

Abu Bakr, with whom Allah is pleased, hurriedly approached and grabbed Uqbah's shoulder and pushed him away saying: 'Do you kill a man because he proclaims Allah as his Rubb, and clear signs have come to you from your Rubb?' ' (Bukhari 3643)

These incidents did not stop the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, from giving Da'wah. He called the many tribes that came to Makkah for Hajj to Islam. A few believed from the people of Yathrib, which is known today as Madinah, and they pledged to support him and help him if he chose to go with them to Madinah. He sent with them Mus'ab b. Umair, with whom Allah is pleased, who taught them Islam. After all the hardships that the Muslims of Makkah faced from their own people, Allah allowed them to migrate from their city to Madinah. The people of Madinah greeted them and received them in a most extraordinary manner. Madinah became the Capital of the Islamic state, and the point from which the Da'wah was spread.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, settled there and taught people Qur'anic recitation and Islamic Jurisprudence. The inhabitants of Madinah were greatly moved and touched by the Prophet's manners. They loved him more than they loved their own selves; they would rush to serve him, and spend all they had in his path. The society was strong and its people were rich in terms of Iman (Faith) and they were extremely happy. People loved each other, and true brotherhood was apparent amongst its people. All people were equal; the rich, noble and poor, black and white, Arab and non-Arab - they were all considered as equals in the Deen of Allah, no distinction was made among them except through piety. After the Quraish learnt of the Prophet's Da'wah and that it had spread, they fought with the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, in the first battle in Islam, the Battle of Badr. This battle took place between two groups which were unequal in preparations and weapons. The Muslims were 314; whereas, the pagans were 1000 strong.

Allah gave victory to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and the Companions. After this battle, many battles took place between the Muslims and the pagans. After eight years the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was able to prepare an army 10,000 strong. They headed towards Makkah and conquered it, and with this he defeated his people, who had harmed him and tortured his Companions in every way.

They had even been forced to leave their property and wealth behind and flee for their lives. He decisively defeated them, and this year was called 'The Year of the Conquest.' Allah, the Exalted, says:

“When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, and you see the people entering into the Deen of Allah in multitudes, then exalt him with praise of your Rubb and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever accepting of repentance”. [110:1-3]

He then gathered the people of Makkah and said to them:

'What do you think I will do to you?' They answered:

'You will only do something favorable; you are a kind and generous brother, and a kind and generous nephew!' The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said: 'Go - you are free to do as you wish.' (Baihaqi #18055)

This was one of the main reasons why many of them accepted Islam. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, then returned to Madinah. After a period of time, the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, meant to perform Hajj, so he headed towards Makkah with 114,000 Companions and performed Hajj. This Hajj is known as 'Haj'jatul-Wa'daa' or the 'Farewell Pilgrimage' since the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, never performed another Hajj, and died shortly after he performed it.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, died in Madinah on the 12th day of Rabi ath-thani in the 11th year of Hijrah. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was buried in Madinah as well. The Muslims were shocked when they learnt of his death; some Companions did not believe it! Umar, with whom Allah is pleased, said: 'Whoever says that Muhammad is dead, I will behead him!' Abu Bakr, with whom Allah is pleased, then gave a speech, and read the words of Allah:

“Muhammad is not but a Messenger. Other messengers have passed away before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels to unbelief? And He who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful”. [3:144]

When Umar, with whom Allah is pleased, heard this verse he stopped saying what he was saying, since he was very keen on applying the rules of Allah. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was 63 years old.

He stayed in Makkah for forty years, before being commissioned as a prophet. After being commissioned as a Prophet; he lived there for another 13 years in which he called people to Tawheed (true monotheism). He then migrated to Madinah, and stayed there for ten years. He continuously received the revelation there, until the Qur'an and the Deen of Islam were complete.

George Bernard Shaw said: ‘I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to possess that assimilating capability to the changing phases of existence which make itself appeal to every age - I have prophesized about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.

Medieval ecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry, painted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors. They were, in fact, trained to hate both the man Muhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammad was an anti-Christ. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of humanity - ’1 1 Encyclopedia of Seerah, for Afzalur Rahman.

