Chapter 9: The manners and
morals of Muhammad
"We sent you
not (O Muhammad), but as a Mercy for all
creatures."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Anbiya(21):107
In order to understand the message of Islam, it is first
necessary to acquaint ourselves with the prophet of Islam.
You cannot, as the popular saying goes, separate the message
from the messenger. It is therefore only natural to wish to
study the life of Muhammad (pbuh), his manners and his
morals, and to see how Islam manifested itself in his person
as a living example for all Muslims till the end of
time.
Abu Hurairah described him as follows:
"He was of medium build, closer to being tall. His
skin was extremely white, his beard was black, his mouth was
pleasant, his eyebrows were long, and his shoulders were
wide"
Anas ibn Malik said:
"I never touched silk or any soft fabric equal to the
softness of his palm, and I never smelled a scent more
pleasing than his."
Hind ibn Abi Hala (the son of Muhammad's wife Kadijah)
described Muhammad (pbuh) as follows:
"The Messenger of Allah was of consecutive sorrows,
continuous thought, never finding rest, long in silence. He
did not speak without cause. He spoke with his full mouth
(was not arrogant), and spoke concisely. His speech was
just, with neither excess nor deficiency. He was not
pompous, nor denigrating. He exalted all blessings no matter
how small and never belittled a single one. He would never
praise his food nor criticize it. He was never angered by
matters of this life nor that which was associated with it.
However, if justice was transgressed nothing could stand up
to his anger until justice was established. He never became
angry for his own self nor sought retribution for himself.
If he gestured, he did so with his whole palm. If he was
amazed, he overturned it. If he spoke, he struck with his
right palm the inside of his left thumb. If he became angry
he turned away, and when he was happy he lowered his gaze.
The majority of his laughter was [restricted to]
smiling."
Ali ibn abi Talib described Muhammad (pbuh) as
follows:
"He was not vulgar nor did he condone vulgarity, and
he was not one to shout in the market place. He did not
reward evil with evil, rather, he would forgive and
overlook. He never in his life struck anything with his hand
except when he was fighting in the name of Allah. He never
struck a servant nor a woman, and I never saw him taking
revenge for an injustice dealt him, except if the
prohibitions of Allah were transgressed. For if the
prohibitions of Allah were transgressed he was among the
strongest of them in anger. He was never given a choice
between two matters but he chose the simplest of the two. If
he entered into his home he was a man like any other;
cleaning his own garment, milking his own goat, and serving
himself.
He would guard his tongue from that which did not
concern him. He would attract them (the people) and not
repel them. He would ennoble the noble of the people and
charge them with their affairs. He was wary of the people
and guarded himself against them but without depriving them
a warm smile or fitting conduct. He would inquire after his
companions and would ask the people about their affairs. He
would encourage that which was good and strengthen it, and
he would discourage that which was evil and undermine it. He
was balanced and consistent. He would never be neglectful
that they would not learn neglect and grow indifferent. He
had a provision for every occasion and he never fell short
of justice nor exceeded it. The closest people to him were
the best among them, and the best among them in his eyes
were the most comprehensive in advice. The highest of them
in stature with him was the best among them in looking after
the people and assisting them. He would not rise nor sit
down without praise [to God]. If he visited a
gathering he would sit wherever the group ended (and not at
their head) and he encouraged the same. He would give all
those sitting with him their just due [to the extent
that] they would each feel that none was more important
to him than them. If someone were to sit with him or come in
search of a favor he would be patient with them until they
(the guest) would be the one to leave. Whoever came to him
with a request was never turned away except with that which
they had asked for or with a kind word. His cheerfulness and
good manners encompassed them all such that he became a
father to them and they all became equal in rights. His
gatherings were those of knowledge, humbleness, patience,
and integrity. In them there would be no raising of voices
nor transgressions of prohibitions. They would not expose
one-another's errors, but would be equal, encouraging
each-other in the fear of God. In them, they would respect
their elders, be merciful to their children, give preference
to those in need, and protect the stranger."
