Description of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

8/7/2019 Description of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

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DESCRIPTION

OF PROPHET

MUHAMMAD (PBUH)


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Te ollowing is an excerpt rom the book entitled Te Mes-

sage o Mohammad, by Athar Husain. Among other things, it talks

about some o the personal characteristics o the prophet Mohammed

(Peace Be Upon Him), the nal messenger o Allah (God). It has been

edited slightly in order to reduce its length. Care has been taken notto change the content inshallah. Te topics include:


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4 Appearance

8 Dress

10 His speech

13 Mode o living

16 His manners and disposition

24 His aection

25 Daily routine

27 rust in Allah

31 Justice

34 Equality

36 Kindness to animals

38 Love or the poor


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Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam was o a medium stature,

neither tall nor was he short. In complexion, he was neither very white

like lime, nor very dark, nor brown which results in darkness (he was

illuminant, more luminous than even the ull moon on the 14th night).

His hair was neithcr vcry curly nor very straight, but had a slight wave

in it. He did not have a big body nor a round ace, but his mubaarak

ace was slightly round (meaning lie did not have a ully round ace nora ully elongated ace, but in between the two) and his orehead was

wide and prominent. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam had a very

luminous complexion (colour), white with redness in it. Te mubaarak

eyes o Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam were extremely black.

His eye lashes were long. All the parts o his mubaarak body were o a

moderate size, and uliy eshed. His body was proportionately jointed.

His mubaarak chest and stomach were in line, but his chest was broad

and wide. Te joints o the body (e.g. elbows and knees etc.) were large,

likewise the portion between the two shoulders was broad and ully

eshed. Both sides, the shoulders and the upper portion o the chest

had hair. He had a thin line o hair running rom the chest to the navel.His hands and eet were ully eshed. He had broad shoulders and the

His Appearance


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Seal o Prophethood was situated between his shoulders. He was the

last o all prophets. His mubaarak hair was slightly twisted. I his hair

became parted naturally in the middle he let it so, otherwise he did not

habitually make an eort to part his hair in the middle. When his hairwas abundant, it use to passover his ear-lobes. Baraa bin Aazib Radiyal-

lahu Anhu reports: I have never seen someone with long hair and in

red clothing more handsome than Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasal-

lam. His hair reached his shoulders.He had dense and ne hair on his

eye brows. Both eye brows were separate and did not meet each other

in the middle. Tere was a vein between them which used to expand

when he became angry. His nose was prominent and had a nur and

lustre on it. When one rst looked at him, it seemed as i he had a large

nose, but looking at it careully showed that the lustre and beauty made

it look large, otherwise in itsel the nose was not large. His mubaarak

beard was ull and dense and at the time o his death, he had seventeen

gray hairs in it. Te pupil of his eye was black. His cheeks were smooth

and ull o esh and he had a pleasant smile. Te mubaarak mouth o

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam was moderately wide. (He did

not have a small mouth). His mubaarak teeth were thin and bright. Te

ront teeth had a slight space between them.

He was air o complexion and altogether was so handsome that

Abu Bakr composed this couplet on him:

as there is no darkness in the moonlit night so is Mustaa,

the well-wisher, bright.


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When he walked, he lited his legs with vigour, leaned slightly

orward and placed his eet sotly on the ground. He walked at a quick

pace and took a rather long step. He did not take small steps. His gait

was rm and he walked so ast that others ound it difcult to keep pacewith him. When he walked it seemed as i he was descending rom a

high place. When he looked at something, he turned his whole body

towards it. He always looked down. His mubaarak slght was ocussed

more to the ground than towards the sky. (A question may arise here

that it is reported in Abu Daawud that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi

Wasallam usually looked towards the sky. Both are reconciled thus:

His mubaarak habit was to look down towards the ground, but he also

waited or the wahi (revelation), thereore while waiting he oten looked

towards the sky. Otherwise he usually looked down on the ground.

His ace was genial but at times, when he was deep in thought,

there there were long periods o silence, yet he always kept himsel busy

with something. He did not speak unnecessarily and what he said was

always to the point and without any padding. At times he would make

his meaning clear by slowly repeating what he had said. His laugh was

mostly a smile. He kept his eelings under rm control - when annoyed,

he would turn aside or keep silent, when pleased he would lower hiseyes.

