MUHAMMAD THE IDEAL CHARACTER

~ 26 ~ instill in him an attitude of humility and courtesy to others, and eagerness for paradise should make the world unreal and of trifling importance in his eyes. God’s greatness should so preoccupy him that any idea of demonstrating his own greatness should appear to be of the utmost frivolity. No criticism should provoke him. Neither should he be made vain by praise. Many things happened to the Prophet which, on the one hand, could have turned his head—like excessive adulation, and his final success in, converting large numbers to Islam—or, on the other hand, could have left him a hopeless and embittered man—like the dishonourable treatment meted out to him at Taif and the initial rejection of his teachings by so many of his people. But he never allowed his success to make him conceited, nor did he ever allow adversity to plunge him in despair, for his life was completely governed by piety and the fear of God, and right to the end of his life—for twenty three years—he remained the steadfast champion of justice and moral rectitude. This is the ideal human character which the Prophet displayed throughout his entire life.