Stories of the Prophet Muhammad’s Kindness (peace be upon him)

downloadوَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةً۬ لِّلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ
We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to all the worlds.
(The Holy Quran 21:107)

Below are some stories from the Sunnah about our Prophet Muhammad’s kindness (pbuh). I hope that reading them will increase our love for our Prophet insha’Allah.

After the Prophet (pbuh) received his first visit from the Angel Gabriel and the first revelation of the Holy Quran, he went to his wife Khadijah and was scared and shaking. He said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said, “I fear that something may happen to me.” Khadijah replied, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your relatives, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.”

Recorded in Bukhari Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3 and Muslim, Iman, 12

A companion of the Prophet narrates, “By my father and mother! I never saw a teacher, either before or after him, who taught better than the Prophet. By God! He never looked severe, or chastised or reviled.”

Recorded in Muslim, Abu Daud, Nasa

I start the prayer with the intention of lengthening it, but when I hear a child crying, I shorten the prayer, as I know his mother would suffer from his screams!

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as reported Bukhari #677

The Prophet announced to the people the death of Negus (Christian King of Abyssinia) on the day on which he died, and went out with them to the place of prayer, and made them stand in rows, and offered a short prayer for him.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as recorded in Bukhari, Muslim

(Negus, the Christian king of Abyssinia, gave protection and asylum to the Muslims when they were persecuted in Mekkah. The Prophet (pbuh) never forgot the king’s kindness and therefore prayed for him when he passed away.)

Anas bin Malik narrates: Once I was walking with God’s Apostle and he was wearing a cloak with a thick border. A Bedouin followed him and pulled his cloak so violently that I noticed the side of the shoulder of God’s Apostle affected by the border of the cloak because of that violent pull. The Bedouin said, “O Muhammad! Give me some of God’s wealth which is with you.” God’s Apostle turned and looked at him, and smiling, he ordered that he be given something.

Recorded in Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 700

Anas ibn Malik reports: “God’s messenger was sitting in the mosque with some of his companions when a Bedouin urinated inside the mosque. The Prophet’s companions said: ‘What is going on?’ ‘What are you doing?’ The Prophet said to them: ‘Do not interrupt him.’ He subsequently called the man and said to him: ‘These mosques are not the place where one can throw any dirt, urine or stools. They are meant for reciting the Qur’an, glorifying God and prayer.’ He then called for a bucket of water and he poured it over the urine.”

Recorded in Bukhari, Muslim, Nassai, Malik and Ahmad

After the Battle of Badr, prisoners of war were brought. Among them was al-Abbas. He did not have a shirt on, so the Prophet looked for a shirt for him. It turned out that a shirt of Abd Allah b. Ubayy was the right size, so the Prophet gave it to al-Abbas to wear and compensated Abdullah with his own shirt.

Recorded in Bukhari #3008

Once a lender and a debtor came to the Prophet (pbuh) to seek his help in resolving their conflict. The debtor was unable to pay back the lender on time. The Prophet offered the cotton sheet that he used to cover his lower body as payment for the debt. The lender accepted. The Prophet wrapped the lower part of his body with the cloth of his turban and gave the lender the cotton sheet. The lender went home pleased.

Recorded in Musnad Ahmad Volume III

The Prophet (pbuh) would pass children and wish them, “Peace!”

Recorded in Muslim

The Prophet (pbuh) would pass women and wish them, “Peace!”

Recorded in Bukhari

About captives of war, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “They are your brothers! Offer them what you eat and drink!”

Recorded in Muslim, Ayman, 36-38

Mu’awiyah ibn Al-Hakam Al-Sulami reports: “I joined a congregational prayer led by the Prophet when a man sneezed. I said to him: ‘May God have mercy on you.’ People looked askance at me. I said to them: ‘I am undone! Why are you looking at me like that?’ They began to hit their own thighs. I realized that they wanted me to stop talking. When God’s messenger finished his prayer, he neither punished, rebuked nor expressed displeasure with me. He just said to me: ‘It is not permissible to say any ordinary talk during prayer; it consists of God’s praise and glorification and reciting the Qur’an.’”
Recorded in Muslim, Ahmad, Nasai and Abu Dawud

One day, when the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting in Medina, members of a miserable tribe came. They had no shoes. Their skin was stuck to their bones because of hunger. The Prophet became very sad upon seeing their condition and his color changed. He had Bilal give the call to prayer and gathered his companions. From his companions, he took up a collection for the tribe, generously helping them.

Recorded in Muslim, Zakat, 69, 70; Ahmad, al-Musnad, IV, 358, 361

Once the Prophet (pbuh) saw a camel which was just skin and bones. He said to the owner of that camel, “Fear Allah for these speechless animals! Do not let them stay hungry!”