His shari habit was to look at something with a light eye, i.e. he

looked at a thing with modesty and bashulness, hence he did not stare

at anything. While walking he asked the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu An-

hum) to walk in ront, and he himsel walked behind. He made salaam(greeted) rst to whomsoever he met.


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His dress generally consisted o a shirt, tamad (trousers), a sheet

thrown round the sholders and a turban. On rare occasions, he would

put on costly robes presented to him by oreign emissaries in the later

part o his lie (Ahmed, Musnad, Haz Bin Qaiyyam).

His blanket had several patches (irmizi). He had very ew spare

clothes, but he kept them spotlessy clean (Bukhari). He wanted others

also to put on simple but clean clothes. Once he saw a person putting

on dirty clothes and remarked,

Why cant this man wash them. (Abu Dawud, Chapter

Dress).

On another occasion he enquired o a person in dirty clotheswhether he had any income. Upon getting a reply in the afrmative, he

observed,

When Allah has blessed you with His bounty, your ap-

pearence should reect it. (Abu Dawud)

He used to observe: Cleanliness is piety.

His Dress


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Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu Anhu says:

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam was so clean, clear,

beautiul and handsome, as though his body was covered and

moulded in silver. His mubaarak hair was slightly curled.

When Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam put on a new gar-

ment, he would in happiness mention that garment's name. For ex-

ample, 'Allah a'aala gave me this qamis (gowb, kurtah), 'amaamah

(turban) sheet, etc. Ten recited this du'aa:

'Oh Allah, all praise and thanks to You or clothing me with

this (garment). I ask You or the good o it and the good o

what it was made or, and I ask Your protection rom the evilo it and the evil o what it was made or'.

Ibn Abbaas Radiyallahu Anhu says that Rasulullah Sallallahu

Alayhi Wasallam used to say:

Choose white clothing, as it is the best clothing. White cloth-

ing should be worn whilst living, and the dead should be bur-

ied in white.

In another haadis he said :

Wear white clothing because it is more taahir (paak) and

clean, and also clothe your dead in it.


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His SpeechTe speech o Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam was not

quick and continuous. He used to speak clearly, word or word and

sometimes repeated a word as was necessary thrice, so that his listeners

understood well what he was saying. A person sitting in his companyused to remember what he said. He always spoke clearly rom begin-

ning to end. (He did not speak in a manner where only hal sentences

are spoken and the other hal remained in the mind o the speaker).

He spoke concisely, where the words are less and meaning more. Every

word was clearer than the previous one. Tere was no nonsensical talk,

nor was there hal-talks where the meaning was not complete and could

not be grasped. He was not short-tempered, nor did he disgrace anyone.

He always greatly appreciated the blessings o Allah even though it

might be very minute, he did not criticize it. He did not criticize ood,

nor over-praised it.

He was never angered or anything materialistic. I someone ex-

ceeded the limits in religious matters or against the truth, he became

so angry that no one could endure it, nor could anybody stop it till he

avenged it. I or some reason he made a gesture or pointed at some-

thing, he did it with a ull hand. When he was surprised by something

he turned his hand, and when he spoke sometimes while talking, hemoved his hands, he sometimes hit the palm o his right hand with the


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inside part o his let thumb. When he became angry with someone, he

turned his ace away rom that person, and did not pay attention to that

person, or he orgave that person. When he was happy due to humility

it seemed as i he had closed his eyes. Te laugh o Rasulullah allallahuAlayhi Wasallam was mostly a smile, at that moment his mubaarak

ront teeth glittered like white shining hailstone.

Abdullah bin Haarith Radiyallahu Anhu reports:

I did not see anyone who smiled more than Rasulullah Sal-

lallahu Alayhi Wasallam.

Sometimes he used to make jokes, his jokes were kind and elegant

and he always considered the dignity o people. Even in his jokes he

used to tell nothing but the truth. Once the Sahaabah asked:

O Messenger o Allah, you joke with us?

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied:

Yes, I do not say but the truth.

Anas bin Maalik Radiyallahu Anhu relates that a person requested

rom Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam that he be given a con-

veyance. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: A child o a

camel shall be given to you.

Te person said: What shall I do with a child o a camel O

Messenger o Allah? (I want one or a conveyance).



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Every camel is a child o a camel.

