The physical beauty of the Prophet (saas)
The companions of the Prophet (saas) have passed on a great many detail about him, from the beauty of that blessed individual's external appearance, his radiance and disposition that left those who beheld him in awe, to his smile, and many other beautiful aspects that Allah had manifested in him. There were a fair number of such companions, and they have given many details of his great beauty. Those Muslims who lived at the same time as the Prophet (saas) have described many aspects of the servant of Allah. While some of those describe him in broad terms, others have given long and detailed descriptions. Some of these accounts are as follows:
His companions described the beauty of the Prophet (saas) in these terms:
"The Prophet (saas) had a most handsome constitution. Some gave the smile of his beauty to that of the full moon...His nose was thin... His face was smooth...His beard was thick...His neck was the most beautiful...If the rays of the sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold... The place between his shoulders was wide.
Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
"The Messenger of Allah, was not excessively tall or short. He was not very pallid nor dark. He did not have curly hair or lank hair. Allah commissioned him at the age of forty. He stayed in Mecca ten years and at Medina for ten years and Allah the Mighty, the Majestic made him die when he was sixty. There were not twenty white hairs in his hair or beard, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Baraa bin Aazib (ra) relates:
"I never saw someone more handsome than Rasullullah. His hair reached his shoulders. The portion between his two shoulders was wide. He was neither very tall nor very short.
Ibrahim b. Muhammed (ra), one of the grandsons of Ali (ra), informs us:
"When Ali (ra) described the Prophet (saas) he said:
'He was neither very tall nor excessively short, but was a man of medium size. He had neither very curly nor flowing hair but a mixture of both... He was reddish-white, he had wide black eyes and long eyelashes. He had protruding joints and shoulder-blades... Between his shoulders was the seal of prophecy... He had a finer chest than anyone else, was truer in utterance than anyone else, had the gentlest nature and the noblest lineage. Those who saw him stood suddenly in awe of him and those who shared his acquaintance loved him. Those who described him said they had never seen anyone like him before or since'.
Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
"The Messenger of Allah, was not excessively tall or short. He was not very pallid nor dark. He did not have curly hair or lank hair. Allah commissioned him at the age of forty. He stayed in Mecca ten years and at Medina for ten years and Allah the Mighty, the Majestic made him die when he was sixty. There were not twenty white hairs in his hair or beard, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Hassan (ra) says:
"He had great qualities and attributes, others also held him in high esteem. His blessed face shone like the full moon. He was slightly taller than a man of middle height, but shorter than a tall person...His blessed hair was slightly twisted. If his hair became parted naturally in the middle he left it so, otherwise he did not habitually make an effort to part his hair in the middle...Rasulullah (saas) had a very luminous complexion (color), and a wide forehead. His eye brows were of dense and fine hair ...
... His neck was beautiful and thin, like the neck of a statue shaved clean, the color of which was clear, shining and beautiful like silver. All the parts of his body were of moderate size. His body was proportionately jointed..."73
Abu Huraira (ra) describes:
"The complexion of Rasulullah (saas) was white with redness in it. The blessed eyes of Rasulullah (saas) were extremely black. His eyelashes were long.
"His forehead was wide and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver and eyes were black tinged with reddish hue. The hairs of his eye lashes were profuse... When he smiled or laughed, they (his teeth) shone like lightning. His lip was most beautiful...His beard was thick...His neck was most beautiful, neither long, nor short. If the rays of the sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold. His chest was broad. It was even like a mirror and white like the moon light... His shoulders were wide. His palms were softer than wool." ir � 8 a k �4 ��4 lah commissioned him at the age of forty. He stayed in Mecca ten years and at Medina for ten years and Allah the Mighty, the Majestic made him die when he was sixty. There were not twenty white hairs in his hair or beard, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Umm Ma'bad (ra), who was known for her generosity, uprightness and courage, was visited by the Prophet (saas) during the Prophet (saas)'s migration from Mecca to Medina, but failed to recognize him. However, she described him to her husband, who recognized the Prophet (saas) from her description:
"He was innocently bright and had a broad countenance. His manners were fine... He had black attractive eyes... His hair glossy and black, inclined to curl, he wore long. His voice was very commanding. His head was well formed and set on a slender neck. His expression was pensive and contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was fascinated from the distance, but no sooner he became intimate with him, than this fascination was changed into attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of superfluous words, as if it were rosary of beads. His stature was neither too high nor too small. He was singularly bright and fresh. He was always surrounded by his Companions. Whenever he uttered something, the listeners would hear him with rapt attention and whenever he issued a commandment, they vied with each other in carrying it out. He was a master and a commander."76
As we can discern from those who saw him in person, the Prophet (saas) was extraordinarily handsome, with a finely proportioned body and a face that took one's breath away. He also had a very athletic and powerful build.
