Belief in Prophethood

Risalah or Prophet hood is another fundamental articles of faith in Islam. A Muslim

should believe in the Prophet hood and in all the prophets sent by God and make no
distinction between them.
God has placed man on this earth in order that his obedience to his Maker may be put
to the test. For this purpose he has been given complete freedom to tread the paths of
both good and evil. He has a choice. But to follow the path desired for him by God,
man is in need of guiding principles. The true source of guidance, according to Islam,
is to be found in prophet hood. Throughout human history, God in His infinite Mercy
selected certain individuals to communicate His message to mankind, so that all
human beings might be given an opportunity to follow the right path. These chosen
people were called prophets, or messengers.
A prophet is a person chosen by God as His representative. When God appoints
someone as His Messenger, He sends His angel to him to inform him of his new
status. In that way, the individual can have no doubts about his appointment as God's
apostle. Later, God reveals His message to him through His angels, so that he may
communicate the divine teachings to all his fellow men.
God has given man a mind so that he may be endowed with understanding. But this
mind can only grasp things that are apparent. It cannot go below the surface, and there
are many things to be apprehended, for which a superficial knowledge is insufficient.
The deeper realities of this world are beyond the scope of the human mind, and so far
as God and the next world are concerned, they must remain forever invisible – beyond
the reach of human perception.
What the Prophet does is to enlighten people so that they may overcome this human
inadequacy. He tells of the reality of things here and now, and also gives tidings of the
next world. He thereby enables the individual to formulate a plan for his entire
existence in the full light of knowledge and awareness so that he may carve out a
successful life for himself.
Since the settlement of human beings on earth, the prophets have been coming one
after another. In every age they have been the conveyors of God's messages to human
beings. However, whatever records of these ancient prophets have survived has been
rendered historically unreliable by interpolations. The same is true of the books they
brought to mankind. The sole exception was the case of the Prophet Muhammad, who
had been chosen by God as His Final Messenger. The Prophet was born in an age
when the history of the world was already being extensively chronicled. This in itself
made circumstances conducive to authentic records being kept of God's messages and
the Prophet's exemplary life. The relevant facts were passed on from one generation
to the next by both oral and written tradition, and with the advent of the printing press
came the modern guarantee that no changes would ever be made in the divine
scriptures. This renders unassailable the position of the Prophet Muhammad (upon
whom be peace) as God's Final Messenger and His sole representative on earth till
Doomsday.
All the prophets, according to Islam, brought the same basic truth: that there is only
one God and that all human beings are accountable to God for their actions: when
Doomsday finally comes, they will be judged by Him according to their good and bad
deeds. Those who believe in God and His Prophet shall be rewarded by God in the
next world, while those who disbelieve shall be punished by God in the next world as
befits the deeds they have performed on earth.
“God chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself those who turn to
Him in repentance.” (42:13)
God’s messengers came in every age and to every region. According to a Hadith,
starting with Adam and ending with the Prophet Muhammad, 1,24,000 messengers
were sent in succession to guide the people to the right path. The prophets mentioned
by name in the Quran are two-dozen in number. The five Major Prophets who came
before Muhammad were Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), and
Isa (Jesus). The Prophet Muhammad, the last in this long line of prophets, was known
as the ‘Seal of the Prophets.’
In the past the need for new prophets had arisen because God’s religion, having been
distorted in a number of different ways, was no longer in its pristine form. New
prophets had to come to the world periodically in order to revive the true spirit of
religion, and thus restore it to its original form. After the Prophet Muhammad, there
was no need for another prophet, for the Book— the Quran— which he gave to the
world, has been preserved intact, in its original form.
The Islamic concept of prophet hood is different from that of other religions. Some
religions would have it that even God Himself becomes incarnate in human shape,
and that his prophets are in some way superhuman or otherworldly. But a prophet in
the Islamic sense is no different from any other human being. His uniqueness lies
simply in his being the chosen messenger of God.
God’s Apostles were born into this world just like any other human beings. They led
their lives just as others did, thus demonstrating to their people how God’s servants
should, in practice, conduct themselves on earth, and showing them clearly what path
they must tread in order to avert God’s displeasure and make themselves worthy of
His blessings.
The prophets who brought books were called rasul, while those who did not were
called nabi.
ETYMOLOGY OF RISALAT:
The word Risalat is derived from the Arabic root r-s-l that develops the following
meanings;
1. To bring a message of great importance or great utility
2. To impart knowledge of something
3. To be an apostle or envoy
4. To send forth a message or a letter
5. To be given consecutive progressions of tidings
6. To be given authority, dominion, superior power
7. To be easy in pace, without haste, deliberate, gentle
The ancient roots of rasul point toward that which is on the path toward salvation and
permeated with an essence of renewal. The primitive root implies a straight line traced
from one object to another to unite them.
