By Sh Saleh ibn Muhammd al-Talib – 16 Jumaadal Ukhra 1437

His Eminence Sheikh Saleh ibn Muhammd al-Talib – May Allah protect him – delivered this Friday Khutbah entitled “The Noble Behaviour of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) with His Children and Grandchildren” in which he mentioned some instances of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam’s Noble behaviour and the way he treated his sons, daughters and grandchildren. The Sheikh offered a few glimpses of their biographies –May Allah be pleased with them all and may He grant them contentment– and talked about the compassion, modesty and humility of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– when dealing with children.

Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah, the Most-Revered and the Most-Benevolent in His sublime dominion! To Him shall be addressed the most sublime expressions of praise and the most transcendent forms of gratitude. For neither the blessings nor the gifts of our Lord can be ever requited. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone with no partner. He decreed that wealth and offspring be the adornment of life and that the good righteous deeds associated with them afterwards be everlasting. I equally bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant, Messenger and Select creature of Allah. He is the most affectionate male parent ever born on earth, the ideal father whose heart overflew with affection and whose eyes shed tears on his dear departed children. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon him, his daughters and sons! May Allah also send His Salat upon his Wives, Companions, followers, and all those who follow him righteously till Doomsday!

Now then, O People!

The best counsel to be offered and the noblest habit to be acquired remains forever Taqwa (fear of disobeying divine commands). For it is the substance of all prophets’ advice, the ornament of Allah’s select servants, and the ideal provision on the Day of Encounter (with Almighty Allah):

“… And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allâh. …” [Al-Nissa’: 131]

“O You who Believe! Fear Allâh and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what you do.” [Al-Hasher: 18]

O Muslims!

The Seerah (biography) of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– is full of enlightening guidance in the areas of da’wah (inviting people to Islam), education, politics, war, worship and ethics. You can get guidance and full benefit from whichever aspect of his Noble Seerah.

Here is an instance of the Seal of Prophets’ –May Allah’s profuse Salat and Peace be upon him– graceful model behaviour when dealing with his children and grandchildren. It is a context where his humaneness, fatherhood, compassion, and affection become manifestly clear. Even the father whose child/children departed this life could find in the Prophet’s model behaviour some consolation, especially when he realises that the same affliction befell someone of superior nature and higher rank (i.e. the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him). Every person could find in his Seerah rulings, benefits, and sharia guidance.

The Seerah of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– is anyone’s companion, and his accounts are the décor of social gatherings. Everybody enjoys listening about his Seerah and finds a sense of tranquillity and comfort in his accounts. Let us then engage in a journey back to his early days and his first home in the company of his children ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him.

O Servants of Allah!

The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was a young man from Quraish. He was known among his peers –if the term ‘peer’ applies to this context– for his truthfulness and honesty. They used to call him ‘al-Ameen’ (the Trustworthy). His impeccable manners and moral rectitude spread east and west. So, Khadijah Bint Khuwailid ‒May Allah be pleased with her– chose him to be in charge of her trade in the Sham. Thus, she sent her servant Maysarah to accompany him; and you all know the rest of the story.

Khadijah –May Allah be pleased with her‒ liked him, and the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– married her while he was still twenty-five years old. She was older than him. The first home he formed was full of happiness and lighted with of faith. The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– loved Khadijah so intensely that his later wives would feel jealous of her. He used to say: “I have been endowed with her love.” Their marital life lasted for twenty-five years, and he did not marry other women until after her death.

He –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ got from her six children: Two sons: Al-Qasim, Abdullah, and four daughters: Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, and Fatimah. Al-Qasim was the elder child of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him; hence his nickname ‘Abu Al-Qasim’. He –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Give your children my name, but do not use my nickname.”

In this particular regard, most scholars unanimously agreed that such a prohibition mentioned in the Prophet’s hadith above is time-restricted and was later rescinded, as is confirmed in Imam Muslim’s Sahih who reported that Anas –May Allah be pleased with him– said: “A man once addressed another man at al-Baqee’ as ‘Aba Al-Qasim’. When the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– turned around and looked at him, the man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I didn’t mean to call you, but I called so and so. The Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Give your children my name, but do not use my nickname.”

Al-Qasim had died in his early childhood before the bi’thah of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. Then, a girl was born to the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. He called her Zainab. One of the details about her biography is that the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– had married her to Aba al-‘As ibn Abi Arrabee’. She embraced the Islamic faith before him and emigrated from Makkah to Madinah while her husband only converted to Islam sometime before the fat’h (of Makkah). As a result, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– later reunited her with her husband.

