الحمد لله، الحمد لله الذي أرسل محمدًا رحمةً للعالمين، نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونؤمن به ونتوكل عليه، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهده الله فلا مضل له، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له، ونشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، له الملك وله الحمد، يحيي ويميت، بيده الخير، وهو على كل شيء قدير، ونشهد أن سيدنا ومولانا محمداً عبده ورسوله، أرسله بشيرًا ونذيرًا بين يدي الساعة، من يطع الله ورسوله فقد اهتدى، ومن يعصهما فإنه قد ضل، وإنه لا يضر إلا نفسه ولا يضر الله شيئًا. أما بعد! فيا عباد الله اتقوا الله حق تقاته ولا تموتن إلا وأنتم مسلمون. يأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله وقولوا قولا سديدا يصلح لكم أعمالكم ويغفر لكم ذنوبكم،
ومن يطع الله ورسوله فقد فاز فوزا عظيما.
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah, you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.
Yesterday, I, along with many scholars, had the privilege of attending a gathering with our esteemed Mauritanian scholar, Shaykh Muhammad al-Mechry. Although he honoured us with his presence last week, he sadly departs today. Shaykh al-Mechry gave us ijazah to teach the renowned poem by the distinguished Mauritanian scholar Shaykh Abd-Allah al-Salim bin Hanbal al-Ḥasanī al-Shinqiti, titled “Juhd al-Muqill fī Ṣifati-Nabī”. [A Modest Effort to Describe the Prophet ﷺ]
This poem, which consists of 50 couplets is a beautiful and detailed manzūmah (a type of classical Arabic poetry that is arranged and written in rhymed verse) this particular poem praises the physical and moral characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Its poetic form emphasizes reverence and awe for the Prophet, detailing his noble attributes based on traditional descriptions from the hadith and classical sources. It is Shaykh Mechry’s ardent desire that the Shamā’il, characteristics of the prophet, be something spoken about widely, not just in the circles of knowledge but everywhere from homes to places of work, because the more the best of creation is spoken about and emulated the better creation will be.
The first 8 couplets are a sort of introduction that praises Allah, sets the context, and informs us that everything in the poem was drawn from esteemed scholarly records and insists on maintaining precision and accuracy.
| Praise be to Him who honoured the soul of truth with the best of character and the best of form. | حمداً لِمَنْ شَرَّفَ رُوحَ الحَقِّ بِحُسْنِ خُلْقِهِ وَحُسْنِ الْخَلْـقِ |
| May prayers be upon him from the Creator of beings, who granted him the finest virtues. | صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ بِارئُ الْبَرَايَا مَنْ خَصَّهُ بِأَفْضَلِ الْمَزَايَا |
| Though we missed seeing the Prophet, it is still the most noble aspiration and desire. | هَذَا وَلَمَّا فَاتَنَا مَرْأَى النَّبِي وَكَانَ أَسْنَى مَطْلَبٍ وَمَرْغَبِ |
| And in his radiant attributes, there was a virtue so grand that it surpassed all others. | وَكَــــــــانَ فِي نُعُوتِهِ الْبَهِيَةُ مَزِيَةٌ أَعْظِمْ بها مَزِيَةً |
| The preservers have recorded numerous accounts, of glorious words that bring light to the stars. | قد دونَ الحفَّاظُ مِنْهَا جُمَلاً جَلِيلَةً تَكْسُـو الـدَّرَارِي خَجَلاً |
| I gathered them like precious pearls in a line, in service to the exalted in rank. | جَمَعْتُهَا كَالْجَوْهَرِ المُنَظَّمِ بِرَسْمِ خِدْمَةِ الْجَنَابِ الأعظم |
| In a rhythmic poem I named ‘Juhd al-Muqill,’ guarding it from what may compromise its integrity or accuracy | فِي رَجَزِ سَمَيْتُهُ جُهْدَ الْمُقِلَ وَصُنْتُهُ عَمَّا يُحِلُّ أَوْ يُمِلُّ |
| So I said, conveying from the scholars, Striving my utmost to safeguard the precision of the words: | فَقُلْتُ نَاقِلاً عَنِ الْخُفَّاظِ مُحَافِظاً جُهْدِي عَلَى الْأَلْفَاظِ |
What will follow now is the core of the poem (lines 9-40), which provides detailed descriptions of the Prophet’s characteristics, drawn from the traditional Shamā’il. These couplets have been translated favouring meaning over rhyming and due to time constraints, I will only be rendering the English and not the Arabic.
