Al Shamaa'il Al Muhammadiyyah: A Summarised Version

Al Shamaa’il Al Muhammadiyyah A Summarised Version by Imam Muhammad Yasir Ayub
Al Shamaa’il
Al
Muhammadiyyah
A Summarised Version
Imam Muhammad Yasir Ayub
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Allah Almighty says in the Quran; indeed, there is the best of examples for you
in the life of the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬.
The Shamaa’il penned by Imam Tirmidhi is one of the most complete texts you
will come across in regards to the characteristics, practices and attributes of
Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬.
The summarised version;
- Simplified language.
- To the point information only, for the layman.
- To encourage the reader to attain a personal copy of the Shamaa’il, as
well as further Seerah texts, reading more and more about Rasool-ullah
‫ﷺ‬.
- To learn and become aware of the practices and attributes of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬.
Important Note:
Due to its brevity, only the facts have been mentioned here, in regards to the
life and practices of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬, avoiding further clarity, context and
explanations. Whether He ‫ ﷺ‬did something regularly, or rarely, has seldom
been mentioned here, as long as He ‫ ﷺ‬did it at least once, it has been
mentioned.
Secondly, certain facts may vary a little, narrator to narrator, due to the
narrator having seen/met Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬at different times, in different
setting, within different scenarios.
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Chapter 1 - What has been narrated about the beautiful

appearance of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬was neither too tall nor too short, of medium build, He ‫ ﷺ‬was taller
than the man of average height, yet shorter than the extremely tall man.
He ‫ ﷺ‬was neither extremely fair nor too dark in complexion, rather of fair
complexion with some redness, His ‫ ﷺ‬complexion was as if fashioned from
pure silver - of a handsome physique.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed beard was full and thick, His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed cheeks were smooth.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed mouth was wide. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed face was like the moon. [His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed face shone like the full moon on a moonlit night]. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed face
was not completely circular, but slightly round. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed eyes were very
black, and His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed eyelashes were long. The space between His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed upper and lower eyelids was long.
He ‫ ﷺ‬had a grand mouth. He ‫ ﷺ‬had a slight space between His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
two front teeth, when He ‫ ﷺ‬would speak, light would emit from in-between
them. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed nose was apparent, long with a thin tip, and a slight curve
in the middle. A light rose from it, it would seem raised if one did not look
closely [due to the light rising from it].
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head was large, as were His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed joints. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
hair was neither extremely curly nor too straight, rather it was slightly wavy.
He ‫ ﷺ‬had a full head of hair, that, when un-parted would reach His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
earlobes. He ‫ ﷺ‬had some hair that reached down to His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed shoulders.
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If the hair at the front of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head parted easily, He ‫ ﷺ‬would part
it, otherwise He ‫ ﷺ‬would leave it as it was.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed eyebrows were arched, thin, long and full, perfectly shaped
without connecting. Between them was a vein, which pulsated at times of
anger. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed neck was like that of an ivory statue, as impressive as
silver. He ‫ ﷺ‬was well built and firm. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed chest and stomach were in
line with each other. He ‫ ﷺ‬had a thin line of hair that ran from His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
chest to His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed navel.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed limbs that were unclothed, shone brightly. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
breast nor His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed stomach had hair on it. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed arms,
shoulders and upper chest, however had hair on them. He ‫ ﷺ‬had broad
shoulders.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hands and feet were full-fleshed. He ‫ ﷺ‬had long forearms and
wide palms. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed fingers and toes were long and well proportioned
[not crooked or bulging]. He ‫ ﷺ‬had a slight arch in the soles of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
feet. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed feet were smooth, that water would run of them [if
poured]. His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed heels were of little flesh.
He ‫ ﷺ‬walked swiftly, with strength, leaning slightly forward, as if He ‫ ﷺ‬was
descending. He ‫ ﷺ‬had a naturally long stride. He ‫ ﷺ‬would lower his gaze. He
‫ ﷺ‬would look at the ground more than He ‫ ﷺ‬would look at the sky. He ‫ﷺ‬
would often look from the corner of His ‫ ﷺ‬eye. He ‫ ﷺ‬would have His ‫ﷺ‬
companions walk in front of Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬would initiate the greeting
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[Salaam] with whoever He ‫ ﷺ‬met. When He ‫ ﷺ‬would turn, towards

