بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The great historian and philosopher, Allamah Ibn Khallidun said in his famous ‘Muqaddimah’ that the conquered are always infatuated with following the conqueror in their style, methods, ways, states and mannerisms. He says that the human mind misconstrues the conquest of the victor as proof of their perfection instead of looking at the magnitude of their strength. Then he gave different examples of the manifestation of this imitation.[1] Unfortunately, many in the Ummah, after colonisation, have been afflicted with this low self esteem and have started to imitate the Western culture in every facet of their lives. Furthermore, even the students of Deen, of recent, and so-called scholars have fallen prey to this disease. Rather they have gone a step further and claimed that if the Prophet ﷺ was in our era, he – Allah forbid- would have walked, talked and dressed in the manner of the colonising kuffar of today.
In his amazing book regarding the legally binding status of Prophetic Actions (حجية أفعال النبي ﷺ), after mentioning the ruling which the Usool Fiqh scholars issued on the habitual actions of the Prophet ﷺ -like dress code, manner of eating and sleeping etc.-, the Syrian Muhaddith, Shaikh Muhammad Awwamah (حفظه الله) writes:
“I do not wish to move on to the third category until I have cautioned you on an important note, and that is their saying, ‘Our following of the Prophet ﷺ in the habitual matters is a mubaah (permissible) act,’ an improper conclusion -in the eyes of Shari’ah– may be derived from this. This may give the impression that the Prophet ﷺ was submitting to the customs of his people, thereby the Prophet ﷺ would be an imitator and not a leader. Some students of knowledge whom we have met have the audacity to claim that if the Prophet ﷺ was in our time he would have worn Western style suits and he would have even placed around his neck that tie. Therefore, Muhammad ﷺ would have been an imitator and not a leader. However, there are countless instances where the Prophet ﷺ changed several traditions and invalidated many customs of his people.
At this juncture it is appropriate to say, ‘The habits of the noble people are truly the noblest of habits.’ There is no doubt that the muhaddithun filled their books with the narrations of the Prophet’s ﷺ natural, habitual and worldly states, because they recognize that the Prophetic states were chosen and picked by Allah Ta’ala for him.”[2]
Thereafter Shaikh Awwamah (حفظه الله) mentioned numerous examples of how the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم and those who came after emulated the Prophet ﷺ in all aspects of his life, rather they even emulated his state after death. For instance, they preferred to be buried in a lahd (niche)grave because the Prophet ﷺ was buried in one. Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهما had offered a garment of his to be used as a shroud for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. However, it was not destined to be used. So, Abdullah رضي الله عنه took it back and thought for himself that he will use it as a shroud of his own. Then he said that if Allah was pleased with it for His Prophet ﷺ he would have shrouded him in it. So, he sold it and gave its price away in charity. Collected by Muslim in his Sahih.[3]
Subhaanallah. The Sahabah رضي الله عنهم emulated the Prophet’s ﷺ state even after death, but we have abandoned the style, mannerisms, and way of life which the Prophet ﷺ actively and consciously adopted during his lifetime.
May Allah make us from among those who follow the Prophet ﷺ, not only in worship, but in all facets of life. Aameen
[1] Muqaddimah Ibn Khallidun Vol.1 Pg.184
[2] Hujjiyah Af’alin Nabi Pg.59-60
[3] Sahih Muslim #641 [3] Hujjiyah Af’alin Nabi Pg.86-87
May Allah reward Abdullah Ishtiaq for his assistance in translating the passage from (حجية أفعال النبي ﷺ) which we studied together.
