The Noble Prophetic Biography

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all creation. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, sent as a mercy to all worlds, and upon his ﷺ family, companions, and those who call to his ﷺ message and follow his ﷺ guidance with excellence until the Day of Judgment. To proceed: Indeed, Allah ﷻ chose Muhammad ﷺ as a trustworthy messenger and a clear teacher. He selected for him ﷺ a straight religion and guided him ﷺ, through His ﷻ Book, to a straight path. Allah ﷻ made him ﷺ a leader for all of humanity and the seal of all prophetic legislations, bringing the series of prophethood to a close. 

Allah, Most High ﷻ said: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And Allah is ever, over all things, Knowing.” [Surah Al-Ahzab: 40]

Most of the material in this document is taken from the work of imam al-Nabahani, may Allah ﷻ have mercy on him, in his book “Al-anwar al-Muhummadiyya min al-mawahib al-laduniyya” (The Lights of Muhammad from the Divine Gifts). It has been translated in full while preserving its original meaning and wording as closely as possible. 

The Lineage and Birth of the Prophet ﷺ

Speech becomes eloquent, conversation turns delightful, and gatherings are blessed when speaking about the Master of Creation ﷺ. In this blessed meeting, we will discuss the purity of his ﷺ lineage, the nobility of his ﷺ origins, and the honor of his ﷺ ancestry. He ﷺ is the most noble of creation, the most perfect in character, and the most excellent in form. Qadi Iyad said,“There is no dispute that he is the most honored of humanity, the master of the children of Adam, the most favored of people in the sight of Allah, the highest in rank, and the closest to Allah in proximity.” Shaykh Abdullah Al-Basnawi remarked, “His noble, pure body was created from the purest of human lineages, the finest of noble ancestries, and the most precious essence of genealogies, descending from the best of generations, the most honorable tribes, and the noblest clans.” Imam Al-Busiri alluded to this in his famous poems. In the Burda, he said, “His birth revealed the purity of his origin—how blessed the beginning and the end!” And in the Hamziyyah, he stated: “In the depths of existence, mothers and fathers were chosen for you from the best of creation.”

Wathila b. al-Asqa’ reported: “I heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ saying: “Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Isma’il, and he granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana, and he granted eminence to Banu Hashim amongst the Quraish, and he granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim.” 

An exalted lineage

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the most exalted lineage and the highest status. He is Muhammad ﷺ, bin (son of) Abdullah, bin Abdul Muttalib, bin Hashim, bin Abd Manaf, bin Qusayy, bin Kilab, bin Murrah, bin Ka‘b, bin Lu’ayy, bin Ghalib, bin Fihr, bin Malik, bin Al-Nadr, son of Kinanah, bin Khuzaymah, bin Mudrikah, bin Ilyas, bin Mudar, bin Nizar, bin Ma‘ad, bin Adnan.

The Year of the Elephant

The Prophet’s father, Abdullah, married Amina bint Wahb. The Prophet ﷺ was born on a Monday, the 12th of Rabi’ Al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant, the year when Abraha attempted to destroy the Ka‘bah. However, the Arabs stood against him, and Abdul Muttalib famously declared, “The House has a Lord who will protect it.” Abraha marched with his elephants (that refused to comply with them even after being tortured), but Allah ﷻ sent birds carrying stones of fire that annihilated his army, protecting the Sacred House from harm. “Have you not seen ˹O Prophet˺ how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant? * Did He not frustrate their scheme? * For He sent against them flocks of birds * that pelted them with stones of baked clay * leaving them like chewed up straw.” (Surah Al-Fil)

The parents of the Prophet ﷺ

Before his marriage to Amina bint Wahb, Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib (the father of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) passed by a soothsaying Jewish woman who had studied the scriptures. Her name was Fatimah. She saw in his face the light of Prophethood and hoped to conceive this noble Prophet ﷺ, but he refused. Then, Abdul Muttalib took Abdullah to Wahb ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zuhrah, who was a man of noble lineage and honor, and married him to his daughter Amina, who was, at the time, the most distinguished woman in Quraysh in both lineage and status. Abdullah consummated the marriage with her on a Monday, during the days of Mina, in the valley of Abu Talib, and she conceived the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

Afterward, Abdullah left her and passed by the woman who had previously made him the offer. He said to her, “Why do you not make the same offer to me today as you did yesterday?” She replied, “The light that was with you yesterday has left you, so I have no need for you today. I only wished for the light to be in me, but Allah willed for it to be placed where He chose.” 

Pregnancy and birth

Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn ‘A’idh reported that the Prophet ﷺ remained in his mother’s womb for a full nine months, during which she did not experience any pain, cramps, discomfort, or any of the usual ailments that affect pregnant women. She used to say, “By Allah, I have never seen a pregnancy lighter nor more blessed than this one.” When she had completed two months of her pregnancy, Abdullah passed away in Madinah while visiting his maternal relatives from Banu Najjar and was buried in Al-Abwa. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ was born an orphan. Allah says: “Did He not find you an orphan and give you refuge?” [Surat Ad-Duha: 6].

His ﷺ Life in the Forty Years Before Prophethood

Abdullah bin Umar and Ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that there was a monk in Marr al-Zahran from the people of Sham (Syria) named ‘Ays, who used to say, “It is about to happen that a child will be born among you, O people of Mecca, to whom the Arabs will submit and the non-Arabs will be ruled. This is the time of his birth.” He would inquire about every newborn in Mecca. 

So, when the morning came on the day the Prophet ﷺ was born, Abdul Muttalib went out and called ‘Ays, who appeared and said, “Be his father, for that child has been born whom I have been telling you about. He will be born on a Monday, will be sent as a prophet on a Monday, and will die on a Monday.” ‘Ays then asked, “What did you name him?” Abdul Muttalib replied, “I named him Muhammad.” ‘Ays said, “By Allah, I had hoped that this child would be born among you, the people of this house, for three reasons: his star appeared last night, he was born today, and his name is Muhammad ﷺ”

Among the wonders of his birth ﷺ is what has been narrated about the trembling of the palace of Kisra, the fall of fourteen turrets from its towers, the drying up of Lake Tiberias, and the extinguishing of the fire of Persia, which had burned for a thousand years without going out, as narrated by many. Among these signs also was the increase in the guarding of the heavens with shooting stars, the halting of the monitoring by the devils, and their being prevented from eavesdropping. The Prophet ﷺ was born circumcised and with his umbilical cord cut, as narrated by Ibn Umar and others.  And Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Among the honors I have from my Lord is that I was born circumcised, and no one saw my private parts.” This narration emphasizes the divine signs and miracles surrounding the birth of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), said: A Jew had settled in Mecca, and when the night the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born came, he said, “O Quraysh, has a child been born among you this night?” They replied, “We do not know.” He said, “Look, for a prophet of this nation has been born this night; there is a mark between his shoulders.” So they left and asked, and it was told to them that Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib had a son born. The Jew went with them to his mother, and she brought the child out to them. When the Jew saw the mark, he fell unconscious. He then said, “Prophethood has gone from the Children of Israel, O Quraysh! By Allah, a great fate will befall you, and its news will spread from the east to the west.” This narration was reported by Ya’qub ibn Sufyan with a good chain of transmission, as found in Fath al-Bari.

Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was nursed by Halimah As-Sa‘diyyah. Halimah said: I arrived in Makkah with a group of women from Banu Sa’d bin Bakr, seeking children to nurse in a year of severe drought. I came on my she-donkey, and with me was my son and a she-camel. By Allah, we did not have a single drop of milk, and we couldn’t sleep that night because of our child. We found nothing in my breast to nourish him, nor anything in the she-camel to nourish him. When we reached Makkah, I swear by Allah, there was not a single woman among us who was not offered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to nurse, but they all refused when they were told that he was an orphan. By Allah, none of my companions took him, and when I found no other child to nurse, I said to my husband, “I dislike returning from the homes of my companions without a child to nurse. I will go to that orphan and take him.” So, I went, and when I saw him, he was wrapped in a white woolen cloth, with the fragrance of musk emanating from him. He was lying on his back, sleeping. I hesitated to wake him because of his beauty and perfection. I approached him slowly, placed my hand on his chest, and he smiled, laughing. He opened his eyes and looked at me. From his eyes, a light emerged and ascended to the heavens as I looked on. I kissed him between his eyes, then offered him my right breast, and he drank as much milk as he wished. I moved him to my left breast, but he refused. This remained his condition afterward.

She continued: ‘So, I took him, and as soon as I brought him to my tent, my breasts began to produce milk as much as Allah willed, and he drank until he was full. His brother drank until he was full too. Then, my husband went to our she-camel, and she was full of milk. He milked her, and we drank until we were full. That night we spent in the best of conditions. My husband said, “By Allah, Halimah, I can see that you have taken a blessed child. Didn’t you notice how we spent the night in goodness and blessing since we took him?” Allah kept increasing us in goodness.’ Halimah continued: ‘I then bid farewell to the mother of the Prophet ﷺ, and mounted my she-donkey, carrying him in front of me. I outpaced all the other animals with my companions, and they were amazed at how fast I was. When we reached the dwellings of Banu Sa’d, I didn’t know of any land more barren than it, but my sheep would return to me full of milk. We would milk them, drink, and no one else could get a drop of milk from their sheep. The people of our tribe would say to their shepherds, “Let your flocks graze where the flock of the daughter of Abu Dhuyb grazes,” and their sheep would return hungry, without a drop of milk, while mine would return full of milk.’ This narration highlights the great blessings and miracles associated with the birth of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, particularly the abundant blessings that Halimah and her family received after taking him as a child to nurse.

Muhammad ﷺ grew up remarkably different from other youths in strength, resilience, and character. When the Prophet ﷺ reached the age of two, Halimah returned him to his mother, Amina. Concerned about his health and the conditions in Makkah, she requested to keep him a while longer, and Amina agreed. During this time, a significant event occurred. One day, Jibril (Gabriel) came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was playing with other children. Jibril laid him down, opened his chest, removed a portion from his heart, and said, “This is Satan’s portion in you.” He then washed the heart with Zamzam water in a golden basin, sealed it, and returned it to its place. This incident, known as the “Splitting of the Chest,” was pivotal and marked the moment Halimah decided to return him to his mother. Imam Muslim narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was playing with the boys when Jibril came to him, laid him down, split his chest, took out his heart, extracted a clot, and said, ‘This is Satan’s portion in you.’ Then he washed it with Zamzam water in a golden basin, sealed it, and returned it to its place.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Then he took my hand and gently helped me up from my place. He then said to the first (angel), ‘Weigh him against ten of his Ummah.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them. (in merit) Then he said, ‘Weigh him against a hundred of his Ummah.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them. Then he said, ‘Weigh him against a thousand.’ So, I was weighed against them, and I outweighed them all.” Then they embraced me against their chests, kissed my head and between my eyes, and said, “O beloved, do not fear. If you knew the good that is destined for you, your eyes would be filled with joy.” This event reflects the divine care and preparation for the Prophet ﷺ’s future mission. After this incident, Halimah feared that harm might befall him, so she returned him to his mother and told her the story. However, Amina was not afraid and said to her, “I saw a light emerge from me that illuminated the palaces of Sham.”

His Guardianship

The Prophet’s mother, Amina bint Wahb, passed away when he was six years old. She was returning with him from Al-Abwa, a region located between Makkah and Madinah, where she had visited his maternal uncles from the Banu Adiyy clan of Banu Najjar. After her passing, he came under the care of his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, who looked after him with great affection, believing in his remarkable future. However, Abdul Muttalib passed away when the Prophet ﷺ was only eight years old.

The Prophet ﷺ then came under the guardianship of his uncle, Abu Talib, who took on the responsibility of raising him. Abu Talib would often take him along on his trade journeys. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached twelve years of age, he went with his uncle, Abu Talib, to Syria until they reached Busra. There, they met a monk named Buhaira, whose real name was Jirjis. Buhaira recognized him by his description and, while holding his hand, said, “This is the leader of the worlds. This is the one whom Allah will send as a mercy to the worlds.” He was asked, “How do you know this?” He replied, “When you reached the hilltop near the pass, every tree and rock prostrated before him. Nothing prostrates except for a prophet. I recognize him by the Seal of Prophethood, which is located beneath the joint of his shoulder, resembling an apple. We find this description in our scriptures.”

Buhaira then asked Abu Talib to take him back, fearing for his safety from the Jews. At that time, seven Romans approached, intending to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Buhaira met them and asked, “What brings you here?” They replied, “This prophet is going to appear this month, and we have sent people to every road to search for him.” Buhaira asked, “Do you think anyone can stop what Allah has willed to happen?” They replied, “No.” Bahira then said, “So, pledge allegiance to him,” and they stayed with him. Abu Talib then took the Prophet ﷺ and returned him. This narration refers to the incident when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was recognized by the Christian monk Buhaira and highlights the early signs of his prophethood.

His Work as a Shepherd

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ worked as a shepherd, tending to the sheep of the people of Makkah. He ﷺ once said: “Allah did not send any prophet except that he tended sheep.” His companions asked, “Even you?” He replied, “Yes, I used to tend them for a few qirats (a portion of a dinar or dirham) for the people of Makkah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari). Through this work, the Prophet ﷺ exemplified the dignity of earning a livelihood through honest labor and served as a role model in striving for sustenance. 

His Work in Trade

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her) was a wealthy woman of noble lineage who was engaged in trade. When she learned of Muhammad ﷺ’s honesty, trustworthiness, and noble character, she entrusted him to travel as a merchant with her wealth, accompanied by her servant Maysarah, in return for a wage. The Prophet ﷺ traveled to the lands of Sham (Greater Syria) for trade. During the journey, he rested under the shade of a tree near a monk. The monk told Maysarah that no one had ever rested beneath that tree except a prophet. Maysarah relayed the monk’s words to Khadijah upon their return. Impressed by his character and the monk’s observation, Khadijah proposed marriage to the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ married her, and she was known in the pre-Islamic period as “At-Tahirah” (the Pure One). She was previously married to Abu Halah ibn Zurarah At-Tamimi, with whom she bore two sons, Hind and Halah. Then she married Atiq ibn A’idh Al-Makhzumi, and she bore him a son named Hind. When the Prophet ﷺ married her, she was forty years old or slightly older. She had offered herself to him in marriage, and he mentioned this to his uncles. So Hamzah went with him to Khuwailid ibn Asad and proposed on his behalf, and thus he ﷺ married her.

His Participation in Rebuilding the Ka‘bah

The Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka‘bah to protect it from collapse caused by flooding. They agreed to use only pure and lawful wealth, free from usury or injustice, for its construction. Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah was the first to begin the demolition, after which the Quraysh gradually worked on rebuilding it. When they reached the placement of the Black Stone, a dispute arose among the tribes over who would have the honor of placing it in its position. To resolve the conflict, they agreed to accept the judgment of the first person to enter the area. That person was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ proposed a solution: he placed the Black Stone on a cloth and asked representatives from each tribe to hold a corner of the cloth and lift it together. Once it was brought to its place, the Prophet ﷺ himself positioned it. Through his wisdom and fairness, the Prophet ﷺ prevented a major dispute among the tribes of Quraysh and maintained peace and harmony.

The Beginning of Revelation

Al-Bukhari narrated in the section on interpretation that Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), said: “The first thing with which the revelation began for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the true vision in sleep. He would not see a vision except that it would come as clear as the break of dawn.” 

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to retreat alone to the Cave of Hira during the month of Ramadan, distancing himself from falsehood and reflecting deeply on the creation and magnificence of Allah. During one such retreat, the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) appeared to him and said, “Read!” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I am not a reader.” The command was repeated three times, and each time the Prophet ﷺ gave the same response. Finally, the angel said: “Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know.” (Surah Al-‘Alaq: 1-5) The Prophet ﷺ, overwhelmed by the experience, returned with his heart trembling, until he entered upon Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, “Cover me, cover me!” So they covered him until his fear subsided. Then he said, “O Khadijah, what is happening to me?” and he informed her of what had occurred, saying, “I fear for myself.” She replied, “Never! Rejoice, for by Allah, He will never disgrace you. Indeed, you uphold the ties of kinship, speak the truth, bear the burdens of others, honor the guest, and assist in all matters of truth.”

It has also been narrated that Jibril appeared to the Prophet ﷺ in the most beautiful form and with the purest fragrance. He said, “O Muhammad, Allah sends you His greetings of peace and says to you: You are His Messenger to the jinn and mankind, so call them to say: ‘There is no god but Allah.’” Then Jibril struck the ground with his foot, and a spring of water gushed forth. He performed wudu from it and then commanded the Prophet ﷺ to perform wudu as well. Jibril then stood to pray and commanded the Prophet ﷺ to pray with him, thus teaching him wudu and prayer. 

After comforting him, Khadijah took him to her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, a learned man who had embraced Christianity and used to write the Gospel in Hebrew. After hearing the Prophet’s account, Waraqah said: “This is the same angel who was sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live to see the day when your people will expel you.” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Will they expel me?” Waraqah replied, “Yes, no one has ever brought what you have brought without facing opposition. If I live to see that day, I will support you with all my strength.” Shortly after, Waraqah passed away, and revelation temporarily ceased. This pause in revelation served to calm and prepare the Prophet ﷺ for the great mission ahead.

One day, while in solitude, the Prophet ﷺ heard a voice from the sky. It was Jibreel descending with the words of Allah: “O you who are wrapped up [in garments], arise and warn, and glorify your Lord, and purify your garments, and shun the idols.” (Surah Al-Muddathir: 1-5) With this command, Allah instructed the Prophet ﷺ to begin his mission of calling people to the worship of Allah alone.

The Meccan Period: The Secret Phase of the Prophetic Mission

The conditions in Makkah were not conducive to openly preaching Islam, as idol worship and polytheism were deeply entrenched in society. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began his mission in secrecy. He first invited his close family and those he saw as truthful and eager to seek the truth. The first to accept his call were his wife Khadijah, his servant Zayd ibn Harithah, his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib, and his close friend Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them all). Abu Bakr, in turn, played a significant role in supporting the Prophet ﷺ and spreading the message. Through his efforts, several notable figures embraced Islam, including Uthman ibn Affan, Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam, Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, and Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with them). Gradually, Islam began to spread in Makkah, gaining a small but devoted group of followers. After three years of secrecy, the Prophet ﷺ was commanded by Allah to proclaim the message openly, marking a new phase in his mission.

The Beginning of the Public Prophetic Mission

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ began openly inviting his tribe to Islam, following the command of Allah: “And warn your closest kindred” (Surah Ash-Shu‘ara: 214). He ascended Mount Safa and called upon the clans of Quraysh, urging them to worship Allah alone and abandon idolatry. However, his message was met with mockery and rejection from many. Despite their ridicule, the Prophet ﷺ remained steadfast in his mission, continuing to call people to the truth with patience and determination.

Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah accused him of sorcery, and his people followed him in that accusation. Quraysh harmed him, calling him a poet, a soothsayer, and insane. Some of them would throw dust on his head, while others would smear blood on his door ﷺ. ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt stepped on his noble neck while he was prostrating near the Ka‘bah, pressing down until his eyes nearly bulged out. They strangled him violently until Abu Bakr intervened, but they pulled Abu Bakr’s head and beard so forcefully that most of his hair fell out. Abu Bakr then said, “Will you kill a man just because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?” ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt later grabbed the shoulder of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, wrapped his garment around his neck, and strangled him violently.

According to Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ was praying near the Ka‘bah while a group of Quraysh were gathered in their usual seats. One of them said, “Do you not see this pretender? Who among you will bring the entrails and blood of the slaughtered camel of so-and-so, wait until he prostrates, and then place it on his back?” The most wretched among them got up and, when the Prophet ﷺ went into prostration, placed it between his shoulders. The Prophet ﷺ remained in prostration, while they laughed so hard that they fell over one another. Someone went to inform Fatimah, the Prophet’s ﷺ daughter, who was still a young girl. She came running and removed it from his back, then turned to rebuke them. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished his prayer, he supplicated: “O Allah, deal with Quraysh!” He then named them: “O Allah, deal with ‘Amr ibn Hisham, ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt, and ‘Umara ibn al-Walid.” 

Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud said, “By Allah, I saw them all lying dead on the day of Badr, and they were dragged to the pit of Badr.” The Prophet ﷺ then said, “The curse followed the people of the pit.” This applied to most of them, though ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt was not killed at Badr but was executed after they had traveled a short distance beyond it. Umayyah ibn Khalaf was not thrown into the pit, and ‘Umara ibn al-Walid perished in Abyssinia. Then, Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib embraced Islam in the sixth year of Prophethood. He was the most honored and resolute young man of Quraysh. With his conversion, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gained strength, and Quraysh refrained somewhat from harming him. 

Quraysh then approached the Prophet ﷺ and said, “If you seek honor among us, we will make you our leader. If you seek kingship, we will make you our king. If what comes to you is a spirit that has overpowered you, we will spend our wealth to seek a cure for you until you are healed or until we have done all we can.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I am not afflicted with what you say. Rather, Allah has sent me as a Messenger and revealed a Book to me. He has commanded me to be a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to you. I have conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you sincerely. If you accept what I have brought, it will be your success in this life and the Hereafter. If you reject it, I will remain patient with Allah’s decree until He judges between me and you.”

As the number of Muslims increased and faith became more apparent, the disbelievers of Quraysh began torturing and harming those who had embraced Islam, trying to force them to abandon their religion. Abu Jahl once passed by Sumayyah, the mother of ‘Ammar ibn Yasir, while she was being tortured and stabbed her with a spear, killing her. Whenever Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by any enslaved person being tortured, he would purchase them and set them free. Among those he freed were Bilal and ‘Amir Ibn Fuhairah. 

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “The first to openly declare Islam were seven: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ‘Ammar, his mother Sumayyah, Suhayb, Bilal, and al-Miqdad. As for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah protected him through his uncle Abu Talib. As for Abu Bakr, his people defended him. But the rest were seized by the polytheists, who tortured them, made them wear iron coats, and left them to bake under the sun. Bilal endured this for the sake of Allah, and his people considered him insignificant. They gave him to the youth, who dragged him through the streets of Makkah while he kept repeating, “Ahad! Ahad! (Allah is One! Allah is One!)” His uncle, Abu Talib, took it upon himself to protect the Prophet ﷺ, shielding him from the hostility of Quraysh. Abu Talib’s support was unwavering, and he refused to succumb to the pressures of Quraysh to hinder the Prophet’s mission.

The Boycott

The Quraysh tribes agreed to impose a boycott on the Prophet ﷺ and those who believed in him, isolating them in the valley of Banu Hashim. The boycott included prohibiting trade, buying, or selling with them, as well as forbidding marriages between them and others. The terms were documented on a parchment and hung on the wall of the Kaaba. The siege lasted for three years and caused immense suffering. It ended when Hisham ibn Amr, Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah, and others conspired to terminate the boycott. They went to tear the document and found it had been destroyed except for the phrase “In Your Name, O Allah.” This miraculous event marked the end of the boycott.

The Year of Sorrow

In the Year of Sorrow, Khadijah, who had been a great support to the Prophet ﷺ, passed away three years before his migration to Medina. In the same year, Abu Talib, who had been protecting the Prophet from the harm of the Quraysh, fell seriously ill. The Quraysh took advantage of his illness and began to intensify their persecution of the Prophet. A group of Quraysh leaders went to Abu Talib during his illness, asking him to stop the Prophet from spreading his message. Abu Talib spoke to the Prophet ﷺ about their demands, but he did not yield to them. Before Abu Talib’s death, the Prophet ﷺ tried to urge him to recite the shahada (testimony of faith), but he did not respond, passing away in his previous state. The Prophet ﷺ was deeply saddened by the deaths of both Abu Talib and Khadijah, as they were his main sources of support, protection, and care. This year became known as the Year of Sorrow. 

The Call Outside Makkah

Then, the Prophet ﷺ went to Ta’if because of the harm he had suffered from Quraysh after the death of Abu Talib. He was accompanied by Zaid ibn Haritha. He stayed there for a month, inviting the leaders of Thaqif to Allah. However, they did not respond to him and incited their foolish people and slaves to insult him. They threw stones at him until his sandals were soaked in blood. When he was struck by the stones, he would sit on the ground, and they would lift him by his arms. Once he stood up, they would stone him again while laughing. Zaid ibn Haritha protected him with his own body, even to the point that I saw him injured on his head.

In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, from the narration of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Was there a day more difficult for you than the Day of Uhud?” He replied, “I met great harm from your people, and the most difficult day I faced from them was the Day of Al-Aqaba” when I offered myself to Ibn Abd Ya’lel ibn Abd Kulal, but he did not accept what I wanted. I left, feeling dejected, he said, along the way, the Prophet ﷺ made a famous supplication (dua), saying: “O Allah, complain to You of my weakness, my lack of resources, and my humiliation before the people. O Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. You are the Lord of the weak. To whom do You entrust me? To a distant enemy who will oppress me, or to a close friend to whom You have given authority over me? As long as You are not angry with me, I do not mind, but Your mercy is more expansive for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your face, through which the heavens and earth are illuminated, and through which the darkness is dispelled. Through it, the affairs of this world and the Hereafter are set right. I seek refuge in You from Your anger or from Your displeasure. To You belongs all the praise until You are satisfied, and there is no power or strength except through You.”

“And walked until I was at the place called Qarn al-Thalib. I raised my head, and suddenly a cloud shaded me. I looked, and in it was Jibril (Gabriel) who called out to me, saying: “Indeed, Allah has heard the words of your people and their rejection of you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so you may command him as you wish.” The Angel of the Mountains called out to me, greeted me, and said: “O Muhammad, indeed, Allah has heard the words of your people and their rejection of you. I am the Angel of the Mountains, and I have been sent by your Lord to you so you may command me. If you wish, I can cause the two mountains to collapse upon them.” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “No, I hope that Allah will bring out from their descendants those who worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him.”

The Prophet ﷺ stayed in Ta’if for ten days. When the Prophet ﷺ  left the people of Ta’if, he passed by the garden of Utbah and Shaybah, the sons of Rabi’ah. When they saw what he had suffered, their compassion was stirred. They sent him with their Christian servant, Addas, a bunch of grapes. When the grapes were placed before him, the Prophet ﷺ placed his hand in the bunch and said, “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah). Then he ate. Addas looked at his face and said, “By Allah, this is not the way the people of this land speak.” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Where are you from, and what is your religion?” Addas replied, “I am a Christian from Nineveh.” The Prophet ﷺ then said, “From the village of the righteous man, Yunus ibn Matta.” Addas replied, “How do you know about him?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “He is my brother; he was a prophet just like me.” Then, Addas fell to the ground, kissing the hands, head, and feet of the Prophet ﷺ and embraced Islam.

Then he ﷺ set out back to Makkah. When he reached Nakhlah, he stood in the middle of the night to pray. At that moment, a group of jinn—nine in number, or as some say, seven—passed by him. They were from Nasibin, a blessed city in Sham, and they were among the leaders and most numerous of the jinn. They were the first group sent by Iblis when he dispatched his troops to investigate why they had been prevented from eavesdropping on the heavens. When they heard the recitation of the Prophet ﷺ, they immediately turned back to their people as warners, having believed and responded to what they had heard. Allah ﷻ informed His Prophet ﷺ about them in His words: “And [remember] when We directed a group of jinn towards you, listening to the Qur’an…” (Surah Al-Ahqaf: 29). The correct view is that the Prophet ﷺ did not see them that night. Ibn Ishaq narrated this, and others followed him in stating that the jinn’s listening at Nakhlah occurred when the Prophet ﷺ was returning alone from Ta’if. However, Sahih Al-Bukhari records a report from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that this event happened when the Prophet ﷺ was traveling with a group of his companions toward the Ukaz market, where the jinn heard him leading them in Fajr prayer. This authenticated narration takes precedence over others. This is further supported by the narration in Jami‘ At-Tirmidhi, also from Ibn Abbas, which was graded authentic. He reported that when the jinn saw the Prophet ﷺ praying with his companions, who followed him in prayer and prostration, they were amazed at their obedience to him. They then said to their people: “And that when the servant of Allah stood up calling upon Him, they almost crowded upon him in masses.” (Surah Al-Jinn: 19).

Allah ﷻ mentioned in the Holy Quran this incident: Say, [O Muhammad], “It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, ‘Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur’an [i.e., recitation] * It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone. * And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son * And that our foolish one [i.e., Iblees] has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression. * And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allah a lie. * And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden [i.e., sin]. * And they had thought, as you thought, that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger].

The Migration to Abyssinia

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions to migrate to the land of Abyssinia due to the torture and harm they were facing in Makkah. He informed them that there was a king there under whom no one would be wronged. Consequently, they migrated, marking the first migration in Islam, and their number was eighty-three men and eighteen women. When the Quraysh learned about the migration, they sent Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi’ah and Amr ibn al-As with gifts and offerings to the Negus, the king of Abyssinia, asking him to return the Muslim migrants, arguing that they had abandoned their faith. However, the Negus did not comply with their request. The Negus asked the Muslims to explain their stance, and Ja’far ibn Abi Talib spoke on their behalf. He explained to the Negus that the Prophet ﷺ had guided them to the path of righteousness and away from immorality and vices, which led to them facing harm and persecution. Ja’far also recited the beginning of Surah Maryam, and the Negus wept deeply. He informed the Quraysh envoys that he would not hand over any of the Muslims and returned their gifts to them. However, the envoys returned the following day, claiming that the Muslims had misinterpreted the teachings about Jesus, son of Mary. Upon hearing their view of Jesus, the Muslims explained that he was a servant and messenger of Allah. The Negus then affirmed their belief and sent back Abdullah and Amr.

The Night Journey (Isra) and Ascension (Miraj)

Know that the story of the Isra’ and Miʿraj is among the most famous of the miracles, the clearest of the evident proofs, the strongest of the established arguments, the truest of the reports, and the greatest of the signs. And the truth is that it was a single Isrāʾ (night journey) with his soul and body, in wakefulness, throughout the entire incident. This is the view of the majority of the scholars of ḥadīth, jurists, and theologians, and the outward meanings of the authentic reports support it, and one should not deviate from it. The Isra’ with the body to those exalted realms was not granted to anyone besides him from among the prophets, upon him and upon them be prayers and peace.

And the ascensions (mi’rajat) on the night of the Isra’ were ten: seven to the heavens, the eighth to the Lote Tree of the Furthest Boundary, the utmost boundary of knowledge, (Sidrat al-Muntaha), the ninth to the station where he ﷺ heard the creaking of the pens in the decrees of destiny, and the tenth to the Throne, the Rafraf (a green cushion or platform), the Vision, and the direct hearing of speech, with actual unveiling. The hadith of the Isra’ has been reported from many of the Companions, twenty-six were counted in the original, then it was said: In sum, the hadith of the Isra’ is unanimously agreed upon by the Muslims, and only the heretical atheists turned away from it — those who want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers dislike it.

And al-Bukhari narrated from Qatadah, from Anas ibn Mālik ibn Sa’sa’ah, that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ told them about the night he was taken on the night journey, and he said: “While I was sleeping in the hatim (placed by the Ka’ba) — and perhaps he said: in the hijr (also placed beside the Ka’ba), lying down — someone (an angel) came to me, and he split from this to this,” meaning from the upper part of his chest to the hairline “and he took out my heart. Then I was brought a basin of gold filled with faith, and it was washed, then filled, then returned.” And in another narration of his: “Then he opened my chest and washed it with Zamzam water, then he brought a basin of gold full of wisdom and faith, and he poured it into my chest, then sealed it. Then I was brought a white riding animal that was smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey, Anas said: It was al-Buraq, it placed its hoof at the farthest extent of its sight. I mounted it, and Jibrīl went with me until he came to the lowest heaven.” 

And al-Tirmidhi narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was brought al-Buraq on the night he was taken on the night journey, saddled and reined. It became difficult for him, so Jibril ﷺ said to it, “What made you do this?” And in another narration: “Do you not feel shame? No one more honorable to Allah has ever ridden you than him!” So, it sweated heavily. And in the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud: “If it passed by a mountain, its legs would rise, and if it descended, its front legs would rise.” And in a narration by Ibn Saʿd: “It had two wings.” And from Ibn Abbas regarding its description: “It had cheeks like those of a human and a mane like that of a horse, legs like those of camels, udders, and a tail like that of cattle. Its chest was a red ruby.” And the one who held the rein of the Prophet ﷺ was Jibrīl, and at its bridle was Mika’il. Narrated by Ibn Saʿd.

And al-Bayhaqi and others narrated from Shaddad ibn Aws that when the Prophet ﷺ was first taken on the night journey, he passed by a land with palm trees, and Jibrīl said to him, “Dismount and pray.” So he prayed, and he said, “You prayed in Yathrib.” Then he passed by a white land, and Jibril said, “Dismount and pray.” So he prayed, and he said, “You prayed in Madyan.” Then he passed by Bayt Laḥm, and Jibril said, “Dismount and pray.” So he dismounted and prayed, and he said, “You prayed at the place where Isa was born.” And al-Bayhaqi narrated from Anas: When Jibril brought al-Buraq to him ﷺ, it was as if it folded its ears, so Jibrīl said to it, “Calm down, O Buraq! By Allah, no one like him has ever ridden you!” 

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ proceeded until he came across an old woman on the side of the road, and he said, “What is this, O Jibrīl?” He said, “Continue, O Muhammad.” So he continued for as long as Allah willed, then he came across a man calling him from the side of the road, saying, “Come, O Muhammad!” So Jibril said to him, “Continue.” And he passed by a group who greeted him, saying: “Peace be upon you, O First! Peace be upon you, O Last! Peace be upon you, O Gatherer!” So Jibril said to him, “Return their Salam.” So he returned it. Then Jibril said to him: “As for the old woman you saw on the side of the road, nothing remains of the world except what remains of the lifespan of that old woman. And the one who called you, that was Iblīs. And the old woman represents the world. If you had responded to her, your ummah would have preferred the world over the Hereafter. And as for those who greeted you, they were Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa, peace be upon them.”

And in a narration: He passed by Musa, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was praying in his grave, and he said, “I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah!” And there is no objection to the fact that the prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, pray in their graves, for they are alive with their Lord, provided for. And in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah with al-Tabarani and al-Bazzar: He ﷺ passed by people planting and harvesting in a single day, whenever they harvested, it returned as it was, so he said to Jibril, “What is this?” He said, “These are the mujahideen (warriors) in the path of Allah, for them, every good deed is multiplied seven hundredfold. And whatever they spend, He replaces it, and He is the best of providers.” 

Then he came across people whose heads were being smashed with stones, whenever they were smashed, they returned as they were, and there was no pause from that punishment. He said, “What is this, O Jibril?” He said, “These are the ones whose heads were heavy to rise for the prescribed (compulsory) prayer.” Then he came upon a people, on their fronts were patches and on their backs were patches, they wandered as cattle wander, eating the fallen, the bitter, and the burning stones of Hell. He said: “Who are these, O Jibril?” He said: “These are the ones who do not give the zakah of their wealth. And Allah did not wrong them, and your Lord is not unjust to His slaves.”

Then he came upon a people, before them was cooked meat in a pot, and another meat, raw and foul, in a pot. They would eat from the raw, foul meat and leave the cooked. He said: “Who are these, O Jibril?” Jibrīl said: “This is a man from your nation who has a lawful, pure wife, but he goes to a foul woman and stays the night with her until morning. And a woman gets up from her lawful husband and goes to a vile man and stays with him until morning.” Then he came upon a man who had gathered a large bundle of wood that he could not carry, yet he added more to it. He said: “What is this, O Jibril?” He said: “This is a man from your nation upon whom are people’s trusts, and he cannot discharge them, yet he still wants to take on more.”

Then he came upon a people whose tongues and lips were being sniped with iron scissors. Every time they were cut, they returned as they were, and nothing lessened of that from them. He said: “What is this, O Jibril?” He said: “These are the preachers of tribulation.” Then he came upon a small hole from which a great bull emerged. It began to try to return from where it came out, but it could not. He said: “What is this, O Jibril?” He said: “This is a man who speaks a grave word, then regrets it but cannot take it back.”  

Then he came upon a valley and found in it a pleasant, cool breeze and the fragrance of musk, and he heard a voice. He said, “What is this, O Jibril?” He said, “This is the voice of Paradise. It’s saying, ‘O my Lord, bring me what You have promised me. My chambers, my brocade, my silk, my fine silk, my pearls, my corals, my silver, my gold, my cups, my plates, my pitchers, my mounts, my honey, my water, my milk, and my wine are increasing. So bring me what You have promised me.'” He said, “for you every Muslim male and female, every believer male and female, who believes in Me and My messengers, and who does righteous deeds and does not associate anything with Me, and does not take rivals besides Me. And whoever fears Me, he will be safe. And whoever asks from Me, I will give him. And whoever lends to Me, I will repay him. And whoever places his trust in Me, I will suffice him. Verily, I am Allah, there is no God but Me, and I do not break the promise. The believers have indeed succeeded, and blessed is Allah, the best of creators.” She (paradise) said, “I am satisfied.” 

Then he came upon another valley and heard a horrible sound and found a repulsive wind. He said, “What is this, O Jibril?” He said, “This is the voice of Hell. It’s saying, ‘O my Lord, bring me what You have promised me. My chains, my shackles, my blazing fire, my boiling water, my thorny bushes, my pus, my punishment, my pit has deepened, and my stench have increased. And my heat has intensified. So bring me what You have promised me.'” He said, “for you every polytheist male and female, every disbeliever male and female, and every tyrant who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.” She (hell) said, “I am satisfied.” 

Then he traveled until he reached the Sacred House (al-Maqdis). In another narration from Abu Sa’id, found in al-Bayhaqi, it is mentioned: A caller called me from my right side, saying, “Look at me, I ask you.” But I did not respond to him. Then another caller called me from my left side, saying the same, but I did not respond to him. And in it, it is mentioned that there was a woman, bare-armed, adorned with every kind of ornament created by Allah, the Exalted. She said, “O Muhammad, look at me, I ask you.” But I did not turn toward her. In it, Jibril said to him, “As for the first caller, he is the caller of the Jews. If you had responded to him, your nation would have followed Judaism. As for the second, he is the caller of the Christians. If you had responded to him, your nation would have followed Christianity. And as for the woman, she represents the world.” In the hadith of Abu Sa’id, it is mentioned that he saw a piece of good meat on her, which no one was eating, and another piece of meat that was rotting, upon which people were eating. Jibril said, “These are those who leave the lawful and eat the unlawful.” 

In it, it is mentioned that he passed by a group of people whose bellies were like houses. Whenever one of them stood, they would fall down, and Jibril said to him, “These are the ones who eat interest.” It is also mentioned that he passed by a people whose lips were just like camels’, who were swallowing coals, and the fire was coming out of their lower parts. Jibril said to him, “These are the ones who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly.” He passed by women who were hanging on their breasts, and they were adulteresses. He passed by people whose flesh was being cut off from their sides and fed to others. Jibril said to him, “These are the backbiters and slanderers.”

And it is mentioned: “until I reached the Sacred House (al-Maqdis), I tied my mount to the ring where the prophets used to tie their mounts. Then I entered along with Jibril, and each of us prayed two rak’ahs.” In a narration from Anas, found in Sahih Muslim, it is mentioned: “Then I entered the mosque and prayed two rak’ahs in it. Afterward, I came out, and Jibril, peace be upon him, came to me with a container of wine and a container of milk. I chose the milk. Jibril said, ‘You have chosen the fitrah,’ meaning you have chosen the milk, upon which creation was built.” Al-Nawawi said that by “fitrah” here, Islam and uprightness are meant. 

In the narration of Ibn Mas’ud, he added: “Then I entered the mosque and recognized the prophets, some of whom were standing, some bowing, and some prostrating. Then a caller made the adhan, then the prayer was established. We lined up, waiting for someone to lead us in prayer. Jibril took my hand and advanced me, so I led them in prayer.” In another narration from Abu Umamah, found in al-Tabarani, it is mentioned: “Then the prayer was established, and they began to push each other until they placed Muhammad, ﷺ at the forefront.” And from Abu Sa’id, it is mentioned: “Then he reached the Sacred House (al-Maqdis) and dismounted, tying his horse to a rock. He entered and prayed with the angels. When the prayer was completed, they said, ‘O Jibril, who is this with you?’ He replied, ‘This is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, the Seal of the Prophets.’ They said, ‘Has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ They said, ‘May Allah greet him. What an excellent brother and what an excellent successor!’ 

Then they met the spirits of the prophets, and each praised their Lord. Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said: ‘Praise be to Allah who took me as a friend, gave me a great kingdom, made me a nation in submission, to be followed, and saved me from the fire, making it cool and peaceful for me.'” 

Then Musa, peace be upon him, praised his Lord and said: “Praise be to Allah who spoke to me directly, chose me, revealed to me the Torah, and made the destruction of Pharaoh and the salvation of the Children of Israel come through me. He made a people from my nation who guide by the truth and with it do justice.”

Then Dawud, peace be upon him, praised his Lord and said: “Praise be to Allah who gave me a great kingdom, taught me the Psalms (Zabur), softened iron for me, and made the mountains glorify with me, along with the birds, and granted me wisdom and the ability to deliver decisive speech.” 

Then Sulayman, peace be upon him, praised his Lord and said: “Praise be to Allah who made the winds subservient to me, and the devils who did whatever I wished, making buildings and statues. He taught me the language of birds, gave me everything, and made the jinn, humans, and birds serve me. He gave me a kingdom that will not be granted to anyone after me, and my kingdom is pure, without reckoning.”

Then Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, praised his Lord, saying: “Praise be to Allah who made me His Word and made me like Adam, whom He created from clay. Then He said to him, ‘Be,’ and it was. He taught me the Book, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. He made me capable of creating from clay the likeness of a bird, and I would breathe into it, and by the permission of Allah, it would become a bird. He made me heal the blind and the leper, and I would bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah. He raised me up, purified me, and protected me and my mother from the Devil, and the Devil had no way over us.”

Then Muhammad ﷺ, praised his Lord, saying: “All of you praised your Lord, and I praise my Lord: Praise be to Allah who sent me as a mercy to the worlds all of humainty and as a bringer of good tidings and a warner to all people. He sent down to me the Furqan, in which is the clarification of everything, and He made my ummah the best of nations brought forth for mankind. He made my ummah a middle ummah, and they are the first and the last. He expanded my chest, removed my burden, and raised my mention. He made me the opening (the first) and the closing (the last).” Ibrahim, peace be upon him, said: “By this, you are favored, O Muhammad.” 

Then it is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ, was taken on a night journey to the heavens of the world, from one sky to another. And in the narration of Ibn Abī Hatim in his Tafsir, from Anas: When he ﷺ reached Bayt al-Maqdis and arrived at the place called Bab Muhammad (the Gate of Muhammad), he came to the rock there, and Jibrīl pressed it with his finger, and it made a hole. Then he tied al-Burāq to it, and they ascended. When they stood in the courtyard of the mosque—that is, its open space—Jibril said, “O Muhammad, have you asked your Lord to show you the Hur al-‘In (maidens of Paradise)?” He said, “Yes.” So he said, “Then go to those women and greet them.” He said, “So I greeted them, and they returned my greeting. I asked, ‘Who are you?’ They replied, ‘We are the good, beautiful women of righteous people: purified and never defiled, settled and never departed, made eternal and never die.’” He said, “Then I withdrew, and I did not remain but a short while until many people gathered. Then a caller made the adhān, and the prayer was established. So we stood in rows waiting for who would lead us. Then Jibrīl (peace be upon) him took my hand, brought me forward, and I led them in prayer. When I finished, Jibrīl said to me, ‘Do you know who prayed behind you?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Every prophet whom Allah has ever sent prayed behind you.’”

Qadi ‘Iyad said: The most apparent is that his prayer with them in Bayt al-Maqdis occurred before the Ascension (Mi’raj). And Ibn Kathir said: He prayed with them in Bayt al-Maqdis before the Ascension and also after it, for there is in the hadith what indicates that, and there is nothing preventing it. And it has been mentioned in some versions of the hadith that the Prophet ﷺ led the Prophets in prayer in the heavens. And Ibn Isḥāq narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:“When I completed what was in Bayt al-Maqdis, the Mi’raj was brought to me—and I had never seen anything more beautiful than it. It is what the dying person fixes his eyes upon when he is about to die. Then my companion (Jibril) ascended with me in it until he reached one of the gates of the heaven.”

And in a narration from Kaʿb: A ladder was placed for him—one step of silver, and one step of gold—until he and Jibril ascended. And in the book Sharaf al-Mustafa, it states: The Miʿraj was brought to him from the Garden of Firdaws, and it was adorned with pearls. On its right and left were angels. And in the hadith of al-Bukhari whose beginning has already been mentioned—narrated from Qatadah from Anas ibn Malik: “Then Jibril went with me until we reached the lowest heaven, and he sought permission for entry. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome to him, what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there was Adam. Jibil said, ‘This is your father Adam, greet him.’ So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, and then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous son and righteous Prophet.’

