The Features of Mercy in Islam

1THE FEATURES OF MERCY IN

ISLAMCOMPILED

BY

MUHAMMAD JALAL RAZA (Indian)Graduate Nizamia University Hyderabad Deccan

B. A. Al Azhar University CairoM. PHIL. Islamic Philosophy Dept.

Cairo University Egypt

Forwarded By

PROFESSOR DR.ALI GOMAA MUHMMAD

GRAND MUFTI OF EGYPT

1

Table of Contents

Chapter First

MUHAMMAD A MERCY FOR THE UNIVERSE

Preface by Dr. Ali Gomaa, The Grand Mufti of Egypt... 8

Preface by Dr. Basheer Ahmad Director (ICCR) Embassy of

India, Cairo.10

Preface by Sayed Ahmad Imam Bukhari.....10Principal of Pakistan International School, Cairo

Preface, by the compiler ..16

The Pre-Islamic Days..20 His Birth Upbringing Appearance and physique22 His Dress and Way of Living................24 His Way of Eating.... 26 The Reason of His Simplicity.29 His Cleanliness .31 His Truthfulness and Honesty.33 His Jest and Humor ..35 His Modesty and His Sincerity38 The Mercy of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and his blessings be upon him) in Inflicting a Punishment...43

The Mercy Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) and The Dignity of Women46

His Tenderheartedness50

Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) The Gifted Mercy..53

His Patience And Tolerance...56 The Mercy of the Prophet (May peace and blessings beupon him) when He Taught..........................................63

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3 The Rays of Mercy in His Farewell Sermon

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Chapter Second

Features of Mercy in Quran and Sunnah

The Word of Mercy in Islam73

The Word of Peace in Islam.74

The Mercy of Islam upon the Child..76

The Mercy of Islam upon the Orphan.87

The Mercy of Islam upon the Woman.90

The Mercy of Islam upon the Old..100

The Mercy of Islam upon the Needy and Helpless..102

The Mercy of Islam upon the Slave and Servant.108

The Mercy of Islam upon the Neighbour...112

The Mercy of Islam upon the Living Thing..115

The Mercy of Islam upon Non-Muslim....120

The Mercy and Jihad in Islam.127

The Mercy and Islamic Punishments....131

The Mercy of Islam upon the Sinner136

The Mercy and Main Objectives of Islam145

The Mercy and Flexibility in Islamic Shariah148

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Chapter Third

Some False Accusations and Their Logic Answers

Was Islam Spread by Sword?..............................160

Why Has Islam Forbidden a Muslim Woman to Get

Married with a Non-Muslim Man?.............................165

Why Did the Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) Got Married More Than

Four Women ?.......167

Why Does a Muslim Woman in Islam Gets Half Share in

Inheritance Compared with Man?.....................169

Why Is a Muslim Man Permitted to Marry More Than

One

Wife?..........................................................................170

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5MUHAMMADA MERCY FOR THE

UNIVERSE

5

Chapter One

MUHAMMAD A MERCY FOR THE UNIVERSE. PREFACE

The Pre-Islamic Days His Birth Upbringing Appearance and Physique His Dress and Way of living His Way of Eating The Reason of His Simplicity His Cleanliness His Silver Ring His Jest and Humor His Truthfulness and Honesty His Modesty and His Sincerity The Mercy of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and his blessings be upon him) in Inflicting a Punishment

The Mercy Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) and the Dignity of Women

His Tenderheartedness Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) The Gifted Mercy His Patience And Tolerance The Mercy of the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) when He Taught The Rays of Mercy in his Farewell Sermon

6

6

7You have been created free from all imperfections; it seems

that you have been created as you have liked.

My eye has never seen more handsome, more lovely than you.

Nor any woman has given birth to more good looking and

more graceful than you.

Hassan Bin Thabit, the poet companion of the Prophet

Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with him)

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Foreword

Dr. Ali Gomaa

The Grand Mufti of Egypt

In Islam mercy starts with the Creator and is bestowed by Him

to every living creature. The often-quoted attributes of Allah

in Islam are that of Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim which mean

The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful. These two

attributes are mentioned in a phrase recited at the beginning of

each chapter of the Quran: In the name of Allah the Most

Gracious the Most Merciful. This phrase is a continuous

reminder of Allahs endless mercy and great bounties.

One of the first things that we Muslims teach our

children is the words of Prophet Muhammad (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) The merciful are

shown mercy by the all merciful, show mercy to those on

earth and He Who is in heaven will show mercy unto you.

Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) was sent as a gift of mercy for the

entire humanity. Allah states about Prophet Muhammad (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him): We have not

sent thee except as a mercy to the worlds (21:107).

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8

9Mercy, compassion, and love have been the underlying

foundations upon which both life and civilization have been

built. For this reason, I welcome the contribution of Br.

Muhammad Jalal Raza. It is a timely book about the merciful

character of Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) at a time in which global communities

are passing through crucial ethical problems.

I am sure that this book will be welcomed by both

Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and I pray Allah to reward

the author immensely for his unfailing and most appreciated

efforts to serve Islam and to defend the honor and noble

character of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him).

Dr. Ali Gomaa

The Grand Mufti of Egypt

21/10/07

9

Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture(ICCR)

Embassy of India, Cairo

The book entitled The Features of Mercy in Islam by

Muhammad Jalal Raza is a simple and lucid book on the

quality of mercy to be shown among all creatures, including

human beings. Mercy in real sense covers all tender human

qualities of compassion, pity, forgiveness, kindness, sympathy,

understanding, clemency, leniency, and benevolence.

The author has, in his first chapter of the book,

extensively covered almost all life aspects of the Prophet

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him), who was

an embodiment and incarnation of mercy and compassion

through out his life. His second chapter deals with the

importance and value of mercy in Islam and how it calls upon

its followers to practice mercy and forgiveness in different

stages of life and within different sections of society. He

devotes his third chapter to dispelling wrong notions and

misunderstandings about Islam and its Prophet (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him).

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I believe that Mr. Mohammad Jalal Raza has made a

sincere attempt through this book to project Islam in a right

way and at a right time. And I hope that his book will be well

received by the reading public. I am pleased with him for

having written and published such a good and useful book. I

look forward to seeing more of his academic and research

productions in future.

Dr. Basheer AhmadDirectorMoulana Azad Center for Indian CultureCairo06/12/07

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PrefaceBy

Sayed Ahmad Imam BukhariPrincipal of Pakistan International School, Cairo.

I am, in any capacity, no authority to write preface to a book

that is about the most sublime personality of this universe for

all ages. It is humanly impossible to write about the greatest of

all prophets possessing countless attributes. Allah Almighty

has praised him throughout in the Holy Quran. I will quote

only from two verses:

.

a) We sent you not, but as a mercy for the whole universe. (Surah 21:Al Anbiya 107)

b)

.

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Allah verily hath shown grace to the believers by sending unto

them a messenger of them who reciteth unto them His

revelation and causeth them to grow and teacheth them to

Scripture and wisdom, although before (he came to them) they

were in flagrant error.

(Surah 3 Ali Imran164)

All aspects of his life are evidence of his sublime and

charismatic character. In this respect, the attempt of Mr.

Muhammad Jalal Raza, my friend and an intelligent research

scholar of Cairo University, to present The Features of Mercy

in Islam is quite commendable. The objective is to give room

to the light of truth among dark clouds of prejudice, hatred,

and negative propaganda about Islam, the Holy Quran, and

Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him).

In this regard, I would like to quote from some prominent

scholars who were non-Muslims but were seekers of truth. Let

us see what they say.

