#imme

The Prophet was just, decent, most truthful at speech, and the most honest among all people. Those who exchanged speech with him—even his enemies—acknowledged his noble qualities. Before prophethood, he was nicknamed “As-Sadek, Al-Ameen” (i.e. the truthful, the faithful). All idolaters turned to him for judgment and consultation. Abu Jahl, who was one of the prophet’s most bitter enemies said to the prophet once, “We do not call you a liar, but we have no interest in what you preach.” Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. started preaching Islam at the age of forty. Before this, he was a very wealthy merchant leading a calm life, and one of the most respected men among his tribe. He always helped the poor and the needy, and took care of widows and orphans. It is well known that the prophet’s preachments agitated the enmity, hatred, and rage of his people. This resulted in a long arduous struggle that by all means of rationality, no person would dare wade into unless he was obliged to do so, and had no choice of his own. Any objective person should ask himself: for what reason did Muhammad choose to suffer all those hardships after being one of the wealthiest, most respected and consulted men among his people? They even offered to accept him as their King, and lay all the riches of the land at his feet if he would forsake what he preached and called for; nonetheless, he never accepted any of their alluring offers, and insisted on delivering his message in the face of persecution, insults, social boycott, poverty, hunger, brutal physical assaults, and being targeted to kill by his own kin. When he passed away, he was penniless. He ordered the last few dirhams he had inside his house to be distributed on the poor a few days before his death. He died mortgaging his shield to a Jewish merchant in Madinah in exchange for a couple of barley bushels which he needed to feed the members of his family. Would the aforementioned be the deeds, attitude, personality, or teachings of a liar and a pretender, or of a true prophet? I leave the answer to your conscience.

The prophet's courage, chivalry and succor were unmatchable. He encountered many dangers and difficult situations, yet he always remained steadfast. More than once, brave men fled away leaving him alone, yet he held his grounds with full composure facing danger without turning his back. Almost all the brave men of his time experienced fleeing or were driven off the battlefield even once in a lifetime, but not the prophet. Al-Bara’ Ibn ‘Aazeb described the prophet’s courage during the battle of Hunayn in which many Muslims fled except the prophet and a few of his companions, they stood their grounds until they achieved victory, he said, “Whenever the fight grew fiercer, we resorted to the Prophet for succor. The bravest man among us was the closest to where he stood.” [Recorded by Muslim]. ‘Ali Ibn Abi-Taleb, who was among the bravest of the brave and a peerless cavalier, described the prophet’s outstanding courage saying, “Whenever the fight grew fiercer and the eyes of fighters reddened [in anger], we resorted to the prophet for succor. He was always the closest among us to the enemy lines.” [Recorded by Ahmad]. Yet, the prophet P.B.U.H. never wounded a man fatally throughout his life. His duels were only in self-defence and trying to disable the enemies from attacking Muslims, they were never for killing. The only person whom he killed was named Ubai Ibn Khalaf, and it was a prophecy which the prophet had given a few years before the incident occurred. Sometime before immigrating to Madinah, this polytheist stopped the prophet in Makkah and said, “I will kill you one day for defaming our Gods, Muhammad.” The prophet P.B.U.H. replied, “By Allah’s will, it’s me who is going to kill you.” A few years later, during the battle of Uhud, this polytheist spotted the prophet injured badly and trapped, so he rode his horse towards him raising his spear and shouting “Let there be no rescue for me if I fail to kill you today, Muhammad.” ‘Ali reported that, “The prophet was alerted, he grabbed my spear and lanced the polytheist with it killing him with one strike.” Some reports say that the man died on the spot, while others say that he died days later from that wound. Anas reported that, “One night the people of Madinah woke up alarmed on hearing a strange loud sound. People went out hurriedly towards the source of the sound only to be met by the Prophet who had already gone ahead of them, he said, “It took you so long.” He was riding the horse of Abu Talhah (one of the companions) unsaddled, and his sword was hanging around his neck. He calmed the people down and told them that there was nothing to be afraid of, and then he said, ‘This is one quick horse.’ ” [Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim].