Then he ascended with me to the second heaven, and sought permission. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome to him—what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there were Yahya and Isa, who were cousins. Jibril said, ‘This is Yahya and Isa, greet them.’ So I greeted them, and they returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ Then he ascended with me to the third heaven and sought permission. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome to him—what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there was Yusuf. Jibril said, ‘This is Yusuf, greet him.’ So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ 

Then he ascended with me until we reached the fourth heaven and sought permission. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibrīl.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome to him—what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there was Idrīs. Jibril said, ‘This is Idrīs, greet him.’ So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ Then he ascended with me until we reached the fifth heaven and sought permission. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome to him—what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there was Harun. Jibril said, ‘This is Harun, greet him.’ So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ 

Then he ascended with me until we reached the sixth heaven and sought permission. It was said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘Jibril.’ It was asked, ‘And who is with you?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ It was said, ‘And has he been sent to him?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ It was said, ‘Welcome—what an excellent arrival has come.’ So the gate was opened. When I entered, behold—there was Musa. Jibrīl said, ‘This is Musa, greet him.’ So I greeted him, and he returned the greeting, then said, ‘Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet.’ Then, when I passed by him, he wept. It was said to him, ‘What makes you weep?’ He said, ‘I am weeping because a young man was sent after me and more people from his ummah will enter Paradise than from mine.’” “Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven, and Jibril sought permission to enter. It was said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘Jibril.’ It was said: ‘And who is with you?’ He said: ‘Muḥammad.’ It was said: ‘Has he been sent for?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ It was said: ‘Welcome to him! What an excellent arrival has come!’ So when I entered, there was Ibrahim. It was said: ‘This is your father Ibrahim; greet him with salam.’ I greeted him with salam, and he returned the salam and said: ‘Welcome to the righteous son and the righteous Prophet.’

Then I was raised to the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary (Sidrat al-Muntaha), and its fruits were like the jars of Hajar (a place in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants.” He said: “This is Sidrat al-Muntaha.” And there were four rivers: two hidden and two visible. I said: ‘What are these, O Jibril?’ He said: ‘As for the two hidden ones, they are two rivers in Paradise; and as for the two visible ones, they are the Nile and the Euphrates.’ Then al-Bayt al-Maʿmur (the Much-Frequented House) was raised for me. Seventy thousand angels enter it every day, and never return to it again. Then I was brought a vessel of wine, and a vessel of milk, and a vessel of honey. I took the milk. He said: ‘It is the fiṭrah (natural disposition) upon which you and your Ummah are.’ Then fifty prayers were obligated upon me each day. I returned and passed by Mūsā. He said: ‘What have you been commanded with?’ I said: ‘I have been commanded with fifty prayers each day.’ He said: ‘Indeed, your Ummah will not be able to bear fifty prayers each day. By Allah, I have tried people before you, and I have dealt most severely with Banū Isra’ill. So return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your Ummah.’ So I returned, and He reduced ten for me. I returned to Musa, and he said the same. So I returned, and He reduced ten for me. I returned to Musa, and he said the same. So I returned, and He reduced ten for me. I returned to Musa, and he said the same. Then I was commanded with ten prayers. I returned to Mūsā, and he said the same. Then I was commanded with five prayers each day. He (Musa) said: ‘Indeed, your Ummah will not be able to bear five prayers each day. Verily, I have tried people before you and dealt most severely with Banu Isra’ill. So return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction for your Ummah.’ I said: ‘I have asked my Lord until I became shy, but I accept and submit.’ He said: ‘Then when I passed by, a caller called out: “I have decreed My obligation and have reduced it for My servants.”’

In Sahih al-Bukhari in the Book of Prayer: The Prophet ﷺ said, when he reached the lowest heaven (the heaven of the world): “There was a man sitting, and on his right were shadows (figures), and on his left were shadows. When he looked to his right, he laughed, and when he looked to his left, he wept. He said: ‘Welcome, O righteous Prophet and righteous son!’ I said to Jibrīl: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘This is Adam, and these shadows on his right and left are the souls of his children. Those on his right are the people of Paradise, and those on his left are the people of the Hell. So when he looks to his right, he laughs, and when he looks to his left, he weeps.’”

 In Sahih Muslim, from the narration of Anas: “Then we were taken up to the seventh heaven, and there I saw Ibrahim ﷺ, with his back against al-Bayt al-Maʿmūr (a mosque in the sky right above the Ka’ba). Seventy thousand angels enter it every day to pray, and once they exit, they never return.”  And in that narration: “In the third heaven, I saw Yusuf. He had been given half of all beauty.” And in the narration reported by al-Bayhaqi and others: “I saw a man who was the most handsome of Allah’s creation. He excelled the people in beauty just as the full moon excels all the other stars.”  For al-Tirmidhi narrated from the hadith of Anas: “Allah did not send any Prophet except that he was handsome in face and beautiful in voice. And your Prophet was the most handsome of them in face and the most beautiful in voice.” 

And in a version not in Sahih al-Bukhari, there are additional details: Among them is what is found in the narration of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported by al-Bayhaqi in Dala’il an-Nubuwwah: “Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven, and there was Ibrahim, the close friend (al-Khalīl), with his back against al-Bayt al-Maʿmur, as the best of men in appearance. With him was a group from his people. I greeted him with salam, and he returned my greeting. Then I saw my Ummah in two groups: a group wearing white garments, as if they were white parchments; and another group wearing dusty grey garments. Then I entered al-Bayt al-Maʿmur, and those with the white garments entered with me, while those with the grey garments were kept back. I and those with me prayed in al-Bayt al-Maʿmur.” 

And in the narration of al-Ṭabarani: “I saw an old man sitting at the gate of Paradise, on a chair. Around him were people sitting, with faces white like parchment scrolls, and others whose colors had some darkness. Then those people with darker shades entered a river and bathed in it. When they came out, some of the darkness had gone. Then they entered another river and bathed in it, and more of their darkness was removed. Then they entered a third river and bathed in it, and they came out with their colors completely purified, their faces now like the white ones. So I said: ‘Who is this man? And who are these people with darker colors? And what are these rivers that they entered and their colors were purified?’ It was said: ‘This is your father Ibrahim, the first to grow grey hair on earth. As for those with the white faces, they are people who did not mix their faith with any injustice (i.e., sin). And those among them who had some color in their complexion are people who mixed righteous deeds with other deeds, then they repented, so Allah accepted their repentance. As for the rivers: the first is the mercy of Allah, the second is the blessing of Allah, and the third is: And their Lord will give them a pure drink.’” 

And from ʿAbdullah ibn Mas’ud: that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said “O my son, indeed tonight you will meet your Lord. And your ummah is the last of the nations and the weakest of them. So if you are able to have your concern be for your ummah, then do so.” And Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ, after seeing Ibrahim (peace be upon him), said: “Then I was taken to the top of the seventh heaven until we came to a river. Upon it were tents of ruby, pearl, and chrysolite, and upon it were green birds, the softest birds I had ever seen. Jibril said: ‘This is al-Kawthar, which your Lord has given you.’ In it were vessels of gold and silver, and it flowed over pebbles of ruby and emerald. Its water was whiter than milk. I took one of its vessels and scooped from its water, and I drank. It was sweeter than honey and more fragrant than musk.” And Muslim narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “While I was walking in Paradise, I came upon a river, its banks covered with domes of hollow pearls, and its soil was of fragrant musk. Jibril said: ‘This is al-Kawthar.’” And it was mentioned in the narration of Abu Dharr with Muslim and others: “Then I was admitted into Paradise, and therein were domes of pearl, and its soil was of musk.”

And in the hadith of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, reported by al-Bayhaqi: “Then I was taken up to the seventh heaven. Then the Lote Tree of the Furthest Boundary (Sidrat al-Muntaha) was raised for me. Each of its leaves could cover this entire ummah, and within it was a flowing spring called Salsabil. From it branched two rivers: one of them was al-Kawthar, and the other was called al-Rahmah (Mercy). I washed in it, and I was forgiven for all that had preceded of my sins and all that came after. Then I was raised to Paradise, and a girl came to greet me. I asked her: ‘Who are you, O young girl?’ She said: ‘I belong to Zayd ibn Harithah.’” And in it: “Its pomegranates were like water-buckets in their size. And its birds were like (large) camels. Then the Hellfire was presented before me, and therein was the anger of Allah, His wrath, and His vengeance. If stones and iron were thrown into it, it would devour them. Then it was veiled from me.”

And in the narration of al-Bukhari in the Book of Prayer: “Then I was taken up until I reached a level where I heard the creaking of the pens.” (the sounds made when the angles write from the decrees of Allah ﷻ) Abu al-Hasan ibn Ghalib mentioned, in his commentary on the hadiths of the veils, the number seven hundred and seventy thousand veils, and he attributed that to Abu al-Rabi’ ibn Sabaʿ in Shifaʾ al-Sudur, from the hadith of Ibn ʿAbbas, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, after mentioning the beginning of the hadith of al-Isra’: “Jibrīl came to me, and he was the one who carried me to my Lord. Until he halted at a station and then stopped there. So I said: ‘O Jibrīl, in such a station does a close friend abandon his friend?’ He said: ‘If I go beyond it, I would be burned by the Light.’ 

So the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘O Jibril, do you have any need from your Lord?’ He said: ‘O Muḥammad, ask Allah that I may stretch my wing over the Sirat (bridge that Allah put on top of Hellfire where every human has to walk on it on the day of judgement, if a person is a believer they will pass over it like a glimpse of an eye to reach Jannah but if one is a nonbeliever he will fall into the Hellfire) for your Ummah so they may pass over it.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Then I was thrust into the Light with a violent thrust, and seventy thousand veils were pierced through with me, none of the veils resembled the other. Every angel and human was cut off from me, and I felt a sense of estrangement.’ Then a caller called me in the language of Abū Bakr, and said “stop, your Lord is praying” meanwhile I was wondering if Abu Bakr has come and reached before me and behold, the call was from the Most High: ‘Come near, O best of creation. Come near, O Ahmad. Come near, O Muhammad. Let the Beloved draw near.’ So my Lord drew me near until I was, as He said: ﴾Then he approached and descended, and was at a distance of two bows length or nearer.﴿ [al-Najm: 8-9].

He said: ‘My Lord asked me, but I was unable to answer Him. So He placed His Hand between my shoulders—without modality or definition— and I felt its coolness between my chest bones.
And it granted me the knowledge of the first and the last. And He taught me various knowledges:

• a knowledge He obligated me to conceal, knowing that no one besides me could bear it;

• a knowledge He gave me the choice in; and he taught me the Qur’an and Jibril (peace be upon him) used to remind me of it. 

• and a knowledge He commanded me to convey to the general and specific of my Ummah.

Indeed, I once hastened Jibrīl (peace be upon him) in a verse he brought down to me, and my Lord reproached me, and revealed to me: ﴾Do not hasten with the Qur’an before its revelation is completed to you, and say: “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”﴿[Taha: 114] Then I said: “O Allah, when I felt estranged before reaching You, I heard a caller calling in a voice resembling the voice of Abu Bakr, who said to me: ‘Stop! Verily, your Lord is praying.’” I was amazed at these two things: Has Abu Bakr preceded me to this station? And verily, my Lord is in no need of praying?’ So He called me: ‘I am the One free of need from praying to anyone. Rather, I say: “Subhani (Glory be to Me)! My mercy has preceded My wrath.” Recite, O Muḥammad: ﴾He it is Who sends His blessings upon you—and His angels—to bring you out from darkness into light. And He is to the believers Most Merciful.﴿ [al-Ahzab: 43].  So My salah (blessing) is a mercy for you and for your Ummah. 

As for the affair of your companion (Abu bakr), O Muḥammad— just as Musa found comfort in his rod (stick), and when We wanted to speak to him We said: ﴾And what is that in your right hand, O Musa?﴿ [Taha: 17] He said: ‘It is my rod’, and he became occupied with mentioning the rod rather than the awe of the moment. So too were you, O Muḥammad, when your comfort was with your companion Abū Bakr. Indeed, you and he were created from one substance, and he is your companion in this world and the hereafter. So We created an angel in his image to call to you in his voice, so that your estrangement would vanish, lest the majesty and awe overcome you in such a way that it would prevent you from comprehending what is intended from you.’”

Then Allah, the Most High, said: “And what need does Jibril have?” So I said: “O Allah, You are more knowing.” He said: “O Muhammad, I have answered him in what he asked, but (only) concerning those who love you and accompany you.”

And in another narration: “I went forward, and Jibril was behind me until I reached a veil made of golden brocade. He (Jibril) moved the veil, and it was said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘I am Jibril, and with me is Muhammad ﷺ.’ So the angel said: ‘Allah is the Greatest!’ and he extended his hand from beneath the veil, then he carried me and placed me before Him, faster than the blink of an eye. And the thickness of that veil was the distance of a journey of five hundred years. Then He said to me: ‘Come forward, O Muḥammad!’ So I went forth, and the angel took me, faster than the blink of an eye, until I reached the veil of pearls. He moved the veil, and the angel behind the veil said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘I am so-and-so, the guardian of the golden veil, and this is Muhammad ﷺ, the Messenger of the Lord of Might, with me.’ So the angel said: ‘Allah is the Greatest!’ and extended his hand from beneath the veil, then he carried me until he placed me before Him.

And I continued like that, from veil to veil, until I passed seventy veils, the thickness of each veil being a journey of five hundred years. Then a green rafraf (canopy or carpet) was brought down to me, the greenness of which overpowered the light of the sun, and my sight dazzled, and I was placed upon that rafraf. Then I was carried upon it until I reached the Throne. I beheld a tremendous matter, one which tongues cannot reach (in expression).

Then a drop from the Throne was brought down to me, and it fell upon my tongue, and no taster has ever tasted anything sweeter than it. Then Allah informed me thereby of the news of the first ones and the last ones. And He illuminated my heart, and the light of His Throne overwhelmed my sight such that I could see nothing. So I began to see with my heart and not with my eyes, and I saw what was behind me and between my shoulders just as I saw what was in front of me.” This hadith and the one before it were reported in the book Shifa’ al-Sudur, as cited by Ibn Ghalib. Know that what is mentioned in this lofty place regarding the veils applies to the creation, not to the Creator, the Mighty and Majestic. For Allah, glorified is He, is exalted above being veiled.

And from Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, Ka’b al-Ahbar, and others: That the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw his Lord with his own eyes, without how (takyif) and without resemblance (tashbih). And when the Prophet ﷺ returned from the journey of Isra’, he passed on part of his way by a caravan of Quraysh that was carrying food. In it was a camel upon which were two saddle-bags, one black and one white. When the caravan came near, it panicked from him, turned away, and that camel fell down. And in another narration: he passed by a caravan that had lost a camel of theirs, and so-and-so had gathered it. The Prophet ﷺ said: “I gave them salam.” So some of them said: “That was the voice of Muhammad!”

Then he came to Makkah before dawn and informed his people of what he had seen. And he said to them: “From the signs of what I am telling you is that I passed by your caravan at such-and-such a place. They had lost a camel of theirs, and so-and-so had gathered it. And their journey will bring them to rest at such-and-such a place, and they will come to you on such-and-such a day, led by a camel that is dusky (Adam), with a black patch on it, and with two saddle-bags.” When that day came, the people looked out watching, until near midday, the caravan arrived, led by the camel the Prophet ﷺ had described. And in one narration, they asked him for a sign, so he informed them about the arrival of the caravan on Wednesday. When that day came, they had not yet arrived, and the sun was about to set. So he ﷺ supplicated to Allah, the Most High, and Allah held back the sun until they arrived exactly as he had described.

And from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Some men from the polytheists came to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, “Do you know what your companion claims? He claims that he was taken last night to Bayt al-Maqdis.” He said, “Has that really happened?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “If he said that, then he has spoken the truth.” They said, “Do you believe that he went to Bayt al-Maqdis and returned before morning?” He said, “Yes, indeed I believe him in things more far-reaching than that, I believe him in the news of the heavens, in the blink of an eye or even quicker.” Because of that, he was named al-Siddiq (the Most Truthful One). Narrated by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak and Ibn Ishaq, who added: Then he came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Prophet of Allah, have you told these people that you went to Bayt al-Maqdis last night?” He ﷺ said, “Yes.” He said, “O Prophet of Allah, describe it to me, for I have been there.” Al-Hasan said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “It was raised before me until I could see it,” and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began describing it to Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr would say, “You have spoken the truth. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah,” every time the Prophet ﷺ described something from it. Abu Bakr’s statement, “Describe it to me,” was not out of doubt, for he had believed him from the very beginning, but he intended to manifest his truthfulness to his people.

And in al-Bukhari’s narration: “Allah unveiled Bayt al-Maqdis to me,” meaning: He removed the veils between me and it until I saw it. And in Muslim’s narration: “They asked me about things I hadn’t committed to memory, and I became so distressed, a distress I had never felt before, until Allah raised it before me and I looked at it, and there was nothing they asked me about except that I informed them about it.” And in the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas: “The mosque was brought before me while I was looking at it until it was placed near the house of ‘Aqil, so I described it while I was looking at it.” This is more profound in miraculous nature, and there is nothing impossible in it, for the throne of Bilqis (Queen of Sheba) was brought [to Suleyman] in the blink of an eye.  And in the hadith of Umm Hani: They said to him, “How many doors does the mosque have?” He said: “I had not counted them.” He said: “So I began to look at it and count its doors, one by one.”

And in the words of some of the people of spiritual insight: Since he ﷺ was the fruit of the tree of existence, the pearl of the shell of being, and the secret of the meaning of the word ‘Be’ (kun),
—it was necessary that this fruit be presented before the One who produced it,
—and that it be raised to the sanctified Presence,
—and circled around in the domains of His Presence.

So He (Allah) sent to him the most honored of the King’s servants. When that angel came to him, he found him lying asleep on his bed. So he said to him: “Rise, O Muhammad! The bounties have been made easy for you!” He ﷺ said: “O Jibril, to where?” He replied: “O Muhammad, remove the ‘where’ from the ‘between’, I am merely the Messenger of Eternity. I have been sent to you to be among the ranks of the servants. O Muhammad, you are the purpose of all will. You are the intended one for whom all was intended. You are the pure wine of the cup of love. You are the pearl of this shell. You are the sun of knowledge. You are the full moon of subtleties. This abode was not prepared except for your sake. This sanctuary was not protected except for your union. This cup of love was not sweetened except for you to drink.” 

So he ﷺ said, “O Jibril, the Most Generous is calling me to Him, so what will He do with me?”
He said, “So that He may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what followed.”
He said, “O Jibril, that is for me, so what about my family and my children?”
He said, “And your Lord will surely give you so that you will be pleased.”
He said, “O Jibril, now my heart is content. I am going to my Lord.”

Then Jibril said, “O Muhammad, I was only brought to you tonight to be the servant of your dominion, the chamberlain of your court, the bearer of your banner. And the mount was brought to you to manifest your honor. For it is among the customs of kings, when they visit a beloved or summon a close one and wish to demonstrate their honor and respect for him, they send their most special servants and dearest deputies to carry the footsteps (i.e., escort them). So we have come to you following the practice of the kings and the etiquettes of noble conduct. 

And whoever believes that he reaches [Allah] by mistake he is definitely mistaken.  And whoever thinks that He is veiled by covering has been deprived of the gift.  And according to some of the people of spiritual reference:  It is as if Allah Most High said to him ﷺ: “O Muḥammad, I have given you a light by which you see My beauty, And a hearing by which you hear My speech. O Muhammad, I am making known to you, with the tongue of inner state, the meaning of your ascension to Me. O Muhammad, I sent you to mankind as a witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner, And the witness is responsible for truly seeing what he bears witness to. So I will show you My Paradise, so you may witness what I have prepared in it for those who are devoted to Me, And I will show you My Fire, so you may witness what I have prepared in it for My enemies. Then I will make you witness My Majesty, And I will unveil for you My Beauty, So that you may know that I am transcendent in My perfection From resemblance, and likeness, and deputy, and counselor.

So he ﷺ saw Him by the light with which He empowered him, Without comprehension and without encompassing, Unique, Self-Sufficient, Not within anything, Nor from anything, Nor established upon anything, Nor dependent upon anything. There is nothing like unto Him. Then when He spoke to him openly, And he saw Him directly, It was said to him: “O Muhammad, there must be in this seclusion a secret that is not to be spread, And a symbol that is not to be broadcast.” So He revealed to His servant what He revealed, And it was a secret from the Secret, None knew it, not a close angel nor a sent prophet. 

And when he reached the Throne, The Throne clung to his garment’s hems and called to him with the tongue of its inner state: “O Muhammad, you are in the purity of your moment, Secure from His wrath. He made you witness the Beauty of His Oneness, And exposed you to the Majesty of His Self-Sufficiency. As for me, I am the one thirsty for Him, Longing for Him, Bewildered in Him, I do not know from which direction I can come to Him. He made me the greatest of His creation, So I became the greatest of them in awe of Him, The most bewildered of them in regard to Him, And the most fearful of them toward Him. O Muhammad, He created me, And I trembled from the awe of His Majesty, So He wrote upon my pillar: La ilaha illa Allah, And I increased in trembling and shaking from the awe of His Name, Then He wrote: Muhammad Rasul Allah, So I calmed from that, And my terror subsided, And your name became a soothing for my heart, And a tranquility for my innermost secret. So this is the blessing of your name upon me, Then how will it be when the beauty of your gaze falls upon me?! O Muhammad, you are the one sent as a mercy to the worlds, And I must have a share from this mercy. And my share, O my beloved, Is that you bear witness for me of being innocent from what the people of falsehood ascribe to me, And what the people of delusion fabricate upon me. They claimed that I encompass the One Who has no likeness, And that I contain the One Who has no modality! O Muhammad, The One Who has no limit to His Essence, And no count to His Attributes, How can He be in need of me or carried upon me?! If ar-Rahman is His Name, And istiwa’ (establishment) is His Attribute, And His Attribute is connected to His Essence, Then how could He be connected to me, Or separated from me?! O Muhammad, by His Might, I am neither near to Him by excellence, Nor far from Him by deficiency, Nor capable of carrying Him. He brought me into existence by His Mercy and Grace, And had He annihilated me, it would have been justice and right from Him. O Muhammad, I am carried by His Power, And constructed by His Wisdom.” Then the tongue of the state of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “O Throne, from me to you “I am preoccupied from you. So do not disturb the purity of my moment, And do not interrupt the serenity of my seclusion.” So he ﷺ did not even glance toward it, Nor read from what was inscribed on it A single letter of what was revealed to him.

The Pledges of Al-Aqaba 

A delegation of twelve men from the Ansar came to the Prophet ﷺ to pledge allegiance to him. They pledged to worship Allah alone, refrain from theft, avoid zina (adultery), abstain from sins, and avoid bearing false witness. “It is that we do not associate anything with Allah, do not steal, do not commit zina (adultery), do not kill our children, do not bring forth a false accusation that we fabricate between our hands and feet, and do not disobey him (the Prophet ﷺ) in what is right. To listen and obey in ease and hardship, in enthusiasm and reluctance, and even when others are given preference over us. That we do not dispute the authority of its rightful people, and that we speak the truth wherever we are, without fearing the blame of any critic for the sake of Allah.”  

The Prophet ﷺ then said: “If you fulfill this, then for you is Paradise. And whoever falls into any of these matters, his affair is with Allah—if He wills, He will punish him, and if He wills, He will forgive him.” At that time, fighting had not yet been made obligatory. Then they returned to Madinah, and Allah made Islam prevail. This pledge took place at a location known as Al-Aqaba, earning it the name The First Pledge of Al-Aqaba, also known as the Pledge of Women. The Prophet ﷺ sent Mus’ab ibn Umair with them to teach them the Qur’an and guide them in religious matters. The following year, during the Hajj season, seventy-three men and two women came from Yathrib to the Prophet ﷺ to pledge allegiance. This event marked The Second Pledge of Al-Aqaba; on five fundamental principles, which are as follows:

1. Listening and obeying in times of enthusiasm and reluctance.

2. Spending in times of ease and hardship.

3. Enjoining good and forbidding evil.

4. Striving in jihad and speaking the word of truth.

5. Supporting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ if he were to come to them and defending him as they would defend themselves, their children, and their wives.

The Prophetic Migration (Al-Hijrah Al-Nabawiyyah)

The Muslims migrated to Madinah to preserve their faith and lives and to establish a secure community where they could live according to the principles of Islam. Abu Salama and his family were the first to migrate, followed by Suhayb, who gave up all his wealth to Quraysh in exchange for the freedom to migrate for Allah’s sake. Gradually, more Muslims followed until Makkah was nearly devoid of them, causing Quraysh to fear the repercussions of their migration. 

The leaders of Quraysh convened in Dar Al-Nadwa to devise a plan to eliminate the Prophet ﷺ. They decided to select one young man from each tribe to strike him collectively, so his blood would be distributed among the tribes, making it difficult for Banu Hashim to seek revenge. On the same night, Allah permitted His Prophet ﷺ to migrate. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded those who were with him to migrate to Madinah, so they left in groups, while he remained in Makkah awaiting permission to depart. Meanwhile, the Quraysh gathered in Dar al-Nadwah to consult on what to do about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. 

They unanimously decided to kill him and dispersed after agreeing on this plan. Jibril (peace be upon him) then came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “Do not sleep on your bed tonight.” When night fell, the Quraysh gathered at his door, waiting for him to sleep so they could attack him. The Prophet ﷺ instructed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to sleep in his place, covering himself with a green cloak. Thus, Ali became the first to sacrifice himself for the sake of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then left his house while Allah had veiled their sight, so none of them saw him. As he walked past them, he scattered dust upon their heads, while reciting the words of Allah: “Ya-Sin… And We placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and We covered them so they do not see.” (Surah Ya-Sin: 1, 9)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spent thirteen years in Makkah after receiving revelation, teaching Quraysh the principles of faith to strengthen their beliefs. Then, on the crescent of Rabi‘ al-Awwal, he left Makkah and arrived in Madinah on the twelfth of the month. Jibril had commanded him to take Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as his companion, and the Prophet ﷺ informed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about his departure, instructing him to stay behind and return the trusts that had been left with him.

The Prophet ﷺ then went secretly to the house of Abu Bakr, took him along, and asked him to bring one of his two riding camels. Abu Bakr wanted to give it to him as a gift, but the Prophet ﷺ insisted on paying for it so he could fully complete the virtue of the Hijrah. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “We prepared provisions for them with great care.” The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr then set out and reached the Cave of Thawr, a mountain at the outskirts of Makkah. As the Prophet ﷺ left, he looked back at the Ka‘bah and said: “By Allah, you are the most beloved land of Allah to me, and you are the most beloved land of Allah to Allah. If your people had not driven me out, I would never have left.” 

When Quraysh realized that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had left, they searched for him throughout Makkah, from its highlands to its lowlands. They sent trackers in every direction and announced a reward of one hundred camels for whoever brought him back. Allah caused a tree to grow at the entrance of the cave, and He commanded a spider to spin its web over the entrance. He also sent two wild pigeons, which settled at the cave’s entrance. It is said that the pigeons of the Haram are from the lineage of these two pigeons. The young men of Quraysh set out from every tribe, and some of them reached the cave. One of them said, “Enter the cave!” But Umayyah ibn Khalaf responded, “There is a spider’s web here that is older than Muhammad’s birth.” It is also narrated that the two pigeons laid eggs beneath the spider’s web, and when Quraysh saw this, they said, “If they had entered, the eggs would have broken, and the web would have been disturbed.” This was a greater miracle than if an army had fought off their pursuers. 

It is also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ supplicated: “O Allah, blind their sight.” So they were unable to see the entrance of the cave. They began striking the ground around the cave with their weapons. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Messenger of Allah, if they look at their feet, they will see us!” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “What do you think of two, when Allah is their third?” It is also narrated that Abu Bakr said, “I looked at the feet of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the cave, and they were bleeding. I wept, knowing that he was not accustomed to walking barefoot and suffering hardship.” It is narrated that Abu Bakr entered the cave first to protect the Prophet ﷺ. When he saw a hole, he covered it with his heel so that nothing harmful would come out. The Prophet ﷺ then entered and rested his head in Abu Bakr’s lap. 

While he was sleeping, something bit Abu Bakr’s foot, but he did not move. His tears fell on the Prophet’s ﷺ face, waking him. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “What is wrong, O Abu Bakr?” He replied, “I was bitten, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you.” The Prophet ﷺ then spat on the wound, and the pain disappeared. When the Quraysh left, Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, if I am killed, I am just one man, but if you are killed, the entire Ummah will be lost!” The  Prophet ﷺ then said: “Do not grieve, for Allah is with us.” (At-Tawbah: 40) Allah sent His tranquility upon Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), calming his heart, for he had been deeply anxious. He also sent invisible soldiers (angels) to guard the Prophet ﷺ in the cave, preventing the disbelievers from seeing him.

Three Days in the Cave 

The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr stayed in the cave for three nights. Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr, a young man, would stay with them at night and leave at dawn to return to Makkah, blending in as if he had spent the night there. He would bring them news of the Quraysh. ‘Amir ibn Fuhayrah, Abu Bakr’s freed slave, would bring his flock to provide them with milk. The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hired Abdullah ibn Uraiqit, a non-Muslim, as their guide. He was trustworthy and led them along an untraveled coastal route.

The Journey to Madinah

Suraqah ibn Malik pursued them, hoping to claim the reward, of a hundred camels to whoever brings the Prophet ﷺ. Abu Bakr was worried, but the Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not fear.” The Prophet ﷺ prayed, and Suraqah’s horse sank into the ground. He asked for safety, saying, “I know you have prayed against me. Please pray for me instead, and I will turn others away from you.” He then returned, warning others not to pursue them. At the time, the Prophet ﷺ promised him protection from any future violence in writing, as well as the bracelet of Kisra. Hearing this, Suraqa was shocked and had to ask again “Kisra!?” knowing there was one and only Kisra, and the Prophet ﷺ said “yes, Kisra the son of Hermuz”. Then, during the time of Omar, he joined the army that conquered Persia, and when the treasures of Persia were brought back to Omar, he told Suraqa to wear the bracelets and tell the story to the people. 

They passed by Umm Ma‘bad, a woman from the Khuza‘ah tribe. The Prophet ﷺ asked if she had any food, but she had none. The Prophet ﷺ saw a weak sheep in her tent and asked, “Does it have any milk?” She replied, “It is too weak to give milk.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “May I milk it?” She agreed. He wiped its udder, and milk began to flow abundantly. He milked enough for everyone to drink, then milked a second time and left the vessel with her. When her husband, Abu Ma‘bad, returned and saw the milk, he was amazed and asked, “Where did this come from?” She described the Prophet ﷺ, and he said, “By Allah, this must be the man from Quraysh. If I had met him, I would have followed him.” This sheep continued to produce milk until the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab’s caliphate.

Arrival in Madinah

The Muslims in Madinah eagerly awaited the Prophet ﷺ, going out each morning to look for him. One day, a Jewish man saw a group approaching and shouted, “O Banu Qaylah! Your awaited one has arrived!” The people rushed out with their weapons, overjoyed at his arrival. The Prophet ﷺ stopped at Quba for twenty-two nights, where he built Masjid Quba, the first masjid in Islam. On Friday, he left Quba and reached Banu Salim, where he prayed Jum‘ah with one hundred companions. As he entered Madinah, each household invited him to stay, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, stay with us!” But he said, “Leave my camel, for she is guided by Allah.” The camel finally knelt at the home of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him). He took the Prophet’s ﷺ belongings and brought them inside. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Madinah, everything in it was illuminated.” The young girls of Banu Najjar played their drums and sang: “The full moon has risen upon us, from the valleys of farewell. Gratitude is due upon us, for as long as a caller calls to Allah.” The people also sang “O Messenger who was sent to us, you have come with a noble command!” The Prophet ﷺ asked them, “Do you love me?” They replied, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Allah knows that I love you.”

The Madinan Era
(Building the Mosque)

The Prophet ﷺ ordered the construction of a mosque on a piece of land purchased from two orphan boys. The Prophet himself, alongside his Companions, participated in building it. Initially, the mosque’s Qibla (direction of prayer) faced Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The mosque held immense importance as it served not only as a place of prayer but also as a hub for Muslims to gather, learn religious knowledge, and strengthen bonds within the community. It became a cornerstone for the spiritual, social, and educational development of the Muslim society in Madinah.

Brotherhood

The Prophet ﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and the Ansar (Helpers) among the Muslims, based on principles of justice and equality. He emphasized that a state cannot be built unless its members are united, and their relationships are founded on love for Allah and His Messenger and on sacrifice for the sake of the message. This bond of brotherhood was deeply rooted in their faith and gave individuals a sense of responsibility toward one another, fostering solidarity and mutual support within the Muslim community.

The Charter of Madinah

Medina required a framework to organize its affairs and safeguard the rights of its inhabitants. The Prophet ﷺ drafted a charter that served as a constitution between the Muhajirun (Emigrants), Ansar (Helpers), and the Jewish tribes.

This document was of great significance, acting as a constitution that regulated internal and external matters of the state. The Prophet ﷺ established its articles based on Islamic principles, ensuring fairness in dealings with the Jewish tribes. The articles of the charter reflected four key principles of Islamic law:

1. Islam as the unifying force that strengthens the cohesion of Muslims.

2. Islamic society thrives on mutual solidarity and the shared responsibility of all individuals.

3. Justice was emphasized in a detailed and precise manner.

4. The ultimate reference for Muslims is always Allah’s rulings as outlined in His divine law.

The Battles and Expeditions

The Prophet ﷺ engaged in several battles and expeditions to establish the truth and invite people to the oneness of Allah ﷻ by removing obstacles that hindered the spread of the message. It is worth noting that the battles fought by the Prophet ﷺ were a practical representation of the noble warrior and the respect for humanity. As relations between the Prophet ﷺ in Medina and the surrounding tribes intensified, several confrontations took place. The encounters in which the Prophet ﷺ participated personally were called “battles,” while those he did not attend were called “expeditions.” 

The Great Battle of Badr 

Then the great Battle of Badr and it is the Day of Criterion (Yawm al-Furqan), in which Allah supported Islam and its people, and humiliated shirk and its people, despite the small number of the Muslims and the large number of the polytheists, along with what they had of coats of iron and complete equipment and adorned horses and excessive arrogance. And for that, Allah favored the believers by His saying, the Exalted: “And Allah had already given you victory at Badr when you were weak.” [Al-Imran:123] And this battle was the greatest of the battles of Islam, for from it came its rise, and after it its light shone over the horizons. And their departure was on the seventeenth day that had passed of Ramadan, at the completion of nineteen months, and the Ansar (the Muslim tribes that lived in Madinah) went out with him, and they had not gone out with him before that. And the number of those who went out with him was three hundred and thirteen and some say three hundred and fourteen. Those who did not attend — he only assigned for them their share and reward, so it was as if they had attended it. And with them were three horses — for al-Miqdad, and az-Zubayr, and Marthad al-Ghanawī. And with them were seventy camels. 

As for the polytheists, they were a thousand, and with them were one hundred horses and seven hundred camels. And their fighting was on Friday, the seventeenth of Ramadan, and his ﷺ departure was with the intention of intercepting the caravan of Quraysh coming from al-Sham in a great caravan in which were the wealth of Quraysh (that some of it was taken by force from Muslims’ properties in Makkah), and upon it was Abu Sufyan with thirty riders. So, when he ﷺ reached with his companions al-Rawha, news came to him of the marching of Quraysh to protect their caravan. So, the Prophet ﷺ consulted his companions and said: “Indeed Allah has promised you one of the two parties — either the caravan or Quraysh.” Then Abu Bakr stood up and spoke and did well. Then Umar stood up and spoke and did well. 

Then al-Miqdad ibn Amr stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah, proceed with what Allah has commanded you. For we are with you. By Allah, we will not say to you as the Children of Israel said to Musa: ‘Go, you and your Lord, and fight, indeed, we are sitting right here’, but [we say]: go, you and your Lord, and fight; indeed, we are with you, fighting. So, by the One who sent you with the truth, if you were to march us to Bark al-Imad, meaning the city of the Abyssinians, we would fight alongside you against whoever is between it and us, until you reach it.” So, the Prophet ﷺ said good words and supplicated good for him. Then he ﷺ said: “O people,” , and he meant the Ansar, so Sa’d ibn Muʿadh said to him: “By Allah, it is as if you mean us, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Yes.” Sa’d said: “We have believed in you and affirmed you, and we have testified that what you have brought is the truth, and we have given you upon that our covenants and firm pledges upon hearing and obeying. So proceed, O Messenger of Allah, to whatever you wish. For by the One who sent you with the truth, if you were to march us to this sea and plunge into it, we would plunge into it with you, not a single man among us would stay behind. Nor do we dislike that we should meet our enemy. And indeed, we are patient in war, steadfast at the encounter. Perhaps Allah will show you from us what will please your eye. So, march us forth with the blessing of Allah, the Exalted.” So, the Prophet ﷺ was pleased with the words of Saʿd, and it encouraged him. Then he said: “March forth with the blessing of Allah, the Exalted, and receive glad tidings. For indeed, Allah has promised me one of the two parties. And by Allah, it is as if I am now looking at the places of death of the enemies,” and he designated their places of death, and none of them died elsewhere.

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ moved to a place near Badr and left Quraysh at the far side of the valley, and a shelter (‘areesh) was built for him ﷺ, and he was in it. Then ʿUtbah ibn Rabi’ah, his brother Shaybah, and his son al-Walid came out and called for single combat. So, men from the Ansar came out to them by the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but they (the Quraysh) said: “We have no need for you.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called for Ubaydah ibn al-Harith ibn al-Muttalib, and Hamzah, and Ali. So Hamzah confronted Shaybah and killed him, and Ali confronted al-Walid and killed him. And Ubaydah and ʿUtbah struck each other and each of them inflicted a deep wound on the other. Then Hamzah and Ali turned to ‘Utbah and killed him, and they carried Ubaydah away — and he was martyred thereafter from those wounds, may Allah be pleased with him. 

Then the people lined up and came close to one another, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in the ʿareesh (shelter), and with him was Abu Bakr alone, and he ﷺ was pleading with his Lord for what He had promised him of victory, and he was saying: “O Allah, if this band of the people of faith is destroyed today, You will not be worshipped on earth ever again.” And when he ﷺ looked at the force of the idolaters and the small number of the Muslims, he stood and prayed two rakʿahs, and he said while he was in his prayer: “O Allah, do not forsake me. O Allah, I implore You for what You have promised me.” 

And while he was in the ʿareesh and with him was al-Siddiq (Abu Bakr), a light sleep overtook him ﷺ, then he awoke smiling and said: “Rejoice, O Abu Bakr! This is Jibril, dust upon his teeth,” meaning the dust of battle. 

Then he went out from the door of the ʿareesh while reciting: “The assembly will be defeated, and they will turn their backs in retreat.” [Al-qamar: 45] And Allah aided the Muslims with a thousand of the angels, then they became three thousand, then they became five thousand. And the angels did not know how to kill human beings, so Allah, the Exalted, taught them with His saying: “So strike above the necks, and strike from them every fingertip,” [Al-anfal: 12] meaning every joint. And they used to recognize those killed by the angels among their slain by the mark on the necks and the fingertips. And from Ibn Abbas: The angels did not fight except on the Day of Badr, and in other than it, they were [merely] in number and support. And their sign on the Day of Badr was white turbans, and on the Day of Hunayn, turbans of green. And from Suhayl ibn Hanif from his father, he said: Indeed, we would be guided on the Day of Badr, and one of us would point with his sword toward the idolater, and his head would fall from his body before the sword reached him.

And when the two forces met, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a handful of gravel and threw it in their faces and said: “May the faces be disfigured!” So, no idolater remained except that some of it entered his eyes and his nostrils, and they turned in retreat. And Allah killed from the chiefs of Quraysh whom He killed and took captive from their nobles whom He took captive. And Ibn Ishaq said: ʿUkkashah ibn Mihsan al-Asadi fought on the Day of Badr with his sword until it broke in his hand. So, he came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he gave him a branch from firewood and said to him: “Fight with this.” So, he shook it, and it became in his hand a long sword, firm in the blade, white in its metal, so he fought with it until Allah gave them Muslims victory. And that sword was called al-’Awn, and he continued to witness battles with it alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until he was killed, and it remained with him. And Mua’adh ibn Amr came to him ﷺ on that day carrying his hand, ‘Ikrimah had struck it and it had remained hanging by a piece of skin. So, the Prophet ﷺ spat on it and it reattached, and he lived after that until the time of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with both of them.

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered that the dead of the idolaters be thrown into the well, the well’s edges, and he ﷺ called them: “O so-and-so son of so-and-so! O so-and-so son of so-and-so! Did you find what Allah and His Messenger promised you to be true? For indeed I have found what Allah promised me to be true.” And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O people of the well! What an evil kinfolk you were to me, you denied me, while the people believed in me.” So Umar said: “O Messenger of Allah, how do you speak to bodies that have no souls in them?” He ﷺ said: “You do not hear what I say better than they do, except that they are not able to respond.” Qatadah said: Allah, Exalted is He, gave them life, as a humiliation and disgrace, a favor and a regret.

And Ibn Marzuq said: And from the lasting signs of blessing is what I used to hear from more than one of the pilgrims, that when they would pass by that place, they would hear a sound like the beating of royal drums, and they used to think that this was in honor of the victory of the people of faith. And I would sometimes deny that, and sometimes be inclined toward it, until Allah blessed me with reaching that noble place, and I heard the sound of the drum, a confirmed hearing, time after time, for the whole day. And there were martyred on the Day of Badr from the Muslims fourteen men: six from the muhajireen (those of Makkah that embraced Islam and migrated to Madinah with the Prophet ﷺ), and eight from the Ansar. And there were killed from the mushrikeen (nonbelievers) seventy, and seventy were taken captive. 

And when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had finished at Badr, at the end of Ramadan and the first day of Shawwal, he sent Zayd ibn Harithah as a bearer of glad tidings. He reached al-Madinah at forenoon, and they had just shaken off the dust of Ruqayyah, daughter of the Prophet ﷺ and upon her peace. And Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, had remained behind from Badr due to her illness, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him a share (of the spoils) and his reward.

The Battle of Uhud

Then the Battle of Uhud took place in Shawwal of the third year, on the eleventh night of which, according to the agreement, the Quraysh gathered to fight the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to avenge their defeat on the Day of Badr. Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib wrote a letter informing the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about their plans, and Abu Sufyan took the letter and set out with them until they camped at the bottom of the valley near Uhud, facing the city of Madinah. Some of the Muslims were saddened by missing the Battle of Badr. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was shown a vision which he preferred for them to stay in Madinah, and he said to his companions, “Stay where you are, and if they enter the city, we will fight them and throw stones from the rooftops.” But they replied, “Those are the people, O Messenger of Allah, we were hoping for this day. Let us go out to face our enemies so they do not think we are cowards.” 

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed for them on Friday, then warned them and commanded them to strive and work hard, telling them that they would be granted victory if they were patient. He also commanded them to prepare for their enemy. The people rejoiced at this, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered his house, then came out wearing his armor and carrying his sword. They regretted their earlier wish and said, “It was not right for us to oppose you, do whatever you wish.” He replied, “It is not appropriate for a Prophet, when he has donned his armor, to remove it until Allah has judged between him and his enemy.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed three flags: one for the Muhajirun under the command of Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah honor his face, one for the Khazraj under the command of Hubab ibn al-Mundhir, and one for the Aws under the command of Usayd ibn Hudayr, may Allah be pleased with them. Among the Muslims, there were one hundred armed with armor.

Sa’d ibn Mu’adh and Sa’d ibn Ubadah, may Allah be pleased with them, led the charge, each wearing armor. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed Ibn Umm Maktum to govern Madinah and Muhammad ibn Maslamah to be in charge of the night watch. The Muslims numbered a thousand men, while the polytheists had three thousand, including seven hundred with armor, two hundred horses, three thousand camels, and fifteen women. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ camped at Uhud, and Abdullah ibn Ubayy withdrew with three hundred of his followers from among the hypocrites. It is said that the Prophet ﷺ ordered them to retreat because of their disbelief, then the Muslims lined up at the foot of Uhud, and the polytheists lined up at the opposite side. On the right flank of the polytheists was Khalid ibn al-Walid, and on the left flank was Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed fifty archers under the command of Abdullah ibn Jubayr and instructed them, “Do not leave your position until I send for you. Guard our rear. If you see us being killed, do not come to help us, and if you see us having the upper hand, do not join us.” The battle began, and many of the polytheists were killed. Allah granted His victory to the Muslims, and they pushed the disbelievers away from their camp. The disbelievers fled in defeat, and their women cried out in woe. The Muslims pursued them, capturing their spoils of war.

The companions of Abdullah ibn Jubayr, seeing the disbelievers fleeing, began to call for the spoils of war. Abdullah ibn Jubayr reminded them, “Did you forget what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded you?” They replied, “By Allah, we will join the others and share in the spoils.” When they reached the camp, their faces turned away from them, and they came back in defeat. Then Khalid ibn al-Walid noticed that the archers left their positions on the mountain and the mountain was nearly empty, so with great speed on his horse, he went around the mountain of Uhud with Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl behind him and attacked the remaining archers from behind, killing them, including their commander, Abdullah ibn Jubayr. In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is reported that when they lined up for battle, one of the nonbelievers appeared, and asked “Is there any champion willing to face me?” Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib went out and fought him, but Hamza was killed by Wahshi, who was hiding behind a rock and when he came close to him Wahshi then threw his spear at him, striking him between his legs. This was the last time Hamza may Allah be please with him was seen.

Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr fought for the sake of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until he was martyred. The one who killed him was Ibn Qami’ah, who thought he had killed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and cried out, “Muhammad has been killed!” A voice called out, “O servants of Allah, guard yourselves from the enemy!” The Muslims, unaware, started killing one another. Some of them fled towards Madinah, and others scattered. Many of them died but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed put until they left with fourteen of his companions with him, seven of them from the Muhajireen, among them is Abu Bakr and seven from Al-Ansar. Seventy Muslims were martyred that day, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his companions had killed seventy of the polytheists on the Day of Badr. 

Abu Sufyan asked, “Is Muhammad among these people?” three times, and the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from answering. Then he asked, “Is Abu Quhafa’s son among them?” three times, and again the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from answering. He then asked, “Is Umar ibn al-Khattab among them?” three times, and when he received no answer, he returned to his companions, saying, “These have been killed, and what remains is what will grieve you.” Umar could not contain himself and responded, “You are lying, O enemy of Allah. All those you mentioned are alive, and what remains will be worse for you.” Then Abu Sufyan answered “this day is for in Badr (the revenge for Badr)”. The war is back and forth (one day for you and one day against you). The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was struck on that day, his lower right molar was broken, his lip was injured, and his forehead was wounded. His helmet was crushed, and he was struck with stones until he fell into a pit on his side. Ali ibn Abi Talib took him by the hand, and Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah embraced him until he was standing again. Two parts of his helmet got stuck in his face, and Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah removed them by biting them until his own teeth broke. Malik ibn Sinan, the father of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, sucked the blood from his cheek and swallowed it, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever touches my blood, the fire will not touch him.”

Narrated by Abu Umama: Abdullah ibn Qami’ah threw a stone at the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the day of Uhud, striking his face and breaking one of his molars. He said, “Take that, for I am the son of Qami’ah!” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, while wiping the blood from his face, said, “May Allah strike you down! May Allah send upon him a mountain goat that will continuously ram him until it tears him into pieces!”  Imam al-Awza’i said: We were told that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was wounded on the day of Uhud, he took something and began to dry his blood, saying, “If anything from him (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) fell to the ground, punishment would have descended upon them from the sky.” Then he said, “O Allah, forgive my people, for they do not know.”  And from al-Zuhri, it is reported that the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was struck with a sword seventy times that day, but Allah protected him from all of it. 

On that day, the eye of Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man was injured, and it fell to his cheek. They brought it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who took it in his hand and returned it to its place, saying, “O Allah, clothe him with beauty.” It became the most beautiful of his two eyes.  Abu Rahm al-Ghifari struck Kulthum ibn al-Husayn with an arrow in his neck. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spat on it, and he was healed. Abdullah ibn Jahsh’s sword broke, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him a staff, and it turned into a sword in his hand, with which he fought. That sword was known as “Al-‘Urjoon,” and it was passed down through generations until it was sold to the Banu al-Turki from the commanders of the caliph al-Mu’tasim in Baghdad for two hundred dinars.

The polytheists, in their anger, mutilated the bodies of the Muslims, cutting off their ears, noses, and genitals, and opening their bellies. Twenty-three of the disbelievers were killed, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ killed Ubayy ibn Khalaf with his blessed hand, making him the only one to be killed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and it was through a scratch caused by the spear of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.  When Abu Sufyan intended to leave, he climbed a mountain and shouted at the top of his voice, “The war is back and forth; today is a day like the day of Badr! Let Hubal (their idol) rise!” On that the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to his companions), “Why don’t you answer him back?” They said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) What shall we say?” He said, “Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime.” (Then) Abu Sufyan said, “We have the (idol) Al `Uzza, and you have no `Uzza.” The Prophet said (to his companions), “Why don’t you answer him back?” They asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! What shall we say?” He said, “Say Allah is our Maula (Lord, Master, Helper, Protector, etc.) and you have no Maula.” When Abu Sufyan departed, he called out, “Your meeting will be next year at Badr.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to one of his companions, “Say, ‘Yes, there is a meeting between us and you.'”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked at Hamzah, whose abdomen had been split open with his liver pulled out, his nose cut off, and his ears mutilated. There was nothing more painful to his heart than that sight. He said, “May Allah have mercy on you. You were one who used to do good and was kind to your relatives.” As for those who suffered like Hamzah, his sister’s son, Abdullah ibn Jahsh, was buried with him in one grave. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked at the bodies of the Muslim martyrs, he said, “I am a witness for these, and there is no wound inflicted in the path of Allah except that Allah will raise the one wounded on the Day of Judgment, and his wound will have the color of blood and the fragrance of musk.” And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When your brothers were martyred at Uhud, Allah placed their souls in the bodies of green birds, which drink from the rivers of Paradise, eat its fruits, and dwell in lanterns of gold beneath the Throne of Allah. When they experienced the sweetness of their food and drink and the beauty of their resting place, they said, ‘we wish that our brothers knew what Allah has done for us, so as not to turn away from jihad (fighting) and refrain from the war.’ Allah said, ‘I will convey this to them for you,’ and then Allah revealed the verses: ‘Do not think those who were killed in the way of Allah are dead; they are alive with their Lord, provided for.’ (Al-Imran: 169) and the following verses.”

The Battle of Banu Nadir

Banu Nadir were a tribe of Jews who broke their covenant with the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ ordered their expulsion from Medina. The leader of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, advised them to stay in their places, promising them support with fighters. The battle ended with their expulsion from Medina and their departure from the city.

Battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq)/ Battle of the Confederates (al-Ahzab) 

This is the battle of the confederates, named after the trench that was dug around the city by his command ﷺ, and which was suggested by Salman al-Farsi, may Allah be pleased with him. The Prophet ﷺ himself worked on it as an encouragement for the Muslims. As for its being called “The Confederates,” it was due to the alliance of various groups of polytheists who came together to wage war against the Muslims, including the Quraysh, Ghatafan, the Jews, and their allies.

From the events of this battle, it is narrated that a group of Jews came to Quraysh in Mecca and said, “We will join you against him until we annihilate him.” They gathered for this purpose and made a pact. Then, those Jews went to Ghatafan, inviting them to join in the war against him ﷺ, and informed them that Quraysh had pledged allegiance to them for this cause. They joined with them, and Quraysh set out with its leader Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, while Ghatafan also mobilized, with their leaders Uwaynah ibn Hisn from Fizarah and al-Harith ibn Awf from Bani Murrah. The total number of their forces was ten thousand, while the Muslims had only three thousand.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard of the confederation and the preparations made against the Muslims, he ordered the digging of the trench. There were signs of his Prophethood during the digging of the trench. Among these was what was narrated by Ahmad and al-Nasa’i from al-Bara’ who said: “When we were commanded by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to dig the trench, a large rock presented itself that our picks could not break. We complained about it to the Prophet ﷺ, and he came, took the pick, said ‘In the name of Allah,’ struck the rock, and broke off a third of it. Then he said, ‘Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to the Levant (Sham), and by Allah, I can see its red palaces right now.’ He struck again and broke off another third, saying, ‘Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Persia, and by Allah, I can see the White Palace of Madain right now.’ He struck for the third time and broke the remaining part of the rock, saying, ‘Allahu Akbar! I have been given the keys to Yemen, and by Allah, I can see the gates of Sana’a right now.’” Among the other signs was the multiplication of small amounts of food, as confirmed in the authentic narration of Jabir. 

After the trench was completed, Quraysh arrived, settling at the place where the streams converge, with ten thousand of their forces, including their allies from Bani Kinanah and the people of Tihamah. Uwaynah ibn Hisn from Ghatafan and his followers from Najd also arrived. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims marched out and positioned themselves with their backs to the mountain of Sal‘, and they numbered three thousand men. They set up their camp there, with the trench between them and the enemy. The banner of the Muhajirun was held by Zayd ibn Harithah, and the banner of the Ansar was held by Sa’d ibn Ubadah. Banu Quraydah, who were under a pact with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, broke their covenant under the leadership of their chief, Ka’b ibn Asad, and they betrayed their agreement.

When the news reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he sent some of his companions to them, and they found them in the most treacherous state. This caused great distress and fear among the Muslims. Their enemies attacked from above and below, and the believers began to have doubts, as the hypocrisy among some of the hypocrites was revealed. Allah the Almighty revealed: (And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, “Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion.”) [Al-Ahzab: 12] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Muslims remained under siege, with no fighting except for some archery. However, Amr ibn Wud al-‘Amiri broke through with some horsemen through a narrow part of the trench and challenged the Muslims to combat. Ali ibn Abi Talib confronted him and killed him. Naufal ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Mughira also challenged, and he was killed by al-Zubayr. The rest of the cavalry retreated in defeat. Meanwhile, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh was struck with an arrow that severed the jugular vein, which is the vein of life. He did not bleed out immediately. In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed against the Confederates and said: “O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Swift in reckoning, defeat the Confederates. O Allah, defeat them and shake them.” 

In “The Spring of Life” by Ibn Dafr, it is said that the Prophet ﷺ prayed: “O Helper of the distressed, O Answerer of the calls of the oppressed, remove my grief and distress, for You see what has befallen me and my companions.” Then, Jibril (Gabriel) came to him, bringing glad tidings that Allah would send a wind and troops against the enemy. He informed his companions, and the wind began to blow, lifting their tent pegs and throwing their tents down. The wind threw dust at them, and they heard the sound of Takbir (Allah’s Greatest) and the clanging of weapons. The Confederates fled in fear that night, abandoning their supplies. Thus, the verse was revealed: (And We sent against them a wind and troops that you did not see.) [Al-Ahzab: 9]

The Prophet ﷺ left the Battle of the Trench on the Wednesday of the seventh night remaining in Dhu al-Qi’dah, having stayed there for fifteen days. He ﷺ said: “Quraysh will not attack you after this year,” and this was a sign of Prophethood. For, in the year that followed, when they prevented him from performing the pilgrimage, the truce was made between them, but they violated it, leading to the conquest of Mecca, as the Prophet had predicted.

The Battle of Banu Quraydha

This battle followed the Battle of the Confederates and also took place in the fifth year of Hijrah. Its cause was the treachery of the Jews of Banu Quraydha, who violated their pact with the Messenger of Allah, aligned themselves with Quraysh, and intended to betray the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah marched against them with three thousand Muslim fighters. They besieged them for twenty-five nights, until their situation became dire, and they submitted to the judgment of the Messenger of Allah.

The Battle of Hudaybiyyah (Ghazwat al-Hudaybiyyah)
It took place in the sixth year of the Hijrah, during the month of Dhul-Qi’dah. This occurred after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw in a dream that he and his companions were heading to the Sacred House (Ka’bah) in peace, with their heads shaved. He then commanded the Muslims to prepare for the ‘Umrah. They entered into the state of Ihram from Dhul-Hulayfah, and they only greeted with the traveler’s salutation to inform the Quraysh that they did not intend to fight. Upon reaching Hudaybiyyah, the Quraysh prevented them from entering. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Uthman ibn Affan to inform them of the true reason for their journey. It was rumored that Uthman had been killed. So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided to prepare for battle. However, the Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr to negotiate peace terms. The treaty was made to cease hostilities for ten years and stipulated that the Muslims would return anyone from Quraysh who came to them, but Quraysh would not return anyone from the Muslims who came to them. The Muslims then dissolved their Ihram and returned to Makkah.

The Battle of Khaybar (Ghazwat Khaybar) 

It took place in the seventh year of the Hijrah, at the end of the month of Muharram. This occurred after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the need to eliminate the Jewish strongholds, as they posed a threat to the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ set out with this goal in mind, and the outcome of the battle was in favor of the Muslims.

The Battle of Mu’tah (Ghazwat Mu’tah)
It occurred in the eighth year of the Hijrah, during the month of Jumada al-Awwal. The reason for this expedition was the anger of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ over the killing of Harith ibn ‘Umayr al-Azdi. The Prophet ﷺ appointed Zayd ibn Harithah as the commander of the Muslim army, instructing that if Zayd were to be martyred, the leadership would pass to Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, and if Ja’far were martyred, then to Abdullah ibn Rawahah. He also instructed that the people should be invited to Islam before any fighting took place. The battle concluded with the Muslims’ victory.

The Conquest of the Noble Makkah (al-Fath)

The conquest of Makkah – checked “May Allah increase it (i.e. Makkah) in honor and nobility. And this (Conquest of Makkah) is the greatest conquest, by which Allah honored His religion, His Messenger, His army, and His Sacred Sanctuary, and He rescued His city and His House—which He made a guidance for the worlds—from the hands of the disbelievers and polytheists. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out for it with the battalions of Islam and the soldiers of the Most Merciful, due to the Quraysh violating the treaty that had been concluded at al-Ḥudaybiyyah. Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asking him to renew the treaty and extend the duration, but he refused him. So he (Abū Sufyān) returned to Makkah. 

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prepared (for the expedition) without informing anyone. Then Ḥāṭib wrote a letter and sent it to Makkah to inform them of that. But Allah informed His Prophet of it. So the Prophet ﷺ  said to ʿAlī, az-Zubayr, and al-Miqdād: ‘Go forth until you reach a garden called Khākh, for there is a woman there with her a letter. Take it from her.’ He (the narrator) said: So we went until we came to the garden, and behold—we found the woman. We said: ‘Bring out the letter.’ She said: ‘I have no letter.’ We said: ‘You will surely bring out the letter, or we will surely search you.’ So, she brought it out from her hair braid.

Then we brought it to the Prophet ﷺ, and it was from Ḥāṭib ibn Abī Baltaʿah to some people among the polytheists in Makkah, informing them of matters of the Prophet ﷺ. So he ﷺ  said: ‘O Ḥāṭib, what is this?!’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do not rush in judging me! I was a man who was closely attached to Quraysh—meaning an ally—and I was not one of their original members. And those who are with you from among the Muhājirīn—they have relatives by blood to protect their families and wealth. So I wanted—since I lacked that blood tie with them—to earn a favor with them by which they would protect my family. I did not do it out of apostasy from my religion, nor out of approval of disbelief after Islam.’ So the Messenger of Allah  ﷺsaid: “Indeed, he has told you the truth.”

‘Umar said: “O Messenger of Allah, let me strike the neck of this hypocrite!” He ﷺ said: “Indeed, he witnessed Badr. And how do you know? Perhaps Allah looked at the people of Badr and said: ‘Do whatever you wish, for I have forgiven you.’” So Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, revealed: “O you who have believed, do not take My enemy and your enemy as allies, extending affection to them…” —until His saying: “…then he has certainly strayed from the right path.” [Al-Mumtahanah : 1] It was narrated by al-Bukhārī. 

And as-Suhaylī reported that the wording of the letter which Ḥāṭib wrote was: “As for what follows: O assembly of Quraysh, indeed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  has come to you with a great army, flowing like a flood. And by Allah, if he were to come to you alone, Allah would still grant him victory and fulfill His promise to him. So, look to your own affairs. And peace be upon you.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to the surrounding Arab tribes—Aslam, Ghifar, Muzaynah, Juhaynah, Ashjaʿ, and Sulaym—and gathered them. Some of them met him in Madinah, and some caught up with him on the road. He ﷺ appointed Ibn Umm Maktūm as his deputy over Madinah and departed on Wednesday, two nights into the month of Ramadan (and it was said: on the tenth, and it was said: even later), after the ʿAṣr prayer, in the eighth year after Hijrah. The Muslims were ten thousand in number, and it was said: twelve thousand.

Al-ʿAbbās had set out with his family and belongings as a Muslim emigrant. He met the Messenger of Allah at al-Juḥfah, and before that, he had been residing in Makkah in charge of providing water (to pilgrims), and the Messenger of Allah was pleased with him. Among those who met him ﷺ  on the road was Abū Sufyān ibn al-Ḥārith, his cousin and his foster brother from Ḥalīmah as-Saʿdiyyah. With him was his son, Jaʿfar. Abū Sufyān used to be close to the Messenger of Allah, but when the Prophet was sent (with the message), he opposed and insulted him. Their meeting occurred at al-Abwāʾ, and they accepted Islam before the entry into Makkah.

Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued on, and when he reached Qudayd, he distributed banners and flags and handed them to the various tribes. Then he camped at Marr az-Duhrān in the evening and ordered his companions to light ten thousand fires. The Quraysh had not yet received news of his march, as they were avoiding intelligence out of fear of his expedition against them. So they sent Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb and said: “If you meet Muhammad, seek protection from him for us.” Abū Sufyān, Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām, and Budayl ibn Warqāʾ set out until they reached Marr az-Duhrān. When they saw the army, they were frightened. Some guards of the Messenger of Allah  ﷺspotted them, caught them, and brought them to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Abū Sufyān accepted Islam.

When the Prophet ﷺ continued on, he said to al-ʿAbbās: “Hold Abū Sufyān at the narrow path of the mountain so he may witness the Muslims.” So al-ʿAbbās held him there, and the tribes began to pass by the Prophet ﷺ one battalion after another before Abū Sufyān. A battalion passed and he said: “O ʿAbbās, who are these?” He replied: “This is Ghifar.” He said: “What do I have to do with Ghifar?” Then Juhaynah passed, and he said the same. This continued until a battalion approached the like of which he had never seen. He asked: “Who are these?” He replied: “These are the Anṣār, and with them is Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah, carrying the banner.”

Saʿd said: “O Abū Sufyān! Today is the day of slaughter! Today the Kaʿbah will be made lawful!” (And in another narration: “Today the sanctity will be violated!”) A man from the Muhājirīn heard this and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I fear that Saʿd might take a bold action against the Quraysh.” So he ﷺ said to ʿAlī: “Catch up with him, take the banner from him, and you be the one to enter with it.” It was also narrated that Abū Sufyān said to the Prophet ﷺ when he passed by him: “Did you order the killing of your people?” He replied: “No.” So he mentioned to him what Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah had said, and then he appealed to the Prophet by Allah and by the ties of kinship. So the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Abū Sufyān, today is the day of mercy. Today Allah will honor Quraysh.” He then sent for Saʿd, took the banner from him, and gave it to his son, Qays. Mūsā ibn ʿUqbah narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām to lead the Muhājirīn and their cavalry. He commanded him to enter Makkah from Kadāʾ, which is the upper part of the city, and to plant his banner at al-Ḥajūn, and not to move from there until the Prophet ﷺ himself arrived.

He also sent Khālid ibn al-Walīd with the tribal forces of Quḍāʿah, Sulaym, and others. He commanded him to enter Makkah from the lower side, and to plant his banner near the nearest houses. He sent Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah at the head of a detachment of the Anṣār, in the vanguard of the Prophet ﷺ, and ordered them to restrain their hands and not to fight except against those who initiated hostilities against them. Khālid ibn al-Walīd advanced until he entered Makkah from the lower part. There, he encountered resistance from the clans of Banū Bakr, Banū al-Ḥārith ibn ʿAbd Manāf, people from Hudhayl, and some from the Aḥābīsh—the very people Quraysh had once called upon for reinforcements.

They attacked Khālid, so he fought them back, defeating them. About twenty men from Banū Bakr were killed, and three or four from Hudhayl. The fighting continued until it reached al-Ḥazwarah, right by the gate of the Sacred Mosque, and they fled into their houses. Some climbed up into the mountains. Then Abū Sufyān shouted out: “Whoever closes his door and restrains his hand is safe!” When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the flash of swords, he asked: “What is this? I had forbidden fighting.” They replied: “Khālid was attacked, and the fighting was initiated against him, so he had no choice but to fight.” Later, after receiving news from Khālid, the Prophet said: “Why did you fight, when I had forbidden it?” Khālid replied: “They began the fighting, and I restrained my hand as much as I could.”The Prophet ﷺ said: “The decree of Allah is best.” After Abū Sufyān embraced Islam and bore witness to the truth, al-ʿAbbās said: “O Messenger of Allah, Abū Sufyān is a man who loves pride and honor. Grant him something.” The Prophet said: “Yes.” Then he commanded his caller to proclaim: “Whoever enters the mosque is safe. Whoever enters the house of Abū Sufyān is safe. Whoever closes his door is safe.” 

The exception to this general amnesty included ten individuals, as recorded by al-Wāqidī from his teachers: six men and four women, who were not granted safety due to their extreme enmity. Muslim and al-Nasāʾī narrated from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approached Makkah, he had appointed Khālid ibn al-Walīd on one flank, al-Zubayr on the other, and Abū ʿUbaydah over those without weapons. He said to me: “O Abū Hurayrah, call the Anṣār for me!” So I called them, and they responded promptly, surrounding him. Then he said to them: “Do you see those rabble of Quraysh and their followers?” Then he struck one hand upon the other, saying: “Cut them down like harvested crops, until you meet me at al-Ṣafā.” Abū Hurayrah said: “So we set off, and we could kill anyone we wished from them until we reached al-Ṣafā.” Then Abū Sufyān came and said: “O Messenger of Allah, Quraysh is being slaughtered! There will be no Quraysh after today!” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Whoever closes his door is safe.”

It is narrated that when the Messenger of Allah  ﷺsaw how Allah had honored him with the conquest of Makkah, he lowered his head in humility before Allah such that it nearly touched the saddle of his mount—in gratitude and submission to the Majesty of Allah, who had permitted for him this land, which had never been made lawful for anyone before him, nor will it be for anyone after him. According to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah on the Day of Conquest with a helmet of iron upon his head.” On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah entered Mecca wearing a black turban. 

On the following day of the Conquest, the Prophet ﷺ stood and delivered a sermon to the people. He praised Allah, glorified Him, and exalted Him as He is worthy of being exalted, then said: “O people, indeed Allah has sanctified Mecca the day He created the heavens and the earth, and it remains sacred by Allah’s decree until the Day of Resurrection. It is not permissible for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein or to cut down its trees. If someone claims that fighting was permitted in it for the sake of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then say: ‘Indeed, Allah permitted it for His Messenger ﷺ, but He did not permit it for you.’ It was only made lawful for me for an hour of the day. Now, its sanctity has returned as it was yesterday. So let the present convey this to the absent.” Then he said: “O people of Quraysh, what do you think I am going to do with you?” They replied: “Good. You are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother.” He said: “Go, for you are the freed ones.” (Meaning: You have been freed without being enslaved or taken captive.) 

And when Allah the Exalted granted victory to His Messenger ﷺ in the Conquest of Mecca, the Ansar said among themselves: “Do you think that now, when Allah has given him victory over his homeland and people, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will stay here?” While the Prophet ﷺ was making supplication on Mount Ṣafā, raising his hands in prayer, after he finished supplicating, he said: “What is it that you said?” They responded: “Nothing, O Messenger of Allah.” He continued to press them until they told him. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said: “Allah forbid! Life is your life, and death is your death.” As for Faḍālah ibn ʿUmayr ibn al-Mulawwiḥ, he had intended to kill the Prophet ﷺ while the Prophet was performing ṭawāf (circumambulation) around the Kaʿbah. When he drew near him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Faḍālah?” He replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “What were you talking to yourself about?” He said: “Nothing. I was just remembering Allah.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled and then said: “Seek forgiveness from Allah.” Then he placed his hand on Faḍālah’s chest, and his heart became calm. Faḍālah used to say: “By Allah, he did not lift his hand from my chest until there was nothing on earth more beloved to me than him.”

And in the tafsīr (Qur’anic commentary) of the scholar Ibn al-Naqīb al-Maqdisī, it is mentioned: When Allah, the Exalted, informed His Messenger  ﷺ that He had fulfilled Him promise of victory over his enemies, the Conquest of Mecca, and the elevation of His religion, He commanded him that upon entering Mecca he should recite the verse: “And say: The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.” [Surah Al-Isrā’ 17:81]

The prophet ﷺ began to strike the idols surrounding the Kaʿbah with his staff, saying: “The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished.” And the idols would fall, collapsing, even though they were all fastened with iron and lead. There were three hundred and sixty idols, equal to the number of days in the year. Narrated by Ibn Umar may Allah be pleased with him and his father: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Mecca during the Year of Conquest riding his camel Al-Qaswa, with Usama riding behind him, until he stopped at the courtyard of the Ka’bah. He then called for Uthman ibn Talha and said, ‘Bring me the key,’ so Uthman went to his mother but she refused to give it to him. He said, ‘By Allah, you will give it to me, or else this sword will come out of its sheath.’ She gave it to him, and he brought it to the Prophet ﷺ, who took it, opened the door, and entered. This was narrated by Muslim.”

In the book Al-Tabaqat of Ibn Sa’d, it is narrated from Uthman ibn Talha that “We used to open the Ka’bah in the pre-Islam days on Mondays and Thursdays. One day, the Prophet ﷺ came wanting to enter the Ka’bah with the people. I was harsh with him and he tolerated me. Then he said, ‘O Uthman, perhaps you will see this key in my hands one day, to place it wherever I want.’ I replied, ‘Today, Quraysh is destroyed and humiliated.’ He said, ‘Rather, today it is revived and honored.’ Then he ﷺ entered the Ka’ba, and his words gave me the impression that the matter will come to me as he said”. And when the Day of Conquest came, he said, ‘O Uthman, bring me the key.’ I brought it to him, and he took it from me and said, ‘Keep it, O Uthman, as a permanent trust. No one will take it from you except the wrongdoer. O Uthman, indeed, Allah has entrusted you with His house, so eat from what reaches you from this house in an appropriate manner.’“

When I turned away, he called me back. I returned to him, and he said, ‘Wasn’t what I told you before migration that you would see this key one day in my hands, wherever I want?’ I said, ‘Yes, I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.’ And it was in connection with Uthman that the verse was revealed: “Indeed, Allah commands you to give back trusts to those to whom they are due.” (Al Nisa’ : 58). Muslim narrated that he ﷺ entered the Ka’bah with Usama ibn Zayd, Bilal, and Uthman ibn Talha. They closed the door behind them. Ibn Umar said, ‘When they opened it, I was the first to enter. I met Bilal and asked him if the Prophet ﷺ had prayed. He said, ‘Yes, between the two Yemeni columns.’ I stopped asking him how many units of prayer he had prayed.'”  

In one narration of Bukhari, it was mentioned that he placed one column on his left, one on his right, and three columns behind him. In the book Makkah by Al-Azraqi and Al-Fakihi, it is stated that Muawiya asked Ibn Umar where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had prayed, and he replied, ‘Make the distance between you and the wall two or three arm lengths.’ This is the way for those who want to pray there to place themselves, keeping the distance of three arm lengths, as his feet would fall in the same place where the feet of the Prophet ﷺ were. If it were less than three arm lengths, his knees, hands, or face would touch.” Narrated Usama bin Zaid: I entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Ka’bah and saw pictures. So, he called for a bucket of water, and I brought it to him. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started erasing them and saying, “May Allah curse the ones who draw what they do not create.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). And the Messenger of Allah  ﷺstayed for fifteen nights, and it is said that it was more than that. The conquest of Makkah was in the last ten nights of Ramadan. 

The Battle of Hunayn 

It is a valley near Ta’if, between it and Mecca, three nights away. It is also called the Battle of Hawazin because when the Prophet ﷺ finished the conquest of Mecca and its people had mostly embraced Islam, the leaders of Hawazin and Thaqif, some of them secretly gathered together, gathered their forces, and intended to fight the Muslims. Their leader was Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri. So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out from Mecca on Saturday, six nights into Shawwal, with twelve thousand Muslims—ten thousand from the people of Medina and two thousand from those who had embraced Islam from Mecca. He appointed Uttab ibn Usayd as the governor of Mecca. The Prophet ﷺ reached Hunayn on Tuesday, the last ten days of Shawwal. 

A man came and said, “I left you and climbed a mountain, and there I saw Hawazin, all of them, with their women, their camels, and their sheep gathered together for battle at Hunayn.” The Prophet ﷺ smiled and said, “That is the spoils of the Muslims tomorrow, if Allah wills.” A man then said, “We will not be defeated today due to our small numbers.” These words were hard on the Prophet ﷺ because they believed that victory will be from their great number instead of from Allah). Allah, the Exalted said “Indeed Allah has given you believers victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Ḥunain when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat.” (Al-Tawbah : 25). The Prophet ﷺ mounted his white mule named Duldul, wore two coats of armor, a helmet, and a breastplate, and rode out to face them. When the Hawazin saw the overwhelming number of the Muslims, they were alarmed. 

The battle began in the early morning mist. The Muslim cavalry, under the banner of the tribe of Banu Sulaym, began to retreat. The Meccans and the others pursued them, and no one remained steadfast with the Prophet ﷺ except Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbas, Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and Usama ibn Zayd, along with some members of his family and companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

Al-‘Abbas said, “I held the reins of the Prophet’s mule, fearing it might reach the enemy since he was leading the charge against them.” Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith was holding onto the Prophet’s ﷺ saddle. The Prophet ﷺ called out to the Ansar, saying, “O people of the tree (referring to the Bay’ah under the tree of Ridwan), do not flee from me.” He called them several times, saying, “O people of the tree of allegiance”, and sometimes, ‘O companions of the cow’s chapter (referring to Surah Al-Baqarah).” When the Muslims heard Al-‘Abbas calling them, they returned as if they were camels coming to their young. According to a narration from Muslim, Al-‘Abbas said, “By Allah, their turning back when they heard my voice was like cattle returning to their calves, chanting labaik labaik (we have have responded to your call)” The Muslims returned to the Prophet ﷺ, and if a man’s camel did not cooperate with him, he would get off, let it go, and he himself would go back to the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophet ﷺ ordered the Muslims to charge, and they fought fiercely against the disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed their fight and saw it was intense. He compared it to the baking heat of the furnace. This is a phrase of eloquent speech that had never been heard before the Prophet ﷺ. Then he said, “Now it is intense.” In Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Bara’ was asked by a man, “Did you flee from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the day of Hunayn?” He replied, “But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not flee, but Hawazin’s archers confronted us. When we charged them, they were overwhelmed and scattered. We went to the booty, but we were met with arrows.” He added, “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on his white mule, and Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith was holding the reins. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I am the Prophet, no lie. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib.’”

Then the Prophet ﷺ took some pebbles from the ground and said, “May the faces of the disbelievers be disgraced.” He threw them at the faces of the polytheists, and Allah caused their eyes to be filled with that handful of dust. In another narration from Muslim, he took a handful of earth and threw it at them, saying, “May the faces of the disbelievers be disgraced.” According to a narration from Ahmad and others, when the Muslims retreated, the Prophet ﷺ called out, “I am the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” Then he took a handful of earth and struck the faces of the polytheists, saying, “May the faces of the disbelievers be disgraced.” Allah then granted victory. Ibn Mas’ud said, “The Prophet’s mule stumbled, and its saddle tilted, so I said to him, ‘Lift up, may Allah raise you!’ He responded, ‘Give me a handful of dirt,’ and then he struck their faces. Their eyes filled with dust, and the Muhajirun and Ansar came with their swords drawn, shining like meteors. The polytheists turned their backs and fled.”

Abd al-Rahman al-Fahri said, “The children told me from their fathers that none of us was left without his eyes and mouth filled with dust, and we heard a clanging from the sky like iron being dragged across a new pot.” “Then Allah sent down tranquility upon His Messenger ﷺ and upon the believers, and He sent down armies that you did not see” [At-Tawbah: 26], and they were the angels. In the Sirah of al-Dimayati, it is mentioned that the angels on the day of Hunayn were distinguished by red turbans between their shoulders. The Prophet ﷺ commanded to kill when they’re able to, and ordered them to refrain from killing women and children. He also said, “Whoever kills a person, and he has a right to it, should take his spoils.” On that day, Abu Talhah alone took the spoils of twenty men. The Prophet ﷺ also commanded the pursuit of the enemy, and some of them fled towards Ta’if, some towards Nakhlah, and others towards Awtaas. Four Muslims were martyred, and more than seventy disbelievers were killed.

The Battle of Tabuk (Ghazwat Tabuk)

It occurred in the ninth year of the Hijrah, during the month of Rajab. The reason for this expedition was the Byzantines’ desire to eliminate the Islamic state in Madinah. The Muslims set out to face them and camped in the area of Tabuk for approximately twenty nights before returning without engaging in combat.

Letters to Kings and Leaders

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent several of his companions as envoys to invite kings and rulers to the worship of Allah alone. Some accepted Islam, while others remained on their religion. Among these invitations were:

1. Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damri to the Negus (Najashi), the King of Abyssinia.

2. Hatib ibn Abi Balta’ah to al-Muqawqis, the King of Egypt.

3. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah al-Sahmi to Chosroes (Kisra), the King of Persia.

4. Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi to Caesar (Qaysar), the King of Rome.

5. Al-‘Ala ibn al-Hadrami to Al-Mundhir ibn Sawa, the King of Bahrain.

6. Sulayt ibn Amr al-‘Amiri to Hawdhah ibn Ali, the ruler of Yamamah.

7. Shuja’ ibn Wahb al-Asadi to Al-Harith ibn Abi Shamir al-Ghassani, the ruler of Damascus.

8. Amr ibn al-‘As to the ruler of Oman, Jaifar and his brother.

The Delegations (Al-Wufud)

After the Conquest of Makkah, more than seventy delegations from various tribes came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to declare their Islam. Among the notable delegations were:

1. The Delegation of Abdul Qays: They came twice—the first time in the fifth year of Hijrah and the second during the Year of Delegations (‘Aam al-Wufud).

2. The Delegation of Daws: They arrived at the beginning of the seventh year of Hijrah, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in Khaybar.

3. Furwah ibn Amr al-Judhami: He came in the eighth year of Hijrah.

4. The Delegation of Sada’: They arrived in the eighth year of Hijrah.

5. Ka’b ibn Zuhayr ibn Abi Sulma: A notable poet who embraced Islam.

6. The Delegation of ‘Udhrah: They came in the month of Safar in the ninth year of Hijrah.

7. The Delegation of Thaqif: They arrived in Ramadan of the ninth year of Hijrah.

Additionally, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Khalid ibn al-Walid to the tribe of Banu al-Harith ibn Ka’b in Najran, inviting them to Islam for three days. Many of them embraced Islam, and Khalid began teaching them the principles and practices of the religion.

Before the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet ﷺ sent Abu Musa al-Ash’ari and Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen to teach Islam and its teachings.

The Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada’)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ expressed his desire and intention to perform Hajj. He left Madinah, appointing Abu Dujanah as its governor in his absence, and set out toward the Sacred House (Al-Bayt al-‘Atiq). During this journey, he delivered a sermon that later became known as the 

Farewell Sermon (Khutbat al-Wada’).

In this sermon, he emphasized key principles, including:

• The prohibition of usury (riba).

• The importance of adhering firmly to the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

The Prophetic Household (Al-Bayt al-Nabawi)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was a role model in his noble character, generous manners, and high standards in his interactions with his wives, children, and companions. Through his actions, he instilled principles and values in people’s hearts. Allah decreed in His creation the pairing of males and females and established their relationship on affection, mercy, and tranquility, as stated in the Qur’an: “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Surah Ar-Rum: 21) The Prophet ﷺ exemplified the meanings contained in this verse. He advised his companions regarding the rights of women and urged them to treat women kindly. He ﷺ comforted his wives, eased their sorrows, respected their feelings, and never mocked them. Instead, he praised and appreciated them. He assisted them with household tasks, shared meals with them from the same dish, and went out with them for recreation to strengthen the bonds of love and affection.

Excerpt from Martin Lings:

“To Fatimah he said: ‘Thou art the highest of the women of the people of Paradise, excepting only the Virgin Mary, daughter of ‘Imran.’ In prediction of the great part to be played by ‘Ali as one of the chief transmitters of his wisdom to future generations, he said: ‘I am the city of knowledge, and ‘Ali is its gate’; and he said in general: ‘My Companions are even as the stars: whichsoever of them ye follow, ye shall be rightly guided.'” This passage highlights the esteemed positions of his daughter Fatimah and cousin ‘Ali, enriching the context of his familial relationships.

The Wives of the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ was married to eleven wives. Here is a summary of their names and notable details about them:

1. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid: She was the Prophet’s first wife, and he did not marry anyone else while she was alive. She bore all of his children except for Ibrahim, who was born to Maria al-Qibtiyyah. Her children were Al-Qasim (whom he was nicknamed after), Zaynab, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah, and Abdullah (also known as Al-Tayyib and Al-Tahir).

2. Sawda bint Zam’ah: She was his second wife. Out of love for the Prophet ﷺ, she gave her day to Aisha. Aisha admired her and aspired to follow her example. Sawda passed away during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab.

3. Aisha bint Abi Bakr: The most beloved of his wives after Khadijah. She was known for her deep knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, and companions often sought her guidance. The revelation (Wahy) descended upon the Prophet ﷺ while he was in her lap.

4. Hafsa bint Umar ibn al-Khattab: The Prophet ﷺ married her in the third year of Hijrah. She was entrusted with the written Qur’an during its compilation.

5. Zaynab bint Khuzaymah: Known as “Umm al-Masakin” (Mother of the Poor) due to her dedication to feeding and assisting them.

6. Umm Salamah (Hind bint Abi Umayyah): She married the Prophet ﷺ after the death of her husband Abu Salamah. The Prophet ﷺ prayed for her and informed her that she was among the people of Paradise.

7. Zaynab bint Jahsh: She married the Prophet ﷺ by Allah’s command. She was the first of his wives to pass away after him.

8. Juwayriyah bint al-Harith: The Prophet ﷺ married her after she was taken captive in the Battle of Banu al-Mustaliq. Her original name was Barra, but the Prophet ﷺ renamed her Juwayriyah. She passed away in the year 50 AH.

9. Safiyyah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab: The Prophet ﷺ freed her from captivity after the Battle of Khaybar and married her, with her freedom serving as her dowry.

10. Umm Habibah (Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan): She was the Prophet’s wife closest to him in lineage, as both shared a common ancestor in Abd Manaf.

11. Maymunah bint al-Harith: She was the last of the Prophet’s wives, and their marriage marked the completion of his marital life.

Miracles of the Prophet ﷺ

Through the Miracles of the Prophet ﷺ we have solid proof of his prophethood and his true message. Every messenger before the Prophet ﷺ was given specific miracles as a sign to their people, affirming that they were truly sent by Allah. These miracles were tailored to the people they were sent to—people who had expertise or deep familiarity with the field in which the miracle occurred—so they could recognize its extraordinary nature and understand that it could only come from the Creator.

For example, when Musa (peace be upon him) faced the sorcerers of Pharaoh, his staff turned into a real serpent that swallowed all their illusions. Because the sorcerers were masters of magic, they immediately recognized that what Musa presented was not sorcery, but a true miracle from Allah—something far beyond human tricks. This clear sign of divine power led them to believe in Allah and submit to Him without hesitation. This infuriated Pharaoh and punished them for that, Allah the exhaled mentioned this story in the Quran “Pharaoh threatened, “How dare you believe in him before I give you permission? He must be your master who taught you magic. I will certainly cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and crucify you on the trunks of palm trees. You will really see whose punishment is more severe and more lasting,” They responded, “By the One Who created us! We will never prefer you over the clear proofs that have come to us. So do whatever you want!

Your authority only covers the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world. Indeed, we have believed in our Lord so He may forgive our sins and that magic you have forced us to practice. And Allah is far superior ˹in reward˺ and more lasting ˹in punishment˺.” [Taha : 71 – 73]

Another example is Issa (Jesus) miracle to the children of Israel, Allah the Exhalted said: “and

˹make him˺ a messenger to the Children of Israel ˹to proclaim,˺ ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I will make for you a bird from clay, breathe into it, and it will become a ˹real˺ bird—by Allah’s Will. I will heal the blind and the leper and raise the dead to life—by Allah’s Will. And I will prophesize what you eat and store in your houses.

Surely in this is a sign for you if you ˹truly˺ believe.”

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was granted numerous miracles that left no doubt about his divine mission from Allah. His greatest and most enduring miracle is the Qur’an—a timeless revelation in which he challenged both humans and jinn to produce even a single surah comparable to it. He declared that they would never be able to do so. This challenge was especially profound during his time, as the Arabic language and its poetry were at their peak. Yet, despite the unmatched eloquence of the Arab poets and linguists of that era, none could replicate the divine beauty and depth of the Qur’an, affirming its miraculous nature and divine origin. Allah said in his book: “And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to Our servant, then produce a sûrah like it and call your helpers other than Allah, if what you say is true, But if you are unable to do so—and you will never be able to do so—then fear the Fire fuelled with people and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.” [Al baqarah : 23, 24]

The miracles of the prophets before Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were like brief flashes of light — powerful signs witnessed by those present, offering clear proof of their divine mission. However, like a lit match, their impact was limited to a moment in time; those who came later could only learn of them through narration and records. In contrast, the miracle of the Qur’an is unique — it was, is, and will remain a living miracle, accessible to all people across all generations until the end of time. Its guidance and miraculous nature continue to shine for anyone who seeks the truth. This is because the Qur’an was revealed as the final message, and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Seal of the Prophets. Since there will be no prophet after him, his message is meant to guide all of humanity, across all places and times, until the Day of Judgment.

Know that the evidences of the Prophethood of our Prophet ﷺ are numerous, and the reports of the appearance of his miracles are well known and widespread. Among the signs of his Prophethood ﷺ are what is found in the Torah, the Gospel, and the rest of the revealed Books of Allah — of mention of him, descriptions of his qualities, and prophecies of his emergence in the land of the Arabs.

Also among these signs are the strange and wondrous occurrences that happened around the time of his birth and the beginning of his mission — events that shook the authority of disbelief, weakened its power, and pointed to the nobility of the Arabs and foretold their elevated mention. These include:

• The story of the Elephant, what Allah the Exalted inflicted upon the companions of the Elephant from punishment and humiliation,

• The extinguishing of the fire of Persia.

• The collapse of the balconies of the palace of Kisrā.

• The drying of Lake Sāwah.

• The vision/dream of Almoubdhan (the Persian king) on the night of the prophet ﷺ’s birth.

• The voices heard clearly from the unseen, proclaiming his attributes and characteristics ﷺ.

• The toppling of the worshipped idols, as they fell on their faces without anyone pushing them.

And countless other such events that have been narrated in famous reports — from the miracles that occurred during his birth, childhood, and nurturing, up to the time when Allah the Exalted sent him as a Prophet. 

He ﷺ had no wealth by which he might entice hearts, nor power by which he could compel people, nor allies to aid him in the opinion he proclaimed or the religion to which he invited. The people were united upon idol worship, the glorification of divining arrows (a kind of lottery), and entrenched in the customs of the Age of Ignorance (pre-Islam) — clan rivalry, tribal pride, mutual enmity, bloodshed, and raiding. They were not united by any shared religious bond, nor were they restrained from their wickedness by any concern for consequences, fear of punishment, or sense of blame.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ united their hearts, and brought their word together, until their opinions aligned, their hearts supported one another, and their hands stood side by side. They became as one body in his support, all necks stretching toward his leadership. They abandoned their lands and homes, turned away from their people and tribes out of love for him, and sacrificed their very lives and souls for his victory. They offered their faces to the strikes of swords for the sake of upholding his word — without any worldly gain he laid before them, without riches he poured upon them, and without any material ambition that tempted them. They hoped for no immediate reward nor were they seeking anything of the matters of this world. 

Indeed, his ﷺ way was to make the wealthy poor, and to elevate the lowly over the noble. So can such matters arise by rational planning or mental design? No, by the One Who sent him with the truth and subjected these events to him — no sound mind can doubt any of this. Rather, this is a matter from Allah, divine and overpowering, from the heavens, that breaks the norms and transcends human capability. None can bring it about except the One to Whom belongs creation and command — Blessed is Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Among the signs of his Prophethood ﷺ is that he was illiterate (Ummi) — he did not write with his hand nor read from a book. He was born among illiterate people and raised among them, in a land that had no scholar who knew the stories of past nations. He never traveled to any land to sit with scholars and study under them. Yet he came to them with the knowledge of the Torah and the Gospel, and with the stories of past nations— at a time when the traces of those scriptures had vanished, their texts had been distorted or destroyed, and among those still holding to them and knowledgeable of their content, there remained only a very small number — whether from their accurate or corrupted forms.

Then he debated each group from the various religious communities that opposed him with arguments so sound that even if the most skilled theologians and masters of critical reasoning had assembled to refute them, they would have been unable to do so. This is one of the clearest signs that what he brought came from Allah, the Exalted. Among these proofs is the Glorious Qur’an — he challenged them with the miraculous nature of its content and called on them to produce a chapter like it. Yet they faltered and were unable to meet the challenge in any way. Some scholars have said: What the Prophet ﷺ presented to the Arabs in terms of speech that rendered them incapable of producing anything like it is more wondrous and clearer in its proof than reviving the dead or healing the blind and the leper.

This is because he came to people of eloquence, masters of rhetoric, leaders of language, and experts in Arabic expression — with speech whose meaning was completely understandable to them. Thus, their failure to produce anything like it is even more astonishing than the incapacity of those who witnessed Jesus bring the dead to life — for they never hoped to achieve such things nor claimed the ability to do them. But Quraysh were masters of eloquent speech, rhetoric, and oration, so their failure to rival it is an evident sign of his Prophethood and a clear proof of the truth of his message. This, indeed, is a decisive argument and a manifest sign. Abū Sulaymān al-Khattābī said: The Prophet ﷺ was considered among the wisest of men by the people of his time — in fact, he was the wisest of all creation without exception. Yet he made an unambiguous statement, informed by his Lord, that they would never be able to produce anything like what he challenged them with.

He said: “But if you do not — and you will never be able to — then fear the Fire…” [al-Baqarah 2:24].

Were it not for his knowledge that this (Qur’an) was from Allah — the All-Knowing of the unseen, and that there is no falsehood in what He informs — his mind would not have allowed him to make such a conclusive statement that no one could ever produce something like it, if it were in fact possible. This is among the best, most creative, complete, and clearest arguments that can be made in this subject. For the Prophet ﷺ openly declared their incapacity before they even tried to respond, and proclaimed their inability to rival him publicly, before all witnesses. Yet not a single one of them was able to attempt it — despite the strong motivations and collective effort. Thus, Allah said of the Prophet ﷺ, who was fully aware and informed of the truths he conveyed: “Say: If all mankind and jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they helped one another.” [Al-Isrā’ 17:88]

So, their (the polytheists) noble souls were satisfied only with spilling blood and violating sanctities out of frustration over their inability to respond to the challenge. Numerous authentic reports describe how the Prophet ﷺ recited verses of revelation to the polytheists among the Arabs, who were known for their eloquence and mastery of language — and they themselves acknowledged its miraculous nature. Among them is what was narrated from Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, who said: I was informed that ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah once said, as he was sitting in the council of Quraysh and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was alone in the mosque: “O people of Quraysh, shall I go to this man and speak to him? Perhaps I can propose something to him that he might accept, and thus he will leave us be.” They said, “Yes, O Abū al-Walīd, do so.” 

So ʿUtbah stood up and went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and began speaking to him — offering wealth and other enticements. When he had finished, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Have you finished, O Abū al-Walīd?” He said, “Yes.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Then listen to me.” He said, “I will.” The Prophet ﷺ then recited: “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Ḥā-Mīm. A revelation from the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. A Book whose verses have been clearly detailed…” [Fussilat 41:1–3] The Prophet ﷺ continued reciting, and ʿUtbah listened silently, with his hands placed behind his back, leaning on them, until the Prophet ﷺ reached the verse of prostration — and he prostrated. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: “You have heard, O Abū al-Walīd.” ʿUtbah said: “I have heard. Now it’s up to you.” He then returned to Quraysh, and some said to one another: “We swear by Allah, Abū al-Walīd is returning with a face different from the one he left with!”  When he sat down, they said: “What’s the news, O Abū al-Walīd?” He replied: “By Allah, I have heard words the likes of which I have never heard before. By Allah, it is not poetry, nor sorcery, nor future-telling. O people of Quraysh, obey me and leave this man to his mission. For by Allah, what I heard from him will become a great affair. He continued: “He responded to me with words — and by Allah — it was neither poetry, nor magic, nor  future-telling. He recited: ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Ḥā-Mīm. A revelation from the Most Merciful, the Compassionate…’ until he reached: ‘Say: I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck ʿĀd and Thamūd’ [Fussilat 41:13]. I begged him to stop and implored him by our ties of kinship, and you all know that Muhammad never lies. I feared that punishment might descend upon you!” — Narrated by al-Bayhaqī and others.

It is narrated from ʿIkrimah regarding the story of al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah — who was the chief of Quraysh in eloquence — that he once said to the Prophet ﷺ: “Recite to me.” So the Prophet ﷺ recited: “Indeed, Allah commands justice, and excellence, and giving to relatives, and He forbids immorality, and wrongdoing, and transgression…” [an-Naḥl 16:90] — until the end of the verse. Al-Walīd then said: “Repeat it.” So, the Prophet ﷺ repeated it. Then al-Walīd said: “By Allah, it has a sweetness to it, and a freshness upon it; its highest part is fruitful, and its lowest part is nourishing. This is not the speech of a human being.” He then turned to his people and said: “By Allah, there is not a man among you more knowledgeable in poetry than I — not in its rajaz (rhythmic form), nor in the compositions of the jinn. Yet, by Allah, what he says bears no resemblance to any of that. By Allah, his words have a sweetness and a radiance upon them. Its highest part is fruitful, its lowest part nourishing. It rises above and nothing can rise above it.”

In another narration: When Quraysh gathered at the time of the pilgrimage season, al-Walīd said to them: “The Arab delegations will soon arrive. So agree on a unified opinion regarding this man — such that you do not contradict one another.” They said: “Let us say he is a future-teller (kāhin).” He said: “No, by Allah, he is not a future-teller — he neither murmurs like them nor speaks in their rhymes.” They said: “Then we’ll say he’s insane (majnūn).” He said: “He is not insane. He has no convulsions, nor is there any delusion in his behavior.” They said: “Then we’ll call him a poet.” He said: “He is not a poet. We know poetry in all its forms — rajaz, hazaj, measured and unmeasured. He is not a poet.” They said: “Then we’ll say he is a sorcerer (sāḥir).” He said: “He is not a sorcerer. There is no blowing into knots or conjuring in what he brings.” They said: “Then what shall we say?” He replied: “By Allah, you will not be able to say anything about this man except that I know it is false.”— Narrated by Ibn Isḥāq and al-Bayhaqī.                                                                                     

When the young men of Banū Salimah accepted Islam, ʿAmr ibn al-Jamūḥ said to his son: “Tell me what you have heard from the words of this man.” His son recited to him: “All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds… until: the Straight Path.” [al-Fātiḥah 1:1–6] ʿAmr said: “How beautiful and excellent are these words! Is all his speech like this?” He replied: “O my father, it is even more beautiful than this.

Some of them said: “If this Qur’an were to be found written in a book, lying in the middle of a remote desert, and it was unknown who had placed it there, sound minds would still testify that it is from Allah. They would know that no human being could ever compose something like this. So what then, when it comes from the most truthful, the most righteous, and the most pious of all creation — and when he declares that it is the speech of Allah — and challenges all of mankind to bring a single chapter like it, and none are able to do so? How then could doubt remain?  Allah, Exalted is He, said: 

“Say: If mankind and jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they supported one another.” [al-Isrā’ 17:88]

No one was able to produce anything like this Qur’an — not during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, nor after him — in its composition, structure, eloquence, clarity, soundness of meaning, parables, evidence of resurrection, prophecies of past and future events , and its commands to virtue and prohibition of evil, as well as its calls for mercy, preserving blood , and maintaining family ties, and so much more. How could anyone be capable of producing such a thing — when the most eloquent Arabs, poets, orators, and intellectuals of Quraysh and others were utterly incapable of it? And this, despite the fact that the Prophet ﷺ had lived among them for forty years before Prophethood, during which he neither composed a book, nor learned to write, nor recited poetry, nor narrated traditions or preserved historical accounts. Then Allah honored him with revelation and a well-explained Book, by which he called them and challenged them. Allah said: “Say: Had Allah willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you. I have lived among you a lifetime before this — do you not then reason?” [Yūnus 10:16] And Allah testified to this in His Book: “You never recited any Scripture before this, nor did you write it with your right hand. Had you done so, those who follow falsehood would have doubted.”[al-ʿAnkabūt 29:48]. 

As for the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ besides the Qur’an, such as water flowing from between his fingers, the multiplication of food through his blessing, the splitting of the moon, and the speech of inanimate objects, then some of these miracles were accompanied by a direct challenge, and others were simply signs indicating his truthfulness without any prior challenge. Taken altogether, they provide certain proof that many supernatural events, beyond the norms of nature, occurred at his hands ﷺ. Indeed, numerous prophetic miracles became well-known, and were transmitted by large, reliable groups. If you reflect on his miracles, awe-inspiring signs, and extraordinary blessings ﷺ, you will find them encompassing both the celestial and terrestrial, the animate and inanimate, the silent and speaking, the still and moving, the liquid and solid, the past and future, the seen and unseen, the internal and external, the immediate and delayed — and much more than can be counted, such as:                                                                                                                       

• Throwing of shooting stars 

• Stopping the devils from eavesdropping in the sky 

• Stones and trees greeting him ﷺ and testifying to his prophethood, even addressing him with honor 

• The moaning of the tree trunk out of longing for him

• Water flowing from his palm 

• The splitting of the moon 

• The restoration of sight after blindness 

• The speech of camels and tails 

• The inherited light (nur) that passed from Adnan ﷺ all the way to the forehead of his father. 

And many other miracles that the scholars and narrators have transmitted, such that if we attempted to count them all, time would run out before we could list them. If all the first and the last generations exerted themselves to fully enumerate his virtues, they would fail to encompass all that the Most Generous bestowed upon him ﷺ. 

The Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon 

Allah, Exalted is He, says in His noble Book: “The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split.” [al-Qamar 54:1] What is intended is the actual occurrence of its splitting. This is further supported by His statement that follows: “And if they see a sign, they turn away and say: This is persistent magic.” [al-Qamar 54:2] Know that the moon never split for anyone other than our Prophet ﷺ — and it is among the greatest of his miracles. The scholars of tafsīr and Ahl al-Sunnah are agreed that it did occur for his sake ﷺ. For when the disbelievers of Quraysh rejected him and refused to believe him, they demanded a sign that would confirm the truth of his claim. So Allah granted him this magnificent sign — a sign no human could produce, clearly indicating the truth of his message and his call to the Oneness of Allah. Al-Khaṭṭābī said: “The splitting of the moon is a tremendous sign, unmatched by almost any other miracle of the Prophets. This is because it occurred in the celestial realm — beyond the ordinary composition and laws of the natural world — and is beyond the reach of trickery or manipulation. Thus, its proof is all the more manifest.” It is narrated from ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) that: “The moon split during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The disbelievers of Quraysh said: ‘This is the magic of Ibn Abī Kabshah!’ Then they said: ‘Wait and see what the travelers report — for surely Muhammad cannot have bewitched all of mankind!’ Then the travelers came and confirmed it.” (Narrated by Abū Dāwūd and others.)

The Miracle of the Sun’s Return

As for the return of the sun for him ﷺ, it is narrated from Asmāʾ bint ʿUmays (may Allah be pleased with her) that: The Prophet ﷺ was receiving revelation while his head was in the lap of ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him), and so he did not pray ʿAṣr until the sun had set. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Have you prayed, O ʿAlī?” He said: “No.” So the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah, indeed he was engaged in obedience to You and Your Messenger — so return the sun for him.” Asmāʾ said: “I saw the sun had set, then I saw it rise again after having set, and it cast its light over the mountains and the earth.” This occurred at al-Ṣahbāʾ, near Khaybar. This was narrated by Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ in al-Shifāʾ, from al-Ṭaḥāwī, and transmitted from her by al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr. 

It was also reported by Ibn Mandah, Ibn Shāhīn, and Ibn Mardūyah from the hadith of Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Tabarani also narrated in al-Muʿjam al-Awsat, with a sound isnad, from Jabir that: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the sun, and it was delayed for an hour of the day.” Qadi ʿIyad also narrated from Ibn Isḥāq that: When the Prophet ﷺ was taken on the Night Journey (Isrāʾ), he told his people about the caravan and the signs found with it. They asked: “When will it arrive?” He replied: “On Wednesday.” So Quraysh climbed to high places awaiting its arrival. The day passed and the caravan had still not appeared. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicated, and an extra hour was added to the day, and the sun was held back for him. Likewise, it is narrated that the sun was held back for our Prophet ﷺ on the Day of the Trench, when he was preoccupied and missed the ʿAsr prayer. Thus, the miracle of the sun being halted was granted exclusively to our Prophet ﷺ and to Yushaʿ (Joshua) — peace and blessings be upon them both — as stated by Qadi ʿIyad in al-Ikmal. This was also reported from him by al-Nawawi, al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar, and Mughlatay, and they all affirmed it. 

As for the reports regarding the obedience of inanimate objects and their speech to him ﷺ through glorification (tasbih), salutation (salam), and the like — all of which are affirmed through transmitted reports — among them are:

Glorification by Food and Pebbles

Among these is the glorification of food and pebbles in his noble palm ﷺ. In a ḥadīth of Abū Dharr, it is reported: “The Prophet ﷺ took seven pebbles, and they began to glorify (make tasbih) in his hand until I heard them hum with a sound. Then he placed them in the hand of Abu Bakr, and they continued to glorify. Then he placed them in the hand of ʿUmar, and they glorified. Then he placed them in the hand of ʿUthman, and they also glorified.” This was narrated by al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani. In al-Tabarani’s narration: “Everyone present in the gathering heard their glorification. Then he ﷺ passed them to us — but they did not glorify in the hand of any one of us.” Al-Bukhari reported from Ibn Masʿud who said: “We used to eat food with the Prophet ﷺ, and we would hear the food glorifying Allah.” And from Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad, from his father, who said: “The Prophet ﷺ once became ill, so Jibril came to him with a plate containing pomegranates and grapes, and the Prophet ﷺ ate from it — and the food glorified Allah.” This was reported by Qadi ʿIyad in al-Shifa. 

Stones Greeting the Prophet 

Among these is the salutation of a stone to him ﷺ. Muslim narrated from Jābir ibn Samurah who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed, I know a stone in Makkah that used to greet me with salam before I was commissioned as a Prophet. I still recognize it to this day.” There is a difference of opinion regarding which stone this was. Some said it was the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad), while others said it was another stone located in an alley in Makkah, known and visited by people, who seek blessing by touching it and say: “This is the stone that used to greet the Prophet ﷺ whenever he passed by it.” Al-Tirmidhi and others narrated from ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “I was walking with the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah, and we went into one of its outskirts. Every tree and stone we passed would say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah!’” And from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘When Jibril first came to me with the message, I would not pass by a stone or tree except that it said: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.”” This was narrated by al-Bazzār and Abū Nuʿaym.

The Doorframe and Walls Saying Amin

Among the miracles is the saying of Āmīn by the doorframe and walls of a house in response to his supplication ﷺ. From Abū Usayd al-Sāʿidī, who said the messenger of Allah said to al-Abbas ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib: “O Abu al-Fadl, do not leave your home — you and your sons — tomorrow, until I come to you. I have a request to make of you.” So they waited for him until he came after the forenoon. He entered upon them and said: “Peace be upon you.” They replied: “And upon you be peace, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.” He asked: “How are you this morning?” They said: “We are well, by the praise of Allah.” He said: “Draw close to me.” So they gathered near, some crawling toward others, until they were close enough. He then wrapped them with his cloak, and said: “O Lord, this is my uncle and the counterpart of my father — and these are the members of my household. So shield them from the Fire, just as I have shielded them with my cloak.” At that moment, the doorframe and the walls of the house said: “Amin! Amin! Amin!” This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi and others. Among the miracles is his speech to the mountain and the mountain speaking to him, peace and blessings be upon him.  

The Speaking of Mount Uhud 

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Prophet ﷺ, along with Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthman, climbed Mount Uhud, and it began to shake beneath them. So the Prophet ﷺ struck it with his foot and said: ‘Remain firm, O Uhud! For upon you are a Prophet, a truthful one (siddiq), and two martyrs (shahidan).’” Narrated by al-Bukhari and others. Mount Uhud is in Madīnah, and it is the mountain about which the Prophet ﷺ said: “Uhud is a mountain that loves us and we love it.” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. It is reported that similar events occurred with other mountains as well, such as Mount Thabir and Mount Hira’ in Makkah.

Conversation Between the Prophet ﷺ and the Mountains

When Quraysh sought the Prophet ﷺ, Mount Thabīr said to him: “Descend, O Messenger of Allah, for I fear they may kill you on my back — and if that happens, Allah will punish me.” Then Mount Hira’ said: “Come to me, O Messenger of Allah!” This was narrated in al-Shifa’. Hira’ is opposite to Thabīr, and a valley lies between them.

Trees Speaking to the Prophet ﷺ and Testifying to His Prophethood

Among the miracles is the speech of the trees, their salutations upon him, their obedience to him, and their testimony to his Prophethood, peace and blessings be upon him. As previously mentioned, when revelation first came to him, he said: “I would not pass by a stone or a tree except that it would say: ‘Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.’” Imam Ahmad narrated from Talhah ibn Nafi, who said: “Jibrīl came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was sitting, saddened and covered in blood — for some of the people of Makkah had struck him. Jibrīl said to him: ‘What is wrong?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘These people have done this and that to me.’ Jibril said: ‘Would you like me to show you a sign?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So Jibril pointed to a tree behind the valley and said: ‘Call that tree.’ The Prophet ﷺ called it — and it came walking until it stood before him. Then he said: ‘Command it to return to its place.’ He did so — and it returned. The Prophet ﷺ then said: ‘This is enough for me. This is enough for me.’ Al-Hakim narrated from Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: “We were with the Prophet ﷺ when a Bedouin came to him. When he drew near, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: ‘Where are you heading?’  The man replied: ‘To my family.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Shall I not guide you to something better?’ The man asked: ‘And what is that?’ He said: ‘That you bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’ The man asked: ‘Do you have a witness for what you say?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘That tree over there.’ So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called the tree — which was on the other side of the valley — and it came, splitting the earth as it moved until it stood before him. He asked it to testify — and it testified three times. Then it returned to its original place.” Narrated by al Hakim and others.

A Tree Responding to a Bedouin’s Request

From Buraydah, it is narrated that: A Bedouin asked the Prophet ﷺ for a sign (ayah). So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Tell that tree: ‘The Messenger of Allah is calling you.’” The man called the tree — and it leaned to its right, then to its left, then in front of him, and then behind him, until its roots tore out of the earth and it dragged them along, covered in dust, as it split the earth, moving toward the Prophet ﷺ. It stood before him and said: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ returned the salutation. Then the Bedouin said: “Command it to return to its place.” The Prophet ﷺ commanded it, and it returned, planting its roots again in the same spot and settling in firmly. The Bedouin then said: “Grant me permission to prostrate to you!” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Had I been commanded to order anyone to prostrate to another, I would have ordered the woman to prostrate to her husband.” Narrated in al-Shifa.

A Bedouin and the Moving Palm Trunk

From Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): A Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “How can I know that you are truly the Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “If I call this branch (ʿilq) from that palm tree and it comes, will you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?” The Bedouin said yes. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called it, and the branch descended from the tree until it fell before the Prophet ﷺ. Then he said to it: ‘Return,’ and it returned to its place. The Bedouin then accepted Islam. Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, who authenticated it.

A Tree Moves to Greet the Prophet ﷺ

In the hadith of Yaʿla ibn Murrah al-Thaqafi, it is narrated: “We traveled until we came to a certain place, and the Prophet ﷺ lay down and slept. A tree came, splitting the earth, until it reached over him, then it returned to its place. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke, I mentioned this to him. He said: ‘It was a tree that asked permission from its Lord to greet me — and He gave it permission.’” Narrated by al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah.

Trees Obeying the Prophet ﷺ

Narrated by Muslim from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allah (may Allah be pleased with them both): “We traveled with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ until we descended into a wide valley. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to relieve himself, and I followed him with a container of water He looked around and could find nothing to use as a screen. Then he saw two trees at the edge of the valley. So the Prophet ﷺ went to one of them, grabbed a branch, and said: ‘Follow me by the permission of Allah, the Exalted.’ The tree followed him like a camel led by its halter, submissive to its guide. Then he did the same with the second tree. When he stood at a point between the two, he said: ‘Join together over me by the permission of Allah.’ And they joined together, concealing him.”

The Moaning of the Palm Trunk

Among his miracles is the moaning of the palm trunk out of longing for him ﷺ — a mighty sign, among the greatest signs and miracles affirming the Prophethood of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Imam al-Shaf’i (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Allah has not granted any Prophet what He granted our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.” He was asked: “But Allah gave ‘sa (Jesus) the ability to raise the dead!” He replied: “And Allah gave Muhammad ﷺ the moaning of the palm trunk until its sound was heard — that is greater than that.” Qadi ʿIyad said: “The hadith of the moaning trunk is well-known, widely transmitted (mashhūr and mutawātir). It has been narrated by the scholars of the Sahih collections, and it has been reported by more than ten of the Companions.” Among them are: Ubayy ibn Kaʿb, Jabir ibn ʿAbd Allah, Anas ibn Malik, ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar, ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbbas, Sahl ibn Saʿd, Abu Saʿid al-Khudri, Buraydah, Umm Salamah, and al-Muttalib ibn Abi Wadaʿah. He continues: “The account is one, even if the wording differs slightly. The Prophet’s mosque was originally roofed with trunks of palm trees. When the Prophet ﷺ gave the sermon, he would stand beside one of these trunks. Later, a pulpit of three steps was constructed for him so that people could hear him more easily as their numbers increased. When the Prophet ﷺ sat upon the pulpit for the first time, the trunk groaned and cracked open.  In one narration: “The palm cried out.” So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ descended and embraced it, and it moaned like a child who is being calmed. In another narration: “We heard a sound from the trunk like the cry of a she-camel about to give birth.”

In one narration: That pillar (trunk) began to shake like the cry of a she-camel whose young has been taken away. In another narration from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): He said: “I heard the wood crying — the cry of a bereaved mother — and it continued crying until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ descended from the pulpit, walked toward it, and embraced it. Then it became quiet.” In another narration: “The trunk cried with the sound of a bull — out of sorrow for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — so much so that the entire mosque trembled due to its crying. The Prophet ﷺ came down from the pulpit and embraced it. It let out a moan like a bull, and when the Prophet ﷺ held it, it calmed down. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if I had not embraced it, it would have continued like that until the Day of Judgment, grieving over the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” So, he ordered that it be buried.

Dialogue Between the Prophet ﷺ and the Tree

In the hadith of Buraydah: The Prophet ﷺ said to the trunk: “If you wish, I can return you to the garden you came from — your roots will grow again, your form will be restored, and you will bear leaves and fruit anew. Or if you wish, I can plant you in Paradise, and the saints of Allah will eat from your fruits.” Then the Prophet ﷺ leaned in to listen, and the trunk responded: “Rather, plant me in Paradise, so the saints of Allah may eat from me, and I may remain in a place where I shall never decay.” Those near it heard this, and the Prophet ﷺ said: “I have done so.” Then he said: “It has chosen the abode of eternity over the abode of perishing.” 

Miracles Involving Animals Speaking and Obeying the Prophet ﷺ

Among the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ was the submission of animals to him:

The Prostrating Camel

From Anas ibn Mālik: “There was a family from the Ansar who had a camel they used to draw water. It became difficult for them and stopped letting them ride it. So they came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘We had a camel we used to use for irrigation, but it has become stubborn and refuses to let us ride it. The palm trees and crops are dying from thirst.’ The Prophet ﷺ said to his companions, ‘Let us go.’ They entered the garden, where the camel was in one corner. The Prophet ﷺ approached it, and the Anṣār said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it has become like a mad dog. We fear it might attack you.’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘It will not harm me.’ When the camel saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it came to him and prostrated in front of him. The Prophet ﷺ took hold of its forelock — and it was more humble than ever before — and led it gently back to work. The companions said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! This is a beast with no reason, yet it prostrates to you — while we are rational beings! Should we not be more entitled to prostrate to you?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘It is not fitting for a human being to prostrate to another. If it were permitted for any human to prostrate to another, I would have commanded the wife to prostrate to her husband due to the greatness of his right over her.’” Narrated by Aḥmad and al-Nasa’i.

Another Camel’s Complaint

In the hadith of Yaʿla ibn Murrah al-Thaqafi: “While we were traveling with the Prophet ﷺ, we passed by a camel that was being loaded with burdens. When the camel saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it grunted and lowered its neck. The Prophet ﷺ stopped and said: ‘Where is the owner of this camel?’ A man came and said: ‘It belongs to the people of a household who have no other means of living.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Then, since you mentioned this, know that this camel has complained of being overworked and underfed — so treat it kindly.’” Narrated by al-Baghawi in Sharh al-Sunnah.

The Prophet ﷺ and the Camel’s Complaint

Al-Jiran refers to the front part of a camel’s neck, from its throat to its chest. Ibn Shahin narrated from ʿAbd Allah ibn Jaʿfar (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet ﷺ entered the garden of a man from the Ansar. There was a camel there, and when it saw the Prophet ﷺ, it cried out, and tears flowed from its eyes. The Prophet ﷺ approached it and wiped its temples (called dhi’ra — the sweaty area behind the camel’s ears), and the animal calmed down. Then he asked, “Who is the owner of this camel? To whom does it belong?” A young man from the Anṣār came forward and said, “It belongs to me, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Do you not fear Allah regarding this animal which Allah has placed under your ownership? For it has complained to me that you starve it and overwork it.” This narration is found in al-Masabih and is classified as authentic (sahih).

The Sheep That Prostrated to the Prophet ﷺ

From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered a garden belonging to the Anṣār, along with Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and another man from the Anṣār. There were sheep in the garden. When they saw the Prophet ﷺ, they prostrated to him. Abu Bakr said: “O Messenger of Allah, we are more deserving of prostrating to you than these sheep!” But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “It is not appropriate for anyone to prostrate to another.”

A Shepherd Converts After a Flock Returns on Its Own

Qadi ʿIyad mentioned in al-Shifa’: A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and believed in him while the Prophet was stationed near one of the forts of Khaybar. The man was tending a flock of sheep for the people of the fort and asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what shall I do about these sheep?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Throw pebbles in their direction (to make them turn back), for Allah will fulfill your trust and return them to their owners.” So he did this, and every single sheep returned to its owners on its own.

The Speaking Wolf and Its Testimony

One of the most astonishing miracles is the testimony of a wolf, narrated by many Companions. From Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (may Allah be pleased with him): A wolf attacked and snatched a sheep. A shepherd chased it down and took the sheep back. Then the wolf sat on its tail and said (in human speech): “Do you not fear Allah? You are taking away a provision that Allah has sent to me!” The shepherd was shocked and said: “What a wonder! A wolf sitting and speaking like a human?” The wolf replied: “Shall I tell you of something even more amazing? Muḥammad ﷺ is in Yathrib (Madinah), telling the people of the news of what came before them!” The shepherd rushed to Madinah, driving his flock before him. He tied them in a corner of the city, and went to the Prophet ﷺ to inform him of the incident. The Prophet ﷺ then ordered that the call for congregation be made: “As-Ṣalātu Jāmiʿah!” The man told the people what had happened. This was narrated by Imām Aḥmad.

The Wolf Rebukes the Shepherd Again

Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ further mentioned that: In another version from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the wolf said: “You are more astonishing than me — standing here with your sheep, while a Prophet sent by Allah, the greatest ever to be sent, is nearby. The gates of Paradise have been opened, and its inhabitants are watching his Companions in their struggle. Between you and him is only this valley. Join the army of Allah!” The shepherd asked: “But who will look after my sheep?” The wolf replied: “I will guard them until you return.” The man entrusted his sheep to the wolf and departed. He found the Prophet ﷺ in battle and accepted Islam. The Prophet ﷺ told him: “Go back to your flock — you will find them just as you left them.” And indeed, he found them untouched, and he even slaughtered one of the sheep to feed the wolf in gratitude.

The Talking Wolf and the Shepherd

Sāʿid ibn Manṣūr narrated in his Sunan from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): A wolf came and sat down in front of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, raising its tail and wagging it. The Prophet ﷺ remarked: “This is the envoy of the wolves who has come to ask you to give it something from your wealth.” The people responded: “By Allah, we will not do so!” A man from the group threw a stone at the wolf, and it ran away, howling loudly. The Prophet ﷺ said: “That is the wolf, and what a wolf that is.”

The Wolf and the Deer in the Haram

Ibn Wahb narrated that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and Safwan ibn Umayya, before their conversion to Islam, saw a wolf that had found a gazelle. The wolf chased after it to catch it, but the gazelle entered the sanctuary and the wolf turned away. They were astonished by this. The wolf said, “What is even more astonishing is Muhammad ibn Abdullah in Medina, who calls you to Paradise, and you call him to Hell.” Abu Sufyan replied, “By al-Lat and al-Uzza, if you mention this in Mecca, you will leave it desolate (khulufan), meaning corrupt and changed, i.e., corruption and change will befall its inhabitants.”

The Speaking Lizard

Qadi ‘Iyad mentioned in al-Shifāʾ a narration from ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with his companions when an Arabian Bedouin from the Bani Sulaym came to him, having caught a lizard (known as a ḥarāṭ or “desert lizard”). The man brought the lizard in his sleeve, intending to roast it for himself. When the Bedouin saw the group, he asked: “Who is this?” They replied: “This is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” The man then took the lizard out of his sleeve and said: “By Allat and Al-ʿUzzá, I will believe in you, if this lizard testifies in you!” He placed the lizard in front of the Prophet ﷺ and the Prophet said: “O lizard!” And the lizard responded in a clear voice, heard by all the people: “Labbayk wa saʿdayk, (I answer you call) O most beautiful of those who will stand on the Day of Judgment! I worship the One whose throne is in the heavens, whose authority is on the earth, whose paths are in the seas, whose mercy is in Paradise, and whose punishment is in the Fire.” The Prophet ﷺ asked the lizard: “Who am I?” The lizard replied: “The Messenger of the Lord of the worlds and the Seal of the Prophets, whoever believes in you has won and whoever disbelieves in you has lost.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “Blessed are those who speak the truth and follow the truth.” The Bedouin immediately embraced Islam after hearing this. The Prophet then ordered him to return to his home, and he found that the lizard was unharmed and still alive. The Bedouin asked the Prophet ﷺ: “Do you have any further needs?” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “If you let this lizard go, I will grant you peace.” The lizard happily ran away, and the Bedouin rejoiced, shouting: “I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah.” 

The Gazelle and the Bedouin

The same type of miraculous event is recounted in the story of the gazelle that interacted with the Prophet ﷺ. Many has narrated this through multiple chains of transmission that strengthen each other, among which is the narration from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her): While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was traveling in a desert area, a voice called out to him three times: “O Messenger of Allah!”

The Prophet ﷺ turned and saw a gazelle bound in a trap and a Bedouin man wrapped in a blanket, lying down in the sun. The gazelle said: “This man caught me, and I have my two young ones in that mountain, let me go so that I could nurse them and come back” The Prophet ﷺ said to the gazelle: “Will you promise to return?” She replied: “I swear by Allah that I will return, or may I be punished as a camel is punished in the desert.” The Prophet ﷺ freed the gazelle, and it returned to the mountain to nurse its young, then came back and the Prophet ﷺ retied it, and the Bedouin noticed that and asked: “is there anything you need from me?” The Prophet ﷺ told him: “let this gazelle be free” so the Bedouin let it free and the gazelle dashed away, leaping happily, and said: “I testify that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

And from that, the “Daajin” (the animals living in houses)—it refers to those animals that are accustomed to the house, such as birds, sheep, and others. Qasim ibn Thabit narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her and her parents), who said, “We had a Daajin. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was with us, it would settle in its place and not move, but when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ left, it would come and go.” Al-Qadi Iyyad also mentioned this with his chain of narration.

As for the water that flowed from between the fingers of the Prophet ﷺ, it is the purest of waters. Many companions, including Anas, Jabir, Ibn Mas’ud, and Ibn Abbas, narrated about it. In the two Sahihs, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when the Asr prayer time was near, and the people were seeking water for ablution but couldn’t find any. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was brought some water for ablution, and he placed his hand in the container. I saw water flowing from between his fingers, and the people performed ablution until they were all done. I asked the narrator, ‘How many were you?’ He said, ‘We were three hundred.'”

And Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) also said: “I was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Battle of Tabuk. The Muslims said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, our animals and camels are thirsty.’ He asked, ‘Is there any remaining water?’ A man came with a container, and the Prophet ﷺ placed his hand in the water. I saw it flowing through his fingers, and we watered our camels and animals, and we took provisions from it. The Prophet ﷺ asked, ‘Have you all had enough?’ They replied, ‘Yes, we have enough, O Messenger of Allah.’ Then he raised his hand, and the water stopped flowing.” This was narrated by Ibn Shahin.

And Al-Bayhaqi narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Quba and was brought a small cup of water from some of their houses. He placed his hand in the cup, but it was too small. So he inserted four of his fingers but could not fit his thumb. He then told the people, ‘Come forward to drink.’ Anas said, ‘I saw with my own eyes the water flowing from between his fingers. The people continued drinking from it until they all had enough.'” 

As for the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), it is narrated in the two Sahihs and other sources. He said: “The people became thirsty on the Day of Hudaybiyyah, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a container of water for ablution. The people rushed towards it. He asked, ‘What is the matter?’ They replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have no water to perform ablution or drink except what is in front of you.’ The Prophet ﷺ placed his hand in the container, and water started flowing from between his fingers like springs. We drank and performed ablution. I asked the narrator, ‘How many were you?’ He replied, ‘If we had been a hundred thousand, it would have been enough. We were fifteen hundred.’ The container was a small leather vessel used for drinking.

In the long hadith of Muslim, narrating the Battle of Buwat, the Prophet ﷺ said to Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), “Call for ablution,” and mentioned the full story. The Prophet ﷺ had only found a drop of water in a small container. He was then brought more water, and the water flowed from between his fingers until it filled the container. The people drank and performed ablution, and when I asked if there was anyone still in need, the Prophet ﷺ raised his hand from the container, and it was full.

As for the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), in the Sahih, he said, “We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and we had no water. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us, ‘Ask anyone who has extra water.’ A man brought a container of water and poured it into a vessel. Then the Prophet ﷺ placed his hand in the water, and it began flowing from between his fingers.” This was narrated by Al-Darimi and others.

And from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them), he said: “The Prophet ﷺ called Bilal and asked for water. Bilal replied, ‘By Allah, I have not found any water.’ He then asked if there was any container, and a man brought a small container. The Prophet ﷺ placed his hand in it, and water started flowing under his hand. Ibn Mas’ud drank from it, and others used it for ablution.” This was narrated by Al-Darimi and others.

Al-Qurtubi said: The story of the water flowing from between the fingers of the Prophet ﷺ has occurred in several instances and has been narrated through many chains of transmission. The consensus of these reports indicates a definitive, reliable, and unquestionable reality, with the water flowing from his fingers being one of the greatest miracles. It has never been reported about any other prophet, and it surpasses the miracle of Moses (peace be upon him) striking the rock with his staff, from which water flowed, because the water coming from the Prophet’s ﷺ fingers from his flesh, blood, and bones is an unparalleled miracle. 

Among the signs of his blessed prophethood is the springing of water from his blessings, and its bursting forth from his touch and supplication. In a narration by Muslim in his Sahih, it is reported from Muadh that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them: “Tomorrow, if Allah wills, you will come to the spring of Tabuk, and you will not reach it until the morning. Whoever reaches it, let him not touch any of its water until I arrive.” So, when we came to it, two men had already reached it before us, and the spring was like a shoe-strap, with a small amount of water trickling out. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked them, “Did you touch any of its water?” They said, “Yes.” So, he rebuked them and said whatever Allah willed, then he took a little of the water from the spring, washed his face and hands with it, and then returned it to the spring. Immediately, the spring began gushing forth with an abundance of water, and the people began to drink from it. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O Muadh, if you live long enough, you will see this place become filled with gardens.” It is also mentioned in the narration of Ibn Ishaq that water gushed from it in such abundance that it was like a forceful stream.

And from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): There was a year of drought during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Friday sermon, a Bedouin stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah, the wealth has perished, and the camels are starving. Pray to Allah for us.” The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands, and we saw no clouds in the sky. By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, He did not lower His hands until clouds gathered like mountains. Then, he did not leave the pulpit until I saw the rain falling on his beard. We were then rained upon that day, the following day, and the day after, until the next Friday. On that day, the same Bedouin or someone else stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah, the buildings are collapsing, and the wealth is drowned. Pray to Allah for us.” The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands and said: “O Allah, around us and not upon us.” Wherever He pointed to the clouds, they dispersed. The city of Madinah was surrounded by clouds, and the valley of Qanah (the Madinah valley) flowed like a river for an entire month. No one came from any direction without talking about the abundant rainfall. 

Among the miracles of the Prophet was the increase of a small amount flood through his blessing and supplication: 

Narrated by Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) during the Battle of the Trench, he said: I returned to my wife and said, “Do you have anything [to eat]? For I have seen in the Prophet ﷺ signs of intense hunger.” She brought out a small leather bag with a sa‘ (a measure) of barley, and we had a small, fat domesticated animal (a dajin). I slaughtered it, and she ground the barley until we put the meat in a cooking pot. Then I went to the Prophet ﷺ and quietly said, “O Messenger of Allah, we slaughtered a small animal and ground a sa‘ of barley, so come you and a few others with you.” But the Prophet ﷺ called out loudly, “O People of the Trench! Jabir has prepared a meal, so come along, you are welcome!” Then he said, “Do not remove your pot from the fire, and do not bake your dough until I arrive.” Then he came, and she brought out the dough for him. He spat in it and blessed it. Then he came to our cooking pot, spat in it and blessed it, and said: “Call a woman baker to bake with you, and keep ladling from your pot, but do not remove it.” They were a thousand men. By Allah, they all ate until they left and went away, and our pot was still bubbling as it was, and our dough was still being baked just as it was. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 

Narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) Abu Talha said to Umm Sulaym: “I heard the voice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and it was weak—I recognized hunger in it. Do you have anything [to eat]?” She replied, “Yes,” and brought out some barley loaves, then brought out a headcover (khimar) and wrapped the bread in part of it. She tied part of it around my head like a turban and placed the rest in my hand and said, “Take this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” I went with it and found the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque with the people. I greeted him, and he said, “Did Abu Talha send you?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “With food?” I said, “Yes.” So, the Prophet ﷺ said to those with him, “Get up!” Then he went and I went ahead of them until I came to Abu Talha and told him what had happened. Abu Talha said, “O Umm Sulaym! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has come with the people, and we have nothing to feed them!” She said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” Abu Talha went out to meet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the Prophet came along with him and said, “Come, O Umm Sulaym, with what you have.” So, she brought the bread. The Prophet ﷺ ordered for it to be crumbled, and Umm Sulaym squeezed what was left of a leather container of fat onto it as a condiment. Then the Prophet ﷺ said over it whatever Allah willed him to say, then said: “Let ten enter.” So, ten entered, ate, and were full, then they left. Then he said, “Let another ten enter,” and so on until all the people had eaten and were full—they were seventy or eighty men. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 

In a narration of Muslim: Then the Prophet ﷺ and the people of the house ate, and they left some remains. In another narration from al-Bukhari: I kept looking to see if anything had decreased from it. In a narration of Umar ibn ‘Abdullah from Anas, Abu Talha said: “It was only one loaf.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah will bless it.” And so it happened. In a narration by Mubarak ibn Fadala, the Prophet ﷺ asked: “Do you have any fat (samn)?” Abu Talha said: “There is a little in the leather container.” So they brought it and began squeezing it out. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ wiped the loaf, and it swelled up, and he said: “In the name of Allah.” He kept doing this, and the loaf kept swelling until I saw it in the large wooden bowl expanding.

There were many similar incidents where the Prophet ﷺ increased the amount of food with the permission of Allah to feed the people surrounding him. 

Of the Miraculous Signs: Healing the Afflicted, Raising the Dead, and Their Testimony to His Prophethood ﷺ

Among his ﷺ miracles were the healing of the disabled, the revival of the dead, their speech, as well as the speech of children, and their testimony to his prophethood ﷺ. Al-Bayhaqi narrated in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah: A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and was invited to Islam. He said: “I will not believe in you until you bring my daughter back to life.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Show me her grave.” So the man took him to it. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “O so-and-so (female),” and she responded from the grave, “Here I am, at your service!” The Prophet ﷺ asked, “Do you wish to return to the world?” She said, “No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah! I have found Allah better for me than my parents, and I have found the Hereafter better for me than the world.”

Al-Tabarani narrated from ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet ﷺ descended to al-Hajun, a hill near Mecca, in a state of sorrow. He remained there for as long as Allah willed, and then he returned joyfully. He said: “I asked my Lord, Exalted and Majestic, and He brought my mother to life for me. She believed in me, then He returned her.” A similar narration from ʿĀ’ishah also relates the revival of his parents ﷺ, who then believed in him, as reported by al-Suhaylī and al-Khaṭīb.

A young man from the Anṣār passed away. He had a blind elderly mother. We covered him and consoled her. She said: “My son has died?” We said: “Yes.” She raised her hands and said: “O Allah! If You know that I migrated to You and to Your Prophet in hope that You would assist me in every hardship, then do not let this calamity overwhelm me.” No sooner had she said this than the cloth was removed from his face—and he sat up and ate, and we all ate with him. Narrated by al-Bayhaqī and others. 

Zayd ibn Kharijah, one of the notable leaders of the Ansar, was walking on a path in Madinah between zuhr and ʿasr, when he suddenly collapsed and died. The Ansar were informed and came to him. They carried him to his home and shrouded him in a cloak and a covering. In the house were women mourning him, and men from his family. He remained in that state until the time between maghrib and ʿisha. Suddenly, they heard a voice saying: “Pay attention! Pay attention!” They looked and found that the voice was coming from under the shroud. They uncovered his face and chest, and the voice was coming from his own mouth. He said: “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah—the illiterate Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets. There is no prophet after him. This is written in the first Scripture.” Then he said: “He has spoken the truth! He has spoken the truth!” Then he said: “This is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings!” Narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Abi al-Dunya in Kitab man ʿĀsha baʿd al-Mawt (The Book of Those Who Lived After Death).

Of His Miracles: Reviving the Slaughtered, Speech of Infants, Healing of the Afflicted, and Restoring of the Blind

Abū Nuʿaym narrated that: Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) once slaughtered a sheep and cooked it, then placed it in a large bowl and brought it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The people ate from it, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them: “Eat, but do not break any of its bones.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gathered the bones, placed his blessed hand over them, and spoke words. The sheep stood up, shaking its ears. 

From Muʿabqib al-Yamani: I performed the Farewell Pilgrimage, and entered a house in Makkah where I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and witnessed something astonishing. A man from Yamāmah brought a newborn boy on the day of his birth. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the child: “O boy, who am I?” The child replied: “You are the Messenger of Allah.” He ﷺ said: “You have spoken the truth. May Allah bless you!” After that, the boy did not speak again until he grew older. We used to call him Mubārak al-Yamamah (The Blessed of Yamamah). Narrated by al-Bayhaqī. From Fahd ibn ʿAtiyyah: The Prophet ﷺ was once brought a child who had grown but had never spoken a word. The Prophet ﷺ asked him: “Who am I?” The child replied: “The Messenger of Allah.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi.

From Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): A woman came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with her son and said: “O Messenger of Allah, my son suffers from madness. It overtakes him during our meals—at lunch and dinner.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed his hand on the boy’s chest, and the boy vomited out a black, wriggling creature like a small jar (or snake). Narrated by al-Darimi.

On the Day of Uḥud, the eye of Qatādah ibn al-Nuʿman was injured until it fell onto his cheek. He was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a wife whom I love, and I fear that if she sees me like this, she may detest me.” The Prophet ﷺ took his eye with his blessed hand, placed it back in its place, and said: “O Allah, grant him beauty!” It became his most beautiful eye, and the sharpest in vision. It would never suffer from illness even when the other eye did.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, in the incident of the Battle of Khaybar: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Where is ʿAli ibn Abi Talib?” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, he is suffering from eye pain.” He ﷺ said: “Call him.” He was brought, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spat in his eyes and made du’a for him, and his pain vanished as if nothing had ever happened to him. In Sahih Muslim, from Iyas ibn Salamah, from his father: The Prophet ﷺ said: “Go bring him to me.” I brought him with his eyes inflamed. The Prophet ﷺ spat in his eyes, and they were healed. From al-Tabarani, narrated by ʿAli (may Allah honor his face): “Since that day, I never suffered from eye pain until now. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also supplicated for me: ‘O Allah, remove from him heat and cold.’ I have never suffered from either until this day.”

Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) was struck in the leg during the Battle of Khaybar, and the wound opened. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spat into the wound three times, and he never complained of pain in it again. Narrated by al-Bukhari.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spat into the eyes of Fudayk, whose eyes had turned white and he could see nothing. He had once fallen onto a snake’s nest, and was left blind. After the Prophet ﷺ spat into his eyes, he was able to thread a needle, despite being eighty years old, even though his eyes remained physically white. Narrated by Ibn Abī Shaybah and others.

Death of the Prophet ﷺ

On God Completing His Blessing upon Him through His Death and His Transfer to the Sanctuary of His Holiness ﷺ: 

Know that since death is naturally disliked, no prophet among the prophets died until he was given the choice. The first indication given to the Prophet ﷺ of the approach of his end was the revelation of the chapter: “When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest” [al-Nasr: 1]. It has been said that this chapter was the last to be revealed, on the Day of Sacrifice, while he ﷺ was in Minā during the Farewell Pilgrimage. It is also said that he lived after it for eighty-one days.