George Barnard Shaw says about him: I have studied

himthe wonderful man and in my opinion far from

being an anti-Christhe must be called the Savior of the

Humanity1

1(The Genuine Islam by Sir G.B.Shaw)

13

Michael H. Hart in his book Ratings of Men ranked

Muhammad first in the list. He says: My choice of

Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential

persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned

by others, but he was the only man in history who was

supremely successful on both the religious and secular

levels.

Lamar Tine, the renowned historian, speaking on the

essentials of human greatness wonders: If greatness and

astounding results are the three criteria of human genius,

who would dare to compare any great man in modern

history with Muhammad and As regards all the

standards by which Human Greatness my be measured,

we may well ask, Is there any greater than H.E.2

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley, speaking on the

profession of Islam, write, 'I believe in one God, and

Mohamet, an apostle of God' is the simple and invariable

profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity

has never been degraded by any visible idol, the honor of

the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human

2( Historie de la Turquie,Paris 1854).

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virtues, and his living precepts have restrained the

gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and

religion.3

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the charter of

Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) says in Young India, I wanted to know the best

of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts

of millions of mankind . . . I became more than convinced

that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in

those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid

simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the

scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to

his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness,

his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These

and not the sword carried everything before them and

surmounted ever obstacle.

Thomas Carlyle in his book Heroes and Hero Worship

was simply amazed as to How one man single-handedly,

could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a

most powerful and civilized nation in less than two

decades.

3( History of Saracen Empires, London, 1870)

15

And said: The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning

zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad) are disgraceful

to ourselves only and A silent great soul, one of that who

cannot but be earnest. He was Kindle the World, the World's

maker had ordered so.

With these few praiseworthy texts, eminent scholars of their

time invite all those who are seeking truth to shun their

prejudices against Islam and Prophet Muhammad (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) and to check for

themselves what is right and what is wrong.

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Preface

By

The compiler

All praise is for Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds. May

peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, the chief of

the prophets and messengers, his offspring, companions, as

well as upon those who follow his footsteps until the Day of

Judgment.

Respective readers! This is a concise introduction

intended to remind the people about the noble character of the

Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) and to introduce his good manners in order to

motivate the agonized human being of this age to be adorned

with the ethics of the Prophet Muhammad (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) and to adhere to his

exemplary manners.

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How great is our need for his nobility of character! This

can be judged by the sufferings of the human beings of the

present day. They would be saved from their pains and agonies

by his nobleness. They would be able to enjoy the real

happiness and bliss of this world and the Hereafter after

coming under his shelter. These moral values have endured for

centuries after centuriesthe source of bliss and dignity for

all people irrespective of faith, religion, color, race, or caste.

Undoubtedly, the present circumstances of the world

impose upon us the duty of defending the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him).

However, now more than ever before the need is great to

present and introduce the greatness of the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) to those

who are unacquainted with his loftiness and dignity.

Islam is the only one religion among the most famous

religions of the world that possesses the important elements of

love, unity, and fraternity that are sure to create the harmony,

cooperation, and peaceful living among the followers of

different religions. For example, the present Judaism cannot

lead the world because it dishonors Prophet Jesus (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him), and his mother Mary

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon her). On the

other hand, it does not accept the prophethood of Prophet

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Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon

him). In addition, Christianity also cannot create a peaceful

atmosphere of love and coexistence among the pluralistic

societies of the world because it does not accept the Prophet


him) as an Apostle.

However, Islam undoubtedly can guarantee the mutual

regard and peaceful atmosphere among all people: It accepts

Moses (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) as

a respective prophet and asserts that he received a Divine book

(the Torah). Islam also believes in Jesus (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) as an honored Prophet of

Allah and in Mary (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon her) as a truthful, honest, chaste, and pure slave of Allah.

Dear reader! It is very clear that the present human

societies are passing through the crucial crossroads of history

and that the whole of humankind is suffering from religious

and ethical decline. Jungle law is prevailing all over the world,

and the sublime moral values have no place in our general

dealings with each otheron all levels, whether as individuals

or in groups. The present generation has no hope; the worth of

the human life has no meaning.

This is the reason that we are in great need of reviving

those lofty moral values in our daily lives. This is the purpose

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for which the prophets and messengers (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon them) were sent one by one by

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) until the chain of

prophecy was completed and ended upon our Prophet


him).

The Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) has explained his goal, saying: I was

sent in order to perfect the nobilities of ethics.

Undoubtedly, good conduct has a very high rank and

great importance in Islam. In addition, good behavior has been

attached to faith itself in many cases, as it has been in the

traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him). For example, he said:

Whoever has no honesty (in fact) has no faith.

Whoever cheats us is not from among us.

Whoever believes in Allah and the Hereafter must

honor his guest.

He is not a true believer who does not secure his

neighbor from his disturbance.

Thus, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) has emphasized the importance of fair

dealing and good conduct. He (May peace of Allah and His

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blessings be upon him) has also called the people to adhere to

the nobility of character by his own words and actions.

Verily Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has assigned

him to be the example and pattern for the whole of

humankind.

Furthermore, Allah Himself (Glorified and Exalted be

He) educated him. As the Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) has said, My Lord has

raised me; that is why He decorated me with good manners

and I was brought up properly.

Likewise, he is the role model and the ideal for all

humankind in every aspect of human life. He is an ideal

husband when he interacts with his wife. He is an ideal father

when he deals with his sons and daughters. He is an ideal

commander when he commands his forces. He is an ideal

planner for a poor when he feels the severity of hunger. He is

an ideal worshipper when he worships his Lord. He is an ideal

businessman when he buys and sells his goods and services.

This introduction aims to present the good manners of

the Prophet Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) on different occasions and with

different people.

I render here my thanks and appreciation to my helping

wife Asfia Shereen for her active contribution to this work; in

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fact, her efforts cannot be described, but they are deeply felt. I

pray the Almighty to bless our two gifted flowers by Allah

Zahra and Shaimaand to decorate them with good manners.

In addition, I express my regards and thanks to every

one who has helped me by any means in this task.

Dear reader! It is an honor to present this study in

English. I pray to Allah the Almighty to reward the grand

Mufti of republic of Egypt professor Dr. Ali Gomaa

Muhammad (May Allah bless us with his blessings) for his

efforts in introducing the message of the Prophet to people all

over the world in different languages. (Ameen)

May peace and blessings of Allah be upon the best among His

creations, Muhammad, and his offspring, the companions,

followers and his lovers.

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The Pre-Islamic Days (Days of Ignorance)

The pagans of the Arabian Peninsula during that era were far

astray from sound guidance. They worshipped idols, the

religion of Prophet Abrahamthe worship of one true God

was forgotten, and they even installed idols to worship in the

sacred Kabaah. The true nature and purity of the Divine

revelations was lost. There was no respect for the weak, the

orphans, or the widows. Bloodshed was commont, men

frequently indulged in drinking, which led them to fight with

each other for simple tribal reasons. Sometimes the tribal wars

would continue for generations upon generations. Human

beings were more brutal and cruel than hyenas. The powerful

ate the weak. Tyranny and oppression were regarded as

virtuous, and prideful acts were venerated. Adultery and

fornication were more common than legal marriages. A father

himself would bury his daughters alive.

Moral values had no meaning at all; people were

unable to legislate laws to rule and govern. They were unable

to establish the governing systems that would establish justice

among them. Moreover, the right was mixed with wrong, and

the good acts were considered to be evil acts. They judged

according to their own desires and selfish inclinations. There

was no brotherhood among them. Each one was ready to shed

his rival's blood. Indeed, there was no Light, and people were

23

merely wandering in darkness and arrogancenot only the

Arabs, but the whole of humankind as well.

