On one occasion Aishah was more specific in her answer to the question about the manners of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which was often put to her. It was only natural that people should put this question to her, since she was the closest to him of all his wives and she lived long after he had passed away.
Moreover, among them, she was the one who reported the largest number of Hadiths. She normally answered this question by saying that his manners were an embodiment of Qur’anic teachings. On this particular occasion, her answer was: “Never had the Prophet a choice between two options without choosing the easier of the two, so long as this option was not sinful. If it was sinful, he would steer furthest away from it. Never did he seek vengeance for any wrong done to himself. When an order of God was violated he would punish for it, only for God’s sake.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The first point in Aishah’s reply this time stresses the Prophet’s easy nature. He was understanding, accommodating, seeking to make things easy for people. Hence whenever a choice presented itself, he would choose the easy option.
This is confirmed in more than one verse in the Qur’an. The penultimate verse of Surah 9 states the following description of the Prophet: “Indeed there has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves: One who grieves much that you should suffer; one who is full of concern for you; and who is tender and full of compassion toward the believers.” (9: 128)
This verse delineates the Prophet’s line in dealing with his community. Although it ends with stressing his great compassion and tenderness, it also speaks of his grief should he see his companions or his followers suffering.
This fits perfectly with Aishah’s description that he would always choose what is easiest. He never wanted anyone to bear any hardship. On the contrary, if he could reduce anyone’s burden, he would not hesitate to do so.
This quality of the Prophet is at variance with what people normally do. People always tend to make things harder, for themselves and for others. This is noticeable in how people always try to impose restrictions that have no Islamic basis.
They always come up with lists of things that we must do or must avoid when there is really no need for such restrictions, since the Prophet did not indicate them. Take, for example, the list of things people include as invalidating fasting.
They claim that anything that enters the body through the nose, ears, eyes, genitals or rectum invalidates fasting. There is no basis for such a claim, because what is forbidden during the day of fasting is eating, drinking and sex. Human beings do not eat or drink through their noses, ears, eyes, genitals or rectums. So how can taking something through any of these organs invalidate fasting?
An important point here is that when we impose such a restriction we exclude certain aspects of medical treatment which could be administered through these openings.
Thus, nasal, ear, or eye drops may be taken without invalidating fasting, as also a suppository.
When people extended the prohibition of food and drink so as to include “anything entering the body”, they made matters harder for themselves.
Indeed the Qur’an points to this fact as it states: “And know that God’s Messenger is among you. Were he to comply with your inclinations in many a case, you would surely come to harm. But God has caused (your) faith to be dear to you, and has given it beauty in your hearts.” (49: 7) This is a clear statement that, if left to their inclinations, people would make things hard. But God does not want this hardship. Hence, He inspired His Messenger to always choose what is easy and made faith dear to believers, giving it a special appearance of beauty.
But such preference for ease does not mean complacency. When God’s legislation was violated, the Prophet took the appropriate measure to prevent such violation or to inflict suitable punishment.
Another Hadith reported also by Aishah gives further details, as she says: “Never did God’s Messenger beat anyone, not even any slave, woman or servant, except when he was fighting for God’s cause. Never did he seek revenge for any harm done to him, except when some restriction imposed by God is violated. He would then seek amends for God’s sake.” (Related by Muslim).
We also have a longer version of this Hadith, which in fact combines the two Hadiths already quoted: “Never did God’s Messenger beat with his hand any servant of his or any woman; nor did he beat with his hand anything whatsoever, except when he fought for God’s cause.
“Whenever he had a choice between two things, he always preferred the easier one, unless it be a sin. If it should be a sin, he steered furthest away from it. Never did he avenge himself for anything done to him, except when God’s restrictions were violated. He would then be the one to seek amends for what is due to God.” (Related by Ahmad)
These two authentic Hadiths confirm the earlier one which is also authentic. They are expressed in more or less the same terms.
However, we have an addition in them, which makes clear that the Prophet never beat anyone for any reason. Aishah specifies three types of person who might be beaten: a slave, a woman or a servant.
These are the ones who may be in the most vulnerable position. Indeed people often beat their servants, and men may easily beat women, particularly those who are related to them.
Fathers beat their daughters, and brothers beat their sisters. Some men beat their wives. Rarely does such beating have any justification, not even a flimsy one.
However, if Muslims were to follow the Prophet’s guidance, as they are indeed required to do, no Muslim would ever beat his wife, sister or daughter, or even a naughty servant. In the days of slavery, slaves were often very badly treated.
The Prophet told Muslims that if they owned slaves, those slaves were their brethren. They should feed them of the food they eat, and give them to wear of the type of clothes they wear.
They could not inflict physical harm on slaves for any reason. They must be kind to them in all situations.
