Every aspect of the Holy Prophet's(sa) life appears to have been governed and coloured by his love for and devotion to God.
In spite of the very heavy responsibilities that had been laid upon his shoulders the greater portion of his time during the day as well as during the night was spent in the worship and praise of God. He would leave his bed at midnight and devote himself to the worship of God till it was time to go to the mosque for the morning prayers. He sometimes stood so long in prayer during the latter part of the night that his feet would get swollen, and those who saw him in that condition were always much affected. On one occasion A’isha(ra) said to him: "God has honoured you with His love and nearness. Why then do you subject yourself to so much discomfort and inconvenience?" He replied: "If God has by His Grace and Mercy conferred His love and nearness upon me, is it not my duty in return to be always rendering thanks to Him? Gratitude should increase in proportion to the favours received" (Bukhari, Kitabul Kusuf ).
He never entered upon any undertaking without divine command or permission. It has already been related in the biographical portion that, in spite of the very severe persecution to which he was subjected by the people of Mecca, he did not leave the town till he received the divine command to do so. When persecution became very severe and he gave permission to his Companions to migrate to Abyssinia, some of them expressed a desire that he should accompany them. He declined to do so on the ground that he had not received divine permission to that effect. Thus, during a period of hardships and persecution when people usually like to keep their friends and relations close to themselves, he directed his Companions to seek refuge in Abyssinia and himself stayed behind in Mecca, for God had not yet directed him to leave it.
Whenever he heard the word of God being recited, he was overcome by emotion and tears would start from his eyes, especially if he was listening to verses which emphasized his own responsibilities. Abdullah bin Mas’ud(ra) relates that he was on one occasion asked by the Holy Prophet(sa) to recite some verses of the Qur’an to him. He said: "O Messenger of Allah(sa)! The Qur’an has been revealed to you (i.e., you know it best of all). How then shall I recite it to you?" But the Holy Prophet(sa) said: "I love to hear it recited by other people also."
Thereupon Abdullah bin Mas’ud(ra) began to recite from Surah Al-Nisa. When he recited the verse: "And how will it fare with them when We shall bring a witness from every people, and shall bring thee as a witness against them" (4:42), the Holy Prophet(sa) exclaimed: ‘Enough! Enough!" ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud(ra) looked up and saw that tears were streaming from the Holy Prophet's(sa) eyes (Bukhari, Kitab Fada’ilul Qur’an).
He was so particular about joining the congregational prayers that, even during severe illness when it is permissible not only to say one's prayers in one's room but even to say them lying in bed, he would go to the mosque to lead the prayers himself. On one occasion when he was unable to proceed to the mosque he directed that Abu Bakr(ra) should lead the prayers. Presently however, he felt some improvement in his condition and asked to be supported into the mosque. He rested his weight on the shoulders of two men but was in so feeble a condition that, according to A’isha(ra), his feet trailed along the ground (Bukhari).
It is a common practice to give expression to one's pleasure or to draw attention to any particular matter by the clapping of hands and the Arabs used to follow the same practice. The Holy Prophet(sa), however, so loved the remembrance of God that for these purposes also he substituted the praise and remembrance of God in place of the clapping of hands. On one occasion while he was occupied with some important matter, the time of the next service drew near and he directed that Abu Bakr(ra) should lead the prayers. Shortly thereafter he was able to conclude the business upon which he was engaged and proceeded at once to the mosque. Abu Bakr(ra) was leading the prayers but when the congregation perceived that the Holy Prophet(sa) had arrived, they began to clap their hands for the purpose both of giving expression to their joy at his arrival and also to draw Abu Bakr(ra)'s attention to the fact that the Prophet(sa) himself had arrived. Thereupon Abu Bakr(ra) stepped back and made room for the Holy Prophet(sa) to lead the prayers. When the prayers were over, the Prophet(sa) addressed Abu Bakr(ra) and said: "Why did you step back after I had directed you to lead the prayers?" Abu Bakr(ra) replied: "O Messenger of Allah(sa)! How would it befit the son of Abu Quhafa to lead the prayers in the presence of the Messenger of Allah(sa)?" Then addressing the congregation the Prophet(sa) said: "Why did you clap your hands? It is not seemly that while you are engaged in the remembrance of God you should clap your hands. If it should so happen that during the course of prayers attention has to be drawn to some matter, instead of clapping your hands you should utter the name of God aloud. This would draw attention to whatever may have to be taken note of " (Bukhari).
The Prophet(sa) did not approve of prayers or worship being carried on as a penance or imposition. On one occasion he came home and observed a rope dangling between two pillars. He inquired what its purpose was, and was informed that his wife Zainab(ra) was in the habit of supporting herself by means of the rope when she became tired in the course of her prayers. He directed the rope to be removed and said that prayers should be continued only so long as one felt easy and cheerful and that if a person became tired he should sit down. Prayers were not an imposition, and if carried on after the body became fatigued they failed of their purpose (Bukhari, Kitabul Kusuf ).