Hasan Basri Radiyallahu Anhu says that an old woman came toRasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and made a request:

O Messenger o Allah, make duaa to Allah that He may

grant me entrance into Jannah.


O Mother, an old woman cannot enier Jannah.

Tat woman began crying and began to leave. Rasulullah Sallal-

lahu Alayhi Wasallam said:

Say to the woman that one will not enter in a state o old age,but Allah will make all the woman o Jannah young virgins.

Allah aaala says: Lo! We have created them a new creation

and made them virgins, lovers, riends. (Surah Waaqiah,

35-36-37)


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His Mode of Living

His house was but a hut with walls o unbaked clay and a thatched

roo o palm leaves covered by camel skin. He had separate apartments

or his wives, a small room or each made o similar materials. His own

apartment contained a rope cot, a pillow stued with palm leaves , the

skin o some animal spread on the oor and a water bag o leather and

some weapons. Tese were all his earthly belongings, besides a camel,

a horse, and a donkey and some land which he had aquired in the laterpart o his lie (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud). Aayeshah Radiyallahu

Anha reports that the bed on which Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa-

sallam slept was made o leather, in which was lled coir o the palm

tree. Once a ew o his disciples, noticing the imprint o his mattress on

his body, wished to give him a soter bed but he politely declined the

oer saying,

What have I to do with worldly things. My connection with

the world is like that o a traveler resting or a while under-

neath the shade o a tree and then moving on.

Anas bin Maalik Radiyallahu Anhu says: Dates were presented toRasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. I saw him eating them. Due to


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hunger he was sitting on the support o something and not on his own

support.

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and his amily spent many

consecutive nights without ood, because there would be no supper. Te

bread o Rasulullah Salla!iahu Alayhi Wasallam was mostly made o

barley Aayeshah Radiyallahu Anha says:

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam never lled his

stomach with bread made o barley or two consecutive days

till he passed away.

On another occasion she said:

ill the demise o Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam,

his amily never ate a ull stomach o bread made o barley or

two consecutive days.

Abu alkah Radiyallahu Anhu says:

We complained to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam

about the severe pangs o hunger, and showed him the stones

astened on our stomachs. A stone was astened on the stomach

o every one o us due to severe hunger. Rasulullah Sallal-

lahu Alayhi Wasallam showed us two stones astened onto his

stomach. (Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasal-

lam experienced more hunger than we did, and he had spent

a longer period than us since he had last eaten).

Amr Ibn Al-Harith, a brother in law o the prophet (pbuh), says

that when the prophet died, he did not leave a cent, a slave man or wom-


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an, or any property except his white mule, his weapons and a piece o

land which he had dedicated or the good o the community (Bukhari,

Sahih Bukhari).

He advised the people to live simple lives and himsel practised

great austerities. Even when he had become the virtual king o arabia,

he lived an austere lie bordering on privation. His wie Aiysha (ra)

says that there was hardly a day in his lie when he had two square

meals (Muslim, Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, pg 198). When he died there was

nothing in his house except a ew seeds o barley let rom a mound othe grain obtained rom a Jew by pawning his armour (Bukhari, Sahih

Bukhari, Chapter Aljihad).

He had declared unlawul or himsel and his amily anything giv-

en by the people by way o zakat or sadaqa (types o charity). He was

so particular about this that he would not appoint any member o hisamily as a zakat collector (Sahah-Kitab Sadqat).


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By the grace o Allah, you are gentle towards the people; i you

had been stern and ill-tempered, they would have dispersed rom round

about you (translation o Quran 3:159)

About himsel the prophet (pbuh) said

Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate

perection o character, renement o manners and lotiness o

deportment. (Malik, Mawatta; Ahmed, Musnad; Mishkat)

