Human Feelings
Rasulullahﷺ like any other human being was moved by feelings and shared in the joys as well as in the sorrows of others. Rasulullahﷺ had great affection for his consorts and used to eat and drink with the same utensil as Saidatuna Aiyshah رضي الله عنه. She invited Ansar girls to play with her and once while showing her the acrobatic feats of the Abyssnians, her chin was resting on Rasulullahﷺ's shoulders, and he repeatedly asked her if she was satisfied but Saidatuna A'iyshah رضي الله عنه.a continued her interest and this lasted for a long time. For Saidatuna Safiah رضي الله عنه. Rasulullahﷺ bent his knees to let her step over them to mount the camel for conveyance.
On one occasion the camel stumbled and both Rasulullahﷺ and Saidatuna Safiah رضي الله عنه fell down and when people rushed to help them, Rasulullahﷺ cried that the lady should be attended first. His son, Ibrahim, was put on the second floor of an ironmonger's house during the nursing period and Rasulullahﷺ went there covering a long distance despite suffocating smoke he sat by the child and fondled and kissed him. When his daughter, Fatimah, came to him he stood up to receive her. Her sons, Hasan and Husain, were very much loved by Rasulullahﷺ who used to carry them on his shoulders and played with them. Even at the time of prayers, they were permitted to sit on his shoulders.
To a person who was surprised at seeing Rasulullahﷺ kissing Hussain, he said, "One who does not feel compassion for others should not expect for himself." When his son, Ibrahim, died his eyes were filled with tears. Again when one of his daughters died before his eyes and the maidservant Umm-e-Aimanرضي الله عنه. began loud lamentation, Rasulullahﷺ stopped her and on her retort that Rasulullahﷺ himself was weeping, he said that such weeping comes from a feeling which is a Divine blessing.
At the grave of his daughter, Umm-e-Kulsoomرضي الله عنه also, Rasulullahﷺ was in tears. Before the dead body of his foster brother, Usman bin Mazoonرضي الله عنه, Rasulullahﷺ was in tears and kissed the forehead of the corpse. Rasulullahﷺ himself explained his weeping in the following words: "The eyes are full of tears and the heart is sad but we can say nothing except that whatever is the Will of God must prevail." Often in grief, he uttered the following verse:
اَلَّذِيْنَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ اِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوْا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ اِيْمَانًاۖ وَّقَالُوْا حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ
(That is) the people (who obey God and the Messenger) who when some people said to him, "The people (Quraysh) have gathered an army to attack you, so be afraid of them," it turns out that (speech) added ( strong) their faith and they replied, "Allah is sufficient (to be a helper) for us and He is the best protector."
(AlI Imran:173)
He never raised his voice in weeping but sighed like a boiling kettle. His sensitive heart was also moved while praying to God and pearls shone in his eyes. On one occasion he asked Abdullah ibn Masud to recite the Qur'an and when he came to the verse:
فَكَيْفَ اِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ اُمَّةٍۢ بِشَهِيْدٍ وَّجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلٰى هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ شَهِيْدًاۗ
"And what will happen (to the disbelievers later), if We bring a witness (Messenger) from every nation and We bring you (Muhammad) as a witness over them."
(An Nisaa: 41)
a flood of tears rolled down his eyes. It is a matter of great surprise how Rasulullahﷺ with a such delicately sensitive heart could demonstrate such patience and fortitude in times of distress and difficulties!
As mentioned above the Prophet had a cheerful disposition and used to say "Your meeting a friend with a smiling face is also a virtuous act." Rasulullahﷺ said that a smiling and cheerful disposition of a person who intended to accomplish stupendous tasks helped to win the hearts of the people. Rasulullahﷺ has been described as:
Rasulullahﷺ met people with such cordial cheerfulness that his affection became rooted in the hearts of his companions.
Rasulullahﷺ interesting and cheerful talks enlivened those around him, although he never lost balance and modesty. The portion of jest was mild like salt in the bread and there, too, never anything against truth could be found nor anyone's feelings were hurt, nor did he indulge in boisterous laughter. Rasulullahﷺ laughter was a smile like the opening of flower buds in which only teeth were visible and never the gullet. -
Saiyidina Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه once asked in surprise, "Do you joke with us also?"Rasulullahﷺ replied, "Yes, but I never say anything contrary to the truth." Some examples of Rasulullahﷺ's sense of humor will not be out of place here.
Once a man asked Rasulullahﷺ to give him a conveyance and Rasulullahﷺ said "I will give you a camel calf ." The man said, "What shall I do with a calf?" And Rasulullahﷺ said, "Every camel is born of a she-camel as a calf."
An old woman came to him and requested that he may pray for her to be given a place in Paradise. Rasulullahﷺ humorously said, "No old woman can enter Paradise." When the woman was leaving in tears, Rasulullahﷺ asked those present to recall her and inform her that God does not send to Paradise anyone in a state of senility but has promised:
"We have created (their companions) of special creation and made them virgins pure (and undefiled)." -
عُرُبًا اَتْرَابًاۙفَجَعَلْنٰهُنَّ اَبْكَارًاۙاِنَّآ اَنْشَأْنٰهُنَّ اِنْشَاۤءًۙ
"We created them (the angels) directly, then We made them virgins, full of love (and) of the same age,"
(Al Waqiyah: 35-37)
It means that those entering Paradise will be given the bloom of youth.
A Beduin friend of Rasulullahﷺ who was on friendly terms with him was usually sent by him to market on business. Once when the Beduin was selling something in the market Rasulullahﷺ went quietly to him and put his hands over his eyes and asked him to recognize who he was. At first, the Beduin was flabbergasted, and when he recognized he began to rub his shoulders against Rasulullahﷺ's chest. Rasulullahﷺ then called out, "Who is going to purchase this slave?" The Beduin said in humility, "Whosoever purchases this worthless slave be at a loss." Rasulullahﷺ then remarked, "You are not worthless in the sight of God."
Once Rasulullahﷺ was eating dates with his companions and playfully he threw the seeds in front of Saiyidina Ali Ibn Abu Talib رضي الله عنه and when they became a heap the Prophet said to Saiyidina Ali Ibn Abu Talib رضي الله عنه, "You have taken a lot of dates." Saiyidina Ali Ibn Abu Talib رضي الله عنه replied, "I have not eaten them seeds and all."
Once in the thickness of the Battle of the Ditch, Rasulullahﷺ found an occasion to laugh. It so happened that Sa'ad, the father of Amir, was aiming his arrows against an enemy who was promptly warding them off with his shield. Sa'ad then put the arrow in the bow and waited till the enemy put his face out of the shield and then threw the arrow with such precision that it struck the enemy's forehead and he swirled and fell in a way that his legs were lifted above, creating a ludicrous situation.
The figure of religious and godly men as generally conceived is identified with a wry face and morose disposition, and it is difficult to understand how Rasulullahﷺ with his devotion to prayers, his God-fearing nature, his stupendous responsibilities, and overhanging worries could find time for such relaxation in the scheme of life.
But in this scheme, faith and godliness do not mean abstention from relaxation. In reply to a question, Ibn Umar said that the companions of Rasulullahﷺ used to laugh although faith was firmly rooted in their hearts like a rock. They used to compete in archery exercises and heartily laughed together. There was a general assembly after the morning prayer at which pre-Islamic stories were also told and Rasulullahﷺ laugh along with his companions. With the children and with his household he was always full of cheer.
