Nabi ﷺ adalah seseorang yang kejujurannya diakui oleh orang-orang di sekelilingnya. Bahkan, kaumnya secara resmi memberi beliau gelar al-Amīn (yang Terpercaya).51 Meskipun mereka menganiaya beliau dan menolak risalahnya, mereka tetap mempercayakan kepada beliau harta benda mereka yang paling berharga. ‘Āishah berkata, “Beliau ﷺ memerintahkan ‘Alī untuk tetap tinggal di Mekah guna mengembalikan seluruh harta yang dititipkan orang-orang kepada Rasulullah ﷺ. Tidak ada seorang pun di Mekah (termasuk musuh-musuh beliau) yang memiliki barang berharga yang ia khawatirkan kecuali ia menyimpannya bersama Rasulullah ﷺ, karena kejujuran dan keterpercayaan yang [diketahui oleh semua orang] tentang beliau. ‘Alī tinggal selama tiga hari tiga malam untuk menyerahkan semua yang dititipkan orang-orang kepada Rasulullah ﷺ, kemudian menyusul beliau ﷺ setelah menyelesaikan tugas tersebut.”52

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a person whose honesty was common knowledge to those around him. In fact, his clansmen had officially titled him al-Amīn (the Trustworthy).51 Even when they persecuted him and rejected his message, they still trusted him with their most precious possessions. ‘Āishah  said, “He صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed ‘Alī  to stay behind in Mecca, to return all the property the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had held in trust for people. There was nobody in Mecca (even his enemies) who had valuables that he feared for except that he kept them with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, due to the honesty and trustworthiness that was known [to all] about him. ‘Alī  stayed back for three days and three nights to deliver everything entrusted by the people to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and then caught up with him صلى الله عليه وسلم after completing that task.”52

Kejujurannya begitu nyata sehingga orang-orang dari era, latar belakang, dan agama yang berbeda pun mengakuinya. Memang sulit membayangkan ada orang yang adil membaca kehidupannya lalu sampai pada kesimpulan yang berbeda. Meskipun filsuf dan sejarawan Skotlandia Thomas Carlyle (w. 1881) memiliki keberatan-keberatan terhadap Islam, ketertarikannya pada kesungguhan Nabi terakhir ﷺ terkadang tampak berayun antara skeptisisme dan keyakinan yang tampak.

His honesty was so evident that even people from different eras, backgrounds, and religions recognize it. It is indeed difficult to imagine a fair person reading his life and arriving at a different conclusion. Although the Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle (d. 1881) had his reservations about Islam, his fascination with the Final Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم sincerity at times seemed to veer between skepticism and apparent conviction.

Hal ini sangat bertentangan dengan teori penipu, yaitu fakta bahwa beliau menjalani kehidupan yang sepenuhnya wajar, sepenuhnya tenang, dan biasa-biasa saja, hingga gejolak masa mudanya berlalu. Beliau berusia empat puluh tahun sebelum berbicara tentang risalah apa pun dari Surga. Semua hal yang tidak biasa pada dirinya, yang nyata maupun yang dikira-kira, bermula setelah usia lima puluh tahun, ketika Khadijah yang baik wafat. Semua 'ambisi'nya, tampaknya, hingga saat itu hanyalah menjalani hidup yang jujur; 'ketenaran'nya, yang hanya berupa penilaian baik dari tetangga yang mengenalnya, sudah cukup baginya hingga saat itu. Baru ketika beliau sudah mulai menua... dan ketenangan menjadi hal utama yang dapat diberikan dunia ini kepadanya, beliau memulai 'karier ambisi'; dan, dengan mengingkari seluruh karakter dan keberadaannya di masa lalu, beliau ditampilkan [oleh orang lain] sebagai seorang penipu yang menyedihkan dan hampa, untuk memperoleh apa yang kini tidak lagi dapat beliau nikmati! Adapun saya sendiri, saya sama sekali tidak percaya pada teori penipu [tersebut].53

For instance, It goes greatly against the impostor-theory, the fact that he lived in this entirely unexceptionable, entirely quiet and commonplace way, till the heat of his years was done. He was forty before he talked of any mission from Heaven. All his irregularities, real and supposed, date from after his fiftieth year, when the good Kadijah died. All his ‘ambition,’ seemingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest life; his ‘fame,’ the mere good-opinion of neighbours that knew him, had been sufficient hitherto. Not till he was already getting old… and peace growing to be the chief thing this world could give him, did he start on the ‘career of ambition;’ and, belying all his past character and existence, set up [by others] as a wretched empty charlatan to acquire what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, I have no faith whatever in that [impostor-theory].53

