09
THE MESSENGER OF GOD
English
Muhammad Abd Ar-Rahman bin
Abd Al-Kareem Ash-Sheha
In the name of Allah,
the Beneficent,
the Merciful.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
07
2. Who is the Messenger?
13
His background
14
3. Place of birth and childhood
21
4. The description of the Prophet ﷺ
33
5. Manners & Characteristics of the Prophets 37
Some of the Prophet’s ethical manners
55
Statements of justice and equity
58
6. The wives of the Prophet ﷺ
65
7. Textual proofs
71
Proofs from the Qur’an
72
Proofs from the Sunnah
72
Previous Scriptures
72
Proofs from the New Testament
78
8. Intellectual proofs
81
9. Conclusion
95
All praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds, the Creator of the heavens and earth and all creatures living in them. May God grant peace and blessings to Prophet Muhammad, God’s final Messenger, whose message brought mercy to all mankind. May He also give His blessings to all the prophets and messengers whom He sent to guide mankind out of darkness and into light.
At the Osoul International Centre for Islamic Advocacy, every new release that we produce gives us a great opportunity to interact with our readers. All our releases have the same overall objective; to present Islam to mankind, as it truly is. We aim to make people aware of Islam’s fine aspects and profound teachings and to show clearly that it is the only faith that provides practical and effective solutions to all the problems faced by humanity. Islam gives clear and solid answers to all of the questions that have troubled people over many genera-tions, such as: How did we come into existence and why do we exist? Where do we go from here? Furthermore, Islam is the only religion that requires its followers to love and respect all the prophets God sent, particularly Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them both).
We take great care to provide solid and rational proofs for our arguments, so as to give our readers the reassurance they need, and our releases also refute the accusations levelled against Islam and provide clarification to people’s misunderstandings of Islamic teachings.
By God’s grace, Islam is the fastest growing religion in our time, as confirmed by a study undertaken by the Pew Research Center , and our motive is to make this great divine faith known to all people.
Muhammad: God’s Messenger, is an account of the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), from the time of his birth until he passed away having fulfilled the task assigned to him and gave good counsel to all. He delivered to mankind God’s final and everlasting message, which is an embodiment of God’s mercy to all.
The book introduces us to the Prophet’s noble character, his humble life and his conduct, be this with his family at home, his companions and all people with their different positions in society. It tells us how he strove to fulfil the task God assigned to him and we contemplate how he dealt with his enemies and demonstrate the exceptional magnanimity he showed to all. We learn about his simple, but highly effective, method of advocating his message, based on wisdom and gentle admonition. We will also learn how keen he was to ensure that justice and security should be enjoyed by all people. In short, we realize that his life was a practical image of what God says about him in the Qur’an: “We have sent you as a manifestation of Our grace towards all the worlds.” (21:107) We hope that Muslim readers will find that this book adds to their knowledge of the Prophet, increases their love of him and strengthens their determination to follow his example. We also hope that non-Muslim readers will find it interesting and give them a true image of the Prophet of Islam.
Basil ibn Abdullah al-Fawzan
• The most beloved people
Executive Director
to Allah are the most
beneficial to others.
(1) “The Future of the Global Muslim Population”, Pew Research Center, 27 January 2011, Available at http://
goo.gl/uk8y1i
01
8
9
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Introduction
All praise is due to God, the Lord(1) of the worlds, and may God yet he did not indulge in amassing worldly fortune. He busied (1) The actual word
used in the Qur'an
praise Prophet Muhammad, and render him and his household himself with the worship of God and loved doings deeds which is Rubb. There is no safe and secure from all evil.
pleased Him. He never avenged himself on account of personal proper equivalent
for Rubb in the
reasons. He even prayed for his enemies’ wellbeing, and would When talking about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ(2), one should English language. It
warn them of the punishment of God.
means the Creator,
keep in mind that he is talking about the greatest individual
• That you stand exalted to a
the Fashioner, the
in history. This is not a baseless claim; for the one who reads He was an ascetic regarding worldly affairs and would worship high and noble character
Provider, the One
upon Whom all
his biography and learns of his mannerisms and ethics, while God throughout the night. He was the brave and courageous creatures depend
soldier who fought with the sword - and the infallible keeping aside all preconceived notions, would certainly reach for their means of
Prophet - the conqueror who conquered nations and subsistence, and the this conclusion. Some fair and just non-Muslims have reached One Who gives life
countries. He slept on a mat of hay and a pillow filled this conclusion as well.
and causes death.
with coarse fibers. People crowned him as the Sultan Great riches would come to him, and yet he lived in a state of of the Arabs, or King of the Arabian Peninsula, yet his family lived a simple life, even after they received The late Professor Hasan Ali, may God have mercy on him, said in great fortunes; the riches were piled in the Mosque.
his magazine ‘Noor al-Islam’ that a Brahmin(3) colleague of his once Fatima(1) complained to him about the strenuous work told him: “I recognize and believe that the Messenger of Islam is she did, the grinding stone and water jug which she the greatest and most mature man in history.” Professor Hasan Ali, used to carry - how they had left marks on her body...
may God have mercy on him, asked him: “Why do you consider him He did not give her a portion of that wealth; instead, the as the greatest and most mature man?”
Prophet ﷺ taught her a few words and supplications. His He replied: No man possessed the characteristics, mannerisms and Companion Umar(2) came to his house and looked in his room, ethics that he possessed at one time. He was a king under whom and saw nothing but a hay mat which the Prophet was lying on, the entire penin-sula was unified; yet he was humble. He believed which had left marks on his body. The only provisions in the house that the dominion belonged to his God alone.
were half a Saa’(3) of barley in a container, and a water-skin that hung on the wall - this is all the Mes-senger of God owned at a poverty; fire would not be lit in his house for many days, and he time when half the Arabs were under his control. When Umar saw would stay hungry. He was a great leader; he led small numbers this, he could not control himself and wept.
into battle against thousands, and yet he would decisively defeat The Messenger of God ﷺ said:
them. He loved peace agreements and would agree to them with (1) One of the
“Why are you weeping O Umar?” He replied: “Why shouldn’t daughters of the
a firm heart, even though he had thousands of his brave and I weep - Khosrau and Caesar enjoy themselves in this world courageous Companions by his side. Each Companion was Prophet ﷺ.
and the Messenger of God ﷺ only owns what I see!” He very brave and could confront a thousand enemies alone, while (2) One of the Prophet’s
(2) This Arabic term
respond-ed: “O Umar, wouldn’t it please you that this is the close companions,
not feeling the least bit intimidated. Yet, the Prophet was kind means, “may God
share of Khosrau and Caesar in this life, and in the Hereafter and the second
praise him and
hearted, merciful, and did not want to shed a drop of blood.
this pleasure would be for us alone?”
Caliph after his
render him safe
He was deeply concerned about the affairs of the Arabian death.
When the Prophet examined his troops prior to the occupation from all evil.”
Peninsula, yet he did not neglect the affairs of his family, (3) Saa’: a measure
of Makkah, Abu Sufyan stood beside al-Abbas, the uncle of the (3) Brahmin: member
household, or the poor and needy. He was keen to disseminate of capacity equal
of the highest of the
Prophet ﷺ and they looked at the banners of the Muslim army.
to four handfuls of
Islam amongst those who had gone astray. In general, he was a four Hindu castes:
Abu Sufyan at that time was not a Muslim. He was amazed by the the two hands held
the priestly caste.
man concerned with the betterment and wellbeing of mankind, together.
10
11
Muhammad The Messenger of God
The Path To Happiness
Introduction
vast number of Muslims; they advanced towards Makkah like a torrent of water. No one could stop them and nothing stood in their way. Abu Sufyan then said to al-Abbas: ‘O Abbas, your nephew has be-come a grand King!’ al-Abbas responded saying: ‘This is not king-ship, rather prophethood, and the Message of Islam.’
(1) The word translated
A’dee at-Ta’ee, the son of Ha’tim at-Ta’ee who was considered the as religion is 'Deen',
paradigm of generosity in that time, attended the assembly of the which in Arabic
commonly refers to
Prophet ﷺ while he was still a Christian. When he saw how the a way of life, which
Companions aggrandized and respected the Prophet ﷺ, he was is both private
confused - was he a Prophet or a king? He asked himself, “Is he and public. It is
a king or a Messenger of the Messengers of God?” While he was an inclusive term
meaning: acts of
pondering over this, a destitute woman came to the Prophet ﷺ
worship, political
and said: “I wish to tell you a secret.” He said to her: “In which road practice, and a
in Madeenah do you want me to meet you?’ The Prophet ﷺ left detailed code of
with the destitute maid and took care of her needs. When Ad’ee conduct, including
saw the humbleness of the Prophet ﷺ, he realized the truth and hygiene or etiquette
matters.
discarded the crosses that he was wearing and became a Muslim.
I ask all readers to put aside any preconceived notions when searching for the truth, whether it be this booklet or any other material. I ask God to open their hearts to accept the truth, and to show them the right path and inspire them to follow it.
We will mention some statements of the Orientalists concerning Mu-hammad ﷺ. We as Muslims firmly believe in the Prophet ﷺ
and his Message, and as such, do not need the statements of non-Muslims to establish this fact. We are mentioning these statements
• Muhammad
for the follow-ing two reasons:
Messengers of God
A
To serve as a reminder and admonition for those born into Is-lam, yet have abandoned their Prophet and his teachings, so that they might heed and return to their religion.1
Ad’ee at-Ta’ee, the
son of Ha’tim at-Ta›ee
B
So that non-Muslims would know who the saw the humbleness of
Prophet is from the statements of their other non-the Prophet, he realized
Muslims, and as such, be guided to Islam.
the truth and discarded
the crosses that he was
wearing and became a
Muslim.
Who is the
Messenger, 02
Muhammad ﷺ?
14
15
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Who is the Messenger, Muhammad?
Abu Su-fyan was in the Greater Syria Area(1) with some men from his His Background
tribe who had come as merchants during the truce that had been He is known as Abul-Qasim (father of Al-Qasim) Muhammad, the concluded between them and the Messenger of God.
son of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Mutalib. His lineage traces back Abu Sufyan said, “The messenger of Heraclius found us to Ismael (the son of Abraham, and considered a Prophet of God) somewhere in the Greater Syria area, so he took me and my may God praise them all. His mother is Aminah, the daughter of companions to Jerusalem and we were admitted into the Wahb.
court of Heraclius. We found him sitting in his royal court The Prophet, though orphaned early in life, nonetheless came from wearing a crown, surrounded by the senior Byzan-tine a noble and respected family. Even his enemies attested to this dignitaries. He said to his translator. ‘Ask them whom amongst
• Muhammad Messengers
fact, as did Abu Sufyan, the arch enemy of Islam before he himself them is a close relation to the man who claims to be a prophet’.”
of God
became Muslim, in front of Heraclius(1), the Emperor of Rome.
Abu Sufyan added, “I replied: ‘I am the nearest relative to him.’
Abdullah b. Abbas, the nephew of the Prophet, reported that the He asked, ’What degree of relationship do you have with him?’
Mes-senger of God
I replied, ’He is my cousin,’ and there was none from his tribe in ﷺ wrote to Heraclius and invited him to Islam.
the caravan except myself. Heraclius said, ‘Let him come nearer.’
Heraclius, as a sign of gratitude to God, had walked from Aleppo He then ordered that my companions stand behind me near my to Jerusalem when God had granted Him victory over the Persian shoulder and said to his translator, ‘Tell his companions that I am forces. When the letter of the Messenger of God reached Heraclius, going to ask this man about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he said after reading it,” Seek for me anyone of his people, if present he tells a lie, they should contradict him immediately’.”
here, in order to ask him about the Messenger of God!” At that time, Abu Sufyan added, “By God! Had it not been for shame that my companions brand me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Indeed God
• Caesar
about him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be chose the tribe of Kinanah over
called a liar by my compan-ions, so I told the truth.”
other tribes from the children
“He then said to his translator, ‘Ask him what kind of family he of Ishmael; He chose Quraish
(1) He was the Emperor
be-longs to.’ I replied, ‘He belongs to a noble family amongst us.’
over other tribes of Kinanah; He
of the Byzantine
He said, ‘Has anybody else amongst you ever claimed the same Empire (610-641)
chose Banu Hashim over the
(1) This is a historic
before him?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Have you ever blamed him who captured Syria,
other families of the Quraish;
region in the Middle
Palestine, and
for tell-ing lies before he claimed what he claimed?’ I said, ‘No.’ He East bordering the
and He chose me from Banu
Egypt from Persia
said, ‘Was anyone amongst his ancestors a king?’ I replied, ‘No.’
