Facial Features Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Ka’ab ibn Malik (R.A) said, “When I greeted the Messenger of Allah, whose face was glittering with happiness, for whenever Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was happy, his face used to glitter, as if it was a piece of the moon, and we used to recognize it (i.e. his happiness) from his face.” Once Al-Baraa (R.A) was asked whether the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ face was like the sword to which he replied: No, it was like the moon.

Seal of Prophethood

The Prophet ﷺ had the seal of prophethood between his shoulders. The seal was something distinct on his body like a birth mark. Jabir ibn Samurah (R.A) said: “And I saw the seal near his shoulder, it was the size of a pigeon’s egg and its color was the same as that of his body.”

DESCRIPTION OF UMM MA’BAD AL KHUZA’IYYAH

In the name of Allāh, ar-Raḥmān (the most merciful), ar-Raḥīm (the bestower of mercy).

During the hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ passed by an elderly non-Muslim woman called Umm Ma’bad al-Khuzā’iyyah. He stopped at her place to seek provisions and rest. Her husband was away tending to his flock whilst the Prophet ﷺ visited. When he returned, she described the physical features and appearance of the Prophet ﷺ in great detail:

On the authority of Umm Ma‘bad ‘Atikah bint Khalid al-Khuza‘iyyah (ra) who said: ’I saw a man of visible radiance and purity, beautiful appearance, bright faced, with neither protruding ribs nor a small head, handsome and fair. His eyes were deep black and large, and his eyelashes were lush. His voice was mellow and soft. The whiteness of his eyes was bright and his pupils were very black. His eyebrows were beautifully arched and connected. His neck was long, his beard densely full. When he was silent, he appeared dignified. When he spoke, he was eminent and crowned with magnificence. His speech was sweet, his words precise, neither too little nor too much. Like a string of pearls flowing down gradually.

He was the most striking and beautiful of people when seen from afar and the fairest of them when seen up close. He was medium height, neither unagreeably tall nor scornfully short; a branch between two branches. Among the three he was the most radiant in appearance, the finest of them in stature. He was surrounded by companions. When he spoke, they listened attentively. When he gave orders, they hastened to fulfil them. Honoured, served and surrounded by followers. He neither frowned, nor criticised’. [Al-Baihaqi and al-Hakim]

الت أم معبد الخزاعية عن رسول الله ﷺ وهي تصفه لزوجها:

“رأيتُ رَجُلًا ظَاهِرَ الْوَضَاءَةِ أَبْلَجَ الْوَجْهِ حَسَنَ الْـخَلُقِ.

لَمْ تَعِبْهُ ثُجْلَةٌ وَلَمْ تُزْرِ بِهِ صعْلَةٌ وَسِيمًا قَسِيمًا.

فِي عَيْنَيْهِ دَعَجٌ وَفِي أَشْفَارِهِ وَطَفٌ وَفِي صوَتِهِ صَحَلٌ.

وَفِي عُنُقِهِ سَطَعٌ. وَفِي لِحْيَتِهِ كَثَاثَةٌ أَحْوَرُ أَكْحَلُ أَزَجُّ أَقْرَنُ.

شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشّعْرِ إذَا صَمَتَ عَلاهُ الْوَقَارُ وَإِذَا تَكَلّمَ سَما.

عَلاهُ الْبَهَاءُ أَجْمَلُ النّاسِ وَأَبْهَاهُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ وَأَحْسَنُهُم وَأَحْلاهُم مِنْ قَرِيبٍ.

حُلْوُ الْمَنْطِقِ فصل لا نَزْرٌ ولا هَذَرٌ كَأَنّ مَنْطِقَهُ خَرَزَاتُ نَظْمٍ يَنحدرنَ.

رَبْعَةٌ لا تَقْتَحِمُهُ عَيْنٌ مِنْ قِصَرٍ ولا تَشْنَؤُهُ مِنْ طُولٍ.

غُصْنٌ بَيْنَ غُصْنَيْنِ فَهُوَ أَنْضَرُ الثلاثَةِ مَنْظَرًا، وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ قَدًا.

لَهُ رُفَقَاءُ يَحُفّونَ بِهِ ، إن قَالَ اسْتَمَعُوا لِقَوْلِهِ. وَإن أَمَرَ تَبَادَرُوا إلَى أَمْرِهِ.

مَحْفُودٌ مَحْشُودٌ لا عَابِسٍ وَلا مُفْنِدٌ.”

Footnotes: [1] Her words have been narrated in various books of ḥadīth and sīrah including: at-Tabarāni in “al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr”; al-Ḥākim in “al-Mustadrak”; Ibn Kathīr in “al-Bidāyah wan-Nihāyah”; Ibn Hishām in his “Sīrah”; Ibn al-Qayyim in “Zād al-Ma’ād”; and al-Mubārakphuri in “ar-Rahīq al-Makhtūm”.