A Day in the Life of Prophet Muhammad(SAW)

In the Streets of Madinah

The Prophet's walk was marked by strength and purpose.

There was nothing in his walk like the affected airs that we often

see public figures put on. As he walked, he lifted his legs as if he

was pulJing them off the ground, and proceeded forward as though

he was walking down a slope. Whoever saw him realized that he

was neither weak nor lazy. When he turned, he turned with all his

body. His companions walked either ahead or around him, but

never behind him. No two men ever stepped over his heels.

This was a mark of his humility. He never walked ahead of his

companions, leaving them to follow him as done by many leaders.

He did not accept that his companions should look humble or

trailing him. He simply walked with and among them.

When he walked, he might use a stick or a date branch. He

might also hold a small stick or one with a semi-circular top. This

was a custom of the Arabs, because such tools were often needed in

their community.

The Prophet might be met by a maid servant and she would

take him by the hand. He would go with her wherever she wanted

so as to help her with whatever she needed. He might go with her

on her errands, without taking his hand off her hand until she went

back.

The Prophet smiled whenever he met anyone. J arir ibn

'Abdullah said: "Whenever God's messenger met me he would

smile to me."

His was a radiant, welcoming smile, giving the person meeting

him a feeling that it was special for him. Jarir appears to have

thought that the Prophet did that especially for him and he was

keen to report it in appreciation. In fact the Prophet  lid that with

all people. ' Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Jaz' says: "I never saw

anyone who smiled more often than God's messenger (peace be

upon him) ."

If during his walk the Prophet met some boys, he would greet

them and wipe their faces with his hand. Jabir ibn Samurah reports:

"The Prophet went out one day and I was with him. Some boys met him and he wiped the cheeks of each one of them. He also

wiped my cheek and I noticed that his hand was cold and smdled

fine, as if he had just taken it out of a basket of perfumes. My

cheek that the Prophet wiped remained better than my other

cheek."

The Prophet used to visit the Ansar in their quarters. Boys of

the Ansar might come to him and walk around him. He would pray

for them, rub their heads and greet them.

One day he passed by the quarters of al-Najjar clan. Maids of

the Ansar received him, playing on their tambourines and singing: