By Dr. Farida Khanam

Edited by Defending-Islam staff

(original source : http://islam-whatisislam.org/en/show_articles.php?id_a=13&id_i=4&id_c=3)

The Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was introduced in the Qur’an with these words:

{And We have not sent you forth but as a mercy for all creatures}. (Qur’an:107)

This shows that his distinctive quality was that he was a blessing incarnate in his words and deeds.

According to a tradition recorded in a collection of hadiths, when Muhammad’s opponents increased their persecution, his Companions asked him to curse them. In response, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied:

I have not been sent to lay a curse upon humans, but rather to be a blessing to them.

His opponents continued to treat him and his Companions unjustly and cruelly, but he continued to pray for them.

Once he was so badly stoned by his enemies that he was bleeding all over his body. This happened when he went to Taif, where the Hijjaz aristocracy used to while away their summer days. When he attempted to call them to Islam, instead of listening to his words of wisdom, they set the street urchins upon him, who kept chasing him till nightfall. Even at that point, when he was utterly exhausted and bleeding from head to foot, all he said was:

O my Lord, guide my people along the true path, as they are ignorant of the truth.

His heart was filled with intense love for all humankind irrespective of caste, creed, or color. Once he advised his Companions to regard all people as their brothers and sisters. He added: You are all Adam’s offspring and Adam was born of clay.

All this tells us what kind of awareness Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) wanted to instill in humans. His mission was to bring people abreast of the reality that all people — despite (of the fact) that they come from different countries and are seemingly different from one another in regards to their color, language, dress, and culture — are interconnected. Hence a proper relationship can only be established between all humans if they were to regard one another as sisters and brothers. Only then will proper feelings of love and respect prevail throughout the world.

According to a hadith, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) once said:

A true believer is one with whom others feel secure. One who returns love for hatred.

According to another hadith, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) once said:

By Allah, he is not a believer, by Allah, he is not a believer, by Allah, he is not a believer, with whom his neighbors are not secure.

This hadith shows how much he loved and cared for all human beings. One of the lessons he taught was that we should live among others like flowers, and not like thorns, without giving trouble to anybody.

In another hadith Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

If a believer is not able to benefit others, he must at least do them no harm.

According to Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam), people who become useful to others lead their life on a higher plane. But if they fail to do so, they should at least try not to create any trouble for their fellow humans. For people to be good servants of Allah, they must live in this world without making any problems. There is no third option.

Muhammad’s own example was testified to by Anas ibn Malik, who served Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) for ten years. He said that Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) never once rebuked him. “When I did something, he never questioned my manner of doing it; and when I did not do something, he never questioned my failure to do it. He was the most good-natured of all men.” Such conduct gained Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) the respect of even his enemies, and his followers stood by him through all kinds of hardship and misfortune. He applied the principles on which his own life was based in equal measure to those who followed his path and to those who had harmed or discountenanced him.

In the present world, everyone’s thinking, tastes, aptitude, likes, and dislikes can never exactly coincide. For many reasons, differences do arise in this world. But then, what is the permanent solution to the problem? The solution lies in tolerance. Muhammad’s entire life served as a perfect example of this principle.

According to his wife Aishah, “He was a personification of the Qur’an.” That is to say, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) molded his own life in accordance with the ideal pattern of life that he presented to others in the form of the Qur’an. He never beat a servant, his wives, or anyone else. He did, of course, fight for what was right. Yet, when he had to choose between two alternatives, he would take the easier course, provided it involved no sin. No one was more careful to avoid sin than he was. He never sought revenge on his own behalf for any wrong done to him personally. Only if Allah’s commandments had been broken would he deal out retribution for the sake of Allah. It was his conduct that gained Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) universal respect.

In the early Makkan period, when the antagonists far exceeded Muhammad’s Companions in number, it often happened that when Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) would stand to pray, his detractors would come near him and whistle and clap in order to disturb him. But Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) never once showed his anger at such acts. He always opted for the policy of tolerance and avoidance of confrontation.

When the opposition became very strong, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) left Makkah for Madinah. But his antagonists did not leave him in peace. They began to attack Madinah. In this way a state of war prevailed between the Muslims and non-Muslims.

Since Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) always tried to avoid war at all costs, he strove to bring about a peace agreement between him and the Makkans. After great efforts on his part, the non-Muslims agreed to the finalizing of a 10-year peace treaty, which was drafted and signed at Al-Hudaybiyah.

While the Hudaybiyah treaty was being drafted, the Makkans indulged in a number of extremely provocative acts. For instance, the agreement mentioned Muhammad’s name as “Muhammad the Messenger of Allah.” They insisted that the phrase “the Messenger of Allah” be taken out and replaced by “son of Abdullah.” Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) accepted their unreasonable condition and deleted the appellation with his own hands. Similarly, they made the condition that if they could lay their hands on any Muslim, they would make him or her hostage, but if the Muslims succeeded in detaining any non-Muslim, they would have to set him free. Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) even relented on this point.

For the restoration of peace in the region, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) accepted a number of such unjustifiable clauses that were added by the enemy. In this way he set the example of peace and tolerance being linked with one another. If we desire peace, we must tolerate many unpleasant things from others. There is no other way to establish peace in society.

Once Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was seated at some place in Madinah, along with his Companions. During this time a funeral procession passed by. On seeing this, Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) stood up. One of his Companions remarked that the funeral was that of a Jew. Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) replied:

“Was he not a human being?”

This incident illustrates how an atmosphere of mutual love and compassion can be brought about in the world only when we consciously rise above all insidious demarcation of caste, color, and creed. Just as Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) did, we too, must look at all people as human beings who deserve to be respected.

http://Muhammad.islamonline.net