The Pinnacle of Morality And Worship

Anas b. Malik (radiyallahu anh) said:

“I have been in the service of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) for ten years. He never scolded me once during this time. He didn’t even ask me why I did or didn’t do things for those I had or had not done. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was the most superior of the people with his character. There was no one that matched his character. I have not felt the softness of his palms in anything I touched - neither wool nor silk. I have not smelt anything sweeter than his sweat - neither musk nor any other fragrance.”

(Bukhari, Adab, 5691; Muslim, Fadail, 2309; Abu Dawud, Adab, 4774; Tirmidhi, Birr, 2015)

This hadith describes the exemplary character of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his kind treatment of other people. At the same time, it is the story of the love and longing of the companions (sahaba-i kiram) for our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). The companions were blessed with the honor of being close to him, as with the case of Anas (radiyallahu anh), who was particularly honored by serving him personally for years.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was the most superior of all people in terms of both creation and character. He was the pinnacle of compassion, benevolence, and tolerance; in short, he was at the zenith of all moral values.

Imam Kalabazi (rahmatullahi alayh) says: “The moral excellence of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his good treatment of all creation are the reflection of the perfection of his servitude to Allah.”

Since our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had reached the highest point in worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala), under his care and guidance, even worldly things had a way of becoming an instrument for good and pure beauty, yielding many benefits for the Akhirah. Like a shining beacon, the effect of his perfection in servitude casts its resplendent light on all aspects of life. Therefore, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is regarded as “uswa-i hasanah,” that is, “the best example” in worship, treatment of others, morality, and every other dimension of human behavior.

Integrity of worship and character

Let us remember that worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and the issues related to worship are constant in two areas. One is to fulfill one’s duties to Allah the Exalted and to praise his glory; the other is to treat His creations with kindness as required of us. Dutifulness and kindness are qualities that our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had and maintained with love, steadfastness, and enthusiasm.

The first step of praising Allah’s (subhanahu wa ta’ala) glory and fulfilling duties to Him is obligatory acts of worship (fard) such as salah and zakat, afterwards are the nafilahs (voluntary deeds) that are complementary to these. To worship also means obeying divine orders and avoiding prohibitions, the main condition of which is to always act with ikhlas. Deeds carried out with ikhlas endow people with decency of character, moral excellence, and kindness.

Hasan al-Basri (rahmatullahi alayh) defines good character as “doing an abundance of good deeds, avoiding all kinds of evil and wearing a cordial expression.” According to Qadi Iyad (rahmatullahi alayh), “being in good relations with people is decent behavior.” According to Ibn Hajar al-Askalani (rahmatullahi alayh), good morals are “choosing that which is virtuous, and avoiding the unworthy.”

The first priority in all matters involving one’s treatment of others is not to violate anyone’s rights by sincerely observing the order and guidelines that Allah is pleased with, making reparations to an aggrieved party if there is a violation of rights, and doing good deeds. Moreover, prioritizing someone else’s rights over your own, showing leniency and a friendly countenance, and being a giver rather than a taker, even if you have the right to take, are considered essential elements of moral perfection and the benevolent treatment of others.

From the expressions in the hadith, it is understood that Anas (radiyallahu anhu) made mistakes or faults in service from time to time, though not intentionally. Despite this, Rasullullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not express any anger at him, nor did he say anything that would break his heart. Because Anas (radiyallahu anhu) was young, Rasullullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would call him “my child” and showed him kindness and love. He would warn people who wanted to scold others for a mistake they made and let go of mistakes, assuming them to be a manifestation of divine providence. (Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 45)

Nabawi (prophetic)manner in relations

Interpersonal relations are generally difficult to manage; they require patience, endurance, and tolerance. Just as a person cannot satisfy his own nafs, it is not possible for one to always satisfy others with their actions. The only exception to this is things that are done with ikhlas - by seeking to please Allah (jalla jalaluhu) alone. In this case, a person expects their reward not from subjects but from Rabbu’l-Alamin, the Lord of the Worlds. Let’s imagine how satisfied a person could be with what is given to them by those of his own mortal kind, flawed as they are in even thanking their Rabb—the Almighty Bestower who created them out of nothing and bestowed them with countless blessings. Only those who are meticulous in their acts of worship and show gratitude to Allah the Most High have a smooth relationship with other people.

As an exemplar of servitude to Allah, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), saved people from the darkness of kufr (blasphemy) and crude behavior with his endearing approach, raising his followers to become guides of salvation. When the aim is to please Allah (jalla jalaluhu), it becomes easier to overcome difficulties and tolerate troubles. Our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) not only endured the suffering inflicted on him by others but also shared with them all the material and spiritual blessings bestowed upon him by Allah the Most Glorious, as stated in the 77th verse of surah Al-Qasas.

Our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would sometimes show compassion towards those who did not deserve it, and he would not mention their past transgressions. On the day of Makkah’s conquest, he gathered the people who persecuted him, and the believers and those who expelled them from their homes, then he forgave them, saying, “You are free to go.” That is why Allah the Most Glorious said to him, “And surely you are a character of supreme morality” (Al-Qalam, 4).

Beauty reflected on outward appearance

Anas (radiyallahu anh) said that the inner beauty of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was reflected on his physical appearance; he stated that he had not felt the softness of his hands in anything else, such as wool or silk, and that he could not find the delightful scent of his skin in any fragrance.

 Imam Kalabazi (rahmatullahi alayh) expounds on this part of the hadith as follows:

“The scent of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was much more pleasing than any scent in the world. A person with this feature does not need to wear any perfume. Despite this, our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not forget to use fragrances because angels and other spiritual beings liked it. He liked to use fragrances for the sake of maintaining a graceful conduct towards these beings and would not turn down fragrances offered.

According to tradition, when Ali (radiyallahu anh) married Fatima (radiyallahu anha) with four hundred and eighty dirhams (silver money) as mahr, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) requested one-third of this amount to be pleasant fragrances. He loved the fragrance and encouraged his companions to use it because noble spiritual beings like angels are fond of fragrances.” (Kalabazi, Bahru’l-Fawaid, p. 26-27)

The Morals of the Qur’an

Our mother Aisha (radiyallahu anha) summarized the character of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as the “living Qur’an” by saying: “His morals were the Qur’an itself” (Bukhari, Adabu’l-Mufrad, 308). As a principle, he would not respond to evil in kind, nor would he leave goodness unrewarded. He would show patience to the sufferings caused by other people and treat the initiators with mercy and compassion. He did not bear grudges, enmity, or incite anger against others because of the things they had done. He did not have the behavior of taking revenge on anyone for his own nafs. As a matter of fact, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says:

“By the mercy of Allah, you treated them kindly. If you had been rude and cold-hearted, they would not listen to you. Then, forgive them now, ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them about an affair on which there is no verse. When you make a decision, entrust Allah. Surely, Allah loves those who are pious.” (Ali Imran, 159)

Hz. Anas (radiyallahu anh) stayed in Madinah for a while after the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) passed away and settled in Basra when the region of Iraq was conquered. Until his death, Anas (radiyallahu anh) lived with the love and longing for the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He used to console himself with his dreams that he had every night and cry. He would look at one of his disciples, Thabit al-Bunani, with tears, and say: “How similar are your eyes to the eyes of the Rasulullah.” In addition to his memories, he always carried two things that belonged to our Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) with him: a strand of his blessed hair and his staff. (Ibnu’l-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, 1/152; Ibn Hajar, al-Isabah, 1/276)

May Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) grant us his shafaat in the Akhirah and bestow upon us the kismet to be friends with those who love and miss His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Nejdet Aslan