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Eating Habits And Diet Of The Prophet

The Prophet’s guidance with regard to food is perfect guidance. It was described by Ibn al-Qayyim as follows: When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allah), and he told people to say this when eating.

He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allah at the beginning, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allah at its beginning and at its end).”
Saheeh hadeeth, narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1859) and Abu Dawood (3767).

When he raised the food to his mouth, he would say,
“Al-hamdu Lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan fihi ghayri makfiyyin wa laa muwadda wa laa mustaghni ‘anhu Rabbanaa azza wa jall (Allah be praised with an abundant, beautiful, blessed praise. He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds and is never fed, The One Who is longed for, along with that which is with Him, and the One Who is needed. He is Our Lord, may He be glorified).
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5142).

He never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370) and Muslim (2064).

Or he would say, “I do not feel like eating this.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5076) and Muslim (1946).

Sometimes he would praise the food, as when he asked his family for food, and they said, “We have nothing but vinegar.” He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, “What a good food is vinegar.”
Narrated by Muslim (2052)

He used to talk whilst he was eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.

And he said to his step-son Umar ibn Abi Salamah when he was eating with him: “Say Bismillaah and eat from that which is in front of you in the dish*.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5061) and Muslim (2022).

[* At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), people used to eat together from one dish, and children would sometimes forget the correct etiquette. – Translator]

He would repeatedly urge his guests to eat, as generous hosts do, and as is seen in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, narrated by al-Bukhaari, about the story of drinking milk, where he repeatedly said to him, “Drink!” and he kept telling him to drink until he (the guest) said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have no more room for it!”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6087).

When he ate with others, he would not leave until he had made dua for them.

He made dua in the house of Abd-Allah ibn Bisr, and said: “O Allah, bless for them that which You have provided for them, forgive them and have mercy on them.”
Narrated by Muslim (2042).

He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.”
Narrated by Muslim (2020).

This implies that eating with the left hand is haraam, and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a Shaytaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaytaan.

It was also reported in a Saheeh hadeeth that he told a man who was eating with his left hand in his presence, “Eat with your right hand!”
The man said, “I cannot.”
He said, “May you never be able to!” – and the man never lifted his right hand to his mouth after that. Narrated by Muslim (2021).

If it was permissible (to eat with the left hand), he would not have prayed against him for doing so. It was the man’s stubborn arrogance that made him refuse to obey the command, and this is the utmost disobedience that deserved this prayer against him.

He commanded those who complained that they never felt full to eat together and not separately, and to mention the name of Allah (say Bismillaah) over the food so that He might bless it for them.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood (3764) and Ibn Maajah (3286). (See Zaad al-Maaad, 2/397-406)

It was also reported that he said, “I do not eat reclining.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5083.

He used to eat using the first three fingers (of his right hand), which is the best way of eating.
See Zaad al-Maaad, 220-222.

The Prophets guidance regarding diet:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to know what he was eating. He used to eat what was good for him. He used to eat enough to keep him going, but no so much as to make him fat.

Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the kaafir eats in seven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5081) and Muslim (2060).

He taught his ummah something to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking.

He said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink, and one third with air.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).

And Allah knows best.

Exposing Modern Muslim Misleaders

Strangely, there is a class of so-called “Muslims” supported by Western neo-con think tanks who are full-time “da’ees” inviting people to the path of Shaitan, in the name of Islam.

These “Muslims” go to great lengths to explain how we should not practice our faith. In short, keep the title only, but discard the religion.

They are the new modernists created and funded by people who are working non-stop in their war against Islam. Nothing is obligatory for them. No rules at all. Here are some general issues with these people:

1. They attack the sources
They do not want to understand the Qur’an in the way it should be understood, even though the verses are very clear. They belittle the second most important source of Islam – the Hadith. They either play on the ignorance of Muslims or invent blatant lies about the Hadith.

Let there be no doubt left that the way Hadith has been preserved is superior to any standard of authentication ever known to human history and that will ever be known till the Day of Judgment. Such are the sciences of Hadith. Such is the manner in which the Hadith were preserved. The Ahadith are 500% more verifiable, more authentic, and hence have more reasons to be believed in, than the front-page report of any newspaper. Such was the strict conditions applied for the acceptance of Hadith. Usool Al-Hadith (sciences of Hadith) will testify to that.