By nature he was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be

gracious and to overlook the aults o others. Politeness and courte-sy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and

sincerity were some o the keynotes o his character. Anas bin Maalik

Radiyallahu Anhu says: I remained in the service o Rasulullah Sallal-

lahu Alayhi Wasallam or ten years. He never once told me Oo . When I

did something, he never asked me, why did you do so? When I did not do a

certain task, he never asked me why I did not do it. Rasulullah Sallallahu

Alayhi Wasallam had the best character among all people. (and also pos-

HisManners anddisposition


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sessed the most excellent eatures, so much so,) that I never elt a silk cloth,

nor pure silk, nor any other thing soter than the palm o Rasulullah Sal-

lallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Nor did I smell any musk or any other ragrance,

more sweet smelling than the sweat o Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa-sallam. In the cause o right and justice he could be resolute and severe

but more oten than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He

had charming manners which won him the aection o his ollowers

and secured their devotion. Tough virtual king o Arabia and an apos-

tle o Allah, he never assumed an air o superiority. Not that he had to

conceal any such vein by practice and artice: with ear o Allah, sincere

humility was ingrained in his heart. He used to say,

I am a Prophet o Allah but I do not know what will be my

end. (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter Al-Janaiz)

In one o his sermons calculated to instill the ear o Allah and theday o reckoning in the hearts o men, he said,

O people o Quraish be prepared or the hereater, I cannot

save you rom the punishment o Allah; O Bani Abd Mana,

I cannot save you rom Allah; O Abbas, son o Abdul Mutalib,

I cannot protect you either; O Fatima, daughter o Muham-mad, even you I cannot save. (Sahahin)

He used to pray,

O Allah! I am but a man. I I hurt any one in any manner, then or-

give me and do not punish me. (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 6 pg. 103)

He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to


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older people and stated:

o honor an old man is to show respect to Allah.

He would not deny courtesy even to wicked persons. It is statedthat a person came to his house and asked permission or admission.

Te prophet (pbuh) remarked that he was not a good person but might

be admitted. When he came in and while he remained in the house, he

was shown ull courtesy. When he let Aiysha (ra) said,

You did not think well o this man, but you treated him sowell.

Te prophet (pbuh) replied,

O ayeshah, the worst person is that who stops speaking to

one because o his indecency

He was always the rst to greet another and would not withdraw

his hand rom a handshake till the other man withdrew his. I one

wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one

had nished (Abu Dawud, irmizi). He did not like people to get up

or him and used to say,

Let him who likes people to stand up in his honour, he should

seek a place in hell. (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab, Muham-

madi Press, Delhi).

He would himsel, however, stand up when any dignitary came to

him. He had stood up to receive the wet nurse who had reared him in

inancy and had spread his own sheet or her. His oster brother was


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given similar treatment. He avoided sitting at a prominent place in a

gathering, so much so that people coming in had difculty in spotting

him and had to ask which was the Prophet (pbuh). Quite requently

uncouth bedouins accosted him in their own gru and impolite mannerbut he never took oence. (Abu Dawud Kitabul Atama).

He used to visit the poorest o ailing persons and exhorted all

muslims to do likewise (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter Attendance

on ailing persons). He would sit with the humblest o persons saying

that righteousness alone was the criterion o ones superiority over an-other. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poor-

est believers, to partake with him o his scanty meals (irmizi, Sunan

irmizi).

Whenever he visited a person he would rst greet him and then

take his permission to enter the house. He advised the people to ollowthis etiquette and not to get annoyed i anyone declined to give permis-

sion, or it was quite likely the person concerned was busy otherwise

and did not mean any disrespect (Ibid).

Sayyidina Ali Radiyallahu Anhu said about the conduct o Rasu-

lullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam in his assemblies:

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam was always happy

and easy mannered. Tere was always a smile and a sign o

happiness on his blessed ace. He was sot-natured and when

the people needed his approval, he easily gave consent. He did

not speak in a harsh tone nor was he stony-hearted. He didnot scream while speaking, nor was he rude or spoke inde-


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cently. He did not seek others aults. He never overpraised

anything nor exceeded in joking, nor was he a miser. He kept

away rom undesirable language and did not make as i he did

not hear anything. I he did not agree with the next personswish he did not make that person eel disheartened, nor did he

promise anything to that person. He completely kept himsel

away rom three things: rom arguments, pride and senseless

utterances. He prohibited people rom three things. He did

not disgrace or insult anyone, nor look or the aults o others,

he only spoke that rom which &awaab and reward was at-

tained. When he spoke, those present bowed their heads in such

a manner, as i birds were sitting on their heads. (Tey did

not shit about, as birds will y away on the slightest move).

when he completed his talks, the others would begin speaking.

