The Characteristics of Muhamad Rasul Allah

RasulAllah was a Mercy to all Mankind

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet was asked to curse the infidels. He said, "I have not been sent to curse people but as a mercy to all mankind." (Muslim)

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that she once asked the Holy Prophet 'Did you face a day severer than the day of the battle of Uhud? 'He answered:

'Yes I have experienced such things at the hands of your people and such a day was the day of Aqabah. On this day I presented myself to Abdi lail bin Abd Kulal and offered him Islam, but he failed to make any responce to what I had offered to him. I therefore, left with a heavy heart and depressed.

I felt some relieft only when I reached Qarn Sa'alib. Here I looked up and saw a cloud covering me. In this cloud I saw Angel Jibril who called me and said: Allah, the Most High, has heard what your people have said to you and the response to your offer. Allah has now sent the Angel of the Mountains to you to carry out your orders to do what you might like to be done to them.

Then the Angel of the Mountains addressed me greeting with Salam and then said: 'Muhammad! Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) has heard what your people have said to you. I am the Angel of the Mountains and my Lord has sent me to you to carry out your orders. What do you want now to be done? If you like I may crush them between the two mountains encircling the city of Makka. The Prophet replied: (I do not want their destruction) I am still hopeful that Allah will make some of their children (good Muslims) who would worship Allah, the One, without associating anybody with Him. (Bukhari and Muslim).

Last Words of Nabi Kareem S.A.W

Suddenly, there was a person, he said salaam.

'May I come in?' he asked.

But Fatimah(rt.anha) did not allow him enter the room.

'I'm sorry, my father is ill,' said Fatimah(rt,Anha), turned her body back and closed the door.

She went back to her father who had opened his eyes and asked Fatimah(rt.Anha), 'Who was he, my daughter?'

'I don't know, my father. It was the first time for me to see him,' Fatimah(rt.Anha) said gently.

Then, Rasulullah(s.a.w) looked at his daughter with trembled look, as if he wanted to reminisce about every part of her daughter's face.

'Know one thing! He is who erases the temporary pleasure; he is who separates the companionship in the world.

He is the death angel,' said Rasulullah (s.a.w).

Fatimah(rt.Anha) bore the bomb of her cry. The death angel came toward him, But Rasulullah(s.a.w) asked why Jibril(alahsalam) did not come along with him..

Then, Jibril(alahsalam) was called. Jibril(alehslam) was ready in the sky to welcome the soul of Habibullah and the leader of the earth.

'O Jibril, explain me about my rights in front of ALLAH?' Rasulullah(s.a.w) asked with a weakest voice.

'The doors of sky have opened, the angels are waiting for your soul.'

'All jannats open widely waiting for you,' Jibril(alehsalam) said..

But, in fact, all this did not make Rasulullah(s.a.w) relieved, his eyes were still full of worry..

'You are not happy to hear this news?' asked Jibril(alehsalam).

'Tell me about the destiny of my people in future?'

'Don't worry, O Rasul ALLAH(s.a.w). I heard ALLAH tell me: 'I make jannat haram for every one, except the people of Muhammad(s..a.w) who are inside it,' Jibril(alehsalam) said.

It became closer and closer, the time for Malaekat Izrail(alehsalam) to do his work.

Slowly, Rasulullah's (s.a.w)soul was pulled. It was seemed that the body of Rasulullah (s.a.w)was full of sweat; the nerves of his neck became tight.

'Jibril(alehsalam), how painful this sakaratul maut is!'

Rasulullah(s.a.w) uttered a groan slowly. Fatimah(rt.anha) closed her eyes, Ali(rt.anho) sat beside her bowed deeply and Jibril(alehsalam) turned his face back.

'Am I repugnant to you that you turn your face back o Jibril?'(alehsalam)

Rasulullah(s.a.w) asked the Deliverer of Wahy.

'Who is the one who could see the Habibullah in his condition of sakaratul maut,' Jibril(alehsalam) said..

Not for a while, Rasulullah(s.a..w) uttered a groan because of unbearable pain.

'O ALLAH, how great is this sakaratul maut. Give me all these pains, don't give it to my people.'

The body of Rasulullah(s..a.w) became cold, his feet and chest did not move anymore....

