Anger Management

Finding Faults!

Backbiters Beware!

Respect (3 Parts) by Aisha Stacey

Part 1

The condition of being honored, esteemed, or well regarded. This is the most commonly understood definition of respect. In fact, the thesaurus goes on to describe respect as a courteous regard for peoples feelings and links respect to honor, kindness, obedience and tolerance. So what is the role of respect in Islam? Islam states that it is the responsibility of each individual to treat all of creation with respect, honor and dignity. The most deserving of respect is the Creator Himself. Respect begins with loving and obeying the commandments of God and from this respect, flows all the manners and high standards of morality that are inherent in Islam.

“And whosoever obeys God and His Messenger, fears God, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful ones.” (Quran 24:52)

To be one of those who are successful, Islam requires that each individual learn to obey the Creator and thus treat humankind, our environment, the believers and ourselves with respect. Bearing in mind that the believers are one nation, and if one part of the nation is in peril so too are all its parts, respect for each other is essential. Islam teaches us that we are held accountable not only for our thoughts and actions but for the influence we have over others and the creation. Islam asks us to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. Islam binds respect to peace, love and compassion, all attributes of the One God, therefore to fulfill our obligation to honor and obey God one must respect the honor, reputation and privacy of others. Respect involves staying completely away from the major sins of backbiting, lying, slander, and gossip.

Respect for humanity means staying away from sins that will sow discord among the people and lead to destruction. Respect includes loving for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves. Respect involves treating others the way we expect to be treated and the way we hope God will treat us, with compassion, love and mercy. Major sins put a barrier between humanity and God’s mercy and cause all the torment, misery and evil in this world and the hereafter. God commands us to stay away from sin and to strive against our own destructive character flaws. He also singles out suspicion, backbiting and gossip as bringing about nothing but shame and disgrace.

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear God. Verily, God is the One who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” (Quran 49:12)

Ibn Abbass, a companion of Prophet Muhammad and Quran commentator, said God forbade backbiting just as He forbade the eating of dead flesh. Eating dead flesh is something that people naturally have abhorrence to and they should have the same natural abhorrence to backbiting one another. Respect involves caring for one another, not shredding characters the way carrion would shred a dead animal.

Backbiting

Some people might say that backbiting is merely words and ask what harm it can do. Words are indeed powerful and have far-reaching effects. In addition to the obvious lack of respect involved in back biting, mere words cause pain to the one maligned and consign the backbiter to the fires of Hell. Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, warned us of the fate awaiting those who utter disrespect. He said, “A man might speak a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the Hellfire further than the distance between the east and west.” [1]

On one occasion, a close companion of the Prophet inquired how he could be admitted into Paradise and distanced from the Hellfire. Prophet Muhammad mentioned the virtues of good deeds and asked his companion if he desired to know the foundation of good deeds. The companion answered “certainly”, whereupon Prophet Muhammad took a hold of his own tongue and said, “Restrain yourself from this”. The companion asked incredulously “are we held accountable for the things that we say?” Prophet Muhammad replied that nothing sends people into the hellfire faster than the “harvest of their tongues”. [2]

Having established that backbiting is anything but mere words how can we define exactly what it is. Backbiting is talking about somebody in a derogatory way or in a way that would not be pleasing to the one being spoken about. It is called back biting because it is usually done when the person being maligned is absent or “behind his back”. Prophet Muhammad defined backbiting as “to mention about your brother something that he would dislike having mentioned about him”. [3] Imam an-Nawawi commented that backbiting included “what concerns his body, his religious practice, his worldly station, his physical appearance, his moral character, his wealth, his parents, his children, his spouse, his servant, his clothing, his activities, his smiles and frowns and anything else that pertains to him. It does not matter if you mention it explicitly by word or implicitly by indication or a gesture…”

In the same saying mentioned above, the Prophet Muhammad was asked about backbiting in relation to truthful comments. He explained the severity of backbiting, and explained the difference between it and slander, by saying, “If what you said about your brother is true, then you have backbitten him. If what you said about him is false, then you have slandered him”. [4] Slander is making a false statement; it is a major sin and deserves a severe punishment. God says in the Quran: “And those who malign believing men and women undeservedly bear upon themselves the guilt of slander and a manifest sin.” (33:58)

In another narration of Prophet Muhammad, his beloved wife Aisha made a comment about one of her co-wives by describing her as short, or small in stature. Prophet Muhammad responded in a way that made clear the severity of her words. He said, “You have said a word that if it was to be mixed with the water of the sea, it would contaminate it.” [5]

Backbiting has become so widespread nowadays that people use it as a way of expressing anger and jealousy. Those who engage in it are disrespecting God by disobeying Him and harming others. Magazines and television shows are devoted to gossiping and prying into the private lives of others. There is no respect for privacy, and contrary to popular belief, the lives of others are not source material for gossip sessions. The person who habitually engages in backbiting and gossip and who does not struggle against his desires and begs for God’s forgiveness has lost all respect for himself for he no longer fears the fires of Hell. The sin is grave, the punishment severe, but God is Merciful and always accepts sincere repentance.

“...if any of you does evil in ignorance, and thereafter repents and does righteous good deeds (by obeying God), then surely, He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 6:54)

Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[2] at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah
[3] Saheeh Muslim
[4] Ibid
[5] at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood

Part 2

In this new century punctuated by astounding technological advancement and instant global communication, it has become commonplace to hear people talk about respect, or lack of it. One hears about respect for the environment, respect for other cultures and religions, respect for each other and the catch cry of the 21st century - self respect. We lose respect for our politicians and governments, we gain respect for our sporting heroes and actors. We try to respect our planet by turning off taps and unnecessary lights. We complain bitterly about our lives and the lack of respect we feel at home and at work. We live in a topsy- turvy world where we talk reverently of actors who give charity to drought ravaged countries while we throw food into garbage bins. We shed tears over drug-addicted singers yet step over the homeless cluttering our streets. We respect the learned men that warn us of global warming but we ignore the commandments of our Creator. We understand the significance of respect but we are unable to attain it. For many of us the essence is lost!

How can we regain this lost quality of respect that for many of us is seemingly unattainable? Simply by following God’s commandments and worshipping Him accordingly. God says in the Quran that He created mankind for no reason except to worship Him. (Quran 51:56) Worshipping God is showing Him the respect He deserves. Worshipping God makes it possible for us to treat all of mankind with respect, it allows us to treat the environment with respect and it gives others permission to respect us. There are no human beings more worthy of our respect then those whose piety and closeness to God is obvious. In the previous article we discussed the dangers inherent in backbiting and gossip, and how those who engage in such behavior have lost respect for themselves and more importantly, for God.

