Part 7

Dear reader, have you ever thought about playing and joking with your children and hearing their laughter and beautiful words, while you are enjoying their presence in the oasis of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam? The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, did all these things. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 46 redness of his tongue the boy would start laughing." [Al-Albaani: Hasan]

Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to play with Zaynab, daughter of Umm Salamah, and call her, 'O Zuwaynib, O Zuwaynib (a diminutive form of Zaynab))' repeating it many times." [Al-Albaani: sahih]

The mercy of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, encompassed infants even during a great act of worship. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, performed prayer while carrying his granddaughter, 'Umaamah bint Zaynab, may Allaah be pleased with her, born to Abu Al-'Aas ibn Ar-Rabee'. When he stood, he would carry her, and when he prostrated he would put her down. [AlBukhaari and Muslim]

Mahmood ibn Ar-Rabee', may Allaah be Pleased with him, said, "I still remember when I was a boy of five, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, took water with his mouth and splashed it in my face from a bucket used for taking water out of a well in our house." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, taught both old and young people. Ibn Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "One day, I rode [a mount] behind the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and he said: 'O boy, I will teach you some words: Be mindful of Allaah and Allaah will protect you. Be mindful of Allaah and you will find Him before you are. If you ask, ask of Allaah. If you seek help, seek help of Allaah.'" [At-Tirmithi] This was a journey through the life of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and some of his noble qualities. Perhaps they will enliven the hearts and guide us in the course of this life. Our homes flourish with young children and babies who thirst for their fathers' affection and their mothers' love. Happiness should cover their young hearts, so that a child grows both

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 47 prepared well, after guidance from Allaah The Almighty, having the ability to lead the Ummah.

Forbearance, Gentleness and Patience Violence and taking one's right by force are qualities of the oppressors and the people of injustice. Our Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, laid the foundations of justice and support for every person to regain his rights. He utilized the commands and prohibitions that Allaah The Almighty ordained for the sake of perpetuating goodness. We never expect injustice, violence, aggression or usurpation in the house of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, never struck anybody with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, except when fighting in the cause of Allaah. He never took revenge upon anybody for something wrong done to him except when one of the sacred ordinances of Allaah The Almighty was violated, then, he would take revenge for the sake of Allaah The Almighty." [Ahmad]

Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, One day, I was walking with the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and he was wearing a Najraani cloak with a very thick collar when a Bedouin happened to meet him. He took hold of the side of his cloak and pulled it violently. I noticed that the violence of the jerk had bruised the neck of Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. The Bedouin said: 'O Muhammad! Give me out of the wealth of Allaah that you possess.' The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, turned to him and smiled, and then ordered for something to be given to him. [AlBukhaari and Muslim]

When the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, returned from the Battle of Hunayn, some Bedouins followed him and started begging of him so much so

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 48 Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, stopped and said: "Give me my cloak. If I had as many camels as these trees, I would have distributed them among you and you would not have found me a miser or a coward or a liar." [AlBaghawi] [Al-Albaani: sahih] The most shining aspects of education and teaching are characterized by adopting gentleness in all matters, grasping the benefits and alleviating the harm. Zeal overpowered the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, if they saw someone making a mistake, so they hurriedly forbade him. They are correct in their behavior. Yet, the forbearing gentle Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, stopped them since the doer was ignorant and their action might result in a greater harm; so, what the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, did was more preferable on that occasion. Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "A Bedouin urinated in the mosque (Masjid) and some people rushed to beat him up. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "Leave him alone and pour a bucket of water over it. You have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult." [Al-Bukhaari]

The patience of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, for the sake of conveying the dawah motivates us to follow him and his guidance and not to take revenge for ourselves. It was narrated on the authority of 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that she said to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "Have you encountered a day harder than the day of (the Battle) of Uhud?" The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, replied: Indeed, I have experienced (harsh treatment) from your people, and the harshest treatment I experienced was on the day of 'Aqabah when I presented myself to Ibn' Abd-Yaaleel ibn 'Abd-Kulaal (with the aim of calling him to Islam) and he did not respond to my request. So I departed, overwhelmed by deep sorrow, and did not come to my senses until I had found myself at Qarn Ath-Tha'aalib where I lifted my head

