The Manner of the Final Prophet ﷺ in Educating and Training Bedouins

The Manner of the Final Prophet ﷺ in Educating and Training Bedouins

There is no doubt that the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم teaches the truth, guides to the straight path, and through nurturing, transforms individuals into stars of guidance. The glorious eminence of the education and training bestowed with abundant grace and kindness by the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is such that everyone, common and elite, can benefit from it. The presence of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was a unique ‘school’ from which not only the Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم but also those from rural areas greatly benefited. A thirst for knowledge was ignited within them, and they quenched this thirst by receiving answers to their questions from the Prophet’s generous court. This beautiful Prophetic style was a manifestly effective education system in that blessed era and introduced a direct method free from the constraints of age, ability, location, and fixed time. Moreover, its impact is so profound and blessed that it can be benefited from until the Day of Judgment.

Let us observe a few glimpses of the final Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم manner in educating and training Bedouins:

The Prophetic style of answering questions

Although ignorance and harshness largely prevailed among people from rural areas, there were also wise individuals among them, aware of the etiquette of questioning and avoiding unnecessary inquiries. The noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم used to await the arrival of such Bedouins.[1]

(1) The tribe of Banū SaꜤd was from the rural areas. The holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had dispatched the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم to invite the Banū SaꜤd to Islam. Therefore, the tribe sent a wise Bedouin as their representative to verify a few matters related to Islam. He arrived, tied his camel outside the masjid, and entered.[2]

Then he asked, “Who among you is Muḥammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم?” even though the holy Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was seated, reclining among his noble Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُم.

They informed the Bedouin, “He is this noble person with a luminous countenance, who is reclining.”

The man said, “O son of ꜤAbd al-Muṭṭalib!”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم responded, “Speak! I am listening.”

He mentioned, “I will ask you questions, and if my manner of questioning seems a bit harsh to you, do not be displeased.”

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Ask whatever you wish to ask.”

He questioned, “I adjure you by your Lord and the Lord of those before you, did Allah send you as a Messenger to all mankind?”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Yes! It is so.”

He continued, “I adjure you by Allah, is it by Allah's command that you perform five prayers during the day and night?”

The noble Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  answered, “Absolutely! It is so.”

He said, “I adjure you by Allah, did Allah also command you to observe fasts during this month [Ramadan al-Mubārak]?”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Yes! This is true.”

He inquired, “I adjure you by Allah, did Allah also command you to collect charity from our wealthy and distribute it among our needy?”

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم responded, “Absolutely! It is so.”

Then that man said, “I have believed in all that you have brought, and I am the envoy of my people. My name is Ḍimām b. ThaꜤlabah, and I am an individual from Banū SaꜤd b. Bakr.”[3]

Sayyidunā Ḍimām رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ returned to his tribe and delivered such an effective address that the entire tribe embraced Islam.[4]

Due to Sayyidunā Ḍimām's رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ wisdom, Sayyidunā ꜤUmar رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ said, “I have not seen anyone better than Sayyidunā Ḍimām b. ThaꜤlabah رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ at asking questions concisely and politely.”[5]

(2) The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمwas on a journey when suddenly a Bedouin came and took hold of his she-camel's reins and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me something that will bring me closer to Paradise and distance me from Hell.” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Worship Allah Almighty and do not associate anyone with Him, establish prayer, pay Zakat, and maintain ties of kinship.”[6]

(3) A Bedouin asked the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me an action which, if I perform it, will lead me to Paradise.”

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Worship Allah Almighty in such a way that you do not associate anyone with Him, perform the obligatory prayers, pay Zakat, and observe the fasts of Ramadan.”

The Bedouin said, “By Him in whose power is my life, I will not add anything to this.”

When he departed, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّمsaid, “Whoever wishes to see a person of Paradise, let him look at this man.”[7]

(4) A Bedouin said to the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: “Tell me an action that brings one closer to Paradise and distances one from Hell.”

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Have these two [i.e., Paradise and Hell] motivated you to act?”

He answered, “Yes.”

The Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Speak the truth and give in charity whatever exceeds your needs.”

He replied, “By Allah! I am not always able to speak the truth and give away excess wealth in charity.”

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Feed people and spread salām.”

He responded, “This is also difficult.”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked, “Do you have a camel?”

He answered, “Yes.”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Take the camel and a water skin and go door-to-door, giving water to those who drink it only occasionally. It is hoped that neither your camel will die nor your water skin tear before Paradise becomes obligatory for you.”

The Bedouin left saying “Allah is the Greatest.”

His water skin had neither torn, nor had his camel died, when he was martyred.[8]

The Prophetic style of training through action

If a Bedouin came to the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and asked about an action that could be taught practically, the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would demonstrate it practically and also explain it with his blessed tongue. For instance, when a Bedouin asked about wudu, the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم demonstrated by washing the limbs of wudu three times each, then said, “Wudu is like this, so whoever adds to this has done wrong, exceeded the bounds, and oppressed.”[9]

The wisdom, gentleness, and insight with which the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم trained the simple-minded and naturally inclined Bedouins are evident in the aforementioned incidents. Reflecting on these incidents reveals that:

(1) Rather than preventing them, the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم encouraged the direct questions of Bedouins, who, due to their natural simplicity and lack of knowledge, asked without restraint.

(2) The beloved Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم answered in a very simple, comprehensive, and practical manner, keeping in mind the intellectual level of the Bedouins.

(3) Although some Bedouins exhibited harshness or severity in their manner, the noble Prophetصَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم neither became displeased, nor responded in a harsh tone. Instead, he corrected them with gentleness and forbearance, which is a supreme example of moral training.

(4) The simple disposition and sincerity of the Bedouins was appreciated, and their actions were lauded. For instance, concerning Sayyidunā Ḍimām bin ThaꜤlabah's رَضِىَ اللهُ عَـنْهُ questions and his acceptance of Islam, the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم praised his wisdom and said, “Whoever wishes to see a person of Paradise, let him look at this man.”

(5) Similarly, the beloved Prophet's صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم actions prove that education and training are not exclusively the right of urban, well-mannered, or educated people; rather, Islam is for every individual, whether rural or urban, knowledgeable or ignorant.

(6) Individuals like Sayyidunā Ḍimām رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ, once educated, returned and became a means of reform for their entire tribe. This clearly shows that the noble Prophet’s صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم training was not limited to individuals, but had a profound collective impact.

You have observed the style of the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in educating and training Bedouins in this article. In the next issue, be sure to read about “The Holy Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم Manner of Benevolence towards Bedouins.”