2. Changing Islam
These “Muslims” really believe in secularism, not in the pure Shariah. So they try to fit Islam according to the world’s ever-changing standards of ethics. They have a problem with accepting some of the laws of Islam or few things that may have been permitted or prohibited in Islam. Allah says:

“Do you believe in some parts of the Book and disbelieve in other parts? Whosoever does that would be subjected to humiliation in this life and a severe punishment on the day of resurrection.” (Qur’an. 2:85)

Realize O Muslim! Whose Messenger was Muhammad? Allah’s! His actions, his sayings, and his commands are based on the revelation from Allah. It is sufficient for non-Muslims and the skeptics to verify if Muhammad (peace be upon him) was truly a messenger or not and if the Qur’an is truly divine or not. And there are overwhelming evidence that would leave no room for doubt about the truthfulness of Islam. So if you have verified this to be true, then you cannot question the commandments of your Creator.

We are Muslims – we submit to Allah and His Messenger. When Allah and His Messenger have said something, we humbly accept it. Muslims submit to the truth immediately.

“It is not fitting for any believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have a choice in their affair. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has gone astray into manifest error.” (Qur’an, 33:36)

“But no, by your Lord (Rabb), they can have no faith until they make you the judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept (them) fully with submission.” (Qur’an, 4:65)

What Allah and His Messenger say is right, is right, and what they say is wrong, is wrong. End of discussion. Yet, Islam is a natural religion. It is a religion of Fitrah – the natural state in which man is born. It is based on our Creator’s Guidance. So it doesn’t order or command anything that is against the general interest of man.

One such “Muslim” writer of a recent article that was supposedly defending the Prophet (peace be upon him) called for the separation of the state and the religion in Muslim lands, called for the Hadith to be limited to “common history” and to detach away from “man-made laws” of “medieval word” and step into “21st century”. What fallacy!

Just tell me how this isn’t different from secular propaganda? So, typical secular propaganda has come in the form of an “Islamic article” that “defends” the Prophet (peace be upon him). Yet this “defense” in effect calls to reject the commandments of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in our daily life, in our economic life, and in our political life! What love and what defense?!

Let’s break down these general phrases of the writer into something practical to understand its implications, shall we? The following is the direction of the “secular states” we see in our world today:

• Man is the superior being. No place for God.
• Riba (Interest) is perfectly “OK” for the 21st century.
• Premarital sex: It’s people’s choice! Marriage: Debasement and abuse.
• Homosexuality: Must be permitted. We’re in the 21st century. Freedom!

The writer says if we Muslims don’t “step into 21st century” and accept these “universal human rights”, which I have summarized above, “then we better be prepared to be mocked as stragglers in the caravan who are slowing down the progress of all humanity.”

Mr. Writer, Muslims need not leave their religion to escape the mockery of a people who don’t believe in Allah!

Just tell me how and why should man’s stances change on these immoral issues I’ve listed above? These evils don’t change into good because of advancement. What is advancement? What is enlightenment? What we see in today’s world is only scientific advancement. Socially, we are falling and regressing to new lows.

Nay, Muslims need not change their fundamentals to be accepted by the world. The world is stumbling down towards its destruction by adopting hedonism in the name of freedom. Muslims need not follow that path. Islam dictates every aspect of our life, and we should be proud of that! Our Creator did not leave us to wander without guidance and fall into the pits that we see the world falling into. We are the ones who believed in His Message.

Yes, the divine laws came down 1400 years ago. But they were with imbued such wisdom that they could be applied in the 21st century and in the centuries to come. While Shariah has specific laws for things that don’t change, it largely has general outlines and principles that can be applied to any issue that may come up with the advancement of time.

There have been in the past and will always be in the future people who call people towards the path of Shaitan and who work tenuously to misguide Muslims. But Allah has promised to protect Islam. So Islam has not changed through the ages and it will continue to be protected till the Day of Judgment.

We as Muslims must be careful about the sources where we take our Islam from. We should learn Islam from the roots – the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

We should learn Islam from scholars who stick to the Qur’an and Sunnah and the interpretation of the early generations of Muslims. Because the understanding of the early generations is what is authentic and has been approved of by Allah and His Messenger.

Prophet’s Special Deeds In Ramadan

When the holy month of Ramadan arrives, everyone in the Muslim Ummah feels a delightful uplift in faith. They feel less inclined towards sins and wasteful pursuits and more towards keen, soulful worship and contemplation of the Qur’an.

They change their routines according to the new schedule of eating, sleeping, and standing in prayer and look forward to great rewards in the Hereafter for their month-long ritual of abstinence and piety.

It is interesting to note the diversity that prevails in our Ummah regarding worship during Ramadan, which arises from everyone’s unique circumstances. The office-going executive might not be able to pray long, soulful Qiyam Al-Layl every night before Suhoor because of having to get enough sleep for his strenuous weekday work hours, but can zealously attend Taraweeh with the Imam after Isha to get the same reward.

