Biographical description & character of our beloved Prophet
The following is Imam Hasan’s hadith from his uncle Ibn Abi Hala which covers so many of the qualities
and biographical details of the beloved Prophet Sallalaho alaihiwasallam.
Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali said, "I asked my uncle Hind ibn Abi Hala about
the features of the Messenger of Allah since he was wont to describe them. I
wanted him to describe them to me so that I could retain them in my mind. He
said:
“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was
imposing and majestic. His face shone like the full moon. He was somewhat
taller than medium height and a little shorter than what could be described as
tall. His head was large and he had hair that was neither curly nor straight.
It was parted, and did not go beyond the lobes of his ears. He was very fair skinned
with a wide brow, and had thick eyebrows with a narrow space between them. He
had a vein there, which throbbed when he was angry. He had a long nose with a
line of light over it, which someone might unthinkingly take to be his nose.
His beard was thick. He had black eyes, firm cheeks, a wide mouth and
white teeth with gaps. The hair of his chest formed a fine line. His neck was
like that of a statue made of pure silver.
His physique was finely-balanced. His body was firm and full. His belly
and chest were equal in size. His chest was broad and the space between his
shoulders wide. He had full calves. He was luminous.
Between his neck and his navel there was a line of hair, but the rest of
his chest was free of it. He had hair on his forearms and shoulders and the
upper part of his chest. He had thick wrists, wide palms, rough hands and feet.
His fingers were long. He was fine sine wed. He had high insteps
and his feet were so smooth that water ran off of them.
When he walked, he walked as though he were going down a hill. He walked
in a dignified manner and walked easily. He walked swiftly. When he walked, it
was as though he were heading down a slope. When he turned to address somebody,
he turned his whole body completely. He lowered his glance, glancing downwards
more than upwards. He restrained his glance.”
He spoke first to his Companions and
was the first to greet any person he met.
Al-Hasan said, 'Tell me how he spoke.'
Ibn Abi Hala replied:
“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was
always subject to grief and was always reflective. He had no rest and he only
spoke when it was necessary. He spent long periods in silence. He began and
ended what he said correctly. His words were comprehensive without being
either superfluous or wordy or inadequate.
He had a mild temperament, being neither harsh nor cruel. He valued a
gift, even if it was small. He did not censure anything nor criticize or praise
the taste of food. He did not get angry because of it. He did not attend to
securing his own due nor did he get angry for himself nor help himself.
When he pointed, he did so with his whole hand. When he was surprised
about something, he turned his palm upside down. When he talked, he held his
right thumb in his left palm. When he was angry, he turned away and averted his
face. When he was happy, he looked downwards. Generally his laughter consisted
of a smile and he showed his teeth which were as white as hailstones.”
Al-Hasan said, ‘I refrained from mentioning this to my brother Al-Husayn
ibn 'Ali for a time. Then I spoke to him and found that he had beaten me to it.
He had asked our father (Hazrat Ali) about how the Messenger of Allah behaved
at home and when he was out and about his features. He had not omitted
anything.
Al-Husayn said, ‘I asked our father about how the Messenger of Allah was
at home.’
He said, “It was allowed him to enter his house for his own comfort.
When he retired to his house, he divided his time into three parts - one part
for Allah, one for his family and one for himself. Then he divided his part
between his people and himself. He used the time for the people more for the
common people than for the elite.
He did not reserve anything for himself to their exclusion. Of
his conduct in the part reserved for himself was that he would show preference
to the people of merit, and would divide the time according to their excellence
in the deen. Some people needed one thing, some needed two, and some had many
needs. He concerned himself with them and kept them busy doing things that were
good for them and the community. He always asked about them and what was
happening to them. He used to say, “Those who are present should convey things
to those who are absent and you should let me know about what is needed by
people who cannot convey their needs to me. On the Day of Rising, Allah will
make firm the feet of a person who conveys to a ruler the need of someone who
cannot convey it himself.
This was all that was mentioned in his presence and he would only accept
this from people.”
The hadith of Sufyan ibn Wukay' says, 'They entered as seekers and only
parted after having tasted something, leaving as guides,' i.e. as men of fiqh.
Al-Husayn said, ‘Tell
me about when he went out and how he behaved then?’
His father replied, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him
and grant him peace, held his tongue except regarding what concerned people. He
brought people together and did not split them. He honoured the nobles of every group of people and appointed them over
their people. He was cautious about people and on his guard against them, but
he did that without averting his face from them or being discourteous. He asked
about his Companions and he asked people how other people were. He praised what
was good and encouraged it, and disliked what was ugly and discouraged it. He
took a balanced course, without making changes. He was not negligent, fearing
that people would become negligent or weary. He was prepared for any
eventuality. He did not neglect a right nor did he let his debts reach the
point where others had to help him. The
best and most preferred people in his eyes were those who had good counsel for
all. Those he most esteemed were those who supported and helped him.”
AI-Husayn then asked him about his assembly and how he behaved in it.
His father, Hazrat Ali replied, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, did not sit down or stand up without mentioning Allah.
He did not reserve a special place for himself and forbade other people to do
so. When he came to people, he sat down at the edge of the assembly and told
other people to do the same. He gave everyone who sat with him his share so
that no one who sat with him thought that anyone was honoured more than he was.
If anyone sat with him or stood near him to ask for something, he put up with that
person until the person turned away. When someone asked him for something he
needed, he either departed with it or with some consoling words. He had the
kindest and best behaviour of all people, being like a father to them. They
were all equal in respect of their rights with him.
His assembly was one of forbearance, modesty, patience and trust. Voices
were not raised in it nor were shortcomings made public, nor lapses exposed.
Its members were attached to each other by fear of Allah and were humble. The
old were respected and mercy was shown to the young. They helped those with
needs and showed mercy to strangers.”
Al-Husayn then asked about how the Messenger of Allah behaved with his
companions.
Ali said, “The
Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was always
cheerful, easy-tempered, mild. He was neither rough nor coarse.
He did not shout nor utter
obscenities. He did not
find fault with nor over-praise people. He ignored what was superfluous and
left it. He abandoned three things in himself: hypocrisy, storing things up
and what did not concern him. He also abandoned three things in respect of
other people: he did not censure anyone, he did not scold them, nor try to find
out their secrets.
He only spoke about things for which he expected a reward from Allah.
When he spoke, the people sitting with him were as still as if there were birds
on their heads. When he was silent, they talked, but did not quarrel in his
presence. When someone talked in front of him, they kept quiet until he had
finished. Their conversation was about the first topic broached. He laughed at
what they laughed at and was surprised at what surprised them. He was patient
with a stranger who had coarse language. He said, 'When you find someone asking
for something he needs, then give it to him.' He did not look for praise except
to counterbalance something. He did not interrupt anyone speaking until that
person had himself come to an end by either speaking or getting up from where
he was sitting.”
Someone else asked 'Ali what the silence of the Messenger of Allah was
like.
He said, “He was silent for four reasons: forbearance, caution,
appraisal, and reflection. His appraisal lay in constantly observing and
listening to the people. His reflection was upon what would endure and what
would vanish. He had forbearance in his patience. Nothing provocative angered
him.
He was cautious about four things: in adopting something good which
would be followed, in abandoning something bad which would be abandoned, in
striving to determine what would be beneficial for his community and in
establishing for them what wouId combine the business of this world and the
next."