Tranquility: A characteristic of the Prophets and the righteous - I

31/10/2012| IslamWeb

Tranquility fills the heart with assurance, wraps the body in submissiveness and dignity, and makes the tongue utter all that is right and wise. This was the condition of the Prophet, , when he began declaring the truth and conveying the call of Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) to those whose hearts were covered with the stain of polytheism. He suffered great harm; he was strangled and a camel’s intestines were thrown onto his back. He was boycotted in the narrow pass of Abu Taalib for three years and accused of sorcery and soothsaying; he was also accused of being insane and of causing separation between man and his wife. 

 

The Prophet, , endured all this with great patience; seeking the reward of Allah The Almighty. His slogan that was reflected in his attitude was: “If they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in order to force me to abandon this course, I would certainly not abandon it until Allah makes me victorious or I perish therein.”

 

He faced evil with goodness and went ahead with his Da‘wah (call) with disregard for those who rejected it or those who averted people from the way of Allah The Almighty. He would say:“O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know.”He wished them goodness and supplicated for them in the best ways and said: “Perhaps Allah The Exalted would bring forth from their offspring those who worship Him alone and associate no partners with Him.”

 

Tranquility is a sign of certainty

 

Tranquility is a sign of certainty and trust in Allah The Almighty. It results in submissiveness and assurance, and makes one act in a dignified manner in situations that would shake the hearts of most people and make them lose their minds. On the day of Hijrah (emigration), Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet, ,“If any of them was to look down at his feet, he would see us.”The Prophet, , said:“O Abu Bakr! What do you think of the two, the third of whom is Allah The Almighty? Do not grieve for Allah The Almighty is with us.”Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {If you do not aid the Prophet – then Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed, Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the Word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.}[Quran 9:40]

 

Whoever considers the way the Prophet, , would behave in times of hardship and ease would realize that tranquility is an indication that Allah The Almighty is pleased with His slave. Tranquility also makes one feel satisfied with whatever Allah The Almighty has predestined for him. Moreover, it prevents extremism, assures whoever is afraid and consoles whoever is distressed. Adherence to tranquility is obedience to Allah The Almighty and is following the Prophet, , who is the best example to be followed. Consider the following situations:

-      On the day of the treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah, the Prophet, , said, “He is my Lord and He will not let me down.”

-      During the Battle of Uhud, his face was gashed and his teeth were smashed.

-      On the Day of Al-Ahzaab, the Prophet, , tied a stone to his abdomen due to hunger while he was carrying some earth, and the stone covered the whiteness of his abdomen. However, he was heard to say: “Without You [O Allah!] we would have gotten no guidance, nor given in charity, nor prayed. So bless us with tranquility and make firm our feet when we meet our enemies. Indeed, [these] people have oppressed, but never shall we yield if they try to lure us.”

Allah The Almighty described the believers who participated in the Ridhwaan Pledge of Allegiance Saying (what means): {Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest.}[Quran 48:18]

 

Allah The Exalted also said about the Day of Hunayn, when the Muslims had fled, (what means): {Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers angels whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.}[Quran 9:26]

 

Tranquility during times of hardship

 

-      Tranquility was the characteristic of the Muslims during the Battle of Al-Ahzaab; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And when the believers saw the parties, they said, “This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.” And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.}[Quran 33:22]

-      Tranquility was also the characteristic of Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, when the polytheists placed heavy rocks on his back in Makkah and he kept repeating, “Ahad, Ahad [One (God)! One (God)]!”

-      Tranquility was the characteristic of the pampered boy of the Quraysh, Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, when his mother threatened not to eat or drink until she would die and that people would then blame him for being the cause of her death. Three days later, he came to her, and said, “If you had a hundred souls and you would die a hundred times, I would still not abandon my religion - not for anything.” She then started to eat and drink. Tranquility was also his characteristic when he emigrated to Madeenah to teach the people there the Islamic creed. He led a harsh life in that place but he was pleased with Allah The Almighty. Tranquility was also manifest at the time of his death. He died after his two arms had been cut off and ibn Qami’ah finished him off with a spear while he was reciting the verse (what means): {Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.}[Quran 3:144]

-      Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy, may Allah be pleased with him, was also an embodiment of tranquility when he was surrounded by the polytheists who were about to kill him. He was so tranquil that he prayed two Rak‘ahs (units), then said, “O Allah, I see here no one but enemies, and there is no one to extend my greetings to Your Messenger, so please extend my greetings to him.”Immediately before breathing his last, he was heard to say, “I do not care, if I am killed as a Muslim, where I die in the cause of Allah. It is for His sake, and if He Wills, He will bless the torn parts of my body.”

There are numerous incidents that show the tranquility of the righteous predecessors, and this is no wonder as tranquility is a characteristic of the prophets and the messengers, may Allah exalt their mention; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example}[Quran 6:90]