School and college-going youngsters might find it difficult to tear themselves away from studies, but they might read some Qur’an every day before Iftar. The elderly grandmother might spend long morning hours reading the Qur’an and revising her memorization, whilst the young housewife who is inundated with housework for the rest of the day might attend a ladies’ morning Halaqah at a neighborhood home to study one Juz of the Qur’an daily.

This lovely diversity lends extra beauty to the flexibility of our Deen, Islam, which caters to each individual according to what he or she is capable of. Let us take a quick look at three of the main Ramadan activities that authentic Ahadith attribute to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

More generous than the fast wind
Narrated Ibn Abbas: “The Prophet was the most generous amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel visited him, and Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month. The Prophet used to recite the Qur’an to Jibreel, and when Jibreel met him, he used to be more generous than a fast wind (which causes rain and welfare).” (Al-Bukhari, 3/31, no. 126)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to be so generous in Ramadan that this action of his was particularly notable to onlookers. Imagine for a minute what fast winds achieve: they feel good, firstly, in addition to filling our hearts with excitement about imminent rain.

They assist in pollination that brings forth vegetation in the land (fruit, grains, cereals, and vegetables) that we eat. Now use this simile to imagine what the Prophet must have been like during Ramadan – a generous man spreading the wealth, goodwill, hope, and happiness everywhere with his big-hearted spending for the sake of Allah!

Reviewing the Qur’an with Jibreel
Archangel Jibreel would visit the Prophet (peace be upon him) every night in Ramadan to listen to the Qur’an. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite the Qur’an to him, i.e. the entire Qur’an that had been revealed to him till then. In a way, he used to “revise” or “review” the Qur’an with the Archangel.

Ten-day secluded worship
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would go into seclusion for (the last) 10 days during the month of Ramadan, but the year in which he passed away he went into seclusion for 20 days.” (Al-Bukhari)

For a man who was always busy leading the Ummah in all its affairs and attending to his family and companions, it is indeed poignant to note that he withdrew in seclusion every year to be close to His Lord. So much so that he did not communicate, or spend time, with his family except for meeting their basic needs.

Narrated Ayesha: “Allah’s Messenger used to practice I’tikaf in the last 10 nights of Ramadan and used to say, ‘Look for the Night of Qadr in the last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan’.” (Al-Bukhari)

Lessons for us
By keeping in mind these three specific Sunnah of our dear Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we can devise an action plan for our worship during the holy month that incorporates, if not in entirety, their spirit, and essence in our schedule.

We can try to give charity every day, even if it is little. We should review the Qur’an for our angels, the Kiraman Katibeen (Honorable Scribes), to record in our book of deeds on a daily basis, and in the last 10 days seclude ourselves socially from our family and friends for devoted worship and prayer to Allah. By this, we will earn a reward of following the Sunnah and emulating our Prophet’s actions during Ramadan, Insha Allah.

The Etiquette Of Clothing

Allah SWT says: ‘O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts) and as an adornment, that is better. Such are among the Ayat of Allah, that they may remember.’ (Al A’raf, 26)

A Muslim should endeavor to wear those clothes which express modesty, cover the body adequately, and at the same time, they should be suitable in respect of temperature and climate. The clothing should be simple to the extent that one should not be a walking billboard. Today we have in line with ‘fashion’, clothing saying ‘touch me…etc’. This is not appropriate. When one wears a garment, the very act of clothing oneself is a blessing of Allah (SWT) which He bestowed on mankind alone, all other creation is deprived of this blessing For men white clothing is preferred: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘Wear white clothing, this is the best cloth, verily white clothes are worn in the world and in the white cloth are the dead buried’. (Tirmidhi)

• It is narrated in Bukhari: ‘RasulAllah (saw) would wear white clothing. Meaning RasulAllah (saw) himself wore white clothing and advised the men of the Ummah to do the same.

• Umme Salma (RA) narrates: ‘RasulAllah (saw) preferred a long shirt to all other garments.’ (Shama’il Tirmidhi)

This is because in this garment the body is well covered and concealed, modesty and humbleness are established and It is also attractive. Ibn Abbas (RA) states: ‘The shirt of RasulAllah (saw) was above the ankle’.

• For men to keep the trouser above the ankle: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘3 types of people are such that on the Day of Qiyamah, Allah will not look at them nor have mercy on them.’ Abu Dhar Gafari (RA) asked: ‘Who will these unfortunate people be?!’ RasulAllah (saw) said:
1. He who allows his trousers to hang below the ankle.
2. He, who boasts of his favors to others.
3. He who takes a false oath.
RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘The portion of the ankle which is covered below the ankle will be in Jahannam’. (Bukhari/Muslim)

Note: As a matter of routine, it is important that men do not wear clothing that Shariah has advised against. Men should at least try to adopt Islamic clothing when coming to the masjid.