someone, He ‫ ﷺ‬would do so with His ‫ ﷺ‬entire blessed body. Between His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed shoulders was the seal of prophethood, and He ‫ ﷺ‬is the seal of
prophets.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed heart was the soundest and most generous. His ‫ ﷺ‬speech is
the most truthful of speech. He ‫ ﷺ‬is the gentlest of all people in nature. He ‫ﷺ‬
is the noblest of all people in social interactions and companionship. Whoever
saw Him ‫ ﷺ‬suddenly would be awestruck. Whoever interacted with Him ‫ﷺ‬,
whilst knowing Him ‫ﷺ‬, would love Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬resembled Sayyiduna
Ibrahim. He ‫ ﷺ‬was moderate in His ‫ ﷺ‬qualities and features.
The one who would describe Him ‫ ﷺ‬would say; I saw neither before Him ‫ﷺ‬,
nor after Him ‫ﷺ‬, anyone like Him ‫ﷺ‬. [others have said; I have never seen
anyone more beautiful than Him ‫]ﷺ‬.
He ‫ ﷺ‬announced His ‫ ﷺ‬prophethood at the age of forty. After which He ‫ﷺ‬
lived for approximately ten years in Makkah, and approximately ten years in
Madinah. He ‫ ﷺ‬left this world at the age of sixty. At the time of His ‫ﷺ‬
passing, there were no more than twenty white hairs in His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head or
beard.
Chapter 2 - What has been narrated about seal of prophethood
The seal of prophethood was like a button of a bed canopy [in size]. It lay
between the blessed shoulders, on His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed upper back. It was a piece of
flesh that was slightly raised, reddish in colour, like a pigeon’s egg [in size]. It
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was a collection of hairs. It was like a clenched fist, around it were some
beauty marks. It was round.
Chapter 3 - What has been narrated about the blessed hair of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hair reached; the middle of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed ears, in between His
‫ ﷺ‬shoulders and earlobes, [most of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hair would reach] passed
His ‫ ﷺ‬earlobes.
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hair was neither extremely curly, nor too straight. He ‫ ﷺ‬once
wore four braids. He ‫ ﷺ‬was once seen with four plaits. Initially, He ‫ ﷺ‬let his
hair fall freely. Later He ‫ ﷺ‬began to part it.
Chapter 4 - What has been narrated about the combing of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Sayyidah Aaisha [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Her] would comb His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
hair, even whilst she was in the state of menstruation.
He ‫ ﷺ‬would frequently apply oil to His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head, and comb His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed beard. He ‫ ﷺ‬would often place a cloth on top of His ‫ ﷺ‬head, to
prevent the oil from reaching the turban.
He ‫ ﷺ‬would begin from His ‫ ﷺ‬right, in combing etc. He ‫ ﷺ‬forbade combing
except every other day. He ‫ ﷺ‬would occasionally comb His ‫ ﷺ‬hair.
Chapter 5 - What has been narrated about the white hairs of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hair never reached the point that it required dye [some
narrations suggest a reddish dye]. He ‫ ﷺ‬only had a few [fourteen/twenty]
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white hairs on His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed temple [or/and in the middle of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
head]. [Abu Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] however did dye his hair,
using henna and katam [reddish dye]. When He ‫ ﷺ‬would apply oil, no white
hairs could be seen, but when He ‫ ﷺ‬would not apply oil, the white hairs could
be seen. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “the chapters Hud, Waaqia, Mursalaat, Naba,
Takweer have turned my hairs white.”
Chapter 6 - What has been narrated about the dye of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Some companions have narrated that Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬did in fact use dye.
Some white hairs of Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬had been dyed red [or there were traces
of red henna].
Chapter 7 - What has been narrated about the Kohl of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would apply ithmid [a mineral based Kohl] Kohl, every night, thrice in
each eye, before sleeping. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “apply ithmid for it strengthens the
eyesight and boosts growth to the eyelashes.”
Chapter 8 - What has been narrated about the clothing of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
The shirt was the most beloved piece of clothing to Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬, that He ‫ﷺ‬
would wear. He ‫ ﷺ‬kept His ‫ ﷺ‬sleeve extended to His ‫ ﷺ‬wrists. It has been
reported that He ‫ ﷺ‬once wore a Qitri garment [a highly decorated shawl like
garment with red patterns made from cotton].
When He ‫ ﷺ‬would put on a new garment, He ‫ ﷺ‬would say, “oh Allah, all
praise is for you, for having clothed me. I ask you of its good, and the good for
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which it was made, and I seek refuge in you, from its evil and the evil for which
it was made.”
He ‫ ﷺ‬would wear the Hibara [a highly decorated Yemeni shawl like garment
made from soft cotton]. It was beloved to Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬has been reported to
having worn two red garments [possibly the Hibara]. He ‫ ﷺ‬once was seen
wearing two green garments. He was once seen wearing two garments that
had been dyed with saffron, though only a slight trace of the saffron remained
on them.
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “wear white, it is the best and purest of the attire.” He ‫ ﷺ‬went
out one morning wearing a long and wide cloak, made from black hair. He ‫ﷺ‬
once wore a long Byzantine [Shaami] over garment [jubbah], that had narrow
sleeves.
Chapter 9 - What has been narrated about the lifestyle of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬never ate his full of bread or meat, unless He ‫ ﷺ‬was eating
with others.
Chapter 10 - What has been narrated about the leather footwear of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬was gifted a pair of solid black leather footwear from Najaashi [ruler of
current day Ethiopia]. He ‫ ﷺ‬wiped over them whilst performing wudhu.
Dihya [a companion] gifted Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬a pair of leather boots and a
Jubbah. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬wore them until they tore.
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Chapter 11 - What has been narrated about the sandals of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Each of His ‫ ﷺ‬sandals had two toe-straps, and two mid-foot straps. His ‫ﷺ‬
sandals were hairless. His ‫ ﷺ‬sandals had new soles sewn on to the old ones.
He ‫ ﷺ‬would perform wudhu in them. He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray in them. He ‫ﷺ‬
prohibited walking in one sandal [i.e. wear them both or remove them both].
He ‫ ﷺ‬instructed putting on the sandals with the right one first, and removing
them with the left one first. Abu Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] and
Umar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] also had sandals with two toe-straps. The
first to have a single toe-strap was Usman [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him].
Chapter 12 - What has been narrated about the ring of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬had a silver ringer with an Abyssinian bezel. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not wear it,
rather use it as a seal for letters. He ‫ ﷺ‬also had a ring which was both made
from silver, and had a silver bezel. His ‫ ﷺ‬ring was engraved with Muhammad
on one line, Rasool on one line, and Allah on one line. He ‫ ﷺ‬would remove His
‫ ﷺ‬ring when going to relieve himself. The same ring of Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬was
passed down to Abu Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him], then Umar [May Allah
Almighty Be Pleased With Him], and then Usman [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him], until it
fell in to the well of Aris.
Chapter 13 - What has been narrated about Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬wearing a ring
on His ‫ ﷺ‬right hand
He ‫ ﷺ‬wore a ring on His ‫ ﷺ‬right hand. He ‫ ﷺ‬would turn the bezel inwards
towards the palm. He ‫ ﷺ‬prohibited anyone from having the same engraving.
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Hassan and Hussain would wear a ring on their left hand. He ‫ ﷺ‬once wore a
gold ring. People also began to wear gold rings. So He ‫ ﷺ‬tossed it aside, and
said, “I’ll never wear it again”. The people tossed their rings too.
Chapter 14 - What has been narrated about the sword of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
The pommel [end of the handle] of His ‫ ﷺ‬sword was made from silver. The
day ‫ ﷺ‬entered Makkah, upon its conquest His ‫ ﷺ‬sword was adorned with
gold and silver. His ‫ ﷺ‬sword was of Hanafi make [made by the tribe Banu
Haneefa who were known for their expertise as blade smiths].
Chapter 15 - What has been narrated about the armour of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
During the battle of Uhud, He ‫ ﷺ‬wore two pieces of armour, one overlapping
the other.
Chapter 16 - What has been narrated about the chainmail coif of Rasool-ullah
‫ﷺ‬
