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The Prophet’s Attributes And Manners
By
Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
(An
excerpt from the author’s book “Ar-Raheeq
Al-Makhtum” (The Sealed Nectar)
published by the Darusalam Publishers and
Distributors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1995.)
Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w.s.)
(Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) combined both
perfection of creation and perfection of manners.
This impression on people can be deduced by the
bliss that overwhelmed their hearts and filled them with
dignity. Men’s dignity, devotion and estimation of
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
were
unique and matchless. No other man in the whole world has
been so honored and beloved. Those who knew him well, were
fascinated and enchanted by him. They were ready to
sacrifice their lives for the sake of saving a nail of his
from hurt or injury. Being privileged by lots of
prerogatives of perfection that no one else had been
endowed with, his Companions found that he was peerless
and so they loved him.
Here
we list a brief summary of the versions about his beauty
and perfection. To encompass all which is, admittedly,
beyond our power.
Beauty
of Creation:
Describing
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.),
who passed by her tent on his journey of migration, Umm
Ma‘bad Al-Khuza‘iyah said to her husband:
“He
was innocently bright and had broad countenance. His
manners were fine. Neither was his belly bulging out nor
was his head deprived of hair. He had black attractive
eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows. His hair glossy
and black, inclined to curl, he wore long. His voice was
extremely commanding. His head was large, well formed and
set on a slender neck. His expression was pensive and
contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was
fascinated from the distance, but no sooner he became
intimate with him than this fascination was changed into
attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and
distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of
superfluous words, as if it were a rosary of beads. His
stature was neither too high nor too small to look
repulsive. He was a twig amongst the two, singularly
bright and fresh. He was always surrounded by his
Companions. Whenever he uttered something, the listeners
would hear him with rapt attention and whenever he issued
any command, they vied with each other in carrying it out.
He was a master and a commander. His utterances were
marked by truth and sincerity, free from all kinds of
falsehoods and lies.”
‘Ali
bin Abi Talib (r.a.) describing him said:
“Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
was
neither excessively tall nor extremely short. He was
medium height among his friends. His hair was neither
curly nor wavy. It was in between. It was not too curly
nor was it plain straight. It was both curly and wavy
combined. His face was not swollen or meaty-compact. It
was fairly round. His mouth was white. He had black and
large eyes with long haired eyelids. His joints (limbs)
and shoulder joints were rather big. He had a rod-like
little hair extending from his chest down to his navel,
but the rest of his body was almost hairless. He had thick
hand palms and thick fingers and toes. At walking, he
lifted his feet off the ground as if he had been walking
in a muddy remainder of water. When he turned, he turned
all. The Prophethood Seal was between his shoulders. He is
the Seal of Prophets, the most generous and the bravest of
all.
His
speech was the most reliable. He was the keenest and the
most attentive to people’s trust and was very careful to
pay people’s due in full. The Prophet (Peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most tractable and
the most yielding companion, seeing him unexpectedly you
fear him and venerate him. He who has acquaintance with
him will like him. He who describes him says:
“I
have never seen such a person neither before nor after
seeing him.”
Jabir
bin Samurah (r.a.) reported that Allâh’s
Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
had
a broad face with reddish (wide) eyes and lean heels.
Abu
At-Tufail said: “He was white, good-looking. He was
neither fat nor thin; neither tall nor short.”
Anas
bin Malik (r.a.)
said:
“He had unfolded hands and was pink-colored. He was
neither white nor brown. He was rather whitish. In both
his head and beard there were as many as twenty gray
hairs, besides some gray hairs at his temples.” In
another version: “and some scattered white hairs in his
head.”
Abu
Juhaifa (r.a.)
said:
“I have seen some gray color under his lower lip.”
Al-Bara’ said: “He was of medium height,
broad-shouldered, his hair went up to his earlobes. I saw
him dressed in a red garment and I (assure you) I have
never seen someone more handsome. At first he used to let
his hair loose so as to be in compliance with the people
of the Book; but later on he used to part it.”
