20 Lessons from the Prophet’s morals in celebration of His Birth
People are searching for ways to make this world a place full of humanity and peace. To change the world, one must nurture through inspiration. Those who have succeeded before us can be taken as inspiration. They may be loving parents, influential leaders, model teachers, and many more like them.
What if you did not have to look at thousands or hundreds or even ten figures to find all these traits? What if you could find all these qualities and inspiration by looking at the life of just a single person? What if you could see, hear, understand, and carry out change from learning about a man who mastered all these roles plus more?
The famous Michael Hart ranked The Greatest Man of All Times #1 in his book The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. Even his enemies could only say good about him.
The birth of the Messenger of God was an outpouring of Divine Mercy in respect to human history. The Qur’an describes the presence of the Prophet PBUH as a “mercy to mankind.”
Celebrating the birth of the Messenger of God is amongst the best actions and the best acts of drawing near to God as it is an expression of happiness and love for the Prophet PBUH is from the fundamentals of faith. It is narrated that he said in a rigorously authentic Hadith,
“By the One in whose hands is my soul, none of you truly possess faith until I am more beloved to them than his parents and children.”, and he also said, “None of you truly believe until I am more beloved to him than his parents, children, and all people.”
God has made known to the world the rank of His Prophet PBUH, so he made known to the entire existence his name, his prophetic commission, his spiritual rank, and his place with Him. Therefore, the universe is in constant happiness and absolute bliss as a result of the light of God, His relief, His proof, and His blessing to the world.
Celebrating the birth of our beloved Prophet PBUH by enlivening the eve of his birth by various pious acts and righteous deeds, such as fasting, feeding the poor, reciting the Qur’an, Dua, Zikr, invoking, singing religious odes, especially odes in praise of Him in a way that does not conflict or contradict the teachings and etiquette of the Noble Qur’an and the Prophetic Sunnah, out of love for the Messenger of Allah, reviving his Sunnah, and spreading his remembrance in order to draw closer to Allah.
Is this even possible to find all these roles in a single person?
What if I told you the best person who possessed more than these roles?
What if I told you about the greatest person in the world| The best man in the world that ever lived.
What if I told you about the most influential person in the world in 2021 whose life could inspire 1.7 billion people in today’s world?
Over a billion people love his true story. Do you?
Muhammad the best human ever to walk on earth was born 1400 years ago in Mecca, a city in Saudi Arabia. He was chosen by Allah. Long before His Mission (Da’wah), He got the Title of Al-Sadiq (Trustworthy) and Al-Amin (Honest). In this regard, human history shows itself that there has been no one better than Him in every regard even before Him as well.
Islam is a wonderful religion and the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), is the greatest person in the history of mankind, But, unfortunately, most Muslims don’t follow Islamic teachings and they hardly learn from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). If anyone wants to know about Islam, one should judge Islam by Prophet’s (PBUH) life and his teachings.
The Muslim World is on a rapid increase since the time of Prophet Muhammad. It is currently the quickest spreading second largest followed religion on the planet. Allah loves Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his Household (PBUT) the most. And the Prophet (PBUH) has always done everything that Allah ordered.
Prophet Muhammad has said:
“If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you.” Allah has mentioned in the Quran for his Habib, “Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah, an excellent model.” (33:22)
All the characteristics of Allah are lovely and adorable. The individual of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the ideal appearance of the attributes of Allah.
In Surah Al-Qalam, Allah says, “And thou dost unquestionably have high good excellence.” (68:5)
The innumerable books written about the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shed ample light on his life history, dates, and events being a person of best manners and moral values.
There never was anyone like Muhammad (peace be on him) whose life has been recorded in such meticulous detail, and there never was anyone in history like Muhammad (PBUH) whose exemplary deeds are so closely emulated in their daily lives by so many people from so many countries and regions of this world, and to this day.
In a brief span of 23 years of his prophetic life, Muhammad (PBUH) was able to transform the faith, morality, daily life, and the very mindset of all the varied tribes of Arabia. Within a hundred years his message had changed the hearts and lives of millions in different parts of the world.
The key factor that brings reverence and respect to Prophet in both Islamic and non-Islamic circles is His character. He was the best in character and He also said in one of His:
❝God has sent me to perfect good manners and to do good deeds. ❞ [Bukhari]
Have you ever wondered who Prophet Muhammad is? Why he is ranked the most influential man in history? Why do Muslims revere Prophet Muhammad and take him as a role model? What qualities did he possess?
Indeed, it would be impossible to give this article a detailed account of the varied aspects of the personality of Muhammad (PBUH). Therefore, I would highlight a few aspects of His personal life that every Muslim should follow as much as possible.