Mediterranean.
Hashim.’
(613-628).
(Muslim #2276)
It is generally
considered to
include the modern
states of Syria,
Abdullah
Abu Talib
Abu Lahab
Abbas
Hamzah
Zubair
Harith
Abd Shams
Hgelm
Dhirar
Lebanon, Palestine,
and Jordon. four
Hindu castes: the
Muhammad
priestly caste.
16
17
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Who is the Messenger, Muhammad?
He said, ‘Do the noble or the poor follow him?’ I replied, ‘It is the When I asked you whether the rich or the poor people followed poor who follow him.’ He said, ‘Are they increasing or decreasing him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, (daily)?’ I replied, ’They are increasing.’ He said, ‘Does anybody such are the followers of the Messengers. Then I asked you Caesar: In fact, this is amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and wheth-er his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied the sign of true faith, for then discard his religion?’ I replied, ’No.’ He said, ‘Does he break that they were increasing. In fact, this is the result of true faith till it when its pleasure enters and mixes in the hearts
his promises?’ I replied, ‘No, but we are now in a truce with him is com-plete [in all respects].
completely; nobody will
and we are afraid that he may betray us.’
be displeased with it.
Caesar: “Does anybody
I asked you whether anyone who, after embracing his religion, be-amongst those who
Abu Sufyan added, “Other than the last sentence, I could not say came displeased and discarded his religion; your reply was in the embrace his Deen
anything against him.”
negative. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, for when its pleasure become displeased and
then discard his Deen?”
“Heraclius then asked, ‘Have you ever had a war with him?’ I reenters and mixes in the hearts completely; nobody will be dis-Abu Sufyan replied, “No”. plied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘What was the outcome of your battles with pleased with it.
him?’ I replied, ‘Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.’
I asked you whether he had ever broken his promise. You replied in He said, ‘What does he order you to do?’ I said, ‘He tells us to the negative. And such are the Messengers; they never break their wor-ship God alone, and not to worship others along with Him, promises. When I asked you whether you fought with him and he and to leave all that our fore-fathers used to worship. He orders us fought with you, you replied that he did and that sometimes he was to pray, give in charity, be chaste, keep promises and return what victorious and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the Messengers; is entrust-ed to us.’”
they are put to trials yet the final victory is always theirs.
“When I had said that, Heraclius said to his translator, ‘Say to him: Then I asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered I asked you about his lineage and your reply was that he belonged you to worship God alone and not to worship others along with Him, to a noble family. In fact, all the Messengers came from the noblest to leave all that your fore-fathers used to worship, to offer prayers, lineage of their nations.
to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to re-turn
• Medina Mosque
Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had what is entrusted to you. These are really the qualities of a prophet claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If the who I knew [from the previous Scriptures] would appear, but I did • Ilya (jerusalem) an-swer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following a claim that had been said before him.
When I asked you whether he was ever blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I find it self-evident that a person who did not ever tell a lie to people could never tell a lie about God.
Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king.
Your re-ply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.
18
19
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Who is the Messenger, Muhammad?
Who is the Messenger
not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say is true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go imme-diately to meet him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet’.”
Abu Sufyan added, “Heraclius then asked for the letter of the Messenger of God and it was read. Its contents were the following: (1) This notation is used I begin with the name of God, the most Beneficent, the most throughout this book Merciful. From Muhammad, the servant of God, and His Mes-to reference the
Qur’anic passage
senger, to Heraclius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon being quoted. The
the followers of guidance. I invite you to Islam [i.e. surrender to first number is the
God]). Accept Islam and you will be safe; accept Islam and God chapter or Surah
will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation number, and the
second is the verse
of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding your nation.
or Ayah number.
Say, “O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equi-table (2) This notation
between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and indicates the source
of the Hadith.
not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords The Hadith are
instead of Allah.” ‘But if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that recorded statements we are Muslims [submitting to Him].” [3:64](1) of the Prophet
Muhammad. The
Abu Sufyan added, “When Heraclius had finished his speech, most authentic
there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine dignitaries records of hadith are surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not those of Bukhari,
Muslim, Tirmidhi,
understand what they said. So, we were ordered out of the court.”
Abu Dawood, Ibn
“When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said Majah, Nasaa’ee
and Ahmad.
to them, ‘Verily, Muhammad’s affair has gained power. Here is the King of the Romans fearing him’.”
Abu Sufyan added: “By God, I became surer and surer that his religion would be victo-rious till I ended up accepting Islam.” (Bukhari)(2) نزتحلاو فختلا
انعم للها نإا
Do Not Be
Afraid Or Sad,
• Read
God Is With Us
Place of Birth 03
and Childhood
22
23
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Place of Birth and Childhood
The Prophet ﷺ was born in the year 571 C.E. into the tribe of as well as others, worshipped idols made from stone, wood and Quraish, in the city of Makkah.
other substances. Some of these idols were placed around the (1) A term of honor
The Arabs would perform pilgrimage to Makkah and circumambu-Ka’bah. People believed that these idols could ward off harm or used for the wives
late a central structure, called the Ka’bah, which was built by the extend benefit.
of the Prophet ﷺ.
Prophet Abraham and his son, Prophet Ishmael, may God praise The Prophet ﷺ was a trustworthy and honest person. He never them both.
behaved treacherously, nor did he lie or cheat; he was in fact, known amongst his people as ‘Al-Amin’, or ‘The Trustworthy’.
The Prophet ﷺ was an orphan. His father passed away before he The Prophet ﷺ never
People would entrust him with their valuables when they wanted behaved treacherously
was born, and his mother died when he was only six years old. He to travel. He was also known as ‘As-Sadiq’ or ‘The Truthful’ for and honest.
was taken under the care of his grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib, and he never told a lie. He was well mannered, well spoken, and he when he died, his uncle, Abu Talib, took charge of him. His tribe, loved to help people. His people loved and revered him and he had beautiful manners. God, the Exalted, says: The famous Scottish historian and writer, Thomas (Indeed, you are of a great moral character.) [68:4]
Carlyle (d.1885) wrote in his book: ‘Heroes, Hero-The Prophet ﷺ liked to seclude himself in the Cave of Hira before Worship and the Heroic in History’: But, from an early age, he had he was commissioned as a prophet. He would stay there many been remarked as a thoughtful man. His companions named him nights at a time.
"Al Amin, The Faithful."
He ﷺ never partook in any falsehood; he never drank intoxicants, A man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke nor did he ever bow to a statue or idol, take an oath by them or and thought. They noted that he always meant something.
offer to them an offering. He was a shepherd over a flock of sheep A man rather taciturn in speech; silent when there was nothing to which belonged to his people. The Prophet ﷺ said: be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did speak; always
‘Every prophet commissioned by God was a shepherd over a flock
• Thomas Carlyle.
throwing light on the matter. This is the only sort of speech worth of sheep.’ His companions asked him: ‘Even you, O Messenger of speaking! Through life we find him to have been regarded as an God?’ He said: ‘Yes, I would take care of a flock of sheep for the altogether solid, brotherly, genu-ine man.
people of Makkah.’ (Bukhari)
A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, At the age of forty, the Prophet ﷺ received cordial, compan-ionable, jocose even - a divine revelation one night when at the cave good laugh in him withal: there are men of Hira. A’ishah(1), the Mother of the Believers whose laugh is as untrue as anything about relates:
them; who cannot laugh.
The first thing that God’s Messenger ﷺ
A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-received while in the Cave of Hira in Makkah meaning man! Full of wild faculty, fire and were good visions [dreams]. Every time he light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working had a dream, it would come true and clear like out his life - takes in the depth of the Desert the breaking of dawn over the darkness of the there.
land. Later on, God’s Messenger ﷺ began to
24
25
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Place of Birth and Childhood
love being alone in meditation. He spent lengthy periods, for days The Messenger of God ﷺ informed him
and nights, to fulfill this purpose in the cave before returning back of what he had seen in the Cave of Hira.
to his family. He would take a supply of food for his trip. When he Upon hearing his report, Waraqah said:
(1) Khadeejah was
the first wife of the
came back to his wife Khadeejah(1), he would get a fresh supply
“By God! This is the Angel Gabriel who
Prophet.
of food and go back to the same cave to continue his meditation.
came to the Prophet Moses, may
(2) The narration of a
God praise him. I wish I would be
statement, deed,
The Truth came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira. The alive when your people will drive you
tacit approval, or
Angel Gabriel came to Muhammad ﷺ and commanded him to characteristic of the
The Prophet ﷺ never
out of Makkah!” The Messenger of
read. Muhammad ﷺ replied, “I cannot read!” Gabriel embraced Prophet ﷺ.
behaved treacherously
God
Muhammad
ﷺ wondered, “Are they going
and honest.
ﷺ until he could not breathe, and then let him go to drive me out of Makkah?” Waraqah
saying, “O Muhammad! Read!” Again, Muhammad ﷺ replied, “I affirmed positively saying, “Never has a cannot read!” Gabriel embraced Muhammad ﷺ for the second man conveyed a Message similar to what
time. He then ordered him to read for the third time, when he did you have been charged with, except that his
not he embraced him tightly until he could not breathe, and then
• Muhammad ﷺ
people waged war against him - if I am to witness this, released him saying, “O Muhammad! Recite in the name of your I will support you.”
Lord who created; Created man from a clinging substance. Recite!
And your Lord is the Most Generous.” [96:1-3]
Waraqah lived only a short period after this incident and passed away. The revelation also stopped for a brief time.’ (Bukhari) The Messenger of God ﷺ returned home trembling. He entered his home telling Khadeejah, “Cover me, cover me!” Khadeejah The chapter of the Qur’an quoted in the hadeeth(2) above marks covered Muhammad ﷺ until he felt better. He then informed her the beginning, when Muhammad was commissioned as a Prophet.
about what happened to him in the Cave of Hira. He said, “I was God, the Exalted, then revealed to him:
concerned about myself and my well-being.” Khadeejah assured (O you who cloaks himself, Arise and warn! And your Lord magnify!
Muhammad ﷺ saying:
And your garments purify!) [74:1-4]
By God! You don’t have to worry! God, the Exalted, will never This chapter of the Qur’an though marks the point when he was humiliate you! You are good to your kith and kin. You help the poor commissioned as a Messenger.
• cave of Hira.
and needy. You are generous and hospitable to your guests. You help people who are in need.
With the revelation of this chapter of the Qur’an, the Prophet ﷺ
began calling his nation to Islam openly. He began with his own Khadeejah took her husband Muhammad ﷺ to a cousin of hers people. Some of them refused adamantly to listen to him, for to named Waraqah. This man became a Christian during the pre them, he was calling to a matter which they had never witnessed Islamic times, known as the Era of Ignorance. He was a scribe, who before.
wrote the Scripture in Hebrew. He was an old man who became blind at the latter part of his life. Khadeejah said to her cousin: The religion of Islam is a complete way of life, which deals with
“O cousin, listen to what your nephew [i.e. Muhammad ﷺ] is religious, political, economical and social affairs. Furthermore, the about to tell you!” Waraqah said: “What is it you have seen, dear religion of Islam did not only call them to worship God alone and nephew?”
to forsake all idols and things they worshipped; rather, it prohibited
26
27
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Place of Birth and Childhood
them from things they considered pleasurable, such as consuming Era of Ignorance saying to people: “Say there is nothing worthy of interest and intoxicants, fornication, and gambling.
being worshipped except Allah if you would be successful.” There (1) The closest
It also called people to be just and fair with one another, and to were those who spat in his face, those who threw soil in his face, companion to the
know that there was no difference between them except through and those who swore at him until midday. Once, a young girl came Prophet ﷺ and the
with a big container of water offering it to him. He washed his face first Caliph of Islam
piety. How could the Quraish, the most noble tribe amongst the after his death.
