Prophet Muhammad's Manners.

From: www.imageofmuhammad.com

By Sheikh Rajab Deeb

Prophet Muhammad's Gentleness and Tactfulness:
Aisha stated that, ‘The Prophet never used foul language and never entertained people with obscene jokes. He was well behaved when he entered the market places. His habit was not to repel evil with mutual evil. He was forgiving and could grant pardon.' (Tirmidhi)
Husain the grandson of the Prophet asked his father, Ali , about the Prophet's conduct. Ali replied, 'He was always cheerful, gentle and mild. There was no rigidity or coarseness in his conduct. He was neither a faultfinder nor a boisterous person and he steered away from any kind of futile engagement.' (Tabarani)
The Prophet encouraged the achievers and never deprived anybody of hope. He refrained from boasting, hoarding wealth and involvement in matters that did not concern him as well as from using sharp rebukes and exposing people with the intention to disgrace and defame. (Tirmidhi)
While speaking, he addressed matters constructively with the objective of good for all. His audience remained motionless as they gave him their undivided attention. Birds could find a safe place to sit on their heads during these sessions (being so preoccupied in his comments). None of his listeners would interrupt while he spoke. They waited until he completed his discussion and the person who then requested to participate was allowed to address the group first, followed by the second and the third and so on. Participants were treated with respect - each was allowed to finish his statement without objection or interference - and everybody would listen to him attentively. Sometimes visitors to Madina were harsh as they questioned him about Islam, but he was always polite and tolerant towards them. When a person spoke in his company, he would not object unless the person spoke incorrectly, and then he would either stop the speaker or stand up and leave the conversation. (Tirmidhi)
The Prophet laughed at things that were humorous and was excited by things that excited his Companions. With regards to the needy, he encouraged those less needy to support them. He objected to being praised excessively and tolerated it only as a way of being shown thanks for his kindness. (Tirmidhi)
Prophet Muhammad smiled so spontaneously that each one of the Companions, as they gathered around him during their visits to his house, thought to be the favorite Companion. Jareer Ibn Abdullah said, 'I have not seen the Prophet, since I embraced Islam, without a smile on his face. I saw him smiling when he could not see me and he was smiling in my presence.' ( Bukhari )
Abdullaah Ibn Haarith said, 'I never came across a person who smiled as much as the Prophet. The Prophet regarded smiling with a brother as an act of charity. (Tirmidhi)
Anas Ibn Maalik , who served the Prophet for ten years in his house said, "He would listen carefully and attentively to questions or requests. He shifted his focus only after the person in need directed it away or the person left his presence. He held on to the hand that greeted him and waited for the other person to withdraw first. He shook the hand of anybody who extended it." (Abu Nu'aim)
Aisha related that at receiving news of the wickedness of an individual, the Prophet would ask, 'Why do people transmit such tales?' without accusing the messenger himself. (Tirmidhi)
Aisha said that the Prophet welcomed gifts offered to him. He rewarded this beautiful gesture by offering a gift in return. ( Bukhari )

Prophet Muhammad's Humility:
He said, "If I were to be invited to eat trotters of sheep or cows or if they were given to me as gifts I would proudly accept such gestures of goodwill." (Tirmidhi)
He said, "Don't commend me as Christians commend Jesus the sun of Marry. But say about me, the servant and the messenger of Allah." (Muslim)
The companions of Prophet Muhammad used to stay sitting when he come because they know how he feels bad when they stand for him. (Tirmidhi)
Aisha said, "Prophet Muhammad used to stitch his clothes, milk the goats and help in the chores inside the house.' (Bukhari and Muslim)
He said, "'None shall enter Paradise with a grain of boast or pride still in the heart." (Muslim)
Once a newcomer to his gathering was filled with awe and anxiety. When he detected this, the Prophet\said to the person, 'Please relax and be at ease! I am not a great monarch. I am only a son of a lady who ate cured meat.' (Ibn Majah)
The Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) never refused to listen to the problems of his followers. A poor old lady once told him that she desperately needed to talk to him about a problem. He comforted her by saying that he is prepared to meet her anywhere and on any road of Madina to discuss the matter that worried her. (Abu Dawud)