ETYMOLOGY OF AL-NABI:
The word Nabi is derived from the Arabic root n-b-a, which developed the following
meanings;
1. To give important news, information, announcement.
2. To inform, tell or acquaint someone.
3. To have the gift of prophecy.
4. To have the office of Prophet.
5. To be an evident, clear or conspicuous way.
6. To be high, lofty, exalted.
7. To come forth, to go forth.
The ancient roots of Nabi point towards the emanation of all ideas of divine
inspiration and prophecy under the guidance of divine power, leading to the idea of
one who is called by divine power to announce the message of divine will, or one who
is called to be a Prophet.
NECESSITY OF RISALAT:
Just as it is of utmost importance for a person to know what is proper to accept or not
to accept when it comes to Belief in Allah, so that he does not reject any necessity or
accept anything that is absolutely impossible and become a Kaafir, it is also of utmost
importance to know what is permissible, compulsory and absolutely impossible for a
Nabi, since to accept a Muhaal (that which is absolutely impossible) and to reject
what is compulsory is the means to infidelity. It is very possible that due to lack of
knowledge, that a person may hold a improper belief or say something which is
contrary to the proper belief, and this can cause his destruction.
A Nabi refers to that human, on whom Allah sent down Wahi (revelation) for the
purpose of guidance. Rasool is not only specific to humans, as there are Angels as
well who are Rasools. All Nabis were human and men. Neither has any Jin or woman
been a Nabi. It is not compulsory upon Almighty Allah to send Prophets. Through His
Grace, He sent down Prophets for the guidance of the people. It is necessary for
revelation to descend upon a Nabi, be it through an Angel or without any means.

Almighty Allah has bestowed the knowledge of the unseen upon the
Ambia-e-Kiraam. Every particle in the skies and earths is in the sight of every Nabi.
This knowledge of the unseen which the Nabis possess is that which has been
bestowed upon them by Almighty Allah, thus their knowledge is known as
Ilm-e-Ataayi (that knowledge which has been bestowed) and Ilm-e-Ataayi is Muhaal
for Allah, for none of His attributes or splendours are given to Him by any. They are
all of His Self. Those who reject knowledge of the unseen for Nabis especially the
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), they are rejecting the verse of the Quran where
Almighty Allah say, "They accept some words of the Quran and make infidelity with
other verses" They only look at certain verses and they reject the verses in which it is
explained that the Ambia are given knowledge of the unseen, whereas all the verses
about Ilm-e-Ghaib (unseen knowledge) are Haq. Since the verses, which say that
Almighty Allah alone has knowledge of the unseen, refers to Ilm-e-Zaati (that which
is unattained) and the verses, which explain ilm-e-ghaib for the Prophets is referring
to Ilm-e-Ataayi (that which is bestowed upon them). To say that by accepting that The
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is aware of every particle is equalling his
knowledge to that of Allah, is a totally baseless argument, since only then will it be
equal, if we say that the Prophet has the same knowledge as Allah (Allah Forbid).

CHAIN OF PROPHETS
• Numbers of prophets
"And certainly We sent messengers before you; there are some of them that We have
mentioned to you and there are others whom we have not mentioned to you" <Qur'an
Ghafir 40:78>
"Of some messengers we have already told thee the story;
of others we have not...." <Qur'an-Nisaa 4:164>
God sent to humanity many Prophets. According to hadith, Abu Zar quotes Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) as saying that the prophets were 124.000. May the blessings of
God be upon them all? The only thing we are sure about is what is clearly mentioned
in the Qur'an, that is, God has sent a Messenger (or more) to every nation. Owing to
the fact that God never calls a people to account unless He has made clear to them
what to do and what not to do. The Qur'an mentions the names of 25 prophets and
indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh). The ones mentioned in the Holy Book are the following, peace be
upon them all:

1. Adam 6. Ibráhím 11. Yúsuf 16. Dhu l-kifl 21. Yúnus

2. Idrís 7. Ismá'íl 12. Shu'aib 17. Daúd 22. Zakariyah
3. Núh 8. Ishaaq 13. Ayúb 18. Sulaimán 23. Yahyá
4. Húd 9. Lut 14. Músa 19. Ilyás 24. 'Ísa (Jesus)
5. Sálih 10. Ya'qúb 15. Harún 20. al-Yasa' 25. Muhammad

The 26th Prophet who is referred to in the Qur’an is Hadhrat Samuel (pbuh).
However, the Qur’an has not given his name, but has presented him as "a prophet of
Bani-Israel" after Hadhrat Músa (pbuh) (this is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqara, verses
246-248). The Qur’an has also mentioned another personality by the name of `Uzair.
Generally, he is believed to be a prophet, but the Qur'an is silent about his
prophethood. He is however a very important man, because it is he who collected the
Torah, the book revealed to Hadhrat Musa (pbuh), after it was lost during the captivity
of Bani Israel in Babylon.
