Muhammad, as an excellent father and a faithful husband

Muhammad, as an excellent father and a faithful husband

Muhammad, as an excellent father and a faithful husband, showed a very profound tenderness towards his children and his grandsons. He used to walk many kilometres just to see and embrace them at the home of their wet nurses. He let them mount his back during prayer, and interrupts his discourse to receive and seat them by his side on the chair.

In the discharge of his debt of recognition to his uncle who had brought him up, he, after he had become rich through marriage, took charge of the education of his cousin Ali and later gave Fatima, the youngest of his daughters, in marriage to him.

A prominent act had been performed when he reached the age of thirty-five during the reparation of the Ka’ba. (The national temple of Arabia which the Arab tribes surrounded with profound veneration in spite of the diversity of their clans). So, all of them were anxious to obtain the honour of participating in its reconstruction. By a sort of work division, all tribes’ demands had been satisfied until the competitors found themselves one day in front of an indivisible task, namely, the laying down of the famous “Black Stone”. So none was willing to cede his right in taking charge.  Yet, before having to resort to arms, they decided to rely on the arbitration of the first person to enter the sacred precincts of Ka’ba through the door of Bani-Shaïba. Chance had willed that this person would be Muhammad. As soon as he was seen entering, people cried “Al-Ameen! Al-Ameen!” (The faithful and the trust-worthy). So, with a presence of mind and an impartiality, Muhammad extended his mantle on the ground, put the Black Stone in the middle and asked each of the principal chiefs of tribes to seize one end of the mantle and to raise it simultaneously to the required level. When they reached the place of the stone, Muhammad took it by himself and positioned it with his own hands. Satisfaction prevailed unanimously and peace was re-established.

Arriving at this age, Muhammad was physically intellectually and morally a man. This spirited character would accompany him until the end of his life. His stature was a bit more improving than the average. He was strongly built; large chest; broad shoulders; expanded front having always the air of serenity; large mouth with white teeth, a little separated; abundant beard; black curled hair; black eyes with red streaks in the cornea; white complexion but slightly red; agile and impressive walk; simple, proper and neat dress; rare sobriety but not to refuse the good thing on spontaneous occasion; patient in endurance of pain and fatigue without seeking it intentionally. He spoke little but this economy of words did not decrease the beauty of the conversation or his sensibility of innocent enjoyment. When he became the unique master and chief of the state, he kept himself and his family deliberately away from all sorts of luxury. The frank opposition of his wives exploded upon his refusal to respond to some of their materialistic demands,

“O Prophet (Muhammad)! Say to your wives: “If you desire the life of this world, and its glitter, then come! I will make a provision for you and set you free in a handsome manner (divorce). But if you desire Allâh and his Messenger, and the home of the Hereafter then verily, Allâh has prepared for Al-Muhsinât (good-doers) amongst you an enormous reward.” (XXXIII, 28-29).