Prophet Muhammad's Sense of Humor:
A Bedouin called Zaahir was selling his commodities in the market. The Prophet approached him from behind and, clasping his arms around Zaahir , challenged him to release himself from the grip. Then the Prophet called to those who passed by, 'Who wants to buy this slave?' Laughing and still in the Prophet's grip, Zaahir responded, 'There is no market for me. Nobody would want to buy me,' because his old, deformed body made him unattractive. The Prophet replied, 'But by Allah, you are priceless and invaluable.' (Ahmad)
Jabir ibn Abdullah says, “After I accepted Islam, the prophet never prohibited me from attending his assemblies. Whenever he saw me he smiled or laughed.” (Tirmidhi)
Anas ibn Maalik relates, “Prophet s once told him jokingly, O two eared one.” (Tirmidhi)
Abu Hurairah reports, “The companions of prophet Muhammad asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you joke with us?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I do not say but the truth.” (Tirmidhi)
He loved Abu Umair and always played with him. One day the Prophet saw that he was depressed. The Companions told him that it was because his nughair (bird) had died. The Prophet tried to make him laugh and said, 'Abu Umair! What happened to Nughair?’ (Bukhari and Tirmidhi)
Anas ibn Malik relates that a person requested prophet Muhammad that he be given a conveyance. Prophet Muhammad replied, “The baby of a camel shall be given to you.” The person said, “What shall I do with the baby of a camel O’ Messenger of Allah?” (I want one for a conveyance). The prophet then replied smiling , “Every camel is the baby of a camel.” (Tirmidhi)
Hasan Basri says that an old woman came to prophet Muhammad and made a request, “O’ Messenger of Allah make pray for me that Allah grants me entrance into Paradise.” The prophet replied, “O’ Mother, an old woman cannot enter Paradise.” That woman started crying and began to leave. The prophet then said, “Say to the woman that one will not enter in a state of old age, but Allah will make all the women of Paradise young virgins. Allah says, “Lo! We have created them a (new) creation and made them virgins, lovers, equal in age.” (35-37). (Tirmidhi)
A woman came to the prophet grouching about her husband. The prophet asked her, "Isn't your husband the one whose eyes are white (which means in Arabic literature 'blind)?'" The woman then feared and said, "No, he is not." Then, she immediately went back to her husband and started looking at his eyes. Her husband felt strange. He asked her, "What wrong with you? Weren't you upset from me just an hour ago." She told him what happened with prophet Muhammad and they realized how he solved the problem between them by re-motivating the love emotions between them in this gentle truthful way.

Prophet Muhammad's Patient:
Anas was walking with the Prophet when a Bedouin approached them and took hold of the Prophet . The Prophet was wearing a garment which had a thick edging. The Bedouin pulled the garment violently and the edges left marks on the Prophet's body as a result of his pulling. The Bedouin demanded his portion of the Zakaat, shouting, 'Muhammad! Give the command (to the Companions) to give me the money of Allaah which Allah placed in your care!' Anas said the Prophetlooked at him and smiled. He instructed that the Bedouin be given from the money (in the community chest). (Tirmidhi)
A Bedouin entering the Mosque of the Prophet and starting to urinate. The Muslims were furious and wanted to punish the Bedouin, but the Prophet stopped them. He asked them to take a bucket of water and pour it over the urine. He reminded them, ‘Your mission is to facilitate matters, not to complicate them.' (Tirmidhi)
Anas Ibn Maalik was a domestic servant in the house of the Prophet. In praise of his employer he said, 'I served the Prophet for ten years. He never rebuked me during that period. He did not even say as much as (uff - a word that express annoying and anger). After I finished an assignment, he never asked me about the way I accomplished it and never suggested a better way than the way I did it. Sometimes I did not execute an assignment and he would not ask me to give reasons for the failure.' (Tirmidhi)

Prophet Muhammad's Generosity:
Hakeem Ibn Hizaam , requested money from the Prophet The Prophet gave him some money. After some time, he repeated the same request and the Prophet gave to him again. Then he came back a third time requesting assistance and the Prophet again assisted. But this time the Prophet taught him a lesson, saying, 'Hakeem, this money is a temptation. If you take it with the intention of not asking for more, you will find blessings in it. But if spend it lavishly, you will be deprived of its blessings. It is like eating to feed one's body and eating without reaching satisfaction. Remember, the hand that gives is superior (by Allah) to the receiving hand.' (Bukhari and Muslim)
Umm Salmah, the Prophet's wife, reported that one day Allah's Messenger came home looking disturbed. She asked him what the matter was. He replied that the seven coins he had received the day before had remained on the bed until evening and had not been distributed. He did not rest until they were given away.
Abu Dharr reported that one evening he was walking with Allah's Messenger when he said, "Abu Dharr, if the mountain of Uhud were turned into gold for me, I would not like three nights to pass and one dinar still be left with me, excepting what I would leave for paying my debts."
Ibn 'Abbaas says: "The messenger of Allah was the most generous among people in performing good deeds (No one could compare with him in generosity. He himself led a simple life, but in giving he would put a king to shame.) Particularly in the month of Ramadan, he would be more generous than any other month till the month ended. In this month when Gabriel came and recited the Quran to the prophet, at that time his generosity exceeded the wind that brings forth heavy rains". (Bukhari)
Anas says: "The messenger of Allah did not store anything for the next day". (Tirmidhi)
Umar reports that once a needy person came to ask prophet Muhammad for his need. The prophet replied: "I do not have anything at present. Go and purchase from Ali something on my behalf. When something arrives I will pay for it". Umar said: "O Messenger of Allah, whatever you possessed you have already given away. Allah did not make you responsible for that which is not in your means". The messenger of Allah felt annoyed at this saying of Umar . Thereupon a person from among the companions of Muhammad said: "O messenger of Allah, of Allah, spend whatever you wish, and do not fear any lessening from the Lord." The prophet then smiled and the happiness could be seen on his face due to the saying of that personi. Then he said: "Allah has commanded me to do this". (Tirmidhi)
Rubee says: "I brought to the messenger of Allah a tray full of dates, and some small cucumbers. Then he gave me a handful of jewellery". (Tirmidhi)