Friday 19 Ramadan 1445 - 29 March 2024
English

Is it permissible to say that someone resembles the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?

Question

My question is: is it permissible for us to say of someone that he has some resemblance to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), if that resemblance is in physical terms only, and not in character or anything else?

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

There is nothing wrong with the Muslim saying that So and so resembles the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), whether that is physically or in character, if that is indeed the case with regard to that person. 

It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to ‘Ali: “You are of me and I am of you.” And he said to Ja‘far: “You resemble me physically and in character.” And he said to Zayd: “You are our brother and our friend (mawla).” 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2700. 

Similar things were said by many of the Sahaabah. 

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: No one resembled the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) more than al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3752. 

And he said concerning al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali: He was the closest of them in resemblance to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3748.

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said:

Those who resembled the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), other than al-Hasan and al-Husayn, were: Ja‘far ibn Abi Taalib and his son ‘Abdullah ibn Ja‘far, Qutham ibn al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Abu Sufyaan ibn al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and Muslim ibn ‘Aqeel ibn Abi Taalib.

Among people other than Banu Haashim were: as-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed al-Muttalibi, the great-grandfather of Imam ash-Shaafa‘i, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Kareez al-‘Abshami, and Kaabis ibn Rabee‘ah ibn ‘Adiyy. And these add up to ten.

End quote from Fath al-Baari, 7/97 

Ibn al-Jawzi said: Among the Taabi‘een there was a man called Kaabis ibn Rabee‘ah as-Saami… he resembled him (the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)). Mu‘aawiyah sent for him and kissed him on his forehead, and he allocated something to him. When Anas ibn Maalik saw him, he wept.

End quote from Kashf al-Mushkil min Hadeeth as-Saheehayn, 1/42 

Some of the scholars mentioned people other than these; anyone who has full knowledge of the attributes of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will understand that. 

Ibn ‘Abd al-Haadi said of a man called ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Awaanah al-Maghribi, who was a contemporary of his: More than one of the shaykhs who had knowledge of the attributes of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told me that this man, al-Maghribi, was similar in physical appearance to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).

End quote from Subul al-Hadiy wa’r-Rashaad fi Seerah Khayr al-‘Ibaad, 2/117 

Likewise, resemblance may be in character attitude. 

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan said: The closest of the people in resemblance to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in terms of conduct, humility and dignity, was Ibn Umm ‘Abd. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6097. 

Ibn Umm ‘Abd is ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him). 

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, said: I have never seen anyone closer in resemblance to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in terms of conduct, humility and dignity, or in the manner of standing and sitting, than Faatimah bint Rasool-Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 3762. He said: This is a hasan saheeh hadeeth. It was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. 

The wordsconduct, humility and dignity are close in meaning; what they refer to is good manners, meekness and calmness, and so on. See: ‘Awn al-Ma‘bood, 14/87 

End quote from Mirqaat al-Mafaateeh Sharh Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 7/2969 

And Allah knows best.

Was this answer helpful?

Source: Islam Q&A