(No one would speak while Sayyidina Rasulullah S_allal-lahu Alayhi Wasallam spoke. Whatever one wanted to say, it

would be said ater he had completed speaking). Tey did not

argue beore him regarding anything. Whenever one spoke to

him the other would keep quiet and listen till he would n-

ish. Te speech o every person was as i the rst person was

speaking. (Tey gave attention to what every person said. Itwas not as is generally ound that in the beginning people

pay ull attention, and i the talk is lengthened they became

bored, and begin to pay less attention). When all laughed or

something, he would laugh too. Te things that surprised the

people, he would also show his surprise regarding that.

He exercised patience at the harshness and indecent ques-


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tions o a traveller. (Villagers usually ask irrelevant ques-

tions. Tey do not show courtesy and ask all types o ques-

tions. Sayyidin? Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam did

not reprimand them but exercised patience). Te Sahaabahwould bring travellers to his assemblies (so that they them-

selves could benet rom the various types o questions asked

by these people, and also hear some questions regarding which

they themselves, due to etiquette, would not ask). Rasulullah

Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam would say: When you see a per-

son in need, then always help that person. (I someone praised

him, he would detest it). I someone, by way o thanks praised

him, he would remain silent, (because it is necessary that one

thank a person or a good avour or good deed. It is like one

ullling ones duty. Some o the ulama have translated this

as: I one did not exceed in praising him, he would keep si-lent. Tat means i he exceeded he would prohibit him). He

did not interrupt someone talking and did not begin speak-

ing when someone else was busy speaking. I one exceeded the

limits he would stop him or would get up and leave (so that

that person would stop).

Tere was no type o household work too low or too undignied

or him. Aiysha (ra) has stated,

He always joined in household work and would at times

mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the oor. He

would milk, tether, and eed his animals and do the house-hold shopping. (Qazi Iyaz: Shia; Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari,


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Chapter: Kitabul Adab)

He would not hesitate to do the menial work o others, particularly

o orphans and widows (Nasi, Darmi). Once when there was no male

member in the house o the companion Kabab Bin Arat who had gone

to the battleeld, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle or

the inhabitants (Ibn Saad Vol. 6, p 213).


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His Affection

He was especially ond o children and used to get into the spirit o

childish games in their company. He would have un with the childrenwho had come back rom Abyssinia and tried to speak in Abyssinian

with them. It was his practice to give lits on his camel to children when

he returned rom journeys (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2 pg.886). He

would pick up children in his arms, play with them, and kiss them. A

companion, recalling his childhood, said,

In my childhood I used to ell dates by throwing stones at

palm trees. Somebody took me to the Prophet (pbuh) who

advised me to pick up the dates lying on the ground but not

to ell them with stones. He then patted me and blessed me.

(Abu Dawud)


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His Daily routine

On the authority o Ali, irmizi has recorded that the Prophet

(pbuh) had careully apportioned his time according to the demandson him or

1. oering worship to Allah

2. public aairs, and

3. personal matters.

Ater the early morning prayers he would remain sitting in the

mosque reciting praises o Allah till the sun rose and more people col-

lected. He would then preach to them. Ater the sermons were over,

he would talk genially with the people, enquire about their welare and

even exchange jokes with them. axes and revenues were also disrtib-uted at this time (Muslim, Sahih Muslim irmizi, Sunan irmizi). He

would then oer chaste prayers and go home and get busy with house-

hold work (Bukhari, Muslim, irmizi). He would again return to the

mosque or the mid-day and aternoon prayers, listen to the problems

o the people and give solace and guidance to them. Ater the aternoon

prayers, he would visit each o his wives and, ater the evening prayers,

his wives would collect at one place and he would have his dinner (Mus-


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lim, Sahih Muslim). Ater the night prayers, he would recite some suras

o the Quran and beore going to bed would pray:

"O Allah, I die and live with thy name on my lips."

On getting up he would say,

"All praise to Allah Who has given me lie ater death and

towards Whom is the return."

He used to brush his teeth ve times a day, beore each o the daily

prayers. Ater midnight, he used to get up or the tahajjud prayers which

he never missed even once in his lie (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari). He was

not astidious about his bed: sometimes he slept on his cot, sometimes

on a skin or ordinary matress, and sometimes on the ground (Zarqani).

