By Abdullahi Isah Wasagu
In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful. Dear my contemporary readers. I am turning around my pen the august and unparalleled qualities of the Holy Prophet of Islam as we are heading towards the glorious month of Rabi’ul Auwal.
Without much concern on taking a glance at his august line of descent and glorious date of birth, I will directly trace his finest exemplary codes of life and conducts.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafah Bin Abdullah (pbuh & hf), known as As-Sadiq(the truthful) and Al-Ameen(the trustworthy) from his youth
and was sent as the Mercy for this World and the Hereafter and the last Messenger of God(The Almighty) and the seal of Prophethood. The
name Muhammad means "highly praised’.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad is the finest example of a perfect man in every sense of term. He was a paragon of virtue and was the best exemplar for human race. The Almighty Allah distinguished him from all and sundry by instilling in his sublime personality such fine
qualities as modesty, kindness, truthfulness, patience, loyalty, courage, bravery, honesty, generosity, magnanimity, wisdom and the like. By studying his lofty characters and amazingly simple life, he (pbuh) led with his household, companions, wives, relatives and others. We are able to learn valuable lessons from his mode of life and such a laudable lessons would mould our own life-style accordingly.
Our society could not be an Islamic one except we sincerely follow the footsteps of vicegerent of Allah on Earth to Mankind, heed his sayings, observe his glorious actions and attitudes, and most importantly put them into actions accordingly. As a faithful, follow them as shown in the below mentioned story:
One day, the Holy Prophet(pbuh & hf) while entering the city of Madina, saw a Jewish man, just a few steps ahead of him, taking his very good breed of Horse to the market to sell. So, the Holy Prophet(pbuh & hf) liked the Horse. He bargained with the Holy Prophet at an agreed price and sold it to him. But at that instant of time, the Holy Prophet did not have any money with him. So begged the Jewish follow him along up to his home, so that he would pay him his dues. The Jewish man agreed.
As they were going, another man approached and asked the Jewish man if he was selling the good looking breed of the Horse and for how much? He said that he had already sold the Horse to the Holy Prophet on so and so amount.
This man offered him a very good amount better than how the Prophet bought it, and he agreed to sell it to him. The Holy Prophet said to the Jewish man, "Since you had already sold the Horse to me, it is unfair to break the promise for an unreasonable reason". But the Jewish man denied making any agreement.
Whilst all this was going on, the passers by began making a hasty stop wandering what was going on. The Prophet of Allah explained all what exactly happened.
The companion exclaim, "Oh, Prophet of Allah ! Do you have any witness to support your claim?" The Holy Prophet responded, "No, we have no witness as there was no body present when the agreement was made." The companions said, "Sorry, we don’t think we can help you. How can we be sure who is telling the truth and who is lying?
A very close and sincere companion of the Holy Prophet, named Huzaima Ibn Thabit, happened to pass by and saw the Holy Prophet surrounded by people. On inquiring about it, came to know what happened. Huzaima Ibn Thabit proclaimed that, "The Holy Prophet is telling the truth and the Jewish is lying". The Holy Prophet said, "But you were not present when the agreement was made. How can you judge on something that you were not there?"
Huzaima Ibn Thabit responduued: "Oh Prophet of Allah! You told us that there is God, and we believed. Even though we have not seen Him. You
told us that Qur’an is the word of Allah, and we believed. You told us about Angels,Heaven and Hell and we believed you, even though we haven’t see all these things. How is it possible that you may lie on such petty thing?
The moral of the story is that there were some companions of the Prophet who walked, sat and ate with the Prophet of Allah, but did not grasp his inner personality and at the same time, there were also some companions who understood the Holy Prophet physically and spiritually.
Hence this implies that we should also follow and believe our Prophet with complete heart as Huzaima Ibn Thabit shown in the story but not as other companions did.
As a matter of fact, Allah the Most Glorious enjoins upon us to take the Holy Prophet’s behaviour as a model to be copied, because he guide
us to virtues and righteousness.
"Certainly you have in the messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah
much". Holy Qur’an (33:21).
Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh & hf) used to give a heed to moral behaviours by saying: "The best of you are those who have the best
morals". And "I have been sent to complete the best morals."
The behaviour and personality of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh & hf) are the best exampled to be followed in life. I never heard an indecent word from his lips and never found him rude to anyone. He (pbuh & hf) speaks very politely. He (pbuh & hf) was very kind to all and sundry.
The Holy Prophet of Islam speaks in brief and concise, meaningful utterances and was never seen or heard to interrupt anybody’s talks.
He never spoke with a morose face, nor did he ever apply rough, awkward speech. He invariably stood by his words and pledges. The Holy Prophet of Islam would never allow anybody to backbite others. And use to say: "I want to meet people with loving heart."
Although the Holy Prophet Muhammad was the Prophet of Allah and had been appointed by Almighty Allah to guide the people, yet he was not ashamed of doing his works with his own hands. He used to assist his members of his family in household works and perform his with great pleasure. He mended his cloths and shoes. He also took part in the construction of Al-Masjid Babiy in Madina, along with his companions.
He(pbuh & hf) was so kind and generous that he never refused reasonable request of any person. He often distributed edibles among others and went without meals himself. He always helped the needy and the poor and went to the houses of the sick to enquire after their health. He approached any person he met along with Salam. He always speaks with smiling face and always advice his companions.
Holy Prophet was a model of all the virtues and qualities of a believer described in the Holy Qur’an. Non can describe him better than Almighty Allah Who has said, "He(pbuh & hf) has possessed the noblest character. And Most sure you conform (yourself) to sublime morality." Holy Qur’an(68:4).
His Cleanliness and Orderliness (pbuh & hf):
The Holy Prophet of Islam was fond of scent and spent more on buying perfumes than on food. His pleasant smell filled the air of any place and corner he passed, so that whosoever there would know that the Holy Prophet had passed that way. He frequenlty used to brush his teeth and washed his blessed hands both before and after meals. Whenever the Holy Prophet was about to his house, he will through a mirror or into water; he always left home with clean, pleasant appearance. His dress was always clean though simple. He was very mindful of cleanliness.
His Contemplation and Wisdom (pbuh & hf):
The Holy Prophet of Islam took lessons from watching the sky, the moon, the sun and every other thing in the nature, and these
phenomena attracted him to the Creature of these heavenly bodies more than themselves. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh & hf) always used to
contemplate the Greatness and Majesty of Almighty Allah, and welfare of the human race. He closely traced the affairs of his people and the
spreading of light of Islam. He talk only when necessary and when he did; his was always devoid of any rhetoric and unnecessary words. It
was precise, to the point and full of meaningful .
His Punctuality and Daily Schedule (pbuh & hf):
The unrivalled Prophet of Allah was very punctual, active, energetic and led an orderly life in the strict of sense of the words. He was so devout and pious that not even was a single moment was he enchanted by any luxury of this transient World. As a matter of fact, and in a nutshell, the Holy of Islam was a perfect – of all excellent virtues and sublime human qualities. His day was divided into four periods:
-A time for worship.
– A time for his household and wives, during which he behaved like every other ordinary family man, manifesting the perfect and finest
example of social behaviour.
– A time for the rest and contemplation about the Greatness the of the universe.
– A time for public affairs such as receiving Muslims, looking into their needs and requirements, responding to their questions, teaching them the tenets of Islam and expounding to them the textual translation and canonical meanings of the Holy Qur’an.
I would like to draw a line at this juncture. To be continued in the
next write-up.
For: Internet Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.