Many of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and members of his household have described his manners and moral standards which he applied in all situations. These descriptions give us a clear idea of what sort of person the Prophet was in his life and how he dealt with different situations. Needless to say, the people who knew him most intimately were aware of his reactions to a wide variety of events and small incidents. They are the ones who could describe for us the Prophet’s behavior and personality.
None of these was more intimately associated with him than his wives. Among these Khadeejah and Aishah were the best source of information about him. The first was his only wife for 25 years, sharing with him all his concerns as a husband and a father, long before he started to receive God’s message. Aishah was the one he loved most among his later wives. Moreover, she was endowed with profound knowledge and deep insight. What do they have to tell us about Muhammad’s character?
When the Prophet met the angel Gabriel for the first time and he was informed that he was the one chosen to bear God’s message, the encounter weighed heavily on him, and he went speedily home. He related the encounter to his wife and told her that he feared for himself. He did not specify what sort of fear he felt, but it is clear from the general conversation that he feared that some evil creature might have touched him, to trouble his soul. What would any woman have to say in such a situation? Khadeejah, always wise and firm in her perception, reflected on her husband’s personality and concluded that this could not be the case. How could she tell? Her words show that she was sure of her grounds: “You have nothing to fear; be calm and relax. God will not let you suffer humiliation, because you are kind to your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to your guest and you help in every just cause.” As reassurance is repeatedly needed when a person is clearly shaken, Khadeejah was not slow with her comforting and reassuring words. She also told him: “By God, you are truthful to your trust, kind to your kinsfolk and you always tell the truth.”
These words describe his habitual behavior before he began to receive any revelations. He was keen to maintain a high standard of traditional virtue. Hence, he never told a lie and was kind and faithful, ready to help anyone in need. Such a personal high standard of morality and fine behavior earned him great respect among his community, even though his people were idolaters. They called him Al-Ameen, a title which means “honest, worthy of trust”. Hence, they always believed what he said, knowing him to never tell a lie.
It is not surprising, therefore, that when the Prophet wanted to carry out God’s instructions and outline in public what his message meant, calling on his people to believe in God’s oneness and abandon idolatry, he sought to re-establish this position of trust with them. He stood on top of the small hill at the center of Makkah, known as Al-Safa, and called on them to gather for he had an important announcement to make. When they had gathered, he asked them whether they would believe him if he were to tell them that a force of armed men were riding toward their city, aiming to launch a surprise attack on them, would they believe him? Their reply was prompt, clear, expressing full confidence: “You are a man of trust and we have never known you to tell lies.”
The story is well known, and when Muhammad went on to tell his people of his message and that he received revelations from God, they immediately rejected his call and started to level all sorts of accusation against him. But what concerns us here is the fact that they acknowledged his honesty and that he was never known to tell a lie to anyone. Needless to say, a man who never tell lies about other people knowing that they may never find out, would never tell a lie about God knowing that He never accepts anything but the truth, and that the truth is always known to God.
Muhammad was certainly helped by God to maintain such a standard of basic morality in pre-Islamic days. This did not only establish his firm reputation as a man of trust and perfect honesty; it also made such qualities and moral virtue come naturally to him. This would be of great help to him when he would encounter stiff opposition that sought to suppress his message and annihilate his followers.
God’s help in all this was implicit. The Prophet was not aware of it. He did not have to go through any extraordinary experience at any time, other than a mysterious event which is akin to a heart operation, performed by an angel, at the age of five. But God has chosen him for the task, and given him the character, moral inclination, and personal manners to facilitate his task. As for his choice, the Prophet is quoted as saying: “I have been given my message in the best human generation, with one generation succeeding another until I lived in my own generation.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).
Another authentic Hadith quotes him as saying: “God has chosen the Quraysh from among Ishmael’s descendants; and He has chosen the Hashimite clan from among the Quraysh; and has chosen me from among the Hashimites.” (Related by Muslim).
What we need to know here is that such choice is not based on any consideration to which different communities attach importance in their world. It is not based on lineage, family position, influence, race or power. It is based on personal virtue only. God chose Muhammad, knowing him to be worthy of bearing the divine message. He helped him to acquire the best moral standard that is universally appreciated. He then complemented this with the high standard Islam advocates. We need to remember here the Qur’anic verse that says: “God knows best to whom to entrust His message.” (6: 124)