“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” [33:21]
Inshallah in this post and in future posts, we will be looking at seerah. We will look at how the prophet (SAW) set an excellent example for us in different roles; be it be as a husband, father, friend, leader and other such roles. In today’s post, we will look at his life as a father and grandfather.
Let us seen what Anas ibn Malik who served the prophet (SAW) for 10 years as servant said “I have never seen a man who was more compassionate to his family members than Muhammad.” (Muslim)
As a Grandfather
- Abu Huraira reported: I went along with Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) at a time during the day but he did not talk to me and I did not talk to him until he reached Bazar of Banu Qainuqal. He came back to the tent of Fatima and said: Is the little chap (meaning Hasan) there? We were under the impression that his mother had detained him in order to bathe him and dress him and garland him with a sweet garland. Not much time had passed that he (Hasan) came running until both of them embraced each other, thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: O Allah, I love him; love him Thou and love one who loves him (Hasan). [Muslim]
- Abdullah b. Ja’a’far reported that when Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came back from a journey he met us. Once he met me, Hasan or Husain, and he mounted one of us before him and the other one behind him until we entered Medina. [Muslim]
- The Prophet came out towards us, while carrying Umamah, the daughter of Abi Al-As (his grand-daughter) over his shoulder. He prayed, and when he wanted to bow, he put her down, and when he stood up, he lifted her up. [Bhukari]
- Once while the prophet was delivering a sermon in the mosque, Al-Hasan came treading on the edge of his garment, falling down every now and then. The prophet could not stand the sight. So he interrupted his sermon, came down from the pulpit, carried Al-Hasan and resumed the sermon [Heroes of Islam – Darus Salam]
As a father
- Aisha reported: We, the wives of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him), were with him (during his last illness) and none was absent therefrom that Fatima, who walked after the style of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him), came there, and when he saw her he welcomed her saying: You are welcome, my daughter. He then made her sit on his right side or on his left side… [Muslim]
- “When Fatima, his daughter, visited him at his house the Prophet would take her hand, kiss her and make her to sit next to him. She did the same when he visited her.” (atTirmidhi)
Action Steps
- If you know of other examples from the seerah that fit into the theme of this post, please post them in the comments along with proper reference
- In future posts, inshallah we want to look at the seerah from other roles: husband, leader, friend etc. If you know of stories from seerah that fall in these roles, please post them in the comments.
- Share this post with someone preferably a father or a grandfather