Learn Quran, Arabic & Islamic Online
Explore 20 of the greatest morals of the Prophet PBUH
1. He Devoted His Life To Allah
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a person of utmost care and admiration as someone could be throughout normal life. He devoted His whole life to Allah. He did everything to seek Allah’s closeness.
The level of His generosity is noticed when He proclaims in the valley of Taif. During His lecture, some people asked the naughty kids to tease Him by throwing stones. Drained in blood, He made to leave the city for His survival. At that time, Jibraeel came and asked Muhammad if He wished, Allah could crush them by collapsing these two mountains encircling the people of Taif. Despite all this torture, He didn’t ask to punish the people of Taif. Instead, He prayed for them.
2. He Was A Person Of The Best Manners
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gifted the Ummah with a complete code of life. He used to treat people, even non-believers, with good manners which made Him the most influential and ideal person in Arabia.
Ayesha (R.A) noted,” His morals counted on the Quran”.
In the Quran, Allah has applauded Him and said,
“And most certainly you fulfill (yourself) to sublime integrity.” (68:4)
He was an Ideal being in terms of manners and ethics, the likes of which the world has not seen.
As one of His companions notes about His manners:
❝The Prophet did not swear at anyone, nor was He rude, nor did He curse anyone. If He desired to reprimand someone, He would say: ‘What is wrong with him, may dust be cast in his face!❞ [Bukhari]
Thus if a Muslim is to give an example of the manners of someone, there would be none more suitable than Muhammad.
3. Good Sense Of Humor
The majority of people think that being a preacher of Islam, the Prophet had nothing to do with humor. This attention isn’t right. He had a good taste in humor but He didn’t mock or ridicule anyone.
He used to make kindhearted jokes to His fellows.
He used to chuckle with His wives.
He messed with His companion delightfully and enjoyed the company of kids too.
His sense of humor was not vulgar in any sense or anything that would debase or make fun of someone, rather it was fine.
Anas (R.A) reports such an example by saying:
❝Once a man asked Muhammad for an animal to ride. He replied that He would give him the baby of a she-camel to ride on. The man asked ‘What would he do with a she-camel baby?’ he replied, ‘Is there any camel which is not born of a she-camel?’❞
4. Most Generous Person
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was recognized for His generosity long before His Prophethood. He was known by the titles of Sadiq and Amin.
The moment when He got His first revelation, He rushed home trembling from the event. Khadija (R.A), remembered Him, “Allah could never offend you. You are good to your family; You keep your promise. You help the needy ones, You support the orphans, and you rush to help the individuals who are in trouble.”
The giving of charity, whether it be through the giving of food and material goods or through being kind to others, is one of the most important lessons from the Holy Prophet. The act of selflessness, and the act of giving to others in whatever capacity available to you, is a key aspect of being a practicing Muslim, something we can all learn from the personal actions of the Holy Prophet himself.
He preferred others over Himself and always fulfilled the needs of anyone who came to Him to ask for something.
One of His companions notes:
❝The Prophet (PBUH) did not refuse to give anything which He had to someone if he asked for it. ❞ [Bukhari]
His generosity is something that Muslims should aspire to and spread the examples of His generosity to other people as well so that the world could become a better place.
5. Love For Kids
Prophet always treated kids with kindness and mercy. He always enjoyed their company and played with them to make them happy.
One such example can be seen from His life when He used to say to kids:
❝I’ll give such and such (i.e. gift or so) to the one who comes to me first. ❞
So they used to race and fall on His back and chest. This shows His treatment towards kids and there are countless other examples in His life where He commanded parents to be loving and caring towards their children.
6. Respect And Care For Women
Another allegation against Islam is that it is a religion that oppresses women, therefore, being the bringer of the religion, he is also attributed with women oppressing attributes.
This perception is also wrong because Prophet was very caring about the rights of the women and commanded His followers to give special treatment to women by giving them respect and equal rights that they ought to have.
Before Islam, women were facing humiliation and discrimination.
In one of His Hadiths He said:
❝Whoever (brings up) two girls till they come of age, will be in the next world along with me, like my two fingers joining each other. ❞ [Abu Dawud]
If He were an oppressor of women, He could have simply mentioned male orphan children, however, He gave preference to raising female children. This shows the care He had for women and their rights.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stressed giving women regard and equivalent rights. He said that the best among you is the one who is best with his family. And I’m the best to my family
Prophet Muhammad used to well-treat his wives by feeding them with his own hands. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “whatever you spend considered charity even the mouthful that you put in your wife’s mouth.”
Even the food that one feeds his wife with his hands is a demonstration of charity rewarded by Allah. It is not just an activity that guarantees her adoration and participation.
7. Concerned About Orphans
In society, Prophet Muhammad was particularly sympathetic to the orphans and would applaud His followers to take personal care of the orphans. He mentioned that the best house is the one in which orphans are treated well.
