“A Man of Evident Splendor” -

Description of The Prophet

http://www.tayyibaat.com/2009/09/21/a-man-of-evident-splendor-description-of-the-
prophet/

Bismillah..

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam combined both outward and inward
perfection. Allah ta’ala fashioned His Prophets to be morally and phsyically
sound or kamaal. We are all familiar with the beautiful character of the
Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, yet how many of us are aware of his
physical beauty? We find in the seerah many beautiful descriptions from the
Companions that describe the physical perfection of the Messenger of Allah
alayhi salaatu wa salaam, inshaAllah a few instances will be shared here.

Moon vs Sun

Al Baraa ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu was asked, “Was the messenger of Allah’s
face sword-like?” and he responded, “No, it was moon-like.” [Miskaat Al
Masaabih 2/518]

We recognize the beauty in the sun, so why did the companion describe him as
a moon, and not as the sun? The scholars say that although the sun is beautiful
in nature, you cannot look at the sun directly because it is too bright and
painful for your eyes. However with the beauty of the moon, you can stare at it
the whole night without any pain. Such is the beauty of the Prophet sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam–there is no harm in staring at him. Another companion, Jabir
bin Samurah radi Allahu anhu said, “I saw him at one full-moon night. I looked
at him. He was dressed in a red garment. I compared him with the moon and
found that — for me — he was better than the moon.” [Mishkat Al-Masabeeh
2/518]

Another point from this description is that Al-Baraa was asked if his face was
’sword-like’–a sword is thin while the moon is round, so from this we also learn
that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam did not have a thin and lean face,
rather he had a round face.

Ka‘b bin Malik radi Allahu anhu said: “When he was pleased, his face would
shine with so bright light that you would believe that it was a moon-piece.”
[Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/502]

Description by Anas radi Allahu anhu

Anas ibn Malik radi Allahu anhu was the servant of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam for ten years, and his description is more amazing because of this
fact. Usually those under us–wives, children, employees– are the ones who see
the ‘worst’ side of our character because we do not fear reproach from them,
but Anas radi Allahu anhu narrated that he never even heard “uff” (the
smallest expression of disgust) from the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam!

He said radi Allahu anhu, “I have never touched silk or a silky garment softer
than his hands; nor have I smelt a perfume or any scent nicer than his.” [Sahih
Bukhari]

Description by Umm Ma’bad

The description of Umm Ma’bad is by far the most comprehensive and detailed
narration we have of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. This woman, who
would take care of travelers who passed by her tent, only saw the Prophet sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam once. During the hijrah of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi
wa sallam, he stopped by her tent with his companions for some rest and food.

“It was narrated that the Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, his servant, a
guide and Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu left Mecca, passing a tent of an elderly
lady called Umm Ma’bad. She would sit close to the tent and would give food
and drink to travelers. So they asked her if they could buy some meat or dates
from her but she could not find anything. The Messenger of Allahsal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam looked towards a sheep next to the tent. They had run out of
provisions and where hungry. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam asked
Umm Ma’bad, “What is wrong with this sheep, dear Umm Ma’bad?”

She replied, “The sheep is fatigued and is weaker than the other sheep.”

The Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Does it milk?”

She replied, “I swear by your mother and father, if I saw milk from it then I
would milk it.” The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam called the sheep and
moved his hand over its udder; he pronounced the name of Allah and praised
him. Then he called Umm Ma’bad when the sheep steadied its feet and its
udder filled. He asked for a large container and milked it until it was filled.
The lady drank until full, his companions (meaning satisfied) drank until full,
then the others drank. Then it was milked for a second time until the container
was full and they left her and continued on their journey.

After a short while, the partner of the lady (Abu Ma’bad) returned from herding
goats that were swaying from weakness. He saw the milk and said to his wife,
“Where did you get this milk from, dear Umm Ma’bad. The sheep is single and
there is no milk in the house!”
She replied, “I swear by God, a blessed man came to us today”

Abu Ma’bad said, “Describe him to me.”

