Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I have been sent to perfect good character.”
The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) is a mercy to the worlds. There are a plethora of lessons we can derive from his life (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam). Below are five lessons for us to reflect on.
The Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) always spoke the truth. His whole life was dedicated to spreading the truth. Even when people turned against him, he was still honest. No matter what the circumstances you should always be truthful, for the truthful are always winners.
Abu Bakr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “You must be truthful, for it is alongside righteousness and they are both in Paradise. Beware of falsehood, for it is alongside wickedness and they are both in the Hellfire. Ask Allah for wellness, for no one is given anything better after conviction than wellness. Do not envy each other, do not hate each other, do not cut each other off, and do not turn away from each other. Be servants of Allah as brothers.” -Sunan Ibn Mājah
This very simple lesson is incredibly powerful. In these times, with social media being rife, it creates a false sense of entitlement. When we understand one of the ways to distract ourselves and hurt our souls is to busy ourselves with that which does not concern us. If we implement this lesson, it can change our lives, not only allowing us to be more introspective but protecting us from being judgemental. The way to achieve this is to raise your self worth and focus on knowing yourself.
Ali ibn Husayn reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him “Verily, from the perfection of Islam is that a person leaves what does not concern him.” (Tirmidhi)
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was always grateful towards Allah. He knew that when you are grateful for something, Allah only increases it. It also leads to a higher level of happiness and helps you deal better with adversity.
Jabir reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever is not grateful for small things will not be grateful for large things. Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah Almighty.” (sunan abu dawud).
One of the best ways to show gratitude is to recognise that everything that happens in our lives, does not happen to us, but for us. It is this act of recognising the power in your individual purpose and the destiny (qadr) Allah has written for us. It will allow us to be hopeful in the face of adversity and curb the negativity that can affect us all.
The Prophet (saw) said, “How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing. If he receives some bounty, he is grateful to Allah and this bounty brings good to him. And if some adversity befalls him, he is patient, and this affliction, too, brings good to him.” – (Muslim)
The Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) was the perfect embodiment of someone who practiced patience. He went through many challenges in his life but he never complained. He knew that everything that was happening to him was happening for his benefit, and that Allah was taking care of him. He also knew there was a greater reward for those who are patient.
There are many virtues of being patient. One of the virtues is to help us build resilience, when we cultivate this virtue it will allow us to bounce back quicker. Imagine going to the gym and building muscle and then not going for a while, when you get back into it, your body stores muscle memory and it will be easier to get back into shape sooner compared to someone who has never been through this process. It also softens us when dealing with others, and allows us to develop our humility.
Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever persists in being patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.” (Bukhari)
The Prophet (Sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) “There is a Sadaqa to be given for every joint of the human body, and for every day on which the sun rises there is a reward of a Sadaqa (charitable gift) for the one who establishes justice among people.” (Bukhari)
One of the most beautiful lessons we can learn from the life of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) was how much he led himself and his ummah with justice. This is just one more reason to confirm the truthfulness of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) as justice is linked to taqwa (God consciousness). He was fair and honourable in his all aspects of his affairs and this only beautified his character more and made him beloved amongst his people.
The Seerah offers a framework as to how we Muslims should live our lives. Everything we need can be extracted as precious lessons from the life of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam), his story is packed with that many beautiful lessons. It is imperative that we reflect on his biography so we can emancipate ourselves from the attachments of this world and allow us to reorient the face of our heart back to Allah. When we are actively engaging in the seerah and the Quran we will find remedies on how to deal with the issues we are struggling with, all directing us with a stronger opportunity to thrive in this world.
May Allah allow us all to follow the example and the guidance of the Prophet (SAW) when it comes to the actions that we should do in Ramadan—the actions of the heart, tongue and limbs. May Allah instill us the type of generosity that the Prophet (SAW) had inside and outside of Ramadan. May Allah allow us to be mindful of Him and thank Him the way He deserves. May Allah shower us with His Forgiveness and Mercy in abundance. Ameen.
