Life and Character of Holy Prophet Peace be Upon Him

THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S LIFE FOLLOWING HIS PROPHETHOOD

If the Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, had cherished selfish aims and intentions, and if he had not been a Prophet chosen by Almighty ALLAH to guide people into truth, he would not have had to wait until he was forty to emerge with the claim of Prophethood.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was unlettered. Until he was forty, no one heard him utter an eloquent speech, talk on religious and metaphysical issues, formulate any laws, and handle a sword. But, this reserved and quiet man, who had never given any indication of political interest or activity before, appeared on the stage of the world, as a greatest reformer expounding the intricate problems of metaphysics and theology, delivering speeches upon the principles of the decline and fall of nations, teaching ethical canons and formulating the laws of social culture, economic organization, group conduct and international relations, the world history has ever known. He turned suddenly into such a brave soldier that he did not even once retreat in the fiercest battles. He changed people’s modes of thought, world-views, and their beliefs, habits and morals.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was not only an undefeatable commander, nor a most eminent statesman, nor a most influential spiritual and moral teacher. He is the only example where all the excellences in all the aspects of life have been blended into one personality.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was not only an undefeatable commander, nor a most eminent statesman, nor a most influential spiritual and moral teacher. He is the only example where all the excellences in all the aspects of life have been blended into one personality. He is a man of wisdom and a seer and also a living embodiment of his own teachings. He is a great statesman as well as a military genius. He is a legislator and also a teacher of morals. He is a spiritual luminary as well as a religious guide. His vision penetrates every aspect of life and there is nothing which he touches and does not adorn. His orders and commandments cover a vast field from the regulation of international relations down to the habits of everyday life like eating, drinking, sleeping, and cleanliness of the body. On the foundations of his teaching he established a civilization and a culture and produced such a fine, sensitive, and perfect equilibrium in the conflicting aspects of life that there is to be found not even the slightest trace of any flaw, deficiency or incompleteness. What shortcoming and imperfection does he have when compared with other Prophets so that he is not confirmed as a Prophet and Messenger of Almighty ALLAH.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) lived as the humblest of all.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings lived a very simple life, as the poorest of his community. He spent all the money he had earned by the trade before His Prophethood to spread his Message. In spite of his greatness, his behavior toward all people was that of the humblest person, that of an ordinary being. In the struggles and endeavors of his whole life he did not seek any reward or profit for his own person, nor did he leave any property for his heirs. He did not ask his followers to earmark anything for him or his descendants, so much so that although he and his family were the poorest of his community, he forbade not only his family but also his progeny from receiving from the benefit of zakat.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was extremely merciful toward all the creatures of Almighty ALLAH.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was extremely merciful toward all the creatures of Almighty ALLAH. In Makka, his people inflicted on him every kind of suffering, eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madina, and then waged wars on him for five years. However, when he conquered Makka without bloodshed in the twenty-first year of his Prophethood, he forgave all of his enemies. His mercy even encompassed hypocrites and unbelievers. Although he recognized the hypocrites of his time, he never disclosed them so that they could enjoy the rights of full citizenship to which their outward confession of faith and practice entitled them.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was particularly compassionate towards children. When he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he said: I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the prayer short for the anxiety which the mother praying in the congregation is feeling. He took children in arms and hugged them. Sometimes he bore them on his shoulders.

The Prophet’s compassion encompassed not only human beings, but also animals. We hear from him that a prostitute was guided to truth by Almighty ALLAH and ultimately went to Paradise because she gave water to a poor dog dying of thirst, whilst another woman was condemned to the torments of Hell because she left a cat to die of hunger.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was extremely mild in his relations with people.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was extremely mild in his relations with people. He was never angry with anybody because of what was done to him. When his wife ‘A’isha, may Almighty ALLAH be pleased with her, was made the object of a slander, he did not think to punish the slanderers even after ‘A’isha was cleared. Bedouins often came to his presence and behaved impolitely, but he did not even frown at them.

The Holy Prophet was also the most generous of people

The Holy Prophet was also the most generous of people. He liked to distribute whatever he had. After Prophethood he and his wealthy wife Khadija spent everything they had in the way of Almighty ALLAH. When Khadija, may Almighty ALLAH be pleased with her, died, they had no money to buy a shroud, and Almighty ALLAH’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, had to borrow money in order to bury the first person to embrace Islam and his first supporter.

