Informality:
Once the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: "Keep away from praising me
beyond a limit like the Christians who crossed all limits in adoring Isa bin
Maryam. I am one of the slaves of Allâh, so call me Abdullah (the slave of
Allâh)."
Once the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) came out and all the Companions got up to
pay their respect to him. Thereupon he said, "Do away with the practice of
standing up to adore anyone like the Ajami people (non-Arabs)."
He would keep very close to his
Companions and took his seat wherever he found a place. He took part in the
work done by the servants and made them sit beside him.
He has said that one who endeavors
to do the needful for the hungry and the poor, attains the status of one who
fights in the way of Allâh, and one who prays the whole night and observes fast
the whole year.
A certain person called on the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and asked, "O
Prophet of Allâh, what is the way to Jannah (Paradise)?" He said,
"Truth. It is because when a person is truthful, he adopts virtue, which
leads to the light of Faith, and Faith leads him to Jannah (Paradise)." On
another occasion he said, "Keep truthful even if your truth leads you to
face death and destruction, for undoubtedly it is where salvation rests."
Once, on the way to Badr from
Makkah, Akhnas bin Shuraiq said to Abu Jahl, "O Abul-Hakam, I ask you one
thing, and none is here except we two; tell me truthfully whether Muhammad is
truthful or a liar." Abu Jahl replied, "By God, Muhammad always
speaks the truth and he never uttered anything untrue."
Abu Saeed Khudri (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) is reported to have said, "The
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was more modest than
a graceful and veiled virgin. We read from his face the sign of his
displeasure. When he disliked anything, he would indicate it indirectly so that
the person was not shamed. However, he made no concessions in matters of the
Word of Allâh and the upholding of the Truth."
Moderation:
Âishah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) related that when the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) said anything of anyone, he never
mentioned the person by name. He would rather say, "What type of person
are those who do such things." Most of the time he kept silent and never
talked unnecessarily; his speech was always clear and lucid, neither so long as
to contain loose substance nor so short as to exclude some essential points.
His movement was moderate, neither so slow as to become undesirable to others
in his company nor so fast to cause exhaustion. In short, he practiced
moderation in every aspect of life.
Cheerful
Disposition:
He radiated cheerfulness. Once he
promised to give someone a camel. When that person asked for it, he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, "I can
give you the calf of a she camel." "What shall I do with the
calf?" the person said with a touch of disappointment. Thereupon he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, "If a
camel is not the calf of a she-camel, whose calf is it?" But the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) never uttered a word
of untruth even during casual talk.
Laudable
Traits of Character:
When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was in the company of his Companions, he
was so close to them that a newcomer wouldn't recognize him distinctly and
would ask for the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
to be pointed out to him. He did not like to eat anything that might cause a
bad smell to emit from his mouth. He wore clothes with patches; he liked simple
but clean garments. He used a toothstick several times a day. The people
sitting beside him never complained of his body, clothes or mouth emitting a
bad smell. He sought forgiveness between parties where it could be helpful in
bringing about reforms, but in case of crimes demanding punishment, he never
held himself back, because refraining from chastising the criminals was to him
tantamount to aiding and abetting in promoting crimes.
Charities from Muslims were not
limited to the Muslims, he extended it to the Christians, Jews and polytheists
too. He put up with exemplary ease whatever calamities befell him but he became
restless to find anybody else in trouble. He applied all sources and resources
in accomplishing any job but left the outcome to Allâh the Almighty, and he was
least afraid of the result going against his hope. He showed humility but not
meanness; he was awesome but not rude and rash; he practiced generosity but not
extravagance; whoever came before him, all of a sudden felt awe-stricken but
when seated beside him, began to love him. He asked to keep away from
epidemics, forbade quacks to treat patients and disliked the use of prohibited
things as medicine. Whenever he had two ways to do a thing, he used the easier
one. He served the prisoners of war like his guests. He took part in manly
sports and exercises like archery, shooting, and horse racing along with his
Companions.
The
Rightly-Guided Caliphate Caliph and Caliphate
Caliph means successor and caliphate
means the succession of rule, and in historian's terminology, caliph
approximates the words king, monarch or ruler. It is not at all necessary that
before dealing with the events of Abu Bakr's caliphate after the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), a historian should
devote his time and space in discussing the word caliph or caliphate. But since
the succession of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
has taken the form of an ethical issue between two sections, the task of a historian
has become rather difficult. Moreover, it has also become incumbent on the
historians to put forward their own point of view and belief concerning the
caliphate before embarking upon the topic of the Rightly-Guided Caliphate.
Wherever the word Khalifah (caliph)
appears in the Quran, it is immediately followed by the word Al-Ard (earth).
Moreover it is proved beyond doubt from the Verse:
"I am
going to place generation after generation on earth." (2:30)
Allâh the Almighty has appointed
Adam and the children of Adam, as His caliph on earth. It is also abundantly
clear that the children of Adam are the most eminent of all created beings and
their being rulers on earth is beyond doubt. The caliphate of men on earth is
certainly a Divine caliphate and man is the caliph of Allâh. Allâh the Exalted
is far above any creature including the most eminent of the created beings that
becomes His vice-regent on earth. So, man can be nothing more than the apparent
ruler of the earth and makes all other creatures obey His rule. It is clear now
that in Verse 2:30. The word caliph stands for 'generation after generation' or
'ruler' and for nothing else. The Quran says at another place:
"He it
is Who has made you successors on the earth, and He has raised you in ranks,
some above others." (6:165)
Here caliphate stands for something
specific, your people have been made ruler, and all other people are to be
ruled by you. Here also the word 'caliph' makes its appearance, which gives the
meaning of nothing but a 'ruler'. Again, it has been mentioned in another
Verse:
"O
Dâwud! Verily, we have placed you as a successor on earth." (38:26)
Here also, the rule or empire of a
person, Dâwud (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
finds mention and the word caliph signifies a king, monarch or ruler. About the
same rule of Dâwud (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
it has been said at another place:
"We
made his kingdom strong." (38:20)
Regarding the Muslims and
particularly about the Companions it has been said:
"Allâh
has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds that He
will certainly grant them succession in the earth as He granted it to those
before them." (24:55)
It means: As We have installed
others as rulers in the past, so also those among the followers of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), who believed and
performed good deeds, will be conferred upon the rule on earth.
No comments:
Post a Comment