0. Introduction
٠۔ المقدمة
We find a written inscription that says: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He is not harsh, nor rude, nor does he shout in the markets. He does not repay evil with evil, but forgives and pardons. His followers are those who praise Allah the Almighty in every valley and thank Him in every situation. They gather together and perform ablution over their extremities. Their caller calls out in the air, their lines in battle are equal to their lines in prayer. They are no different during the night than the buzzing of bees, and their place of birth is Makkah, their migration is to Ṭaybah, and their rule is in Shām."
نَجِدُهُ مَكْتُوبًا مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا فَظًّا وَلَا غَلِيظًا وَلَا صَخَّابًا بِالْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَجْزِي بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ وَأُمَّتُهُ الْحَمَّادُونَ يُكَبِّرُونَ اللَّهَ ﷻ عَلَى كُلِّ نَجْدٍ وَيَحْمَدُونَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَنْزِلَةٍ يَتَأَزَّرُونَ عَلَى أَنْصَافِهِمْ وَيَتَوَضَّئُونَ عَلَى أَطْرَافِهِمْ مُنَادِيهِمْ يُنَادِي فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ صَفُّهُمْ فِي الْقِتَالِ وَصَفُّهُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ سَوَاءٌ لَهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ دَوِيٌّ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحْلِ مَوْلِدُهُ بِمَكَّةَ وَمُهَاجَرُهُ بِطَيْبَةَ وَمُلْكُهُ بِالشَّامِ
[Machine] He used to say: "We find the description of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the verse 'We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner, and a protector for the unlettered people. You are My servant and My Messenger. I have named you Al-Mutawakkil (The Reliant). You are not rude, harsh, nor noisy in the markets. You do not retaliate for the sake of evil with similar evil, but rather forgive and overlook. I will not take back your soul until you establish the straight path. They proclaim that there is no deity but Allah, and I will open for them blind eyes, deaf ears, and sealed hearts.’” Ata' bin Yassar said, and Abu Waqid Al-Laythi informed me that he heard Ka'ab say the same as Ibn Salam said.
أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّا لَنَجِدُ صِفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَحِرْزًا لِلْأُمِّيِّينَ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَرَسُولِي سَمَّيْتُهُ الْمُتَوَكِّلَ لَيْسَ بِفَظٍّ وَلَا غَلِيظٍ وَلَا صَخَّابٍ بِالْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَجْزِي بِالسَّيِّئَةِ مِثْلَهَا وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَتَجَاوَزُ وَلَنْ أَقْبِضَهُ حَتَّى يُقِيمَ الْمِلَّةَ الْمُتَعَوِّجَةَ بِأَنْ يُشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ نَفْتَحُ بِهِ أَعْيُنًا عُمْيًا وَآذَانًا صُمًّا وَقُلُوبًا غُلْفًا» قَالَ عَطَاءُ بْنُ يَسَارٍ وَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو وَاقِدٍ اللَّيْثِيُّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ كَعْبًا يَقُولُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ ابْنُ سَلَامٍ
[Machine] Regarding Ka'b in the first line, "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, chosen by my Lord, not rude, harsh, or abusive in the markets, he does not retaliate an evil act with an evil act but rather forgives and pardons. His birth was in Mecca, his migration was to Taybah (Madinah), and his sovereignty is in Sham (Greater Syria)." And in the second line, "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, his nation praises Him in times of ease and times of hardship, they praise Him in every situation and magnify Him in every honor. The guardians of the sun (stars) offer their prayers when their time comes, even if they are at the top of their towers. They seek closeness to Him, illuminate their surroundings, and their voices resonate in the sky at night, like the buzzing of bees."