On riday he used to give sermons ater the weekly "Jumma"

prayers. He was not annoyed i anyone interrupted him during the ser-

mons or anything. It is stated that once, while he was delivering his

sermon, a bedouin approached him and said, "O messenger o Allah, I

am a traveler and am ignorant o my religion." Te prophet (pbuh) got

down rom the pulpit, explained the salient eatures o Islam to him and

then resumed the sermon (irmizi, Sunan irmizi).

On another occasion his grandson Husain, still a child, came tum-

bling to him while he was delivering a sermon. He descended and took

him in his lap and then continued the sermon (Ibid).


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Muhammad (pbuh) preached to the people to trust in Allah (swt).

His whole lie was a sublime example o the precept. In the loneliness o

Makkah, in the midst o persecution and danger, in adversity and tribu-

lations, and in the thick o enemies in the battles o Uhud and Hunain,

complete aith and trust in Allah (swt) appears as the dominant eature

in his lie. However great the danger that conronted him, he never

lost hope and never allowed himsel to be unduly agitated. Abu alib

knew the eelings o the Quraish when the Prophet (pbuh) started his

mission. He also knew the lengths to which the Quraish could go, and

requested the Prophet (pbuh) to abandon his mission, but the latter

calmly replied,

"Dear uncle, do not go by my loneliness. ruth will not go un-

supported or long. Te whole o Arabia and beyond will one

day espouse its cause." (Ibn Hisham, Sirat-ur-Rasul.)

When the attitude o the Quraish became more threatening, Abu

alib again begged his nephew to renounce his mission but the Proph-

et's (pbuh) reply was:

His Trust in Allah(swt)


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"O my uncle, i they placed the sun in my right hand and the

moon in my let, to orce me to renounce my work, verily I

would not desist thereorm until Allah made maniest His

cause, or I perished in the attempt." (Ibid)

o another well-wisher, he said,

"Allah will not leave me orelorn."

A dejected and oppressed disciple was comorted with the words:

"By Allah, the day is near when this aith will reach its pinna-

cle and none will have to ear anyone except Allah." (Bukhari,

Sahih Bukhari)

It was the same trust in Allah (swt) which emboldened the prophet

(pbuh) to say his prayers openly in the haram in the teeth o opposi-

tion. Te Quraish were once collected there and were conspiring to put

an end to his lie when he next entered the haram. His young daughter

Fatima, who happened to overhear their talk rushed weeping to her

ather and told him o the designs o the Quraish. He consoled her, did

his ablutions and went to the Kaaba to say prayers. Tere was only con-

sternation among the Quraish when they saw him (Ahmed, Musnad,Vol. 1, pg. 368).

Ten leaving his house or Madinah he asked Ali (ra) to sleep on

his bed and told him,

"Do not worry, no one will be able to do you any harm"

(abari, Ibn Hisham)


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Even though the enemies had surrounded the house, he let the

house reciting the Quranic verse:

"We have set a barricade beore them and a barricade be-

hind them and (thus) have covered them so that they see not"

(translation o Qur'an 36:9)

Abu Bakr was rightened when pursuers came close to the cavern

in which he and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were hiding during their

ight, but the Prophet (pbuh) heartened him,

"Grieve not. Allah is with us."

A guard was kept at the Prophet's house in Madinah because o

the danger that surrounded him but he had it withdrawn when the

Quranic verse was revealed:

"Allah will protect you rom the people" (translation o Qur'an

5:67).

A man was caught waiting in ambush to assault the Prophet (pbuh)

but he was directed to be released with the words,

"Even i this man wanted to kill me, he could not." (Ahmed,Musnad, Vol.3 pg. 471)

A Jewess rom Khaibar had put poison in the Prophet's (pbuh)

ood. He spat it out ater taking a morsel but a disciple who had his ll

died the next day. Te Jewess was brought beore the prophet (pbuh)

who questioned her:


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"Why did you do this?" "o kill you," was her deant reply. She

was told, "Allah would not have allowed you to do it." (Mus-

lim, Sahih Muslim.)

In the battle o Uhud when the rear guard action o the Makkan

army had disorganized the Muslim army and had turned the tables, the

Prophet (pbuh) stood as rm as a rock even though he had suered

personal injuries. When Abu Suyan taunted the Muslims and shouted

"Victory to hubal!" (hubal was one o their idols), the Prophet (pbuh)

asked Umar (ra) to shout back, "Allah is our protector and riend. You haveno protector and riend. Allah is Great, Magnifcent."(Ibn Hisham, Sirat-

Ur-Rasul).