• The clothing of men and women should not resemble one another: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘Allah (SWT) has cursed the men who resemble women and those women who resemble men’. (Bukhari)

• Women should not wear thin garments: RasulAllah (saw) said: ‘Those women are inhabitants of the Hellfire, who even after wearing clothes are naked’.(Riyadus-Saliheen) It states in another place: ‘Those women who wear thin clothing and clothing which causes the desire to arise in the hearts of men… (refers to those women who beautify themselves and walk about without hijab/purdah)…They will not enter Jannah nor will they smell its fragrance’. (Muslim)

How to Adopt the Headscarf? Allah (SWT) says: ‘tell the believing women…to draw their veils over their bodies…’(meaning to cover from the head to the breast). (An-Nur, 31)

This is due to the fact that the breast of women is apparent beauty in form. The women of jahiliyyah would position the cloth on the head and hang the sides to the back exposing the breast area, beautifying themselves in front of strange males. The Qur’an orders the Muslim women to be strict in this observance of modesty and piety and adopt clothing that covers the hair of the head, the ears, the neck and at the same time covers the breast adequately in front of ghayr-mahram males. (Tafsir Usmani) We pray that Allah (SWT) guides our men and women to adopt clothing according to the Shariah and Sunnah in our daily lives and grants us honor and status through this action, Aameen.

Mufti Yusuf Danka

Some Important Ahadith

Say ‘I believe in Allah’ and then be Steadfast
On the authority of Sufyan bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam which I can ask of no one but you.’ He (peace be upon him) said, ‘Say “I believe in Allah” — and then be steadfast.'”
Related by Muslim.

Entering Paradise
On the authority of Abu Abdullah Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him): A man questioned the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: “Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is halal, and treat as forbidden that which is haram, and do not increase upon that [in voluntary good deeds], then I shall enter Paradise?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “Yes.”
Related by Muslim.

Hastening to Do Good
On the authority of Abu Malik al-Harith bin Asim al-Ashari (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Purity is half of Iman. Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) fills the scales, and Subhan-Allah (how far from imperfection is Allah) and Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) fill that which is between heaven and earth. And the Salah (prayer) is a light, and charity is a proof, and patience is illumination, and the Qur’an is a proof either for you or against you. Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin.”
Related by Muslim.

The Forbiddance of Oppression
On the authority of Abu Dharr Al-Ghafari, of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord is that He said: “O My servants! I have forbidden oppression for Myself, and I have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except those whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me and I shall guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I shall clothe you. O, My servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness from Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as pious as the most pious heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not increase My Kingdom an iota. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as wicked as the most wicked heart of any individual amongst you, then this would not decrease My Kingdom an iota. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all to stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were to give everyone what he requested, then that would not decrease what I Possess, except what is decreased of the ocean when a needle is dipped into it. O, My servants, it is but your deeds that I account for you, and then recompense you for. So he who finds good, let him praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself.”
Related by Muslim.

The Value of Charity
On the authority of Abu Dharr: Some of the companions of the messenger of Allah said:” O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards, they pray as we pray they fast as we fast, and they give away in charity the superfluity of their wealth.” He said:” Has, not Allah made things for you to give away in charity? every tasbihah is a charity, every takbirah is a charity, every tahmidah is a charity, and every tahlilah is a charity, to enjoin a good action is a charity, to forbid an evil action is a charity, and in the sexual act of each of you there is a charity.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah when one of us fulfills his sexual desire will he have some reward for that?” He said: “Do you not think that were he to act upon it unlawfully he would be sinning? Likewise, if he has acted upon it lawfully he will have a reward.”
Related by Muslim.

What is Sadaqa?
On the authority of Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Each person’s every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity: a good word is a charity, every step you take to prayers is a charity and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.”
Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

Righteousness is in Good Character
On the authority of Al-Nawwas bin Samaan, that the prophet said: “Righteousness is good morality, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about.”
Related by Muslim.

And on the authority of Wabisa bin Mabad, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I came to the messenger of Allah and he said: “You have come to ask about righteousness ?”. I said:” Yes.” He said: “Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels tranquil and the heart feels tranquil, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and moves to and from in the breast even though people, again and again, have given you their legal opinion [in its favor].”

a good hadith transmitted from the Musnads of the two Imams, Ahmed bin Hanbal, and Al-Darimi, with a good chain of authorities.

The Obligation of Following the Sunnah
On the authority of Abu Najih Al-Erbadh bin Sariah, who said: The Messenger of Allah gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. We said: “O Messenger of Allah, it is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us.” He said: “I counsel you to fear Allah and to give absolute obedience even if a slave becomes your leader. Verily he among you who lives [long] will see great controversy, so you must keep to my sunnah and to the sunnah of the rightly-guided Khalifahs – cling to them stubbornly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray is in Hell-fire.”
Related by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmithi, who said that it was a fine and true Hadith.

