the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had the perfect and ultimate moral standards in

dealing with his lord. he never did any inward or outward deed except according to the proper

terms of glorifying and exalting allaah the almighty. he had the greatest respect in dealing

with his lord, his heart never turned away from him and he never sought help from anyone

other than him.

• the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, never transgressed or exceeded, with his eye or

heart, what his lord had ordained for him. allaah the almighty says, describing this noble

quality when he ascended to the highest levels of heaven (what means): {the sight [of the

prophet] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit].} [quran 53:17]

this verse contains many amazing implications that attest to the noble qualities that befit the

most perfect human being who ever lived.

allaah the almighty informs us here of the perfect sublime morality of the prophet, sallallaahu

‘alayhi wa sallam, and negates what someone who is impolite or disrespectful before kings and

prominent figures may do such as turning to the right and left and transgressing limits with his

sight. instead, the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not turn right or left with his sight,

nor did he exceed what has been ordained for him to see even though there were many

astounding signs and wonders around him on that night. rather, he adhered to the level of a

slave, which entailed firm obedience and submission to allaah the exalted, because he only did

what he was commanded to do and did not seek beyond what he was given. [ibn al-qayyim:

madaarij as-saalikeen]

this is the best example of the perfect noble qualities of the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa

sallam, with allaah the almighty which no one else could have for it is the custom of the soul,

if placed in a refined position, to aspire and yearn for what is beyond. [ibn al-qayyim: madaarij

as-saalikeen]

• the excellent qualities and bashfulness of the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, with his

lord reached such a level that would make him refrain from asking his lord for something even

though he needed it the most, such as what happened on the night of al-mi‘raaj (the ascent to

heaven) when he went back to his lord the almighty to ask him to reduce the number of

prayers that his lord had enjoined upon his nation. when he repeated this action several times,

he said to moosa (moses), may allaah exalt his mention, when he urged him to go back once

again to his lord: “i am too shy to ask my lord again.” [a part of the long hadeeth of al-israa’

(the journey to al-quds (jerusalem) narrated by al-bukhaari and muslim]

in fact, what prevented him from asking his lord was his sublime bashfulness and glorification

of his lord.

• another example of his perfect noble attributes in dealing with his lord is that he was a true

worshipper and the most submissive to his lord, whom he feared and remembered more than

any other. never did he let any time pass without remembering his lord; praising, him, thanking

him, asking his forgiveness and repenting to him the almighty, despite the fact that he was the

one whose past and future sins were forgiven.

• such qualities and bashfulness made him establish prayers at night for so long that his feet

became cracked, and he would prostrate before his lord, glorifying, imploring, praising,

submitting himself to his lord until his chest would heave like the boiling of a cauldron because

of weeping. when ‘aa’ishah, may allaah be pleased with her, asked , “o messenger of allaah,

are you doing this when allaah has forgiven your past and future sins?” he replied: “o

‘aa’ishah, should i not be a thankful slave?” [al-bukhaari and muslim]

the refined manners of the bashful and thankful prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, made

him feel to shy to sleep without thanking his lord the almighty for his utmost favor and grace.

all these things are due to the sublime morality of the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, for

such high moral standards entails that the servant has to strictly observe the terms of refined

manners with his lord, the benefactor, the bestower.

another example of the bashfulness of the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, with his

nation was that he would not tell them to their faces what they would dislike to hear. it was

narrated that ‘aa’ishah, may allaah be pleased with her, said, “when the prophet, sallallaahu

‘alayhi wa sallam, was informed that someone had said something (wrong), he would not say,

what is the matter with so-and-so saying such and such (naming him) but would instead say:

‘what is the matter with some people who say such and such…?’” [abu daawood; al-

albaani: saheeh (authentic)]

another of the incidents that indicate the great bashfulness of the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa

sallam, is what ‘aa’ishah, may allaah be pleased with her, narrated of a woman who asked the

prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, how to wash after her menses was over. the prophet,

sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told her what to do and said: "purify yourself with a piece of

cloth scented with musk.” the woman asked, "how do i purify myself with it?" he said:

"subhaanallaah (glory be to allaah)! purify yourself (with it)!” the prophet, sallallaahu

‘alayhi wa sallam, felt shy and turned his face away. so ‘aa’ishah pulled her close and told her

what the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, meant. [al-bukhaari and muslim] his intense

bashfulness prevented him from detailing the issue of washing for the woman and felt shy and

turned his face away, so that aa’ishah, the mother of the believers, dealt with this matter which

is related specially to women.

his personal bashfulness was reflected in his chastity and preservation of the times of his

seclusion. it was narrated that ‘aa’ishah, may allaah be pleased with her, said describing the

chastity of his tongue and the beauty of his speech, “he never indulged in obscene talk nor act

rudely nor make a noise in the market-places.” [at-tirmithi and ahmad; al-albaani: saheeh

(authentic)]

the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would say, magnifying the importance of

bashfulness: “bashfulness is a part of faith and faith will lead to paradise. obscenity is a part

of wickedness and wickedness will lead to the hellfire.” [at-tirmithi and ahmad; al-albaani:

saheeh (authentic)]

the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, explained that bashfulness is the opposite of

obscenity and both traits cannot co-exist in any way.

as for his times of seclusion, ‘aa’ishah, may allaah be pleased with her, narrated an incident

about them, “one night i did not find the prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in bed. i

thought that he might have gone to one of his other wives. i searched for him and then came back

and found him bowing or prostrating, saying: ‘subhaanaka wa bi hamdika; laa ilaaha illa ant

(exalted be your majesty, and all praise is due to you. i testify that there is nothing worthy of

worship except you).’ so i said, ‘let my father and mother be sacrificed for you. i was thinking

of one affair, whereas you are occupied in another different one.’”