Description of the Prophet

Description of the Prophet (saw)

His Physical Characteristics
Anas ibn Malik said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was not excessively tall or short. He was not very pallid nor dark. He did not have curly hair or lank hair. Allah commissioned him at the age of forty. He stayed in Makka ten years and at Madina for ten years and Allah the Mighty, the Majestic made him die when he was sixty. There were not twenty white hairs in his hair or beard, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” (Muwatta’)

Baraa bin Aazib relates that: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was a man of a medium build; he had broad shoulders (from which we may gather that he had a wide chest); he had dense hair which reached his ear-lobes; he wore a red striped lungi (a cloth worn around the legs) and shawl. I never saw anybody or anything more handsome than him.”

It is reported from Sayiduna ‘Ali,: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was neither very tall nor very short. The soles of both feet were very fleshed. He had a large head. The joints of the bones was also large. The was a thin line of hair from the chest to the navel. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked, it appeared that he was descending from a high place. I did not see anyone like him neither before him, nor after him.”

It is related from Ibrahim bin Muhammad, that whenever Sayiduna ‘Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, described the noble features of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, he used to say: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was neither very tall nor short, but of a medium stature among people. His hair was neither very curly nor very straight, but had a slight wave in it. He did not have a big body nor a round face, but his mubaarak face was slightly round.
“The complexion of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was white with redness in it. The blessed eyes of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were extremely black. His eyelashes were long. The joints of the body (e.g. elbows and knees etc.) were large, likewise the portion between the two shoulders was broad and fully fleshed.

“There was no hair (more than normal) on his body. He had a thin line of hair running from the chest to the navel. The hands and feet of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were fully fleshed. When he walked, he lifted his legs with vigour, as if he were descending to a low-lying place. When he addressed a person he turned his whole body towards that person. The seal of Prophethood was situated between his shoulders. He was a last of all prophets. He was the most generous and the most truthful. He was the most kind-hearted and came from a most noble family.”

His Laughter
Abdullah ibn Haarith, ?I did not see anyone who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

His Devotion to Performing Nawafil
Mughirah bin Shu’bah reports that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace, performed such lengthy nafl prayers, that his mubaarak legs became swollen. The Sahabah said : “You undergo such great difficulties, where Allah had forgiven your past and the future sins.” He replied: “Should I not be a grateful servant?”

His Weeping

‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud says: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace, once asked me to recite the Qur’an to him. I said: ‘’O Messenger of Allah, should I recite it to you when it has been revealed to you?’ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “I love to hear it from another person.'’

“Thereupon I began reciting Surah Nisa’. When I reached this ayah: ‘’But how (will it be with them) when We bring of every people a witness, and We bring thee (O Muhammed) a witness against these?'’ (Surah Nisa’,41) I saw tears flowing from both eyes of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace.”

His Humility (Humbleness)
Anas bin Malik reports: “No one was more beloved to the Sahabah than the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and give him peace. When they saw him they did not stand up, knowing that he did not approve of it”.