The time had come and the Prophet Muhammad (saw) received the first revelation in the Cave of Hira, which marked the beginning of the descent of the Holy Qur'an. With his heart trembling under the heaviness of the divine command, he went home and said to his beloved wife Khadijah, "Cover me!" He sought comfort in his wife, who was his confidant, and took support from her. That day she, with her assuring and calming manner, said to him, "You do not need to be afraid! For you always speak the truth and take care of your kin. You help the poor and the destitute, and serve your guests generously. Allah (swt) will never sadden you by disgracing you."[1]
Dear Believers!
Family means trust, shelter, and refuge. It refers to joining hands all together to foster the good and prevent the evil. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) never forgot the love and support of Khadijah throughout his life, and reminisced her with longing even many years after her death. For family is about loyalty and commitment. It is the strongest tie connecting the spouses to each other with trust and loyalty. Family members are there by each other's side to overcome the hardships of and share the beauties of life. They safeguard each other's honor, dignity, and privacy. This loyalty in family leads to graciousness in this world and salvation in the Hereafter.
Dear Muslims!
Consultation was very important in the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) family. He would respect the opinions of his family members and ensure that problems within family were solved in a patient and foresightful manner. For consultation enables people to overcome problems using common sense without resorting to violence. Mistakes can be prevented by taking into consideration the opinions of spouses and children. That way it can be ensured that rights and responsibilities within family are shared on a balance. This is because the Prophet Muhammad (saw), who advised men to be fair among family members, said, "Your wives have rights over you as you have rights over your wives."[2]
Dear Believers!
If there is affection and compassion in a family, it is the manifestation of Allah with His name al-Rahman. Compassion is not only about feeling pity for someone, but it is also about making the effort to understand them by esteeming them. Compassion is about treating one's family members with benevolence, fairness, kindness, tenderness, and affection.
Affection was just another indispensable value in the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) family. He (saw), as the Ambassador of Mercy, would treat his family highly affectionately. In his family, he would neither break anyone's heart, nor speak rudely or offensively to anyone, scold anyone, or use bad and vulgar words. He would never resort to violence, nor would he ever let any woman or child get harmed in any way. In this regard, he (saw) says, "The most benevolent among you is the one who is most benevolent to his family. I am the most benevolent to my family among you."[3]
Dear Muslims!
His family was full of love. Each member of his family would feel a deep affection and amity in their hearts. He would not refrain from showing his love for his wives, children, and grandchildren. He would let them know when he liked something about them; for example, he would stand up when his beloved daughter Fatimah came in and let her sit down in his place. He would gather everyone in his family together and enjoy a chat with them every evening.
Those in our closest circles who share the burden of life with us are the ones who deserve the most to feel our love for them. A smile on our face and a couple of heartfelt sweet words would increase love in family. For this reason, in one occasion the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, "Those who do not show mercy to our young ones and do not respect our elders are not from us."[4]
Honorable Believers!
The Almighty Allah (swt) addresses the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the Holy Qur'an as follows: "Say, 'If you love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.'"[5] To love the Prophet Muhammad (saw) means for a Muslim to follow his path; that is, to adopt his lifestyle. For a happy family environment, we need him as a role model and the moral values he promoted more than ever.
As we learn from him, a family is established by love and trust, it is protected and maintained by fairness and compassion. We as Muslims who want peace in our families pray, "O Allah! Grant us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes and make us an example for the righteous."[6]
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[1] Bukhari, Ba'd al-Wahy, 3; Muslim, Iman, 252.
[2] Tirmidhi, Rada', 11.
[3] Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 63.
[4] Tirmidhi, Birr, 15.
[5] Al-i 'Imran, 3/31.
[6] Furqan, 25/74.
General Directorate of Religious Services