Demonstrated this on many great occasions.     Muhammad is the farthest person from racialism the history has ever known. He never distinguished between his companions on the basis of lineage, colour, social status or wealth. This has to be so because; he, along with his followers, were addressed in the Qur’aan with the following words: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you.” (Al-Hujuraat 49:13)    He also said, addressing his followers: “All of you are descendants of Adam and Adam was created from dust. There is no superiority for an Arab man over a non-Arab neither for a non-Arab over an Arab except by righteousness.”     He once overheard one of his companions (Abu Dharr) addressing another companion (Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood) as the son of a slave’s mother. The Prophet sternly rebuked him and said: “You are a person with (trait of the age of) ignorance in you.”    One of his prominent companions was Bilal, a manumitted black Abyssinian slave whom he chose as his Muezzin " caller of the prayer ".    The Prophet and Women’s Rights    One would want to ask about how Muhammad treated women. was he an overbearing father and a heartless husband as some mischievous writers would want us to believe or a compassionate and dutiful father and loving and caring husband, who not only treated female members of his family kindly but all women in general, as the case really was?!   The answer to this question is not far-fetched. Muhammad gave women their due honour at a time when women were regarded as just a commodity that can be purchased and discarded at will; at a time when some nations who now claim the monopoly of civilization were yet to decide whether woman is a human being or not; and at a time when she was deprived of her right to inheritance, possession of properties, among other rights.     To start with, it is very essential to hear some of what the Qur’aan; the Book revealed to Muhammad has to say about women. The Qur’aan regards women as halves of men. It treats both fairly as far as rights and obligations are concerned. The following verses of the Qur’aan are enough testimony:    “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.” (Ar-Room 30:21)    “And wish not for the things in which Allaah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allaah of His Bounty. Surely, Allaah is Ever All-Knower of everything.” An-Nisaa 4:32  “There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether the property be small or large - a legal share.” (An-Nisaa 4:7)  Every aspect of a woman’s life is adequately addressed by the Qur’aan. Concerning the divorced woman, the Qur’aan says:“And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on the pious ones.” (Al-Baqarah 2-241)  “Lodge them (the divorced women) where you dwell, according to your means, and do not harm them so as to oppress them (thatthey be obliged to leave your house). And if they are pregnant, then spend on them till they lay down their burden. Then if they give due payment, and let each of you accept the advice of the other in a just way. But if you make difficulties for one another, then some other woman may suck to the children for you, give them their give suck for him (the father of the child). Let the rich man spend according to his means; and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allaah has given him. Allaah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allaah will grant after hardship, ease.” (At-Talaaq 65:6-7)  The Messenger of Islaam was very kind in his treatment of his wife, very affectionate with his daughters and very sympathetic with the womenfolk in general. Though he married more than four wives, he painstakingly treated them equally. He commanded his companions to do the same and would tell them: “The best among you is the best one in their treatment of their wives, and I am the best of you in this regard.”  He sternly warned against injustice in treating of women. He said: “Whoever has two wives and inclines to one of them, he will come on theDay of Resurrection with his side slanting.     The Prophet and Children  The Prophet of Islaam was the example of how children could be loved and shown affection. He regarded children as great blessings of Allaah that should be covetously guarded, loved and cared for. He showed love and compassion for them and regarded whoever does not do so as heartless and merciless. He would hold his children, grandchildren and children of his companions in his lap and kiss them. His houseboy, Anas ibn Maalik said: I never saw anyone who was more compassionate towards children than Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). His son Ibrahim was in the care of a wet nurse in the hills around Madinah. He would go there, and we would go with him, and he would enter the house, pick up his son and kiss him, then come back. (Muslim)  Another companion of his, Usaamah ibn Zayd said: Allah’s Messenger used to put me on (one of) his thighs and put Al-Hasan ibn `Ali on his other thigh, and then embrace us and say, “O Allah! Please be merciful to them, as I am merciful to them.” (Al-Bukhaaree)    Another glittering example of his compassion for children is what he did whenever he performed the prayer which is the greatest act of worship in Islaam. He said: “(It happens that) I start the prayer intending to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I shorten the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.” (Al-Bukhaaree)  And he commanded his followers to treat their children equally, irrespective of their sex or age. He said: “Fear Allah and treat your children [small or grown] fairly (with equal justice).” (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)     His Dealing with Non-Muslims  When the Prophet of Islaam migrated to Madinah, he was keen on establishing friendly relations between the Muslims and non-Muslim tribes of Arabia. He established a sort of treaty aiming at ruling out all pre-Islamic rancour and inter-tribal feuds. The following are the clauses of the treaty: 1. The Jews of Bani ‘Awf are one community with the believers. The Jews will profess their religion, and the Muslims theirs.   