She then began her description; dear reader: imagine your Prophet sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam with this description below:

‫ضاءة‬
َ ‫ظاهر ال َو‬- “his cleanliness was apparent”, the first thing she
noticed about the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam is that his cleanliness is
apparent. Imagine the situation of traveling during that time; the traveler
would be bound to get some dirt on him, yet the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa
sallam was so clean that it was the first thing noticable.

‫أ ْبلَ ُج الوجه‬-”his face was luminous”

‫حسن ال ُخلُق‬-”handsome disposition”
‫لم تعبه ثُجْ لَة‬-”he did not have a protuding stomach”
َ ‫ولم تُ ْز ِر به‬-”nor did he have a small head”
‫ص ْعلَة‬
‫وسيم‬
ِ -”handsome”
‫قَ ِسيم‬-”well proportioned”
‫في عينيه َد َعج‬-”his eyes had wideness”
‫وفي أشفاره َوطَف‬-”his eyelashes were long”
‫صهَل‬
َ ‫وفي صوته‬-”and in his voice was raspiness/crackle”
‫وفي عنقه َسطَع‬-”and his neck was long”
‫أحْ َور‬-”the white of his eyes is extremely white, and the black of his eyes is
extremely black”

‫أ ْك َحل‬-”it was was as if he had kohl (eyeliner the Arabs used) on naturally”
‫أ َز ّج‬-”natural arching of his eyebrows”
‫أ ْق َرن‬-”looked like his two eyebrows met”, this was mentioned by Umm
Ma’bad keeping in mind that she saw him once, other companions said “laysa bi
aqran” he did not have any hair between his eyebrows but it was a vein that
would show when he would be angry. This does not mean that he necessarily
was angry during his stay with Umm Ma’bad but any thing that causes blood to
rush to your head, (such as lowering it, to milk a goat for example) could have
caused that.

‫شديد سواد الشعر‬-”his hair was extremely black”

‫إذا صمت عاله الوقار‬-”when he was silent he would be enveloped in
an aura of respect”

‫وإن تكلم عاله البَهَاء‬-”and if he spoke it was like a light protruding from
him”

‫أجمل الناس وأبهاهم من بعيد‬-”the most beautiful of people from far”

‫وأحسنه وأحاله من قريب‬-”and the most beautiful from close”
‫حلو المنطق‬-”his speech was sweet”
‫ال نَ ْزر‬-”not short”, tazar means someone who is very short and brief in their
speech; they do not give you more than a ‘yes/no’ answer.When the Prophet
sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam spoke, he did not speak in this manner.
‫وال هَ َذر‬-”not very long”, hathar is the opposite of tazar; it is to be very
long and detailed in speech, to keep talking and talking,  so much so that it can
get annoying. Likewise the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam was not this
way.

‫كأن منطقه َخ َر َزات نظمن يَتَح َّدرن‬-”it was as if his speech were
beads of a necklace cut”, meaning that his words fall in order after one
another and that his speech was organized.

‫ ُغصْ ن بين‬،‫ وال تشنؤه من طول‬،‫صر‬ َ ِ‫ال تقحمه عينمن ق‬

‫ وأحسنهم ق ْدرًا‬،ً‫ فهو أ ْنظَر الثالثة منظرا‬،‫ ُغصْ نَيْن‬-”His height
does not harm and the eye is not taken over by him, a branch between two
branches, he is more radiant than them and he is most respected.”

‫له رفقاء يحفون به‬-”his companions would surround him”

‫إذا قال استمعوا لقوله‬-”when he spoke they would listen attentively to
his speech”

‫وإذا أمر تبادروا إلى أمره‬-”and if he orders they hasten to it fully”

‫ال َعابِس وال ُمفَنَّد‬-”without frowning or refusing” She ends her
description by talking about the respect that was shown to him, which only
adds to his impressive personality in how the companions would respond. Amr
ibn Alaas radi Allahu anhu when he met the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam
and he returned to Makkah saying that he had visited the courts of Kisrah and
Caesar, and he had never seen anyone more beloved or respected than
Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

Abu Ma’bad responded, “I swear by Allah, he is the one Quraysh mentioned to

us about his affair in Makkah. I am determined to accompany him; if I could go
that way.”

We ask Allah ta’ala to make us among those who truly love, follow, and dwell
in Firdaws with the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Ameen.,_._,___