§9. Abû Mûsâ Muhammad bin al-Muthanna narrated to us; Muhammad bin Ja`far narrated to us; Shu`bah narrated to us; from Simâk bin Harb; who said that he heard Jâbir bin Samurah (RA) saying,The Messenger of Allâh, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, had a wide mouth; eyes, the white of which had a red tinge; and lean heels. [1]Shu`bah said, 'I asked Simâk what the meaning of "wide mouth" was and he replied, "a large mouth." I asked him what the meaning of "ashkal eyes" was and he replied, "wide eyes." I asked him what the meaning of "manhûs heels" was and he replied, "of little flesh on the heels".'
"The Messenger of Allâh, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, had a wide mouth," (Q) This is a praiseworthy feature in the view of the Arabs and an expression denoting the peak of eloquence and clarity in speech. "Eyes, the white of which had a red tinge; and lean heels. Shu'bah said: I asked Simâk what the meaning of 'wide mouth' was and he replied, 'a large mouth.' (Q) This is the opinion of the majority, and it is also said that the meaning is 'having large teeth.' (M) but this is incorrect. "I asked him what the meaning of 'ashkal eyes' was and he replied, 'wide eyes'," (Q) Qadî `Ayâd said, 'This is an error on the part of Simâk and the correct position is the position agreed upon by the scholars and all those who explained the difficult words [occurring in the ahâdîth]: shaklah is a redness in the white of the eye and this is an extremely praiseworthy feature in the view of the Arabs; shahlah is a redness in the black of the eye. Bayhaqî records on the authority of `Alı, may Allâh ennoble his face, that, "He, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, had large eyes, long eyelashes, and his eyes had a tinge of red".' (M) al-Hâfiż al-`Irâqî said, 'This feature is one of the signs of prophethood, when he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, journeyed to Syria with Maysirah and the monk asked about him, amongst the things that Maysirah said was, "His eyes have a red tinge to them", to which the monk said, "That is him, that is him".' (Q) Bukhârî records that he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, would be able to see at night, in the dark, as he was able to see during the day, in the light. [2]Bukhârî and Muslim record that he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said, "Your bowing and prostrating is not hidden from me for I can see you behind my back," perhaps this is specific to the state of prayer [3] and as such it does not contradict the narration, "I do not know what is on the other side of that wall"; even though this report is not authentic, [4]were one to assume that it was, it is possible to explain that it means, 'I do not know without Allâh first having informed me.' This explanation is strengthened by the fact that when his, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, camel went missing, and some of the hypocrites used this occasion as an opportunity to bring to question the veracity of his Prophethood, he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, said, "All I know is what my Lord has taught me, and He has directed me to it, it is in such and such a place and its nose-band has been caught by a tree," and the people found it exactly as he had described. [The keenness of his sight was such that] as-Suhaylî records that he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, could see ten stars of the Pleiades and in ash-Shifâ it is mentioned that he could see twelve. "I asked him what the meaning of 'manhûs heels' was and he replied, 'of little flesh on the heels'."
§10. Hannâd bin as-Sarrî narrated to us; 'Abthar bin al-Qâsim narrated to us; from Ash`âth – i.e. ibn Sawwâr; from Abû Ishâq; from Jâbir bin Samurah (RA) who said,I saw the Messenger of Allâh, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, on a clear night wearing a red hulla and I paused and looked at him and then the moon and found that, in my view, he was more beautiful than the moon. [5](M) The hadîth is authentically reported on the authority of Jâbir and al-Barâ´a bin `آzib as stated by al-Bukhârı, as such the statement of an-Nasâ´î that the report to Jâbir is a mistake and what is preserved is the report of al-Barâ´a, is a mistake."I saw the Messenger of Allâh, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, on a clear night", (Q) in some narrations it is mentioned that it was the eighth night of the month. "Wearing a red hulla" (Q) This was said to show that his clothing was a further cause to ponder his, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, beauty, or he mentioned it just to state what he was wearing and to show that he had precisely memorized the incident such that it was as if he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, was before his eyes. "And I paused and looked at him," (Q) meaning looked at his, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, face. " And found that, in my view," (Q) This is not to show that only he had this view, for he, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, is like this in the view of every Muslim who sees him with the light of Prophethood, in contrast to those who are blind as Allâh, Mighty and Magnificent informs us, "You see them looking at you but not seeing," [6]i.e. not seeing your beauty and your perfection because of the deficiency of their sight, just like the weak of sight who is unable to look at the light of the sun without injuring his eyes. "He was more beautiful than the moon," (Q) because his light is clear in the horizons and in the souls, this coupled with his physical and spiritual beauty. The light of his, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, face is intrinsic to it, it never leaves it, but the light of the moon is something that does not belong to it, indeed it is borrowed, sometimes it fades and sometimes disappears altogether in an eclipse. (M) The report of ibn al-Jawzî and others on the authority of Jabir has, "in my eyes" in place of, "in my view". Abû Nu`aym records on the authority of Abû Bakr that, "His face was like the halo of the moon." ad-Dârimî records on the authority of ar-Rabî` bint Mu`awwidh, "Were you to see him, sallAllâhu `alayhi wa sallam, you would have thought the sun had risen." [7]
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1. Reported by Muslim [al-Fadā'il], at-Tirmidhı [al-Manāqib].
2. az-Zurqānı [5/262] said, 'I have not found it in Bukhārı, instead I have found that as-Suyūţı and others referred it to al-Bayhaqı and said that it was ĥasan. I say: perhaps it is ĥasan due to witnesses for as-Suhaylı said, "It is not strong and ibn Diĥyā declared it da'ıf because it has weakness." If this is the case how can it possibly be in Bukhārı?!' 'A'ishah also reports that he (SAW) could see just as well in the dark as in the light, this was recorded by al-Bayhaqı. It was declared da'ıf by ibn al-Jawzı and al-Bayhaqı, and mawdū' by adh-Dhahabı as per al-Munāwı, Fayd al-Qadır [5/215]. Some scholars such as az-Zurqānı and as-Suyūţi viewed the ĥadıth ĥasan due to supports. Allāh knows best.
3. This is the position that ibn Ĥajr said was the most obvious in al-Fatĥ and declared with certainty in Talkhış al-Ĥabır.
4. as-Sakhāwı, al-Maqāşid al-Ĥasanah, quotes ibn Ĥajr saying that it has no basis.
5. Reported by at-Tirmidhı [al-Adab].
6. al-A'rāf (7): 198
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