As human beings, we all must struggle against our base desires and one of the hardest sins to resist is gossiping about others. However, to worship and love God in the correct way it is imperative that we try to rid ourselves of the evil of backbiting. One way to clear ourselves of this ignoble character trait is to cultivate closeness to God by reflecting upon the verses of the Quran and sayings of Prophet Muhammad that remind us of God’s punishment and encourage us to repent.

“Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsel? (Yes, We do) and Our Messengers (appointed angels in charge of mankind) are by them, to record.” (Quran 43:80)

Prophet Muhammad encouraged us to feel shame before God; He said, “Feel shame before God as you ought to feel shame before Him. So guard the head and what it contains, guard the stomach and what you put in it, and think upon death and returning to dust.” [1] We should feel this shame whenever we backbite, and take the opportunity to reflect upon what we loose if we engage in this behavior. We loose the essence of respect.

Disrespect is not part of Islam

Prophet Muhammad was continually teaching his companions and reminding them about the seriousness of disobeying God. In many sayings, he explains the grave consequences of not respecting the rights of others. He said, “The one who is bankrupt from among my followers is he who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, charity, and fasting to his credit. However, he had insulted this person, struck that person, and seized the wealth of another, because of which his good deeds will be taken from him. Then, if his good deeds are exhausted, the sins of those whom he wronged will be taken from them and foisted upon him and then he will be cast into the Fire.” [2] A true believer strives to improve himself and is aware of his responsibility to protect others rather than disrespect them. In Islam, believers do not disrespect each other nor do they tolerate disrespect towards their brothers and sisters.

Another quick and easy way to protect ourselves from the evils of gossip and backbiting is to stay away from those who engage in it. God says in the Quran: “And when they hear dirty, false, evil vain talk, they withdraw from it and say, "To us our deeds, and to you your deeds. Peace be to you. We seek not the ignorant.” (Quran 28:55)

Prophet Mohammad placed great emphasis on being around righteous people rather then those who occupy their time with vain, useless activities or talk. He said, “The likeness of a good companion and a bad companion is that of a person carrying musk and another who works the bellows. The person carrying musk might give you some of it or at the very least, you will enjoy the pleasant scent. The person with the bellows will either singe your clothing or at least make you suffer from the bad smell.” [3]

Keeping company with righteous people helps one to avoid backbiting and gossip because caring friends will remind each other of the evils and punishments associated with such behavior. It is also useful to reflect on our own shortcomings and character flaws rather then gossip about the faults of others. The great scholar, Hasan al-Basri said: “We used to remind each other that whoever faults his brother on account of a sin that he had repented from, God will punish him by having him fall into that sin himself.”

Having established that backbiting and gossip are great sins, the scholars of Islam have explained however, that there are certain conditions under which it may be permissible to talk about the faults and characteristics of others. [4] It is allowable for one who is being oppressed to inform the authorities of the wrongs being committed against him. It is allowable for those who see vice to inform those who are capable of removing it. It is also allowable to mention people’s faults when seeking sincere religious advice from those qualified to give it. It is permissible to mention someone by describing them (blind, deaf, in a wheelchair etc) as long as it is not done in a belittling or mocking fashion. Lastly, it is not allowable to hide the character faults of a person known to you from those seeking marriage or business advice.

Careful analysis of the above conditions reveals that respect is inherent in these exceptions. To oppress someone is to disrespect them, to commit vice is to disrespect the community and to deceive people who ask for sincere advice is also a form of disrespect. If we feel ourselves disrespected then we should look to our own sins and turn to God in repentance. If the essence of respect is missing in our lives then we can regain it by worshipping God with full submission. Islam insists that we show respect for God, by obeying Him and to obey Him inherently means respecting others and ourselves.

Footnotes:
[1] At Tirmidhi
[2] Saheeh Muslim
[3] Ibid.
[4] Fataawa Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’ (26/10)

Part 3

In the previous articles about respect, we discussed how respect for each other, our environment and ourselves was inherent in the religion of Islam. The concept of treating ourselves and everything around us with respect is not possible without complete submission to God, and without understanding how and why we surrender to His will. God reminds us in the Quran that our sole purpose in life is to worship Him.

“And I (God) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (alone).” (Quran 51:56)

Worshipping God does not mean spending the entire day in one place praying, it does not mean that we neglect the life of this world in favor of a life of seclusion; what it means is that we fulfill our obligations towards God and attempt to have Him constantly on our minds and tongues. The mundane tasks of life become worship when they are done to please our Creator. When we fulfill our obligations such as to pray, fast, and give charity, it becomes worship when done with a sense of gratitude and humbleness. God does not need us, for He is Self-Sufficient and Omnipotent. We are the ones in need of Him. He is the reason for our existence and He is the foundation on which we should build our lives.

Lives lived without purpose lead to nothing but loss.

“By the time! Man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.” (Quran 103: 1-3)

However, filling our lives with purpose enables contentment and this allows us to show respect for each other and ourselves. Respect for God means obeying Him. Obeying God means we are in the enviable position of being worthy of others respect. Failure to surrender to God leads to lives devoid of respect. Treating each other with contempt, gossiping and backbiting shows a lack of respect in our lives. Engaging in the great sins of lying, spying on others and using bad words also means we are not worthy of being shown respect to by others.

Lying

Lying is one of the major reasons for corruption in society. Any form of lying creates enmity and sews disrespect between people, but the most obnoxious form of lying is to falsely attributing things to God or to his Prophets and Messenger. Islam forbids lying and enjoins the believers to be truthful. The words of the Quran testify to this. God says, “O you who believe! Be wary of God, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).” (Quran 9:119) and “…who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against God, to lead mankind astray without knowledge?” (Quran 6:144)

In his narrations and sayings, Prophet Muhammad often exhorted his followers to adhere to honesty and stay away from the vices inherent in lying. He said, “Beware of telling lies, for lying leads to immorality and immorality leads to the hellfire.” [1]

Even one of his greatest enemies attested to the fact that Prophet Muhammad was truthful and commanded truthfulness. Abu Sufyan [2], although despising the Prophet, revealed that he commanded his follows to pray, to be truthful and to uphold the ties of kinship. [3]

Spying

Prophet Muhammad warned his followers of the evils of spying on others when he said, ‘Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not eavesdrop; do not spy on one another; do not envy one another; do not forsake one another; do not hate one another. Be, O slaves of God, brothers.” [4]

Indeed God himself has reminded us to avoid suspicion. He said, “Avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not…” (Quran 49:12)

In Islam, it is not permissible to search for or reveal the secrets of others. Spying and all it involves, such as eavesdropping and asking too many private questions, is forbidden because it involves disrespecting the private lives of others by disobeying God.

