On the Prophet’s birth anniversary, it is better to put forward the following facts:

First Fact: Knowledge of the Prophet’s verbal and practical Sunna and Tradition is enjoined on each and every Muslim. This is because each Quranic Command is a religious obligation; and our Lord, Allah, Most Gracious, bade us to take from His Messenger, (PBUH), our religion, follow his Prophetic Sunna and Tradition and take him for a model and exemplar. To this effect, Allah, All-Mighty, says, “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.”[XXXIII; 21]

But how can we follow the Prophet’s enjoinments and take him for a good exemplar if we do not know his true Hadith and authenticated Biography. In other words, things necessary to carry out a certain obligation are as obligatory.

Second Fact: Allah, Most Gracious, bade us to follow and obey His Messenger, (PBUH), because he is, by himself, faultless whether in his words, deeds, approvals, or conditions; while his people, who follow him, are faultless as a whole nation. To this effect, The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), says, “My people do not flock together upon error.”

As Allah, All-Wise, describes him in His Holy Quran, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), “does not speak out of his own desire but rather out of Divine Revelation”. That is why Muslim scholars consider the Holy Quran as textual Divine Revelation and Prophetic Hadith as non-textual Divine Revelation. They even consider Prophetic Hadith as the second basic source of Islamic jurisdiction after the Holy Quran.

Third Fact: Answering the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), is but answering Allah, Most Gracious; obeying the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), is but obeying Allah, Most Merciful; and seeking to please the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), is but seeking to please Allah, All-High. To this effect, Allah, All-Mighty, says, “But if they answer you not, then know you that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts without guidance from Allah. Verily, Allah guides not the people who are wrong-doers.” [XXVIII; 50], “He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed Allah; but he who turns away, then We have not sent you as a watcher over them.” [IV; 80], and, “They swear by Allah to you in order to please you, but it is more fitting that they should please Allah and His Messenger if they are true believers.” [IX; 62]

Fourth Fact: Allah, All-Mighty, does not accept those who claim to love Him unless they provide evidence of their love, namely following the good model of His Messenger, (PBUH). He, All-High, bids His Messenger, (PBUH), “Say (O Muhammad), ‘If you (really) love Allah then follow me; (if you do) Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” [III; 31]

Fifth Fact: Allah, Most Gracious, says, “And all that We relate to you (O Muhammad) of the news of the Messengers is in order that We may make strong and firm your heart thereby. And in this (the Quran) has come to you the Truth as well as an admonition and a reminder for the believers.” [XI; 120]

If the pure noble heart of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), the best and most beloved of all mankind to the Lord, All-Mighty, is strengthened and made more firm and comfortable by listening to the stories of other fellow Prophets and Messengers, (PBUT), although they are inferior to him in rank, so how would the case be with believers when they listen to the story of the best and most beloved of all mankind to Allah, Most Merciful. Undoubtedly, the story of Muhammad’s life enlightens the minds, reassures the hearts, provides spiritual enhancement, and incites in man the spirit of heroism, simply because he is the most perfect of all human beings.
And more handsome than you my eye has never seen,
And more perfect than you women have never born.
You were created pure from any imperfection,
It is as though you were created as you desire.

Sixth Fact: From the above-mentioned facts it can be deduced that knowledge of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), his true noble Sunna and Tradition as well as biography, is a religious obligation for each and every Muslim, because it is an essential part of Islamic religion. In this context, Allah, All-Mighty, says scornfully, “Or is it that they did not recognize their Messenger (Muhammad) so they deny him?!” [XXIII; 69]

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In all human history, with its elite leaders and great men, no other life than that of the Messenger and Mercy of Allah to all mankind, Muhammad, (PBUH), has ever been so accurately and elaborately recorded and communicated. Every single word he (PBUH) uttered, every step he walked, every smile that brightened over his holy face, every tear-drop that fell down his holy cheeks, every breath that he took, every effort that he exerted for the Call for Allah and His Religion, every scene of his noble life, and even his private life with his family and wives has been communicated to us with utmost and unmatched accuracy and authenticity. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), passed away more than fourteen centuries ago, but we still read his holy biography so vivid and impressive as if he (PBUH) were still living with us. It is not surprising at all that we still live with him all the scenes of his noble life, most clearly and vividly, since Allah, All-Mighty, chose him as His last Messenger and his religion as the final Divine Religion for all mankind everywhere and at all times until Allah, All-Mighty, inherits the world and all that is therein.

