Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was, as we all know, the Last Messenger of Allaah.
Who was he?
Where did he live?
What did he do?
How did he convey the message of Islam?
This requires a deep study of his Seerah (his biography) and it is incumbent upon all of us, as believers in his Message, to study his Seerah for better understanding and implementation of the Laws of Allaah as defined in Qur’an.
Let us see some of the basic traits of this greatest personality who ever lived on the face of the earth. He was a human being, a servant of the Almighty, whom Allaah chose to bless this world with guidance towards our success in Duniya and Aakhirah.
Allaah says in Surah al-Kahf, verse 110:
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌۭ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًۭا صَـٰلِحًۭا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا
Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone
This, and many such verses clarify any misconception that the people have about him not being a man like us. Of course, the status of the Messenger of Allaah is the most elevated one in Duniya n Aakhirah, due to his virtues, but in physical form - the way in which he was created was no different from all of us. Allaah created him like any ordinary child in the homes of Quraish - but gave him an extraordinary platform to prepare him for the upcoming prophethood by making this most precious child HE ever created an ORPHAN who was born without the protection of a father and lost the shade of his loving mother while he was only 6 years old.
Let us take a look at his physical appearance:
He was the most beautiful human being people ever saw. He pleased every eye that looked at him. He had a light and radiant complexion, broad forehead, large eyes with long eye lashes, wide mouth, broad shoulders, large hands and feet. He had a thick beard and his hair came down to his shoulders, which were neither curly, nor very straight. He was neither very tall nor very short. He walked as if he was walking down a slope.
The companions ot the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) compared the beauty of his face to a full moon and said that the face of Rasool Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was far more beautiful than the moon.
The way he spoke:
Propet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), preferred to remain silent and did not speak without a reason. He always began and ended his speech with the name of Allaah and his words were very concise, yet clear and comprehensive. That was the beauty of this Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), that today we have short ahadeeth, which convey to us an ocean of knowledge and guidance in just a few words. Alhamdulillaah.
He smiled often at his companions, so much so that they reported that they never saw anyone smile more than the Messenger of Allaah. But he never laughed out loud. His laughter was usually only a wide smile.
His character:
When someone asked Ayesha (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the character of Prophet Muhammed (sallalllaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), she replied, “His character was Qur’an.”
This hadith very briefly explains to us that The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayi wa Sallam) always lived in accordance with the teachings of Qur’an adhering to its limits, following its etiquette, paying great attention to its lessons, pondering its meaning and reciting it with love and gratitude.
The life of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was implementation and explanation of Qur’an. The most primary quality of his character, due to the effect of Qur’an was his humility. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was the most humble person who helped common people and respected them. He was kind and gentle. He feared Allaah and spent long nights in prayer. He was a grateful servant of the Almighty who fell down in prostration to thank HIM at every happiness.
He (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, “I have only been sent to perfect good characteristics.”
[Saheeh al-Bukhari, al-Adaab al-Mufraad, 273; classed Saheeh by Al-Albaanee in, al- Silsila al-Saheehah, 45]
Allaah says referring to his prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in Surah al-Qalam, verse 4;
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
“Indeed you are a man of outstanding character”
And, Allaah tells us in Surah al-Ahzaab verse 21,
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا
Indeed, in the Messenger of Allaah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allaah and the Last Day, and remembers Allaah often.
How the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) reformed the Arabian society & gave us an ideal way of life until the Day of Resurrection:
The pre-Islamic Arabs had fallen into evil in every possible way in their lives. They had drifted away from the religion of Ibraheem (Alayhis Salaam) and had indulged in shirk and haraam acts. Their religious, political, social and personal lives were symbols of polytheism, corruption, injustice and immodesty.
Allaah blessed this deviated Arabian society with the prophethood of Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and enlightened their lives with the light and guidance of Islam.
Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) explained to them the essense of Tawheed and the believers’ hearts were purified through the purification of shirk - they understood that the Ruboobiyat of Allaah that they believed in made it obligatory to worship HIM Alone and learnt that the pre-requisite of Tawheed was not to associate anything pr anybody in acts of worship.
He (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) taught them to live lives of justice, free from corruption and treachery with each other. They learnt to live as one strong society, with the love of Muslim brotherhood, that enjoyed what Allaah made halaal and refrained from what HE made haraam.
He (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) elevated the status women in the light of Islam. People who used to bury their daughers alive, now cherished them as Allaah guaranteed Jannah for righteous and just parents of daughters, who raised them well. People who indulged in adultery and had any number of wives with no sense of gheerah, became pious Muslims who would guard their chastity and protect their women and provide for them. The number of maximum wives they had was Islamically reduced to four, depending on their ability to give equal treatment to all.
The rights of parents, children, relatives, neighbours and even animals were explained in the light of Sharee’ah. This gave rise to such a civilised and strong society that it can never be out-dated. These teachings will remain unchanged and effective until the Day of Resurrection, In Sha Allaah.
Staying firmly on the principles of Sharee’ah may become difficult sometimes, but it will save us from every harm and evil in Duniya and Aakhirah. This is the reason that the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) gave glad tidings to the strangers as reported in the hadith of Abu Huraira (may Allaah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, “Islam began as a something strange and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers.”
[Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 145
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim]
Loving the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam):
Allaah says in Surah An-Nisa, verse 80,
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًۭا
“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allaah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them”
The truest form of loving the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) is to obey him in what he commands and guides us towards. The faith of a believer is not complete until he loves the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) more than anything and anybody in this world.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one of you truly believes until I am dearer to him than his father, his son, his own self and all the people.”
[Narrated by al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
Therefore, loving the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) is the most essential pre-requisite of a Muslim. And, when we read the Seerah and know the sufferings and hardships our beloved prophet underwent to deliver the message of Islam, when we know the concern he had for us - the believers in his message whom he never met, when we know about the duas he made for us, the feeling of this love strengthens and radiates from the souls of the believers.
Mockery of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam):
In every age there have been people who accused and blasphemed the messengers of Allaah. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) met the worst form opposition, mockery and enmity during his prophethood. His companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) were grieved and hurt mentally, emotionally and physically due to the ill treatment that their beloved Messenger (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) received from the enemies of Allaah.
Even today there are people who mock at the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and insult him verbally and graphically. It hurts us as believers who take pride in our Deen due to what these doomed individuals (and societies) say about our Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), who is the best man who ever walked on this earth, and he is the leader of the earlier and later generations, may the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him.
Although this breaks our hearts and fills us with anger, and we are prepared to sacrifice our lives in defence of the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), we should remain patient and remind ourselves of the glad tidings of their doom as promised by Allaah in Surah al-Hijr, verse 95,
إِنَّا كَفَيْنَـٰكَ ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَ
“Truly, We will suffice you against the mockers”
This is the promise of Allaah that HE is sufficient against those who insult His Messenger (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam). So, all we have to do is to obey Allaah and love His Rasool (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) by obeying him in word and deed. Reviving the Sunnahs and avoiding haraam should be our best revolt against these mockers, so that Allaah is pleased with our Islam and the world sees Islam in our implementation of patience and steadfastness, In Sha Allaah.
As for those who hate the Messenger of Allaah(Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), Allaah says in Surah Al-Kawthar, verse 3,
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ ٱلْأَبْتَرُ
“For he who hates you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), he will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter)”
Surely these haters and criminals are cut off from all good - eternally, ever after. And the lovers and followers of the beloved Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) are those who show unwaivering faith in Islam through acts of obedience to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam).
Alhamdulillaah, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’ala blessed us with the prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) who was a Mercy to the universe and commanded us to make him a role model and follow his footsteps, in order to make our stay in this Duniya a successful and content duration for the preparation of our final destination in Aakhirah.
May Allaah help us to follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and succeed in the purpose for which HE has created us. May peace and blessings of Allaah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions.
Ameen Ya Rabbil Aalameen!
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