I never saw the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) laugh fully to such an extent that I could see his uvula. He would only smile, and when he saw clouds or wind, his face showed signs (of fear). I asked him: Messenger of Allah! When the people see the cloud, they rejoice, hoping for that it may contain rain, and I notice that when you see it, (the signs of) abomination on your face. He replied: ‘A’ishah! What gives me safety from the fact that it might contain punishment? A people were punished by the wind. When those people saw the punishment, they said: this is a cloud which would give us rain.
Narrated by ‘A’ishah, wife of the prophet (May peace be upon him), said :
Context
In this hadith narrated by ‘A’ishah, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is described as someone who rarely laughed heartily, preferring to smile instead. When he saw clouds or wind, his face would show signs of fear rather than joy. This reaction stemmed from his awareness that such weather could bring punishment, as past nations had faced calamities under similar circumstances. The takeaway emphasizes the Prophet's deep concern for the consequences of actions and the seriousness of divine retribution.
Modern Application
In today's world, this hadith reminds us to approach situations with caution and awareness of potential consequences. For instance, when faced with challenges or uncertainties, it encourages a mindset of reflection rather than blind optimism, fostering a sense of responsibility towards our actions and their impact.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Fear and Anxiety and Prophetic Conduct because it illustrates the Prophet's (ﷺ) serious demeanor towards potential calamities and his thoughtful approach to life's uncertainties.
And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment,
And when one of them is given good tidings of that which he attributes to the Most Merciful in comparison, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.
Do you not see that Allah drives clouds? Then He brings them together, then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it. And He sends down from the sky, mountains [of clouds] within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightening almost takes away the eyesight.
And when the bearer of good tidings arrived, he cast it over his face, and he returned [once again] seeing. He said, "Did I not tell you that I know from Allah that which you do not know?"
This hadith is #5100 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab). It is graded Hasan and narrated by ‘A’ishah, wife of the prophet (May peace be upon him), said :.