His lips vibrated as if he wanted to say something, Ali(rt.anho) took his ear close to Rasulullah(s.a.w).

'Uushiikum bis shalati, wa maa malakat aimanuku - take care of the saalat and take care the weak people among you.'

Outside the room, there were cries shouted each other, sahabah held each other. Fatimah(rt.anha) closed her face with her hands and, again, Ali(rt.anho) took his ear close to Rasulullah's(s.a.w) mouth which became bluish.

'Ummatii, ummatii, ummatii?' - 'My people, my people, my people.'

And the life of the noble man ended.

Could we love each other like him? Allahumma salle 'ala Muhammad wa baarik wa salim 'alaihi. How deep is Rasulullah's(s.a.w) love to us.

*********

The Prophesy of Prophet Muhammad in Buddhist Scriptures

1. Buddha prophesised the advent of a Maitreya:

A) Almost all Buddhist books contain this prophecy. It is in Chakkavatti Sinhnad Suttanta D. III, 76:

"There will arise in the world a Buddha named Maitreya (the benevolent one) a holy one, a supreme one, an enlightened one, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe:

"What he has realized by his own supernatural knowledge he will publish to this universe. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at its climax, glorious at the goal, in the spirit and the letter.

He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and thoroughly pure; even as I now preach my religion and a like life do proclaim. He will keep up the society of monks numbering many thousands, even as now I keep up a society of monks numbering many hundreds".

B) According to Sacred Books of the East volume 35 pg. 225:

"It is said that I am not an only Buddha upon whom the leadership and order is dependent. After me another Buddha maitreya of such and such virtues will come. I am now the leader of hundreds; he will be the leader of thousands ."

C) "According to the Gospel of Buddha by Carus pg. 217 and 218 (From Ceylon sources):

Prophet with People

"By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been stern and harsh-hearted, they would have dispersed from round about you" The noble Qur'an, A'al-Umran(3):159

Even with all of his concerns and obligations, Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) never became unmindful of his people. He had a special place in his heart for each one of them and he was known among them for his soft-spokenness, his generosity, his tolerance, and his friendliness.

He would joke with his companions, sit and talk with them, play with their children and sit them on his knee. He would respond to the call of the free man or the slave, or the young girl or the poor. He would visit the sick on the opposite end of the city and he would attend their funerals. He would accept the people's apologies and their excuses, and he was the most humble among them.

Abdullah ibn Al-Haritha narrated:

"I have never seen anyone who smiled more continuously than the Messenger of Allah (s.a.a.w.)" (Narrated by Al-Tirmathi)

Usamah ibn Zayd narrated:

"The daughter of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) sent (a messenger) to the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) requesting him to come as her child was dying. However, the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) returned the messenger and told him to convey his greeting to her and say: "Whatever Allah takes is for Him and whatever He gives is for Him. Everything with Him has a limited fixed term (in this world) and so she should be patient and hope for Allah's reward." 

She again sent for him, swearing that he should come. The Prophet (s.a.a.w.) stood up, and so did Sa'id ibn Ubadah, Mu'ath ibn Jabal, Ubay ibn Ka'ab , Zayd ibn Thabit and some other men. [When he arrived,] the child was brought to Allah's Apostle (s.a.a.w.), his chest heaving. On that the eyes of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) began shedding tears. Sa'd said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is this?" He replied, "It is mercy which Allah has lodged in the hearts of His slaves, and Allah is merciful only to those of His slaves who are merciful (to others)." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) as a Witness

Allah T'ala sent the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) as شَاهِدً

Allah T'ala says in the Holy Quran:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner. (33:45)

The meaning of the Prophet's being a "witness" is very vast. It includes three kinds of evidence:

(1) Verbal evidence, i.e. the Prophet should bear out the truth of the realities and principles on which Allah's Religion is based and tell the world plainly that they are the truth and all that is opposed to them is falsehood. He should rise to proclaim without hesitation and fear the Being of Allah and His Unity, the existence of the angels, the corning down of Revelation, the occurrence of life-after-death, the Hell and Heaven, all are realities, even if they appear strange to the world, and the people mock the one presenting them, or call him a madman. 

