The Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: A Deep Look at His Honesty, Mercy, and Compassion
1. Introduction: The Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the Light of the Qur’an
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was, from the very beginning of his life until his final moments, adorned with every noble trait. He was the most knowledgeable of people, the most eloquent in speech, the clearest in expression, and the most modest in character. He was the example of honesty, trustworthiness, and chastity. Allah educated him, and perfected his upbringing. Thus, he became the wisest of people, the most refined in manners, the most forbearing in temperament, the strongest in courage, the most truthful in speech, the widest in mercy and compassion, the most generous in soul, and the loftiest in rank. It is sufficient for him that his Lord testified on his behalf, saying:
[And indeed, you are of a great moral character.] (Qur’an 68:4)
And also, Allah the Almighty described him, saying:
[There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful.] (Qur’an 9:128).
2. Scholarly Testimonies on the Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Al-Qurtubi mentioned in his Tafsir, quoting al-Husayn ibn al-Fadīl, who said: “Allah did not combine two of His own names for any of the prophets except for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ concerning him, Allah said: […to the believers is kind and merciful.] (Qur’an 9:128), and Allah says: [Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.] (Qur’an 2:143).”
Shaykh al-Saʿdi said in his Tafsir: “That is, he ﷺ is extremely gentle and merciful toward them—more merciful to them than their own parents. For this reason, his rights take precedence over the rights of all creation, and it is obligatory upon the Ummah to believe in him, honor him, support him, and revere him.” (Source)
Al-Qadi ‘Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “As for the noble moral traits that are acquired—those honorable manners agreed upon by all rational people as praiseworthy, and for which the Shari‘ah praised and commanded us, promising everlasting happiness for those who uphold them, and describing some of them as a part of prophethood—these are what are called good character (ḥusn al-khuluq). All of these were indeed the traits of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.”(Source)
In summary, every praiseworthy trait befitting a human being, he ﷺ possessed it in its most complete form; and every blameworthy trait, he was the farthest of all people from it. Both those near and far, friend and foe alike, bore witness to this truth. Thus, noble character became a clear and defining mark in his speech, actions, and entire life.
3. What the Companions Said About the Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “When news of the Prophet ﷺ reached Abu Dharr, he said to his brother: “Brother, ride in this valley and bring information for me about the person who claims that there comes to him information from the Heavens. Listen to his words and then come to me. So he rode on until he came to Mecca and he heard his words and then came back to Abu Dharr and said: I have seen him exhorting (people) to develop good morals and his expressions can in no way be termed as poetry……” (Muslim)
When the Negus, King of Abyssinia, asked Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib: “What is this religion which you have introduced for yourself and which has served to cut you off from the religion of your people? You also did not enter my religion nor the religion of any other community.” Ja‘far replied: O King, we were a people in a state of ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals, committing all sorts of abomination and shameful deeds, breaking the ties of kinship, treating guests badly and the strong among us exploited the weak. We remained in this state until Allah sent us a Prophet, one of our own people whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity were well-known to us. He called us to worship Allah alone and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and our ancestors used to worship besides Allah. He commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our promises, to be kind to our relations, to be helpful to our neighbors, to cease all forbidden acts, to abstain from bloodshed, to avoid obscenities and false witness, not to appropriate an orphan’s property nor slander chaste women. He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to associate anything with him, to uphold Salat, to give Zakat and fast in the month of Ramadan…….. (Source)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) Narrated: “I served the Prophet (ﷺ) for ten years, and he never said to me, “Uf” (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed me by saying, “Why did you do so or why didn’t you do so?” (Al-Bukhari)
Abdullah bin `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was neither a Fahish nor a Mutafahhish, and he used to say, ‘The best among you are the best in character (having good manners).” (Al-Bukhari).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most generous of all people in doing good. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur’an with him. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fast wind. (Al-Bukhari)
Examples of Mercy, Compassion, and Generosity in the Life of the Prophet ﷺ
He was likewise kind to his companions, drawing them close, never driving them away. He would check on them, visit them, and give each person who sat with him his own share of attention, making each feel that no one was more honored to him than they were. He never confronted anyone with what they disliked.
