Salient Features of the book 'A Real Sketch of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ'

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has been engaged in scholarly endeavors to promote the Islamic sciences and Sira al-Nabi (pbuh) for the last four decades from the platform of Minhaj-ul-Quran. He has written hundreds of books in this regard. His research interests center on the promotion of Sira al-Nabi (pbuh). Every Muslim has a special love and reverence for the person of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Shaykh-ul-Islam has written on all aspects of the Holy Prophet's (pbuh) personality to encourage people to follow the path of Islam in their practical lives.

Blasphemous caricatures were recently published in some countries of Europe that created a lot of anguish among the Muslims. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) is the prophet of mercy for all the worlds and his teachings are not restricted to any one region or segment of society. MQI has published a book titled "A Real Sketch of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ" in order to educate people about the reality of Islamic teachings and to introduce the world to the Holy Prophet's (pbuh) attribute of being the prophet of mercy for the whole of mankind.

This book is the result of extensive reading, research, and the learning of Shaykh-ul-Islam over the last forty years. Every Muslim should read this book to learn about the excellence of prophetic manners so that when someone does not present the real personality of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) owing to his lack of knowledge, ignorance, or bias, he could be corrected immediately.

Characteristics & distinction of 'A Real Sketch of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ'

1. God Almighty raised the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a perfect example for humankind.
2. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a mercy to the creation and supreme intercessor on the Day of Judgement.
3. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the ideal example for humanity. His teachings reflect:
   Balance and moderation
   Avoiding extremes
   Reciprocating evil with good
   Striving for peace
   Showing Compassion
   Reconciliation
4. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) strictly condemned extremism in all its forms. His teachings reflect:
   Facilitating ease
   Removing hardships
   Lightening burdens
   Creating comfort
   Giving guidance
   Helping others
5. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is a model of immense patience and gentleness. His teachings reflect:
   Tolerance
   Love
   Kindness
   Forgiveness
   Patience
   Respectfulness
6. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the most generous, hospitable and welcoming for all. His teachings reflect:
   Gentleness
   Generosity
   Benevolence
   Clemency
   Overlooking others’ flaws
7. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the most generous, the most kind, the most gentle, the most valorous and the most humble. He cast his eyes down more often than up.
8. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was very compassionate and loving, especially to women, the elderly and children.
9. When the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) promised something to someone, he would fulfil his promise without fail at the first opportunity.
10. Whenever the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was asked for something, he would give it if he had it. If he did not have it, he would not refuse, but would try to manage it for the needy. He never said no.
11. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) spoke very clearly, separating each word, so that one could easily count his words if one cared to.
12. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) liked to sit and watch running water and greenery.
13. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) never kept anything for tomorrow. Sometimes neither he nor his family had anything to eat for days. They often ate barley bread.
14. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ate what was on his side of the plate; he never reached for a morsel in the middle of the plate.
15. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) liked to give gifts and advised his people to do the same. He would say that giving gifts brings people together.
16. When any of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) wives became ill, he took care of them and cooked soup for them saying, “Drink! This will cleanse the pain and sadness in the heart of the sick as water cleanses the dirt of a person’s body.”
17. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Daughters and Young Girls in General:
18. Abu Said al-Khudri (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (pbuh) said: “Whenever a person has three daughters, three sisters, two daughters or two sisters; fears God regarding them (their upkeep and in terms of treating them with honour and kindness); and does good to them (by being kind and generous towards them), then that person enters Paradise.”
19. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Orphans:
20. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be well pleased with him) related that the Messenger of God (pbuh) said: “If one provides for, takes care of and raises an orphan—regardless of whether that orphan is a relative of his or not—then I and he will be like these two in Paradise.”
21. Explaining what the Prophet (pbuh) meant by “these two,” Malik, one of the narrators of the hadith, pointed to his index and middle fingers.
22. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Widows and the Poor:
23. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “A person who strives to take care of the needs of the widow and the poor man is like one who struggles in the way of God, or like one who stands during the night (to pray) and fasts during the day.”
24. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Widows and the Poor:
25. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “A person who strives to take care of the needs of the widow and the poor man is like one who struggles in the way of God, or like one who stands during the night (to pray) and fasts during the day.”
26. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Prisoners:
27. Abu Musa (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (pbuh) said: “Set prisoners free, feed the hungry and visit the sick.”
28. The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards the Sick:
29. Thawban (may Allah be well pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of God (pbuh) said: “Whoever visits a sick person remains among the khurfa of Paradise until he returns [from his visit].”
30. Abd Allah b. Abbas (may Allah be well pleased with both of them) heard the Messenger of God (pbuh) saying: “If a Muslim clothes another Muslim, he will remain in the protection of God so long as a shred of that cloth is left on him.”
31. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “When someone supplicates for his brother in his absence, the angel says: ‘May you be credited with the equivalent (of what you have prayed for your brother)!’”
32. According to Jabir b. Abd Allah (may Allah be well pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Every act of righteousness is a charitable donation. Your meeting your brother with a smiling face and pouring from your pail into your brother’s pail is also piousness.’”
33. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “If someone covers the faults of anyone in this world, God will cover his faults in the Hereafter.”
34. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Excellence is to join ties with the one who breaks up with you and to grant the one who refuses you and to overlook the ones who call you bad names.”
35. The Jewish Rabbi Abd Allah b. Salam, when he first saw the Prophet (pbuh), noted: “When I looked at the face of the Messenger of God (pbuh), I realised that his face was not the face of a liar.”
36. The Companions noted that he (pbuh) would give others so much as though he did not fear poverty. On one occasion, someone asked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to give him a flock of sheep in between two mountains, and the Prophet (pbuh) accepted his request. When this person returned to his people, he said: “O my people! By God, accept Islam for Muhammad gives so generously as though he does not fear poverty.”