Humanity was thirsty for a Divine Leader who could take

their hands and guide them to a safe coast that would relieve

their pain and suffering. Therefore, it is an absolute mercy of

Allah who selected as a Messenger among themMuhammad

the pure, chaste, truthful, honest, intelligent, and mercifulto

rescue human beings from the bottom of inhumanity and give

them the means to rise to the top of leadership of the whole

world. Indeed, the coming of our Prophet Muhammad was the

dawn after a long night to reestablish monotheism.

Allah has mentioned His favor when He guided them to

the right path. Allah says in the Glorious Quran: And hold

fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for

you), and be not divided among yourselves and remember

with gratitude Allah's favor on you, for ye were enemies and

he joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became

brethren and ye were on the brink of the pit of the fire, and He

saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His signs clear to

you: That ye may be guided (3:103).

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His Birth, Upbringing, Appearance, and Physique

Our leader Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him and his offspring), was

born an orphan on Monday 12th of Rabiul Awwal, coinciding

with the 29th of August, 570 A.D.

His father Abdullah died before his birth, and his

mother Amina, daughter of Wahab, died when he was six

years old, followed by his grandfather's death two years later.

In fact, Allah willed that Muhammad would be raised and

brought up under His sight and care. Moreover, he would

learn how he put his trust in Allah only and to submit himself

to his Lord in crises facing him during his missionary life.

Thus, he suffered the pain of his father's death followed with

his mother's death; therefore, he learned how to face different

kinds of agonies and difficulties, and he was prepared to be

the teacher of the whole humankind.4

His physical structure was medium, neither tall nor

short. His blessed head was large in size; his face was slightly

round; his forehead was wide; his eyebrows were very close to

each other, separated by a vein that would redden and expand

whenever he became angry.

4Encyclopedia of Islam Supreme Council Cairo

25

The color of his blessed eyes was a beautifully black,

surrounded by white with redness. His beautiful eyelashes

were fairly long. He had a nicely arched nose. His blessed

mouth looked beautiful; his gums and shining white teeth

added to the beauty; his teeth had natural gaps between them,

and this added much to his handsomeness.5

His blessed beard was fairly thick. His hair was fairly

wavy. His blessed arms were fairly long; his shanks were

fairly thin. Biceps were strong, and his muscles were bound.

His face was fair. He had no sign of limpness in his body.6

Whenever he became angry, his face would turn red.7

And if he felt sadness, he would touch his blessed beard

frequently. When he spoke, he waved his whole palm. And

whenever he was surprised at something, he would turn his

palm. If he was absorbed in speaking, he put his left thumb in

his right palm, and if he saw something that was not pleasing,

he would turn away his face from it. Whenever he sneezed, he

covered his face. Sometimes he would laugh until his incisors

could be seen. He smiled more than any other person.

5: At-Tirmizi

64 At-Tirmizi

7Al-Byhaqi

26

26

27

His Dress and Way of Living

The most favorite garment of the Prophet Muhammad (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) was the robe.

He had a robe made of cotton with sleeves that covered his

wrists, and it was long, extending down near his ankles.8

He wore a woolen garment,9 the cheapest cloth at that

time, and his dress was rough and uncomfortable.

At times he repaired his own shoes and patched his

garment by himself.10 He rode a donkey.11

He had a straw mat upon which he slept at night, and

during the daytime he unfolded it to sit upon it.12 He slept on

the straw mat, and it left marks on his blessed body from its

toughness.

Sometimes he slept on a cloak double folded. Once his

wife Hafsa (May Allah be pleased with her) folded that cloak

four times, and when he slept on it, he fell into deep sleep due

to its softness and thickness until his midnight prayer

(Tahajjud) was missed. So he stopped Hafsa (May Allah be

8At-Tirmizi

9Al-Bukhari

10Musnad Ahmad

11Zad u L Ma'ad

12Al-Bayhaqi

27

pleased with her) from doing so; the next time he ordered her

to return it to its original condition.

Once a woman of Al-Ansar saw his rough straw mat and

gifted him a mattress stuffed with coir and covered with

leather. The Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) ordered Aishah (May Allah be pleased

with her) to return it to the woman. He even emphasized it

three times.

I didn't return it until he ordered me three times. Since I

liked a mattress of this kind for the Messenger of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him), as Sayyidah

Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) stated.13

The reason behind this austerity by Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) was to

keep himself far from the luxurious life, although Aisha

preferred it eagerly.

And, whenever he slept, he put his hand below his head,

and he slept on his right side.14

Note: The Prophet of Allah (May peace and blessing of Allah

be upon him) never liked poverty, nor did he prefer it. His

voluntarily ascetic life was neither incidental nor meaningless.

Because he used to say in his supplication to Allah I take 13Al-Bayhaqi

14Al-Bukhari

28

28

29

refuge of Allah from the inseparable hunger he was able to

possess the whole wealth of all Arabic Peninsula in his hand.

Moreover, he always gave generously. A Bedouin

described his generosity, saying: He gives openheartedly

such as, the generous that fears no poverty at all.15

15Al Mojam As Saghir.

29

His Way of Eating

He would not turn back whatever was available and would not

cause to be a burden that which was not present. Whenever

any permissible and delicious food was offered to him, he

would eat happily. If he did not like the food, he would leave

it without prohibiting. He never disgraced any kind of food if

he felt the desire for it. He would eat, and otherwise he would

leave.16

He loved sweet and cold drink,17 and he liked dates. He

ate watermelon with ripe dates and cucumbers with salt. In the

month of Ramadan he broke his fast with ripe dates. If ripe

dates were not available, he would break his fast with dry

dates. If they were not present, then he would break fast with

a drink of water.18 He ate with his three fingers, and he never

ate leaning on anything, and he explained the reason for this,

saying I like to sit humbly like a slave as I like to eat like a

slave.19

He sat commonly on earth, and his food was placed on a

sheet spread on the earth.

16Al Bukhari

17At-Tirmizi

18Abu-Dawood

19Al-Bukhari

30

30

31

The cup with which he drank water was made of thick

wood adjusted with tin slides.20

When Cyrus (called Muqawqis in Arabic, the Egyptian

ruler of that era) gifted to him a cup made of glass, he began

to drink water through it. Whenever he supplied water among

his companions, he would make himself the last one in turn.

He would begin the turn from his right side, and he

would not take any consideration to the left side, no matter

who was there.21

If he did not find anything to eat, he would remain

hungry with patience and tolerance. And at times he would

fasten a stone on his blessed stomach (to support his back), as

he did at the time of digging the trench on the day of Al-

Ahzab (Battle). His companions discovered the fastened

stones upon his blessed stomach due to the severity of hunger.

He never ate wheat bread to his fullness for three

consecutive days until he departed this world. He never ate

bread prepared with refined flour between the time he

declared his prophethood and the time he passed away. (They

refined the barley flour by blowing on it with their mouths.)22

20Al-Mawahib Al Laduniyah

21Zad u Al Ma'ad

22Al-Bukhari

31

He used to stay for up to one month, while he had no

flour to prepare bread. He would even pass two months

without igniting a fire in his house (i.e., without cooking).23

Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said:

However, we were surrounded by neighbors from Al-Ansar

(people of Al-Madinah, who supported the Prophet (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) when he

emigrated toward them,as all other Muslims did to escape the

harm of the infidels of Makkah who gifted us some food.24

Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) added, saying:

If we had the lantern we would eat it [i.e., would eat its oil].