The great and well respected Caliph Umar ibn Abdul-Azeez said to someone who passed on malicious gossip to him: “If you wish, we can look into the matter. If you are lying, you will be one of the people mentioned by God in the verse, “If a rebellious evil person comes to you with news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful of what you have done.” (Quran 49:6) If you are telling the truth, you will be one of the people mentioned in the verse, “A slanderer, going about with calumnies.” (Quran 68:11) Or if you wish, we will forgive you”. He said, “Forgive me, O leader of the believers, I will never do it again.”

Lying, gossiping, slandering and spying are great sins, so to is using bad words.

Foul Language

Bad words show disrespect to those being spoken about and a total lack of self-respect. Reviling, insulting, cursing and rudeness, these are bad words and they usually are uttered when someone is overcome by anger. Anger is an emotion that may open the doors to all kinds of evil and disrespect. It can sometimes result in breaking the bonds of goodwill and even destroy family relationships. Anger can even move beyond just using insulting words and cause one person to physically harm another.

Prophet Muhammad was not a person to use insulting words or obscene language and he did not curse people. If he wanted to rebuke someone he would say, “What is wrong with him? woe to him!” [5] The true believer, the one submitted to God, must learn to control his tongue and not speak unless he says something good. In his sayings, Prophet Muhammad reminds us that whoever believes in God and the last day (or day of judgment) must speak good or keep silent [6]. He said trading insults with a believer was evil, fighting was minor disbelief and cursing a believer was like killing him. [7]

Stern words indeed, they leave no room for misinterpretation. Bad words lead to evil doing and ultimately punishment. God reminds us that the best speech is the remembrance of God because it brings contentment and a sense of peace.

“… verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest” (Quran 13:28)

A person who keeps himself busy doing good deeds and seeking God’s pleasure is a person who knows the meaning of respect.

Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Muslim
[2] In the early years of Islam, Abu Sufyan was an avowed enemy of Prophet Muhammad and Islam; however, after the conquest of Mecca he embraced Islam.
[3] Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[4] Saheeh Muslim
[5] Saheeh Bukhari
[6] Saheeh Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim
[7] Saheeh Bukhari

Source: http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1721/viewall/

Ummah Film's Ask Baba Ali- Little BackBiter!

Ummah Films- Arrogant People

Good Deed #57- Have Good Manners

1. And say to My servants (that) they speak that which is best. (17:53)
2. Abu Darda’ reported that the Prophet of Allah, upon him be peace, said, “Nothing is weightier on the scale of deeds than one’s good manners.” (Bukhari)
3. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W) said, “What is most likely to send people to Paradise but being conscious of Allah and good manners.” (Bukhari)
4. Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Prophet of Allah, upon him be peace, use to pray in the following manner: “O Allah! I ask You for good health, for trust, for self-control, for good manners, and to be satisfied with the divine decree.” (Bukhari)
5. The Prophet was asked, “Which Muslim has the perfect faith?” He answered, “He who has the best moral character.” (Tibrani)
6. Abdullah bin’ Amar has reported: “I have heard the Prophet as saying, ‘Should I not tell you who amongst you is the most likeable person to me and who will be the nearest to me on the Day of the Judgment?′ He repeated this question twice or thrice. The people requested him to tell them about such a person. He said ‘He who amongst you who has the best moral character.’” (Ahmed)

Action Plan

Follow the example of Muhammad’s (S.A.W) good conduct and akhlaaq.

Some examples of good manners from past good deeds:
#1 Smile
#24 Forgive
#25 Be patient
#26 Be grateful
#35 Listen
#36 Speak the truth
#58 Be modest
#60 Manage your anger
#61 Control your tongue
#104 Make good intentions
#148 Be tolerant
#149 Be just
#157 Be gentle
#161 Conceal faults of others
#162 Stop gossiping
#163 Avoid suspicion
#165 Be generous
#166 Be content
#167 Have humility
#168 Be kind
#170 Have hope
#172 Lower your gaze
#174 Lower your voice
#182 Show mercy
#183 Be firm
#194 Remove hypocrisy (Nifaq)
#195 Cure envy and jealousy (Hasad)
#196 Stop hating (Bughd)
#197 Remove pride (Kibr)
#198 Abolish arrogance (Takabur)
#199 Stop showing off (Riyaa)

Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2009/10/26/good-deed-5-have-good-manners/

“I Have Only Been Sent to Perfect Good Manners” by Yasir Qadhi

(Abridged)

Bismillah.

The topic of good akhlaaq is a very important topic. Consider that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The only reason I have been sent is to perfect good manners."

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala starts off Surah Al-Qalam, an early Makkan surah revealed to defend the status and honor of Prophet Muhammad sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam by saying, “And indeed, you are upon a noble conduct, an exemplary manner” (Al-Qalam 68/4).

This exemplary manner is high akhlaaq. Of the things that Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala praised the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam for was that he had good akhlaaq, or good manners. This shows us the importance of good akhlaaq; in defending the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, one of the first things that Allah mentions is his good akhlaaq.

There are numerous Quranic aayaat referring to having good manners. Allah says, "Worship Allah, and do not associate partners with him. And be good to your parents, and the relatives, and to the orphans, and to the poor people, and the neighbor that is close to you and the neighbor that is not close to you, and your companion on the journey."

So good akhlaaq is for everyone including your parents, your relatives, the poor, the orphans, and all of mankind. Even if you are going on a journey and you have a companion next to you, be good to him.

Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala says in another aayah, "Command my servants to say that which is best."

Say good statements. Allah describes the Ibaad-ar-Rahman, the servants of Allah, as those who walk with humility and humbleness on the face of this earth. They are not arrogant. This is from the characteristics of the believers. Allah hates arrogance in all of its forms. Allah hates kibr and pride in all of its forms.

Part I

There are many blessings and benefits of having good akhlaaq. I will summarize some of the blessings of having good akhlaaq and its benefits according to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and the Qur’an. I will mention eight of these blessings, though of course there are more.

Blessing #1

Having good akhlaaq is one of the themes found continually throughout the Qur’an and Sunnah and this is the first aspect that proves the importance of good akhlaaq. Good akhlaaq is part of the comprehensive advice that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam would give. In one hadith he said to Muad, "Fear Allah wherever you are, follow up an evil deed with a good deed, and meet with the people and interact with the people with good akhlaaq."

Three phrases, but so beautiful and comprehensive.

In another hadith a person came to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and asked him for some advice. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam responded, "Be firm, be perseverant, and be straight in your following of Siraat al Mustaqeem. Let your akhlaaq be good to the people."