Beyond a shadow of doubt, the noble and perfect life of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), together with the sublime and pure traits and qualities of his holy character, can not be covered in books or spoken of in sermons for a great many years. Mercy was the core of his holy life; love was the essence of his pure nature; sublimity was the ultimate goal of his work; and solving people’s problems was his utmost care. Let us now speak about the first and foremost trait of his noble character, namely his Mercy.

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He, (PBUH), says about himself, “Verily, I am but a Mercy granted (by the Lord).” But it is Mercy of the generous and strong and not of the miserable and weak. He, (PBUH), the one who knows the real meaning of Mercy, says, “The Most Merciful (Allah) has mercy on those who are merciful. Have mercy on those in the earth, He, Who is in the heaven will have mercy on you.”

The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) announced clearly that he considered mercy better and purer than exaggeration in worship. In the month of Ramadan in the year of the conquest of Mecca, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), headed for Mecca. And when he got to a place called Kura’ Al-Ghameem, he fasted, and so did other Muslims who were with him. But when he (PBUH) noticed that it was hard for some people to fast due to hardship of travel, he took a glass of water, held it up to his mouth so that everyone could see it, and drank some water, suggesting that everyone should break the fast. And when he was told that some people kept fasting, he (PBUH) said, “Those are the disobedient.”

Since hardship of travel is an accepted excuse for breaking the fast, and since tenderness and mercy override everything in the heart of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), he described those who kept fasting and, therefore, got exhausted, as being disobedient, simply because they refused to accept Exemption of Allah, Most Merciful, or, in other words, they turned worship from spiritual enhancement into physical torture, i.e. they abandoned the greatest human merit, namely Mercy, particularly on one’s own self, health, and strength, which they are one’s real capital.

As for the Prophet’s Mercy on parents, it is really amazing…

A man hurried happily to covenant the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), to emigrate and fight with him for the Cause of Allah, saying, “I have come to covenant you to emigrate and fight with you, seeking Allah’s Good Pleasure and Generous Recompense!” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), asked, “Is any of you parents alive?” “Actually, both are still alive.” The man replied. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), asked, “Do you really seek Allah’s Reward?” “Yes, I do.” The man replied. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “Then go back to your parents and keep them good company.”

On another occasion, a man came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), asking him for permission to take part in the fight against disbelievers. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), asked the man, “Are your parents alive?” “Yes, they are.” The man replied. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “Then strive for them (i.e. for their happiness).”

On a third occasion, a man came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), saying, “I have come to covenant you on emigration, leaving behind my parents crying.” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), bade the man, “Go back to them, and make them laugh as you have made them cry!”

A happy smile on the face of a tender father or a compassionate mother is unmatched in the sight of Muhammad (PBUH) by anything else no matter how valuable it might be and even if it were fight for the Cause of Allah, Most Gracious, or the Call for His Religion. In other words, just as worship turns into self-torture when it is performed at the expense of mercy upon oneself, so it turns into disobedience when it is performed at the expense of mercy upon one’s parents.

The above-mentioned facts were about the Prophet’s mercy upon one’s own self and parents. Bu what about his mercy concerning one’s family and wife?

In fact the Prophet’s mercy pertaining to one’s family was really astonishing, for he (PBUH) associated one’s being a good person with one’s mercy upon his family and doing good to them. To this effect, He (PBUH) says, “The best ones from among you are those who are the best to their families; and I am the best of you to my family.” He (PBUH) also says, “Be good to women.” Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “O Allah! I restrict the rights of the two weak (kinds of people): the orphan and the woman.” He (PBUH) also says, “The best ones of you are those who are the best to women.”

