Tuesday, August 4, 2026

The Noble Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: Forgiveness, Patience, Mercy

The excellence of reciting ṣalāt upon the Prophet

The fourth Caliph of Islam, Sayyidunā ʿAli b. Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه narrates, the final Prophet said, "Your sending of ṣalāt upon me is a protector of your duʿas, a way of pleasing Allah and a means by which your deeds are purified."¹

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

¹ Al-Qawl al-Badīʿ, p. 270

The best of people is he who...

Umm al-Muʾminīn Sayyidatunā ʿĀishah Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها explains:

The Messenger of Allah once purchased a camel from a Bedouin in exchange for one wasq (6 mann and 30 ṣayr) of dates. When he returned home to procure said dates, he searched but they could not be found. Returning to the Bedouin, he said, "ʿAbd Allah! We had purchased a camel from you in exchange for one wasq of dates (which were at home), but despite searching, they could not be found." Hearing this, the Bedouin began shouting, "What deception! What deception!"

When the honourable Companions عليهم الرضوان saw this, they rushed forward to strike the Bedouin and said, "You speak about the Messenger of Allah in such a manner?" The Prophet declared, "Leave him, for a rightful person has the right to speak!"

The Prophet said this two or three times, but the Bedouin did not accept. He then instructed a Companion to visit Khawlah bint Ḥakīm رضي الله عنها and say, "If you possess a wasq of dates, then give it to us; إن شاءالله we shall return it."

The Companion went to Khawlah bint Ḥakīm رضي الله عنها and informed her of what the Prophet had said. She replied, "I have some dates, so kindly send someone to take them." Allah's Messenger instructed, "Take this Bedouin and give him the dates he is owed." When the Bedouin returned with said dates in his possession, the Prophet was sitting amongst his Companions عليهم الرضوان. "جَزَاكَ اللّٰهُ خَيْرًا (May Allah reward you with goodness)", he said, "You granted me a full share in excellent fashion." The Prophet responded, "The best of people is he who gives full share in excellent fashion."¹

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic brothers! Allah gathered every praiseworthy trait and facet of good character in His final Prophet . One aspect of his lofty character was his forgiving and forbearing nature. He never took revenge or retaliated for personal reasons. If a person treated him improperly, he would not respond with anger or harshness, but only with compassion and mercy instead. This can be evidenced by the beautiful account mentioned previously, where despite possessing power to retaliate, the Prophet forgave the man who accused him in front of everyone.

Dear Islamic brothers! We should also adopt this outstanding characteristic. When buying or selling, if a customer says something to upset a shop owner or vice versa, we should not be quick to get angry, use foul language or slander others. We should instead act upon the biography of the Prophet and exhibit patience, softness, forbearance, leniency and forgiveness.

¹ Musnad Imām Aḥmad: 36,372

Suppressing anger and excusing people is an excellent action that leads to one becoming a beloved servant of Allah. Regarding this, Allah Himself says:

وَالْكَاظِمِيْنَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِيْنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۚ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ

*Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And who restrain anger and forgive people. And the righteous people are the beloveds of Allah.*¹

In another verse:

وَلْيَعْفُوْا وَلْيَصْفَحُوْا اَلَا تُحِبُّوْنَ اَنْ يَّغْفِرَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ

*Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: And they should forgive and overlook; do you not like that Allah may forgive you? And Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.*²

¹ Al-Quran, 3:134
² Al-Quran, 24:22

The beloved Prophet said:

The strongest one from amongst you is he who controls himself at the time of anger, and most forbearing is he who forgives despite harbouring strength (to enact revenge).¹

Sayyidunā ʿUqbah b. ʿĀmir رضي الله عنه relays, "The Messenger of Allah once said to me, 'O ʿUqbah b. ʿĀmir! Maintain ties with those who sever them from you, give to those who deprive you and forgive those who are unjust towards you.'"²

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْبِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

The most difficult day of his life

Umm al-Muʾminīn Sayyidatunā ʿĀishah Ṣiddīqah رضي الله عنها once asked the beloved Prophet , "Have you ever faced a day more severe than the Battle of Uḥud?"

He began to explain:

Yes, O ʿĀishah! The day I invited a leader in Ṭāif by the name of Ibn ʿAbd Yalīl to Islam; that day was more severe for me than the day in which the Battle of Uḥud occurred.

He rejected my invitation, and the residents of Ṭāif threw stones at me. Saddened by this, I began walking with my head lowered until I reached a place known as Qarn al-Thaʿālib. When I raised my head, I saw a cloud was shading me. Jibrīl عليه السلام called out to me from and said, "Allah has heard the statement of your nation and their response. The angel of the mountains is now at your service to fulfil your command."

¹ Kanz al-ʿUmmāl: 7,694
² Musnad al-Imām Aḥmad: 17,457

The final Prophet of Allah continued:

The angel of the mountains greeted me with salaam and submitted, "O Muḥammad ()! If you wish for me to overturn the two mountains of Akhshabayn (Abū Qubays and Quʿayqaʿān) upon the disbelievers, I will do so."

Hearing this, the final Prophet responded, "No. I instead hope Allah will bring forth from their offspring such servants of His who will worship only Him, and stay away from polytheism."¹

¹ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3,231; Nuzhat al-Qārī, vol. 4, p. 316

No comments:

Post a Comment