Ahmet Cevdet Pasha, an important scholar from Ottoman times, wrote a study that effectively summarized descriptions of the Prophet (saas)'s features. That appeared in Part IV of the Qisas al-Anbiya (Stories of the Prophets), under the heading "Some Attributes of the Prophet Muhammad (saas)":
"The blessed one had a beautiful appearance, his limbs were in perfect proportion, his body was well-formed, his forehead and chest and the distance between his shoulders were broad. His neck was slender and pure as silver, his shoulders, biceps and calves were large and thick, his wrists were long, his fingers also long, and his hands and fingers rather thick. His blessed skin was softer than silk.
On his perfect countenance were a well-proportioned head, curved eyebrows, a long nose and an oval face.
His eyelashes were long, his eyes black and beautiful, the space between his largish eyebrows was clear, though his eyebrows were close together.
That chosen Prophet (saas) was shining in appearance. In other words, he was neither light nor dark, but somewhere between the two, white like a red rose, light and limpid, and the light shone from his face. His teeth were as white as pearls and bright, and the light gleamed from his front teeth as he spoke. When he laughed, it was as if his mouth gave off rays like soft lightning...
His senses were exceedingly powerful. He could hear from a long way off and see further than anyone. In essence, he had a body formed in perfection and uniqueness, and blessed ... Anyone suddenly seeing him would be consumed with love, and anyone speaking with him would feel great love in his heart and soul. The wise respected him in accordance with their degree. He greatly honoured his relatives. He would not, however, treat them better than those more worthy than them.
He treated his servants well. Whatever he wore or ate, he would give to them to wear and eat.
He was generous, beneficial, compassionate, forgiving, brave and mild. In speech, he kept to his word. In essence, his excellent morality, sharp powers of reasoning were greater than those of all other people and worthy of great praise
The Prophet (saas)'s hair
There are different descriptions of the length of the Prophet (saas)'s hair. It is natural that there should be discrepancies between them, as the people these accounts have come down from saw him at different times, when his hair may have been of different lengths. Yet, what can be recognized from these descriptions was that the Prophet (saas)'s hair was at ear-level at its shortest and at shoulder-length at its longest.
Anas bin Malik (ra) recalls :
Aisha (ra) reports:
"The blessed hair of Rasulullah (saas) was longer than those that reached the ear lobes, and shorter than those that reached the shoulders."
Baraa bin Aazib (ra) says:
"Rasulullah (saas) was of average height, and the portion between the two shoulders was wide. His hair reached his ear lobes."
Umm Haani, the daughter of Abu Taalib (ra) offers the following description:
"Rasulullah (saas) came to Mecca once after the hijrah (migration). His blessed hair had four plaits."
The grooming of the Prophet (saas)'s hair and beard
The Prophet (saas) attached the greatest importance to cleanliness, and therefore, to his hair and beard too. It is reported in some sources that he always carried with him a comb, mirror, miswak (a small natural toothbrush), tooth-pick, scissors and a kuhl bottle.88 The Prophet (saas) advised his companions to do the same, and said: "He who has hair should honor it."89 Some other reports that have reached us of his hair and beard are:
Hassan (ra) said:
"He had a thick, dense beard."90
Anas bin Malik (ra) reports:
"Sayyidina Rasulullah (saas) often rubbed oil in his head..."91
Simak bin Harb (ra) reports:
"Jaabir bin Samurah (ra) was asked a question regarding the white hair of Rasulullah He replied: 'When Rasulullah (saas) oiled his hair, it (white hair) did not show. When he did not oil it, it showed'."92
The Prophet (saas) set an example for the believers with the importance he attached to his appearance and cleanliness. One account describes the Prophet (saas)'s attitude to such matters:
"The Prophet (saas) once intended to go to his companions and so he put on his turban and dressed his hairs...He said: 'Yes, Allah loves the actions of His servant who refines his body in order to meet his friends and brothers'."93
His companions have handed down a great many details about the Prophet (saas)'s manner of dress. In addition to these, the Prophet (saas)'s advice to the believers about how they should dress reveal the importance he attached to this subject. For example, one hadith reports him as saying:
"No one who has even an atom's-weight of pride in his heart will enter Paradise." A man asked him, "What if he likes his clothes and shoes to look good?" (Meaning, is this counted as pride?) The Prophet (saas) said: "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on other people."94
He regarded dressing well and looking good as a demonstration of the blessings of Allah:
"Allah loves to see the result of His blessing on His creatures."95
Jundub ibn Makith (r.a.) said:
"Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of Allah, he would wear his best clothes and order his leading Companions to do likewise. I saw the Prophet (saas) on the day that the delegation of Kindah came to meet him; he was wearing a Yemeni garment, and Abu Bakr and 'Umar were dressed similarly."96
