Imam al-Tirmidhi

Translation & Commentary by Abdul Aziz Suraqah and Mohammed Aslam

The Shama’il al-Muhammadiyya of Imam al-Tirmidhi presents us detailed descriptions of the moral, physical and spiritual qualities of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The perfections that Allah bestowed upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encompass every aspect of his blessed being: his outward physical form, his senses, his internal form and his inner beauty. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the most perfect embodiment of created beauty and form, and he is unsurpassed in his perfections. No one can rival or outstrip him in any laudable quality or trait. He knows Allah as He should be known. He fears Allah as He should be feared. He loves Allah as He should be loved. Understanding the Shama’il is absolutely critical to any proper understanding of Islam, for it details the qualities of the message-bearer, which fundamentally alters how we understand the message he brought.