Likewise, the Prophet should openly present before the people the concepts, values, principles and rules pertaining to morality and civilization and social life that God has revealed to him, and reject as wrong all the concepts and ways which are prevalent and are opposed to them, even if the whole world rejects them as wrong and violates them in practice. Similarly, the Prophet should proclaim as lawful what is lawful in Allah's Law even if the whole world regards it as unlawful, and should proclaim as unlawful whatever is unlawful in Allah's Law even if the world regards it as lawful and pure.

(2) Practical evidence: That is, the Prophet in his own life should practically demonstrate all that he has been commissioned to present before the world. His life should be free from every shade of that which he calls evil, and his own character should clearly reflect that which he calls good; he should be the foremost in carrying out what he regards as obligatory, and most cautious in refraining from what he calls sinful. 

Kindness to Animals

The Prophet (pbuh) not only preached to the people to show kindness to each other but also to all living souls. He forbade the practice of cutting tails and manes of horses, of branding animals at any soft spot, and of keeping horses saddled unnecessarily. [Sahih Muslim] If he saw any animal over-loaded or Milad he would pull up the owner and say,

"Fear Allah in your treatment of animals." [Abu Dawood]

A companion came to him with the young ones of a bird in his sheet and said that the mother bird had hovered over them all along. He was directed to replace her offspring in the same bush (Mishkat, Abu Dawood)

During a journey, somebody picked up some birds eggs. The bird's painful note and fluttering attracted the attention of the Prophet (pbuh), who asked the man to replace the eggs. [Sahih Bukhari]

Justice of the Prophet

Justice of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.)

The Prophet (pbuh) asked people to be just and kind. As the supreme judge and arbiter, as the leader of men, as generalissimo [head commander and chief] of a rising power, as a reformer and apostle, he had always to deal with men and their affairs. He had often to deal with mutually inimical and warring tribes when showing justice to one carried the danger of antagonizing the other, and yet he never deviated from the path of justice. In administering justice, he made no distinction between believers and nonbelievers, friends and foes, high and low. From numerous instances reported in the traditions, a few are given below.

Sakhar, a chief of a tribe, had helped Muhammad (pbuh) greatly in the siege of Taif, for which he was naturally obliged to him. Soon after, two charges were brought against Sakhar: one by Mughira of illegal confinement of his (Mughira's) aunt and the other by Banu Salim of forcible occupation of his spring by Sakhar. In both cases, he decided against Sakhar and made him undo the wrong. [Abu Dawud]

Abdullah Bin Sahal, a companion, was deputized to collect rent from Jews of Khaibar. His cousin Mahisa accompanied him but, on reaching Khaibar, they had separated. Abdullah was waylaid and done to death. Mahisa reported this tragedy to the Prophet (pbuh) but as there were no eye-witnesses to identify the guilty, he did not say anything to the Jews and paid the blood-money out of the state revenues. [Sahih Bukhari]

Amazing Lecture on the Beautiful Friendship of Rasoolullah SAW and Abu Bakr RA

"It is from the sunnah of Allah SWT that wherever Allah SWT creates something, He always creates within that creation a higher tier..

Within the animals, you will always find there are certain animals higher in rank than other animals

Within foods, you will find that there are certain foods that are greater than other foods

Within lands, you will always find there are certain lands that are better than other lands

Within angels, you will find that out of all the millions of angels, there are 4 that outrank the others and out of these; 1 has the highest rank - Jibreel AS

About Muhammad (pbuh)

Unlike other great religious leaders, like the Buddha, Moses, and Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ), Muhammad was born relatively recently, in the late 6th century CE, about the year 570. Omid Safi, assistant professor of religion and philosophy at Colgate University, commented that Muhammad was probably the first religious leader to rise up in the full glare of history. 6

Many unusual events have been recorded about Muhammad's (pbuh) birth and childhood:

His mother said "When he was born, there was a light that issued out of my pudendum and lit the places of Syria."

Also at the time of his birth, "...fourteen galleries of Kisra's palace cracked and rolled down, the Magians' sacred fire died down and some churches on Lake Sawa sank down and collapsed."

His foster family had many experiences of amazingly good luck while he was in their care.

