Friday, January 11, 2008

His Bravery and Bashfulness

His Bravery and Bashfulness

Many people believe bravery and bashfulness to be self-contradictory opposites of one-another, however, in Muhammad (pbuh) we were given the example of a true balance between these two attributes. It was narrated that Muhammad (pbuh) was the most bashful of all mankind, and if he disliked a matter we (the companions) would know that from his face (his expression). Aisha (pbuh) narrated that whenever he was informed of an error committed by someone he would never say: "Why did 'such' the son of 'such' do such-and-such", rather, he would say

"Why do some people do (or say) such-and-such?"

In this manner he would caution them, but he would not mention the man by name. (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)

Regarding his bravery Ali ibn Abi-Talib, one of the bravest young men in the Islamic nation said

"In the heat of battle, [when the passions burned strongest,] we would seek shelter behind the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), for there was none closer to the enemy than him, and you had seen me on the day of Badr, battle of we were taking shelter behind the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) and he was the closest among us to the enemy" (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)

Al-Bukhari narrated upon the authority of Anas

"The Messenger of Allah was the best of mankind, and the most generous among mankind, and the bravest among mankind. The citizens of Al-Madinah awoke in a panic one night [to a sound], so they rode out towards the sound. On their way they met the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) returning, having beat them to the sound, saying: 'Do not worry, do not worry' and he was riding a horse of Abi-Talha with no saddle (in his hurry to reach that sound), around his neck hung his sword."

During the first hours of the battle of Hunain, when many of the Muslims forsook Muhammad (pbuh) and fled the battle field, Muhammad (pbuh) stood firm in the field of battle as if nothing had happened saying

"I am the Messenger, I lie not!. I am the son of Abdul-Muttalib."

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