Arabs, stand to be treated equally with slaves! They did not only and hands and said: “O daughter, do not fear that your father will (2) Pilgrimage to
adamantly refuse to accept Islam; rather, they harmed him and be humiliated or struck by poverty.” (Mu’jam al-Kabeer) Muhammad
Makkah.
ﷺ
blamed him, saying that he was crazy, a sorcerer and a liar. They called the many tribes
Abdullah b. Amr al-Aas, a companion of the Prophet ﷺ was asked that came to Makkah
accused him of things they would never have dared to do before about some of the evil the pagans did to the Prophet ﷺ, to which for Hajj to Islam.
the advent of Islam. They incited the ignorant masses against him, he replied:
harmed him and tortured his companions. Abdullah b. Masood, a Once a pagan approached the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying close companion of the Prophet, reports:
near the Ka’bah and twisted his garment around his neck. Abu While the Prophet ﷺ was standing up and praying near the Bakr(1) hurriedly approached and grabbed his shoulder and pushed Ka’bah, a group of Quraish were sitting nearby when one of them him away saying: “Would you kill a man only because he proclaims said: “Do you see this man? Would someone bring the bloody Allah as his Lord, while clear signs have come to you from your intestines (removed after the slaughter) of the camels, and wait till Lord?” (Bukhari)
he prostrates, and then dump it on his back?” The most wretched amongst them volunteered to do it, and when the Prophet ﷺ
These incidents did not stop the Prophet ﷺ from calling to Islam.
prostrated, he poured the filth over his back, so the Prophet ﷺ
He preached this message to the many tribes that came to Makkah stayed in prostration. They laughed so hard that they were about for Hajj(2). A few believed from the people of Yathrib (a small city to fall on each other. Someone went to Fatimah who was a young north of Makkah), known today as Madeenah, and they pledged girl, and informed her of what had happened. She hurriedly came to support him and help him if he chose to migrate there. He sent towards the Prophet ﷺ and removed the filth with them Mus’ab b. Umair to teach them the tenets of Islam. After from his back, and then she turned around
all the hardships that the Muslims of Makkah faced from their own and she cursed the Quraishites sitting
people, God granted them the permission nearby. (Bukhari)
to migrate to Madeenah. The people of
Madeenah greeted them and received them Muneeb al-Azdi, a companion of
in a most extraordinary manner. Madeenah the Prophet ﷺ said:
became the capital of the new Islamic state, I
saw the Messenger of God in the
and the place from which the call to Islam was spread far and wide.
The Prophet ﷺ settled there and taught people how to recite the Qur’an and the rulings of the religion. The inhabitants of Madeenah were greatly moved and touched by the Prophet’s
28
29
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Place of Birth and Childhood
manners. They loved him more than they loved their own selves; the praises of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, they would rush to serve him, and they would spend all they had in He is ever Accepting of repentance. [110:1-3]
the path of Islam. The society was strong and its people were rich Prophet ﷺ said: No
Upon the conquest, the Prophet ﷺ gathered the people of Makkah prophet or messenger in Faith, and they were extremely happy. People loved each other, and said to them:
will come after me and
and true brotherhood was apparent amongst its people. All people
“What do you think I will do to you?” They answered: “You will only no new faith will be were equal - the rich and poor; the black and white; the Arab and born.
do something favorable; you are a kind and generous brother, and Prophet ﷺ said:
non Arab - all were considered as equals in the religion of God and a kind and generous nephew!” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Go, for you Allah has forbidden you no distinction was made among them except through piety.
are free.” (Baihaqi)
to take usury; therefore
After the Quraish learned that the Prophet’s call had spread, all interest obligation
This incredible act of forgiveness caused many to accept Islam.
shall henceforth be
they fought him in the first battle in Islam, the Battle of Badr. This The Prophet ﷺ then returned to Madeenah. After a period of waived.
battle took place between two groups unequal in preparations time, the Prophet ﷺ intended to perform Hajj, so he headed and weapons. The Muslims numbered 314; whereas, the towards Makkah with 114,000 Companions and performed pagans were about 1000 strong. God gave victory to the Hajj. This Hajj is known as the ‘Farewell Pilgrimage’ since the Prophet ﷺ and the Companions. After this battle, a number of Prophet ﷺ never performed another Hajj, and died shortly after battles took place between the Muslims and the pagans. After he performed it.
eight years, the Prophet ﷺ was able to prepare an army 10,000
strong. They proceeded towards Makkah and conquered it On the 9th of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah at Mount without spilling a drop of blood, and with this Muhamamad ﷺ
Arafat, the Prophet ﷺ, delivered his farewell sermon. After praising overcame the people who had harmed and tortured him and Allah, he said:
his Companions with every conceivable cruelty. The year of O People! Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this decisive victory is called ‘The Year of the Conquest.’ Allah, this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen to the Exalted, says:
what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to When the victory of Allah has come and the those who could not be present here today.
conquest, and you see the people entering into O People! Just as you regard this month, this the religion of Allah in multitudes, then repeat day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim. Return the goods
entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt
Years In Makkah Before
40
you. Remember, you will indeed meet
your Lord and He will indeed reckon
13
Years As Prophet
your deeds. Allah has forbidden you
to take usury; therefore, all interest due shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, Years In Madenah Monawarah
10
however, is yours to keep. You will neither
• Muhammad
inflict nor suffer inequity. Beware of Satan for ﷺ.
• Verily we have granted thee a
manifest victory.
30
31
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Place of Birth and Childhood
the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will to a Muslim that belongs to another unless it was given freely and ever be able to lead you astray in great things, so beware of willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.
following him in small things.
Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for O People! It is true that you have certain rights with regards to your deeds. So beware! Do not stray from the path of righteousness your women, but they also have rights over you... If they abide by after I am gone. O People! No prophet or messenger will come after The Prophet your right, then to them belongs the right of provisions and to be me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O people!
ﷺ
continuously received
clothed in a good manner. Treat women well and be kind to them, And understand the words that I convey to you. I leave behind me the revelation there, for they are your partners. Remember that you have taken them as two things, if you follow them you will never go astray: the Book of until the Qur’an and your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission.
Allah (i.e. the Qur’an) and my Sunnah. All those who listen to me the Deen of Islam were completed.
O People! Listen to me in earnest; worship Allah, perform your five shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadhan, give alms and perform may the last ones understand my words better than those who the pilgrimage (i.e. Hajj) if you can afford to. All mankind is from listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab Your Message to Your People.’ (Collected from Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad) over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; or for a white The Prophet ﷺ died in Madeenah in the year 632 C.E. and was over a black, nor for a black over a white; except through piety.
buried there as well. The Prophet ﷺ was 63 years of age when he Know that every Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim and died. The Muslims were shocked when they learned of his death; that the Muslims are one community. Nothing shall be legitimate some Companions did not believe it. Abu Bakr then addressed the Muslims and read the words of God:
The famous playwright and critic, George Bernard (Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have Shaw (d.1950) said: I have always held the religion of Muhammad passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back religion which ap-pears to possess that assimilating capability to the on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the changing phases of existence which make itself appeal to every age grateful.) [3:144]
- I have prophe-sized about the faith of Muhammad that it would be When the believers heard this verse, they were reminded of the (1) Encyclopedia of
Seerah, by Afzalur
acceptable to-morrow as it is beginning to be truth and quickly controlled their extreme sorrow; just as the Rahman.
acceptable to the Europe of today. Medieval Prophet ﷺ had taught them.
ecclesiastics, either through ignorance
• God is the greatest
The Prophet
or bigotry, painted [Islam] in the darkest ﷺ stayed in Makkah for forty years before being commissioned as a Prophet. After being colours. They were, in fact, trained to hate commissioned as a Prophet, he lived there for both the man Muhammad and his religion. To another thirteen years in which he called people them, Muhammad was an anti-Christ. I have to the pure monotheistic belief of Islam. He then studied him, the wonderful man, and in my migrated to Madeenah, and stayed there for ten opin-ion, far from being an anti-Christ, he years. He continued to receive revelation there, until must be called the Saviour of humanity.(1) the Qur’an and the religion of Islam were complete.
04
The Description
of the Prophet ﷺ
34
35
Muhammad The Messenger of God
The Description of the Prophet (ﷺ)
From the book, Shamaa’il at-Tirmidhî, we learn that the Prophet, ([He sent] a Messenger [Muhammad] reciting to you the distinct as described by his Companion Anas b. Malik, was “neither very verses of Allah that He may bring out those who believe and do tall, such that he would be clearly noticed, nor was he short. He righteous deeds from darknesses into the light. And whoever was not extremely white and neither was he very brown. His hair believes in Allah and does righteousness - He will admit him into was neither very curly nor completely straight”. Sometimes he gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein forever. Allah would part his hair at the middle. Other times, he would wear it will have perfected for him a provision.) [65:11]
Ali said: I have never
braided. The Prophet ﷺ had the physique of a powerful man. He Ali, cousin and son inlaw to the Prophet, said of Muhammad: seen anyone before
had a broad upper-back and shoulders between which was the The Prophet ﷺ
or after him who was
'He was the Last of the Prophets, the most giving of hearts, the said: “I am the master Seal of Prophethood mark. He had long muscular limbs with large comparable to him.
of the descendants of
most truthful, the best of them in temperament and the most joints. His lean stomach never protruded out past the profile of Adam and I do not say
sociable. Whoever unexpectedly saw him would stand in awe of his chest. His face was radiant, “as if the sun were following its so out of pride.”
him, and whoever accompanied him and got to know him would course across and shining from his face,” said one Companion.
love him. Those describing him would say: “I have never seen His forehead, prominent; his pupils, large and black; his eyelashes, long and thick; his nose, high tipped with narrow nostrils.
anyone before or after him who was comparable to him.”
The Prophet
The Prophet's beloved wife, A'ishah, said of her selfless husband: ﷺ would walk briskly with a forward leaning gait, moving with strength of purpose and lifting each foot clearly off
“He always joined in household chores and would at times mend the ground. His pace was such that fit men would tire trying to his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, keep up. When he turned, he would turn his whole body, giving tether and feed his animals.” (Bukhari)
full attention to the one addressing him and showing complete She was also once asked to describe his character, and she concern to what was being said. When he pointed, he would use replied, “His character was the Qur'an (exemplified).” (Muslim) an open hand so as not to offend. Likewise, when he criticized a person's behavior, rather than name the individual, he would (There is certainly for you, in the Messenger of Allah, an excellent simply say: “Why do people do such and such?”
role-model for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.) [33:21]
He would smile quite often, but his laugh was usually a measured
• Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
one, generally only to the extent that his front teeth would become visible. He would become angry only to the extent that his face would turn red and the vein between his eyebrows would bulge.
He was always humble and never displayed arrogance or pride. That freedom from pride was obvious even to children, who would play-fully lead the Prophet ﷺ through the streets of Medina whilst grasping his finger. Indeed he had said:
“He who does not show mercy to our young, nor honor our old, is not from us.” (Abu Dawood)
Manners & 05
Characteristics of
the Prophets
38
39
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
Some of the Prophet’s Manners
Jundub b. Sufyaan said that the Messenger’s finger bled during one of the battles, and he said:
& Characteristics:
‘You are but a finger which has bled; which suffers in the path His manners were the Qur’an, This means
1 Sound Intellect:
of God.’ (Bukhari)
that the Prophet ﷺ
abided by its laws
The Messenger ﷺ had an excellent, complete and sound 3 Sincerity:
and commands and
intellect. Qadhi Iyaadh(1), may God have mercy on him, said: The Prophet
abstained from its
ﷺ was sincere and honest in all his matters, as His strong intellect becomes clear when you read the his prohibitions.
