1. What comments does the Qur’an offer on the temperament of the Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم ?
Two verses can be cited:
a. “He is eager for your happiness, full of concern for the believers, compassionate and kind”.
b. “It was through Allah’s Mercy that you were gentle to them; had you been stern and hard of heart, they would surely have scattered away from you”.
2. What did Ali ibn Abi Talibرضي الله عنه say about the nature of the Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم ?
He said, “The Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم was benevolent, lavishly generous and exceedingly kind-hearted. It was a pleasure to have his company. Whoever met him for the first time was filled with awe but with closer contact became attached to him”.
3. What did a man complain against Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه ? What was the Prophet’s reaction to it? What does this incident signify?
A man complained that Mu’adh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه , while leading Salah, used to recite such long Surahs of the Qur’an that it had become a hindrance for him to offer Salah.
The Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم became very angry at Mu’adh رضي الله عنه and he said, “He who happens to lead the Prayers should recite short chapters, for in the congregation of those that pray there are the weak and the old”. This incident signifies that the Imam should recite short surahs rather than lengthy ones.
4. Describe two incidents from the life of the Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم that illustrate his mercifulness.
a. Being extremely kind- hearted, his eyes brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of cruelty. Once a man threw a goat on its side and began to sharpen his knife to slaughter it. The Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم happened to witness it. He said, “Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen the knife before throwing it down”.
b. The incident of a man complaining to the Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم about Mu’adh reciting long chapters of the Qur’an while leading the prayers and the Prophet’s angry response to it is sufficient to say that the Prophet صلّى الله عليه وسلّمم was very kind to people even in matters of religion.