Again in the battle o Hunain, when the unexpected assault o the

army had swept the Muslim orce o its eet and a deeat seemed im-

minent, the Prophet (pbuh) did not yield ground. With trust in Allah(swt) he showed such courage that the Muslim army rallied behind him

to win a signal victory.


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His Justice

Te Prophet (pbuh) asked people to be just and kind. As the su-

preme judge and arbiter, as the leader o men, as generalissimo o arising power, as a reormer and apostle, he had always to deal with men

and their aairs. He had oten to deal with mutually inimical and war-

ring tribes when showing justice to one carried the danger o antago-

nizing the other, and yet he never deviated rom the path o justice.

In administering justice, he made no distinction between believers and

nonbelievers, riends and oes, high and low. From numerous instances

reported in the traditions, a ew are given below.

Sakhar, a chie o a tribe, had helped Muhammad (pbuh) greatly in

the seige o ai, or which he was naturally obliged to him. Soon ater,

two charges were brought against Sakhar: one by Mughira o illegal

connement o his (Mughira's) aunt and the other by Banu Salim o

orcible occupation o his spring by Sakhar. In both cases, he decided

against Sakhar and made him undo the wrong. (Abu Dawud, Sunan

Dawud, pg.80)

Abdullah Bin Sahal, a companion, was deputed to collect rent rom

Jews o Khaibar. His cousin Mahisa accompanied him but, on reaching

Khaibar, they had separated. Abdullah was waylaid and done to death.


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Mahisa reported this tragedy to the Prophet (pbuh) but as there were

no eye-witnesses to identiy the guilty, he did not say anything to the

Jews and paid the blood-money out o the state revenues (Bukhari, Sa-

hih Bukhari Nasai).

A woman o the Makhzoom amily with good connections was

ound guilty o thet. For the prestige o the Quraish, some prominent

people including Asama Bin Zaid interceded to save her rom punish-

ment. Te Prophet (pbuh) reused to condone the crime and expressed

displeasure saying,

"Many a community ruined itsel in the past as they only pun-

ished the poor and ignored the ofences o the exalted. By Allah,

i Muhammad's (My) daughter Fatima would have commit-

ted thet, her hand would have been severed." (Bukhari, Sahh

Bukhari, Chapter "Alhadood")

Te Jews, in spite o their hostility to the Prophet (pbuh), were

so impressed by his impartiallity and sense o justice that they used to

bring their cases to him, and he decided them according to Jewish law.

(Abu Dawud, Sunan Dawud)

Once, while he was distributing the spoils o war, people ocked

around him and one man almost ell upon him. He pushed the men

with a stick causing a slight abrasion. He was so sorry about this that he

told the man that he could have his revenge, but the man said, "O mes-

senger o Allah, I orgive you." (Abu Dawud, Kitablu Diyat).

In his atal illness, the Prophet (pbuh) proclaimed in a concourse

assembled at his house that i he owed anything to anyone the person


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concerned could claim it; i he had ever hurt anyone's person, honor or

property, he could have his price while he was yet in this world. A hush

ell on the crowd. One man came orward to claim a ew dirhams which

were paid at once. (Ibn Hisham, Sirat-ur-Rasul)


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Muhammad (pbuh) asked people to shun notions o racial, amily

or any other orm o superiority based on mundane things and said thatrighteousness alone was the criterion o one's superiority over another.

It has already been shown how he mixed with everyone on equal terms,

how he ate with slaves, servants and the poorest on the same sheet (a

practice that is still ollowed in Arabia), how he reused all privileges

and worked like any ordinary laborer. wo instances may, however, be

quoted here:

Once the Prophet (pbuh) visited Saad Bin Abadah. While return-

ing Saad sent his son Quais with him. Te Prophet (pbuh) asked Quais

to mount his camel with him. Quais hesitated out o respect but the

Prophet (pbuh) insisted: "Either mount the camel or go back." Quais de-

cided to go back. (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab)

On another occasion he was traveling on his camel over hilly ter-

rain with a disciple, Uqba Bin Aamir. Ater going some distance, he

asked Uqba to ride the camel, but Uqba thought this would be showing

disrespect to the Prophet (pbuh). But the Prophet (pbuh) insisted and

he had to comply. Te Prophet (pbuh) himsel walked on oot as he did

not want to put too much load on the animal. (Nasai pg. 803)

