THE MANNERS AND CHARACTER OF MUHAMMAD (PBUH)

THE MANNERS AND CHARACTER OF MUHAMMAD (PBUH)

1.Truthfulness

A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The trait and characteristic which the Prophet (pbuh) hated most was lying. A man would tell a lie in the presence of the Prophet (pbuh) and he would hold it against him, until he knew that he repented." (Tirmidthi #1973)

Even his enemies attested to his truthfulness. Abu Jahl, who was one of the harshest enemies of Islam, said: ‘O Muhammad! I do not say that you are a liar! I only deny what you brought and what you call people to.’

God, the Exalted, says: "We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust deny the verses of God." [6:33]

Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “There are four signs which make someone a pure hypocrite, and whoever has them has the characteristic of hypocrisy until he abandons it: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a covenant he proves treacherous, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he argues he proves wicked.”

[Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Number 111]

2. Asceticism in Worldly Affairs and contentment of the heart in plainness

There are many examples in the Prophet’s life which prove that he had no concern for the pleasures of this life.

Abdullah b. Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went to sleep on a mat. He stood up and he had marks on his side due to the mat that he had slept on. We said: ‘O Messenger of God, shall we not make [a proper] bedding for you?’ He said: ‘What do I have to do with this world? I am only like a wayfarer upon a mount that stopped to take shade and rest under a tree, and then leaves it behind and continues on the journey."

(Tirmidthi #2377)

'Umar Ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said : "I entered the Messenger’s house and I found him sitting on a mat. He had a leather pillow stuffed with fibers. He had a pot of water by his feet, and there was some clothes hung on the wall. His side had marks due to the mat that he lay on. Umar wept when he saw this, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: ‘Why do you weep?’ Umar said: "O Prophet of God! Khosrau and Caesar enjoy the best of this world, and you are suffering in poverty?!" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Aren’t you pleased that they enjoy this world, and we will enjoy the Hereafter?" (Bukhari #4629)

Amr’ b. al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) did not leave any gold or silver currency, or a slave, male or female, after his death. He only left behind his white mule, his weapons and a piece of land which he declared as Charity." (Bukhari #2588)

3. Strong Faith and Dependence on God

Although the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions faced severe trials from the disbelievers, he always reminded them that the end was for the believers, and that the Will of God will come to pass. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) hid in a cave after they had left their homes in order to migrate to Madeenah, the disbelievers of Makkah had sent scouts in search of them. They came so close to the cave that Abu Bakr could see their feet.

Abu Bakr(may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I looked at the feet of the pagans while we were in the cave [of Thawr]. I said, "O Prophet of Allah! If anyone of them looks down at his feet he would see us!" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two with whom God, the Exalted, is their Third?" (Muslim #1854)

On the authority of Ibn Abbas, who said, "One day I was behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words (of advice). Be mindful of ALLAH, and ALLAH will protect you. Be mindful of ALLAH, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of ALLAH; if you seek help, seek help of ALLAH. Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that ALLAH had already prescribed for you, and if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something ALLAH had already prescribed for you. Then pens have been lifted and the pages have dried".

(Sahih from Al Tirmidhi and hadis qudsi no.19)