"He Never Saw Me Except That He Smiled…’

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By AFIFA JABEEN

IMAGINE that you had to describe someone you interact with every day as ‘he never saw me except that he smiled’. Anyone. Rare that you can say this, isn’t it? There’s no wonder, akā naʻe, that the above is true for the perfect example of humanity, the charismatic torch-bearer of Islam – our beloved Prophet Muhammad, Rasoolullah (Peace be upon him), as has been reported by his companion Jarir Bin Abdullah Al-Bajali in a hadith, in which he reports: “ʻO ka ʻElele o ke Akua (Maluna ona) never saw me except that he smiled at me.”

And this is despite the many hardships he (Maluna ona) faced. Subhan Allah.

ʻOiaʻiʻo, such are the noble characteristics of the Prophet (Maluna ona), ka mea i olelo mai: “Allah has sent me as a messenger so that I may demonstrate perfection of character, refinement of manners and loftiness of deportment.” (Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad)

As Muslims we make every effort to emulate and honor the Prophet (Maluna ona). We wish to exemplify his noble character and model his sincere way of life. And we strive to love him and love that which he loved.

So when last week a popular visiting Daee (Islamic preacher) held a talk entitled ‘The Prophet’s Smile’ at the International Medical Center, the local band of “Islamic dars-hopping” sisters came out in large numbers to be part of a beautiful gathering of like-minded attendees constantly sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet (Maluna ona).

As the title of the seminar indicated, under spotlight was the Shamaa’il (characteristics) of the Prophet (Maluna ona), which include his names and what they mean; his style of speech and humour; his humility and justice; his truthful and loving character; his manner of walking and traveling; and even his preference in arts and hobbies, and his affairs of the heart.

Because of constraints in time, the 90-minute talk focused in detail on just two of the aspects, ʻo ia hoʻi, the Rasoolullah’s style of humor and taste in food.

The talk, which was originally a compressed version of a weekend seminar at Al-Maghrib Institute (United States), constituted of rarely-heard stories, nā manaʻo, and lessons, on the Prophet’s characteristics. It left us awe-inspired and feeling blessed to know more closely the most perfect man (Insaan Ul-Kaamil) to have walked the earth.

The session was different from any Seerah class in that it focused on only the Prophet (Maluna ona),“…the Prophet’s head (Maluna ona) lay weak in Aisha’s (Radhi Allahu Anha) arms, when he shared with his most beloved wife his last moments as she softened his siwaak and helped brush his teeth. In her arms, he took his last breath…” as opposed to Seerah, which also covers his Companions, incidents and events from the life and time of the Prophet (Maluna ona).

In an age when the enemies of Islam make every effort to degenerate the noble personality of the Prophet (Maluna ona) so that people do not get attracted to him or his message of Islam, the seminar could not have been more relevant as it singlehandedly aimed at establishing and increasing our love for him, embodying his noble characteristics in everyday living and developing an aspiration among us to be among the Sahaba who will dwell with him in Paradise, ʻAe ke Akua.

A student of popular Islamic preachers, such as, Nouman Ali Khan, Ua ʻōlelo ʻo Sh. Waleed Basyouni and Sh. Yaser Birjas, the effervescent speaker Haya Sheriff from Dallas and who studied from the Bayyinah Institute and Al-Maghrib Institute, knew just what it takes to get into the hearts and minds of the audience –comprising of sisters as young as 12 and as elder as 60 inā ʻoe e hele nei.

As sister Haya explained at the start of her talk, to love the Prophet (Maluna ona) is to know him. “How can one make the Prophet (Maluna ona) dearer than his own children if he does not know the Prophet (ʻike), how he behaved and interacted with his family, Nā Manaʻo no nā Wahine Mahometa e kū ana i nā hoʻopaʻapaʻa male, and adversaries?” she asked, referring to the hadith in which the Prophet (Maluna ona) i ʻōlelo ai: “None of you becomes a believer until I am dearer to him than his children, his parents and all mankind.” (Bukhari a me Muslim)

“To love the Prophet (Maluna ona) is to also love his noble character, his way of living, and to love that which he loved,” wahi āna.

By the end of the seminar, there wasn’t one of us who wasn’t weeping. So profound was the impact of what was being said and demonstrated. Concluding the lesson, sister Haya deliberated on the final moments of the Rasoolullah (Maluna ona) – the saddest event to befall this ummah – the Prophet’s death. She went on to demonstrate how the Prophet (peace be upn him) stood near the window inclining on the wall as he watched the Sahabah observing the Salat without him due to his illness, and how the Prophet’s head lay weak in Aisha’s (Radhi Allahu Anha) arms, when he shared with his most beloved wife his last moments as she softened his siwaak and helped brush his teeth. In her arms, he took his last breath.

Some people have an erroneous notion that the Prophet (Maluna ona) is just the Muslims’ Prophet. Eia naʻe, the Holy Qur’an says:

“And We have sent you (Muhammad (Maluna ona)) not but as a mercy for all the worlds.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:107)

Perhaps when the world gets to know him (Maluna ona) and his message better, people far and wide can’t help but love him and surrender to the message of truth that he brought – Hoʻomana Mohameka.

ʻOiaʻiʻo, this very message has now been reaffirmed in my mind, settling deep in the heart. Eia kekahi, because I believe the value of true friends who bring one closer to the Almighty cannot be stressed enough I ask Allah SWT to grant loads of reward to my friends who informed me about the lecture and convinced me to attend. Alumdululloohlah.
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