The Bright Night

It was a strange night, when the Iwan Kisra cracked and the fire in the Azargoshasb temple, which had been burning for a thousand years, suddenly extinguished. All the idols of the Ka'ba collapsed and a great Mash of light went up to the sky. The Prophet (s) of kindness was born to quench, the world's thirst for knowledge and love with his perfect conduct. The holy Prophet (s) personality captivated many hearts and his sublime character attracted the masses like a magnet. Many books have been written about his manners and lifestyle and numerous historians and orientalists believe that the biggest factor for his success and popularity was his impeccable behavior. In several ayats in the glorious Qur'an, Allah (swt) talks about the Prophet's (s) unique qualities and states that the cause for his popularity was his good manners and kindness. we will study the factors for his success, i.e. the character and demeanor of the holy Prophet (s).

God Describes His Prophet (s)

In the surah of Repentance (Tawbah). Allah (swt) introduces His Prophet (s) to humanity by important attributes:

(لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ)            

"There has certainly come to you an apostle from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your distress; he has deep concern for you. and is most kind and merciful to the faithful" (9:128)

In the surah of The Pen (Al- Qalam) in the glorious Qur'an. Allah (swt) describes His Prophet (s) in the fourth ayah as:

(وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ)

"and indeed you possess a great character".(68:4)  

The glorious Qur'an regards the holy Prophet's (s) soft-nature and kindness as the secret of his popularity and in surah Ale Imran it states:

(فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ)

The glorious Qur'an regards the holy Prophet's (s) soft-nature and kindness as
the secret of his popularity and in surah Ale Imran it states:

"It is by Allah's mercy that you are gentle to them; and had you been harsh and hard-hearted, surely they would have scattered from around you. So excuse them, and plead for forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affairs, and once you are resolved, put your trust in Allah. Indeed Allah loves those who trust in Him." (3:159)

Sir William Muir, who was a well-known Orientalist describes the holy Prophet(s) in this manner:
A remarkable feature was the urbanity and consideration with which Muhammad treated even the most insignificant of his followers. Modesty and kindliness, patience, self-denial- and generosity, pervaded his conduct, and riveted the affections of all around him. He disliked to say, No. If unable to answer a petitioner in the affirmative, he preferred silence. He was not known ever to refuse an invitation to the house even of the meanest, nor to decline a proffered present however small. He possessed the rare faculty of making each individual in a company think that he was the favoured guest. If he met anyone
rejoicing at success he would seize him eagerly and cordially by the hand.
With the bereaved and afflicted he sympathised tenderly. Gentle and unbending towards little children, he would not disdain to accost a group of them at play with the salutation of peace. He shared his food, even in times of scarcity, with others, and was sedulously solicitous for the personal comfort of everyone about him. A kindly and benevolent disposition pervaded all those illustrations of his character.
Sir William Muir(Life of Muhammad, pp. 510-13).

Perseverance and Resilience

Two of the most distinguishing characteristics required to do missionary work is patience and perseverance. In this regard. God says to the Prophet (s) in the Holy Quran. "So be steadfast, just as you have been commanded...

We have a tendency to look past the bright spot in the history of Islam and towards the dark days and this view, which is from "the future towards the past" portrays the reality in a different way. We need to imagine ourselves in the time that the Prophet (s) was alone; there was no sign of victory ahead of him. Obstinate enemies were out to eliminate him and some of his relatives were in the front line of this battle! He continuously went among the Arab tribes and invited them to Islam, but no one responded to his invitation. Stones were thrown at him and blood came from his blessed body, but he did not waver in his mission. He and his handful of followers were always blocked within their social, economic and political surroundings, to the extent that some died of starvation, illness and tortures that affected his heart and soul.

The way in which the days passed for the Prophet (s) are difficult to be described in speech and writing. For example, when he went to Taif with the intention of inviting the people to Islam, not only did the people reject his invitation but they threw so many stones at him that blood flowed from his feet. They got ignorant people to shout at him and curse him. He was forced to take refuge in a garden and sat under the shade of a tree and spoke to God:

"O Allah, to You alone do I complain of the debilitation of my strength. the deficiency of my means, and the contempt with which people treat me. O Allah, the Most Merciful of those who have mercy. You are the Lord of those who are oppressed, helpless and weak and You are my Lord. To whom would You render me? To someone far-off who would sullenly frown at me? Or to an enemy whom You have given control over my affairs? If You are not angry with me, then I should not worry." Sometimes they called him a sorcerer, other times they called him crazy and at times they poured ashes on his head. They even plotted to kill him and encircled his house with swords. The trials that the Prophet (s) was subjected to were so difficult that he stated: "No prophet was made to suffer torment as I did." In the Battle of Uhud, they broke his teeth and struck his forehead with stones. However, he supplicated to God: "Oh God, guide my people for they are ignorant." (Bihar al-’Anwar, vol. 20. p. 21) Amidst these conditions, he continued with patience and perseverance. Finally, the sweet fruit of this tree was tasted and Islam not only fills the Arabian Peninsula, but exists throughout the entire world. Today, the call to prayer, which is his victory cry, is heard in the four corners of the globe and on every continent in the world.