The chainmail coif is a piece of armour made from interlinked metal rings to fit
the head, worn under the turban. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬entered Makkah wearing a
chainmail coif.
Chapter 17 - What has been narrated about the turban of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬entered Makkah upon its conquest wearing a black turban.
When He ‫ ﷺ‬would tie a turban, He ‫ ﷺ‬would hang its tail in between His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed shoulders.
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Chapter 18 - What has been narrated about the loincloth of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
The loin cloth is a sheet of cloth wrapped around the waist, as a lower-body
garment. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬passed away whilst wearing a patched upper
garment and a rough [as opposed to smooth/silky] loincloth. He ‫ ﷺ‬was seen
with His ‫ ﷺ‬loincloth at mid-shin level. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬encouraged the
loincloth to be at mid-shin level or at least above the ankles.
Chapter 19 - What has been narrated about the walk of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
Abu Hurayra [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] says, “I never saw anyone walk
faster than Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬. It was as if the earth would fold itself up for Him
‫ﷺ‬. We would tire ourselves in exertion, but for Him ‫ ﷺ‬it was effortless.”
He ‫ ﷺ‬walked with strength, as if He ‫ ﷺ‬was descending a height. When
walking He ‫ ﷺ‬would incline forward.
Chapter 20 - What has been narrated about the head covering of Rasool-ullah
‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would often use a piece of cloth as a head cover [to prevent oil from the
hair/head reaching the turban].
Chapter 21 - What has been narrated about the sitting of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬was seen sitting in the Masjid, His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed thighs pulled in towards
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed stomach, and His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed arms wrapped around His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed shins. He ‫ ﷺ‬was once seen lying down in the Masjid, with one leg
placed over the other. He ‫ ﷺ‬would also sit, with His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed thighs pulled
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in towards His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed stomach, whilst having a cloth wrapped around His
‫ ﷺ‬blessed shins and blessed back.
Chapter 22 - What has been narrated about the reclining of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬was seen reclining on a cushion, on His ‫ ﷺ‬left side. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “I do not
eat whilst reclining.”
Chapter 23 - What has been narrated about the leaning of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
In His ‫ ﷺ‬illness, He ‫ ﷺ‬once came out leaning on Usama Bin Zayd [May Allah
Almighty Be Pleased With Him].
Chapter 24 - What has been narrated about the manner of eating of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would eat with His ‫ ﷺ‬three blessed fingers. He ‫ ﷺ‬would lick His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed fingers three times. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not recline [lean] when eating.
However, He ‫ ﷺ‬was once seen eating dates, whilst leaning back [out of
hunger].
Chapter 25 - What has been narrated about the bread of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
His ‫ ﷺ‬family never ate their fill of barley bread, two days in a row, up until He
‫ ﷺ‬left this world. There was never any extra barley bread left over in His ‫ﷺ‬
house. He ‫ﷺ‬, alongside His ‫ ﷺ‬family, would spend many consecutive nights in
hunger, having nothing to eat. The most common bread they would eat, was
barley bread. He ‫ ﷺ‬never ate bread made from fine flour. He ‫ ﷺ‬never ate on
a small table, nor a plate. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate on round mats. Thin bread was never
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baked for Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬never ate his fill of bread and meat twice in the same
day.
Chapter 26 - What has been narrated about the condiment [gravy] of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, what an excellent condiment vinegar is. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate chicken. He ‫ﷺ‬
ate the houbara bustard [a large bird]. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “eat olive oil, and apply its
oil, for it comes from a blessed tree.” He ‫ ﷺ‬liked gourd. He ‫ ﷺ‬loved sweet
foods and honey. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate roasted meat. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate some grilled meat. He ‫ﷺ‬
liked the foreleg [of meat]. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “the choicest cut of meat is the back.”
He ‫ ﷺ‬ate dried bread with vinegar. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate cheese. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate lamb. He ‫ﷺ‬
enjoyed eating grounded barely, with some oil poured over it, mixed with
pepper and chilli [or maybe instead of chilli, possibly a mixture of coriander,
ginger and cumin]. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate sheep. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate dates. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate chard and
barley. He ‫ ﷺ‬ate hays [made from dates, with clarified butter, and milk
curdling]. He ate aqit [made from milk curdling] cheese. He ‫ ﷺ‬placed a date
on barley bread and ate it. He ‫ ﷺ‬liked to eat from the remainder/bottom of
the pot. He ‫ ﷺ‬praised the thareed [bread pieces mixed with meat broth].
Chapter 27 - What has been narrated about the wudhu upon a meal of
Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, I have only been commanded to perform wudhu when I rise to
offer the prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, the blessings of food are gained through
purification [washing the hands] before and after eating.
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Chapter 28 - What has been narrated about the saying before and after a
meal of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “mentioning Allah’s name at the beginning of a meal increases the
blessing, failing to mention Allah’s name invites the Satan to join in eating with
you.” He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “if one fails to remembers Allah’s name in the beginning of a
meal, he should say ‘in the name of Allah in its beginning and end.’” He ‫ﷺ‬
said, “eat with your right hand, and eat from what is nearest to you.” He ‫ﷺ‬
would end His ‫ ﷺ‬meal by saying, “all praise is due to Allah, who has fed us,
and provided us drink and made us Muslims.” When the food would be
removed from in front of Him ‫ﷺ‬, He ‫ ﷺ‬would say, “all praise is due to Allah,
an abundant, pure and blessed praise, a praise that can neither be forsaken,
nor dispensed with, our lord.” Once He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “if so and so, had mentioned
Allah’s name, his two bites, would have been enough for all of you.” He ‫ﷺ‬
said, “Allah is pleased with such a servant, who when he eats praises Allah for
it, and when he drinks praises Allah for it.”
Chapter 29 - What has been narrated about the drinking vessel/bowl of
He ‫ ﷺ‬had a drinking vessel lined with iron. He ‫ ﷺ‬drank in it, water, nabeedh
[water sweetened by placing dates in it], honey and milk.
Chapter 30 - What has been narrated about the fruits of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would eat cucumber with dates. He ‫ ﷺ‬would eat watermelon with
dates. He ‫ ﷺ‬would eat yellow melon with dates. People would bring new
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fruits to Him ‫ﷺ‬, He ‫ ﷺ‬would supplicate, “oh Allah bless our fruit, bless our
Madina, and our sa’a and mudd [measurements]. Oh Allah verily Ibrahim is
your servant and intimate friend, and your prophet, and I am your servant and
prophet. He supplicated to you for Makkah, and I supplicate to you for
Madinah, the likes of it, or double it.” Then He ‫ ﷺ‬would call the youngest child
He ‫ ﷺ‬saw, and would give him some fruit.
Chapter 31 - What has been narrated about the drinks of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
The most beloved drinks to Him ‫ ﷺ‬were those that were sweet and cool. He
‫ ﷺ‬would drink milk. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “there is nothing that takes the place of food
and drink, except milk.”
Chapter 32 - What has been narrated about the manner of drinking of
He ‫ ﷺ‬drank Zamzam whilst standing. He ‫ ﷺ‬drank whilst standing [rarely, to
show its permissibility], but often drank sitting. He ‫ ﷺ‬drank the remaining
water of wudhu. He ‫ ﷺ‬would drink in three sips, saying this is more enjoyable
and quenching. He ‫ ﷺ‬once drank from a suspended leather water skin whilst
standing.
Chapter 33 - What has been narrated about the perfuming of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would apply sukka [a mixture of perfumes] perfume on Himself ‫ﷺ‬. He
‫ ﷺ‬would never refuse perfume. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “perfume should never be
refused.” He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “the perfume of men is apparent in fragrance and subtle
15
in colour, and the perfume of women is subtle in fragrance and apparent in