2. The Jews shall be responsible for their expenditure, and the Muslims for theirs.   3. If attacked by a third party, each shall come to the assistance of the other.   4. Each party shall hold counsel with the other. Mutual relation shall be founded on righteousness; sin is totally excluded.   5. Neither shall commit sins to the prejudice of the other.   6. The wronged party shall be aided.   7. The Jews shall contribute to the cost of war so long as they are fighting alongside the believers.   8. Madinah shall remain sacred and inviolable for all that join this treaty.   9. Should any disagreement arise between the signatories to this treaty, then Allaah, the All-High and His Messenger shall settle the dispute.   10. The signatories to this treaty shall boycott Quraish (The people of Makkah) commercially; they shall also abstain from extending any support to them.   11 .Each shall contribute to defending Madinah, in case of a foreign attack, in its respective area.   12. This treaty shall not hinder either party from seeking lawful revenge.   What Others Say About Him   During the Crusade Era, many lies were concocted by the missionary and western writers to discredit the Prophet of Islam, his message and his teachings. This continued until recently when scientific discoveries and freedom of thought changed many people’s perception of things, and it became increasingly difficult for falsehood-mongers to pull wool over peoples’ eyes. The following are some testimonies that some non-Muslim scholars, thinkers and political icons had to give about the Prophet of Islaam. Larmatine, the French scholar says: "If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls. . . his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was twofold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with words.”   "Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire; that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?" (Lamartine, Histoire De La Turquie, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277)   Edward Gibbon and Simon Oakley say: “It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deserves our wonder, the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and Medina is preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran. . The Mahometans have uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with the senses and imagination of man. 'I believe in One God and Mahomet the Apostle of God' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honours of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."   (Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, History of the Saracen Empire, London 1870, p. 54.)   Bosworth Smith says: "He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports." (Bosworth Smith, Muhammad and Muhammedanism, London, 1874, p. 92) Annie Besant says:   "It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." (Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras, 1932, p. 4)   Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, says in (Young India): "I wanted to know the best one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity,the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."   Prof. C. Snouck Hurgronje Has the following to say: "The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations.”   Prof. Ramakrishna Rao says: "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."   George Bernard Shaw says: “If a man like Muhamed were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness. Read the following writings of other Western authors...” In the Encyclopedia Britannica it is stated that: "Muhammad is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities."   Aspects of His Excellent Qualities   The Prophet was noted for superb eloquence and fluency in Arabic. He was remarkable in position and rank. He was an accurate, unpretending and straightforward speaker. He was well-versed in Arabic and quite familiar with the dialects and accents of every tribe. He spoke with his entertainers using their own accents and dialects. He mastered and was quite eloquent at both Bedouin and town speech. So he had the strength and eloquence of Bedouin language as well as the clarity and the decorated splendid speech of town. Above all, there was the assistance of Allaah embodied in the revealed verses of the Qur’aan. His stamina, endurance and forgiveness — out of a commanding position — his patience and standing what he detested — these were all talents, attributes and qualities Allaah Himself had brought him on. Even wise men have their flaws, but the Messenger of Allaah, unlike everybody, the more he was hurt or injured, the more clement and patient he became. The more insolence an ignorant anybody exercised against him the more enduring he became.   ‘Aaishah said: "The Messenger of Allaah, whenever he is given the opportunity to choose between two affairs, he always chooses the easiest and the most convenient. But if he is certain that it is sinful, he will be as far as he could from it. He has never avenged himself; but when the sanctity of Allaah is violated he would. That would be for Allaah’s not for himself. He is the last one to get angry and the first to be satisfied. His hospitality and generosity were matchless. His gifts and endowments manifest a man who does not fear poverty."   