Worship

The Prophet (s) slated that: "The best of people arc those who love to perform worship and prayer." (Al-Kafi. vol.3,p. 215)

Spirituality and worship are among the most important points of discussion in regards to the behaviour of the Prophet (s).There are various manifestations of worship of the Prophet (s), such as prayer, remembrance, nightly devotions, supererogatory prayers, fasting and hay. His prayer, which he called the light of his eyes, was accompanied with the utmost attention and presence of the heart. The Messenger of Islam (s) also placed special emphasis on supererogatory prayers. In addition, intense and prolonged worship along with their preparations and introductions, dividing prayers according to the hours of the night and remaining awake therein, recitation of the Holy Quran and conversing with his lord were among the devotional activities reported from the Prophet's (s) life.
During the night, the Messenger of God (s) arose from his bed, make ablution, brush his teeth, recite some verses of the Holy Quran and then retreat into a comer and engage in worship and crying. Some, who saw him in this condition, asked the Prophet (s): "You, who does not have any sins, why do you cry so much?" He answered:
"'Should I not be thankful to God?"(Bihar al-'Anwar, vol. 17,p.257)

Umm Salamah reported. "One night the Prophet (s) was in my home. I saw him standing in the darkness, his hands were raised up and he was shedding tears and was saying: 'Oh God! Do not take from me whatever blessing You have given to me, do not please my enemy, do not entrap me in adversities which you have saved me from, do not leave me on my own - even for the twinkling of an eye.'" I said to him. "You have been exempted!" He replied, "No person is without need of God. Prophet Jonah(as), the moment he was lift to himself, he became imprisoned in the belly of a fish."

When the month of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet (s) freed all of his slaves. At the time of prayer he would tremble and whenever he worshipped by himself, he would prolong his prostrations. However, whenever he led the congregational prayers, he would recite them in a very normal and simple way. The Prophet (s) recommended one of his companions, who became a leader of prayers for other Muslims; "Whenever you are standing with others in prayer, after reciting the chapter al-Hamd. try to choose a short chapter to recite and do not prolong the prayer."
Imam Ali (as) in regard to the worship of the Prophet of Islam (s) said: "When he stood in prayer, due to the intensity of fear and grief and much crying, a sound came from inside him that sounded like the boiling of a pot set on fire; and this was while he was safe from the punishment of God. By these acts he wanted to increase his reverence for and humility before God and to be a leader and guide for others."

God made some recommended acts of worships such as the midnight prayer obligatory for the Prophet (s). Generally, encouraging recommended acts of worships has a relation with the spiritual position of the person as well as his occupations and his other duties.

What is asked of us it that, we act upon that which Islam has made obligatory on us, such as the daily prayers, the fast of the holy month of Ramadan, to work and acquire knowledge, to the greatest extent possible to spend our time in worshipping our Lord and in His remembrance. In fact, in studying the characters of the Prophet (s) and his household (as), we should look at all dimensions of their lives so that we do not stray from the path of moderation. For example, our Holy Prophet (s) spent his nights in worship and his days were spent working, doing activities. He regarded work and effort as the means to provide for the sustenance of the family as a form of worshipping God and encouraged others to engage in this as well.

Simplistic Lifestyle

Despite his high position and status, the prophet (s) did not lead a life like that of rulers; he lived a very simplistic life. Once, a person came to see the Prophet (s) while he was sitting in a circle of his companions. He looked at those present and could not identify the Prophet (s) from among them, thus he asked. "Which of you is the messenger of God?" The Prophet (s) replied, "I am." This person describes the Prophet (s) like so: "I saw him wearing simple clothing like the rest." (Kanz al-Fawa'id, vol. 1, p. 212)

Cleanliness and Tidiness

The Prophet of Islam (s) not only gave importance to the cleanliness of his soul, but also gave a great deal of attention to the purity and tidiness of his appearance. By his unique behaviour and speech, he commended cleanliness and hygiene to others, not only for one's body but clothes as well.
In addition to the regular ablutions, he washed himself most days and considered both to be acts of worship. He washed his hair with cedar leaf and combed it, and scented himself with musk and amber. He would brush his teeth with care several times a day. especially before sleeping and upon awakening. He told his companions: "Never sit with yellow and unclean teeth in a gathering. Do not neglect brushing your teeth and keeping them clean." Before and after eating, he would wash his hands and mouth and he would abstain from eating bad-smelling herbs. A comb, scissors, mirror and toothbrush were items he would take on Journeys with him.

The Prophet's (s) clothes were always clean as well as his home. He emphasised that rubbish should be taken out in the daytime and not remain in its place until night. He did not like unwashed dishes to be left and said. "Before sleeping at night, wash the dishes."