And in the hadith of Ibn ʿAbbas, as recorded by al-Darimi, when the chapter “When the victory of Allah has come…” [al-Nasr: 1] was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called Fatimah and said: “I was informed of my close death,” so she wept. He said: “Do not weep, for you will be the first of my family to join me,” so she smiled.

Al-Tabarani narrated from Ibn ʿAbbas that when this chapter was revealed, “When the victory of Allah has come…” [al-Nasr: 1] , the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was informed of his close death. He then exerted himself with more diligence in the affairs of the Hereafter than ever before. And in another narration from al-Tabarani from the hadith of Jabir, when this chapter was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ said to Jibril: “I was informed of my close death,” and Jibrīl replied to him: “And surely the Hereafter is better for you than the first.”

And it is narrated in a hadith mentioned by Ibn Rajab in al-Laṭā’if that the Prophet ﷺ exerted himself in worship until he became like a worn-out waterskin. He ﷺ used to present the Qur’an to Jibrīl once every year, and that year he presented it twice. He ﷺ used to seclude himself in the last ten days of Ramaḍān every year, and that year he secluded himself for twenty [days], and he increased in remembrance and seeking forgiveness.

Umm Salamah رضي الله عنها said: The Prophet ﷺ, in the end of his life, did not stand or sit or go or come except that he would say: “Subḥānallāh wa bi-ḥamdih, astaghfirullāh wa atūbu ilayh.” I said to him: “You are supplicating with a supplication you did not use before today.” He said: “My Lord informed me that I would see a sign in my nation. So, when I see it, I glorify Him with praise and seek His forgiveness.” Then he recited this chapter. It was narrated by Ibn Jarīr and others.

And the two Shaykhs [al-Bukhārī and Muslim] narrated from the hadith of ʿUqbah ibn ʿĀmir who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed over the martyrs of Uḥud after eight years as a farewell to the living and the dead. Then he ascended the pulpit and said: “Indeed, I am a forerunner before you, and I am a witness over you. And your appointment with me is at the Ḥawḍ (A sacred pond, its waters flowing from Kawthar, located in the land where all are gathered on the Day of Judgment.), and I am indeed looking at it from my place here. And I have been given the keys to the treasures of the earth. And I do not fear that you will associate [others with Allah] after me, but I fear for you the world, that you will compete in it.”

And from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on the pulpit and said: “Indeed, a servant was given the choice by Allah between being given from the bloom of the world whatever he wished, and between what is with Allah, so he chose what is with Allah.” Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه wept and said: “O Messenger of Allah, may we ransom you with our fathers and our mothers!” We were astonished at him, and the people said: “Look at this old man! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ informs about a servant given a choice, and he says: ‘We ransom you with our fathers and mothers!’” He [the narrator] said: So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was that servant, and Abū Bakr was the most knowledgeable of us about him. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, the most secure in companionship and wealth with me is Abū Bakr. And if I were to take from the people of the earth a close friend (khalīl), I would have taken Abū Bakr as a close friend. But [rather] the brotherhood of Islam. There remains no door in the mosque, but it shall be closed, except the door of Abū Bakr.” Narrated by the two Shaykhs.

This sermon occurred at the beginning of the illness in which he died, for he came out, as narrated by al-Dārimī, with his head bound in a cloth until he descended toward the pulpit. After delivering the sermon, he came down from it and was not seen standing on it again until this very hour. And he ﷺ continued to hint at the approach of his death at the end of his life. For when he gave the sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he said to the people: “Take from me your rituals, for perhaps I shall not meet you after this year of mine.” Then he began bidding the people farewell, so they said: “This is the Farewell Pilgrimage.” When he ﷺ returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage to Madinah, he gathered the people at a place called Khummā on the way between Makkah and Madinah, and gave them a sermon, saying: “O people, I am only a human like you. It is about to be that the messenger of my Lord comes to me, and I will respond [to his call].” Then he urged adherence to the Book of Allah and advised regarding his household.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Rajab said: The beginning of his illness ﷺ was at the end of the month of Ṣafar. The duration of his illness was thirteen days, according to the most well-known opinion. Al-Khaṭṭābī mentioned that it began on a Monday. There is a difference of opinion on the duration of his illness; the majority say it was thirteen days. In al-Bukhārī, ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became heavily ill and his pain intensified, he sought permission from his wives to be nursed in my house, and they permitted him. So, he came out between two men, with his feet dragging on the ground—between al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib and another man,” i.e., ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib. And in the narration of Ibn Abī Mulaykah from ʿĀ’ishah: “His entering upon me ﷺ was on a Monday, and his death was on the following Monday.”

It has become clear, as Ibn Rajab pointed out in al-Laṭā’if, that the first of his illness ﷺ was a headache, and apparently it was accompanied by fever, for the fever intensified in his illness. He would sit in a miḫḍab (a washing basin), and water would be poured over him from seven water-skins whose ties had not been untied, to cool him. In al-Bukhari, ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “When he entered my place and his pain became severe, he said: ‘Pour over me from seven water-skins whose ties have not been untied, that I may advise the people.’ So, we seated him in the miḫḍab of Ḥafṣah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and we began pouring over him from those water-skins until he began to signal to us that you have done [enough].” 

He ﷺ had a qaṭīfah (a woolen cloak), and the fever could be felt by anyone placing his hand over it. It was said to him about that, and he said: “Indeed, that is how affliction is intensified for us, and the reward is doubled for us.” This was narrated by Ibn Mājah and others from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī. And from ‘Abdullah [ibn Mas‘ūd], he said: “I entered upon the Prophet ﷺ and he was suffering from intense fever. I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, indeed you are suffering from a severe illness.’ He said: ‘Yes, I suffer as two men among you would suffer.’ I said: ‘Is that because you will have double the reward?’ He said: ‘Yes, that is the case. No Muslim is afflicted with harm, even a thorn that pricks him or more, but Allah expiates his sins thereby, just as a tree sheds its leaves.’“ (Narrated by al-Bukhari). 

Al-Ṭabarānī narrated from Fāṭimah bint al-Yamān: “I came to the Prophet ﷺ along with a group of women to visit him while he was ill, and there was a water-skin dripping over him due to the intensity of the fever. He said: ‘The people most severely tested are the prophets, then those closest to them, then those closest to them.’“ And in a ḥadīth from ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): “He ﷺ had a small container or jug of water in front of him, and he would place his hands in the water and wipe his face with them, saying: ‘Lā ilāha illa Allāh (There is no God but Allah). Indeed, death has its own agonies.’“ (Narrated by al-Bukhari).

Al-Bukhari also narrated from ‘Urwah that he ﷺ said: “I still feel the pain from the food I ate at Khaybar. And now is the time I feel my aorta being severed because of that poison.” Aorta is a deeply embedded vein in the back that connects to the heart—when it is severed, the person dies. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd and others believed that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died as a martyr due to the poison (in the food given to him by the Jews in Khaybar). In al-Bukhari, ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill, he would breathe over himself with the Mu’awwidhat (the two chapters of refuge: Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas) and rub his body with his hands. But when he fell ill with the pain in which he passed away, I began breathing over him with the Mu’awwidhat as he had done, and I would rub his body with the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. In the narration of Malik, it mentions: ‘And I rubbed him with his hand, hoping for its blessing.'”

In al-Bukhari, from ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), it is narrated that ‘Abd al-Rahman passed by, holding a fresh palm branch. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked at it, and I thought it was something he needed, so I took it from him, chewed the top, shook it, and handed it back to him. The Prophet ﷺ took it and used it as a miswak (tooth-stick), in the best manner he had used before. Then he handed it back to me, and it slipped from his hand. Allah then brought together my saliva and his in the last part of the day of this world and the first part of the day of the Hereafter.” In another narration, she said: “Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr (her brother) entered upon the Prophet ﷺ, and I was holding him close to my chest.” In the Mustadrak, it is narrated from her that the Prophet ﷺ said: “What makes death easier for me is that I saw the whiteness of ‘Aisha’s hand in Paradise.” And in another narration: “I saw her in Paradise.”

It is also narrated that, during his illness, there were seven dinars with him, and he would order for them to be given to charity. But when his illness grew more intense, they were set aside, and he said: “What does Muhammad ﷺ think of his Lord if he meets Him while these are with him? Then he would give all of them to charity.” This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi.

In al-Bukhari, through the chain of ʿUrwah from ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ called for Fāṭimah during the illness in which he passed away, and he whispered something to her, and she cried. Then he called her again, and she smiled. We asked her what had caused her to cry and what had caused her to smile. She said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ whispered to me that he would pass away in the illness he was suffering from, so I cried. Then he whispered to me that I would be the first of his family to join him, so I smiled.'” In another narration from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “I never saw anyone who resembled the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in their standing, sitting, and manner more than Fāṭimah. In her calmness, dignity, and good character, she was like him. When she entered upon him, he would stand up, kiss her, and seat her in his place. And when he entered upon her, she would do the same, so when he fell ill, she came in, bent down to kiss him”. And in a narration of Masruq that Fatimah’s laughter was because she was informed that she was going to be one of the top ladies in Jannah and that she will be the first one of his family to follow him (in his death).  

In another narration from Masrūq, it is said that ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I never seen, like today, happiness is closer than sadness, so I asked her about it, she said “ I cannot tell you the Messenger of Allah’s secret, then Aisha said: “after the messenger of Allah”s death, i asked Fatimah again she said: he told me in secret that Jibril would review the Quran with me once every year, and he did twice this year, I realized that my death has come close, and you will be the first of my family to follow me (to my death). And in a narration from al-Ṭabarānī, it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said to Fāṭimah: “Jibril informed me that no woman among the Muslim women has a greater calamity than you, so do not be among the women who are less patient than them.” In the narration, it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ informed about future events, and they occurred exactly as he had predicted. It is agreed upon that Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first among the family of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to pass away after him, including his wives.

During his severe illness, the Prophet ﷺ would faint, then regain consciousness. He fainted once, and they thought that the pain he was experiencing was from his side. They attempted to apply a remedy, but he gestured to them not to do so. They said, “This is due to the aversion of the patient to the medicine,” but when he regained consciousness, he asked, “Did I not forbid you from applying the medicine?” They explained their reasoning, and he replied, “No one in this house will be treated except with medicine, and I will oversee it except for Al-Abbas, who did not attend.” This was narrated by al-Bukhari. The remedy referred to here is a treatment applied to the side of the body using medicine, and what is given orally is known as “Wajoor.”

When his pain intensified, the Prophet ﷺ  instructed that Abu Bakr should lead the prayer for the people. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) responded, “O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a gentle man. When he stands in your place, he will not be able to raise his voice because of his weeping.” The Prophet ﷺ  repeated his instruction, and Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) repeated her objection. The Prophet ﷺ  said, “You are like the sisters of Yusuf. Command Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.” This narration is found in the works of Ash-Shabani and Abu Hatim, and the wording is from the latter.

The Dumiati narrates that the Prophet ﷺ  instructed Abu Bakr to lead the prayer for the people for seventeen prayers. Fakhikhani mentions in his book “Al-Futuh” that when the Ansar saw the Prophet ﷺ worsening, they gathered around the mosque. Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) entered and informed him of the people’s concern and their compassion for him. Then, Fadhl entered and conveyed the same message, followed by Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet ﷺ then came out, supported by Ali, Fadhl, and Abbas, with his head bandaged, walking with difficulty, until he sat on the lowest step of the pulpit. The people gathered around him, and he praised Allah, saying: “O people, it has reached me that you are afraid of the death of your Prophet. Did any prophet before me remain immortal among those to whom he was sent? No, I will meet my Lord, and you will follow me. I urge you to treat the first emigrants well, and I advise you to treat the Ansar well. They are those who have settled in the land and faith before you. Have they not shared the fruits with you? Have they not made room for you in their homes? Have they not preferred you over themselves, even when they were in need? So, whoever is entrusted with ruling between two men should accept the good from the one who is good and forgive the wrongdoer. Do not take advantage of them. Indeed, I am going ahead of you, and you will follow. Your appointed meeting is by the fountain. Whoever wants to drink from it tomorrow, let him refrain from using his hand or tongue except for what is proper. O people, sins diminish blessings and change fate. When people fulfill their oaths, their oaths will be honored, but when they betray, they will be punished.” 

Al-Wahidi mentioned, with a chain of narration, from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ foretold his death a month before it happened. When the time for separation approached, he gathered us in Aisha’s house and said: “May Allah greet you with peace, have mercy upon you, support you, grant you sustenance, raise you, shelter you. I advise you to fear Allah and I entrust you to Him. I warn you of Allah’s wrath, for I am a clear warner to you: do not rise above Allah in His lands and among His servants, for He said to me and to you: ‘That is the home of the Hereafter. We grant it to those who do not seek to be high in the land or to cause corruption, and the final end is for the righteous’.” [Quran, Al-Qasas: 83]. And He also said: ‘Is there not in Hell a place for the arrogant?’ [Quran, Az-Zumar: 60].

We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, when is your appointed time?” He replied, “The time for separation has come, and I am returning to my Lord and to the Paradise of Refuge.” We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who will wash you?” He answered, “The men of my closest family will wash me, one after the other.” We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how should we wrap you?” He replied, “In these clothes of mine, or if you wish, in the white garments of Egypt or a Yemeni cloak.” We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who will pray upon you?” He said, “When you have washed and wrapped me, place me on this bier, on the edge of my grave, and then step away from me for a moment. The first to pray over me will be Jibril (Gabriel), then Mikail (Michael), then Israfil (Raphael), then the Angel of Death along with his legions of angels. After that, enter in groups and pray upon me and greet me with peace. Let the men of my household begin the prayer, then their women, then you all. And convey my greeting of peace to those of my companions who are absent, and to those who follow me in my religion, from this day until the Day of Judgment.” We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, who will bury you?” He replied, “My family will bury me, along with the angels of my Lord.” This narration is also found in Al-Tabarani’s collection.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, while in good health, said: ‘A prophet never passes away until he sees his place in Paradise, and then he is given the choice.’ When he fell ill and his death approached, while his head was resting on my cheek, he fainted. When he regained consciousness, his gaze turned toward the ceiling, and then he said: ‘O Allah, in the highest companionship!’ I said, ‘If you do not choose us, then I understood that his words were as he had told us before.’ This is a correct narration. In another narration, she said: ‘Before he passed away, he leaned back against me and said: ‘O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and join me with the highest companionship.’” This was narrated by al-Bukhari.

Ahmad reported from the hadith of Abu Muwaih, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told me: “I have been given the keys to the treasures of the earth, the eternal life, and then Paradise. I was given the choice between that and meeting my Lord and Paradise, and I chose to meet my Lord and Paradise.” And according to Abdul Razzaq’s narration from Tawus, he reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “I was given the choice between living to see what will unfold for my Ummah and hastening to meet my Lord, and I chose the latter.” In a narration from Hafiz Ibn Rajab, it is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ said, “O Allah, You take the soul from between the bones and the joints, and help me in this moment, and make it easier for me.” When the Prophet ﷺ experienced the final moments, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) approached him, and he said to her: “There is no hardship for your father after today.” This narration is also found in al-Bukhari. The scholars mention that this pain and suffering were an increase in the elevation of his status ﷺ.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, from the hadith of Anas, it is mentioned that while the Muslims were performing the Fajr prayer on a Monday and Abu Bakr was leading them, they were suddenly surprised by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who had uncovered the curtain of Aisha’s room and looked at them while they were in rows for prayer. Then, he smiled and laughed. Abu Bakr, thinking that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to come out and join the prayer, took a step back to allow the rows to continue. Anas said that the Muslims were on the verge of being distracted from their prayer out of joy upon seeing the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ signaled to them with his hand to continue their prayer. He then entered the room, drew the curtain, and passed away from that very day.

From Ja’far ibn Muhammad, narrated from his father: “When only three days remained of the life of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Jibril (Gabriel) descended to him and said: ‘O Muhammad, indeed Allah has sent me to you as an honor and favor to you, and He wants to ask you something that He knows better than you. He asks: How do you find yourself?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘I find myself overwhelmed and in great distress.’ Then, Jibril came on the second day and asked the same question. On the third day, he came again and asked the same, and then the Angel of Death asked for permission to enter. Jibril said, ‘O Muhammad, this is the Angel of Death asking permission to enter, and no human has ever had the Angel of Death ask permission before you, nor will anyone after you.’ The Prophet ﷺ said to him, ‘Let him enter.’ The Angel of Death then came in and stood before him and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, indeed Allah has sent me to you and commanded me to obey you in everything. If you command me to take your soul, I will, and if you command me to leave it, I will leave it.’ Jibril then said, ‘O Muhammad, indeed Allah is eager to meet you.’ The Prophet ﷺ responded, ‘Proceed, O Angel of Death, with what you have been commanded.’ Jibril then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is the last time I will be on the earth. You were my greatest need in this world.’ And so, the Angel of Death took his soul.

When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, and the condolences came, a voice was heard from the direction of the house: ‘Peace be upon you, O people of the house, and the mercy and blessings of Allah. Every soul will taste death, and you will only receive your rewards on the Day of Judgment. Indeed, there is solace in Allah from every calamity, compensation for every loss, and a replacement for every missed opportunity. So, be patient and trust in Him. Indeed, the true loss is for the one who is deprived of the reward. Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Do you know who this is? It is Al-Khidr (peace be upon him).’ This was narrated by Al-Bayhaqi in his book Dalail al-Nubuwwah.

And al-Tabarani narrated from the hadith of Ibn Abbas that the Angel of Death came to the Prophet ﷺ while he was ill, and his head was resting in Ali’s lap. He asked for permission, and Ali said, ‘Return, for we are occupied with him.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘This is the Angel of Death, let him enter.’ When he entered, the Angel of Death said, ‘Indeed, your Lord sends you His greetings of peace.’ It was reported to me that the Angel of Death had never greeted the people of a house before this, nor will he greet anyone after them.’ Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away in my house, on my day, between my chest and neck.’ This was narrated by al-Bukhari. Saheeli said, “I found in some of the books of Al-Waqidi that the first words the Prophet ﷺ spoke while he was under the care of Halima were: ‘Allah is the Greatest,’ and the last words he spoke were: ‘The Companion of the Most High.’ Al-Hakim narrated from the hadith of Anas, who said, ‘The last words that the Prophet ﷺ spoke were: ‘The majesty of my Lord, the Most Exalted.’“

And from Salim ibn Ubaidullah al-Ashja’i, it was narrated: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most distraught of all the people. He took his sword by its hilt and said, “I do not want to hear anyone say, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has died,’ except that I will strike him with this sword.” He said, “Then the people said, ‘O Salim, go and find the companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.'” Salim said, “I went to the mosque, and there I saw Abu Bakr. When I saw him, I was overcome with tears.” He said, “Salim, has the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away?” I said, “This is Umar ibn al-Khattab saying, ‘I do not want to hear anyone say, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has died,’ except that I will strike him with this sword.'” He said, “Then Abu Bakr went straight to the Prophet ﷺ who was covered with a cloth. He uncovered his face, kissed him, and then inhaled his scent. He then covered him back up and turned to us saying, ‘Muhammad is but a Messenger; before him, many Messengers have passed away’ [Al-Imran: 144]. And Allah, the Exalted, says, ‘Indeed, you are dead, and indeed, they are dead’ [Az-Zumar: 30]. O people, whoever worships Muhammad, then indeed, Muhammad has died, and whoever worships Allah, then indeed, Allah is Ever-Living and does not die.’ Umar said, ‘By Allah, it was as if I had never read those verses before.'” [Narrated by Tirmidhi]

Ibn al-Munir said: When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, people’s minds became confused. Some of them lost their senses, some were unable to stand, and others became speechless. Umar was one of those who lost his senses, Uthman was unable to speak, going and coming without uttering a word, and Ali was unable to move, as he was paralyzed. Abdullah ibn Unais passed away from grief. Among all of them, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most steadfast. He came, his eyes shedding tears, his sighs echoing, his heart filled with emotion, and his body trembling. He entered upon the Prophet ﷺ, kissed him, and uncovered his face. He said, ‘You were pure while you lived and while you died. There is no greater loss for me than your death. Had your death been a matter of choice, I would have willingly sacrificed my life for yours. Remember us, O Muhammad, before your Lord, and let this be in your mind.'”

In a narration from Aisha, which is found in Ahmad, it is stated: “Abu Bakr came to the Prophet ﷺ from the head of the bed and bent over, kissing his face and forehead. Then he said, ‘O Prophet, O my beloved, and when he raised his head, he said, ‘O my companion.’ When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, ‘O my father, you have answered the call of your Lord! O my father, what a wonderful place for you in Paradise! O my father, you have joined the companion of Jibril.'” [Narrated by Bukhari and further elaborated by al-Tabarani: “O my father, from his Lord, how near he has become.”] Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) lived for six months after the Prophet ﷺ, and during that period, she did not smile, and it was right for her to do so.

Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet ﷺ passed away, the Angel of Death ascended weeping to the heavens. By the One who sent him as a Prophet with the truth, I heard a voice calling from the sky, ‘O Muhammad, all calamities are nothing in comparison to this one.’ In the Sunan of Ibn Majah, it is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ said during his illness: ‘O people, if anyone among the believers experiences a calamity, let them take solace in my calamity, for no one from my Ummah will experience a calamity after me greater than mine.'” Abu Al-Jawzaa said: When a man from Medina faced a calamity, his brother would come to him, shake his hand, and say: “O servant of Allah, fear Allah, for in the Messenger of Allah there is a good example to follow.”

It was narrated that when Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to call the Adhan after the death of the Prophet ﷺ and before his burial, when he said, “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” the mosque would tremble with weeping and wailing. After the burial, Bilal left the Adhan.

The Prophet’s death ﷺ occurred on a Monday, without dispute, at the time of his entry into Medina during his Hijrah, when the heat was intense. He was buried on Tuesday, though it is said he was buried on the night of Wednesday, or on Wednesday itself. The reason for the delay in his burial was the disagreement regarding his death and the place of his burial.

Ibn Asakir narrated from Abu Dhuwaiyib al-Hudali: We were informed that the Prophet ﷺ was ill, and the people of the tribe felt fearful. During the night, I fell asleep, and just before dawn, a voice called to me, saying: “An important event has occurred in Islam, amidst the date palms and in front of the position of the Prophet. Muhammad has passed away, and our eyes shed tears in sadness. I awoke and looked at the sky, but I saw nothing but the star of sorrow. I realized then that the Prophet ﷺ had passed away.” I arrived in Medina to find the people crying loudly, similar to the sound of pilgrims in a state of Ihram. I asked, and they told me: “The Messenger of Allah has passed away.”

Hassan (may Allah have mercy on him) beautifully expressed the sorrow of the moment with these verses, mourning the Prophet (peace be upon him):  “You were the sight for my eyes, And after you, there is no sight left; Whoever wishes to die after you, Let them do so; for you were my protection.”

And in another narration from Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when the death of the Prophet ﷺ was confirmed, he wept and said, “By my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah! You used to stand on a trunk and address the people. When the crowd grew large, you took a pulpit to address them. When the trunk groaned in separation from you, you placed your hand on it, and it calmed down. Your Ummah would be more entitled to weep for you than the trunk that was separated from you, O Messenger of Allah! By my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah, you have reached such a level of excellence with your Lord that He made obedience to you equivalent to obedience to Him. He said: ‘Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah’ [An-Nisa: 80]. By my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah, your rank with your Lord is such that He sent you as the last of the Prophets, and He mentioned you among the first of them. He said: ‘When We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you, and from Noah’ [Al-Ahzab: 7]. By my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah, your rank with your Lord is such that the people of Hell will wish they had obeyed you, even though they are being punished in its depths. They will say: ‘If only we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!’” [Al-Ahzab: 77]

It is also reported that when they prepared to wash the body of the Prophet ﷺ, they were uncertain whether to undress him as they would with other deceased, or to wash him while he remained clothed. When they disagreed, Allah caused them to fall asleep, and each of them awoke with his chin upon his chest. Then, someone spoke to them from the side of the house, instructing them to wash the Prophet while he remained clothed. They did so, pouring water over his garment and rubbing it with the cloth. Al-Bayhaqi narrated this in his Dala’il al-Nubuwwa. Additionally, Ibn Majah narrated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When I die, wash me with seven water skins from the well of Bithr.” The Prophet ﷺ was washed three times: the first with pure water, the second with water mixed with Sidr, and the third with water and camphor. Ali, Al-Abbas, and his son Al-Fadl assisted in washing him, along with Qulaym and Usama, while their eyes were covered behind the curtain, due to the instruction of Ali not to allow anyone to see his nakedness. Al-Bayhaqi narrated from Ash-Shabi who said: Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) washed the body of the Prophet ﷺ and while washing him, he said, “By my father and mother, you were pure when alive and pure when dead.”

Abu Dawood narrated and Al-Hakim authenticated from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I asked him ﷺ about what happens to a dead person and I went to see. I found nothing unusual. The Prophet ﷺ was fragrant, alive and dead. In a narration by Ibn Sa’d, a sweet scent filled the air, which they had never smelled before. It was said that Ali placed a cloth on his hands and put it under the shirt of the Prophet, then squeezed his shirt, anointed his body with fragrant oils and washed his arms, face, hands, and feet, burning incense with oud and nadd (types of incense).

Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned that it was narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad: Water would gather in the eyelids of the Prophet ﷺ and Ali would drink it. In a narration by Urwah from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “The Prophet ﷺ was shrouded in three white linen garments from Sahl, made of cotton. There was no shirt or turban in them.” This is narrated by the six major compilers with variations.

Ibn Abbas narrated via Ibn Majah: When they finished preparing the Prophet ﷺ on Tuesday, he was placed on his bier in his house, and people began to enter and pray upon him, starting with the men, then the women, and finally the children. No one led the prayer over the Prophet ﷺ. In another narration, it was said that the first to pray on him were the angels in groups, then his family, and then the people in small groups, with the women praying last. Then, they asked, “Where will you bury him?” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘No prophet ever dies except where his soul is taken.’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed that he also heard this.”

Abu Talhah dug the grave of the Prophet ﷺ at the spot where his bed had been, where his soul was taken. There is some difference in the reports about who entered the grave of the Prophet ﷺ, but the most authentic report is that it was Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), his uncle Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), and his sons Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with him) and Qutham (may Allah be pleased with him). Qutham was the last person to have contact with the Prophet ﷺ.

It is narrated that nine bricks were placed in the Prophet’s grave, and underneath him, a cloth from Najran was placed—this cloth he used to cover himself with. Shukran, the servant of the Prophet, laid it in the grave. He said, “By Allah, no one will wear this cloth after you.” In the book “Tahaqiq an-Nasrah,” Ibn Abd al-Barr states that the cloth was removed from the grave after they finished placing the nine bricks. When the Prophet ﷺ was buried, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came and said: “How could you bear to throw soil on the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” She took some soil from the grave and placed it on her eyes, and then she recited: What is it for one who smells the dust of Ahmad ﷺ that he should not smell for the entirety of time its fragrance? Struggles have been poured upon me, and if they had been poured upon the days, they would have turned into nights.

In a narration by Al-Darimi, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I never saw a day more beautiful or more radiant than the day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Medina, nor did I ever see a day more unpleasant or darker than the day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away.” In a narration by Al-Tirmidhi from him (Anas) as well: “The day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Medina, everything in the city was illuminated, but the day when he passed away, everything became darker than it had ever been before. We had not finished burying him and were still in the process of placing the soil on his grave when our hearts were filled with grief.” From the signs of his ﷺ passing, even after his death, is the sadness of his donkey, which refused to eat and drank no water until it died, and likewise his she-camel, which neither ate nor drank until it passed away.

Ruzayn reported: The noble grave of the Prophet ﷺ was covered with earth by Bilal ibn Rabah. He began from the direction of his head, as narrated by Ibn Asakir, and laid red and white pebbles over it. The grave was raised about a span above the ground. In a narration by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) in Sahih Bukhari, she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said during his illness, from which he did not recover: ‘May Allah curse the Jews and Christians who took the graves of their prophets as places of worship. Had it not been for the fear that my grave would be taken as a place of worship, I would have made it obvious.’“

In Sahih Bukhari, in a narration by Abu Bakr ibn Ayash from Sufyan al-Tamari: “He narrated that he saw the grave of the Prophet ﷺ raised, meaning it was elevated. Abu Nu’aym added in his “Al-Mustakhraj” that the graves of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) were similarly raised.” Abu Dawood and Al-Hakim narrated from the chain of Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr, who said: “I entered upon Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and said, ‘O mother, show me the grave of the Prophet ﷺ.’ So she uncovered for me three graves that were neither elevated nor low, lying in a depression in the red soil of the area.” Al-Hakim added: “I saw the grave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in front, with the grave of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) placed with his head between the Prophet’s ﷺ shoulders, and the grave of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) at the feet of the Prophet ﷺ. This was during the caliphate of Muawiyah. It seemed that the area had initially been level, but when the wall of the graves was constructed during the reign of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz in Medina under the authority of Al-Walid ibn Abdul Malik, the graves were raised.”

In a narration by Abu Bakr al-Ajri, describing the Prophet’s ﷺ grave: “Utaim ibn Yastas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I saw the grave of the Prophet ﷺ during the rule of Umar ibn Abdul Aziz. It was raised about four fingers high. I saw the grave of Abu Bakr behind the Prophet’s ﷺ grave, and the grave of Umar behind that of Abu Bakr, and it was lower than the others.'”

From Hisham ibn Urwah, from his father: “When the wall of the Prophet’s ﷺ chamber collapsed during the time of Al-Walid ibn Abdul Malik, they started to rebuild it. When they dug into the ground, they found a footprint. They panicked, thinking it was the footprint of the Prophet ﷺ. No one knew whose footprint it was until Urwah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘By Allah, it is not the footprint of the Prophet ﷺ, but the footprint of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).'” This narration was reported by Bukhari. Al-Ajri also narrated: “Raja’ ibn Haywah said, ‘The grave of Abu Bakr is in line with the middle of the Prophet’s ﷺ grave, and the grave of Umar is behind that of Abu Bakr, with his head in the middle of the grave of Abu Bakr.’ This description appears to contradict the narration of Qasim, but if both can be reconciled, the narration of Qasim is more authentic.”

The scholars of the Seerah narrated from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib: “There remains a spot in the eastern side of the house where the grave of Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus) (peace be upon him) will be placed. It will be the fourth grave, and the area is a small, slightly sunken room resembling a storage space or chamber.” In Al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi, from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) will descend to the earth, marry, have children, and live for forty-five years. After that, he will die and be buried with me in my grave, and I will rise from the grave with Isa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) between Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).'”

On the Visit to His Noble Grave and His Glorious Mosque, Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him.

Know that visiting his noble grave, peace and blessings be upon him, is among the greatest acts of worship, one of the most highly recommended acts, and the means to attain the highest ranks. Anyone who believes otherwise has detached themselves from the bounds of Islam, opposed Allah, His Messenger, and the consensus of the prominent scholars. Qadi ‘Ibad said: “It is a well-established Sunnah among Muslims, agreed upon by scholars, and a virtuous act that is highly encouraged.” Al-Daraqutni narrated from the hadith of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever visits my grave, my intercession becomes obligatory for him.’“

Al-Tabarani narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whoever comes to me as a visitor, with no other purpose than visiting me, it is obligatory upon me to be his intercessor on the Day of Judgment.’ This was authenticated by Ibn al-Sikan.” In Al-Ihya, it is narrated that the Prophet, ﷺ said: “Whoever finds the opportunity and does not visit me has wronged me.” Ibn al-Najjar narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “There is no one from my Ummah who has the opportunity to visit me but fails to do so unless he has an excuse.” Al-Daraqutni and others narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): “Whoever performs Hajj and does not visit me, he has wronged me.”

From Hatib (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever visits me after my death is as if he visited me during my lifetime. And whoever dies in one of the two sanctuaries (Mecca or Medina) will be resurrected in security.” This was narrated by Al-Bayhaqi. From Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Whoever visits my grave, I will be his intercessor and witness.’ This was narrated by Al-Bayhaqi and others.” From Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever visits me in Medina with the intention of seeking reward, will be under my protection on the Day of Judgment.” This was also narrated by Al-Bayhaqi.

The scholar Zayn al-Din ibn al-Husayn al-Meraghi said: “Every Muslim should believe that visiting the Prophet ﷺ is an act of closeness to Allah, in line with the many hadiths on this matter, as well as the verse of Allah, the Almighty: ‘And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muhammad], and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance and Merciful’ [An-Nisa: 64]. And the Prophet ﷺ prayed for forgiveness for all.” Allah also says: “And ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women” [Muhammad: 19]. When they repent and ask for forgiveness, the three necessary steps for Allah’s repentance and mercy are fulfilled.

It is recommended for those intending to visit the Prophet ﷺ to also intend to visit his noble mosque and pray in it. Indeed, it is one of the three mosques to which it is obligatory to travel, and it is the best among them according to Imam Malik. It has been reported that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz used to send greetings to the Prophet ﷺ through the messenger, meaning he would send someone quickly. It is also recommended for those wishing to visit him ﷺ to increase their salat (prayers) and salam (salutations) upon him during their journey. When their eyes fall upon the landmarks of the noble city and anything associated with it, they should repeatedly send prayers and salutations upon him. They should also ask Allah to benefit them from this visit and grant them happiness in both worlds. They should perform a ritual washing (ghusl), wear clean clothes, and walk calmly and humbly, even shedding tears. He did not rebuke them for this. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.

It is recommended to perform two rak‘ahs (units of prayer) as a greeting to the mosque before visiting him ﷺ. It is said that this is the case if one is not passing by the noble face of the Prophet ﷺ. If one is passing by his noble face, then it is recommended to visit him before performing the greeting prayer. The visitor should strive to be as humble and respectful as possible, ensuring that their greeting is moderate, neither too loud nor too soft.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated that Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said to two men from Ta’if: “If you were from this city, I would have punished you for raising your voices in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ” It is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she used to hear the sound of nails being hammered and stakes being driven into the walls of some houses near the Mosque of the Prophet ﷺ and would send a message to them saying: ‘Do not harm the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It is said that Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) did not construct the two doors of his house except by using specific tools in a place outside the city to avoid disturbing the sanctity of the Prophet’s Mosque. Therefore, the same etiquette must be observed during the visit as was done during the Prophet’s lifetime.

The visitor should approach the noble grave from the direction of the Qibla. If the visitor comes from the direction of the feet of the two Companions (Abu Bakr and Umar), this is considered more respectful than approaching from the direction of the blessed head. It has been narrated that Abu Ja‘far al-Mansur, the Abbasid caliph, asked Malik ibn Anas: “O Abu Abdullah, should I face the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when I make du’a (supplication), or should I face the Qibla?” Malik replied, “Why would you turn your face away from him, for he is your intercessor and the intercessor of your father Adam, peace be upon him, on the Day of Judgment?” The visitor should adhere to the utmost respect, humility, and reverence, lowering their gaze in a state of awe, just as was done in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ during his lifetime. They should remember the Prophet’s knowledge and be mindful of the greeting they offer. There is no difference between his life and death regarding his ability to observe his Ummah and be aware of their intentions, thoughts, and deeds. This is clear and undeniable.

It is narrated by Ibn al-Mubarak from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib that every day the deeds of the Ummah are presented to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in the morning and evening. He recognizes them by their marks and their actions, and thus bears witness for them. Let the visitor mentally focus on the noble face of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and bring to heart the majesty of his rank, the highness of his status, and the immense sanctity he holds. The greatest of the companions would not address him except in the manner of the most secretive and reverential, out of respect for the greatness that Allah has granted him.

It is narrated by Ibn al-Najjar that a woman asked Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to reveal the grave of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She unveiled it, and the woman wept until she passed away. It is also reported by Abu al-Fada’il al-Hamawi, one of the servants of the blessed chamber, that he witnessed a visitor from among the elderly sheikhs approach the gate of the noble chamber. He bowed his head toward the threshold, and they moved him, only to find he had passed away. He was among those who witnessed his funeral.

Then the visitor should say, with a heart fully present, lowered gaze, calm voice, stillness, and humility: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Beloved of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Best of Allah’s creation. Peace be upon you, O Chosen one of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Leader of the Messengers, Seal of the Prophets. Peace be upon you, O Leader of the shining ones. Peace be upon you and upon your pure, virtuous family. Peace be upon you and upon your pure, righteous wives, the mothers of the believers. Peace be upon you and upon all of your companions. Peace be upon you and upon all the other prophets and all of Allah’s righteous servants.” “May Allah reward you, O Messenger of Allah, with the best reward that He has ever given to any prophet or messenger on behalf of his Ummah. And may Allah’s peace be upon you every time those who remember you mention you and may those who forget to remember you also receive peace.” The visitor should then testify: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that you are His servant and Messenger, His trusted one, and the best of His creation. I bear witness that you have delivered the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the Ummah, and strived in the way of Allah with the utmost effort.” If the visitor’s time is limited or they are unable to memorize all of this, they may recite whatever they can, or any supplication that fulfills the intended purpose.

In “Tuhfat al-Za’ir” by Ibn Asakir, it is mentioned that Ibn Umar and other early scholars would shorten and simplify their greetings. As narrated by Malik ibn Anas, the great scholar of Medina: The visitor should say: “Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and may Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.” It is also narrated by Nafi‘ from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that whenever he returned from a journey, he would enter the mosque and go to the sacred grave of the Prophet ﷺ and say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr, peace be upon you, O my father.” The visitor should supplicate without being overly formal, for excessive formality can detract from the humility of the act. 

The famous story narrated by al-‘Utbi, whose full name was Muhammad ibn Ubaid Allah, who passed away in the year 228 AH, is as follows: “I came to the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and visited it. I sat by it, and then a Bedouin came, visited the grave, and said: ‘O Best of the Messengers! Allah revealed to you a truthful book, in which He said: “And if, when they wronged themselves, they had come to you, [O Muhammad] and asked forgiveness of Allah, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance, Merciful.” (An-Nisa 64) I have come to you, seeking forgiveness for my sin, seeking intercession through you to my Lord.'” The Bedouin then began to say: “O Best of those whose bones lie in the earth, you are the one whom the earth has purified with its finest fragrance. My soul be sacrificed for you, the one who resides in the grave, within it is purity, generosity, and kindness.” Then, the Bedouin sought forgiveness and left. I fell asleep and saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in a dream. He said: “True was the Bedouin, and give him the glad tidings that Allah, the Exalted, has forgiven him through my intercession.” I woke up and rushed to find him, but I could not.”

An Arab came to the noble grave of the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Allah, You have commanded the emancipation of Your servants, and this is Your beloved. I am Your servant, so emancipate me from the fire at the grave of Your beloved.” A voice responded to him: “O you, you ask for your own emancipation. Why did you not ask for all of creation? Go, for We have emancipated you from the fire.” Al-Hasan al-Basri narrated that Hatem al-Asam stood by the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Lord, we have visited the grave of Your Prophet, so do not return us disappointed.” A voice called out: “O you, we did not permit you to visit the grave of Our beloved except that We have accepted you. Go back, and you and your companions, the visitors, are forgiven.”

Ibn Abi Fudayk narrated: I heard some of those I encountered say: “It has reached us that anyone who stands at the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and recites this verse: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace” [Al-Ahzab: 56] and then says: ‘Peace be upon you, O Muhammad,’ up to seventy times, will be called upon by an angel who says: ‘Peace be upon you, O such-and-such person.’ His needs will be fulfilled.” Shaykh Zayn al-Din al-Maraghi and others have said that it is preferable to say: “O Messenger of Allah,” even though the narration mentions “O Muhammad.”

If someone has been instructed to convey greetings to the Prophet ﷺ they should say: “Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, from so-and-so,” then step to their right about a cubit’s distance and greet Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: “Peace be upon you, O Successor of the Master of the Messengers. Peace be upon you, O one whom Allah supported on the Day of Apostasy. May Allah reward you with the best reward for Islam and the Muslims. O Allah, be pleased with him and be pleased with us through him.” Then, they should step to the right again and greet Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: “Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Believers. Peace be upon you, O one whom Allah supported with the religion. May Allah reward you with the best reward for Islam and the Muslims. O Allah, be pleased with him and be pleased with us through him.” Afterward, they should return to their original position in front of the face of our Master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They should praise and glorify Allah, send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ and increase their supplications and humbling themselves, renewing their repentance in His noble presence, and ask Allah, by His status ﷺ to make it a sincere repentance. They should increase in sending prayers and peace upon the Prophet ﷺ in His noble presence, where He hears them and responds to them. Abu Dawood narrated from the hadith of Abu Huraira that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who greets me except that Allah returns my soul until I respond to his greeting.” The meaning of “returning the soul” is that the Prophet ﷺ replies to the Muslim’s greeting, even though he is alive in his grave without a doubt. This special presence and spiritual turning occurs in the Prophet’s presence, and this response is so expansive that even if the Muslims were to send their greetings from every corner of the earth, it would reach him.

Shaykh al-Shihab al-Din Ahmad al-Qastalani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “I have seen things from this which I cannot describe. He who was asked how the Prophet ﷺ responds to those who send greetings to him from the East and West of the earth at the same time has excellently said: ‘Like the sun at the center of the sky, its light reaches the lands of the East and West.’ There is no doubt that the condition of the Prophet ﷺ in the grave is superior and more complete than the state of the angels. This is how our master, Izrael, may peace be upon him, gathers the souls of a hundred thousand at once, without it distracting him from another soul. Yet, even so, he remains occupied in worshiping Allah, turning to His glorification and sanctification.”

And in Ibn Abi Shaybah’s narration from Abu Hurairah, it is reported that whoever sends blessings upon me near my grave, I hear it, and whoever sends blessings upon me from afar, it reaches me. And from Sulayman ibn Suhaym, he said, “I saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, and I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, these people who come and greet you, do you hear their greeting?’ He replied, ‘Yes, and I return their greeting.’” Without a doubt, it is known that the Prophet ﷺ hears greetings while he is buried, as is reported in authentic Hadith. Ibn Najjar narrated from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib that when the army of Yazid conquered Madinah, they did not announce the adhan (call to prayer) at the mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. But when the time for Dhuhr prayer came, I heard the adhan from the grave, so I prayed two rak’ahs. Then, I heard the iqama (the call to stand for prayer), so I prayed Dhuhr. This continued for three nights during the days of Harrah.

It is firmly established that our Prophet ﷺ died as a martyr due to eating poisoned meat on the day of Khaybar, and from that time, he began to experience the effects of the poison. His death was caused by the poison, and this became a miracle in itself. The pain from the poison remained with him until he passed away. The scholars state that Allah united for him prophethood and martyrdom. It is established by the verse in the Qur’an: “And do not think those who were killed in the way of Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.” [Aal Imran: 169]. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ is alive in two senses: in the sense of prophethood and martyrdom. He is the best of the Prophets and the best of the martyrs, and his life is more complete than theirs. It is mentioned in the authentic hadith that the believer is buried in the earth from which he was created, and thus, the soil of Madinah is the best of soils, just as he ﷺ is the best of creation. Therefore, the scent of perfume in Madinah is stronger than in all other lands, as stated by Ibn Battal. It is recommended for the visitor to increase in supplication, humility, seeking help, intercession, and turning towards the Prophet ﷺ. It is certain that Allah will grant intercession to those who seek it through him.

As for seeking intercession by Adam (peace be upon him) when he was expelled from Paradise, as narrated by Allah: “O Adam, if you had sought intercession through Muhammad, we would have interceded for you” and when he asked by the right of the Prophet, Allah forgave him. Furthermore, seeking intercession through him ﷺ after his creation during his life is established by a narration from Al-Nasa’i and Al-Tirmidhi from Uthman ibn Hunaif, who said that a blind man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him to pray to Allah for his healing. The Prophet instructed him to perform wudu, pray, and then make the following supplication: “O Allah, I ask You and turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad, I turn to my Lord through you for my need to be fulfilled. O Allah, grant him intercession for me.” This was narrated by Al-Bayhaqi, and the man was healed. As for seeking intercession through him ﷺ after his death in the Barzakh (the intermediary realm), there are numerous reports that are beyond count, one of which is found in the book “Misbah al-Zulumat” for those seeking refuge with the best of creation, written by Sheikh Abu Abdullah ibn al-Na’man.

As for seeking intercession through him, peace be upon him, on the Day of Judgment, this is something upon which there is consensus, and the reports about it have been transmitted through multiple channels in the Hadith of Intercession. So, O seeker of happiness, strive for it. And one who hopes for good in the presence of the unseen and the seen, should cling to the edges of His compassion and generosity. And seek nourishment from His table of blessings. And seek intercession through His noble station. And intercede through His lofty rank. For He is the means to attain greatness and to seize one’s goals. He is the refuge on the Day of distress and panic for all the noble messengers. Make Him your guide in whatever calamities befall you. And make Him your leader in whatever journey or abode you encounter. For you will achieve your desires to the fullest extent, and you will attain the pleasure of the One who encompasses all knowledge and has counted everything.