As a young child, the angel Jibril visited the boy, ripped his chest open, removed his heart, extracted a blood clot from it, and returned him to normalcy. 4

While still young, he was sent into the desert to be raised by a foster family. This was a common practice at the time. He was orphaned at the age of 6 and brought up by his uncle. As a child, he worked as a shepherd. He was taken on a caravan to Syria by his uncle at the age of 9 (or perhaps 12). Later, as a youth, he was employed as a camel driver on the trade routes between Syria and Arabia. Muhammad (pbuh) later managed caravans on behalf of merchants. He met people of different religious beliefs on his travels, and was able to observe and learn about Judaism, Christianity and the indigenous Pagan religions.

The Seven Phases of Prophet Muhammad's Life

Traditional scholarship's divides Prophet Muhammad's life into Makkan and Madinahn phases. This is chronologically valid and represents the two broad aspects of his life before and after the watershed event of the Migration. It is historically important and marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

Additionally I believe Muhammad's struggle can be naturally divided into seven phases. Each phase brings forth a different aspect of his personality and highlights a different facet of his mission. Studying the Messenger's mission for its various phases and analyzing its internal dynamics is important as it gives the narrative relevance for today. Since his life is better documented than the lives of other prophets and leaders of major world religions, it is possible to build this analysis on a historical foundation.

The Search for Light in a Period of Darkness: The Seeker of Truth

As his biography (Seera) is recorded we find Prophet Muhammad pondering over societal ills for years. The society he was born in was in a state of moral, religious, economic and social chaos. It is difficult to resist drawing analogies between the seventh century world and the state of the human morality in today's world at the beginning of the new millennium. 

The nuclear man-woman two-parent family, as a core unit of society has eroded seriously in the West. Brazen sexual exploitation in the media is commonplace and illicit sex condoned and even accepted. Violence at home, against women, children, and violence in the streets, is frightfully routine. 

Substance abuse is widespread, with United States as the largest consumer of drugs in the world. Alcoholism is rampant, especially among college students, with only feeble attempts being made to address the problem. African- Americans have been liberated as slaves for a century and a half, yet many are still trapped in an unending cycle of poverty and discrimination, which is in a way a form of economic slavery. Because of a system that allows unrestrained growth of wealth without encouraging proper redistribution, economic disparities and injustices continue to grow at an alarming rate.

The Beauty of Allah's Creation

The Prophet (pbuh) has said that Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty1. It is for this that the whole of Allah's creation has been designed and created according to the highest heavenly standard of splendor and order impossible to be ever emulated by anyone. According to Ibn al-'Arabi, who epitomized the Sufi speculative ontological thought, the divine beauty through which God is named "Beautiful", and by which He described Himself as loving beauty, is in all things. There is nothing in existence but beauty, for God created the cosmos only in His image, that is, in the image of His infinite beauty. Hence all cosmos with all its objects and events is beautiful.2

Allah says on this: "Such is the Creation of Allah: now show Me what is there that others besides Him have created..." (Luqman 31:11).

"...(Such is) the artistry of Allah, Who disposes of all things in perfect order..." (al-Naml 27:88).

Since man has been created as the vicegerent on earth to whose use all things in the heavens and on earth had been subjected (Luqman 31:20), man stands for an essential part of the intricate picturesque network of creation, serving the Creator's universal plan: "We have indeed created man in the best of moulds" (al-Tin 4).

"It is Allah Who has made for you the earth as a resting place, and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape - and made your shapes beautiful -, and has provided for you Sustenance..." (Gafir 40:64)

"He Who created all things in the best way and He began the creation of man from clay" (al-Sajdah 32:7).

Man is created as the most beautiful creature on earth. He is given the power of reasoning and insight. He is created as the vicegerent on earth never to be forsaken by God's words of guidance. 

Muhammad The Prophet

In the desert of Arabia was Mohammad born, according to Muslim historians, on April 20, 571. The name means highly praised. He is to me the greatest mind among all the sons of Arabia. He means so much more than all the poets and kings that preceded him in that impenetrable desert of red sand.

When he appeared Arabia was a desert -- a nothing. Out of nothing a new world was fashioned by the mighty spirit of Mohammad -- a new life, a new culture, a new civilization, a new kingdom which extended from Morocco to Indies and influenced the thought and life of three continents -- Asia, Africa and Europe.

