36 Ways and Habits of the Holy Prophet (Collection of Traditions Compiled by Sir Zafrulla Khan) Kharijah bin Zaid bin Thabit has related: A party came to my father and asked him: Tell us something about the Messenger of Allah. He said to them: What would you like to hear about him? I was his neighbour. When he received a revelation he would send for me and I would write it down. When we mentioned a worldly matter he would talk to us about it: when we mentioned the Hereafter he would talk to us about that; when we talked of food, he would instruct us about food. All this I am telling you is about the Holy Prophet. Amr bin Aas has related: The Messenger of Allah would face and pay attention to the least person in his company to give him pleasure. He did the same to me till I began to fancy myself the best of the lot. So I asked him one day: Messenger of Allah, am I better or Abu Bakr? He said: Abu Bakr. Then I asked him: Messenger of Allah, am I better or Umar? He said: Umar. Then I asked him: Messenger of Allah, am I better or Usman? He said Usman. Thus whenever I asked him he told me the truth. Later, I felt remorseful and wished I had not asked him. Anas bin Malik has related: I served the Messenger of Allah for ten years. He never said “Ugh”! to me; nor did he say: Why did you do this?, nor: Why did you not do this? The Messenger of Allah was the most kindly disposed of men. Anas bin Malik has related: Once a man was seated in the company of the Messenger of Allah wearing a yellow garment. The Messenger of Allah did not like saying anything disagreeable to anyone. After the man left, he said: I wish you had told him to stop wearing yellow. Ayesha has related: The Messenger of Allah never uttered an indecency, nor did he raise his voice in the street, nor requited evil with evil; but forgave and forbore. Ayesha has related: Except in battle, the Messenger of Allah never struck anyone with his own hand, neither a servant, nor a woman. Ayesha has related: I do not recall the Messenger of Allah having exacted retribution for any personal wrong inflicted upon him. But if a Divine injunction was contravened no one was incensed more than he was. Whenever he was permitted a choice between two courses, he always adopted REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 37 the easier of the two, provided it did not involve any disobedience of Allah’s commandments. Zaid bin Saanah has related: I was a Jew. I had discovered in the Messenger of Allah all the signs that had been foretold concerning the Prophet of the latter days, except two, which I had not had the opportunity to observe or experience. One was that his gentleness would overcome his anger, and the other was that his forbearance would be greater than the rudeness of an opponent. I began to visit him, hoping to find an opportunity of putting these qualities of his to the test. One day he came out of his chamber accompanied by Ali. A desert Arab came up and said to him: Messenger of Allah, my people have embraced Islam. I had told them: If you become Muslims, Allah will make abundant provision for you. Now we are in the midst of famine. I am fearful lest they should abjure Islam. If you see fit will you provide some assistance for them? The Messenger of Allah turned to Ali, who told him nothing was available. I was watching, and stepping forward said: Muhammad, if you will agree to deliver to me in due season such a quantity of dates from so and so’s garden, I shall advance the price to you here and now. He said: I can agree only if you will not insist on the condition that the dates must be from a particular garden. I agreed to that and paid over eighty misqals (about 18 ounces) of gold as advance price of the dates. The Holy Prophet handed over the gold to the desert Arab saying: Relieve your distress with this, and act fairly. When the time for the delivery of the dates approached, I saw the Messenger of Allah sitting with some of his companions including Abu B akr, Umar and Usman, near a wall, after attending the funeral of a deceased Muslim. I approached the Holy Prophet and seizing the ends of his shirt, said rudely: Muhammad, you have not paid me my due. By God, I should have known all you descendants of Abdul Muttalib never pay your debts. Umar stared angrily at me and said: Enemy of Allah, how dare you say this? Were it not that I would not dare to affront the Messenger of Allah, I would strike off thy head! The Holy Prophet was looking calmly at me. He reproved Umar, Zaid and I were in need of something different. You should have urged me to perform my obligation handsomely and should have counselled Zaid to adopt a more conciliatory tone in demanding his right. Now go with him and arrange to deliver to him that which is due to him^ and a hundredweight of dates over and above that as compensation for the language you have employed for him. Umar took me with him and delivered the agreed quantity of dates to me plus a hundredweight more. I asked him: How is this? He said: The Messenger of Allah so directed me. I said to Umar: Do you know me? He said: No. I told him I am Zaid, son of Saanah. Umar said: Are you the one who is reckoned one of the principal divines of the Jews? I said: The same. Umar said: It is strange that being such a person you behaved so churlishly towards the Messenger of Allah. I 38 WAYS AND HABITS OF THE HOLY PROPHET explained: Of the signs of his righteousness, I had not yet been able to observe or experience two: one, that his gentleness would prevail over his anger; and, second, that his forbearance would be greater than the churlishness of his opponent. I have now experienced both. I make you my witness that I accept Islam, and that half my fortune shall be devoted to the service of my fellow Muslims. Zaid then went to the Messenger of Allah and embraced Islam, and thereafter participated in several campaigns. He achieved martyrdom in the Battle of Tabuk. Ayesha has related: A certain person requested the permission of the Messenger of Allah to come in and see him, when I was with him. He said: The worst of his tribe; but gave him permission. When he came in, the Holy Prophet spoke very gently to him. When he left, I said: Messenger of Allah, you said about him what you said, and then you spoke so gently to him. He said: Ayesha, he would be the worst of people whom others should avoid fearing the roughness of his tongue. Husain bin Ali has related: I asked my father: How did the Messenger of Allah comport himself towards his companions? He said: The Messenger of Allah was always cheerful and courteous, gentle, neither rough nor harsh; he did not shout nor indulge in vulgarity. He did not find fault, nor did he praise extravagantly. He did not pay attention to that