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam also said, "Have fear of Allah, and do not trivialize anything of goodness, even if it is that you take from your bucket of water and pour it into your brother's bucket."

In those days they would have to lift water out of the well, and this was a very trivial thing. Everybody from every household would go maybe even more than once a day to pull some water out of the bucket. It was a very minor thing; everybody did it. So the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said not to trivialize any good that you do, even if it is taking your bucket of water and pouring it into your brother’s bucket when you find that he too is coming to get water.

And he said, "Even if you were to meet your brother with a smiling face, do not trivialize it."

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam also said, "If someone curses you or tries to find fault with you, in a matter that does not exist in you," or in other words he accuses you in a fault that you do not have, then "do not find fault with him in a matter that he does have."

So even if he lies about you and slanders you, do not point out the mistakes he himself has. He, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, went on and said, "Leave him, because the evil of that deed will be against him, and the good will be for you."

In another place he said: "Do not ever curse any person."

Blessing #2

Nothing is a greater blessing, after of course having eman. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The best blessing that a person can be given in this life is akhlaaq."

The best blessing that a person can be given, far greater than any money, wealth, status, family and children, or anything of this world, is that of good akhlaaq.

In another hadith he said, "Mankind has not been given anything better than good akhlaaq."

In yet another hadith he said, "I command you to be of good akhlaaq." (Meaning good manners and characteristics.)

"And also, remain silent for long periods of time, because by Him whose hand is in my soul, the creation cannot beautify themselves with anything better than these."

You cannot beautify yourself with anything better than good akhlaaq.

Blessing #3

The rewards of having good akhlaaq are greater than, or at least equivalent to, the rewards of extra and continual worship. The rewards that a person brings through good akhlaaq cannot be brought through worship of Allah. Or even if they are to be brought about through the worship of Allah, they will be brought at a very heavy price. Through akhlaaq, a person can obtain a lot of blessings he would not otherwise be able to obtain. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "A person can reach the level of a person who prays all night and fasts all day just because of his good akhlaaq."

Who amongst us fasts every single day and prays every single night? Nobody. Yet, if we have good akhlaaq we can reach the level of the person who does this.

In another hadith the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam mentions the reward for one who is a musaddat, the one who is always trying to fill in the gaps between other Muslims by being social, friendly, and having good akhlaaq. He says, "The Muslim who is musaddat reaches the darajat as-sawwam al-qawwam."

Sawwam is the one who continually fasts and the qawwam is the one who continually stands in prayer. So the Muslim who is very social, has good akhlaaq, and is fulfilling the rights of his brother’s reaches the level of the one who continually fasts and prays just because of his good akhlaaq. This is the way that we can earn extra thawwab.

How few of us pray tahajjud and fast the voluntary fasts? Yet, if we want to be amongst those who obtain good deeds, all we have to do is be amongst those of good akhlaaq.

Blessing #4

Having good akhlaaq is a sign of one's strong eman. Akhlaaq is a sign of the perfection of one's eman. This is a very important point that should not be trivialized. A person who does not have good akhlaaq does not have strong eman. It is that simple. It does not matter what label or what status he assigns himself. It does not matter what he says or what he boasts about himself; if a person is coarse, arrogant, and vain, then this person is not a good Muslim. Even if he fasts and prays, he has not perfected his eman nor is his eman strong. Whereas the person who performs the minimum wajibaat, or what is obligatory upon him, and he is of good akhlaaq, then he is far better than a person who might pray more and fast more than him but his akhlaaq is bad. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The people (or the Mu'mins) who have perfected their eman most perfectly, are those who are best in akhlaaq."

And in another narration, "The best of the Mu'mineen are the ones who are best in their akhlaaq."

And he also said in the same hadith, "The best of you are those of you who are best to their wives."

This is an important point to ponder over, why is it that the best of you are those who are best to their wives? It is because it is very easy to show good akhlaaq to your neighbor that you meet once a day, or to your coworker that you are with for a few hours every day, or to your relative that you meet once a year, or to any other person that you occasionally meet. It is very easy to show good akhlaaq to such people. But when you show good akhlaaq to your wife, the one you eat with, drink with, sleep with, and wake up with, then you have really reached the height of perfection of good akhlaaq.

Your wife is your life partner; she shares everything with you. The man is the one who is in charge of the woman as Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala said. So when the man can show good akhlaaq to the one who is under him, his family and children, his wife and children, then this shows that he has reached the height of akhlaaq.

In another hadith, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "The best Mu'mins are those who are best in their akhlaaq, those whose shoulders' are trodden over."

What does this mean? It is an expression in Arabic meaning that they are humble. Anyone can come and trample over them but they will remain quiet and humble. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said they are those who are friendly and respond to friendliness. They are those who achieve ulfa, meaning a sense of brotherhood and friendship. Those who give that sense and who achieve it too are included. And then he said there is no good in one who does not show this concept of ulfa, nor does he receive it from others. So the Mu'min is one who is friendly to the other people. And when other people show friendliness to him, he responds in friendliness as well. He does not respond in arrogance, sarcasm, or in looking down on them or in testing them. This is not the way of the Mu'min. The Mu'min is one who is genuinely friendly from his heart, genuinely wanting good, and desiring the best for himself and his Muslim brothers.

Blessing #5

Akhlaaq is very beloved to Allah; he loves good characteristics and hates evil characteristics. In one hadith, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty, and He loves noble akhlaaq (ma'ali akhlaaq) and He hates, he despises lowly characteristics."

He, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam also said, "Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala has containers on the face of this earth, and the containers of your Lord are the hearts of His servants." The hearts of His servants act like containers of Allah meaning that they fill up with the mercy, love, and knowledge of Allah. These servants of Allah act like containers to the mercy of Allah. "The most beloved of these containers are the ones that are the most soft, and the ones that are most gentle." These people with soft hearts and gentle natures are the ones whom Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala loves the most.

That is why the opposite is also true. When a person becomes of a coarse heart, of a vulgar nature, always criticizing, always arrogant, always being sarcastic, always looking down at people, a person does not wish to be around him. These are the people whom Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala hates, no matter what they call themselves, no matter how much they fast and pray.

Blessing #6

Good akhlaaq is the heaviest thing on the Day of Judgment on the scales. Good akhlaaq is the heaviest thing that will help a believer on the Day of Judgment when the scales will be weighed. Every single person's good deeds will be placed on the right side of his scale, and his evil deeds will be placed on the left hand side. And as the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam told us, "The heaviest aspect, the heaviest matter [that will help a believer] that will be on the meezaan, on the scales on the Day of Judgment, is good akhlaaq."

