5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

Bilal was with him on his journey. There came a Bedouin to ask the Prophet for a need, which the Prophet promised to fulfil but ultimately could not. The Bedouin was in hurry so he said, "O Muhammad, won't you deliver what you promised?" The Prophet replied to him in kindness, "Rejoice!" 'Rejoice!' how beautiful a word! Is there a word nobler than this? But the Bedouin did not respond positively or courteously, and instead shouted with audacity, "I have heard enough of 'Rejoice' from you!" The Prophet was angered at the reply but controlled his Between the living and the dead anger. He turned to Abu Musa and Bilal who were sitting next to him and said, "He has refused to rejoice, so please rejoice the two of you." They said, "We rejoice, O Messenger of Allah." He asked for a jug of water and washed his hands and face and rinsed his mouth. He then said: "Drink of this water and wash your faces and necks, and rejoice!" meaning, rejoice at receiving the blessings of this water. They took the jug and did as he said very joyfully. Umm Salamah – may Allah be pleased with her – was sitting near them behind a curtain and wanted to partake in the blessings, so she called out from behind the veil, "Save some for your mother!" So they left some water and sent it to her. She took the water and did as the Prophet had said. (al-Bukhari and Muslim) Hence, our beloved Prophet was very kind in nature, it was always pleasant to be in his company, and he was always forbearing. He would never make a mountain out of a molehill. Once the Prophet sat down with 'A'ishah −may Allah be pleased with her− who began to relate to him women's talk, as the Prophet attentively listened to her. She was speaking at length and in detail, and despite the Prophet's busy life, he kept listening to her with keen interest and commenting where needed, until 'A'ishah −may Allah be pleased with her− finally finished. So what was the story that 'A'ishah was relating to him? She was relating a story about a gathering of eleven women in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance who promised not to hide Between the living and the dead anything with regards to their husbands. They began to mention everything about their husbands without concealing anything. So what did they say? The first woman said: "My husband is like the meat of a useless camel on top of a mountain. It is neither easy to reach to the top of the mountain, nor is the meat good that it should be carried down." She likened her husband to a difficult mountain on top of which there is unpleasant camel meat, such that no one likes to obtain it due to the difficulty in climbing the mountain.The meat is also very unpleasant in that it is not worth tiring oneself to obtain it. Meaning, he has bad manners and is arrogant, even though he has nothing to be proud of, since he is stingy and poor. The second woman said: "I would not describe my husband for fear of leaving him, and if I begin to describe his faults I would be relating terrible things." Meaning, her husband had many faults and she feared that if she were to describe his faults and the news of it reached him, he would divorce her. She was stuck with him due to her children. The third woman said: "My husband is a tall man. If I describe him (and he hears of that) he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet, he will leave me hanging." Meaning, her husband was tall, ugly and very ill-mannered. He never overlooked her faults and was like the edge of a sword hanging over her. She lived under the constant threat of divorce. Between the living and the dead Her words to him were unbearable, and whenever she complained he would divorce her. He would not treat her as a husband should treat his wife. Hence, she was left hanging, neither married, nor divorced. The fourth woman said: "My husband is a moderate person like the night of Tihamah which is neither hot nor cold. I am neither afraid of him, nor am I discontented with him." It is known that the night of Tihamah is neither windy nor dusty, which the inhabitants find quite pleasant. She described her husband as being nice to her and having moderate manners – a man who never hurt her. The fifth woman said: "My husband, when entering (the house) is a leopard, and when going out, is a lion. He does not ask about whatever is in the house" Meaning, when he enters the house he behaves like a leopard. The leopard is considered to be generous and active. When he leaves the house and mixed with the people he behaves like a lion due to his bravery.