Means of Goodness
On the authority of Muadh bin Jabal, who said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from Hellfire.” He said: “You have asked me about a major matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. You should worship Allah, associating nothing with Him, you should perform the prayers, you should pay the zakat, you should fast in Ramadan, and you should make the pilgrimage to the House.”

Then he said:” Shall I not show you the gates of goodness? Fasting [which] is a shield, charity [which] extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire; and the praying of a man in the depth of night.” Then he recited :
“Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them. No soul knoweth what is kept hid for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do”. (Quran, verse)

Then he said: ” Shall I not tell you of the peak of the matter, its pillar, and its topmost part?” I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “The peak of the matter is Islam; the pillar is prayer, and its topmost part is jihad.” Then he said: “Shall I not tell you of the controlling of all that ?” I said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah”, and he took hold of his tongue and said: “Restrain this.” I said: “O Prophet of Allah, will what we say be held against us?” He said: “May your mother be bereaved of you, Muadh! Is there anything that topples people on their faces – or he said on their noses into Hell-fire other than the jests of their tongues?”
Related by Al-Tirmithi, who said it was a fine and true hadith.

Do Not Neglect the Religious Obligations
On the authority of Jurthum bin Nashir that the messenger of Allah said: “Allah the Almighty has laid down religious duties, so do not neglect them. He has set boundaries, so do not overstep them. He has prohibited some things, so do not violate them; about some things He was silent out of compassion for you, not forgetfulness, so seek not after them.”
A fine hadith related by Al-Daraqutni and others.

A Need For Prophet’s Traditions

To deal with this topic it is necessary to know the position of the Prophet in Islam (peace be upon him), because the indispensability of Ahadith depends upon the position of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Analyzing the problem we can visualize three possibilities:

1. The duty of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was only to convey the message, and nothing more was required from him.

2. He had not only to convey the message but also to act upon it and to explain it. But all that was for the specified period, and after his death, the Qur’an is sufficient to guide humanity.

3. No doubt he had to convey the divine message, but it was also his duty to act upon it and to explain it to the people. His actions and explanations are a source of guidance forever. His sayings, actions, practices, and explanations are a source of light for every Muslim of every age.

Muslim scholars are of the unanimous view that only the third point is the correct assessment of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) position in Islam. The Qur’an contains dozens of reminders of the important position of the Prophet (peace be upon him). For instance, the Qur’an says:

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, peace be upon him) you have a good example for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. (Al-Ahzab 33:21)

According to this verse, every Muslim is bound to have a good example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as an ideal in life. In another verse, he has been made a hakam (judge) for the Muslims by Allah Almighty. No one remains Muslim if he does not accept the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) decisions and judgments as explained in Surah Al-Nisaa‚ (4:65).

The Qur’an is very clear in expressing its view on the position of the Prophet (peace be upon him). According to the Qur’an, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has four capacities, and he must be obeyed in every capacity. He is mu’allim wa murabbi (teacher and educator); he explains the Book; he is a judge; and he is a ruler. In all these capacities, he is an ideal example for the Muslims. I am quoting a few verses of the Qur’an just to give a hint of this topic:

Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’an), and purifying them (from sins by following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikma [the wisdom and sunnah of the Prophet, peace be upon him], while, before that, they had been in manifest error. (Aal Imran 3:164)

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him), and those of you (Muslims) who are authority among you. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. (An-Nisaa‚ 4:59)

In all these verses, the Qur’an has explained various aspects of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) personality. One can judge the importance of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from these verses. I am reminded of another important verse of the Qur’an, which is actually a verdict against those who do not believe in Ahadith as an authentic source of law:

And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him), after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him Hell – what an evil destination! (An-Nisaa‚ 4:115)

The Qur’an, while pressing the Muslims to obey the Prophet (peace be upon him), goes a step further when it announces that the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is above all the limitations of time and space. He is the Last Prophet (peace be upon him) and is a Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) for the whole of humanity for all time to come. Ahadith is nothing but a reflection of the personality of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who is to be obeyed at every cost.

Dr. Hamidullah in his book, Introduction to Islam, explains: “The importance of Ahadith is increased for the Muslim by the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) not only taught but took the opportunity of putting his teachings into practice in all the important affairs of life. He lived for 23 years after his appointment as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He endowed his community with a religion, which he scrupulously practiced himself. He founded a state, which he administered as the supreme head, maintaining internal peace and order, heading armies for external defense, judging and deciding the litigations of his subjects, punishing the criminals, and legislating in all walks of life. He married and left a model of family life. Another important fact is that he did not declare himself to be above the ordinary law which he imposed on others. His practice was not mere private conduct, but a detailed interpretation and application of his teachings.

The Prophet As A Man-Wearing Perfume When Going Out

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was known to love good smells. He sums up what he loved of material things in this present world, saying: “Of all that is available in this present life, I am made to love perfume and women, but the thing that gives me best gratification is prayer.” (Related by Ahmad and Al-Nassaie.) This does not mean that the Prophet disliked other things that people find pleasant or enjoyable. It simply means that the Prophet did not feel an urge to have luxuries or expensive articles that people are normally keen to have. Whatever was available was sufficient for him. Anything that served the purpose in hand was good enough.

He did not disdain to have the most modest, simple, and functional things. However, he was always keen that he always had a good smell. If he went through someplace or close to some activity that gave an unpleasant smell, he would immediately try to dispel that smell with some perfume.

The Prophet also loved women. He grew up in a community where women were treated as inferior to men in every respect. The message he was given, i.e. the message of Islam, lays much emphasis on the equality of men and women.

As God’s messenger who delivered His last message to mankind, he demonstrated such equality in the way he treated women and the guidance he provided to both men and women. He always urged his companions to be kind to their womenfolk and to take good care of them.

He also loved women’s company. Moreover, when it became necessary that he should marry several wives, for social, political, and legislative reasons, he did not feel this as a burden.

On the contrary, he was pleased to have them as part of his family. Some may read this Hadith as meaning that the Prophet had an extraordinarily strong sexual desire, but there is no suggestion of that in any Hadith.

However, nothing gave the Prophet greater satisfaction than prayer. Whenever he had a problem or felt stress, he resorted to prayer and it was certain to clear his stress.

Yet a good smell was important to the Prophet. He was keen that whoever was with him should be pleased with his smell. Therefore, the Prophet used to wear perfume when he went out. Lady Ayesha reports: “I used to give the Prophet the best smelling perfume we could have, and I would often see the brightness of perfume in his head and beard.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

The phraseology of this Hadith indicates that perfume was an important article in the Prophet’s home and that his wives were keen to ensure that he had some perfume to wear when he left home. He wanted to make sure that he had a pleasant smell when he met people.

The Prophet’s practice is a Sunnah, which means that it gives a good example to follow. While this is required or recommended in religious matters, it indicates a good practice in other areas. If the Prophet did something that is unrelated to religion in a particular fashion, without saying anything to suggest that people should follow his example, then his practice is merely a matter of personal choice and is not a Sunnah.

However, if a person follows the Prophet’s example in such matters, believing that whatever the Prophet did was best, he is rewarded for his intention. Hence, many of the Prophet’s companions did that.

Nafi’ reports: “Abdullah ibn Umar used to be perfumed with aromatic smoke, using unsplit aloes and he would add camphor to it. He would say: ‘The Prophet used this type of smoke for perfume.” (Related by Muslim and Al-Nassaie.)

This Hadith speaks of a type of good smell that is still used in all parts of Arabia, which is the aromatic smoke. People everywhere use incense to give a good smell, and there are several types of plants that give such smoke. A type of aloe wood that gives perhaps the best smell is known in Arabia as the Oud, and Ayesha reports: “The Oud was the best type of perfume the Prophet loved.” (Related by Abu Al-Shaykh and Ibn Saad.)

People realized that the Prophet loved a good smell. Therefore, they often offered him a touch of perfume, and he would accept it willingly. Anas reports: “The Prophet never declined to have a touch of perfume offered to him.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Al-Nassaie, Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi.)

This Hadith is reported in more than one way. Another version that has a different chain of transmission also quotes Anas as saying: “God’s Messenger was never seen to decline perfume offered to him.” (Related by Al-Nassaie and others.)

The last two Hadiths suggest that accepting any perfume offered was a habit of the Prophet. This is clearly confirmed by a Hadith in which Ayesha reports: “The Prophet disliked to go out to meet his companions without wearing some perfume. He would have a touch of perfume toward the end of the night.” (Related by Abu Al-Shaykh.) Needless to say, Ayesha is referring to the time of dawn when the Prophet went out to the mosque to offer Fajr prayer.

He was keen that he should have a pleasant smell, always wearing perfume. It is a good practice to follow that we should wear some perfume before going out in the morning, whether to pray or when we go to work.

Cleanliness And Beautification

The attention to hygiene is another aspect of a Civilized Manner (Suluk Al-Hadari) which is an unknown concern in any other religion or philosophy before Islam. Cleanliness became an essential part of the rites and worship to such an extent that it is an inseparable part of the Muslim’s life.

