Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) did not give the same reaction towards different types of behavior. He acted in accordance with the sources and conditions of an action. There were some matters that he did not tolerate, on the contrary he would immediately interfere. These were usually related to matters of faith, acts of worship, and prohibitions.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) showed most concern about the issue of Divine Unity. His first requirement from the newly converted tribes was to destroy their idols. The following incident that happened during the conversion of the tribe of Thaqif is very remarkable in this context:
“After signing an agreement, the representatives of the tribe of Thaqif asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) his permission not to destroy their idol, Rabba (Lat), and to keep it for three more years. The Prophet (pbuh) did not accept their request. They said:
“Then postpone its destruction for two more years.” He did not accept the second request, either.
They reduced it to one year, but Prophet’s response was the same.
They said:
“Postpone it for a month until our arrival at Ta’if.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) did not let them appoint a time for the destruction of their idol.
The reason for the insistence of the representatives was due to their concern about the reaction of the conservative members of their tribe. They thought that it would not be the right thing to destroy their tribal idol until everybody in their tribe had converted. Finally, when they saw that there was no other choice, they asked for permission to not destroy it themselves.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told them:
“Okay! I will tell my Companions to knock it down. I give you my permission because of the destruction it causes.” (Ibn Hisham, IV, 197; Waqidi, III, 967-968)
In that incident, the Prophet (pbuh) was before a newly converted tribe. There was even the possibility for them to return to their old faith because of the Prophet’s response to their request, but accepting and submitting oneself to the Divine Unity was the first condition of Islamic faith. This was why Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) did not make any concessions in the face of the persistent requests by the tribe of Thaqif.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) was so scrupulous in this matter that he even changed the names that contradicted the Islamic faith. According to the Hani b. Yazid’s (r.a.) report, a group of people came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He heard that they were calling one of them as “abd al-hajar – servant of stone.” The Prophet (pbuh) asked the man his name. When he said:
“Abd al-hajar – servant of stone,” he (the Prophet) changed it:
“No you are Abdullah – Servant of Allah.” (Bukhari, Adab al-Mufrad, no: 812)
Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) would not tolerate serious mistakes in acts of worship either; for they are the reflections of faith.
Rifaa b. Rafi’ (r.a.) narrated:
“When we were in the mosque, a bedouin came. He turned in the direction of the Qiblah and performed his prayer very quickly. Then he finished his prayer and greeted (said salaam to) the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He responded:
“Peace be upon you! Go back and perform your prayer again. You did not perform your prayer.”
The man went back, prayed again, and then approached and greeted the Messenger of Allah. He responded:
“Go back and perform your prayer again. You did not perform your prayer.” People began to worry and they found it difficult to understand. The man finally said:
“I am a human being. I sometimes make mistakes and sometimes do the right thing. Show me my mistakes, and teach me the right thing.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) showed him how to perform a prayer saying:
“The prayer of anyone is not perfect unless he performs ablution perfectly; he should then utter the takbir, and praise Allah, the Exalted, and admire Him; he should then recite the Qur’an as much as he desires. He should then say: “Allah is the Greatest”. Next he should bow so that all his joints return to their proper places. Then he should say: “Allah listens to the one who praises Him”, and stand erect. He should then say:”Allah is most great,” and should prostrate himself so that all his joints are completely at rest. Then he should say: “Allah is the Greatest”; he should raise his head (at the end of prostration) till he sits erect. Then he should say: “Allah is the Greatest”; then he should prostrate himself until all his joints return to their proper places. Then he should raise his head and say the takbir. When he does so, then his prayer is complete; otherwise your prayer is incomplete.”