Recorded in Abu Dawud, Jihad, 47; Ibn Khuzaymah, al-Sahih, IV, 143

There was an insane slave girl in Madinah. She walked the streets of Madinah talking to herself. Most people paid no attention to her. They knew that she had no control over herself. Many were amused by her insane chatter. One day, as the Prophet (pbuh) was speaking to some companions, this girl appeared. She asked the Prophet, “O Prophet of Allah, will you do me a favor?” The Prophet said, “I will do whatever I can for you.” “But you have to come with me,” she said. The Prophet asked, “Where do you want to take me?” “I will take you to the street, and then I will tell you what I want.” The Prophet said, “All right, I will follow you to any street you want to take me to.” The people were surprised that the Prophet would spend his time with an insane girl. They knew the girl did not mean what she said. But the Prophet was friendly, and the girl held his hand and asked him to follow her. The Prophet followed the girl through the streets of Madinah. She was talking to herself and walking. At a narrow alley, the girl sat down and asked the Prophet to sit with her. He did so. This example of the Prophet sent a clear message to Muslims that leaders are responsible for all members of a community, especially the handicapped.

Recorded in Muslim, Akhlaq wa Adab; Abu Dawud

A woman gave the Messenger a burdah (gown). The Prophet asked his Companions, “Do you know what a burdah is?” They said, “Yes, O Prophet of God, it is a piece of woven cloth (similar to a shawl).” The woman said, “O Prophet of God, I have woven this shawl with my own hands for you to wear.” The Messenger of God took it while he direly needed it. After a while, the Messenger came out of his home wearing it, and a Companion said to him, “O Prophet of God! Grant me this shawl to wear!” The Messenger said, “Yes.” He folded it and gave it to the person who asked for it. The Companions scolded the man, saying, “It was not appropriate for you to ask for his shawl, especially since you know he does not turn anyone down or send them away empty-handed.” The man said, “By God! I only asked him to give it to me because I want to be shrouded in this shawl when I die.” Sahl, the narrator of this hadith said that the shawl was used as a shroud for that man when he died.

Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 7, Book 72, Number 70

On the day the Prophet conquered Mecca, where he was regarded by people as the most powerful man, one of his countrymen approached him. He asked trembling, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me Islam!” The Prophet said, “Relax my brother! I am not a king, nor an emperor! I am the orphan of your old neighbor (meaning his mother) who used to eat sun-dried meat!”

Ibn Majah, At’imah, 30; Al-Hakim; Al-Tabarani

Your servants are your brothers and your stewards: God has placed them under your hands; whoso then has a brother under his hand, let him feed him out of what he eats himself, and let him clothe him out of what he clothes himself, and compel them not to do a work which will overpower them, and if you do compel them (to any such work), then assist them with it.

The Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Bukhari Vol.1, Book 2, #29, Muslim, Tirmidthi, Abu Daud

Ali separated a mother from her child (by selling them to two different parties), but the Prophet forbade that, and cancelled the sale.

Recorded in Abu Daud

(Even though Islam greatly encouraged the freeing of slaves, it did not outright prohibit slavery for various reasons. But Islam did prohibit separating related slaves from each other, such as a mother from her child.)

Once some women were in the Prophet’s home to meet with him and talk about family problems. Then Umar came to visit the Prophet. The women hurriedly left the room and hid themselves. The Prophet smiled. Looking at the Prophet’s smiling face, Umar said, “May you always remain happy and smiling. Please tell me why you smiled as I entered.” The Prophet replied, “I was surprised to see that the women were afraid of you and how hurriedly they left as you entered.” Umar, hearing these remarks, spoke loudly, addressing the women, “O enemies of your souls! Why are you afraid of me? You are not afraid of the Messenger of God but you are afraid of me.” The women replied, ‘You are harsh tempered, O Umar, but the Messenger is very patient and kind.”

Recorded in Bukhari, Manaqib Umar ibn al-Khattab

A group came to the Prophet after the incident of Hunain. They wanted freedom for the captives of war. One of them said, “O Muhammad! Our tribe has your milk-mothers and your milk-sisters! The Prophet responded with great loyalty, “I free all the captives that belong to me and the sons of Abdulmuttalib.” The other Muslims who saw this followed his action and said, “We also free our captives for the sake of the Prophet!” As a result, on that day, thousands of captives were freed without any ransom. This was a gesture of gratitude and loyalty to the milk the Prophet had been given as a child.