Our basic livelihood was water and dates.25

Once the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) performed his prayer sitting because

he was physically weak because of severity of hunger.

Once they offered him some almond juice then he

ordered them saying: Drive it away from me, it is the drink of

the luxuriant.26

23At-Tirmizi

24Al-Bukhari

25Al-Bukhari

26Al Mawahib Al Laduniyyahb

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The Reason for His Simplicity

By our calculation, if Muhammad (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) would take his share out of the

booty like any individual of his army, verily he would have

been the richest of all Arabs.

However, it had been foreordained by the Creator that

the human being would live many generations and there

would be poverty and richness among them. That is why the

best system of life would be only that which keeps its rulers

among the ranks of the poor.

However, it is narrated by At-Tirmidi that the Prophet

(May peace and blessings be upon him) stated, My Lord

offered me to turn the field of Mecca into gold, then I asked

no O 'my Lord! But I prefer to be satisfied of food one day,

and remain hungry the next day whenever I would be hungry I

would supplicate to You and remember Your favor and

whenever I remain satisfied I would thank You and glorify

You.27

Once the Prophet of Allah (May peace and blessings be

upon him) and Gabriel were on the mountain of As-Safa (a hill

in Sacred Mecca) the Prophet of Allah- (May peace and

blessings be upon him) addressed Gabriel O Gabriel: By God

Who sent down upon me the divine revelation, indeed tonight 27At-Tirmizi

33

there was no wheat flour for the family of Muhammad (May

peace and blessings be upon him) to prepare food.

Suddenly the earth shook so severely that he was

frightened. Prophet of Allah (May peace and blessings be

upon him) asked Gabriel: Is it the Day of Resurrection? He

answered, No.

But just then the angel Israfeel came down. The angel

said, Allah has heard your words and has sent me down with

the keys of treasuries of the whole earth and ordered me to

offer you, if you wish to live as a king-prophet, then you

would be accompanied by the mountain of Mecca as gold,

silver, emerald, and rubies or if you prefer to live as slave-

prophet. Then Gabriel suggested him to be modest thus, the

Prophet (May peace and blessings be upon him) preferred to

live as a slave-prophet.28

The Prophet Muhammadmay peace and blessings be

upon himselected to be humble without properties and

wealth to strengthen the heart of the poor, which represents the

major part of the human society. In this way they should

endeavor as the Prophet has endeavored, and they should

tolerate as the Prophet has tolerated. How destructive is the

system that puts both authority and wealth in one hand! And

28At-Tabrani

34

34

35

how bad is the society in which luxuriates occupy the power

or the power indulges in luxuries!

35

His Cleanliness

The Prophet Muhammad loved cleanliness and tidy

appearance.

He used to sleep early in the night and would get up at

midnight. He would use the sewak (a wooden tooth stick) and

would make ablution to prepare himself to perform the

prayers.

Whenever he intended to go on a journey, Aishah (May

Allah be pleased with her) made ready everything that he

would need during his journey. She always kept in his bag

perfume, a comb, a pair of scissors, a kohl container, and a

wooden tooth stick.29

He had a silver ring with his seal bearing the words that

meant, Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.

That was the seal that was transferred respectively to the

First Caliph of Islam Abu-Bakr (May Allah be pleased with

him). Then it was passed to the Second Caliph Omar (May

Allah be pleased with him), and finally it reached Uthman

(May Allah be pleased with him), the Third Caliph of Islam. It

remained with him for about 6 years after which time it fell

into the well of Al-Arees.30

29Al-Mo'jam Al-Ausat

30Fath ul-Bari

36

36

37

In spite of a shortage of water, all attempts to draw the

ring out of the well were in vain. The Muslims felt that some

unpleasing matter was going to happen in the coming days,

and they concluded from this event that the Islamic reign

would fall in the hands of those who would follow their own

wishes, not those of Allah. So it might be that Allah wanted to

keep the sacred seal of the Prophet Muhammad (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) far from attesting the

independent wishes of the rulers with that sacred seal and that

is why the ring disappeared and was followed by the end of

virtuous Islamic period.

If the details of those golden days had not been

preserved in the historical records, no one would believe that

there were such prosperous nations who lived ever on this

globe.

37

His Truthfulness and Honesty

Among the most famous characteristics of the Prophet,

Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) was his

truthfulness and honesty. He was called As-Sadiq and Al

-Ameen (the truth, the trustworthy one) prior to his prophet-

hood by the inhabitants of Mecca. His enemies also

acknowledged his honesty. Abu-Sufyan, for example, made

his confession in front of the Byzantine Emperor when he

said, Muhammad never lied.

In this regard, Abdullah-Ibn-Abbas narrated, Abu-

Sufyan Ibn Harb informed me that Heraclius the Emperor of

Abyssinia questioned me about the Prophet Muhammad as I

was the nearest kin of him. I was asked by Heraclius about

Muhammad's position in Arab tribes, What is his family

status amongst you? I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble)

family amongst us.' Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody

amongst you ever claimed the same to be a Prophet before

him?' I replied, 'no'. He said Was anybody amongst his

ancestors a king?' I replied No. Heraclius questioned me

again:Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his

claim (To be a Prophet)? I replied: No. He is well known

among us by his truthfulness and honesty. Heraclius asked:

Has he ever betrayed? I replied: No.

38

38

39

Heraclius asked: Are those who follow him from the nobles

or from the poor? I replied: It is the poor who follow

him. .'He said: Are his followers increasing or decreasing?

day by day. I replied: They are increasing. He then asked:

Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion

become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards? I

replied: No. Heraclius asked: Have you ever had a war

against him? I replied: Yes. Then he said: What was the

result of those battles? I replied: Sometimes he was

victorious and sometimes we were victorious. 'Heraclius

said: What does he order people to do?I replied: He tells

people to worship Allah alone and not to worship anything

along with Him. And to renounce all that our ancestors had

worshipped. He orders people to pray, to speak the truth, to be

chaste and to keep good relations with their kith and Kin.

Hearing this, Heraclius said: If what you have said is true, he

will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet.

Moreover, he expressed his desire to meet him and he wished

to wash his blessed feet if he could. Heraclius intended to

make a comparison between the information about Prophet

Muhammad by Abu Sufyan and the predictions of his coming

in Gospel and ultimately he was verified and confirmed.31

31Al Bidayah W An Nihayah

39

His Jest and Humor

The Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) sometimes remained awake and conversed with

his wives late at night. Likewise he would sit with his

companions after the dawn prayers until sunrise and talk about

the days of Jahiliah (pre-Islamic times), and they laughed, and

he passed a generic smile.32

He even shared jokes with his friends and did not speak

but the truth.

Once he said to an old woman, None of the old women

will enter Paradise. When she heard this, she burst into tears.

Then the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) explained to her, smiling: Dont you

know what Allah has said in His Glorious Quran and recited

the following verses: We have created (their Companions) of

special creation, and made them virginally pure (and

undefiled).33 When she understood the meaning of what he

said, she became happy and laughed.34

He once raced with Aishah (May Allah be pleased with

her) when she was very young and slim thus she won the race.

And when she became older and her body matured and she 32An-Nasa'e

33(Surah 56: Al Waqiah 35, 36)

34At-Tirmizi

40

40

41

gained weight, he again raced with her. This time he won the

race and said in amusement, This is against that, you won

once and this time I won.35

Sometimes he stuck out his blessed tongue in front of his

grandson Husain (May Allah be pleased with him). Husain

(May Allah be pleased with him) laughed upon seeing this.

Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) the son of Aslam

narrated that a woman called Omme Ayman came to the

Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) and said: My husband has invited you.

The Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) asked her, Is he that who has

whiteness in his eyes?

The woman was extremely surprised! No, by Allah! He

has no whiteness in his eyes, she said.


blessings be upon him) said to her, Why not? Undoubtedly,

he has the whiteness in his eyes.

The woman still was in wonder and said, No, by

Allah.

35Ibn-Katheer

41


blessings be upon him) said, smiling: Every one has the

whiteness in their eyes.36

It has also been told that a person once came to the


upon him) asking him for a riding camel, and the Prophet of

Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him)

told him: I shall give you a baby of the camel.

Then the person said to him: O Prophet of Allah! (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) What can I do

with a baby camel?

He stated, The camel which I am going to offer you

was also a baby of a she camel.37

Moreover, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) said: Indeed I marry women, I

eat meat, I sleep, I perform prayers at night, I fast, but I even

do not fast. Whoever turns away from my tradition then, he is

not among us.38 His Modesty and His Sincerity

36Abu-Dawood

37Abu-Dawood

38Al Bukhari

42

42

43

Once a person addressed him with these words: O our leader!

Son of our leader! The best among us! Son of the best among

us! He instructed the person not to show off, saying: Beware

of Satan! He should not misguide you. I am Muhammad, son

of Abdullah; I am just a humble servant of Allah and His

Messenger, by Allah! I dont like to be raised above my

rank.39

He used to say to his companions, Dont stand for my

respect such as the non-Arabs do in order to show respect to

their kings.40 That is why his companions did not stand for

him whenever they saw him coming toward them, although he

was the most beloved to them. Since they knew that, he

disliked that kind of respect.

He even did not like his companions to walk behind him,

and he would pull whomever did so to walk with him side by

side.

On one occasion, somebody trembled with fear when he

saw him, then the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) said to him: Dont worry, and

relax! I am not a king, but I am son of a woman who used to

eat the dry steak.41

39Ibn-katheer

40Musnd-Ahmad

41Abu-Dawood

43

He loved to help the orphans and widows. In fact, he

fulfilled their needs with is charity. He even stitched his

garments by himself. He always helped the needy and the

helpless widows.42

He visited the sick. He even served his Jewish neighbor.

His door never remained closed for his visitors; there

were no gatekeepers to interfere between him and his visitors.

Whoever wanted to meet the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) would meet

him without any hindrance.

He encouraged his followers to criticize their leaders and

to seek their rights. He encouraged them to object to

oppression and to express their opinions independently. He

encouraged them to find out what is beneficial and useful. He

liked them to express fearlessly their thoughts about the

attitudes of their leaders.

Once he walked out wearing a thick garment. A Bedouin

came from behind and grabbed him through his thick garment

with such a force that it left its visible marks upon his blessed

body, then the Bedouin shouted at him saying O Muhammad!

give me some fortune of Allah that your hand possessed.

42An-Nasa'e

44

44

45

In spite of this terrible incidence, the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) smiled

and ordered his companion to give him whatever he liked.43

Once a Jew came to him and pulled on him, holding his

cloth until the cloth fell down, then he said, O Muhammad!

return my loan soon! O children of Abdul Muttalib! You are

very reluctant to pay your dues.

Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) became furious

at this rudeness and threatened him, saying: O enemy of

Allah! How dare you talk to the Prophet of Allah (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) in such a manner?44

But the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) advised him, smiling: O Omar! He

and I both need something other than this quarrel. You should

advise me to pay his due as soon as possible and to advise him

to demand his loan in a better way. You also must help him to

get his debt returned. Go and give him back his loan, even add

20 Saa [an old Arabic measurement] of dates as a gift.

When he was distributing the booty of war on the day of

Hunain (an Islamic battle), a Bedouin criticized him in a rude

manner, saying: There is no equity in this distribution, since

43At-Tabari

44Al-Hakim

45

you have not intended the pleasure of Allah through this

distribution.

The Bedouin shouted at the Prophet of Allah (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) and spoke loudly:

Treat us equally! O Muhammad!


blessings be upon him) answered with calm and patience: If I

would not be just, then who would be the just!

He added saying: If I, too, could not treat equally, then I

am the loser and forfeiter.45

Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) asked the

Prophet (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him)

for his permission to kill the person for his disrespectful

behavior, but the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) stopped him and said: I seek

refuge with Allah from the people's whispering to each other

that Muhammad kills his companions.

Once he touched a person's stomach with a palm stick

that was in his blessed hand. The person came to him and

asked for the revenge. The Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) uncovered his blessed

stomach before him and gave him the stick to take his

revenge.45Al-Bukhari

46

46

47

But the person took the advantage of that moment and

kissed the blessed stomach of the Prophet Muhammad (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him).46

The intention of the companion was merely to frighten

the dictators coming after him and to guide them to the right

path.

Once a Bedouin ran over his foot unknowingly during a

battle, so the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) struck him with a whip. When the battle came

to an end, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) called upon him and gave him the

whip, asking him to take his revenge. But the person refused

to do so. Then the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) asked the person to forgive him.

He disliked any form of discrimination in the society

whether on the basis of caste, creed, or color.

Moreover, he prohibited everything that might divide

society into groups. In addition, he disliked the caste system

as well as any degrading tale of story aboutspying on each

other.

He warned, Whoever stayed in someone's house

without his permission, in case the house owner gouged his

46Majma Az Zawayed

47

eye then he has no right in compensation money or to take

revenge.

And he said, None of you is to tell me anything about

any others of you because I would like to meet you with a

sound heart.47

He also said, Keep away from evil suspicion for the

sake of evil suspicion. It is the falsest utterance. And do not

spy on each other. Do not envy each other. Do not hate each

other, and be brothers for each other, O slaves of Allah!48

He instructed his followers, saying, Every Muslim is a

brother to every other Muslim; hence he should not be unfair

to him nor surrender him neither should he degrade him. It is

enough for a person to be evil that he degrades his fellow

Muslim brother. All Muslims are sacred for one another their

blood, properties, and honors.49

He said, Whoever strives to fulfill the needs of his

brother, then Allah will fulfill his needs. And whoever

removes the misfortune of any Muslim, Allah will relieve him

of one misfortune of the Day of Judgments. And whoever

protects the secrets of a Muslim, Allah will protect his secret

on the Day of Judgment.50 47At-Tirmizi

48Al-Bukhari

49Sho'ab ul Iman

50Muslim

48

48

49

And he said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last

Day should serve his guests generously and should honor his

neighbor.51

The Mercy of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and his blessings be upon him) in Inflicting a Punishment

The Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) disliked a person to humiliate himself by

confessing his covered sins, which is why he stopped a sinner

from exposing his sin while Allah had revealed it to him.

One of his companions, namely Ma'iz, son of Malik

(May Allah be pleased with him), once came to the Prophet of

Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him).

He was an orphan, so he was brought up by Hozal Al-Aslami

according to his father's will.

When Ma'iz (May Allah be pleased with him) became an

adult, he went to his guardian Hozal and told him, I loved a

woman and I slept with her, and now I regret my evil deed.

What is your opinion about my sin?

He advised him to go to the Prophet of Allah (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) and to inquire of him.

Ma'iz (May Allah be pleased with him) did as was

suggested by his guardian. The Prophet of Allah (May peace

51Al-Bukhari

49

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) reminded him of this

principle four times by saying: Perhaps you have only kissed

her Perhaps you have just touched her.

