Umm Ma’bud’s description of the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him)

Note: The following event is described in the Seerah and occurred during the Migration/Hijra from Mecca to Medina.

Rasulullah (the messenger of Allah) and Abu Bakr (ra) visited a tent, in front of this tent was an old woman Umm Ma’bad, this woman was very generous: anybody traveling/passing by she would feed them. When Rasulullah got there, she did not provide them with anything. So nabi (the Prophet ﷺ) asked if she had anything to spare. She said if “I did, you would not have to ask”. Rasulullah then saw a very weak goat in the corner, he asked about it and she said it was too weak to flock with the others. Nabi asked if there was any milk in her, and she replied to say the goat was weaker than that, so Rasulullah asked if he could milk her, and he asked for a big container, not a small cup: the milk flowed out until it filled the container.

He gave it to the old lady first, then Abu Bakr (ra), Amir and Abdullah, and he was the last to drink; he said that the servant of the people is the last to drink. Rasulullah then left. There was a lot of milk left. So when Umma Ma’bad’s husband returned with the flock, he saw the milk and asked where the milk had come from, Umme Ma’bad replied “a blessed man visited us and he is the one that milked the goat”.

When he asked her to describe him, Umme Ma’bad said:

“I saw him to be a man of evident splendor  fine in figure. His face handsome, slim in form. His head not too small, elegant and good looking. His eyes large and black, his eyelids long. His voice deep. Very intelligent. His brows high and arched. His hair in plaits, his neck long and beard thick. He gave an impression of dignity when silent, and high intelligence when he talked. His words were impressive, and he was decisive not trivial, nor trite. His ideas like pearls moving on their string. He seemed the most splendid and fine looking man from a distance, and the very best of all from close by. Medium in height, the eye not finding him too tall, nor too short. A tree branch as it were between two others, but he was the finest looking of the three: the best proportioned. He was the centre of his companions’ attention: when he spoke they listened well, and if he ordered they hurried to obey. A man well helped, well served, never solemn, never refuted” – (Best description though she met him once)

Her husband said, this man must be Muhammad ﷺ, the one who Quraish are pursuing. If I meet him, I will pledge allegiance and become Muslim. She had already pledged allegiance and became Muslim.

It is a challenge at times to translate the exact meaning from Arabic to English, hence there are a few other versions available as well from other sources:

Version 1

“I saw a man who is handsome, of glowing countenance, and of good proportions, with neither a large stomach nor a small head. He is smart of appearance, with balanced features, deep black eyes, and long eyelashes. His voice is not coarse. He has a long neck, a full rounded beard, and thick eyebrows that meet each other. When he is silent, he is stately and composed, and when he speaks, his appearance is impressive.

“He is the most beautiful and striking man from a distance and the best and most beautiful from close up. He is well spoken, clear in what he says, saying neither too much nor too little, his words flowing forth like a perfect string of pearls.

“He is neither too tall nor overly short, a stately man in the company of two other stately men (one of them was Abu Bakr RA, the other Abdullah ibn Urayqat), and he is the most prominent among them and the most well-respected.

“He has companions who surround him. If he speaks, they listen to him, and if he commands, they hasten to fulfill his command. He is well served and attended, though he is neither stern nor argumentative.”

Version 2

“I saw a man, pure and clean, with a handsome face and a fine figure. He was not marred by a skinny body, nor was he overly small in the head and neck. He was graceful and elegant, with intensely black eyes and thick eyelashes. There was a huskiness in his voice, and his neck was long. His beard was thick, and his eyebrows were finely arched and joined together. When silent, he was grave and dignified, and when he spoke, glory rose up and overcame him. He was from afar the most beautiful of men and the most glorious, and close up he was the sweetest and the loveliest. He was sweet of speech and articulate, but not petty or trifling. His speech was a string of cascading pearls, measured so that none despaired of its length.”

This hadîth is related by al-Hâkim in al-Mustadrak (3/9-10), al-Tabarânî in al-Mu`jam al-Kabîr (3605), Abû Nu`aym in Dalâ’il al-Nubuwwah (282-278), and al-Lâlikâ’î in I`tiqâd Ahl al-Sunnah (1434-1437).

Version 3

She said, “I saw a man externally bright; fair of face (beautiful face). His form was not blemished (The slimness of his body); he was not afflicted by extreme leanness (he was not thin), he was not plump but beautifully proportioned (He radiated beauty); his eyes were deep set (they were black); his eyelids were bushy (he had long eyelashes); his voice was melody (throaty and beautiful); his neck was prominent (long); his beard was dense (ample hair); curved furrows (long arched eyebrows). If silent, he possessed dignity, when he spoke, its elevation and loftiness was beautiful. He is the most beautiful person, beautiful from afar and stunning when close. Delightful speech with pauses, without jest or nonsense (speech between a little and a lot). His speech is like the beads of a necklace cut (he would not speak excessively or moderately). His height does not harm and the eye is not taken over by him, a branch between two branches, he is more radiant than them and he is most respected.