What would Muhammad do?

The phrase "What would Jesus do?" is a popular personal motto for Christians who use the phrase as a reminder of their belief that Jesus is the example to be followed in daily life, and to act in a manner of which Jesus would approve. Many Christians use this phrase especially with young children.

I wish that Muslims can use the phrase "What would Muhammad do?" or "What would Jesus do?", since Jesus is recognized as a compassionate prophet who should be admired and heeded as an example.

However, before we consider what either of them would do, we should be actually sure that this is what they would really do, and not base it on narrations that could be false or inaccurate.

A distorted view of what Muhammad would do

Unfortunately many Muslims often have a distorted view of what Muhammad would do because a lot of their perceptions about him come from hadiths that contradict with the Quran's description of him as a compassionate, caring and flexible prophet, and the vast number of hadiths that confirm that image.

Based on evidence, the prophet always gave breaks to people who asked for them. Why don't we take the spirit of these hadiths and say "what would Muhammad do if I asked him if I could combine and reduce the number of rakaas because I am tired?" He would probably be compassionate and give me a break. Is there any evidence that he would say, "sorry, tough luck. You're gonna have to suck it up"? He never said that to anyone.

It's tricky because a lot of our perception of how Muhammad would handle certain situations is built on weak hadiths that are contrary to how his wife Aisha described him "his morals were the Quran".

We rarely stop to think if a hadith was actually reflective of his other morals and rapport with his friends and family.

For example, there are many hadiths that damn Muslims for petty things like plunking eyebrows, while the Quran never damned Muslims for such things. Damning is a serious thing and it was reserved in the Quran for very serious offenses. Yet such hadiths are often more familiar to Muslims than the ayahs that talk about love and compassion and kindness towards Muslims. These hadiths skew a Muslim perception of Muhammad to a person who just wants to make things difficult for people. Instead of deterring his friends from doing things by compassion, Muhammad is painted as a man who intimidates them by telling them that God will damn them if they plunk their eyebrows, extend their hair, beautify their teeth, or masturbate.

Examine these hadiths

"لعن الله ناكح يده"
"God damned him who has sex with his own hand."

"لعن الله الشارب قبل الطالب"
"God damned him who drinks before asking."

"لعن الله النامصة والمتنمصة"
"God damned women who plunks her eyebrows and women who are hired to plunk eyebrows."

"لعن الله الواصلة والمستوصلة"
"God damned her attached extensions to her hair or who is hired to do this."

"لعن الله المتفلجات"
"God damned women who make a gap between there upper front teeth for beautifying reasons."

"لعن الله الواشمات والمستوشمات"
"God damned women who get tattoos or who are hired to give tattoos."

"لعن الله قوما كثرت أعيادهم"
"God damned those who have too many holidays."

"لعن الله قوما حكمتهم امرأة"
"God damned a nation who is led by a women."

"لعن الله زائرات القبور"
"God damned women who visit graves."

"لعن الله قوما يأكلون وفوقهم المزامير"
"God damned people who eat while there is a clarinet playing above them."

"لعن الله قوماً اتخذوا قبور أنبيائهم مساجد"
"God damned a people who made mosques out of their prophets' graves."

"لعن رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- النائحة والمستمعة"
"The Prophet, PBUH, damned the woman who cries over a dead one and the woman who listens to her do it."

"لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء والمتشبهات من النساء بالرجال"
"The Prophet, PBUH, damned men who act like women and women who act like men."

"إن الله لا ينظر إلى الصف الأعوج"
"God does not look at the crooked line."

How do these hadiths shape our perception of God and Muhammad?

Have any of us stopped to think if this is something that the Prophet would say to his friends? Would the Prophet really damn his friends over things like these? The Prophet had the morals of the Quran and the Quran never cursed Muslims.

What kind of friend goes around damning his friends for petty things? That doesn't sound like a person people would be comfortable being around. It sounds like a repulsive person people would run away from.

The Quran was gentle when dealing with Muslims, and described the prophet also as being gentle and kind, which was the reason for his success. The following are ayah that describe Muhammad's compassion.

"لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ"
(التوبة: 128 )

"Now has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that you should experience hardship: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and compassionate." (9:128)

"فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ" (آل عمران: 159)

"It is part of the Mercy of God that you dealt gently with them. If you had been severe or harsh-hearted, they would have been repulsed by you: so pass over (their faults), and ask for (God's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then, when you have taken a decision, put you trust in God. For God loves those who put their trust (in Him)." (3:159)

Many of the hadiths mentioned above are more familiar to some Muslims than the ayahs in the Quran that talk about the love and compassion that God has towards people.

For some reason, the following hadiths are not very popular amoung Muslims. I am not sure about their authenticity, but they seem descriptive of a compassionate person, and I don't think there are motives for anyone to fabricate them.

"قيل يا رسول الله ادع على المشركين قال إني لم أبعث لعانا وإنما بعثت رحمة"
The prophet was asked to damn the pagens, he said, "I was not sent as a damner, I was sent as compassion."

"ليس المؤمن بطعّان ولا لعّان ولا فاحش ولا بذيء"
"A believer is not a defamer, nor a damner, and he is not obscene nor vulgar."

"لا تلاعنوا بلعنة الله ولا بغضبه ولا بالنار"
"Do not damn each other by saying God damn you or invoke God's wrath or Hell."

"لعن المؤمن كقتله"
"Damning a believer is just as bad as killing him (It is a severe offense)."

"لا ينبغي لصديق أن يكون لعانا ولا يكون اللعانون شهداء ولا شفعاء يوم القيامة"
"A friend should not be a damner; damners will not be intercessors on the day of Resurrection."