which he did not like. If he did not approve of that which a person desired he would neither promise it nor reject it altogether. He kept himself away from controversy, arrogance and vanity. He did not denigrate anyone, nor charge anyone with a default, nor search for shortcomings. He talked only of beneficent matters. When he spoke, those present listened to him with the utmost attention and hung upon his every word. They talked only when he was silent. No one raised a contention in his presence. When any of them spoke, the rest heard him out in silence. He listened to everyone with attention, as if the person speaking was the very first person to speak. He laughed with the rest, and was pleased with that which gave them pleasure. He suffered the uncouthness and stupidity of strangers patiently, who were sometimes brought in by one or other of his companions. He urged his companions to help the needy. He did not like to hear his own praise. If anyone spoke in gratitude he did not stop him. He did not interrupt anyone; but if anyone said something improper he would stop him or withdraw himself. Jabir bin Abdullah has related: The Messenger of Allah never refused anyone anything. Ibn Abbas has related: The Messenger of Allah was the most generous of men and his generosity knew no bounds during the month of Ramadhan. During this month on such occasions when the Archangel Gabriel recited the REVIEW OF RELIGIONS 39 Quran to him Ms generosity sped faster than the cloud driving winds that bring rain. Anas bin Malik has related: The Holy Prophet never stored up anything for the morrow. Abu Hurairah has related: The Messenger of Allah saw a heap of dates with Bilal, and asked him: What is this? He said: These will be stored up against future need. The Holy Prophet said: Are you not afraid that on the Day of Judgment you may be afflicted with some smoke from the Fire on account of them? Give them away Bilal, and have no fear that the Lord of the Throne will leave thee in want. Umar has related: A person in need came to the Messenger of Allah and asked for help. The Holy Prophet said: I have nothing with me at the moment, but buy what you need on my credit and as soon as something comes to hand I shall settle the account. On this, I said: Messenger of Allah, you have given away all you had, and Allah has laid no obligation on you concerning that which you have not (2.287; 65.8). This did not seem to please the Holy Prophet. A man of the Ansar said: Messenger of Allah, give as thou pleasest and have no apprehension that the Lord of the Throne will restrict thee. The Messenger of Allah smiled, and his countenance lit up with pleasure. He said: Thus have I been commanded. Bilal was asked: How did the Messenger of Allah manage his expenses? He said: The Holy Prophet kept nothing with himself. Everything was left to me till the end. When anyone came to him ill-clad or hungry, he asked me to make provision for him. I would borrow some money and procure food and clothing for him. One day one of the idolaters came to me and said: I am very well off. Whenever you are in need you can borrow from me, you need go to no one else. I began to borrow from him. One day I had just washed and was about to make the call to Prayer, when he came up accompanied’by some other tradesmen and on seeing me called out: O thou negro! I said: Here I am. He started reproaching me very rudely and then asked: How many days are left out of this month? I answered: The month is drawing to a close. He said: Only four days are left of it. If you do not repay the money you owe me, within that period, I shall put you in bondage for the sum and you will be set to grazing goats as you used to do in your days of slavery. I was greatly upset by his talk. After evening Prayer I went to the Messenger of Allah and related the incident to him. I added: Messenger of Allah, how can the amount be repaid within such a short period? Neither you nor I have anything with us. If you will permit me, I shall disappear and shall return after you have paid off the debt, for, otherwise he will subject me to sore humiliation. Next morning, a man came running to me before the dawn Prayer and said: The Messenger of Allah calls you. When I appeared before him, he said: Allah has arranged for the repayment of your loan. These four camels that you see are loaded with 40 REVIEW OF RELIGIONS goods sent as a gift by the governor of Fidak. I paid off the loan during the course of the morning, and told the Messenger of Allah: You have been relieved by Allah of the burden of your debt. He asked: Is anything left over after clearing off the debt? I said: Something is left over. He directed: Distribute it among the poor, that I may feel at ease. When the day ended, something was still left over. After the evening Prayer, the Holy Prophet enquired about it and I said: Not many people have come. There is still something left over. The Messenger of Allah did not retire to his chamber that night and spent the night in the mosque. Next day he enquired again from me after the evening Prayer, and I said: Allah has relieved you of the burden, Messenger of Allah. It has all been distributed. The Holy Prophet praised Allah and went to his chamber. Ayesha has related: The Holy Prophet accepted gifts and always made a better return. – Progress of Ahmadiyyat – The True Islam – The study -of history shows that those who are vilifying and persecuting are subsequently put in the position of those who have been vilified and persecuted. No amount of misrepresentation or vilification or persecution has ever succeeded in destroying a community more particularly a religious community. Rememberthis that whatever circumstances a man passes through, those are meant for his preparation and his training. I firmly believe that our community is at present passing through a course of tribulation by way of preparation forthe obligations that are bound to be laid upon our shoulders as time passes, and for the functions that we must discharge if we are to be the torchbearers of truth and the spiritual leaders of mankind. In order that we should carry this message to the uttermost ends of the earth we must be tried, persecuted and vilified and put to all sorts of inconveniences and annoyances and troubles and if we are able to bear that vilification and persecution, we shall have discharged the obligation laid upon us. We cannot fit ourselves for our great task until we pass through that fire. It is necessary that we should qualify ourselves by service. Persecution will purify us and outward good work help us to serve the best interest of mankind as torch-bearers of enlightenment for the human race. (Sir Zafrulla Khan)
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