Life of the Messenger salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam

Från: Umm_Amatillaah (Ursprungligt meddelande) Skickat: 2006-03-05 19:55
The Mannerisms of the Prophet salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam
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Bismillaah ir Rahmaan ir Raheem

Assalaamu 3alaykum wa rahmatuAllaahi wa barakaatu

Excerpt from: Life of the Messenger salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam
By: Imaam Aboo Zakaariyyah Yahyaa bin Sharaf an-Nawaawee ad-Dimaashqee [rahimahullaah]
Pages 42-49

The mannerisms of the Prophet salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam

He salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam was the most generous of people and he was never so generous as he was in the month of Ramadhaan. He had the best morals and manners and the best physical constitution. His hands were the softest of hands, he was the most pleasant smelling of them and the most intelligent and perspicuous of them. He was the best of them with regards to companionship and good nature, the most courageous of them and the o­ne who had the most knowledge of Allaah subhannahu wa ta3alaa. He had the most fear of Allaah ta3alaa, he never became angry for personal motives and neither did he take revenge for personal motives. He o­nly became angry when the sacred laws of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, were violated and nothing would appease his anger until the truth was aided. When he became angry he would turn aside or avert his face.

His manners were the Qu’raan and he was the most humble of people. He would fulfill the needs and requirements of his family and lower his wing in mercy to the weak. He was never asked for anything to which his reply would be in the negative. He was the most forbearing of people, and had a greater sense of modesty and shame than a virgin secluded in her private room. He viewed the near and the far, the strong and the weak all the same.

He never criticized food, if he desired it, he ate it and if not he left it. He would not eat while reclining and neither upon an eating table. He would eat what was easy and readily available. He used to love sweets and honey, gourd used to please him.

He salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam said:

“ What an excellent condiment is vinegar”

[Muslim- no. 2051]

“ The superiority of ‘Aaishah over all women is like the superiority of ath-Thaarid (a mixture of bread, meat and broth) over all food”

[al-Bukhaaree – no.’s 3770, 549, 5428]

His favourite part of the sheep was the shoulder.

Abee Hurayraah radiyaAllaahu 3anhu said:

“ The Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam left the world without ever eating his fill of barley bread”

[al-Bukhaaree- no.’s 3770, 5419,5428 and Muslim {no.2426}]

A month or two would go by without a fire being lit in any of his houses.

He used to partake of gifts but would not touch that which was given in charity. He would reward a gift with a gift. He would fix his own sandals and sow his own clothes. He would visit the sick and accept the invitation of the rich, poor, noble and lowly like, he would never look down contemptuously upon anyone.

Sometimes, he would sit with his knees drawn to his chest, holding his shins with his hands, sometimes cross-legged and sometimes reclining. Most of the times he would sit in the first posture. He would eat with three of his fingers and would lick them [clean]. He would drink water in three sips, taking a breath between each outside of the vessel that contained the water.

He would speak in comprehensive and concise words, he would repeat his words three times so that they be understood clearly. His words were clear and understandable to all who heard him and he would not speak unless there was a need to do so.

He would not stand or sit except that he made dhikr of Allaah, the Exalted. He rode a horse, camel, donkey and mule, sometimes having Mu’aadh sit behind him o­n a camel and o­n a donkey, he would not allow anyone to walk behind him.

He would tie a rock firmly o­n his stomach out of hunger and he and his family would lie down to sleep while still hungry. His bed was made of leather skin, being filled with palm-fibres. He would seldom partake of the delight and pastime of the world, even when he did, taking o­nly a little. Allaah, the Exalted, had given him the keys to the treasures of the whole world, but he refused to accept them, preferring the Hereafter instead.

He would frequently and consistently perform the dhikhr of Allaah, constantly would be in a state of contemplation. Most of the times his laugh would consist of a smile and sometimes he would laugh such that his molar teeth showed. He loves scents and hated distasteful smells. He joked, but would not say ought but the truth. He would accept the excuses presented to him by people and he was as Allaah, the Exalted, described him:

“ Indeed, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, grievous to him is what you suffer. He is deeply concerned about you and kind and merciful to the believers”

[at-Tawbaah, 9:128]

“ Pray for them, indeed your prayers bring about relief for them”

[at-Tawbaah, 9:103]

His censuring would consist of his alluding and hinting at something or someone, [for example]:

“ What is the matter with people that they set conditions that are not in the Book of Allaah, the Exalted”

[al-Bukhaaree- no.’s 2155, 2563 and Muslim- no. 1504]

and the likes.

He would command with gentleness and he would encourage gentleness while prohibiting rudeness and harshness. He would encourage forgiveness, clemency and all virtuous morals and manners.

He loved starting with his right side when cleaning, putting his shoes o­n, combing his hair and indeed in all of his affairs. His left hand was reserved for cleaning himself after having relieved himself and for whatsoever was deemed offensive. When he slept or lay down, he would lie down o­n his right side, facing the Qiblaah.

His gatherings would be conducted with forbearance and modesty, conducted with integrity and honesty, and were places of patience and tranquility. No voice was raised therein, women were not needlessly discussed, rather matters inducing taqwaa were discussed and those present would be humble, giving due respect to the elders, showing mercy to the young, giving precedence to the needs of the needy and protecting the stranger. Hence they would leave having been guided to and guiding to the good.

He would bring his Companions together in unity, he would honour the head of every nation and enjoin him to govern their affairs. He would ask after his Companions. He was not o­ne who spoke indecently or promoted indecent speech and action. He would not recompense an evil with an evil, rather he would forgive and overlook. He never struck a servant or woman, indeed he never struck anything except when he was fighting in the Way of Allaah, the Exalted.

He was never given a choice between two matters except that he would choose the easier matter as long as it did not involve any sin.

The evidences for all that I have mentioned are famous and can be found in the Saheeh. Allaah, the Glorious and Exalted, combined in him perfect manners and beautiful habits and temperament. He granted him the knowledge of the previous and later people [1] and that, which contains victory and success. This despite the fact that he was illiterate, not being able to read or write, having no human teacher. Allaah granted him what He had not granted any of the creation and chose him above all the first and later people. Abundant peace and blessings be upon him perpetually until the Day of Judgment.

It is established in the Saheeh from Anas ibn Maalik radiyAllaahu 3anhu who said:

“ I have not touched silk brocade or silk that was finer to touch than the hands of the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam. I have not smelt anything that was more pleasant than the smell of the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam. I served the Messenger of Allaah salAllaahu 3alayhi wasalaam for ten years and he never o­nce said to me, “uff”, neither did he ever say to something that I did, “ why did you do it” or to something that I did not do, “ have you not done such and such”?

[al-Bukhaaree, no. 3561 and Muslim, no. 2309]
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FOOTNOTES

[1] There is some generality in this sentence (that requires explanation). The meaning of the author, ‘ He granted him the knowledge of the previous and later people’ ie. knowledge of the unseen that Allaah conferred upon him. Allaah, the Exalted says:

“ [He is ] the Knower of the unseen and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone, except whom He has approved of messengers..”

[al-Jinn, 72:26-27]

As for that which Allaah did not confer upon him, then in this portion he is like the remainder of mankind,

“ Say: I do not tell you that I have depositories [containing the provision] of Allaah, nor that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an Angel. I o­nly follow what is revealed to me…”

[Al-An’aam, 6:50]

The correct statement to say is:

“ He has taught you that which you did not know”

[an-Nooh, 4:113]


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