The narrator of this tradition added: “The Prophet’s (pbuh) final words in that hadith were very consoling for the Companions. They were easier and more comforting than his former words: “Go back and perform your prayer again. You did not perform your prayer.” Because performing a prayer and skipping some parts mentioned in this narration just made the prayer incomplete not totally invalid. (Tirmidhi, Salat, 110; Abu Dawud, Salat, 143-144)
In this incident, the issue was ritual prayer. Prayer is the pillar of Islam. A person’s strength and measure of faith depends upon the quality of the prayers he performs. Compromises shown in prayer lead to compromises in other religious matters. This is why the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) immediately warned the person who had shortcomings in his prayer.
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) showed similar sensitivity in performing ablution. According to a report, Umar b. Khattab (r.a.) narrated that:
“A person performed ablution and left a small part equal to the space of a nail unwashed. The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) noticed and told him:
“Go back and perform ablution well.”
The man then went back, performed his ablution again, and offered the prayer. (Muslim, Tharah, 31; Abu Dawud, Taharah, 67)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) never approved of his followers giving as charity disliked, cheap, and inferior parts of their property. It was narrated by Awf b. Malik (r.a.):
“One day, the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) entered upon us in the mosque, and he had a stick in his hand. A man hung a bunch of hashaf (spoiled dates) in the mosque (as his charity for the needy). Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) struck the bunch with the stick, and said:
“I wish the owner of this charity had given a better one. The owner of this charity will surely eat spoiled dates on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud, Zakat, 17; Nasai, Zakat, 27)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) would never show tolerance in matters prohibited by Allah the Almighty and warned his followers against them just as he warned against Hell-fire. According to a narration of Abdullah b. Abbas (r. anhuma), Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) saw a person wearing a gold signet ring on his hand. He (the Holy Prophet) pulled it off and threw it away, saying:
“One of you wishes for live coal from Hell and is putting it on his hand.” It was said to the person after Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) had left:
“Take your ring and derive benefit out of it in some other way.” Yet the man said:
“No, by Allah, I shall never take what Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) has thrown away.” (Muslim, Libas, 52)
I. Saying Supplications for the Purification and Good Manners of the Companions
All his life, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) campaigned for the purification, education and discipline of his ummah. He spent his days and nights for their guidance and he never abstained from saying supplications for their goodness.
Supplication, one of the most significant aspects of servitude, is a servant’s most effective weapon and support. There is no curtain between Allah the Almighty and sincere supplications. Our Lord, the Most Merciful and the All-Compassionate, declares in the Qur’an:
اُدْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
“…Pray unto Me and I will answer your prayer…” (al-Mu’min 40; 60)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) lived his life filled with prayers in order to show the significance of this divine glad tiding and encourage his followers to follow it. He said both general and specific supplications for the welfare and guidance of his followers. Aisha (r. anha) narrates:
“Once Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) made the following supplication:
“O Allah! Strengthen Islam especially by Umar b. al-Khattab.” (Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 11)
Indeed as a result of this prayer, Umar (r.a.) was honored with conversion to Islam and Islam, in return, was reinforced by his conversion. Believers were able to begin to perform their worship openly.
Abu Bakr (r.a.) asked from the Prophet (pbuh) to pray for the guidance of his mother Umm al-Khair Salma saying:
“O Messenger of Allah! My mother is very caring towards her children. And you are a blessed person. Would you pray to Allah for her and invite her to Islam? Maybe Allah shall save her from the Hell-fire for your sake.” Upon which, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) prayed for her and invited her to embrace Islam. And soon after his supplication, she converted to Islam. (Ibn al-Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, VII, 326)
Abu Huraira (r.a.) reported that his mother had refused his many invitations to Islam. However, she later was blessed with guidance as a result of the Prophet’s prayers for her. (Muslim, Fada’il al-Sahaba, 158)
Tufail bin Amr of the tribe of Daws used to invite his tribe to Islam, but they did not accept. So he came to Mecca to the Prophet (pbuh) and said,
“O Prophet of Allah! The people of Daws have prevailed over me as they disobeyed and refused to accept Islam. So invoke Allah against them.” But the Prophet said,
“O Allah! Give guidance to the people of Daws and bring them (to Islam)!” and then he turned to Tufail and said:
“Go back to your people and continue to invite them to Islam. And treat them leniently.” Tufail went back to his tribe. He continued to invite them to Islam by the time of Prophet’s migration to Medina.” (Bukhari, Maghazi, 75; Ibn Hanbal, II, 243; Ibn Sa’d, IV, 239)
Once again, one of the Companions asked the Messenger of Allah to curse the people of Thaqif, who had given heavy losses to the believers during the siege of Taif; but, the Prophet of mercy turned to Allah and prayed:
اَللّهُمَّ اهْدِ ثَقِيفًا وَائْتِ بِهِمْ
“O Allah! Bestow guidance upon Thaqif and bring them to us.”