Al-Bara’
also said: “He had the most handsome face and the best
character.” When he was asked: “Was the Messenger’s
face sword-like?” “No,” he said: “it was
moon-like.” But in another version: he said, “His face
was round.” Ar-Rabi‘ bint Muawwidh said: “Had you
seen him, you would have felt that the sun was shining.”
Jabir bin Samurah said, “I saw him at one full-moony
night. I looked at him. He was dressed in a red garment. I
compared him with the moon and found that he was
better than the moon.”
Abu
Huraira (r.a.) said: “I have never seen a thing nicer
than Allah’s
Messenger (s.a.w.s.).
It seems as if the sunlight were moving within his face. I
have never seen one who is faster in pace than
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.).
It seemed as if the earth had folded itself up to shorten
the distance for him. For we used to wear ourselves out
while he was at full ease.”
Ka‘b
bin Malik (r.a.)
said:
“When he was pleased, his face would shine with so
bright light that you would believe that it was a
moon-piece.” Once he sweated hot at ‘Aishah’s, and
the features of his face twinkled; so I recited a poem by
Abu Kabeer Al-Hudhali:
“If
you watch his face-features, you will see them twinkling
like the lightning of an approaching rain.”
Whenever
Abu Bakr saw him he would say:
“He
is faithful, chosen (by Allâh), and calls for
forgiveness. He shines like a full-moon light when it is
far from dark (clouds).”
‘Umar
used to recite verses by Zuhair describing Haram bin
Sinan:
“Were
you other than a human being, you would be a lighted moon
at a full-moon night.”
Then he would add: “Thus was
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.).
When
he got angry his face would go so red that you would think
it were “an inflected red skin-spot with pomegranate
grains on both cheeks.”
Jabir bin Samurah said: “His legs were gentle,
delicate and in conformity. His laughter is no more than
smiling. Looking at him will make you say ‘He is
black-eyed though he is not so.’”
Ibn
Al-‘Abbas (r.a.) said:
“His two front teeth were splinted so whenever he
speaks, light goes through them. His neck was as pure and
silvery as a neck of doll. His eyelids were long haired
but his beard was thick. His forehead was broad; but his
eyebrows were like the metal piece attached to a lance,
but they were unhorned. His nose was high-tipped,
middle-cambered with narrow nostrils. His cheeks were
plain, but he had (little hair) running down like a rod
from his throat to his navel. He had hair neither on his
abdomen nor on his chest except some on his arms and
shoulders. His chest was broad and flatted. He had long
forearms with expansive palms of the hand. His legs were
plain straight and stretching down. His other limbs were
straight too. The two hollows of his soles hardly touch
the ground. When he walks away he vanishes soon; but he
walks at ease (when he is not in a hurry). The way he
walks seems similar to one who is leaning forwards and is
about to fall down.”
Anas
(r.a.) said: “I have never touched silk or a silky
garment softer than the palm of the Prophet’s (Peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him); nor have I smelt a
perfume or any scent nicer than his.” In another
version, “I have never smelt ambergris nor musk nor any
other thing sweeter than the scent and the smell of
Allah’s Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him).”
Abu
Juhaifa said: “I took his hand and put it on my head and
I found that it was colder than ice and better scented
than the musk perfume.”
Jabir
bin Samurah — who was a little child then — said:
“When he wiped my cheek, I felt it was cold and scented
as if it had been taken out of a shop of a perfume
workshop.”
Anas
said, “His sweat was pearl-like.” Umm Sulaim said:
“His sweat smelt nicer than the nicest perfume.”
Jabir
said: “Whoever pursues a road that has been trodden by
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
will
certainly scent his smell and will be quite sure that
Allah’s Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) has already passed it.” The Seal of
Prophethood, which was similar in size to a pigeon’s
egg, was between his shoulders on the left side having
spots on it like moles.
The
Perfection of Soul and Nobility:
The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
was noted for superb eloquence and fluency in Arabic. He
was remarkable in position and rank. He was an accurate,
unpretending straightforward speaker. He was well-versed
in Arabic and quite familiar with the dialects and accents
of every tribe. He spoke with his entertainers using their
own accents and dialects. He mastered and was quite
eloquent at both Bedouin and town speech. So he had the
strength and eloquence of Bedouin language as well as the
clarity and the decorated splendid speech of town. Above
all, there was the assistance of Allâh embodied in the
revealed verses of the Qur’ân.