| He was the most handsome and beautiful of all people, the most perfect in form and the finest in appearance. | قَدْ كَانَ أَحْسَنَ الْوَرَى وَأَجْمَلاً وَكَانَ أَبْهَى صُورَةً وَأَكْمَلاً |
| His body was firm and well-proportioned, and his muscle tissue was well-defined and smooth, not stretched or loose. | وَكَـــــــانَ فَحْمــــــاً بَادِنَا مُفَخَّمَا وَكَانَ ضَرْبَ اللَّحْمِ لاَ مُطَهَّمَا |
| Neither tall nor short, but well-balanced, with his height in perfect harmony with his stature. | وَلَا مُكَلثَمًا عَظِيمَ الْهَامَة رَبْعَةَ قدِّ فِي اعْتِدَالِ الْقَامَةُ |
| He was not conspicuously thin, nor ungracefully tall, and neither too short, with faltering steps. | لا بَائِناً مشذبا ممغَطا وَلا قَصِيراً مُتَرَدِّدَ الخُطَا |
| Yet those who walked beside him appeared shorter, for none could surpass his majesty, far be it! | وَمَعَ ذَا يَطولُ مَنْ مَاشَاهُ إِذْ لَيْسَ يَعْلُوهُ الْوَرَى حَاشَاهُ |
| His skin was radiant and luminous, his complexion white tinged with red, glowing. | وَكَانَ أَزْهَرَ وَكَانَ أَنْوَرًا أَبْيَضَ مُشْرَبَاً بِلِوْنٍ أَحْمَرَا |
| He was neither pale nor dark-skinned, his face shining like the brilliance of the moon. | لَيْسَ بِأَمْهَقَ وَلا بَأدَمِ لِوَجْهِهِ ضَوْءٌ كَضَوءِ الجَيْلَمِ |
| His face, proportionately round and full of beauty, yet contained such harmony in every feature. | وَجْهٌ كَمَا شِئْتَ مِن استدارته يَطِرِدُ الجُمَالُ فِي أَسرته |
| A glow like golden light ran through his cheeks, his sweat was like pearls, glistening. | يَجْرِي عَلى خَدَّيْهِ مَاءُ الذَّهَبِ عَرَقْهُ كَلُولُوْ مُلْتِهِبِ |
| His radiant face surpasses the moon’s light, on a night of perfect clarity. (badr) | يُزْرِي بَهَاءُ وَجْهِهِ الحُسَانِي بِالْبَدْرِ فِي لَيْلَــــــةِ إِصْــــــحيَانِ |
| Those who described him would say, I have never seen anyone, before him or after him, the like of him. | . يَقُولُ مَنْ يَنْعَتُهُ فِي الجُمْلَةُ لَمْ أَرَ قَبْلَهُ وَبَعْدُ مِثْلَـــــــه |
| Whoever saw him was in awe of him, and whoever knew him loved him deeply. | يَهَابُهُ بَدِيهَةً مَنْ أَبْصَرَهُ يُحِبُّهُ الخَلِيطُ مَهْمَا اخَتَبَرَهُ |
| His hands were broad, his fingers smooth, in his face, a vein would pulse when he was angered. | وَكَانَ رَحْـبَ رَاحَةٍ سَبْطَ الْعَصَبْ فِي وَجْهِهِ عِرْقٌ يُدِرُّهُ الْغَضَبْ |
| His touch was softer than silk, his fragrance sweeter than the finest perfume. | ألين مِن مَّسَ الحَرِيرِ كَفُهُ أَطيبُ مِن شذى العَوالي عَرْفُهُ |
| His eyes were intensely black and bright, his eyelashes long and curled, his gaze penetrating but not lingering. | وَكَانَ أَدْعَجَ وَكَانَ أَنجَلا أَهْدَبَ أَبْلَجَ أَزَجَّ أَشْكَلا |
| His eyebrows were gracefully arched and full, his smile revealed teeth as white as pearls. | أَفْلَجَ أشنَبَ ضَلِيعَ الْفَمِ يَفْتَرُّ عَنْ كَالْبَرَدِ الْمُنْهَم |
| His front teeth shone like radiant light, his words poured forth like light. | وَكَانَ بَراقَ الثنايا مِنْهُمَا يَخْرُجُ كَالنُّورِ إِذَا تَكَلَّمَا |
| His laughter was often a soft smile, revealing his perfectly aligned teeth. | ضَحِكُهُ تَبَسُّمْ وَرُبَما أَبْدَى نَوَاجِدَ كَدَرٌ نُظِمَـــــا |
| His voice was clear, with a slight huskiness, his speech was articulate, precise, and clear. | كَانَ جَهِيرَ الصَّوتِ فِيهِ صَحَل وَنُطْقْهُ مُبَيَّنٌ مُفَصَّل |
| The seal of prophecy lay between his shoulders, as a mark upon his blessed left side. | وَخَاتَمُ النُّبُوَّةِ الـذكـانَ لَهُ بِبُغْضِ يُسْرَاهُ كَزِرِ الْحَجَلَة |
| It resembled a small cluster of moles, a sign that drew believers near. | أو مثل جمع حَوْلَهَا خِلانُ مِثْلُ الثَّالِيـــــل بــــــه تَزْدَانُ |
| He had a hairline, and when his hair parted, he would leave it as is, whether it was divided or together | وَكَانَ ذَا عَقِيقَةٍ إِنْ تَنْفَرِقْ فِرَقُهَا يَتْرُكُهَا إِنْ تَتَّفِق |
| His hair was thick and flowing, sometimes reaching his earlobes, sometimes longer. | شَعَرُهُ مُغْدَوْدِفٌ يُوَقِّرُهُ لِشَحْمَةِ الأُذُنِ وَطَوْراً يَضْفَرُهُ |
| His hair was neither too curly nor too straight, but beautifully between the two. | وَكَانَ رَجُلاً غَيْرَ جَعْدٍ مُفْرِطِ بَلْ كَانَ بَيْنَ سَبَطٍ وَقَطَطِ |
