The Strength of Beauty and the Beauty of Strength

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Beautiful video about the beauty of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. MashaAllah. Please benefit.

The Strength of Beauty and the Beauty of Strength by Habib Ali Al-Jifri



Transcribed from the English subtitles for your convenience.

All Praise is to Allah

Imam at-Tirmidhi reported in ash-Shama-il, his book on the description of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him:

Whoever unexpectedly saw him was in awe of him, but whoever associate with him familiarly, loved him. Whoever unexpectedly saw him was in awe of him, but whoever associated with him familiarly, loved him.

They described him when he approached. They said, “When he approached, it was as though he was with an army.” A Bedouin happened to see the Prophet before him, and on seeing him felt his tremendous dignity so deeply that he began to tremble. So the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: Relax! I am the son of a woman of Quraysh who used to eat qadeed.

The affair and the secret is in this. The connection of the meaning of beauty with strength.

When we speak about our Master Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, then we are speaking about the strength of beauty and the beauty of strength. As for the strength of beauty, then it is a matter described by the Companions.

One of the Tabi’I asked one of the Companions of the Prophet, “Was the face of the Messenger of Allah like a sword?”

He replied, “Rather, it was like the moon on a cloudless night.”
One of the Companions says, “I shook hands with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him and his family, and I have never touched any silk brocade softer than the palm of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him.”

Another Companion says, “I kissed the palm of the Messenger of Allah’s hand, and it was as though it had been taken out from the perfume seller’s jar.”

Another Companion says, “It was known that he had taken such and such path because of the fragrance of his that remained.”
Someone would come to that path and smell the fragrance and say, “The Messenger of Allah was on this path!”

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They mentioned his noble eyes. They mentioned that it was as though kuhl (antimony) had been applied to them (although it was naturally like that). The white of the eyes was extremely white, while the pupils were jet black. The mentioned that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, had long eyelashes.

They mentioned about the Prophet, peaces and blessing be upon and his family and companions, his noble cheeks. They said the noble cheeks were tinged with red.

They described his noble forehead. It was prominent.

They mentioned his teeth! Even his teeth they could not but describe with beauty. The noble teeth had luster, fineness and sweetness to them. The front teeth had a slight space between them. When he smiled, he showed teeth that glittered like hailstones.

They came to describing his neck. It had a beautiful, silver clarity to it.
Peace and blessing be upon and his family.

They described his noble hair. It was neither very curly nor completely straight; it was middle. Longer than the ear-lobes and shorter than shoulder-length.
Beauty!

They described his noble chest. They said that his stomach and chest were equal; (no paunch), peace and blessings be upon him. A thin line of fine hair extended from the chest to the navel.

They mentioned his noble shoulder. They said they were large joints; wide shouldered. Therefore, that which was linked to the affair of describing his noble appearance was beauty.

They described his gait. They said (he walked briskly), as though down a slope. Such that even the fittest of men would tire trying to keep pace with him.

Beauty, even when walking!

They said, “When he was glad, his face shone as if it were a part of the moon.”

(Another Companion says:) “It was as if the brightness of the sun shone from his face.”
“I was looking back and forth at the moon and at the face of the Messenger of Allah, and I swear by Allah, the face of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is more beautiful than the moon!”

This is how they described him.

Who are the one who are describing?
The Companions!

But in an age of corruption of taste, we have grown to hear voices that disdain the loving expression of hi beauty, peace and blessing be upon him. (Voices that) disdain the description of his appearance with beauty.

In an age of corruption of taste, it is said, “What is your aim? The cheek of the Messenger, the eye of the Messenger…It is as though you are expressing love for a woman.”
We say: “The problem is with the hearts.” When beauty became dependent only upon base desire, it became objectionable for the exalted and glorious to be described with beauty.

However, since the inner selves of our Masters the Companions were not captives to base desire…beauty was loftier to them than to merely be captive to base desire…

This is why they never wavered nor disdained nor viewed describing him with beauty as an infringement upon the majesty of Prophethood, peace and blessings be upon him.

