Allah Pak sent the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as a teacher of humanity. Therefore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ مُعَلِّمًا meaning I have been sent as a teacher. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, p. 218, No. 229 Chapter: Excellence of Scholars and Encouragement to Seek Knowledge)
You ﷺ adopted various methods for human training, one of the most effective of which is "teaching through examples". The use of examples in the teachings of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was a very wise style, through which you ﷺ explained difficult things in an easy-to-understand manner. This method is not only easy to understand but also imprints in the mind. Note a few sayings of Mustafa ﷺ regarding the subject:
(1) Example of one who does not remember Allah:
Giving the example of those who do not remember Allah, the last Prophet of Allah Pak ﷺ said: مَثَلُ الَّذِیْ یَذْكُرُ رَبَّهٗ، وَالَّذِیْ لَا یَذْكُرُ، مَثَلُ الْحَیِّ وَالْمَیِّتِ
Translation: The example of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not is like the living and the dead. (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 8, p. 86, No.: 6407 Book: Al-Da'wat, Chapter: Excellence of Dhikr of Allah Almighty)
Just as the body of the living is inhabited by the soul and the body of the dead is desolate, so the heart of the one who remembers is inhabited by remembrance and the heart of the heedless is desolate.
(2) Example of rising from a gathering without remembering Allah:
Regarding those who rise from their gatherings without remembering Allah, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: مَا مِنْ قَوْمٍ یَقُومُونَ مِنْ مَجْلِسٍ لَا یَذْكُرُونَ اللہ َ فِیْهِ، إِلَّا قَامُوا عَنْ مِثْلِ جِیفَةِ حِمَارٍ، وَكَانَ لَهُمْ حَسْرَةً
Translation: Whoever rises from a gathering without remembering Allah, rises like a dead donkey, and it will be a cause of regret for them. (Sunan Abi Dawood, Vol. 5, p. 115, No. 4855, Book of Literature, Chapter: It is undesirable for a man to rise from his seat without remembering Allah)
Mufti Ahmed Yar Khan Naeemi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in its explanation: It is as if these heedless people got up after eating a dead donkey, which is also impure, insignificant and a manifestation of Satan, because when it speaks, La Hawla is recited. In short, gatherings devoid of the remembrance of Allah are like dead donkeys and those who participate in them are as if they are eating that carrion. (Mirat al-Manajih, Vol. 3, p. 361)
(3) Example of one who does not recite the Quran:
The heart is a delicate and strange thing, which must be kept healthy. Reciting the Quran is a means of keeping this heart alive. Regarding those who do not recite the Quran, the last Prophet of Allah Pak ﷺ said: إِنَّ الَّذِیْ لَیْسَ فِیْ جَوْفِهِ شَیْءٌ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، كَالْبَیْتِ الْخَرِبِ
Translation: He who has nothing of the Quran in his heart is like a ruined house. (Jami' Tirmidhi, Vol. 5, p. 35, No. 2913 Chapter: Virtues of the Quran from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ)
Just as a house is inhabited by people and goods, so is the heart inhabited by the Quran. A heart that is empty of the Quran is a desolate and barren heart.
(4) Example of a Hafiz of the Quran:
Becoming a Hafiz of the Quran is a great blessing from Allah Pak. Although memorizing the Quran is not obligatory, when a person memorizes it, it becomes necessary for him to remember it. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ، كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ، إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَیْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا، وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ
Translation: The example of a Hafiz of the Quran is like the owner of a camel tied with a rope, if he takes care of it, it will remain under control, otherwise it will break the rope and run away. (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 6, p. 193, No. 5031, Book: Virtues of the Quran, Chapter: Remembering the Quran, and Committing to it)
It is necessary to constantly repeat the Quran to remember it, otherwise it is erased from the heart. (That is, it is forgotten) If the Hafiz of the Quran enshrines the Holy Quran in his heart, he will be successful in this world and the hereafter.
The training style of the last Prophet of Allah Pak ﷺ is so comprehensive and effective that even today the examples given by you ﷺ illuminate hearts. Your ﷺ strategy was to make difficult things easy through examples so that all people, both common and special, could understand. If this style is adopted in today's era as well, then education and invitation can become more effective. We should also present the word of religion to the hearts of people with wisdom, love and examples.
May Allah Pak grant us the ability to act. Amen, by the grace of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ.
✍🏻 Muhammad Saim Talib Qureshi