Selected Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad’s prophethood took place in the ‘daylight of history’ where almost everything is known about his bio; the place of birth, the places where he lived and the place of his death and burial. His lineage and descendants are fully known. The names of his companions, friends and adversaries are known. We know what he liked, what he ate and how he dressed. There are detailed accounts what he looked like (without images) and what his mannerism. The chronicles of his practice (Sunnah) and his sayings (Hadith) – separate from the revelation (the Qur’an) – are documents of exemplary import and reference. These chronicles are supported and authenticated by documented unbroken chains of communication (handing down) leading up to a source amongst the Prophet’s companions and contemporaries. The supreme importance of the Prophet’s saying apart from their general ethical value, can be fully realized only when one becomes aware that the whole religious, moral, social, and political fabric of over 1.6 billion Muslims rests on the Prophet’s Sunnah and Hadith, in addition to the Qur’an. Thus the practice of Muhammad and his utterances form a living commentary on and a supplement to the Qur’an. While utterances of other important historical figures may become the object of enthusiastic admiration, the Prophet’s sayings have already acquired a force of law. A Muslim may question the genuineness of an individual Sunnah or Hadith; but once its authenticity is proved, it is binding upon him or her as the injunctions and prohibitions in the Qur’an. What a powerful influence the example of the Prophet exercises over the hearts and imagination of his followers may well be realized from the fact that today the approved mode of entering and leaving homes, bed-time sleeping, the etiquette of dinner-table, popularity of wearing the beard and head-cover, greetings, treatment of neighbors, and many other Muslims’ customs are all due to conscious or unconscious imitation of this great Prophet of God (peace be upon him). Yet, the ethical sweetness, beauty, strong common sense, practicality, and modernity of thought of some of the Prophet’s utterances will not fail to appeal to people of all minds.

First Revelation

Before his call to prophethood, Muhammad used to spend time alone in the cave of Hira, just outside Makkah, in meditation and reflection, away from the hustle and bustle of Makkah city and the misbehavior of some of its inhabitants. He loathed the idols which the Arabs used to worship, and the many bogus religious traditions built around them. However, he did not know any better. One day while in the cave he heard an unfamiliar voice calling him several times to: “Recite…” He asked to what he should recite, and was eventually told to: “Recite in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clot of blood. Recite! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful, who by the pen taught man what he did not know” (Qur’an 96:1-5). These were the first words of the Qur’anic revelation Muhammad had received. As God was able to create man from a clot of blood, so too could He choose an illiterate man from Arabia for His most illustrious mission and final testament to mankind. Muhammad had no ambitions to become a prophet or receive revelation, and was genuinely overwhelmed by the experience, but as soon as he realized the nature of his task, he embarked on building the community of Islam, similar to what earlier prophets, such as Abraham and Moses, had done. A fair and objective assessment of Muhammad’s life would reveal that he fulfilled that honorable task and he stands out as a foremost leader and benefactor of the whole human race.

Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon

"... O People, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (Interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived... Beware of Satan, for your safety and safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things. O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have right over you… Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers… O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over other except by piety and good action. Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not go astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone. O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born... I leave behind me two things, the Qur’an and my example, the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again… Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people."

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  • ABSTINENCE

    Kill not your hearts with excess of eating and drinking.

  • ADULTERY

    The adultery of the eye is to look with desire on the wife of another; and the adultery of the tongue is to utter what is forbidden.

  • AGED PERSONS

    Verily, to honor an old man is showing respect to God. ALMS-GIVING - The best of alms is that which the right hand gives, and the left hand knows not of.

  • ANIMALS

    Fear God in treating animals and ride them when they are fit to be ridden and get off them when they are tired.

  • BACKBITING

    Backbiting vitiates ablution and fasting.

  • BEAUTY

    God is Beauty and He is delighted in the beautiful.

  • BEGGING

    Whoever opens unto himself the door of begging, God will open unto him the door of poverty.

  • BENEFITS

    There are two benefits, of which the generality of men are the losers, and of which they do not know the value – time (leisure) and health.

  • CHARITY

    Every good act is charity.

  • CHASTITY

    Modesty and chastity are part of the faith.

  • CLEANLINESS

    God is pure and He loves purity and cleanliness.

  • COFFIN

    When a coffin passes by you whether of Jewish, Christian or Muslim person, rise to your feet.

  • COMPASSION

    There is no reward but Paradise for a Muslim who suffers with patience when the soul of his affectionate friend is taken.

  • CONSCIENCE

    All actions are judged by the motive prompting them.

  • CONTENTMENT

    Riches are not from an abundance of worldly goods, but from a contented mind. God loves those who are content.

  • CONTROL OF SELF

    Whoever suppresses his anger, when he has in his power to show it, God will give him great reward.

  • COURTESY

    Humility and courtesy are acts of piety.

  • CULTIVATION OF LAND

    There is no Muslim who plants a tree or sows a field, and man birds or beast eat from them, but it is charity for him.

  • THE DEAD

    Do not speak ill of the dead.

  • DEATH

    The grave is the first stage of the journey into eternity. None of you must die but with full submission to the will of God, and with hope for his mercy and pardon.

  • DELIBERATION

    Deliberation (consultation) in undertakings is pleasing to God.

  • DISPOSITION

    I have been sent to explain fully good dispositions. Verily the most beloved of you by me are those of the best dispositions.