Within this lies the strength of beauty; that beauty is freed from the weakness of base desire and its fetters. Freed from the foulness of the body that rests in lowliness. So that even the body ascends with it beauty to a lofty, sublime meaning.
Then they mentioned about his speech, peace and blessing be upon him, That what he said, peace and blessings be upon him, was always to the point, eloquent and with comprehensive words. One could easily count each word if they wanted to, due to the clarity of his speech.

They described him, peace and blessing be upon him, when he was pleased, happy and joyous. Salutations of my Lord and His Peace be upon him and his family.
They even described him when he was angry, and even this description was not devoid of beauty. Even anger, O Messenger of Allah, which is the essence of severity? If he was angry, his cheeks would turn red and the vein between his eyebrows would swell, peace and blessing be upon and his family. And he would arise pulling his shawl behind him. They knew that he was angry. Awe would overcome them. But even his anger was not devoid of beauty.

And the secret of the beauty in his anger is that he would never get upset for himself nor did he ever seek to redress any wrong done to him. But when one of the sacred things of Allah was violated, nothing could stand up to his anger until justice was established.

The secret of the beauty in his anger is that he did not link it to himself, but rather linked it to Allah, the Real, Majestic is His Glory!

They described with beauty his giving. (A man returned to his people and said), “My people, listen to me! Follow Muhammad, for indeed I have come from one who gives so freely without any fear of poverty.”

His giving was linked to beauty. His withholding was linked to beauty.
“Messenger of Allah, appoint me (as an Amir over a group, an expedition, an army or a people).” The Prophet replied, “You are not suited to [managing people’s affairs], O Abu Dharr!” “You are not suited to it, O Abu Dharr! You are weak. [pt. There’s a weakness in you]. We do not appoint this matter to whosoever asks for it.”

What is the beauty here?

He said, “Whoever asks for it and it is given to him, it will be (a trust) upon him (left to himself). And whoever is given it without seeking it will be helped in it [by Allah].”

Then he clothes this meaning with more beauty, preventing sick souls from disparaging our Master Abu Dharr.

So regarding his saying, “You are weak,” and “You are not suited for leadership.” he then says, “Abu Dharr lives alone and dies alone and is resurrected on the Day of Resurrection as a nation”

Even his withholding was enrobed with the robe of beauty, peace and blessings be upon him and his family.

Beauty manifested in his interaction with children.
skipped translation -- with a small girl. “A Jariya would come…” “Jariya” is known by Arabs denoting two words, a female servant and a small girl.

A small girl would come and playfully grasp him by the hand, and he would follow her as she wished, and then return to his seat, peace and blessing be upon him.

In his interaction, peace and blessing be upon him, with our Masters al-Hasan and al-Husayn and our Lady Umaymah, his grandchildren.

He would prolong his prostration so much so that the Companions feared that he had passed away.

Look, they even linked death with beauty!

The linking of death to beauty here is the love, fear and anxiety about being separated from the Beloved one.

So when he raised his head after the prolonged prostration, and completed the Prayer, they said to him, “O Messenger of Allah! You prolonged until we feared you had passed away.”

He replied: No, but verily this son of mine mounted my back while I was prostrating. So I disliked to disrupt his sitting atop my back until he was done.

What is this beauty.

Even when you are in prostration, in the Presence of the Worshipped One. Even though you are in the most sacred moments of proximity to Allah, Exalted is He, yet the meanings of mercy and compassion are not wrested from your heart!

One of the Shuyukh would say, “Ponder this! It is not possible for an infant to come to a place where there are a great number of people praying, and step through the rows to reach his grandfather, and then climb his back while he is prostrating, except if he had already been accustomed to doing that at home”

To start something new in an assembly of people is not an easy thing for an infant. However, because he was accustomed to doing that with the Beloved, peace and blessing be upon him. He, peace and blessing be upon him, would play with him and carry him on his back and crawl with him at home. The infant was fond of it, so he dared do it in the congregational Prayer. Umaymah would trot over to him while he, peace and blessings be upon him, was praying. She would cling to him, so he would carry her, peace and blessing be upon him. He would pray while carrying Umaymah, putting her down before prostrating. And if he arose, he took with him and stood.