You cannot get something better than good akhlaaq. Therefore, even if a person has not fasted the voluntary fasts, prayed a lot of nafl or Sunnah prayers, or has left a lot of good that he could have done, then there is one way to make that up on the Day of Judgment – by having good akhlaaq. This is a great blessing that should not be trivialized.

Blessing #7

Good akhlaaq ensures that person is close to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam on the Day of Judgment and in Jannah. The better a person's akhlaaq is, the closer he will be to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam on the Day of Judgment and also in Jannah. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Those of you who will be closest to me on the Day of Judgment will be those who have the best akhlaaq."

So if you wish to be close to the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam and enjoy his company on Yawm al Qiyaamah and in Jannah, then one of the ways of achieving that is through good akhlaaq.

In another hadith the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "Those who are most beloved to me, and the closest to me in the Hereafter, are those who have the best akhlaaq amongst you." These are the people that will have the, "closest seats to me."

And the opposite is also true. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, "And the people who are the most hated by me and the ones who are the furthest from me in the Hereafter are those who have the worst akhlaaq."

The people with the worst akhlaaq will be the farthest away from the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam. And he described them by saying: "Atharta'oon, al mutabayhaqun, al mutashaddaqoon."

All of these three words have the same characteristics in that they are vulgar, crude, and coarse in their manner of talking. They are arrogant and look down upon people. They have bad akhlaaq and they show it to other people. These types of people will be the worst and the most hated by Allah and the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, and will be the furthest from him on the Day of Judgment.

Blessing #8

Good akhlaaq is so powerful that this, along with the taqwa of Allah, is the primary factor that will cause people to enter Jannah: taqwallahi, wa husnal khuluq. Akhlaaq is one of the primary factors that will cause people to enter Jannah. Someone asked the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, "What is the one characteristic that will cause the most amounts of people to enter Jannah?"

The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam responded, "To have the taqwa of Allah and to have good akhlaaq."

These two come together – tawheed and akhlaaq; worship Allah properly and treat mankind properly. When taqwa of Allah and husnal khuluq are combined, then it becomes the one characteristic that is the primary cause for most of mankind to enter Jannah.

These are eight blessings and characteristics that I have mentioned, and of course, there are far more than these.

Part II

Having good akhlaaq is easy and difficult at the same time. On the one hand it is easy because you do not have to spend a lot of time and money, but on the other hand, it is difficulty because you have to control yourself; keep yourself in check and guard yourself. In finding this middle path to good akhlaaq, it is very important to avoid two extremes. Some people, and alhamdulillah this is very rare amongst the Muslims, but common amongst the non-Muslims and other religious movements, emphasize akhlaaq more than their worship of Allah. You will find that the Christians say, "Oh, as long as I'm good to them, as long as I show peace and harmony to society and culture and nature, then it doesn't matter, even if I commit major sins or shirk, as long as I'm good to everyone else."

So this person has taken the akhlaaq of mankind and given that in preference to the worship of Allah. If a person leaves the wajibaat, for example the five prayers, then do not think this person is going to enter Jannah just because he smiled at his brother. The fact that he left the prayer is a major sin and in fact it might be a type of kufr to leave the prayers. Yet, a person might trivialize it on the pretext of, "Oh, I'm being good to other people and that is what's most important." No, you must perform the wajibaat.

All of these ahadith apply only when you have done at least the wajibaat. Say the five prayers, fast in Ramadan, give the zakah, and then show good akhlaaq. Then you might be rewarded more than the one who fasts and prays and has bad akhlaaq. But do not leave that which is obligatory based on the pretext of being good to others.

The other extreme is that some ignore akhlaaq completely. And unfortunately this is the extreme that is more common amongst the Muslims, especially those who might be calling to the correct methodology and correct creed, the creed of Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jam'a. Those of this extreme think that just because they have arrived at the correct beliefs in Allah, the correct beliefs of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the proper methodology of worshiping Allah and calling to that worship, then they can ignore all of the aayaat and ahadith about akhlaaq. This then causes them to be arrogant, look down on, trivialize, backbite, and stab others in the back. This is not the way of the believer. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was not of this character. So these segments of society, although they have given importance to tawheed and aqeedah, at the same time completely neglect and ignore being good and having true brotherhood. In reality, this is a sign of a weakness in eman.

It does not matter what they say or what labels they put on themselves. If a person has bad akhlaaq, if he is arrogant, vulgar, and foul-mouthed, then this is not a person with strong eman. If people do not want to be around him, and he is always criticizing everybody else, then this person is not a person with strong eman. This is the other extreme. You have to avoid both of these two extremes. The middle path is that we worship Allah, the way that He deserves to be worshiped and also to have good akhlaaq with all the Muslims.

That is why it is important to have akhlaaq along with knowledge, because knowledge tells you what to do and when to do it. Without knowledge, a person will not know how to act in every single situation. Accordingly, the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said, “The best of you in Islam, the best of you that have converted to Islam, are the best of you in akhlaaq as long as they have knowledge.”

Without knowledge, akhlaaq is not that powerful. But when a person combines knowledge and akhlaaq, then this is the height of eman. And that is why, when the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam combined both of these to their perfection he was the most knowledgeable of Allah, he had the most fear of Allah, and he was also of the best of akhlaaq.

Allah describes the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam in the Qur’an: "Had you been coarse and vulgar, of a harsh characteristic, of a hard heart, then the Sahabah would have left you."

So Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala tells the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam that even though he is the Prophet of Allah, and the Sahabah are the best of all of society, if he had bad akhlaaq, the Sahabah would have left him.

Imagine if a da'ee, a caller to the way of Islam, has bad akhlaaq. No one will take from him. Not even his family and relatives will take from him, much less society, if he has bad akhlaaq. And this shows that perfection comes about when a person combines akhlaaq with knowledge. When one exists without the other, then this is a sign of imperfection, a sign of deficiency.

We have to avoid the two extremes. The first one is to emphasize akhlaaq with mankind and to ignore the worship of Allah. The other extreme is to ‘supposedly’ perfect the worship of Allah yet have bad akhlaaq with mankind. This scenario cannot exist.

Part III

Akhlaaq is of three types. The first type is the most important type, and that is your akhlaaq with Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala, your characteristics and your manners with Allah. What do you think of Allah? What are your hopes with Allah? How much do you fear of Allah? How much do you love Allah? Love, fear, and hope are the primary components of tawheed. Your love of Allah, your fear of Allah's punishment, and your hope in Allah's mercy. How have these three been perfected in you? How much are you shy and embarrassed of Allah? How much do you desire Allah's reward? How much do you love Allah? What is your akhlaaq with Allah? This is the most important.