Dalam buku yang sama, Carlyle berkata, "Kebohongan-kebohongan (fitnah Barat)

In the same book, Carlyle says, “The lies (Western slander)

kekaguman yang berlebihan dari orang-orang yang bermaksud baik telah menumpuk di sekeliling orang ini (Muhammad)

which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad)

"…hanya merugikan diri mereka sendiri."54

are disgraceful to ourselves only.”54

Tokoh-tokoh sejarah yang menganggap teori penipu sebagai fitnah yang tidak masuk akal sudah ada jauh sebelum Carlyle. Ketika Nabi Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم ﷺ pertama kali berkirim surat dengan Heraclius (w. 641), kaisar Bizantium, untuk menyeru dirinya memeluk Islam, Heraclius segera mengirim satu pasukan untuk mencari siapa pun yang dapat membuktikan klaim kenabian orang ini. Pemimpin utama yang menentang Muhammad pada waktu itu, Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb, termasuk di antara mereka yang ditangkap dan diinterogasi di hadapan para pembesar Bizantium. Heraclius, seorang panglima militer yang menguasai kitab-kitab Yahudi dan Kristen, mengajukan serangkaian pertanyaan kunci kepada Abū Sufyān, lalu memeriksa silang jawabannya dengan sesama kabilahnya. Setelah menyelesaikan penyelidikannya, Heraclius antara lain berkata kepada Abū Sufyān: "Aku bertanya kepadamu apakah kamu pernah menuduhnya berdusta sebelum ia menyatakan apa yang ia nyatakan [tentang kenabian]. Kamu menjawab tidak, dan aku tahu bahwa ia tidak akan menahan diri dari berdusta atas orang lain lalu berdusta atas nama Allah… Dan aku bertanya apakah ia pernah berkhianat [kepada siapa pun]. Kamu menjawab tidak, dan demikian pula para utusan tidak pernah berkhianat… Jika apa yang kamu katakan itu benar, maka ia akan menguasai tempat di bawah kedua telapak kakiku ini. Dan aku tahu [dari kitab suci] bahwa ia akan segera muncul, tetapi aku tidak pernah mengira bahwa ia berasal dari kalangan kalian. Seandainya aku tahu bahwa aku dapat mencapainya [dengan selamat], niscaya aku akan sangat berhasrat untuk menemuinya. Dan seandainya aku berada di hadapannya, niscaya aku sendiri akan membasuh kedua kakinya."55

Historical figures who dismissed the imposter theory as preposterous slander existed well before Carlyle. When Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم first corresponded with Heraclius (d. 641), the Byzantine emperor, calling him to embrace Islam, Heraclius immediately dispatched a brigade to find anyone who could verify this man’s claims to prophethood. The leading adversary of Muhammad at that time, Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb, was among those apprehended and interrogated in the presence of the Byzantine dignitaries. Heraclius—a military commander versed in Judeo-Christian scriptures—asked Abū Sufyān a series of key questions, and then cross-checked his answers with his fellow clansmen. Upon completing his investigation, the following is some of what Heraclius said to Abū Sufyān, I asked you whether you ever accused him of lying before he stated what he stated [about prophethood]. You replied in the negative, and I know that he would not refrain from lying about others and then lie about God… And I asked you whether he ever betrayed [anyone]. You replied in the negative, and likewise the messengers never betray… If what you are saying is true, he will conquer the place of these two feet of mine. And I knew [from scripture] that he would soon emerge, but I never assumed that he would be from among you. And if I knew that I could reach him [safely], I would have been bent on meeting him. And if I were in his presence, I would personally wash his feet.55

Throughout human history, many impostors have claimed prophethood, but it was always only a matter of time before they were exposed as either psychologically disturbed individuals or unethical opportunists. The first category never had any influence on the world stage, let alone produced a complete system of beliefs and laws that would earn the respect of thousands of sages, historians, philosophers, and other men and women of wisdom. The second category is eventually exposed over time as sinister and manipulative, with the notorious Joseph Smith (d. 1844) being an iconic example of this in recent history. These are inherent qualities that permeate this second category, and should be expected to, because just as lying about your friends is worse than lying about a random person, and just as lying about your parents is worse than lying about your friends, there is nothing more vile than a person lying about God. So, when a man who had the unique impact on the world that Muhammad ﷺ did (see Chapter 3) was also known for his impeccable honesty, despite his public and private life being documented in granular detail, then his claim to be God's prophet should not be dismissed.