One of the realizers of meaning said, “Because the Arabs at the time still had in them some traces of the Period of Ignorance. They were ashamed for it to be known that they had a daughter. They considered her a disgrace. They viewed a woman as deficient and disgraceful. And it is as though the Beloved, peace and blessing be upon him, in lifting up Umaymah while in the prayer in an assembly of people is saying to them: Rid yourselves of this state of ignorance. I am happy with the presence of this young daughter with me.

Beauty, peace and blessing be upon him and his family!

Even in the protectiveness of (the Prophet’s wives), our liege-ladies, the Mothers of the Believers, over him.

Due to the rank of Lady Aisha had with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah be pleased with her and make her pleased, if some of the Ansar wanted to gift the Messenger of Allah food, they would do so on the day of Aisha with the Messenger.

They knew Aisha was beloved to the Messenger, so when it would be her day they would gift good food so that Aisha and the Messenger would be happy and eat from it. So a sweet dish was gifted to the Messenger in Aisha’s apartment.

Lady Sawdah was with Lady Aisha in the apartment, and the Messenger of Allah entered and sat down. A thought crossed Lady Sawdah’s mind: the gifts come on Aisha’s day every time. No one sends gifts when it is our day.

Lady Aisha was happy. A gift had come to her place in front of another wife. She said, “Will you eat with us Sawdah?”

Lady Sawdah replied: No, I don’t want to.

Lady Aisha insisted: No, eat with us. Lady Sawdah said: No, I don’t want.

Lady Aisha was upset.

She said, “Eat or I will daub some on your nose!”

Lady Sawdah was silent.

So Lady Aisha took a little of the dish and smeared some on the nose of Lady Sawdah, in the presence of the Prophet.

Lady Sawdah’s face changed. She felt hurt.

The gift was at Lady Aisha’s and now I’m being made fun of.

When the Messenger perceived this, he turned to Lady Sawdah.. Observe the beauty: “would you like to take retribution?”

Lady Sawdah was astonished. This is Aisha, his beloved! This is an opportunity. He’s telling me, “Do you want to take retribution?”

So she nodded, yes. So the Messenger of Allah took hold of Lady Aisha’s hands and told Lady Sawdah to go ahead. Lady Sawdah arose and daubed Lady Aisha’s nose with some food.
And it ended with both Lady Sawdah and Lady Aisha laughing! This is beauty!

He goes forth to fight the enemy. Fighting the enemy is pure rigor. War, death, blood.

On the travel with him is Lady Aisha. He sees that the journeying has become long for her, and that she is weary. Lady Aisha says that when he looked at me he saw the signs of boredom on my face, he indicated to the army to proceed on. When the army were out of sight, he turned to me and said, “Will you race me?” So I said, “Yes”

Lady Aisha says, “I won the race!” She says: A few years later, when I had put on some weight, we were travelling.

He turned to me and said, ‘Will you race me?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He won, peace and blessing be upon him. Then he turned to me and said: This is for [the time you beat me], O Aisha!
My beloved Messenger of Allah is all beauty!

This is beauty!

Even in a battle, you did not neglect to make this wife happy. And greater than that is that years later you remind her of those beautiful moments you had together.

It is as though you are saying: I didn’t forget what happened the first time.

This despite the weight of Messengership [pt. the Message], the tremendous responsibility upon him, the great concerns and the severity of what he faced, yet he did not forget the beautiful meanings between him and his wife. This is beauty!

(Another time,) Lady Aisha arises but does not find him besides her. She says: So what grasps women of jealousy, grasped me too. So I went out. It was the 15th night of Shaban and there was a full moon. There was a presence in the direction of the Baqi’ cemetery.

So I approached, and there he was supplicating in the midst of those buried in al-Baqi’.
When he began to return, I ran so that he wouldn’t notice that I was following him. I returned to my bed panting from running.

When he entered, peace and blessing be upon him, he looked at me and said: What is it Aisha?

I replied, “Nothing, O Messenger of Allah.”

