CHARACTERS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH)

Praise be to Allah that elevated the Prophet with noble characters, and He says: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern”. We praise Him, seek His forgiveness and repent unto Him. We seek refuge in Him from the evil of our souls and actions. Whom Allah guides, none can mislead, whomever He misleads, none can guide aright. I testify there is no god but Allah alone, and I testify that Muhammad (pbuh) is his servant and messenger, his beloved and chosen one among his creation, with noble character. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his household, companions and whoever follows them till the day of recompense. Having said that, Dear Muslims, I enjoin you and I to fear Allah in accordance with the verse: " وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا (2) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ..."(الطلاق : 2-3). " O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him]." (3: 102) . Allah says: Today being the fourth sermon in the month of Rabi’ul- Awwal of the birth of the holy prophet (pbuh), our topic is CHARACTERS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH). Today the world is passionate need of a saviour that would salvage mankind from materialistic oppression, social injustice and moral decadence leading to misery, violation of rights, in the form of torture, rape, extortion, bloodshed, etc devoid of any known standard. There is none that can save from this reality except the divine revelation, and the guidance of the messenger of Allah- Muhammad, the seal of Prophets. Allah described the Prophet with the best character thus: " وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ "( القلم :4) “And indeed, you are of a great moral character.” (68:4) The most conspicuous of the Prophet’s personality is the morals, a feat which cannot be matched by any of the great personalities of this world. The legacy found in a day activities of the Prophet will surpass that of any person in human history. The Prophet said: “I have been sent to perfect good morals”. These characters are embodied in the holy qur’an as described by ‘Aisha (R.A): “His character is the Qur’an” His Character at home: He (pbuh) related excellently with his family; wives, housemaids, and the neighbours. The Qur’an described him thus: " لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا " (الأحزاب :21). “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) Al- Aswad (R.A) narrated: “I asked 'Aisha what did the Prophet use to do at home. She replied. "He used to keep himself busy serving his family and when it was time for the prayer, he would get up for prayer." (Bukhari) ‘Urwah said: “I asked ‘Aishah (R.A) what did the Prophet use to do when he is alone or unoccupied? She replied: “He sew his cloth, mend his sandals, and do what a man does at home” (Ahmad) His character with the maids and servers Anas bin Malik may Allah be pleased with him , said : I served the Messenger of Allah - peace be upon him – for ten years; and he never said repugnant things to me nor queried me why have you done this? Or Why didn’t you do this? (Agreed upon) His character with children: Anas may Allah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet - peace be upon him – used to visit the Ansar, and greet their children and rub their heads. (Nasaai, approved by Al-baaniy). His attending to women’s need: Anas bn Malik narrated that a woman had an issue (on her mind) and she said: “O messenger of Allah, I have an issue” The Apostle (pbuh) said: “O mother of so and so! Choose the path you wish I will join you.” And he stayed with her discussing with her until she had the issue resolved.” (Abu Dawud & Ahmad) His generosity: Musa b. Anas reported on the authority of his father: It never happened that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was asked anything for the sake of Islam and he did not give that. There came to him a person and he gave him a large flock (of sheep and goats) and he went back to his people and said: My people, embrace Islam, for Muhammad gives so much charity as if he has no fear of want. (Muslim) His large heartedness and tolerance: Anas b. Malik reported: I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and he had put on a mantle of Najran with a thick border. A bedouin met him and pulled the mantle so violently that I saw this violent pulling leaving marks of the border of the mantle on the skin of the neck of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). And he (the bedouin) said: Muhammad, issue command that I should be given out of the wealth of Allah which is at your disposal. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) turned his attention to him and smiled, and then ordered for him a gift (provision). His pardon and amnesty while in full authority: After the battle of Uhud when people got scattered, … the Prophet was not yet recovered from the aftermath of the effect, a man came to him and grabbed his sword which was hung hitherto and said: “Who will save you from me today? The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Allah! Allah!!. The sword fell from him and the Prophet took it and said: “Who will save you from me today? Swiftly he began to praise the Prophet (pbuh): “You are the trustworthy one, you are the honest one, the clement one … the Prophet said to him: “You are freed” and he turned away from him. As he walked away, he looked back till he reached his people. He said to them: “I came from the best of mankind on earth- i.e: the messenger of Allah. It was said that this man- called Da’thur and his tribe later embraced Islam, check Riyadh-Saliheen by Imam Nawawi. His kindness to non-Muslims- Jews, Christians and Polytheists The Prophet had an offensive Jewish neighbor who used to dump his garbage at the Prophet’s house frontage. He related with him in kindness and not with vengeance. He will pack the rubbish and dump it far away without argument with the Jew. One day the offensive seized, the Prophet guessed perhaps this Jewish neighbor is sick, we must pay him a visit and sympathise with him. The Jew was amazed at his visit despite his offensive advances when he was healthy. He could not hold his acceptance of Islam and professing: “I testify that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger. Narrated Anas: A young Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet and he became sick. So the Prophet went to visit him. He sat near his head and asked him to embrace Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was sitting there; the latter told him to obey Abu-l-Qasim and the boy embraced Islam. The Prophet came out saying: "Praises be to Allah Who saved the boy from the Hell-fire." (Bukhari) His kindness permeates the ranks of the idolaters so much that Allah admonished him to be cautious and not overburden himself thus: "... فَلَا تَذْهَبْ نَفْسُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسَرَاتٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ ( فاطر : 8 ) “So do not let yourself perish over them in regret.” (35:8) despite their harmful advances towards him. SECOND KHUTBAH All praises are due to Allah, Who says: " مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَلَقَدْ جَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ ( المائدة :32 ) “Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.” (5:38). I testify there is no god but Allah alone, and that Muhammad (pbuh) is his servant and messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his household, companions and whoever follows them till the day of recompense. Rampant indiscriminate killings is one of the signs of the last hour mentioned by the Prophet: Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The world would not come to an end until a day would come to the people on which the murderer would not know as to why he has killed and the slain would not know as to why he has been murdered. It would be said: Why would It happen? To which he replied: It would be because of general massacre and bloodshed. And the slaughterers and the slain would be in Fire. (Muslim) The predicted carnage began with the murder of Uthman bn Affaan (R.A), conflicts and battle happen arbitrarily without any reason, thousands lost their lives. The emergence of sophisticated weapons today became an active catalyst aiding indiscriminate killings. Without doubt the activities of Boko Haram in the northern states of Nigeria are manifestation of the general massacre reveal as one of the minor signs of the last hour. Only Allah (swt) is all-aware of those behind the Boko haram devilish francshise. The Daily Sun of Wednesday, 21st January, 2014 reported devastating bomb blasts and bloodshed in Benue and Borno States. Such headline is a commonplace these days in connection with the cynical manipulations of the dreaded sect Oh Allah descend peace; flowing with continuous tranquility and security upon Nigeria and all other Muslim nations. O Allah accept the worship of the pilgrims of hajj and Umrah, and grant us all Your pleasure, And the last of our call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"