And as a result of this prophetic supplication, not long passed before the people of Thaqif came to the Messenger of Allah to declare their conversion. (Ibn Hisham, IV, 134)
In the Qur’an Allah the Almighty commands His Messenger to pray saying:
وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلاَتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ
“…pray on their behalf. Verily your prayers are a source of security for them…” (al-Tawbah 9; 103)
In his long supplication during the farewell pilgrimage Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) asked from Allah forgiveness and mercy for his ummah.
Our Lord Almighty said:
“I have forgiven your ummah except those who oppress others and take their rights. I will take the rights of the oppressed from the oppressors.” Then the Prophet (pbuh) prayed saying:
“Dear Lord! If You want, You can forgive the oppressor and give Paradise to the oppressed because of the oppression he suffered.” The latter supplication was not accepted though. Upon which he said:
“O people! Today, Allah the Almighty has bestowed his blessings upon you and forgiven you – except the unjust amongst you.” (Ibn Hanbal, IV, 14; Ibn Majah, Manasik, 56; Haythami, III, 256)
According to a report, the Najashi’s envoy came, conveyed his greetings to the Prophet (pbuh), and told him that the Najashi had been asking for his prayers. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) performed ablution and then said thrice:
“O Allah! Forgive the Najashi.” And the believers said Ameen to his prayers. (Dhahabi, Siyar, I, 312-313)
From time to time Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said special prayers for his Companions for their goodness and high spiritual ranks. One of the best examples of these prayers is about Ukkasha (r.a.). It is reported on the authority of Imran b. Husain (r.a.) that:
“The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Seventy thousand people of my Ummah would be admitted into Paradise without facing any questioning.” They (the Companions) said:
“Who shall those (fortunate persons) be?” He (the Holy Prophet) said:
“Those who do not cauterize, practice sorcery, and believe in bad luck, but repose their trust in their Lord,” Ukkasha (r.a.) then stood up and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah that He should make me one of them.” He (the Holy Prophet) told him:
“You are one among them.” (Muslim, Iman, 371)
We see in the sources that Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said some of his prayers in order to cleanse his Companions from spiritual illnesses. In one of his sermons, Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said that:
“O People! If there is anybody who fears from himself, stand up so I can say my prayers for him.” Upon which a man stood up and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I am stingy coward, and I sleep too much. Pray to Allah to cure my (spiritual) illnesses.” The Prophet (pbuh) prayed for him. Another man stood up and said:
“O Messenger of Allah! I am a liar, I say dirty things and do wrong things. I also sleep too much.” Allah’s Messenger prayaed for him saying:
“O Allah! Bestow on him truthfulness and maturity of faith. Take his desire to sleep away from him whenever he wants to sleep.” Then a woman stood up:
“I have such and such an illnesses. Pray for Allah to cleanse them from me.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) told her:
“Go to Aisha’s house.” And then he descended the pulpit. When he went to Aisha’s house, he placed his staff on the woman’s head and prayed for her. (Ibn Sa’d, II, 255)
The Prophet (pbuh) said many supplications for his Companions and his ummah for their purification and education. We have tried to present some of them.