The First Way
In order to know the sublime character or personality of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, we should consider the following four points:
THE FIRST POINT: As expressed in the famous Arabic adage, “Having eyes dark from birth as if darkened with kohl is not the same as having eyes darkened with kohl,” anything superficial or artificial cannot substitute for something genuine and original. Therefore, affectation cannot be lasting and persuasive, and one’s nature or character reveals it in a very short time.
THE SECOND POINT: It is sincerity and dignity that connect character sublimity with the ground of truth. Like blood circulating in the veins, what maintains sincerity and gives order to all the dimensions of good character is just honesty and trustworthiness. When sincerity, honesty and trustworthiness are lost, the character “withers away.”
THE THIRD POINT: Things compatible and consistent with one another attract and are attracted to one another, while repulsive and contradicting things do not like to be together. This is true for both the social and spiritual/moral realms.
THE FOURTH POINT: A judgment that is given or valid for a whole may not be valid for each of its parts. (Although this is a generally true fact, Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, is an exception to it. That is, no act or state of Prophet Muhammad contradicts his Prophethood.)
Considering these four important general rules, we can look at the personality, conduct, and works of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. As confirmed and admitted even by his enemies, the most admirable, praiseworthy qualities and virtues combined in this person and formed such a character that, in accordance with the rule that repulsive and contradicting elements do not like to be together, as the angels of heaven do not like to be together with the devils of the earth, so too the character of the Prophet formed of the most sublime qualities, such as honesty, trustworthiness, and honor, never stooped to lying or deceiving. Rather, he absolutely swerved away from such behavior. The spirit of this character, from which it derives its life, is absolute truthfulness; Prophet Muhammad always spoke and acted truly. Like an ever-shining light, this proves his Prophethood.
A REMINDER
O brothers and sisters! Do you not think that if a man is renowned only for his courage, he will not stoop easily to lying so as not to taint the honor his courage has gained him? So, how can one who combined all sublime qualities in his person stoop to lying?
AN INDICATION AND A REMINDER
We see today that the space between truth and falsehood is no greater than the space between two fingers. Both are sold in the same market. However, the space between truth and lies was not greater in any period of history than in the Age of Happiness, the age of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings. Truth displayed its beauty to the greatest degree in that age and caused Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who had this characteristic to the greatest extent, to rise to the highest point of honor. Truth realized the greatest revolution of history through him and opened the space between it and lies and falsehood to be as great as the extent between the farthest east and the farthest west. It was the most precious thing and enjoyed the greatest demand. On the other hand, being something which reduces even the greatest enterprises to a corpse, lying was exhibited in all its ugliness and cast people like Musaylima the Liar to the lowest of the low. Being a poison, it lost its share in the market among the Muslims.
The Arab Muslims of that time, who were extremely careful of their honor, completely rejected the lie, which brought no profit, and pursued the truth as if in competition with one another. Other peoples had to admit their justice and the justice of the Prophet’s Companions in the sense of truthfulness. It was because of this that the Prophet’s Companions were regarded as truthful narrators of the Prophet’s Traditions.
GUIDANCE AND AN INDICATION
History, including particularly the biographies of Prophet Muhammad, is unanimously in agreement that Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, whose life has been thoroughly recorded, and is known in the greatest detail available in history, did not tell the smallest lie before he was forty, the age when he was appointed as Prophet, and was known as Muhammad the Trustworthy. In addition, he never stooped to deception; he preserved his chastity to the utmost degree during his youth, when carnal desires are experienced to the most inflaming degree; he was always known to have, and accepted as having, the most sublime character; he was perfectly balanced in all his acts. There was nothing in history recorded about him that opposed these facts. When every person reaches forty years of age, they have formed an established character, which shows very few observable changes later. Therefore, one who does not admit that the great revolution which Prophet Muhammad realized after he was forty was based on absolute truth should blame themselves. For such a person must be nursing a Sophist in his or her mind. Even in the most perilous conditions, such as when he sheltered in the Cave of Thawr together with his closest friend, Abu Bakr, during the emigration to Madina, and when there was no visible sign of escape, the Prophet acted in the greatest confidence and feeling of security. This attitude of his alone shows his utmost certainty in his mission and his unshakable confidence in God, Who sent him as a Prophet; this alone is enough to prove his truthfulness in his claim of Prophethood.
Said Nursi