| Only a few grey hairs adorned his head, no more than twenty, even in his later years. | لَمْ يَبْلُغُ الْعِشْرِينَ شَيْبُ الحِيتِه ورَأسِهِ وَكَانَ ذَا مِنْ حِلْيَتِـــــه |
| His feet and hands were broad and strong, his limbs well-formed, he had a nose that had a prominent, slightly curved bridge, often considered a mark of nobility. | وَكَانَ شَثْنَ قَدَمٍ وكَفِ وَسَائَلَ الأَطْرَافِ أَقْنَى الأَنْفِ |
| He had broad forehead and high cheek bones, his forearms were long, and his arms were sturdy. | وَوَاسَعَ الجَبِينَ سَهْل الخَدين شبح الذِرَاعَيْنِ طَوِيلَ الزَّنْدَين |
| His chest was broad, and his beard thick, his neck was graceful and finely shaped. | كَانَ عَرِيضَ الصَّدْرِ كَثَ اللَّحْيَةِ عُنُقَهُ كَمِثل جيــــــد دُمـــيـــة |
| With prominent knuckles and broad shoulders, his arms and thighs were muscular and strong. | ضَحْم الْكَرَادِيسِ جَلِيلَ الْكَتِدِ عَبْلَ الذِرَاعَيْنِ مَعَـا وَالْعَصْدِ |
| His body was free from excess hair, except for a thin line, that ran down his chest, elegant and fine. | أَجْرَدَ ذَا مَسْرُبَةٍ دَقِيقَةً وَعُكْنَة رَائِقَة أَنِيقَة |
| His shoulders had hair which extended to his upper chest and arms. | بِمَنْكِبَيْهِ شَعَرُ وَبِأَعَا لِ الصَّدْرِ مِنْهُ و الذِرَاعَيْنِ مَعَـا |
| The soles of his feet were smooth and firm, water would glide off his feet when poured. | كَانَ مَسِيحَ الْقَدَمَيْنِ يَنْبُو عَنْ قَدَمَيْهِ الْمَاءُ إِذْ يُصَبُّ |
| With high arches in his feet and a defined curve in his calves, his heels were well-defined and prominent. | خمصان الاخمصين ذا حموشة في ساقه وعكب منهوشة |
In these final couplets, the poet masterfully completes the portrait of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), highlighting his exemplary traits with both clarity and beauty. We witness a continuation of his majestic and gentle nature, his dignified presence, and the humility that characterized his interactions with others. As we reflect on these concluding couplets, let us allow their profound message to inspire us to draw nearer to the ideals exemplified by the Prophet (ﷺ).
| When he walked, he moved gracefully, His steps steady, yet fast and assured. | . يُقْبِلُ مَهْمَى يَلْتَفِتْ جَمِيعًا وَكَانَ هَوْناً مَشْيُهُ ذَرِيعَــــــا |
| He would lift his feet smoothly, yet purposefully , as if descending from a slope. | يَزُولُ قَلْعاً إِن مَّشَى وَيَخطُـو تَكَفُّنا كَأَنَّمَا يَنْحَطُ |
| Most of his gaze was a gentle glance, And one of his signs (modesty) was his lowering of the eyes. | مِنْ صَبَبٍ وَكَانَ جُلُّ نَظَرِه لَخَظٌ وَمِنْ سِيمَاهُ غَضُ بَصَرِه |
| When he was pleased, he would turn his whole body, and when angered, he would avert his face. | يَقْلِبُ كَفَّهُ إِذَا هُوَ عَجِبْ بِمَا يُشِيرُ وَيُشِيحُ إِنْ غَضِبَ |
| His face would brighten when he smiled, as if in his beauty was a fragment of the moon. | وَيَسْتَنِيرُ وَجْهُهُ إِذَا يُسَرُ كَأَنَّهُ فِي الحُسْنِ قِطْعَهُ قَمَرُ |
| Often, he would touch his beard, when pondering the matters of the ummah. | وَغَالِياً يُكْثِرُ مَسَّ حِينِه عِنْدَ اهْتِمَامِهِ بِأَمْــــــرِ أُمَّــــــة |
| At times, he would doodle on the ground with stick or staff, reflecting deeply on the needs of his people. | وربما بعُودٍ أو بمِخْصَرة نَكَتَ في الأرضِ لِسِرٍّ أَضْمَرَهُ |
| He would sit wherever space allowed him, And never sought a place of superiority. | يَجْلِسُ حَيْثُ مَجْلِسٌ بِهِ انْتِهَا |
| Prayers be upon him, from his Lord, forever and ever without end. | صَليَّ عَلَيْهِ رَبُّهُ بِلَا انْتِهَا |
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم ولسائر المسلمين من كل ذنب فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرَّحيم
الحمد لله الحمد لله رب العالمين، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، أرسله بشيرا ونذيرا بين يدي الساعة اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك عليه وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين، ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين.