The Description of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention:

Hind the daughter of Abu Haalah at-Tamimi, with whom Allah is pleased, described the Prophet of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, with the following description: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, was a sensational man, who was honored by all who saw him. His face glowed like the full moon. He was of moderate height, not too tall and not too short. He had a large head and his hair was wavy. He would part his hair if it got long, otherwise, his hair did not exceed the lobes of his ears under normal circumstances. He was a healthy pink. His forehead was wide. His eyebrows were naturally groomed, and were not joined. There was a vein between his eyebrows that swelled in case of anger. His nose was straight and had a special glow. The bridge of his nose was slightly high. He, may Allah exalt his mention, had a thick beard with soft cheeks. His mouth was slightly large. He had moustaches. His teeth had gaps in between. His neck was [pretty] like that of a doll, and it was silvery white. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was moderately built and very strong. His belly and chest were on the same level.

His chest and shoulders were wide. His body joints were big. His skin was white. He had hair from the end of his breastbone to his navel. There was no hair on his breasts, but his arms and shoulders were hairy. His forearms were large and his palms were wide. Both his hands and feet were short, and his fingers were of moderate length. His feet were flat and smooth; due to the smoothness of his feet water would not settle on them. He walked in strides and in a graceful manner; he would lift his feet, and not drag them. Whenever he, may Allah exalt his mention, turned he would turn with his entire body [as opposed to turning his neck and head only]. He lowered his gaze at all times. He looked down to earth more often than he looked up to the heaven. He often glimpsed at things [as opposed to staring at things]. He offered the greetings to others before they offered it to him.’

Someone asked: 'Describe his manner of speech.'

Hind said: 'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, appeared sad most of the time, and would be in deep thought. He would never rest completely, and he did not speak unless he needed to. Whenever he spoke he would start and complete his statements with the name of Allah.

He spoke clearly and uttered meaningful, precise and accurate statements only. His statements were very decisive; no one could distort his words. He was extremely kind and caring. He never insulted others. He was grateful for every blessing Allah bestowed on him, no matter how minute it seemed; he never belittled anything. He did not criticize any food he tasted, nor did he praise it. He was never upset for worldly affairs. If a person was wronged he would become very angry. His anger would not subside until the person's right was given to him. He would not become angry if he was wronged, nor would he avenge himself.

When he pointed, he pointed with his entire hand; when he was surprised he would flip his hand.

When the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, talked he would tap his right palm using his left thumb. When he was angry he would turn his face away, and when he was pleased and happy he would lower his gaze. Most of his laughter was done by smiling. Whenever he smiled, his teeth appeared like pearls of hale.'

Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I did not inform al-Husain about this (description of the Prophet) for a period of time, but he had already asked his father (Ali, may Allah be pleased with him) about these details. Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I asked my father about how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, entered upon his family, and left them and about his manners in general.’ Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I asked my father how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, spent his time in his house, and how he divided his time.' He replied: 'He divided his time into three portions; one portion for the sake of Allah, the other for his family, and the third he divided between himself and people. He did not conceal any advice or guidance from any of them.

He would spend the portion he allotted for his Ummah by attending to the needs of people according to their religious status and needs. He would busy these people by teaching them that which would benefit them and their Ummah, and by informing them of what they needed. He would say to them: ‘Let those who are present convey (what they have learned) to those who are absent, and inform me of the needs of those who cannot attend our sitting, for : 'Whoever informs the ruler of a person's plight, Allah would affirm him on the bridge on the Day of Resurrection.'

Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, further said, ‘I asked my father about the manners of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, while he was outside his home?’ He said, ‘He safeguarded his tongue [from idle talk] and gave sincere counseling and talked with beneficial speech by which he would be able to gather and unite people. He honored the generous, kind and noble person amongst each people, and he would charge them with the affairs of their people. He warned people against evils and guarded himself against them as well, though he never frowned in the face of any person. He asked about people's situation and ordered with the good and forbade evil. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was moderate in all his affairs. He never wasted an opportunity to remind his companions and give them sincere counseling. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was prepared for every case, and would uphold the truth and was not heedless. The people who sat nearest to him were the best among people. The best Companion was him who offered the best advice. The Companion highest in rank was the one who supported and helped him in the best manner.

Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I asked my father how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, behaved in his sittings, and he said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, never got up or sat down without mentioning the name of Allah. He forbade designating a certain spot to a person so that he would consider it as his own. He sat wherever he found a spot. He also ordered others to do the same, when they entered a sitting. He divided his time equally and justly among his Companions who sat with him. The one who sat with the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would think that he was the most important and beloved individual to him. If a person came asking him for a certain need, he would not rush him, rather he would allow the person to complete his request and leave at his own accord. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would not return one who asked empty-handed; he would even say nice words to him if he was not able to fulfill his request. He had an open heart and an open mind.

He was considered like a kind and caring father to everyone; all people were to him equal. His sittings were sittings of knowledge, perseverance, patience, modesty, and trust. No one would raise his voice in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention. No one talked evil about another in his presence either. Those in the sitting treated each other in a humble manner, and they respected the elderly and were merciful to the young and they respected the stranger.'

Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I asked my father about the Prophet’s attitude with people in his meetings and sittings, and he said to me: ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, was constantly cheerful. He was extremely kind and caring. He was never rough. He never raised his voice in public or used foul language. He never talked ill of anyone or gossiped. He never adulated anyone. He never disappointed anyone. He avoided three things; argumentation, talking too much and interfering in what is of no importance to him. He also avoided three other things; he never talked ill of anyone, he never mocked anyone and he never spoke of anyone's fault in front of others, nor did he criticize anyone. He spoke only about things that he hoped to be rewarded for. Whenever he spoke his Companions looked at the ground [out of respect and attention] it was as if birds landed on their heads. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, stopped talking, his Companions talked. They never differed in front of him. Whenever one of his Companions talked, the rest would attentively listen until he completed his statement. Only leading Companions talked in the presence of the

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, demonstrated extreme patience when he

listened to a stranger with a difficult accent or

dialect. He would not ask the speaker any

question until he completed his statement. In fact,

the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, directed his Companions to assist the

person who sought his help. He never interrupted

a speaker until the speaker completed his

statement and stopped at his own accord or if the

person got up to leave.’ (Baihaqi)

Some of the Prophet's Manners & Characteristics:

1. Sound Intellect: The Messenger, may Allah exalt his

mention, had an excellent, complete and sound intellect. No

man has ever had an intellect as complete and perfect as his.

Qadhi Iyaadh, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

'This becomes clear to an individual when the researcher

reads the Prophet's biography and understands his state

of affairs, and his meaningful and inclusive utterances and

traditions, his good manners, ethics and moral character,

his knowledge of the Torah and Gospel and other Divine

Scriptures, and his knowledge of statements of the wise,

and knowledge of bygone nations, and ability to strike

examples and implement policies and correct emotional

manners. He was an example and paradigm to which his

people related to in all branches of knowledge; acts of

worship, medicine, laws of inheritance, lineage, and other

matters as well. He knew and learned all of this without

reading or examining the Scriptures of those before us,

nor did he sit with their scholars. The Prophet had no

formal schooling, and was without knowledge of the

above before being commissioned as a Prophet, nor could

he read or write. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, was wise to the fullest extent of his mental

capacity. Allah, the Exalted, informed him of some of

what had taken place (in the past) and of that which

would take place in the future. This is a sign that the

Dominion belongs to Allah, and that He is capable over all

things.'2

2. Doing Things for the Sake of Allah: The Prophet, may

Allah exalt his mention, would always do deeds through

which he would seek the pleasure of Allah. He was harmed

and abused when he invited and called people to Islam; yet

he was patient and endured all of this, and hoped for the

reward of Allah. Abdullah b. Masood, with whom Allah is

pleased, said:

'It is as though I am looking at the Prophet, may Allah

exalt his mention, talking about a Prophet who was

hurt by his people. He wiped the blood from his face

and said: 'O Allah! Forgive my people, for they know

not!' (Bukhari #3290)

Jundub b. Sufyaan, with whom Allah is pleased, said that

the Messenger's finger bled during one of the battles, and he

said:

'You are but a finger which has bled; which suffers in

the path of Allah.' (Bukhari #2648)

3. Sincerity: The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,

was sincere and honest in all his matters, as Allah had

ordered him. Allah, the Exalted, said:

