THE PROPHET (Peace be upon him), ATTRIBUTES AND MANNERS
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) combined both perfection of creation and perfection of manners.
This impression on people can be deduced by the bliss that overwhelmed their hearts and filled them with dignity. Men’s dignity, devotion and estimation of the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) were unique and matchless. No other man in the whole world has been so honoured and beloved.
Those who knew him well, were fascinated and enchanted by him. They were ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of saving a nail of his from hurt or injury. Being privileged by lots of prerogatives of perfection that no one else had been endowed with, his Companions found that he was peerless and so they loved him.
Here we list a brief summary of the versions about his beauty and perfection. To encompass all which is, addmittedly, beyond our power.
BEAUTY OF CREATION:
Describing the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him), who passed by her tent on his journey of migration, Umm Ma‘bad Al-Khuza‘iyah said to her husband:
“He was innocently bright and had broad countenance. His manners were fine. Neither was his belly bulging out nor was his head deprived of hair. He had black attractive eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows. His hair glossy and black, inclined to curl, he wore long. His voice was extremely commanding. His head was large, well formed and set on a slender neck. His expression was pensive and contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was fascinated from the distance, but no sooner he became intimate with him than this fascination was changed into attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of superfluous words, as if it were a rosary of beads. His stature was neither too high nor too small to look repulsive. He was a twig amongst the two, singularly bright and fresh. He was always surrounded by his Companions. Whenever he uttered something, the listeners would hear him with rapt attention and whenever he issued any command, they vied with each other in carrying it out. He was a master and a commander. His utterances were marked by truth and sincerity, free from all kinds of falsehoods and lies.”
‘Ali bin Abi Talib describing him said: “The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) was neither excessively tall nor extremely short. He was medium height among his friends. His hair was neither curly nor wavy. It was in between. It was not too curly nor was it plain straight. It was both curly and wavy combined. His face was not swollen or meaty-compact. It was fairly round. His mouth was white.
He had black and large eyes with long haired eyelids. His joints (limbs) and shoulder joints were rather big. He had a rod-like little hair extending from his chest down to his navel, but the rest of his body was almost hairless. He had thick hand palms and thick fingers and toes. At walking, he lifted his feet off the ground as if he had been walking in a muddy remainder of water. When he turned, he turned all.
The Prophethood Seal was between his shoulders. He is the Seal of Prophets, the most generous and the bravest of all.
His speech was the most reliable. He was the keenest and the most attentive to people’s trust and was very careful to pay people’s due in full. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the most tractable and the most yielding companion, seeing him unexpectedly you fear him and venerate him. He who has acquaintance with him will like him. He who describes him says:
‘I have never seen such a person neither before nor after seeing him.’
Jabir bin Samurah reported that Allâh’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) had a broad face with reddish
(wide) eyes and leanheels.
Abu At-Tufail said: “He was white, good-looking. He was neither fat nor thin; neither tall nor short.”
Anas bin Malik said: “He had unfolded hands and was pink-coloured. He was neither white nor brown.
He was rather whitish. In both his head and beard there were as many as twenty grey hairs, besides some grey hairs at his temples.” In another version: “and some scattered white hairs in his head.”
Abu Juhaifa said: “I have seen some grey colour under his lower lip.” Al-Bara’ said: “He was of medium height, broad-shouldered, his hair went up to his earlobes. I saw him dressed in a red garment and I
(assure you) I have never seen someone more handsome. At first he used to let his hair loose so as to be in compliance with the people of the Book; but later on he used to part it.”
Al-Bara’ also said: “He had the most handsome face and the best character.” When he was asked:
“Was