What is your esteemed opinion on describing the following situations concerning the Prophet (peace be upon him) as indicative of firmness and strictness: his leaving his family immediately upon hearing the call to prayer, his application of hudud (punishments) even to his relatives, and his stance in the incident of the Ifk (slander) by not being gentle with his wife?

The Prophet's — peace and blessings be upon him — initiative to pray immediately upon the call to prayer, and his impartiality towards anyone regarding God's boundaries, indicates the perfection of his piety, knowledge, and fear of God, as well as his reverence for his Lord and his exaltation of His limits. There is no harm in describing him — peace and blessings be upon him — as firm and strict in fulfilling God's commands. However, he was not harsh or crude; rather, he was tolerant, gentle, forbearing, and merciful. The Almighty said: "And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you" (Quran 3:159). The Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — would pardon and overlook, and he would not return evil with evil. As described in the Torah, he was not harsh, nor crude, nor loud in the marketplaces.