God had ordered him. Allah, the Exalted, says: biography and understand his state of affairs, and his meaningful (Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my and inclusive utterances and traditions, his good manners, ethics dying are for God, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And and moral character, his knowledge of the Torah and Gospel and this I have been commanded and I am the first (among you) of other Divine Scriptures, his knowledge of statements of the wise, the Muslims.)
and knowledge of bygone nations, his ability to strike examples
[6:162-163]
and implement policies and correct emotional manners. He was 4 Good Morals, Ethics and Companionship: an example and paradigm to which his people could relate to in so many branches of knowledge; acts of worship, medicine, laws The Prophet ﷺ was a living example for all humans to follow.
of inheritance, lineage, and other matters as well. He knew and His wife A’ishah was asked about his manners, and she said: learned all of this without reading or examining the Scriptures of
‘His manners were the Qur’an.’ (Muslim)
those before us, nor did he sit with their scholars. The Prophet In this statement, A’ishah meant that the Prophet ﷺ abided by had no formal schooling, and was without knowledge of the its laws and commands and abstained from its prohibitions, and above before being commissioned as a Prophet, nor could he observed the virtuous deeds mentioned in it. The Prophet ﷺ
read or write. The Prophet ﷺ was wise to the fullest extent of said:
his mental capacity. God, the Exalted, informed him of some of
‘God has sent me to perfect good manners and to do good what had taken place (in the past) and of that which would take deeds.’ (Bukhari & Ahmed)
place in the future. This is a sign that the Dominion belongs to God, and that He is capable over all things.(2) Allah, the Exalted, described the Prophet ﷺ saying: 2 Doing Things for the Sake of God:
(And indeed, you are of a great moral character) [68:4]
• Muhammad ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ would always do deeds through which he would Anas b. Malik served the Prophet ﷺ for ten years; He was with (1) A great scholar of
seek the pleasure of God. He was harmed and abused when him day in and day out, both when the Prophet ﷺ traveled and Islam who wrote
many works,
he invited and called people to Islam; yet he was patient and when he was a resident in Madeenah. He was knowledgeable including on the
endured all of this, and hoped for the reward of God. Abdullah of the Prophet’s manners. He said:
Biography of the
ibn Masood said:
‘The Prophet ﷺ did not swear at anyone, nor was he rude, nor Prophet ﷺ.
‘The Prophet ﷺ resembled a prophet who was harmed by his did he curse anyone. If he desired to reprimand someone, he (2) Qadhi Eiyadh,
people. He wiped the blood from his face and said: ‘O God!
would say: ‘What is wrong with him, may dust be cast in his
‘Al-Shifa bita’reefi
Hoquooq ilMostafa’. Forgive my people, for they know not!’ (Bukhari) face!’ (Bukhari)
40
41
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
5 Politeness and Good Manners:
‘Whoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he The Prophet ﷺ showed good manners and was courteous to all, is not able to do so, then let him detest it with his heart...’ (Muslim) The Prophet ﷺ
even to children. Once when the Prophet was in a gathering, a would not talk in vain.
drink was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and he drank from it. On his 8 Love of Purification:
He would lengthen his
prayers and shorten the
right side there was a young boy and on his left side were elderly A companion passed by the Prophet ﷺ while he was not in speech, and he would men. Feeling obliged by the respect of elders, and not wanting a state of purification. He greeted him with God’s name, but not hesitate to help and to hurt the feelings of the child, he asked the young boy: take care of the needs
the Prophet ﷺ did not return the greeting until he performed of a needy, poor or
‘Do you mind if I give the drink to them?’ The young boy said: ablution and apologized saying:
widow.
‘O Prophet of God! By God! I would not prefer anyone to
‘I disliked that I should mention God’s name while I am not in a drink from the place you drank. This is my fair share(1).’ The state of purity.’ (Sahih an-Nasaa’ee, Ibn Khuzaimah) Messenger of God ﷺ handed the boy the drink.” (Bukhari) 9
6
Safeguarding and Minding One’s Language: Love for Reformation and Reconciliation: The Messenger of God
Whenever a situation occurred which called for reconciliation, ﷺ would busy himself with the
remembrance of God; he would not talk in vain. He would the Prophet ﷺ would hurry to resolve it. Once when he heard lengthen his prayers and shorten the speech, and he would that the people of Qubaa’(2) disputed with each other about a not hesitate to help and take care of the needs of someone in matter, the Prophet ﷺ said:
need, the poor or widowed.
‘Let us go to resolve the situation and make peace between (Ibn Hib’ban)
them.’ (Bukhari)
10 Excelling in Acts of Worship:
7 Ordering with the good and forbidding evil: A’ishah said that the Prophet of God ﷺ used to pray during If the Prophet
the night until his feet would swell. She said, ‘Why do you ﷺ saw an act which opposed a tenet of the religion, he would reprimand it in a suitable manner. Abdullah do this, O Messenger of God, while God has forgiven b. Abbas said:
your past and future sins?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied: The Messenger of God ﷺ saw a man wearing a gold ring(3), so
‘Shall I not be a grateful servant (of God)?’ (Bukhari) he reached for it, [and] removed it... He then said: 11 Forbearance:
‘Would one of you seek a burning charcoal and place it on his (1) In Islamic etiquette,
one should always
hand?!’
Once some companions came to the Prophet
begin from the right.
ﷺ complaining about a tribe, namely the The man was later told, after the Prophet ﷺ left: ‘Take your (2) A town previously
Daws, who refused to accept Islam, asking ring! Make good use of it [by selling it].’ The man said: ‘No, by on the outskirts of
him to curse them. The Prophet ﷺ raised his
Madeenah.
God! I will never take it after the Messenger of God ﷺ cast it hands in prayer and instead said:
(3) It is prohibited for
away.’ (Muslim)
‘O Allah guide the tribe of Daws and bring them men to wear gold in
Islam.
Abu Saeed al-Khudri said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: to Islam!’ (Bukhari and Muslim)
42
43
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
12 Good Appearance:
home wearing it, and a Companion said to the Messenger of God ﷺ: ‘O Prophet of God! Grant me this shawl to wear!’ The The companions knew the Prophet ﷺ to be the most beautiful Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘Yes.’ He then sat for awhile, and The Prophet ﷺ
of people. One companion said:
headed back home, folded it and gave it to the person who was the kindest of
‘The Prophet ﷺ was a person of average height. His shoulders asked for it. The Companions scolded him saying: ‘It was not people, and this was were wide. His hair reached his earlobes. Once I saw him appropriate for you to ask for his shawl; especially since you also apparent in his treatment of infants.
adorned in a red garment; I never saw anything more beautiful know he does not turn anyone down or send them away empty than him.’ (Bukhari)
handed! The man said: ‘By God! I only asked him to give it to 13 Asceticism in Worldly Affairs:
me because I want to be shrouded in this shawl when I die.’
Sahl, the narrator of the Hadeeth said: ‘The shawl was used as There are many examples in the Prophet’s life which prove that a shroud for that man when he died.’ (Bukhari) he had no concern for the pleasures of this life. Abdullah b.
15
Masood said:
Strong Faith and Dependence on God:
‘The Messenger of God ﷺ went to sleep on a mat. He stood Although the Prophet ﷺ and his companions faced severe up and he had marks on his side due to the mat that he had trials from the disbelievers, he always reminded them that the slept on. We said: ‘O Messenger of God, shall we not make [a end was for the believers, and that the Will of God will come proper] bedding for you?’ He said: ‘What do I have to do with to pass. When Abu Bakr and the Prophet hid in a cave after this world? I am only like a traveler that stopped to take shade they had left their homes in order to migrate to Madeenah, and rest under a tree, and then leaves it behind and continues the disbelievers of Makkah had sent scouts in search of them.
on the journey.’ (Tirmidthi)
They came so close to the cave that Abu Bakr could see their Amr’ b. al-Haarith said the Messenger of God ﷺ did not leave feet. Abu Bakr said:
any gold or silver currency, or a slave, male or female, after his
‘I looked at the feet of the pagans while we were in the cave death. He only left behind his white mule, his weapons and a
[of Thawr]. I said, ‘O Prophet of God! If anyone of them looks piece of land which he declared as Charity.’ (Bukhari) down at his feet he would see us!’ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two with 14 Altruism:
whom God, the Exalted, is their Third?’ (Muslim) Sahl b. Sa’d said: The Prophet ﷺ had more care for those 16 Kindness and Compassion:
around him than for his own self.
The Prophet was the kindest of people, and this
‘A woman gave the Messenger of God ﷺ a Burdah (gown).
was also apparent in his treatment of infants.
The Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions: ‘Do you know what a The Messenger of
Allah
Burdah is?’ They replied, ‘Yes, O Prophet of God! It is a piece of
‘The Messenger of God
ﷺ did not leave
ﷺ performed Salah
a Dirham or Dinar, or
woven cloth [similar to a shawl]. The woman said: ‘O Prophet (prayer) while he was carrying an infant girl slave, male or female,
of God! I have woven this shawl with my own hands, for you to named Umaamah... When he bowed, he put her
after his death. He
wear.’ The Messenger of God
declared a piece of land
ﷺ took it while he direly needed
on the ground, and when he stood up, he would as Sadaqah (charity).
it. After a while, the Messenger of God ﷺ came out of his carry her again.’ (Bukhari)
44
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
17 Simplification and Ease:
to the weight of Mount Uhud, until I spend and give it out (in the sake of God) within a night or within three nights. I would keep The Prophet ﷺ always sought to make things easy for people.
a single silver piece of it to help those who are in debt. (Bukhari) The Messenger of God ﷺ said:
‘I start the prayer with the intention of lengthening it, but when Jabir b. Abdullah said:
I hear a child crying, I shorten the prayer, as I know its mother
‘The Prophet ﷺ did not refuse to give anything which he owned would suffer from his wailing’
to someone, if they asked for it.’
(Bukhari)
(Bukhari)
(1) It was forbidden by
God for the Prophet
18 Fearing God, being Mindful to not trespass 20 Cooperation:
ﷺ or his family to
His Limits:
accept any form of
The Prophet ﷺ was not a king who commanded his followers to charity.
The Messenger of God ﷺ said:
carry out his orders. Rather he always carried out his own affairs
‘Sometimes, when I return to my family, I would find a date-fruit and helped others in collective duties. A’ishah was once asked on the bed. I would pick it up to eat it; but I would fear that it about how the Prophet ﷺ behaved with his family. She said: was from the charity(1), and thus, put it back.’ (Bukhari)
‘He helped and assisted his family members with their chores; but when the call to prayer was heard, he would [stop everything 19 Spending Generously:
and] leave to attend the prayers.’ (Bukhari) Anas b. Malik said:
Al-Baraa bin ‘Azib said:
‘The Messenger of God ﷺ was never asked for something
“I saw the Messenger of God ﷺ on the Day of the Trench when a person accepted Islam, except that he granted that carrying dirt [that was dug from the trench] until his chest was person what he asked. A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and covered with dirt.” (Bukhari)
he gave him a herd of sheep that was grazing between two mountains. The man returned to his people and said: ‘O my 21 Truthfulness:
A’ishah: ‘He
people accept Islam! Muhammad ﷺ gives out generously like helped and
The trait and characteristic which the Prophet ﷺ hated most one who does not fear poverty.’ (Muslim)
assisted his family
was lying. A man would tell a lie in the presence of the Prophet members with
Ibn Abbas said:
ﷺ and he would hold it against him, until he knew that he their chores; but
• And verily, you (O Muhammad)
when the call to
‘The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of people. He was most repented.’ (Tirmidthi)
are on an exalted standard of
prayer was heard,
generous during Ramadhan when he met Gabriel character.
ﷺ; he would
Even his enemies attested to his truthfulness. Abu he would leave to
meet him every night during Ramadhan to practice and review attend the prayers.’
