His Manners and Ethics: The Prophet’s Patience (PBUH)

Patience is a defining quality of Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be upon Him, He was patient and diligent while delivering the Message of Islam and calling people to the religion. This journey took twenty three years, but He was never hopeless, and He did not abandon the call to Islam till it reached faraway places and regions where Islam was destined to reach. Looking at the next situations we can see the true patience of Prophet Muhammad which represents a model to follow for every believer in every field of life.

His patience, Peace Be upon Him, regarding the abuse of Queish Tribe during his stay in Makkah, they hit him and threw the camel’s abdominal contents on His back. They cursed Him and they accused Him of being mad one time and being a black magician, a sorcerer and a poet. They tortured His followers and blockaded Him, His followers and the Hashimets for three years in Sho’eb Abi Talib (a place between two mountains). They even decided to murder Him and sent men to assassinate Him, but the Almighty Lord protected Him.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) endured the wrongdoing of Qureish, He kept making Dawah, and in three years only forty men embraced Islam and followed Him. His call was never founded on miracles, the unseen or unexplainable phenomenon, and when a solar eclipse took place during the time when His son Ibrahim died and people mentioned that it happened because of the death of Ibrahim, He said the solar eclipse is a sign and a miracle by Allah, and the sun does not become eclipsed for the death or birth of anyone.

The Prophet, Peace Be upon, Him was patient towards ignorance and rudeness, Abdullah narrated: Allah’s Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) distributed spoils (of war). Upon this a person said: This is a distribution in which the pleasure of Allah has not been sought. I came to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) and informed him about it, His face turned red of anger and He then said: May Allah have mercy on Prophet Moses, he was tormented more than this, but he was patient.” (Hadith Sahih, authenticated by Ahmed) [3]

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) was patient during the year of sadness, when His kind wife Khadijah died, She was the first one to believe Him when people did not, she sheltered Him when people banished Him, She supported Him when people denied Him, and comforted Him when people accused Him of lying...

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was also patient when His kind uncle died, this uncle protected and defended him during the most difficult time when Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) started to call to Islam. All these tribulations did not wear Him down, He met all that with patience, and no one become His match or even close especially when it comes to patience and perseverance, for He is unique in what He accomplished.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) was also patient in facing hunger and even starvation; Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had never eaten barely bread twice a day! If He wanted, He would have enjoyed dominion and ruling, but He preferred the Hereafter and its reward. An example of the Prophet’s perseverance is during the Battle of the Trench, when the companions would tie a stone on their bellies of hunger and He used to do the same along with them due to pangs of hunger.

The Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) was patient when His son Ibrahim died, the Prophet had Ibrahim when He was sixty years of age with His wife Maria. He was content with Allah’s decree, and He said: “Our eyes shed tears and our hearts are filled with grief, but we do not say anything except that by which Allah is pleased. O, Ibrahim we are sorrowful due to your separation.”

The Prophet (Peace Be upon Him) was also patient when all his children died during His lifetime, except for Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, she died six months after him.