colour.” He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “when one of you is given rayhan [sweet-basil or any
fragrant plant/flower], he should not refuse it, as it has come from heaven.”
Chapter 34 - What has been narrated about the speech of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would not draw out His ‫ ﷺ‬speech. He ‫ ﷺ‬would speak clearly and
logically, and would space out His ‫ ﷺ‬words. His ‫ ﷺ‬words would be
remembered by the listener. He ‫ ﷺ‬would repeat His ‫ ﷺ‬words three times. He
‫ ﷺ‬would remain silent for long periods of time, and would not speak unless
needed. He ‫ ﷺ‬would begin and end His ‫ ﷺ‬speech with Allah’s name. His ‫ﷺ‬
speech was concise and His ‫ ﷺ‬words were distinguished, they were neither
too much, nor too few. He ‫ ﷺ‬was neither harsh nor demeaning.
Chapter 35 - What has been narrated about the laughter of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
His ‫ ﷺ‬laughter was only a smile. The companions said, “we never saw anyone
who smiled more than Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would laugh, rarely, that His ‫ﷺ‬
molars would be seen.
Chapter 36 - What has been narrated about the humour of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬once called Anas Bin Malik, “oh two eared one”. He ‫ ﷺ‬would act
humorous with children. His ‫ ﷺ‬humour was only based on the truth.
A man once asked Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬for a mount. He ‫ ﷺ‬replied, “I shall give to
you the child of a she-camel.” The man replied, “what shall I do with the child
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of a she-camel.” Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “is not every camel, a child of a she-