According to the Prophet, the world is like a tree under which people sit to be shaded during a long journey. No one can live forever in the world, so people must make in the world the necessary preparation for the second part of the journey which will end either in Paradise or Hell. The mission of Almighty ALLAH’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was to guide people to truth, so he would spend whatever he had, his life, and his possessions, to this end. Once ‘Umar, upon him be peace and blessings, saw him lying on a rough mat and wept, saying: ‘O Messenger of Almighty ALLAH! While kings sleep in soft weather beds, you are lying on a rough mat. You are the Messenger of Almighty ALLAH and therefore deserve more than any other people an easy life.’ The Messenger answered him: Do you not agree that [the luxuries of] the world is theirs but those of the Hereafter ours.

Islam does not approve of monastic life. It came to secure justice and the well-being of mankind, but warns people against over-indulgence. It is for this reason that many Muslims have chosen an ascetic life. Although the Muslims generally became rich after the death of the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, some like the Caliphs Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Ali preferred an austere life. This was partly because they felt to live as the poorest of their people and partly because they chose to strictly follow the Prophet’s example.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was the most modest of people. As he attained a higher rank each and every day, he increased in humility and servanthood to Almighty ALLAH. He preferred being a Prophet-slave to being a Prophet-king.

In the construction of the Mosque in Madina after the Hijra, he carried two sun-dried bricks while everybody else carried one. In the digging of the ditch around Madina to defend the city in the Battle of the Ditch, the Companions bound a stone around their bellies because of hunger, but the Messenger bound two, because he was more hungry than anybody else. Once, a man saw him and, due to his awe-inspiring appearance, began to tremble out of fear. The Messenger calmed him, saying: Brother! Don’t be afraid. I am a man, like you, whose mother used to eat dry bread. Again, a woman suffering from insanity pulled him by the hand and said: ‘Come with me and do my housework.’ Almighty ALLAH’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, went with the woman and did the work. As reported by ‘A’isha, his wife, the Messenger patched his clothes, repaired his shoes and helped his wives with the housework.

‘Ali, the Fourth Caliph, may Almighty ALLAH be pleased with him, describes the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings:

Whoever attempted to describe the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) would say: ‘I have, either before him or after him, never seen the like of him, upon him be peace and blessings.’

· Almighty ALLAH’s Messenger was the most generous of people in giving out and the mildest and foremost of them in patience and perseverance. He was the most truthful of people in speech, the most amiable and congenial in companionship and the noblest of them in family. Whoever sees him first is stricken by awe of him but whoever knows him closely is attracted to him deeply, and whoever attempts to describe him says: ‘I have, either before him or after him, never seen the like of him, upon him be peace and blessings.’

Other than conveying Almighty ALLAH’s Message to people, in other words, performing the mission of Divine Messengership, who bears such an austere life as Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, lived, and what else other than a Prophet, can such a man as Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, be? And what substantial argument can one put forward against his Prophethood.

HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S (upon him be peace and blessings) CHARACTER AND HIGH MORALITY PROVE HIS PROPHETHOOD

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was the humblest at the zenith of his achievements If a man’s world-admired accomplishments or the wealth and fame he has gained do not change him, if he can remain as humble as he was at the beginning of his career, this shows that person’s strength of character, morality and virtue. Despite his unparalleled achievements, which force even his enemies to place him at the top of the greatest men of human history, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was poorer and more humble when he entered Makka victoriously than he was at the beginning of his mission.

Those who saw the Messenger would say: ‘One with such a face cannot lie.’

One’s face reveals one’s inner world and character. Those who saw The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings could not help but admire his appearance and, if they were unprejudiced, acknowledge his truthfulness. For example, ‘Adbullah ibn Salam, the most renowned Jewish scholar of the time, believed in him at his first sight of him, saying: ‘One with such a face cannot lie.’