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 49 and saw Jibreel (Gabriel, may Allaah exalt his mention) in it. He called me saying, 'Allaah has heard your people's words to you, and what they have replied to you. Allaah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, 'O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will let these two gigantic mountains collapse on them.' The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "No, I hope that Allaah will let them beget children who will worship Allaah Alone ascribing no partner with Him." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Some Muslims today are too hasty when conveying dawah hoping to reap its fruits overnight. Taking revenge for one's personal desires blemishes sincerity in giving dawah, and for this reason, some dawah efforts fail due to the prevalence of this behavior among their members. Where are patience and endurance? Many years later, the wishes of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, came true after great suffering, patience and long fighting. Ibn Mas'ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "I can still recall as if I am seeing the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, relate the story of one of the prophets whose people scourged him and shed his blood, while he wiped blood from his face, he said: 'O Allaah! Forgive my people, because they certainly do not know.'" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Once Zayd ibn Sa'nah, a Jewish man, came to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in a funeral procession with his Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, to claim his debt. He grabbed the clothes of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, with a frowning face and said in a very harsh manner, "O Muhammad, you do not want to pay my debt." 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, looked at him in anger and said, "O enemy of Allaah! Do you say to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, what I hear

English.islamweb.net/emainpage Page 50 if I did not fear his reproach, I would cut off your head with my sword." The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was looking at 'Umar very calmly and said to him: 'O 'Umar, this person and I were in need of something other than this. You should have enjoined me to repay his debt in a good manner and enjoined him to claim his right in a better manner. O 'Umar, take him and give him his due right and give him an extra twenty Saa's of dates." When'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, gave Zayd the twenty extra Saa's of dates, he asked, "For what are these twenty extra Saa's, O 'Umar?'' 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied, "The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, ordered me to give you more in return for your anger." Zayd said, '''Umar, do you know me?" 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied, "No, who are you?" He said, "I am Zayd ibn Sa'nah." He asked, "The rabbi?" He replied, "The Rabbi." Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "Then why did you do to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, what you did and say what you said?" Zayd replied, "'Umar, I recognized all the signs of Prophethood in the face of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as I looked at him except two signs, which I was not able to see. The first is that forbearance of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, surpasses his anger. The second is that, the more one acts foolishly towards him, the more tolerant he will be. Now I have also seen these two, therefore, I make you my witness that I have approved Allaah as my God, Islam as my religion and Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as my Prophet. I also make you witness that I give half of my wealth in charity to the Ummah of Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam." Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "Or to some of the Ummah because you cannot affect all of them." He replied, "Or to some of them." Zayd returned to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and said, "I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger." He believed in and testified to the Prophet,

Let us reflect on this incident, its outcome and the long discussion during it; perhaps we might follow our role model Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in his patience with people and calling them with gentleness and forbearance.

The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also encouraged people when they acted perfectly and diffused the spirit of optimism in their hearts. 'Aa'ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, "I set out for Umrah with the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, from Madeenah, and when we arrived at Makkah, I said: 'O Messenger of Allaah! I ransom you with my father and mother! I shortened my prayer and completed them, and observed fasting and broke it.' The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, replied: 'Well done, 'Aa'ishah,' and he did not reproach me." [An-Nasaa'i]

Food of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam Banquets are held at the houses of the elite and the people of authority, but what about the food and drink of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, who had control over so many lands and its people, and to whom the camels returned carrying enormous provisions as well as gold and silver that overflowed in his hands? Did he lead a life of kings, eating the food of the wealthy and rich people? Or was his life more perfect and ideal? Do not be amazed at the meager and simple food of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, never had bread and meat for dinner or supper unless he had guests." [At-Tirmithi] The hadith shows the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, hardly ate to his full. It also implies that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, never ate to his fill except when guests visited him. Only in that case would the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, eat to his fill in order to show hospitality and courtesy towards his