?Say, 'Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living

and my dying are for Allah, Rubb of the worlds. No

partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I

am the first (among you) of the Muslims.? [6:162-163]

2 Qadhi Eiyadh, ‘Al-Shifa bita’reefi Hoquooqil-Mostafa’,

4. Good Morals, Ethics and Companionship: The narrator

said,

"I asked A'ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, to inform

me of the Prophet's manners, and she said: 'His manners

were the Qur'an'"

This means that the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,

abided by its laws and commands and abstained from its

prohibitions. He would observe the virtuous deeds

mentioned in it. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,

said:

'Allah has sent me to perfect good manners and to do

good deeds.' (Bukhari & Ahmed)

Allah, the Exalted, described the Prophet, may Allah exalt

his mention, saying:

?And indeed, you are of a great moral character ? [68:4]

Anas b. Malik, with whom Allah is pleased, who was the

servant of the Prophet , may Allah exalt his mention, for

ten years; day in and day out, during the Prophet's travels

and when he was a resident in Madinah. Throughout this

period of time, he knew of the Prophet's manners. He said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, did not swear

at anyone, nor was he rude, nor did he curse anyone.

When he blamed anyone he would say: 'What is wrong

with him, may dust be cast in his face.' (Bukhari #5684)

5. Politeness and Good Manners: Sahl b. Sa'd, with whom

Allah is pleased, reported:

"A drink was brought to the Prophet, may Allah exalt

his mention, and he drank from it. On his right side there

was a young boy and on his left side were elderly men. He

asked the young boy: 'Do you mind if I give the drink to

them?' The young boy said: 'O Prophet of Allah! By

Allah! I would not prefer anyone to drink from the place

you drank. This is my fair share [due to sitting to your

right].’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, handed the boy the drink." (Bukhari #2319)

6. Love for Reformation and Reconciliation: Sahl b. Sa'd,

with whom Allah is pleased, said that the people of Qubaa'

fought amongst themselves and threw rocks at each other.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:

'Let us go to resolve the situation and make peace

between them.' (Bukhari #2547)

7. Ordering with the good and forbidding evil: Abdullah b.

Abbas, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

saw a man wearing a gold ring, so he reached for it,

removed it and threw it. He then said:

'Would one of you seek a burning charcoal and place it

on his hand?!'

The man was later told, after the Prophet, may Allah

exalt his mention, left: 'Take your ring! Make good use of

it [by selling it].' The man said: 'No, by Allah! I will never

take it after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, threw it away.' (Muslim #2090)

8. Love of Purification: Muhaajir b. Qunfudth, with whom

Allah is pleased, reported that he passed by the Prophet ,

may Allah exalt his mention, while he was urinating; he

greeted him with Salaam, but the Prophet, may Allah exalt

his mention, did not return the greeting until he made

wudhu and apologized saying:

'I disliked that I should mention Allah's name while I

am not in a state of purity.' (Ibn Khuzaimah #206)

9. Safeguarding and Minding One's Language: Abdullah b.

Abi O'faa, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, would

busy himself with the remembrance of Allah; he would not

talk in vain. He would lengthen his prayers and shorten the

speech, and he would not hesitate to help and take care of the

needs of a needy, poor or widow. (Ibn Hib'ban #6423)

10. Excelling in Acts of Worship: A'ishah, with whom is

Allah is pleased, said that the Prophet of Allah, may Allah

exalt his mention, used to pray during the night until his

feet would swell.

A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: 'Why do

you do this, O Messenger of Allah, and Allah has forgiven

your past and future sins?' The Prophet, may Allah exalt

his mention, said: 'Shall I not be a grateful slave?'

(Bukhari #4557)

11. Forbearance and Kindness: Abu Hurairah, with whom

Allah is pleased, said At-Tufail b. Amr ad-Dawsi and his

companions came to meet the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention.

They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, the tribe of Daws, has

refused to accept Islam, so supplicate Allah against them.

It was said: ‘the tribe of Daws is doomed and destroyed!’

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, raised his

hands and said: 'O Allah guide the tribe of Daws and

bring them!'

