The Appearance Of The White Hair Of Rasulullah SAW 0506, 0507 & 0508

HADITH 0506

Abu Juhayfa RA says:

'The people said:

"Ya Rasulullah (SAW), we see the signs of old age beginning to show on you?"

Rasulullah SAW replied:

"Surah Hud and similar Surahs have made me old." "


COMMENTARY

It is related in Hadith that Rasulullah SAW once came out of his house, wiping his hands on his blessed beard. Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA were sitting in the Masjid at that time.

When Abu Bakr RA saw this he said:

"O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. How early you have aged." Then Abu Bakr RA began to weep.

Rasulullah SAW said:

"Surahs like Surah Hud have made me old."


Zamakh'shari RA says:

"I read in a kitab, that a person had pure black hair one evening, and during the night it became completely white. When the people enquired of this sudden change, he said:

"At night, I saw Qiyamah, in my dream. People were being pulled with chains and thrown into Hell. It frightened me so much, that within the night I became like this."


HADITH 0507

Abu Rimtha Taymi RA says:

"I went with my son to Rasulullah (SAW). (Probably he had not see Rasulullah SAW before)

When I saw him I said to myself immediately:

"This is the true Messenger of Allah."

At that time Rasulullah (SAW) was wearing two pieces of green clothing. (His waist-wrap and shawl were both green). On a few hairs there were signs of old age, but those hair were red."


COMMENTARY

The signs of dignity, "Anwaar An-Nubuwwah" (prophetic illumination) and "Aathari-Haybah" (signs of awe) were thus seen on the blessed face of Rasulullah SAW.

When one sees these signs, such words naturally come to one's tongue:

"There is no doubt he is Allah's Messenger SAW and cannot be false."

The Ahadith state that many of the Sahabah RA uttered such words when they first met Rasulullah SAW.

As a brief additional note - the above Hadith also states that the hair of Rasulullah SAW was red. With this regard, the scholars of Hadith have different opinions as to whether the hair of Rasulullah SAW had then been died or not. Some Ulama are of the opinion that Rasulullah SAW dyed his hair and they base their argument on the red hair. Other Ulama given an explanation contrary to this and say that before the hair becomes white, it usually turns red; and further explain that he redness that was mentioned in the above Hadith was natural, and not that of a dye.


HADITH 0508

Jaabir bin Samurah RA was asked:

"Were there any white hair in the blessed head of Rasulullah (SAW)?"

Jaabir RA replied:

"He only had a few on the middle parting, and when Rasulullah (SAW) oiled his hair, they did not show."


COMMENTARY

The scholars of Hadith have explained that this narration may seem to contradict the other Hadith related by Anas bin Malik RA, which has been mentioned in a previous post.

The fact is, there is actually no complication, as there were a few white hair in the parting, that used to be covered by other hair. When oil was not rubbed in, they became visible. Therefore, if this is not mentioned in any Hadith, there is no complication or harm.

As a whole, the above three Ahadith as well as previous entries on th same title actually shows to us the eagerness of the Tabi'in RA - the second generations of Muslims to know how the appearance of Rasulullah SAW was like. It is only natural that when a person has deep affection of such awe-inspiring personalities, even small details attributed to the hair of Rasulullah SAW also becomes note-worthy.

We instead should be awefully ashamed of ourselves, that even important injunctions like Solat - we could not do them properly and accurately. Let alone the spiritual state of the heart and mind, even the technical aspects of Solat we falter at - and this is due only to indifference to worship and the lack of desire for perfection in Ibadah.