The second type of akhlaaq is akhlaaq with the creation, akhlaaq with the Muslims, akhlaaq with the non-Muslims, and even akhlaaq with the animals. Each one has its own chapter of akhlaaq. How do you deal with them in each situation and circumstance? This second type of akhlaaq is not as important as the first. The first is the most important. After the person has done the first, with tawheed and with worshiping Allah the way He deserves to be worshiped, he then moves on to the second, which is basically akhlaaq with the creation all around him.

The third type of akhlaaq is the akhlaaq with one's own self. Yes, you even have to have akhlaaq with your own self. Your body has rights over you. Your spiritual body, your soul, and your physical body all have rights over you, so you have to show your body and soul its rights as well. The Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam once told Salman al Farsi to tell the following to one of the companions: "Tell him that your body has a right over you, your soul has a right over you, and your family and wife have a right over you. So give everyone the right that it has over you."

Give everything its right. So the third type of akhlaaq is the akhlaaq one has with one's self.

When we understand these three types of akhlaaq, akhlaaq with Allah, akhlaaq with creation, and akhlaaq with one's self, then we will appreciate the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam's hadith: "I have only been sent," meaning the only reason Allah has sent me, "Is so that I may perfect good akhlaaq."

We pray that Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala grants us knowledge, grants us akhlaaq to preach to and call to act upon that knowledge, resurrects us along with the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam, grants us his shifaa'a, and grants us Jannah because of our deeds and because of the forgiveness of Allah.

Source: http://www.khutbah.com/en/sunnah_seerah/manners.php

Check these out too!

1. http://www.kalamullah.com/muhammad.html
2. http://abdurrahman.org/seerah/index-Muhammad-peace-be-upon-him.html
3. http://iknowledge.islamicnature.com/seerah/
4. http://www.islamreligion.com/category/79/
5. http://www.islamreligion.com/category/36/
6. http://www.pbuh.us/

Good Deed #27- Send Salutations to the Prophet (S.A.W)

1. “Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.”[33:56]
2. The Prophet (S.A.W) said, “Allaah has angels who travel about throughout the land, conveying to me the salaams of my ummah.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 1282; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i, 1215.
3. The Prophet said, “For the one who sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send tenfold blessings in return.” (Muslim and others)
4. Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`Aas is reported to have said, “For the one who sends blessings upon the Prophet once, Allah and His angels will send seventy fold blessings.”
5. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If one sends me blessings once, Almighty Allah will send him tenfold blessings, forgive him ten sins, and elevate him ten degrees.”
6. The Prophet (S.A.W) said, “Those who are most deserving of me (my intercession) on the Day of Judgment are those who used to increasingly seek Allah’s blessing for me.” (At-Tirmidhi)
7. Ka’b bin ‘Ujra met me and said, “Shall I give you a present? Once the Prophet (S.A.W) came to us and we said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! We know how to greet you; but how to send Salat upon you?’ He said ‘Say: O Allah! Send your greetings (Salawat) on Muhammad and his family, the same way as You sent Your Salawat on Abraham’s family. O Allah! Send Your blessings on Muhammad and on Muhammad’s family, the same way as You sent Your blessings on Abraham’s family. You are indeed worthy of all praise, full of glory. (Bukhari)

Action Plan

1. Learn a salutation of the Prophet (S.A.W).
2. Read abundant salutations, especially on Friday.
3. Find out the benefits of durood/salawat.

Benefits of Durood

Listed below are some of the many benefits a person receives by reciting Durood Shareef.

1. Almighty Allah sends ten mercies upon a person who recites Durood once.
2. Ten of his sins are forgiven.
3. The person’s rank is raised by ten degrees.
4. Ten rewards are written for him.
5. There is acceptance of Dua where Durood is recited at the beginning & at the end.
6. The person will be blessed with the intercession of Rasulullah (S.A.W).
7. Almighty Allah will forgive his sins.
8. Almighty Allah is pleased with him.
9. The person will be nearer to the Prophet (S.A.W) on the Day of Judgment.
10. The person will have all his worries removed in this world and the hereafter.

NB: Always remember when doing a good deed, have the correct intention (niyyah): do it for Allah’s pleasure with sincerity. May all our good deeds be accepted InshaAllah.

Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2009/09/16/good-deed-27-durood/

Good Deed #103- Love Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

1. 3:31 Say: “If ye do love Allah, follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
2. 33:6 (Y. Ali) - The Prophet is closer to the Believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers. Blood-relations among each other have closer personal ties, in the decree of Allah than (the brotherhood of) Believers and Muhajirs. Nevertheless, do what is just to your closest friends. Such is the writing in the decree (of Allah).
3. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves his children, his parents, and all people.”(Bukhari and Muslim)
4. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: “None of you believes until he loves me more than he loves himself.” (Bukhari)
5. Anas narrated: A man asked the Prophet about the hour (i.e. Day of Judgment) saying, “When will the Hour be?” The Prophet said, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and His Apostle.” The Prophet said, “You will be with those whom you love.” We had never been so glad as we were on hearing that saying of the Prophet (i.e. “You will be with those whom you love.”) Therefore, I love the Prophet, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and I hope that I will be with them because of my love for them though my deeds are not similar to theirs.
6. The Prophet said: “Anyone who dislikes my Sunna is not of me.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Action Plan

1. Send abundant salutations to the Prophet (S.A.W)
2. Follow the Sunnah and the example of the Prophet (S.A.W)
3. Read the Seerah of the Prophet (S.A.W)
4. Imitate the central character of the Prophet (S.A.W)

Source: http://1000gooddeeds.com/2010/01/06/good-deed-103-love-prophet-muhammadpbuh/

The Mercy of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Bilal Assad

Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (3 parts)

(Part 1 of 3): Proofs of His Prophethood

Divine facilitation is proportionate to human need. God makes acquisition easier as the need of humans increase. Air, water, and sunlight are necessary for human survival, and thus God has granted their acquisition to all without hardship. The greatest human need is to know the Creator, and thus, God has made it easy to know Him. The evidence for God, however, differs in its nature. In its own way, everything in creation is evidence of its Creator. Some evidence is so obvious that any lay person can immediately ‘see’ the Creator, for instance, the cycle of life and death. Others ‘see’ the handiwork of the Creator in the elegance of mathematical theorems, universal constants of physics, and the development of the embryo: “Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.” (Quran 3:190)

Like the existence of God, human beings need evidence to establish the truth of prophets who spoke in His name. Muhammad, like the prophets before him, claimed to be God’s final prophet to humanity. Naturally, the evidence for his veracity is diverse and numerous. Some are obvious, while others are apparent only after deep reflection.