Jahl, who was one of the harshest enemies of the Qur’an with him. The Messenger of God ﷺ was so generous, Islam, said: ‘O Muhammad! I do not say that you that he was faster than the swiftest wind in this regard. (Bukhari) are a liar! I only deny what you brought and what Abu Dharr said:
you call people to.’ God, the Exalted, says:
‘I was walking with the Prophet ﷺ in the Har’rah (volcanic region) We know that you, [O Muhammad], are
of Madeenah and we faced the mount of Uhud; the Prophet ﷺ
saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do said: ‘O Abu Dharr!’ I said: ‘Here I am O Messenger of God!’ He not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah said: ‘It would not please me to have an amount of gold equal that the wrongdoers reject.) [6:33]
46
47
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
22 Sanctifying the limits set by Allah, and Al-God will surely help you and
ways Seeking the Moderate Path:
those who are persecuted
and make it easy for you. We
A’ishah said:
have signed an agreement
‘The Prophet ﷺ was not given a choice between two matters, with them, and we certainly
except that he chose the easier of the two, as long as it was not do not betray or act
a sinful act. If that act was a sinful act, he would be the farthest treacherously.’ (Baihaquee)
• God blessings on Muhammad
from it. By God! He never avenged himself. He only became peace and blessings
(1) Ibn Hisham’s
Biography, Vol.
angry when people transgressed the limits and boundaries of 25 Bravery and courage:
1, p.493 [Arabic
God; in that case he avenged [for the sake of God alone].’ (Bukhari) Ali said:
Edition].
23 Pleasant Facial Expression:
‘You should have seen him on the Day of Badr! We sought refuge with the Messenger of God ﷺ. He was the closest Abdullah bin al-Harith said:
among us to the enemy. On that Day, the Messenger of God ﷺ
‘I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the Messenger was the strongest one among us.’ (Ahmed)
of God ﷺ.’ (Tirmidthi)
As for his courage and bravery under normal circumstances -
24 Honesty, Trustworthiness and Reliability: Anas b. Malik said:
The Prophet ﷺ was well known for his honesty. The pagans
‘The Messenger of God ﷺ was the best of people and the of Makkah - who were openly hostile towards him - would most courageous. One night, the people of Madeenah were The Messenger
leave their valuables with him. His honesty and reliability was frightened and headed towards the sounds they heard during of God ﷺ was
tested when the pagans of Makkah abused him and tortured the night. The Messenger of God ﷺ met them while coming the best of people
and the most
his companions and drove them out of their homes. He ordered back from the place of the sound, after he made sure that there courageous.
his cousin, Ali b. Abi Talib to postpone his migration for three was no trouble. He was riding a horse that belonged to Abu days to return to people their valuables.(1) Talhah without any saddle, and he had his sword with him. He was assuring the people, saying: ‘Do not be frightened! Do not Another example of his honesty, trustworthiness and reliability be frightened!’ (Bukhari)
is demonstrated in the Truce of Hudaibiyah, wherein he agreed to the article in the treaty which stated that any man who left He met up with people riding a horse with no saddle, and he the Prophet ﷺ would not be returned to him, and any man carried his sword, for there might be a reason or need to use who left Makkah to join the Prophet would be returned to the it. Unlike other leaders, he did not wait for others to investigate pagans. Before the treaty was concluded a man named Abu the source of trouble, but did it himself.
Jandal b. Amr had managed to escape from the pagans of 26 Bashfulness and Modesty:
Makkah and rushed to join Muhammad ﷺ. The pagans asked The Prophet ﷺ:
Muhammad to honor his pledge and return the escapee. The Abu Ayoub al-Ansari said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: would not hesitate to help the poor, needy
Messenger of God ﷺ said:
‘Four (traits) are from the practice of the Messengers; modesty, and widows in their
‘O Abu Jandal! Be patient and ask God to grant you patience.
using perfume and siwak (tooth stick) and marriage.’ (Tirmidthi) needs.
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
A’ishah said: ‘A woman asked the Prophet ﷺ about the bath prayer. There are old and weak people and those with special which is taken at the end of the menstrual period. The Prophet needs behind you in prayer.’ (Bukhari)
ﷺ said, “Purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with The Prophet
Once when the Prophet
ﷺ:
musk.” She sought details, but the Prophet ﷺ went to visit his dying grandchild
ﷺ felt shy and
If you lead people in
he shed tears.
turned his face. A’ishah said: “I pulled her to myself and told prayer, shorten the
prayer. There are old
her what the Prophet ﷺ meant.”’ (Bukhari)
The Messenger of God ﷺ sat holding the child while he was and weak people and 27 Humbleness:
dying. The child’s eyes froze in their places like stones. Upon those with special seeing that, the Messenger of God
needs behind you in
ﷺ wept. Sa’d (referring to prayer.
The Messenger of God ﷺ was the humblest of people. He the tears) said to him, ‘What is this ‘O Prophet of God?’ He was so humble that if a stranger were to enter the mosque and said: ‘This is a mercy that God, the Exalted, places in the hearts approach the Prophet’s sitting place while he was sitting with of His slaves. Truly, God is merciful to those who are merciful his Companions, one would not be able to distinguish him from towards others.’ (Bukhari)
his Companions. Anas bin Malik said:
‘Once, while we were sitting with the Messenger of God ﷺ in the 29 Patience and Forbearance:
Masjid, a man on his camel approached. After he tied it with a rope, Anas bin Malik said:
he asked: ‘Who amongst you is Muhammad?’ The Messenger
‘Once, I was walking with the Messenger of God of God
ﷺ while he was
ﷺ was sitting on the ground while he was leaning on wearing a Yemeni cloak with a collar with rough edges. A Bedouin his arm, with his Companions. We directed the Bedouin, saying:
‘This white man leaning on his arm.’ The Prophet grabbed him strongly. I looked at the side of his neck and saw that ﷺ did not differ
nor distinguish himself from his Companions.
the edge of the cloak left a mark on his neck. The Bedouin said, (Bukhari)
‘O Muhammad! Give me [some] of the wealth of God that you The Prophet ﷺ would not hesitate to help the poor, needy and have.’ The Messenger of God ﷺ turned to the Bedouin, laughed widows in their needs. Anas b. Malik said:
and ordered that he be given [some money].’ (Bukhari)
‘A woman from the people of Madeenah who was partially insane said to the Prophet ﷺ: ‘I have to ask you [your help] about Another example of his patience is the story of the Jewish something.’ He helped her and took care of her needs.’ (Bukhari) Rabbi, Zaid bin Sa’nah. Zaid had given something as a loan to 28 Mercy and Compassion:
the Messenger of God ﷺ. He himself said:
‘Two or three days prior to the return of the debt, the Messenger Abu Masood al-Ansari said:
The Jewish Rabbi
said: O Umar, I hold
‘A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of God!
you as a witness that I
By God! I do not pray Fajr prayer in congregation because so testify and am satisfied
and so lengthens the prayer." He said: ‘I have never seen the that there is no true
Messenger of God
god worthy of being
ﷺ deliver a speech in such an angry state.
worshipped except God He said:
alone, and my religion is
Islam and Muhammad
‘O People! Truly there are among you those who drive people ﷺ is my Prophet.
away from good! If you lead people in prayer, shorten the
• Read.
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
of God ﷺ was attending the funeral of a man from the Ansar.
witness that half of my wealth - and I am among the wealthiest Abu Bakr, Umar, Othman and some other Companions were with people in Madeenah - I give for the sake of God to the Muslims.’
the Prophet ﷺ. After he prayed the funeral prayer he sat down The Prophet
Umar said: ‘you will not be able to distribute your wealth to all ﷺ was
close to a wall, and I came towards him, grabbed him by the just and fair in every
the Muslims, so say, ‘I will distribute it to some of the followers aspect of his life and in edges of his cloak, and looked at him in a harsh way, and said: of Muhammad ﷺ.’ Zaid said: ‘I said, then I will distribute (the the application of the
‘O Muhammad! Will you not pay me back my loan? I have not apportioned) wealth to some of the Muslims.’ Both Zaid and religion.
known the family of Abdul-Mutalib to delay in repaying debts!”
Umar returned to the Messenger of God ﷺ. Zaid said to him: ‘I I looked at Umar - his eyes were swollen with anger! He looked bear witness that there is no true god worthy of being worshipped at me and said: ‘O Enemy of God, do you talk to the Messenger except God alone, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the slave of God and of God and behave towards him in this manner?! By the One His Messenger.’ He believed in him, and witnessed many battles who sent him with the truth, had it not been for the fear of and then died in the Battle of Tabook while he was encountering not entering the Heavenly Gardens, I would have killed you the enemy - may God have mercy on Zaid.’ (Ibn Hibban) with my sword! The Prophet ﷺ was looking at Umar in a calm A great example of his forgiveness and perseverance is apparent and peaceful manner, and he said: ‘O Umar, you should have when he pardoned the people of Makkah after its conquest.
given us sincere counseling, rather than to do what you did!
When the Messenger of God ﷺ gathered the people; who had O Umar, go and repay him his loan, and give him twenty Sa’a abused, harmed and tortured him and his companions, and (measurement of weight) extra because you scared him!’
had driven them out of the city of Makkah, he said: Zaid said: ‘Umar went with me, and repaid me the debt, and
‘What do you think I will do to you?’ They answered: ‘You will gave me over it twenty Sa’a of dates. I asked him: ‘What is only do something favorable; you are a kind and generous this?’ He said: ‘The Messenger of God ﷺ ordered me to give it, brother, and a kind and generous nephew!’ The Prophet ﷺ
because I frightened you.’ Zaid then asked Umar: ‘O Umar, do said: ‘Go, for you are free.’ (Baihaqi)
you know who I am?’ Umar said: ‘No, I don’t - who are you?’
30
Zaid said: ‘I am Zaid b. Sa’nah.’ Umar inquired: ‘The Rabbi?’
Patience:
Zaid answered: ‘Yes, the Rabbi.’
The Messenger of God ﷺ was the epitome of patience. He Umar then asked him: ‘What made you say what you said to was patient with his people before calling them to Islam; for the Prophet ﷺ and do what you did to him?’ Zaid answered: they would worship idols and do sinful acts. He was patient • Prophet first of the believers
‘O Umar, I have seen all the signs of prophethood in the face of and tolerant with the abuse and harm the pagans of Makkah themselves.
the Messenger of God ﷺ except two - (the first) his patience and perseverance precede his anger and the second, the more harsher you are towards him, the kinder and more patient he The Prophet ﷺ was
patient with his people
becomes, and I am now satisfied. O Umar, I hold you as a before calling them to
witness that I testify and am satisfied that there is no true god Islam; for they would
worthy of being worshipped except God alone, and my religion worship idols and do
sinful acts.
is Islam and Muhammad ﷺ is my Prophet. I also hold you as a
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
inflicted on him and his Companions and sought the reward of God. He was also patient and tolerant with the abuse of the hypocrites in Madeenah.
His patience was severely tested when he lost his loved ones.
His wife, Khadeejah, died during his lifetime, as did all his children, save his daughter, Fatimah. His uncle Hamzah and The Messenger of God ﷺ got up and delivered a speech, • (You are the best nation produced
Abu Talib passed away as well. The Prophet ﷺ was patient and saying:
sought the reward of God. Anas b. Malik said:
‘People before you were destroyed because when the noble
‘We entered the house of Abu Saif - the blacksmith - with among them stole, they would let him go; and if the poor and the Prophet ﷺ. Abu Saif’s wife was the wetnurse of his son, weak stole they would punish him. By God! If Fatimah(1), the Ibraheem. The Messenger of God ﷺ lifted his son Ibraheem, daughter of Muhammad stole, I would carry out her punishment and smelled and kissed him. After a while he went and saw myself.’ (Bukhari)
his son again - he was dying. The Prophet ﷺ started to cry.