• Role of prophets
"And those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction
between any of them (in belief), to them He will grant their rewards." <Qur'an Nisaa
4:152>
Allah sent a chain of prophets with revelations to transform humanity from a state of
jahiliyya (ignorance) to one of Islam (submission to His will). Allah says in the noble
Qur’an, that we have been created only to worship Him, in the way that it is only
through His worship that we could flourish to full capacities of our inborn qualities.
"I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me." <Qur'an-Zariyat
51:56>
Muslims have to believe in all the prophets and messengers of God, equally, without
distinction, wherever they may have appeared, whether mentioned or not in the
Qur'an. Human beings must therefore live according to the laws of Allah. Thanks to
his mercy, He sent messengers and prophets throughout the ages so that mankind
might be guided to the truth. Those who were enlightened by the messengers of God
found the way to the Divine Presence and attained the highest rank of humanity.
Prophets were sent to both mankind and jinn in order to preach the oneness of God
and teach through personal example. Each prophet was first and foremost submitted
to God, which is why previous prophets are called "Muslims" in the Holy Qur'an,
being not only teachers but also followers of God's guidance.
PURPOSE OF MASSENGERS
Is it fair to create an object, and then allow it to function without any rules and
regulations and finally call it to account and punish it for breaking the rules?
Having created man with the power of thought and free will, Allah in His infinite
wisdom decided to send Prophets and Messengers as a guide for mankind. Each
Prophet was sent to his particular people to remind them of the need to worship one
God, and refrain from associating partners with him. They were not gods, sons or
partners of God, but were simply the best of mankind, chosen because of their
humility in their behaviour, morals, peacefulness and knowledge of Allah.
Allah sent a long chain of Prophets from the first days of mankind, from Prophet
Adam (the Father of human beings) – and sealed them with Prophet Mohammad, the
final Prophet (Peace be upon them). This long chain included the Prophets of the
people of Israel and the five great Messengers who came with the most important
messages: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad (May Allah’s peace and
blessings be upon them all).
Prophets were the leaders of humanity who knew how to worship one God. They
knew about the hereafter, about good morals and human rights and they guided their
people to the same.
The Holy Qur’an tells us that every Messenger said to his people:
“O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him…” (Qur’an 7, 59)
“Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct, and giving to relatives and forbids
immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will
be reminded.” (Qur’an 16, 90)
Mohammed was the final of these Messengers, who brought Allah’s message for the
whole of mankind from the first day of revelation to the final day of our existence.
Because of this we see Muslims from all over the globe, of all colours and races,
accepting and respecting all of the Prophets of Allah, as they were all on the same
path of worshipping one God.
• Prophet Noah
• Prophet Abraham
• Prophet Moses
• Prophet Jesus
• Prophet Muhammad
PROPHET NOAH The second Father of Humanity
The Holy Books of Judaism, Christianity and Islam speak the same way about
Prophet Noah and the great food. The Qur’an tells us that he was a Messenger who
lived for 950 years. He selflessly dedicated his life to preaching to his people the
belief in one God, to leave worshiping idols and statues and to be merciful to the
weak and the needy. He told them about the signs of God’s Power and Mercy and
warned them about the severe punishment on the Day of Judgment, but they were
very stubborn and ignored his warnings.
Allah punished them with the great food and saved only the believers who followed
the Prophet. There is a chapter in the Holy Qur’an about Prophet Noah. His story is
detailed in one of the longest chapters of the Qur’an (HUD: 11), with more details
about the food and the ship including these points;
• Noah asked his people to serve Allah and keep their duty unto Him, that He
might forgive their sins.
• Noah called them night and day, but they thrust their fingers in their ears and
persisted in their refusal.
• Noah asked them to seek pardon of their ever Forgiving Lord and He will help
them with wealth and sons, and will assign unto them gardens and rivers and a
good life.
• Allah the Almighty told Noah, that none of these people would believe except
those who have believed already, so build the ship under our eyes and by our
inspiration.
When his people passed by him, they made a mockery of him.
• When he finished building the ship, Allah ordered Noah to load therein two of
every kind, a pair (the male and female), most of his household, and those who
believed.
• And it was said: O earth! Swallow your water and, O sky! Be cleared of
clouds! And the water was made to subside. And the commandment was
fulfilled. And as the ship came to rest upon (the mount) Al- Judi with Noah
and the believers, humanity was given another opportunity for a new
beginning.
PROPHET ABRAHAM The Father of the Prophets
Prophet Abraham is one of the most brilliant personalities in the history of religion,
morals, social life and fatherhood.
He really is the Father of Prophets because Allah the Almighty chose many Prophets
from his offspring likes Isaac, Jacob, David and their sons, along with Ishmael the
forefather of the last Messenger Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
them all).
There are long chapters in the Qur’an about Prophet Abraham. His biography and
glorious deeds are mentioned in different places of the Qur’an.
Abraham thought about the oneness of the Creator from a very early age. He entered
into serious debates with the monks of his day, refuting their tendency to worship
idols, stars and fire. He told them that these idols are not worthy or eligible of
worship, so they tried to burn him alive. Allah saved him and chose him as a Prophet.