He only smiled, and said: Did you fear that Allah and His Messenger would be unjust to you? (Implying:) do you thing I would go on your night to other than you, O Aisha? That’s impossible.

This is beauty from him, peace and blessings be upon him!

This beauty was linked even with the manifestations of strength!

Because in the shadow of the illness that people live in today…in the shadow of souls in decline…in the shadow of overpowering caprice…beauty has become perceived by people to be associated with weakness.

[They may say:] what beauty, when Muslims today are killed and slaughtered and you are talking about beauty?
[We say:] Yes!

And the way out for the Ummah from what befalls it is for it to return to understanding beauty and tasting it. He, peace and blessing be upon him, who was kind and gentle as we heard in the Noble Speech of Allah

<> Allah, the Real, says to him.

Yet this same beloved, when necessity called for it, people would see from him that which they did not know!

Our Master ‘Ali says: When the fighting in the battlefield got at its fiercest, we took refuge behind the Messenger of Allah!

Pay attention: Who is the one saying this? ‘Ali! The most courageous of the Companions absolutely! The best of the Companions are Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, then’Ali. This is the creed of us Ahl us-Sunnah. However, the most courageous of the Companions and the most knowledgeable of them is ‘Ali without a doubt! Ahl us-Sunnah have no hesitance about that.

The most courageous of the Companions says, “When the fighting in the battlefield got at its fiercest, we took refuge behind the Messenger of Allah!”

What is this courage of the Prophet! What is this strength! The most damned of the people came. The most damned of people is one who is killed at the hands of a Prophet.
This one came parading haughtily in the battle. Leave Muhammad to me! And he pranced and mocked, “Show me your manliness. Show me your courage.” And he recited verses of poetry saying that he would be the one who would kill the Messenger.

When the Companions saw him coming at full strength desiring to kill the Messenger of Allah, the Companions stood before the Messenger. They would sacrifice their souls for the Messenger of Allah! The Prophet gestured to the Companions to leave him; to keep far. So they kept their distance, obeying the command of the Messenger.

The man was approaching at full strength with his sword, riding his horse, galloping powerfully, while the Messenger stood calmly. When he reached the Messenger, the Messenger of Allah hit him with one blow. Combat was not even necessary. With one blow that the Prophet struck, the man fell

Therefore, beauty is strength! This beauty is strength! However, if strength becomes beauty, it is linked to giving victory to Allah, the Real. It is linked to giving victory to the weak. It is linked to elevating the flag of light. And devoid of giving victory to the ego. Devoid of wishing for status among the creation. Devoid of the outer appearances that people live today

So how in need we are in our time to revive among our youth, our daughters, our sons, our elders, our young, our Scholars, the students among us, the lights of the meaning of the Muhammadan beauty. Yes, we are in need of it!

When we see today families disintegrating, and the rates of divorce increasing, and fighting in homes between husband and wife, between children and parents, between parents and children, and with relatives, we are in need of beauty here.

When we see business turn into theft, monopoly, dishonesty, harming people, taking other’s wealth without right, we are in need of beauty to return to the souls. Because the one who is disobedient to his parents has lost beauty.

The one who disgraces his wife, or beats her, or is bad to women and treats her as nothing, has lost beauty.

(The Prophet said,) “The best of you are the best to your families. And I am the best of you to my family!”

He did not say that the best of you is the one who stands the night in worship, and fasts during the daytime, and the one who abundantly recites the Qur’an, and the one who knows the most, and the one who…

He said: The best of you are the best to your families.

The measure of your degree in goodness is the state of your conduct with your wife in your interaction with her. And he struck an example of his own honorable-self saying, “And I am the best of you to my family.”

When we see this ugliness in the overpowering of men over women in our times, in bad manners in dealing with women, in compelling women in the wrong instances, in being audacious against them in the wrong instances, in refraining from fulfilling their rights…We were in (the town of) Malindi some days ago at a Mawlid.

We said: we are of the Shafi’i school of thought, and the relied upon opinion is that it is not incumbent upon a woman to sweep, cook, and clean the house.
The person translating my talk did not translate that for them.