His mercy concerning husbands is manifested clearly by the following story: Abu Qilabah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated on authority of Malik: We came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), when we were all of the same young age, and we stayed with him for twenty days; and he (PBUH) was merciful and tender to us. And when he (PBUH) thought that we longed for our families, he asked us about them and we informed him. Therefore, he (PBUH) said, “Go back to your families, stay with them, teach them, and bid them - and he (PBUH) said other things that I remember or not – and perform prayer just as you saw me do; and when it is time for prayer, let one of you call out for prayer, and let the eldest ones from among you lead you in prayer.”

His mercy pertaining to wives is clearly manifested by the story of the wife of the venerable Companion ‘Uthman bin Math’oun, may Allah be pleased with him. She came to the Prophet’s wife, ‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, complaining to her of her husband’s being negligent to her because he was fully involved in worship and religious devotion, for he stood up the nights in worship and prayer and fasted the days. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), summoned ‘Uthman bin Math’oun and addressed him, “O ‘Uthman! Don’t you take me for a good model?” ‘Uthman said, “I sacrifice my father and mother for you, O Messenger of Allah! What’s the matter?” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “You fast the day and stand up the night?!” ‘Uthman said, “Yes, indeed. I do.” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “Do not do! Verily, your body has a right on you; and surely, your wife has a right on you.”

‘Uthman took the Prophet’s advice and did well to his wife. The next day, ‘Uthman’s wife went as happy and beautiful as a bride to the Prophet’s house; and the women gathered round, asking in great astonishment, “What’s the matter, O wife of Bin Math’oun?!” With utmost joy she replied, “We’ve had what other people have!”

Moreover, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), even promises women who are good to their husbands that they will be generously rewarded by Allah just like those who fight in His Way; and Jihad (fight in the Way of Allah) is the Zenith of the religion of Islam. In this context, A woman of Al-Ansar (The Helpers), called Asma’ bint Yazeed Al-Ansariah, came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), saying, “O Messenger of Allah! I have been delegated to you by the women. Men have been given superiority over us (women) by Friday and congregational prayers, visiting the sick, walking in funerals, performing Hajj and Umrah (major and minor pilgrimage), and warfare.” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), addressed the woman, “Go you woman, and tell those women who have delegated you that being good wives to your husbands, seeking their pleasure, and showing obedience to them, equal all that (which you have just said).”

As for the Prophet’s mercy concerning children, whenever he (PBUH) met a child, he would smile to them and speak tenderly and compassionately to them just like a loving father who is careful to entertain his children and make them feel happy and self-confident. He (PBUH) also used to take the children of his venerable Companions in his holy hands, hold and play with them. And whenever he came past children, he would salute them gently, saying, “As-Salamu ‘Alaikum Ay-Yuhas Sibiatu (Peace be with you, Children).”

Narrated Jabir bin Sumrah, may Allah be pleased with him: The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), saw some children competing together in running; and he (PBUH) took part in the competition to please them and give them self-confidence. He would also invite children to ride behind him on his camel to delight them.

‘A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that an Arabian came to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), and said, “Do you kiss young children?! We don’t kiss ours!” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “What can I do for you if Allah has taken away mercy from your heart?!”

Once, a young child of one of the Prophet’s daughters died. When he was brought to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), his eyes flooded with sorrowful tears. Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah, may Allah be pleased with him, asked in amazement, “O Messenger of Allah! What’s this?!” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), replied, “This is mercy, which Allah has put in the hearts of His slaves. Verily, Allah bestows His Mercy upon those who are merciful from among His slaves.” He (PBUH) also said, “I shall be the first human to get hold of the ring of the gate of Paradise, but suddenly a woman competes with me so as to enter Paradise before me. ‘Who is this woman, O Gabriel?!’ I shall ask in amazement. ‘That is a woman whose husband passed away leaving her young children; and she refused to get married again for their sake.’” Such eminent position the woman did gain due to her mercy upon her young children.

Narrated bin Souweid: I met Abu Thar, may Allah be pleased with him, dressed in nice clothes, and so was his young son. I asked him about that; and he replied that he heard the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), say, “They (Your children) are your brothers, and your slaves, whom Allah has put under your hands (custody). So, he whose brother has been put under his hand has to feed him of that which he (himself) eats and to clothe him of that which he (himself) wears. And do not burden them with work that they can not bear. And if you do burden them (with work that they can not bear), help them with it.”