He was a prophet, model father and a model son. Here are some glimpses about his
life mentioned in the Qur’an:
• Abraham was a very obedient son to his disbelieving father, kind and very
patient.
(Qur’an 19, 42-47)
• “Allah did show him the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he might
be of those possessing certainty.” (Qur’an 6, 75)
• He debated with his people about the false celestial gods and declared that he
cannot worship them because they are not worthy. (Qur’an 6, 76-79)
• Allah the Almighty mentioned him in the Qur’an as a chosen one:
“And mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of
truth and a Prophet.”
(Qur’an 19, 41)
• Allah gave him the wisdom and ability to affect others.
“And that was Our [conclusive] argument, which we gave Abraham against
his people. We rise by degrees that we will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and
Knowing.” (Qur’an 6, 83)
PROPHET MOSES Kalimullah
Prophet Moses was a major Prophet and a leader who freed the Children of Israel
from the oppression of Pharaoh; he is not only referred to in Judaism and Christianity,
but also in Islam. There is information about Prophet Moses in the Qur`an as well as
in the Old and the New Testaments.
Prophet Moses is the most frequently mentioned of all Prophets in the Qur`an; 136
times in thirty-four chapters and he is included in the authenticated sayings of Prophet
Mohammad.
The birth of Moses and his entrance to the Pharaoh’s palace, his trip to Madyan,
selection as a Prophet, dispatch to the Pharaoh to save the Children of Israel, struggle
with Pharaoh and the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, the revelation of
divine commands on Mount Sinai, events in the desert and his leadership of the
Children of Israel are all discussed in the Qur`an.
In the Qur`an, it is mentioned that Moses was chosen above other men with the
mission Allah had entrusted to him. The words that Allah had spoken to him
(Qur`an 7, 143), the fact that he was covered with the garment of love from Allah, as
well as being reared under Allah’s eye (Qur`an 20, 39); all indicate the preparation of
Moses for Allah’s service. (Qur`an 20, 41).
In the Qur`an, Moses is depicted as a Prophet who gives glad tidings about the
coming of Prophet Mohammad; the Qur`an also tells us that the coming of an illiterate
Prophet was mentioned in the Old Testament.
(Qur`an 7, 157).
In Islamic tradition Moses is called (Kalimullah) (Whom the Lord spoke to) because
Allah spoke to him and revealed His verses to him directly.
PROPHET EESA The Great Messenger
Jesus in Islam is a Messenger of God who had been sent to guide the Children of
Israel (Banī Isrāīl) with a new scripture, the Injīl (gospel). The Qur`an states that
Mary gave birth to Jesus without a man having touched her, a miraculous event which
occurred by the decree of God.
“And mention, [O Mohammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew
from her family to a place towards the east…Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e.
Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well – proportioned man… He said, “I
am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e. son].” She
said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been
unchaste?” He said, “Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me and We will
make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already]
decreed.’ ” (Qur’an 19, 16-21)
To aid him in his quest, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles, with the
permission of Allah. According to Islamic texts, Jesus was neither killed nor
crucified, but rather he was raised alive up to heaven. Islamic traditions narrate that he
will return to earth near the Day of Judgment to restore justice and defeat the
Antichrist.
Like all Prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim, as he preached
for people to adopt the straight path in submission to God’s will. Islam rejects that
Jesus was God or the Son of God, stating that he was an ordinary human being who,
like other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God’s message.
Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God, emphasising the notion of
God’s Divine Oneness. Numerous titles are given to Jesus in the Qur`an, such as al-
Masīah, although it does not correspond with the meaning accrued in Christian belief
that he is the son of Mary and Gods servant. Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to
Mohammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold His coming.
MUHAMMAD The Seal of the Messengers
Mohammad, the Prophet of Islam, was born in Makkah in the year 570CE. As an
orphan, his uncle who was from the respected tribe of Quraysh raised him. As he
grew up, he became known to be truthful, honest, generous, and sincere. So much so,
that they called him ‘The Trustworthy’. Mohammad was very pious, and he had long
detested the decadence and idolatry of his society. At the age of 40, Mohammad
received his first revelation from Allah through the Angel Gabriel. The revelations of
the words of Allah continued for 23 years, and they are collectively known as the
Qur’an.
As soon as he began to recite the Qur’an and preach the truth, which Allah had
revealed, to him, he and his small group of followers suffered persecution from the
society around them. The persecution grew so fierce that in the year 622CE Allah
gave them the command to migrate to Madinah.
After several years, Mohammad and his followers returned to Makkah, where they
forgave their enemies who had once persecuted them relentlessly. Before Mohammad
died, at the age of 63, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula had become Muslim,
and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as Far
East as China. Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the
truth and clarity of its teaching.
Prophet Mohammad was a perfect example of an honest, just, merciful,
compassionate, truthful, and brave human being. Though he was a man, he was far
removed from all evil characteristics and strove solely for the sake of Allah and his
reward in the Hereafter. Moreover, in all of his actions and dealings, he was ever
mindful and fearful of God.
