PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S ﷺ COURAGE
Courage according to various dictionaries it means, bravery ormental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.Courage is one the best attributes which a man can posses. Courage is one of the noblest characteristics of men. It is the sign of strength, and the dignity of theUmmah (Muslim nation) depends on it. From the seerah of Prophet Muhammad we can find that he was one of the most courageous person among the people. Many a times because of his courage enemies ran away from the battle field.
The Prophet (S), was the most courageous of men as the armies of his enemies and the leaders of the disbelievers fled when they had to face him in many decisive confrontations. He, would face difficult situations and hardship with a steadfast heart and strong faith.
Anas(R) confirmed the bravery of the Prophet, with an incident that happened to the people of Madeenah. One night, they were terrified when they heard a loud noise, so they set out to know the cause of it. On their way, they were met by the Prophet, who was riding a horse, carrying his sword, ready to defend the people against any intruders. He, comforted the people of Madeenah, saying: “Don't be afraid, don't be afraid.” (At that time) he was riding a horse belonging to Abu Talha and it was naked without a saddle, and he was carrying a sword slung at his neck. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I found it (the horse) like a sea, or, it is the sea indeed." Sahih al-Bukhari 6033 (Vol. 8, Book 73, Hadith 59) and Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 1, Book 24, Hadith 2772
Another incident that proves the courage of the Prophet, was when the disbelievers conspired to kill him. They prepared their men, and so about fifty of them surrounded his house, but the Prophet, was steadfast and was not at all afraid. He slept and did not worry about them. Then, at midnight, he went out courageously, and threw dust in their faces. He set out and left ‘Ali in his place.
During the journey to Madina, the Prophet, comforted Abu Bakr(R) in the cave while the disbelievers were surrounding it, by saying courageously to him while being confident of the protection of Allaah The Almighty. Prophet said, 'Do not grieve, for Allah is with us."Sahih al-Bukhari 3652 (Vol. 5, Book 57, Hadith 4)
On another occasion, the Prophet, sought shade under a tree to take a nap as he was tired because of a battle he had fought in, and so he hung his sword on a branch of the tree. While he was in this state, one of the disbelievers approached him, took his sword, and then said, “Who can save you from me?” The Prophet, replied like a hero without any fear, saying: “Allaah.” The man dropped his sword in terror, and so he, got up, took his sword courageously and said to him: “[Now] who can save you from me?” So he sheathed it (i.e. the sword) and sat down, and here he is." But Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not punish him..” Sahih al-Bukhari 4139 (Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 460
Narrated by Ali(R): When the fighting became fierce and the two armies met, we used to seek the protection of the Prophet(S), would be the nearest to the enemy.” Musnad Ahmad 1042
It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abbas who said: I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Day of Hunain. I and Abd Sufyan b. Harith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib stuck to the Messenaer of Allah (ﷺ) and we did not separate from him. And the Messenger of Allah (may place be upon him) was riding on his white mule which had been presented to him by Farwa b. Nufitha al-Judhami. When the Muslims had an encounter with the disbelievers, the Muslims fled, falling back, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) began to spur his mule towards the disbelievers. I was holding the bridle of the mule of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) checking it from going very fast, and Abu Sufyan was holding the stirrup of the (mule of the) Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who said: Abbas, call out to the people of al-Samura. Abbas (who was a man with a loud voice) called out at the top of the voice: Where are the people of Samura? (Abbas said: ) And by God, when they heard my voice, they came back (to us) as cows come back to their calves, and said: We are present, we are present! 'Abbas said: They began to fight the infidels. Then there was a call to The Ansar. Those (who called out to them) shouted: O ye party of the Ansar! O party of the Ansar! Banu al-Harith b. al-Khazraj were the last to be called. Those (who called out to them) shouted: O Banu Al-Harith b. al-Khazraj! O BanU Harith b. al-Khazraj! And the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was riding on his mule looked at their fight with his neck stretched forward and he said: This is the time when the fight is raging hot. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took (some) pebbles and threw them in the face of the infidels. Then he said: By the Lord of Muhammad, the infidels are defeated. 'Abbas said: I went round and saw that the battle was in the same condition in which I had seen it. By Allah, it remained in the same condition until he threw the pebbles. I continued to watch until I found that their force had been spent out and they began to retreat. Sahih Muslim 1775
The strength of the Prophet, was never misused, as ‘Aa’isha said, “The Prophet never beat anything with his hand, not a woman nor a servant, except if he was fighting in the cause of Allah The Almighty. He also never took revenge from anyone who harmed him, but if the limits of Allah The Almighty were transgressed he would then take revenge for His sake, The Exalted and Glorious.’’ Sahih al-Bukhari 6786 (Vol. 8, Book 81, Hadith 777)
Narrated Anas bin Malik(R): The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men." Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 (Vol. 8, Book 75, Hadith 380)
The Prophet, set a great example as his actions were appropriate to each situation. He was courageous, strong, merciful and compassionate at the times when courage, strength, mercy or compassion was called for.
Finally, we say that it is sufficient honor for a courageous believer to be loved by Allaah The Almighty, Strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than the weak believer.
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “A believer who is strong (and healthy) is better and dearer to Allah than the weak believer, but there is goodness in both of them. Be keen on what benefits you and seek help from Allah, and do not give up. If anything afflicts you do not say, ‘If I had done such and such things, such and such would have happened.’ But say, ‘Allah decrees and what He wills He does,’ for (the utterance) ‘If I had’ provides an opening for the deeds of the devil.” Sahih Muslim 2664