Toleration of Personal Abuse

Toleration of personal abuse was the Sunnah (blessed way) of all the Prophets (alayhis salaam). Their anger was only reserved for the sake of Allah and His Deen. In contrast, today, amongst even the (so-called) pious, anger is usually reserved only for personal inconveniences, whilst even the greatest of transgressions of the Shariah fail to trigger the slightest of reactions.

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahmatullahi alay) has recorded the following narration in his Musnad, with an authentic chain:

A man from amongst the Ansar uttered some words of grave impropriety regarding the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). My soul would not allow me to rest until I reported this to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

(In other books of Hadith, it is mentioned that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) became visibly aggrieved and his blessed face became red. Ibn Mas’ood continues:)

I dearly wished I could be ransomed from it (the abominable statement and reporting it) with all the people and wealth.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) responded:

‘If I am hurt, then indeed Musa (alayhi salaam) was harmed with worse than this and he remained patient.’

Then Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) mentioned a Prophet whose people belied him, and they wounded him (by beating him up and bashing his face) when he came to them with the command of Allah. He said, while wiping the blood off his face:

“O Allah! Forgive my people, for they do not know.”