However, the sincere companion insisted frankly that he

has committed adultery with her.


blessings be upon him) asked him directly, though he usually

spoke indirectly in such matters.

But the God-fearing companion persisted in his clear

confession. The Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) began to ask him again in more detail.

Perhaps he would find for him a reason or an exception that

might free him from this major transgression of Islamic law

and its punishment.

Nevertheless, (May Allah be pleased with him)

remained attached to his confession, and the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) began to

question him in this way: Do you know what adultery

actually means?

Ma'iz answered, Yes. I did with her illegally the same

that I do with my wife legally.


blessings be upon him) asked, Are you a mad?

50

50

51

He also asked his companions about the mental health of

Ma'iz, but he and his companions both confirmed that he was

a mentally sound person. Then the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) asked him,

What is your intention through this confession?

He answered, I intend to be purified through this

punishment from my sin.

Since then the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) has legislated the law: If a sinner

who has confessed his sin surrenders in the beginning of the

punishment or tries to run away, it becomes obligatory to stop

the execution of the punishment immediately. Similarly, it is

obligatory to bring him back to the judge if he asks for it.

And when someone degraded Ma'iz (May Allah be

pleased with him) for his sin and repentance, the Prophet of


scolded him, saying: Indeed he has offered a repentance. If a

small group of my followers did the same, then it would be

enough for all of my followers.

Then, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) told the guardian, O Hozal! How bad

is the deed you have done with your orphan? If only you had

51

covered upon his sin even with a right suggestion, in order to

salvage him from this punishment...!52

In addition, Muhamad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) said in this regard, Avert the

punishments if there are doubts.

Therefore, the modern law says, The doubt always

should be explained on behalf of the accused.

52Muslim

52

52

53

The Mercy of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) and the Dignity of Women


him) loved a woman as a human being, as a mother, a wife, a

daughter, and a sister.

Once he was asked, Who is worthiest of my good

behavior? Then he answered, saying: Your mother, then

again your mother, then again your mother, then your father.53

And he said: Whose father and mother were present

before him, or one of them, in spite of that he could not do the

filial piety with them, and died in such position thus he

entered the Hellfire, may Allah curse him!54

And the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) used to kiss Aishah (May Allah be

pleased with her). Moreover, if she drank water from a jar, he

would take the jar and drink from the same place that she

touched with her blessed mouth. Sometimes he recited the

Glorious Qur'an while his head rested in the lap of Aishah

(May Allah be pleased with her), and he would kiss her while

he was fasting.55

53Al-Bukahri

54Muslim

55Muslim and Ahmad

53

Once the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) became angry with Aishah (May

Allah be pleased with her). In order to reconcile with her, he

made a suggesion to her, saying: Do you agree that Abu

Obaidah (May Allah be pleased with him) may make a

judgement between us?

She refused, saying: No, he never will judge against you

and in favor of me.

Then he asked, Do you agree that we may use Omar's

judgment?

And she rejected him again, saying: No, I fear injustice

Omar (May Allah be pleased with him).


blessings be upon him) asked her finally: Do you agree that

Abu Bakr [her father] (May Allah be pleased with him) may

make a judgment between us?

It was the only time that she agreed with pleasure, and

she said, Yes, I agree.

Thus Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) came

to them, and the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) asked him for his judgment. However,

Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) was astonished

and asked the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

54

54

55

blessings be upon him) in surprise, Will I be a judge between

you? O Prophet of Allah!


blessings be upon him) began to narrate the story of the

dispute and the reason for the controversy, but Aishah (May

Allah be pleased with her) interrupted him and said: Go right,

O Prophet of Allah! and say this rightly.

Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) became

furious at her and slapped her face with a force that made her

nose bleed. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him)

shouted at her in anger, If he does not speak the truth then

who will speak the truth?


blessings be upon him) felt sorry for her and said to Abu Bakr

(May Allah be pleased with him): This never was my

intention.

And he got up immediately and washed the blood from

her face and her garment by himself.56

And whenever anyone of his wives became angry with

him, he put his blessed hand upon her shoulder and prayed, O

Allah! Forgive her sins, and remove her heart's fire and protect

her from trials.57

56Al-Kamil

57Al Jame As Saghir

55

Once Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) became

furious with his wife and had an argument with her. His wife

argued against him. Omar (May Allah be pleased with him)

disliked arguments. Omar's (May Allah be pleased with him)

wife objected to him fearlessly, saying, Why do you hate my

argument against you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) also

argue with him. And some of them separate themselves from

him until the night.58

And whenever the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) came back to his home at

night, he greeted them with a voice that could be heard only

by the awake, and he did not disturb the sleeping.59

He disliked that a person returns to his home from his

journey suddenly, without informing them prior to his return.

That is why he liked a traveler to inform his wife or family

before he arrived at his home.60

Once Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) came

to the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) while he was wrapped in his cloth. Two girls

were beating a tambourine in front of Aishah (May Allah be

58Mslim

59At-Tabarani

60Al-Bukhari

56

56

57

pleased with her). When Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased

with him) saw it, he disliked it and condemned them. Then the


upon him) removed the cloth from his blessed face and said to

Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him): Leave them, O

Abu Bakr! (May Allah be pleased with him). These are the

festival days.61

Once Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) watched

the play of some Negroes lying upon the Prophet's blessed

shoulder until she became bored with it.62

And he said, Whoever brings up two daughters

(according to Islamic law) will be accompanied by me on the

Day of Judgment like this. . .

While saying this he showed his both of fingers joined to

each other (the forefinger and the middle finger),63 meaning

that both will remain together in Paradise.


blessings be upon him) did not even permit the use of

withdrawal as a contraceptive method if the wife did not

agree with it. So a man alone does not have the right to make

such a decision, nor may he consider the women merely a

61Al-Bukhari

62Al-Bukhari

63Muslim

57

source for satisfying his sexual desires. There is no insult

more offensive for a women's heart than this, for she likes

pregnancy from her husband, while he does not like it.


blessings be upon him) has said, This world and this worldly

life are an entertainment, and their best entertainment is a

virtuous wife.64

And he said: The worst person before Allah would be

he who has sexual relationship with his wife then spreads her

secrets among the people.65

64Muslim

65Muslim

58

58

59

His Tenderheartedness

Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and

His blessings be upon him) was soft-hearted, affectionate, and

merciful with his family members and with friends even with

those innocents whom he did not see.

Once Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) went to visit Zaid (May Allah be pleased with

him) son of Harethah when he was injured in a battle. The


upon him) wept when the daughter of Zaid (May Allah be

pleased with him) wept at her father's wound. Then one of his

companions asked him the reason for his tears. He answered

saying, It is the result of longing from an intimate friend for

his friend.66


be upon him) came to his grandson when he was in the

agonies of death, then the blessed eyes of the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) burst into

tears upon their separation.

Once Sa'ad (May Allah be pleased with him), son of

Obadah, fell ill, and the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) wept for his illness.

66Abu Dawood

59


blessings be upon him) kissed Uthman (May Allah be pleased

with him) son of Mazo'on, when he was injured in a fight, and

he wept for a long time upon seeing this.67


be upon him) heard from a person that he had buried his

daughter alive in pre-Islamic days, and the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) wept

over this agonizing story until one of his attendants shouted at

that person, saying, Indeed you have saddened the Prophet of

Allah. However, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) stopped him and ordered that

person to repeat the story. And the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) wept until

drops of his tears flowed down on his blessed beard.

