| Glimmering
bulbs, fluttering flags and models and images of Prophet’s
mausoleum have come to mark the beginning of Rabbi-ul-Awal
in this part of the world. Now, a lot of things would be done
in the name of love for the Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi
wasallam). The feeling of love and affection that had been
asleep throughout the year would suddenly wake up. Our love
could not prevent us from indulging in extravagancies, singing
and dancing on occasions of wedding, nor could it stop us
from performing self-imposed rites on occasions of sorrow.
It could bring a change neither on our face nor in our deeds.
It could neither show us the way to mosque nor could it make
us bow before the Lord.
Now, the feeling of love is going to rise from sleep, and
a lot of things would be done in the name of it. Day-in-day-out,
there would be congregations resounding with bombastic oratories
and processions with frantic slogans. At the end of programs,
sweets would be distributed to the unruly participants. For
sweets and other arrangements, alms would be collected or
extorted. Street corners would be provided with arched gates.
Devotees including unveiled women would be making rounds of
resumed mausoleums. Streets and roads would be illuminated
without hesitation to use public electricity. Tents and poles
would be erected on roads regardless of inconvenience to people.
Those sweet-voiced would be booked for many programs each
day. There would be lighting, orations and slogans but the
only thing missing would be self-searching. There would be
countless souls raising slogans at the virtues of Prophet’s
life but very seldom would be ready to mend themselves in
the light of those virtues.
On one hand is the greatest of prophets who was declared to
be the paragon of virtue no other than the Creator Himself,
and on the other are us who are known in the world for evildoings.
The matchless certificate was awarded by the Lord to the Prophet
and it was his goodness that despite holding such a position
he remained unswerving and never asserted his superiority.
He remained as humble as he was. No doubt, he was entitled
to that honour. Is there any virtue that is not found in his
noble personality?
Modesty – the highest and most important of all virtues
– was personified in the Holy Prophet’s life to
such a degree that Hazrat Ayesha (radhiallahu ta`ala `anha)
says the Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)
was more modest than a chaste unmarried girl in her veil.
Holding back one’s anger is a trait that is acquired
after years of exercise. To describe the merits of restraining
anger is easy but practicing it is very hard. The life of
the Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is full
of episodes when he was defamed, socially boycotted, stoned,
banished from hometown, his daughters were divorced, his companions
were dragged on streets of Makkah, but he restrained. The
hardest day in his life was the one in Taif. His shoes were
full of blood and his body riddled with wounds. At that moment,
angel appeared before him asking permission to crush the enemies
between two mountains. “No, I don’t want their
annihilation. Rather, I hope that Allah would create such
people in their offspring who would worship Allah alone without
assigning partners to Him,” the Prophet (sallallahu
‘alaihi wasallam) replied.
Poverty and starvation are so horrific that even most enduring
ones cannot stand it much longer. People sell of even their
faith to satisfy their hunger. And there are many people whose
hunger is always too ferocious to be quenched. If one is devoid
of the trait of self-contentment, he will remain in distress
all his life. Contrarily, one who is blessed with the wealth
of self-contentment is grateful to Allah even when he has
not a single morsel to eat. That is why, the Holy Prophet
(sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would admonish his companions,
“Acquire self-contentment so you would become the most
grateful.” This admonition was not mere rhetoric but
his own practice.
Hazrat Ayesha (radhiallahu ta`ala `anha) once said to her
nephew, “Sometimes, fire was not lit in the Prophet’s
house for as long as two months.”
“Then, what did you subsist on?” her nephew asked.
“Two black things, that is, water and dates. Sometimes,
some Ansar living in the
neighborhood would send milk to us. We would drink it.”
Without doubt, a real love is the life of hearts and food
of souls. The supremest love is that of Allah and thereafter
comes the love of all others. A heart without love of Allah
is always inciting one to commit sins. Our Prophet (sallallahu
‘alaihi wasallam) would love Allah and people of Allah
very much. His recitation, charity, prayers, supplications,
preaching and jihad were the forms of his love of Allah. He
loved his wives, relatives, the poor, the orphans and common
Muslims. His love and affection was so extreme and unbiased
that everyone would think that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi
wasallam) loved him most. His entire life is the epitome of
love. There is no trace of hatred in his life.
Keeping one’s words or promises is a noble characteristic
representing one’s Faith. Breaching promises is a trait
of Jews. Our Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would
fulfill his promises without fail. A Sahabi, Hazrat Abu Rafey
(radhiallahu ta`ala `anhu) narrates, “Once my tribe
Quraish sent me to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi
wasallam) for some work. When I saw the Holy Prophet (sallallahu
‘alaihi wasallam), I got inspired by Islam. So, I vowed
not to go back to my tribe. The Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi
wasallam) said, ’I do not breach my promise. Go back
to your tribe at this time. However, if you have the same
spirit as you have now, come to me again.’ So, I went
back at that time but I went again to the Holy Prophet (sallallahu
‘alaihi wasallam) after some days and embraced Islam.
The Holy Qur’an condemns haughtiness and commands to
be humble. Humbleness is seen in every sphere of the Prophet’s
life. His way of talking, walking, sitting, eating and every
aspect of his life reflected humbleness.
Spending money at times of need and helping the needy at one’s
capacity is called generosity. The highest degree of generosity
is to give money to a needy suppressing one’s own needs.
The Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was most
generous of all. A needy person never returned empty-handed
from his door. Sometimes, he had to take loan to help the
needy people. In last years of his life, there were masses
of booty. He would not come home until all the goods were
distributed to the deserving, whereas he and his family were
starving at that very time.
Speaking the truth is a noble feature of one’s character.
Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Qur’an that truthful
people would benefit from their truth on the Day of Judgment.
As we study the life of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi
wasallam), we get to know that truthfulness had become his
nature and habit. That’s why, he was given the title
of Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy) even before prophethood
was bestowed on him.
He was the paragon of virtue. If we do a self-searching and
review our actions and behavior in the mirror of Prophet’’
life, we will find our face awfully ugly. Though we are going
downhill in every department, our moral corruption is far
more blatant. Is there any kind of immorality not found in
us? Falsehood, hypocrisy, breach of promise, selfishness,
dishonesty, grudge, haughtiness, embezzlement, ostentation,
and immodesty have undermined the fabric of our society. Everybody
is seen complaining of poverty because greed and covetousness
has deprived us of self-contentment. Modesty seems to have
departed from our homes. Patience and tolerance have become
extinct.
Love and affection has ceased to exist. Hatred and grudge
has alienated the close relatives. We have lost credibility
and no one trusts us in the international market but we consider
lying and deceit part of the game. Humbleness and humility
has been taken over by pride and haughtiness.
Some of us hypocritically show humbleness and sincerity to
achieve our own end but turn our eyes someone seeks our help.
Generosity has been replaced by cheapness. There a lot of
people spending money for showoff and publicity but those
who spend money for helping the poor Muslims and promoting
Islam are to be found rarely. Lying is a vice that has become
a fashion and we are enshrouded by lies all over.
Without questioning the legitimacy of rites performed in the
month of Rabi-ul-Awal in this part of the world, we would
only stress that we must mend our actions in the light of
the Holy Prophet’s life. Let’s analyze our practical
life as this analysis gives new life to the nations and guides
them towards new destinations.
|
