“And indeed, you are of a great moral character”. 068:004

“Perhaps you will kill yourself with grief because they do not enter the Faith” 026:003

“Thus it is by the grace of Allah that you are gentle towards them, and had you been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you; pardon them therefore and ask pardon for them, and take counsel with them in the affair; so when you have decided, then place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who trust”. 003:159

“The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves and his wives are as their mothers…” 033:006

“Allah did confer a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, who recites to them the Signs of Allah, purifies them, and coaches them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error.” [003:164]

“Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.” (007:199)

“Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is better. Then he, between whom and you there was hatred, will become as though he was a bosom friend.” (041:034)

“We have sent you as a mercy for all the worlds.” (021:107)

The recipients of his mercy were not limited to just the Muslim nation, but it also extended to non-Muslims, some of who spent all their effort trying to harm the Prophet PBUH and his mission. This mercy and forgiveness is clearly demonstrated in the fact that the Prophet , may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, never took revenge on anyone for personal reasons and always forgave even his staunch enemies. Aisha R.A. said that the Prophet PBUH never took revenge on his own behalf on anyone. She also said that he never returned evil for evil, but he would forgive and pardon.

The mercy of the Prophet PBUH even extended to those who brutally killed and then mutilated the body of his uncle Hamzah, one of the most beloved of people to the Prophet PBUH. Hinda who mutilated his body by cutting his chest and tearing his liver and heart into pieces when she quietly came to the Prophet PBUH and accepted Islam, he recognized her but did not say anything. She was so impressed by his magnanimity and stature that she said, “O Messenger of Allah PBUH, no tent was more deserted in my eyes than yours; but today no tent is more lovely in my eyes than yours.”

When he entered Mecca victorious , he did not take revenge on anyone. The Prophet PBUH said to the Quraish: “O people of Quraish! What do you think I will do to you?” Hoping for a good response, they said: “You will do good. You are a noble brother, son of a noble brother.”
The Prophet SAAW then said:
“Then I say to you what Joseph A.S. said to his brothers: “There is no blame on you today. May Allah forgive you! He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy!” (012:092) Go! For you all are free!

By nature our beloved Prophet (May Peace, mercy and blessings on him and his progeny) was gentle and kind hearted, always inclined to be gracious and to overlook the faults of others. Politeness and courtesy, compassion and tenderness, simplicity and humility, sympathy and sincerity were some of the keynotes of his character. In the cause of right and justice he could be resolute and severe but more often than not, his severity was tempered with generosity. He had charming manners which won him the affection of his followers and secured their devotion. Though virtual king of Arabia and an apostle of Allah, he never assumed an air of superiority. Not that he had to conceal any such vein by practice and artifice: with fear of Allah, sincere humility was ingrained in his heart.

He used to say, “I am a Prophet of Allah but I do not know what will be my end.” (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter “Al-Janaiz”)

He used to pray, “O Allah! I am but a man. If I hurt anyone in any manner, then forgive me and do not punish me.” (Ahmed, Musnad, Vol. 6 p. 103)

He always received people with courtesy and showed respect to older people and stated: “To honor an old man is to show respect to Allah.”
He would not deny courtesy even to wicked persons. It is stated that a person came to his house and asked permission for admission. The Prophet PBUH remarked that he was not a good person but might be admitted. When he came in and while he remained in the house, he was shown full courtesy. When he left Ayesha (radiyallaahu `anha) said, “You did not think well of this man, but you treated him so well.” The Prophet PBUH replied, “He is a bad person in the sight of Allah who does not behave courteously and people shun his company bacause of his bad manners.” (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari)

He was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished (Abu Dawud, Tirmizi).

He did not like people to get up for him and used to say, “Let him who likes people to stand up in his honour seek a place in hell.” (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Adab).
He would himself, however, stand up when any dignitary came to him. He had stood up to receive the wet-nurse who had reared him in infancy and had spread his own sheet for her. His foster-brother was given similar treatment. He avoided sitting at a prominent place in a gathering, so much so that people coming in had difficulty in spotting him and had to ask which was the Prophet . Quite frequently uncouth bedouins accosted him in their own gruff and impolite manner but he never took offence.(Abu Dawud Kitabul Atama).

He used to visit the poorest of ailing persons and exhorted all Muslims to do likewise (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).
He would sit with the humblest of persons saying that righteousness alone was the criterion of one’s superiority over another. He invariably invited people be they slaves, servants or the poorest believers, to partake with him of his scanty meals (Tirmizi, Sunan Tirmizi).

Whenever he visited a person he would first greet him and then take his permission to enter the house. He advised the people to follow this etiquette and not to get annoyed if anyone declined to give permission, for it was quite likely the person concerned was busy otherwise and did not mean any disrespect (Ibid).

There was no type of household work too low or too undignified for him. Ayesha (radiyallaahu `anha) has stated, “He always joined in household work and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, tether, and feed his animals and do the household shopping.” (Qazi Iyaz: Shifa; Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari, Chapter: Kitabul Adab)
He would not hesitate to do the menial work of others, particularly of orphans and widows (Nasi, Darmi). Once when there was no male member in the house of the companion Kabab Bin Arat who had gone to the battlefield, he used to go to his house daily and milk his cattle for the inhabitants.