camel.”
An elderly woman requested Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬to supplicate that Allah Almighty
grants her entry to Paradise. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “but no elderly woman will
enter paradise.” The woman began to weep, and left. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said,
“tell her she will not enter Paradise as an elderly woman, [rather as a young
woman].”
Chapter 37 - What has been narrated about the poetry of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would cite the poetry of Ibn E Rawaaha [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him].
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “the most truthful of speech said by a poet, is that of Labeed; all
besides Allah, is naught.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would listen to [decent] poetry. He ‫ ﷺ‬placed
a pulpit in the mosque, for Hassaan Bin Thaabit [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him]
to stand upon and defend Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “indeed Allah Almighty aids
Hassaan via the angel Gabriel, so long as Hassaan defends me.”
Chapter 38 - What has been narrated about the night-time conversations of
One night He ‫ ﷺ‬related a story to His ‫ ﷺ‬wives.
Chapter 38 - What has been narrated about the sleep of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would sleep with His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed right hand under His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed right
cheek. He ‫ ﷺ‬would say, “oh Allah, save me from your punishment, on the day
you resurrect your servants”. He ‫ ﷺ‬would also say, “oh Allah, in your name I
17
die and I live.” Upon waking He ‫ ﷺ‬would say, “all praise is due to Allah, who
has brought us to life after causing us to die, and to Him is the eternal return.”
He ‫ ﷺ‬would join His ‫ ﷺ‬hands, blow in to them, and recite Surah Al Ikhlaas,
Surah Al Falaq and Surah Al Naas, then wipe His ‫ ﷺ‬hands over His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
body. He ‫ ﷺ‬would sleep with a delicate breathing sound. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not
perform wudhu after waking, to pray. He ‫ ﷺ‬would also say, “all is praise is for
Allah, who has fed us and given us to drink, and who has sufficed us, and given
us shelter, for how many are those with none to suffice them or return them.”
He ‫ ﷺ‬would rest, sleeping on His ‫ ﷺ‬right side, after a day’s journey. He ‫ﷺ‬
would rest before dawn, He ‫ ﷺ‬would place His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed elbow upon the
ground, placing His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head in His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed palm.
Chapter 40 - What has been narrated about the worship of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray so long that His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed feet would swell. Shortly before
dawn He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray the witr prayer. Once He ‫ ﷺ‬woke after half the night
had passed, and recited the last ten verses of Chapter Aal e Imran. Then He ‫ﷺ‬
offered six units of prayer, in twos. Then He ‫ ﷺ‬laid down a while, until the
mu’azzin came to Him ‫ﷺ‬. Then He ‫ ﷺ‬stood and prayed two brief units of
prayer, and left to offer Fajar prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer thirteen units of
prayer in the night. If He ‫ ﷺ‬did not pray in the night, He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer twelve
units in the day. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, when one of you stands in the night to pray, let
him begin his vigil with two brief units of prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬once offered 12 units
of prayer, in twos, with the first two being brief, the next two being lengthy,
thereafter each a little shorter than the previous two, followed by one unit of
18
witr prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer eight units of vigil prayer, in fours, followed by
three units of witr prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer ten units of vigil prayer followed
by one unit of witr prayer. Sometimes He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer nine units of prayer in
total. Once He ‫ ﷺ‬recited the chapters Baqarah, Aal e Imran, and An-nisaa [or
Al-maaida] in His ‫ ﷺ‬prayer. Once He ‫ ﷺ‬stood in prayer the entire night,
reciting a single verse of the Quran. He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray whilst sitting, and would
stand when thirty or forty verses remained, [and complete the rest of the unit
as normal/standing] doing the same in the second unit. Other times He ‫ﷺ‬
would pray completely sitting [bowing and prostrating whilst sitting too]. He ‫ﷺ‬
would recite in a slow measured pace. When He ‫ ﷺ‬left this world, most of His
‫ ﷺ‬prayers would be offered whilst sitting. He ‫ ﷺ‬prayed two units before
Zuhr, two units after Maghrib, and two units after Isha. He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer two
units of prayer at dawn.
Chapter 41 - What has been narrated about the forenoon prayer [duha] of
He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer four units as the forenoon prayer, and increase upon it.
Sometimes He ‫ ﷺ‬would offer six units as the forenoon prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬also,
prayed eight units as the forenoon prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray the forenoon
prayer regularly, then leave it regularly. Upon being asked about the four units
of the forenoon prayer, He ‫ ﷺ‬replied, “the doors of heaven are opened in the
afternoon and do not close until after zuhr. I love that some of my good deeds
ascend in that moment.” He ‫ ﷺ‬was asked, is there recitation in each unit? He
‫ ﷺ‬replied, “yes.” He ‫ ﷺ‬was asked, is there a salutation [salaam] to divide
19
them. He ‫ ﷺ‬replied, “no.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would pray the forenoon prayer after the
sun had passed its zenith, just before the time of zuhr. He ‫ ﷺ‬would prolong
His ‫ ﷺ‬forenoon prayer.
Chapter 42 - What has been narrated about the optional prayer at home of
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “despite my home being so close to the mosque, praying at home
is more beloved to me than praying in the mosque, except the obligational
prayers.”
Chapter 43 - What has been narrated about the fasting of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would fast regularly, then He ‫ ﷺ‬would leave fasting regularly. After
entering Madinah, He ‫ ﷺ‬never fasted an entire month, except Ramadan. He
‫ ﷺ‬fasted [most of] sha’baan and [all of] Ramadan. He ‫ ﷺ‬would fast for three
days at the beginning of each month. He ‫ ﷺ‬would often fast on Fridays. He ‫ﷺ‬
would intentionally fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and said “I like my deeds
to be presented when I’m fasting.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would fast on Saturdays, Sundays
and Mondays of one month, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays of
another month. He ‫ ﷺ‬would fast on Ashura, and order others to so, [but after
fasting in Ramadan became obligatory, this fast has become optional]. The
most beloved of actions to Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬were those done consistently.
Chapter 44 - What has been narrated about the Quran recitation of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬
20
His ‫ ﷺ‬recitation was clear, letter by letter. It was prolonged. He ‫ ﷺ‬would