“O Mankind, the Messenger has come to you with the truth from your Lord, so
believe; it is better for you. But if you disbelieve – then indeed, to Allah belongs
whatsoever is in the heavens and earth. And ever is Allah Knowing and Wise.”
(Qur’an 4, 170)

ATTRIBUTE OF PROPHETS OF ALLAH

Attributes of prophets of Allah:
1. Prophets are human beings:
As reformation has to be done in a society of human beings only a
human Messenger can perform the mission.
“O Mohammad! All the messengers, whom We sent before you, were also
human beings, and lived in the same habitations, and to them We sent our
Revelations.” (Surah Yusuf: 109).
2. Prophethood is a bounty of Allah:
It is a belief of all Muslims that Prophethood is a divine duty and a
mission from Allah; He appoints to it those whom He selects from among His
good servants.
“Such is Allah’s favour: He bestows it on whomsoever He pleases.”
3. Innocence of Prophets:
The Prophets were innocent because they were free from all kinds of
evilness. Allah against all kinds of sins protected them because they were
created for a special purpose that is to reform the society.
“I am innocent of all those crimes which you commit.” (Surah Nuh:
35)

4. Revelation:
Revelation is an act of revealing through active or passive
communication with the divine.
“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an inspiration that is
inspired.”(Surah An-Najm: 3-4)

5. Obedience:
Every Prophet was sent to his own nation for their guidance. Thus it is
obligatory for them to obey. His obedience is the obedience of Allah.
“We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah’s Leave.”
(Surah An-Nisaa: 64)
CHARACTERISTICS OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H)
Dress
His dress generally consisted of a shirt, tamad (trousers), a sheet thrown round the
shoulders and a turban. On rare occasions, he would put on costly robes presented to
him by foreign emissaries in the later part of his life (Ahmed, Musnad, Hafiz Bin
Qaiyyam).
His blanket had several patches (Tirmizi). He had very few spare clothes, but he kept
them spotlessly clean (Burkhart). He wanted others also to put on simple but clean
clothes. Once he saw a person putting on dirty clothes and remarked,

"Why can't this man wash them.”? (Abu Dawud, Chapter "Dress").
On another occasion he enquired of a person in dirty clothes whether he had any
income. Upon getting a reply in the affirmative, he observed,
"When Allah has blessed you with His bounty, your appearance should reflect it."
(Abu Dawud)
He used to observe: "Cleanliness is piety".
Mode Of Living
His house was but a hut with walls of unbaked clay and a thatched roof of palm leaves
covered by camel skin. He had separate apartments for his wives, a small room for
each made of similar materials. His own apartment contained a rope cot, a pillow
stuffed with palm leaves, the skin of some animal spread on the floor and a water bag
of leather and some weapons. These were all his earthly belongings, besides a camel,
a horse, and an ass and some land, which he had acquired in the later part of his life
(Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud). Once a few of his disciples, noticing the imprint of
his mattress on his body, wished to give him a softer bed but he politely declined the
offer saying,
"What have I to do with worldly things? My connection with the world is like that of
a traveller resting for a while underneath the shade of a tree and then moving on."
Amr Ibn Al-Harith, a brother in law of the prophet (pbuh), says that when the prophet
died, he did not leave a cent, a slave man or woman, or any property except his white
mule, his weapons and a piece of land which he had dedicated for the good of the
community (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).
He advised the people to live simple lives and himself practised great austerities. Even
when he had become the virtual king of Arabia, he lived an austere life bordering on
privation. His wife Aiysha (ra) says that there was hardly a day in his life when he had
two square meals (Muslim, Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, pg 198). When he died there was
nothing in his house except a few seeds of barley left from a mound of the grain
obtained from a Jew by pawning his armour (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter
"Aljihad").
He had declared unlawful for himself and his family anything given by the people by
way of zakat or sadaqa (types of charity). He was so particular about this that he
would not appoint any member of his family as a zakat collector (Sahah-Kitab
Sadqat).
His Manners And Disposition
"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" (translation of Qur'an,
Chapter 3: Verse 159)
About himself the prophet (pbuh) said
"Allah has sent me as an apostle so that I may demonstrate perfection of character,
refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment." (Malik, Mawatta; Ahmed,
Musnad; Mishkat)
By nature he 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 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 had to conceal any such vein by practice and artifice: with fear of Allah,
sincere humility was ingrained in his heart.
He used to say,
"I am a Prophet of Allah but I do not know what will be my end." (Bukhari, Sahih
Bukhari, Chapter "Al-Janaiz")
In one of his sermons calculated to instil the fear of Allah and the day of reckoning in
the hearts of men, he said,
"O people of Quraish be prepared for the hereafter, I cannot save you from the
punishment of Allah; O Bani Abd Manaf, I cannot save you from Allah; O Abbas, son
of Abdul Mutalib, I cannot protect you either; O Fatima, daughter of Muhammad,
even you I cannot save." (Sahahin)
He 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." (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 6 pg. 103)
He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to older people and
stated:
"To honour an old man is to show respect to Allah."