أما بعد! فيأيها الذين ءامنوا اتقوا الله ما استطعتم واسمعوا وأطيعوا وأنفقوا خيرا لأنفسكم. يا عباد الله أوصيكم وإياي بتقوى الله وطاعته
The Shamā’il—the characteristics of the Prophet ﷺbrings us profound benefits that strengthen our Eman and guide our lives, such as:
Firstly, learning about the Prophet’s ﷺ physical appearance, character, and personal habits deepens our love and attachment to him. As Allah says in the Qur’an,
ٱلنَّبِيُّ أَوۡلَىٰ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ مِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡۖ
“The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves” (33:6). He (ﷺ) himself said,
لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ”.
“None of you will have perfect Eman until he loves me more than his father, his children, and all mankind” (Bukhari).
Secondly, it inspires imitation of his character. The Prophet (ﷺ) is the epitome of virtue, and studying his characteristics inspires us to emulate his compassion, humility, and kindness. The Prophet (ﷺ) also said, “I have been sent to perfect good character” (Ahmad). By following his example, we can cultivate these virtues in our own lives.
Thirdly, exploring the Shamā’il connects us to the rich history of Islam, making it more personal and tangible. Furthermore, reflecting on the Prophet’s characteristics and his relationship with Allah (SWT) nourishes our souls. The Qur’an advises us to وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ “Obey Allah and the Messenger so that you may be shown mercy” (3:132). And more than, the Shamā’il offers ethical and moral guidance through the Prophet’s actions and decisions. The Qur’an praises his character, stating, “And indeed, you are of a great moral character” (68:4). The Prophet (ﷺ) also said, “The most beloved of you to me and the closest to me in the Hereafter will be those of you who have the best character” (Tirmidhi).
Scholars have always affirmed that the perfection of Islam is reflected in the perfection of its emissary. Every aspect of the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) being, including his physical form, embodies this perfection. As scholars have noted, “Heﷺ was the epitome of beauty, characterized by both awe-inspiring majesty and radiant light. Unlike Nabi Yusuf ﷺ whose partial beauty caused women to marvel and cut their hands, those who saw the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) were not merely stunned but deeply moved by his complete and unparalleled grace.”
May Allah grant us the sincerity and dedication to truly embody the noble qualities of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) in every aspect of our lives.
إِنَّ اللهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ، يَا أَيُهَا الذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً.
اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمدٍ في الأولين، وصلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمدٍ في الآخرين، وصلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمدٍ في الملأ الأعلى إلى يوم الدين.
وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ وَعُثْمَانَ وَعَلِيٍّ، وعن أم المومنين عائشة التي أمرنا الله في سورة النور أن ندافع عنها، وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، خُصُوصاً اِلأَنْصَارَ مِنْهُمْ وَالمُهَاجِرِينَ، وَعَنِ التَّابِعِينَ وَتَابِعِي التَّابِعِينَ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ وُلَاةَ أُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ لِمَا يُرْضِيكَ وَلِاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَهُمْ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ المُسْتَقِيمِ، وَأَصْلِحْهُمْ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى شُيُوخِنَا، وَعَلَى رئيسنا، وَعَلَى أَمِيرِنَا، وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ أُمَرَاءِ وَزُعَمَاءِ المُسْلِمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى المُسْلِمِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، وَوَفِّقْهُمْ لِمَا تُحِبُّهُ وَتَرْضَاهُ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.
اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلَامَ وَالمُسِْلمِينَ،. ربنا آتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الآخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار.
إِنَّ اللهَ يَامُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى، وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ، يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَّكَّرُونَ، وَلَذِكْرُ اللهِ أَكْبَرُ وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ. وَقُومُواْ إِلَى صَلاتِكُمْ يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ.