Ibn‘Abbas said: "The Prophet was the most generous. He is usually most generous of all times in Ramadan, the times at which the angel Gabriel - peace be upon him - comes to see him. Gabriel used to visit him every night of Ramadan and review the Qur’aan with him. Verily the Messenger of Allaah is more generous at giving bounty or charity than the blowing wind."   Jabir said: "The Prophet would never deny anything he was asked for."   His courage, his succour and his might are distinguishable. He was the most courageous. He witnessed awkward and difficult times and stood fast at them. More than once, brave men and daring ones fled away leaving him alone; yet he stood with full composure facing the enemy without turning his back. All brave men must have experienced fleeing once or have been driven off the battlefield at a round at a time except the Prophet. ‘Ali said: "Whenever the fight grew fierce and the eyes of fighters went red, we used to resort to the Prophet for succour. He was always the closest to the enemy."   Anas said: "One night the people of Madinah felt alarmed. People went out hurriedly towards the source of sound, but the Prophet had already gone ahead of them. He was on the horseback of Abu Talhah which had no saddle over it, and a sword was slung round his neck, and said to them: ‘There was nothing to be afraid for.’"   He was the most modest and the first one to cast his eyes down. Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudri said: "He was shier than a virgin in her boudoir. When he hates a thing we read it on his face. He does not stare at anybody’s face. He always casts his eyes down. He looks at the ground more than he looks sky-wards. His utmost looks at people are glances. He is willingly and modestly obeyed by everybody. He would never name a person whom he had heard ill-news about — which he hated. Instead he would say: "Why do certain people do so....’"   The Prophet is the most just, the most decent, the most truthful at speech, and the most honest of all. Those who have exchanged speech with him, and even his enemies, acknowledge his noble qualities. Even before the Prophethood he was nicknamed Al-Ameen (i.e. the truthful, the trustworthy). Even then — before the advent of Islaam - they used to turn to him for judgment and consultation. At-Tirmidhee reported on the authority of Ali ibn Abi Taalib that Abu Jahl one of the staunchest enemies of the Prophet once addressed him: "We do not call you a liar; but we do not have faith in what you have brought." Allaah testifies to this stand of the believers when He says in the Qur’aan:   "It is not you that they deny, but it is the Verses of Allaah (the Qur’aan) that the wrong-doers deny." [6:33]   Even when Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan: "Have you ever accused him of lying before the ministry of Prophethood?" Abu Sufyan said: "No."   He was most modest and far from being arrogant or proud. He forbade people to stand up at his presence as other people usually do for their kings.   Visiting the poor, the needy and entertaining them are some of his habits. If a slave invited him, he would accept the invitation. He always sat among his friends as if he were ordinarily one of them.   ‘Aaishah said that he used to repair his shoes, sew or mend his dress and to do what ordinary men did in their houses. After all, he was a human being like others. He used to check his dress (lest it has some insects on). Milking the she-sheep and catering for himself were some of his normal jobs. The Prophet was the most truthful to his pledges, and it is one of his qualities to establish good and steady relationship with his relatives. He is the most merciful, gentle and amiable to all people. His way of living is the simplest one. Ill-manners and indecency are two qualities completely alien to him. He was decent, and did not call anybody names. He was not the sort of person who cursed or made noise in the streets. He did not exchange abuses with others. He pushed back an offence or an error by forgiveness and overlooking. Nobody was allowed to walk behind him as a bodyguard. He did not feel himself superior to others not even to his male and female bondsmen as far as food or clothes were concerned.   He always served those who served him. ‘Ugh’ (an utterance of complaint) is a word that had never been said by him to his servant; nor was his servant blamed for doing a thing or leaving it undone. Loving the poor and the needy and entertaining them or participating in their funerals were things the Prophet always observed. He never disdained or disgraced a poor man for his poverty. Once he was travelling with his Companions and when it was time to have food prepared, he asked them to slaughter a she-sheep. A man said: I will slaughter it, another one said: I will skin it out. A third said: I will cook it. So the Messenger of Allaah said: I will collect wood for fire. They said: "No. We will suffice you that work." "I know that you can do it for me, but I hate to be privileged. Allaah hates to see a slave of his privileged to others." So he went and collected fire-wood.   