He continues: "He was continually smiling, gentle in
manners, soft in nature. He was not severe, harsh-hearted,
loud, abusive, or miserly. He would disregard that which he
disliked, and no one ever despaired of him. He never
responded to disparagement or evil words. He forbade upon
himself three things: Argument, arrogance, and that which
did not concern him. And he relieved the people of three: He
would not degrade any among them or abuse them, he would not
search after their honor or private matters, and he would
not speak except in matters which he hoped to be rewarded
for. When he spoke his attendees would lower their heads as
if birds had alighted upon them. Once he finished they would
speak. They would not vie with one-another in his presence
to speak, but when one would talk in his presence the rest
would listen until he finished. Speech in his presence was
that of the first among them. He would laugh with them, and
wonder with them. He had patience with the strangers when
they were gruff in speech and requests, to a degree that his
companions would fetch them to him. He would say: 'If you
see someone in need, fetch him to me.' He would not accept
praise except from those who were balanced and not
excessive. He would not interject into someone's speech
unless they transgressed, in which case he would either
rebuke them or else leave.
He was the most generous of heart, truthful of tongue,
softest in disposition, and noble in relationship. He who
first set eyes upon him feared him, but he who associated
with him loved him. Those who described him would
say: 'I have never seen before of after him anyone similar
to him, peace be upon him' "
With God:
Whenever Muhammad (pbuh) commanded his followers to
observe a command or prohibition of God he was always found
to be the most observant of this command or prohibition. He
was the most devout in worship to God among them, and no one
could equal him in worship, and in patience in the worship
of God.
Al-Mugeerah ibn Shooba narrated:
"The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to stand in
prayer until his feet became swollen and cracked. He
was then asked: 'Hasn't God forgiven you that which is
before you and that which is behind you?' He (Muhammad,
pbuh) replied: 'Should I not be a thankful servant?' "
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Aisha (pbuh) narrated:
"Allah's Messenger (pbuh) used to fast till one would
say: he never stops fasting, and he would abstain from
fasting till one would say:t he never fast." (Narrated
by Al-Bukhari)
Anas said:
"You would never like to see him standing in the
middle of the night in prayer but you would, and never would
you like to see him sleeping but you would" (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari)
The companions narrated that when a hardship or trial
befell him he would pray. He would say
"My comfort has been placed in prayer"
(Narrated by Al-Nissai)
With Life:
Muhammad (pbuh) was the most far removed among his people
from the love of money or wealth. He encouraged his
followers to be industrious, make an honest living and
discouraged them from seeking charity. He did not condemn
wealth and the wealthy, however, he feared for his followers
and encouraged them to not allow it to corrupt them or
obsess them.
Muhammad (pbuh) himself could have been the most wealthy
man in the history of Arabia, however, he preferred to live
simply and use his wealth in that which pleased God. As the
leader of the Islamic nation, he received great wealth,
however, he hated for this wealth to remain in his home for
more than a day without having distributed it in charity. At
times he would distribute tens or hundreds of thousands of
"dinars" at a time as soon as he received them. He lived
according to his sayings:
"O my Lord, indeed, true life is only the afterlife"
and "What have I to do with this life? The similitude of me
and this life is as a traveler who stopped to take shelter
in the shade of a tree and then arose and left it"
Urwah narrated that Aisha (the wife of Muhammad, pbuh)
said to me,
"O my nephew! We used to see the crescent, and then
the crescent, and then the crescent, in this way we saw
three crescents in two months and no fire (for cooking) used
to be lit in the houses of Allah's Messenger (pbuh). I said,
"O my aunt! Then what use to sustain you?" Aisha said,
"[These two]: dates and water." (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari)
Abu Tharr narrated that Allah's Messenger (pbuh)
said,
"If I had gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, it would
not please me that any of it should remain with me after
three nights (i.e. I would spend all of it in Allah's cause)
except what I would keep for repaying debts." (Narrated
by Al-Bukhari)
Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated:
"The messenger of Allah was never asked for something
and then he said 'no' (he never refused a request)"
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
With People:
"By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the
people; if you had been stern and harsh-hearted, they would
have dispersed from round about you"
The noble Qur'an, A'al-Umran(3):159
Even with all of his concerns and obligations, Muhammad
(pbuh) never became unmindful of his people. He had a
special place in his heart for each one of them and he was
known among them for his soft-spokenness, his generosity,
his tolerance, and his friendliness.