God says in the Quran: “… is it not enough (for them to know) that your Lord is witness unto everything?” (Quran 41:53)

Divine witness by itself is sufficient without any other evidence. God’s witness for Muhammad lies in:
1) God’s past revelations to earlier prophets which prophesize Muhammad’s appearance
2) God’s acts: the miracles and ‘signs’ He gave to support Muhammad’s claim

How did it all begin in the early days of Islam? How were the first believers convinced he was God’s prophet?

The first person to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad was his own wife, Khadija. When he returned home trembling out of fear after receiving divine revelation, she was his solace: “Never by God, will God never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, help the poor, serve your guests generously, and assist those hit with calamities.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

She saw in her husband a man God would not humiliate, because of his virtues of honesty, justice, and helping the poor.

His closest friend, Abu Bakr who had known him all his life and was almost the same age, believed the moment he heard the words, ‘I am God’s Messenger’ without any additional confirmation other than the open book of his friend’s life.

Another person who accepted his call on merely listening to it was ‘Amr’ [1]. He says: “I used to think before Islam that people were in error and they were on nothing. They worshipped idols. In the meantime, I heard of a man preaching in Mecca; so I went to him… I asked him: ‘Who are you?’ He said: ‘I am a Prophet.’ I again said: ‘Who is a Prophet?’ He said: ‘God sent me.’ I said: ‘What did He send you with?’ He said: ‘I have been sent to join ties of relationship, to break the idols, and to proclaim the unity of God so nothing is associated with Him (in worship).’ I said: ‘Who is with you in this?’ He said: ‘A free man and a slave (referring to Abu Bakr and Bilal, a slave, who had embraced Islam by that time).’ I said: ‘I intend to follow you.’” (Saheeh Muslim)

Dimad was a desert healer who specialized in mental illnesses. On his visit to Mecca he heard the Meccans say that Muhammad (may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) was insane! Confident of his skills, he said to himself, ‘If I were to come across this man, God might cure him at my hand.’ Dimad met the Prophet and said: ‘Muhammad, I can protect (one) who suffers from mental illness or under sorcery, and God cures one whom He so desires at my hand. Do you desire to be cured?’ The Prophet of God responded, starting with his usual introduction to his sermons: “Indeed, praise and gratitude is for God. We praise Him and ask for His help. He who God guides, none can lead astray, and he who is led astray cannot be guided. I bear witness no one deserves worship but God, He is One, has no partners, and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.”

Dimad, stuck by the beauty of the words, asked him to repeat them, and said, ‘I have heard the words of diviners, sorcerers, and poets, but I have never heard such words, they reach the depth of the oceans. Give me your hand so I may pledge my allegiance to you on Islam.’ [2]

After Gabriel brought the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad, Khadija, his wife, took him to visit her old cousin, Waraqa bin Nawfal, a biblical scholar, to discuss the event. Waraqa recognized Muhammad from the prophecies of the Bible and confirmed: “This is the keeper of secrets (angel Gabriel) who came to Moses.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The face can be a window to the soul. Abdullah bin Salam, the chief rabbi of Medina at the time, looked at the face of the Prophet when he arrived in Medina, and exclaimed: “The moment I looked at his face, I knew it was not the face of a liar!” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Many of those around the Prophet who did not accept Islam did not doubt in his veracity, but refused to do so for other reasons. His uncle, Abu Talib, aided him throughout his life, confessed to the truthfulness of Muhammad, but refused to break off from the religion of his ancestors out of shame and social status.

Footnotes:
[1] Amr b. Abasa Sulami
[2] Saheeh Muslim

*~*~*~*~*~*

(Part 2 of 3): Was He a Liar?

A logical analysis of his claim

As discussed earlier, Muhammad made the claim, ‘I am God’s Messenger.’ Either he was true in his claim or he was not. We will begin by the assuming the latter and investigate all possibilities raised by skeptics of past and present, discussing some of their misconceptions. Only if all other possibilities are exhausted can one reasonably claim that the only possibility left is that he was true in what he claimed. We will also look at what the Quran has to say on the matter.

Was he a liar?

Is it possible for a liar to claim for a period of 23 years with unwavering certitude that he is a prophet like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, that there will be no more prophets after him, and that the scripture he has been sent with will remain his lasting miracle till the end of time?

A liar will falter sometimes, perhaps with a friend, maybe with his family members, somewhere he will make a mistake. His message, delivered over two decades, will contradict itself sometimes. But what we see in reality is that the scripture he brought declares freedom from internal inconsistencies, his message remained consistent throughout his mission, and even in the midst of a battle, he proclaimed his prophethood! [1]

His life story is preserved book open for everyone to read. Before Islam, he was well-known to his own people to be trustworthy and reliable, an honest man, a person of integrity, who did not lie. [2] It was due to this reason they named him “al-ameen”, or “the trustworthy.” He was strongly opposed to lying and warned against it. Is it possible for him to tell a consistent lie for 23 years, a lie so monstrous that it would make him a social outcast, when he was never known to have lied even once about anything? It’s simply against the psychology of liars.

If one was to ask why a person would make claim to prophethood and lie, their answer might be one of two:
1) Fame, glory, wealth and status
2) Moral progress

If we were to say that the Muhammad claimed prophethood for fame, glory and status, we would see that what actually occurred was the exact opposite. Muhammad, before his claim to prophethood, enjoyed a high status in all aspects. He was of the most noble of tribes, of the most noble of families, and was known for his truthfulness. After his claim, he became a social outcast. For 13 years in Makkah, he and his followers faced excruciating torture, which led to the death of some of his followers, ridicule, sanctioning, and excommunication from society.

There were many other ways which a person could gain fame in the society of that time, mainly from valor, and poetry. If Muhammad had made the claim that he himself authored the Quran, as will be explained later, that would have been enough for his name and poetry to be engraved in gold and hung inside the Ka’bah for eternity, people from all over the world hallowing him. Rather, he proclaimed that he was not the author of his revelation, and that it was from the One high above, causing him to be ridiculed in his time until ours.

