Khutbah 02/19/2010 - Character of Prophet Mohammad
Praise be to Allah who sent Mohammad as a mercy to mankind and described him as having the most noble manners: وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
And you (O Mohammad) are on a dignified standard of character
Allah also said, لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الاْخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Mohammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow, for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.
Where do we begin to talk about the most noble of humans?
How to talk about the mercy of this man whose mercy was at the core of his character and showed in every aspect of his life and interactions, not only with his wives, family, companions, and visitors, but also with enemies, non-Muslims, and even animals.
Before Prophethood, when the Ka’bah was destroyed by a flood, the non-believing Arabs dispute on which tribe would handle placing the Black Stone into the rebuilt structure. They all accepted the judgment of Mohammad the Trustworthy. He placed the Black Stone on his cloak, and asked a man from each tribe to help in carrying it, and then at the proper location he carried it and placed it.
In another incident a non-Muslim asked to see the Prophet’s sword. Then the man tried to kill The Prophet with that sword. Allah made his hand freeze, and the Prophet forgave him, after the man said, “We all know you are the tolerant one.”
How about the Justice and equality of Mohammad?
He is the one who said, “By Allah, if Fatimah my own daughter stole, I would cut off her hand.”
This is in direct compliance with what Allah says in the Quran,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor.”
What about his honor, respect and thankfulness? Even though he had already been forgiven, he used to pray every night, and stand to thank Allah until his own feet would collapse in pain. He would always greet people kindly, and remember their names.
Prophet Mohammad and Loyalty to our Mother Khadeejah
After Khadeejah died, Prophet Mohammad continued to be kind to her friends, and would send them meat when he slaughtered an animal. His other wives became jealous and called her an old woman. He said,
ما أبدلني الله خيرا منها وقد آمنت بي إذ كفر بي الناس وصدقتني إذ كذبنني وآستني بمالها إذ حرمني الناس ورزقني الله ولدها إذ حرمني أولاد النساء أيضا
“Allah have not given me better than Her. She believed in me when people disbelieved me, and supported me with her money when people did not, and Allah gave me children from her, when I did not have children from my other wives.”
He also said, لقد فضِّلت خديجة على نساء أمتي كما فضِّلت مريم على نساء العالمين
“Khadeejah was preferred to all the women of my nation, as Mariam was preferred to all the women of the world.”
Prophet Mohammad and Bravery الشجاعة
There are numerous examples that speak of his bravery. Prophet Mohammad would always be first in battle, and would be fighting directly facing the enemies.
Prophet Mohammad and Generosity الكرم
One could not even find seven Dirhams سبع دراهم in his house, because he would always rush to spend all of it in charity. He would even take off his shirt and give it in charity.
Prophet Mohammad and Humility التواضع
Prophet Mohammad was very modest and humble with everyone. He called people by their best names and titles, and would even call his enemies by their best names. He would always say, إنما أنا عبد الله ورسوله “I am but a slave and Messenger for Allah.”
More about Humility of Prophet Mohammad التواضع
عن أبي مسعود أن رجلا كلم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوم الفتح فأخذته الرعدة فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هون عليك فإنما أنا ابن امرأة من قريش كانت تأكل القديد
Ibn Masood narrated that, a man spoke to the Prophet on the opening of Makkah day and then his body began shaking. Rasool Allah said to him, “Please calm down, for I am but the son of a woman of Quraish, who used to eat dried meat.”
The Prophet says in a Khutbah as narrated by Imam Muslim,
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَوْحَى إِلَيَّ أَنْ تَوَاضَعُوا حَتَّى لَا يَفْخَرَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ وَلَا يَبْغِ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ
“Allah has revealed to me that we must be humble, until no one would boast over anyone and until no one shall harm another.”
Prophet Mohammad at Home في بيته
أم المؤمنين عائشة رضي الله عنها، تقول وقد سألها سائل: ما كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يصنع في بيته ؟ قالت: ( يكون في خدمة أهله، فإذا حضرت الصلاة خرج إلى الصلاة ) وفي رواية عند الترمذي قالت: ( كان بشرًا من البشر، ينظف ثوبه، ويحلب شاته، ويخدم نفسه
Aisha was asked, “What does the Prophet do in his home?”