He would joke with his companions, sit and talk with
them, play with their children and sit them on his knee. He
would respond to the call of the free man or the slave, or
the young girl or the poor. He would visit the sick on the
opposite end of the city and he would attend their funerals.
He would accept the people's apologies and their excuses,
and he was the most humble among them.
Abdullah ibn Al-Haritha narrated:
"I have never seen anyone who smiled more continuously
than the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)" (Narrated by
Al-Tirmathi)
Usamah ibn Zayd narrated:
"The daughter of the Prophet (pbuh) sent (a messenger)
to the Prophet (pbuh) requesting him to come as her child
was dying. However, the Prophet (pbuh) returned the
messenger and told him to convey his greeting to her and
say: "Whatever Allah takes is for Him and whatever He gives
is for Him. Everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in
this world) and so she should be patient and hope for
Allah's reward." She again sent for him, swearing that he
should come. The Prophet (pbuh) stood up, and so did Sa'id
ibn Ubadah, Mu'ath ibn Jabal, Ubay ibn Ka'ab , Zayd ibn
Thabit and some other men. [When he arrived,] the
child was brought to Allah's Apostle (pbuh), his chest
heaving. On that the eyes of the Prophet (pbuh) began
shedding tears. Sa'd said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is
this?" He replied, "It is mercy which Allah has lodged in
the hearts of His slaves, and Allah is merciful only to
those of His slaves who are merciful (to others)."
(Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Anas ibn Malik narrated that
"the Prophet (pbuh) used to mix with us (the children)
to the extent that he would say to a younger brother of
mine, 'O abu-Umayr! What did the Nughayr (a kind of bird)
do?' " (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Abu Dawood narrated that the Messenger of Allah would
say:
"Let none of you transmit to me [evil news]
about my companions, for I like to meet with you with a pure
heart"
Ibn Masood narrated that Muhammad (pbuh) said to a group
he sent to teach and advise:
"Be lenient and do not make [this religion]
difficult. Bring glad tidings and do not repel"
AbuMalik al-Ash'ari said:
"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Cleanliness is
half of faith, and [saying] 'Praise be to God' fills
the scale, and [saying] 'Glory be to God' and
'Praise be to God' fill up what is between the heavens and
the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof
[of one's faith], and patience is a brightness, and
the Qur'an is a proof for or against you. All men go out
early in the morning and sell themselves, some setting
themselves free and others destroying themselves.' "
(Narrated by Muslim)
With His Family and Children:
Aisha, the wife of Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"Allah's Messenger (pbuh) used to patch his sandals,
sew his garment and conduct himself at home as anyone of you
does in his house. He was a human being, searching his
garment for lice, milking his sheep, and doing his own
chores." (Narrated by al-Tirmathi).
She also said:
"He would patch his garments and sole his sandals"
She was once asked: "How was he with his family?",
she responded: "He was in the service of his
family until it was time for prayer, at which time he would
go and pray"
Anas narrated:
"I never saw anyone more merciful with children than
the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)" (Narrated by Muslim)
Abu Hurairah narrated that:
"The Messenger of Allah never denigrated any type of
food; if he liked it he ate it, and if he disliked it he
left it alone" (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
Generosity, Clemency and Conduct:
Abdullah ibn Amr narrated:
"Allah's Messenger (pbuh) neither spoke in an
insulting manner nor did he ever speak evil intentionally.
He used to say, 'The most beloved to me among you is the one
who has the best character and manners.'" (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari)
AbuHurayrah narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The most Perfect believer in respect of faith is he
who is best of them in manners." (Narrated by
Abu-Dawood)
Qatadah ibn Malik narrated that Zayd ibn Ilaqah related
on the authority of his uncle, Qatadah ibn Malik, that the
Prophet (pbuh) would supplicate:
"O Allah, I seek Your protection against undesirable
manners, acts, and desires." (Transmitted by
Al-Tirmithi.)