The Messenger of God ﷺ was just and fair and allowed others Abdurrahmaan b. Auf said: ‘O Prophet of God, you too cry!’ The to avenge themselves if he harmed them. Usaid b. Hudhair said: Messenger ﷺ said: ‘O Ibn Auf, this is a mercy’ - the Prophet
‘A man from the Ansar, was cracking jokes with people and ﷺ shed more tears and said: ‘The eyes shed tears, the heart making them laugh, and the Prophet ﷺ passed by him and is saddened, yet we only say what pleases our Lord; we are poked his side lightly with a branch of a tree that he was saddened by your death, O Ibraheem!’ (Bukhari) carrying. The man exclaimed: ‘O Prophet of God! Allow me 31 Justice and Fairness:
to avenge myself!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Go Ahead!’ The man said: ‘O Messenger of God, you are wearing a garment, and The Messenger of God ﷺ was just and fair in every aspect of I was not when you poked me [i.e. you jabbed my exposed his life and in the application of the religion. A’ishah said: skin, so it is only fair I do the same to you]!’ The Messenger
‘The people of Quraish were extremely concerned about of God ﷺ raised his upper garment [to expose his side], and a woman, from a respected tribe called Makhzoom, who the Ansari [merely] kissed it, saying: ‘I only meant to do this, O
committed a theft. They conversed among themselves and Messenger of God!’ (Abu Dawood)
said, ‘Who can intercede on her behalf with the Messenger of God ﷺ so that he can cancel her punishment?’
32 Fearing God, and Being Mindful of Him: They finally said: ‘Who dares to speak to the Messenger of God The Messenger of God ﷺ was the most mindful person of ﷺ in this matter except Usamah b. Zaid, the most beloved God. Abdullah bin Masoud said:
Allah, the Exalted,
young man to the Messenger of God
says: (How then if
ﷺ.’ So Usamah spoke to
‘[Once] the Messenger of God ﷺ said to me: ‘Recite to me (1) Fatimah was the We brought from each
the Messenger of God ﷺ regarding the woman. The Messenger from the Qur’an!’ Abdullah b. Masood said: ‘Shall I recite it to most beloved
nation a witness, and
of God
daughter of the
ﷺ said:
you, while it was you to whom it was revealed?!’ The Prophet Prophet.
We brought you as a
‘O Usamah! Do you intercede on their behalf to disregard one witness against these
ﷺ said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I started to recite Surat anNisaa(2), until (2) The fourth chapter people!)
of God’s commanded punishments?’
I reached the verse:
of the Qur’an.
54
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness? [4:41]
(1) Bukhari #3034.
Upon hearing this verse, the Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘That is enough!’ Abdullah b. Masood said, ‘I turned around and saw the Messenger of God ﷺ crying’.” (Bukhari)
A’ishah said:
‘If the Messenger of God ﷺ saw dark clouds in the sky; he would pace forwards and backwards and would exit and enter his house repeatedly. As soon as it rained, the Prophet ﷺ
would relax. A’ishah asked him about it, and he said: ‘I do not know, it may be as some people said:
And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment!)(1) (46:24) 33 Richness and Contentment of the Heart: Umar b. alKhattab said:
‘I entered the Messenger’s house and I found him sitting on a mat. He had a leather pillow stuffed with fibers. He had a pot Close Relations with his Companions
1
Would Consult his Companions
2
Would Consult his Companions
3
Visiting the Sick, Whether he was Muslim or non Muslim 4
He was Grateful for People’s Goodness Towards him 5
Love for Everything Which is Beautiful and Good 6
Loved to Help Others by Interceding on Their Behalf 7
Would Serve Himself
8
56
57
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
of water by his feet, and there was some clothes hung on the The Prophet’s Manners with
wall. His side had marks due to the mat that he lay on. Umar wept when he saw this, and the Messenger ﷺ asked him: those Around Him
The Prophet ﷺ
‘Why do you weep?’ Umar said: ‘O Prophet of God! Khosrau did not only verbally
and Caesar enjoy the best of this world, and you are suffering 1 The Prophet’s close relations with his Com- entertain and joke with his companions, but
in poverty?!’ He said: ‘Aren’t you pleased that they enjoy this panions:
sported and amused
world, and that we will enjoy the Hereafter?’ (Bukhari) them as well.
The Prophet was very close to his companions, and this is 34 Hoping for Goodness, even for his Enemies: wellknown when one reads the detailed reports about the Prophet’s biography. The Prophet ﷺ is the example which we A’ishah said:
should emulate in all our matters. Jareer b. Abdullah said: ‘The
‘I asked the Messenger of God ﷺ: “Did you face a day harder Prophet ﷺ did not prevent me from sitting with him since I and more intense than the Battle of Uhud?” He replied: ‘I accepted Islam. He always smiled when he looked at me. I suffered a lot from your people! The worst I suffered was on once complained to him that I could not ride a horse and he the Day of al’Aqabah when I spoke to [their chief] (in order to slapped me lovingly on my chest and supplicated God, saying: support me) but he disappointed me and left me to be harmed
‘O God! Steady him, and make him a person who guides others by the people. I left the area while I was quite worried, and and is a source of guidance.’ (Bukhari)
walked away. When I reached an area called Qarn athTha’alib, I raised my head to the sky and noticed a cloud that shaded 2 The Prophet ﷺ would entertain his Compan-me. Gabriel ﷺ called me and said: ‘O Muhammad! God, the ions and joke with them:
Exalted, has heard what your people have said to you - and Tirmidhi reports in Al-Shamaa’il that Al-Hasan said: ‘An old has sent the Angel in charge of the mountains, so you can woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of command him to do what you please.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: God, ask God to admit me into the Heavenly Gardens.” He
‘The Angel in charge of the mountains called me saying: ‘May said: “Old women will not enter the Heavenly Gardens!” She God praise you and keep safe from all evil! O Muhammad, I then turned away crying. The Prophet ﷺ quickly said: “Tell her will do whatever you command me to do. If you like I can bring that she will not enter the Heavenly Gardens as an old woman, the Akhshabain mountains together and crush them all.’ The for Allah says:
Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘No, it may be that God raises from (Indeed, we have produced the women of Paradise in a [new among them a progeny who worship God alone and associate manner of] creation. And made them virgins, devoted [to their no partners with Him.’ (Bukhari)
husbands] and of equal age.) [56:35-7]
The Prophet ﷺ
The Prophet
ﷺ did not only verbally entertain and joke with his did not only entertain
companions, but sported and amused them as well. Anas b.
and joke with his
Malik said:
companions by word
‘A Bedouin named Zahir b. Haram would give gifts to the of mouth; rather, he
sported and amused
Prophet ﷺ and he would prepare things for him as well. The them as well.
Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Zahir is our desert, and we are his city.’
• There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God.
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
The Prophet ﷺ approached him while he were selling his goods, testified: ‘There is no true god worthy of being worshipped and the Prophet ﷺ hugged him from behind, and he could not except Allah alone and Muhammad ﷺ is the last Messenger.’
see him. He then said: ‘Let me go!’ When he knew that it was the The Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘All praise is due to God, Who Prophet ﷺ who was hugging him, he pressed his back towards saved him from the Fire of Hell.’ (Ibn Hibban) the Messenger’s chest! The Messenger of God ﷺ then said: 5 He was grateful for people’s goodness towards
‘Who will buy this slave from me?’ Zahir said: ‘O Messenger of him, and would reward that generously:
God, I am worthless!’ The Messenger of God ﷺ said:
‘You are not considered worthless by God!’ or he said: ‘You are Abdullah b. Umar said that the Messenger of God ﷺ said: valuable and precious to God.’ (Ibn Hibban)
‘Whoever seeks refuge with God against your evil, then do not harm him. Whoever asks you by God, then give him. Whoever 3 He would consult his Companions:
invites you, then accept his invitation. Whoever does a favor for
• Makkah.
The Prophet ﷺ would consult his Companions, and take you or an act of kindness, then repay him in a similar manner; their opinions and points of view into consideration in issues but if you do not find that which you can reward him with, then and matters for which no textual proofs were revealed. Abu supplicate God for him continuously, until you think you have Hurairah said:
repaid him.’ (Ahmed)
‘I have not seen a person more keen for the sincere advice of his companions than the Messenger of God ﷺ.’ (Tirmidthi) A’ishah said:
‘The Messenger of God ﷺ would accept gifts, and reward 4 Visiting the sick, whether he was Muslim or generously on account of that.’ (Bukhari)
non-Muslim:
6 The Messenger’s love for everything which The Prophet ﷺ was concerned about his Companions and is beautiful and good:
would make sure that they were well. If he was told about a Companion who was sick, he would rush to visit him with the Anas said:
Companions that were present with him. He wouldn’t only visit
‘The hand of the Messenger of God ﷺ was softer the Muslims who were sick; rather, he would even visit non-than any silk that I had ever touched, and his Muslims. Anas b. Malik said:
scent was sweeter than any perfume that I
(1) Another name of the ‘A Jewish boy would serve the Prophet ﷺ and he fell sick, Prophet ﷺ.
had ever smelt.’ (Bukhari)
so the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Let us go and visit him.’ They went to visit him, and found his father sitting by his head, and the 7 The Messenger of God ﷺ
Messenger of God ﷺ said: ‘proclaim
loved to help others by in-
that there is no true god worthy of
terceding on their behalf:
being worshipped except Allah
Abdullah b. Abbas said:
alone’ and I will intercede on your
behalf on account of it on the Day
‘The husband of Bareerah was a slave
of Resurrection.’ The boy looked
whose name was Mugheeth - I saw him
at his father, and the father said:
walking behind her in the streets of Madeenah
‘Obey Abul-Qasim!(1)’ so the boy
crying, and his tears were falling off his beard.
• Muhammad ﷺ.
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics
The Messenger of God ﷺ said to Al-Abbas: ‘Doesn’t it amaze He further said: ‘I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that you, how much Mugheeth loves Bareerah, and how much she this is a divine inspiration or revelation, which lead him to these (1) Dr. Maurice Bucaille dislikes Mugheeth!’
statements.’
was an eminent
French surgeon,
The Prophet ﷺ said to Bareerah: ‘Why don’t you go back to 3 Dr. Maurice Bucaille(1). said in his book: The scientist, scholar
him?’ She said to him: ‘Are you commanding me to do so?’ He Qur’an, and Modern Science:
and author of ‘‘The
said: ‘No, but I am interceding on his behalf.’ She said: ‘I have Bible, The Qur’an
‘A totally objective examination of it [the Qur’an] in the light and Science.’’
no need for him.’ (Bukhari)
of modern knowledge, leads us to recognize the agreement 8 The Messenger of God ﷺ would serve him-between the two, as has been already noted on repeated self:
occasions. It makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of Muhammad’s time to have been the author of such statements,
• Wolfgang Göethe.
A’ishah said:
on account of the state of knowledge in his day. Such
‘I was asked how the Messenger of God ﷺ behaved in his considerations are part of what gives the Qur’anic Revelation house.’ She said: ‘He was like any man; he washed his clothes, its unique place, and forces the impartial scientist to admit milked his sheep, and served himself.’ (Ahmed) his inability to provide an explanation which calls solely upon The Prophet’s excellent manners, not only made him serve materialistic reasoning.’
himself; rather, he would serve others as well. A’ishah said:
‘I was asked how the Messenger of God ﷺ behaved in his 4 Annie Besant(2) in The Life and Teachings of house.’ She said: ‘He would help out in the house with the daily Muhammad, said:
chores, and when he heard the Adthan he would leave [every
‘It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of thing and head] for the Mosque.’ (Bukhar)
the great Prophet of Arabia, who knew how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for the mighty Prophet, Statements of Justice and Equity:
one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in (1) German writer and
what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar scientist. A master of
to many, yet I myself feel, whenever I reread them, a new way poetry, drama, and
1 The German Poet, Wolfgang Göethe(1), said: of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian the novel. He also
conducted scientific
‘I looked into history for a human paradigm and found it to be teacher.’
research in various
in Muhammad ﷺ.’
fields, notably botany,
5 Dr. Gustav Weil in History of the Islamic Peo-and held several
2 Professor Keith Moore(2). Said in his book: ples said:
governmental positions.
The Developing Human:
(2) Former President of the
‘Muhammad was a shining example to his people. His character (2) English theosophist, Canadian Association
It is clear to me that these statements must have come to was pure and stainless. His house, his dress, his food they philosopher, and
of Anatomists,
political figure who
Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge were characterized by a rare simplicity. So unpretentious was Department of anatomy
advocated home
and cell biology,
was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me he that he would receive from his companions no special mark rule and educational
University of Toronto.
that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Allah.
of reverence, nor would he accept any service from his servant reforms in India.