Prophet did not just love those who were around Him, nor did He only love those who were related to Him, rather He considered the entire society.
In one of His Hadiths, He said:
❝Among Muslims, the best house is the one that keeps an orphan well treated, and the worst house is the one that keeps an orphan badly treated. ❞ [Ibn Majah]
8. Peace Lover
The general notion regarding Islam and Prophet is that they both encouraged violence in people and were and are not in favor of peace. It is totally baseless because the religion Islam itself is peace and Prophet was a lover of peace.
He wanted people to live in harmony and always encouraged people to resolve their differences by opting for peace, instead of going for violence.
In One of His Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
❝Let us go to resolve the situation and make peace between them.❞ [Bukhari]
Thus, Muslims should spread His message of peace by giving examples of the actions He undertook to ensure peace.
9. Pleasantness
Another misconception is that Prophet (PBUH) would be someone who would always be harsh and strict with the people He interacted with. It is also a wrong perception because Prophet was the most pleasant person.
He would greet everyone with a smile and always spoke to people with gentleness.
His companion said about Him:
❝I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the Messenger of Allah.❞ [Tirmidhi]
This shows that the personality of the Prophet was pleasant and gentle.
A person who would smile most of the time ought to leave a good impression on people, and wherever He would go He ought to have spread love and pleasantness.
10. Free From Worldly Desires
A person who is so selfless that He would give anything that He had to anyone who asked for it and would do everything for the sake of Allah, it is quite natural that person has little or no concern with worldly possessions.
Prophet did not want anything from this world, rather whatever He had He spent it on other people and helped them solve their material problems and issues.
Regarding this attribute of His personality, one of His companions notes:
❝The Messenger of Allah did not leave any gold or silver currency, or a slave, male or female, after his death. He only left behind his white mule, his weapons, and a piece of land which He declared as charity. ❞ [Bukhari]
The Prophet’s diet was as formal as His contemporaries. The Prophet usually ate bread made with grain flour. Sometimes, He used to have just a bit of food dipped in milk.
A Hadith clarifies that “The Prophet’s stomach never became filled with food.”
11. Humbleness
The Prophet loved the company of the poor people, and he used to pray, “O Allah, keep me poor in my life and at my death, and raise me at resurrection among those who are poor” (An-Nasa’i).
He advised the people to live simple lives and himself practiced great austerities.
The Prophet said about himself,
“Allah has sent me as messenger so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners, and loftiness of deportment” (Malik).
“What have I to do with worldly things? My connection with the world is like that of a traveler resting for a while underneath the shade of a tree and then moving on.”
Allah says in the Qur’an what means:
{You have indeed in the Messenger of God [Muhammad] a beautiful pattern [of conduct] for anyone whose hope is God and the Final Day}. (Al-Ahzab 33:21)
12. Full Of Mercy
The prophet bears the qualities of His Lord. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the most merciful person in the world. He has never taken revenge even though He possessed the power to retaliate. He would never cause any harm to His enemies.
During the battle of Uhud, the Prophet got injured by the attack of an enemy. He didn’t ask his followers to retaliate. Instead, He prayed
“Oh Allah, allow forgiveness to my nation for they do not know.”
13. Modest Behavior
He is indistinct of all and never motivated any sort of immorality; somewhat He impeded and honestly empowered modesty in His proponents. The degree of His modesty can be seen throughout His life.
On the day when Muslims built the mosque in Madina, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took part in this initiative. Everyone carried one brick while He conveyed two blocks doing His part.
Another day when a channel was burrowing to protect Madina, His companions bound stones around their belly to control hunger, He bound two stones
14. Honesty
The Prophet (PBUH) was the most honest man throughout his lifetime. Even the unbelievers consider him to be the most honest, and people have always believed him. They would trust him with their supplies for safekeeping as they knew he was honest.
One of his wives said:
“The trait and characteristic which the Prophet (PBUH) hated most were lying. A man would tell a lie in the presence of the Prophet (PBUH), and he would hold it against him until he knew that he repented.” (Tirmidhi #1973).
Even his foes verified his honesty. Abu Jahl, who was perhaps the harshest adversary of Islam, stated: “O Muhammad! I don’t state that you are a liar! I just deny what you brought and what you call individuals to”.
God, the Exalted, says:
“We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves you, but surely they do not call you a liar, but the unjust deny the verses of God.” [6:33]
15. Cooperative Human Being
The prophet is the best and the highest among people, however, whilst all the greatness and grandeur, He was cooperative towards people and helped others in doing the chores in any way He could help them. He never treated Himself as someone special, rather He would mix with common people and cooperate with them in any way He could.