If a fire-fly claimed that it is the sun, its lie could last only until the sun rises. Turkish people say that a liar’s candle only burns till bedtime, meaning that a lie has only a very short life. So, a deceitful one pretending Prophethood will soon be discovered and no one will accept him as a true Prophet.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (upon him be peace and blessings) utmost conviction of his cause, together with his sincerity and solemnity prove his Prophethood

Even an insignificant man of small standing, in a small group in a disputed matter of little importance, cannot tell a small but shameful lie openly and comfortably without displaying such anxiety and uneasiness as will make his enemies aware of his deception. Since The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, challenged everybody to come until the Last Day and uttered many important speeches in a large community concerning a great cause, with great ease and freedom, without hesitation or anxiety, with pure sincerity and great solemnity, and in an intense and elevated manner that provoked his enemies, it means that he was certainly a Prophet speaking whatever Almighty ALLAH revealed to him.

Despite being unlettered, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, spoke on every issue and has not been contradicted ever since.

It is impossible for an unlettered one to speak on a matter requiring expert knowledge, especially before those with specialized knowledge of that matter. However, despite being unlettered, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, spoke on every issue from theology and metaphysics to medicine, history, physics and biology and has not been contradicted ever since. Besides, when he was raised up as a Prophet, the arts of literature, eloquence and oratory were at their peak and the Qur’an he received from Almighty ALLAH challenged all of its opponents to bring the like of a single chapter of its but no one has ever been able to do that. This, again, clearly shows that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, is a Prophet of Almighty ALLAH.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) had to confront all kinds of hardships and persecutions after Prophethood and spent for his cause whatever he had.

For the sake of a deception no one risks his life, wealth and reputation and bears great hardships and persecutions unless he has great aspirations to more wealth and great worldly positions. Before claiming Prophethood, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was well off and had a respected place among his community. However, he had to confront all kinds of hardships and persecutions after Prophethood and spent for his cause whatever he had. His enemies slandered him, mocked him, beat him, expelled him from his homeland and waged war on him. He bore all such cruel treatments and hostilities without complaint and asked Almighty ALLAH Almighty for the forgiveness of even his enemies. The only cause he pursued was to see everybody believing in and worshipping the One Almighty ALLAH exclusively and thereby prosperous in both worlds and saved from the torments of Hell.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, practiced with utmost sincerity and honesty what he communicated to others.

History has witnessed many leading persons who, since they themselves did not practice what they preached or propagated, did not have a large devoted following. Their ideas did not have an enduring effect on people and the systems they established did not last long. However, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, practiced with utmost sincerity and honesty what he communicated to others and was always the first and foremost in obedience to the religion he brought, in worship to the Creator and in avoidance of the religious prohibitions. This shows his full conviction of his cause and that he is a Messenger of Almighty ALLAH, Who sent him to humanity to guide them to the True Path.

For what reason other than conveying Almighty ALLAH’s Message to people must he have endured all kinds of hardships and persecutions, such as sleeping on earth, suffering hunger for several consecutive days, spending a considerable part of his life on battlefields and military campaigns, being expelled from his homeland, becoming subject to mockeries and insults, etc?

Man acquires an established character until he is thirty and especially after thirty a man’s character does not change. Particularly, it is very difficult for one to change his temper and disposition after he is forty. If- Almighty ALLAH forbid such a thought!- there had been any imperfection and blemish in the character of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, it would certainly have appeared before his Prophethood. Therefore, no one with a bit of intelligence and fairness, unless he is prejudiced, can accept that one who was never heard tell a lie and witnessed deceive until one was forty, would appear as the worst, meanest trickster of human history after forty.

A lying, deceitful one cannot have a large, dedicated following who are ready to sacrifice themselves for him. Despite being among the five greatest Prophets, Moses and Jesus did not have followers as devoted as the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (upon him be peace and blessings) Companions.

A lying, deceitful one cannot have a large, dedicated following who are ready to sacrifice themselves for him. Despite being among the five greatest Prophets, Moses and Jesus did not have followers as devoted as the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (upon him be peace and blessings) Companions. The followers of Moses, upon him be peace, betrayed him when he left them for forty days to receive the Torah on Mount Sinai, and began to worship a golden calf which Samiri made for them. Even after so many years of intellectual and spiritual training in the desert, except for two Almighty ALLAH-fearing men, they did not obey his order to fight against the Amalekites, the people of Goliath. As for Jesus, upon him be peace, one of his most devoted twelve followers betrayed him and attempted to submit him to his enemies. But the followers of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, known as the Companions, were so devoted to him that they sacrificed for him their lives and properties and their families and tribes. Although brought up among a primitive people and in a climate of ignorance, devoid of any positive notions of social life and administration, without a Scripture and immersed in the darkness of the uncivilized era after the Prophets, in a very short period, they became in the footsteps of their exalted leader, The Holy Prophet Muhammad, (upon him be peace and blessings) the masters, guides and just rulers of the most civilized and socially and politically advanced peoples and states, and ruled the world from east to west in a world-admired fashion.

