All the Prophets were Shepherds at one time or other in their lifetime. The deceased father of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had left little money for him, and he was born an orphan. He never evaded responsibility because he was conscious of his situation. It was revealed that he was in charge of a flock of sheep at the age of four. After arriving in Makkah, he carried on in the same manner. He would receive a little wage, but he was happy with his means of subsistence. He was self-employed and making halal money, so he was not begging from strangers.
The prophets (PBUT) were shepherds, so keep that in mind. Allah (SWT) selected this line for all the prophets in order to train them for a higher purpose. Let’s get a clearer understanding of Why were all the Prophets shepherds:
Leadership Training: All prophets, peace be upon them, were given the responsibility of exercising leadership. They carried a message that needed to be conveyed throughout the populace when they were sent. If they did not have leadership qualities, they would not have been able to preach. People now spend hundreds of dollars on leadership training. But herding sheep was one of the best ways of developing leadership skills. Each Prophet served as a shepherd.
Also Read: Leadership Lessons from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Developing a Sense of responsibility: If you have a strong sense of duty, you won’t look for ways to get out of your obligations. Since their young children won’t let them sleep, many mothers must get up early. If they used to stay up until midday at their parent’s house, they cannot continue the pattern after they have children. The kids want their needs to be satisfied and need food. You will get out of bed and take care of your children’s needs while they are reliant on you if you are a responsible mother and value the gift that Allah (SWT) has given you.
Similarly to this, pets would prevent people, those with pets, from sleeping until late. They would come and drag you out of bed no matter how worn out you were or how much you wanted to sleep. You’ll go out and feed the animals if you genuinely care about them.
The same holds true for managing a flock of sheep! To support their development, you must make sacrifices regarding your sleep and desires. Either your sheep will perish if you continue to sleep or abandon you. And if you don’t rear your sheep well, how will you get the wool?
Observation Skill: Not only must you get up early, but you also must keep a watch on the sheep when you take them for a walk. A shepherd is required to maintain track of all of his sheep and ensure that none of them evade his gaze. He is both their master and their caregiver. The shepherd should be able to administer first aid if a sheep becomes ill or is injured.
Power to Act the Right Way: The shepherd must be able to provide for his flock. He ought to be aware of the green, secure locations. As a result, it is clear that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was always able to find a solution to whatever issue that was presented to him. He was aware of the appropriate contacts, locations, and approaches to deal with problems.
Knowledge and Discipline: A shepherd needs to be knowledgeable about the ideal times to depart for grazing, the finest plains to visit, and how to control the herd. We can observe discipline in the Prophet’s life. He understood how to interact with people from various backgrounds and with varied personalities. Every day, he adhered to a strict schedule and treated everyone fairly. All of his wives and companions, radhiAllahu ‘anhum, felt the most special to him. If he didn’t know how to manage, this wouldn’t have been conceivable. Some people are just competent at being bossy. They lack leadership qualities since all they want to do is rule others. They have no value for others’ feelings.
Patience: What could one expect from animals when humans struggle to comprehend instructions? Having patience is essential when raising kids or animals. As a result, a wise man is quoted as saying, “Raise yourself before you raise your children.” We definitely lack the necessary abilities if all we know is yell, punish, or hurt other people to get things done.
A shepherd needs to have a lot of patience. To go on to your next location, you must wait for all of the sheep to assemble. We can learn how patient the Prophet was with his family, his friends, his foes, and the Bedouins by studying his Seerah.
These Traits and Qualities answer Why were all the Prophets shepherds.
Also Read: Importance of Patience in Islam
Why Sheeps were chosen?
It is not a coincidence that why were all the Prophets shepherds of sheep. Since camels were grown by the Arabs, one would wonder why sheep were chosen instead of them. It’s easy to understand why! A rough and haughty animal, the camel is. It won’t moan if you starve it for days. However, sheep are frail and small. They need more of your consideration and care. The same is true of human beings. You cannot be harsh with the weak; they need more tender loving care.
The Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) gained humility and patience as a result of this training. He was aware of the various personality types and the human psyche. He would accept individuals for who they were and never belittle their differences. He agreed to talk naturally.
How frequently do we, however, demand that others change their actions or inclinations to conform to our preferences? We struggle with relationships because of this, in contrast to the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), who was most effective in both his personal and professional connections.
This also teaches us that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not think that any employment was beneath his dignity; to him, what mattered was being able to support himself without having to beg from others. Many people would be reluctant to quit their well-paying haram occupations for fear of falling into financial ruin. We willfully embrace haram and do not strive for halal in favor of the transient pleasures of this world. Aameen. May Allah bring us to the right path.
This was all about why all the Prophets shepherds. We hope you learned Why were all the Prophets shepherds, so if anyone asks you why, you have a beautiful answer. Read Islamic Blogs or Follow us on social media for daily Islamic reminders.
