Mercy to mankind

Mercy to mankind

Mercy to mankind – the characteristics and qualities of the Prophet (PBUH)

The best of all mankind to ever walk the earth. The one whose name is written on the throne of Allah. The one who is a mercy to all the worlds. Our Beloved Prophet– peace and blessings be upon him. We are his followers, we claim to love him, yet, our actions are so far from his. Our lives are so different. When we claim to love someone, we would want to know everything about them, we would try to copy them in everything, due to our immense love for them. So how much of our lives resonates the life of the Prophet (pbuh)?

“Verily, the character of the Prophet of Allah was the Quran.” Muslim

Aa’ishah (ra) said in a hadeeth narrated by Muslim:

“Verily, the character of the Prophet of Allah was the Quran”  Muslim.

Though the statement itself is very small, the meaning is vast. Like the Qur’an itself, the meanings are so vast, hence why we have so many different types of exegesis of it. When we read the Qur’an, we do nothing but read. Our eyes follow the strokes of the letters, our mouths make the appropriate shapes and our voice exits the throat. But where is our mind? Where are our thoughts when we read the words of our Creator? The Prophet (pbuh) would pay attention to the words of Allah. He would adhere to its commands and stay away from the prohibitions. He would cry when reciting and the sahabah, who were those who had the most intense love for the prophet (pbuh) would follow suit. He would pay attention to the lessons taught within the Qur’an and ponder over its meaning as this is what Allah demands from us. Pondering, delving into the Qur’an and knowledge of Allah and taking lessons from it. This was the attitude of the Prophet (pbuh).

 

How far is our reality from his? If we are unfamiliar with the meanings of the Qur’an, why is it so difficult to pick up a translation, after consulting a trusted local Imam, and then delving into the many beautiful meanings and lessons of the Qur’an? This way, we will be making more of a conscious effort to follow the way of the Prophet (pbuh) in his way about the Qur’an, hence embodying ourselves with a beautiful aspect of his blessed character.

There is a statement of Khadija (ra) which she said to the Prophet (PBUH) when he was in a state of fear after the first revelation. He came down from the mountain, seeking comfort from his wife, which she provided in the best of manners. She said to him:

“By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones." Bukhari

Through this, we learn that even at then, at the beginning of Prophethood, the character of the Prophet (pbuh) was so beautiful. Such characteristics are seldom found today. Nowadays, when we are wronged by people, rather than seeking to help mend the relationship, we cut of all contact, also. Yet this is not the way of Our Beloved Prophet (Pbuh). Our stinginess stops us from spending on the poor, despite the fact that we have more than enough. Guests often become burdensome, and we don’t try to hide that emotion in front of the guests. We are so busy in our own lives; we ignore helping those in need. It’s all about “me, myself and I”. This is not the character of our Prophet (pbuh). He was a man of the most beautiful character. He cared for everyone, especially those in need. He was selfless, hence why he was called Mercy to Mankind. But we are so far from that, our reality is so far. Hence why learning about his character and taking lessons from it will be a means of us improving our own state, our own relationship with Allah. Because if we follow the way of the Best of All Creation, the most Beloved of all Creation, then will we not also be beloved to the Creator?

Our whole life is a learning process, from beginning to end. A soul-searching journey. The best way to reach our destination, is by following the best. And that is none other than Muhammed – The Praised One – may peace and blessings be upon him.

May Allah grant us all the tawfeeq to adorn ourselves with his character. Ameen

Noor Ul Islam Aalimah Department

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The Prophet (Pbuh) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small.