62
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Prophet’
Pr
s Manners & Characteristics
ophet’
which he could do for himself. He was accessible to all, at all times. He visited the sick and was full of sympathy for all.
Unlimited was his benevolence and generosity as also was his anxious care for the welfare of the community.(1) 6 Maurice Gaudefroy said:
(1) Encyclopedia of
Muhammad was a prophet, not a theologian, a fact so evident Seerah, by Afzalur-that one is loath to state it. The men who surrounded him Rahman.
(2) ibid.
and constituted the influential elite of the primate Muslim (3) He was a famous writer. community, contented themselves with obeying the law that He died in 1859.
he had proclaimed in the name of Allah and with following his teaching and example.(2)
7 Washington Irving(3), said:
His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory as they would have done had they been effected by selfish purposes.
In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manner and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonial of respect was shown to him.(4)
• Dr. Gustav Weil.
8 Edmund Burke said:
“The [Islamic] law, which is binding on all from the crowned (4) Encyclopedia of
head to the meanest subject, is a law interwoven with a system Seerah, by Afzalur-Rahman.
of the wisest, the most learned and the most enlightened (5) ibid
jurisprudence that ever existed in the world.”(5)
The Wives of 06
the Prophet ﷺ
66
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
The Wives of the Prophet
2 Political reasons and for the spread of Islam, The Prophet Married
to invite people to Islam, and to gain the favor of the Arab tribes:
The Messenger of God ﷺ married women from the largest and strongest Arab tribes. The Prophet ﷺ recommended his (1) A famous Italian Religious and legislative purpose
Companions to do this as well when they were sent as emissaries.
Orientalist.
The Prophet ﷺ said to Abdurrahmaan b. Auf:
Political reasons
‘If they obey you (i.e. accept Islam) then marry the daughter of the chief of the tribe of Kalb.’ (Ibh Hisham) Social reasons
Dr. Cahan said: ‘said: ‘Some of the aspects of his life may After the death of his first wife, Khadeejah, the Prophet ﷺ
seem confusing to us due to present day mentality. The married a number of women; all of whom were divorcees, Messenger is criticized due to his obsession of attaining except for A’ishah. Most of his wives were from the tribe of worldly desires and his nine wives, whom he married after Quraish, whereas the others were from other families. The the death of his wife Khadeejah. It has been confirmed that Prophet ﷺ married these women for a number of reasons: most of these marriages were for political reasons, which were aimed to gain loyalty of some nobles, and tribes.’
1 Religious and legislative purpose:
The Prophet ﷺ married Zainab b. Jahsh. The Arabs in the Era 3 Social reasons:
of Ig-norance would prohibit a man from marrying the wife of his adopted son; they believed that the adopted son was like The Prophet ﷺ married some of his Companions’ wives who a man’s actual son in all aspects. The Prophet ﷺ married her, had died, in battle or while on a mission to preach Islam. He although she was previously the wife of his adopted son, Zaid married them even though they were older than him, and he did b. Harithah. The Messenger of God ﷺ married her to abolish so to honor them and their husbands.
this belief. God, the Exalted, says:
(And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor, "Keep your wife and fear Allah," while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him. So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that The Messenger of
there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the God ﷺ married women wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of from the largest and
strongest Arab tribes.
them. And ever is the command of Allah accomplished.) (33:37)
• O Allah blessings on Muhammad
68
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
The Wives of the Pr
How to Attain T
ophet
rue Happiness
Veccia Vaglieri(1) in her book ‘In Defense of Islam’ said:
‘Throughout the years of his youth, Muhammad ﷺ only married one woman, even though the sexuality of man is at its peak during this period. Although he lived in the society he lived in, wherein plural marriage was considered the general rule, and divorce was very easy - he only married one wom-an, although she was older than him. He was a faithful husband to her for twenty-five years, and did not marry (1) A famous Italian
Orientalist.
another woman, except after her death. He at that time was fifty years old. He married each of his wives thereafter for a (2) ‘Heroes, Hero-Worship and the
social or political purpose; such that he wanted to honor the Heroic in History’.
pious women, or wanted the loyalty of certain tribes so that Islam would spread amongst them. All the wives Muhammad ﷺ married were not virgin, nor were they young or beautiful; except for A’ishah. So how can anyone claim that he was a lustful man? He was a man not a god. His wish to have a son may have also lead him to mar-ry; for the children that he had from Khadeejah all died. Moreover, who undertook the financial responsibilities of his large family, with-out having large resources. He was just and fair towards them all and did not differentiate between them at all. He followed the practice of previous Prophets such as Moses, whom no one objected to their plu-ral marriage. Is the reason why people object to the plural marriage of Muhammad ﷺ the fact that we know the minute details of his life, and know so little of the details of the lives of the Prophets before him?’
Thomas Carlyle said: ‘Mahomet himself, after all that can be said about him, was not a sensual man. We shall err widely if we consider this man as a common voluptuary, intent mainly on base enjoyments,--nay on enjoyments of any kind.’(2)
Textual Proofs
which support
the Prophet hood 07
of Muhammad ﷺ
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Textual Proofs
Proofs from the Qur’an:
and warns others, and one who protects and safeguards the commoners. You are My slave and Messenger; I called you 1
Mutawakkil (The Trusted One). You are neither ill-mannered nor God, the Exalted, says:
(1) Formerly, Rev.
rude, nor do you raise your voice. You do not pay evil with evil; David Benjamin
(Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he rather, you forgive and pardon. I will not collect his soul until Keldani, B.D. A
is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets. And ever is I guide the nations, and until they say, ‘There is no true god Roman Catholic
priest of the Uniate-
Allah, of all things, Knowing.) (33:40)
worthy of being worshipped except God alone’ and until they (1) Sunnah: the
Chaldean sect. He
narration of the
clearly see the Truth.’
2
was born in 1867
speech, actions,
Jesus gave the glad tidings of Prophet Mu-at Urmia in Persia
characteristics, or
hammad in the Gospel. God, the Exalted, says: Ata said: I met Ka’b, the Rabbi, and asked him about this narration, before accepting
tacit approvals of
and he did not differ with Abdullah b. Amr b. Al-Aas except for a Islam.
the Prophet.
(And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O chil-dren minor difference in the wording of the narration.’ (Baihaqi) of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bring-ing good tidings Abdul-Ahad Dawud(1), said: ‘but I have tried to base my of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But arguments on portions of the Bible which hardly allow of any when he came to them with clear evi-dences, they said, "This linguistic dispute. I would not go to Latin, Greek, or Aramaic, is obvious sorcery!’)
for that would be useless: I just give the following quotation (61:6)
in the very words of the Revised Version as published by the Proofs from the Sunnah1:
British and Foreign Bible Society.
We read the following words in the Book of Deuteronomy The Prophet ﷺ said:
chapter 18, verse 18:
‘My example and the example of the Prophets before me is like
"I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like a man who built a house, which he built and perfected except unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth."
for the space of one block; people would go round the house If these words do not apply to Prophet Muhammad, they and stare in awe at its perfection and say, ‘Had it not been for still remain unfulfilled. Prophet Jesus himself never this space!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘I am that brick; I am the last claimed to be the Prophet al-luded to. Even of Prophets.’ (Bukhari)
his disciples were of the same opinion: they Previous Scriptures:
looked to the second coming of Jesus for Allah, the Exalted,
Ataa’ b. Yasaar, said: ‘I met Abdullah b. Amr b. al-Aas and I says: Muhammad is
asked him:
not the father of any of
your men, but (be is) the ‘Tell me about the description of the Messenger of God ﷺ in Messenger of Allah.
the Torah.’ He said: ‘He is described in the Torah with some of what he is described in the Qur’an; ‘We have indeed sent you as a witness (over mankind) and one who gives glad-tidings,
74
75
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Textual Proofs
the fulfillment of the prophecy. So far it is undisputed that the
"the praised one." Besides the Arabs, the inhabitants of the first coming of Jesus was not the advent of the "prophet like wilderness of Paran had also been prom-ised a Revelation: unto thee," and his second advent can hardly fulfill the words.
"Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the Jesus, as is believed by his Church, will appear as a Judge and villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock not as a law-giver; but the promised one has to come with a sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them
"fiery law" in "his right hand."
give glory unto the Lord, and declare His praise in the islands. There are two other prophecies worthy of
The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jeal-In ascertaining the personality of the promised prophet the note where references
ousy like a man of war, he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail have been made to other prophecy of Moses is, however, very helpful where it against his enemies"
Kedar.
speaks of the shining forth of God from Paran, the mountain (Isaiah) .
of Mecca. The words in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 33, In connection with it, there are two other prophecies worthy of verse 2, read as follows:
note where references have been made to Kedar. The one runs
"The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; thus in chap-ter 60. of Isaiah:
he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thou-
"Arise, shine for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is sands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them."
risen upon thee... The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall In these words, the Lord has been compared with the sun. He come. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto comes from Sinai, he rises from Seir, but he shines in his full thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall glory from Paran, where he had to appear with ten thousand come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the saints carrying a fiery law in his right hand. None of the Israelites, house of my glory". (1-7)
including Jesus, had anything to do with Paran. Hagar, with her son Ishmael, wandered in the wil-derness of Beersheba, who The other prophecy is again in Isaiah 21, verses 13-17: afterwards dwelt in the wilderness of Paran (Gen. 21, 21) .
The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. The inhabitants of Ishmael married an Egyptian woman, and through his first-the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they born, Kedar, gave descent to the Arabs who from that time till prevented with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the now are the dwellers of the wilderness of Paran. And if Prophet swords and from the bent bow, and from the griev-ousness Muhammad ad-mittedly on all hands traces his descent to of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, “Within a year, Ishmael through Kedar, and he appeared as a prophet in the according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar wilderness of Paran and reentered Mecca with ten thousand
• Muhammad ﷺ
In ascertaining
shall fail: And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty saints and gave a fiery law to his people, is not the prophecy the personality of the
of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished"
promised prophet
above-mentioned fulfilled to its very letter?
the other prophecy of
Read these prophecies in Isaiah in the light Moses is, however, very The words of the prophecy in Habakkuk are especially of one in Deuteronomy which speaks of the helpful where it speaks
noteworthy. His (the Holy One from Paran) glory covered the of the shining forth of
shining forth of God from Paran.
heavens and the earth, was full of his praise. The word "praise"
God from Paran, the
mountain of Mecca
is very significant, as the very name Muhammad literally means If Ishmael inhabited the wilderness of Paran,
76
77
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Textual Proofs
where he gave birth to Kedar, who is the ancestor of the Arabs.
Again, the mention of 10,000 saints in Deuteronomy 33, verse And, if the sons of Kedar had to receive revelation from God.
2 is very significant. He (God) shined forth from Paran, and And, if the flocks of Kedar had to come up with acceptance he came with 10,000 of saints. Read the whole history of the to a Divine altar to glorify "the house of my glory" where the wilderness of Paran and you will find no other event except for darkness had to cover the earth for some centuries, and then one that could fit this description. And that was when Mecca that very land had to receive light from God. And, if all the glory was conquered by the Prophet.
(1) Muhammad in the
Bible, by Abdul-
of Kedar had to fail and the number of archers, the mighty men He came with 10,000 followers from Medina and re-entered Ahad Dawud to
of the children of Kedar, had to diminish within a year after the read more on this.
"the house of my glory." He gives the fiery law to the world, one who fled from the swords and from the bent bows - the which re-duced to ashes all other laws.
