The noble Messenger Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) was the most merciful and kindest of people, who loved good for them and was keen for them to be happy and prosper. We will never find anything more true than the words of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) which speak of that:
لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ [التوبة: 128]
“Surely, there has come to you, from your midst, a Messenger who feels it very hard on him if you face a hardship, who is very anxious for your welfare, and for the believers he is very kind, very merciful.” (at-Tawbah 9:128)
He loved his Ummah (Nation) a great deal, and was very concerned about their salvation on the Day of Qiyaamah (Resurrection), hoping that Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) would honor them with His Jannah (Paradise). He would weep because of the depth of his fear for them and his compassion towards them.
It was narrated that Hadhrat ‘Abdullaah ibne ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas said: Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) recited the Aayah (Verse) about Hadhrat Ibrahim (Abraham):
رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ [إبراهيم: 36]
“My Lord, they have misled many a people. So, the one who follows me does surely belong to me. As for the one who disobeys me, then You are Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.” (Ibrahim 14:36)
The Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) recited the Aayah of Quraan where Du’aa of Prophet Hadhrat Eesaa (Jesus) is mentioned:
إِنْ تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ [المائدة: 118]
“If You punish them, they are Your slaves after all, but if You forgive them, You are the Mighty, the Wise.” (al-Maaidah 5:118)
Then the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) raised his hands and said: “O Allah! My Ummah. O Allah! My Ummah. O Allah! My Ummah.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) then started weeping.
Allah (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) said to Archangel Jibreel: “O Jibreel! Go to Muhammad, although your Lord knows best, and ask him why he is weeping.”
So Hadhrat Jibreel went to him and asked him. Hadhrat Jibreel reported Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) what he said, although He knows best. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) said: “O Jibreel! Go to Muhammad and say: “I will make you pleased concerning your Ummah and will not disappoint you.” (Muslim)
This Hadeeth includes a number of things that we learn from it, such as, the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam)’s complete compassion towards his Ummah; his concern about their interests and his care for them; the great glad tidings for this Ummah of what Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) has promised it, as He said: “I will make you pleased concerning your Ummah and not disappoint you.”
This Hadeeth represents one of the greatest hopes for this Ummah.
The Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) prayed for all of his Ummah, and he sought the help of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), praying that He would make it a nation that would be honored and shown mercy, until Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) answered his supplication and said that half of the people of Jannah, or more, would be from his Ummah, and they would be blessed with his intercession on the Day of Qiyaamah.
One sign of his compassion and love towards his Ummah was that he prayed for more blessing and goodness especially for those who believed in him and followed him without seeing him.
It was narrated from Hadhrat Anas bin Malik that Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) said: “Glad tidings to the one who believed in me and saw me, and sevenfold glad tidings to the one who believed in me but did not see me.” (Ahmad)
Imam Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim with regard to the meaning of glad tidings (Toobaa): The Mufassireen differed concerning the meaning of the words of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa):
طُوبَى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ [الرعد: 29]
“Tooba (all kinds of happiness or name of a tree in Jannah) is for them and a beautiful place of (final) return.” (al-Ra’d 13:29)
It was narrated from Hadhrat Ibne ‘Abbas that what it means is joy and delight.
Hadhrat ‘Ikrimah said: Joy that will be theirs.
Hadhrat Al-Dhahhaak said: Bliss that will be theirs.
Hadhrat Qataadah said: Goodness that will be theirs.
It was also narrated from Hadhrat Qataadah that it means that they will attain goodness. Hadhrat Ibrahim, (a Taabi’ee) said: Goodness and honor that will be theirs.
Ibn ‘Ajlaan said that Toobaa is “Eternal goodness”.
It was also said that Jannah, or a tree in Jannah. All of these meanings may be applied to the Hadeeth.
Then the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) gave glad tidings to the believers who came after him and did not see him, that they would see him at the Cistern (al-Haudh al Kauthar).
It was narrated from Hadhrat Abu Hurairah that Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s Messenger (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) went out to the graveyard and said: “Peace be upon the abode of believing people, and if Allah wills we will join you soon. Would that I could see our brothers.”
The Sahaabah (Companions) said: “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allah?”
He said: “You are my Sahaabah. Our brothers are those who have not come yet. I will reach the Cistern before them.”
The Sahaabah said: “O Messenger of Allah! How will you recognize those of your Ummah who came after you?”
He said: “Do you not see that if a man has a horse that has a white blaze and white feet among horses that are all black, will he not recognize his horse?”
The Sahaabah said: “Of course.”
He said: “They will come to me with bright faces and limbs (like the white markings of a horse) because of the traces of ‘Wudhoo’, and I will reach the Cistern before them.” (Muslim, Nasaa’ee)
Whoever wants to attain this virtue must adhere to the guidance of the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) and adhere strictly to his Sunnah, so that he may win his companionship in Jannah.
We beg Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) to honor us with that, by His grace, for He is the Most Generous and Most Kind.