As one of His companions narrates regarding the battle of Trench:
❝I saw the Messenger of Allah on the Day of the Trench carrying dirt (that was dug from the trench) until His chest was covered with dirt. ❞ [Bukhari]
Thus, a Muslim must also not value status or rank, but rather be helping people and give his or her fair share in the efforts that all of the people are putting.
In this regard, Aisha was once asked how the Prophet (PBUH) kept going with his kin.
She stated: “He helped and assisted his household with their tasks, but when the time for prayer came, He would quit everything and depart to attend the prayers.
16. Pleasing Attitude
The Prophet was the most pleasant person. He would welcome everyone with an open heart and a smile on His face. He always addressed his followers with tenderness and a smile. He used to play with kids and express his love wherever He went. Even in the toughest circumstances, He never lost His pleasantness. His Delicate character put a decent impact on the lives of His companions and spread positivity among them.
His companion said about Him:
“I have never observed a man who smiled as much as the Messenger of Allah.” [Tirmidhi].
A person who would smile most of the time ought to leave a good impression on people, and wherever He would go He ought to have spread love and pleasantness. This shows that the personality of the Prophet was pleasant and gentle.
17. Kind-Hearted For Animals
Beyond doing good to one another, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. also showed how we should treat other living creatures with love and mercy. He warned against harming the animals. He advised people that animals were also creations of Allah and they had the right to be treated fairly. In a hadith,
“A woman was punished because of a cat which she kept locked up until it died, and she entered Hell because of it, because she did not feed it or give it water when she kept it locked up, neither did she let it eat from the vermin of the earth.”
“A man was rewarded when he went down a well and filled his shoe with water to let a thirsty dog drink. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him”.
Aisha (R.A) narrated:
❝ Once I felt a problem riding a horse, I kept reining it again and again. The Prophet (PBUH) then said, ‘You must show gentleness.’❞ [Muslim]
Once during a journey, somebody picked up some bird’s eggs. The bird’s painful note and fluttering attracted the attention of the Prophet (PBUH), who asked the man to replace the eggs (Al-Bukhari).
Also as his army marched towards Makkah to conquer it, they passed a female dog with puppies. The Prophet (PBUH) not only gave orders that they should not be disturbed but posted a man to see that this was done.
18. Love Trumps Hate
Prophet (PBUH) taught us that we need to be better at confronting hate, rather than stooping to the same level as those who promote hate. We need to have a bigger heart and be better than those who spread negativity. Allah s.w.t tells us in Surah Al-Fussilat,
“Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel that which is evil with that which is better”. (Surah Fussilat, 41:34)
As the embodiment of the Quranic values, our beloved Prophet Muhammad had shown the ideal virtues such as, in many instances, how to rise above hate and enmity. He emphasized that forgiveness is greater than revenge, perseverance is larger than retaliation and love is better than hate.
19. Leniency
The Prophet (PBUH) was lenient as he never punished or forced anyone throughout his life. Also, the non-believers were encouraged to enter Islam, and no one was ever forced to convert. The Prophet never prayed harm for anyone, no matter what they had done.
When a few allies went to the Prophet (PBUH) griping about a clan, in particular the Dua, who would not acknowledge Islam, requesting that he revile them. The Prophet (PBUH) lifted his hands in supplication and rather stated:
“O Allah, guide the tribe of Daws and bring them to Islam!”
20. Being Kind To Your Neighbors
“Anyone who believes in God and the day of judgment should not harm his neighbor. Anyone who believes in God and the day of judgment should entertain his guest generously and should say what is good, or keep quiet.” (Sahih Bukhari)
The Holy Prophet taught us that by being kind to your neighbors you are also helping build a better Islamic community as well, and that kindness to those around you, whether they be neighbors or strangers, will help build a better relationship between you and Allah.
Not only should we be kind and thoughtful to those around us, but we need to also be just and fair to everyone we come across in life. The Holy Prophet taught us that no matter who you come across, whether they be friends or foes, you must treat them as you would want them to treat you. This, according to the Prophet, is a powerful act of charity.
THE BEST PROPHET OF ALL TIMES
“Those messengers – some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree…” Quran 2:253
- He was given the Quran, the final revelation of God.
- He was granted the largest following.
- He would be the first to knock at the door of Paradise.
- He is the leader of the children of Adam.
- He will be the first to be resurrected.
- He will be the first to intercede on the Day of Judgement.
- He will be the first to cross the Siraat bridge over Hell-Fire.
- He will be the first to enter Paradise.
- He was granted the Maqaam Al-Mahmoud (The Praised Station).
- He led all the Prophets in prayer during the Night Journey.
This proves that our Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all Prophets to have walked this Earth. May the peace and blessings of Allah, God Almighty, be upon him, his family, and his companions.