Recorded in Bukhari, al-Tarikh al-sagir, I, 5; Tabarani

Ibn Umar said that a goat had been slaughtered in his house. When he came home he asked his servants if some of the meat had been sent as a gift to a neighboring Jew. He added, “I had heard the Messenger of Allah as saying that Angel Gabriel had been regularly insisting that one treat his neighbors kindly; indeed, so much so, that I surmised the neighbor should be nearly made a recipient of one’s inheritance.”
Recorded in Bukhari

Once the Prophet heard that the people of Qubaa (town neighboring Medina) were disputing with each other about a matter. The Prophet said, “Let us go to resolve the situation and make peace between them.”

Recorded in Bukhari #2547

Anas (r) remembered: “I served the holy Prophet for ten years. He never said “Uf” (an expression of dissatisfaction), nor did he ever ask me why I did this or did not do that.”

Recorded in Muslim, Fadail, 51; Abu Dawud, Adab, 1

A contemporary of the Prophet narrates, “My mother used to hold the Prophet’s hand and used to take him wherever she wanted. If any person used to come before him and shook his hand, the Prophet never used to draw away his hand from the other person’s hands till the latter drew away his hands, and he never used to turn away his face from that person till the latter himself turned away his face. In meetings he was never seen squatting in such a way that his knees were protruding further than his fellow-squatters.”

Recorded in Tirmidthi

A funeral procession once passed in front of the Prophet Muhammad and he stood up out of respect. When he was told the person in the coffin was Jewish and not Muslim, he said: “Was it not a living soul?”

Recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 399; Muslim, Janaiz, 81

A man of the Ansar came to the Prophet (pbuh) begging of him. The Prophet said, “Have you nothing in your house?” The man said, “Yes, I have a woolen carpet, with one part of which we cover ourselves, and spread the other, and a cup in which we drink water.” The Prophet said, “Come to me with them both.” The man came to him with both, and the Prophet took them in his hand and said, “Who will buy these two?” One man said, “I will take them both for one dirham.” The Prophet said, “Who will give more than a dirham?” This he repeated twice or thrice. Another man said, “I will take them both for two dirhams.” Then the Prophet gave them both to that man, and took the two dirhams, and gave them to the needy man, and said, “Buy food with one of these, and let it go to your family, and buy a hatchet with the other, and come to me with it.” The man came to him with it. The Prophet fixed a handle to it with his own hands, and then said, “Go, cut wood, and sell it, and let me not see you for fifteen days.” The man did as he was bidden. Then he came back when he had already got ten dirhams; and he bought a garment with part of it, and food with part. Then the Prophet said, “This is better for you than that you should come on the Day of Resurrection with black marks upon your face.” (because begging without true need is a sin).

Recorded in Abu Daud, Tirmidthi, Ibn Majah

Aisha narrated: “I have never encountered anyone that had emulated the Holy Prophet in manner, likeness and speech more than Fatimah, may Allah honor her face. When she came in to visit him (the Prophet) he got up to (welcome) her, took her by the hand, kissed her and made her sit where he was sitting; and when he went in to visit her, she got up to (welcome) him, took him by the hand, kissed him, and made him sit where she was sitting.”

Recorded in Sunan Abu Dawood; Ash’atul Lama’aat

Allah has given one Dua (prayer) to every single prophet and every single messenger, that He has guaranteed that He will respond to. And every single prophet has used up this Dua for himself in this world, except for me. I have saved it and I have not used it and I will not use it in this life. I have kept it for my Ummah and I will use it for them on the Day of Judgement. And my Dua will be, “O Allah, forgive my entire Ummah.”

(Sahih Muslim 199)

9 Comments

  1. Imam

    You did great job by collecting and publishing some hadiths(Sunnah). Muslims are supposed to follow Quran and Sunnhah(Hadith). In Quran Allah says “Obey Allah and Obey messenger” so the ones are deviant who reject Sunnhah or Quran.

    Reply
    1. Sheima (Post author)

      JazakAllah khair for your comment.

      Reply
  2. saeed muhammed lawan

    Jazakallahu Kayr , for sharing these hadith that remind us about the kindness of prophet Muhammad (S A W), May Allah rewards you.

    Reply
    1. Sheima (Post author)

      Wa iyakum brother Saeed, may Allah reward you too

      Reply
  3. ibrar ahmed

    Recorded in Muslim

    Reply
  4. Biography of Muhammad

    The life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is full of countless examples that show his status as a role model for Muslim civilizations and persons.

    Reply
    1. Sheima (Post author)

      Thank you for your great comment.

      Reply
  5. Abdullah

    Than you. May Allah make us neighbors in paradise.

    Reply
    1. Sheima (Post author)

      You are most welcome. Ameen

      Reply

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