How does Prophet (PBUH) interact with his companions? Was in accordance with what Allah commanded upon him. Their living and the way they behave is such a great benefit to the whole Human nation.
Speaking of leadership, parenting, management (time and money), self-discipline, communication among people, persuasion and selling.
However, the proof that it was enjoined upon Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) is this saying of Allah, (may He be glorified and exalted):
“So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:159].
As the verse urged the Prophet (PBUH) to do three things when interacting with his companions, it is a big lesson for you and me to replicate the principles in our entire life. That said, we can get huge rewards for our deeds in this world and the day of judgement.
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) is Merciful And Lenient Towards The Sahabah
It’s unmeasured, the inspiration we get reading through the stories and the prophet (PBUH) and his companions. For instance, in a short story I read times ago, the prophet and some of the Sahabah were on a journey. It was time to camp and food is needed to be prepared, the companions divided tasks among themself leaving the prophet out of the task.
As a great leader (someone who inspires) the prophet (PBUH) said he will find woods they will use to cook, the companions against it, and the prophet insisted. What a great leader indeed.
Similarly, the prophet compassionates them and overlook their mistakes. This is how the Prophet (PBUH) was with his And I think the companions of the prophet have the same mindset with him.
Allah, may He be exalted, says:
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful” [at-Tawbah 9:128].
Another instance of the prophet (PBUH) compassion was that he would be kind to them and would be patient in teaching them or in bearing the roughness and harshness of some of those who were accustomed to behaving in such ways.
It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (sa) (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he was wearing a Najraani cloak with a thick border. A Bedouin came up to him and grabbed him roughly by his cloak, and I could see the marks left on the neck of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by the border of his cloak, because of the rough manner in which he grabbed him.
Then he said: O Muhammad! Order that I will be given some of the wealth of Allah that is with you! The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to him and smiled, then he ordered that he be given something. From al-Bukhaari (6088) and Muslim (1057).
In another incident in the mosque, the prophet was prudent in treating the manner. As it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that a Bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people leapt up to sort him out, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Let him be, and throw a bucket of water over his urine, for you have been sent to make things easy, and you have not been sent to make things difficult.”
From al-Bukhaari (6128).
And this narration from Mu‘aawiyah ibn al-Hakam as-Sulami who said: Whilst I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a man among the people sneezed and I said: Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you). The people glared at me and I said: May my mother be bereft of me! Why are you staring at me? They started striking their hands on their thighs, and when I realized that they were telling me to be quiet, (I felt angry) but I kept quiet.
When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him; by Allah, I have never seen a better teacher or better teachings before or since; he did not rebuke me, hit me or revile me – he said: “This prayer is not the right place for any of the people’s speech, rather it is tasbeeh, takbeer and recitation of Qur’an…”
From Muslim (537).
He Used to Pray Forgiveness For His Companions
It’s no doubt that the prophet (PBUH) pray for forgiveness for his companions, and for anyone who angered him or upset him. In fact, the hadith below give more description of how the Prophet (PBUH) interact with his companions.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say:
“O Allah, Muhammad is only human, and he gets angry as any human being gets angry. I am making a covenant with You that You will never break. I am only human, so any believer whom I harm, revile or flog, make it an expiation and a means by which he will draw close to You on the Day of Resurrection.” From al-Bukhaari (6361) and Muslim (2601).
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) Consult His Companions And Involve Them In The Decision-making
If you think about it, or you have the same instinct as I do, there has been no greater leader that has ever live, who is more than just extraordinary. The prophet (PBUH) is a great leader, who would involve his companions in decision-making. That said he would not make a decision on his own regarding any matter that required referring to people of experience and wisdom.
Which explain the prophet obedience toward Allah “…and consult them in the matter”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:159].
Ibn Katheer said:
Hence the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to consult his companions concerning matters when they arose, out of kindness towards them, so that they would be more motivated to do what they had decided upon. For example, he consulted them on the day of Badr about going after the caravan, and they said: O Messenger of Allah, if you were to ask us to cross the sea, we would cross it with you; if you were to take us to Bark al-Ghumaad, we would go there with you. We will not say to you as the people of Moosaa said to him: “So go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here”. Rather we say: Go, for we are with you, in front of you, on your right and on your left, fighting alongside you.
He also consulted them as to where they should halt, and al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr suggested moving forward. And he consulted them at Uhud as to whether he should stay in Madinah or go out to confront the enemy, and the majority of them suggested that he should go out to confront them, so he did that.
On the day of al-Khandaq he consulted them about making a peace deal with the Ahzaab (confederates) in return for one-third of the harvest of Madinah in that year, but the two Sa‘ds – Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh and Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah – rejected the idea, so he did not do that.
On the day of al-Hudaybiyah, he consulted them about attacking the mushrikeen (polytheists), and Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq said to him: We have not come to fight anyone; rather we have come to do ‘umrah, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) accepted his view.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said during the incident of the slander (al-ifk): “Advise me, O Muslims, about people who speak ill of about my family and make accusations about them, for by Allah I know nothing bad about my family, and they speak ill of a man of whom, by Allah, I know nothing but good.” And ‘Ali and Usaamah suggested that he should divorce ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to consult them with regard to war and other matters.
From Tafseer Ibn Katheer (2/149),
In conclusion, how the prophet (PBUH) interact with his companions was an amazing and inspiring thing to also practise for the whole Muslim Umma. All said, Allah knows best and may He forgive all our sins.
