58 - HADRAT MUHAMMAD'S BEAUTIFUL MORAL QUALITIES

The following article has been translated from the tenth chapter of the second division of the third
section of the book Riyad-un-nasihin.

Allahu ta'ala, while pleasing the blessed heart of His beloved Prophet by enumerating a series of the
virtues and blessings which He has given to him, also counted the beautiful habits which He bestowed
upon him, "Thou art created with a beautiful character." Akrama says that he has heard from Abdullah
Ibni Abbas that his Khuluq-i 'azim, that is, beautiful habits, are the beautiful moral qualities declared by
the Qur'an al-karim. It is written in the book Hadaiq-ul-Haqaiq, "It was declared in the ayat, 'You are
with khuluq-i-'azim.' 'Khuluq-i 'azim' means 'to have secrets with Allahu ta'ala and to be kindhearted to
people.' The beautiful nature of Hadrat Muhammad was the reason for the conversion of many people to
Islam."

One thousand miracles of Hadrat Muhammad were seen; enemy or friend, everybody talked about them.
Of his many miracles, the most valuable ones were his high manners and beautiful habits.

It is written in the book Kimya-yi Saadat, "Hadrat Abu Sa'id-i Khudri 'radi-Allahu ta'ala anh' said:
Rasulullah would give grass to an animal. He would fasten a camel. He would sweep inside his house.
He would milk the sheep. He would repair a hole in his shoes. He would patch his underwears. He
would eat with his servant. When his servant got tired of grinding with small millstones, he would help
him. He would go shopping and bring what he had bought in a sack to his home. When he met
somebody, he would be the first to greet, whether the other was poor or rich, young or old. He, first,
would hold out his blessed hand when he wanted to shake hands. He held the servant, the master, the
black and the white as equal. He would go wherever he was invited, no matter who invited him. He
would not despise what was put in front of him to eat, even if it were only a little. He would not reserve
meals from evening to morning or from morning to evening. He was good-natured. He liked to do
favors. He established friendly relations with everybody. He was affable and he spoke pleasantly. He
wouldn't grin as he spoke. He would look sorry, but he would not frown. He was modest, but he was not
low-natured. He was majestic; that is, he would inspire respect and awe. But he was not nasty. He was
polite. He was generous, but he would not waste, nor would he give anything in vain. He used to pity
everybody. He always bent his blessed head forward. He would not expect anything from anybody. He
who wants happiness and ease should be like him."

It is written in the book Masabih that Anas bin Malik 'radi-Allahu anh' said, "I served Rasulullah for ten
years. He never uttered "Ugh!" towards me. He never asked me why I had done this or why I hadn't
done that." Again in Masabih Anas bin Malik said, "Rasulullah was the most beautiful-natured of human
beings. One day, he told me to go to some place. I said, 'By Allah, I won't'. But I did. I went out to do his
command. Children were playing in the street. As I passed them, I looked round. Rasulullah was coming
behind me. His blessed face was pleasant. He said, 'O Anas! Did you go to the place I told you?' I said,
'Yes, O Rasulullah, I am going there.' "

Abu Huraira 'radi-Allahu anh' said, "During a holy war, we asked him to pray so that the disbelievers
would be annihilated. He said, 'I was not sent to curse people so that they will be tormented. I was sent
to do favors for everybody so that people will attain ease." Allahu ta'ala declares in the hundred and
seventh ayat of the Surat-ul-Anbiya, "We sent thee as a mercy, as a blessing for beings."

Abu Said-i Khudri 'radi-Allahu anh' said, "Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' was more bashful
than Muslim virgin girls."

Anas bin Malik said, "When Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' shook hands with a person, he
would not take his hand away from that person's hand before that person did so. He would not turn his
face away from that person before the latter turned his face. As he sat near a person, he would sit on his
two knees; to respect a person, he would not erect his blessed knee."

Jabir bin Sumra says, "Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' used to talk very little. He used to talk
when necessary or when he was asked a question." This means to say that a Muslim should not talk
about nonsense; instead, he should keep silent. He used to speak very clearly and methodically; his
words would be understood easily.

Anas bin Malik said, "Rasulullah would visit the sick, walk behind the dead as they were taken to the
cemetery and accept invitations. He would ride a donkey. I saw him in the holy war of Khaybar. He rode
a donkey with a rope halter. When Rasulullah went out after morning prayer, children and workers of
Medina would bring containers full of water in front of him. They would beg him to dip his blessed
finger into the water. Though it was winter, he would put his blessed finger into all the containers one by
one, thus pleasing them." Again, Anas bin Malik 'radi-Allahu anh' says, "If a little girl held Rasulullah's
hand and wanted to take him somewhere for some matter, he would go with her and solve her problem."

Hadrat Jabir 'radi-Allahu anh', said, "Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' was never heard to say 'no'
for anything asked from him."