When I thought of writing on Mohammad the prophet, I was a bit hesitant because it was to write about a religion I do not profess and it is a delicate matter to do so for there are many persons professing various religions and belonging to diverse school of thought and denominations even in same religion. Though it is sometimes, claimed that religion is entirely personal yet it can not be gain-said that it has a tendency to envelop the whole universe seen as well unseen. It somehow permeates something or other our hearts, our souls, our minds their conscious as well as subconscious and unconscious levels too.

The problem assumes overwhelming importance when there is a deep conviction that our past, present and future all hang by the soft delicate, tender silk cord. If we further happen to be highly sensitive, the center of gravity is very likely to be always in a state of extreme tension. Looked at from this point of view, the less said about other religion the better. Let our religions be deeply hidden and embedded in the resistance of our innermost hearts fortified by unbroken seals on our lips.

Medina Charter of Prophet Muhammad and Pluralism

The original Madina Charter document does not exist but the most widely read version of the Constitution is found in the pages of Ibn Ishaq's Sirah Rasul Allah (For English translation of the full text see wikisource),

The clash of civilizations, cultures, tribes, and religions seems to be prevalent throughout all of history. At the same time, history reveals simultaneous conflict and efforts to resolve tensions and division feeding animosity through mediation, diplomacy, and dialogue. Many conflicts seem too complicated for an agreement to be established on just one point, whether or not the conflict revolves around territory, religion, or ethnic discrimination. 

So what approach is best to mediate issues in a contemporary world that seems to be driven by economics, natural resources, and ethnic or religious ideologies? The Medina Charter serves as an example of finding resolve in a dispute where peace and pluralism were achieved not through military successes or ulterior motives but rather through respect, acceptance, and denunciation of war - aspects that reflect some of the basic tenets of the religion Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was guiding and promoting. Through an examination of the Medina Charter, I will show how pluralism was advanced and instated in Medina and the reasons reflecting on such a document could help avoid the divide and misunderstanding plaguing much thought, rhetoric, and media today between Muslims, Christians, and Jews all over the world.

When the Prophet was forced to immigrate to Medina, the population was "a mixture" (akhlat) of many different tribes (predominantly Arabic and Jewish), who had been fighting for nearly a century, causing "civil strife," and it was for this reason that the Prophet was summoned there (Peters 1994, 4). Tribal fighting and a lack of governance in Medina (known as Yathrib) meant disputes were dealt with "by the blade" on many occasions, which deepened the divides and fueled conflicts. 

Message and Method of the Prophet

Some of the major aspects of the mission and method of Prophet Muhammad are eloquently presented in a speech which one of his companions, Jafar ibn abi Taalib, made to the Christian ruler of Abyssinia in Africa in the year 616 CE. Jafar was the spokesman of a group of early Muslims who had sailed across the Red Sea and sought asylum in Abyssinia from the persecution of the pagan Makkans:

"0 King," he said, "We were a people steeped in ignorance, worshipping idols, eating the flesh of dead animals, committing abominations, neglecting our relations and ill-treating our neighbors, and the strong among us would oppress the weak.

"We were in this state when God sent to us a messenger from among us, whose descent and sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness and honesty were known to us.

"He summoned us to worship the One True God and to renounce the stones and idols we and our fathers used to worship apart from God.

"He ordered us to speak the truth, to fulfill all that is entrusted to us, to care for our relatives, to be kind to our neighbors, to refrain from what is forbidden and from bloodshed.

Muhammad in the Bible

Those who follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, Whom they find mentioned in their own Scriptures, in the Torah and the Gospel... (Holy Qu'ran: VII - 157; Translation: Yusif Ali)

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD

Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through His second son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophets including such towering figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace and blessings be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was in partial fulfillment of God's promises to bless the nations of earth through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis12:2-3). Such fulfillment is wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in and respect of all prophets an article of faith.

BLESSINGS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC

Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants included in God's covenant and promise? A few verses from the Bible may help shed some light on this question;

Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants before any child was born to him.

Genesis 17:4 reiterates God's promise after the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac.

In Genesis, ch. 21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was also specifically blessed and promised by God to become "a great nation" especially in Genesis 21:13, 18.