He 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 (pbuh) 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 Aiysha (ra) said, "You did not think well of this man, but you treated
him so well."
The Prophet (pbuh) 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."
(Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)
He 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 (Abu Dawud, Tirmizi). He did not like
people to get up for him and used to say,
"Let him who likes people to stand up in his honour, he should seek a place in hell."
(Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab, Muhammadi Press, Delhi).
He would himself, however, stand up when any dignitary came to him. He 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 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 was the Prophet (pbuh). Quite frequently uncouth
Bedouins accosted him in their own gruff and impolite manner but he never took
offence. (Abu Dawud Kitabul Atama).
He used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all Muslims to do likewise
(Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter "Attendance on ailing persons"). He would sit with
the humblest of persons saying that righteousness alone was the criterion of one's
superiority over another. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the
poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals (Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi).
Whenever he visited a person he would first greet him and then take his permission to
enter the house. He 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 (Ibid).
There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him. Aiysha (ra)
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." (Qazi Iyaz: Shifa; Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter: Kitabul
Adab)
He would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and
widows (Nasi, Darmi). Once when there was no male member in the house of the
companion Kabab Bin Arat who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house
daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants (Ibn Saad Vol. 6, p 213).
Children
He was especially fond of children and used to get into the spirit of childish games in
their company. He would have fun with the children who had come back from
Abyssinia and tried to speak in Abyssinian with them. It was his practice to give lifts
on his camel to children when he returned from journeys (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari,
Vol. 2 pg.886). He would pick up children in his arms, play with them, and kiss them.
A companion, recalling his childhood, said,
"In my childhood I used to fell dates by throwing stones at palm trees. Somebody
took me to the Prophet (pbuh) who advised me to pick up the dates lying on the
ground but not to fell them with stones. He then patted me and blessed me." (Abu
Dawud)
Daily Routine
On the authority of Ali, Tirmizi has recorded that the Prophet (pbuh) had carefully
apportioned his time according to the demands on him for offering worship to Allah
public affairs, and personal matters.
After the early morning prayers he would remain sitting in the mosque reciting
praises of Allah till the sun rose and more people collected. He would then preach to
them. After the sermons were over, he would talk genially with the people, enquire
about their welfare and even exchange jokes with them. Taxes and revenues were also
distributed at this time (Muslim, Sahih Muslim Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi). He would
then offer chaste prayers and go home and get busy with household work (Bukhari,
Muslim, Tirmizi).
He would again return to the mosque for the mid-day and afternoon prayers, listen to
the problems of the people and give solace and guidance to them.
After the afternoon prayers, he would visit each of his wives and, after the evening
prayers, his wives would collect at one place and he would have his dinner (Muslim,
Sahih Muslim). After the night prayers, he would recite some suras of the Quran and
before going to bed would pray: "O Allah, I die and live with thy name on my lips."
On getting up he would say,
"All praise to Allah Who has given me life after death and towards Whom is the
return."
He used to brush his teeth five times a day, before each of the daily prayers. After
midnight, he used to get up for the Tahajjud prayers, which he never missed even
once in his life (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari). He was not fastidious about his bed:
sometimes he slept on his cot, sometimes on a skin or ordinary mattress, and
sometimes on the ground (Zarqani).
On Friday he used to give sermons after the weekly "Jumma" prayers. He was not
annoyed if anyone interrupted him during the sermons for anything. It is stated that
once, while he was delivering his sermon, a Bedouin approached him and said, "O
messenger of Allah, I am a traveller and am ignorant of my religion." The prophet
(pbuh) got down from the pulpit, explained the salient features of Islam to him and
then resumed the sermon (Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi).
On another occasion his grandson Husain, still a child, came tumbling to him while he
was delivering a sermon. He descended and took him in his lap and then continued the
sermon (Ibid).
Trust In Allah (Swt)
Muhammad (pbuh) preached to the people to trust in Allah (swt). 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 Hunain, complete faith and trust in Allah (swt) appears as the
dominant feature in his life. However great the danger that confronted him, he never
lost hope and never allowed himself to be unduly agitated. Abu Talib knew the
feelings of the Quraish when the Prophet (pbuh) started his mission. He also knew the
lengths to which the Quraish could go, and requested the Prophet (pbuh) 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 Hisham, Sirat-ur-
Rasul.)
When the attitude of the Quraish became more threatening, Abu Talib again begged
his nephew to renounce his mission but the Prophet's (pbuh) 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 said, "Allah will not leave me forlorn."
A dejected and oppressed disciple 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." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)
It was the same trust in Allah (swt), which emboldened the Prophet (pbuh) to say
his prayers openly in the haram in the teeth of opposition. The Quraish were once
collected there and were conspiring to put an end to his life when he next entered the
haram. His young daughter Fatima, who happened to overhear their talk rushed
weeping to her father and told him of the designs of the Quraish. He consoled her, did
his ablutions and went to the Kaaba to say prayers. There was only consternation
among the Quraish when they saw him (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 1, pg. 368).
