Seerah / His character & the Companions
Ten years without a harsh word
- Date
- Ten years in Madinah · established
- Location
- Madinah
- People
- Anas ibn Malik (RA)
Anas (RA), who served the Prophet ﷺ as a boy, narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that in ten years he never once said 'uff' to him, nor blamed him for what he did or did not do.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، سَمِعَ سَلاَّمَ بْنَ مِسْكِينٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ثَابِتًا، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ خَدَمْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشْرَ سِنِينَ، فَمَا قَالَ لِي أُفٍّ. وَلاَ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ وَلاَ أَلاَّ صَنَعْتَ.
Narrated Anas:I served the Prophet (ﷺ) for ten years, and he never said to me, "Uf" (a minor harsh word denoting impatience) and never blamed me by saying, "Why did you do so or why didn't you do so?
Lessons
- The way we treat those who serve us reveals our real character.
- Children remember how they were spoken to.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6038 (Anas) · primary source
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)