If someone walked up to you in a café and asked, “Who’s the smartest person in history?” you’d probably say Einstein or Stephen Hawking.

And sure, that’s one kind of brilliance.

But isn’t there more to intelligence than STEM?

In harsh neighborhoods, there’s something called “street smarts”, the ability to read faces, sense danger, and navigate life’s rough edges.

You can’t test that in an exam, but it’s real and valuable.

Scholars throughout history, like Imam Ghazali, said the Prophet ﷺ was the most intelligent of Allah’s creation.

He’s not talking about his ability to solve equations.

He’s talking about something more profound: the Prophet’s ﷺ incredible skill in transforming people.

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t just lead a group of well-behaved, educated folks.

He took the Arabs, who were described in historical narratives as “wild, scattered beasts” with “repulsive and unfriendly natures (to those outside their tribe),” and turned them into a community of believers who would fight for something bigger than themselves.

That’s not just leadership; that’s genius.

Historically, these people were defined by fierce tribal loyalties, pride, and ego, yet he united them all under a higher purpose.

He made them willing to sacrifice everything, their wealth, their status, their tribes, and even their lives, for the sake of Allah.

That’s the kind of transformation that changes the world.

Take Umar (RA), for example.

He was rough, he was tough, and he had a troubled past.

He was addicted to alcohol, he was violent, and he came from an abusive home.

His father beat him badly growing up, and that hardness became part of his identity.

Interestingly, we often celebrate Umar (RA) for his strength and toughness, but the real beauty is how he outgrew that hardness.

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t just change Umar’s behavior; he changed his heart.

He took a man who was shaped by abuse and turned him into one of the greatest leaders in Islamic history, known for his justice, his patience, and his soft-heartedness.

Emotional neglect and abuse often span generations, which makes ʿUmar’s (RA) transformation all the more extraordinary.

He seemed destined to follow in his father’s footsteps.

As we know his final act before embracing Islam was hitting his sister.

Yet, through the Prophet’s ﷺ gentle guidance and his committed inner work, he shed that hardness.

Break the cycle

If your dad never hugged you, don’t think you’ll magically become a hugger when you get married.

If you never heard “I love you,” you might struggle to say it to your spouse or kids.

This stuff gets passed down, like a silent inheritance of distance and disconnection.

That’s why it’s so important for us to break the cycle.

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t just transform individuals; he transformed a culture.

He took a rough, harsh, and emotionally closed-off society and taught them how to love, connect, and be gentle.

That’s prophetic intelligence: the ability to see beyond the rough exterior, to recognize the potential for transformation, and to help someone shine in ways they never thought possible.

That’s a whole new way of thinking about intelligence.

It’s not about how many facts you know or how fast you can solve a problem.

It’s about your impact on the people around you.

How much good do you bring out in others?

How much do you help them grow and shine?

That’s the kind of intelligence that changes the world.

And emotional intelligence is a huge part of that.

You could listen to any psychologist talk about the importance of emotional understanding, but it won't resonate the same way until you see it as part of your deen.

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t just teach us to pray and fast; he taught us to connect, to listen, to love.

He showed us that emotional disconnection is a form of neglect, a neglect of the bonds Allah has blessed us with.

So, let’s flip the script on intelligence.

It’s not just about what you know; it’s about how you impact the lives of others.

That’s the legacy he left us and the kind of intelligence worth striving for.