The Prophet was the husband of a wealthy tradeswoman, and he enjoyed the comforts of life available to him at his time. But after his claim of prophethood, he became of the poorest of people. Days passed without stove fire being lit in his house, and at one time, hunger drove him to the Mosque in hope of some provision. The leaders of Makkah in his time offered him the riches of the world in order for him to leave his message. As a response to their offer, he recited the verses of the Quran 41:1-38. The following are some of these verses: “(As for) those who say: ‘Our Lord is God,’ and, further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend upon them, saying: ‘Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised. We are your guardians in this world's life and in the hereafter, and you shall have therein what your soul’s desire and you shall have therein what you ask for. A hospitable gift from the One Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!’ And who is better in speech than one who calls to God, works righteousness, and says, ‘I am of those who has submitted in Islam?’ Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Repel (evil) with what is better. Then will he between whom thee was hated become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the greatest good fortune.” (Quran 41:30-35)

If one were to say that Muhammad lied and claimed prophethood in order to bring moral and religious reform to a society ridden with ills, this argument is futile in itself, for how can one bring moral reform through a lie. If Muhammad was so keen to uphold and preach upright morals and worship the One God, then could he have lied himself in doing so? If we say that this is not possible, the only answer is that he was speaking the truth. The only other possibility is that he was insane.

Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[2] ‘Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources’ by Martin Lings, p. 34

(Part 3 of 3): Was He Insane, a Poet, or a Sorcerer?

Was he insane?

Someone who has dealt with mentally ill people knows people can be identified by their symptoms. Muhammad displayed no symptom of insanity at any time in his life. No friend, wife, or family member suspected or abandoned him due to insanity. As for the effects of revelations on the Prophet, such as perspiration and the likes, it was due to the intensity of the message which he had to bear and not due to any epileptic fit or instance of insanity.

Quite the contrary, Muhammad preached for a long time and brought a law unknown in its completeness and sophistication to ancient Arabs. If the Prophet was insane, it would have been obvious to those around him at one point in a period of twenty three years. When in history did an insane man preach his message to worship One God for ten years, three of which he and his followers spent in exile, and eventually became the ruler of his lands? Which insane man has ever won the hearts and minds of people who met him and earned the respect of his adversaries?

More so, his closest companions, Abu Bakr and Umar, were recognized for their abilities, nobility, skills, and finesse. They were willing to sacrifice anything for the religion he brought. On one occasion, Abu Bakr brought all his material possessions to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and when asked what he left for his family, responded, ‘I left for them God and His Messenger!’

Abu Bakr, a merchant by profession, after being elected the ruler of all of Arabs after Muhammad, spent a mere two dirham on himself and his family!

Umar became the ruler of Arabia after Abu Bakr and conquered Syria, Egypt, and subdued the Persian and Roman Empires. He was a man known for his scrupulous justice. How can someone suggest these people were following a mentally deranged individual?

God suggests to stand before God without bias or pre-conceived beliefs, and discuss it with another person or think about it yourself, this prophet has no madness, and he is as stable today as you had known him for forty years.

“Say: ‘I counsel you one thing only: Be (ever­ conscious of) standing before God, whether you are in the company of others or alone; and then bethink yourselves (that) there is no madness in (this prophet,) your fellow-man, he is only a Warner to you of suffering severe to come.’” (Quran 34:46)

The Meccans of old rejected his call out of tribal partisanship, and they were not truthful in their accusations of his insanity. Even today, many people refuse to accept Muhammad as a prophet simply because he was an Arab and self-gratify themselves by saying he must have been insane or worked for the devil. Their hatred for Arabs translates into their rejection of Muhammad, even though God says: “Nay, but he (whom you call a mad poet) has brought the truth; and he confirms the truth of (what the earlier of God’s) message-bearers (have taught).” (Quran 37:37)

Although the pagan Arabs knew Muhammad all too well, they still threw accusations of insanity at him, for they considered his religion a sacrilege against the tradition of their forefathers.

“And when our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, they say, ‘This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that which your fathers were worshipping.’ And they say, ‘This is not except a lie invented.’ And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them, ‘This is not but obvious magic.’ And We had not given them any scriptures which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, (O Muhammad), any Warner. And those before them denied, and they (the people of Mecca) have not attained a tenth of what We had given them. But they (i.e. the former peoples) denied My messengers, so how (terrible) was My reproach.” (Quran 34:43-45)

Was he a poet?

God mentions their accusation in the Quran and responds to it: “Or do they say (of you), ‘A poet for whom we await a misfortune of time?’ Say, ‘Wait, for indeed I am, with you, among the waiters.’ Or do their minds command them to (say) this, or are they a transgressing people? Or do they say, ‘He has made it up?’ Rather, they do not believe.” (Quran 52:30-32)

God describes the poets of that time so the Prophet can be compared with them: “And as for the poets, (they too, are prone to deceive themselves: and so, only) those who are lost in grievous error would follow them. Art thou not aware that they roam confused through all the valleys (of words and thoughts) [1], and that they (so often) say what they do not do (or feel)? (Most of them are of this kind) save those who have attained to faith, and do righteous deeds, and remember God unceasingly, and defend themselves (only) after having been wronged, and (trust in God’s promise that) those who are bent on wrongdoing will in time come to know how evil a turn their destinies are bound to take!” (Quran 26:224-227)

Arabian poets were the furthest from the truth, speaking of wine, womanizing, war, and leisure, unlike the Prophet who invites to good manners, serving God, and helping the poor. Muhammad followed his own teachings before anyone else unlike the poets of old or philosophers of today.

The Quran which the Prophet recited was unlike any poetry in its style. The Arabs of the time had strict rules in regards to rhythm, rhyme, syllables and endings to each verse of poetry. The Quran did not conform to any of the rules which were known in the time, but at the same time, it surpasses any type of text which the Arabs had ever heard. Some of them actually became Muslims after hearing only a few verses of the Quran, due to their certain knowledge that the source of something so beautiful as it could not be any created being.

Muhammad was never known to have composed a poem before Islam or after prophethood. Rather, the Prophet had a sever dislike for it. Compilations of his statements, called Sunna, have been diligently preserved and are completely different in its literary content than the Quran. The storehouse of Arabic poetry does not contain any couplets by Muhammad.

Was he a sorcerer?

Prophet Muhammad never learned or practiced sorcery. On the contrary, he condemned the practice of sorcery and taught his followers how to seek protection against it.

Sorcerers have a strong relationship with the devil. Their partnership allows them to deceive people. Devils propagate lies, sins, obscenities, immorality, evil, and they destroy families. The Quran clarifies those upon whom the devils descend: “Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They descend upon every sinful liar. They pass on what is heard, and most of them are liars.” (Quran 26:221-223)

Prophet Muhammad was known and recognized to be a man of integrity, true to his word who was not known to have ever lied. He commanded good morals and fine manners. No sorcerer in world history has brought a scripture like the Quran or a Law like his.

Footnotes:
[1] The idiomatic phrase is used, as most of the commentators point out, to describe a confused or aimless (and often self-contradictory) play with words and thoughts. In this context it is meant to stress the difference between the precision of the Quran, which is free from all inner contradictions, and the vagueness often inherent in poetry.

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