Equality


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Te prisioners o war o Badr included Abbas, the uncle o the

Prophet (pbuh). Some people were prepared to orgo their shares and

remit the Prophet's (pbuh) ransom but he declined saying that he could

make no distinctions. (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Ransoms")

During a halt on a journey, the companions apportioned work

among themselves or preparing ood. Te Prophet (pbuh) took upon

himsel the task o collecting rewood. His companions pleaded that

they would do it and that he need not take the trouble, but he replied,

"It is true, but I do not like to attribute any distinction to my-

sel. Allah does not like the man who considers himsel supe-

rior to his companions." (Zarqani, Vol 4 pg. 306)


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Kindness to animals

Te Prophet (pbuh) not only preached to the people to show kind-

ness to each other but also to all living souls. He orbade the practice ocutting tails and manes o horses, o branding animals at any sot spot,

and o keeping horses saddled unnecessarily (Muslim, Sahih Muslim).

I he saw any animal over-loaded or ill-ed he would pull up the owner

and say,

"Fear Allah in your treatment o animals." (Abu Dawud,Kitab Jihad).

A companion came to him with the young ones o a bird in his

sheet and said that the mother bird had hovered over them all along.

He was directed to replace her ospring in the same bush (Mishkat,

Abu Dawud)

During a journey, somebody picked up some birds eggs. Te bird's

painul note and uttering attracted the attention o the Prophet (pbuh),

who asked the man to replace the eggs (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).

As his army marched towards Makkah to conquer it, they passed

a emale dog with puppies. Te Prophet (pbuh) not only gave orders

that they should not be disturbed, but posted a man to see that this was


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done.

He stated,

"Verily, there is heavenly reward or every act o kindnessdone to a living animal."


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Love for the poor

Te Prophet (pbuh) enjoined upon Muslims to treat the poor

kindly and to help them with alms, zakat, and in other ways. He said:

"He is not a perect muslim who eats his ll and lets his neigh-

bor go hungry."

He asked,

"Do you love your Creator? Ten love your ellow beingsrst."

Monopoly is unlawul in Islam and he preached that

"It is difucult or a man laden with riches to climb the steep

path that leads to bliss."

He did not prohibit or discourage the aquisition o wealth but in-

sisted that it be lawully aquired by honest means and that a portion o

it would go to the poor. He advised his ollowers

"o give the laborer his wages beore his perspiration dried

up."


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He did not encourage beggary either and stated that

"Allah is gracious to him who earns his living by his own la-

bor, and that i a man begs to increase his property, Allah will

diminish it and whoever has ood or the day, it is prohibited

or him to beg."

o his wie he said,

"O Aysha, love the poor and let them come to you and Allah

will draw you near to Himsel." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)

One or two instances o the Prophet's (pbuh) concern or the poor

may be given here. A Madinan, Ibad Bin Sharjil, was once starving. He

entered an orchard and picked some ruit. Te owner o the orchard

gave him a sound beating and stripped o his clothes. Te poor man

appealed to the Prophet (pbuh) who remonstrated the owner thus:

"Tis man was ignorant, you should have dispelled his igno-

rance; he was hungry, you should have ed him."

His clothes were restored to the Madinan and, in addition, some

grain was given to him (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Jihad).

A debtor, Jabir Bin Abdullah, was being harassed by his creditor

as he could not clear his debt owing to the ailure o his date crop. Te

Prophet (pbuh) went with Jabir to the house o the creditor and pleaded

with him to give Jabir some more time but the creditor was not pre-

pared to oblige. Te Prophet (pbuh) then went to the oasis and having

seen or himsel that the crop was really poor, he again approached the

creditor with no better result. He then rested or some time and ap-


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proached the creditor or a third time but the latter was adamant. TeProphet (pbuh) went again to the orchard and asked Jabir to pluck the

dates. As Allah would have it, the collection not only sufced to clear

the dues but let something to spare (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).

His love or the poor was so deep that he used to pray:

"O Allah, keep me poor in my lie and at my death and raise me at

resurrection among those who are poor." (Nasai, Chapter: Pardon)


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Description of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

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