Anas ibn Malik narrated:
"I was walking with the messenger of Allah (pbuh) and
he was wearing a mantle of Najran with a thick border. A
Bedouin met him and pulled the mantle so violently that I
saw this violent pulling had left marks from it's border on
the skin of the neck of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). And
he (the Bedouin) said: Muhammad!, command that I should be
given out of the wealth of Allah which is at your disposal.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) turned to him and smiled, and
then he ordered for him a provision."
Anas narrated:
"Eighty men from the men of Makkah descended upon the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) from the mountain of Al-Taneem, in
[full] armor, with the intent of doing battle with
him. He (Muhammad, pbuh) captured them peaceably and then
did not kill them" (Narrated by Muslim)
A pagan by the name of Zaid ibn Sa'ana came to the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in order to collect a debt. When
he drew near Muhammad (pbuh) he wrenched him by his clothes
violently, exposing his shoulder, and spoke rudely at him.
Finally, he said: "You sons of AbdulMuttalib are all a
procrastinating lot." Immediately, Umar ibn Al-Khattab
leapt at him chastising and rebuking him harshly, all the
while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked on smiling. Then
the Prophet (pbuh) said to Umar: "He and I were in need
of other than this O Umar; You should have commanded me to
excel in my repayment, and have commanded him to excel in
his request for repayment." He (Muhammad, pbuh) said: "There
[still] remains in his term three [days]" He
(Muhammad, pbuh) then commanded Umar to see to his
recompensation and to increase him twenty 'saa' (weights) as
compensation for the terrorization he had endured (from
Umar). This man later became a Muslim" (Narrated by
Al-Bayhaqi, ibn Habban, and Al-Tabarani)
Anas ibn Malik said:
"Allah's Messenger (pbuh) had the best disposition
amongst people. He sent me (when I was a child) on an errand
one day, and I said: By Allah, I would not go. I had,
however, this idea in my mind that I would do as Allah's
Apostle (pbuh) had commanded me to do. I went out until I
happened to come across children who had been playing in the
street. In the meanwhile, Allah's Messenger (pbuh) came
there and he caught me by the back of my neck from behind
me. As I looked towards him I found him smiling and he said:
Unays, did you go where I told you to go? I said: Allah's
Messenger, yes, I am going. Anas further said: I served him
for nine years but I know not that he ever chastised me
about a thing which I had done why I did that, or about a
thing I had left as to why I had not done that."
(Narrated by Muslim)
In another narration, he said:
"I served the Prophet (pbuh) at Madinah for ten years.
I was a boy. Every work that I did was not according to the
desire of my master, but he never said to me: Fie!, nor did
he say to me: Why did you do this? or Why did you not do
this?" (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)
Anas also said:
"No one was more beloved to us than the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh), [however], if we saw him we would not
stand up for him for we knew how much he disliked [for
us to do so]. And on one occasion someone called to him
saying: 'O best of mankind ...' He replied: 'That is
Abraham, peace be upon him' " (Narrated by Muslim)
Adi ibn Hatim al-Ta'ee came to the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) to ask about Islam, so Muhammad (pbuh) invited him to
his home. When they sat down, a small girl brought a pillow
to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), however, he placed it
between him and Adi and sat on the ground. Adi later said:
"[When I saw that] I knew that he was not a king"
It was also narrated that Muhammad (pbuh) once said:
"I am but a servant, I eat as the servant eats, and I
sit as the servant sits"
Muhammad (pbuh) would tie his own camel, feed his own
animal, eat with the servants, knead dough with them, and
carry his own groceries from the market.
With Parents
AbuHurayrah narrated that a man came to Allah's Messenger
(pbuh) and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Who is the most
deserving person of my good companionship?" The Prophet
(pbuh) said, "Your mother." The man said, "Who is next?" The
Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." The man said, "Who is
next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Your mother." The man asked
for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet (pbuh) said,
"Your father." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
A man came to AbudDarda and said, "I have a wife whom my
mother commands me to divorce," he replied to him that he
had heard Allah's Messenger (pbuh) say, "A parent is the
best of the gates of Paradise; so if you wish, keep to the
gate, or lose it." (Narrated in Mishkat Al-Masabih, Tirmidhi
and Ibn Majah transmitted it.)
AbuBakrah said: The Prophet (pbuh) said thrice, "Should I
inform you about the greatest of the great sins?" They said,
'Yes, O Allah's Messenger!" He said, "To join others in
worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one's parents."
The Prophet (pbuh) then sat up after he had been reclining
(on a pillow) and said, "And I warn you against giving a
false witness," and he kept on repeating that warning till
we thought he would not stop." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said,
"The worst of Kaba'ir (the greatest sins) are: to join
others as partners in worship with Allah, to murder a human
being, to be undutiful to one's parents and to make a false
statement," or said, "to bear false witness." (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari)
Defense of the Boundaries of the
Religion:
The day Ibraheem (the son of Muhammad, pbuh) died, there
was an eclipse of the sun. The people began to say: "The
sun has eclipsed for the death of Ibraheem", whereupon
the messenger of Allah (pbuh) became angry and chastised
them saying:
"Verily, the sun and the moon are two signs of the
signs of Allah, they do not eclipse for the death of anyone
nor for his birth, so if you see that (an eclipse) then
supplicate to God, reverence His name, pray and give
charity" (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
On another occasion, a man said: "God and You (O
Muhammad) have willed this" regarding a certain matter.
The Messenger of Allah then rebuked him saying:
"Have you made me equal to God?" (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
For the same reason, another time, a man was delivering a
speech and said: "He who obeys God and His messenger is
indeed wise, and he who disobeys Allah and his messenger has
lost." Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah
said:
"You are the most evil of speakers" (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Note: Muhammad (pbuh) did not want those listening to the
speech to think that God and His messengers are in any way
equal.
Muhammad (pbuh) also used to say:
"Do not over-praise me as the Christians over-praised
[Jesus] the son of Mary. For I am only His servant,
so say: 'Allah's servant and messenger' " (Narrated by
Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
His Bravery and Bashfulness:
Many people believe bravery and bashfulness to be
self-contradictory opposites of one-another, however, in
Muhammad (pbuh) we were given the example of a true balance
between these two attributes. It was narrated that Muhammad
(pbuh) was the most bashful of all mankind, and if he
disliked a matter we (the companions) would know that from
his face (his expression). Aisha (pbuh) narrated that
whenever he was informed of an error committed by someone he
would never say: "Why did 'such' the son of 'such' do
such-and-such", rather, he would say:
"Why do some people do (or say) such-and-such?"
In this manner he would caution them, but he would not
mention the man by name. (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)
Regarding his bravery Ali ibn Abi-Talib, one of the
bravest young men in the Islamic nation said:
"In the heat of battle, [when the passions burned
strongest,] we would seek shelter behind the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh), for there was none closer to the enemy than
him, and you had seen me on the day of Badr, battle
of we were taking shelter behind the Prophet of Allah
(pbuh) and he was the closest among us to the enemy"
(Narrated by Abu-Dawood)
Al-Bukhari narrated upon the authority of Anas:
"The Messenger of Allah was the best of mankind, and
the most generous among mankind, and the bravest among
mankind. The citizens of Al-Madinah awoke in a panic one
night [to a sound], so they rode out towards the
sound. On their way they met the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
returning, having beat them to the sound, saying: 'Do not
worry, do not worry' and he was riding a horse of Abi-Talha
with no saddle (in his hurry to reach that sound), around
his neck hung his sword."
During the first hours of the battle of Hunain, when many
of the Muslims forsook Muhammad (pbuh) and fled the battle
field, Muhammad (pbuh) stood firm in the field of battle as
if nothing had happened saying:
"I am the Messenger, I lie not!. I am the son of
Abdul-Muttalib."
General Mercy
Ibn Abbas narrated:
"A man had laid down his sheep (in preparation to
slaughter it) and then he went about sharpening his knife.