His son Ibrahim lived until he reached the age of

eighteen months. Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) loved him very much, and sometimes

he even mounted the hill to have a glance at him, when

Ibrahim was under the care of a blacksmith's wife. The


upon him) kissed his son and played with him and was pleased

by him heartedly, as he was blessed with him in his old age.67Al-Isabah

60

60

61

It is noteworthy that the Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) had no male child

except for Ibrahim, and he even saw Ibrahim leave this world

before him. That is why his eyes were filled with tears at that

painful moment. In spite of that agony, he uttered merely these

wise words, Verily the eyes bursts into tears, and the heart

breaks down with pain, and we should not utter but whatever

pleases our Sustainer. Indeed we are in a severe grief and

sorrow upon your separation, O Ibrahim!68

And it happened that the sun, too, was eclipsed at the

same time. So the Muslims who witnessed the grief of their

Prophet (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him)

interpreted this by saying, Indeed the sun has been eclipsed

due to Ibrahim's death, therefore the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) hurried to his

pulpit (to correct his follower's misunderstanding) fearing the

evil temptation spreading among his followers, and addressed

his companions. He said, Indeed the sun and the moon are

the signs of Allah they don't get eclipsed for any one's death

nor any one's birth.


him) was sent by Allah to call us to dignity and glory.

Therefore, we have to choose either to live with respect and 68Al-Bidayah Wn-Nihayah

61

honor with other nations, exercising our rights with freedom,

standing up for our rights, or to die as martyrs protecting our

religion and homelands. In this way we can remain always

givers not takers, and we have to believe here that dignity is in

our country and in our religion.

62

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Muhammad (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) The Gifted Mercy

The extremely gentle nature of the Prophet Muhammad (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him), which

endeared him to all, is the nature of mercy: one of the

Prophet's titles in the Glorious Quran is The Mercy of

Allah.

In this regard, the companion AbuMaso'od AlBadri

(May Allah be pleased with him)narrated a story: Once I was

striking my slave with a whip, and just then I heard a voice

from behind saying, O AbuMaso'od hear! Because of my

anger I could not recognize the voice at first, but when the

person came nearerI saw that it was the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) who called

upon me, saying, O AbuMaso'od! You must know that Allah

(Exalted be He) is Mightier upon you than you upon this

slave. Then I told to him, O Prophet of Allah ! He is free for

Allah (Exalted be He).


blessings be upon him) then said to me, If you had not freed

him, indeed you would have remained near to be burned in

Hellfire.69

69Reported by Muslim and Abu Dawood

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This mercy was even reflected in the general life of the

Muslims, in that golden period. as would be seen in this

tradition which illustrated the manner of the companion Abu

Zarr (May Allah be pleased with him), with his slave. Abu

Zarr (May Allah be pleased with him) clothed his slave the

same kind of clothes that he wore himself, and gave him the

same garment he would put on.

And when he was questioned about his good conduct, he

answered saying, I heard the Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) saying: Your servants

are your brothers, feed them the same food that you eat, and

cloth them the same clothes that you wear. 70


blessings be upon him) has said, He is not among us who has

no mercy upon our young, and does not respect our old, and

does not enjoin what is right and does not forbid what is

wrong71.

This is Islam, and that is our Prophet (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him), and those are his

followers. But the enemies deform the facts and place upon

70Reported by Abdur Razzaq in his book by the name Musannaf

71Reported by Tirmizi

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the Muslims false accusations like terrorism, extremism,

severity, violence, and intolerance.


blessings be upon him) ordered the companion Moaaz (May

Allah be pleased with him) not to deny the truthful, not to

follow the wrongdoer, not to disobey the just governor, and

not to spoil the land. Even the Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) commended Moaaz

(May Allah be pleased with him) to fear Allah, even in stones,

trees, and lands, and he ordered him not to cut a tree, not to

harm a donkey, and to be merciful upon every thing.

Undoubtedly, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) was sent by the Lord as a

mercy for all creations. He is the Gift of Mercy for all: men,

jinn, plants, trees, and even for the inanimate things, Allah

(Exalted be He) described him, saying, We sent thee not, but

as a mercy for all creation72.

72Sura 21, Al Anbia: 107

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His Patience and Tolerance

Allah the Most Merciful (Exalted be He) gave the nature of

patience and forgiveness to the Prophet of Allah (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him) so that he would be

able to fulfill the tremendous task of guiding people whom

gone astray from the path of Allah (Exalted be He). The

patience of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) knew no limit or boundary. even it

took under its wings, his bitter enemies of the infidels and

polytheists who fought against him, wounded him, even his

blessed face was injured and was bleeding on the Day of

Uhud, When his companions were saddened because of his

severe injuries, they asked him to pray to Allah against his

enemies, but the Prophet calmed them, saying, Indeed I am

sent as a preacher, and mercy for all not as a curser. O Allah!

Guide my people to the right path, as they do not know the

reality.73

It was narrated by the scholar Al Hakim, about Zaid the son of

Soana. He was a famous Jewsih rabbi that embraced Islam.

He explained why what led him to Islam: No signs of

prophesy escaped from my notice, and I found everyone of

those indications which are mentioned in our books on his

face except for these two signs which I could find. The first is 73Ibn-Katheer

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that his tolerance precedes his wrath, the second is that if the

mistreatment of his people increases, his tolerance and

patience surpasses their misconduct. So I secretly mingled

with him, so that I could examine his tolerance and his

forgiveness. Thus I purchased from him some dates. I paid the

price at that time, and we fixed a date on which he has to pay

the dates. When the appointed time came near, which was only

two or three days, I came to him, held his robe, and glanced at

him with eyes filled with anger, and told rudely: O

Muhammad! Would you not pay my due? O sons of Abdul

Muttalib! By Allah you are very reluctant to pay your dues.

Then Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) scolded him,

saying, O enemy of Allah! How dare you address the Prophet

of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him)

in such a manner? By Allah if I would not expect what I fear, I

would chop off your head with my sword.

However, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) remained calm and patient, and he

even smiled and advised Omar, O Omar we are in a greater

need of other than this, you have to order me to pay his due

with good manner, and to order him to demand his needs from

me kindly. Go, O Omar, and pay his dates with an addition of

20 Saa (An old Arabic measure) as the compensation for your

frightening him. After that Zaid addressed Omar, saying, O

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Omar now I have examined the two final signs of

prophethood. Be witness that I have accepted Allah (Exalted

be He) as my Lord and Islam as my religion and Muhammad

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) as my

Prophet.74

Even the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) has forgiven the Jew Labeed, the son

of Aasam, who had bewitched him. He also forgave the Jewish

woman who had poisoned the meat of which the Prophet of


took a bite once.75


blessings be upon him) was ordered by Allah (Exalted be He)

to forgive. As He said in the Glorious Qur'an:Hold to

forgiveness. Command what is right. But turn away from the

ignorant.76

The companion Anas, the son of Malik (May Allah be pleased

with him), narrated: Once we were in the mosque with the


upon him), and a Bedouin entered the mosque and began

urinating in the mosque. The companions of the Prophet (May 74At-Tabrani

75Al-Bukhari

76Surah 7 Al A'raf: 199

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Allah be pleased with them) tried to hold him back by saying,

Stop, Stop. But the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) calmed them, saying, Do not

disturb himlet him carry on.

So they remained patient, until he finished his urination. Then

the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) called him near and advised him, saying, These

are the sacred mosques which are not the places for urination

or any other filth. But mosques are only for the glorification of

Allah, for prayer and for reciting the Holy Qur'an. Then the


upon him) ordered one of his companions to bring a bucket of

water and to wash away the urine.77

Furthermore, when the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) entered Makkah and

conquered the polytheists, he addressed the tribesmen there,

saying, O group of Quraish! What are you expecting from

me? And what am I going to do with you?