He abhorred every action and practice which savoured even remotely of idolatry. When his end was approaching and he was in the grip of the death agony he turned from side to side exclaiming: "May the curse of God descend upon those Jews and Christians who have converted the graves of their Prophets into places of worship" (Bukhari). He had in mind those Jews and Christians who prostrated themselves at the graves of their Prophets and saints and addressed their prayers to them, and he meant that if Muslims fell into similar practices they would not be deserving of his prayers but would, on the contrary, cut themselves asunder from him.
His extreme sense of jealousy for the honour of God has already been referred to in the biographical portion. The people of Mecca sought to place all sorts of temptations in his way to persuade him to give up his opposition to idol-worship (Tabari). His uncle Abu Talib also tried to dissuade him and expressed his fear that if he persisted in his denunciation of idol-worship, Abu Talib would have to choose between ceasing to give him his protection and the bitter opposition of his people. The only reply that the Prophet(sa) made to his uncle on that occasion was: "If these people were to place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, I would not desist from proclaiming and preaching the Unity of God" (Zurqani). Again, during the Battle of Uhud when a remnant of wounded Muslims were grouped round him at the foot of a hill and their enemies were giving vent to their feeling of jubilation at having broken the Muslim ranks in shouts of victory and their leader Abu Sufyan(ra) called out: "May Hubal (one of the idols worshipped by the Meccans) be exalted! May Hubal be exalted!" the Holy Prophet(sa), in spite of realizing that his own safety and that of the small band of Muslims who were gathered round him lay in keeping silent could restrain himself no longer and directed his Companions to shout in reply, "To Allah alone belongs victory and glory! To Allah alone belongs victory and glory!" (Bukhari).
It was a common misconception among the followers of different religions before the advent of Islam that heavenly and terrestrial manifestations took place to mark occasions of joy and sorrow for Prophets, saints and other great men and that even the movements of the heavenly bodies could be controlled by them. For instance, it is related of some of them that they caused the sun to become stationary in its course or stopped the progress of the moon or caused running water to become still. Islam taught that such notions were baseless and that references to phenomena of this kind in religious Scriptures were only by way of metaphor which, instead of being interpreted in accordance with its correct significance, had given rise to superstitions. Nevertheless, some among Muslims were prone to attribute these phenomena to events in the lives of the great Prophets. In the closing years of the Holy Prophet's(sa) life his son Ibrahim died at the age of two and a half years. An eclipse of the sun occurred on the same day. Some Muslims in Medina gave currency to the idea that the sun had been darkened on the occasion of the death of the Prophet's(sa) son as a mark of divine condolence. When this was mentioned to the Holy Prophet(sa) he expressed great displeasure and severely condemned the notion. He explained that the sun and the moon and other heavenly bodies were all governed by divine laws and that their movements and the phenomena connected with them had no relation to the life or death of any person (Bukhari).
Arabia is a very dry country and rain is always welcome and is eagerly waited for. The Arabs used to imagine that the coming of rain was controlled by the movements of stars. Whenever anybody gave expression to that idea, the Holy Prophet(sa) used to be very upset and admonished his people not to attribute favours bestowed upon them by Providence to other sources. He explained that rain and other natural phenomena were all governed by divine laws and that they were not controlled by the pleasure or displeasure of any god or goddess or of any other power (Muslim, Kitabul Iman).
He had perfect trust in God which no combination of adverse circumstances could shake. On one occasion an enemy of his, finding him asleep and unguarded, stood over his head with drawn sword and threatened to despatch him at once. Before doing so he asked: "Who can rescue you from this predicament?" The Holy Prophet(sa) calmly replied: "Allah." He uttered this word with such perfect assurance that even the heart of his disbelieving enemy was forced to acknowledge the loftiness of his faith and trust in God. The sword fell from his hand, and he, who a moment before was bent upon his destruction, stood before him like a convicted criminal awaiting sentence (Muslim, Kitabul Fada’il and Bukhari, Kitabul Jihad).
At the other end of the scale was his sense of perfect humility vis-a-vis the Divine. Abu Huraira(ra) relates: "One day I heard the Holy Prophet(sa) say that no man would attain salvation through his own good deeds. Thereupon I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah(sa)! 'Surely you will enter Paradise through your own good actions,' to which he replied: ‘No, I too cannot enter Paradise through my own actions save only that God's Grace and Mercy should envelop me' " (Bukhari, Kitabur Riqaq).
He always exhorted people to choose and follow the right path and to be diligent in their search for means whereby they could attain nearness to God. He taught that no man should desire death for himself, for if he is good he will, by living longer, be able to achieve greater good; and if he is evil, he may, if given time, be able to repent of his evil ways and start on a good way. His love for, and devotion to, God found expression in many ways. For instance, whenever after a dry season the first rain-drops began to descend, he would put out his tongue to catch a rain-drop and would exclaim: "Here is the latest favour from my Lord." He was constantly occupied in praying for God's forgiveness and beneficence, more particularly when he was sitting among people so that those who were in his company or were connected with him and Muslims generally should save themselves from divine wrath and should become deserving of divine forgiveness. The consciousness that he was always in the presence of God never deserted him. When he used to lie down to sleep, he would say: "O Allah! let me die (go to sleep) with Thy name on my lips and with Thy name on my lips let me rise." When he woke up, he would say: "All praise is due to God who has brought me to life after death (sleep) and one day we shall all be gathered unto Him" (Bukhari).