Upon seeing this, the Messenger of Allah rebuked him saying:
'Do you want to kill it twice? Wouldn't it have been better
for you to sharpen your knife before laying it down (so as
not to terrorize it)?' " (Narrated by Al-Tabarani and
Al-Hakim)
Shaddad ibn Aws said:
"Two are the things which I remember Allah's Messenger
(pbuh) having said: 'Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to
everything; so when you kill, kill in a good way and when
you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. Every one of you
should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die
comfortably.' " (Narrated by Muslim)
Muhammad (pbuh) also used to command mercy for all
animals such that they are fed well, watered well, not
forced to carry too heavy a burden, and not tortured or
maimed for one's enjoyment.
AbuHurayrah said:
"The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, said, 'While a man was walking on a road he
became very thirsty. He found a well, went into it, drank,
and came out. [Upon exiting he met] a dog panting
and eating the dirt out of thirst. The man said: 'This dog
has become stricken with the same degree of thirst which had
stricken me.' He went down into the well and filled his shoe
and then held it in his mouth until he climbed out and gave
the dog water to drink. Allah thanked him (for his good
deed) and forgave him.' They said, 'O Messenger of Allah,
are we rewarded for taking care of beasts?' He said, 'There
is a reward [for you] in every creature with a moist
liver.'"(Narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Malik)
AbuHurayrah said:
"Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: 'A woman was punished
because of a cat. She neither provided it with food nor
drink, nor set it free so that it might eat the insects of
the earth.' " (Narrated by Muslim and Al-Bukhari).
Sahl ibn Amr said:
"The Messenger of Allah passed by a camel who's
stomach quite touched it's back (from lack of food). Upon
seeing this he said: 'Fear God in these unspeaking animals!
Ride them [while they are] in good health, and eat
them [while they are] in good health' "
(Narrated by Abu-Dawood)
Regarding slaves, when Muhammad (pbuh) became the
messenger of Allah the people of his land had become
accustomed to having countless slaves and usually treated
them quite harshly. During the period of his prophethood he
worked diligently to do what he could to cut down on their
numbers. Islam closed most of the doors leading to slavery
and encourages the freeing of slaves in many ways. For those
people who continued to posses slaves they were encouraged
to treat them fairly and with mercy.
AbuDharr said:
"The Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Feed those of your slaves
who please you from what you yourselves eat and clothe them
with what you clothe yourselves, but sell those who do not
please you and do not punish Allah's creatures.' "
(Narrated by Abu-Dawood)
Ma'rur narrated that:
"I saw AbuDharr wearing a Burd (garment) and his slave
too was wearing a Burd, so I said (to AbuDharr), 'If you
take this (Burd of your slave) and wear it (along with
yours), you will have a nice suit and you may give him
another garment.' AbuDharr said, "There [once] was a
quarrel between me and another man whose mother was a
non-Arab and I called her bad names. The man complained
about me to the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'Did you abuse so-and-so?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Did you
call his mother bad names?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'You
still have the traits of (the pre-Islamic period of)
ignorance.' I said, '(Do I still have ignorance) even now in
my old age?' He said, 'Yes, they (slaves or servants) are
your brothers and Allah has put them under your command. So
the one under whose hand Allah has put his brother, should
feed him from what he eats, and clothe him in what he wears,
and should not ask him to do anything beyond his capacity.
And if ever he asks him to do a hard task, he should help
him with it.'" (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
Abdullah ibn Umar said:
"An A'arabi (desert Arab) came to the Prophet of Allah
(pbuh) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, how many times
should I forgive my slave every day?' The Prophet (pbuh)
replied: 'Seventy times.' " (Narrated by Al-Tirmathi and
Abu-Dawood)
Abdullah ibn Umar also narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: 'Pay the worker
his [due] wages before his sweat dries' "
(Narrated by ibn Majah)
Some Quotes:
The Encyclopedia Britannica states:
"... a mass of detail in the early sources show that
[Muhammad] was an honest and upright man who had
gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise
honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)
George Bernard Shaw said about him:
"He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe
that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of
the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems
in a way that would bring it much needed peace and
happiness." (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No.
