God describes Muhammad ﷺ in the Quran by saying:
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. (Holy Quran 68:4)
When we look at the life of Muhammad ﷺ, we will understand this. These are some hadiths telling about his morals, and how his disciples described him.
Mercy of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
His Mercy with the pagan who tried to kill him
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was merciful, he used to forgive people. This hadith in Al Bukhari shows how he forgave people who tried to kill him.
Jabir bin ‘Abdullah, one of the disciples of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: We accompanied Messenger of Allah in the campaign of Dhat-ur-Riqa`. We left Messenger of Allah to take rest under a shady tree. One of the polytheists came to him. The sword of Messenger of Allah was hanging on a tree. He drew it and said: “Are you afraid of me?”
Messenger of Allah said, “No“.
Then he said: “Who will then protect you from me?”
Messenger of Allah replied, “Allah“.
As soon as he said this, the sword fell down from his hand and Messenger of Allah catching the sword, asked him, “Who will protect you from me.”
He said, “Please forgive me.”
Messenger of Allah said, “On condition you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that I am His Messenger.”
He said, “No, but I promise you that I shall not fight against you, nor shall I be with those who fight with you”.
The Prophet let him go. He then went back to his companions and said:
“I have come to you from one of the best of mankind”.
His Mercy with his People who Persecuted him and his Followers
Although the pagans of Mecca kept on harming him, he didn’t ask God to destroy them, but he kept on praying for them as he wanted them to be really saved. One of the disciples of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ says:
During the Battle of Uhud, when the pagans found a gap in Muslim army, and attacked the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet was beaten, and blood was wiping from his face, he said: My Lord, forgive my people, for they do not know. (Muslim)
Also when the Prophet ﷺ went to preach Islam to the people in the city of Al Taef, and they rejected him, and kept on beating him and throwing him with stones, angel Gabriel came to him and said:
“God the Honored and Glorious has heard what your people have said to you, and how they have reacted to your call. And He has sent to you the angel in charge of the mountains so that you may order him what you wish (him to do) with, regard to them.”
The angel in charge of the mountains (then) called out to me, greeted me and said:
“Muhammad, God has listened to what your people have said to you. I am the angel in charge of the mountain. And your Lord has sent me to you so that you may order me what you wish. If you wish that I should bring together the two mountains that stand opposite to each other at the extremities of Mecca to crush them in between, (I would do that). “
But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him:
“I rather hope that God will produce from their descendants such persons as will worship Allah, the One, and will not ascribe partners to Him.” (Muslim)
His Mercy with his People after His Victory
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ didn’t aim to kill those who rejected him, he was keen on guiding them to Islam and saving them from Hell. Even when he conquered the polytheists and entered Mecca he didn’t aim to take revenge from those who tortured him and rejected him, but he forgave them with no blame. He asked those who rejected him, and kept on harming him for 21 years, he asked them:
” What do you think I shall do with you?,
They said:
” Well, you are an honorable brother, and the son of an honorable brother.”,
He ﷺ said: “No blame on you today, go, you are free” (Ibn Hisham)
His Mercy with all People
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was merciful with his servants and with people. Anas Ibn Malik reported:
I served the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for ten years, and, by Allah, he never said to me any harsh word, and he never said to me about a thing as to why I had done that and as to why I had not done that. (Al Bukhari)
Aisha the wife of Prophet Muhammad said:
The Prophet ﷺ never took revenge (over anybody) for his own sake but (he did) only when Allah’s Legal Bindings were outraged in which case he would take revenge for Allah’s Sake. He never used bad language. He used to say “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” He never criticized any food (presented him), but he would eat it if he liked it; otherwise, he would leave it (without expressing his dislike). (Al Bukhari more than one hadith)
Generosity of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Muhammad ﷺ was very generous, Ibn Abbas narrates:
The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur’an with him. Allah’s Apostle then used to be more generous than the fast wind. (Al Bukhari)
Jabir reported:
” It never happened that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was asked for anything and he said: No (Al Bukhari)
Modesty of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was very modest, he was never seen extending his legs in front of his disciples, and he refused that they stand up when he comes, his life was very simple, he used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, help with the household word, and visit poor people when they got sick.
He also said:
” Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.”(Al Bukhari)
Simple Life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
The life of Muhammad ﷺ was very simple, Aisha, his wife, said:
“O my nephew, we would see three new moons in two months without lighting a fire (to cook a meal) in the Prophet’s houses.”
Her nephew asked, “O Aunt, what sustained you?” She said, “The two black things, dates and water.” (Al Bukhari)
Although he was God’s Prophet, he didn’t depend on that to be lazy in worshipping God, The Prophet ﷺ used to stand (in the prayer) or pray till both his feet and legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable prayer) and he said,
“Shouldn’t I be a thankful slave?” (Al Bukhari).
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