12. Good Appearance: Al-Baraa' b. Aazib, with whom Allah

is pleased, said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was a

person of average height. His shoulders were wide. His

hair reached his earlobes. Once I saw him adorned in a

red garment; I never saw anything more beautiful than

him.' (Bukhari #2358)

13. Asceticism in Worldly Affairs: Abdullah b. Masood, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

went to sleep on a mat. He got up and he had marks on

his side due to the mat that he had slept on. We said: 'O

Messenger of Allah, shall we not make bedding for

you?' He said: 'What do I have to do with this world? I

am only like a wayfarer who rides a beast that stopped

to take shade and rest under a tree, and then leaves it

behind and continues on the journey.' (Tirmidthi #2377)

Amr' b. al-Haarith, with whom Allah is pleased, said the

Messenger of Allah , may Allah exalt his mention, did

not leave a Dirham or Dinar, or slave male or female after

his death. He only left behind his white mule, his

weapons and a piece of land which he declared as Sadaqah

(charity).' (Bukhari #2588)

14. Altruism: Sahl b. Sa'd, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'A woman gave the Messenger of Allah, may Allah

exalt his mention, a Burdah (gown). The Prophet, may

Allah exalt his mention, asked his Companions: 'Do

you know what a Burdah is?' They replied, 'Yes, O

Prophet of Allah! It is a piece of woven cloth [similar to

a shawl]. The woman said: 'O Prophet of Allah! I have

woven this shawl with my own hands, for you to wear.'

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

took it while he direly needed it. After a while, the

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

came out of his home wearing it, and a Companion said

to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, : 'O Prophet of Allah! Grant me this shawl to

wear!' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, said: 'Yes.' He thereafter sat for awhile, and

headed back home, folded it and gave it to the person

who asked for it. The Companions, with whom Allah is

pleased, scolded him saying: 'It was not appropriate for

you to ask for his shawl; especially since you know he

would not turn anyone down, or send them away

empty-handed! The man said: 'By Allah! I only asked

him to give it to me because I want to be shrouded in

this shawl when I die.' Sahl, the narrator of the Hadeeth,

with whom Allah is pleased, said: 'The shawl was used

as a shroud for that man when he died.' (Bukhari #1987)

15. Strong Faith and Dependence on Allah: Abu Bakr, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

‘I looked at the feet of the pagans while we were in the

cave [of Thawr]. I said, ‘'O Prophet of Allah! If anyone

of them looks down at his feet he would see us!’ The

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, said:

‘O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two with whom

Allah, the Exalted, is their Third?’ (Muslim #1854)

16. Kindness and Compassion: Abu Qatadah, with whom

Allah is pleased, said:

'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

performed Salah (prayer) while he was carrying a young

girl named Umaamah, daughter of Abul-Aas. When he

bowed, he put her on the ground, and when he stood up,

he would carry her again.' (Bukhari #5650)

17. Simplification and Ease: Anas, with whom Allah is

pleased, said that the Messenger of Allah , may Allah exalt

his mention, said:

'I start the prayer with the intention of lengthening it,

but when I hear a child crying, I shorten the prayer as I

know the mother of that child would suffer from his

screams!’ (Bukhari #677)

18. Fearing Allah, being Mindful to not trespass His Limits

and Devotion: Abu Hurairah, with whom Allah is pleased,

said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, said:

‘Sometimes, when I return to my family, I would find a

date-fruit on the bed. I would pick it up to eat it; but I

would fear that it was from the charity, and thus, throw

it back [on the ground].’ (Bukhari #2300)

19. Expending Generously: Anas bin Malik, with whom

Allah is pleased, said:

'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

was never asked for something when someone accepted

Islam, except that he granted that person what he asked.

A man came to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, and he gave him a herd of sheep that was

grazing between two mountains. The man returned to

his people and said: 'O my people accept Islam!

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, gives out

generously like one who does not fear poverty.' (Muslim

#2312)

20. Cooperation: A’ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, was

once asked about how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, behaved with his family. She said:

'He helped and assisted his family members with their

chores; but when the call to prayer was heard, he would

leave to attend the prayers.'

Al-Baraa bin ‘Azib, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

‘I saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, on the Day of the Trench carrying dirt [that

was dug from the trench] until the dirt covered his chest.

