Teaching something by displaying it personally was one of the methods used by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). This is the easiest way and the most useful method to comprehend an issue. According to Amr b. Shu’aib’s report from his grandfather, a man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and asked him how to perform ablution.
“He (the Prophet) then asked for water in a vessel and washed his hands up to the wrists thrice, then washed his face three thrice, and washed his forearms thrice. He then wiped his head and inserted both his index fingers in his ears; he wiped the back of his ears with his thumbs and the front of his ears with the index fingers. He then washed his feet three times.
Then he said:
“This is how ablution should be performed. If anyone does more or less than this, he has done wrong and transgressed.” (Abu Dawud, Taharah, 52)
Sulaiman b. Buraida narrated on the authority of his father that a person asked the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) about the time of prayer. He said:
“Pray with us these two days.” And then on the first day he performed his prayers at their earliest times and on the second day at their latest times.
He (the Holy Prophet) then said:
“Where is the man who inquired about the time of prayer?” He (the inquirer) said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Here I am.” He (the Holy Prophet) said:
“The time for your prayer is within the limits of what you have seen.” (Muslim, Masajid, 176)
Another narration about how the Prophet (pbuh) taught his Companions how to perform prayer happened as follows:
Sahl b. Sa’d (r.a.) narrated:
“And I saw the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) standing upon a pulpit glorifying Allah and the people glorified Allah after him, while he was on the pulpit. He then raised (his head from prostration) and stepped back (on his heels) till he prostrated himself at the base of pulpit, and then returned (to the former place and this movement of one or two steps continued) until the prayer was complete. He then turned towards the people and said:
“O people, I have done it `so that you should follow me and learn (my mode of) prayer.” (Bukhari, Salat, 18; Muslim, Masajid, 44)
Once again he performed the rituals of pilgrimage upon his camel so that people could see him easily. And he said:
“Learn your rituals (by seeing me performing them), for I do not know whether I will perform Hajj after this one.” (Ibn Hanbal, III, 318; Muslim, Hajj, 310)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) also became an example through his actions in abstaining from prohibitions. For instance, when he taught people the prohibition for men to wear gold, he said:
“I used to wear this ring and keep its stone towards the palm of my hand.” He then threw it away and said, “By Allah, I will never wear it (again).” Therefore, all the people threw away their rings as well. (Bukhari, Aiman, 6)
Another positive incident occurred during the treaty of Hudaibiyah. Believers who were prevented from entering the Ka’bah were happy about the treaty and so they acted slowly in slaughtering their sacrificial animals. The Prophet’s wife, Um Salama (r. anha), told him:
“O Prophet of Allah! Do you want your order to be carried out? Go out and don’t say a word to anybody till you have slaughtered your sacrifice and called your barber to shave your head.” So, the Prophet went out and did not talk to anyone of them till he did the above, i.e. slaughtered his sacrifice and called his barber who shaved his head. Seeing that, the Companions of the Prophet got up, slaughtered their sacrifices, and started shaving the heads of one another, and they were in such a rush that there was a danger of killing each other. (Bukhari, Shurut, 15; Ibn Hanbal, IV, 326, 331; Waqidi, II, 613)
Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) became an example through his actions in daily matters, too. Abu Sa’id al-Hudri (r.a.) narrated:
“Once the Prophet (pbuh) passed by a boy who was skinning a goat. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Leave it (so that I can show you how to do it).” He (the Prophet) inserted his hand between the skin and the flesh until it reached the armpit. He told the young man:
“This is how you can skin your animal.” He then went away … (Ibn Majah, Zabaih, 6; Abu Dawud, Taharah, 72)
There are many more similar examples in Prophet’s life regarding teaching and training people. Since being an example is the most effective means of teaching, it is not always possible to succeed in education without an example and model. Just as the eyes are necessary for reading and learning, the same organs are of great importance in teaching. The Companions and the righteous believers from the following generations applied the same method in their teachings as the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). When we examine the lives of the friends of Allah, we can see how they have disciplined their disciples by example, i.e. showing them personally. They fulfilled the requirements of religion more than anybody else and abstained from all kinds of violence. Today, those who are responsible for conveying the message of Allah have to apply the principle of “being an example” in their own lives.