Will you explain the hadiths in which the Prophet (pbuh) narrated his virtues?

Dear Brother / Sister,

“My example and the example of the people is like that of a person who lights a fire. When the fire emits light, the moths jump into the fire. The man tries to save them from the fire. However, they head toward the fire. I am the one that holds you from the tails of your clothes to save you from the fire. However, people try to jump into the fire.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, IV, 136)

This simile of the Prophet (pbuh) can be analyzed through a few aspects:

In the simile above, the Prophet (pbuh), who pities people and who was sent as a mercy to all realms, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, narrates with a simile how he works very hard and tries to save people from Hell and the bad ending.

"According to Abdullah b.  Amr narrates, the Messenger of Allah came out of one of his apartments in Madinah one day and entered the mosque, where he saw two circles, one reciting the Quran and supplicating to Allah, and the other learning and teaching. Thereupon, the Prophet said, 'Both of them are good. These people are reciting the Quran and supplicating to Allah, and if He wills, He will give them, and if He wills, He will withhold from them. And these people are learning and teaching. Verily I have been sent as a teacher.' Then he sat down with them." (Kitabu Amthalil-Hadith, p. 16- 17)

The Prophet (pbuh) is “the greatest teacher” and perfect master in terms of what he taught. He gives answers to great questions like “Where are we coming from? Where are we going? What is our duty here?” with the religion he brought and with his teaching.

Thanks to the light of the truths he spread, the spiritual shape and color of the universe changed; the world, which was like a mourning house, was transformed into a house of dhikr; the beings that seemed like enemies became friends thanks to oneness.

In a hadith, he said, “I am the city of wisdom.”(Faydul-Qadir, II, 46, no. 2804)

If a person keeps away from Allah’s prohibitions and obeys His orders, it is understood that he has been given wisdom. For, “The foundation of wisdom is fearing Allah.” Wisdom keeps the soul away from prohibitions and leads it to righteous deeds and asceticism. If knowledge and wisdom lead man to fear of Allah, it means they make it dominant. There are also some non-Muslims who know Islam better than Muslims. It is necessary not to forget that the most important criterion for being a knowledgeable and wise person, which is possible for every human being and every Muslim, is fear of Allah and to regard the Prophet (pbuh) as a model regarding the issue.

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following while explaining hajj: “…By Allah, I am more charitable and pious than them (the Muslims) in the eye of Allah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, III, 114. Ishtira, 15)

The reason why the Prophet (pbuh), who is a mercy for all realms, is “abarr” that is, the most charitable, is his prophethood, being a means of guidance for the people to come after him and a means of all charitable and good deeds that come with Islam. According to the decrees “he who causes something is like the one who does it”, as many thawabs as the good deeds and charitable deeds done by his ummah are written in his book of deeds any moment.  

According to a verse, one can attain birr (righteousness) only if he believes in Allah, Day of Judgment, angels, books and prophets, gives money, goods, etc. that he loves to his relatives, orphans, stranded people, beggars, slaves for Allah’s sake, performs prayers, gives zakah, keeps his promise and shows patience at times of hardship, illness and war.    

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “You definitely know that I am the most loyal/truthful of you to Allah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, VIII, 162, I‘tisam,  27) He described himself as “Asdaq = the most loyal/truthful”. He mentioned loyalty/truthfulness as one of his four characteristics:

“I am a prophet; I am illiterate, loyal/truthful and wise. Woe on him who denies me, turns away from me and fights me! All of the good deeds belong to those who embrace me, help me, believe in me, confirm me and make jihad together with me.” (at-Tabaqat I, 334.)

“My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say, 'Would that this brick be put in its place!' So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, IV, 162- 163)

We can understand the simile in the hadith as follows:

1) All prophets are likened to a magnificent palace and a nice building whose plans were made, foundations were laid, walls were raised, roof was covered, deficiencies were completed and decorations were made.

2) According to the simile, every stone (brick) that forms the building is a prophet and the first stone placed there is Hz. Adam. The other stones (prophets) were placed when their times were due. Since the first stone was placed in the building, the last stone would also be placed and the building would be completed. What has a beginning will definitely have an end. The first stone necessitates the last stone and the first prophet necessitates the last prophet. 

3) The one that constructed the building chose materials based on his power and rank; similarly, Allah chose those distinguished stones and placed them. God Almighty chose the best stones (people) for “the Building and Palace of Prophethood”, which has a very important duty, and placed them one after the other in the course of time.  We have to like the ones He chose and accept the ones that He showed to us as the best examples and models. We can accept the nice traits of the prophets as models, assume the attributes and attitudes that Allah likes and regard the prophets and Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) as our role models.

Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), who is Khatam al-Anbiya (“the Seal of the Prophets and the Last Prophet”) confirms all of the prophets before him and states that there will be no prophets after him. Khatam is the end of something.

4) The prophets are the nice bricks of the palace of prophethood; similarly, the believers should be useful bricks and valuable stones in the building and palace of Islam, which is described as “bunyan marsus” in the verse. Thus, all Muslims will beautify and strengthen the building in which they live and fulfil their duties without delay or negligence.

The Prophet (pbuh) explained his degree as a human being and as a slave and his value in the eye of Allah as follows:

“I am the one among you that will have the greatest thawabs on the Day of Judgment. For, I will receive thawabs for my own deeds and the deeds of those who followed me." (ad- Darimi, Abdullah b. Abdurrahman,  Sunanud- Darimi, I-II, Çağrı Yayınları, İstanbul, 1992,  I, 131; Kendi Dilinden, p. 151.)

That the Prophet (pbuh) used the word ajr (thawab) for him in the hadith is appropriate in terms of being a slave and servant. Since this world is a place of service and the hereafter a place of thawab, all slaves are servants in a sense.

“I am the leader of the prophets but I do not boast. I am the Seal of the Prophets but I do not boast. I will be the first one to intercede (in the hereafter) and the first one whose intercession will be accepted but I do not boast.” (Faydul-Qadir, II, 43, no. 2694.)

When the Prophet (pbuh) states that he is the leader and master, he says, “La fakhra = I do not boast”. That is, he utters those words to explain the truth or to mention the boons, not to boast. When the believers who have some boons and values mention the boons granted to them by Allah and when they do some favors, they should not boast and they should regard them as grace and grants of Allah; they should not show off and be conceited.

Questions on Islam