She said, “He would be in the service of his family, until he would leave for the prayer time.”
In another narration by Tirmithy الترمذيAisha said, “He was a man like other men. He would clean his own clothes, and milk his own goat, and serve himself by himself.”
Prophet Mohammad the Trustworthy الأمين
In the night of Hijrah to Madina, he left Ali behind in his house, to return belongings of others that he was entrusted with.
What distinguishes Muslims are their every day characters. We do not treat non-Muslims by their own manners and ways.
Prophet Mohammad said, من آذى ذميا فقد آذاني
“Whoever harms a non-Muslim then he is harming Me”
He also said, من قتل معاهدا لم يرح رائحة الجنة، وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة أربعين عاما
“Whoever kills someone with whom we have a treaty, he would not find the smell of Paradise, which a walker can smell when he is forty years away.”
He said about the trusts of the non-Muslims, “If non-Muslims trust you with their money, then you must protect it, as if it was Muslim money.”
Quran also revealed a hypocrite who stole a shield, and put it in the home of a Jewish man to blame him, but the Prophet showed the innocence of the Jewish man.
There is a vast difference, between the characters of Muslims, and those of non-Muslims. We do not claim to be better than other people, and we do not claim to be God’s chosen people, nor do we claim our souls are above other souls.
Prophet Mohammad taught us to save people from the Hellfire. He taught us to introduce Islam to others and to teach them.Islam has always been kind and caring towards non-Muslims. Omar even established a monthly allowance for old non-Muslims.
Even in opening new lands non-Muslims were left alone, and were not forced into Islam, or forced to fight as soldiers, and paid a minimal tax to be protected, like other Muslims who also had to pay more tax in Zakat.
What happened then to these people? Many learned about Islam. They liked it and became Muslims.
Let us Return to the Characters of Prophet Mohammad
Let us share equality between people and protect them, and let us cleanse what others have corrupted.
Let us remember the teachings of our Prophet who said,
لا تقتلوا شيخا ولا طفلا ولا امرأة ولا غير مقاتل ولا راهب في صومعة ولا تحرقوا شجرة
As narrated Anas ibn Malik, The Prophet said:
Go in Allah's name, trusting in Allah, and adhering to the religion of the Messenger of Allah. Do not kill a decrepit old man, or a young infant, or a child, or a woman. Do not be dishonest about the booty, but collect your spoils, do right and act well, for Allah loves those who do well.”
Let us remember the manners and characters of our Prophet, in these blessed days as we celebrate his birth. Let us learn about it if it were unknown to us, for we are worthless without his manners. And let us be worthy of following his teachings, and become world leaders through his Message.
Allah says,
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
Allah has promised those among you, who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession, to (the present rulers) in the land as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practice their religion of Islam, which He has chosen for them. And He will surely give them in exchange, a safe security after their fear, provided that they worship Allah, and not associate anything with Him.But whoever disbelieves after this, they are the disobedient to Allah (الفاسقين).
Allah also says, وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.
So let us be of those who follow and love Prophet Mohammad as we continue to talk about him next time In Sha’ Allah.
الدعاء Supplication
O’ Allah make us on the correct way of Islam and the way of our prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and fill our hearts with love for Prophet Mohammad.
O’ Allah give us the ability to do all the good deeds. O’ Allah unite the Muslims and return them to their high status
O’ Allah guide our Muslim youth and make them a great nation, like you made the Companions the best of all nations.
O’ Allah make us do prayer الصلاة on time and accept our prayer, supplication ( دعاء ) and charity ( صدقة)
O’ Allah forgive our sins, and the sins of our parents and the sins of all the Muslims, who are living or dead
O’ Allah make us a mercy for our relatives and our families. O’ Allah protect us and our families and all Muslims from evil.
O’ Allah be pleased with us, and grant us your full forgiveness, and a home in your highest paradise, and permission to look upon your most beautiful face.