He was quite hairy. I heard him saying a few lines of

Abdullah b. Rawaahah's poetry: 'O Allah! Had it not

been for You, We would have never been guided, nor

offered prayers or give in charity. O Allah! Let

tranquility descend upon us, and make us firm when we

meet our enemies. Verily they have transgressed against

us! And if they wish for an affliction we reject and

refuse it! He, may Allah exalt his mention, raised his

voice while saying these lines of poetry.' (Bukhari #2780)

21. Truthfulness: A'ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The trait and characteristic which the Prophet, may

Allah exalt his mention, hated most was lying. A man

would tell a lie in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah

exalt his mention, and he would hold it against him,

until he knew that he repented.' (Tirmidthi 1973)

Even his enemies attested to his truthfulness. Abu Jahl, who

was one of the harshest enemies, said: ‘O Muhammad! I do

not say that you are a liar! I only deny what you brought and

what you call people to.’ Allah, the Exalted, says:

?We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves

you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust

deny the verses of Allah.? [6:33]

22. Aggrandizing the limits and boundaries of Allah:

A'ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was not

given a choice between two matters, except that he chose

the easier of the two, as long as it was not a sinful act. If

that act was a sinfu l act, he would be the farthest from it.

By Allah! He never avenged himself. He only became

angry when people transgressed the limits and

boundaries of Allah; in that case he avenged.' (Bukhari

#6404)

23. Pleasant Facial Expression: Abdullah bin al-Harith, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

‘I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention.'

(Tirmidthi #2641)

24. Honesty and Loyalty: The Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, was well-known for his honesty. The pagans of

Makkah -who were openly hostile towards him- would leave

their trust-items with him. His honesty and loyalty was tested

when the pagans of Makkah abused him and tortured his

companions and drove them out of their homes. He ordered

his nephew, Ali b. Abi Talib, with whom Allah is pleased, to

postpone his migration for three days to return to people their

trust-items.3

Another example of his honesty and loyalty is

demonstrated in the Truce of Hudaibiyah, wherein he agreed

to the article in the treaty which stated that any man who left

the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would not be

returned to him, and any man who left Makkah would be

returned to them. Before the treaty was concluded a man

named Abu Jandal b. Amr had managed to escape from the

3 Ibn Hisham’s Biography, Vol. 1, p.493 [Arabic Edition].

pagans of Makkah and rushed to join Muhammad, may Allah

exalt his mention. The pagans asked Muhammad to honor his

pledge and return the escapee. The Messenger of Allah, may

Allah exalt his mention, said:

'O Abu Jandal! Be patient and ask Allah to grant you

patience. Allah will surely help you and those who are

persecuted and make it easy for you. We have signed an

agreement with them, and we certainly do not betray or

act treacherously.' (Baihaquee #18611)

25. Bravery and courage: Ali, with whom Allah is pleased,

said:

‘You should have seen me on the Day of Badr! We

sought refuge with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah

exalt his mention. He was the closest among of us to

the enemy. On that Day, the Messenger of Allah, may

Allah exalt his mention, was the strongest one among

us.’ (Ahmed #654)

As for his courage and bravery under normal circumstances

- Anas b. Malik, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

was the best of people and the most courageous. One

night, the people of Madinah were frightened and

headed towards the sounds they heard during the night.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

met them while coming back from the place of the

sound, after he made sure that there was no trouble. He

was riding a horse that belonged to Abu Talhah, with

whom Allah is pleased, without any saddle, and he had

his sword with him. He was assuring the people, saying:

'Do not be frightened! Do not be frightened!’

Anas, with whom Allah is pleased, further said: ‘Verily,

we found the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his

mention, to be like an ocean.’ (Bukhari #2751)

He met up with people riding a horse with no saddle, and

he carried his sword, for there might be a reason or need to

use it. He did not wait for others to check out the source of

trouble; as is done in these situations.

In the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah

exalt his mention, consulted his Companions. They advised

him to fight, while he himself did not see the need to fight.

However, he took their advice. The Companions, upon

learning the Prophet’s feelings regretted what they had done.