عَنْ كَعْبٍ فِي السَّطْرِ الْأَوَّلِ «مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَبْدِي الْمُخْتَارُ لَا فَظَّا وَلَا غَلِيظًا وَلَا صَخَّابًا فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَجْزِي بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ مَوْلِدُهُ بِمَكَّةَ وَهِجْرَتُهُ بِطَيْبَةَ وَمُلْكُهُ بِالشَّامِ» وَفِي السَّطْرِ الثَّانِي «مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أُمَّتُهُ الْحَمَّادُونَ يَحْمَدُونَ اللَّهَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ يَحْمَدُونَ اللَّهَ فِي كُلِّ مَنْزِلَةٍ وَيُكَبِّرُونَهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَرَفٍ رُعَاةُ الشَّمْسِ يُصَلُّونَ الصَّلَاةَ إِذَا جَاءَ وَقْتُهَا وَلَوْ كَانُوا عَلَى رَأْسِ كُنَاسَةٍ وَيَأْتَزِرُونَ عَلَى أَوْسَاطِهِمْ وَيُوَضِّئُونَ أَطْرَافَهُمْ وَأَصْوَاتُهُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ كَأَصْوَاتِ النَّحْلِ»
[Machine] "He asked Ka'b al-Ahbar how he found the description of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Torah. Ka'b replied, 'We find him as Muhammad bin Abdullah, born in Mecca and migrating to Tabah, and his kingdom will be in Syria. He is neither obscene nor a slanderer in the marketplaces. He does not respond to evil with evil, but instead forgives and pardons. His nation praises Allah in times of ease and glorifies Allah in every hardship. They illuminate their surroundings and gather together in their gatherings. They are disciplined in their prayers, just as they are disciplined in battle. Their voices resonate in their mosques, like the buzzing of bees. Their callers to prayer can be heard in the sky.'"
أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ كَعْبَ الْأَحْبَارِ كَيْفَ تَجِدُ نَعْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ؟ فَقَالَ كَعْبٌ «نَجِدُهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهَ يُولَدُ بِمَكَّةَ وَيُهَاجِرُ إِلَى طَابَةَ وَيَكُونُ مُلْكُهُ بِالشَّامِ وَلَيْسَ بِفَحَّاشٍ وَلَا صَخَّابٍ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يُكَافِئُ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ أُمَّتُهُ الْحَمَّادُونَ يَحْمَدُونَ اللَّهَ فِي كُلِّ سَرَّاءَ وَيُكَبِّرُونَ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ نَجْدٍ يُوَضِّئُونَ أَطْرَافَهُمْ وَيَأْتَزِرُونَ فِي أَوْسَاطِهِمْ يُصَفُّونَ فِي صَلََاتِهِمْ كَمَا يُصَفُّونَ فِي قِتَالِهِمْ دَوِيُّهُمْ فِي مَسَاجِدِهِمْ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحْلِ يُسْتَمِعُ مُنَادِيهِمْ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ»
[Machine] "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Verily, a messenger has come to you who is neither weak nor lazy, in order to revive hardened hearts, open blind eyes, make deaf ears hear, and establish the crooked Sunnah until it is said: There is no god but Allah alone.'"
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ إِلَيْكُمْ لَيْسَ بِوَهِنٍ وَلَا كَسِلٍ لِيُحْيِيَ قُلُوبًا غُلْفًا وَيَفْتَحَ أَعْيُنًا عُمْيًا وَيُسْمِعَ آذَانًا صُمًّا وَيُقِيمَ السُّنَّةَ الْعَوْجَاءَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ
[Machine] There was a man from the companions of the Prophet ﷺ who had a need for him, so he walked with him until he entered (a house). He said, "Place one of your feet inside the house and keep the other outside as if you are whispering." Then he turned and said, "Do you know who I was speaking to? This is an angel that I have never seen before today. He sought permission from his Lord to greet me." He said, "Indeed, we have given you, O Muhammad, abundance (of good) and the Qur'an (as) a detailed explanation, and tranquility as a source of patience, and the criterion of distinguishing (between right and wrong) and a means of connection."
كَانَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ لَهُ إِلَيْهِ حَاجَةٌ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ حَتَّى دَخَلَ قَالَ فَإِحْدَى رِجْلَيْهِ فِي الْبَيْتِ وَالْأُخْرَى خَارِجَهُ كَأَنَّهُ يُنَاجِي فَالْتَفَتَ فَقَالَ أَتَدْرِي مَنْ كُنْتُ أُكَلِّمُ؟ إِنَّ هَذَا مَلَكٌ لَمْ أَرَهُ قَطُّ قَبْلَ يَوْمِي هَذَا اسْتَأْذَنَ رَبَّهُ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ عَلَيَّ قَالَ «إِنَّا آتَيْنَاكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْنَا الْقُرْآنَ فَصْلًا وَالسَّكِينَةَ صَبْرًا وَالْفُرْقَانَ وَصْلًا»
[Machine] He heard Rabee'ah Al-Jurashi say that the Prophet ﷺ said: "When the caller invites, whoever responds to the invitation enters the house and eats from the banquet, and the master of the house is pleased with him. But whoever does not respond to the caller, does not enter the house and does not eat from the banquet, and the master of the house becomes angry with him." So, Allah is the Master, Muhammad is the caller, and the house is Islam, and the banquet is Paradise.
أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَبِيعَةَ الْجُرَشِيَّ يَقُولُ أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقِيلَ لَهُ لِتَنَمْ عَيْنُكَ وَلْتَسْمَعْ أُذُنُكَ وَلْيَعْقِلْ قَلْبُكَ قَالَ «فَنَامَتْ عَيْنَايَ وَسَمِعَتْ أُذُنَايَ وَعَقَلَ قَلْبِي» قَالَ فَقِيلَ لِي سَيِّدٌ بَنَى دَارًا فَصَنَعَ مَأْدُبَةً وَأَرْسَلَ دَاعِيًا فَمَنْ أَجَابَ الدَّاعِيَ دَخَلَ الدَّارَ وَأَكَلَ مِنَ الْمَأْدُبَةِ وَرَضِيَ عَنْهُ السَّيِّدُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبِ الدَّاعِيَ لَمْ يَدْخُلِ الدَّارَ وَلَمْ يَطْعَمْ مِنَ الْمَأْدُبَةِ وَسَخِطَ عَلَيْهِ السَّيِّدُ قَالَ فَاللَّهُ السَّيِّدُ وَمُحَمَّدٌ الدَّاعِي وَالدَّارُ الْإِسْلَامُ وَالْمَأْدُبَةُ الْجَنَّةُ
[Machine] The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out to the Bat-ha and took Ibn Mas'ood with him. He made him sit down and drew a line for him, then he said, "Do not move from here until men come to you, and do not speak to them, for they will not speak to you." So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to where he wanted, and they halted at the line, not crossing it, and then they approached the Prophet (ﷺ) until, when it was the end of the night, they came to me while I was lying on my side. If the Prophet (ﷺ) was sleeping, he would blow lightly in his sleep. So while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) lying on his side and I was lying with my leg under his thigh, some men came to me. They had the most beautiful white garments on. Allah knows best what beauty they possessed. Some of them sat by his head, and some sat by his feet. They said, "We have not seen a slave who has been given what this Prophet (ﷺ) has been given. His eyes sleep, but his heart is awake. Bring forth an example for him - a Lord who builds a palace, then makes a feast and invites the people to it, then the people leave and he rises." So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) awoke, and said: "Do you know who these are?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "These are the Angels." He said: "Do you know what example they gave?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "The Most Merciful has built the Garden and has invited its people, and whoever answers the invitation enters His Garden, and whoever does not answer the invitation He will punish."
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ إِلَى الْبَطْحَاءِ وَمَعَهُ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ فَأَقْعَدَهُ وَخَطَّ عَلَيْهِ خَطًّا ثُمَّ قَالَ «لَا تَبْرَحَنَّ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَنْتَهِي إِلَيْكَ رِجَالٌ فَلَا تُكَلِّمْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُكَلِّمُوكَ» فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَيْثُ أَرَادَ ثُمَّ جَعَلُوا يَنْتَهُونَ إِلَى الْخَطِّ لَا يُجَاوِزُونَهُ ثُمَّ يَصْدُرُونَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ مِنْ آخِرِ اللَّيْلِ جَاءَ إِلَيَّ فَتَوَسَّدَ فَخِذِي وَكَانَ إِذَا نَامَ نَفَخَ فِي النَّوْمِ نَفْخًا فَبَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُتَوَسِّدٌ فَخِذِي رَاقِدٌ إِذْ أَتَانِي رِجَالٌ كَأَنَّهُمُ الْجِمَالُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثِيَابٌ بِيضٌ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ مَا بِهِمْ مِنَ الْجَمَالِ حَتَّى قَعَدَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا بَيْنَهُمْ مَا رَأَيْنَا عَبْدًا أُوتِيَ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ هَذَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّ عَيْنَيْهِ لَتَنَامَانِ وَإِنَّ قَلْبَهُ لَيَقْظَانُ اضْرِبُوا لَهُ مَثَلًا سَيِّدٌ بَنَى قَصْرًا ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مَأْدُبَةً فَدَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ وَشَرَابِهِ ثُمَّ ارْتَفَعُوا وَاسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ «أَتَدْرِي مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ؟» قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ «هُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ» قَالَ «وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَا الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبُوهُ؟» قُلْتُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ «الرَّحْمَنُ بَنَى الْجَنَّةَ فَدَعَا إِلَيْهَا عِبَادَهُ فَمَنْ أَجَابَهُ دَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُجِبْ عَاقَبَهُ وَعَذَّبَهُ»