Part 4

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 25 lenient with his wife. Leading the army, the long journey and even the victory did not make him forget that he was accompanied by a weak wife who needed a compassionate and considerate gesture to remove the hardship of the long and difficult journey. Al-Bukhaari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, narrated that when the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was returning from the Battle of Khaybar -- after he had married Safiyyah bint Huyayy, may Allaah be pleased with her -- he hung a garment around the hump of the camel in order to cover her. He then knelt beside his camel in order for Safiyyah, may Allaah be pleased with her, to put her foot on, so she could climb onto the back of the camel.

This impressive scene indicates the extent to which the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was humble. A victorious leader, and the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who is sent by Allaah The Almighty teaches his Ummah that helping and treating one's wife kindly and leniently do not degrade him. No wonder, as he said: "Treat women kindly…" [Muslim]

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, married eleven women and they were honored with the title of "Mothers of the Believers" and at the time of his death he had nine wives. He married old women, widows, divorced women and weak women. The only virgin wife was 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her.

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 26 these women and he was an example of justice. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to draw lots before traveling and used to take the one whose lot was chosen, and he used to spend a night and a day with each one of them." [At-Tirmithi]

Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated another incident that shows us how the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was fair with all his wives. He said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, had nine wives, so when he divided (his stay) with them, the turn of the first wife only came on the ninth (day). They (all the wives) used to gather every night in the house of the one where he had to come (and stay that night). It was (the night when he had to stay) in the house of 'Aa'ishah when Zaynab came there. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, stretched out his hand towards her (Zaynab), whereupon she ('Aa'ishah) said: It is Zaynab. The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, withdrew his hand." [Muslim]

This great Prophetic home would have never been so without the guidance of Allaah The Almighty. Thus, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to thank Allaah The Almighty through his actions and words. He used to encourage his wives, may Allaah be pleased with them and help them, to worship Allaah The Almighty in submission to the Divine Command: {And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness.} [Quran 20:132]

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 27 sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to pray while I was sleeping across in his bed in front of him. Whenever he wanted to perform the Witr prayer, he would wake me up and I would perform the Witr prayer." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, encouraged Muslims to perform voluntary night prayer and guided both spouses to help each other in this respect. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "May Allaah show mercy to a man who gets up during the night and performs prayer, awakens his wife to pray and if she refuses, he sprinkles water on her face (to make her get up). May Allaah show mercy to a woman who gets up during the night and performs prayer, awakens her husband for the same purpose; and if he refuses, she sprinkles water on his face." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

A true religious Muslim should be pure both internally and externally. Hence, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, had a pure heart and clean body with a good smell. He liked the Miswaak and commanded us to use it saying: "Had I not thought it difficult for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the Miswaak (toothstick) before every prayer." [Ahmad]

Huthayfah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, got up (from sleep), he would brush his teeth with Miswaak (tooth-stick)." [Muslim] Shurayh ibn Haani' said, "I asked 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, 'What is the first thing that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 28 to start by using the Miswaak.'" [Muslim] How beautiful it is to keep clean and this is a great manner of preparing oneself to receive his family. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also used to say upon entering the house: "With the Name of Allaah we enter and with His Name we leave. And on Allaah, our Lord, do we rely." Then, he used to greet his wives. Let your household enjoy greetings and your clean and pleasant appearance when you enter upon them and take care not to be of those who replace this with reproach and censure.

Humor of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was the leader and he was occupied with the affairs of his Ummah, his armies, his family, as well as revelation, worship and other major cares which leave ordinary people unable to satisfy all the requirements of life, not to mention refreshing it. Nonetheless, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, gave each one his or her due right and never fulfilled any aspect at the expense of another. Despite these great cares and responsibilities, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, reserved a place in his heart for children and he used to play with them (and adults), please them and make them happy. The following are some examples of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, engaging in light-hearted conversation with children: - Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that people said to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 29 replied: "Yes, yet I say nothing but the truth." [Ahmad] - Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said to him: "O you with two ears!" [Abu Daawood] - In a hadith on the authority of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, who said, "Umm Sulaym had a child called Abu 'Umayr and the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to jest with him whenever he saw him. One day, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, tried to make him laugh but the boy looked sad. So, he asked him: 'Why do you look sad?' They said, 'His little bird with which he used to play has died.' Thus, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, started saying to him: "O Abu 'Umayr! What did the little bird do?'" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] The following are some examples of how he joked with adults and the elderly: - Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to love a man called Zaahir ibn Haraam who had an unattractive appearance. One day, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, saw him selling his goods, so he embraced him from behind while the man could not see him. Zaahir said, "Release me, who are you?" After knowing that he was the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, Zaahir clung with his back firmly to chest of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Upon that, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, jested with him saying: "O people! Who wants to buy this slave, i.e. Zaahir?" Zaahir replied: "By Allaah! You will find me unsalable." The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,

Indeed, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to joke with his family and Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, sometimes, but this was within limits. He never laughed loudly; rather, it was just a sublime smile. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "I have never seen Messenger of Allaah laughing so heartily that the back of his mouth could be seen. He used to smile only." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. The joyfulness and good companionship of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, did not prevent him from getting angry when the sacred ordinances of Allaah The Almighty were violated. Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,) returned once from a journey, and saw a curtain which I had hung along a platform and it had some images on it. The color of his face changed. He tore it up and said: "O 'Aa'ishah, the most tormented people on the Day of Resurrection are those who contend with Allaah in terms of creation." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] This proves that hanging images on walls and setting up statues in corners of the house and so on is prohibited and prevents the angels of mercy from entering the house.

Sleep of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam

Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "When one of you goes to bed, he should pat his bed with part of his lower garment as he does not know what was lying inside after he left it, and let him

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 31 in amsakta nafsi faghfir laha, wa in arsaltaha fahfath-ha bima tahfazhu bihi ibadak As-Saaliheen. (O Allaah! With Your Name, I have lain on my side, and with Your Name, I raise it. O Allaah! If You take my soul, then have mercy on it, and if You return it, then protect it with what You protect Your pious servants)." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also guided us to do the following upon sleeping: "Whenever you go to bed perform ablution like that for the prayer, lie down or your right side…" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "When the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, went to bed every night, he used to cup his palms together and blow into them and recite Surat Al-Ikhlaas, AlFalaq and An-Naas, and then he would wipe with his hands over as many parts of his body as he can, starting with his head, face and the front of his body. He used to do that three times." [Al-Bukhaari]

It was narrated on the authority of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "When he would go to bed, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to say: 'All praise be to Allaah, Who provided us with both food and drink, protected and provided us with shelter. There are many who have no one to protect or shelter them." [Muslim]

Abu Qataadah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "When the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, encamped at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 32 his head on the palm of his hand." [Muslim]

Today, most of us are immersed in the blessings of Allaah The Almighty, but let us look at the bed of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who is the best human being. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "The mattress of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was a piece of tanned leather stuffed with palm fibers." [Muslim]

Some of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, including 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, entered upon him. On seeing them, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, got up and 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, noticed that there was nothing between his body and the mat. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on the side of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, wept. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: 'Why are you weeping?' Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied, "O Messenger of Allaah! Caesar and Khosrau are leading the life (i.e. luxurious life) while you, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, is living in destitution". The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, then replied: 'Would you not be satisfied that they enjoy this worldly life and we enjoy the Hereafter?' 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, 'Yes.' The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, confirmed: 'This is the reality.'" [Ahmad]