بَابُ أَسْمَاءِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَصِفَاتِهِThe Names and Attributes of the Prophet ﷺ

¹ His statement: “I am Muhammad”: This form indicates abundance, like “I opened the door, so it is mufattah” if done repeatedly. Muhammad is a name chosen optimistically, indicating that his praise will abound. I say: What was intended inwardly has manifested outwardly, and the first and the last will praise him at the Praised Station under the Banner of Praise. His statement: “I am Ahmad”: This is a superlative form of praise, meaning more praiseworthy than any praiser, as Allah will inspire him with praises on the Day of Resurrection not inspired to anyone before or after. Thus, he combines being the praiser and the praised, the lover and the beloved, the seeker and the sought. His statement: “I am Al-Mahi”: When he was sent, the world was darkened by disbelief, and Allah brought radiant light that erased disbelief. Another Hadith explains it as the one through whom the sins of his followers are erased, as Allah said: Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, what has passed will be forgiven [Al-Anfal: 38]. His statement: “I am Al-Hashir”: In Sharh As-Sunnah: Meaning the first of people to be gathered, as he said, “I am the first for whom the earth will split open.” Al-Nawawi said: Meaning immediately after me and in the era of my prophethood, with no prophet after me. At-Tibi said: This is a metaphorical attribution, as he is the cause of people’s gathering, for they are not gathered until he is gathered. His statement: “I am Al-Aqib”: The apparent meaning is that this is an explanation by a companion or someone after. In Sharh Muslim, Ibn Al-A’rabi said: Al-Aqib is the one who succeeds in goodness those before him, as in “he left offspring.” (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “Al-Muqaffi”: With a stressed fa, meaning the one who follows, i.e., the last prophet coming after them, with no prophet after him. Alternatively, it means the one who follows their traces in obedience to Allah’s command: So follow their guidance [Al-An’am: 90]. His statement: “the Prophet of Repentance”: Because he was oft-repentant, frequently returning to Allah, as he said, “I seek Allah’s forgiveness seventy or a hundred times a day.” Or because his nation’s repentance was accepted through mere seeking of forgiveness, unlike previous nations. Allah said: If, when they wronged themselves, they came to you and sought Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger sought forgiveness for them, they would find Allah Accepting of Repentance, Merciful [An-Nisa: 64]. As this is unique to him, he is called the Prophet of Repentance, or the one through whom people repented as none did through others, or Allah accepted their repentance through his blessing. (As stated in Al-Mirqat and Al-Lama’at)

¹ His statement: “I am but a mercy gifted”: With an open mim, meaning I am only a mercy for the worlds, gifted by Allah to them. Whoever accepts His gift succeeds, and whoever rejects it fails, as Allah said: We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds [Al-Anbiya: 107]. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “emanated from between his teeth”: This either refers to his luminous speech or an additional quality perceived by spiritual insight, and there is no prohibition against combining both meanings. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “we would recognize that”: Meaning it was his habit, or it was not unique to me but evident to all of us. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “a clear, moonlit night”: The commentator said: A bright night with no clouds. His statement: “I kept looking at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the moon”: Meaning to compare their physical beauty. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “faster in his walk”: This is with regard to his dignity, calmness, and moderation, as per Allah’s command: And be moderate in your pace [Luqman: 19]. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “had some gray hair”: Meaning he had white hair, or in Persian, “dumuy.” His statement: “it was rounded”: Meaning tending toward roundness, as it is reported in his characteristics that his face was not overly broad. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “near the ridge of his left shoulder”: Most narrations state “between his shoulders.” Al-Turubishti said: There is no contradiction between the two, as it was located there, and “between his shoulders” does not imply exact equidistance but may be closer to one side or equal, or it appeared closer to the left. Another narration states “near the right.” (As stated in Al-Lama’at) ² His statement: “a cluster”: With an open jim and silent mim, meaning the fingers are gathered and closed. It is said: He struck with a cluster of his hand. This may refer to its shape or size, but here it refers to the shape to align with “like a pigeon’s egg.” (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “including a khamisah”: Meaning among them was a square black garment with a mark, as mentioned in Al-Mudh-hir. His statement: “carried”: A circumstantial qualifier for the pronoun in “her,” meaning she was carried as a child. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “dressed her in it”: Sheikh Samadani Shihabuddin As-Suhrawardi indicated in his Awarif that Sufi masters derive the practice of wearing the patched garment from this Hadith. I say: Perhaps he meant wearing it for blessing, not for authorization. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “neither noticeably tall…”: The sumMaryam (Mary) is that he was of moderate height, leaning toward tallness, as the negation applies to the qualifier of being noticeably tall, affirming a degree of tallness. Thus, compared to the noticeably tall, he was short, which is why the negation of shortness was qualified as hesitant. This is supported by a narration stating he was of medium height leaning toward tallness. This refers to his intrinsic quality, for otherwise, anyone tall would be outdone by him in height. His statement: “neither with tightly curled…”: Meaning his hair was between the two extremes. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “he stayed in Makkah”: Meaning after his prophethood for ten years. The more accurate view is thirteen years, and some say fifteen. This explains the difference in his reported age. Those who said ten rounded to the nearest decade, omitting the remainder, while those who said fifteen included the years of birth and death. Reflect on this. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