On the day of the Battle of Badr al-‘As ibn Abi Arrabee’ was among the prisoners of war. Each one of the people of Makkah sent a ransom to free their respective captives. Zainab sent some money and a necklace to ransom her husband. That necklace was Khadijah’s gift to her daughter Zainab on her wedding day. Upon seeing it, the Messenger of Allah ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ felt so emotionally touched and remembered his early days with nostalgia. He then said: “If you deem it appropriate to set free her prisoner and return what she has sent (as ransom), then do.” They said: “Yes, we’ll do, O Messenger of Allah.”

Then, Zainab gave birth to a female baby, Omamah. As a token of his affectionate nature and modest behaviour, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– would occasionally hold Omamah in his hands while performing prayer. He would hold her when he was in an upright position and put her on the floor when in a prostration position. Muslim scholars have taken this behaviour to mean a permission to make certain gestures during prayer if need be. After his wife’s death (Fatimah), Ali –May Allah be pleased with him– married Omamah, whose mother –Zainab– later died in the 8th year of Hijrah. Muslim women then washed her dead body and shrouded it in the loincloth of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him.

After Zainab, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– had another daughter whom he called Ruqayyah and married to Othman ibn ‘Affan –May Allah be pleased with him. On the day of the Battle of Badr (first battle opposing Muslims with non-believers and polytheists), Ruqayyah had serious health problems which prevented Othman from participating in the battle. Instead, he remained with his wife to nurse her. Then, she passed away –May Allah be pleased with her. Nonetheless, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– allocated to Othman a share of the spoils as if he took part in the battle.

Imam Ahmed reported that Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– narrated that the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was offered an onyx-decorated collar as a present. So, he said: “I will definitely offer it to the dearest in my family.” The women present there said: “The daughter of Abi Quhafah will certainly receive it, then.” Then, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– called Omamah, Zainab’s daughter, and hung it around her neck. [This hadith’s chain of narration is debatable]

When Ruqayyah –May Allah be pleased with her– passed away, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– married his daughter, Umm Kulthoom, to Othman, hence his nickname ‘Thu al-Noorain’ (i.e. he married two of the Prophet’s daughters). Abu Hurairah narrated that when the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– met Othman at the gate of the mosque, he said to him: “O Othman! Jibreel (Gabriel) visited me and informed me that Allah had married you Umm Kulthoom for the same dowry as that given to Ruqayyah and for the same type of marital relation.” [Reported by Ibn Majah, and its chain of narration is debatable]

As to Fatimah, the youngest daughter of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– the following questions are worth raising here: Whose daughter was she? Whose wife was she? Whose mother was she? Who can even come close to her high glorious status?!

In Imam Muslim’s Sahih, it is reported that ibn Massood –May Allah be pleased with him– said: “While the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was praying at the Holy Mosque, Abu Jahl and some of his comrades were sitting nearby. It happened that the previous day a camel was slaughtered; so, Abu Jahl said, ‘Who can bring the viscera of the camel slaughtered by so and so and place it on Muhammad’s shoulder when he lays prostrate?’ The most wretched member of the group brought it swiftly, and when the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– laid prostrate he placed it on between his shoulders.” Ibn Massaood added: “They burst into laughter each leaning on the other.” He continued: “At that time, I kept watching the scene. If I had had any guarantee of communal protection (against the reaction of Quraish), I would have removed the viscera from the back of the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. While the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was lying prostrate without raising his head, someone went quickly to Fatimah and told her about the incident. At that time, she was still a little girl. Thus, she removed the viscera and then she went to them and insulted them.

When the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– finished his prayer, he raised his voice and supplicated Allah to punish them. It was in the habit of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– to repeat his supplications and prayers three times successively. Then he said three times: “O Allah! Punish Quraish!” When they heard his voice, they stopped laughing and looked frightened of his supplication.”

The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– married Fatimah –May Allah be pleased with her– to her cousin, Ali ibn Abi Taleb –May Allah be pleased with him– in the 2nd Hijri year. Then, she gave birth to Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein, the masters of the youth in Paradise. The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– loved them very much. He would often say: “They are my two sweet basils in this worldly life.”

