“Indeed, you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 21)
It is narrated from Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) that he quoted his noble father, Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), regarding the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family):
“…When the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned home, he divided his time into three parts: one for the worship of Allah, one for spending time with his family, and one for himself. Even in the part of his time allocated for himself, he would share it with others, giving orders to the prominent companions and assigning them responsibilities for public affairs, and he did not reserve anything for personal matters.
Among the practices of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was that during the time he spent with the community, he would first give permission to the virtuous people and grant them according to their merit in religion. He would address their needs, inquire about their affairs, and educate them in the knowledge of the religion. People would come to him seeking wisdom and knowledge, and they never left without their hearts being filled with knowledge and understanding.”
“…The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) kept his tongue from speaking anything unnecessary and was friendly with the people, not causing them any harm. He always had a smile on his face and never frowned. He would inquire about the condition of his companions and the state of the community, praising good actions and condemning bad ones. In all matters, he practiced moderation. He was aware of the negligence and deviations among the Muslims and acted justly, neither more nor less. Among his companions, the one who was most beneficial to the Muslims was the one he held in higher regard, and the person who supported the Muslims the most was given a higher status.”
“…He was always cheerful and gentle, never harsh, loud, abusive, or fault-finding. He would never show dislike for anything by his facial expression, so that no one would feel discouraged by offering him something. He did not disappoint those who were hopeful. He refrained from three things: disputes, excessive talking, and useless words.”
“…He never sat with people except for the remembrance of Allah, and in any gathering, he did not choose a special seat for himself. He would discourage people from sitting at the head of the gathering and would sit wherever there was space. He instructed his followers to do the same. In his gatherings, everyone’s rights were respected, and no one felt that others were more honored than they were in the presence of the Prophet. Anyone who came to him with a request left only after having their need fulfilled or after being consoled with kind words. His character was so gentle that people considered him a loving father. In his gatherings, patience, modesty, honesty, and trustworthiness were always observed. There was no raising of voices, and the dignity and respect of people were never violated.”
“…He also refrained from three things when dealing with others: First, he never criticized or reproached anyone. Second, he never sought out the faults or shortcomings of people. Third, he would not speak unless he saw a hope of reward in doing so.”[1]
(From: “Tafseer al-Mizan”, by Allama Sayyid Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai (may God be pleased with him), summarized)[2]
Footnotes:
[1] Ma’ani al-Akhbar, p. 81
[2] Tafseer al-Mizan, Vol. 6, p. 435 (under the commentary of verses 166-120 of Surah Al-Ma’idah)