Hind bin Abi Halah gives us some of the apt description of him: "The Messenger of Allaah was continually sad, thinking perpetually. He never took a long rest. He only spoke when it was necessary. He would remain silent for a long time, and whenever he spoke, he would end his talk with his jawbone but not out of the corners of his mouth, i.e. (snobbishly). His speech was inclusive. He spoke inclusively and decisively. It was not excessive nor was it short of meaning. It was amiable. It was in no way hard to understand. He glorified the bounty of Allaah; even if it were little. If he had no liking for someone’s food, he would neither praise nor criticize. He was always in full control of his temper and he would never get seemed angry unless it was necessary. He never got angry for himself nor did he avenge himself. It was only when Allaah’s sanctity is violated that he got angry.   When he pointed at a thing he would do so with his full hand-palm, and he would turn it round to show surprise. If he were angry he would turn both his body and face aside. When he was pleased, he cast his eyes down. His laughter was mostly smiling. It was then that his teeth which were like hail-stones were revealed. He never spoke unless it was something closely relevant to him.   He established brotherhood among his Companions; and eliminated all causes of enmity from their midst. He honoured and respected those who were honourabe among their people and assigned them as governors over their own peoples. His cheerfulness was never withdrawn at anyone’s face; even at those whom he warned his people from or those whom he himself was on the alert of. He visited friends and inquired about people’s affairs. He confirmed what was right and criticized the awful and tried to undermine it. He was moderate in all affairs. He was equal to others and was not privileged. He would never act heedlessly, lest the others should get heedless. Each situation was dealt with in its proper due. Righteousness was his target; so he was never short of it or indifferent to it. People who sat next to him were the best of their people and the best of them all were — for him — those who provided common consultations. For him, the greatest ones and the highest in ranks were the best at providing comfort and co-ordination and succour. Remembrance of Allaah was a thing he aimed at and established whenever he sat down or stood up. No certain position was assigned for him to sit on. He sits at the end of the group, seated next to the last sitter in the place. He ordered people to do the same. He treats his audience in social gatherings with utmost equality so much so that the one he addressed would think that he was the most honourable in his sight. Whenever a person approached him for advice or a need, that person would be the first and last to speak. The Prophet would listen to him patiently till he ended his speech. The Prophet never denied a request to anyone.   His magnanimity, broad-mindedness and his tolerance embraced all people; a trait that made him the father of all. In justice, all of them were equal. Nobody was better than another except on the criterion of piety.   The Prophet was the most pious and most righteous. His assembly was a meeting of compassion, modesty, patience and honesty. In his presence, voices were not raised and sacred things were never violated.   The Messenger of Allaah was always cheerful, easy, pleasant-tempered and lenient. He was never rude or rough nor clamorous or indecent. He was neither a nagger nor a flatterer. He overlooked what he did not desire, yet you would never despair of him. Three qualities he disposed of: hypocrisy, excessiveness, and what was none of his concern. People did not fear him in three areas: — for they were not qualities or habits of his —: He never disparaged, or reproached nor did he seek the defects or shortcomings of others. He only spoke things righteous words. When he spoke, his companions would attentively listen, casting down their heads. They only spoke when he was silent. They did not have disputes or arguments about who was to speak first. He who talked in his presence would be listened to by everybody till he finished his talk. Their talk would be about the topic discussed or delivered by their first speaker. The Messenger of Allaah used to laugh at what they laughed at and admired what they used to admire. He would always show patience with a stranger’s harshness at talk.   Kharijah bin Zaid said: "The Prophet was the most honoured among the people with whom he sat. His limbs could hardly be seen. He was often silent and rarely talked when speech was not a necessity. He turned away from those whose speech was rude or impolite. His laughter was no more than a smile. His speech, which was decisive, it was neither excessive nor incomplete. Out of reverence and esteem and following the example of their Prophet, the Companions’ laughter at his presence — was smiling, as well."   On the whole the Prophet was ornamented with peerless attributes of perfection. No wonder to be like that for he was nurtured, educated and taught by Allaah, the Lord of Majesty. He is even praised by his Lord: "And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character." [68:4]   Those were the attributes and qualities that the Prophet enjoyed that endeared him to hearts and souls. Those traits made him so popular that the restraint and enmity of his people grew less and they started to embrace Islam in large crowds.”   Details of Prophet Muhammad’s excellent life are certainly beyond any human’s coverage. The above is just the extent to which the writer could go in the light of what the time and resources could permit. For, detail explanation of his traits will require writing of a voluminous book. The reader should feel free to contact us for any clarifications, elucidations, suggestions or comments. We beseech Allaah to bestow blessings and peace upon Muhammad, the Messenger of Guidance and Mercy and upon his companions and members of his household and all those who follow his guidance till the Day of Resurrection.