Another hadith relates:
"Eat what you like, and wear what you like provided that it is free from two things : extravagance and vainglory."97
The Prophet (saas) would immediately warn any of his companions who were unkempt or failed to care for their appearance. One story on the subject is from 'Ata 'ibn Yassar (ra):
"The Messenger of Allah was in the mosque, when a man with unkempt hair and an untidy beard came in. The Prophet (saas) pointed to him, as if indicating to him that he should tidy up his hair and beard. The man went and did so, then returned. The Prophet (saas) said, 'Is this not better than that any one of you should come with unkempt hair?'"98
According to the hadith narrated by one of the companions of the Prophet (saas), the Prophet (saas) told his Companions, when they were travelling to meet some brothers in faith:
"You are going to visit your brothers, so repair your saddles and make sure that you are dressed well, so that you will stand out among people like an adornment, for Allah does not love ugliness."99
Some of the information that was conveyed through the inner circle of the Prophet (saas) about his clothing are below:
Umar (ra) relates:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (saas) ask for a new garment. He put it on, and when it reached his knees he said, 'Praise be to Allah, Who has given me clothes with which to cover myself and make myself look beautiful in this life.'"100
Umm Salama (ra) reports that:
"The Holy Prophet (saas) liked kurta (long shirt) most."101
Qurrah bin Ilyaas (ra) describes:
"I came with a group from the tribe of Muzeenah to pay allegiance to Rasulullah (saas). The button loop of Rasulullah (saas) was open."
Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (ra) states:
"I have never seen someone with long hair and red clothing more handsome than Rasullullah (saas). His hair reached his shoulders."
Another report comes from Fazl ibn Abbas (ra):
Aisha (ra) reported that:
"Allah's Apostle (saas) went out one morning wearing a cloak made of (camel's or sheep's) black hair with patterns of camel saddles upon it."
Ubayd bin Khaalid (ra) reports that:
"I was once going to Madina. I heard a person from behind me say: 'Wear your lungi (loose dress) higher because it avoids physical and spiritual impurities.' (The lungi will remain cleaner and will not become dirty by being dragged on the ground.) When I turned to see who was talking I saw that it was Rasulullah (saas)."
Salamah bin Akwa (ra) informs us that:
"Uthmaan (ra) wore his lungi till the middle of his shin and said: 'This is how my master Rasulullah (saas) wore his lungi.'"
The Prophet (saas)'s ring and seal
Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
"Rasulullah (saas) had a ring made of silver and its (inlaid) gem was also silver.
When the Prophet (saas) wanted to write to the leaders of foreign states, he ordered a seal-ring to be made.
When the Prophet (saas) wanted to write to the leaders of foreign states, he ordered a seal-ring to be made.
"Rasullullah (saas) therefore had a ring made, the whiteness of which is still before my eyes."109
"The inscription engraved on the ring of Rasulullah (saas) was 'Muhammad Rasulullah,' of which in the first line was engraved 'Muhammad,' in the second line 'Rasul,' and in the third line 'Allah'."110
Abu Huraira (ra) reports:
"I did not see anyone more handsome than Rasulullah (saas). It was as if the brightness of the sun had shone from his blessed face. I did not see anyone walk faster than him, as is the earth folded for him. A few moments ago he would be here, and then there. We found it difficult to keep pace when we walked with him and he walked at his normal pace."111
One of Ali (ra)'s grandchildren, Ibrahim bin Muhammad (ra), says that the Prophet (saas) had an easy manner of walking:
When 'Ali (ra) described Rasulullah (saas), he used to say: 'When he walked, because of the speed and force of the legs, it seemed as if he was descending from a high place'."112
Hassan (ra) describes how:
"When he walked, he lifted his legs with vigour, leaned, slightly forward and placed his feet softly on the ground. He walked at a quick pace and took a rather long step. He did not take small steps. When he walked it seemed as if he was descending to a lower place. When he looked at something, he turned his whole body towards it. He always looked down. His blessed glance was focused more to the ground than towards the sky. His noble habit was to look at something with a slight glance. He made salaam (greeted) first to whomsoever he met."113
Qaylah bint Makhramah (ra) reports:
"I saw Rasulullah (saas) in the masjid (in a very humble posture) sitting. Due to his awe-inspiring personality, I began shivering."114
Jaabir bin Samurah (ra) says:
The Prophet (saas) was a man known for his effective, wise and concise manner of speaking. His messages had a great effect on people, and everyone took great pleasure in talking with him. A number of accounts that have come down from his companions also confirm that fact. These are some of them:
"The Prophet (saas) was the greatest of the Arabs in oratory and beauty of speech. He said: 'I am the greatest orator among the Arabs'."116