He constantly yearned for nearness to God and one of his oft-repeated prayers was "O Allah! Do Thou fill my heart with Thy light and fill my eyes with Thy light and fill my ears with Thy light and put Thy light on my right and put Thy light on my left and put Thy light above me and put Thy light below me and put Thy light in front of me and put Thy light behind me and do Thou, O Allah, convert the whole of me into light" (Bukhari).
Ibn Abbas(ra) relates: "Shortly before the Holy Prophet's(sa) death, Musailima (the false prophet) came to Medina and proclaimed that if Muhammad(sa) would appoint him his successor he would be prepared to accept him. Musailima was accompanied by a very large retinue and the tribe with which he was connected was the largest among the tribes of Arabia. When the Holy Prophet(sa) was informed of his advent he went to meet him, accompanied by Thabit bin Qais bin Shams(ra). He had in his hand a dried palm twig. When he arrived at Musailima's camp he went and stood in front of him. In the meantime some more of his Companions had come up and ranged themselves round him. Addressing Musailima he said, "It has been conveyed to me that you have said that if I were to appoint you my successor you would be ready to follow me, but I am not willing to bestow even this dried palm twig upon you contrary to God's commands. Your end will be as God has appointed. If you turn your back on me God will bring you to naught. I perceive very clearly that God will deal out to you what He has revealed to me." He then added: "I will now retire. If you have anything further to say, you may talk to Thabit bin Qais bin Shams(ra), who will act as my representative." He then returned. Abu Huraira(ra) was also with him. Somebody inquired of the Prophet(sa) what he meant by saying that God would deal out to Musailima what had been revealed to him. The Holy Prophet(sa) replied: "I saw in a dream two bracelets round my wrists which I disliked. While still in my dream I was directed by God to blow upon the bracelets. When I blew upon them, both of them disappeared. I interpreted this to mean that two false claimants (to prophethood) would appear after me" (Bukhari, Kitabul Maghazi). This incident occurred towards the end of the Holy Prophet's(sa) life. The last and the largest of the Arab tribes who had not yet accepted him was prepared to make its submission and the only condition put forward by it was that the Holy Prophet(sa) should appoint its chief as his successor. Had the Prophet(sa) been actuated even remotely by any personal motives, nothing stood in the way of his securing the unity of the whole of Arabia by promising his succession to the chief of the largest tribe of Arabia. The Holy Prophet(sa) had no son of his own and no dynastic ambition could have stood in the way of such an arrangement, but he never regarded even the smallest thing as belonging to him and as being at his absolute disposal. He could, therefore, not deal with the leadership of Muslims as if it were in his gift. He regarded it as a sacred divine trust and believed that God would bestow it upon whomsoever He thought fit. He therefore rejected Musailima's offer with contempt, and told him that, let alone the leadership of Muslims, he was not prepared to bestow upon him even a dry palm twig.
Whenever he referred to or discoursed about God, it appeared to onlookers as if his whole being was in the grip of a passion of love for and devotion to God.
He always insisted upon simplicity in divine worship. The mosque, that he built in Medina and in which he always led prayers, had only a mud floor which was innocent of all covering or matting and the roof, which was made of dried palm branches and leaves, leaked whenever it rained. On such occasions the Holy Prophet(sa) and members of the congregation would be drenched with rain and mud but he would continue with the prayers till the end and on no occasion did he give any indication that he would postpone the service or remove to more weather-tight shelter (Bukhari, Kitabus Saum).
He was also watchful regarding his Companions. Abdullah bin Umar(ra) was a man of extreme piety and purity of life. Concerning him the Holy Prophet(sa) once said: "Abdullah bin Umar(ra) would be an even better man if he were to be more regular with regard to his Tahajjud prayers."1 When this was communicated to Abdullah bin Umar(ra) he never thereafter missed these prayers. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet(sa), happening to be in the house of his daughter Fatima(ra), inquired of her and his son-in-law, Ali(ra), whether they were regular with regard to their Tahajjud prayers. Ali(ra) replied: "O Messenger of Allah(sa)! We try to get up for Tahajjud prayers but on occasion when God so wills that we are unable to wake up in time we miss them." He went back and, on the way, repeated several times a verse of the Qur’an which means that a man is often reluctant to admit his fault and tries to cover it up with excuses (Bukhari, Kitabul Kusuf). The Prophet(sa) meant that Ali(ra) should not have attributed his default to God by saying that when God willed that they should not wake up they were unable to wake up in time, but should have admitted his own weakness in the matter.
1 This is a voluntary prayer which is said in the latter part of the night and is not one of the daily prayers.—Ed.