make clear pauses between verses. Sometimes He ‫ ﷺ‬would recite silently,
other times He ‫ ﷺ‬would recite audibly. He ‫ ﷺ‬was seen riding His ‫ ﷺ‬camel,
on the day of the conquest of Makkah reciting, “certainly we have given you a
manifest victory. That Allah Almighty has forgiven those before you and those
after you, by means of you” [48:1/2]. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “all prophets had a beautiful
appearance and a beautiful voice, so too does your Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would
not recite verses repeatedly.
Chapter 45 - What has been narrated about the weeping of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would weep in His prayer. He ‫ ﷺ‬would weep upon hearing the Quran
being recited. He ‫ ﷺ‬once kissed Usman Bin Ma’zoon [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased
With Him], who had died, and He ‫ ﷺ‬was weeping. He ‫ ﷺ‬wept whilst sitting at
the grave of His ‫ ﷺ‬daughter, Umm E Kulthoom [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Her].
Chapter 46 - What has been narrated about the bed of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
His ‫ ﷺ‬bed was a tanned hide, and its stuffing was of plam-tree fibre. He ‫ﷺ‬
also slept on a coarse woollen blanket folded in half. Once it was folded further
for extra comfort, Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬after enquiring instructed that it be folded
as before, as it kept Him ‫ ﷺ‬from His ‫ ﷺ‬prayer.
Chapter 47 - What has been narrated about the humility of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “do not go to excess in praising me as the Christians went to excess
in praising the son of Maryam. I am but a servant, say instead, Allah’s servant
21
and messenger.” A woman said to Him ‫ﷺ‬, “I have a need to ask from you.”
Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said to her, “sit in any street of Madinah I will come and sit
with you.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would visit the sick, attend the funeral, ride on a donkey, and
accept the invitation of slaves. He ‫ ﷺ‬would accept invitations to meals of
barley bread and aged oil. A Jew had the armour of Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬as
collateral, and He ‫ ﷺ‬did not find the money to regain it until He ‫ ﷺ‬left this
world. He ‫ ﷺ‬once performed Hajj whilst riding a mount with a dry and worn
out saddle, topped with a threadbare woollen blanket worth less than four
dirhams. The companions would not stand for Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬, as they knew
He ‫ ﷺ‬disliked it. He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “if the trotter [foot; of an animal] was gifted to
me, I would accept it, and if I was invited to partake in it, I would accept the
invitation.” He ‫ ﷺ‬would remove anything attached to His ‫ ﷺ‬garment, He ‫ﷺ‬
would milk the goat, and would serve Himself ‫ﷺ‬.
Chapter 48 - What has been narrated about the character of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬would speak about [necessary] worldly matters well. He ‫ ﷺ‬would speak
about the hereafter too. He ‫ ﷺ‬would speak about food also. He ‫ ﷺ‬would turn
His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed face towards the worst of people and speak directly with him,
bringing their hearts together. Anas Bin Maalik [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him]
says, “I served the Messenger ‫ ﷺ‬for ten years. Never did He ‫ ﷺ‬even say uff to
me, nor did He ‫ ﷺ‬ever question anything I did, or I did not do.” Once a man
came in front of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬, Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬waited until he left, then
asked the people to tell him not to wear yellow dyed clothing [as opposed to
directly telling him]. Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬was not indecent, neither was He ‫ﷺ‬
22
overly-lively in the markets. He ‫ ﷺ‬responded to evil, with pardon and

