1. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPHET:
The prophet was neither long statured nor short. When he walked alone, he appeared like a middle statured man. If a man of tall stature walked with him, his figure looked taller. When two men of two statures walked by his two sides, he appeared tallest, but when they become separate from him, the people called them tall men. The Prophet was of middle stature. He was pretty, neither too white nor too brown. He was of pure reddish hue. Someone praised him saying: His limbs which confronted the sun, such as face and neck, appeared more whitish than reddish colour. The sweats of his face were like pearls and more perfumed than musk. His hairs were very pretty, neither straight nor curly. When he combed them, they appeared like line in sands. It is said that his hairs were kept flowing up to his two shoulders. Sometimes he parted his hairs into four parts and each two parts were led off through his two ears. Sometimes he kept his hair above his ears and his neck then appeared shining like pearls. Grey hairs were found on his head and beard. The number was not more than seventeen.
The Prophet had a most pretty constitution. Some gave the simile of his beauty to that of the full moon. His forehead was wide and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver and eye balls were black tinged with reddish hue. The hair of his eye lashes were profuse. His nose was thin and his teeth were neither separated nor unified. When they were exposed at the time of his smile or laugh, they shone like lightening. His lip was most beautiful and the ends of his face was the most soft. His faces were smooth and nose not long. His beard was thick and he did not trim it. He used to clip his moustache. His neck was the most beautiful, neither long, nor short. If the rays of the sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold. His chest was broad. It was even like a mirror and white like the moonlight. There was a thin line of hair extending from his chest up to the novel and there was no other hair over his belly. There were three lines in his belly. His wearing apparel covered one line. His shoulder were wide and there were hairs over them . The place between his shoulders was wide and there in there was impression or seal of Prophethood inclined a little towards the right shoulder. Therein there was a sport mixed with black and yellow colours. There were hairs around it which appeared like the hair of a horse.
He had hands full of flesh and his fingers was like silver sticks and his palms were softer than wool and were so full of scent that it seemed otto was applied to them. Sweet scent was attached to the hand of a person who handshake with the Prophet. If his pure hand touched the head of a boy, he could be recognized among boys owing to the sweet scent of his hand. His thighs were full of flesh and his constitution was proportionate and beautiful. In his later days, he became rather fleshy but he was without grease like his first stage of life.
The Prophet walked firmly and steadily. He said: Concerning constitution I am similar to Adam, but in character and conduct I am similar to Abraham.
2. PROPHET’S CHARACTER AND CONDUCT
The Holy Prophet was the most patient among men, the bravest, the best judge, and one who pardoned most. His hand did not touch any strange woman. He was the greatest charitable man. He did not pass a single night hoarding any dirham or dinar. Whenever any excess money come to him and if he did not then get anyone to accept it as charity, he did not return home till he gave it to the poor and needy. He did not store up for more than a year the provision of his family members which God was pleased to give to him. He used to take one fifth of what easily come to him out of dates and wheat. What remained in excess, he used to give to charity. He used to give away in charity to him who begged of him of anything, even out of his stored provision.
He used to repair his shoes, join his wives in their labours and cut meat with them. He was the most bashful among men and could not stare at anyone for long. He accepted invitation of slave and free men and presentation of even a cup of milk. He did not use the properties of zakat and used to accept the invitation of the widows and the poor. He used to speak the truth even though it was sometime a cause of trouble to himself and his companions. He used to say: I don’t accept any invitation of any infidel. He used to bindstone on his belly for appeasing his hunger and eat whatever he got. He did not return any present and he did not take precaution in any lawful food. If he got dried grapes in lieu of bread, he ate them. If he got baked meat, he ate it. He used to eat whatever he got bread, wheat, sweets and honey. He considered milk as sufficient if he did not get any other food. He used not to take food leaning against a pillow or upon a high table. Sole of his two feet served as his towel. He used not to eat bread consecutively for three days till he met God. It was a voluntary act on his part. He used to accept invitation of marriage, attend the sick and diseased and attend the funerals. He was the most modest without pride and his tongue was the most eloquent without prolongation of his speech.
His constitution was the most beautiful. No worldly duties could keep him busy. He used to put on whatever he got. His ring was made of silver and he used to put it on in the little finger of his right or left hand. He used to take his servant behind his back on any conveyance whether it was horse, camel or ass. Sometime he walked bare footed, sometimes he had no turban or cap on his head. He used to go even to a distant place to see the sick, love scents and hate stench or bad smell, sit with the poor and the destitute, eat with them, honour those possessing honour, advise them to do good deeds and show kindness to the relatives. He did not treat harshly with anybody and accepted excuse offered to him. He used at time to cut jokes without falsehood and not burst into laughter. He held innocent sports and plays as lawful, played with his wives and held races with them. He used to drink milk of camels and goat along with his family members and give them equal share in food and dresses. He passed no time uselessly except for God. He used to walk in the gardens of his companions for recreation. He did not hate the poor for their poverty nor fear the kings for their mighty power. He used to call the people, high or low, towards God. God adorned him with all the qualities and good administration although he was illiterate. His boyhood was spent along with the shepherds and he used grate sheep and goats. He was an orphan and his parents died in his infancy.
3. PROPHET’S GOOD MANNERS
If the Holy Prophet abused anybody, he used to give him compensation and show him kindness. He did never curse any woman or slave. Once when he was in the battlefield, he was asked: O Messenger of God it would have been better if you had cursed them. He said: God sent me as a mercy and not as great curser. When he was asked once to curse a particular person or an unbeliever, he did not curse him but on the contrary prayed for his welfare. He never beat anybody with his own hand except in the way of God. He did not take any revenge for personal wrongs but he used to take it for preservation of the honor of God.
He used to select the easier of two things and jeep away if there is any sin therein or anything to cut off relationship. He used to fulfill the need of anyone who required his help, whether a slave or a free man. Hazrat Anas said: By One who sent him as a Prophet, he never said to me: Why have you done this or why have you not done this? His wives also did not rebuke me. If there was any bed of the Prophet, he used to sleep on it or else he use to sleep on ground. God, described the Prophet in the Torah” Mohammad the Prophet of God, His chosen servant, without harshness, or roaming in the streets, nor returning evil for evil. He is prone to pardon, he is forgiving. His birth is at Mecca, his migration to Ta’ba and his reign in Syria. He and his companions put on Ijar around their waist and calls towards the Qur’an and wisdom. He makes abulation of his bodily limbs.” Similar is his description in Injil (New Testament).
Another trait of his character is that he used to salute first one whom he met with. He used to wait at a place where he was to meet a man. He used not to withdraw his hand from anybody till he first withdrew his hand. When he met with any of his companion, he used to handshake with him, hold his hand, enter his fingers unto his fingers and hold them firmly. He did not stand up or sit without remembering God. When anybody sat by him at the time of his prayer, he used to make it short and say to him: Have you got any need? When he fulfilled his need he returned to his prayer.
His assembly was not different from his companions, as he sat where he went. He was not found sitting among his companion spreading out his legs. He used to sit mostly facing the Ka’aba and honour one who come to him. Even he used to spread his own sheet of cloth for one with whom he had no relationship. He used to give his pillow to one who come to him and everyone thought that the Prophet honoured him more. Whoever came to him could see his face.
He used to call his companion by their surname with honour and he used to give one surname to one who had no surname. He used to call the women by the name of their issues and call the others by their surnames. He used to call the boys by their surnames for which their hearts were inclined to him. He used to get angry last of all and was very affectionate and kind in dealing with the people. Nobody could speak loudly in his assembly. He used to recite: O God, Thou are pure, all praise is far Thee. I bear witness that there is no deity but Thee. Seek forgiveness from Thee and turn to Thee.
4. PROPHET’S WORDS AND LAUGHTER
The Prophet was the greatest of the Arabs in oratory and sweet speech. He said: I am the greatest orator among the Arabs. He used to speak little. When he talked, he did not talk much. His talk fell gradually from his lips like peals. Hazrat Aisha said: The Messenger of God used to talk like you. They said: The Messenger of Allah used to talk little and everything was expressed in this short talk. In his speech, there was no defect of excess or shortness. The word came one after another like pearls. Whoever heard them remembered them. He was sweetest in talk among his companions. He used to keep silent for long and have no talk without necessity. He used not to talk evil words and his companions did never dispute before him. He used to say: Don’t beat one verse of the Qur’an by another as it has been revealed for many purposes. He used to smile much before his companions and his teeth were exposed to view.
It was reported: Once a desert Arab came to the Prophet whose face become change at seeing him. Seeing anger in his face, the Arab said: By One who sent him as true Prophet, I will not ask him till he smiles. Then he said: O Messenger of God, we heard that Dajjal (Anti-Christ) will come with Sarid for the people. Then the people will remain hungry. My parents be sacrificed to you, do you forbid me to eat it till I am destroyed? Do you order me eat it with satisfaction? Shall I talk infidelity after faith in God? The Prophet laughed at this, so much that his teeth were exposed to view. Then he said: It is not that, rather God will make you free from the food from which He made the believer’s free.
At the time when the Quran was being revealed to him, he used to smile most. When something happened, he entrusted it to God, kept himself free from his own strength and ability and said in invocation: O God, show me truth in a true manner or give me grace to give it up. Save me from doubt, so that I may not follow my passion without Thy guidance. Make my desire to obey Thee. Take pleasure from the peace of my mind. Show me the different shade of truth. Thou guidest to the straight path whom so ever thou willeth.
5. PROPHET’S MIRACLES
The character and conduct of the Holy Prophet, his actions, his habits, his management of affairs, his treatment with the different classes of people, his showing straight path to them, his wonderful answers to different difficult and subtle questions, his untiring efforts for the good of the people, his good guidance regarding the open law of Shariat, all those matters lead to one to the conclusion that those were beyond the power of a man without a help of an unseen hand. It is impossible on the part of a hypocrite or liar. The people testified by seeing his constitution and qualifications that he was a great truthful man sent by God. God gave him those qualities though he was illiterate and had no education and lived always with the illiterate Arabs. Being illiterate, Orphan and weak, how could he acquire such good character and conduct, such knowledge about God without worldly knowledge? His true and correct knowledge about the earlier Prophets showed that he is a true Messenger of God, because he knew those truths by revelations. How could he know what is beyond the power of man unless he received revelation? His miracles proved that he is a true Prophet of God. I am narrating a few of his miracles without prolonging it.
1. When the Quraish of Mecca told the Prophet to divide the moon into two parts, the Prophet invoked God who split the moon into two portions and it was very visible to the people present.
2. At the time of the Siege of Medina by the allied armies for more than one month, the Prophet supplied provision to all the people.
3. At another time, he satisfied eighty people with food with only four muds of maize and one little goat.
4. Once the daughter of Basher had a few dried grapes with which the Prophet fed all his soldiers to their satisfaction and there remained also something in excess.
5. Once water began to gush from the fingers of the Prophet, so much so that his soldiers drank to their hearts content and made also ablution with it.
6. Once there was no water in a well at Tabuk and it dried up. The Prophet threw a little water of his ablution to the well and immediately it gushed forth so profuse water that thousand of soldiers drank it to their satisfaction.
7. At another time, there was no water in a well at Hudaibiyah. The Prophet threw the remaining ablution water into it which immediately gushed forth abundant water. Fifteen hundred men drank it to their satisfaction.
8. Once the Prophet threw a handful of dust towards the faces of his enemies as a result of which they instantly became blind. Soon after this verse was revealed”: When you threw, you did not throw, but God threw it.
9. The Prophet used to deliver sermon standing on the trunk of a palm tree in the mosque. When it was replaced by another, the trunk began to emit mild sound which was heard by all his companions. When he touched it with his hands it became calm.
10. Once the Prophet told the Jews to make Mobahala (that is whoever is a liar will die) but the Jews gave the news next morning that they feared to make it for fear of their lives. This is mentioned in the Quran.
11. The Prophet warned against Hazrat Osman of a great danger as a result of which he would enter paradise. History bear testimony that he was murdered in his very house, while he was reading the Quran. The Prophet told Ammar that a rebellious party would kill Osman. It is true that they murdered him.
12. Once a man joined Jihad in the way of God. The Prophet said about him that he would enter hell. Then it was seen that he committed suicide.
13. When the Prophet was on his way towards Medina on migration, one Suraqa Ibn Malek was following him to capture him in expectation of a reward, but the feet of his horse were sunk in dust in the act. When he sought the Prophet’s help to escape for three times and the Prophet prayed for him each time. After being released for the third time, the Prophet gave him this prophecy in his almost helpless condition that he would soon wear the bangles of Persian King Khosroe. After the conquest of Persia by the Muslims, those bangles were procured from the King and were giving to him for wearing.
14. Aswad Ansari was a liar and claimed Prophethood during the life time of the Prophet. He was resident of San’a in Yemen. One night he was found assassinated in that town. In that very night, the Prophet gave his death news to the people and he named Feroze Daifami as his murderer.
15. During the night of migration to Medina, one hundred Quraish surrounded the house of the Prophet to kill him, but he went out of their clutches throwing dust on their heads for which they could not see him going out.
16. Once the Prophet gave the prophecy to some of his companions: The last man among you will die of arson. It afterwards occurred that it came true.
17. Once the Prophet called two trees to cover him to give him the opportunity to urinate. The two trees shifted from their sites, covered him from public view and went away to their old site after he finished his call of nature.
18. The Prophet was of middle stature, but when he walked with two tall men by his two sides, he was seen the tallest of them.
19. The Prophet said: I will kill Abu Ibn Hani in the battle of Uhud. In the battle, the Prophet inflicted a minor injury on him and as a result he expired.
20. Once the Prophet was given food mixed with poison to eat. He who ate it first expired, but the Prophet lived for four years after taking that food. The food told the Prophet: There is poison in me.
21. In the battle of Badr: The Prophet mentioned the fate of the leaders of the Quarish. This happened exactly as he said.
22. The Prophet said to his daughter Fatima: You will meet me first after my death. She died six month after the Prophet.
23. Once the Prophet said to his wives: She who is longer in hand will meet me first after my death. Hazrat Zainab was most charitable among his wives and she died first after the Prophet.
24. A certain camel had no milk in it’s udder. As soon as the Prophet touched it’s udder, it began to give milk. Abdullah Ibn Masud embraced Islam on seeing this miracle of the Prophet.
25. Once one eye of a companion went out of it’s socket. The Prophet restored it to it’s site and his eye sight increased more.
26. The greatest living miracle of the Holy Prophet is the Quran which stand even today. He threw challenge to the people to produce a chapter like it. The Quran said: If Jinn and Mankind gather together to bring a book like this Quran, they won’t be able to bring like it even though they help one another. So nobody was successful to bring a book or even a sentence like it up to this time. This alone is a sufficient and living testimony that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be On Him) is a true Messenger of God.
Baba Ali Mustapha is with the Department Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Environment, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
Reference:
For further knowledge, consult Volume Two of Imam Gazzali’s Book “ IHYN-ULUM-ID-IDIN” translated by FAZUL KARIM, published by ALNAHAR PUBLISHERS, Abeden-Cairo, Egypt.
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