Islamic Role Models — Companions and Family of the Prophet ﷺ

Hadith narration: عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلیٰ أَبِي سَيْفٍ الْقَيْنِ وَكَانَ ظِئْرًا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقَبَّلَهٗ وَشَمَّهٗ "(مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه that we went with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to the house of Abu Saif the blacksmith, who was the foster father of Sayyiduna Ibrahim. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took Ibrahim, kissed him, and smelled him. (Mutafaqun alayh — Bukhari and Muslim) (Mir’at al-Manajih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Vol. 2, Hadith No. 1722)

وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ يَجُودُ بِنَفْسِهِ فَجَعَلَتْ عَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَدْرِفَانِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَأَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ؟ فَقَالَ: " يَا ابْنَ عَوْفِ إِنَّهَا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَهَا بِأَخْرَى فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَينَ تَدْمَعُ وَالْقَلْبَ يَحْزَنُ وَلَا تَقُولُ إِلَّا مَا يُرْضِي رَبَّنَا وَإِنَّا بِفِرَاقِكَ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ لَمَحْزُونُونَ مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ When Sayyiduna Ibrahim was nearing his passing, the eyes of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to shed tears. Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Auf رضي الله عنه asked, “O Messenger of Allah, are you also crying?” He ﷺ replied, “O son of Auf, this is mercy,” and then he wept again. He said, “The eyes shed tears and the heart feels sorrow, but we say only what pleases our Lord. Indeed, we are saddened by your separation, O Ibrahim.” (Mutafaqun alayh — Bukhari and Muslim) (Mir’at al-Manajih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Vol. 2, Hadith No. 1722)

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قبل النبي الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنهما، وعنده الأقرع بن حابس، فقال الأقرع‏:‏ إن لي عشرة من الولد ما قبلت منهم أحدًا‏.‏ فنظر إليه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال‏:‏ *من لا يرحم لا يرحم Once, Sayyiduna Aqra bin Habis رضي الله عنه saw that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was showing love and affection by kissing Sayyiduna Imam Hasan and Sayyiduna Imam Hussain رضي الله عنهما. He then said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I have ten children, but I have never kissed any of them.” The Beloved Prophet ﷺ looked at him and said, “He who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting with the companions رضی الله عنهم when a child came and went to his father. The father stroked (gently) the child’s head and placed him on his right thigh. After a while, his daughter also came to the gathering and went to her father. He stroked (gently) her head and then seated her on the ground beside him. The Holy Prophet ﷺ asked, “Why did you not place her on your other thigh?” Upon hearing this, the father placed the daughter on his other thigh. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said, “Now you have shown justice.” (Reference: Mawsu’at Ibn Abi Dunya, Vol. 8, Page 23, Hadith: 36) Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمه الله عليه, said: If you have several children, give equally to all. Do not prefer one over another without a valid religious reason. (Reference: Rights of Children, Page 19)