The Ansaris said to him, 'O Prophet of Allah! Do as you

please.’ But, he replied:

‘It does not befit a Prophet who has worn his war attire

to remove it until he fights.' (Ahmed #14829)

26. Generosity and Hospitality: Ibn Ab'bas, with whom Allah

is pleased, said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was the

most generous of people. He was most generous during

Ramadhan when he met Jibreel, may Allah render him

safe from every derogatory thing; he would meet him

every night during Ramadhan to practice and review the

Qur'an with him. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah

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exalt his mention, was so generous, that he was faster

than the swiftest wind in this regard. (Bukhari #6)

Abu Dharr, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'I was walking with the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, in the Har'rah (volcanic region) of Madinah

and we faced the mount of Uhud; the Prophet, may

Allah exalt his mention, said: 'O Abu Dharr!' I said:

'Here I am O Messenger of Allah!' He said: 'It would not

please me to have an amount of gold equal to the weight

of Mount Uhud, until I expend and give out (in the sake

of Allah) within a night or within three n ights. I would

keep a Dinar of it to help those who are in debt. (Bukhari

#2312)

Jabir b. Abdullah, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, did not

refuse to give anything which he had, to someone if he

asked for it.' (Bukhari #5687)

27. Bashfulness and Modesty: Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was more

modest and bashful than a virgin who hides in the

women's quarter of the tent. If he hated or disliked

something, we could sense it from his facial

expressions.' (Bukhari #5751)

28. Humbleness: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt

his mention, was the most humble person. He was so

humble that if a stranger were to enter the Masjid and

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approach the Prophet's sitting place and he was sitting with

his Companions one would not be able to distinguish him

from his Companions.

Anas bin Malik, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'Once, while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ,

may Allah exalt his mention, in the Masjid, a man on

his camel came in, after he tied it with a rope, he asked:

'Who of you is Muhammad?' The Messenger of Allah,

may Allah exalt his mention, was sitting on the ground

while he was leaning, with his Companions. We directed

the Bedouin, saying: 'This white man, who is leaning on

the ground.' The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention,

did not differ nor distinguish himself from his

Companions.

The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would not

hesitate to help the poor, needy and widows in their needs.

Anas b. Malik, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'A woman from the people of Madinah who was

partially insane said to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, : 'I have to ask you about something.' He

helped her and took care of her needs.' (Bukhari #670)

29. Mercy and Compassion: Abu Masood al-Ansari, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

'A man came to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his

mention, and said: "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah! I do

not pray Fajr prayer because so and so lengthens the

prayer." He said: 'I have never seen the Messenger of

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Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, deliver a speech in

such an angry state. He said:

'O People! Verily there are among you those who chase

people away! If you lead people in prayer, shorten the

prayer. There are old and weak people and those with

special needs behind you in prayer.' (Bukhari #670)

Osama bin Zaid, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

‘We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, may

Allah exalt his mention. One of his daughters sent a

person calling him to visit her and see her son, who was

on his deathbed. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah

exalt his mention, told the person to tell her: 'Truly to

Allah belongs what He took, and He has given

everything a set time. Command her to be patient and to

seek the reward of Allah, the Exalted.' His daughter,

with whom Allah is pleased, sent the same person back

again saying: 'O Prophet of Allah! Your daughter took

an oath that you should come.’ The Messenger of Allah,

may Allah exalt his mention, got up, and Sa'd bin

Ubaadah and Mu’adth bin Jabal accompanied him. The

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, sat

with the child while he was on his deathbed. The child’s

eyes froze in their places like stones. Upon seeing that,

the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

wept. Sa'd said to him, ‘What is this 'O Prophet of

Allah?’ He said: ‘This is a mercy that Allah, the Exalted,

places in the hearts of His slaves. Truly, Allah is

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merciful to those who are merciful towards others.’

(Bukhari #6942)

30. Perseverance and Forgiveness: Anas bin Malik, with

whom Allah is pleased, said:

‘Once, I was walking with the Messenger of Allah, may

Allah exalt his mention, while he was wearing a

Yemeni cloak with a collar with rough edges. A Bedouin

grabbed him strongly. I looked at the side of his neck

and saw that the edge of the cloak left a mark on his

neck. The Bedouin said, ‘Oh Muhammad! Give me

[some] of the wealth of Allah that you have.’ The

Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention,

turned to the Bedouin, laughed and ordered that he be

given [some money].’ (Bukhari #2980)