8, 1936)
Gandhi says in Young India:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's
undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind ...I
became more than convinced that it was not the sword that
won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life.
It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of
the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his
intense devotion to this 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. When I
closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was
sorry there was not more for me to read of the great
life."
Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley
speaking on the declaration of Islam write:
"I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET* , AN
APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of
Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been
degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has
never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his
living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his
disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."
History Of The Saracen Empires, London, 1870, p. 54
Michael H. Hart in his recently published book on the
ranking of the 100 most influential men in history
writes:
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's
most influential persons may surprise some readers and may
be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history
who was supremely successful on both the religious and
secular levels."
The 100: A
Ranking Of The Most Influential Persons In History, M.H.
Hart, New York, 1978, p. 33
Jules Masserman, an American psychoanalyst, says:
"Leaders must fulfill three functions: 1) Provide for
the well being of the led, 2) Provide a social organization
in which people feel relatively secure, and 3) Provide them
with a set of beliefs
People like Pasteur and Salk
are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and
Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander and Caesar on the
other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third
sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone.
Perhaps the greatest leader of all time was Muhammad, who
combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did
the same."
Time magazine, July 15, 1974, article titled "Who were
history's greatest leaders?," this quote by Jules
Masserman.
"Head of the State as well as the Church, he was
Caesar and Pope in one; but, he was Pope without the Pope's
pretensions, and Caesar without the legions of Caesar,
without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a
police force, without a fixed revenue. If ever a man ruled
by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the
powers without their supports. He cared not for the
dressings of power. The simplicity of his private life was
in keeping with his public life."
Reverend Bosworth Smith, Muhammad and Muhammadanism, p.
242
"Serious or trivial, his daily behavior has instituted
a canon which millions observe this day with conscious
memory. No one regarded by any section of the human race as
Perfect Man has ever been imitated so minutely. The conduct
of the founder of Christianity has not governed the ordinary
life of his followers. Moreover, no founder of a religion
has left on so solitary an eminence as the Muslim
apostle"
Arabia, D. G. Hogarth, p. 52
"He was sober and abstemious in his diet, and a
rigorous observer of fasts. He indulged in no magnificence
of apparel, the ostentation of a petty mind; neither was his
simplicity in dress affected but a result of real disregard
for distinction from so trivial a source ... In his private
dealings he was just. He treated friends and strangers, the
rich and poor, the powerful and weak, with equality, and was
beloved by the common people for the affability with which
he received them, and listened to their complaints ... His
military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory, as they
would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes.
In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same
simplicity of manners and appearance as in the days of his
adversity. So far from affecting a regal state, he was
displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonials
of respect were shown to him. If he aimed at universal
dominion, it was the dominion of faith; as to the temporal
rule which grew up in his hands, as he used it without
ostentation, so he took no step to perpetuate it in his
family."
Mahomet and his successors, Washington Irving, pp.
332-334, 343
"His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs,
the high moral character of the men who believed in him and
looked up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his
ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity.
To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it
solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so
poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad
Thus, not
merely must we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and
integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if
we are to correct the errors we have inherited from the
past, we must not forget that conclusive proof is a much
stricter requirement than a show of plausibility, and in a
matter such as this only to be attained with
difficulty."
Muhammad at Macca, W. Montgomery Watt, Oxford press, p.
53
"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and
character of the great prophet of Arabia, who knew how he
taught and how he lived, to feel anything but the reverence
for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the
Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many
things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel,
whenever I reread them, a new way of admiration, a new sense
of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher."
The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Annie Besant, p.
4
"Four years after the death of Justinian, C.E. 569,
was born in Mecca, in Arabia, the man who, of all men, has
exercised the greatest influence upon the human race
To be the religious head of many empires, to guide the daily
life of one third of the human race, may perhaps justify the
title of a Messenger of God."
History of Intellectual Development of Europe, William
Draper, MD., LL.D., Vol. I, p. 329-330
For more on this topic please read the book "Prophet
Muhammad and His Western Critics," by Zafar Ali Qureshi,
Idara Ma'arif Islami, Mansoora, Lahore, Pakistan.
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