Prophet Muhammad

- Who is Muhammad? (peace be upon him).

In the Qur'an chapter 33 verse 21, Allah the Almighty describes our Prophet saying: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example to follow for anyone who's hope is in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.”

Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final Messenger and Prophet, in a long chain of Prophets sent by Allah to call people to obey and worship Allah alone. Some of these Prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus (peace be upon them all).

Just as Moses (peace be upon him) was sent with the Torah (the original uncorrupted revelation sent to Moses) and Jesus (peace be upon him) with the Gospel (the original, uncorrupted revelation - not the present-day versions), Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent as a Messenger of God with the Qur'an to teach Islam and demonstrate the Quranic teachings.

While the Prophet message’s (peace be upon him) included calling people to believe in one God, pray, fast, give charity, and so forth, one of the main teachings was having good character.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us that one's faith in God should also affect one's treatment of others. He said: “The best of you are they who have the best character.” And indeed, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exemplified the best character.

An important fact to mention about Prophet Muhammad is that he was illiterate. He never learned how to read or write during his life! Allah informs us in the Qur'an chapter 7 verse 157: “And you did not read before it any book, nor had you written any book with your own hands, otherwise the falsifiers would have (had cause for) doubt.” This is proof in itself that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not write the Qur'an or make it up; instead, the Qur'an is true revelation from Allah sent down upon him. Also, while the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not read or write, he always emphasized the importance of knowledge, and encouraged people to learn and improve themselves.

- What was the Prophet (peace be upon him) like?

His wife, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), was once asked to describe the Prophet (peace be upon him), and she replied in Sahih Al-Jami' 4811: “His character was a reflection of the Qur'an.”  Meaning he meticulously implemented the noble teachings of the Qur'an into his daily life.

○ Mercy:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) exemplified mercy in his character and teachings. In fact, spreading mercy was a major part of his message and mission on this Earth. Allah says in the Qur'an, chapter 21 verse 107: “And We (God) have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to the worlds.”

In addition, the final Messenger (peace be upon him) taught us to show mercy and to respect each other. In one narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: “He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.”

The Prophet’s mercy was not exclusive to Muslims alone. Instead, his mercy spread to all creation, regardless of their belief. In a narration, some Muslims requested from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pray to Allah and ask Him to punish the disbelievers but the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “I have not been sent as one to curse but as a mercy.” Despite the torture and abuse he faced from these disbelievers, our Prophet (peace be upon him) remained merciful towards them. 

○ Forgiving:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most forgiving of all people and the kindest. If someone abused him, he would forgive him, and the harsher a person was, the more patient he would become. He was extremely lenient and forgiving, especially when he had the upper hand and the power to retaliate.

This character is in accordance with Allah’s orders in the Qur'an, chapter 24 verse 22: “Let them pardon and overlook: Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged forgiveness and no amount of crime or aggression against him was too great to be forgiven by him. He was the best example of forgiveness and kindness, as mentioned in the following verse of the Qur'an chapter 9, verse 199: “Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.”

○ Fair & Just:

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us that all humans are equal in the sight of God. It is narrated he (peace be upon him) said: “All humanity is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a black over a white; except through piety.”

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said: “God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds.” This is in accordance with what Allah reveals in the Qur'an, chapter 49 verse 13: “Indeed the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized this concept heavily and was always fair with everyone, and he disapproved all types of discrimination. It is narrated that once a companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) called another companion in an offensive way, saying: “Son of a black woman!” The Prophet (peace be upon him) disapproved and replied, “Do you condemn him because of the blackness of his mother? You still have within you traces of ignorance from the pre-Islamic period.”

All these narrations show the values of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his noble character. 

○ Tolerance:

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most tolerant of all people. Whenever subjected to personal attacks or abuse from the disbelievers, he would tolerate these attacks with patience and forgiveness. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “You should not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you should deal with them with forgiveness and kindness.”

Allah says in the Qur’an chapter 41 verse 34: “Good deeds and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is best, then he with whom you had enmity shall become as a loyal friend.” Allah encourages us to be tolerant in the Quran, and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) showed us how to be tolerant through his teachings and life moments. Islamic sources include a number of instances where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had the opportunity to take revenge upon those who wronged him but refrained from doing so. For example: 

 Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) narrated that: Allah's messenger never struck anything with his hand, not a woman nor a servant, unless he was struggling in the cause of Allah. He never took revenge upon anyone for the wrong done to him, but of course, he exacted retribution for the sake of Allah in case the injunctions of Allah about unlawful acts were violated.

Also, Anas ibn Malik reported: I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was wearing a Najrani cloak with a very thick border when a Bedouin happened to meet him. He took hold of the side of his cloak and drew it violently. I noticed that the violence of jerk had bruised the neck of the Prophet. The Bedouin said “O Muhammad! Hand me from Allah's wealth that you possess.” Muhammad turned to him and smiled, directing that he be given something. Notice how despite being hurt, the Prophet treated the Bedouin with kindness and generosity, providing him with what he asked for. 

Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us to exercise patience in the face of adversity: “The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.”

However, it is important to note that practicing patience and tolerance does not mean that a Muslim should be a passivist and not defend himself in case of attack. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated that: “Do not wish to meet the enemy, but when you meet (or face) the enemy, be patient (i.e. stand firm when facing the enemy).” Muslims were not taught to be weak at all. 

○ Gentle & Friendly:

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always gentle with everyone, exemplifying Allah’s order in the Qur'an chapter 3 verse 159: “By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been rude in speech and harsh hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” In this verse, Allah tells His Prophet (peace be upon him) that He has bestowed upon him gentleness, which without it the people would not accept him or his message.  Here are some instances that portray how gentle our Prophet (peace be upon him) was. 

A companion who served Muhammad (peace be upon him) for ten years said that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always gentle in his dealings with him. This companion says: “when I did something, he never questioned my manner of doing it; and when I did not do something, he never questioned my failure to do it. He was the friendliest of all men.”

On one occasion, the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him) reacted angrily after being insulted by a person. The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised her saying; “Be gentle and calm, O Aisha, as Allah likes gentleness in all affairs.”

The prophet (peace be upon him) also instructed us, saying: “Show gentleness! For if gentleness is found in something, it beautifies it, and when it is taken out from anything, it makes it deficient.”

Anas ibn Malik narrated that: There was a man from the people of the desert named Zahir who was loved by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Zahir was also not of a pleasant facial appearance. The Prophet came to him one day while Zahir was selling his goods in the market and embraced him from behind so that Zahir could not see who it was. Zahir asked: “Tell me. Who is this?” and turned and found that it was the Prophet (peace be upon him), so he continued to rub his back and cling onto the chest of the Prophet (peace be upon him) out of love for the Prophet. Upon this the Prophet held him and said in jest to those around him: “Who will buy this slave?” Zahir said: “O Messenger of Allah, by Allah you will find me to be a poor sell”, or “I will be of no value.” The Prophet said: “But for Allah you are not unsellable” or “but to Allah,  you are valuable.” This conveys how loving, gentle, and friendly the Prophet (peace be upon him) was with everyone, regardless of their looks or race. This instance also shows how the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to joke around with his companions while also boosting their self-confidence and showing them their value. 

○ Humble:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the humblest human to walk on this Earth. In the Qur'an chapter 25 verse 63, Allah praises humbleness and says: “And the servants of The Most Gracious (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they say words of peace.” Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) exemplified this verse. 

For example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to prevent people from standing up for him out of respect. He used to sit wherever there was a place available in an assembly and never sought a prominent or elevated place. He never wore anything to distinguish himself from his companions or appear in higher rank than them. He used to mix with the poor and the needy; he used to sit with the elderly and support the widows. People who did not know him personally could not tell him apart from the rest of the crowd.

Addressing his companions, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said: “Allah has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over one another, and no one should oppress another.”

Such was his humbleness that he was fearful of being worshipped, a privilege only befitting of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered: “Do not exceed bounds in praising me as the Christians do in praising Jesus, Son of Mary. I am only the Lord's servant; then call me the Servant of Allah and His Messenger.” All this shows how humble our Messenger was, peace be upon him. 

- Some other beautiful characteristics of our Prophet (peace be upon him) include being appreciative, cherishing, loving and merciful to all, patient, generous, wise, loyal, and honest, among many others.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also emphasized the importance of acting upon our beliefs. He said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep quiet.” In these orders, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of acting upon our Islamic beliefs and working on being good Muslims, by following the Prophet as an example.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the best example sent to us. He was the ideal father, husband, friend, and man on Earth. Let’s look at some examples:

He was the ideal husband, as narrated by his beloved wife Aisha: “He used to repair his shoes, sew or mend his clothes and do what ordinary men did in their houses.” Not only was he a devoted, loving husband, he also encouraged his companions and mankind to follow his example and be kind to their wives. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.” This is in accordance with what Allah says in the Quran chapter 4 verse 19: “And live with them (your spouses) in kindness.”

