During his speech at the celebration of the Prophet’s (pbuh) birth anniversary, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, “Celebrating Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary is not only a celebration of a great figure whose role is recorded in history. It is also a celebration of human perfection at its zenith. It is a different type of celebration; it is a celebration of prophethood, Divine Revelation, the ambassadorship from heaven to earth, and human perfection at its zenith, and greatness in its loftiest manifestations. It is a celebration of human emulation of Allah’s Attributes within the human scope. All of this is represented in the characteristics of prophets and messengers who were safeguarded by Allah from deviation. Their conduct was shielded against personal whims and devilish temptations. They were internally and externally ingrained to truth, goodness, and mercy”.

The Grand Imam added, “Indeed, our Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) has reached the zenith in moral sublimity to the extent of being designated as the “perfect human”, given that he assimilated such noble virtues and refined morals. This is affirmed in the biographical works on his moral characteristics, which abound with descriptions that cannot be attained by any human being other than one chosen by Almighty Allah and divinely prepared for such moral grandeur. He also indicated that among these moral characteristics of the Prophet (pbuh), recounted by his Companions, was that he was not rude, coarse, boisterous, obscene, or slanderous, and that he would not return evil in kind, but would rather forgive and forbear. He never hit something with his hand unless he was fighting for the Way of Allah, nor did he ever beat a servant or a woman. He would take revenge for an outrage committed against him personally as long as none of the sacred prohibitions of Allah were violated; but if there was any violation of the sacred prohibitions of Allah, he would be enraged. Whenever he was given a choice between two matters, he would choose the easier of the two, provided it was not conducive to sin. At home, he would act normally like any other human. He would highly appreciate a provision, no matter how little, and he would not find fault with any of it. He would also mulch his goat, offer help himself, and hold back from talking about something that was not his concern. Besides, he would honor the noble generous man of every community, and put him in charge of them. He would caution people and be wary of them, without abandoning good humor or his natural disposition towards anyone among them. He would watch out for his Companions, and he would ask people about their affairs. When he joined a group of people, he would take whatever seat was available. If someone asked him for something, he would not send him away without giving him what he had requested, or at least tell him some comforting words. His session was one of knowledge, forbearance, modesty, trust and patience. In his sessions, the elderly was revered, and the young was shown mercy to. He was solicitous to the needy and he took good care of the stranger. Allah donned him the garb of beauty and cast a halo of love and awe around him.

The Grand Imam further asserted that the Prophet (pbuh) would never blame anyone, find fault with them, or invade his privacy.  He would only utter that for which he hoped to earn a Divine reward. He would exercise patience with a stranger's rough manner of speaking or making inquiries. He would jest with his Companions, laughing at things that made them laugh and wondering at things that caused their wonder. He would also visit the sick among them, even if they were at the furthest parts of the town. Similarly, he would kid with their children and made them sit in his lap. And despite his passion for prayer, he would shorten it whenever hearing the cries of a child, and would say, “When I start the prayer, I intend to prolong it; but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short lest the child’s cries should distress the mother.”