The character and habits of Rasulullah (ﷺ) – Part 1
- He was extremely generous. He never said no to anyone who asked him for anything. If he had anything to give, he would give it. If he did not have, he would inform the person in a kind manner that he does not have anything at present and that he would give him something later.
- He was very honest in his speech.
- He had a very soft temperament.
- He liked ease in all matters (i.e. he abstained from causing difficulties and complications).
- He used to have great concern for those who were in his company in that none of them should experience any difficulty on account of him. So much so that if he had to go out of the house at night, he would wear his sandals very silently, open the door very quietly and walk silently. When he came home and found everyone sleeping, he would carry out all his tasks silently so that no one's sleep is disturbed.
- When he used to walk, he used to lower his gaze. When walking with many people, he used to walk in their midst (and not ahead of them). If anyone approached him, he was the first to greet.
- He used to sit with great humility.
- When sitting down to eat, he used to sit like a poor person. He never ate to a full stomach. He never ate bread made with fine flour. He never ate in elaborate or fancy plates.
- He used to remain sorrowful out of the fear of Allah. He used to occupy himself in this all the time. Due to this, he was never at ease.
- He used to remain silent most of the time. He did not speak unnecessarily. When he spoke, he spoke very clearly so that the person addressed will understand everything that is said to him. His speech was not too lengthy to the extent that it is beyond necessity. At the same time, it was not so short that it is not understood. There was no harshness in his speech nor in his manner.
- He did not dishonour or disgrace anyone who came to meet him.
- He did not interrupt the speech of anyone. However, if anyone spoke anything that was contrary to the SharVah, he used to either stop the person from doing so or he himself used to get up and leave that place.
- He used to greatly value the bounty of Allah irrespective of how small or insignificant it may be. He never used to find fault with it by saying that it does not taste good or that it has a foul smell, etc. However, if his heart was not inclined to anything, he did not eat it. At the same time he did not speak good of it nor complained about it.
- He never used to become angry over any worldly matter, e.g. someone causing a loss or ruining a certain task. Anas (رضي الله عنه) says: "I remained in the service of Rasulullah (ﷺ) for ten years. During this entire period, if I did anything, he never asked me the reason for doing it. If I did not carry out a particular task, he never asked me the reason for not doing it." However, if anyone did anything contrary to the Din, nothing could subdue his anger. He did not become angry in his personal affairs.
- If he was displeased with anyone, he used to merely turn his face away from the person. In other words, he did not utter anything harsh or unpleasant. If he was pleased, he used to lower his gaze.
- He was more bashful and modest than a virgin woman. If there was something to laugh about, he merely smiled, i.e. without emitting any sound.
- He used to have a good relationship with everyone. He did not consider himself to be great and thereby withdraw from others. Instead, at times he used to joke in order to make the person happy. However, even his jokes were true.
- He used to offer optional salats to such an extent that his feet used to get swollen.
- When he used to recite or listen to the Quran, he used to cry out of fear and love for Allah.
- He was so humble that he ordered the ummah not to raise his status too much. If any poor woman labourer informed him that she wished to speak to him in privacy, he used to reply: "Okay, let's sit down on the road and speak." He used to sit at the same place where the woman used to sit.
- If anyone fell ill, he used to visit him irrespective of whether the person was rich or poor. He used to attend the funeral of anyone who passed away.
- If anyone invited him for a meal, he used to accept it irrespective of who the person was. Even if anyone invited him to a meal of barley bread or distasteful fat, he did not offer any excuse in order to refrain from attending.