Abu Mas’oud Al-Ansari narrated: I was beating a slave boy of mine when I suddenly heard a voice coming from behind: “O Abu Mas’oud! You have to know that Allah, All-Mighty, is far more powerful over you than you are over him!” I looked back to find the Messenger of Allah standing behind me. I said, “O Messenger of Allah! For the sake of Allah (I declare that) he is free.” He (PBUH) said, “If you had not so done (i.e. set him free), the Fire would have overwhelmed you.” It is clear that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), is here forbidding Abu Mas’oud to beat the slave boy.

The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), even does not consider one a real Muslim unless one has mercy on the young. To this effect, he (PBUH) says, “He who does not show adequate respect to the elderly ones of us, have mercy upon the young ones of us, or give our scholars their due rights, does not belong to us.”

Narrated Abu Qatadah: The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “I stand up to perform prayer with an intention to prolong it; but if I hear a baby cry, I shorten my prayer lest that (i.e. prolonging prayer) should be hard for its mother.”

As for the Prophet’s mercy with regards to neighbors, he (PBUH) was very careful to spread and maintain peace and security among all neighbors. In this context, He (PBUH) says, “Gabriel kept urging me to take care of the neighbor so much so that I thought he would give him the right to inherit (me).” He (PBUH) emphasizes neighbors’ rights so that a strong neighbor would not transgress against the rights of a weak one. That is why he (PBUH) negates strongly true Faith from those whose neighbors feel afraid of them or do not feel safe from their evil deeds. To this effect, He (PBUH) says, “I swear by Allah that he is not a true believer! I swear by Allah that he is not a true believer! I swear by Allah that he is not a true believer!” “Who is he?” They asked. He (PBUH) replied, “He whose neighbors are not safe from his evil deeds.”

One day, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), was told that a certain woman is fully and devotedly committed to performing prayer, fasting and giving alms and charities, yet she hurts her neighbors by her tongue. He (PBUH) said, “She will be in the Fire.”

The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), confirms sanctity of the rights of neighbors in the general sense of the word. So what would the case be with the rights of a Muslim neighbor, a kin Muslim neighbor, or a next-door kin Muslim neighbor?! In this context, he (PBUH) says, “Do you know what are the rights of a neighbor?” If he asks you for help, you should help him. If he asks you for support, you should support him. If he asks you for money, you should loan him. If he falls ill, you should visit him. If he is visited by a good thing, you should congratulate him. If he is visited by an evil thing, you should console him. If he passes away, you should see him off to his grave. And do not make your building higher than his and, hence, deprive him of the breeze, except by his own consent and permission. If you buy some fruit, grant him some thereof. If you do not want to (give him of the fruit you buy), you should bring it (the fruit) in secretly; and do not let you child take it out to tease thereby his child. And do not cause him harm by the smell of your food unless you grant some thereof to him.”

As for the Prophet’s mercy upon all mankind, it was not a mere charitable or pious deed but rather a strong religious obligation and an essential part of human life that is manifested in a lot of good righteous work and devoted participation. Abu Thar, the venerable Companion, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: I asked the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), “What saves man from the Fire?” He (PBUH) answered, “Belief in Allah.” I asked, “Is there work together with belief?” He (PBUH) replied, “To give of that which Allah has given to him.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! If he is poor and does not have anything to give?” He (PBUH) replied, “He should enjoin good and forbid evil.” I asked, “What if he is unable to enjoin good or forbid evil?” He (PBUH) said, “Then let him help the feeble-minded.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! What if he can not do?” He (PBUH) said, “Then let him help a wronged person.” I asked, “What if he is weak and can not help a wronged person?” He (PBUH) replied in great amazement, “Don’t you wish to leave any good thing for your fellow?! Let him abstain from doing evil to other people.” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah! If he so does, will he enter Paradise?” He (PBUH) replied, “Anyone who is possessed of any of such qualities (as I have just mentioned) is led thereby to Paradise.”

