A Tremendous Character

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Whatever we know of the character and habits of the beloved Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not merely information or a collection, but to place them in our hearts so we may love him more and are motivated to follow his examples and his teachings, out of love of our Lord.

Allah Almighty says,

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١

Say: 'If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins; Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.'

[Qur'an AleImran 3:31]

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤

And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted (standard of) character. (4)

[Qur'an Al-Qalam 68:4]

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢٨

There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful. (128)

[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:128]

The beloved Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more shy and modest than a virgin girl. If he did not like something (he may not say so) but he could see the effect of disliking on his face.

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri (RA): The Prophet was more shy than a virgin in her separate room. And if he saw a thing which he disliked, we would recognize that (feeling) in his face. [Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Said (RA): The Prophet was shier than a veiled girl. [Bukhari]

Allah Almighty says,

... إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِى ٱلنَّبِىَّ فَيَسْتَحْىِۦ مِنكُمْ ۖ وَٱللَّـهُ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ...

...Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth...

[Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:52]

The shyness was in personal matters but not in the teaching and preaching Islam.

According to Anas (RA): The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, never lost temper nor curse/swear. If he didn't like something, he would say, "What is the matter with him ? Let there be dust on his forehead" which is of no harm. If this meant prostration in the prayer then it is a prayer for reform for the person.

According to Abu Hurayrah (RA): Once the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked to curse the polytheists. He replied, "I'm not sent to curse but only as a merciful (to all nations)" (Muslim).

According to Anas (RA): I was eight years of age when I became the Prophet's servant and served him for 10 years. He never rebuked me even when I broke or damaged something. If his family said something strong, then he would tell them leave it & to forget about it. Whatever Allah has destined will happen".

According to Aisha (RA): "The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to tie knots and repair his shoes, sow his clothes, and do all such household works just like an average person among you does". And he said, "he was one of the human beings (who did not live like a boss or lord at home). He would check for lice on his clothes (that they may not have come from someone else). He would milk the goat, do other household works as well as his personal work". [Tirmidhi]

When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, retired to his home, he would divide his stay there in three parts: one for worshipping Allah, one for his family, and one for himself. The last part he used to spend with his special Companions so that the general public could benefit through them. Here, He favored with his company the (more) knowledgeable and pious, and spent his time with them according to their religious ranks and needs (that could be one or two or more). He spent his time with them and kept them occupied in such things as were good for them and the Muslim community, for example inquiring (and learning) the Islamic law or giving suitable and pertinent information. Everybody went there to learn and seek guidance. This was his special "majlis" or audience at his residence. Hussain (RA) then asked his father (RA) concerning the Prophet's behaviors (when outside the home) among his companions. Ali (RA) told, the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was always polite, kind and merciful. People did not quarrel among themselves before him. When somebody talked to him, he would listen quietly until completion. He exercised patience when a rude or bad-mannered strange asked or said something. He did not stop a conversation so long as it did not exceed the limits (of Shari'ah). Otherwise, he would change the topic or stop him or leave the scene. (Shama'il At-Tirmidhi).

According to Aisha (RA): The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, never beat (or battered) anyone, neither a women nor a servant. But the war of defense was an exception. He never took revenge and always forgave those who caused him trouble or harm. But when an Islamic law was broken (or "Haram" was committed) then he would do justice and give punishment according to law (or Shari'ah). [Muslim].

According to Anas (RA): Whenever the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, shook hands with someone he would not pull out his hands until the other person did so. And he would not remove his attention from a person unless he did so (first). When he sat in a row, he did not put his legs beyond others. And he was not seen extending his legs in front of anyone. [Tirmidhi]

May Allah Almighty increase our love for His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and resurrect us with him and enter us into the highest Paradise with him. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Ameen.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam