Characteristics of the Prophet.

We previously presented some characteristics that Allah The Almighty endowed His Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), with and some miracles which constituted divine support for him, which were beyond those enjoyed by the other prophets, let alone the rest of humanity.

We signified that the characteristics of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), were numerous, some of which were granted to him in this worldly life, and others which will be granted to him in the Hereafter.

In this context, we will continue our presentation of such characteristics so as to increase in our love for the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and follow in his footsteps, in the hope of being of those who are mentioned in the verse that says (what means): {And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided} [Quran 24:54]

We also hope that we will thus enjoy divine support, as indicated in the verse that reads (what means): {Indeed, We will support Our Messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand} [Quran 40:51]

One of the characteristics of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), is that he will be the first to be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection, as in the Hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him.

Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), is the prophet who will have the greatest share of followers on the Day of Resurrection, as he stated in a Hadeeth narrated by Muslim, may Allah have mercy on him, on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him.

Also, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that he heard the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), say: "I hope that my followers will constitute a quarter of the dwellers of Paradise." The Companions chanted Takbeer (i.e., ‘Allahu Akbar’), then he said: "I hope that they will constitute a third of the dwellers of Paradise." The Companions chanted the Takbeer again, then he said: "I hope that you will be half." [Ahmad, Shu’ayb Al-'Aran'oot - Saheeh]

The prophets will be under the standard of Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who is the master of humans and in whose hand there will be the Standard of Praise, as established in this authentic Hadeeth: Abu Sa‘eed, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: "I will be the master of humans on the Day of Resurrection. In my hand will be the Standard of Praise, [and I say this] without boasting. All Prophets including Aadam [Adam], may Allah exalt his mention, will be under my standard. I will be - without boasting - the first to be resurrected."[At-Tirmithi and Al-Albaani - Hasan]

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), will be the first one for whom the gate of Paradise will be opened, so he will enter it. It is narrated that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: "I will be the first to knock on the gate of Paradise." [Muslim]

In addition, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), will be the first to intercede; he is reported to have said: "I will be the first among people to intercede in Paradise and amongst the Apostles I will have the most followers [on the Day of Resurrection]."[Muslim]

Thus, we have presented some of the characteristics of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), in brief, leaving the details for the Hadeeth commentators. May Allah The Almighty help us all to recognize the status of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), through which he enjoyed divine distinction. We also supplicate to Allah The Almighty to guide us to follow His path, by virtue of which success is guaranteed; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided} [Quran 24:54]

We dedicate our praise to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

His Beautiful Patience – II

The Third Example: With ‘Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah

After Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib and ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with them, had embraced Islam, hardships started to fade. This new situation disturbed the disbelievers and they became very anxious as the number of Muslims increased and they announced their Islam and showed their indifference to the disbelievers’ hostility. This encouraged the people of the Quraysh to make compromises to the Messenger of Allah,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). They sent ‘Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah to offer the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), certain things, hoping that he might accept part of them and thus, be given whatever worldly pleasures he might want. ‘Utbah approached the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), sat beside him, and said, “O nephew! You are fully aware of your high status in our tribe and in our family background, and you have shocked your people with a great matter whereby you disunited them, belittled their minds, abused their deities and religion, and accused their ancestors of disbelief. Listen to me! I am going to offer you a number of things to consider, that you might accept some of them.”

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “I am listening, O Abu Al-Waleed.” He began,

O nephew! If you brought that matter, [i.e. Islam], seeking money, we will collect for you from our money until you become the richest among us. If you brought it to attain honor, we will make you our master so that we would not make a decision without you. If you brought it seeking to be a king, we will crown you as king over us. If this matter was just a vision that you could not repel, we will spend all our money to seek treatment for you until you recover, for a man might be overcome by his companion from the Jinn until he is in need of treatment to be cured of this.

When ‘Utbah finished, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who was listening to him said: “Have you finished, O Abu Al-Waleed?” He replied in the affirmative, and so the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), continued: “It is my turn, so listen to me.” He began reciting verses from the Quran where Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Ha, Meem. [This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Quran for a people who know,As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear.And they say, “Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working.”} [Quran 41:1-5]

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), continued reciting this chapter, and ‘Utbah was listening attentively with his hands behind his back supporting him, until the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), reached the verse of prostration where he prostrated. Then, he told Abu Al-Waleed to choose whatever he wanted after hearing the Quranic verses.

In another narration, it was said that ‘Utbah continued listening to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), until he reached the verse where Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {But if they turn away, then say, “I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt [that struck] ‘Aad and Thamud.”} [Quran 41:13] On hearing that, ‘Utbah stood up in a state of panic and put his hands upon the mouth of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), trying to silence him, saying, “I ask you by Allah and the ties of kinship to stop.” He rushed back to his people as if thunderbolts were chasing him and encouraged the Quraysh to leave Muhammad alone.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), selected these verses of the Quran by the bounty of Allah The Almighty in the first place, then, by virtue of his great wisdom, to inform ‘Utbah of the reality of the mission and the Messenger. He wanted him to know that Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was conveying a Book from the Creator to His creation whereby he would guide them from error and save them from Hell. Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was commanded to believe in this Book, implement it and abide by its rulings before anybody else. Just as Allah The Almighty orders people to consistently observe His orders, Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was even more required to do so. He was not seeking kingship, money or high status. Allah The Almighty made all these things available for him, but he abstained and refused to take anything from such perishable things because he was true in his Da‘wah and sincere to his Lord The Almighty.

This is one of the greatest incidents that indicated the patience and wisdom of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). He remained steadfast and sincere in his Da‘wah. He did not seek money, position, kingdom or marriage to compromise his Da‘wah, and he selected the correct words in the appropriate places, and this is the core of wisdom and the core of great morals.

The Fourth Example: With Abu Jahl

The polytheists decided to spare no effort to fight Islam, harm the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and those who embraced Islam and make them experience various forms of torture and pain.

Ever since the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), declared his Da‘wah to Allah The Almighty and expounded the false beliefs of the pre-Islamic era, anger blew in Makkah and its people regarded Muslims as rebellious and disobedient. Thus, the people of Makkah shook the land beneath the Muslims, shed their blood and violated their property and honor in the Secure Sacred land. They waged a war against the Muslims - a war of mockery, contempt, belying, distorting the teachings of Islam, casting doubts, fostering false claims, and denying the Quran and claiming that it consists of legends of the former peoples.

There were also absurd negotiations that took place, like the attempt of the disbelievers to make Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), worship their deities one year for which, in return, they would worship Allah The Almighty the following year. They accused the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), of madness, sorcery, lying and soothsaying, but he was patient, hoping for the reward of Allah, His victory and the establishment of Islam.

The disbelievers harmed the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), much more than they harmed many of the believers. Abu Jahl attacked the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and wanted to soil his face with dust, but Allah The Almighty saved him and turned the tables on Abu Jahl. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, he said,

Abu Jahl asked [people] whether Muhammad prostrated in their presence. It was said to him, “Yes.” He said, “By Al-Laat and Al-‘Uzza (two idols), if I were to see him doing that, I would trample on his neck or I would smear his face with dust.” He, therefore, went to the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) as he was engaged in prayer and thought of trampling on his neck. He went near him but turned upon his heels and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him, “What is the matter with you?” He said, “There is between me and him a ditch of fire, terror and wings.” Thereupon, the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “If he had come near me the angels would have torn him to pieces.” Then, Allah The Almighty Revealed (what means): {No! [But] indeed, man transgresses…} [until the end of the chapter]. [Quran 96:6-19] [Muslim]

Allah The Almighty protected the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), from this tyrant and other wicked people. He also endured this great harm for the sake of Allah The Almighty and sacrificed his body, money and time in His cause.

The Fifth Example: The throwing of abdominal contents onto the back of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )

The Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), suffered a great deal of harm. In a Hadeeth on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, he said,

Once the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was praying at the Ka‘bah and Abu Jahl was sitting with some of his companions. He said to them, “Who amongst you will bring the abdominal contents [intestines, etc.] of the camel of Banu so-and-so and put it on the back of Muhammad when he prostrates?” The most wretched of them got up and brought it. He waited until the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was prostrating and then placed it on his back between his shoulders. They began laughing at him. I was watching but could not do anything. I wish I had some people with me to take it off his back. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was prostrating and he did not lift his head up until Faatimah [the Prophet's daughter] came, and she was very young then. She threw the [camel's abdominal contents] away from his back and cursed them. When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) finished his prayer, he raised his voice and supplicated to Allah against them saying thrice: “O Allah! Punish the Quraysh.” When they heard his voice, they stopped laughing and were terrified of his supplication. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then said: “O Allah! Punish Abu Jahl ibn Hishaam, 'Utbah ibn Rabee‘ah, Shaybah ibn Rabee‘ah, Al-Waleed ibn ‘Utbah, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt (and he mentioned a seventh whose name I cannot recall).” By Allah who sent Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) with the truth, I saw the dead bodies of these people who were mentioned by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) being dragged into a pit where the dead bodies of the disbelievers who were killed in Badr were thrown. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

His Beautiful Patience – I

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), faced many situations in his Da’wah (call) which indicated his patience and how he sought the reward of Allah The Almighty. It is well known that he was patient under all conditions starting from his Da‘wah in secret until he died while being patient and seeking the reward of Allah The Almighty. There are innumerable examples which manifested his patience in Da‘wah. However, we will mention only the following few practical examples:

The First Example: When ascending Mount As-Safa and his public call

Allah The Almighty ordered His Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), to warn his closest kindred. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred. And be kind and humble to the believers who follow you. And if they disobey you, then say, “Indeed, I am disassociated from what you are doing.”}[Quran 26:214-216]

Accordingly, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), applied the order of his Lord to declare and publicize the Da‘wah and warn his closest kindred. He adopted wise stances through which Allah The Almighty made the Islamic Da‘wah dominant, and manifested the wisdom, courage, patience, good manners, and sincerity to Allah of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Through such conditions, Allah The Almighty suppressed Shirk (polytheism) and its followers and humiliated them until the Day of Judgment.

Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that,

When the verse in which Allah The Almighty Says [what means]:{And warn your closest kindred}was revealed, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) ascended Mount As-Safa and started calling:“O Bani Fihr! O Bani ‘Adiyy!”He was addressing various tribes of Quraysh until they were assembled. Those who could not come themselves, sent their messengers to see what had happened. Abu Lahab and other people from Quraysh came and the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then said:“Suppose I told you that there was an [enemy] cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?”They said, “Yes, for we have not found you telling anything other than the truth.” He then said: “I am a warner to you in the face of a terrible doom.” Abu Lahab said [to the Prophet], “May you be ruined all day! Is it for this purpose you have gathered us?” Then it was revealed [what means]:{May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained.} [Quran 111:1-2] [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The wording of another narration of this incident by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, states that “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) called each clan and said to each one: ‘Rescue yourselves from Hell.’ Then, he said:‘O Faatimah! Rescue yourself from Hell, for I have no power [to protect you] from Allah in anything except that I would maintain your kinship ties with what it is due.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This universal call is the ultimate message and warning that he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) pointed out to his closest relatives - that believing in this message is the means for the persistence of the maintenance of the ties of kinship. He clarified that the tribal bigotry of the Arabs had melted in the heat of this warning which came from Allah The Almighty. In this great situation, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), called his people to Islam, forbade them from worshipping idols, encouraged them to enter Paradise and warned them about Hell. Consequently, a surge of astonishment and disapproval was raised among the people of Makkah to nip this great call, which would destroy their habits and their ancestors’ customs of the pre-Islamic era, in the bud. However, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did not pay attention to their protests because he was sent by Allah The Almighty and had to proclaim the plain message of Allah The Almighty, even if everyone contradicted or rejected him.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did so. He continued to call to Allah The Almighty day and night, in secret and in public and nothing turned him back. He continued to call people to Allah The Almighty in their gatherings and during their seasons of pilgrimage, and called all people whether free, slave, strong, weak, rich or poor. All people were equal in this regard.

The strong, impudent men of Quraysh harmed him and his followers by their words and actions. Feelings of anger were aroused in Makkah because the people did not want to abandon the worship of images and idols. However, Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did not lessen the intensity of his Da‘wah. Moreover, he did not neglect the caring and special education of those who embraced Islam. He would privately meet with Muslim families away from the attention of the people of Quraysh. These families consisted of the heroes on whom the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), pinned his hopes - after pinning his hopes on Allah - to carry the burden and physical responsibilities of spreading Islam. Accordingly, a firm and special group of the early Muslims was formed whose faith was strong, and whose creed was firm. They realized their responsibility, submitted to the orders of Allah, obeyed their leader and applied every order with unmatchable haste and love.

Through these wise situations and his firm righteous upbringing, Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), accomplished his task and delineated for us the way that we should follow in our Da‘wah, work and behavior. He is our example and Imaam whose guidance we follow, and we seek the right path through his wisdom.

He began the Da‘wah with characters whom he chose and brought up, so, they responded to the Da‘wah and believed in him. His Da‘wah was general to all people and during the course of it, he would concentrate on those who had abilities or those whom he expected to have them. These characters formed the core of the firm base upon which the pillars of Da‘wah were built.

In spite of this blessed, great effort, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did not resort to political assassination and did not get rid of certain individuals. It was easily available to him to command one of the Companions to kill some of the leaders of disbelief, such as, Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah Al-Makhzoomi, Al-‘Aas ibn Waa’il As-Sahmi, Abu Jahl ‘Amr ibn Hishaam, Abu Lahab ‘Abdul-‘Uzza ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, An-Nadhr ibn Al-Haarith, ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt, ’Ubayy ibn Khalaf, and ’Umayyah ibn Khalaf. These men were the ones who harmed the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), the most. However, he did not order any of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to assassinate any one of such men or any other enemy of Islam, as such an act may have resulted in the termination of the whole community of Muslims, or the hindrance of its progress for a very long time, as a reaction from the enemies of Islam who would have fought it fiercely. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did not command his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to kill such leaders at this stage because he was sent by the Most Just of Judges.

The callers to Allah The Almighty should follow this approach in all ages and places, following the way of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), either before or after the Hijrah (emigration). The right way of Da‘wah is his guidance, adhering to his morals, wisdom and conduct as he wished.

The Second Example: At his persecution from the leaders of Quraysh 

The people of Quraysh followed another approach that combined encouragement and intimidation. They sent people to offer Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), whatever he wished of this worldly life. They warned his uncle, Abu Taalib, who protected him of the consequences of supporting Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), asking him to hold Muhammad back from them and their religion.

The leaders of Quraysh went to Abu Taalib and said to him, “O Abu Taalib, you enjoy great status and honor among us and we have asked you to prevent your nephew, but you did not. Indeed, we will not bear this anymore: the cursing of our ancestors, the discrediting of our minds, and the criticism of our gods. We will not bear this until you restrain him or we will fight both of you until one party will perish.”

This severe threat greatly affected Abu Taalib, who was significantly affected by the abandoning and enmity of his people. Nevertheless, he refused to submit the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), to them or to let him down. Consequently, he sent for his nephew, saying, “O my nephew, your people came to me and said such and such, so, spare me and yourself and do not burden me with what neither you nor I can bear. Stop saying about your people what they hate to hear.”

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), consequently, became even more adherent to his Da‘wah to Allah The Almighty, and did not fear the blame of any critic as he was right and knew that Allah The Almighty would support His religion and make it dominant. When Abu Taalib saw this firmness and despaired of an agreement being made with the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), to abandon his Da‘wah to worshiping Allah Alone, he recited to him some poetic verses indicating his complete support to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

Prophet Muhammad's trust in Allah.

Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) preached to the people to trust in Allah. His whole life was a sublime example of the precept. In the loneliness of Makkah, in the midst of persecution and danger, in adversity and tribulations, and in the thick of enemies in the battles of Uhud and Hunayn, complete faith and trust in Allah appears as the dominant feature in his life. However great the danger that confronted him, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) never lost hope and never allowed himself to be unduly agitated. Abu Taalib knew the feelings of the Quraysh when the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) started his mission. He also knew the lengths to which the Quraysh could go, and requested the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to abandon his mission, but the latter calmly replied: "Dear uncle, do not go by my loneliness. Truth will not go unsupported for long. The whole of Arabia and beyond will one day espouse its cause." [Ibn Hishaam]

When the attitude of the Quraysh became more threatening, Abu Taalib again begged his nephew to renounce his mission but the Prophet's reply was: "O my uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, to force me to renounce my work, verily I would not desist thereform until Allah made manifest His cause, or I perished in the attempt." (Ibid)

To another well-wisher, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: "Allah will not leave me forlorn."

A dejected and oppressed companion was comforted with the words:

"By Allah, the day is near when this faith will reach its pinnacle and none will have to fear anyone except Allah." [Al-Bukhari]

It was the same trust in Allah which emboldened the prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to say his prayers openly in the Haram (sacred Mosque of Makkah) in the teeth of opposition. The Quraysh were once collected there and were conspiring to put an end to his life when he next entered the Haram. His young daughter Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, who happened to overhear their talk rushed weeping to her father and told him of the designs of the Quraysh. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) consoled her, did his ablutions and went to the Ka'bah to say prayers. There was only consternation among the Quraysh when they saw him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) [Ahmad].

Then leaving his house for Madeenah he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, to sleep on his bed and told him: "Do not worry, no one will be able to do you any harm" [At-Tabari, Ibn Hishaam]

Even though the enemies had surrounded the house, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) left the house reciting the Quranic verse (which means): {We have set a barricade before them and a barricade behind them and (thus) have covered them so that they see not} [Quran, 36: 9]

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was frightened when pursuers came close to the cavern in which he and Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) hiding during their flight, but the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) heartened him: "Grieve not. Allah is with us."

A guard was kept at the Prophet's house in Madeenah because of the danger that surrounded him but he had it withdrawn when the Quranic verse was revealed (which means): {Allah will protect you from the people}. [Quran, 5: 67]

A man was caught waiting in ambush to assault the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) but he was directed to be released with the words: "Even if this man wanted to kill me, he could not." [Ahmad]

A Jewish woman from Khaybar had put poison in the Prophet's food. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) spat it out after taking a morsel but a companion who had his fill died the next day. The Jewess was brought before the prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) who questioned her: "Why did you do this?" "To kill you," was her defiant reply. She was told, "Allah would not have allowed you to do it." [Muslim]

In the battle of Uhud when the rear guard action of the Makkan army had disorganized the Muslim army and had turned the tables, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) stood as firm as a rock even though he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had suffered personal injuries. When Abu Sufiyaan taunted the Muslims and shouted "Victory to Hubal!" (Hubal was one of their idols), the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, to shout back: "Allah is our protector and friend. You have no protector and friend. Allah is Great, Magnificent." [Ibn Hishaam]

Again in the battle of Hunayn, when the unexpected assault of the army had swept the Muslim force off its feet and a defeat seemed imminent, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) did not yield ground. With trust in Allah he showed such courage that the Muslim army rallied behind him to win a signal victory.

The Manners of Prophet Muhammad-An Introduction.

Allah The Almighty sent Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), as a mercy to the worlds. He Says (what means): {And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.} [Quran ‎21:‎107]

Hence, he is a mercy to humans and Jinn, whether believers or disbelievers, as he was sent to call them to Allah The Almighty and bring them out from darkness to light. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

·        {Say, [O Muhammad]: ‘O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.’ So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.}[Quran 7:158]

·        {And [mention, O Muhammad], when We directed to you a few of the jinn, listening to the Quran. And when they attended it, they said, ‘Listen quietly.’ And when it was concluded, they went back to their people as warners.}[Quran 46:29]

In a Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Nadhrah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him he said, “Some of those who listened to the sermon of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) during the Days of Tashreeq [some of the days of Hajj] told me that the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ‘O people! Indeed, your Lord is one and your father is one. No Arab ‎is superior to a non-Arab, and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab; and no white person is superior to a black person, and no ‎black person is superior to a white person, except in terms of piety.‎’”[Ahmad]

This clearly indicates that piety is the only criterion of superiority among people of all races and colors.

Allah The Almighty conferred a great favor upon His honorable Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), when He made him an embodiment of all noble morals. We cannot enumerate those who embraced Islam due to his noble morals, whether it was his generosity, forgiveness, forbearance, deliberation, leniency, patience, modesty, justice, mercy, benevolence, courage, strength, or any other of his noble virtues.

Whoever reads the biography of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), will realize that he adhered to noble morals in all situations and under all circumstances. Hence, people entered the religion of Allah in multitudes by the grace of Allah, first and foremost, and then because of the noble morals and traits of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). The following are some examples:

-      Thumaamah ibn Uthaal, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam because the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), pardoned him. He said to him, “By Allah, no face on earth had been more hateful to me than yours, but now it has become the dearest to my heart. By Allah, no religion on earth had been more hateful to me than yours, but now it has become the dearest to my heart. By Allah, no land on earth had been more hateful to me than yours, but now it has become the dearest to my heart.”[Al-Bukhari]

-      A Bedouin urinated in the mosque while the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and his Companions were sitting. The people rushed to beat him, but the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), ordered them to leave him. Being impressed with the forgiveness of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), the man said, “O Allah, have mercy upon me and Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) alone.”The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), did not approve of this supplication that limited the Mercy of Allah The Almighty, which encompasses all things. Hence, he addressed him, saying: “You have narrowed what is vast.”[Al-Bukhari]

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), was lenient with Mu‘aawiyah ibn Al-Hakam, may Allah be pleased with him, while teaching him. Thus, Mu‘aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I have never seen an instructor who gave better instruction ‎than him, may my father and mother be sacrificed for him. By Allah, he ‎never remonstrated me, beat me, nor abused me.‎”[Muslim]

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), gave a man a herd of ‎sheep that was so large that the sheep took up an entire valley. When he returned to his ‎people, he said to them, “O my people! Embrace Islam, because ‎Muhammad gives like someone who has no fear of poverty.’’‎ [Muslim] ‎

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), gave Safwaan ibn Umayyah, who was one of the disbelieving Quraishi leaders, one hundred sheep, and then a second leader a hundred sheep and then a third leader a hundred sheep. Thus, Safwaan ,may Allah be pleased with him, said, “By Allah, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) gave that to me while he was the most hateful person to my heart, but he kept giving to me until he became the dearest one to my heart.”This was the cause behind Safwaan’s reversion to Islam. [Muslim]

-      The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), pardoned a polytheist after the man had tried to kill him with a sword and after Allah The Almighty protected His Prophet from this attempt on his life. As a result, the man embraced Islam and returned to his people calling them to Islam, and many of them entered the religion because of him. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

-      When the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), went to Madeenah, ‘Abdullaah ibn Salaam, a Jewish rabbi, came to see him and he said, “When I saw his face clearly, I realized that this could never be the face of a liar, and the first thing I heard him saying was:‘O people, spread greetings of peace, feed [the poor and needy], maintain ties of kinship and ‎pray [at night] when others are asleep, and you will enter Paradise ‎safely.‎’”[At-Tirmithi]

-      Another Jewish rabbi called Zayd ibn Su‘nah, ‎tested the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), very harshly, yet he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) pardoned him and even ordered ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, to give him a gift. Thus, Zayd said to ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, after receiving the gift, “I recognized all the signs of prophethood when I saw the face of ‎Muhammad except two signs that were not immediately evident: his forbearance that precedes his rashness, and his forbearance that increases upon encountering ‎excessive rashness. Now I have also recognized these two signs. Bear witness, O ‎‎‘Umar, that I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with ‎Muhammad as my prophet. Also, bear witness that I give half of my wealth - and I have ‎plenty of wealth - in charity to the Ummah [nation] of Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).”[Ibn Hajar]

-      A third Jew said to the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) while he was dying, “By the One who revealed the Torah, we find your attributes and [news of] your emergence in our Book, and I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that you areHis messenger.”[Ahmad]

-      When An-Najaashi, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the Christian king of Abyssinia, heard about the message of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and that he was saying that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the slave and Messenger of Allah The Almighty, he said to the deputation of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), “You and the one who sent you are welcome. I testify ‎that he is the ‎Messenger of Allah and that he is the one about whom Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, gave glad tidings. Were it not for my kingship, I would have gone to him and kissed his shoes.” [Ath-Thahabi]

-      Abu Sufyaan told the Christian Byzantine king, Heraclius, that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), never betrayed anyone or any trust, and that he ordered them to worship Allah ‎alone and not worship anything along with Him, and that he ‎forbade them from worshipping ‎idols, and that he ordered them to pray, to speak the truth, and to be chaste. On hearing this, Heraclius said, “If what you have said is ‎true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet. I ‎knew it [from the ‎scriptures] that he was going to appear but I did not know that he ‎would be from you, and ‎if I knew that I could reach him for sure, I would go immediately to meet him, ‎and if I were with him, I ‎would certainly wash his feet.‎”[Al-Bukhari]

Indeed, Allah The Almighty described the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), Saying (what means): {And indeed, you are of a great moral character.}[Quran 68:4]

Moreover, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said: “I was only sent to perfect high moral standards.”[Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Albaani - Saheeh] And when ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, was asked about the morals of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), she replied, “The morals of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) were [an embodiment of] the Quran.” [Muslim]

Knowing about the noble Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), is vital as it represents the second foundation of the three foundations that every Muslim must learn and apply, and every Muslim will be asked about these three foundations in his grave. Hence, I wrote this concise book and named it “Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) - Mercy to the Worlds.” In the book, I have shed light on the lineage of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), his early life, his physical and moral characteristics, his miracles, the universality of his message as well as his recommendations for the members of his Ummah (nation), and his rights over them.

I exclusively ask Allah The Almighty to bless this small work and make it beneficial and solely and sincerely meant for His sake. I also ask Him to make it beneficial for me and for whoever reads it in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah The Exalted is the best and most generous One to be asked. He is also ‎Sufficient for us and the best Disposer of affairs. May the blessings of Allah be upon His Slave and Messenger, Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who is the best of all creatures and the one whom He entrusted with His revelation.

May His blessings also be upon the family and Companions of His Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), and those who correctly follow them until the Day of Judgment.

Prophet Muhammad's manners and disposition.

Allah Says (what means): {By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been stern and ill-tempered, they would have dispersed from round about you} [Quran, 3: 159]

About himself the prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment." [Maalik and Ahmad]

By nature he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be gracious and to overlook the faults of others. Politeness and courtesy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and sincerity were some of the keynotes of his character. In the cause of right and justice he could be resolute and severe but more often than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had charming manners which won him the affection of his followers and secured their devotion. Though virtual king of Arabia and an apostle of Allah, he never assumed an air of superiority. Not that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had to conceal any such vein by practice and artifice: with fear of Allah, sincere humility was ingrained in his heart. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to say: "I am a Prophet of Allah but I do not know what will be my end." [Al-Bukhari]

In one of his sermons calculated to instill the fear of Allah and the day of reckoning in the hearts of men, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "O people of Quraysh be prepared for the hereafter, I cannot save you from the punishment of Allah; O Bani Abd Manaaf, I cannot save you from Allah; O Abbaas, son of Abdul-Mutalib, I cannot protect you either; O Faatimah, daughter of Muhammad, even you I cannot save." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to pray: "O Allah! I am but a man. If I hurt any one in any manner, then forgive me and do not punish me." [Ahmad]

He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to older people and stated:

"To honor an old man is to show glorification to Allah."

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would not deny courtesy even to wicked persons. It is stated that a person came to his house and asked permission for admission. The prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) remarked that he was not a good person but might be admitted. When he came in and while he remained in the house, he was shown full courtesy. When he left 'Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: "You did not think well of this man, but you treated him so well."

The prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) replied: "He is a bad person in the sight of Allah who does not behave courteously and people shun his company because of his bad manners." [Al-Bukhari]

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished as reported in the books of Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  them. He did not like people to get up for him and used to say: "Let him, who likes people to stand up in his honor, he should seek a place in hell." [Abu Daawood].

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would himself, however, stand up when any dignitary came to him. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) had stood up to receive the wet nurse who had reared him in infancy and had spread his own sheet for her. His foster brother was given similar treatment. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) avoided sitting at a prominent place in a gathering, so much so that people coming in had difficulty in spotting him and had to ask which one was the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Quite frequently uncouth bedouins accosted him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) in their own gruff and impolite manner but he never took offence. [Abu Daawood]

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all Muslims to do likewise [Al-Bukhari]. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would sit with the humblest of persons saying that righteousness alone was the criterion of one's superiority over another. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals. [At-Tirmithi]

Whenever he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) visited a person he would first greet him and then take his permission to enter the house. He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) advised the people to follow this etiquette and not to get annoyed if anyone declined to give permission, for it was quite likely the person concerned was busy otherwise and did not mean any disrespect.

There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). 'Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, has stated: "He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping." [Al-Bukhari]

He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and widows [An-Nasaa'ee, Ad-Daarami]. Once when there was no male member in the house of the companion Khabaab Ibn Al-Arat, may Allah be pleased with him, who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants [Ibn Saad].