forgiveness. He ‫ ﷺ‬never struck anyone, except in jihad. He ‫ ﷺ‬never struck a
servant nor a woman. He ‫ ﷺ‬never took personal revenge. He ‫ ﷺ‬would
become angry upon Allah’s sanctities being violated. He ‫ ﷺ‬always chose the
easiest of two positions [in matters] unless one of them entailed sin. He ‫ﷺ‬
said, “the worst of people is he whom is forsaken due to his crudeness.” He ‫ﷺ‬
always had a cheerful presence. He ‫ ﷺ‬had an easy-going character. He ‫ ﷺ‬had
soft attributes. He ‫ ﷺ‬was not a fault-finder. He ‫ ﷺ‬would overlook things He
‫ ﷺ‬disliked. He ‫ ﷺ‬avoided disputes, excessiveness and matters that did not
concern Him ‫ﷺ‬. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not disgrace anyone. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not find
faults in anyone. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not enter the private matters of others. He ‫ﷺ‬
would laugh at what His ‫ ﷺ‬companions would laugh at, and would be amazed
at what they would be amazed at. He ‫ ﷺ‬would be patient upon crude speech,
and the requests of strangers. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not accept praise except from one
to whom a favour was given. He ‫ ﷺ‬would not interrupt a person who was
speaking, unless necessary, in which case He ‫ ﷺ‬would either prohibit the
person speaking or He ‫ ﷺ‬would get up and leave. He ‫ ﷺ‬was never asked for
anything, to which He ‫ ﷺ‬said No. He ‫ ﷺ‬was the most generous. He ‫ ﷺ‬never
stored anything for the next day. The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬would accept gifts and
reciprocate.
Chapter 49 - What has been narrated about the shyness of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬was shyer than a virgin in her quarters. If He ‫ ﷺ‬disliked something, it
would be noticed on His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed face. Sayyidah Aaisha [May Allah Almighty Be
23
Pleased With Her] says, “I never ever saw the private parts of the messenger of
Allah ‫ﷺ‬.”
Chapter 50 - What has been narrated about the [blood] cupping of Rasool-
ullah ‫ﷺ‬
The messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬was cupped, and the cupper would be paid. He ‫ﷺ‬
was cupped on both sides of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed neck, and between His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed
shoulders. He ‫ ﷺ‬would have His ‫ ﷺ‬cupping done on the 17th, 19th and 21st [of
the islamic month]. He ‫ ﷺ‬had cupping done on the top of His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed foot
whilst in the state of ihraam.
Chapter 51 - What has been narrated about the names of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “I have several names, I am Muhammad ‫[ ﷺ‬the repeatedly
praised], I am Ahmad ‫[ ﷺ‬the most praising], I am Maahi ‫[ ﷺ‬the obliterator],
by whom Allah Almighty obliterates disbelief, I am Haashir ‫[ ﷺ‬the gatherer],
at whose feet mankind shall gather, and I am Aaqib ‫[ ﷺ‬the final], after whom
there is no prophet.” He ‫ ﷺ‬also said, “I am Nabi ur Rahma’ ‫[ ﷺ‬the prophet of
mercy], Nabi ut Tawba ‫[ ﷺ‬the prophet of repentance], an I am Muqaffaa ‫ﷺ‬
[the one followed by the prior prophets], and I am Haashir ‫[ ﷺ‬the gatherer],
and Nabi ul Malaahim ‫[ ﷺ‬the prophet of battles].”
Chapter 52 - What has been narrated about the lifestyle of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
At times He ‫ ﷺ‬was unable to find the lowest quality of dates to fill His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed stomach with. The family of Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬would not kindle a fire [to
24
cook], for up to a month. They would only consume water and dates. He ‫ﷺ‬
would tie two stones to His blessed stomach [due to hunger]. He ‫ ﷺ‬and His ‫ﷺ‬
companions ate leaves and berries that caused sores around the mouth. He ‫ﷺ‬
never ate bread and meat together during breakfast nor supper.
Chapter 53 - What has been narrated about the age of Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬remained in Makkah for thirteen years, and remained in Madinah for
ten years, passing away at the age of sixty-three. His ‫ ﷺ‬passing away at the
age of sixty-five and sixty years of age has also been narrated.
Chapter 54 - What has been narrated about the passing away of Rasool-ullah
‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬raised the curtain on Monday, allowing the companions to see His ‫ﷺ‬
blessed face, like a page from the Quran, as they were praying behind Abu
Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him]. The companions directed their attention
towards Him ‫ﷺ‬, He ‫ ﷺ‬instructed them to continue praying. He ‫ ﷺ‬passed
away later that day. He ‫ ﷺ‬left this world with His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed head in the lap of
Aaisha [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Her]. He ‫ ﷺ‬would dip His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed hand in
to a container of water, and rub it over His ‫ ﷺ‬blessed face. He ‫ ﷺ‬would say,
“oh my Lord, help me with the intensity of death”. He ‫ ﷺ‬had said, “never does
Allah take a soul of a prophet except at a place that he loves to be buried”. So
He ‫ ﷺ‬was buried where His ‫ ﷺ‬bed was. Abu Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With
Him] kissed Him ‫ ﷺ‬after He ‫ ﷺ‬passed away. Abu Bakar [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased
With Him] placed his hands on the prophet’s ‫ ﷺ‬blessed forearms and cried, “oh
25
Prophet, Oh Chosen One, Oh Intimate Friend”. On the day He ‫ ﷺ‬passed away