We said to them: if your wife were to say to you, ‘If you don’t mind, I’m a bit tired today. Go and sweep the room,’ What would you do?
Would you sweep the room?

[One might say:] What! I’m a man. What is this talk! This is not manliness. This is ugliness! Is anyone of you more manly than our Master Muhammad?

They asked [Lady Aisha] about this awesome, majestic person, peace and blessings be upon him; “How was the Prophet at home? Because when we see him, we are in tremendous awe. So how were you able to interact with him at home?

Lady Aisha replied, “He always joined in household work. He would mend his clothes, milk his animals, repair his shoes and sweep the floor.”

Our Master Muhammad would sweep the house. The Imam of all men!

Does anyone have any manliness that our Master Muhammad does not?

Whoever thinks he has something of manliness that our Master Muhammad did not, does not know the meaning of manliness nor has ever got the scent of it.

The Imam of all men, peace and blessing be upon him and his family. He would sweep the house, peace and blessing be upon him.

If your wife was tired and said, “My back is hurting a bit today. Please sweep the house.” What would your reaction be?”

skipped translation —possibly inaccurate—The Shaykh makes a joke, asking the man next to him (possibly to director of the gathering) whether or not the men will need a translation for the previous example (referring to the speech in Swahili?)

This is a meaning of the beauty from him, peace and blessing be upon him. When we see that ugliness has spread in our lives today; husband and wife, parents and children, children disobedient to parents, we need the moment of beauty in which he stood before the grave of his mother, Aminah, and his tears flowed

We need this meaning of beauty.

When we see our brothers fighting with one another over this world, we need beauty to return to the souls.

When we see neighbors interact badly with one another, and they can no longer come to a mutual understanding except through the police…

When the smallest thing happens, and one will complain of his neighbor to the police means that we need the meaning of beauty.

When we see a Muslim interact badly with a non-Muslim, and then excuse himself saying: whether we steal from him or harm him, it’s not a big deal, because he is a disbeliever.

This is a wrong, ugly perspective.

We need beauty yet again.

We should learn how he would interact with the non-Muslims who lived in Muslim lands and those who were at peace. Even with those who would harm his honorable person!
The Jews, who prior to their treachery with their pledge, would enter his gatherings, his home, and in front of his wife, and say to him: as-saam ‘alayka (Death be upon you)!.
The Mother of the Believers, Aisha, angered, would say: Rather, death be upon you and the curse and Anger of Allah.

And he would say, “O Aisha! A believer is not an abuser nor someone obscene nor a curser.”

He was preventing her from abusing who? From abusing the Jews who were disrespectful to him!

When we find this difference in this state and the state of our conduct today…Who amongst us today looks at the disbeliever with the eye of mercy? Is this not the principle we must have when looking at the disbeliever?

What is the understanding of da’wah (calling to Allah)? Is da’wah merely saying, ‘Come and embrace Islam so that we can add a number to that of the Muslims?’

The Prophet is not in need of another number. On the Day of Resurrection, the entire cosmos will boast of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him!

The meaning of being avid for a person to become Muslim is not to increase your numbers.

The meaning of being avid for the guidance of a person is that you love him. You want good for him. You want to save him.

Is our look at the disbeliever today one of love of good for him, and saving him and mercy for him?

This is the principle!

When we lose this principle, then we need the beauty of our Master Muhammad.

Have you understood why we need to recite the Mawlid?

Have you understood why we need to hear the description of the Prophet (in the Mawlid) and sing it? So that we cultivate beauty within our hearts! So that what is hidden within our hearts of the lights of beauty is revived.

Even Jihad, which is the peak of Islam has turned today to unjust killing. It has turned into violence. It has turned into destroying innocent souls. It has turned today into explosion. It has turned today to breaking covenants. It has turned today to harm. It has turned today to lies and deceit. And they call it jihad! This is ugliness!

We need once again to return with it to the meaning of beauty. Yes, we need to learn the meaning of beauty even in his going forth in jihad, peace and blessing be upon him

As he straightened the ranks of the army (at Badr), he saw one of the Companions, our Master Sawad, in front of the others in the row. So the Prophet tapped Sawad’s belly with a twig in his hand.

