NOBLE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROPHET

A Sublime Character THE QURAN describes Prophet Muhammad as one possessing a “sublime character.” (68: 5). Here are two sayings of the Prophet which throw light on what this “sublime character” consists of: “Never debase your character by saying that if people treat you well, you will treat them well, and if they harm you, you will do worse to them. Rather, become accustomed to being good to those who are good to you, and not wronging those who harm you.” (Mishkat ul-Masabih) “Join hands with those who break away from you, forgive those who wrong you, and be good to those who harm you.” The sublime character described here was displayed—in its most lofty form—by the Prophet himself. Such character is required of ordinary Muslims as an accessory, but with the Prophet it was a basic requisite. This is clear from this statement of the Prophet: “Nine things the Lord has commanded me: Fear of God in private and in public; Justness, both in anger and in calmness; moderation in both poverty and affluence; that I should join hands with those who break away from me; and give to those who deprive me; and forgive those who wrong me; and that my silence should be meditation; and my words remembrance of God; and my vision keen observation.” There are two levels of character, an ordinary and a superior level. An ordinary character is based on the principle: ‘do as you have been done by’. Such a character might be termed a “knee-jerk character”, for one possessed of such a character offers only reflex responses to treatment by others, breaking with those who break with him, wronging those who wrong him, and harming those who harm him. An ordinary character is based on the principle: do as you have been done by. But the higher level of character is based on the principle: ‘do as you would be done by’. One possessed of such a character deals with both friends and foes in the same principled manner, irrespective of how he himself has been treated. He is reconciliatory, even joining with those who break with him. He is compassionate, even to those who seek to harm him. He is forbearing, even towards those who wrong him. According to the French philosopher, Voltaire (1694-1778), “No one is a hero to his valet.” It is because a valet has access to a person’s private life, and in private life no one is perfect. Those close to a person usually do not hold him in such high esteem as those who are further off. That is why they cannot come to think of him as a hero. But, as Soren Smith has written, this does not hold true for the Prophet of Islam. History shows that the closer one came to him, the more one was enamoured by his fine qualities. Zaid Ibn Haritha was the son of Haritha Ibn Sharaheel, a member of the tribe of Kalb. His mother’s name was Suda Bint Tha’alaba. She belonged to a branch of the Tai tribe called Bani Ma’an. When Zaid was eight-yearold, his mother took him to her father’s home. There, some members of the tribe of Bani Qayn ibn Jasr attacked their camp. Amongst the booty that they captured was the young Zaid. They then took him to the Ukkaz fair and sold him. The buyer’s name was Hakim ibn Hazam, a nephew of Khadija, who was later to become the Prophet’s wife. He brought the child to Makkah and presented him to his aunt as a slave. When the Prophet married Khadija, she placed Zaid in his service. The boy’s father and uncle soon learnt of his whereabouts. They came to Makkah to recover him, and take him home with them. They met the Prophet, and said that they would give any compensation that he required, so long as he returned the child to them. The Prophet said that he did not want any compensation. If Zaid wanted to go with them, they could take him. He called Zaid, and asked him if he knew these people. Zaid said that he did; they were his father and uncle. “They want to take you with them,” the Prophet said. “If you want, you can go home with them.” “I won’t leave you to go anywhere,” Zaid replied. His father and uncle were incensed on hearing this. “What, do you prefer slavery to freedom?” they asked. “Do you want to forsake your own folk, and live amongst others?” “I cannot prefer anyone to Muhammad,” Zaid replied, “not after seeing the qualities that he has.” His father and uncle then returned to their home. The higher level of character is based on the principle: do as you would be done by This incident occurred before the commencement of the Prophet’s mission. It reveals the tenderness that was inherent in his nature. The Quran has referred to this characteristic in the following words: “It was thanks to God’s mercy that you were lenient to them. Had you been cruel and hard-hearted, they would surely have deserted you.” (3: 159) It was this magnanimity of the Prophet that gave him the power to capture people’s hearts: the closer one came to him, the more one would be won over by his noble character. What a terrible time it must have been when, as night was falling, the urchins of Taif were chasing the Prophet out of town and pelting him with stones. This was the place where the Hijaz aristocracy used to while away their summer days. The Prophet had made the fifty-mile trip from Makkah to call them to Islam. But the lords of Taif did not listen to his well-meaning words; instead they set the street-urchins on him, who