Muhammad

Islam's prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib (c. 570–632 CE), approached by the source here from the side of his shama'il: the beauty of his form and the perfection of his character as his contemporaries described him ¹.

Umm Ma'bad al-Khuza'iyya described the Prophet to her husband when he passed her tent as an emigrant, saying: radiant, shining-faced, fair of form — no paunch marred him and no smallness of head belittled him; in his eyes a deep blackness, in his lashes length, in his voice a huskiness, in his neck a gleam; when silent dignity sat upon him, when he spoke splendour crowned him — the fairest and most imposing of people from afar, the finest and sweetest from near ². Ali ibn Abi Talib described him: neither ungainly tall nor stunted short, but of middle stature among people; curly-haired, broad-chested, white tinged with red, deep-black of eye, long of lash; broad of the joints and the hollow between the shoulders; between his shoulder-blades the seal of prophethood — he is the seal of the prophets; the most generous of people in giving, the bravest in heart, the most truthful in speech, the most faithful in covenant — whoever saw him suddenly was awed by him, and whoever knew him intimately loved him ³. Anas ibn Malik said: he was of radiant colour — neither pale-white nor dark — and I have never touched silk or brocade softer than his palm, nor smelled musk or anything more fragrant than his scent ⁴. Al-Bara' said: he had the fairest face of people and the finest character ⁵.

He was distinguished by eloquence of tongue and power of utterance — given comprehensive speech, singled out for rare wisdoms, knowing the Arabs' tongues and addressing every tribe in its own ⁶. Forbearance, pardon when able, and patience under hardship were his qualities; A'isha said: he was never given a choice between two matters without choosing the easier, so long as it was no sin, and he never took revenge for himself unless God's sanctity was violated, in which he would take revenge for God ⁷. He was the most generous of people, and most generous in Ramadan when Jibril met him to study the Quran with him — more generous with good than the driving wind; he was never asked a thing and said no ⁷. He was the bravest of people; Ali said: when battle grew hot and eyes reddened we sheltered by him, and none was nearer the enemy than he ⁶. He was the most modest of people — more modest than the virgin in her chamber — and when he disliked a thing it was known in his face ⁸. He was the most just, most chaste, most truthful-tongued and most trustworthy of people; his interlocutors and even his enemies confessed it of him, and before his prophethood he was called al-Amin, the Trustworthy ⁹. He was the humblest of people: he mended his sandal, sewed his garment, worked with his own hand in his house and served himself, and disliked standing out above his companions ¹⁰. Hind ibn Abi Hala transmitted of him that he was ever joined to cares, constant in thought, long in silence, speaking not without need; the bulk of his laughter was a smile, and he neither sat nor stood except in remembrance ¹¹. Al-Mubarakpuri closed by saying these traits are but brief lines from the signs of his perfection, and that the truth of the glories he possessed cannot be fathomed — his Lord had already praised him: al-Qalam 4 "and indeed you are of a tremendous character" ¹².