³ His statement: “the middle of his ears”: In Majma’ Al-Bihar: The variation in narrations about his hair length is due to different times. When he neglected trimming, it reached the shoulders; when trimmed, it reached the ears. (As stated in Al-Lama’at)

⁴ His statement: “his hands were smooth”: Meaning thick without shortness in the fingers. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “of medium height”: Meaning close to it, though he was taller than that. His statement: “broad-shouldered”: Narrated with both large and small forms, and as a predicate or subject with an omitted topic. His statement: “hair reaching the lobes of his ears”: Meaning it touched them. In a narration by Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi in Ash-Shama’il from Aisha: His hair was between a jammah and a wafrah. A jammah is hair falling to the shoulders, and a wafrah is hair reaching the earlobes. The variation in narrations may reflect different states. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “I saw him in a red garment”: Meaning with red stripes, as Ibn Al-Malik stated. Ibn Al-Humam said: It refers to two Yemeni garments with red and green stripes, not purely red. Al-Asqalani said: They are garments with stripes. Mirak said: This does not support those who permit wearing pure red. I say: Even if taken literally, it does not prove permissibility, as it could be specific to him, before a prohibition, or to show permissibility, indicating that the prohibition of red is for dislike, not forbiddance. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

³ His statement: “with long hair”: With an open lam and stressed mim, as in An-Nihayah: Long hair is shorter than a jammah, named so because it reaches the shoulders. If it extends further, it is a jammah. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “moderate”: With an open sad, meaning balanced and moderate, neither tall nor short nor bulky, as if his form embodied moderation, avoiding extremes of excess or deficiency. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “reddish eyes”: Al-Qadi Iyadh said: Simak’s interpretation of reddish eyes is mistaken. The correct view, agreed upon by scholars and reported by Abu Ubaidah and lexicographers, is that reddishness refers to a red tint in the whites of the eyes, which is praiseworthy. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “slender”: With an open ha and mim, meaning delicate and proportionate to his other limbs. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “he did not laugh except with a smile”: This reflects his usual state, not contradicting Hadiths stating he laughed until his molars were visible. His statement: “I said, ‘He has kohl-lined eyes,’ but he was not kohl-lined”: The apparent meaning is that I thought he used kohl, but he had natural blackness in his eyes. (As stated in Al-Lama’at)

¹ His statement: “excessively tall”: With an open first mim, stressed second mim, and open ghayn, meaning elongated, from maght (extension), a passive form, as chosen by Ibn Al-Athir in Jami’ Al-Usul. Its root is munmaghit, with the nun for passivity, transformed and merged into the mim. His statement: “noticeably short”: Meaning extremely short, as if his parts were compressed and intermingled. His statement: “obese”: With a stressed ha, meaning grossly fat, or some say thin, an antonymous term. It also means a puffed-up face. His statement: “round-faced”: With an open tha, meaning extremely round-faced, but his face was slightly rounded, hence he said, “with a slightly rounded face,” meaning a type of roundness between smoothness and circularity. His statement: “dark eyes”: In their whiteness. His statement: “long eyelashes”: Meaning long eyelid hair. His statement: “prominent joints”: With an open mim, meaning large bone ends like elbows, shoulders, and knees. His statement: “shoulders”: The gathering of the hands, meaning the upper back. His statement: “little body hair”: Meaning not entirely hairless, but with hair in places like the line from chest to navel, arms, and legs, as the opposite of little hair is excessive hair covering the body, clarified by “except a line.” Indian and other experienced people do not praise a man entirely hairless, especially on the chest. His statement: “sturdy hands and feet”: Indicating strength and firmness, pointing to courage and worship. His statement: “he lifted his feet”: With a stressed lam, meaning he lifted his feet distinctly with strength, like the gait of the resolute, not like women who take short, delicate steps. His statement: “as if descending a slope”: Indicating strong forward movement. His statement: “he turned fully”: Meaning he turned entirely, not glancing furtively, or not twisting his neck right or left, as the frivolous do, but facing or turning away fully. His statement: “most generous in heart”: Either from generosity (openness), meaning the widest heart, unvexed by the nation’s harm or Bedouins’ harshness, or from giving, meaning not withholding worldly adornments or knowledge and truths in his heart, thus the most generous-hearted. His statement: “most truthful in speech”: With a silent ha, or open, meaning in tongue. His statement: “softest in nature”: Meaning in disposition, as in An-Nihayah: A person of soft nature is compliant, amenable, and rarely contrary. His statement: “noblest in companionship”: Meaning in association. His statement: “suddenly”: Meaning at first sight or unexpectedly, revering him for his dignity and calmness, but upon knowing him through his good character, loving him deeply. His statement: “his describer”: Meaning one describing him, expressing inability to fully capture his qualities. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