the entire city [rather the entire world] became dark. He ‫ ﷺ‬passed away on
Monday, and was buried on Monday night/Tuesday morning. Rasool-ullah ‫ﷺ‬
said, “anyone who has two children die before him, will enter paradise on their
account.” Aaisha [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Her] asked, “what about one child.”
Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬replied, “even one child.” Aaisha [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With
Her] asked, “what about one who has no child.” Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “then I
will intercede for him, my Ummah will not suffer a greater loss as great as mine
[i.e. my passing].”
Chapter 55 - What has been narrated about the inheritance of Rasool-ullah
‫ﷺ‬
He ‫ ﷺ‬left behind some weapons, a mule and some land, all for charity. He ‫ﷺ‬
had said, “the prophets do not leave behind inheritance, what they leave is for
charity.” He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “my heirs will not take dinars or dirhams, whatever I leave
is for charity.”
Chapter 56 - What has been narrated about the seeing of Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬in
dreams
He ‫ ﷺ‬said, “whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for the Satan
cannot impersonate me.” He ‫ ﷺ‬also said, “whoever sees me [in a dream] has
indeed seen the truth.” Anas [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] said, “the dream
of the believer is one part of the forty-six parts of prophethood.”
26
Muhammad Ibn Sireen [May Allah Almighty Be Pleased With Him] said, “the Hadeeth are
the religion, therefore consider carefully from whom you take your religion.”
‫ﷺ‬
27

Al Shamaa'il Al Muhammadiyyah: A Summarised Version

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Al Shamaa’il Al Muhammadiyyah A Summarised Version by Imam Muhammad Yasir Ayub

Imam Muhammad Yasir Ayub

Chapter 1 - What has been narrated about the beautiful

[Salaam] with whoever He ‫ ﷺ‬met. When He ‫ ﷺ‬would turn, towards

in colour, and the perfume of women is subtle in fragrance and apparent in

of a she-camel.” Rasool-ullah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “is not every camel, a child of a she-

His ‫ ﷺ‬recitation was clear, letter by letter. It was prolonged. He ‫ ﷺ‬would

overly-lively in the markets. He ‫ ﷺ‬responded to evil, with pardon and

Prophet, Oh Chosen One, Oh Intimate Friend”. On the day He ‫ ﷺ‬passed away

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