Shamaail – Hadith 6

حدثني إبراهيم بن محمد من ولد علي بن أبي طالب قال : كان علي رضي الله عنه إذا وصف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : لم يكن رسول الله بالطويل الممغط ، ولا بالقصير المتردد ، وكان ربعة من القوم ، لم يكن بالجعد القطط ، ولا بالسبط ، كان جعدا رجلا ، ولم يكن بالمطهم ولا بالمكلثم ، وكان في وجهه تدوير أبيض مشرب ، أدعج العينين ، أهدب الأشفار ، جليل المشاش والكتد ، أجرد ذو مسربة ، شثن الكفين والقدمين ، إذا مشى تقلع كأنما ينحط في صبب ، وإذا التفت التفت معا ، بين كتفيه خاتم النبوة ، وهو خاتم النبيين ، أجود الناس صدرا ، وأصدق الناس لهجة ، وألينهم عريكة ، وأكرمهم عشرة ، من رآه بديهة هابه ، ومن خالطه معرفة أحبه ، يقول ناعته : لم أر قبله ولا بعده مثله صلى الله عليه وسلم.

It is related from Ebrahim bin Muhammad (Radiyallahu Anhu), who is from the grandsons of Hadhrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu), that whenever Hadhrat Ali (Radiyallahu Anhu) described the noble features of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), he used to say, “Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was neither very tall nor very short, rather he was a person of medium height among the people. His hair was neither completely curly nor completely straight, but it was slightly curly and wavy. (As far as the built of his body was concerned), he was not fat in size, nor was his face completely round, rather his mubaarak face was slightly round (i.e. he did not have a fully round face nor a fully elongated face, but in between the two). The complexion of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was white with a tinge of redness in it. The (pupil of the) mubaarak eyes of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam) was pitch black. His eye lashes were long. The joints of the body (e.g. elbows, knees etc.) were large. Likewise, the portion between the two shoulders was broad and fully fleshed (i.e. well developed and well-built). There was no hair on his mubaarak body (i.e. Apart from the normal hair that men have on certain parts of the body). (Some people have excessive amount of hair on their body, however Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) did not have hair on his body besides those parts of the body which men normally have hair like the arms and legs etc.). He had a thin line of hair running from the chest to the navel. The hands and feet of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) were fully fleshed (i.e. well developed). When he walked, he lifted his feet with vigour, as though it (his appearance of humility while walking) seemed as if he was descending a slope. When he addressed any person he used to turn his entire body towards that person. (He did not suffice on only turning his face towards the person he addressed as this manner of address is one of disregard and indifference towards the one being addressed, and at times it can be considered as an attitude of pride. Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to turn his full attention towards the person he addressed while turning his chest and body towards him. Some Ulama have translated this portion of the Hadith in the following manner that when Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) addressed anyone, he used to turn his face completely towards that person, and did not give a side glance. However, this is not a suitable translation as the words imply that he did not only turn his face towards the one he addressed, rather he turned his face as well as his body towards him). The seal of prophethood was situated between his mubaarak shoulders. He was the last of all Ambiyaa. He was the most generous at heart and the most truthful. He was the most compassionate and kind-hearted and came from a most noble family. (In essence he was the most honoured and greatest of every human being in his heart, tongue, character, temperament, nature and family lineage and everything associated with his mubaarak personality and ways was of the most noble and of the best). Any person who had seen him suddenly was overcome with fear (i.e. Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had such a great, dignified and awesome personality, that any person who had seen him and come into contact with him for the first time, would become overcome with fear on account of his awe-inspiring personality. Firstly, the physical form of beauty and splendour found within a person has a natural awe, added to this when other attributes of perfection are joined to it, then one can well imagine the additional beauty and awe that will be created within the person. Besides this, among the special attributes and qualities granted to Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) from the side of Allah Ta’ala, was the quality of awe). Anyone who came in close contact with him, and knew his excellent character and excellent attributes loved him dearly. Anyone who described his noble features could only say, ‘I have not seen anyone in his external beauty and perfect qualities like Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), neither before him nor after him’ (i.e. due to being unable to do justice in describing the beauty and excellence of Sayyidina Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) the one who described him sufficed on saying I have not seen anyone like him).”