The Prophet (peace be upon) was also the ideal example of a Muslim, as confirmed by Allah in the Qur'an chapter 68 verse 4: “Indeed you (O Muhammad) are of a great moral character.” In spite of all the denial, mockery, and abuse from infidels of Quraish against Prophet Mohamad (peace be upon him), he took patience as a moral and a method to follow in his entire advocacy life.

And a proof of that as narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): “Have you ever experienced a day harder than the day of the battle of Uhud?” He replied, “Indeed, I experienced them (dangers) at the hands of your people (i.e., the disbelievers from amongst the Quraish tribe). The hardest treatment I met from them was on the Day of 'Aqabah when I went to Ibn 'Abd Yalil bin 'Abd Kulal (who was one of the chiefs of Ta'if – a region in Makkah) with the purpose of inviting him to Islam, but he made no response (to my call). So I departed with deep distress. I did not recover until I arrived at Qarn ath-Tha'alib. There, I raised my head and saw a cloud which had cast its shadow on me. I saw in it Jibril (Gabriel) who called me and said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, heard what your people said to you and the response they made to you. And He has sent you the angel in charge of the mountains to order him to do to them what you wish.' Then the angel of the mountains called me, greeted me and said: 'O Muhammad, Allah listened to what your people had said to you. I am the angel of the mountains, and my Rabb (God) has sent me to you so that you may give me your orders. (I will carry out your orders). If you wish I will bring together the two mountains that stand opposite to each other at the extremities of Makkah to crush them in between.” But Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “I rather hope that Allah will raise from among their descendants people as will worship Allah the One, and will not ascribe partners to Him (in worship).”

Notice how in the Prophet’s deepest and hardest moments, he was still merciful and kind to his people, not wishing upon them punishment. Instead, he hoped and prayed that from their children there will be ones who will embrace Islam. This conveys his ideal character and attributes, peace be upon him. 

- The noble attributes of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are not limited to those mentioned, for if we were to talk about the Prophet’s attributes we would never stop. He was the ideal Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Also, what has preceded is only a glimpse of how Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived his life. The examples of kindness and mercy mentioned may come as a surprise to some people, given the portrayal of Islam in the media and it's constant misrepresentation. However, Prophet Muhammad exemplified and demonstrated what Islam truly is: a religion of peace.

It is important when trying to understand Islam that one goes directly to it's trustworthy sources: The Qur'an and the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is also important to not judge Islam based on the errant actions of a few Muslims, as no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. 

- The ethics and noble characteristics of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not only recognized by his followers, but by many non-Muslims as well! Here are comments from well-known non-Muslims about Muhammad (peace be upon him):

1) Mahatma K Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, remarked: "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 every obstacle."

2) George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright, declared: "The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the saviour of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for."

There are many more statements and talks about Muhammad’s ethics and qualities (pace be upon him) from non-Muslims and reverted Muslims about his noble character. I can't squeeze all in this article or you'll be stuck with me forever, but you can check another topic in our website titled as: “Talks about Islam!” Enjoy!

- We’ve talked about the Prophet’s character (peace be upon him), and I advice you to get to know about his life too. But, what does he look like? 

Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Jabir ibn Samura (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I saw Allah's Messenger on a cloudless night, and he was wearing a red suit of clothing, so I started looking at him as well as at the moon, for he is indeed more beautiful, in my opinion, than the moon!”

The quote in Arabic says:

“فجعلتُ أنظرُ إليه وإلى القمرِ، فلهوَ عندي أحسنُ من القمرِ.”

This in brief summarizes the Prophet’s beautiful features (peace be upon him). In more details, as narrated by his companions, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was of average height, not too tall and not too short. He was not very white and not dark and had a pinkish color. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was broad shouldered and he had thick hair coming down to his shoulders and earlobes and his hair was neither very curly nor very straight. As for his facial features, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had big eyes and was wide mouthed.

Overall, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was very beautiful. As reported by his companion: “I have never seen anyone like him, before or since.” 

(You should definitely know this man)!