One such tidings the Prophet (saas) was told to tell people about was Allah's forgiveness of sins:


Say: "My servants, you who have


transgressed against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah forgives all wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful." (Surat az-Zumar: 53)


When those who believe in Our Signs come to you, say, "Peace be upon you!" Allah has made mercy incumbent on Himself. If anyone among you does evil out of ignorance and then afterwards repents and puts things right, He is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-An'am: 54)
Another tiding is that of Paradise:
Say, "Shall I tell you of something better than that?" Those who do their duty will have Gardens with their Lord, with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever, and purified wives, and the Pleasure of Allah. Allah sees His servants. (Surah Al 'Imran: 15)



Give the good news to those who believe and do right actions that they will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. When they are given fruit there as provision, they will say, 'This is what we were given before.' But they were only given a simulation of it. They will have there spouses of perfect purity and will remain there timelessly, for ever.
(Surat al-Baqara: 25)




The Prophet (saas) reminded his people that he too was human
One of the fundamental characteristics of unbelievers is their arrogance. It is that which has led them to refuse to obey the messengers of Allah, and to resort to excuses in order not to do so. One such excuse was that they would only obey these messengers if they were more than human. Yet, the Prophet (saas) reminded his people that he was human, a mere servant of Allah, and that all other such expectations were groundless, but that they should turn to Allah. Allah gave the Prophet (saas) the following commands in the Qur'an:
Say: "I am only a human being like yourselves. It is revealed to me that your god is One God. So let him who hopes to meet his Lord act rightly and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord." (Surat al-Kahf: 110)

Say: "If there had been angels on the earth going about in peace, We would have sent down to them an angel from heaven as messenger." Say: "Allah is a sufficient witness between me and you. He is certainly aware of and sees His servants." (Surat al-Isra': 95-96)

The Prophet (saas) told his people that he was also commanded to be one of the Muslims and to obey Allah, and that he was responsible for warning the unbelievers, but that he could not be held responsible for their choices. The verses in question read:
"I have simply been ordered to worship the Lord of this land which He has declared sacred-everything belongs to Him-and I have been ordered to be one of the Muslims and to recite the Qur'an." Whoever is guided is only guided to his own good; if someone is misguided just say, "I am only a warner." Say: "Praise be to Allah. He will show you His Signs and you will recognise them. Your Lord is not unaware of what you do." (Surat an-Naml: 91-93)



Be patient. But your patience is only by Allah. Do not be grieved by them and do not be constricted by the plots they hatch. Allah is with those who fulfil their duty and with those who are good-doers.
(Surat an-Nahl: 127-128)









If something good happens to you, it galls them. If something bad strikes you, they rejoice at it. But if you are steadfast and do your duty, their scheming will not harm you in any way. Allah encompasses what they do.
(Surah Al Imran: 120)





When a Sign comes to them, they say, We will not believe until we have been given the same as the Messengers of Allah were given.' Allah knows best where to place His Message. Debasement in the sight of Allah and a severe punishment will strike those who did wrong for the plots that they concocted. (Surat al-An'am:124)

The Prophet (saas) relieved Muslims of difficulties
Together with the traits we have already described, the Prophet (saas) lifted burdens from the faithful, and was a guide to them in tasks that they failed to understand properly, which were otherwise had been too difficult. People are easily prone to making their lives difficult, and to imposing rules upon themselves, by which they falsely believe they have solved their problems. This particular human characteristic is one of the reasons why the religion has been distorted through the years. Many societies have dreamed up rules that did not actually exist in the religion, and then made themselves and others believe that they would only be truly god-fearing when they adhered to them. One of the Prophet (saas)'s most important qualities was the way he lifted such burdens that people had imposed on themselves. Allah speaks of that quality of the Prophet (saas) in a verse:

Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, permitting them good things and prohibiting them bad things, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them. Those who believe in him and honour him and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him, they are the ones who are successful. (Surat al-A'raf: 157)
The "heavy loads and chains" mentioned in the verse are the difficulties people impose upon themselves. The Prophet (saas) was both a model for people in his own lifetime, as well as one who lifted such burdens from people, as the verse indicates, by calling them to righteousness and warning them against wickedness.
One of the subjects in which the Prophet (saas) was a splendid example was godliness, that is, that behavior intended to earn Allah's approval alone. He feared only Allah, and never strayed from the true path, never succumbing to people's whims and desires. This aspect of the morality of the Qur'an is actually a source of great ease and beauty for people. Trying to please others and to make oneself favored by others, trying to win the pleasure of both Allah and others, and seeking praise from them, are great hinderences to whatever one does. Such people are unable to think and behave honestly as they would otherwise like to, and, since they are unable to please everyone all together, they ultimately fail to receive the praise they were looking for. They panic at the slightest mistake, and fear that they have lost the confidence and respect of those they are trying to please when they see that they are not fully happy with them.
On the contrary, Muslims who strive only for the pleasure of Allah, and fear only Him, never suffer the burden of things that will be harmful to them in this world and the next. They do not worry about whether or not people will be pleased with them. They are therefore always at peace. Since they know that, in the event of a mistake they will have to explain themselves only to Allah and need seek forgiveness only from Him, they feel no concern or worry.

By his words and behavior, the Prophet (saas) taught the faithful to live with purity of faith. He thus lifted the heavy weight of "gaining the pleasure of others" from all of humanity. That, of course, is but one of the difficulties believers experienced that he did away with. The Prophet Muhammad (saas) was an example to all Muslims in many matters that will bring good and great blessings in this world and in the hereafter.
Allah has revealed that someone with purity of faith would not be the same as one who worships others besides Allah:
Allah has made a metaphor for them of a man owned by several partners in dispute with one another and another man wholly owned by a single man. Are they the same? Praise be to Allah! The fact is that most of them do not know. (Surat az-Zumar: 29)

Idolatry was not the only burden the Prophet (saas) lifted from the shoulders of the faithful. He relieved them of all burdens that made life difficult for them, called them to the best and easiest way of life, and found solutions to all problems. That is why those who abide by the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger (saas) live in comfort and at peace. Some of the hadiths on this subject state:
"The Prophet sent Mu'adh and Abu Musa to Yemen telling them. 'Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ'."21

"The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not have to choose between two matters, but that he chose the easier of them as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action, he was the furthest of people from it."22



... the Messenger, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, permitting them good things and forbidding them bad things, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains which were around them...
(Surat al-A'raf: 157)







Or did you suppose that you would be left without Allah knowing those of you who have struggled and who have not taken anyone as their intimate friends besides Allah and His Messenger and the believers? Allah is aware of what you do.
(Surat at-Tawba: 16)





The Prophet (saas) was most considerate and compassionate
towards the faithful
The Prophet (saas) was a compassionate man, full of love and understanding. He took an interest in the physical and spiritual problems of his friends, relatives and all those around him, and took all appropriate measures to ensure their health, security and happiness. He took them under his wing, and always bore in mind their lot in the hereafter by encouraging them to remain godly. These features of the Prophet (saas), that are an example for all of humanity, are revealed in verses:
A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you; he is gentle and merciful to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba: 128)
"And take the believers who follow you under your wing." (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 215)
Since the companions of the Prophet (saas) took him as a model, they made the appropriate sacrrifices as mentioned in the Qur'an, behaving with emphaty and compassion. One verse speaks of the sacrifices the faithful made for the sake of one another:
Those who were already settled in the abode, and in belief, before they came, love those who migrated to them and do not find in their hearts any need for what they have been given and prefer them to themselves even if they themselves are needy. It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful. (Surat al-Hashr: 9)
The faithful, who were taught by the Prophet (saas), and abided by the verses of the Qur'an, behaved compassionately even towards prisoners of war. Verses speak of this, too:
They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans and captives: "We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks. Truly We fear from our Lord a glowering, calamitous Day." (Surat al-Insan: 8-10)
The Prophet (saas) reminded his companions to be compassionate, and was the greatest model for them in that regard:
"Those who have mercy will receive the mercy of the Most Merciful. Have mercy on those who are on earth, the One in heavens will have mercy on you."23
"Those who show no mercy will be shown no mercy"24
"I swear by whom my soul is in his hand, you will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other. Do you want me to guide you to something which if you practice, you will love each other? Spread greeting with peace among of you."25









How the Prophet (saas) prayed and asked forgiveness for the faithful
Out of that affection and thoughtfulness he felt towards the faithful, the Prophet (saas) asked Allah to forgive their mistakes. Allah's commands to the Prophet (saas) on that subject take the following form:
O Prophet! When women who believe come to you pledging allegiance to you on the grounds that they will not associate anything with Allah or steal or fornicate or kill their children or give a false ascription of paternity-making up lies about their bodies-or disobey you in respect of anything right, then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Mumtahana: 12)
Know then that there is no god except Allah and ask forgiveness for your wrongdoing, and for the men and women who believe. Allah knows both your activity and your repose. (Surah Muhammad: 19)
"… If they ask your permission to attend to their own affairs, give permission to any of them you please; and ask Allah's forgiveness for them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surat an-Nur: 62)
In another verse, Allah told the Prophet (saas) to pray for the faithful:
… Pray for them. Your prayers bring relief to them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat at-Tawba: 103)
As this verse reveals, the Prophet (saas)'s prayers brought the faithful peace and tranquility. It must not be forgotten that only Allah gives peace and tranquility to the heart. Allah makes the prayers of His Messenger (saas), whom He has appointed as guardian and protector of the faithful, a means whereby they come by comfort and ease. Our Lord's love and compassion, and His protection and mercy for the faithful is most clearly represented in the morality of the Prophet (saas).
These words of the Prophet (saas) reminded the faithful that prayer was an important matter:
"When you are praying do not say; 'O Allah, forgive me if You wish. O Allah, forgive me if you wish.' You should be firm in your asking, for there is no compelling Him."26



Those who do good will have the best and more! Neither dust nor debasement will darken their faces. They are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever.(Surah Yunus: 26