So our Master Sawad returned to the line saying, “You hurt me O Messenger of Allah!”

The Prophet said: Did I really? He replied, “Yes.”

So the Prophet said, “Take your retribution.”

Do you see the beauty, even as they ready to fight the enemy! “Take your retribution”
Sawad said, “But you poked me with the twig and my belly was uncovered, while your is covered!”

(One might say) is this the time for this, when you are about to go and battle? No, even at the moment of war, the door of beauty is open!

This is the way Prophet educated and refined them! [ pt. This is the way the Prophet raised them]

So the Prophet laid bare the purest stomach in existence, peace and blessing be upon him.

Sawad threw himself at the Prophet and kissed and rubbed his cheeks on him.

So our Master Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: What made you do this O Sawad?

Sawad replied, “O Messenger of Allah, we will indeed meet the enemy right now. And perhaps I will be martyred. Perhaps I will not remain after. So I wanted my last contact with this world that I embrace you, O Messenger of Allah, and that my skin touches yours!”

What is this beauty even at the moment of jihad!

Love is their leader and beauty is their guide. Even at the time of difficult; fighting and war, they live with these meanings of beauty. They ascend with these meanings.

Therefore, we are in need of reviving this beauty, so that jihad returns to jihad, and men’s protection and maintenance of women returns to exactly that, and not oppression and violence.

And so that the relationship between neighbors returns to beauty, and the relationship between spouses beautiful, [pt. beauty]

and the relationship of children with their parents beautiful, [pt. beauty]

the relationship between businessmen beautiful, [pt. beauty]

the relationship between the businessman and the poor beautiful. [pt. beauty]

The poor are unoppressed and the wealthy spend in charity in rightful causes, hopeful of the reward of Allah.

These are meanings of beauty which we want to live within us. And how can they be revived if we do not revive his beauty within our hearts? Have you understood why we search for his beauty? Have you understood why we need the Mawlid? Have you understood why we repeat the verses in praise of him and the poems about his beauty, peace and blessings be upon him?

It is so that our selves can be steadfast once more. So that the Ummah is revived anew. So that it returns to the guidance the {that} he was upon, peace and blessing be upon him.

And this is your trust, O people of these gatherings! Don’t make the Mawlids mere habit.

Don’t make them mere perfecting the tunes, the voices and the recitation.

This is beautiful and we are still in beauty, but don’t let it be limited to that. Don’t make them ordinary gatherings.

Make them beginnings for reviving the lights of his beauty in our inner selves. The lights are in our gatherings, such that a person leaves the Mawlid living with beauty.

If someone makes a mistake with regards to him, one will not think of abusing him like he might have done before the Mawlid. If someone abuses him, one responds with beauty. One recompenses bad with good.

The book ash-Shifa of Qadhi ‘Iyad states: He, peace and blessings be upon him, would never seek to redress any wrong done to him nor avenge himself, but the would pardon and forgive.

Leave the Mawlid and with you is this meaning, because those outside are in need of it. And when you leave and look at the servant who is serving in front of you, look at him with the eye of mercy; with beauty.

The black woman who would sweep the mosque at the time of the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, died at night. The Companions did not inform the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him.

The narrator of this tradition says, “We deemed her less important than for us to inform the Messenger at night that she had died.”

So we washed her, put her shroud on her, prayed upon her and buried her.

After two or three days, the Prophet was looking around because he had not seen her.
He asked, “Where is so and so?”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, she died.”

He said, “Why did you not inform me? When did she die?”

They said, “She died at night and she was of lesser importance than for us to inform you.”

He said, “Show me her grave,” and arose from his gathering immediately, peace and blessing be upon him!

He walked to the Baqi’ cemetery which was outside Madinah, and stood at her grave and prayed upon her, peace and blessings be upon him.

He teaches us the meaning of beauty in our dealing with the weak, the needy, the servant, the poor.

Live with this meaning outside the Mawlid gathering.

He teaches us how to look at what surrounds us. So make the Mawlids a revival of the meaning of this beauty, so that you leave the gathering living with it. And it is then transferred to those who surround you.

A Jew lived his entire life opposing the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, While his son served the Prophet for a wage. This boy who was a servant fell it. So the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to visit him. He found him on his death bed.

So he said to him: Son, say Laa ilaaha illaLlaah Muhammad Rasul Allah (There is no God except Allah. Muhammad is His Messenger). You will enter Paradise by it. I will intercede for you by it.

The boy, through his interaction with the Prophet, knew the meaning of beauty, elevated interaction and good character. Our Master Anas describes this character with servants.

Anas says, “I served the Messenger of Allah for 10 years. I swear by Allah that he never said about something I had done ‘Why did you do that?’ Nor did he ever say about a task I did not do, ‘Why did you not do it?’ And he never criticized any food ever. If he liked it, he ate it. If not, he left it.”

One of the Companions asked him, “How much should I [tolerate in] pardoning my servant, O Messenger of Allah,” before disciplining him? The Prophet turned away and was silent. He repeated, “How many times should I pardon my servant, O Messenger of Allah?”

But the Prophet was silent. So he asked the third time, “How many times do I forgive my servant’s faults?” He replied, “70 times a day!”[Which implies:] Is that what you want? A number?

Did you not understand when I kept quiet the first time and then the second? It meant that a servant should not be harmed. It is enough that he has to bear the humility of servitude for the sake of a morsel for his living. You want to demonstrate your power to him?!

Didn’t you understand the first or second time? Ok, take 70 as a number. 70 times a day you should forgive him. Do we even have 70 opportunities to forgive per day?... It means we don’t have any room in the first place to punish him!

Leave this gathering with this light!

The Jewish boy who was a servant saw this meaning. So he wished to respond positively to what the Prophet was saying. He knew that the Prophet was truthful and saw in him beauty. However, he was in fear of his father, so he looked at him. The father had been contentious and in opposition to the Messenger and…However, at the arena of death truth is very clear.

The father turned to his son and said, “Obey the father of Qasim (the Propher).” Keep in mind that the father wasn’t Muslim. He was a Jew.

However, when he saw his son on the verge of death, he knew that this beauty, (the Prophet,) does not lie. He turned to him and said, “Obey the father of Qasim.” The boy uttered the testimony to the Faith.

Do not allow anything whatsoever of ugly base desires or ugly anger or ugly covetousness or ugly arrogance or ugly ridiculing of others or ugly envy or ugly loathing or ugly…

Do not let these ugly things roll up the pages of the beauty of our Master Muhammad which you experience in the gatherings of Mawlid.

I swear by Allah my brethren, were we to transfer what we sing of the beauty of our Master Muhammad in the Mawlids into our lives, no one would ever oppose the Mawlid after that. Because they would see the Mawlids as the life that they are searching for. None will oppose except the odd one who no one pays attention to.

If we left with the light of the Mawlids, the disbeliever would embrace Islam, the one turning away would approach, the shaky would be steadfast and people would live the meanings which they are desperately in need of today.

So take good care in turning these Mawlids into experiences of tasting his beauty, peace and blessing be upon him.The strength will return to the Ummah again.

We ask Allah, to Whom belongs Might and Majesty, to revive in our hearts these lights, and to spread amongst us these secrets, and make us of those who plunge into these oceans and to gather us with His Beloved, the Chosen and Elect one, until we witness the beauty of his magnificent splendor, and his splendid lights, and his lofty presence, we hear his address, and we are ennobled with his beautiful response.

O Allah, ennoble us with seeing the face of our Master Muhammad! Ennoble us with addressing our Master Muhammad! Ennoble us with companionship of our Master Muhammad! Ennoble us with seeing our Master Muhammad, in this world, in the intermediary realm, on the Day of Resurrection, O Lord of the Worlds!

O Allah, we have believed in him but we have not seen him. So do not deprive us of seeing him in this world and the Hereafter, O Most Generous of the generous! And make that a ladder for us for ascension through the tastes of beauty, until our souls are adorned, and are thus prepared for the beauty of gazing at Your Noble Countenance and You are pleased with us, O Lord of the worlds!

And I beg everyone’s pardon.