Some of His Characters
1. Forbearance: It is said that when one of the Prophet’s teeth was broken and his head was fractured on the day of Uhud, his Companions took it hard on themselves and said: “If you only pray Allah to punish them.” He said: “I was not sent to be a cursing man, but rather a promoter and a mercy. Allah, please guide my people, for they do not know.”
2. Generosity: Ibn Abbaas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) was: “the most generous person, even more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds).”
3. Mercy and kindness: After the liberation of Makkah, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to his former persecutors: “What do you think I will do to you?” They answered: “You will only do something favorable; you are a kind and generous brother and a kind and generous nephew!” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Go – you are free to do as you wish.”
4. Faithfulness: When a gift was given to the Prophet (ﷺ) he used to say, “Take it to the house of so-and so; she was Khadeejah’s friend and loved her.”
5. Modesty: In his household, he shared the housework with his family members. He cleaned his gowns himself, milked his sheep, patched his clothes, mended his shoes, took care of himself, swept the house, tied and fed camels, ate with the servant and helped her to knead, and carried his shopping home from the marketplace. He was given the choice between being a king prophet and a servant-to-Allah prophet and chose the latter.
Examples of His Humor
1. With his wives: Aisha said: “I brought some soup which I had cooked, and told Sawdah, with the Prophet (ﷺ) sitting between her and me: ‘Have some!’ but she declined. I said: ‘You either eat or I smear your face.’ She would not eat, so I took some soup from the bowl and smeared her face. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) laughed and lifted his feet off the floor. He said to Sawdah: ‘Smear her face!’ So she took some from the bowl and smeared my face, and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) kept laughing.”
2. With a woman: A woman called Um Ayman came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said: “My husband invites you.” He (ﷺ) asked: “Who is he? The man with some white in his eye?” She said: “Oh, Allah’s Messenger, by Allah he has no white in his eye.” He was joking with her, for every man has part of his eyes white.
3. With children: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to lift with his feet his grandson Al-Hussein ibn Ali and chant a child rhyme for him. He also used to stick his tongue out for his grand son Al-Hassan ibn Ali, who would cheer up upon seeing it.
4. With one of his companions: Anas said that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) once held one of his Companions
from the back, and the man said: “Let go! Who is it?” He turned back and recognized Allah’s Messenger, so he kept rubbing himself against him. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) kept saying, “Who would buy this slave?” The man said: “O Allah’s Messenger, you will find me unmarketable.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “For Allah, you are not.”
Belief in Him and the Reward of Loving Him
1. Belief in him: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “I am ordered to fight people until they testify that there is no God but Allah and believe in me and in what I have brought. If they do, their blood and property are safe from me, except in justified cases, and they have to present their account to Allah.”
2. Obeying him is an obligation: Allah says: “O you who have believed, obey Allah and His Messenger,” [8:20] and: “The Day their faces will be turned about in the Fire, they will say, ‘How we wish we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger.” [33:66]
3. Loving him is a requirement: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “None of you believes truly unless I am for him dearer than his offspring, parents, and all other people.” He also said: “Three qualities will allow everybody that has them to taste the sweetness of faith.” The first of the qualities he mentions is to “hold Allah and His Messenger dearer to him than other people…”
4. The reward for loving him: While they were together, a person kept looking at the Prophet (ﷺ) without even blinking his eyes. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him: “What is it with you?” The man said: “You are dearer to me than my own parents, and I am enjoying looking at you, because when the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah will raise you
up as His favorite.” In reference to this, Allah revealed the verse that says “And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger – those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous people. And excellent are those as companions.” [4:69]
5. The case of a woman of Ansaar: A woman of Ansaar lost her father, brother, and husband on the day of the
Uhud battle. She asked, however, “How is Allah’s Messenger.” She was told, “He is all right.” She said: “Show me where he is so I can see him.” When she did see him she said: “When you are safe, every calamity is a trifling.”