His
stamina, endurance and forgiveness — out of a commanding
position — his patience and standing what he detested
— these were all talents, attributes and qualities Allâh
Himself had brought him on. Even wise men have their
flaws, but Allah’s
Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
unlike everybody, the more he was hurt or injured, the
more clement and patient he became. The more insolence an
ignorant anybody exercised against him the more enduring
he became. ‘Aishah said:
“Allah’s
Messenger (s.a.w.s.),
whenever he is given the opportunity to choose between two
affairs, he always chooses the easiest and the most
convenient. But if he is certain that it is sinful, he
will be as far as he could from it. He has never avenged
himself; but when the sanctity of Allâh is violated he
would. That would be for Allâh’s not for himself. He is
the last one to get angry and the first to be satisfied.
His hospitality and generosity were matchless. His gifts
and endowments manifest a man who does not fear
poverty.”
Ibn‘Abbas
(r.a.) said: “The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
was the most generous.
He is usually most generous of all times in Ramadan, the
times at which the angel Gabriel (s.a.w.s.)
comes to see him.
Gabriel used to visit him every night of Ramadan and
review the Qur’ân with him. Verily
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
is
more generous at giving bounty or charity than the blowing
wind.” Jabir
said:
“The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
would
never deny anything he was asked for.”
His
courage, his succor and his might are distinguishable. He
was the most courageous. He witnessed awkward and
difficult times and stood fast at them. More than once
brave men and daring ones fled away leaving him alone; yet
he stood with full composure facing the enemy without
turning his back. All brave men must have experienced
fleeing once or have been driven off the battlefield at a
round at a time except the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
‘Ali said: “Whenever the fight grew fierce and
the eyes of fighters went red, we used to resort to the
Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
for
succor. He was always the closest to the enemy.”
Anas
said: “One night the people of Madinah felt alarmed.
People went out hurriedly towards the source of sound, but
the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
had
already gone ahead of them. He was on the horseback of Abu
Talhah which had no saddle over it, and a sword was slung
round his neck, and said to them: ‘There was nothing to
be afraid for.’”
He
was the most modest and the first one to cast his eyes
down. Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudri: “He was shier than a
virgin in her boudoir. When he hates a thing we read it on
his face. He does not stare at anybody’s face. He always
casts his eyes down. He looks at the ground more than he
looks sky-wards. His utmost looks at people are glances.
He is willingly and modestly obeyed by everybody. He would
never name a person whom he had heard ill-news about —
which he hated. Instead he would say: ‘Why do certain
people do so....’”
Al-Farazdaq verse of poem fits him very much and
the best one to be said of:
“He
casts his eyes modestly but the eyes of others are cast
down due to his solemnity, and words issue out of his
mouth only while he is smiling.”
The
Prophet (Peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the most just, the
most decent, the most truthful at speech, and the most
honest of all. Those who have exchanged speech with him,
and even his enemies, acknowledge his noble qualities.
Even before the Prophethood he was nicknamed Al-Ameen
(i.e. the truthful, the trustworthy). Even then — in Al-Jahiliyah
— they used to turn to him for judgment and
consultation. In a version by At-Tirmidhi, he says that
‘Ali had said that he had been told by Abu Jahl that he
(Abu Jahl) said to Allah’s
Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
“We do not call you a liar; but we do not have faith in
what you have brought.” In His Book, Allâh, the
Exalted, said about them:
“It
is not you that they deny, but it is the Verses (the
Qur’ân) of Allâh that the Dhaliműn
(polytheists and wrong-doers) deny.” [6:33]
Even
when Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan: “Have you ever accused
him of lying before the ministry of Prophethood?” Abu
Sufyan said: “No.”
He
was most modest and far from being arrogant or proud. He
forbade people to stand up at his presence as other people
usually do for their kings.
