The Prophet's (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) Conduct towards his Companions (Radhi Allahu Anhum)

As for his conduct towards his Companions  (Radhi Allahu Anhum) he   was commanded to be patient with those who called upon their Lord morning and evening seeking His Countenance and not to let his eyes overlook them [1] and to pardon them, seek forgiveness for them, consult them [2] and pray for them. [3] And He   commanded him to cut off relations with those who disobey him and stay away from him, until they repented to Allah, as he   did with the three who were left behind.

And He commanded him to implement the legal punishments upon them, regardless of whether they were eminent or humble. And He   commanded him to repel his enemies among the devils from mankind by that which is better and to answer a bad deed with a good deed and to respond to ignorance with gentleness and to injustice with pardon and to cutting off relations by mending them and He informed him that if he did that, his enemy would become as though he was a close friend. [4]

And He   commanded him to repel his enemies among the devils from the Jinn by seeking protection with Allah from them; and He   combined both of the Commands for him in three places in the Qur'an: (i) Surah Al-A'raf, (ii) Surah Al-Mu'minun and (iii) Surah Fussilat. And He listed for him in the Verse in Surah Al-A'raf all noble traits of character, for the one placed in authority over the Muslims has three ways with regard to those in his charge: There are rights upon them which they must discharge and there are commands which he   orders them to implement and it is inevitable that there will be remiss or neglectful with regard His rights upon them.  So he was commanded to take from the obligations which were upon them those things which they did willingly and which were easy for them and which were not a hardship for them and that is the (aforementioned) pardon. And Allah commanded him to order them to observe Al-'Urf (kindness)- and that is what is understood by the rational mind and the sound Fitrah [5]- and not Al-'Unf (harshness).

And he   was commanded to respond to their ignorance with avoidance. This was his manner of conduct towards those who live in the earth - both the humans and the jinn among them and the  Believers and the disbelievers among them.





[1] See Surah Al-Kahf 18:28.
[2] See Surah Al 'Imran 3:159.
[3] See Surah At-Tawbah 9:103.
[4] See Suah Fussilat 41:34.
[5] Fitrah: The innate sense of what is true and right.



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