Strive, as long as you are in the blessed city of Ta’ba, according to your ability, to gain all kinds of closeness to Allah, and persist in knocking on the doors of happiness with the claws of your desires. And rise in the ranks of worship. And enter into the tents of fulfillment. And be constant in performing the prescribed and optional prayers in His honored mosque, ﷺ.

Especially in the garden that has been confirmed as a part of paradise, as narrated by al-Bukhari. The wisdom behind this is that Allah Almighty has favored him ﷺ above all of His creation, and that everything attributed to Him, even indirectly, is superior to anything else among creation. This superiority has been manifested in all aspects of his life, from the time of his birth ﷺ until his death, both in the pre-Islamic and Islamic eras. For instance, his mother, Amina, was blessed by his presence, and likewise his foster mother, Halima, and her donkey. The spot where that donkey walked has also been blessed by his presence. Wherever he placed his blessed hand, blessings were manifest, both physically and spiritually, as has been widely narrated. Moreover, since he frequently traveled between his pulpit and his home, he would often be found in that blessed place multiple times a day throughout his life, from the time of his migration until his passing. The sanctity of this spot increased over others, and there is no higher description than that it is from paradise and it returns to it, and it remains part of it now. For anyone who works in it, a similar paradise will be granted to them, as their work here will earn them a garden in paradise.

If it is argued that this distinction belongs to the whole of Medina, since the Prophet ﷺ walked throughout it, the answer is that Medina has a unique distinction that no other city has. Its soil is a cure, as he ﷺ, mentioned, and it is protected from the Dajjal. He ﷺ is the first to intercede for its people on the Day of Judgment. What once afflicted it, like fever and plague, has been lifted. It has been blessed in its food, drink, and many other things. Therefore, its distinction comes from his frequent visits to it, especially his frequent visits to the mosque, which is more than his visits to any other part of the city. The mosque, in turn, is the most honored of all mosques, and the spot where he stood is the most revered of all places.

This is an established and clear proof. And it is narrated from Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A prayer in my mosque is better than a thousand prayers in other mosques, except for the Haram Mosque. And a prayer in the Haram Mosque is better than a hundred prayers in my mosque.” This was narrated by Ahmad and others. Ibn Habib also mentioned in his book al-Wadihah that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A prayer in my mosque is like a thousand prayers in other mosques, and a Friday prayer in my mosque is like a thousand Friday prayers in other mosques, and the month of Ramadan in my mosque is like a thousand Ramadans in other mosques.”

There was a difference among the companions and scholars regarding whether Mecca or Medina is the better city. However, all of them, including the companions, agreed that the place where the Prophet’s blessed body lies is the most honored spot on earth, even surpassing the location of the Kaaba. In fact, al-Taj al-Subki narrated from Ibn Aqil al-Hanbali that this spot is even more virtuous than the Throne (Arsh), and al-Fakihani stated that it is superior to the heavens. Qāḍī ‘Iyāḍ said: “The superiority of the place that contains his noble body, peace and blessings be upon him, is established from two perspectives: The first is the understanding that every person is buried in the place from which they were created. The second is the descent of angels and blessings upon that location and the special attention from Allah, Most High.” It has been narrated by Abū Ya‘lā from Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “A prophet does not pass away except in the most beloved place to him.” And there is no doubt that the place most beloved to him is also the place most beloved to his Lord, Most High—for his love follows the love of his Lord, Glorious and Exalted. And whatever is most beloved to Allah and His Messenger, how can it not be the most superior?

The Prophet ﷺ also said: “O Allah! Indeed, Ibrāhīm (Abraham) called upon You for Makkah, and I am calling upon You for Madinah with the same as he asked for Makkah, and even more than that.” There is no doubt that the supplication of the Prophet ﷺ is greater than the supplication of Ibrāhīm, because the virtue of a supplication is proportional to the virtue of the one who makes it. It has been authentically narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah! Make us love Madinah as we love Makkah—or even more.” In another narration: “Rather, even more.” And his prayer was answered—such that he would stir his riding animal eagerly upon seeing Madinah due to his intense love for it. Al-Ḥākim narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah! You have brought me out from the most beloved of places to me—so settle me in the most beloved of places to You.”

It is narrated from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās al-Makhzūmī: “Are you the one who says that Makkah is better than Madinah?” So ‘Abdullāh replied: “It is Allah’s sacred sanctuary, and His security, and it contains His House.” Then Umar said: “I will not say anything about the sacredness of Allah and His House.” Then ‘Umar repeated his initial statement, and ‘Abdullāh repeated his response, to which ‘Umar again said: “I will not speak against the sacredness of Allah and His House.” Then someone gestured to ‘Abdullāh, so he departed. Al-Ṭabarānī narrated a ḥadīth: “Madinah is better than Makkah,” though in its chain is a narrator who is not strong.

In the Ṣaḥīḥayn (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim), it is narrated from Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I have been commanded concerning a town that consumes the other towns—they call it Yathrib, but it is Madinah. It expels (impure) people from it just as the bellows expels impurities from iron.” The gnostic Ibn Abī Jamrah commented on the saying of the Prophet ﷺ recorded in al-Bukhārī: “There is no town which the Dajjāl (Antichrist) will not enter except Makkah and Madinah.” He said: “The apparent meaning of this hadith indicates equality between the two in virtue.” He continued: “This is supported by the fact that if Madinah was singled out as the place of his burial and his residence, then Makkah was singled out as the place of his birth and the beginning of his mission—and it is his qiblah (direction of prayer). Thus, the sunrise of his noble and blessed existence was in Makkah, and its sunset was in Madinah.”

Muslim narrated from Sa‘d, from the Prophet ﷺ: “There will come a time upon the people when a man will call his cousin and close relative, saying: ‘Come to comfort and ease!’ But Madinah will be better for them, if only they knew. By the One in whose hand is my soul, no one leaves it (Madinah) desiring elsewhere except that Allah will replace him with someone better.” Muslim also narrated from Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “No one from my Ummah bears patiently its hardships and difficulties except that I will be his intercessor or witness on the Day of Judgment.” Al-Bukhārī narrated from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed, faith (īmān) retreats to Madinah just as a snake retreats to its hole.” Meaning: it withdraws, gathers, and seeks refuge there—because Madinah is the root and origin of its spread. Every believer has within his soul an inward pull toward it, in every era, due to their love for the one who resides in it—peace and blessings be upon him.

Al-Tirmidhī and others narrated from the ḥadīth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever among you is able to die in Madinah, let him do so, for indeed I will intercede for the one who dies in it.” And in al-Bukhārī, from the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Neither the False Messiah (al-Masīḥ al-Dajjāl) nor the plague will enter Madinah.” Also in al-Bukhārī, from the ḥadīth of Abū Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet ﷺ: “The terror of the Dajjāl will not enter Madinah. On that day, it will have seven gates, and upon each gate are two angels.” Imām al-Nawawī and others said: The plague has never entered Madinah at all. Some scholars stated that this is from the Muḥammadan miracles—for all physicians, from the first to the last, have failed to prevent the plague from entering even a village—yet the plague has been kept from Madinah for all these long centuries. Among the unique virtues of Madinah is that its dust is a healing—from leprosy, vitiligo, and indeed from every illness—as narrated by Ruzayn from the ḥadīth of Sa‘d. In another narration from Ibn ‘Umar: “Its soil is a cure from poison.”

Al-Baghawī reported from Ibn ‘Abbās concerning the verse of Allah Most High: “We will surely settle them in the world in a good place” [al-Nahl: 41], that he said: “That (good place) is Madinah.” Ibn al-Najjār narrated from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “All lands were opened by the sword, but Madinah was opened by the Qur’an.” Al-Ṭabarānī narrated from Abū Hurayrah that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Madinah is the dome of Islam, the abode of faith, the land of migration, and the place where the lawful and unlawful are clarified.” In summary, the entire city of Madinah—its soil, its paths, its valleys, its homes, and its surroundings—has been encompassed by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. For the people used to seek blessings by having him enter their homes, inviting him therein, and asking him to pray in them. Because of this, Imām Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, refrained from riding an animal within Madinah, saying: “I do not want to trample with the hoof of a beast upon ground where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked with his own feet.” 

It is recommended for the visitor to go to Masjid Qubā’, to pray and visit there, as the Prophet ﷺ used to visit it both riding and walking. This was narrated by Muslim. In another narration of his, it states: “He would come there” instead of “visit,” and he would pray two rak‘ahs therein. Muslim also narrated that Ibn ʿUmar used to go to it every Saturday, saying: “I saw the Prophet ﷺ go to it every Saturday.” And in al-Tirmidhī, from Usayd ibn Zuhayr al-Anṣārī—not to be confused with Ibn Ḥuḍayr—it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A prayer in Masjid Qubā’ is like the reward of a ʿUmrah.” After visiting the Prophet ﷺ, it is appropriate for the visitor to then proceed to the other sacred sites in Madinah, and to the blessed relics and masājid (mosques) where the Prophet ﷺ prayed, seeking blessing through them. One should also go out to al-Baqīʿ to visit those buried there—for most of the Companions who died in Madinah during the Prophet’s ﷺ life and after his passing are buried in al-Baqīʿ. Likewise, many of the noble members of Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet’s family) and the Tābiʿīn (Followers) are buried there.

It is narrated from Imām Mālik that he said: “Ten thousand of the Companions died in Madinah.” Also buried there are the Mothers of the Believers, except for Khadījah, who is buried in Makkah, and Maymūnah, who is buried in Saraf. The Prophet ﷺ himself used to go out to al-Baqīʿ in the last part of the night and would say: “Peace be upon you, O abode of believing people.” Narrated by Muslim. Ibn al-Najjār narrated a marfūʿ (Prophetic) report: “Two cemeteries shine for the inhabitants of the heavens just as the sun and moon shine for the people of the earth: al-Baqīʿ al-Gharqad and the cemetery of ʿAsqalān.” Kaʿb al-Aḥbār said: “We find in the Torah that the cemetery of Madinah is like a dome surrounded by palm trees, entrusted to angels. Whenever it fills, they transfer its contents into Paradise.” Abū Ḥātim narrated from Ibn ʿUmar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I will be the first for whom the earth will be split open, then Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar. Then I will go to al-Baqīʿ, and they will be gathered with me. Then I will await the people of Makkah until we are gathered between the Two Sacred Precincts (al-Ḥaramayn).” 

On His Excellence ﷺ in the Afterlife Through Primacies and Unique Distinctions—Such as Intercession, the Praiseworthy Station, and His Elevation to the Highest Ranks of Paradise—Along with Other Honors Bestowed Upon Him by Allah Most High

Know that just as Allah the Exalted preferred our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ at the beginning—by making him the first of the Prophets in creation and the first to respond in the realm of souls on the Day of Alast (the covenant when Allah said: “Am I not your Lord?” – [Al-Aʿraf: 172])—He also granted him precedence in the return, for he shall be: The first over whom the earth will split open, The first to intercede and the first whose intercession will be accepted, The first to be granted permission to prostrate before the Throne, The first to gaze upon the Lord of the Worlds, while all others are veiled from seeing Him at that moment.

He is also the first among the Prophets for whom judgment will be passed on behalf of his nation, the first whose nation will be permitted to cross the ṣirāṭ (bridge), and the first to enter Paradise, with his nation being the first among nations to enter it. And beyond this, Allah has honoured him with rare gifts and sublime favours that are beyond counting or measure. Among these: He shall be resurrected riding, He is granted the Maqām Maḥmūd (the Praiseworthy Station), The Banner of Praise (Liwāʾ al-Ḥamd) will be in his hand, under which will stand Adam and all the other Prophets, He is singled out to prostrate before Allah beneath the Throne, and Allah will open for him in that prostration praises and glorifications that have never been opened to anyone before him, nor will be to anyone after him—an increase in his nearness and honour. Then Allah will address him: “O Muḥammad, raise your head. Speak, you will be heard. Ask, you will be given. Intercede, your intercession will be accepted.” And there is no honour greater than this—except gazing upon Him, the Most High. He ﷺ will repeat his intercession, and he will prostrate a second and third time, and renew praise upon Allah, as Allah inspires him each time with new praises. And in every prostration, Allah will say: “O Muḥammad, raise your head. Speak, you will be heard. Ask, you will be given. Intercede, your intercession will be accepted.”

Among the unique honours granted to him is that he will stand to the right of the Throne, a station no other created being shall stand in, and one for which both the first and last of creation will envy him. He will bear witness on behalf of the other Prophets and their nations, affirming that they indeed delivered their messages, and they themselves will ask him to intercede, to relieve them from the terrors, sweat, and prolonged standing of that Day. He will also intercede for people who had already been sentenced to the Fire. Among his honours is the Hawd—no place on the Plain of Gathering will have more vessels than it. No believer will enter Paradise except through his intercession. Among his intercessions: Raising the ranks of some people whose deeds alone would not qualify them, and he is the possessor of al-Wasīlah—the highest rank in Paradise. And beyond all this, Allah continually increases him in glory, reverence, and honour before all witnesses—from the first to the last, including all the angels. “That is the bounty of Allah, which He gives to whomever He wills. And Allah is the possessor of immense bounty.” [Al-Hadid: 21]

As for his distinction ﷺ in being the first for whom the sacred grave will split open, Muslim narrated from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I am the master of the children of Ādam on the Day of Resurrection. I will be the first for whom the grave will be split open, the first to intercede, and the first whose intercession will be accepted.” On the Distinct Virtues of the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Resurrection. In the hadith of Abū Saʿīd, he reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I am the master of the children of Ādam on the Day of Resurrection, and this is no boast. In my hand will be the Banner of Praise, and this is no boast. There will not be a single Prophet that day—from Ādam and those besides him—except that they will be under my banner. And I will be the first for whom the earth will split, and this is no boast.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī. And from Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I will be the first for whom the earth will split open, then Abū Bakr, then ʿUmar, then I will come to the people of al-Baqīʿ, and they will be gathered with me. Then I will await the people of Makkah until we are all gathered between the Two Sacred Precincts.” Narrated by Abū Ḥātim, and al-Tirmidhī graded it ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ. 

And from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The people will fall unconscious when they hear the blast, and I will be the first to recover. And behold! Mūsā (Moses) is holding onto one of the pillars of the Throne. I do not know whether he was among those who fell unconscious and awoke before me, or if he was among those exempted by Allah.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī. And from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “I will be the first to rise when the people are resurrected. I will be their leader when they arrive, their orator when they listen, their intercessor when they are held back, and their bringer of glad tidings when they despair. The keys and honours on that Day will be in my hand, and the Banner of Praise will be in my hand. I am the most honoured of the children of Ādam in the sight of my Lord. Around me will be a thousand servants, circling me, as if they are preserved pearls or scattered pearls.” Narrated by al-Dārimī. 

And in a narration found in the book Hādī al-Azwāj, it is mentioned that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment, and Bilāl will be in front of him, calling the adhān (call to prayer). And al-Ḥākim and al-Ṭabarānī both narrated from Abū Hurayrah that: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Prophets will be resurrected riding upon beasts, and I will be resurrected riding al-Burāq, and Bilāl will be upon a she-camel from the camels of Paradise, calling the adhān in its complete form, and declaring the testimony (shahādah) in truth. Then, when he says: ‘I bear witness that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah’, the believers from the first and the last generations will testify to its truth.” In one narration: “When the Prophets and their nations hear him say: ‘I bear witness that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah’, they will all say: ‘And we too bear witness to that.’” And in another narration is the addition: Ṣāliḥ will be resurrected riding his she-camel, and the two sons of Fāṭimah will be resurrected riding the she-camels ‘al-ʿAṣbāʾ’ and ‘al-Qaṣwāʾ’.

And from Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, who once entered upon ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and they spoke of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and Kaʿb said: “There is no dawn that rises except that seventy thousand angels descend and surround the Prophet’s grave, striking it with their wings and sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ. Then when night falls, they ascend and another seventy thousand angels descend and do likewise. Thus, seventy thousand angels by day, and seventy thousand by night, until the moment the earth splits open for him—he ﷺ will rise surrounded by seventy thousand angels who will honour him.” On the Resurrection and the Noble Pond (Hawd) of the Prophet ﷺ

In Nawadir al-Usul by al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī, it is narrated from Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once came out with his right hand upon Abū Bakr and his left upon ʿUmar, and said: “Thus shall we be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection.” And from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), from the Prophet ﷺ, who said: “I will be the first for whom the earth will split, and I will be clothed in a garment from among the garments of Paradise. Then I will stand to the right of the Throne, a position which none of the creation shall occupy except me.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī. In another narration from Kaʿb, it is said: “It will be a green garment.”

Al-Bayhaqī also narrates: “The first to be clothed from the garments of Paradise is Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him)—he will be clothed in a garment from Paradise. Then a chair (kursī) will be brought and placed to the right of the Throne. Then I will be brought forth, and I will be clothed in a garment from Paradise—a garment so magnificent that no human being can match it.” And it is mentioned that he ﷺ will sit upon the chair to the right of the Throne.

And in the hadith of ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-As, recorded by al-Bukhārī and Muslim: “My Hawd (Pond) spans the distance of a month’s journey. Its water is whiter than milk, its scent more fragrant than musk, and its drinking vessels are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Whoever drinks from it a single sip shall never experience thirst again.” And in the narration of Muslim, it is added: “Its corners are equal, its length equal to its width.” And in the hadith of Abu Umamah, it is added: “And whoever drinks from it, his face will never darken.” And in the hadith of Anas, it is added: “And whoever does not drink from it shall never be quenched.” And in the hadith of Thawban, recorded by al-Tirmidhi, and authenticated by al-Hakim: “The ones who will come to it in the greatest number are the poor among the Muhājirūn (Emigrants).” Al-Qurtubi states in al-Tadhkira: The author of al-Qut and others held the view that the Hawd will be after the Sirat (Bridge), while others believed the opposite, that it will be before the Bridge. And in the hadith of Abu Dharr, as narrated by Muslim: “The Hawd is supplied by two channels from Paradise, from which it continuously flows.” 

And from Anas, who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to intercede for me on the Day of Resurrection. He said: “I shall do so, if Allah wills.” I asked: “Where should I seek you?” He replied: “Seek me first at the Sirat.” I said: “And if I do not find you there?” He said: “Then seek me at the Scale (Mizan).” I asked: “And if I do not find you there either?” He replied: “Then seek me at the Hawd, for I shall not miss these three places.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who graded it ḥasan. Al-Qurtubi says in al-Mufhim: “It is obligatory for every believer to know and affirm that Allah, the Exalted, has specially favored our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the Hawd, whose name, description, and drink have been explicitly stated in the authentic and well-known hadiths.” From the abundance of these reports, definitive knowledge (ʿilm qat’i) is established. More than thirty companions narrated this from the Prophet ﷺ—over twenty of them in the Sahihayn, and the rest in other well-known compilations. The chains of transmission are authentic, and the narrators well-known. This report was then transmitted by the successors (tabi’un) from those Companions, by their likes, and then by many times their number among later generations, continuing in succession. The Salaf and the adherents of the Sunnah in all generations unanimously affirmed its authenticity and truth. 

On the Distinctive Signs of the Ummah and the Noble Station (al-Maqām al-Maḥmūd)

In Sahih Muslim, from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ said: “My Ummah shall come to me at the Hawd, and I will drive people away from it, just as a man drives others away from his camels.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, will you recognize us?” He replied, “Yes—you will have a distinguishing mark that no one else will have. You will come to me radiant-faced and radiant-limbed from the effects of wudu (ritual ablution).” And in a hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “My Hawd has four corners: the first is held by Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the second by ʿUmar al-Faruq, the third by ʿUthman Dhu al-Nurayn, and the fourth by Ali ibn Abi Talib. So whoever loves Abu Bakr but hates ʿUmar, Abu Bakr will not serve him to drink. And whoever loves Ali but hates ʿUthman, Ali will not serve him to drink.” Narrated by Abu Sa’d.

On the Prophet’s ﷺ Distinction with Intercession and the Praiseworthy Station As for the excellence of the Prophet ﷺ through intercession (shafa’ah) and the Praiseworthy Station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud), Allah the Exalted has said: “It may be that your Lord will raise you to a Praiseworthy Station.” [Al-Isra’: 79]. There are several interpretations regarding the Praiseworthy Station, the foremost and most supported—affirmed by Fakhr al-Rāzī and the consensus of the scholars of tafsīr as noted by al-Wāḥidī—is that it refers to the Station of Intercession. Authentic reports have confirmed this meaning, such as what is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, from Ibn ʿUmar, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about the Praiseworthy Station, and he said: “It is Intercession.” Also, from him is the narration where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “On the Day of Resurrection, people will be grouped—each nation following its prophet. They will say, ‘O so-and-so, intercede for us,’ until intercession reaches me. That is the Praiseworthy Station.” This is further affirmed by the well-known supplication: “And raise him to the Praiseworthy Station which You have promised him (a station in which the first and the last shall envy him.)” 

The second view, reported from Hudhayfah, is: “Allah will gather the people upon a single plain, and no soul will speak. The first to be called forth will be Muḥammad ﷺ, and he will say: ‘At Your service and Your blessing, all good is in Your hands, and evil is not attributed to You. The guided one is the one You have guided. I am Your servant before You. Through You and to You. There is no refuge from You except with You. Blessed and Exalted are You, glory be to You, O Lord of the House!’” This, it is said, is what is meant by the verse: “It may be that your Lord will raise you to a Praiseworthy Station.” [Al-Isrāʾ: 79] Narrated by al-Tabarani, and Ibn Mandah stated that this hadith has a sound chain of transmission and its narrators are trustworthy. The third opinion: The Praiseworthy Station is a state whose outcome is praiseworthy. The fourth opinion: It is the seating of the Prophet ﷺ upon the Throne (ʿarsh), or upon the Kursi (Divine Seat). It is narrated from Ibn Mas’ud that he said: “Allah the Exalted shall seat Muḥammad ﷺ upon the Kursi.”

Who Offers the Praise? There is also a difference of opinion regarding who offers the praise in the phrase “Praiseworthy Station”. The majority hold that it refers to the people at the Gathering (al-Mawqif), based on the hadith from Ibn ʿUmar which states: “It is a Praiseworthy Station in which all the people gathered will praise him.” What Is the Intercession Referred to? If one asks, “If the common understanding is that the Praiseworthy Station refers to intercession, then which intercession is it referring to?” The response is that the intercession mentioned in connection with the Praiseworthy Station is of two types: General Intercession, that Allah judges between the creation, and Specific Intercession, for the release of sinners from the Fire. However, the stronger view is to understand all these interpretations as referring ultimately to the General Intercession. For indeed, the bestowal of the Banner of Praise, his praise of his Lord, his speech before Him, and his sitting upon the Kursī—these are all part of the description of the Praiseworthy Station, where he intercedes for judgment to commence among the creation. As for the intercession for the release of sinners from the Fire, that is among the consequences and subsequent types of intercession. 

His Creation

Regarding the perfection of his ﷺ physical creation and the beauty of his form ﷺ: Know that among the completeness of faith in him ﷺ is belief that Allah, the Exalted, has made the creation of his noble body in such a manner that no human like him appeared before or after. Al-Busuri said: “He is the one whose meaning and form were perfected, then the Creator of souls chose him as His Beloved. Purified from a partner in his beauties, for the essence of beauty in him is indivisible.” Al-Qurtubi said: The full extent of his ﷺ beauty has not been manifested to us, for if the fullness of his beauty had appeared to us, our eyes would not have been able to bear seeing him ﷺ.

As for his noble face ﷺ, the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim) narrated from al-Bara’: He said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most handsome of people in face and the best of them in character.” Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I have never seen anything more beautiful than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it was as if the sun were flowing through his face.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī and others. Al-Bara’ was asked: “Was the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ like a sword?” He said: “No, rather like the moon.” Narrated by al-Bukhari. And in the narration of Muslim from the hadith of Jabir ibn Samurah: A man said to him, “Was the face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ like a sword?” He said: “No, but like the sun and the moon, and it was rounded.” And from Jabir ibn Samurah: He said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on a night of full moon, and he was wearing a red cloak, so I began to look at him and at the moon, and to me, he was more beautiful than the moon.” 

And al-Tirmidhī and others narrated from ʿAlī may Allah be pleased with him, that he described him ﷺ, saying: “He was not extremely bulky, nor overly small, and in his face was roundness.” Meaning he ﷺ did not have an extremely round face, but there was slight roundness in his face. Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had smooth cheeks.” And “smooth cheek” is that which is elongated and not high on the cheekbone. Al-Bukhari narrated from Kaʿb ibn Mālik: He said, “Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased, his face would shine as if it were a piece of the moon, and we used to recognize that from him.” ʿĀʾishah said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased, the radiance of joy would shine on his face as if it were a piece of the moon.” And in the hadith of Jubayr ibn Mut’im, narrated by al-Tabarani: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to us with a face like the edge of the moon.” This is understood as referring to his appearance when turning (toward someone). And from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Ka’b ibn Malik: “The face of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was like a full moon disc. 

And al-Bayhaqi narrated from Abu Ishaq al-Hamdani from a woman of Hamdan: She said, “I performed hajj with the Prophet ﷺ.” It was said to her: “Describe him.” She said: “Like the full moon on the night of completion. I have not seen the likes of him before or after.” And al-Darimi and others narrated from Abu ʿUbaydah: He said, “I said to al-Rubayyiʿ bint Muʿawwidh: ‘Describe to me the Messenger of Allah ﷺ .’ She said: “If you had seen him, you would have said: the sun has risen.” And Muslim narrated from Abu al-Tufayl that it was said to him, “Describe for us the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” So he said, “He was white, with a handsome face.” And the Prophet ﷺ, when he was happy, his face would be as (radiant as) the mirror, and it was as if the walls could be seen reflected in his face. And in the hadith of Ibn Abi Halah: “His face would shine like the full moon on the night of its completion.”

As for his noble sight ﷺ, Allah the Exalted described it in His Noble Book by His saying: “The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress.” [Al-Najm: 17] And al-Bukhari narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, and al-Bayhaqī from ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to see in the darkness of the night just as he saw in the brightness of the day. And from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he ﷺ said: “Do you see my qiblah here? By Allah, nothing of your bowing or your prostration is hidden from me. Indeed, I see you from behind my back.” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. And with Muslim from the narration of Anas, that he ﷺ said: “O people, I am your imam, so do not precede me in bowing or prostration, for indeed I see you from in front of me and from behind me.”

And from Mujāhid, regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted: “He who sees you when you stand, and your movement among those who prostrate.” [Al-Shuʿarāʾ: 219]. He said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to see those behind him in the rows just as he saw those in front of him.” And al-Qadi ‘Iyad mentioned in al-Shifa that he ﷺ used to see in the constellation al-Thurayya eleven stars, and al-Suhayli said: twelve. And in the hadith of Ibn Abi Malah: “When he turned, he turned fully. He lowered his gaze. His gaze ﷺ toward the earth was longer than his gaze toward the sky. Most of his looking was by glancing, al-mulahadha, and it is a form of gaze from the corner of the eye nearest to the temple.” And from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had large eyes, long eyelashes, and redness in the whites of his eyes.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi. And from Jabir ibn Samurah: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had a wide mouth, slightly reddish eyes, and fine feet.” Narrated by Muslim. The redness that appears in the white of the eye is praiseworthy and beloved. 

And with al-Tirmidhi, in a ḥadīth from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, he described the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:“There was roundness in his face. He was white with a reddish hue, intensely black-eyed, and long-lashed (eyelashed).” And also with him from Ali, he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had black irises and long eyelashes. ” And from Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: “The Prophet ﷺ sent me to Yemen. A rabbi from among the Jews saw me and said to me, ‘Describe Abu al-Quasim for me.’ So I said: ‘He is not excessively tall nor extremely short’, and the hadith continues, and in it, Ali said: then I paused. So the rabbi said, ‘And what else?’ I said, ‘This is all that comes to mind.’ The rabbi said, ‘(Was there) redness? (Was he) good of beard?’ Then Ali said, ‘By Allah, that is his description.’ The rabbi said, ‘Indeed, I find this description in the Book of my forefathers. And I bear witness that he is a Prophet and that he is the Messenger of Allah to all people.’”

As for his noble hearing, He ﷺ said: “Indeed, I see what you do not see and hear what you do not hear. The heaven groans, and it has the right to groan. There is not in it a space the width of four fingers but that there is an angel placing his forehead in prostration to Allah, the Exalted.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī from Abu Dharr And Abu Nuʿaym narrated from Hakim ibn Hizam: “While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was among his companions, he said to them: ‘Do you hear what I hear?’ They said: ‘We do not hear anything.’ He said: ‘Indeed, I hear the groaning of the heavens, and it is not to be blamed for groaning, there is not a handspan in it except that upon it is an angel, either in prostration or standing.’”

As for his noble forehead, the Prophet ﷺ had a clear forehead and his eyebrows were joined, and this is how Ali described him, saying: “He had joined eyebrows and a smooth, clear forehead.” And with al-Bayhaqi, from a man among the Companions: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ,ﷺ and he was a man of a fine body, with a broad forehead, and slender eyebrows.” And Ibn Abi Halah said: “He had arched eyebrows,” and it is explained as: curved, long, and abundant in hair. Then he said: “They were long without being connected, and between them was a vein that would swell when he became angry.” And from Muqatil ibn Hayyan: Allah ﷻ revealed to Isa, peace be upon him: “Listen and obey, O son of the pure, virgin, chaste woman. Indeed, I created you without a male, and made you a sign for the worlds. So worship Me alone, and rely upon Me alone. Go forth to the people of Suran and say: ‘Indeed, I am Allah, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, never do I perish. Believe in the unlettered Prophet, the one with the camel, and the cloak, and the turban, and the two sandals, and the staff. Curly-haired, with a clear forehead, his eyebrows joined, with long eyelashes, deep black eyes, wide eyes, slender nose, radiant cheeks, full-bearded. His sweat on his face was like pearls, and the fragrance of musk would emit from him. As if his neck were a silver pitcher.’” 

Al-Hadith: “And al-Anjal is wide of the corner of the eye; and al-Qarn (with vowelization) means the meeting of the two eyebrows.” Ibn al-Athir said: “The correct description of him ﷺ is that his eyebrows were long without being connected, as he ﷺ was described by Ibn Abi Halah.  He ﷺ was described as such by Ibn Abi Halah and others, and that he had a large head.” Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “He had a massive head.” Anas said: “He ﷺ had large joints (bones),” and in the narration of al-Tirmidhi: “Prominent joints and shoulders,” which is explained as the heads of the bones like the knees, elbows, and shoulders, that is, they were large. He ﷺ had a thin bridge of the nose, meaning the upper part, as Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, described him, and also described him as having a curved nose (aqna), which is interpreted as having a high, flowing middle. Ibn Abi Hālah said: “He had a curved upper nose (‘irnin), with light upon it; one who did not examine him would think he was aquiline.” Al-Atham is the long nasal ridge.

As for his noble mouth ﷺ, from Jabir: He ﷺ had a wide mouth. Ibn Abi Halah said: “He would begin and end his speech with his molars,” meaning his mouth was wide—and the Arabs praised one with a wide mouth and blamed one with a small mouth. Ibn Abī Hālah also described him as: “Having white, spaced teeth (ashnab), with brightness and moistness of the teeth,” and spaced teeth (mufallaḥ al-asnān) means they were slightly apart. Ali said: “His incisors were wide,” and in another narration from him: “His teeth were bright like lightning.” From Ibn ʿAbbas: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had spaced upper front teeth, and when he spoke, light would seem to come out from between them.” Al-Tirmidhī narrated it. Al-Tabarani and others narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the most beautiful lips among the servants of Allah, and the gentlest seal of the mouth.” From Abu Qirsafah: “We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—me, my mother, and my maternal aunt. When we returned, my mother and aunt said to me: ‘O my son, we have never seen a man with a more handsome face, nor cleaner clothes, nor gentler speech. And we saw as if light came out of his mouth.’”

As for his noble saliva ﷺ, in the Sahih from Sahl ibn Saʿd: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on the Day of Khaybar: “Tomorrow, I will give the banner to a man through whom Allah will grant victory. He loves Allah and His Messenger, and Allah and His Messenger love him.” In the morning, the people came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, each of them hoping to receive it. He said: “Where is Ali Ibn Abi Talib?” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, he is complaining of his eyes.” He said: “Send for him.” He was brought, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spit into his eyes, and he was cured as if there had been no pain. And he ﷺ spit into a spring, and its smell became like musk. And he spit into a spring in the house of Anas, and there was no spring in Madīnah more plentiful than it. And on the Day of Ashura, he ﷺ would summon his nurslings and the nurslings of his daughter Fāṭimah, may Allah be pleased with her, and would put his saliva into their mouths and say to the mothers: “Do not breastfeed them until night,” and his saliva ﷺ would suffice them. Al-Bayhaqi narrated it. And ʿUmayrah bint Masʿud entered upon him ﷺ with her sisters to pledge allegiance to him, they were five in number, and they found him eating dry meat (qadid), so he chewed a piece for them, and each of them placed a piece in her mouth. They met Allah, and none of their mouths ever had a bad odor. Al-Tabarabi narrated it. And he ﷺ wiped with his noble hand, after spitting into it, on the back and belly of ʿUtbah, and he had shara (an ailment), and no fragrance was ever smelled more pleasant than him afterward. And he gave al-Hasan his tongue while he was intensely thirsty, so he sucked it until he was quenched.

As for the eloquence of his tongue ﷺ, He was the most eloquent of Allah’s creation and the sweetest in speech—so much so that it was as if his speech would capture hearts. ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not speak rapidly like you do. He would speak a clear speech such that if one wished to count his words, he could. And he would repeat a word three times so that it would be understood from him.” And he used to say: “I am the most eloquent of the Arabs.” And the people of Paradise will speak with the language of Muḥammad ﷺ. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is it with you that you are the most eloquent of us, though you did not grow up among us?” He ﷺ said: “The language of Isma’il had faded away, so Jibrīl came to me with it and preserved it for me.” Narrated by Abu Nuʿaym. And from ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: We said: “O Prophet of Allah, we are the children of one father and we grew up in one land, yet you speak to the Arabs with a tongue most of which we do not understand!” He ﷺ said: “Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, educated me, and perfected my education. And I grew up among Banu Sa’d ibn Bakr.” 

And Abū Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have travelled among the Arabs and listened to their eloquent speakers, but I have never heard anyone more eloquent than you.” He ﷺ said: “My Lord educated me, and I grew up among Bantu Sa’d” As for what is narrated: “I am the most eloquent of those who speak with the letter Sad,” Ibn Kathir said: “It has no authentic basis, but its meaning is sound.” And people have compiled from the words of the Prophet ﷺ, concise, wondrous expressions, unmatched before, into collections. In al-Shifa by al-Qadi ‘Iyad, there is from that which heals the sick, like his saying ﷺ: “A person is with the one he loves.” And his saying ﷺ: “Accept Islam and you will be safe. Accept Islam, and Allah will give you your reward twice.” “Happy is the one who takes heed through others.” 

Among what al-Qadi ‘Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) did not mention is:

“Actions are only by intentions.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

“The worker gets nothing from his deeds except what he intended.”

“The believer’s intention is better than his deed.” — Narrated by al-Tabarani. 

“O horses of Allah, ride!” — Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

“The child belongs to the bed, and for the fornicator is the stone.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. (The fornicator is the adulterer.)

“All the game is inside the hide of the wild donkey.” — Narrated by al-Ramahurmuzi. (The wild donkey is the zebra.)

“War is deception.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

“Beware of the green vegetation of filth.” Meaning: a beautiful woman raised in a corrupt environment. — Narrated by al-Ramahurmuzi. (Filth refers to dung.)

“The Ansar are my inward and my intimate.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari. (Meaning: they are his inner circle and keepers of his secrets.)

“No one bears responsibility for a crime except the perpetrator.” — Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.

“The strong is not the one who overcomes others, but the one who overcomes 

himself.” — Narrated by Ibn Hibban.

“The strong is not the one who wrestles, but the one who controls himself when angry.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

“Hearing is not like seeing.” — Narrated by Ahmad and others.

“Gatherings are based on trust.” — Narrated by al-‘Uqayli.

“Calamity is tied to speech.” — Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah and others.

“Abstaining from evil is charity.”

“What disease is worse than miserliness?” — Narrated by al-Bukhari.

“Not even two goats will lock horns over it.” (i.e., there is no disagreement or doubt in it.)

“Modesty is all good.” — Agreed upon.

“The false oath leaves homes desolate.” — Narrated in al-Mustadrak al-Firdaws.

“The leader of a people is their servant.” — Narrated by Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulam.

“The superiority of knowledge is better than the superiority of worship.” — Narrated by al-Tabarani and others.

“In the forelocks of horses is goodness.” — Agreed upon. Another wording: 

“Goodness is tied to their forelocks.”

“The quickest thing to bring punishment is oppression.”

“Indeed, from eloquence is a type of magic, and from knowledge is ignorance, and from poetry is wisdom.” — Narrated by Abu Dawud.

“Health and free time are two blessings.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari.

“Seek help for your needs by concealing them, for everyone who is blessed is envied.” — Narrated by al-Tabarani.

“Deceit and trickery are in the Fire.” — Narrated by al-Daylami.

“Whoever cheats us is not from us.” — Narrated by Muslim.

“The one consulted is entrusted.” — Narrated by Ahmad and others.

“Regret is repentance.” — Narrated by al-Tabarani.

“The one who guides to good is like the one who does it.” — Narrated by al-ʿAskari.

“Your love of a thing blinds and deafens.” — Narrated by Abu Dawud and others.

“The borrowed item is to be returned, and the granted gift is to be returned, and the 

debt is to be paid, and the guarantor is liable.” — Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and others.

“ʿUkkāshah beat you to it.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari.

“Your Lord is amazed by such-and-such…” — Narrated in several versions by al-Bukhari and others. Ibn al-Athir said: “Its meaning is: it is great and magnified in His sight.” It was also said: “Its meaning is: He is pleased and rewards.”

“He was killed patiently.” — Narrated by more than one.

“The one being asked is not more knowledgeable than the one asking.” — Narrated by Muslim and others.

“Do not lift your stick from your family in discipline.” — Narrated by Aḥmad. (i.e., Do not abandon disciplining them and keeping them obedient to Allah. “Breaking the stick” is a metaphor for separating from the group, it does not mean to strike them literally, but it is a metaphor.)

“What the spring grows can kill from bloating or nearly kill.” — Narrated by al-Bukhari. (Bloating refers to excessive eating causing death or near death. It is a metaphor for being consumed by worldly accumulation that prevents spending it for the sake of Allah.)

“The best wealth is a flowing eye (spring) for a sleeping eye.” (i.e., a spring that flows night and day while its owner sleeps.)

“The best wealth of a person is a well-bred mare or a selected palm grove.” — Narrated by Ahmad and others. (“Well-bred” means one that bears offspring abundantly; “selected grove” means a selected path of date palms.)

“Whoever is slowed down by his deeds, his lineage will not hasten him.” — Narrated by Muslim.

“Visit occasionally, and love will increase.” — Narrated by al-Bazzar and others.

“You will not win over people with your wealth, so win them over with your character.” — Narrated by Abu Ya’la and others.

“Bad character ruins deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.” — Narrated by al-Tabarani and others.

“This religion is firm, so delve into it gently and do not make the worship of Allah hateful to yourself, for the one who overburdens his mount neither covers ground nor keeps the mount alive.” — Narrated by Anas and others. 

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, the religion is ease, and no one makes the religion hard upon himself except that it overcomes him.” Narrated by al-Bukhari.

He ﷺ said: “The wise one is he who holds himself accountable and works for what comes after death; and the incapable one is he who follows his desires and merely wishes upon Allah.” Narrated by al-Hakim.

He ﷺ said: “Whatever causes unease in your chest, then leave it.” Narrated by al-Tabarani.

He ﷺ said: “A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty, and her religion. So choose the one of religion — may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you succeed).” Agreed upon. (“May your hands be rubbed with dust” is an Arabic idiom meaning: you will regret it if you do otherwise.

He ﷺ said: “Winter is the spring of the believer — its days are short, so he fasts them; and its nights are long, so he prays them.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and others.

He ﷺ said: “Contentment is a wealth that does not run out and a treasure that never decays.” Narrated by al-Tabarani and others.

He ﷺ said: “He who performs istikhārah (seeking Allah’s counsel) is never disappointed, and he who seeks advice never regrets, and he who practices moderation is never impoverished.”, Narrated by al-Tabarani.

He ﷺ said: “Moderation in spending is half of livelihood, kindness to people is half of intelligence, and good questioning is half of knowledge.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and others.

He ﷺ said: “There is no intelligence like planning, no piety like restraint, and no honor like good character.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

He ﷺ said: “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe, and the emigrant is the one who leaves what Allah has forbidden.” Agreed upon.

He ﷺ said: “Planning is half of livelihood, friendliness is half of intelligence, worry is half of old age, and having few dependents is one of the two kinds of ease.” Narrated by al-Daylami.

He ﷺ said: “Give the trust to the one who entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrayed you.” Narrated by Abu Dawud and others.

He ﷺ said: “Breastfeeding changes natural disposition.” Narrated by Abu al-Shaykh.

He ﷺ said: “There is no faith for the one who has no trustworthiness, and there is no religion for the one who has no covenant.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad and others.

He ﷺ said: “Women are the snares of Satan.” Narrated in al-Mustadrak al-Firdaws.

He ﷺ said: “Maintaining ties of loyalty is from faith.”
Narrated by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said:
An old woman came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was with me, and he said to her:
“Who are you?” She said: “Jannamah al-Muzaniyyah.” He said: “You are Hassanah. How are you? How are things with you? How were you?” She replied: “Well, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you!” When she left, I said: “O Messenger of Allah, you receive this old woman with such attention?” He ﷺ said: “She used to visit us during the time of Khadījah, and indeed maintaining ties is part of faith.”

He ﷺ said:
“The beauty of a man lies in his eloquence.” Narrated by al-Quda’i.

He ﷺ said:
“Two greedy ones are never satisfied: a seeker of knowledge and a seeker of worldly gain.” Narrated by al-Tabarani and others.

He ﷺ said:
“There is no poverty worse than ignorance, no wealth more honorable than intelligence, and no loneliness worse than arrogance.” Narrated by Ibn Majah.

He ﷺ said:
“Sins are never forgotten, virtue never perishes, and the Reckoner never dies. So be as you wish.” Narrated in al-Firdaws.

He ﷺ said:
“Nothing has ever been combined with something better than knowledge added to knowledge.” Narrated by al-ʿAskari.

He ﷺ said:
“Seek your provision from within the depths of the earth.” Narrated by Ibn Abi Shurayh — referring to farming.

He ﷺ said:
“Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler passing through, and count yourself among the people of the graves.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi and others.

He ﷺ said:
“Acts of kindness protect from misfortune, secret charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, and maintaining kinship increases lifespan.” Narrated by al-Tabarani.

He ﷺ said:
“Forgiveness only increases a servant in honor, and humility only increases him in elevation, and no wealth is ever decreased by charity.” Narrated by Muslim and others in various wordings.

He ﷺ said:
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of wealth’s trial.” Narrated by the Four from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her).

He ﷺ said:
“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of my hearing, from the evil of my sight, from the evil of my tongue, from the evil of my heart, and from the evil of my desires.” Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Hakim from Shakl.

He ﷺ said:
“This world is a passing commodity — the righteous and the wicked both partake in it. But the Hereafter is a true promise, in which rules a just King who establishes truth and invalidates falsehood. So be the children of the Hereafter, not the children of this world — for every child follows its mother.” Narrated by Abu Nu’aym.

He ﷺ said:
“The greatest loser in trade is the one who forfeits his Hereafter for the world of another.” Narrated by Ibn al-Najjar from ʿAbdullah ibn Amir.

He ﷺ said:
“The greatest loser in trade is a man who wore out his hands chasing his hopes, and time did not assist him in attaining his wish, so he left the world without provision and arrived before Allah without a proof.”

He ﷺ said:
“Indeed, among the treasures of righteousness is the concealment of misfortunes. The right hand is either reward or regret.” Narrated by Abu Ya’la and others.

This and similar narrations, which are difficult to enumerate fully, show that the Prophet ﷺ had reached a level of eloquence and mastery in concise speech that no one can compare to. He ﷺ achieved a rank where his status cannot be measured, for he ﷺ was blessed with speech that contained the most profound meanings in the shortest forms. Among the aspects of his eloquence ﷺ is that he combined disparate elements of Islamic teachings and principles in four hadiths. These are: the hadith of “Indeed, actions are judged by intentions,” narrated by both Shaykhān (al-Bukhari and Muslim); the hadith of “Halal is clear, and Haram is clear,” narrated by Muslim; the hadith “The burden of proof is on the claimant, and the oath is on the one who denies”; and the hadith “A person’s faith is not complete until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,” narrated by both Shaykhan. The first hadith covers one-quarter of acts of worship, the second one-quarter of dealings, the third one-quarter of judicial matters and the excellence of resolving disputes, and the fourth one-quarter of etiquette and fairness, under which comes the cautioning against crimes, as said by Ibn al-Athir.

It was one of his special characteristics ﷺ that he spoke each language fluently, including the various dialects of the Arabs, and could easily understand their structure and vocabulary. It was not uncommon for Arabs to be limited to their own dialects, but the Prophet ﷺ spoke the purest form of Arabic. This was a divine strength granted to him ﷺ, as he was sent to all people, whether black or red, and it was not typical for anyone to speak another’s language unless they were deficient in their own. The Prophet ﷺ, however, spoke in Arabic more eloquently than even native speakers of Arabic. He was endowed with every praiseworthy human faculty in a manner unmatched by others, and this could not be measured by any standard.

As for his noble voice ﷺ, Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Allah has never sent a prophet except that He sent him with a good appearance and a good voice. Until Allah sent your Prophet ﷺ, and He sent him with a good appearance and a good voice.” Ali may Allah be pleased with him, said, “When he ﷺ spoke, it was as if light came from between his teeth.” His voice ﷺ reached further than that of anyone else. Al-Bara’ narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to us in a way that even the young women in their private rooms could hear him. Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, said, “On the day of Jumu’ah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on the pulpit and said to the people, ‘Sit down.’ Abdullah ibn Rawaha, who was in Bani Ghanm, heard him and sat in his place.” Abdul Rahman ibn Mu’adh al-Taymi said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke to us in Mina, and Allah opened our hearing, so we could hear him even when we were in our homes.” Um Hani may Allah be pleased with her, said, “We used to hear the Prophet ﷺ recite at night near the Ka’bah, while I was on my roof.”

As for his smile, Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, narrated in al-Bukhari, “I never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fully laughing until I could see the roof of his mouth. He would only smile.” The roof of the mouth refers to the area above the tongue and near the throat. And from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in the story of the one who had sexual intercourse with his wife during Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughed until his molar teeth became visible. Narrated by al-Bukhārī. And al-nawājidh are the molar teeth. And Ibn Abī Hālah said: Most of his ﷺ laughter was a smile, and when he smiled, it was like pearls appearing (shining). Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar said: What appears from the totality of aḥādīth is that he ﷺ in most of his situations would not exceed a smile, and sometimes he would go beyond that and laugh. Ibn Baṭṭāl said: That which ought to be followed from his actions is what he was consistent upon from that. And from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): When he ﷺ laughed, it would glisten on the walls, meaning his light would shine upon them like the shining of the sun on them. And he ﷺ, when he was newly visited by Jibrīl, would not smile or laugh until (Jibrīl) departed. Rather, when he would give a khuṭbah or mention the Hour, his anger would intensify and his voice would rise, as though he were warning an army, saying: “Your morning has come! Your evening has come!” Narrated by Muslim.

And his ﷺ crying was of the same kind as his laughter; it was not with sobbing or a raised voice, just as his laughter was not with loud guffawing, but rather his eyes would shed tears until they flowed, and a sound would be heard from his chest, like a boiling sound. He would cry out of mercy for a deceased person, out of fear for his Ummah, out of compassion, and from the fear of Allah upon hearing the Qurʾān, and sometimes during night prayer. And Allah the Exalted preserved him ﷺ from yawning, and no Prophet ever yawned.

As for his noble hand ﷺ, more than one person described it as shathn al-kaffayn, meaning his fingers were thick. And that his forearms were well-built, and his palms wide. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wiped the cheek of Jābir ibn Samurah, who said: I found the touch of his hand to be cool and fragrant, as if he had just taken it out of a perfume container. Narrated by Muslim. And Wāʾil ibn Ḥujr said: “I used to shake the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, or his skin would touch my skin, and I would still recognize its (feel) afterward in my hand, and it was more fragrant than musk.”

And Yazīd ibn al-Aswad said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ handed me his hand, and it was colder than ice and more fragrant than musk.” And in al-Bukhārī, from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “I never touched silk nor brocade softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Ibn Baṭṭāl said: “His ﷺ palm was full of flesh, yet despite its largeness, it was soft.” And from Muʿādh (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ let me ride behind him on a journey, and I have never touched anything softer than his skin ﷺ.” And ʿĀʾid ibn ʿAmr was struck in his face on the Day of Ḥunayn, and the blood flowed over his face and chest, so the Prophet ﷺ wiped the blood with his hand from his face and chest. Then he supplicated for him, and the trace of his hand ﷺ remained on what he had wiped of his chest, a flowing blaze like the blaze on the forehead of a horse. This was narrated by al-Ḥākim and others.

And the Prophet ﷺ wiped the head of Madluk, the freed slave of Abū Sufyān, and whatever part his hand passed over remained black (in color), and the rest turned grey. It was narrated by al-Bukhārī in his Tārīkh. And from Abū Zayd al-Anṣārī, he said: The Prophet ﷺ wiped his hand over my head and my beard, then said: “O Allah, beautify him.” The one who narrated from him said: He reached over one hundred years of age, and there was no whiteness in his beard. And indeed his face remained radiant, and it never wrinkled until he passed away. Narrated by al-Bayhaqī and others. And the Prophet ﷺ wiped the head of Ḥanẓalah ibn Ḥilyam with his hand, and said to him: “Blessings be upon you.” So it would happen that a sheep whose udder was swollen, or a camel, or a human being with a swelling would be brought to him, and he would pour water into his hand and wipe with his bald head, then he would say: “In the name of Allah, by the trace of the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,” and then he would wipe the place of the swelling, and the swelling would go away. Narrated by Ahmad and others.

And it has come in several hadiths from a group of the Companions regarding the whiteness of his armpits. From Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raising his hands in duʿāʾ until I saw the whiteness of his armpits. Al-Tabari said: “Among his ﷺ special qualities is that the armpit of all people changes color except his.” And from a man from Bani Harish, he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ embraced me, and from the sweat of his armpit flowed upon me a scent like the fragrance of musk.” Narrated by al-Bazzār.

And ʿAlī (may Allah ennoble his face) described him, saying: He had a “masrubah” — which was explained as a line of hair between the chest and the navel. And with al-Bayhaqī: “He had hairs from the top of his chest to his navel, running like a rod. There was nothing else of hair on his chest or belly.”

And his stomach was described by Umm Hānīʾ, who said: “I never saw the stomach of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except that I remembered the folded scrolls, some folded upon others.” And Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was white, as if he was molded from silver, with thick hair, wide belly, large joints of the shoulders.” 

And Imām Aḥmad narrated from Muḥarrish al-Kaʿbī, who said: “The Prophet ﷺ performed ʿUmrah from al-Jiʿrānah at night, so I looked at his back, and it was as if it were a bar of silver.” And al-Bukhārī narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was broad between the shoulders.”

And from Abū Hurayrah — broad of chest — and as for his noble heart ﷺ, it has been authentically reported that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) split it open and extracted from it a clot and said to him: “This is the portion of Shaytan from you.” Then he washed it in a basin of gold with Zamzam water, then sealed it and returned it to its place. Anas said: “Indeed, I used to see the mark of the stitching in his chest.” Muslim narrated it. And this splitting was reported to have happened to him ﷺ multiple times.

As for his ﷺ intimacy, he would go around to his wives in a single hour of the night or day, and they were eleven. The narrator said: I said to Anas, “Was he able to do that?” He said: “We used to speak that he was given the strength of thirty [men].” Al-Bukhārī narrated it. And from Muʿādh: “[he was given] the strength of forty.” And from Mujahid: “Every man of the men of Paradise [will have that strength].” And from Anas in a marfūʿ (attributed to the Prophet) report: “The believer will be given in Paradise strength such-and-such for intimacy.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, will he be able to handle that?” He said: “He will be given the strength of a hundred.” And Allah the Exalted preserved him from having wet dreams. For indeed Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet never had a wet dream ever, and indeed wet dreams are from Shaytan.” Al-Tabarani narrated it.

As for his noble foot ﷺ, more than one described it as being thick-soled (shathn al-qadamayn) — meaning thick in the toes. And from Maymunah bint Kardam, she said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I have not forgotten the length of his index toe compared to the rest of his toes.” Imām Ahmad and others narrated it. And Ibn Abi Hala said: “The arches of his feet were high (khumsan al-akhmusayn), and his feet were smooth (masih al-qadamayn).” And the “akhmas” of the foot is the part that does not touch the ground when walking. And “khumsan” means: it was well formed and complete. And “masih al-qadamayn” means: they were smooth, soft, with no cracking or dryness. And from ʿAbdullah ibn Buraydah: he said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the most beautiful feet among people.”

As for his noble height ﷺ, ʿAli (may Allah be pleased with him)said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was neither short nor tall, but he leaned more toward tallness.” Al-Bayhaqī narrated it. And others described him as “not overly tall (baʾin) and not short,” and what is meant by “tall baʾin” is that which is extreme in tallness, with lanky stature. And Ibn Abi Hala said: “Taller than the average man (marbu’), but shorter than the very tall slender one (mushadh-dhab).” And “mushadh-dhab” is one extremely tall and thin. It is like the other narration: “He was not exceedingly tall (muma’t) — meaning not at the very limit of tallness.” And from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was neither extremely tall nor noticeably short. He was generally attributed to being of medium stature (rabʿah) when he walked alone. But whenever someone walked with him, none would appear taller than him — ﷺ. Even if two tall men flanked him, he would appear taller than them. But when they parted, he would again be described as of medium stature.” Al-Bayhaqī and others narrated it. And Ibn Sabʿ added in al-Khasa’is that when he sat, his shoulders would be higher than all of those sitting — ﷺ. And Ibn Abi Hala described him as “badin mutamasik” — meaning well-built and balanced in form, as if each part of his body was supporting the other.

As for his noble hair ﷺ, from Qatadah who said: I asked Anas about the hair of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: “His hair was between two types, neither very curly nor very straight, neither coarse nor fine. It was between his ears and shoulders.” And in another narration: “He had hair (rajul) that was neither curly (Sabt) nor tightly curled (jaʿd); [it was] between his ears and shoulders.” Another narration: “[His hair extended] to the middle of his ears.” Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others narrated it. From ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had hair that was longer than a jummah and shorter than a wafrah. Narrated by al-Tirmidhī. And in the hadith of Anas: It reached his ears. And in the hadith of al-Bara’: It reached his shoulders. And in the hadith of Abu Rimthah: It reached his shoulders. And in a narration: “I did not see anyone with more beautiful limmah than him.” The jummah is the hair that hangs down to the shoulders. The wafrah is what reaches the earlobes. The limmah is what touches the shoulders. 

Qadi Iyad’ said: The way to reconcile these narrations is that the front portion of his hair reached his earlobes, while the back portion reached his shoulders. It was also said that the difference was due to different times, when he neglected trimming it, it reached the shoulders, and when he trimmed it, it was to mid-ear, so the hair would lengthen and shorten accordingly. From Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to let his hair hang down.” The polytheists used to part their hair, while the People of the Book would let theirs hang. He liked to conform to the People of the Book in matters about which he had received no command. Then he ﷺ began parting his hair. Narrated by al-Tirmidhī, and similar is found in Sahih Muslim. Letting the hair hang (sadl) means to let it fall down freely. What is meant here is letting it fall over the forehead, forming a qussah (forelock). Parting (farq) means splitting the hair and separating one side from the other. The scholars said: Parting is Sunnah, because that is what the Prophet ﷺ eventually did. The correct opinion is that both parting and letting the hair hang are permissible, but parting is preferable. The qussah is the hair of the forelock that is trimmed around the forehead. From Umm Hani (may Allah be pleased with her): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered Makkah and had four braids.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

In Sahih Muslim from Anas: “In the beard of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ there were a few white hairs.” And in another narration: “He did not have much gray hair.” And in another: “If I wanted, I could count the gray hairs on his head.” He did not dye his hair. The white was only in his ʿanfaqah (the hair between the lower lip and chin), in the temples, and a few scattered hairs on the head. From Anas: “There were no more than seventeen or eighteen white hairs in his head and beard.” And from Ibn ʿUmar: “Around twenty.” In the two Sahihs: Ibn ʿUmar saw the Prophet ﷺ dyeing his hair with yellow. Al-Nawawī said: The preferred opinion is that he did dye it at one point, and left it in most times. Each narrator reported what he saw, and all are truthful. 

From Anas: “The Prophet ﷺ would frequently oil his head and comb his beard.” Narrated by al-Baghawī. And from Anas: “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while the barber was shaving his head, and his companions were gathered around him. They did not want a single hair to fall except into the hand of one of them.” Narrated by Muslim. 

It was never narrated that he ﷺ shaved his blessed head except during the rites of Hajj or ʿUmrah. Thus, leaving hair on the head is Sunnah. Whoever denies this knowingly must be disciplined. And whoever cannot maintain hair is permitted to shave it. From Muhammad ibn Sirin: I said to ʿUbaydah, “We have hair from the Prophet ﷺ that we obtained from Anas.” He replied: “Having a single hair from him is more beloved to me than the world and all it contains.” The Prophet ﷺ used to trim his beard from the sides and the length. Narrated by al-Tirmidhī. And narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās: The Prophet ﷺ used to trim his mustache.

As for the pubic hair: In the hadith of Anas, the Prophet ﷺ would not shave regularly, and when the hair became thick, he would shave it. In the hadith of Umm Salamah: When the Prophet ﷺ applied hair-removal cream (nurah), he would begin with his pubic area and apply the nurah to it and then to the rest of his body. (The mention of his entering the bathhouse is a separate issue.)

Al-Bayhaqī reported from the mursal of Abu Ja’far al-Baqir: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to prefer clipping his nails and trimming his mustache on Friday. From ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never parted from his siwak (tooth-stick) and his comb. He used to look into the mirror when combing his beard.”

From Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): “The Prophet ﷺ had a makhalah (container for kohl) from which he would apply kohl every night before sleeping — three times in each eye.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī and others. Ahmad added: “He used kohl made from ithmid” a black kohl stone with a reddish hue. And from Muhammad ibn Ali who said: I asked ʿĀʾishah: “Did the Prophet ﷺ use perfume?” She said: “Yes, with masculine perfume, musk and amber.” 

(As for his noble walking ﷺ): From ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked, he leaned forward slightly, leaning forward as if he was descending from a slope.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and others. And from Abu Hurayrah: “When he stepped with his foot, he stepped with all of it.” And from him: “I never saw anyone faster in his walking than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. It was as if the earth was folded up for him. We would exhaust ourselves while he was not bothered.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhī. And it was narrated that whenever he ﷺ walked, he walked together (firmly), as one with strong limbs, not lax in walking. And Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ walked, he lifted (his feet).” And Ibn Abi Halah said: “When he moved, he moved lifting his feet from the ground, stepping lightly, walking calmly, taking long strides. When he walked, it was as if he was descending from a slope.” Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Al-taqalluʿ is the lifting of the whole body from the ground, like one descending from a slope, and it is the walking of those with resolution, ambition, and courage. And it is the most balanced of walks and the most restful for the limbs.”

As for his walking ﷺ with his companions: They would walk ahead of him, and he would walk behind them and say: “Leave my back (clear) for the angels.” And he ﷺ walked during one of his battles and was injured in his finger, and blood flowed from it. So he said: “You are nothing but a finger — you have bled, And what you have suffered is in the path of Allah.” Narrated by Abu Dawud. And he ﷺ had no shadow in sunlight or moonlight. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi al-Hakim. Ibn Sabaʿ said: “The Prophet ﷺ was light, so when he walked in the sun or the moon, no shadow of his would appear.”

As for his noble complexion ﷺ: The majority of his Companions described him as white. Among their phrases were: “He was white and handsome,” “He was white, with a handsome face,” “I do not forget the intensity of the whiteness of his face along with the intensity of the blackness of his hair.” This was narrated by al-Tabarani from Abu al-Tufayl. And in the poetry of Abu Talib: “And white (in complexion), through whose face rain is sought, A protection for the orphans and a safeguard for widows.” And Ali (may Allah honor his face) said: “He was white, with a reddish hue.” And in Sahih Muslim: “Bright in color.” And in the narration of al-Bukhari from the hadith of Anas: “He was not purely white (with no hue).” And from Anas: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was white, and his whiteness leaned toward a light brown.” Al-Bayhaqi said: “It is said that the reddish hue in his color and the light brown was what was exposed to the sun and wind, such as the face and neck, while what was beneath his clothing was pure, luminous white.”

As for the fragrance of his smell, sweat, and his bodily excretions ﷺ: The pleasant smell was his ﷺ characteristic even if he had not applied perfume. Anas said: “I never smelled a scent, not musk nor amber, more pleasant than the scent of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Narrated by Imam Ahmad. And from Umm ‘Asim, the wife of ʿUtbah ibn Farqad al-Salami, she said: “We were with ʿUtbah, four women, and there was not one of us except that she exerted herself in using perfume to be more fragrant than her companion. And ʿUtbah would not touch perfume except that he would use some of our oil to wipe his beard, and yet his scent was better than ours. And when he went out to the people, they would say: ‘We have never smelled a fragrance like ʿUtbah’s!’ So one day I said to him: ‘We strive in using perfume and yet you are more fragrant than us!’ She understood by that that his scent was better than perfume. So he said: ‘I developed an itchy rash during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so I went to him and complained to him about it. He ordered me to strip, so I stripped, and I lay before him, and I cast my garment over my private part. Then he blew into his hand, then wiped my back and my stomach with his hand, and from that day this fragrance has clung to me.’” Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī. 

And he also narrated the story of the one who sought help from the Prophet ﷺ in preparing his daughter for marriage, and he (the Prophet ﷺ) had nothing. So he called for a bottle and poured some of his sweat into it and said: “Tell her to apply it as perfume.” So when she used it as perfume, the people of Madinah could smell that fragrance, and they named their home “the House of the Perfumed Ones.” And from Anas: He said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whenever he passed through a road from the roads of Madinah, they would find the scent of perfume from it and say, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed through this road.’” It was narrated by Abu Ya‘la and others, and something similar was narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah. 

And from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most handsome of people in face and the most radiant in color. No describer ever described him except that he likened his face to the full moon on the night of its fullness. His sweat on his face was like pearls, and more fragrant than the best pure musk.” It was narrated by Abu Nu‘aym. And from Anas, he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to us and stayed with us, and he sweated. My mother brought a bottle and began collecting his sweat into it. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up, he said, ‘O Umm Sulaym, what are you doing?’ She said, ‘This is your sweat; we mix it with our perfume, and it is the best of perfumes.’” It was narrated by Muslim. Qadi ‘Iyad said: “She was a mahram to him through nursing.” And from Jabir ibn Samurah: “He ﷺ wiped my cheek, and I found his palm to be cool and having a fragrance as if it had been taken from a bag of perfume.” Another narrator said: “Whether he had applied perfume or not, when he shook hands with someone, that person would continue to find its fragrance throughout the day. And when he placed his hand on a child’s head, that child would be recognized among the other children by that scent.” 

And it has been reported from what Qadi ‘Iyad attributed to the historians and those who authored works on the noble characteristics (al-Shama’il al-Karimah), that: “Whenever he ﷺ wanted to relieve himself, the earth would split and swallow his urine and feces, and a pleasant scent would emit from that.” And in these ahadaiths is an indication of the purity of his urine and blood ﷺ. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Hajar said: The evidences indicating the purity of his excretions ﷺ have become numerous, and the scholars have counted that among his ﷺ exclusive characteristics. And al-Nawawī narrated from al-Qāḍī Ḥusayn that the correct view with certainty is the purity of all of them. And this was also the view of Abu Hanifah (may Allah be pleased with him) as al-ʿAynī stated. And most of his ﷺ conditions when urinating were in a seated position, and he urinated standing in order to clarify its permissibility. And when he ﷺ wanted to enter the toilet, he would say: “Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min al-khubthi wal-khaba’ith.”  “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the male devils and the female devils.” Al-khubth refers to the male devils, and al-khaba’ith refers to the female devils.

And from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to relieve himself, he would not raise his garment until he came near the ground. And from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) she said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ exited the toilet, he would say: “Ghufranak.” “Your forgiveness.” And in the narration of Anas: He ﷺ would say: “Al-hamdu lillah alladhi adh-haba ‘anni al-adha wa ‘afani.” “All praise is due to Allah who has removed harm from me and granted me well-being.” And he ﷺ said: When one of you comes to relieve himself, then let him not face the Qiblah nor turn his back to it, but rather face east or west. Narrated by al-Bukhari. And in it, from Anas: Indeed, he ﷺ used water to clean himself. And from Abū Hurayrah: He ﷺ cleaned himself with three stones.

In His — Exalted is He — Description of the Prophet ﷺ as Light and a Radiant Lamp

Know that Allah, Exalted is He, has described His Messenger ﷺ as light in His saying: “There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.” [Al-Ma’idah: 15] It has been said that what is meant by the light here is the Qur’an. And He also described him ﷺ as a radiant lamp in His saying: “O Prophet! Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of good tidings and a warner, and one who calls to Allah by His permission, and a radiant lamp.” [Al-Ahzab: 45–46] What is meant is that he is a guide who makes things clear, like a lamp that shows the path and clarifies guidance and righteousness. So, his explanation is stronger, more complete, and more beneficial than the light of the sun. And if that is the case, then his sanctified self must be greater in luminosity than the sun. Just as the sun in the physical world provides light to others and does not take light from anything else, likewise the soul of the Prophet ﷺ provides intellectual lights to all other human souls. And likewise, Allah has described the sun as a lamp where He said: “And placed therein a shining lamp and a luminous moon.” [Al-Furqan: 61] 

And just as Allah described His Messenger ﷺ as light, He also described His sanctified Self as such, saying: “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.” [An-Nur: 35] So, in both cases, there is none but Allah and His sanctified light. It is the secret of existence, life, beauty, and perfection. It is that which shone upon the universe and illuminated the spiritual worlds, namely the angels, who became radiant lamps from which those beneath them derive (light) by the bounty of Allah. Then this light spread to the world of human souls, then the souls cast it upon the surfaces of bodies. So, in existence there is nothing but the light of Allah flowing into things from Him according to their capacity for reception, their readiness, and the breadth of their receptiveness. And His saying: “The example of His light…” means: the example of His guidance, Glorified is He. According to Muqatil: it means the example of faith in the heart of Muhammad ﷺ is like a niche in which is a lamp. The niche is analogous to the loins of ʿAbdullah (the Prophet’s father), the glass is analogous to the body of Muhammad ﷺ, and the lamp is analogous to the faith and prophethood in the heart of Muhammad ﷺ. And according to another opinion: the niche is analogous to Ibrahim, the glass to Isma’il, the lamp is the body of Muhammad ﷺ, and the tree is prophethood and messengership.

In Allah’s description of him ﷺ as a witness, and in his testimony ﷺ to the Message:

Allah the Exalted said, quoting from the words of Ibrahim and Isma’il (peace be upon them both) at the time of building the Sacred House: “Our Lord! Accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make us submissive (Muslim) to You, and from our offspring a nation submissive (Muslim) to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. Our Lord! And raise among them a Messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and the wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Mighty, the Wise.” [Surat al-Baqarah: 127–129]

So Allah the Exalted answered their supplication and sent among the people of Makkah a Messenger from them with this description, from the offspring of Isma’il, who had supplicated with his father Ibrahim (peace be upon them both) with this very supplication. The exegetes (mufassirun) are unanimous that the one intended by this verse is the Prophet ﷺ. And he ﷺ said: “I am the supplication of my father Ibrahim and the glad tidings of ‘Isa.” They said: the “supplication” refers to this very verse, and the “glad tidings” of ‘Isa is that which is mentioned in Surat as-Saff in His saying: “And [I am] giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me whose name is Ahmad.” [Surat as-Saff: 6] Ibrahim only made this supplication in Makkah for his progeny who lived there and in its surroundings. And Allah the Exalted did not send anyone to those in Makkah except Muhammad ﷺ. And Allah the Exalted conferred a favor upon the believers by sending this Prophet from among them with this description. He the Exalted said: “Indeed Allah conferred great favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book…” [Surat Al ‘Imran: 164]

There is no favor of Allah upon the believers greater than His sending of Muhammad ﷺ, guiding to the truth and to a straight path. And indeed, the blessing upon this Ummah by his being sent is the greatest of blessings, because through him ﷺ the benefits of this world and the hereafter are fulfilled, and by him the religion of Allah, which He is pleased with for His servants, was completed. And His saying: “from themselves” means that he is a human being like them. He only differs from them by revelation. And in some rare readings, it is read “from their noblest selves” meaning: from their noblest lineage, because he was from Banu Hashim, and Banu Hashim are the noblest of Quraysh, and Quraysh is the noblest of the Arabs, and the Arabs are nobler than others. And Allah the Exalted said: “He is the One Who sent among the unlettered (al-ummiyyin) a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been in manifest error before.” [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 2] The “unlettered” (al-ummiyyin) refers to the Arabs, to alert them to the value and greatness of this blessing, for they were unlettered, had no Book, and possessed nothing of the traces of prophethood as the People of the Book did. So Allah the Exalted conferred favor upon them by this Messenger and this Book, until they became the best and most knowledgeable of nations, and knew the misguidance of those who went astray before them from among the nations. And in the fact that he ﷺ was “from them”, there are two benefits:

The first: That this Messenger was also unlettered, just as those sent to were unlettered. He had never read a Book nor written with his right hand—as Allah the Exalted said: “And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you write it with your right hand.” [Surat al-‘Ankabut: 48] Nor did he leave his people’s lands and live among others to learn from them. Rather, he remained unlettered among an unlettered nation, he did not write or read, until he reached the age of forty, and then after that came with this clear Book, this splendid Shari‘ah, and this upright religion, which even the most brilliant and intelligent of the earth’s scholars have acknowledged that no code or system in the world is greater than it. And in this is great proof of the truthfulness of the Prophet ﷺ.

The second: To indicate that the one sent among them, especially the people of Makkah, was someone they knew: his lineage, nobility, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and chastity. He grew up among them known for these qualities and had never lied. So how could he refrain from lying about people and then fabricate lies about Allah the Majestic? This is absolute falsehood. And for this reason, Heraclius asked about these qualities and used them as evidence of his truthfulness in claiming prophethood and messengership. And Allah the Exalted said, addressing them: “Indeed, they do not belie you.” [Surat al-An‘am: 33] And it is narrated that a man said: “By Allah, O Muhammad, you have never lied to us before, so would we now accuse you of lying? Rather, if we follow you, we will be snatched from our land.” So, this verse was revealed. This was said by Ibn ‘Abbās. There are many other verses in the Quran in which Allah the Exalted proves the Prophet ﷺ’s truthfulness.

Verses Containing Allah’s Oaths Affirming the Truth of the Prophet’s ﷺ Message, the Revelation Sent to Him, and His Exalted Rank

There are verses in the Qur’an wherein Allah, Exalted is He, swears oaths to establish the truth of His Messenger’s ﷺ prophethood, the certainty of the revelation sent to him, and his lofty status and distinguished character. These contain five aspects of virtue:

The First Favor

It is found in Allah’s oath regarding the unique moral excellence and immense favor bestowed upon the Prophet ﷺ. Allah says: “Nūn. By the pen and what they inscribe – you are not, by the favor of your Lord, mad. And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. And indeed, you are of a great character.” [Sūrat al-Qalam: 1–4] It is said that Nūn refers to a tablet of light upon which the angels write what Allah commands them. ʿĀʾishah (may Allah  be pleased with her) was once asked about the character of the Prophet ﷺ, and she replied: “His character was the Qur’an.”

The Second Favor

In Surat al-Najm, Allah swears by the star to declare His Messenger ﷺ innocent of what his enemies falsely accused him, of misguidance or deviation. Ibn ʿAbbas said: Allah swore by the constellation al-Thurayya when it sets and disappears. Reflect on His statement: “Your companion has not strayed, nor has he erred.” [Surat al-Najm: 2] He did not say “Muhammad”, but rather “your companion”, to emphasize the proof against them. They knew him best, his life, his behavior, his wealth, and his actions. They knew he had never been accused of lying, deviation, or misguidance. They had no objection to raise against him whatsoever. Allah further emphasized this by saying: “Or do they not know their Messenger?” [Sūrat al-Mu’minun: 69]

The Third Favor

Allah purified the speech of His Messenger ﷺ from being driven by whims or personal desire, stating: “Nor does he speak from desire. It is only a revelation revealed.” [Surat al-Najm: 3–4] Al-Awza’i reported from Hassan ibn ʿAtiyyah: “Jibril used to descend upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with the Sunnah just as he would descend with the Qur’an, teaching it to him.”

The Fourth Favor

Then Allah described the one who taught the Prophet ﷺ the revelation and the Qur’an, saying: “Taught to him by one mighty in power.” [Surat al-Najm: 5]. This refers to Jibril (Gabriel). And without doubt, the praise of the teacher is also praise of the one taught. This is like Allah’s statement: “One possessed of power, and with the Owner of the Throne, secure in position.” [Surat al-Takwir: 20]

The Fifth Favor 

Allah then said: “And he revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart did not deny what it saw.” [Surat al-Najm: 10–11] Allah thus informs that the Prophet’s ﷺ heart affirmed what his eyes saw. His heart confirmed the vision, it was not like the case of someone who sees something but interprets it wrongly or doubts it in their heart. No, what the Prophet ﷺ saw with his eyes was fully confirmed by his heart. 

In verses that contain the response of the Exalted, the Most Holy Himself, to His enemy, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), elevating his status:

Allah the Exalted said: “Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, You are not, by the favor of your Lord, mad.” [Al-Qalam: 2] When the polytheists said: “O you upon whom the Reminder has been sent down, indeed you are mad.” [Al-Hijr: 6] The Exalted responded to His enemy Himself without any intermediary. This is the custom of the Beloved ones, when a beloved hears someone insulting their beloved, they themselves take up the reply. Here, the Truth, Glory be to Him, responded to their insults Himself, defending him because His support is a form of support for the Prophet, and it elevates his rank. So the Exalted swore by what He swore by in these magnificent verses, to declare the innocence of His Messenger from the falsehoods fabricated against him by his disbelieving enemies and their denial, saying: “And you are not, by the favor of your Lord, mad.” [Al-Qalam: 2] His lying enemies will soon know which of them is truly deluded: he or they, in this world and more clearly in the next life, where all creation will be equally knowledgeable of the truth about the Prophet ﷺ. Allah the Exalted also said: “And your companion is not mad.” [At-Takwir: 22] 

When Al-‘Asi ibn Wa’il Al-Sahmi saw the Prophet ﷺ exiting the mosque while he himself was entering, they met at the gate of Banu Sahm. They engaged in a debate, with notable leaders of Quraysh sitting in the mosque. When Al-‘Asi entered, they asked who he had been speaking with. He replied: “That cut-off one,” meaning the Prophet ﷺ. At that time, the Prophet’s son from Khadijah had died, and Allah the Exalted responded to him and refuted Al-‘Asi’s insult with the verse: “Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.” [Al-Kawthar: 3] Meaning, your enemy and hater is the insignificant one, the one cut off from lasting legacy. When they said, “He has fabricated lies against Allah,” Allah the Exalted said: “Rather, those who do not believe in the Hereafter will be in torment and far astray.” [Saba: 8] When they said, “You are not a messenger,” Allah answered him by saying: “Ya, Seen. By the Wise Qur’an, Indeed you, [O Muhammad], are from among the messengers.” [Ya Seen: 1–3] When they said, “Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?” Allah responded: “Rather, he has come with the truth and confirmed the messengers.” [As-Saffat: 36–37] And He affirmed him, then mentioned the warning to his adversaries, saying: “Indeed, you will taste the painful punishment.” [As-Saffat: 38]

When they said, “Or do they say, ‘A poet, awaiting evil in time of death’?” Allah replied: “And We have not taught him poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is nothing but a reminder and a clear Qur’an.”[Ya Seen: 69]. And when Allah spoke about them saying, “This is nothing but a falsehood invented, and others helped him with it”[Al-Furqan: 4], Allah the Exalted denied their claim by saying: “Indeed, they have come with falsehood and injustice.” [Al-Furqan: 4]. And in response to their words, “…Legends of the former peoples…” [Al-Furqan: 5]. He said: “Say, ‘It was revealed by He who knows the secret in the heavens and the earth.’” [Al-Furqan: 6]

And when they said, “The devil has thrown it into him,” Allah the Exalted said: “And the devils have not brought it down.” [Ash-Shu‘ara: 210] And when He recited to them the news of the former peoples, Al-Nadr ibn Al-Harith said: “If we wished, we could say something like this. This is nothing but legends of the former peoples.” [Al-Mu’minun: 183]. Allah the Exalted denied their claim and said: “Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if some of them were helpers to others.’” [Al-Isra: 88]

And when Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughira said: “This is nothing but a fabricated tale; this is only the speech of a human.” [Al-Muddathir: 24] Allah the Exalted said: “Thus did those before them say about their messengers until the truth came to them; but they said, ‘A magician or a madman!’” [Adh-Dhariyat: 52]. As a consolation to the Prophet ﷺ. When they said, “Muhammad has been forsaken by his Lord and is mad,” His Lord responded to them: “Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has He become displeased.” [Ad-Duha: 3] And when they said, “Why does this Messenger eat food and walk in the markets?” [Al-Furqan: 7] Allah the Exalted said: “And We sent not before you any messenger but that they ate food and walked in the markets.” [Al-Furqan: 20]

And when the enemies of Allah, the Jews, envied him for his many marriages and wives and said, “His only ambition is marriage ”Allah the Exalted responded about the Messenger ﷺ by saying: “Or do they envy the people for what Allah has given them of His bounty? But indeed, We had given to Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon him a great kingdom.” [An-Nisa: 54]

And when they found it strange that Allah would send a messenger from among humans, Allah told about them: “And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, ‘Has Allah sent a human messenger?’” [Al-Isra: 94] They were ignorant that similarity breeds acceptance and difference breeds division. Allah the Exalted said: “Say, ‘If there were upon the earth angels walking securely, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel as a messenger.’” [Al-Isra: 95] Meaning, if they were angels, their messenger would have to be an angel too. But since the people on earth are humans, it was necessary for their messenger to be human.

And indeed, the Prophets defended themselves and answered their enemies just as Noah said: “O my people, there is no error in me.” [Al-A’raf: 61] And Hud said: “O my people, my Lord has not sent me astray.” [Al-A’raf: 67]

The Characteristics of the Prophet ﷺ: His Attributes and Beauty

Regarding What Allah, Exalted is He, Honored Him With of Pure Character, ﷺ 

The Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, used to say: “O Allah, just as You have beautified my outward form, so beautify my character.” This was narrated by Ahmad and others. And in the narration found in Sahih Muslim within the supplication of the opening prayer: “Guide me to the best of character, for none guides to the best of it except You.” When the qualities of perfection gathered within him, ﷺ, to a degree that no limit can encompass and no count can enumerate, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, praised him in His Noble Book, saying: “And indeed, you are of a great character.” [Al Qalam: 4]

Good character is a disposition of the soul by which one easily performs beautiful acts. His character ﷺ, was considered great because all noble traits were gathered in him. He, ﷺ, said: “Indeed, Allah, Exalted is He, has sent me to complete noble character and the perfection of virtuous deeds.” This was narrated by al-Tabarani. And in the narration of Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, in al-Muwatta’: “I was sent to perfect noble character.” ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “His character, ﷺ, was the Qur’an.” Just as the meanings of the Qur’an are endless, so too are his beautiful attributes that indicate his great character, for in every state of his, ﷺ, new manifestations of noble traits and virtuous qualities would appear. What Allah, Exalted is He, would pour into him of knowledge and understanding is known only to Allah, Exalted is He. Therefore, to attempt to enumerate the details of his beautiful character is to attempt something beyond human ability. He, ﷺ, was inherently disposed to noble character by the very nature of his pure and sanctified creation. This did not result from self-discipline, but rather from divine generosity. For this reason, the lights of knowledge continuously shone in his heart until he reached the highest of ranks and the loftiest of stations.

And the root of these praiseworthy traits is the perfection of intellect, for through it, virtues are acquired, and vices are avoided. It is a spiritual matter by which the soul perceives both necessary and theoretical knowledge. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ, had reached the utmost pinnacle of intellectual perfection, a level no other human being has attained. Wahb ibn Munabbih said: “I have read in seventy-one books, and I found in all of them that Allah, Exalted is He, has not given all of mankind, from the beginning of the world to its end, from the intellect in comparison to his intellect, ﷺ, except like a grain of sand in relation to all the sand of the world. And that Muhammad, ﷺ, is the most intelligent of people and the best in judgment.” This was narrated by Abu Nu’aym in al-Hilyah and Ibn ‘Asakir. 

And in ‘Alaric al-Ma’arif, from one of them, it is reported: “The core of intellect is in one hundred parts — ninety-nine are in the Prophet, ﷺ, and one part is in the rest of the believers.” from the intellect in comparison to his intellect, ﷺ, except like a grain of sand in relation to all the sand of the world. And that Muhammad, ﷺ, is the most intelligent of people and the best in judgment.” 

Whoever contemplates the excellence of his management of the Arabs, who were like wild beasts, estranged and divided in nature, and how he governed them, bore their harshness, endured their harm until they submitted to him, united around him, fought for him against their own families, fathers, and sons, and preferred him over themselves, and how they migrated for his sake, leaving behind their homelands and loved ones, all this without any prior training, nor from reading books through which he might have learned the biographies of those before him, would be certain that he was the most intelligent of all creation, ﷺ.

And ince his intellect ﷺ, was the most expansive of all intellects, it naturally followed that the character of his noble soul was vast and accommodating, never constrained by anything. From this stems the vastness of his great character, peace be upon him, in forbearance and pardon despite having the ability (to retaliate), and his patience ﷺ, upon what he disliked. Suffice it to mention his patience and pardon ﷺ, toward those disbelievers who fought him and waged war against him, even when he suffered the most grievous harm and exhaustion at their hands, to the point that his incisor tooth was broken, and his face wounded on the Day of Uhud, and blood flowed upon his noble face. This was so distressing to his companions that they said: “Why do you not supplicate against them?” But he said: “I was not sent as a curser, but I was sent as a caller (to Allah) and as a mercy. O Allah, forgive my people, for they do not know.” And in another narration: “Guide my people.”

It did happen that he ﷺ, became angry for various reasons, but all of them were related to matters of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. So his patience and forbearance were only in matters related to his noble self. Al-Hakim and others narrated from Zayd ibn Sa’nah, who was one of the greatest Jewish rabbis who embraced Islam, that he said: “There remained nothing of the signs of prophethood that I had not recognized in the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him, when I looked at him, except for two qualities that I had not yet tested: that his forbearance precedes his ignorance, and that the intensity of ignorance toward him only increases his forbearance. So I began to interact gently with him in order to mix with him and observe his forbearance and ignorance. I lent him money, and before the due date by two or three days, I went to him and seized him by the collar of his shirt and his cloak and looked at him with a harsh expression, saying: ‘O Muhammad! Will you not repay me? By Allah, you, sons of ʿAbd al-Muttalib, are known to delay payment!’” ʿUmar said: “O enemy of Allah! Do you say to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what I have just heard? By Allah, were it not that I feared missing him (i.e., his rights), I would have struck your head with my sword!” Then he shook his sword and said “O Messenger of Allah, give me permission to cut off his head” And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was looking at ʿUmar in calmness, gentleness, and with a smile. Then he, peace be upon him, said: “O ʿUmar, he and I were in need of something other than this from you, that you command me to fulfill my obligation with excellence, and that you command him to seek his right with good manners. Go with him, O ʿUmar, and give him his due, and add twenty sa’s (a unit of measurement) extra for the fright you caused him.” So he did so. Then (Zayd) said: “O ʿUmar, I had recognized all the signs of prophethood in the face of Muhammad, peace be upon him, when I looked at him, except for two that I had not yet tested. Now I have tested them. I bear witness before you that I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad, peace be upon him, as a Prophet.”

And al-Bukhari narrated from Anas who said: “I was walking with the Prophet, peace be upon him, while he was wearing a Najrani cloak with a thick hem. A Bedouin came up to him and pulled his cloak harshly. I looked at the side of his neck and saw that the hem of the cloak had left a mark due to the severity of the pull. Then he said: ‘O Muhammad! Command that I be given something from the wealth of Allah that you possess!’ So he, peace be upon him, turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he be given something.” And from ʿĀʾishah, may Allah be pleased with her: “The Prophet, peace be upon him, was neither indecent nor did he engage in indecency. He did not repay evil with evil, but he would pardon and overlook.”

And also from ʿĀʾishah: “A man sought permission to enter upon the Prophet, peace be upon him. When he saw him, he said: ‘What a wretched brother of his tribe and what a wretched son of his tribe!’ But when the man sat down, the Prophet, peace be upon him, smiled in his face and welcomed him. When the man left, ʿĀʾishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! When you saw the man, you said such-and-such about him, and then you smiled at him and welcomed him?’ He said: ‘O ʿĀʾishah, when did you ever know me to be rude? Indeed, the worst of people in status before Allah on the Day of Resurrection are those whom the people abandon to avoid their evil.’” This was narrated by al-Bukhari. Ibn Battal said: This man (who visited the Messenger of Allah) was ʿUwaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazari, who was known as “the obeyed fool.” This was also narrated by al-Bukhari. A similar story from ʿĀʾishah also occurred with Makhramah ibn Nawfal. Qadi ‘Iyad said: “ʿUwaynah, and Allah knows best, had not embraced Islam at that time. Indeed, from his actions during the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and afterward, there are signs of weak faith.” 

And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, never cursed a Muslim by name, explicitly, nor did he ever strike anything with his hand except in the path of Allah. He never refused a request unless it involved sin. And he never took revenge for himself in anything, unless the sacred limits of Allah were violated, and in that case, he would exact retribution for the sake of Allah.” This was narrated by al-Hakim.

Among the many narrations that speak to the vastness of his character and forbearance ﷺ is the way his noble nature encompassed even the munafiqin (hypocrites), those who would harm him when he was absent, and flatter him when present. This is something from which normal human souls naturally recoil, unless they are supported by Divine aid. Yet the Prophet ﷺ, every time he was given permission to be stern with them, would instead open a door of mercy for them. He did not punish Labid ibn al-A’sam even when he performed sorcery on him, and he forgave the Jewish woman who attempted to poison him through the meat, according to the soundest report. Among the manifestations of his noble character ﷺ was his humility and his good treatment of his family, his servants, and his companions. And it suffices you to know of his humility ﷺ, that his Lord, Exalted is He, gave him the choice between being a Prophet who is a king or a Prophet who is a servant, and he chose to be a Prophet who is a servant.

So, due to his humility, Allah granted him that he would be the first for whom the earth will split open (on the Day of Judgment), and the first intercessor, and the first whose intercession will be accepted. After that moment, he never ate while reclining, until he departed from this world. He ﷺ said: “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary. I am only a servant, so say: ‘The servant of Allah and His Messenger.’” This was narrated by al-Tirmidhi. Among his humility ﷺ is that he never rebuked a servant. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I served the Prophet ﷺ for ten years, and he never once said to me, ‘Uff!’ Nor did he ever say to me for something I did, ‘Why did you do that?’ or for something I did not do, ‘Why didn’t you do that?’” Such was his ﷺ treatment of his male and female servants, he never struck a single one of them, ever. This is something the natural human temperament cannot bear, except through Divine fortification. In the narration of Muslim: “I never saw anyone more merciful with children than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet ﷺ never struck anything with his hand, not a woman, nor a servant, unless he was fighting in the path of Allah. And he never took revenge on behalf of himself unless the sacred limits of Allah were violated, then he would retaliate for Allah’s sake.” Narrated by Muslim. ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked: “How was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when he was at home?” She said: “He was the gentlest of people, always smiling and laughing.”

It was never seen that he spread his legs in front of his companions. And she said: “No one had better character than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Whenever any of his companions called him, he would reply: ‘I am at your service.’” Imam Ahmad and others narrated from her that: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to sew his own clothes, repair his own sandals, patch his own bucket, remove lice from his garment, milk his goat, and serve himself.” This should be understood to refer to certain times, as it is authentically established that he did have servants, so sometimes he did things by himself, sometimes through others, and sometimes in shared responsibility.

The Prophet ﷺ would ride a donkey, and seat someone behind him on it. On the day of [the expedition to] Banu Quraydhah, he rode a donkey that was bridled with a rope of palm fiber. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi. From Qays ibn Saʿd (may Allah be pleased with both him and his father), he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ visited us, and when he intended to depart, Saʿd brought a donkey close to him, which had been prepared with a cloth saddle. The Prophet ﷺ mounted it, and then Saʿd said, “O Qays, accompany the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Qays said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “Mount (the donkey).” But I refused. So he said, “Either mount, or go back.”

In another narration: He said, “Ride in front of me, for the rider of the animal is more entitled to its front.” Narrated by Abu Dawud and others. The Prophet ﷺ also allowed some of his wives to ride behind him, and he gave rides to Muʿadh ibn Jabal and Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both). And when the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, he was received by the young boys of Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib, so he carried one of them in front of him and another behind him.

Al-Tabari mentioned in his Mukhtaṣar al-Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once rode a bare-backed donkey to Qubāʾ, and Abū Hurayrah was with him. The Prophet ﷺ said: “O Aba Hurayrah, shall I carry you?” He replied: “As you wish, O Messenger of Allah.” So he ﷺ said: “Mount.” Abu Hurayrah tried to mount but was unable to do so. So he held onto the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and both of them fell together. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mounted again and said: “O Aba Hurayrah, shall I carry you?” He replied: “As you wish, O Messenger of Allah.” So he ﷺ said: “Mount.” Again, Abu Hurayrah was unable to mount and held onto the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — so they both fell again. Then he ﷺ said: “O Aba Hurayrah, shall I carry you?” Abu Hurayrah replied: “No, by the One Who sent you with the truth! I will not try a third time!” 

Al-Hafiz al-Muhibb al-Tabari also mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ was once on a journey and instructed his companions to prepare a sheep for food. One of them said, “O Messenger of Allah, I will take care of slaughtering it.” Another said, “I will skin it,” And another said, “I will cook it.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “And I will gather the firewood.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, we will do that for you!” But he ﷺ replied, “I know that you will suffice me, but I dislike distinguishing myself from you. Verily, Allah the Exalted hates to see His servant distinguish himself from his companions.”

From Abu Qatadah: When a delegation came from the Negus (al-Najashi, king of Abyssinia), the Prophet ﷺ stood to serve them himself. His companions said to him, “We will serve them for you.” He ﷺ replied: “They honored our companions, and I wish to return the favor.” And a woman came to him ﷺ — a woman whose mind was somewhat unsettled — and she said, “I have a need from you.” He ﷺ said to her: “Sit in any street of Madinah you wish, and I will sit with you until I fulfill your need.” So he sat with her in some part of the road until her need was met. And from ʿAbd Allah ibn Abi al-Hamsa’: He said, “I had entered into a transaction with the Prophet ﷺ before he was commissioned as a Prophet, and some part of the deal remained. I promised to bring it to him at the same spot, but I forgot. Then, after three days, I remembered — and he was still at the same spot waiting for me. He ﷺ said, ‘You have caused me hardship. I have been here for three days waiting for you.’” Narrated by Abu Dawud. Ibn Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet ﷺ never considered it beneath him to walk with a widow or a poor person and fulfill their needs.” Narrated by al-Nasa’i. And in a narration from al-Bukhārī:

“A slave-girl would take the hand of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and walk with him wherever she wished.” And in a narration from Aḥmad: “She would take him to fulfill her need.” Once, al-Hasan (the Prophet’s grandson) came while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in prayer and in prostration. Al-Hasan climbed onto his back, and the Prophet ﷺ prolonged his prostration until al-Hasan came down. When the prayer was over, some companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, you lengthened your prostration!” He ﷺ replied, “My son made me his mount, and I disliked rushing him.” Meaning: he treated me like a riding animal and climbed on my back. 

The Prophet ﷺ used to visit the sick, attend funerals, and when he performed Hajj, he rode on a simple saddle with a coarse cloak that was not worth more than four dirhams. He then said: “O Allah, make this Hajj free of showing off or seeking fame.” When he ﷺ prayed the dawn prayer, the servants of Madinah would come with containers filled with water. He would not be brought a single container except that he dipped his hand into it, even if they brought them during the cold mornings, he would still immerse his hand in each one. Narrated by Muslim and others.

The Prophet ﷺ had excellent character and interaction with his wives. He would sleep beside them, even though he regularly prayed at night. Imām al-Nawawī said: “This was his consistent practice — to sleep next to his wives, then rise for the night prayer, combining between fulfilling his duty to Allah and giving his wife her due rights and companionship.” The Prophet ﷺ used to let the young girls of the Anṣār play with ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim. And when she drank from a cup, the Prophet ﷺ would take it and place his mouth where hers had been, and drink from it. Narrated by Muslim. And if she had eaten meat from a bone, he would take the same bone, place his mouth where hers had been, and eat from it as well. Also narrated by Muslim. He ﷺ would rest his head in her lap, and kiss her while he was fasting. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. He also once showed her the Abyssinians playing with their spears in the mosque, and she leaned against his shoulder watching them. Narrated by al-Bukhari. It is also reported that the Prophet ﷺ once raced with ʿĀ’ishah — she beat him. Later, he raced her again and beat her, and said: “This one is in return for that one.” From Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him): He said, “One day we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the house of ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and a dish containing food and meat was brought from the house of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her). It was placed in front of the Prophet ﷺ and he said, ‘extend your hands and eat.’ So the Prophet ﷺ put extended hand in, and we did too, and we ate.

Meanwhile, ʿĀ’ishah had prepared food and hurried to bring it. When she saw the dish from Umm Salamah, she brought her own and placed it down, then lifted Umm Salamah’s dish and smashed it. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Eat, in the name of Allah. Your mother has become jealous.’ Then he gave his dish to Umm Salamah and said: ‘Food in place of food, and a dish in place of a dish.’” Narrated by al-Ṭabarānī and others. A similar incident occurred between ʿĀ’ishah and Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with them both), as narrated by Ahmad and others. ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I once brought a dish of khazirah (a meat stew) that I had cooked for the Prophet ﷺ. I said to Sawdah, while the Prophet ﷺ was sitting between us, ‘Eat.’ But she refused. I said again, ‘Eat,’ and she still refused. So I said to her, ‘Either you eat, or I’ll smear it on your face!’ She still refused, so I dipped my hand into the dish and smeared it on her face. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughed, then lifted his knee for Sawdah and said, ‘Smear her face!’ So she did, and the Prophet ﷺ laughed again.” 

In summary, whoever reflects on the life of the Prophet ﷺ, his behavior with his family, companions, the poor, the orphans, the widows, the guests, and the needy, will know that he ﷺ reached the highest level of gentleness and compassion that no other human could surpass. At the same time, he ﷺ was firm when it came to upholding Allah’s boundaries, His rights, and matters of the religion, to the extent that he ordered the hand of the thief to be cut off, among other rulings. He ﷺ used to treat his companions with warmth and closeness. There was a man named Zuhayr who would gift the Prophet ﷺ things from the desert, rare or valuable items from the Bedouins, and the Prophet ﷺ would return the favor by gifting him things from the city. The Prophet ﷺ would say: “Zuhayr is our man from the desert, and we are his people from the city.” He ﷺ loved him. One day, the Prophet ﷺ went to the market and found Zuhayr standing there. He came up from behind him and embraced him, wrapping his arms around his chest. Zuhayr realized it was the Prophet ﷺ and began rubbing his back against the Prophet’s chest, hoping for the blessing of that touch. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: “Who will buy this slave?” Zuhayr replied: “O Messenger of Allah, you’ll find me unsellable!” The Prophet ﷺ said: “But in the sight of Allah, you are valuable.” 

Narrated by Zayd ibn Aslam: A man used to gift the Prophet ﷺ containers filled with clarified butter or honey. When the supplier came to collect payment, he would come to the Prophet ﷺ and say, “Give this man the price of his goods.” The Prophet ﷺ would simply smile and then order that the man be paid. He ﷺ used to joke, but never said anything but the truth — as reported by Abu Hurayrah. Once, a man — who was a bit simple-minded — said, “O Messenger of Allah, carry me.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I will carry you on the child of a she-camel.” The man said, “O Messenger of Allah, what would that benefit me?!” The Prophet ﷺ responded, “Woe to you! Isn’t every camel born of a she-camel?” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Tirmidhī also narrated from al-Hasan: An old woman once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah that I enter Paradise.” He replied: “O mother of so-and-so, no old woman will enter Paradise.” So she turned away weeping. The Prophet ﷺ then said (to those around him): “Tell her that she will not enter Paradise while she is old — for Allah, the Most High, says: ‘Indeed, We have created them anew and made them virgins.’” [Surat al-Waqi’ah: 35–36] The Prophet ﷺ used to joke with his companions, interact closely with them, speak with them kindly, bring them comfort, and consult with them in managing their affairs. He would play with their children and seat them in his lap. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you joke with us!’ He replied, ‘Yes, but I only speak the truth.’” Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had the best character of all people. I had a younger brother nicknamed Abū ʿUmayr who had a little bird (called nughayr) that he used to play with. One day the bird died, and when the Prophet ﷺ entered and saw the boy sad, he asked, ‘What’s wrong with him?’ They replied, ‘His little bird has died.’ So the Prophet ﷺ said to him in a lighthearted tone, ‘O Abu ʿUmayr, what happened to the nughayr?’” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. (Nughayr is the diminutive form of naghir, a small bird like a sparrow.) The Prophet ﷺ once playfully splashed a mouthful of water into the face of Mahmud ibn al-Rabi’ when he was only five years old, as a form of gentle humor. Once, his stepdaughter Zaynab, the daughter of Umm Salamah, entered while the Prophet ﷺ was in the bathhouse, and he playfully blew water at her face. The water of his youthful blessing remained evident in the brightness and freshness of her face even when she became an elderly woman. 

Though the Prophet ﷺ was gentle, he was also surrounded by an aura of awe. A man once came to him and began to tremble out of fear and reverence. The Prophet ﷺ said to him: “Calm down! I’m not a king or tyrant. I am only the son of a woman from Quraysh who used to eat dried meat in Mecca.” Hearing this, the man relaxed and was able to speak his need. The Prophet ﷺ then stood and said: “O people! I have been commanded to be humble, so be humble, so that no one oppresses another and no one boasts over another. Be brothers, O servants of Allah!” Once, Qaylah bint Mahramah saw the Prophet ﷺ in the mosque sitting in a crouched posture (with knees to chest), and she began trembling out of fear. Narrated by Abu Dawud. Muslim narrated from ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him): “I accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, but I was never able to look directly at him out of shyness and awe. If I were asked to describe him, I would not be able to.”

His gatherings with his companions were filled with remembrance of Allah — words that encouraged and warned, through reciting the Qur’an, the wisdom granted to him, and beautiful reminders. He taught what would benefit people in their religion, as Allah had commanded him to do: to remind, advise, narrate, and call to the path of his Lord with wisdom and good counsel — to give glad tidings and warnings. Because of this, his gatherings caused his companions to have soft hearts, detachment from worldly things, and longing for the Hereafter. Ahmad and others narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why is it that when we are with you, our hearts become soft, we feel no desire for the worldly life, and we feel like people of the Hereafter — but when we leave you, we go back to our families, play with our children, and feel changed?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied: ‘If you remained in the same state as when you are with me, the angels would visit you in your homes. But that is not possible.’”

From the humility of the Prophet ﷺ is that he never criticized food. He never found fault with any dish — if he liked it, he ate it, and if not, he simply left it. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. This, of course, was in the case of lawful (halal) food. As for prohibited (haram) food, he would speak against it, reject it, and forbid it. Among the signs of the Prophet’s ﷺ humility was that he had no official doorman guarding his entrance. Whenever the Prophet ﷺ was given a choice between two matters, he would choose the easier of the two — as long as it involved no sin. But if it was sinful, he was the furthest of people from it.

As for his modesty (haya’), suffice it to recall what is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more modest than a virgin in her private quarters.” Qadi ‘Iyad stated that it has been reported the Prophet ﷺ, out of his deep modesty, would not fix his gaze directly on anyone’s face. The Prophet ﷺ himself said: “Modesty brings nothing but good.” And: “Modesty is a part of faith.” Narrated by al-Bukhari. 

As for the fear and awe of his Lord — Exalted and Glorious — that he carried in his heart, the Prophet ﷺ said: “I am the most God-fearing among you and the most conscious of Him.” He also said: “Indeed, I am the most knowledgeable of you about Allah, and the one who fears Him the most.” Narrated by al-Bukhari. He also said: “If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much.” Also narrated by al-Bukhari. When he prayed, there could be heard from his chest a sound like the boiling of a kettle — due to weeping. Narrated by al-Nasa’i and others.

As for his courage, strength, and bravery, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet ﷺ was the best of people, the most generous of people, and the bravest of people. One night, the people of Madinah were frightened by a sound. Some went out to investigate, but the Prophet ﷺ had already gone ahead of them. They found him returning, having reached the source before them. He was riding a bareback horse belonging to Abu Talhah, with a sword slung over his neck, and he said to them: ‘Don’t be afraid!’” Narrated by al-Bukhari and others. In another narration, it says: “The people of Madinah were startled by a sound one night, and the Prophet ﷺ mounted a horse belonging to Abu Talhah. It was a horse that was known for a slow or limited gait (i.e., it wasn’t known for speed). But when the Prophet ﷺ returned, he said: ‘We found your horse to be like a sea!’ (i.e., swift and flowing). And afterward, no horse could keep up with it.” Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I have never seen anyone braver or more valiant than the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” Ibn Ishaq mentioned in his book (and others have narrated similarly) that there was a man in Makkah known for his great strength and skill in wrestling. People used to come to him from distant lands to wrestle, and he would always defeat them.

One day, while he was in one of the mountain passes of Makkah, he encountered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet said to him: “O Rukanah, will you not fear Allah and accept what I am calling you to?” Rukānah replied: “O Muhammad, do you have any proof that shows you’re speaking the truth?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “If I wrestle you to the ground, will you then believe in Allah and His Messenger?” Rukānah said: “Yes, O Muhammad.” So, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Prepare yourself for a match.” Rukānah said: “I am ready.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approached him, grabbed him, and threw him to the ground. Rukanah was astonished. He asked for a rematch, and the Prophet ﷺ did it again — and again a third time. Rukanah stood there dumbfounded and said: “What you are doing is truly amazing!” This was narrated by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak from Abu Jaʿfar Muhammad ibn Rukanah (the wrestler himself). The Prophet ﷺ wrestled others besides Rukanah. Among them was Abū al-Aswad al-Jumahi, as mentioned by al-Suhaili and narrated by al-Bayhaqī. Abū al-Aswad was incredibly strong — it’s reported that he could stand on a cowhide while ten men pulled at its edges to yank it from under him, and the hide would tear apart, but he would not budge. This man challenged the Prophet ﷺ and said: “If you defeat me in wrestling, I will believe in you.” The Prophet ﷺ wrestled him and threw him down — but the man still did not believe.

In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from al-Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man from the tribe of Qays once asked him: “Did you run away and abandon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the Day of Hunayn?” He replied: “But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not flee! The tribe of Hawazin were expert archers. When we attacked them, they scattered, and we rushed toward the spoils — then they hit us with a volley of arrows. The Bedouins and others you know of fled. But I saw the Prophet ﷺ on his white mule, and Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith was holding its reins, while the Prophet ﷺ was calling out: ‘I am the Prophet — and this is no lie! I am the son of ʿAbd al-Muttalib!’” This scene is the height of bravery — on such a day, right in the middle of the battlefield, after much of the army had retreated, the Prophet ﷺ was riding a mule — which is not fast or suitable for charging or fleeing — and still, he was urging it forward toward the enemy, declaring his name so that even those who didn’t recognize him would know it was him, peace and blessings be upon him. And in another narration: “When the fighting was fiercest, we used to seek protection behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

As for the generosity and open-handedness of the Prophet ﷺ, it is narrated that he was the best of people, the bravest of people, and the most generous of people. Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ was never asked for anything except that he gave it. “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave me so much, and at a time when he was the most disliked of people to me, yet he kept giving me until he became the most beloved of people to me.” Ibn Shihab said: “He (the Prophet ﷺ) gave him on the Day of Hunayn one hundred of goats, then another hundred, then another hundred.” In al-Maghazi by al-Waqidi, it is mentioned that the Prophet ﷺ gave Safwan on that day an entire valley filled with camels and livestock. Safwan said: “No one could have given this freely unless he were a prophet — I bear witness to that.” The Prophet ﷺ gave him this because he knew that the ailment of disbelief in his heart would only be cured by the remedy of generosity — so he treated him with kindness until he was healed from the disease of disbelief and embraced Islam. ʿAli ibn Abi Talib (may Allah ennoble his face) used to say, describing the Prophet ﷺ: “He was the most generous of people in hand, and the most truthful in speech.” It is narrated from Anas, with the chain reaching the Prophet ﷺ that he said: “I am the most generous of the children of Adam.” Without doubt, the Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people, just as he was the most virtuous, the most knowledgeable, the bravest, and the most complete in all praiseworthy traits. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was never asked for anything and responded by saying: ‘No.’” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. His father also said: “Whenever he was asked for something related to the worldly life, he would provide it.” 

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar explained: “If the Prophet ﷺ had something, he would give it. If it was appropriate to give, he gave it. If not, he would remain silent.” Ibn al-Hanafiyyah said: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked for something and wanted to do it, he would say, ‘Yes.’ If he did not want to do it, he would stay silent.”

Al-Tirmidhi narrated: The Prophet ﷺ once received ninety thousand dirhams, which were placed on a mat. He stood and distributed them until there was nothing left — not turning away anyone who asked. A man came to him and the Prophet ﷺ said: “I have nothing left, but go and seek something on my behalf. If something comes, we will repay it.” ʿUmar said to him: “Allah did not burden you with what you cannot bear.” The Prophet ﷺ disliked what ʿUmar had said. Then a man from the Ansar said: “O Messenger of Allah, spend and do not fear poverty from the Lord of the Throne.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled, and joy was visible on his face. He said: “With this, I have been commanded.”

Ibn Faris mentioned in his book on the names of the Prophet ﷺ that on the Day of Hunayn, a woman came to him and recited poetry, reminding him of the days of his nursing in the tribe of Hawāzin. So he returned to them all that had been taken from them and gave them much more. On that day, what he gave to some tribes amounted to five hundred thousand thousand (i.e., 500 million in modern terms). Ibn Dihyah said: “This was the height of generosity — the like of which has never been heard of.” In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ once received a large sum of wealth from Bahrayn. He said: “Spread it out in the mosque.” It was the greatest amount of wealth ever brought to him. He came into the mosque, not even looking at the pile, and when he finished praying, he sat beside it and started giving it away. He gave to everyone he saw, until al-ʿAbbas came and said: “O Messenger of Allah, give me.” So he gave him as much as he could carry. The Prophet ﷺ did not leave that gathering until all of it had been distributed, not a single dirham remained. Ibn Abī Shaybah reported that it was one hundred thousand, sent by al-‘Alaa’ ibn al-Hadrami from the tax revenue of Bahrayn. It was the first wealth ever delivered to the Prophet ﷺ in such a manner.

Once, Jabir accompanied the Prophet ﷺ on a journey while riding his camel. The Prophet ﷺ said to him: “Sell me your camel.” Jabir replied: “It is yours, O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be your ransom.” The Prophet ﷺ insisted: “Rather, sell it to me.” So Jabir sold it to him, and the Prophet ﷺ instructed Bilāl to pay him the price. After paying, the Prophet ﷺ then said to Jabir: “Take the money, and keep your camel, may Allah bless them both for you.” This was in return for Jabir’s earlier statement, “It is yours.” He ﷺ gave him the money, returned the camel, and added a prayer for blessings in both. This narration is found in Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim, and other major collections. The generosity of the Prophet ﷺ, may peace and blessings be upon him, was entirely for the sake of Allah, seeking His pleasure alone. At times, he would give wealth to a poor person or someone in need. At other times, he would spend it in the path of Allah. And at times, he would use it to win the hearts of those whose acceptance of Islam would strengthen the religion.

He would prefer others over himself and his own children, giving such extraordinary gifts that even kings like Chosroes (Kisra) and Caesar (Qaysar) could not match. Despite that, he himself lived like the poor. A month or two would pass in his household without a fire being lit (i.e., no cooking), and at times, he would tie a stone to his noble stomach out of hunger. One day, Fatimah (his beloved daughter, may Allah be pleased with her) came to him complaining of the hardship she endured in serving her household and requested a servant to help her. He ﷺ replied: “Shall I not guide you to something better than that? Say Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), Al-hamdu lillah (All praise is due to Allah), and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)” Then he said: “I will not give you a servant and leave the people of the Suffah (the poor companions) while their stomachs twist from hunger.”

On another occasion, a woman brought him a cloak and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I offer you this so you may wear it.” He ﷺ accepted it because he needed it, and he wore it. Then a man from the Companions saw it on him and said: “O Messenger of Allah, how beautiful this cloak is, please give it to me!” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Yes.” And he gave it to him. When the Prophet ﷺ left, some of his Companions reproached the man: “That was not right! You saw the Prophet ﷺ take it because he needed it, yet you still asked for it, knowing that he never refuses a request!” Narrated by al-Bukhari.

In summary, the Prophet ﷺ was, in every aspect of noble character, the most excellent and complete of all creation, and the most perfect in every kind of virtue and moral excellence.

The Greatness of His Status

In verses that encompass the greatness of his status, the elevation of his remembrance, the nobility of his rank, and the exaltedness of his degree above the prophets, and the honor of his position—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—Allah, the Exalted, says: “Those are the messengers; We have preferred some of them over others; among them are those to whom Allah spoke, and some He raised in degree.” [Surat al-Baqarah: 253]. The scholars have stated that this refers to Musa (peace be upon him), to whom Allah spoke directly without an intermediary. However, it is established that Allah also spoke to our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Allah’s statement: “and some He raised in degree” refers to Muhammad ﷺ, whom Allah elevated in three aspects:

1. In the Ascension (Isra and Mi’raj),

2. In the leadership over all of humanity,

3. In the miracles granted to him,

because he was bestowed with miracles that no prophet before him received. Al Zamakhshari said: “In this verse is a clear indication of his superiority and the elevation of his status, which is evident in the testimony that he is the distinct and unmistakable leader.” This verse, along with Allah’s statement: “And We have certainly preferred some of the prophets over others” [Al-Isra: 55], clarifies that the ranks of the messengers and prophets vary.

Some scholars, as narrated by Al-Qadi Iyad, have stated that the preference mentioned here pertains to the worldly aspects, which manifest in three ways:

1. The clarity and prominence of their signs and miracles,

2. The purity and number of their followers,

3. The excellence and prominence of their own selves.

The excellence of his own self is attributed to what Allah has granted him of honor and preference, such as direct speech, companionship, or vision, or any of Allah’s blessings and special favors. There is no doubt that the signs and miracles of our Prophet (peace be upon him) are more evident, more dazzling, more numerous, more enduring, and more powerful. His status is higher, his dominion is greater and more abundant, his essence is purer and more distinguished, and his special qualities over all the prophets are well-known. Thus, his rank is higher than that of all the messengers, and his essence is purer and more excellent than all other creatures. Consider the Hadith of intercession on the Day of Judgment, where it ends with him, and his exclusive position there, as he said: “I am the master of the children of Adam, and the first to have the earth split on the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by ibn Majah. In the Hadith of Anas narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, he said: “I am the most honorable son of Adam on that Day before my Lord, and there is no pride in this.” Al-Fakhr al-Razi said in Al-Ma’alim: “Allah described the prophets with praiseworthy attributes and then said to Muhammad (peace be upon him): ‘Those are the ones whom Allah has guided; so follow their guidance.’[Surat al-An’am]. This indicates that all the praiseworthy qualities they possessed were combined in him, making him superior to them. Moreover, his call reached more lands of the world compared to the calls of other prophets, demonstrating that the benefit of the people of the world from his call is more complete than the benefit of other nations from the calls of other prophets. Therefore, he must be superior to all other prophets. Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “I am the master of the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and there is no pride in this. In my hand is the banner of praise, and there is no pride in this. There is no prophet, Adam or anyone else, except that they are under my banner.”

Verses Affirming the Obligation to Obey and Follow the Prophet  ﷺ’s Sunnah

Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger.” [Surat An-Nisa’: 59 and Sūrat Muhammad: 33] And He said: “And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may receive mercy.” [Surat AlʿImran: 132] And He also said: “Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.”[Surat Al ʿImrān: 32]. Al-Qadi ‘Iyad said: He made obedience to the Messenger ﷺ equivalent to obedience to Allah, and linked obedience to Him with obedience to the Messenger ﷺ. He promised abundant reward for that and warned of severe punishment for disobedience. Allah, Exalted, said: “Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.” [Surat An-Nisa’: 80] This means: whoever obeys the Messenger ﷺ, because he is the Messenger who conveys Allah’s commands to creation, is truly obeying Allah. This, in reality, only happens by Allah’s enabling. And He said: “But if they turn away, say, ‘I have been commanded only to convey [the message] plainly.’” [Surat An-Nisa’: 80] So whoever is blinded by Allah from guidance and led astray, no one among Allah’s creation can guide him. This verse is among the strongest proofs that the Messenger ﷺ is infallible in all matters of command and prohibition, and in everything he conveys from Allah. For if he erred in any of these, his obedience would not be obedience to Allah. Furthermore, it is necessary that he ﷺ be infallible in all his actions because Allah commanded following him in His statement: “And follow him.” [Surat Al-A’raf: 158] Following means imitating or copying the exact action of another. Therefore, it is established that submission to him ﷺ applies to all his words and actions, except where evidence clearly distinguishes otherwise. 

Obedience to him ﷺ is obedience to Allah’s command. Allah, Glorified, said: “And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous.” [Surat An-Nisa’: 69] This verse generally applies to those obedient to Allah among the companions of the Messenger ﷺ and those who follow them. Regarding the occasion of revelation of this verse, it was reported that Tawbān, the freed servant of the Messenger ﷺ, had immense love for the Prophet ﷺ but little patience in his absence. One day he came to the Prophet ﷺ, his face changed and his body weakened, sadness clearly visible. The Prophet ﷺ asked him about his state, and he said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a pain that nothing else causes except when I do not see you. I miss you and feel a great loneliness until I meet you again. Then I think of the Hereafter where I will not see you, because if I enter Paradise, you will be in the ranks of the Prophets, and if I do not enter Paradise, then I will never see you at all.” Then this verse was revealed: “And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous.” [Surat An-Nisa’: 69]. 

On the Obligation of Loving Him, Following His Sunnah, and Being Guided by His Guidance

Know that the love of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is the rank for which the contenders compete, to which the workers direct their gaze, and for which the lovers sacrifice themselves. By the gentle breeze of his spirit, the worshipers find relief. It is the nourishment of hearts, the sustenance of souls, the delight of eyes. It is life itself, and whoever is deprived of it is among the dead. It is the light, and whoever loses it is submerged in seas of darkness. It is the spirit of faith, deeds, conditions, and stations. If a person loves someone who has given them once or twice a favor in this worldly life, a fleeting, transient favor, or has rescued them from destruction or harm that does not last, then what about the One who has granted them favors that neither perish nor disappear, who has protected them from the painful punishment that never ends or changes?

If a person loves others for their beautiful appearance and praiseworthy conduct, then how much more should he love this noble Prophet and great Messenger, the one who embodies all virtues of character and honors, who grants us the summation of noble qualities and abundant grace? Allah has bestowed upon us, through him, the blessings of this world and the Hereafter, and has fully and manifestly showered His favors upon us. Therefore, his share of our love deserves to be more abundant and purer than our love for ourselves, our children, our family, our wealth, and all people combined. Indeed, if every hair on us contained perfect love for him, peace and blessings be upon him, that would only be part of what he truly deserves from us.

It is narrated from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “None of you will have faith until I am dearer to him than his father, his child, and all mankind.” This was narrated by Al-Bukhari and also found in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah from his family and property. In the words of the judge ‘Iyad, this is a condition for the soundness of faith, because love here carries the meaning of reverence and respect. Others say the belief in his greatness is not necessarily accompanied by love, because a person might respect something but not love it. According to this view, whoever does not find within himself that inclination does not have complete faith. Supporting this is the statement of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, in the hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari in “Oaths and Vows,” where he said to the Prophet, peace be upon him: “You, O Messenger of Allah, are dearer to me than everything except my own self, which is between my two sides. The Prophet replied: “None of you will have faith until I am dearer to him than his own self.” Umar said: “By Him who revealed the Book to you, you are dearer to me than my own self, which is between my two sides.”

The Prophet said: “Now, O Umar, this love is not just a matter of belief in greatness alone, for you had that before anyway, without doubt.” And among the signs of the love mentioned for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is that a person imagines for himself that if he had to choose between losing one of his purposes and losing the sight of the Prophet ﷺ, then if losing the Prophet ﷺ is more severe upon him than losing something from his purposes, then he is characterized by the mentioned belovedness to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. And whoever does not have this, then no. Al-Qurtubi said: Everyone who believes in the Prophet ﷺ with true faith does not lack feeling some of that prevailing love, except that they differ in degree. Some of them have taken that rank by right in the fullest measure, and some of them have taken it in the least right, like one who is indulgent in desires, veiled by heedlessness most of the time. But many of them, when the Prophet ﷺ is mentioned, long to see him to the extent that they prefer it over their family, wealth, and children, and they would sacrifice themselves in critical matters and find that preference strongly within themselves as a feeling without hesitation. And it has been observed among this kind of person those who prefer visiting his grave and seeing the places of his traces over all that is mentioned due to the reverence that has settled in their hearts from their love for him ﷺ, but that is quickly lost due to successive heedlessness.

So every Muslim has in his heart the love of Allah and His Messenger, for no one enters Islam except by it, and people differ in their love for him ﷺ according to how much they grasp of what has reached them regarding him ﷺ from the comprehensive benefit for the good of the two abodes and heedlessness of that. And there is no doubt that the share of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, in this regard is greater because this is the fruit of knowledge and they are the most knowledgeable about it. Ibn Ishaq narrated that a woman from the Ansar lost her father, brother, and husband on the Day of Uhud with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. She said, “What did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ do?” They said, “He is well, praise be to Allah, as you love.” She said, “Show him to me so I may look at him.” When she saw him, she said, “Every calamity after you is trivial (i.e., small).” And Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more beloved to us than our wealth, our children, our fathers, our mothers, and even cold water in thirst. And when the people of Mecca expelled Zayd ibn al-Daynah from the sanctuary to kill him, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb said to him, “I implore you by Allah, O Zayd, do you like that Muhammad is now with us and we strike his neck and that you are with your family?” Zayd said, “By Allah, I do not like that Muhammad now in his place is pricked by a thorn while I am sitting with my family.” Abu Sufyan said, “I have never seen anyone love another as the Companions of Muhammad love Muhammad.”

Regarding the Etiquette with Him ﷺ

Allah Almighty said: “O you who have believed, do not put [yourselves] before Allah and His Messenger…” [Al-Hujurat: 1] Mujahid said: This means do not contradict or preempt the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in anything until Allah decides it through his tongue. Consider the etiquette of As-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) with him in prayer, where he did not precede him but followed instead. He said: It was not appropriate for Ibn Abi Fahafah to precede the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and how Allah granted him his rank and leadership after him. Ad-Dahal said: Do not decide on any matter without the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Others said: Do not command until he commands, nor forbid until he forbids. From the highest etiquette is that no command, prohibition, permission, or action should be done before he commands, forbids, or permits, as Allah ordered in this verse, and this remains until the Day of Judgment and is not abrogated. Advancing before his Sunnah after his passing is like advancing before him during his life, there is no difference between them for a sane mind.

From the etiquette with him ﷺ is not raising voices above his voice, as Allah said: “O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others.” [Al-Hujurat: 2] Al-Razi said this means that a believer should not speak in his presence as a servant speaks to his master; rather, the believer’s voice should be lower than his, just as a servant’s voice is with his master. If raising voices above his voice ﷺ invalidates deeds, what then of raising opinions and ideas above his Sunnah and what he brought? It was narrated that when this verse was revealed, Abu Bakr said: “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I will only speak to you as a close confidant, meaning the quiet speech meant to be kept secret.” And Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to speak to him as a close confidant, and the Prophet did not hear his speech after this verse except when he asked him.

It was narrated that Abu Ja’far, the Commander of the Faithful, debated Malik in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Malik said to him: “O Commander of the Faithful, do not raise your voice in this mosque, for Allah is very respectful of His servants.” He recited: “Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet…” [Al-Hujurat: 2]. He praised those who lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah and criticized those who call him from behind rooms, saying: “Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah…” [Al-Hujurat: 3] and “Indeed, those who call you from behind the chambers…” [Al-Hujurat: 4].

His sanctity in death is like his sanctity in life, so Abu Ja’far yielded to this. From the etiquette with him ﷺ is that his invocation is not like the invocation of some of us for others. Allah said: “Do not make [your] calling the of the Messenger among yourselves as the call of one of you to another” [Surat An-Nur: 63], there are two interpretations among the exegetes:

• One: Do not call him by his name as you call each other; rather say: “O Messenger of Allah, O Prophet of Allah,” with respect and humility.

• The second: The meaning is not to make his invocation for you like the invocation of some for others; if the one invoked wills, he answers, and if he wills, he leaves it. But when he calls you, you must respond, and it is not permissible to delay or neglect it. Responding promptly is obligatory, and opposing his command without permission is forbidden.

From the etiquette with him ﷺ is that if they are with him on a collective matter — be it a sermon, jihad, or guarding — no one should leave for a personal need without his permission. Allah said: “The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and, when they are with him on a matter of common interest, do not go away until they have asked his permission.” [An-Nur: 62]

From the etiquette with him ﷺ is that his statements are not to be questioned or opposed by opinions, nor contradicted by analogy; rather, analogies are set aside and rejected in favor of his texts. His words must not be distorted or twisted by those who call their opposition reasonable, it is unknown and rejected from the truth. Acceptance of what he came with does not depend on anyone’s agreement. All this is from lack of etiquette with him and amounts to audacity against him ﷺ.

The pinnacle of etiquette with him is perfect submission to him, obedience to his commands, accepting his news with acceptance and sincerity, without imposing false imaginations or prioritizing the opinions of men over him. This unites arbitration, submission, and obedience to the Messenger, just as monotheism unites worship with the One sent. These are two unities through which there is no salvation except by them. The Qur’an is full of verses guiding to the etiquette with him ﷺ.

On the Covenant Taken for Him ﷺ from the Prophets — That They Believe in Him and Support Him If They Meet Him

Allah the Exalted says: “And [recall] when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], ‘Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a Messenger confirming what is wth you, you must believe in him and support him.'” [Surah Aal ‘Imran, 3:81]. It is narrated from Ali ibn Abi Talib and Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Allah did not send a single prophet among the prophets except that He took from him a covenant: that if Muhammad ﷺ were to be sent while he were still alive, he would surely believe in him and support him. And it is said that the meaning is that Allah took the covenant from the prophets and from their nations, and mentioned only the prophets to imply their peoples as well. As-Subki said regarding this verse: That the Prophet ﷺ, assuming their (the prophets’) presence in his time, would have been sent to them, and thus his prophethood and message would be universal for all of creation, from the time of Adam until the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, all prophets and their peoples would be considered from his ummah. Hence, the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: “And I was sent to all people” does not apply exclusively to the people of his own time until the Day of Judgment, but also includes those before them. The taking of covenants from the prophets was only to inform them that he ﷺ is given precedence over them, and that he is their Prophet and their Messenger. Thus, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Prophet of the prophets.

This was made manifest in the Hereafter, as all the prophets will be under his banner, and in this world as well, when during the Night of Isra, he led them in prayer. And had he appeared in the time of Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, or Isa, it would have been obligatory upon them and their nations to follow him, believe in him, and support him.

On the Mention of His Message ﷺ in the Previous Scriptures such as the Torah and the Gospel:

Allah the Exalted said: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written [about] in the Torah and the Gospel with them…” [Al-A’raf: 157] This indicates the completeness and perfection of the Prophet’s truthfulness ﷺ. For had he not been actually written about in these scriptures, mentioning such a claim would have been among the most off-putting and alienating things to the Jews and Christians, making them turn away from accepting his message. This is because persistence upon falsehood and fabricating lies is among the most detestable of actions, and no person of sound reason seeks what would bring about disgrace for himself or cause people to reject his message. So, when the Prophet ﷺ said this to them, it clearly indicated that such a description was indeed mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel. And this stands as one of the greatest evidences of the truth of his Prophethood ﷺ. However, the People of the Book, as Allah the Most High says: “Those We have given the Scripture recognize this ˹Prophet˺ as they recognize their own children. Yet a group of them hides the truth knowingly.” [Surat Al-Baqarah : 146]. They distort the words from their rightful places. Otherwise, they, may Allah fight them, had recognized Muhammad ﷺ as they recognized their own sons, and they found him written about in the Torah and the Gospel. But they altered and changed those texts in an attempt to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, though Allah refuses except to complete His light, even if the disbelievers detest it.

Indeed, the signs of the Prophethood of our Prophet ﷺ in their two books, even after their distortions, are still abundant. The marks of his laws and message remain manifest therein. So how could their denial benefit them? Moreover, the Prophet’s name in Syriac is “Mushaffah,” which is equivalent to Muhammad without doubt. For when they wish to say “praise be to God,” they say “Shafha.” So, if praise is expressed by “Shafha,” then “Mushaffah” clearly refers to Muhammad. Furthermore, the qualities they had been informed about perfectly match his circumstances, the time and place of his emergence, his mission, and his law ﷺ. So let them point out anyone else to whom such descriptions apply, someone before whom nations would submit, who would be followed, whose call would be accepted, and whose coming would bring about the downfall of Babylon and its idols. Who else but him? Even if we had not come with these reports and stories from their own books, would there not be sufficient proof in what Allah the Almighty included in the Qur’an? And their persistent denial of these facts, while the Qur’an reproaches them for it, is itself evidence that they actually acknowledged it. 

For He says: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel…” [Al-A‘raf: 157]. And He says, quoting the Messiah (Isa): “Indeed, I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good news of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” [As-Saff: 6] And He says: “O People of the Book! Why do you mix the truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?” [Al Imran: 71] And He says: “Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons.” [Al-Baqarah: 146] They used to say to their opponents during battle: “This is the Prophet whose time of birth has come.” And they used to mention his characteristics which they found in their own books. But when that which they had recognized came to them, they disbelieved in it, “out of envy and fear for their positions of leadership. So the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers.” [Al-Baqarah: 89].

Where the Prophet ﷺ is mentioned in the Bible, Old and New Testaments. 

By Khalil Meek (former Christian Preacher)

In the Bible, there are verses in the Old Testament and the New Testament talking about a prophet who is to come. There are verses that there will be a prophet from Arabia, who will be unlearned and will be delivered a book, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there a little until all falsehood is broken, and he will be of the children of Kadar (the second son of Prophet Ismail, peace be upon him). It says in the Old Testament (Torah): “Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops.” [Isaiah 42:11]. It basically describes Hajj taking place, it describes the Muslims, where they’re going to come from, what they’re going to do, how they’re going to be successful, it talks about the tribes that will be united under this prophet, and all of them are the Arabs. 

Then it says that this prophet will do certain things and all of it is exactly what the prophet Muhammad did. A verse from the Old Testament (Torah) says “And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them” [Deuteronomy 33:2] There’s only one prophet that’s related to mount Sinai and that’s Moses, the one who dawned from Sierra in Palestine, people would say that’s Jesus, and the prophet who shined forth from mount Paran, (this is where Ibrahim took his wife Hagar and son Ismael and left them in the wilderness of Paran, Makkah) is Muhammad ﷺ, with the ten thousand people and a fiery law from them (the amount of people who came with the prophet when he left Madina and came to Makkah). 

In the New Testament, Jesus, talking to his disciples, mentions the Comforter several times. The verses are: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” [John 14:16] and “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” [John 16:7] and “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” [John 16:13]. He means the prophet Muhammad. 

Where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is mentioned in the Old Testament (Torah)

By Ahmed Deedat

Mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon “Hikko Mamittakim we Kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem” [Song of Solomon 5:16], the Hebrew word used there is Muhammadim, the end letters IM is plural of respect, majesty, and grandeur. Without the IM, the name would be Muhammad translated as ‘altogether lovely’ in the authorised version of the Bible, or ‘The Praised One’, ‘The One worthy of Praise’ i.e. Muhammad ﷺ. 

The Prophet’s ﷺ Appeal to the People of the Book to Follow Him Based on Their Scriptures

The Prophet ﷺ used to call them, i.e., the People of the Book, to follow him and believe in him. So how could it be conceivable that he would appeal to them using a false argument, then refer them to what was in their hands and claim, “Among the signs of my prophethood and truthfulness is that you find me written in your scriptures,” while in reality, they found no such thing as he described? Wouldn’t that only drive them further away from him? And he ﷺ had no need to invite them with something that would repel them. Yet, how many from among their scholars did accept Islam, like Abdullah ibn Salam, Tamim ad-Dari, and Ka’b, after confirming the very claims he ﷺ made?

The Story of Abdullah ibn Salam’s Conversion

Ibn Asakir narrated in Tarikh Dimashq from Abdullah ibn Salam that when he heard of the Prophet’s ﷺ emergence in Makkah, he went out to meet him. Upon encountering him, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Are you Ibn Salam, the scholar of the people of Yathrib?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet ﷺ said: “I ask you by Allah, the One who sent down the Torah upon Musa, do you find my description in the Book of Allah?” Abdullah said, “Describe your Lord for me, O Muhammad.” At that, the Prophet ﷺ fell silent, unsure what to say. Then Jibrīl peace be upon him, came to him with the revelation: “Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, and there is none comparable to Him.” [Surat al-Ikhlas: 1–4] Abdullah ibn Salam then declared: “I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, and that Allah will make your message victorious and your religion triumphant over all other religions. Indeed, I find your description in the Book of Allah: ‘O Prophet, We have surely sent you as a witness, and a bringer of good news, and a warner. You are My servant and My messenger. I have named you ‘al-Mutawakkil’ (the one who relies on Allah). You are neither harsh nor hard-hearted, nor one who shouts in the markets. You do not repay evil with evil, but rather you forgive and overlook. And Allah will not take your soul until He straightens by you the crooked nation so that they say, ‘There is no deity but Allah,’ and through you He will open eyes that were blind, ears that were deaf, and hearts that were sealed.’ And the statement: ‘He is neither harsh nor hard-hearted’ aligns with the verse in Allah’s Book: “So by mercy from Allah, you were gentle with them. And if you had been harsh or hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” [Al ‘Imran: 159].

Where the Prophet ﷺ is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures

By Dr. Zakir Naik 

Almost all the Buddhist scriptures speak about a Maitre to come. In Chakkavati Sinhanada Sutta, Buddha tells a long prophetic story about the decline and renewal cycle where society falls into moral decay until a future Buddha (Maitreya) appears. “And at that time, brethren, there will arise in the world an Exalted One, named Metteyya, Holy, fully awakened, perfect in wisdom and conduct, Happy, knowing the worlds, incomparable as a leader of men ready to be tamed, the Teacher of gods and men, an Enlightened One, a Blessed One.” [Digha Nikaya 26, Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta (PTS ed., vol. III, p. 76)]. Another Buddha will come by the name of Maitreya, the holy one, the supreme one, the enlightened one, and downed with wisdom and conduct, auspicious, having knowledge of the universe. “The Lord Metteyya will proclaim a doctrine which is perfect, wholly pure, entirely complete, and glorious.” [Anagatavamsa, verses 84–85] Whatever he will get from supernatural knowledge, he will preach to the whole world. He will preach a religion which will be glorious at the beginning, glorious at the climax, and glorious at the end. He will preach a way of life which will be truthful and wholly perfect. “In that time the disciples of the Blessed One Metteyya will be ten thousand bhikkhus, whereas the Blessed One Gotama had only hundreds.” [Anagatavamsa, verse 97 (public domain)]. He will have several thousands of monks, whereas Buddha has several hundreds of monks. 

This prophecy is also repeated in the Sacred Books of the East vol.35 page 225, from the chapter Dilemma 17 of the Milinda-pañha (The Questions of King Milinda), where Nagasena (a Buddhist monk) reported that Buddha said a Maitre is to come, with such and such criteria and qualities. He further says that the Maitre will be a leader of thousands of people, as Buddha is a leader of hundreds of people. “Now the Tathagata thinks not, … that the Order is dependent upon him. … But … when describing the nature of Metteyya / Maitreya, he said: ‘He will be the leader of a brotherhood several thousands in number, as I am now the leader of a brotherhood several hundreds in number.’” [Milindapañha, SBE 35:225, Dilemma 17].

When Buddha spoke about the holy Maitre to come, he indicated that he was not the first Buddha in this world, nor was he the last, and that there will be another Buddha who will come. “Monks, the Tathagata is not without precedent. In the past there were Enlightened Ones…” [Mahapadana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 14)]. Buddha also named the six past Buddhas then proceeded with describing the Buddha to come after him. “a Blessed One named Metteyya will arise, an Arahant (worthy, enlightened), a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha,” [Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta (Digha Nikaya 26)]. Metteya, or Maitre means merciful, loving, kind, compassionate. One equivalent Arabic word is Rahma, and Allah says in the Qur’an: “We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world.” [Surat al-Anbiya’ : 107] 

Buddha once instructed Ananda that there are no exoteric or esoteric teachers. “I have set forth the Dhamma without making any distinction of esoteric (inner) or exoteric (outer) doctrine” [Maha‑parinibbana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 16)]. Moreover, that the Tathagatas have nothing like a closed fist, that we cannot keep knowledge to ourselves, it should be proclaimed. “There is nothing … that the Tathagata holds to the last with the closed fist of a teacher who keeps back some things.” [Maha‑parinibbana Sutta (Digha Nikaya 16)] (i.e., not withholding secret teaching.) And we know Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, whatever he recieved as wahi (revelation) from Allah the Exalted, he proclaimed it to the whole of humanity, and he told his disciples to never keep it away from humankind, to proclaim it and spread it.