Wudhu :
The five daily Prayers are obligatory upon every Muslim, man, and woman. This Prayer is actually a pledge to meet Allah, the Exalted, from the rising of the dawn until the disappearance of the twilight in the evening.

It is, in fact, a spiritual shower washing away sins five times a day. In this respect, Allah says: “And establish regular Prayers at the two ends of the day and when the night approaches, surely the good deeds blot out the evil deeds.” (11:114)

This Islamic Prayer has a uniqueness unlike the Prayer in other religions in that physical purification is a necessary condition. If Prayer is the key to Paradise then, likewise purification is the key to Prayer.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Allah does not accept Prayers without purification. ”
[Note: Reported by Muslim and Ibn Majah on the authority of Ibn `Umar, also by Ibn Majah on the authority of Anas and Abi Bakrah and also Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah on the authority of the father of Abi Al Malih, Sahih Al- Jami’ Al-Saghir, No.7746]

This purification and cleanliness are of two kinds: purification from impurities and purification from the excretions from the private parts.

Purification from impurities purifies the body, the clothes, and the place in which one prays from any impurities such as the stains of the blood, dead animals and pigs, and the vomiting, urine, or excrement of human beings and animals.

The other kind of purification does not mean cleanliness from something palpable. But rather purifying the inner of oneself because it is an order from Allah.

A Muslim is obliged to make ablution if exposed to minor impurities. This means he must wash the areas of the body which are ordinarily exposed to dust and dirt and he should have a body-washing (Ghusl) after menstruation and sexual intercourse. Moreover, these acts of purification are connected to recurrent natural stimuli which one must blot out through purification. It is also preferable, in Islam, for the Muslim to be eager to clean his body regularly, particularly when he meets his fellow Muslims in the congregational Prayers.

Bath:
Ghusl is also an act in which it is preferable to be performed before the Friday congregational Prayer as stated in the noble hadith.

In other versions, the hadith goes to the extent of ordering one to perform (Ghusl) as part of the overall cleanliness and hygiene of the Muslim Society: “Ghusl on Friday is obligatory (Wajib) on every adult!”
[Note: Reported by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah on the authority of Sa’id, Sahih Al-Jami’ Al-Saghir, (3690)]

Another hadith obliges the Muslim to perform (Ghusl) at least once a week saying: “Every Muslim should bathe once every seven days where he should wash his head and all of his body.”
[Note: Agreed upon on the authority of Abu Hurairan, Al-Lu `Lu’ Wal Marjan, (No.442)]

Mouth:
The Sunnah has directed attention in taking care of certain parts of the human body such as the mouth. The means of cleaning it was the Swak which is easily found and used in the Arab Peninsula.

In this respect, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “The Swak is a purifying agent for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah’s Pleasure.”
[Note: Reported by Ahmad on the authority Abi Bakr; also by Al-Shafi’i, Ahmad, Nasa’i, Ibn Khaizamah, Ibn Hibban, Al-hakim and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of `Aishah, and by Ibn Majah on the authority of Abi Umaman, Sahih Al-Jami Al-Saghir, (3695)]

Hair:
Concerning the hair, Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has hair should care about it.”
[Note: Reported by Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Rurairah, (No. 4163), Sahih Al-Jami’ Al-Saghir, (No.6497)]

Ata Ibn Yasser reported that: “A man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him): When he was in the mosque with uncombed hair and an untidy beard. The Prophet pointed to him as if ordering him to fix his hair and beard. He did so and returned. Thereupon the Prophet (Peace be upon him): When he was in the mosque observed, “Isn’t this better than one of you coming with his hair uncombed, as if he was a devil ?”
[Note: Reported by Malik, Al-Mawatta’, vol.2, p.949]

Thus the Prophet as the instructor taught the Muslims the importance of having a pleasant appearance which comes second in importance after the excellence of the inner self.

Furthermore, he taught Muslims to wash their hands thrice on waking up before putting them in the water, saying, “For no one knows where his bands were during sleep.”
[Note: Reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majab, Al-Nasa’i, Abu Dawud, and Al-Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Sahih Al-Jam’i Al Saghir, No.332]

Arabs used to clean their private parts with stones due to scarcity of water and many of them weren’t in the habit of wearing pants, so perhaps they might have touched their private parts (where the impurity was) while they were asleep.

