Throughout history, many prominent figures have guided humanity, leaving their mark through their ideas and way of life. However, none has had as profound and lasting an impact on all of humanity—transcending the boundaries of time and space—as the Messenger of Mercy, the Prophet Muhammad (saw). As expressed in the Qur’an, the Prophet is “a caller to (the Way of) Allah by His command, and a beacon of light,” (Ahzab, 33/46) and “an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often.” (Ahzab, 33:21)
Due to his exemplary role in understanding the Qur’an and living according to Islam, the companions, who witnessed the process of revelation and knew him closely, followed the life of the Prophet with great attention. They adopted his principles as a model for themselves and transmitted his life and teachings to subsequent generations with immense dedication and precision.
Being trustworthy is among the defining characteristics of all prophets. Even before receiving the duty of prophethood, the Prophet was known within his community as “al-Amin,” meaning “the Trustworthy One”. So much so that even those who did not believe in him would entrust him with their valuable possessions and never doubt his reliability. His words and actions were in complete harmony; he inspired trust when he spoke, fulfilled every promise he made, and remained committed to every agreement he entered into. The Prophet, emphasizing the strong connection between faith and trustworthiness, stated: “Faith and disbelief cannot coexist in a person’s heart. Truthfulness and falsehood cannot exist together. Trustworthiness and betrayal cannot be found together either.” (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, II, 349) In highlighting the importance of trust in a Muslim’s life, the Prophet also said: “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe. By Allah, in Whose Hand is my soul, a person whose neighbor is not safe from his harm will not enter Paradise.” (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, III, 54)
When the Prophet migrated to Madinah, Abd Allah ibn Salam, one of the Jewish scholars, came to see him out of curiosity. Upon seeing the Prophet, he remarked, “This face is not the face of a liar!” Recognizing the trust and integrity reflected in his appearance, he embraced Islam (Tirmidhi, “Qiyamah”, 42). In our time, an age in which trust has become a widespread issue on both individual and societal levels, we can clearly see how universal and vital a virtue the Prophet’s title of “al Amin” (the Trustworthy One) truly is. It would not be an exaggeration to say that today, the most fundamental quality expected from a leader, a business partner, a neighbor, or even those closest to us is “trustworthiness”.
Noble character is the cornerstone of healthy relationships and peace in both individual and societal life. The life of the Prophet is a concrete embodiment of the unity of word and deed, loyalty to commitments, and honesty. His character was an all-encompassing model of virtue, embracing qualities such as justice, patience, humility, generosity, kindness, and forgiveness. Emphasizing that human relationships should be grounded in noble character and mutual respect, and drawing attention to the connection between his mission and moral excellence, the Prophet said, “I was sent to perfect noble character.” (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, II, 381; Muwatta, “Husn al-Khuluq”, 8).
Not only during his life after receiving prophethood, but also in his earlier years and in his interactions with others, there was never any negative behavior or blameworthy moral flaw found in him. On the contrary, everyone, whether they believed in him or not, acknowledged the beauty of his character. Indeed, in terms of morality, the Prophet was the best among people (Bukhari, “Adab”, 112; Muslim, “Adab”, 30; Abu Dawud, “Adab”, 61; Tirmidhi, “Birr”, 69). Not only did he possess noble character himself, but he also consistently reminded his ummah of the importance of good character. He said, “The most perfect of the believers in faith are those who are best in character.” (Bukhari, “Adab”, 38; Abu Dawud, “ Sunnah”, 14; Tirmidhi, “Rada”, 11; Ibn Majah, “Zuhd”, 31; Darimi, “Riqaq”, 74; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, II, 250) Once again, highlighting the central place of noble character in a believer’s life and its strong connection to faith, he said, “Nothing will be heavier on the scale of a believing servant on the Day of Judgment than good character. Allah despises the one who engages in indecent behavior and foul speech.” (Tirmidhi, “Birr”, 62)
The generation of companions raised by the Prophet over the course of twenty-three years, and the transformation of a society steeped in ignorance into an age of bliss, was not only due to the greatness of the message he brought, but also closely tied to the way he lived that message as the finest example and to the strength of his character.
His truthfulness
The Prophet’s inner being and outward actions, his essence and his words, were in complete harmony. He not only advised truthfulness but also fully embodied what he preached. To a man who asked him for counsel, he said: “Say: ‘I believe in Allah,’ and then remain steadfast.” (Muslim, “Iman”, 62; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, III, 413, IV, 385.) When he was told, “O Messenger of Allah, you have grown old,” he replied, “Surah Hud and Surah al-Waqi‘ah have made me old,” because he had been commanded therein to remain steadfast and upright. (Tirmidhi, “Tafsir”, 56)
His forgiveness
One of the closest individuals to the Prophet, ‘A’ishah (ra), highlighted two key qualities of the beloved Prophet: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah had to choose between two matters, he would always choose the easier of the two—so long as it was not sinful. In addition, the Messenger of Allah never sought revenge for personal grievances. However, when one of Allah’s commands was violated, he would certainly carry out what was required in response.” (Bukhari, “Adab”, 80) The Prophet forgave Wahshi, who had martyred his uncle, Hamza, at the Battle of Uhud. He also pardoned Habbar ibn al Aswad, who had caused his daughter Zaynab to be injured and miscarry. When Ikrimah, the son of Abu Jahl, who had been a fierce enemy of Islam, came to him as a Muslim, the Prophet welcomed him without reproach, saying with kindness, “O migrant rider! Welcome.” Even when he was subjected to harsh treatment in Ta’if while calling its people to Islam, he did not curse them but instead forgave them.
His supplication, “O Allah, forgive my ummah, for they do not know!” (Ibn Majah, “Manasik”, 56) made on behalf of the community of believers who had embraced faith in him, also serves as a prayer and plea for forgiveness for the entire Muslim ummah. His plea for forgiveness and his compassion were not limited to Muslims alone. When he conquered Mecca and stood before those who had wronged him for years, those who had forced him out of his beloved homeland, he asked them a question that would be recorded in history: “What do you think I will do to you?” When they replied, “You are a noble brother, the son of a noble brother,” he responded by referring to the story of the Prophet Yusuf (as): “There is no blame upon you today. May Allah forgive you. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.” With these words, he declared a general amnesty. This historic act of pardon was a strategic step taken by a victorious commander and head of state, one who chose peace, wisdom, and compassion over revenge and harshness. It served as a powerful means to foster social reconciliation and unity.
His encouraging and facilitating approach
Human nature leans toward ease. At times, a burdensome demand can lead a person to reject an issue altogether. For this reason, the Qur’an emphasizes ease in many of its verses (Baqarah, 2:185,186; Nisa, 4:28; Hajj, 22:78). In fact, the Qur’an, not being revealed all at once but rather gradually over a span of twenty-three years, often in direct connection with and in response to social realities, is one of the clearest examples of ease and facilitation in its approach. The Prophet’s principle, “Make things easy; do not make them difficult; give glad tidings; do not drive people away,” (Bukhari, “Ilm”, 11 “Jihad”, 164; Muslim, “Jihad”, 5; Abu Dawud, “Adab”, 17; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, I, 239, 283, 365, IV, 399, 416, 417) reflects an approach that does not overlook human nature and takes into account both the physical and emotional constitution of the individual in interpersonal relations. His choosing the easier of two options when given a choice, so long as it involved no sin (Bukhari, “Manaqib”, 23; Muslim, “Fada’il”, 77) , is also a reflection of this approach, rooted in mercy and consideration for ease. The Prophet advised his ummah to engage in deeds to the extent of their ability, except in matters where the rulings of the religion are clear and binding (Muslim, “Siyam”, 177).
His gentleness and mercy
Throughout his life, the Prophet preferred gentleness, compassion, and mercy to resentment, anger, and harshness. The Qur’an states that it was by divine mercy that he dealt gently with people; had he been harsh and hard hearted, they would have turned away from him (Al-i ‘Imran, 3/159). The Prophet’s mercy extended not only to Muslims and humanity but also to all of creation.
His understanding of social justice and communal balance
In the face of modern society’s challenges, such as poverty, discrimination, and social injustice, the teachings brought by the Prophet offer a meaningful path forward. By stating, “He is not one of us who sleeps while his neighbor is hungry,” (Hakim, Mustadrak, 4/183.) he laid the foundation for social responsibility. Through institutions such as zakat, fitrah, and sadaqah, he promoted a culture of social solidarity and mutual aid. In his Farewell Khutbah, the Prophet firmly rejected false notions of superiority based on race, color, language, or ethnic origin by declaring, “All of you are children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. An Arab has no superiority over a non Arab, nor does a non-Arab have superiority over an Arab; a white person is not superior to a Black, nor is a Black superior to a White, except in piety and good deeds.” With these words, he reminded people of the Qur’anic principle of taqwa as the true measure of merit and emphasized the shared human origin from the Prophet Adam to highlight the common ground of all humanity.
The Prophet of Mercy
When describing the Prophet, the Qur’an states, “We have sent you (O Prophet) only as a mercy for the whole world.” (Anbiya, 21:107) Mercy is not limited to compassion alone. It is a comprehensive concept that includes kindness, forgiveness, benevolence, peace, goodness, and all forms of blessings. The Prophet being a mercy means that the message he brought and the rulings it contains offer peace, happiness, harmony, and security for the entire human family. For this reason, he is indeed an all encompassing mercy. In a society of ignorance where the pursuit of power and pride was dominant, and where the weak, the helpless, and the marginalized were oppressed and disregarded, the justice, fairness, mercy, and human values brought by the Prophet were a clear manifestation of his being a mercy. Orphans, children, the ill, the elderly, the lonely, the environment, animals, plants, and, in short, all of creation shared in his mercy. In our present time, the tears we witness, the violations of human rights, wars, and massacres that amount to genocide represent some of our greatest sorrows. The Prophet emphasized that even war has its own code of law and ethics. In conclusion, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was a distinguished figure whose words and actions contain exemplary models for every aspect of life. He is a guiding personality through whom people can adorn their lives with love, peace, and goodness (Afzalur Rahman, Sîret Ansiklopedisi, İstanbul 1990, III, 198,199). From the past to the present, those who have shown hostility toward the Messenger of Allah have tried to discredit him with baseless claims and slander. Yet, they have never been able to find any flaw in his character or any moral weakness in his personality. Such individuals have only resorted to defamation, smear campaigns, and false accusations—the typical tactics of those who reject the truth in every era. However, these efforts have proven futile in the face of the Prophet, whose dignity is grounded in the divine principles he conveyed, the truths he upheld, and the virtues he embodied.
In the face of rights violations, environmental disasters, moral decay, social injustice, poverty, and loneliness, the teachings of the Prophet remain a lasting solution even today. His being “a mercy to the worlds” is not confined to the era in which he lived but extends to all future generations, lands, and all living beings until the Day of Judgment. He is a matchless guide, a source of inner peace and social harmony, and for humanity, “a beacon of light.” In building a more prosperous world, the messages brought by the Prophet and his exemplary character offer humanity unparalleled guidance and unwavering principles. Today, more than ever, humanity is in dire need of his all-encompassing mercy and the universal, mercy-laden message he conveyed.