Cleanliness of his body and limbs was in harmony with cleanliness of his soul. He emphasised to his companions and followers that they keep their head, face, clothes and home clean and requested that they wash themselves, especially on Fridays, and that they use fragrance in order that they would not give off a bad odour while attending the Friday prayers.

These points are only a small reflection of the importance this great personality gave to the issue of cleanliness and hygiene.
Prophet Muhammad (s) lived a very simple life but he cared deeply about cleanliness and tidiness and recommended to others that they be clean and tidy.

Soft, Yet Firm

The personalities of God's chosen messengers possess opposite characteristics which are complimentary in nature. In other words, when God's satisfaction lies in mercy, their encounter with people will be full of mercy and kindness, and when it lies in seriousness and firmness, they deal with resolve and boldness.

The holy Prophet (s) was soft, moderate and forgiving in issues related to himself, were the keys to his historical achievements and success, but in fundamental and general issues where it was in the realm of law. he would show resolution and firmness and not overlook the situation. After conquering Mecca, he forgave all the harms that the Quraysh had inflicted on him during the past twenty years. He also accepted the repentance of his uncle Hamzah's assassin.

Yet, during that same conquest of Mecca, when one of the noble women had committed usurpation and such was established, he carried out the law regarding her.

 His Conduct towards His Family

He was very cordial in his Family and would not treat them harshly, which was in contrary to the social norm of his time. He strongly advised men to treat their wives kindly and stated: "All people have positive and negative qualities. Men should not consider only negative qualities of their wives and leave them; because whenever a negative quality of hers bothers him another quality of hers would please him. He was extremely kind to his children and grandchildren. He used to sit them on his lap or his shoulders and kiss them. One day, he kissed one of his grandchildren (Imam Hasan ibn All al-Mujiaba (a)) in the presence of a nobleman. That man said: "I have two sons and I have never kissed them." The holy Prophet (s) stated: "Whoever does not show mercy [on others] would not deserve [Allah's] mercy." (Rawdah al-Waidhan. vol. 2, p. 369)

The Prophet (s) stated:

"The most faithful people are those who have better manners within their families and express more love to them; and I express love to my family more than you do!” (Wasa'il al-Shiah. vol. 8, p. 507)

‘Respect your children and treat and interact with them in a good manner.’(Bihar at-'Anwar, vol. 101, p. 95)

His treatment of Slaves

During the Age of Ignorance, slavery was very common and slaves did not have any individual or social rights. The religion of Islam established numerous laws in an effort to revive the rights of slaves, doing everything possible to set the stage for their ultimate freedom. The Prophet (s) was extremely kind to slaves and during his lifetime, he would buy slaves and set them free in the way of Allah under various pretexts and would encourage others to follow his example. He would tell the people. "These are your brothers, feed them the same food you yourselves consume, and cover them with the same clothing you use to cover yourselves." (Sahih Muslim, vol. 5, p. 93) He considered the slave trade as the worst occupation and would say. "The worst of people in Allah's eyes are those who sell people." (Al-Kafi, vol. 9. p. 646)

Fighting Against Oppression

He always supported the oppressed and struggled against despots and there are many efforts to administer justice. In the [pre-Islamic] Age of Ignorance, he made a covenant with a subjugated group of people, for them to protect the downtrodden and fight against oppressors, this covenant was called "Hilf al-Fudül." At times, he would remember the covenant and say: "I would not agree for that covenant to be broken and even now I am ready to participate in such a covenant again." (Al-Sira al-Nabawiyyah, Ibn Hishäm, vol. 1, p. 87)

His mission

His mission was the perfection of man. He describes the goal of his mission as: "I was chosen to complete moral virtues" The religion which Muhammad (s) introduced to people is a comprehensive program for living which includes both aspects of human's life. i.e. his material and spiritual aspects, in other words, a Muslim is the one who is prosperous both in this world and the Hereafter. Therefore, a collection of individual and social guidelines can be found in the Qur'an, teaching human beings the true way of life and ultimately achieving prosperity. He spent his lifetime on teaching humanity and prepared the grounds for the development and perfection of human beings and ethics by establishing Islamic government. Imam Ali (a) introduced his cousin (the holy Prophet (s)) to people with very beautiful attributes:

"[He is] an itinerant healing doctor. (Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 108).

The Prophetic mission of Prophet Muhammad (s) was to bring all aspects of human life to perfection and his activities are too comprehensive to be mentioned here. However, some of his most important achievements, which were recorded by historians during the 23 years of his Prophetic mission are as follows:
. Reviving monotheism and fighting againtst idol-worshipping
. Establishing an Islamic government based on monotheism
. Accomplishment of the divine mission, delivering the word of God (the
Quran) to people and striving to uphold its laws
. Promoting the value of reason and knowledge and fighting against ignorance
and superstitions
. Creating an Islamic culture and civilization
. . Explaining and disseminating Divine teachings and training virtuous people
. Establishing moral virtues
. The status of women and strengthening the family foundation
. Establishing equity and brotherhood and introducing faith and piety as the
only factors of superiority among human beings
. Fighting against racial and ethnic discrimination