Concerning Allah's statement,
[وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى
خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ]
(And verily, you are on an exalted (standard of) character.) Al-`Awfi
reported from Ibn `Abbas, "Verily, you are on a great religion, and it is
Islam.'' Likewise said Mujahid, Abu Malik, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.
Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd also said this. Sa`id bin Abi `Arubah reported from
Qatadah that he said concerning Allah's statement,
[وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى
خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ]
(And verily, you are on an exalted (standard of) character.) "It has been
mentioned to us that Sa`d bin Hisham asked `A'ishah about the character of the
Messenger of Allah , so she replied: `Have you not read the Qur'an' Sa`d said:
`Of course.' Then she said: `Verily, the character of the Messenger of Allah was
the Qur'an.''' `Abdur-Razzaq recorded similar to this and Imam Muslim recorded
it in his Sahih on the authority of Qatadah in its full length. This means that
he would act according to the commands and the prohibition in the Qur'an. His
nature and character were patterned according to the Qur'an, and he abandoned
his natural disposition (i.e., the carnal nature). So whatever the Qur'an
commanded, he did it, and whatever it forbade, he avoided it. Along with this,
Allah gave him the exalted character, which included the qualities of modesty,
kindness, bravery, pardoning, gentleness and every other good characteristic.
This is like that which has been confirmed in the Two Sahihs that Anas said, "I
served the Messenger of Allah for ten years, and he never said a word of
displeasure to me (Uff), nor did he ever say to me concerning something I had
done: `Why did you do that' And he never said to me concerning something I had
not done: `Why didn't you do this' He had the best character, and I never
touched any silk or anything else that was softer than the palm of the Messenger
of Allah . And I never smelled any musk or perfume that had a better fragrance
than the sweat of the Messenger of Allah.'' Imam Al-Bukhari recorded that
Al-Bara' said, "The Messenger of Allah had the most handsome face of all the
people, and he had the best behavior of all of the people. And he was not tall,
nor was he short.'' The Hadiths concerning this matter are numerous. Abu `Isa
At-Tirmidhi has a complete book on this subject called Kitab Ash-Shama'il. Imam
Ahmad recorded that `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah never struck a
servant of his with his hand, nor did he ever hit a woman. He never hit anything
with his hand, except for when he was fighting Jihad in the cause of Allah. And
he was never given the option between two things except that the most beloved of
the two to him was the easiest of them, as long as it did not involve sin. If it
did involve sin, then he stayed farther away from sin than any of the people. He
would not avenge himself concerning anything that was done to him, except if the
limits of Allah were transgressed. Then, in that case he would avenge for the
sake of Allah.'' Imam Ahmad also recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger
of Allah said,
«إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ
لِأُتَمِّمَ صَالِحَ الْأَخْلَاق»
(I have only been sent to perfect righteous behavior.) Ahmad was alone in
recording this Hadith. In reference to Allah's statement,
[فَسَتُبْصِرُ
وَيُبْصِرُونَ - بِأَيِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ ]
(You will see, and they will see, which of you is afflicted with madness.)
then it means, `you will know, O Muhammad -- and those who oppose you and reject
you, will know -- who is insane and misguided among you.' This is like Allah's
statement,
[سَيَعْلَمُونَ غَداً
مَّنِ الْكَذَّابُ الاٌّشِرُ ]
(Tomorrow they will come to know who is the liar, the insolent one!) (54:26)
Allah also says,
[وَإِنَّآ أَوْ
إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَى هُدًى أَوْ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ]
(And verily (either) we or you are rightly guided or in plain error.) (34:24)
Ibn Jurayj reported from Ibn `Abbas, it means "You will know and they will know
on the Day of Judgement.'' Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas;
[بِأَيِّكُمُ
الْمَفْتُونُ ]
(Which of you is Maftun (afflicted with madness) means which of you is crazy.
This was also said by Mujahid and others as well. The literal meaning of Maftun
is one who has been charmed or lured away from the truth and has strayed from
it. Thus, the entire statement means, `so you will know and they will know,' or
`you will be informed and they will be informed, as to which of you is afflicted
with madness.' And Allah knows best. Then Allah says,
[إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ
أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ]
(Verily, your Lord is the best Knower of him who has gone astray from His
path, and He is the best Knower of those who are guided.) meaning, `He knows
which of the two groups are truly guided among you, and He knows the party that
is astray from the truth.'
[فَلاَ تُطِعِ
الْمُكَذِّبِينَ - وَدُّواْ لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ - وَلاَ تُطِعْ كُلَّ
حَلاَّفٍ مَّهِينٍ - هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّآءِ بِنَمِيمٍ - مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ
مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ - عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ زَنِيمٍ - أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
- إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ ءَايَـتُنَا قَالَ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ - سَنَسِمُهُ
عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ ]
(8. So, do not obey the deniers.) (9. They wish that you should compromise
with them, so they (too) would compromise with you.) (10. And do not obey every
Hallaf Mahin.) (11. A Hammaz, going about with Namim,) (12. Hinderer of the
good, transgressor, sinful,) (13. `Utul, and moreover Zanim.) (14. (He was so)
because he had wealth and children.) (15. When Our Ayat are recited to him, he
says: "Tales of the men of old!'') (16. We shall brand him on the snout
(nose)!)