The Prophet did not only preach kindness towards people but towards all living souls. He forbade the practices of cutting tails and manes of horses, branding animals at any soft spot, keeping horses saddled unnecessarily, etc. [Recorded by Muslim]. If he saw any animal over-loaded or ill-fed, he would pull up the owner and say, “Fear Allah in your treatment of animals.” [Recorded by Abu Dāwood]. In one of their travels, a companion brought him the young ones of a bird and said that the mother hovered over them all along. The Prophet commanded the man to put the bird’s offspring back in their nest. [Recorded by Abu Dāwood]. It was also reported that on one of their journeys, somebody picked up some eggs from a nest. The mother-bird kept on hovering above the prophet and his companions, squealing for its young ones. This attracted the Prophet’s attention, so he asked the man to return the eggs to their place safely. [Recorded by Bukhari]. As his army of ten thousand marched towards Makkah, they passed by a female dog with newly born puppies. The Prophet didn’t only give orders that they should not be disturbed, but he posted a man to make sure that this was properly done. Abu Hurayrah reported that, “The prophet said, ‘Once a man was traveling on a barren road, he had finished his water skin and felt extremely thirsty. He came across a well [beside which there was no tied-up bucket to bring the water up], so he climbed down the well, drank his fill, and then climbed back up. Not long after he went on his way, he saw a dog panting and licking the sand out of excessive thirst. The man said to himself, ‘This dog is suffering like I suffered a while ago.’ So he returned and climbed down the well again, filled his footwear with water, held it between his teeth, climbed up the well, and watered the dog. Allah forgave all of that man’s sins and praised what he had done.’ The companions asked, ‘O prophet, is there a reward for us when we show kindness to animals?’ He said, ‘(Yes), there is a reward for every act of kindness done towards any living creature.’ ” [Recorded by Bukhari].

The prophet was especially fond of children. He loved carrying his grandchildren and his companions’ children, and playing with them. Many reports tell us that frequently he carried his grandchildren on his back while praying and giving sermons. He was reported to give them rides on his back frequently. Whenever he was approached by a child, he would carry and pamper him. Whenever he met a child in the street, he would greet him and shake his hand. He always patted the heads of children, especially orphans, he would carry and hug them tightly, then invoke Allah to bless them. Regarding his kindness towards children, Abu Hurayrah reported that, “People used to present the very first of their reaped fruits to the prophet (seeking his supplication). He would take it and say: ‘O Allah, bless our fruits, bless our city, and bless our weights and bushels.’ Then he would call to him the youngest child he sees passing by, and give it all to him.” [Recorded by Muslim]. Usamah Ibn Zayd the companion and the son of Zayd Ibn Al-Hareth—the prophet’s adopted son—reported from the memories of his childhood, “The prophet used to put me on one of his thighs and put his grandson Al-Hassan Ibn ‘Ali on the other thigh, then he would embrace us both and say, ‘O Allah, bestow your Mercy upon them.’ ” [Recorded by Bukhari]. He would pick up infants in his arms, kiss them and play with them. A companion recalling his childhood, said, “In my childhood I used to fall dates by throwing stones at palm trees. Somebody took me and complained to the Prophet who advised me to pick up the dates lying on the ground, and not to strike them down with stones. He then patted my head and invoked Allah to bless me.” [Recorded by Abu Dāwood]. Anas said, “The prophet P.B.U.H. used to greet and handshake the children he passed by [in the streets].” [Recorded by Bukhari]. Lady ‘Āʾishah reported that, “Newly born babies were always brought to the prophet to bless them. He would then carry the baby on his lap to honor his parents; sometimes babies peed on the prophet’s lap which embarrassed the child’s parents and made them hurry up in carrying their baby away, but the prophet would prevent them saying, ‘Don’t disturb him and let him finish.’ ” [Recorded by Muslim]. Um Al-Fadl, the fosterage mother of the prophet’s grandchildren reported that, “The prophet was carrying Al-Hussein when he was still a baby, and the boy peed on the prophet’s garment. I pulled him away from the prophet’s arms nervously, which made the boy cry. The prophet said, ‘Take it easy Um Al-Fadl, the urine could be cleaned by water, but nothing can wipe off this harsh shock from Al-Hussein’s heart.’ ”