Imagine meeting the Prophet peace be upon him. What would you say? How would you introduce yourself? How will you stand? What will you wear? It is likely to be a very nerve wrecking experience because one would naturally want to do and say everything that pleases him. Abu Mas’ud reported that a man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his voice trembled as he spoke to him. The Prophet said to him: Be calm, I am not a king. I am just the son of a woman who ate dried meat (Ibn Maja).

The Prophet peace be upon him humanized himself. He reminded the man that he is not a king, he is just a human being who was born from a woman’s womb, ate, slept, and forgot just like everyone else. His being able to so easily calm people down and relate to people was part of the beauty of his Prophetic manners. Anyone who encountered him loved him because of the impact his presence had on them. As his followers, we ought to reflect on our own character and the impressions, good or bad, that we leave on those around us.