DATE 15112019 THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW) AND THE FAMILY

date: 15.11.2019 the prophet muhammad (saw) and the family honorable muslims! the time had come and the prophet muhammad (saw)

DATE: 15.11.2019

THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW)
AND THE FAMILY
Honorable Muslims!
The time had come and the Prophet Muhammad (saw) received the first
revelation in the Cave of Hira, which marked the beginning of the
descent of the Holy Qur'an. With his heart trembling under the
heaviness of the divine command, he went home and said to his beloved
wife Khadijah, “Cover me!” He sought comfort in his wife, who was his
confidant, and took support from her. That day she, with her assuring
and calming manner, said to him, “You do not need to be afraid! For
you always speak the truth and take care of your kin. You help the
poor and the destitute, and serve your guests generously. Allah (swt)
will never sadden you by disgracing you.”1
Dear Believers!
Family means trust, shelter, and refuge. It refers to joining hands
all together to foster the good and prevent the evil. The Prophet
Muhammad (saw) never forgot the love and support of Khadijah
throughout his life, and reminisced her with longing even many years
after her death. For family is about loyalty and commitment. It is the
strongest tie connecting the spouses to each other with trust and
loyalty. Family members are there by each other's side to overcome the
hardships of and share the beauties of life. They safeguard each
other's honor, dignity, and privacy. This loyalty in family leads to
graciousness in this world and salvation in the Hereafter.
Dear Muslims!
Consultation was very important in the Prophet Muhammad's (saw)
family. He would respect the opinions of his family members and ensure
that problems within family were solved in a patient and foresightful
manner. For consultation enables people to overcome problems using
common sense without resorting to violence. Mistakes can be prevented
by taking into consideration the opinions of spouses and children.
That way it can be ensured that rights and responsibilities within
family are shared on a balance. This is because the Prophet Muhammad
(saw), who advised men to be fair among family members, said, “Your
wives have rights over you as you have rights over your wives.”2
Dear Believers!
If there is affection and compassion in a family, it is the
manifestation of Allah with His name al-Rahman. Compassion is not only
about feeling pity for someone, but it is also about making the effort
to understand them by esteeming them. Compassion is about treating
one's family members with benevolence, fairness, kindness, tenderness,
and affection.
Affection was just another indispensable value in the Prophet
Muhammad's (saw) family. He (saw), as the Ambassador of Mercy, would
treat his family highly affectionately. In his family, he would
neither break anyone's heart, nor speak rudely or offensively to
anyone, scold anyone, or use bad and vulgar words. He would never
resort to violence, nor would he ever let any woman or child get
harmed in any way. In this regard, he (saw) says, “The most benevolent
among you is the one who is most benevolent to his family. I am the
most benevolent to my family among you.”3
Dear Muslims!
His family was full of love. Each member of his family would feel a
deep affection and amity in their hearts. He would not refrain from
showing his love for his wives, children, and grandchildren. He would
let them know when he liked something about them; for example, he
would stand up when his beloved daughter Fatimah came in and let her
sit down in his place. He would gather everyone in his family together
and enjoy a chat with them every evening.
Those in our closest circles who share the burden of life with us are
the ones who deserve the most to feel our love for them. A smile on
our face and a couple of heartfelt sweet words would increase love in
family. For this reason, in one occasion the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
said, “Those who do not show mercy to our young ones and do not
respect our elders are not from us.”4
Honorable Believers!
The Almighty Allah (swt) addresses the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the
Holy Qur'an as follows: “Say, ‘If you love Allah, then follow me, so
Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. For Allah is
Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.’”5 To love the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
means for a Muslim to follow his path; that is, to adopt his
lifestyle. For a happy family environment, we need him as a role model
and the moral values he promoted more than ever.
As we learn from him, a family is established by love and trust, it is
protected and maintained by fairness and compassion. We as Muslims who
want peace in our families pray, “O Allah! Grant us wives and
offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes and make us an example
for the righteous.”6
1 Bukhari, Ba'd al-Wahy, 3; Muslim, Iman, 252.
2 Tirmidhi, Rada’, 11.
3 Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 63.
4 Tirmidhi, Birr, 15.
5 Al-i 'Imran, 3/31.
6 Furqan, 25/74.
General Directorate of Religious Services