³ His statement: “I have not seen anyone like him before or after”: This may be a metaphor for never seeing his equal, regardless of before or after, expressing inability to fully describe his qualities. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “prominent joints”: Meaning large bones, the plural of kurdus, which is where two bones meet at a joint, like shoulders, knees, or hips, or bone ends. His statement: “line of hair”: With an open mim, silent sin, and open ra, meaning straight hair from chest to navel. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “as if descending a slope”: In Sharh As-Sunnah: A slope is a decline, meaning he walked strongly, lifting his feet distinctly, unlike one who walks delicately with short steps. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “he leaned forward”: Meaning he lifted his feet off the ground distinctly, like the gait of the strong, unlike the weak who drag their feet. (As stated in Al-Mirqat, quoting Al-Turubishti)

¹ His statement: “rest at her place”: Because she was the mother of his servant, Anas, and it does not imply unveiling or seclusion. Al-Nawawi said: Umm Haram and Umm Sulaim were aunts of the Prophet (ﷺ), either through nursing or lineage, so he could be alone with them, entering only their homes and no other women’s. Al-Turubishti said: I found in some Hadith books that she was among his mahram relatives, as the Prophet (ﷺ) would not rest in a non-mahram’s house. If there was no blood or marriage tie, it must be through nursing. Since we know the Prophet (ﷺ) was not taken to Madinah as an infant, it must be through his father, Abdullah, as Abdul Muttalib parted from his father, Hashim, and married in Madinah among Banu An-Najjar. Umm Haram and Umm Sulaim, daughters of Milhan, were from Banu An-Najjar. Many narrators reported their Hadiths without clarifying the reason, either due to oversight or lack of knowledge. I wished to clarify this to prevent anyone from assuming leniency due to his infallibility or using it to justify impermissible leniency. I believe, and Allah knows best, I am the first to be guided to this, a pearl I extracted, and I praise Allah for this noble gift. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “You have done well”: Meaning you did right. This supports seeking blessings from the relics of the righteous. It is said that when Anas ibn Malik neared death, he instructed that some of that perfume be used in his embalming. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “the first prayer”: An example of adding the described to the descriptor, likely referring to the morning prayer. Al-Nawawi, followed by Ibn Al-Malik, said it is the noon prayer. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

² His statement: “as if he had taken it out of a perfumer’s pouch”: Meaning when he extended his hand from his sleeve, it was as if he took it from a perfumer’s pouch. Al-Nawawi said: This Hadith shows the pleasantness of his scent, peace and blessings be upon him, a quality Allah honored him with. This was his natural scent even without using perfume, though he often used it to enhance his fragrance for meeting angels, receiving revelation, and sitting with Muslims. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “a path”: meaning an alley. His statement: “the pleasant fragrance of his scent”: with an open ta and a silent ya, meaning his aroma, indicating that the air of that path takes on the quality of pleasant fragrance from him, so it is known that he passed through it. His statement: “or he said, meaning Jabir: due to the aroma of his sweat”: with two open vowels and a qaf, indicating uncertainty from the narrator. The meaning is one, as the intent is to show the natural pleasantness of his sweat, not the custoMaryam (Mary) fragrance, as previously mentioned that Allah distinguished him with pleasant sweat. Ibn Al-Malik said: This is among his unique qualities, not shared by other prophets, peace and blessings be upon him and them. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “did not have enough to dye”: with a kasra on the dhad. The commentator said: The subject of “did not have enough” is a pronoun referring to the Prophet’s hair, and “ma” is a verbal noun, with the Prophet as the subject of “to dye,” meaning he did not reach the point of dyeing. His statement: “If I wished, etc.”: The response to “if” is omitted, meaning I would count them. His statement: “his lower lip hair”: with an open ‘ayn, silent nun, then fa, then qaf, meaning the hair growing under the lower lip and above the chin. His statement: “his temples”: with a damma on the first letter, meaning the hair hanging between the eye and the ear. (As stated in Al-Mirqat)

¹ His statement: “my attributes and emergence”: The apparent meaning of “emergence” is the place or time of being sent, or it could refer to the migration and departure from Makkah to Madinah. His statement: “attend to your brother”: “attend” is a command in the plural masculine form of “wali” (to manage), meaning take care of his affairs, such as nursing, preparing, and shrouding. (As stated in Al-Lama’at)