In the history of humanity, many imposters have claimed prophethood, but it was always a matter of time before they were discovered to either be psychologically disturbed individuals or unethical opportunists. The first category has never had any influence on the world stage, let alone produced a complete system of beliefs and laws that would earn the respect of thousands of sages, historians, philosophers, and other men and women of wisdom. The second category is eventually exposed with the passage of time as sinister and manipulative, with the notorious Joseph Smith (d. 1844) being an iconic example of this in recent history. These are endemic qualities that permeate this second category, and should be expected to, because just as lying about your friends is worse than lying about a random person, and just as lying about your parents is worse than lying about your friends, there is nothing uglier than a person lying about God. So, when a man who had the unique impact on the world that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم did (see Chapter 3) was also known for his impeccable honesty, despite his public and private life being documented with granular detail, then his claim of being God’s prophet should not be disregarded.

Bukti lain atas integritasnya adalah penolakannya yang teguh untuk membiarkan siapa pun membesar-besarkan dirinya. Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh meriwayatkan bahwa terjadi gerhana matahari pada hari wafatnya Ibrāhīm, putra Rasulullah ﷺ. Ketika orang-orang mulai mengatakan bahwa gerhana itu terjadi karena wafatnya bayi kecil tersebut, Rasulullah ﷺ segera bangkit dan bersabda, “Matahari dan bulan tidak mengalami gerhana karena kematian atau kelahiran seseorang. Keduanya adalah dua tanda kekuasaan Allah, yang dengannya Allah menanamkan rasa takut ke dalam hati hamba-hamba-Nya. Apabila kalian melihat gerhana, maka shalatlah dan berdoalah kepada Allah.”56 Seandainya Nabi ﷺ adalah seorang penipu yang narsistik, inilah kesempatan sempurna untuk memanfaatkan peluang penambah kredibilitas yang begitu mudah didapat. Peristiwa yang kebetulan bersamaan ini merupakan peluang besar bagi agenda pribadi mana pun, namun Nabi ﷺ tidak membiarkan orang lain menafsirkannya bahwa langit berduka atas Ibrāhīm. Meski hatinya terluka oleh kehilangan yang tragis itu, beliau ﷺ tetap naik ke mimbar, menolak penafsiran yang keliru tersebut, dan menegaskan bahwa gerhana hanyalah mengikuti tatanan kosmik yang telah ditetapkan Allah dalam alam semesta ciptaan-Nya.

Another powerful testament to his integrity was his adamant refusal to allow anyone to aggrandize him. Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh  narrates that there was a solar eclipse on the day that Ibrāhīm, the son of Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, had died. When the people began to say that the eclipse was due to the death of this young child, Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم rose at once and said, “The sun and the moon are not eclipsed because of the death or birth of anyone. Rather, they are two of God’s signs, by which He instills fear in His slaves. When you see an eclipse, pray and invoke God.”56 Had the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم been a narcissistic imposter, this would have been the perfect opportunity to capitalize on such a convenient credibility booster. These coinciding events represented an immense opportunity for any personal agenda, and yet the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not allow others to interpret this as the skies being saddened for Ibrāhīm. Though hurting from the tragic loss, he صلى الله عليه وسلم still ascended the pulpit, dismissed the false interpretation, and established that eclipses follow nothing but the cosmic order set by God in the created universe.

Pada kesempatan lain, Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān datang kepada Nabi ﷺ menjelang Perang Badar dengan suatu dilema etis.

On another occasion, Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān  came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prior to the Battle of Badr with an ethical dilemma.

Kaum musyrik Quraisy baru saja membebaskan Ḥudhayfah dan ayahnya dengan syarat bahwa ia tidak akan bergabung dengan pasukan Muhammad ﷺ dan berperang bersama beliau melawan Quraisy. Meskipun pasukan kaum Muslimin berada dalam posisi yang lemah dan hendak menghadapi kekuatan militer tiga kali lipat ukurannya, Nabi ﷺ tetap bersabda, “Maka teruslah berangkat [ke Madinah]. Kita akan memenuhi janji kita kepada mereka, dan kita akan memohon pertolongan kepada Allah untuk menghadapi mereka.”57 Akhlak kenabian beliau tidak mengizinkan beliau ﷺ, meskipun berada dalam posisi yang sangat rentan, untuk mengompromikan prinsip kejujuran dan keteguhan dalam kebenaran.

The pagans of Quraysh had just released Ḥudhayfah and his father on the condition that he would not join Muhammad’s ranks and fight Quraysh alongside him. Despite the Muslim army being disadvantaged and about to face a military force three times its size, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم still said, “Then proceed on [to Madinah]. We will keep our promise to them, and we will seek aid from Allah against them.”57 His prophetic morals did not allow him صلى الله عليه وسلم, even in an extremely vulnerable position, to compromise the principles of honesty and uprightness.