One day, while the Messenger of Allah –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– was delivering a khutbah, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein came, wearing red overalls, stumbling and standing up. So, he stepped down the mimbar, took both of them and regained his place. He then said: “Allah tells but the truth when he says: “Your wealth and your children are only a trial…” . When I saw these two I couldn’t stand it.” [A Hadith reported by the five Imams of Hadith]

Another day, in a congregational prayer with his Companions, the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– (unusually) lay prostrate for a long time. After finishing the prayer, the Companions asked him about the cause. He said: “My son climbed up my back, and I didn’t like to disturb him until he had enough.” [Reported by Ahmed and Al-Nassae]

Such is the heart of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace Be upon Him– and such is his merciful nature with children: no scolding, beating, or yelling at them, or at the child who climbed up his back while he was performing prayer; he simply prolonged his prostration until the boy got off his back. He –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “My son climbed up my back, and I didn’t like to disturb him until he had enough.”

Al-Aqra’ ibn Habis once visited the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and saw him kissing Al-Hassan. He said: “I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them.” The Prophet then replied: “He who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy.”

Such is the heart of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– and such is his merciful nature with children: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow,” [Al-Ahzab: 21]. Those were Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein.

Fatimah is but a part of the Prophet. He –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: “Indeed Fatimah is but a part of me; what disquiets me does so to her.” Complaining about the blisters on her hand because of using a mill-stone, she came, one day, to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him‒ to ask him for a servant, but she did not find him (at home) and had to inform Aisha of her need. When he came back, Aisha informed him about it. Ali added: “He came to us when we had gone to bed. When I was going to get up, he said: ‘Stay where you are,’ and sat between us, till I felt the coolness of his feet on my chest. Then, he said: ‘Shall I not tell you of a thing which is better for you than a servant? When you (both) go to bed, say: ‘Subhan Allah’ thirty-three times, ‘Alhamdu lillah’ thirty-three times, and ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty-four times. For that is better for you than a servant.’” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn Hajar said: “The point here is that he who mentions Allah continuously shall be granted power greater than that given to him through a servant.”

It was reported in both Sahihs that Aisha –May Allah be pleased with her– said: “Once Fatimah came walking and her gait resembled the gait of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him. The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: ‘Welcome, O my daughter!’ Then he made her sit on his right or on his left side and whispered something to her, and she started weeping. I asked her, ‘Why are you weeping?’ He again whispered something else to her, and she started laughing.

I said: ‘I never saw happiness so near to sadness as I saw today.’ I asked her what the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– had told her. She said: ‘I would never disclose the secret of Allah’s Messenger –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him’. When the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– died, I asked her about it. She replied. ‘The Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– said: ‘Every year Jibreel (Gabriel) used to revise the Qur’an with me once only, but this year he has done so twice. I think this portends my death, and you will be the first of my family to follow me.’ So I started weeping. Then he said. ‘Don’t you like to be the lady of all the women of Paradise or the lady of the believing women?’ So I laughed for that.”

Six months after the death of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– Fatimah passed away. May Allah be pleased with her, her husband, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and her two sons, Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein! We do take Allah as our witness that we love them, are loyal to them, and that we seek closeness to Him through this love and loyalty without aversion or hyperbole.

O Muslims!

The youngest child of the Prophet’s –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– from Khadijah was Abdullah, nicknamed the ‘Kind’, or the ‘Pure’. He was born after the bi’thah and died while still young. Upon his death, Al-‘As ibn Wael said with reference to the Prophet ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him: “Leave him, for he is cut off (without offspring). When he dies, there will be no mention of him anymore as he has no son to live after him!” To this effect, Allah sent down the following verses:

“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) Al-Kauthar (a river in Paradise). Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), he will be cut off (from posterity and every good thing in this world and in the Hereafter).” [Al-Kawthar: 1-3]

As to our Prophet, Muhammad –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– Allah said, addressing him: “And have We not raised high your fame?” [Al-Sharh: 4]

Those were the children of the Prophet –May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him– from Khadijah –May Allah be pleased with her: Al-Qassim, Abdullah, Zainab, Ruqayah, Umm Kulthoom, and Fatimah –May Allah be pleased with them all, and may His Salat, Peace and Blessing be upon our Prophet and his family!

May Allah bless you and me by the Qur’an and Sunnah and grant us benefit from their verses and wisdom! Having said this, I ask Allah the Almighty to forgive me and you!