Prophet(Pbuh) as a role model for individuals

Introduction:

i)

‘And indeed, you are of a great moral character.’

ii) ”Muhammad (PBUH) is a bright example for humanity and an

example of morality.”(Gustav Weil)

iii) Alphonse de LaMartaine in 'Historie de la Turquie

"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing

results are the three criteria of a human genius, who could dare
compare any great man in history with Muhammad(Pbuh)?”

iv) The life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is full of

countless examples that show his status as a role model for Muslim
societies and individuals. His life is one that was dominated by a
superior morality, good habits, noble and gentle feelings and superior
skills, all of which are characteristics that help prevent people from
getting entangled in a web of sin.

Physical appearance:Personification of Elegance and Perfection.

a) From the narrations of various companions of the Prophet(S.A.W) , we

can derive a lot of information about how our beloved
Prophet(S.A.W) looked.
b) Amar ibn Al-A’as, a companion who converted to Islam very late, says,
 “ There was nothing that was more sweeter to me, more beloved to
me than to stare at the face of the Prophet . And I could never get
enough of looking at him, I never got tired of looking at him and yet if
you were to ask me how he looked, I couldn’t describe him. Because
along with this desire to stare at him there was also this awe, this
reverence that I had that could not allow me to just stare directly at him
and I had to lower my face.”

c) Anas ibn Malik says,

“ The Prophet was neither very tall such that he stood above the
crowd, nor was he short such that he would be ignored. He was of a
medium stature. And the Prophet was neither extremely white and
nor was he a reddish brown.”

d) Ali ibn Talib (R) continues,

“ between his two shoulders was the seal of the prophethood.”

Features of Prophet(S.A.W) Noble Character:

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy

to the worlds.”

a) Love of God:

a) The Holy Prophet(Pbuh) was the chosen and the exalted, yet he was
the most painstaking, eager and earnest in paying homage to God.
 b) Syeda Ayesha(R.A) says, “The Apostle of God took fast to such an
extent that we thought he would never give it up ,and when he
would go without fasting we thought that perhaps he would never
fast again.”

c) The Apostle often remarked “The comfort of my eyes lies in

prayers”.

b) Modesty:

1) The Prophet(Pbuh) was absolutely unassuming and modest.He

hated to put on airs or to make himself conspicuous on any
occasion.He did not even like anybody to extol him in the way the
followers of other religions had praised their prophets.

2) Umar bin Khattab(R.A) reported the prophet(S.A.W) as saying, “ Do

not exalt me as the Christians have exalted Jesus son of Mary.I am
just His servant, so call me God’s servant and Messenger.”

3) “Modesty brings nothing except good.” Prophet Muhammad

(peace be upon him).

c) Mercy for Non-believers:

1)
“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the
religion.”(Al-Baqarah)Verse no 256.

2) In Muslim society of Madinah non-Muslim had complete

independence. There was no discrimination with Jews of Medina.
They were living as the neighbor of Prophet (PBUH) and Prophet
(PBUH) always fulfilled their rights and was always kind to them.
 3) The prophet (PBUH) said “Beware of the supplication of the
oppressed, even if he is an unbeliever, because there is no screen
between it and Allah".

d) Love and Mercy towards Animals:

1) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was kind to every living creature

and his kindness had no limits. The Prophet not only preached
to the people to show kindness to each other but also to all
living souls. He(S.A.W) stated: "Verily, there is heavenly reward
for every act of kindness done to a living animal."

2) Before Islam, Arabs were very ignorant and illiterate people.

They were also very unkind and cruel to their animals. It was
very common in Arabia to put a collar round the neck of a
camel, but this practice was stopped on the Prophet's(S.A.W)
orders.

3) "Fear Allah in your treatment of animals." [Abu Dawood].

e) Holy Prophet(Pbuh) in His house:

1) The Apostle of God occupied himself at his home like a

common man.As Syeda Ayesha(R.A) relates , He used to clean
His clothes , milk the sheep ,and himself do his odd jobs.

2) Abu Hurairah said that “The Prophet(Pbuh) never expressed

disapproval of any food , if he desired he ate it , and if he
disliked he left it alone.”

f) Moderation and Seemliness:

1) "Muhammad is both a founder and a Messenger. He was

among the great men who served the social framework
profoundly. It suffices him that he guided a whole community
 to the light of truth and made it incline towards peace and
tranquility, pursue asceticism, and prevented it from shedding
blood and making human sacrifice, paving the way for
development and civilization. This is a great deed that only a
strong man can do and a man like him is worthy of respect
and admiration."(Leo Tolstoy)

2) The cardinal virtues of the Prophet(S.A.W), the niceness and

seemliness of his character , which would remain a shining
example of decorous behavior for the coming generations
consisted of his innate moderation, refined taste and
gracefulness, restraint and temperateness and excessiveness
which always kept him on the middle path.

3) Abdullah bin Masud reported God’s Messenger as saying ,

“They are doomed who overdo or deal sternly or are given to
hair – splitting.”

g) Courage and Shyness:

1) Courage and shyness are often regarded as conflicting traits

but the two poised the Prophet's (PBUH) character in a like
manner. Being extremely modest, he blushed like a maiden,
as stated by Abu Sa'eed Khudri, if he came across anything
shocking or outrageous.

2) As for the dauntless courage and velour of the Prophet of

God, the testimony of 'Ali (RA), the lion of God, is plenty
good enough to illustrate the point. He says: "When the
battle used to become fierce and the eyes seemed to be
coming out of the sockets, we were wont to look for the
Prophet (PBUH) in order to find a refuge behind him. Then,
we found noneclosing up with the enemy as the Prophet
(PBUH). This was how it happened in Badr; we were taking
 shelter behind the Prophet (PBUH) who was then going at
the enemy more closely than anyone of us."

Mildness, Courtesy and Forbearance:

1) In his good manners, gentleness, cordiality, sympathy and

forbearance the Messenger of God has left a perpetual and
living example of noble behaviour for the entire
humanity. He stood on such an exalted plane of graceful
and polite deportment. The Apostle once told the
companions, "God has Himself disciplined me and
disciplined in the best manner."

2) "The greatest success of Mohammad's(S.A.W) life was

effected by sheer moral force without the stroke of a
sword."( Edward Gibbon).

Conclusion:

1)
“There has certainly been for you in the
Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern.”

2) “ if a man like him (Muhammad) were to assume

dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in
solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much
needed peace and happiness.”(G.B. Shaw, The Genuine
Islam).

3) Prophet Muhammad's(S.A.W) status as role model is

important not only from the perspective of the individual,
but also from the social perspective. Its binding features
and determination of methods must be considered from
these two perspectives.