He also taught them to wash their hands after eating and particularly after eating meat. He went so far as to warn them against neglecting to wash their hands before sleep saying: “Whoever goes to sleep without washing his hands from the traces of fatty foods, exposes himself to illness and should blame no one but himself.”
[Note: Reported by Abu Dawud (No.3852), Al-Tirmidhi (No.1861), Ibn Majah (No.3267), and Ibn Hibban as mentioned in Al-Mawarid (No. 1354), all of them reported it on the authority of Abu Hurairah except Ibn Majah who reported it after Fatimah, (May Allah be pleased with both of them), No.3296]

Home:
The Sunnah stressed the importance of cleanliness in the house saying: “You must clean your houses and do not follow in the footsteps of Jews”.
[Note: Reported by Al-Tirmidhi]

Road:
Moreover, the Sunnah instructed Muslims to maintain the cleanliness of the roads by lifting any harmful objects found on it. This is considered a Sadaqa and as a means to ridding the streets of impurities and filth.

Some Bedouin Arabs used to urinate on the roads or in the shade.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) strictly warned them against it and considered it one of the reasons to provoke Allah’s curse and the people’s curse saying:

“Beware of those acts which cause others to curse. They asked, “What are those acts?” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Relieving oneself in the people’s walkways or in their shade”.
[Note: Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Hurairah, the previous reference (no. 110)]

“Beware of the three acts that cause others to curse you: relieving yourselves in a watering-place, on footpaths or shaded places.”
[Note: Reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of Mu’adh, Sahij’ Al- Jaini’ Al-Saghir (no. 112)]

This instruction in conjunction with the others were the first attempts, known in the history of mankind, to link human beings with the protection of the environment from harm in the name of religion.

Prophet’s Love For Children

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was an extraordinary husband, a perfect father, and a unique grandfather. He was unique in every way. He treated his children and grandchildren with great compassion and never neglected to direct them to the straight path and to good deeds. He loved them and treated them tenderly, but did not allow them to neglect matters related to the afterlife. He showed them how to lead a humane life and never allowed them to neglect their religious duties or to become spoiled.

His ultimate goal was to prepare them for the Hereafter. His perfect balance in such matters is another dimension of his divinely-inspired intellect.

Anas Ibn Malik, the Messenger’s helper for 10 years, says, “I have never seen a man who was more compassionate to his family members than Muhammad (peace be upon him).” (Muslim)

Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a human-like us, but Allah inspired in him such an intimate affection for every living thing that he could establish a connection with all of them. As a result, he was full of extraordinary affection toward his family members and others.

All of the Prophet’s sons died. Ibrahim, his last son, died in infancy. The Prophet (peace be upon him) often visited his son before the latter’s death, although he was very busy. Ibrahim was looked after by a nurse. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would kiss and play with him before returning home. (Muslim)

When Ibrahim took his last breaths, the eyes of the Prophet (peace be upon him) started shedding tears. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awf said, “O Allah’s Messenger, even you (weep)!” The Prophet said, “O Ibn Auf, this is mercy.” Then he wept more and said, “The eyes shed tears and the heart grieves, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your separation.” (Al-Bukhari)

The Messenger (peace be upon him) was completely balanced in the way he brought up his children. He loved his children and grandchildren very much, and instilled love in them. However, he never let his love for them be abused. None of them deliberately dared to do anything wrong. If they made an unintentional mistake, the Messenger’s protection prevented them from going even slightly astray. He did this by wrapping them in love and an aura of dignity. For example, once Hasan or Hussain wanted to eat a date meant for distribution among the poor as alms. The Messenger immediately took it from his hand, and said: “Anything given as alms is forbidden to us.” (Ibn Hanbal, Muslim)

In teaching them while they were young to be sensitive to forbidden acts, the Prophet (peace be upon him) established an important principle of education.

Whenever he returned to Madina, he would carry children on his mount. On such occasions, the Messenger (peace be upon him) embraced not only his grandchildren but also those in his house and those nearby. He conquered their hearts through his compassion. He loved all children.

He loved his granddaughter Umamah. He often went out with her on his shoulders, and even placed her on his shoulders while praying. When he prostrated, he put her down; when he had finished praying, he placed her on his back again. (Muslim)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) showed this degree of love to Umamah to teach his male followers how to treat girls. This was a vital necessity; only a decade earlier, it had been the social norm to bury infant or young girls alive. Such public paternal affection for a granddaughter had never been seen before in Arabia.

The Messenger (peace be upon him) proclaimed that Islam allows no discrimination between son and daughter. How could there be? One is Muhammad, the other is Khadijah; one is Adam, the other is Eve; one is Ali, the other is Fatima. For every great man there is a great woman.

As soon as Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger, entered the room where the Messenger was, he would stand, take her hands, and make her sit where he was sitting. He would ask about her health and family, show his paternal love for her, and compliment her.

Fatimah, knowing how fond he was of her, loved him more than her ownself. She always watched her father and how he called people to Islam. She wept and groaned when the Messenger told her that he would die soon, and rejoiced when he told her that she would be the first family member to follow him. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Her father loved her, and she loved her father