Also, innumerable exacting and profound scholars and world-famous scientists and pure, spiritual masters were brought up among the succeeding generations following the Companions. The civilization they established was the most magnificent one history has ever known. Is it conceivable, then, that all those most shining stars of human history followed a lying, deceitful one? Almighty ALLAH forbid such a thought!

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was the most famous of humanity for high moral conduct and virtue.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was the most famous of humanity for high moral conduct and virtue. He appeared in the heart of a desert which was almost the most uncivilized part of the then inhabited world and where people were immersed in the worst kinds of immorality. Then, who do you think brought him up as the most virtuous one with the highest morality and best conduct? He had lost his father while he was yet in the womb of his mother. When his mother died, he was only six years old. It was impossible for his grandfather and uncle to bring him up as the most virtuous of all times, as they themselves did not have all of the good moral qualities the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) had and in the same degree as he had. His teacher was Almighty ALLAH, as he himself said: My Lord educated me and taught me good manners, and how well he educated me and how beautifully He taught me good manners!

No one in human history has ever been able to combine in himself all of the virtues and good qualities as perfectly as The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings.

Human history has seen many virtuous persons. However, no one has ever been able to combine in himself all of the virtues and good qualities as perfectly as The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings. There have been many generous people but they have not been able to show enough courage when and where necessary. Likewise, there have been many courageous people, who have not been able to be lenient and generous at the same degree. But The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, combined in his person all the virtues and laudable qualities at the highest level.

Virtue and good morality also require balance. For example, if generosity exceeds its limits, it changes into extravagance. Similarly, if thrift cannot be kept within moderate limits, it changes into miserliness. Courage is usually confused with rashness and dialectics or demagogy is sometimes taken for being intelligent. In addition, virtue also requires knowing how to act in certain conditions. For instance, the self-respect which a weak man should wear before a powerful one becomes, if the powerful one assumes it, self-conceit. The humility which a powerful man should wear before a weak one becomes, if assumed by a weak man, self-abasement. Forbearance and sacrifice (of one’s rights) on one’s own account is good and a virtue; but when done on behalf of others, it is bad and a treason. An individual may bear patiently with whatever is done to him personally; but it is impermissible for him to, on behalf of the nation, bear patiently what is being done to the nation. Whereas pride and indignation on behalf of the nation are commendable, on one’s own behalf they are not.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was perfectly balanced in his virtues and good moral qualities.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) was perfectly balanced in his virtues and good moral qualities. He was perfectly courageous where to show courage was necessary, while he was perfectly mild, forgiving and humble among people. He was perfectly dignified but also very gracious. There was no one more generous than him but he was also thrifty and condemned extravagance. In short, all virtues and good qualities existed in him in a well-balanced combination.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings) had all of the essential attributes pertaining to Prophets

According to theologians, there are six essentials of Prophethood common to all of the Prophets. They are truthfulness, trustworthiness, communication of Almighty ALLAH’s commands, intelligence, infallibility and being free from all kinds of bodily and mental defects. History is a witness that The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, had all of these six essential attributes in a most perfect fashion.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (upon him be peace and blessings) achievements are unparalleled in history

A man encounters in his life many situations where he must make decisions with no delay and hesitation. Many decisions made in such situations may cause him great difficulties. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, made so great achievements in so short a time as 23 years that they are unparalleled in human history. He never faltered and all of his decisions proved to be true.

More than that, whatever he did and whatever he said did not concern only his own time but he addressed all times and places and all peoples and levels throughout the world to come until the Last Day. As none of his sayings have not been contradicted so far, no one has ever been able to criticize him for any of his actions, sayings and decisions. Is it possible for one who is not a Prophet taught by Almighty ALLAH, the All-Knowing, to have such intelligence, foresight, sagacity, insight, sound reasoning and prudence.