Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 217replied: "If you had ever suffered the loss of a child as Ihave, you would have realized how difficult it is to bepatient under such an affliction." The Prophet saobserved: "I have suffered the loss not of one but ofseven children," and passed on. Except when he referredto his own losses or misfortunes in this indirect manner,he never cared to dwell upon them nor did he permitthem in any manner to interfere with his unceasingservice to mankind and his cheerful sharing of theirburdens.HIS SELF-CONTROLHe always held himself under complete control. Evenwhen he became a Sovereign he always listened toeverybody with patience, and if a person treated himwith impertinence he bore with him and neverattempted any retaliation. In the East, one way ofshowing respect for a person whom one is addressing isnot to address him by his personal name. The Muslimsused to address the Holy Prophet sa as: "O Messenger ofAllah sa ", and non-Muslims used to address him as "Abu’lQasim sa " (i.e., Qasim's father: Qasim being the name ofone of his sons). On one occasion a Jew came to him inMedina and started a discussion with him. In the courseof the discussion he repeatedly addressed him as "OMuhammad sa , O Muhammad sa ". The Prophet sa paid noattention to his form of address and went on patientlyexpounding the matter under discussion to him. HisCompanions ra , however, were getting irritated at the discourteousform of address adopted by his interlocutortill one of them, not being able to restrain himself anylonger, admonished the Jew not to address the Prophet saby his personal name but to address him as Abu’lQasim sa . The Jew said that he would address him onlyby the name which his parents had given him. TheProphet sa smiled and said to his Companions: "He isright. I was named Muhammad sa at the time of my birth