His Manners
and Ethics: The Prophet’s Patience (PBUH):
Patience is a defining quality of Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be
upon Him, He was patient and diligent while delivering the Message
of Islam and calling people to the religion. This journey took twenty three
years, but He was never hopeless, and He did not abandon the call to Islam till
it reached faraway places and regions where Islam was destined to reach.
Looking at the next situations we can see the true patience of Prophet Muhammad
which represents a model to follow for every believer in every field of life.
His patience, Peace Be upon Him, regarding the abuse of Queish
Tribe during his stay in Makkah, they hit him and threw the camel’s abdominal
contents on His back. They cursed Him and they accused Him of being mad one
time and being a black magician, a sorcerer and a poet. They tortured His
followers and blockaded Him, His followers and the Hashimets for three years in
Sho’eb Abi Talib (a place between two mountains). They even decided to murder
Him and sent men to assassinate Him, but the Almighty Lord protected Him.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) endured the wrongdoing of
Qureish, He kept making Dawah, and in three years only forty men embraced Islam
and followed Him. His call was never founded on miracles, the unseen or
unexplainable phenomenon, and when a solar eclipse took place during the time
when His son Ibrahim died and people mentioned that it happened because of the
death of Ibrahim, He said the solar eclipse is a sign and a miracle by Allah, and
the sun does not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone.
The Prophet, Peace Be upon, Him was patient towards ignorance
and rudeness, Abdullah narrated: Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him)
distributed spoils (of war). Upon this a person said: This is a distribution in
which the pleasure of Allah has not been sought. I came to Allah’s Messenger
(PBUH) and informed him about it, His face turned red of anger and He then
said: May Allah have mercy on Prophet Moses, he was tormented more than this,
but he was patient.” (Hadith Sahih, authenticated by Ahmed) [3]
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) was patient during the year
of sadness, when His kind wife Khadijah died, She was the first one to believe
Him when people did not, she sheltered Him when people banished Him, She
supported Him when people denied Him, and comforted Him when people accused Him
of lying...
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was also patient when His kind uncle
died, this uncle protected and defended him during the most difficult time when
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) started to call to Islam. All these
tribulations did not wear Him down, He met all that with patience, and no one
become His match or even close especially when it comes to patience and
perseverance, for He is unique in what He accomplished.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) was also patient in facing
hunger and even starvation; Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had never eaten barely
bread twice a day! If He wanted, He would have enjoyed dominion and ruling, but
He preferred the Hereafter and its reward. An example of the Prophet’s
perseverance is during the Battle of the Trench, when the companions would tie
a stone on their bellies of hunger and He used to do the same along with them
due to pangs of hunger.
The Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) was patient when His son Ibrahim
died, the Prophet had Ibrahim when He was sixty years of age with His wife
Maria. He was content with Allah’s decree, and He said: “Our eyes shed tears
and our hearts are filled with grief, but we do not say anything except that by
which Allah is pleased. O, Ibrahim we are sorrowful due to your separation.”
The Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) was also patient when all his
children died during His lifetime, except for Fatimah, may Allah be pleased
with her, she died six months after him.
The Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) was also patient during all battles, during Badr, Uhud, and the Battle of the Trench, opening Makkah, the Battle of Hunayn, and when the entire population of al-Ta’ef harassed Him when He went to call them to Islam. In Tabuk, He did not become frightened or defeated, and He did not fail or become bored. He fought several wars and led several expeditions. He has been leading battles for ten years. [4]
So, what a great deal of patience!
References
- Khalid Muhammad Khalid, Insanyat Muhammad, Page 15
- Anwar al-Jindi, Aqbas min al-Sirah al-Attirah, Page 55
- Isam al-Deen al-Sababty, Cairo: Egyptian Lebanese Publishing House, 1991, Page 47
- Khalid Muhammad Khalid, Insanyat Muhammad, Page 15