kept on chasing him until night had cast a veil between them and God’s Prophet. His body was covered in wounds. Bleeding from head to foot and utterly exhausted, he took refuge in a vineyard. This was a traumatic experience for any man. The Prophet once told his wife, Aisha, that it was the hardest night of his life. But, at this gravest of moments, the Prophet did not wish his enemies any harm. All he said was: “Lord, guide them, for they know not what they do.” Such was the noble character of the Prophet, and it was this nobleness which finally subdued his opponents and brought the whole of Arabia within the Islamic fold. The force of his sublime spirit was enough to conquer all in its wake. No prejudice, antagonism or contumacy could withstand the charming power of good that was embodied in his person. A person who is in need should not be denied financial assistance because of his misconduct. Rather one should pardon him and continue to help him. The Prophet once said: “Honouring ties of relationship does not mean honouring your ties with those who honour their ties with you; it means honouring your ties with those who sever their ties with you.” The well-known case of the accusation of adultery against Aisha, wife of the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, provides apt illustration of this principle. This accusation was absolutely slanderous. It was brought against Aisha when she was accidentally left behind while returning from the expedition to Bani Mustalaq (627-628 CE). She was rescued by a young Companion of the Prophet by the name of Safwan ibn Mu’attal. Indeed, the episode has become famous in Islamic history as the “case of the slander.” One of the persons responsible for its fabrication and propagation was a relative of Abu Bakr named Mistah. When Abu Bakr learnt that Mistah was one of those who had defamed his innocent daughter, he cut off the allowance that he used to grant Mistah as a needy relative. When Abu Bakr took this step, God revealed this verse of the Quran to His Prophet: “Let not the honourable and rich among you swear not to give to their kindred, the poor and those who have fled their homes for the cause of God. Rather, let them pardon and forgive. Do you not wish God to forgive you? He is Forgiving, Merciful.” (24: 22) That is, a person who is in need should not be denied financial assistance because of his misconduct. Rather one should pardon him and continue to help him. A man came up and insulted Abu Bakr one day when he was sitting with the Prophet. Abu Bakr listened and was silent. The man continued to abuse him. Again, Abu Bakr held his peace. When the man kept on repeating his foul language, Abu Bakr could contain himself no longer, and answered back. On hearing this, the Prophet immediately got up and left. “Why have you left your place, Prophet of God?” Abu Bakr enquired. “As long as you remained silent, Abu Bakr,” the Prophet replied, “God’s angel was answering for you. But as soon as you burst out, the angel left.” Thus, the Prophet illustrated that God requites one for any wrong done to one, as long as one does not take retaliatory measures of one’s own. But God leaves the matter to one who seeks revenge. Obviously, a requital will be more complete if it is left to God. It was this magnanimity of the Prophet that gave him the power to capture people’s hearts: the closer one came to him, the more one would be won over by his noble character. The Prophet once borrowed some money from a Jewish scholar. After a few days, the Jew demanded payment of his debt. “At the moment, I have nothing to pay you with,” the Prophet told him. “I won’t let you go until you have paid me back,” the Jew retorted. And so, he stayed there, from morning until night, holding the Prophet captive. At this time, the Prophet was the established ruler of Madinah. He had the power to take measures against the Jew. His Companions, indeed, intended to rebuke the man and chase him away. But the Prophet forbade them from taking any action. “A Jew is holding you captive,” protested one of them. “True,” the Prophet replied, “but the Lord has forbidden to wrong anyone.” Night turned to morning. With the light of dawn, the Jew’s eyes opened. He was profoundly moved on seeing the Prophet’s tolerance, notwithstanding his power to take action, and embraced Islam. This Jew was a rich man. The day before, he had detained the Prophet on account of a few pence; but the Prophet’s noble conduct had such an impact on him that now he was willing to give all his wealth to the Prophet, saying, “Spend it as you please.” Abdullah Ibn Abi AI-Hasma once made a transaction with the Prophet. It had not yet been completed when Abdullah Ibn Abi AI-Hasma had to go home on some urgent business. “Wait here,” he said to the Prophet. “We will settle this affair when I come back from my home.” When he reached home, he became so engrossed in certain tasks that he forgot his promise. He remembered it after three days and went back to that place. He found the Prophet waiting there. All he said to Abdullah Ibn Abi AI-Hasma was: “You have given me a lot of trouble; I have been waiting here for three days.” There is a magnetic power in conduct such as this which even the most stubborn person cannot resist.

A new start begins from accepting
the fact that in the past you
committed a blunder.