Then leaving his house for Madinah he asked Ali (ra) to sleep on his bed and told
him,
"Do not worry, no one will be able to do you any harm" (Tabari, Ibn Hisham)
Even though the enemies had surrounded the house, he left the house reciting the
Quranic verse:
"We have set a barricade before them and a barricade behind them and (thus) have
covered them so that they see not" (translation of Qur'an 36:9)
Abu Bakr was frightened when pursuers came close to the cavern in which he and
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were hiding during their flight, but the Prophet (pbuh)
heartened him, "Grieve not. Allah is with us."
A guard was kept at the Prophet's house in Madinah because of the danger that
surrounded him but he had it withdrawn when the Quranic verse was revealed:
"Allah will protect you from the people" (translation of Qur'an 5:67).
A man was caught waiting in ambush to assault the Prophet (pbuh) but he was
directed to be released with the words,
"Even if this man wanted to kill me, he could not." (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol.3 pg. 471)
A Jewess from Khaibar had put poison in the Prophet's (pbuh) food. He spat it out
after taking a morsel but a disciple who had his fill died the next day. The Jewess was
brought before the prophet (pbuh) 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, Sahih 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 (pbuh) stood as
firm as a rock even though he had suffered personal injuries. When Abu Sufiyan
taunted the Muslims and shouted "Victory to hubal!" (Hubal was one of their idols),
the Prophet (pbuh) asked Umar (ra) to shout back, "Allah is our protector and friend.
You have no protector and friend. Allah is Great, Magnificent." (Ibn Hisham, Sirat-
Ur-Rasul).
Again in the battle of Hunain, when the unexpected assault of the army had swept the
Muslim force off its feet and a defeat seemed imminent, the Prophet (pbuh) did not
yield ground. With trust in Allah (swt) he showed such courage that the Muslim army
rallied behind him to win a signal victory.
Justice
The Prophet (pbuh) asked people to be just and kind. As the supreme judge and
arbiter, as the leader of men, as generalissimo of a rising power, as a reformer and
apostle, he had always to deal with men and their affairs. He had often to deal with
mutually inimical and warring tribes when showing justice to one carried the danger
of antagonizing the other, and yet he never deviated from the path of justice. In
administering justice, he made no distinction between believers and no believers,
friends and foes, high and low.
From numerous instances reported in the traditions, a few are given below.
• Sakhar, a chief of a tribe, had helped Muhammad (pbuh) greatly in the siege of
Taif, for which he was naturally obliged to him. Soon after, two charges were
brought against Sakhar: one by Mughira of illegal confinement of his
(Mughira's) aunt and the other by Banu Salim of forcible occupation of his
spring by Sakhar. In both cases, he decided against Sakhar and made him undo
the wrong. (Abu Dawud, Sunan Dawud, pg.80)
• Abdullah Bin Sahal, a companion, was deputed to collect rent from Jews of
Khaibar. His cousin Mahisa accompanied him but, on reaching Khaibar, they
had separated. Abdullah was waylaid and done to death. Mahisa reported this
tragedy to the Prophet (pbuh) but as there were no eyewitnesses to identify the
guilty, he did not say anything to the Jews and paid the blood money out of the
state revenues (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari Nasai).
• A woman of the Makhzoom family with good connections was found guilty of
theft. For the prestige of the Quraish, some prominent people including Asama
Bin Zaid interceded to save her from punishment. The Prophet (pbuh) refused
to condone the crime and expressed displeasure saying,
"Many a community ruined itself in the past as they only punished the poor and
ignored the offences of the exalted. By Allah, if Muhammad's (My) daughter Fatima
would have committed theft, her hand would have been severed." (Bukhari, Sahh
Bukhari, Chapter "Alhadood")
• The Jews, in spite of their hostility to the Prophet (pbuh), were so impressed
by his impartiality and sense of justice that they used to bring their cases to
him, and he decided them according to Jewish law. (Abu Dawud, Sunan
Dawud)
Once, while he was distributing the spoils of war, people flocked around him
and one man almost fell upon him. He pushed the men with a stick causing a
slight abrasion. He was so sorry about this that he told the man that he could
have his revenge, but the man said, "O messenger of Allah, I forgive you."
(Abu Dawud, Kitablu Diyat).
• In his fatal illness, the Prophet (pbuh) proclaimed in a concourse assembled at
his house that if he owed anything to anyone the person concerned could claim
it; if he had ever hurt anyone's person, honour or property, he could have his
price while he was yet in this world. A hush fell on the crowd. One man came
 forward to claim a few dirhams, which were paid at once. (Ibn Hisham, Sirat-
ur-Rasul)

Equality
Muhammad (pbuh) asked people to shun notions of racial, family or any other form of
superiority based on mundane things and said that righteousness alone was the
criterion of one's superiority over another. It has already been shown how he mixed
with everyone on equal terms, how he ate with slaves, servants and the poorest on the
same sheet (a practice that is still followed in Arabia), how he refused all
privileges and worked like any ordinary labourer.
