Hazrat Imam Muhyi-ud-Din Munir A. Azim
Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam
Today, we are living in a fast-forward global society where outer beauty has become the norm and fashion. From grooming products and the use and application of beauty hacks, the fashion industry is trying to sell the idea that beauty is intrinsically linked to one’s physique. But beauty, the real one is within one’s own heart, mind and soul. It is working for the beautification of the world by beginning this blessed work with one’s own self. This is what the Holy Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – of Islam has taught mankind through his living example.
In one of his sayings, the Holy Prophet – peace be upon him – is narrated to have said: “Allah (God Almighty) is beauty and He loves beauty.” (Muslim)
Verily, the beauty which God Almighty truly seeks in a person is his inner beauty. The way the person conducts himself, the way he talks, the way he behaves with others, the way he accomplishes all his spiritual and worldly duties with integrity, honesty, trust in Him [God Almighty] and the joy of humility is what truly counts.
Indeed, humility is a light which drives someone to plunge into the Ocean of the Knowledge of God to perfect himself in it, and the perfect man who received this boon from the Almighty is the Holy Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him. For all Muslims and for the entire world he is to this day the only leader who though poor and humble, had conquered the world to the unity of God through connecting his own heart to the people. He had in him the courage and inspiration from God Almighty to encourage all those who chose to follow him to the heights of success. In just twenty-three years, he was able to reform a barbarous and ignorant people and shown to them the basics of true life and connect them to the Creator Who has them and the whole world within the grip of His Power.
That success came from the beauty of his character, the beauty of his words – which were not just mere spoken words but words which were put into practice. That beauty was beauty from the beauty of Allah Who secured him in the beauty of Divine Revelations, Divine Guidance. That beauty was reflected in his kindness to the young and old, to the men and women, to his wives and children, and most astonishingly, even to his adversaries and enemies who saw Islam as a threat to their dogmas.
Kindness flowed from him as a Sign of God. A poignant example of that kindness and perfection was reflected when during the conquest of Mecca, at the height of the victory of Islam in the land of Arabia, after years of suffering, he encountered the murderer of his daughter Zainab who was pregnant at the time of her death. On that day, he forgave all of them, even the murderer, and he hoped and prayed that humankind would understand that forgiveness is a plant which should be watered with the water of mercy. That was a great display of the beauty of his character. He lived only to spread the Divine Message and to encourage the people towards the practice of good and to shun all evils.
God Almighty is beautiful. Though we never saw God, but we feel and even see the marvel of His beauty through the mastery with which He created mankind and the whole universe. And in that universe, He placed us to worship Him, Him the Creator, the Master of all mankind and all that exist, whether known and unknown to us in our limited knowledge.
And one of the beauties He sent to mankind is His prophets who are the guiding lights to lead all souls to the Source of Light. And from among all the prophets, the last law-bearing one He sent to mankind is none but His beloved prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him.
If God is beauty and loves beauty, then we should bear in mind all the commandments He has laid down in His Sacred Scriptures and which direct mankind on how to acquire that beauty without falling prey to the darkness of evil. If God is beauty, then Satan or the Spirit of Evil is Ugliness incarnate. We should all bear this in mind, and mould our lives in the model of the prophets, whether we are Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus or from any other religion; just bear in mind that all religions are primarily dogmas of monotheism, preaching the Unity of God Almighty, and all religions have received their prophets who had come as a mercy for their peoples, and shown such beauty which could shake the world and bring it to its knees in appreciation of the marvels of God Almighty, as a sign of His All Power and Kindness unto mankind.
In reminiscence of the Holy Prophet of Islam’s lifetime, and his life mission as well as all the rest of the blessed prophets of God Almighty, let us all mould our lives as per their lives and characters and allow the divine light within us – with the permission of the Lord – which shall enhance both our inner and outer beauty.