“The life of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is a beacon light to our lives, our behavior and our relationship with one another.”

~ Dr. Abdallah Rasheed

Dr. Rasheed reminded Muslims of the spiritual implication of the actions and deeds of the Prophet in all of their lives. He made this remark during a monthly Maulid organized by Qafilatul Mahabbah, Kaduna chapter, under the guidance of Sheikh Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari, the Imam of National Mosque, Abuja, which took place at Juma’at Mosque T/Wada, Kaduna.

As a guest speaker of the occasion, Dr. Rasheed elucidated that knowing the Prophet (his sayings and actions صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the first and necessary step towards invoking the affection and love of RasululLaah. This dearest fondness reaches a peak when sincere appeal to his doctoring, reverence to his exclusive uniqueness and knowledge and obedience to his noble family is attained. He added that, it is an obligation for every Muslim to know the history of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) so much so that a model life is construed with a sense of purpose and his teachings and lessons taken into consideration, indeed, the emulation of his pure and finest character in absolute terms (ﷺ).

Dr. Rasheed added that the spiritual effectiveness of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his highest rank in the Divine Authority of Allah exalted his personality above every other Prophet, therefore owes the unrepayable respect. He cautioned Muslims not disavow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

[Lesson from Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah]
In addition to his call on Muslims to follow the path of the Prophet (ﷺ), Dr. Abdallah also redirected the attention of the Muslims towards understanding some important physical attributes of the Prophet as discussed in chapter five of the book ‘Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah’ written by Al-Imam Tirmithi. This important treatise contains Eight AHadith⸺all revealing the innate purity of the Prophet’s holy white hairs (ﷺ).

In the first hadith mentioned in this treatise, Abu Qatadah was reported narrating: “I said to Anas ibn Malik: ‘did Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) dye his hair?’, he replied: ‘he did not dye his hairs, for there were only a few white hairs on his temples”. But Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) dyed his hair with henna and some mixture of herbs, katam.” (37:5:1).

Dr. Rasheed also proved the natural beauty and the novelty behind the Prophet’s hairs, noting their spanned lustre, which despite the Prophet’s turbulent revolutionary struggles had not been faded out, not even his ’14 pure white hairs’ had grown bushy, showing a marked difference, indeed an incomparable spiritual life-span of the Prophet above all other creatures.

In the second hadith, Dr. Rasheed quoted Anas ibn Malik saying: “On the head of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and his beard, I counted only fourteen pure white hairs.” This observation was made by a number of Prophet’s companions and according to Dr Rasheed, this illustrated their true and sincere love of the Prophet (ﷺ).

The third hadith reported: “Jabir ibn Samura was asked about the hair-grey of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), so he replied: “When he oiled his head, the hair-grey becomes invisible, and when he did not apply oil, some were visible.” (39:5:3). In the fourth Hadith, Abdullahi ibn Umar was reported to have said: “The number of hairs indicating the Prophet’s hoariness (ﷺ), was not as many as more than twenty white hairs.” (40:5:4).

In the fifth hadith, Dr. Rashid quoted Ibn Abbas reporting: “Abu Bakr said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you have greyed!’ The Prophet replied: ‘I have been made grey-haired by the Hud (Al-Qur’an; 11), the Calamity (Al-Qur’an; 56), the Winds sent forth (Al-Qur’an; 77). What will they question one another about?’ (Al-Qur’an; 74).

The sixth hadith reported Abu Juhaifa saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we noticed you have turned grey!’ the Prophet replied while reciting the [Sura of Hud] and other similar chapters of the Qur’an, which he said all had turn him greyed!’” (42:5:6). The seventh hadith availed the above with Abu’r Rimtha at-Taimi (the servant of ar-Rabab), reported to have said: “I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with a son of mine, who said: ‘So I was shown him, and I said when I saw him: ‘this is Allah’s Prophet (ﷺ), wearing two green garments and has a hair that is grey; its greyness is reddish’.” (43:5:7).

In the last hadith mentioned in the treatise ‘Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah’ (chapter five), Jabir ibn Samura was reported to have asked: “Was there any grey hair on the head of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?” He was then replied: “there was not really a grey hair entirely on the head of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), but there are some few grey hairs, which when oiled, become invisible.”

In his conclusion, Dr Rasheed Abdallah urged Muslims to keep in touch with the holy spiritual guides of the noble Prophet, look up to his wisest commandment, adhere to his wise sayings and actions, love him, his family and companions as well as keep with one another as brothers and sisters in Islam. The Maulid was concluded by amiably sweeter recitations of the Holy Qur’an and the Diwan of our Sheikh Ibrahim Inyass (may Almighty Allah be pleased with him).

The ahadith cited were quoted from chapter five of the scholarly treatise of Imam at-Tirmithi, ‘Ash-Shama’il Al-Muhammadiyah’ Book 5, Ahadith 1-8.

S M Zaruuk Naik reporting for Qafilatul Mahabbah.