Even with the many burdens upon him, he would play with children, asking them about their small pets. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu `Umar, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, “O Abu `Umar! What did Al-Nughair (nightingale) (do)?” It was a nightingale with which he used to play. (Al-Bukhari). His kindness extended even to animals. He would bring a vessel close to cats so they could drink. (Source)
Consider also his compassion toward those who hurt him. Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “As if I am looking at the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was speaking about one of the prophets whose people have beaten and wounded him, and he was wiping the blood off his face and saying, “O Lord! Forgive my, people as they do not know.” (Al-Bukhari). When the people of Ta’if stoned and injured him, the Angel of the Mountains came offering to crush them between the two mountains, yet he ﷺ refused, saying: “I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship None besides Him.” (Al-Bukhari)
4. The Testimony of Quraysh: How His Tribe Knew His Noble Character ﷺ
His noble character ﷺ was one of the greatest means through which he invited people to Islam, especially Quraysh, who knew him as a child and young man before his prophethood. They called him “Muhammad the Trustworthy (Al-Amīn).” Thus, he declared openly: “I was sent to perfect good character.” (Source)
5. The Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Within His Family
How could both enemies and friends not testify to his noble character, when the Qur’an refined him and raised him? That, Sa‘d ibn Hisham said: I went to ‘A’isha and said, “Mother of the faithful, tell me about the nature of God’s Messenger.” She asked, “Do you not recite the Qur’an?” On my replying that I certainly did, she said, “The Prophet’s nature was the Qur’an.” (Sahih)
His noble manners ﷺ extended to everyone around him. He treated his wives with honor, love, gentleness, and affection, saying: “The best of you is he who is best to his family, and I am the best among you to my family.” (Sahih)
Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) was asked: “What did Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do inside his house?” She answered: “He used to keep himself busy helping members of his family, and when it was the time for Salat (the prayer), he would get up for prayer.” (Al-Bukhari), He remained gentle and caring toward his family throughout his life.
6. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for His Ummah on the Day of Judgment
Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘as (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) recited the Words of Allah, the Exalted, and the Glorious, about Ibrahim (ﷺ) who said: “O my Rubb! They have led astray many among mankind. But whosoever follows me, he verily, is of me”. (14:36) and those of ‘Isa (Jesus) (ﷺ) who said: “If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise”. (5:118). Then he (ﷺ) raised up his hands and said, “O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah,” and wept; Allah, the Exalted, said: “O Jibril (Gabriel)! Go to Muhammad (ﷺ) and ask him: ‘What makes you weep?” So Jibril came to him and asked him (the reason of his weeping) and the Messenger of Allah informed him what he had said (though Allah knew it well). Upon this Allah said: “Jibril, go to Muhammad (ﷺ) and say: ‘Verily, We will please you with regard to your Ummah and will never displease you”.
8. Preserving the Message: The Beauty of Quranic Recitation
The Prophet ﷺ was the most eloquent of the Arabs, and he commanded the Ummah to “beautify the Qur’an with your voices.” This beauty is preserved today through the science of Tajweed—the rules of correct pronunciation that ensure every letter is given its due right, just as the Prophet ﷺ recited it.
For many, the journey to emulating the Prophet ﷺ starts with these pillars:
Recitation: To learn Quran online with Tajweed is more than just a skill; it is an act of love that protects the meaning of Allah’s words from being lost in translation. As you read Quran online with Tajweed, you don’t just recite; you revive a sacred oral tradition.
Understanding: When you learn Arabic online for beginners, you unlock the “clear Arabic tongue” (Lisanan ‘Arabiyyan Mubina) that shaped the Prophet’s ﷺ character and his interactions with the world, allowing the message to resonate deeply within your heart.
Certification: This path of excellence leads to the ultimate goal: to earn an Ijazah certificate. This honor connects your recitation through an unbroken chain of narrators (Sanad) directly back to the Prophet ﷺ, ensuring the message remains perfectly preserved for generations to come.
Application: Finally, to truly follow his way, one must learn Islamic Studies online. By studying his life and teachings, you move beyond the words on the page to embody the Prophetic character, making the Quran a living guide in your daily life.
9. Conclusion: Following the Character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Our Lives
May Allah, the Most Generous, Lord of the Mighty Throne, grant us the ability to emulate the manners of this noble Prophet, to walk in his footsteps, live upon his Sunnah, die upon it, and be resurrected in his company, and may He make us among those who are granted his intercession. May abundant and perfect blessings and peace be upon him.
Reflecting on the noble character of the Prophet ﷺ reminds us that the path to following him begins with learning the Qur’an, understanding his Sunnah, and connecting with the Arabic language in which Allah revealed His final message. To support Muslims on this journey, Luqman Institute offers accessible Qur’an memorization, authentic Islamic studies, and Arabic courses that help strengthen faith and refine character. If the example of the Prophet ﷺ inspires your heart, take the next step by seeking knowledge that brings you closer to his guidance.