Two instances may, however, be quoted here:
1. Once the Prophet (pbuh) visited Saad Bin Abadah. While returning Saad sent
his son Quais with him. The Prophet (pbuh) asked Quais to mount his camel
with him. Quais hesitated out of respect but the Prophet (pbuh) insisted:
"Either mount the camel or go back." Quais decided to go back. (Abu Dawud,
Kitabul Adab)
2. On another occasion he was travelling on his camel over hilly terrain with a
disciple, Uqba Bin Aamir. After going some distance, he asked Uqba to ride
the camel, but Uqba thought this would be showing disrespect to the Prophet
(pbuh). But the Prophet (pbuh) insisted and he had to comply. The Prophet
(pbuh) himself walked on foot, as he did not want to put too much load on the
animal. (Nasai pg. 803)
The prisoners of war of Badr included Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet (pbuh). Some
people were prepared to forgo their shares and remit the Prophet's (pbuh) ransom but
he declined saying that he could make no distinctions. (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari,
Chapter "Ransoms")
During a halt on a journey, the companions apportioned work among themselves for
preparing food. The Prophet (pbuh) took upon himself the task of collecting firewood.
His companions pleaded that they would do it and that he need not take the trouble,
but he replied,
"It is true, but I do not like to attribute any distinction to myself. Allah does not like
the man who considers himself superior to his companions." (Zarqani, Vol 4 pg. 306)
Kindness To Animals
The Prophet (pbuh) not only preached to the people to show kindness to each other
but also to all living souls. He forbade the practice of cutting tails and manes of
horses, of branding animals at any soft spot, and of keeping horses saddled
unnecessarily (Muslim, Sahih Muslim). If he saw any animal over-loaded or ill fed he
would pull up the owner and say,
"Fear Allah in your treatment of animals." (Abu Dawud, Kitab Jihad).
A companion came to him with the young ones of a bird in his sheet and said that the
mother bird had hovered over them all along. He was directed to replace her offspring
in the same bush (Mishkat, Abu Dawud)
During a journey, somebody picked up some birds eggs. The bird's painful note and
fluttering attracted the attention of the Prophet (pbuh), who asked the man to replace
the eggs (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).
As his army marched towards Makkah to conquer it, they passed a female dog with
puppies. The Prophet (pbuh) not only gave orders that they should not be disturbed,
but posted a man to see that this was done.
He stated,
"Verily, there is heavenly reward for every act of kindness done to a living animal."
Love For The Poor
The Prophet (pbuh) enjoined upon Muslims to treat the poor kindly and to help them
with alms, zakat, and in other ways. He said:
"He is not a perfect Muslim who eats his fill and lets his neighbour go hungry."
He asked, "Do you love your Creator? Then love your fellow beings first."
• Monopoly is unlawful in Islam and he preached "It is difficult for a man laden
with riches to climb the steep path that leads to bliss."
• He did not prohibit or discourage the acquisition of wealth but insisted that it
be lawfully acquired by honest means and that a portion of it would go to the
poor. He advised his followers "To give the labourer his wages before his
perspiration dried up."
• He did not encourage beggary either and stated "Allah is gracious to him who
earns his living by his own labour, and that if a man begs to increase his
property, Allah will diminish it and whoever has food for the day, and it is
prohibited for him to beg."
• To his wife he said, "O Aysha, love the poor and let them come to you and
Allah will draw you near to Himself." (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)
One or two instances of the Prophet's (pbuh) concern for the poor may be given here.
A Madinan, Ibad Bin Sharjil, was once starving. He entered an orchard and picked
some fruit. The owner of the orchard gave him a sound beating and stripped off his
clothes. The poor man appealed to the Prophet (pbuh) who remonstrated the owner
thus: "This man was ignorant, you should have dispelled his ignorance; he was
hungry, you should have fed him." His clothes were restored to the Madinan and, in
addition, some grain was given to him (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Jihad).
His creditor was harassing a debtor, Jabir Bin Abdullah, as he could not clear his debt
owing to the failure of his date crop. The Prophet (pbuh) went with Jabir to the house
of the creditor and pleaded with him to give Jabir some more time but the creditor was
not prepared to oblige. The Prophet (pbuh) then went to the oasis and having seen for
himself that the crop was really poor, he again approached the creditor with no better
result. He then rested for some time and approached the creditor for a third time but
the latter was adamant. The Prophet (pbuh) went again to the orchard and asked Jabir
to pluck the dates. As Allah would have it, the collection not only sufficed to clear the
dues but also left something to spare (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).
His love for the poor was so deep that he used to pray:
"O Allah, keep me poor in my life and at my death and raise me at resurrection among
those who are poor." (Nasai, Chapter: Pardon)