Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Role Model
The life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is full of countless examples that show his status as a role model for Muslim societies and individuals. His life is one that was dominated by a superior morality, good habits, noble and gentle feelings and superior skills, all of which are characteristics that help prevent people from getting entangled in a web of sin. The rich and the prosperous, the poor and the needy, the ruler and the ruled, the weak and the lonely, the conqueror and the victorious commander, the teacher and the student, the preacher and the mentor, the merchant and the craftsman, the employer and the employee - in other words, every sort of person can find truths in Prophet Muhammad's life that constitute an example for them to follow.
THE HOLY QURAN AND THE ROLE MODEL STATUS OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
In the Holy Quran the only verse that refers literally to the status of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a role model is as follows: "Verily in the messenger of Allah you have a good example for him who looks unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much."
If one accepts that Islam is the final and perfect religion, then it would be inconsistent to not consider the life of Prophet Muhammad as an example for the Muslim community or to not accept his life as something that shapes and guides the daily lives of Muslims. For that reason, the lifestyle and personality of Prophet Muhammad, demonstrated during his prophethood of 23 years, includes very significant provisions and principles for the religious, political, social and moral life of Muslim communities as a whole.
THE SUNNAH AND PROPHET MUHAMMAD'S STATUS AS ROLE MODEL
Islamic scholars state that the terms sabil (road), sirat al-mustaqim (straight path) and uswa al-hasana (best of examples), which are mentioned in the Holy Quran, in the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and in the words of his Companions, are words and terms that represent the concept of the sunnah. All these terms indicate the path to be followed and the model to be taken as an example. The name of this road is the sunnah, and it is collectively followed by the Companions of Prophet Muhammad and the believers.
MORALITY AND THE PROPHET'S STATUS AS A ROLE MODEL
A person cannot be considered to be a role model sent to guide people and at the same time be a person who commits deeds that are against the will of Allah. For this reason, all the prophets have been granted with a particular high-moral quality. They never intentionally or deliberately acted against the consent of Allah. The mistakes that they made and the faults which stemmed from forgetfulness caused Allah to remind or warn them. These mistakes and faults are not reflected in the people as an aspect of their status as a role model. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) committed no mistakes that would harm the conveyance of the Quran and this is proven in the Holy Quran and is agreed upon by the Muslim community. Those who accept that it was possible for Prophet Muhammad to make mistakes believe that in such cases he was immediately warned and corrected by Allah. No Muslim doubts the fact that Prophet Muhammad was free from faults in the conveyance of the Shariat (Islamic law) and that his conveyance was dependent on the revelation imparted unto him by Allah. According to the generally accepted perceptions and approaches, the sunnah put forward by Prophet Muhammad resulted from orders found in the revelations. It is understood from the verses of the Quran and the qualities granted to the Prophet by Allah that the revelations imparted to him do not only consist of the Holy Quran. Many verses in the Quran clearly state that each word and behavior of the Holy Prophet is proof of the existence of Allah.