The Behavior And Manners Of Prophet Muhammed As An Example For Believers
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” [33:21]
One of our primary responsibilities in life is to examine the life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We must educate ourselves on his life, take him as an example and familiarize the world with Prophet Muhammad, who was sent an example to mankind to educate them and elevate their manners. I have tried to make a short list for this but the list itself is very vast.
Prophet Pbuh said
“The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners.” [Abu Dawud Book 40, Number 4665]
Quran states : “And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character.” [68:4]
The Prophet never complained or say a word of disliked
Sunan Abu Dawud
Book 41, Number 4756: Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
I served the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) at Medina for ten years. I was a boy. Every work that I did was not according to the desire of my master, but he never said to me: Fie, nor did he say to me: Why did you do this? or Why did you not do this?
He dislike anger
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4766:
Narrated Atiyyah as-Sa’di: AbuWa’il al-Qass said: We entered upon Urwah ibn Muhammad ibn as-Sa’di. A man spoke to him and made him angry. So he stood and performed ablution; he then returned and performed ablution, and said:
My father told me on the authority of my grandfather Atiyyah who reported the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) as saying: Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution.
Treat people generously even if you don’t like them
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4774:
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: A man asked permission to see the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him), and the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He is a bad member of the tribe. When he entered, the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) treated in a frank and friendly way and spoke to him.
When he departed , I said: Apostle of Allah! When he asked permission, you said: He is a bad member of the tribe, but when he entered, you treated him in a frank and friendly way. The Apostle of Allah replied: Aisha! Allah does not like the one who is unseemly and lewd in his language.
Excellence of meeting someone
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4776:
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: I never said that when any man brought his mouth to the ear of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and he withdrew his head until the man himself withdrew his head, and I never saw that when any man took him by his hand and he withdrew his hand, until the man himself withdrew his hand.
He dislike when people praise him
Abu Dawud Book 40, Number 4617:
Narrated AbuBakrah: One day the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Which of you had dream? A man said: It is I. I saw as though a scale descended from the sky. You and AbuBakr were weighed and you were heavier; AbuBakr and Umar were weighed and AbuBakr was heavier: Umar and Uthman were weighed and Umar was heavier; than the scale was taken up. we saw signs of dislike on the face of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him)
Reward of having a good character
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4780:
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: By his good character a believer will attain the degree of one who prays during the night and fasts during the day.
Merit of having good character
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4781:
Narrated AbudDarda’: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is nothing heavier than good character put in the scale of a believer on the Day of Resurrection.
Avoding Quarrel and lying
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4782:
Narrated AbuUmamah: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for a man who avoids quarrelling even if he were in the right, a house in the middle of Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the upper part of Paradise for a man who made his character good.
Help the oppressed
Book 41, Number 4799:
Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Help the oppressed (sorrowful) and guide those who have lost their way.
Prophet never disputed nor quarrel
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4818:
Narrated As-Sa’ib: I came to the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him). The people began to praise me and make a mention of me. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) said: I know you, that is, he knew him. I said: My father and mother be sacrificed for you! you were my partner and how good a partner ; you neither disputed nor quarrelled.
Kindness towards the friends of one’s parents
Muslim Book 032, Number 6192:
Ibn Dinar reported that a desert Arab met Abdullah b. ‘Umar on the way to Mecca. ‘Abdullah greeted him and mounted him upon the donkey on which he had been riding and gave him the turban that he had on his head. Ibn Dinar (further) reported:
We said to him (‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar): May Allah do good to you, these are desert Arabs and they are satisfied even with meagre (things). Thereupon Abdullah said: His father was loved dearly by ‘Umar b. Khattib and I heard Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The finest act of goodness on the part of a son is to treat kindly the loved ones of his father.
Forbiddence of hatred, jealousy, etc
Muslim Book 032, Number 6205:
Anas b. Malik reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Neither nurse mutual hatred, nor jealousy, nor enmity, and become as fellow. brothers and servants of Allah. It is not lawful fora Muslim that he should keep his relations estranged with his brother beyond three days.
Forbiddence of fault finding, suspicion, etc
Muslim Book 032, Number 6214:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the gravest lie in talk and do not be inquisitive about one another and do not spy upon one another and do not feel envy with the other, and nurse no malice, and nurse no aversion and hostility against one another. And be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.
Muslim Book 032, Number 6215:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Don’t have estranged relations (with the others) and don’t nurse enmity and don’t enter into a transaction when the other (has already entered) and be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.
Forbiddence to humiliate, insult, participate in atrocity etc
Muslim Book 032, Number 6219:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Don’t nurse grudge and don’t bid him out for raising the price and don’t nurse aversion or enmity and don’t enter into a transaction when the others have entered into that transaction and be as fellow-brothers and servants of Allah. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He neither oppresses him nor humiliates him nor looks down upon him.
The piety is here, (and while saying so) he pointed towards his chest thrice. It is a serious evil for a Muslim that he should look down upon his brother Muslim. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour.
