Saudi Gazette

 

The universal message of all the prophets sent by God, starting with Adam (peace be upon him), the first prophet, and ending with Muhammad (peace be upon him), the final prophet, was the belief in One God.

 

The time in history, the nation that each prophet was sent to, the language spoken, and the customs of their time may differ, but there is a certain common factor that all of the prophets shared, and that is the beauty of their character. More important than being an excellent orator, or mastery of a certain skill or trade, or position in society, was their character, the way they treated people, their mercy, selflessness, charisma, kindness, generosity, and modesty. 

  

Prophets were sent by God to guide people to the worship of one God, but also to serve as role models to be emulated. They showed us how we should behave and interact with one another at home, work, on the street, in public discourse, and everywhere.

 

The Holy Qur’an, in the chapter of Maryam (Mary), mentions a list of several noble prophets, and each prophet was described for his distinction and nobility in character.   

 

Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was a blessed prophet and everyone who came near him or met him could experience the blessings. The verse in the Qur’an in which Jesus (peace be upon him) refers to himself states, {And [Allah made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.}

 

The character of Jesus (peace be upon him) shines through in this verse. He was kind, respectful, dedicated, devoted, and attentive to his mother. And he was the exact opposite of being a tyrant; the exact opposite of being arrogant and aggressive. Jesus (peace be upon him) was the epitome of peace, humbleness, and caring.

 

As the chapter on Maryam unfolds, the verses also refer to Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him): {And mention in the Book, Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet.} 

 

What does it mean to be a man of truth? And why was Abraham (peace be upon him) described as a man of truth, and not simply as an honest man?

To be a man or woman of truth means to be truthful not only in our words but also in our actions; to be honest under all situations and circumstances, and to be true to ourselves, and that our actions and conduct confirm what it is we say or claim to be. Abraham (peace be upon him) was not only honest, but a man of truth to his very core.

 

As for Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), in the chapter of Maryam, he was described as follows: {And mention in the Book, Moses. Indeed, he was chosen, and he was a messenger and a prophet.}

 

Exploring further, in this verse the word in Arabic “mukhlasan” was used to describe Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). This word has been translated by most scholars to mean that Moses (peace be upon him) was chosen by Allah. And some scholars have explained that the word “mukhlas” also means purified, so Prophet Moses’ heart was so pure that it was prepared to handle the great mission of being a messenger. Other scholars said that the word is sometimes pronounced “mukhlisan”, meaning sincere and devoted.

 

By striving to purify our own hearts, we can transform our character and how we deal with other people. A pure heart holds no grudges, rancor, hatred, or the desire to get revenge or humiliate or belittle others.

Another prophet’s distinguished character was mentioned in this beautiful chapter, {And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet.}

 

The character of a prophet and a believer is marked by keeping their promises, both the promises to their Lord in worship, monotheism, and fulfilling their duties, and also keeping the promises they make to people. So the believer who emulates the character of prophets is a person you can trust and count on; not cunning or deceitful.

 

The verses continue to describe Ishamael (peace be upon him): {And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakah and was to his Lord pleasing.}

The believer kindly and calmly reminds his/her family, friends, and community to pray, to give in charity, and to do things that will benefit the individual and the society.

 

Yet another prophet, Idrees (peace be upon him) was also pointed out: {And mention in the Book, Idrees. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet. And We raised him to a high station.}

 

Prophet Idrees, peace be upon him, was a man of truth, just like Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) and all the prophets. To be a person of truth means not only to be one of impeccable honesty, but it also means to be a person who seeks and attains wisdom and knowledge.

 

As for the seal of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he was described by his Lord in chapter 68 of the Holy Qur’an: {And indeed, you [Muhammad] are of a great moral character.}

 

Yes, he (peace be upon him) was of great character, charisma, magnetism, and kindness to people. He (peace be upon him) tried to put the people around him at ease. Although probably none had a more serious mission or more worries than he did, his companion, Abdullah bin Al-Harith said, “I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).”  (Tirmidhi) 

As for his gentle manner and big heart, once while walking with his companions, a Bedouin man harshly grabbed the Prophet (peace be upon him) from the collar of his cloak and demanded some money. Anyone else would have been angered and insulted by this man’s insolence, and would have probably reprimanded him or brushed him off. But not the Prophet (peace be upon him); he smiled and gave him money. 

  

The Divine Message to all of the prophets and in all of the holy scripts emphasized character, integrity, and morals.

 

There is an old proverb in Syria that my grandfather always used to say, and only years later did I realize the wisdom in it: religion is in the treatment of others.