Ash-Shama'il 324

“I asked my maternal uncle, Hind ibn Abi Hala, who was an expert describer, about the finery of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and I asked him to describe something of it for me, so he said: ‘the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was an honored dignitary, whose face shone with the radiance of the moon on the night of the full moon.’”

Then he related the tradition in its full length. Al-Hasan said: “I concealed it from al-Husain for some time, then I related it to him, so I found that he had beaten me to it.”

He therefore asked him about what he had asked him about, and he found that he had asked his father about his entrance and his exit and his outward appearance, so he did not leave anything out of it. Al-Husain said: “I asked my father about the entry of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), so he said: ‘When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) betook himself to his residence, he divided his entry into three sections: a section for Allah’s sake, a section for his family’s sake, and a section for his own sake.

Then he divided his section between himself and the people, so he was assigning that in particular to the common folk, and he was not keeping anything from them. His conduct in the section of the Community included preference for the people of excellent merit, with his permission, and its allotment according to the value of their excellent merit in the religion, for among them was the one burdened with one need, and among them was the one burdened with two needs, and among them was the one burdened with multiple needs.

He would therefore preoccupy himself with them, and preoccupy them with what would benefit them and the Community, including questioning them about it and informing them of what would be appropriate for them. He would say: ‘Let the one of you who is present inform the absentee, and notify me of the need of someone who is incapable of notification, for if someone notifies a Sultan of the need of someone who is incapable of its notification, Allah will establish his feet firmly on the Day of the Resurrection.

Nothing but that will be mentioned in His presence, and it will not be accepted from anyone other than him. They will enter as seekers, and they will not separate except on the strength of an intuition, and they will emerge as guides (meaning to goodness).’’ He said: ‘Then I asked him about his exit: ‘How was he used to behaving in it?’

He said: ‘the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to hold his tongue with regard to anything that did not concern him. He used to bring people together and not alienate them. He would honor the noble, generous man of every community, and put him in charge of them. He would caution people and be wary of them, without concealing his good humor and his natural disposition from anyone among them.

He would watch out for his Companions, and he would ask people about their affairs. He would present the beautiful in a favorable light and strengthen it, and he would reveal the ugly for what it was and weaken it. He was equitable, not argumentative. He remained vigilant lest others be negligent or deviate from the right path. He had a means of dealing with every situation.

He would neither fall short of the truth, nor overstep it. Those who followed him were the best of people. The most meritorious in his sight were those most receptive to sincere advice and most elevated in status those most generous in consolation and support.’’ He said: ‘Then I asked him about his session, so he said: ‘the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would neither stand up nor sit down without observing the remembrance of Allah.

When he eventually joined a group of people, he would take whatever seat was available, and he instructed others to do the same. He would give each of his sitting companions his share of time and attention, and every one of them would feel equally honored. If someone sat with him, or conferred with him about a need, he would bear with him patiently, so that the person who had sought him out would be the first to leave.

If someone asked him for something he needed, he would not send him away without what he had requested, or least some comforting words. His munificence and his good nature encompassed people such that he became a father to them, and they became truly equal in his presence. His session was a session of knowledge, forbearance, modesty, trust and patience.

Voices were not raised there, there was no talk of women, and people’s lapses were not broadcast. They were on a par with one another, contending with each other only in piety, humbly revering the elderly and showing compassion for the young. They were solicitous to the needy, and took good care of the stranger.’’”