According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social status of his mother (being a "free" woman such as Sarah, Isaac's mother, or a "Bondwoman" such as Hagar, Ishmael's mother). This is only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all revealed faiths.

The full legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham's son and "seed" and the full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham's wife are clearly stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite messenger and prophet, it was time that God's promise to bless Ishmael and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600years after Jesus, came the last messenger of God, Muhammad, from the progeny of Abraham through Ishmael. God's blessing of both of the main branches of Abraham's family tree was now fullfilled. But are there additional corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent of prophet Muhammad?

MUHAMMAD: The Prophet Like Unto Moses

Long time after Abraham, God's promise to send the long-awaited Messenger was repeated this time in Moses' words.

In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is:

From among the Israelite's "brethren", a reference to their Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was explicitly promised to become a "great nation".

Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Farewell Sermon

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds.

 ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived...

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

Respect the things associated with Prophet

Another element of the one's reverence and esteem for Beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is found in all things and places connected to him in Makkah al-Mukarrama, Madinah al-Munawwarah and elsewhere.

Hadrat Saffiyah bint Najda Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anha tells us that Abu Madhura Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had a long lock of hair on his forehead that touched the ground when he sat down. When he was asked why he did not cut it he replied, "I will not cut off something that the hand of the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him touched." [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 62]

The Sword of Islam, Hadrat Sayyiduna Khalid Ibn Waleed Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had some strands of the Prophet's of hair that he placed inside his cap. During one of the battles the cap fell off whereupon he fought zealously to retrieve it. He told his companions that he had not fought for the sake of the cap, rather he had fought to retrieve the strands of the Prophet's hair that were tucked within it so that he would not be deprived of their blessing, and also to avoid them falling into the hands of the unbelievers. [Majma' az-Zawaid, Vol. 9, Page 349 – Mustadrik, Vol. 3, Page 239]

Ibn al-Sakan narrated through Safwan ibn Hubayra from the latter's father: Thabit al-Bunani said: Anas ibn Malik said to me (on his death-bed): "This is one of the hairs of Allah's Messenger, Allah's blessings and peace upon him. I want you to place it under my tongue." Thabit continued: I placed it under his tongue, and he was buried with it under his tongue." [al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-sahaba (Calcutta - 1853), Vol. 1, Page 72]

Hadrat Sayyiduna Ibn Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho was seen placing his hand on the seat of the Beloved Prophet's pulpit and then wipe it over his face. [Dalail an-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 6, Page 249]

Abu Abd ar-RaHman Salma Alaihir raHma narrated from Ahmad Ibn Fadlwiya Zahid Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anho that he was a famous archer in Battles. He says that he never touched his bow without Ablution from the time Beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him) took it in his Blessed Hands. [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 63]

It was on account of the esteem Imam Malik Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anho had for the Prophet Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him that we would not ride a mount in Madinah al-Munawwarah. He would say, "I am too shy before Allah SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala to trample with the hoof of an animal upon the earth in which the Messenger of Allah Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon Him is buried." [Ash-Shifa, Vol 2, Page 63]

The Beloved Prophet Cleanliness

The Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was blessed by Allah with the extra special quality of being free from all forms of uncleanliness and bodily defects. These qualities were special for him and no one else has ever been privileged with such qualities. Moreover, the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam said, "The religion is based on cleanliness." [Sunan Tirmidhi, Vol 4, Page 18]

When the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was born he was already circumcised and his umbilical cord cut. [Dalail an-Nabuwwah li Abi Nu'aym, Vol 1, Page 153 - Tibrani, Vol 8, Page 238]

His mother Syeda Aamina Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anha reported, "He was clean when he was born and there was no trace of impurity upon him." [Tabqat Ibn Sa'ad, Vol 1, Page 12]

The Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam was adorned with the sweetest of fragrances, as was his perspiration. Anas commented, "I have never smelled amber, musk or any other (perfume) more fragrant than the aroma of the Messenger of Allah." [Sahih Muslim, Vol 4, Page 1814]

If the sweat of my rose is given to the bride;

She will instantly put her roses and her perfumes aside!!