Visiting the poor, the needy and entertaining them
are some of his habits. If a slave invited him, he would
accept the invitation. He always sat among his friends as
if he were an ordinary person of them. ‘Aishah said that
he used to repair his shoes, sew or mend his dress and to
do what ordinary men did in their houses. After all, he
was a human being like others. He used to check his dress
(lest it has some insects on). Milking the she-sheep and
catering for himself were some of his normal jobs. The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
was
the most truthful to his pledges, and it is one of his
qualities to establish good and steady relationship with
his relatives — ‘Silat-Ar-Rahim’. He is the
most merciful, gentle and amiable to all people. His way
of living is the simplest one. Ill-manners and indecency
are two qualities completely alien to him. He was decent,
and did not call anybody names. He was not the sort of
person who cursed or made noise in the streets. He did not
exchange offences with others. He pushed back an offence
or an error by forgiveness and overlooking. Nobody was
allowed to walk behind him (i.e. as a bodyguard). He did
not feel himself superior to others not even to his slaves
(men or women) as far as food or clothes were concerned.
Whoever
served him should be served by him too. ‘Ugh’ (an
utterance of complaint) is a word that had never been said
by him to his servant; nor was his servant blamed for
doing a thing or leaving it undone. Loving the poor and
the needy and entertaining them or participating in their
funerals were things the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
always observed. He
never disgraced a poor man for his poverty. Once he was
traveling with his Companions and when it was time to have
food prepared, he asked them to slaughter a she-sheep. A
man said: I will slaughter it, another one said: I will
skin it out. A third said: I will cook it. So
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
said:
I will collect wood for fire. They said: “No. We will
suffice you that work.” “I know that you can do it for
me, but I hate to be privileged. Allâh hates to see a
slave of his privileged to others.” So he went and
collected fire-wood.
Let
us have some of the description of Hind bin Abi Halah:
“Allah’s Messenger Allah’s Messenger was continually
sad, thinking perpetually. He had no rest (i.e. for long).
He only spoke when it was necessary. He would remain
silent for a long time and whenever he spoke, he would end
his talk with his jawbone but not out of the corners of
his mouth, i.e. (snobbishly). His speech was inclusive. He
spoke inclusively and decisively. It was not excessive nor
was it short of meaning. It was amiable. It was in no way
hard dishonoring. He glorified the bounty of Allâh; even
if it were little. If he had no liking for someone’s
food, he would neither praise nor criticize.
He
was always in full control of his temper and he would
never get seemed angry unless it was necessary. He never
got angry for himself nor did he avenge himself. It was
for Allâh’s sanctity and religion that he always seemed
angry.
When
he pointed at a thing he would do so with his full
hand-palm, and he would turn it round to show surprise. If
he were angry he would turn both his body and face aside.
When he was pleased, he cast his eyes down. His laughter
was mostly smiling. It was then that his teeth which were
like hail-stones were revealed.
He
never spoke unless it was something closely relevant to
him. He confirmed the brotherhood relationship among his
Companions; and thus he made them intimate and did not
separate them or implant enmity among them. Those who were
honorable with their peoples, were honored and respected
by him and were assigned rulers over their own peoples.
His cheerfulness was never withdrawn at anyone’s face;
even at those whom he warned his people from or those whom
he himself was on the alert of. He visited friends and
inquired about people’s affairs. He confirmed what was
right and criticized the awful and tried to undermine it.
He was moderate in all affairs. He was equal to others and
was not privileged. He would never act heedlessly, lest
the others should get heedless. Each situation was dealt
with in its proper due.
Righteousness
was his target; so he was never short of it nor
indifferent to it. People who sat next to him were the
best of their people and the best of them all were — for
him — those who provided common consultations. For him,
the greatest ones and the highest in ranks were the best
at providing comfort and co-ordination and succor.
Remembrance (of Allâh) was a thing he aimed at and
established whenever he sat down or stands up. No certain
position was assigned for him to sit on. He sits at the
end of the group, seated next to the last sitter in the
place. He ordered people to do the same. He entertained
his participants in social gatherings alike so that the
one addressed would think that there was no one honored by
the Prophet Allah’s
Messenger but himself. He whoever sat next to him or
interrupted him in order to ask for his advice about an
affair of his, would be the first to start the talk and
the one to end it. The Prophet (Peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) would listen to him patiently till he
ended his speech. He never denied a request to anyone, if
unapproachable, then few gratifying words would work,
instead.