Aisha (ra) describes the Prophet (saas)'s way of speaking thus:
"The speech of Rasulullah (saas) was not quick and continuous as that of yours. He spoke clearly, word by word."117
"They said: 'The Messenger of Allah used to talk little and every thing was expressed in this brief talk. In his speech, there was no defect of excess or brevity. The words came one after another like pearls. Whoever heard them remembered them. He was the sweetest in talk among his companions. He used to keep silent for long and not talk without necessity. He used not to talk evil words and what he talked was just."118
"He did not use ornamental words...."119
"... His companions did never dispute before him."120
"He used to smile much before his companions..."121
Aisha (ra) again says:
"He spoke in such a way that the words were spaced out so that those who sat with him remembered them."122
Abdullah bin Haarith (ra) reports that:
"I have not seen anyone who makes a person more cheerful than Rasulullah (saas)."123
Anas bin Malik (ra) tells us the following:
The Prophet (saas) attached great importance to cleanliness. He always smelt very fresh, clean and pleasant, and recommended that Muslims do the same. Accounts that have reached us from his companions give further details of this aspect of the Prophet (saas):
Jaabir bin Samura (ra) states:
"Whenever the Holy Prophet tread on any path, when someone passed by later, that they could recognize that the prophet had passed by there because they could smell the fragrance of his body."125
From Anas bin Malik (ra):
"I never felt a silk cloth, nor pure silk, nor any other thing softer than the palm of Rasulullah (saas). Nor did I smell any musk or any other fragrance, more sweet smelling than the fragrance of Rasullullah (saas)."126
Anas bin Malik (r.a) reports:
"I never smelt ambergris or musk as fragrant as the fragrance of the body of Allah's Messenger (saas) and I never touched brocade or silk and found it as soft as the body of Allah's Messenger (saas)."127
In Qisas al-Anbiya, the Prophet (saas) was described in this way:
"His body was clean and his scent beautiful. Whether or not he had used scent, his skin always had a lovely scent to it. If someone shook hands or conversed with him, or showed his friendship or affection, he would smell that clean scent all day, and if he laid that sacred hand on a child's head, that child could be distinguished from other children by that clean scent."128
The Prophet (saas)'s favorite foods
"He used not to take any hot food."129
"Meat was his most favorite curry."130
"The Holy Prophet (saas), amongst all other foods, liked pumpkin."131
"He used to eat the meat of hunted birds."132
He liked dried dates among dates."133
Aisha (ra) had this to say about the food the Prophet (saas) enjoyed:
"Rasulullah (saas) loved halva and honey."134
"Among foods, he liked mutton, broth, pumpkins, sweet things, honey, dates, milk, cream, melons, grapes and cucumbers. He also liked cold water."135
She adds:
"Rasulullah (saas) ate watermelon with fresh dates."136
"He never condemned the food. He used to eat what he liked and did not eat what he did not like."137
"Rasulullah (saas) loved the meat of the forequarter."138
These are some of the things the Prophet (saas) said about certain foods:
"What a nice curry vinegar is."139
"The Prophet (saas) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes, it also arrests paralysis."140
"Illnesses are cured by means of three things: (one of them) is a drink of honey."141
"Use olive oil as a food and ointment for it comes from a blessed tree."142
Aisha tells us that:
"The drink most liked by Rasulullah (saas) was that which was sweet and cold."143
"Nabeez was prepared from dried grapes for the Prophet (saas) and dates were, also, put in it, or it was prepared from dried dates, and grapes, too, were put in it. "144
"The best of drinks to the Messenger of Allah was sweet cold drink."145
"The Holy Prophet (saas) said; besides milk there is nothing else that serves the purpose of both milk and water."146
This is what the Prophet (saas) had to say about milk:
"When one of you eats food, he should say: 'O Allah, bless us in it, and give us food (or nourishment) better than it.' When he is given milk to drink he should say: 'O Allah! Bless us in it and give us more of it, for no food or drink satisfies like milk'."147
The Prophet (saas) took great care to distribute water, particularly on journeys. On one particular journey, for instance, he stopped somewhere and asked for water from those around him. After washing his hands and face, he drank from the water, and told his companions; "pour some of its water on your faces and chests."148
After drinking water, he prayed:
"All praise is due to Allah Who has made it delicious and sweet by His grace and has not made it either salty or unsavory."149
On another occasion, the Prophet (saas) said:
"Water was created pure and nothing makes it impure except that which changes its color, taste and smell."150 Some of the Prophet (saas)'s finer traits
Imam Ghazzali, known as "Hujjatul Islam," collected and set out some of the Prophet (saas)'s traits as related by such great Islamic scholars as Tirmidhi, Tabarani, Muslim, Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Ibn Maja:
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