Anas bin Malik 'radi-Allahu anh' said, "I was walking with Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam'. He
had Burd-i Najrani on. That is, he wore an overcoat made of Yaman cloth. A villager, who came from
behind us, pulled his collar so harshly that the collar of the coat scratched his blessed neck and the
scratch remained there. Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' turned round. The villager wanted
something from the property of zakat. Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' just chuckled at his
manners. He commanded that something should be given to him." It is written in the book Tatummat-ul-
Mazhar, "This means to say that the person who is in an authoritative position should, like Rasulullah
'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' did, put up with the problems and troubles given by people. Besides, it is
an act of being good-natured for everybody to endure problems. It is all the better for the superior ones."

It is written in the book Zad-ul-Mukwin that there was an old woman who was Rasulullah's 'sall-Allahu
alaihi wa sallam' neighbor. She sent her daughter to Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' to beg of
him, "I do not have a dress to cover myself when praying. Send me a dress to cover myself for namaz."
Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' did not have any dresses at the moment. He took the loose robe
off his blessed body and sent it to the woman. When it was time for namaz, he couldn't go to the mosque
without a dress. The Ashab-i kiram 'rahmatullahi ta'ala alaihim ajmain', hearing about this, said, "Hadrat
Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' is so generous that he has no clothes left; therefore, he cannot
come to the mosque for jamaat. Let us give all we have to the poor, too." Consequently Allahu ta'ala sent
down the twenty-ninth ayat of Surat-ul-Isra. First, He commanded His darling not to be stingy, or not to
give nothing; then He commanded him not to give so much as to fall into straits, to miss the namaz, or to
become worried! He ordered moderation in giving alms! That day, after prayer, Hadrat Ali 'karram-
Allahu wajhah' came to Rasulullah and said, "O Rasulallah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam'! Today I
borrowed eight dirhams of silver to spend for the subsistence of my family. I'll give you half of them.
Buy a loose robe for yourself." Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' bought a robe for two dirhams.
While he was going to buy food with the remaining two dirhams, he saw a blind man, who sat down and
kept saying, "Who will give me a shirt for Allah's sake and in turn be blessed with the dresses of
Paradise?" He gave the robe he had bought to the blind man. When the blind man took the robe, he
smelled a fragrant scent like musk. He realized that it was from the blessed hand of Rasulullah 'sall-
Allahu alaihi wa sallam' because everything which Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' had worn
once would smell like musk, even if it had been worn to pieces. The blind man prayed, "O Allah! Open
my eyes for the sake of this shirt." His two eyes opened at once. He sprang down to Rasulullah's 'sall-
Allahu alaihi wa sallam' feet. Then Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' left the place. He bought a
robe for one dirham. As he was going to buy food with the other dirham, he saw a maid weeping. He
asked "Why are you crying, daughter?" She said, "I am a Jew's maid. He gave me one dirham and told
me to buy a bottle for half a dirham and olive oil with the remaining half, I bought them. But as I was
going back, I dropped the bottle. Both the bottle and the oil are gone, I don't know what to do now."
Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' gave his last dirham to the girl. He said, "Buy the bottle and the
oil with this and take them home." But the poor girl said, "I am afraid the Jew will beat me for being
late." Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' said, "Don't be afraid! I will go with you and tell him not
to beat you." So they went to the Jew's house and knocked at the door. The Jew opened the door and was
bewildered to see Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' who then told him what had happened and
interceded for the girl. The Jew sprang down to Rasulullah's 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' feet and
supplicated. "O the great Prophet 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam', who is loved and honored above all by
thousands of people! Thousands of lions are awaiting to do your commands. And you honor the door of
a wretched person like me for a maid's sake. O Rasulallah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam'! I have
emancipated this girl for your honor sake. Teach me iman and Islam. Let me become a Muslim in your
presence." Rasulullah 'sall- Allahu alaihi wa sallam' taught him Islam. He was converted to Islam. He
went back into his house and told his household what had happened. They all became Muslims, too. All
these were the fruits of Rasulullah's 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' beautiful habits.

O Muslim! Now, you also should acquire the beautiful habits of Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa
sallam'! It is even necessary for every Muslim to acquire the habits of Allahu ta'ala; for Rasul 'alaihis-
salam' declared, "Acquire the habits of Allahu ta'ala." For example, one of Allah's Attributes is Sattar.
That is, He covers sins. A Muslim should cover the faults and the defects of his brother-in-Islam, too.
Allahu ta'ala forgives His born servants for their sins. So, Muslims should forgive one another for their
faults and defects. Allahu ta'ala is karim and rahim. That is, His blessings are plentiful and His mercy is
extensive. A Muslim should be generous and merciful. The same applies to all good habits.

Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' had many beautiful habits. Every Muslim should learn them
and form habits similar to them. Thus, he will be blessed with the lot of escaping disasters and troubles
in this and the next worlds by attaining the shafaat of that master of both worlds.

Rasulullah 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam' used to say the following prayer in Arabic, Allahumma inni
as'aluka-s-sihhate wal-'afiyata wal-amanata wa husn-al-khulqi wa-r-rida bi-l-qadari bi-rahmatika ya
arham-ar-rahimin "O my Allah! I ask Thee to give me health, forgiveness, trustworthiness, beautiful
habits and contentment with qadar. O the most merciful of the merciful! Give me these for Thy mercy's
sake!" We, the humble ones, should pray like our exalted and honorable Prophet 'sall-Allahu alaihi wa
sallam'!