His
magnanimity, broad mindedness his tolerance could embrace
all people and entitled him to be regarded as father for
them all. In justice, all of them were almost equal.
Nobody was better than another except on the criterion of
Allâh fearing. A favored one, to him, was the most Allâh
fearing. His assembly was a meeting of clemency,
timidness, patience
and honesty. Voices were not raised in rows or riots.
Inviolable things were never violable. Fearing Allâh and
worship were their means to sympathy and compassion. They
used to esteem the old and have mercy on the young. They
assisted the needy and entertained strangers.
Allah’s
Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
was always cheerful,
easy, pleasant-tempered and lenient. He was never rude or
rough nor clamorous or indecent. He was neither a
reproacher nor a praiser. He overlooked what he did not
desire, yet you would never despair of him. Three
qualities he disposed of: hypocrisy, excessiveness, and
what was none of his concern. People did not fear him in
three area: — for they were not qualities or habits of
his —: He never disparaged, or reproached nor did he
seek the defects or shortages of others. He only spoke
things whose reward was Divinely desirable. When he spoke,
his listeners would attentively listen casting down their
heads. They only spoke when he was silent. They did not
have disputes or arguments about who was to talk. He who
talked in his presence would be listened to by everybody
till he finished his talk. Their talk would be about the
topic discussed or delivered by their first speaker.
Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.s.)
used
to laugh at what they laughed at and admired what they
used to admire. He would always show patience with a
stranger’s harshness at talk. He used to say:
“When
you see a person seeking an object earnestly, assist him
to get his need. And never ask for a reward except from
the reward-Giver, i.e. Allâh.”
Kharijah
bin Zaid said: “The Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
was
the most honored among the people with whom he sat. His
limbs could hardly be seen. He was often silent and rarely
talked when speech was not a necessity. He turned away
from those whose speech was rude or impolite. His laughter
was no more than a smile. His speech, which was decisive,
it was neither excessive nor incomplete. Out of reverence
and esteem and following the example of their Prophet
(Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the
Companions’ laughter at his presence — was smiling, as
well.”
On
the whole the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
was
ornamented with peerless attributes of perfection. No
wonder to be like that for he was brought up, educated and
taught (the Qur’ân) by Allâh. He was even praised by
Allâh:
“And
verily, you [O Muhammad r]
are on an exalted standard of character.” [68:4]
Those
were the attributes and qualities that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
enjoyed
which made the hearts of souls of the people close to him,
draw near to him and love him. Those traits made him so
popular that the restraint and enmity of his people grew
less and they started to embrace Islam in large crowds.
This
description is in fact no more than a rapid review or
rather short brief lines of Muhammad’s aspects of full
perfection. Trying to encompass the whole perfect picture
of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
No one can ever claim to be possessed of full knowledge or
complete mastery of the great attributes of the greatest
man in this universe. No one can ever give this man, the
top of perfection, his due description. He was a man who
always sought Allâh’s light, to such an extent that he
was wholly imbued with the Qur’ânic approach.
O
Allâh! Send your blessings (and the Holy Words of Yours)
upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You have send
blessings upon Ibrâhim and the family of Ibrâhim. You
are worthy of all praise, All Glorious.
O
Allâh! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You
have already blessed Ibrâhim and the family of Ibrâhim.
You are worthy of all praise, All Glorious.
___________
Note: Please
take note of the following abbreviations used in
this article:
(SWT): Subhanahu
wa Ta'ala – ‘The Exalted’
(s.a.w.s.)
: Sall-Allahu
‘Alayhi wa Sallam – ‘Peace
and Blessings of Allah be upon him’
(r.a.):
Radia
Allahu
‘Anhu
– ‘May Allah
be pleased with him’, Radi
Allahu
‘Anha-
‘May Allah
be pleased with her’, Radi
Allahu
‘Anhum -
‘May Allah
be pleased with them.’
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