How do you picture the prophets in your head

**Darth Ultor** · 08-19-2012

I know it's haraam in Islam to depict the prophets in picture form or in voice but you can't tell me that you never imagined their faces when reading about them. I'm sure an obscure image of Allah even crossed your mind but let's not get into that.

Abraham: Since I was introduced to the name Abraham as a little kid by learning about Lincoln, I can't get the image of his hairstyle out of my head. But the similarities end there. I imagined Abraham tall with a long beard, very simple clothing, and a strong voice.

Moses: Again tall, black hair and beard when he was young, gray when he was old. A very stern face. Spoke with a stammer but that would no make people respect him less, in fact it would be quite the opposite. He would be strict when he had to be and kind at all other times.

Jesus: Absolutely nothing like what's depicted in churches except for the white robe. For one thing, I always imagined him with olive skin, black hair and beard, and brown eyes. Very kindly demeanor, and soft spoken.

Muhammad: Average height, muscular, white thawb and kaffiah, black hair, long beard (with streaks of gray when he was older), and green eyes. He would generally have a serious face and people would be nervous talking to him, but once you do, it would feel more comfortable than talking to and getting lessons from your own grandfather.

The others are not as vivid in my mind but nearly all of them I see as Middle Eastern with dark features and all had beards.

**Muslim Woman** · 08-19-2012

Salaam/ Peace

Physical Description of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

This hadith is considered to be one of the best and most complete physical descriptions of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. I learned that it’s almost impossible to translate the beautiful words into english and here, I’ve tried to collect a few english versions.

When the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) emigrated from Makkah to Madînah, he passed by the tent of Umm Ma`bad.

She witnessed some of his miracles, then swore fealty to him in Islam before he departed. When her husband came back, he was surprised to find with her a quantity of milk. He asked her: “Where you have got this from, O Umm Ma`bad, while our sheep is alone and untouched and we have no milk cow in our home?” She said: “Nay, but by Allah, a blessed man passed by our way and did so and so.” He said: “Describe him to me, O Umm Ma`bad.”

VERSION ONE:

She said:
“I saw a man who is handsome, of glowing countenance, and of good proportions, with neither a large stomach nor a small head. He is smart of appearance, with balanced features, deep black eyes, and long eyelashes. His voice is not coarse. He has a long neck, a full rounded beard, and thick eyebrows that meet each other. When he is silent, he is stately and composed, and when he speaks, his appearance is impressive.

“He is the most beautiful and striking man from a distance and the best and most beautiful from close up. He is well spoken, clear in what he says, saying neither too much nor too little, his words flowing forth like a perfect string of pearls.

“He is neither too tall nor overly short, a stately man in the company of two other stately men (one of them was Abu Bakr RA), and he is the most prominent among them and the most well-respected.

“He has companions who surround him. If he speaks, they listen to him, and if he commands, they hasten to fulfill his command. He is well served and attended, though he is neither stern nor argumentative.”

VERSION TWO:

Excerpt from “Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and their Successors” By Muḥammad ibn Jarīr Ṭabarī, Ella Landau-Tasseron

VERSION THREE:

“I saw a man, pure and clean, with a handsome face and a fine figure. He was not marred by a skinny body, nor was he overly small in the head and neck. He was graceful and elegant, with intensely black eyes and thick eyelashes. There was a huskiness in his voice, and his neck was long. His beard was thick, and his eyebrows were finely arched and joined together.

When silent, he was grave and dignified, and when he spoke, glory rose up and overcame him.

He was from afar the most beautiful of men and the most glorious, and close up he was the sweetest and the loveliest. He was sweet of speech and articulate, but not petty or trifling. His speech was a string of cascading pearls, measured so that none despaired of its length.”

This hadîth is related by al-Hâkim in al-Mustadrak (3/9-10), al-Tabarânî in al-Mu`jam al-Kabîr (3605), Abû Nu`aym in Dalâ’il al-Nubuwwah (282-278), and al-Lâlikâ’î in I`tiqâd Ahl al-Sunnah (1434-1437).

http://mystrugglewithin.wordpress.co...-by-umm-mabad/

**Darth Ultor** · 08-20-2012

^ Pretty much what I imagined except for the eye color. Noah is very hard for me to imagine not as an old man but he is the only one I picture as not Middle Eastern. Adam I'm not sure of.

David, when he was young, I see him with curly brown hair, brown eyes, and a thin but toned build. As a middle-aged man, pretty much the same thing but with a full beard and a very commanding air.

Solomon: The exact opposite of David. While David had the "military/kingly leader" air, I see Solomon as someone people followed because of a scholarly and wise demeanor (even though I know David was a very wise man).

**Endymion** · 08-20-2012

Originally Posted by Muslim Woman

a stately man in the company of two other stately men (one of them was Abu Bakr RA)

Im dead sure the other one is Umar RA as i read a Hadith which was like,"It was not needed to mention that Muhammad SAW went some where and Abu Bakar RA and Umar RA were also with Him SAW as they were always with Him SAW".Subhanallah,such lucky people.

I never imagine Allah SWT as how He SWT looks like.Actually,i have no idea about His looks,all i have in my mind is kindness,forgiveness and mercy.

About my beloved prophet Muhammad SAW,when ever i read about His personality,it always brought smile to my face but i never felt my eyes clean enough to imagine my noble prophet

**sister herb** · 08-20-2012

Question is strange. I haven´t never think I should think what prophets look. Maybe as average men.

**Serendipity** · 08-20-2012

I don't really know, I sometimes imagine Ibrahim (as) as a very old man, muhammad

as a very handsome man as that is what he is described like in the hadiths. But not sure about the other prophets (pbut).

**BlackTemplar** · 08-20-2012

Salam , as you know would you think those portrait of Isa AS by the christians , is as any close to him?

**sister herb** · 08-20-2012

Prophet Isa should look as Palestinian but pictures of Christians he looks as European.

**Futuwwa** · 08-22-2012

The movie Ben Hur demonstrates in a very in-your-face way (though probably unintentionally) the absurdity of the way Jesus is usually depicted among western Christians. Everyone else in Judea looks like what you might expect an ancient Jew to look like, while Jesus is pale white and has wavy, aristocratic, long hair.

**sister herb** · 08-22-2012

I got to my mind old Jewish proverb:

"Old rabbi asked his students when is time when night ends and day starts. Students made they ideas but rabbi said no. Finally rabbi said: Night ends when you see eyes of starnger and see him or her as your brother or sister. Until this is night in our hearts."

By this we see face of prothets with all people me meet everyday.

**Darth Ultor** · 08-22-2012

Call me picky but I don't like it when Biblical figures are portrayed as white. Even Moses. I mean, look at the Ten Commandments. Don't get me wrong, I love the movie and the actors but still. Prince of Egypt had a more accurate depiction of my view of Moses (though he did look very good for an 80 year old man in that movie and his sons seemed to be missing).