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In these next few episodes, we want to
tour through the remarkable personality
and unique character of the prophet Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him,
as one of the strongest cases
in support of his prophethood.
And we have to begin with honesty.
Because the prophet Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him,
was not just a man whose honesty and integrity
were well-known among his people.
This was a man who was literally,
officially, nicknamed El Amin, The Trustworthy.
(air whooshes) (choir vocalizes)
(air whooshes)
When the tribes at the time before Islam
were quarreling and they saw him enter
through the door, they said,
"Let us all concede to his judgment,"
and everyone accepted.
They said, "This is El Amin coming,
the trustworthy.
We all know he is uncorruptible.
He is removed from his ego.
He is totally impartial,
even if it would not be in the favor
of his tribe, his clan, his family, his people,
the way all of us are biased in that respect."
And in fact, even when he came with his message,
when Islam was revealed to him,
the Qur'an descended upon him,
and people actively fought him,
and persecuted his followers
out of their tribal bigotries.
They still, as his wife Ayesha,
may Allah be pleased with her said,
would entrust their most prized possessions with him.
They used to keep things with Muhammad
for safekeeping because of how much
they trusted him, even at a time
when they were actively fighting him.
What does that say about their understanding
regarding his incorruptibility,
his sublime integrity?
The truthful, the trustworthy Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him.
In another incident
that's been authentically established,
the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,
had a son named Ibrahim radiAllahu Anhu.
Ibrahim had died as a toddler,
and it coincided that on the day of his death,
a solar eclipse took place.
The world went darkened on the daytime.
People began to say, "Oh, the skies
must be saddened by the death
of the son of the Prophet of God."
What did the prophet Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him, do?
Well, what would you expect him to do?
Had he been in it claiming prophethood
as a means of self promotion,
he would have surely seen this
as a super-convenient credibility booster
and capitalized on it.
But instead, despite the fact
that he was grieving over the loss of his son,
and despite the fact that he did not
state this, rumors were spreading
about this from others.
He still left his home
and headed towards the pulpit
and climbed that altar, and said to the people,
"O people, listen!
The sun and the moon do not eclipse
for the death or the birth of anyone.
Rather, they are simply two
of the ayaat, the signs of God,"
part of the cosmic manifestations of God's power.
He said, "by which He strikes fear
into the hearts of His servants.
He humbles His slaves by the likes of these events.
So when you see these, pray to God
and give charity for the sake of God,
and free slaves, and remember God
until this ordeal passes."
In another very indicative event,
reflecting the integrity of
the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,
Huthayfah ibn al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him,
another one of his companions,
had been able to escape from Mecca,
and was released by the idolaters
of Quraysh, who lived in Mecca,
on the condition, "We will leave you
and your father to go to Muhammad
and be muslims on the condition
that if he ever fights us one day,
you will never join his ranks
and support him, Muhammad, against us."
By the time Huthayfah reached the prophet Muhammad,
peace and blessings be upon him,
it was a moment and a day
when the muslims were about to find themselves
facing 900 to 1000 combatants;
and they were outnumbered three to one.
They were about 317 or 319,
what came to be known as the Battle of Badr.
And so, no artillery, no numbers,
none of the odds in their favor.
Huthayfah says, "O messenger of Allah,
I have an ethical dilemma.
I was released by them, and they let me go
after giving them a solemn oath,
a promise that I would never support
you in combat against them.
So what do I do?
I need to support you, you're in need;
but I promised them and gave them my word."
Even in that moment,
even with the pressing need,
the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him,
said, wafu lahum a'hadahum.
"You keep your promise to them
And go on, go to Medina
Don't stay here with us,"
Wa Nasta'eenullaha 'Alayhim
"and we will seek God's help against them."
May the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon Muhammad the truthful, the trustworthy,
the unparalleled in his integrity,
SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam.
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