One day the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam touched the cheek of Jabir, Samura's son and Jabir said, "I felt a cool sensation and his hand was fragrant, it was as if he had withdrawn it from a sachet of perfume." [Sahih Muslim, Vol 4, Page 1814]

Jabir also said, "When the Prophet walked down a road, anyone who happened to pass along the same road knew he had been there on account of his fragrance." [Sahih Muslim, Vol 4, Page 1815]

When the prophet walked along any street;

The entire earth became fragrant and sweet!!

On another occasion Jabir rode behind the Prophet SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam and put his mouth upon the seal of his prophecy between his shoulders and its fragrance spread over him like musk. [Tareekh Ibn Asakir, Vol 5, Page 361]

Proclaiming Ya Rasool-Allah (Salallaho Alaihi Wasallam)

The sensitive issue of whether or not Muslims can call upon the Holy Prophet(SAW) by proclaiming the words 'Ya Rasulullah' needs to be clarified effectively, sincethis issue divides the Muslim community and causes untold pain and friction among the Muslim communities throughout the world.

There are basically two schools of thought, one that says that calling upon the Holy Prophet(SAW) is 'shirk' and that any Muslim proclaiming 'Ya Rasulullah' in factgoes outside the pale of Islam and becomes a mushrik. Thus, such a person needs to take the 'shahadah' again in order to became a Muslim or he remains a 'mushrik'.

The following statements make clear the beliefs and ideology of this school of thought:

1."Most people call out to the spiritual guides, the Prophets, the Imams, the martyrs, the angels, the devils and the fairies in times of distress and ask them to redress their needs. They also give them offerings for this purpose. Thus they indulge in polytheism.(Taqwiyat-ul-Imaan,P5-6, by Ismail Dehlvi)

2."How can anyone be the redresser of needs, the solver of difficulties and holder of one's hand? People holding such beliefs are out and out polytheist. They cannoteven be allowed to get married to Muslims. And those people who are informed about their evil thoughts and even then do not call them 'apostates and polytheist'are polytheists themselves in the same degree. (Jawaahir-ul-Quraan, P147, by Ghulam Khan, Rawalpindi)

3."He who seeks help from anyone except Allah is, in fact, a thorough polytheist. There is none in the world as bad as he. Curse be upon such a person from all(creatures) in the world." "To ask for fulfilment of ones needs and invoke them(i.e. Prophets & Saints) is the way of the polytheist". (Tazkeer-ul-Akhwaan,P83 &P343, by Ismail Dehlvi).

The above statements belong to the Wahhabi/ Deobandi/ Tabligh Jamaat scholars according to whom it is a great sin to proclaim 'Ya Rasulullah' with the intentionthat the Holy Prophet(SAW) can hear such a call for help. Also seeking the 'waseela'(intercession) of the Holy Prophet(SAW) is deemed as polytheism by this school of thought.

Let us now examine the beliefs of the other school of thought, namely the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, who believe it is permissible to proclaim 'Ya Rasulullah'according to Islamic Law. The following proofs have been forwarded by this school of thought in their support:

1. Imam Bukhari(RA) in his Kitaabu Adaabul Mufrad has written that Hazrat Adullah ibn Omar(RA) once suffered from cramp. Someone advised him to rememberthe person whom he loved most. The great Companion then proclaimed loudly: "Ya Muhammad", it is recorded that he was immediately relieved of the cramps.

2. Imam Tabraani(RA) in his Muh'jam records the following incident: "A person in dire need once visited Ameerul Mu'mineen Hazrat Uthman Ghani(RA). The Caliphthough, due to other work, did not pay much heed to this man. The person thereafter went to Hazrat Uthman bin Hanif(RA) and complained about the matter.

Hazrat Uthman bin Hanif(RA) ordered the man to perform Wudhu, enter the Masjid and offer two rakaats of Nafil Salaah, he was then to recite the following Du'a:

"O Allah, I beg of you and I seek your Assistance, with the Waseela of Your Beloved Prophet(SAW) who is the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad!, I turn to Allahwith your Waseela so that my needs be fulfilled!.

The man was then told to mention his need. After completion he and Hazrat Uthman bin Hanif(RA) both visited the august court of the Caliph. The man wassuccessful in his encounter with the Caliph and thanked Hazrat Uthman bin Hanif(RA) for mentioning him to the Caliph. But Hazrat Uthman bin Hanif (RA) repliedthat he had not approached the Caliph at all, he then stated: