Moral Habits of The Holy Prophet - Part 3

Kindness against Ingratitude

Quoting Imam `Ali, Imam Musa reports:

The Holy Prophet was always benevolent and benefactor yet he was never appreciated by people. He was kind to Quraysh, Arabs and non-Arabs. We Ahl al-Bayt are the benefactors but our benefaction is not appreciated. The chosen believers too are like us.

Devotion

Reporting Imam al-Sadiq, Abu-Basir narrates:

Allah’s Messenger would always eat like a servant, sit on the earth like a servant and act upon the fact that he was a servant of Allah.

A Permanent Cure

Imam al-Sadiq (A.S) has said: A Bedouin woman passing by the Holy Prophet who was eating on the earth said, “O Muhammad! I swear by Allah that you eat and sit on the earth like a servant of Allah.”? The Holy Prophet said, “Woe to you! Who is more deserving than me to be a servant of Allah?”? The woman said, “Give a morsel of your food to me!”? The Holy Prophet gave her a morsel. The woman said, “No, give me the morsel in your mouth!”? The Holy Prophet brought out the morsel from his mouth and gave it to her. The woman never experienced any pain in life until she died.

Honoring A Nobleman

Hatam al-Ta’i was a noble, generous, and kind Arab. He would make food of a camel every day to feed people. He was doing this whole heartedly and with devotion. Nevertheless, he died before the advent of Islam. After Hatam, his son `Adi succeeded him; he was as generous as his father. It is said that one day a man asked him for one hundred Dirhams. `Adi said, “By Allah, this is nothing, ask for more!”? When a poet eulogized him, `Adi said, “Wait for me to give you a reward before you read the eulogy.”? In the 9th A.H., the Holy Prophet sent a group headed by Imam `Ali to Tay Tribe to invite them to Islam but they fought them and were defeated. Most of the Tay people were taken captives along with considerable booty. `Adi, Christian by faith, escaped to Syria, leaving his sister, Safanah  among the captives. Before the Holy Prophet, she stood up and said, “O Allah’s Messenger! My father passed away; my guardian who is my brother has escaped to Syria; be gracious to me.”? The Holy Prophet ordered to give here new dress and send here respectfully to Syria.
Seeing this, `Adi was surprised. When his sister told him about the Holy Prophet’s gracious behavior, `Adi asked for an advisable act. The sister said, “You would better go to him, for it would be a source of pride for you to believe him, should he be a prophet and it would be an honor for you should he be a king.”? `Adi moved quickly, went to the mosque and introduced himself to the Holy Prophet who invited him to his house.

On the way home, an old woman came to the Holy Prophet and held him standing for a long time speaking of her needs. The Holy Prophet too was patiently listening to her! `Adi said to himself, “This is not the attitude of the kings to speak with the needy in this manner.”? When they reached home, the Holy Prophet made `Adi sit on the mattress while he himself sat on the earth facing him. `Adi said, “It is not good for me to sit on this mattress when you sit on the earth.”? The Holy Prophet said, “You are our guest!”? Then the Holy Prophet said, “Perhaps you look at the actual poverty and indigence of Muslims and our numerous enemies that you do not accept Islam. But this situation will not last long.”? Hearing this, `Adi willingly embraced Islam, defended Ahl al-Bayt after Allah’s Messenger and remained steadfast until the end of his life. He fought along with Imam `Ali in the battles of Camel, Siffin and Nahrawan for the sake of Allah. In the Battle of Jamal (Camel), he lost one eye and three of his sons were martyred in the front of justice against injustice.