Table of Contents
Recognizing the Gift of the Prophet Muhammad’s Presence
Our LORD has bestowed upon us the blessing of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him). We pray ALLAH to make us grateful for this blessing and for the goodness it brings in this life and the Hereafter. The Prophet’s presence among us is a special kindness from ALLAH, as HE described Him in the Quran:
“So by mercy from ALLAH, [O Muḥammad], You were lenient with them…“1
(Suraat ‘Aali ‘Imraan, 3:159)
He is gentle, merciful, and of noble character, as ALLAH said:
“And indeed, You are of a great moral character“2
(Suraat ‘Al-Qalam, 68:4)
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) was not harsh or hard-hearted. ALLAH said,
“…And if You had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about You“3
(Suraat ‘Aali ‘Imraan, 3:159)
He feels deeply for us and is hurt by any hardship we endure. He feels our pain and is compassionate, just as a mother feels for her child. This connection makes him even more compassionate than our own mothers.
The Prophet’s Love and Concern for All Believers
In the Quran, ALLAH Almighty says,
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to Him is what you suffer; [He is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful“4
(Suraat ‘At-Tawbah, 9:128)
The Prophet’s desire for everyone to find guidance is profound. He longs for those who have yet to believe to come to faith, and for those already in faith, He wishes them Paradise.
ALLAH also says,
“And We have not sent You, [O Muḥammad], except as a mercy to the worlds“5
(Suraat ‘Al-‘Anbiyaa, 21:107)
underscoring that the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) is a mercy for all of creation.
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) Himself affirmed,
“O people, I am only a mercy and a guide“6
revealing that his entire life and mission were dedicated to mercy and compassion.
The Prophet’s Efforts to Save Us from Harm
In a hadith reported by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) shared a powerful example to illustrate His concern for us. He said,
“My parable and that of yours is like a man who kindled a fire. When it has illuminated all around him, the moths and grasshoppers began to fall therein. He tried to push them away, but they overcame him and jumped into it. I am catching hold of your waists ties (to save you) from fire, but you slip away from My hands“
In this way, the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) expressed how He holds us back from the fire, calling, “Come away from the fire“, even as we often struggle to turn away.
The Prophet’s care for us goes beyond words; He actively strives to keep us from harm, guiding us with both actions and advice. His compassion is evident in His constant reminders and efforts to ensure that we remain safe and rightly guided.
The Prophet’s Compassionate Prayer for His Community
In a narration, the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) recited the Words of ALLAH, the Exalted, and the Glorious, about Ibrahim (Peace be upon Him): “…So whoever follows Me – then he is of Me; and whoever disobeys Me – indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful”7 (Suraat ‘Ibraahiim, 14:36), and those of ‘Isa (Jesus) (Peace be upon Him) who said: “If YOU should punish them – indeed they are YOUR servants; but if YOU forgive them – indeed it is YOU Who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise”8 (Suraat ‘Al-Maa’idah, 5:118). Then He, Peace be upon Him, raised up His hands and said, “O ALLAH! My Ummah, my Ummah”, and wept.
ALLAH, the Exalted, said: “O Jibril (Gabriel)! Go to Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and ask Him: “What makes you weep?” So Jibril came to Him and asked Him (the reason of his weeping) and the Messenger of ALLAH (Peace be upon Him) informed Him what He had said (though ALLAH knew it well). Upon this ALLAH said:
“Jibril, go to Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and say: ‘Verily, WE will please You with regard to your Ummah and will never displease You“9
The Prophet’s care extended to his prayers for the entire community. His supplications were not only for His close companions, family, or descendants, but for all of His Ummah.
Aisha (may ALLAH be pleased with Her), the wife of the Prophet (Peace be upon Him), reported: “When I saw the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) with a cheerful face, I said, “O Messenger of ALLAH, supplicate to ALLAH for me”“. The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, “O ALLAH, forgive Aisha for her past and future sins, in secret and in public”. Aisha laughed so much that Her head fell from his lap. The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said to Her, “Does my supplication make you happy?” Aisha said, “Why would your supplication not make me happy?” The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said,
“By ALLAH, it is my supplication for my nation in every prayer”10
What a blessing it is to have such a Messenger among His people. May ALLAH bless Him and grant Him peace. We ask our LORD, the Most High, to reward Him with the highest reward ever given to a prophet for His people. And we pray that our LORD does not make us among those who altered or changed the faith, nor among those who would cause the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) distress by their actions on the Day of Judgment.
Sources:
- Sheikh Dr. Said Al Kamali. أعظم وأرحم إنسان في التاريخ – الشيخ سعيد الكملي. YouTube Video.
