The First Way
Four points should be known in beholding the elevated question of his person.
The First: In accordance with the rule The artificial is never like the authentic, no matter how perfect, the artificial and fake can never take the place of the genuine, for it gives an impression of showy pretence.
The Second: What fixes elevated morals in the ground of truth is seriousness. And what perpetuates their life like the circulation of blood, and strengthens the self‑respect born of their blending, and sets those moral virtues in order is truthfulness. Yes, the moment the bonds of truthfulness and seriousness are severed, elevated morals dry up and wither.
The Third: The famous rule that attraction is felt between mutually corresponding things and repulsion is experienced between mutually contradictory things is valid in spiritual and moral matters just as it is in material ones.
The Fourth:
A power is found in the whole that is not present in the parts.
Let us come now to the main aim. According to the testimony of the books of the Prophet’s (UWBP) biography, the self‑respect and dignity arising from the multiplicity of elevated morals which he most certainly possessed, and from their being comprehensive and blending together, indicated that – by reason of the honour and integrity which proceeded from that self-respect and dignity and due to the mystery of opposites, like the angels are exempted from mixing with devils – those high morals were exalted above and exempt from lying and trickery. And also, since they comprised truthfulness and rightness, which are their very life and leaven, they proclaim prophethood as brilliantly as a blaze of light.
Note Brother! You see that a man who is famous for bravery alone does not stoop easily to lying, lest he wounds the honour his fame accords him. So how could a person who possessed all the moral qualities at once descend to deceit?
Yes, there is found in the whole what is not present in the parts.
Indication and Note We see that at the present time there is only the space of a finger between truthfulness and lying. Both are sold in the same market. Each age has its ruling ethos. At no time has the distance between truthfulness and lying been so great as it was in the Era of Bliss. Since truthfulness displayed its true beauty in all its glory, it raised Muhammad (UWBP), who adhered to it, to the highest of the high and was the cause of a mighty revolution in the world. It raised its market value by showing that it was as distant from lying as the East is from the West and it made itself highly sought after and in demand.
As for lying, since it drained its great undertakings of life, like carrion or corpses, it displayed its despicable ugliness, and casting down Musaylima and his likes to the lowest of the low since they became addicted to it, rendered inactive the market for its poisonous wares and made it stagnant.
True to their character, with their powerful self‑esteem and penchant for boasting, the Arab people competed with each other to increase demand, and abandoned that stagnant lying. Acquiring beauty through practising that sought-after truthfulness, they caused the world to accept their justice. The Companions’ reasoned justice arose from this point.
Guidance and Indication Considered from the point of view of history and the books of biography, the facts that from the age of four until forty when the natural passions are vigorous and intense and any character traits become evident, the Prophet (UWBP) lived with complete rectitude and perfect steadfastness and regularity, and total balance and perfect chastity, with none of his actions remaining secret and displaying not the slightest hint of trickery in the face of his most obdurate enemies. Then consider the supreme revolution he brought about after the age of forty when habitual conduct and morals have become ingrained and permanent, if one doesn’t affirm that that revolution proceeded from the truth and was truth, he has only himself to blame, for there must be a Sophist hidden in his head.
Then again, the Prophet’s (UWBP) conduct, stance, and state in the most perilous of situations, like in the cave, when there was no escape and all hope was lost: his unwavering staunchness and perfect assurance and confidence are sufficient testimony to his prophethood and seriousness and are evidence that he adhered to the truth.