  • DIVORCE

    The thing which is lawful, but disliked by God, is divorce.

  • DUTY OF BELIEVERS

    Worship God as thou you see Him; for if you don’t see Him, He sees you.

  • ENVY

    Keep yourselves far from envy; it eats up and takes away good actions, like fire eats up and burns wood.

  • EXPERIENCE

    He is not a perfect man of fortitude, who has not fallen into misfortunes; and there is no physician without being experienced.

  • FORGIVENESS

    That person is nearest to God, who pardons, when he has power to retaliate.

  • GENTLENESS

    God is gentle and loves gentleness. Whoever has been given gentleness has been given a good portion, in this world and the next.

  • GOD

    Whoever loves to meet God, God loves to meet him or her. If you love your Creator, love your fellow-beings first.

  • GOD’S FORGIVENESS

    God says, "Verily my compassion overcomes my wrath." GOD’S KINDNESS - God's kindness towards his creatures is more than a mother's towards her babe.

  • GOOD WORK

    Be persistent in good actions.

  • HEART

    Beware! verily there is a piece of flesh in the body of man, which when good, the whole body is good; and when bad, the whole body is bad, and that is the heart.

  • HEAVEN & HELL

    Hell is veiled in delights, and Heaven in hardships and miseries.

  • HOSPITALITY

    He who believeth in one God, and afterlife, let him honor his guest.

  • HUMILITY

    Humility and courtesy are acts of piety. Verily God instructs me to be humble and lowly and not proud; and that no one should oppress another.

  • ISLAM

    To believe in God; after which obey the commandments, and abandon the things forbidden.

  • JESUS

    Both in this world and in the hereafter, I am the nearest of all people to Jesus, the Son of Mary. The Prophet are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.

  • JIHAD

    The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self.

  • KINDNESS

    He who is not kind to God's creatures, and to his own children, God will not be kind to him.

  • LABOUR

    God is gracious to him that earns his living by his own labor, and not by begging.

  • LEARNING

    The person who shall pursue the path of knowledge, God will direct him to the path of Paradise. Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.

  • MAN’S GROWTH

    He is the best man whose life is long and whose actions are good.

  • MARRIAGE

    Marriage is incumbent on all who possess the ability.

  • MEANNESS

    Shall I tell you the worst among you? Those who eat alone, whip the slaves, and give to nobody.

  • MISHAPS

    No misfortune or displeasure befalls a servant of God, small or great, but on account of his faults committed.

  • MODESTY

    Modesty and chastity are parts of the Faith. True modesty is the source of all virtues.

  • MONOPOLY

    Monopoly is unlawful in Islam. The holder of a monopoly is a sinner and an offender.

  • MOTHERS

    Paradise lies under the feet of mothers.

  • NEIGHBOURLINESS

    The best of persons in God's sight is the best amongst his friends; and the best of neighbors is the best person in his own neighborhood.

  • ORPHANS

    The best house is that in which there is an orphan, who is well-treated; and the worst house is that in which an orphan is ill-treated.

  • PARENTS

    He who wishes to enter Paradise must please his parents. God's pleasure is in a parent's pleasure; and God's displeasure is in parent's displeasure.

  • PEACEMAKING

    Shall I not inform you of a better act than fasting, alms, and prayers? Making peace between one another: enmity and malice tear up heavenly rewards by the roots.

  • POVERTY

    Do not turn the poor away, without giving them, if but half a date.

  • PRAYER

    Prayer is the “miraj” (ascendance to God) of the Faithful.

  • PRIDE

    The proud will not enter Paradise, nor a violent speaker.

  • PROGRESS

    The best of good acts in God's sight is that which is constantly attended to although in a small degree.

  • PUNISHEMENT

    God does not remove anyone out of the world, but that He wishes to pardon him; by suffering in this world, he is exempted for punishment in hereafter.

  • PURITY

    Religion is admonition, and it means being pure. Those who will enter the Garden of Bliss are the ones who have a true, pure, and merciful heart.

  • QUR’AN

    The other messengers of God had their miracles, mine is the Qur’an and will remain forever.

  • REASON

    God has not created anything better than reason, or anything more perfect, or more beautiful than reason.

  • FAMILY

    The best of you, before God and His creation, are those who are best in their own families, and I am the best to my family.

  • REPENTANCE

    A sincere repent of sins by a sinner is like he committed none.

  • RICHES

    Riches, properly employed, is a blessing; and a man may lawfully endeavor to increase it by honest means.

  • SICK

    Feed the hungry, visit a sick person, and free the captive, if he be unjustly confined. Assist any person oppressed, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.

  • SILENCE

    There are no better acts than much silence and a good disposition.

  • SIN

    Can anyone walk through water without wetting his feet? Such is the condition of those of the world; they are not safe from sins.

  • TRUTH

    He is not of me who, when he speaks, speaks falsely; who, when he promises, breaks his promises; and who, when trust is reposed in him, fails in his trust.

  • USURY

    The taker of usury and the giver of it, and the writer of its papers and the witness to it, are equal in crime.

  • WOMEN

    Women are the twin halves of men. The world and all things in it are valuable; but the most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman.

  • WORLD

    The love of the world is the root of all evil. This world is a prison for the Faithful, but a Paradise for Unbelievers.

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