They answered him, saying, We hope from you the

good because you are a noble brother and the son of a noble

brother.

77(Reported by Muslim).

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However, they were the same people who had expelled

him and his companions from their own houses; they inflicted

on them all kinds of torment and tortured them severely. They

insulted and humiliated the Muslims in the worst possible

ways.

In spite of that, the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) freed them, saying, There is

no blame upon you today go you are free.78

Jabir, the son of Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with them),

said, Once we were accompanied by the Prophet of Allah

(May peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) in a

journey to face a war, in the middle of the day. We reached in

a valley with many trees. Therefore, the people went in

different directions in order to rest for a while under the

shades of those trees. The Prophet of Allah (May peace of

Allah and His blessings be upon him) also camped under a

tree and hung his sword on a branch of the tree, and slept.

When he got up, he found a person carrying his sword

standing upon his head. Then the person addressed him

saying, Who will protect you now from me?


blessings be upon him) answered him calmly, Allah!

7866 (al Bidayah Wa al Nihayah

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After hearing, this, the sword fell down from his hand.


blessings be upon him) held the sword in his hand and

addressed him, saying, Who will protect you from me?

He answered, trembling in fear, Be kind with me!


blessings be upon him) forgave him and did not punish him.79


blessings be upon him) never chided any of his servants. The

companion Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said, I

have served the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) for ten years. Never did he mutter

against me. He never objected to what I did wrong, nor did he

say to me, Why have you not done this? This was not only

with me, but it was his common conduct with all of his

servants, male and female servants alike. He never struck any

of them.80

Undoubtedly, this type of sublime and lofty manner can

not be adhered to by anyone without the special support of

Allah.

79(Narrated by Al Bukhari and Muslim).

80Al-Bukhari

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In another tradition narrated by Muslim, Anas (May

Allah be pleased with him) said, I never saw a person more

kindhearted with his family than the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him).81

Once Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her), the

honored wife of the Prophet, was questioned: How was the

manner of the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) in his house with his family

members?.

She answered, describing him this way: He was the

most softhearted of all and the most smiling person. He was

never seen stretching his blessed legs among his people.82

Furthermore, she said, No one was better mannered

than the Prophet of Allah (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him). No one invited him but that he

accepted the invitation happily.


blessings be upon him) has commanded the people, saying,

Whoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day must respect

his neighbor. Whoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day

81Muslim

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must respect his guest. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last

Day must speak rightly or remain silent.83

And he has instructed the people, saying, None of you

could be a true believer until he does not choose for others

what he chooses for himself.84 Furthermore, he said: Fear

Allah wherever you might be. After any evil deed; follow it

with a good deed, so it will be erased. And deal with people in

good conduct.85

At-Tabari mentioned that the Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him) once was on a

journey. During the journey, he ordered his companions to

slaughter a goat.

One of them said to him, O Prophet of Allah (May

peace of Allah and His blessings be upon him)! I undertake

the duty of slaughtering it.

The second said, I shall take the skin off of it.

The third of them said Leave the duty of cooking upon

me.


blessings be upon him) also said: To gather the firewood is

my duty.

83Al-Bukhari

84Muslim

85Ibn-Katheer

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The companions said, O Prophet of Allah (May peace

of Allah and His blessings be upon him)! We will suffice for

your duty.


blessings be upon him) said: I knew well that you will suffice

for my work, but I dislike being distinct among you. Indeed

Allah also hates his servant if he makes himself distinct

among his friends.86

Moreover, it was narrated by Abu Qatadah that when the

delegation of Abyssinian King Najashi came to him, the


upon him) himself began to serve them. This time also his

companions said to him, We will suffice for you.

However, he said to them, They were hospitable with our

companions, and, in return, I like to compensate them.87

86At-Tabari

87Sho'ab Al Iman

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The Mercy of the Prophet (May peace and blessings be

upon him) when He Taught


him) was the best teacher. His whole life was full of mercy

kindness pity and generosity in all aspects. Here are some

examples that explain his merciful nature, especially when he

taught the ignorant.

Imam Al-Byhaqi narrated in his book, namely Sho-abul-

Iiman, that a youth came to the Prophet (May peace of Allah

and His blessings be upon him) and said, O Prophet of

Allah, please permit me to commit adultery.

The people turned to him and rebuked him and said, Stop it.

But the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) said, Please come close to me. Then the youth

came near to him.

He said: Sit down.

He sat there.

Then the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) asked him, Do you accept adultery from your

mother?

The youth answered, No by God! May Allah make me a

protection for you!

Then the Prophet explained, saying, Likewise no one accepts

it with their mothers.

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Furthermore, the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) questioned the youth, saying, Do you

accept adultery from your daughter?

The youth denied this and said, No, may Allah make me

redemption for you.


blessings be upon him) said, Similarly, no one accepts

adultery from their daughters.


blessings be upon him) argued again, saying, Do you agree

to it from your sister?

The youth expressed his disapproval and said, No! May

Allah make me ransom for you!


blessings be upon him) asserted,; And no one agrees to it

from their sisters.


blessings be upon him) continued, Do you accept it with

your maternal aunt?

His answer was in negative as previous. He said; No,

may Allah make me sacrifice for you!

Then he said; and no one accepts it with their maternal

aunts.

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In last, he (May peace of Allah and His blessings be

upon him) asked him, Do you accept it with your paternal

aunt?

The young man denied and said,No may Allah make

me sacrifice for your sake! Then he said, And no one

accepts it with their paternal aunts.


blessings be upon him) put his blessed hand upon him and

prayed: O Allah forgive his sin and purify his heart and

safeguard his private.

The narrator stated that the young man never turned to

such things at all afterward.88

At-Tabarani narrated from Al-Hareth the son of Al-

Hareth he said, I asked my father (when he was against the

Prophet) about a gathering around a person, my father

answered, These people are gathered around a nonbeliever

person of them then we stayed at that place suddenly it was

the messenger of Allah (May peace of Allah and His blessings

be upon him) inviting the people to the monotheism and faith

of Islam but they were rejecting and hurting him. It continued

till midday only that time the people were away from him.

Then a woman came to him carrying a vessel of water and a

handkerchief.88At-Tirmizi

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Then he took the water and drank it and performed the

ablution then he said: O my beloved daughter! Cover your

neck and do not worry about your father. We asked: Who

was she? They answered: She is his daughter Zainab.89

Abu Noyem narrated in his book namely Ad_Dalyel

from the companion Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) he

said, The messenger of Allah (May Allah's blessings and His

mercy be upon him) was the most kindhearted of all people,

by God he doesn't refuse at all in a cold morning for a male or

female slave or a child if they bring water to him then he

washed his blessed face and his blessed hands with it and he

never was asked by a person but he turned his ear to him to

listen and doesn't turn away from him until the person turned

away from him, if a person would intend to catch his blessed

hand he would stretch it happily towards him and would not

pull it until the person would be the first to pull it from him.90

Imam Malek narrated from Ata the son of Yasir that a person

came to the Prophet (May peace of Allah His blessings be

upon him) while his hairs and beard were uncombed and

scattered then the Prophet (May peace of Allah and His

blessings be upon him) pointed to his hairs, as if he ordered

him to comb and dress his hairs.89At-Tabarani

90Dalayel An-Nubuwwah

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However, he left, and after a while he returned and did what

he was ordered to do.

Then the Prophet (May peace of Allah and

The Features of Mercy in Islam

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