Visit the sick
Muslim Book 032, Number 6227:
Abu Rabi’ reported directly from Allah’s Apostle (may peace upon him) as saying: The one who visits the sick is in fact like one who is in the fruit garden of Paradise so long as he does not return.
Forbiddence to commit oprresion
Muslim Book 032, Number 6248:
Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Be on your guardagainst committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection, and be on your guard against pettimindedness for pettimindedness destroyed those who were before you, as it incited them to shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them.
Do not backbite
Muslim Book 032, Number 6265:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Do you know what is backbiting? They (the Companions) said: Allah and His Messenger know best. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Backbiting implies your talking about your brother in a manner which he does not like.
It was said to him: What is your opinion about this that if I actually find (that failing) in my brother which I made a mention of? He said: If (that failing) is actually found (in him) what you assert, you in fact backbited him, and if that is not in him it is a slander.
Prohibition of double face behavior
Muslim Book 032, Number 6300:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The worst amongst the people is the double-faced one; he comes to some people with one face and to others with the other face.
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4855:
Narrated Ammar: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who is two-faced in this world will have two tongues of fire on the Day of Resurrection.
Removing troublesome obejcts on paths
Muslim Book 032, Number 6339:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: While a person was going along the path he found a thorny branch upon it. He pushed it to a side and Allah approved (this action) of his and (as a mark of appreciation) granted him pardon.
Muslim Book 032, Number 6340:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A person while walking along the path saw the branches of a tree lying there. He said: By Allah, I shall remove these from this so that these may not do harm to the Muslims, and he was admitted to Paradise.
A person should not say “People are ruined”
Muslim Book 032, Number 6352:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When a person says that people are ruined he is himself ruined. Abu Ishaq said: I do not know whether he said” ahlakahum or ahlakuhum.
Kindness towards neighbour
Muslim Book 032, Number 6358:
Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded me thus: Whenever you prepare a broth, add water to it, and have in your mind the members of the household of your neighbours and then give them out of this with courtesy.
Speaking in a distinct manner
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4821:
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) spoke in a distinct manner so that anyone who listened to him could understand it.
Prohibtion of spreading ill things
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4842:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas’ud: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: None of my Companions must tell me anything about anyone, for I like to come out to you with no ill-feelings.
Hiding things that should be hidden eg one’s fault
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4873:
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: He who sees something which should be kept hidden and conceals it will be like one who has brought to life a girl buried alive.
Good relations with kith and kin
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 14:
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “Who ever is pleased that he be granted more wealth and that his lease of life be pro longed, then he should keep good relations with his Kith and kin.”
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 20:
Narrated Abdullah bin ‘Amr: The Prophet said, “Al-Wasil is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives, but Al-Wasil is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who had severed the bond of kinship with him.”
Example of Tolerence
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 149:
Narrated Abu Huraira: A bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people rushed to beat him. Allah’s Apostle ordered them to leave him and pour a bucket or a tumbler (full) of water over the place where he has passed urine. The Prophet then said, ” You have been sent to make things easy (for the people) and you have not been sent to make things difficult for them.”
Be Merciful to others
Abu Dawud Book 41, Number 4923:
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.
Looking after an orphan
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 34:
Narrated Sahl bin Sa’d: The Prophet said, “I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this,” putting his index and middle fingers together.
Looking towards a widow or a poor person
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 35:
Narrated Safwan bin Salim: The Prophet said “The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night.” Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet said as above.
Prohibition of being Fahish, Mutafahish or Sabbaba
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 56:
Narrated Masruq: Abdullah bin ‘Amr mentioned Allah’s Apostle saying that he was neither a Fahish (one who had a bad tongue) nor a Mutafahish (one who conveys evil). Abdullah bin ‘Amr added, Allah’s Apostle said, ‘The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.’
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 72:
Narrated Anas: Allah’s Apostle was neither a Fahish (one who had a bad tongue) nor a Sabbaba (one who abuses others) and he used to say while admonishing somebody, “What is wrong with him? May dust be on his forehead!”
Do not betray
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 196:
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: The Prophet said, “For every betrayer (perfidious person), a flag will be raised on the Day of Resurrection, and it will be announced (publicly) ‘This is the betrayal (perfidy) of so-and-so, the son of so-and-so.’ “
Be Gentle
Bukhari Volume 8, Book 75, Number 404:
Narrated ‘Aisha: The Jews used to greet the Prophet by saying, “As-Samu ‘Alaika (i.e., death be upon you), so I understood what they said, and I said to them, “As-Samu ‘alaikum wal-la’na (i.e. Death and Allah’s Curse be upon you).”
The Prophet said, “Be gentle and calm, O ‘Aisha, as Allah likes gentleness in all affairs.” I said, “O Allah’s Prophet! Didn’t you hear what they said?” He said, “Didn’t you hear me answering them back by saying, ‘Alaikum (i.e., the same be upon you)?”
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” [33:21]
May Allah guide us to the path which is straight Ameen.
Allah knows the best