There still remains something unexpected, namely the Prophet’s mercy upon animals, because his mercy does not end with human beings but rather goes further to embrace animals, which also have feelings and should be given their due rights of life and provision, perhaps more than human beings because they can not complain or speak out their pain or sorrow. He (PBUH) could not bear to see an animal being burdened with things that it could not bear. He (PBUH) said, “A woman was chastised (entered the Fire) for a cat that she kept imprisoned until it died; she neither fed it nor let it go to eat from the vermin of the earth.”

Due to his most delicate feeling of the animals’ need of mercy, he would feel as if wronged animals were complaining and asking for help against their masters. In this context, Abdullah bin Ja’far narrated: The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) entered an orchard that belonged to one of the Ansar (The Helpers) in Medina. As soon as a camel saw the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), it came to him with tears in its eyes [as if complaining to the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH)]. The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), asked, “Who is the master of this animal?” A man of the Ansar said, “O Messenger of Allah! It belongs to me.” The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), addressed the man, “Fear Allah in this animal, which Allah has given to you! It has complained to me that you don’t feed it well enough and that you over-tire it with work.”

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As for the Prophet’s mercy upon his nation after him, he (PBUH) was most careful about their unity and, hence, he enjoined everything that brings unity, solidarity, and power to the Muslim nation and forbade everything that entails dissension, weakness, and discord therein. In fact, no other doctrine than that of the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), called for real brotherhood as substantiated by unity, solidarity, cooperation, compassion, and collaboration among all members of society. He (PBUH) also warned of dissension, discord, enmity, grudge, hatred and blind fanaticism. This can be clearly seen in the Prophet’s verbal and practical Sunna and Tradition. It once happened in Medina that a disbeliever was teased by the great friendship, compassion and fraternity that was prevalent among Muslims after they had been inimical and hateful towards one another before Islam. Therefore, he asked another disbeliever to sit with the tribes of Al-Aous and Al-Khazraj and remind them of the days of Bou’ath, a battle in each they had previously fought against each other, and the hatred and grudge that had been between them before, and also to recite some of the verses they had written on that occasion. Upon so doing, men from both tribes began boasting and then disputing; and a fight was about to begin between both tribes. Immediately, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), came out to them with some men of Al-Muhajireen (The Emigrants) and addressed them angrily, “O Muslims! Fear Allah!!! Fear Allah!!! Is this (trouble) for former issues of pre-Islamic times of ignorance, while I am here with you?! After Allah has guided you to Islam, honored and protected you therewith from issues of pre-Islamic times of ignorance, saved you from disbelief, and united your hearts together, you return to that in which you were: disbelievers?!” Soon, people realized that it was all out of devilish insinuation and evil machinations of their enemies, and, crying sorrowfully, they warmly embraced one another and left with the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), in peace and obedience.

The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), described such trouble between believers as “disbelief”; and similarly, Allah, All-Mighty, sent down on that occasion the following Verses: “And how would you disbelieve, while unto you are being recited the Verses of Allah, and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah, then he is indeed guided to the right Path. O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared; and die not except in a state of Islam. And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves; and remember Allah’s Favor on you, for you were enemies to one another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Signs clear to you that you may be rightly guided. Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining good-doing and forbidding evil-doing – and such are the successful. And be not like those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them – and for such is an awful torment, on the Day when some faces will become white and some faces will become black. As for those whose faces will become black (it will be said to them): ‘Did you reject Faith after accepting it?! Then taste the torment for rejecting Faith.’ And for those whose faces will become white, they will be in Allah’s Mercy, therein they shall dwell forever. Such are the Verses of Allah – We recite them to you in truth; and Allah wills no injustice to mankind. And to Allah does belong all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And to Allah will all matters be returned (for judgment). You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind: you enjoin good-doing, and forbid evil-doing, and believe in Allah. And had the people of the Scripture believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have Faith, but most of them are disobedient and rebellious.” [III; 101-110]

Allah, Most Gracious, also sent down, “Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the believers he is full of pity, kind and merciful. But if they turn away, say (O Muhammad): ‘Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but He. In Him I do put my trust. And He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.’” [IX; 128,129]

To wrap up, the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), was most careful about unity of his nation after him. Narrated Jareer bin Adullah, may Allah be pleased with him: The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “Do not return after me disbelievers striking the necks of one another.”