Holy One from Paran (Habakkuk 3, verse 3), is no one else than the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet Muhammad is the The Comforter - the Spirit of Truth - spoken of by the Prophet holy offspring of Ishmael through Kedar, who settled in the Jesus was also none other than the Prophet Muhammad wilderness of Paran. Muhammad is the only Prophet through himself. It cannot be taken as the Holy Ghost, as Church whom the Arabs received revelation at the time when the theology says. "It is expedient for you that I go away," says darkness, in the form of ignorance regarding God, had cov-Jesus, "for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto ered the earth.
you, but if I depart I will send him unto you." (John 16, verse 7) Through him God shone from Paran, and Mecca is the only The words clearly show that the Comforter had to come after place where the House of God is glorified and the flocks the de-parture of Jesus, and was not with him when he uttered of Kedar come with acceptance on its altar. The Prophet these words. Are we to presume that Jesus was devoid of Muhammad was persecuted by his people and had to leave the Holy Ghost if his com-ing was conditional on the going of Mecca. He was thirsty and fled from the drawn sword and the Jesus: besides, the way in which Jesus describes him, clearly bent bow, and within a year after his flight the descendants of indicates that he is human being, not a ghost. "He shall not Kedar meet him at Badr, the place of the first battle be-tween speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall the Meccans and the Prophet. The children of Kedar and their speak." Should we presume that the Holy Ghost and God are number of archers diminish and all the glory of Kedar fails. If two distinct entities and that the Holy Ghost speaks the Holy Prophet is not to be accepted as the fulfillment of all of himself and also what he hears from God?
these prophecies, then they will still remain unfulfilled.
The words of Jesus clearly refer to some The Holy Prophet
is not to be accepted
"The house of my glory" referred to in Isaiah 60 is the house messenger from God. Jesus calls him the Spirit as the fulfillment of
of God in Mecca and not the Church of Christ as thought by of Truth, and we know that the people of Makkah all these prophecies
Christian commen-tators. The flocks of Kedar, as mentioned in used to also call Muhammad, “the Truthful”.
they will still remain
unfulfilled.
verse 7, have never come to the Church of Christ; and it is a Moreover, the Qur’an also speaks of Prophet fact that the villages of Kedar and their inhabitants are the only Muhammad in the same manner, "No, indeed, people in the whole world who have remained impenetrable to he has brought the truth, and confirmed the
• Muhammad
any influence of the Church of Christ.
Messengers." (37:37).1
78
79
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Textual Pr
T
oofs
extual Pr
Proofs from the New Testament
There are a number of passages in the New Testament which also clearly refer to the coming of Muhammad ﷺ by implication through the nature of his actions or functions.
1 John, the Baptist:
John, the Baptist: When he started baptizing, the Jewish people sent priests to him to find out who he was. ‘He confessed,
“I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, ‘’What then? Are you Elijah?” And He said: “I am not.” Are you that Prophet?’
And he answered, “No” … And so they said to him: “Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor that Prophet?’ (John 1:20-25)
That Prophet is not Jesus, because firstly, he was the Christ, and second-ly, because John the Baptist continued preaching and baptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophet during the life-time of Jesus. Thus, it can only be Muhammad.
2 Jesus:
The Prophet Jesus foretold the coming of another Prophet, whose name would be ‘Periqlytos’ or ‘Paraclete’. In the English translations, he is called the ‘Comforter’ or ‘Counselor’. It is written that his teach-ings would last forever, ‘I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter (Periqlytos), that he may abide with you forever.’ (John 14, verse 16) The word Greek word periqlytos means ‘illustrious, ‘renowned’
and ‘praiseworthy’, and this is exactly what the Arabic word
‘Ahmed’ means. It is confirmed in the Qur’an that the Prophet The Comforter -the Jesus did prophe-size that a Prophet named ‘Ahmed’ would Spirit of Truth- spoken come after him. God, the Exalted, says: of by Prophet Jesus
was no other than
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children Prophet Muhammad
of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming himself.
what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious sorcery.) (61:6)
08
Intellectual Proofs
82
83
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
Intellectual proofs which
God challenges mankind at large to bring forth similar to the support the prophet hood of the
Qur’an. God says:
(Or do they say, "He has made it up"? Rather, they do not be-Messenger of God:
lieve. Then let them produce a statement like it, if they should W. Montgomery be truthful.) (52:33-34)
1 The Prophet ﷺ was unlettered.
Watt: His readiness to
undergo persecution
3 The Prophet ﷺ continued preaching and call-He did not know how to read or write. He lived among a people for his beliefs, the high
ing people to Islam, even though he faced who were unlettered as well. Therefore, one cannot claim that moral character of the
men who believed in
many hardships and was confronted by his
the Qur’an was authored by Muhammad ﷺ! God, the Exalted, him and looked up to
people, who were plotting to kill him.
says:
him as a leader.
(And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you in-Yet the Prophet ﷺ continued preaching, and was patient. If he scribe one with your right hand. Otherwise the deniers would was an imposter - he would stop preaching fearing for his life.
have had [cause for] doubt.) (29:48)
W. Montgomery Watt said: His readiness to undergo 2 The Arabs were challenged to bring forth persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the something similar to the Qur’an, and they men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader, were unable to do so!
and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor The beauty, structure and deep meanings of the Qur’an amazed raises more problems that it solves. Moreover, none of the the Arabs. The Qur’an is the everlasting miracle of Muhammad great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West ﷺ. The Mes-senger of God ﷺ said:
as Muhammad... Thus, not merely must we credit Muhammad
‘The miracles of the Prophets (before Muhammad ﷺ) were with essential honesty and integrity of purpose, if we are
• W. Montgomery Watt
con-fined to their times. The miracle I have been given is the to understand him at all; if we are to correct the errors Qur’an, which is everlasting; therefore, I hope to have the most we have inherited from the past, we must not for-get the followers.’ (Bukhari)
conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a Even though his people were eloquent and well known for their show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this magnificent poetry, God challenged them to produce a book only to be attained with difficulty.
similar to the Qur’an, but they couldn’t. God then challenged them to produce a single chapter similar to it, and they couldn’t even do that.
The beauty,
كل انحتف انإ�
structure
انيبم ًاحتف
and deep meanings of
God says:
the Qur’an amazed the
verily we have
Arabs. The Qur’an is the And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon granted thee a
everlasting miracle of
Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like there-manifest victory
Muhammad ﷺ.
of and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should
(alfath 48:1)
be truthful. [2:23]
84
85
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
4 Every person loves the ornaments and
5 It is well known that subjects and wealth of a beauties of this life, and would be swayed kingdom are subjected to the will of the king, by these things.
and his service.
God, the Exalted, says:
As for Muhammad ﷺ he knew that this life was a transitory Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of stage. Ab-dullah said: ‘The Prophet ﷺ laid down on a straw women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine mat which left marks his side, so I said: ‘O Messenger of God!
branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment I ransom you with my mother and father! Allow us to put bed-
(1) ‘Heroes, Hero-
of worldly life, but Allah has with Him the best return. [3:14]
ding on this mat that you lay on, so your side would not be affected and marked.’ The Prophet
Worship and the
ﷺ said:
Man, by his nature, is keen in acquiring the luxuries and Heroic in History’
‘My example in this life is like a traveler who took rest under the beauties of this world. People differ in the method they use to shade of a tree then continued on his journey.’ (Ibn Majah) acquire these things. Some would resort to using lawful means to gain these things, while others would resort to using unlawful An-Nu’man b. Basheer said:
means to acquire these things.
‘I saw your Prophet ﷺ (during a time) when he was not able to find even low quality dates to fill his stomach.’ (Muslim) In his time, the wealthy and respected tribe of Quraish tried to per-suade the Prophet ﷺ to stop calling people to Islam.
Abu Hurairah said:
They told him that they would make him the master of Quraish,
‘The Messenger of God ﷺ never filled his stomach for three marry him to the most beautiful women, and make him the consecutive days until his death.’ (Bukhari) richest man amongst them. He responded to these tempting Even though the Arabian Peninsula was under his control, and offers by saying:
he was the source of goodness for its people, the Prophet ﷺ
‘By God, if they place the sun in my right hand, and the moon would at some-times not find food to suffice him. His wife, in my left hand in order that I leave this matter, I would not leave A’ishah said that the Prophet ﷺ bought some food from a Jew
• Reverend Bosworth Smith
it, until God makes it apparent, or I am killed calling people to (and agreed to pay him at a later time) and he gave him his it.’ (Ibn Hisham)
armor as collateral.’ (Bukhari)
Were the Prophet ﷺ an impostor he would have accepted this This does not mean that he could not obtain what he wanted; offer without hesitation as it would have given him the best life.
for gold coins and wealth would be placed in front of him in his Mosque, and he would not move from his spot, until he distributed Thomas Carlyle, said: They called him a prophet, you say?
it amongst the poor and needy. Among his Companions were Why, he stood there face to face with them, here, not enshrined those who were wealthy and affluent - they would rush to serve Why, he stood there
face to face with them,
in any mystery, visibly clouting his own cloak, cobbling his own him and would give up the most valuable of things for him. The here, not enshrined in
shoes, fighting, counseling, ordering in the midst of them. They reason the Prophet ﷺ renounced the riches of this world, was any mystery, visibly
must have seen what kind of a man he was, let him be called clouting his own cloak,
what ye like. No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed as this cobbling his own shoes,
fighting, counseling,
man in a cloak of his own clouting. During three and twenty MUHAMMAD
ordering in the midst of
years of rough, actual trial, I find something of a veritable hero them
The Messenger of Allah
nec-essary for that of itself.1
86
87
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
because he knew the reality of this life. He said: ‘The likeness of 8 Some verses from the Qur’an were revealed this world to the Hereafter, is like a person who dipped his finger in which the Prophet
in the ocean - let him see what would return.’
ﷺ was blamed and ad-
(Muslim)
monished, due to some incident or happening; such as: Reverend Bosworth Smith said: If ever a man ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the powers without The words of God, the Exalted: (O Prophet! Why do you The Prophet their supports. He cared not for the dressings of power. The ﷺ
forbid for yourself that which God has permitted to you, would not be pleased if simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life.(1) a person adulated him
seeking the approval of your wives? And God is Oft-in any way.
6 Certain incidents would befall the Prophet of Forgiving, Most Merciful.) [66:1]
God ﷺ which would need clarification, and he would not be able to do anything because The Prophet ﷺ abstained from eating honey, due to the he did not receive revelation regarding it behavior of some of his wives. God then admonished
.
him because he forbade up-on himself what God had During this period (i.e. between the incident and revelation) made lawful.
he would be ex-hausted. One such incident is the incident of Ifk2 wherein the Prophet’s wife A’ishah was accused of being God, the Exalted, says: (May Allah pardon you, [O
unfaithful. The Prophet ﷺ did not receive revelation concerning Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to this incident for one month; during which his enemies talked remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident ill of him, until revelation was revealed and the innocence of to you who were truthful and until you knew who were A’ishah was declared. Were the Prophet ﷺ an im-poster he the liars. [9:43]
would have resolved this incident the minute it came about.
God says:
God admonished the Prophet ﷺ because he quickly Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.) (53:3) accepted the false excuses of the hypocrites who lagged 7
behind in the Battle of Ta-book. He forgave them and
• Washington Irving.
The Prophet ﷺ did not ask people to adulate him.
accepted their excuses, without verifying them.
God, the Exalted, says: (The Prophet frowned and turned On the contrary, the Prophet ﷺ would not be pleased if a person adulat-ed him in any way. Anas said:
away. Because there came to him the blind man. But what would make you perceive, [O Mu-hammad], that
‘There was no individual more beloved to the Companions than perhaps he might be purified. Or be reminded and the the Messenger of God.’ He said: ‘If they saw him, they would not stand up for him, because they knew he disliked that.’
remembrance would benefit him? [80:1-4]
(Tirmidthi)
(1) Muhammad and
Washington Irving, said: ‘His military triumphs awakened no Abdullah b. Umm Maktoom, who was poor and blind, came to Muhammadanism.
pride nor vain glory as they would have done had they been the Prophet ﷺ while he was preaching to one of the powerful (2) The incident wherein effected by selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power tribal leaders, and the Prophet ﷺ frowned and turned away -
the hypocrites
he maintained the same simplicity of man-ner and appearance and God ad-monished him on account of that.
falsely accused
as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting regal state, A’ishah, with whom
Allah is pleased, of
he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual tes-Therefore, were the Prophet ﷺ an imposter, these verses being unchaste.
timonial of respect was shown to him.’
would nev-er be found in the Qur’an.
88
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Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall said: One day when the want to become a Muslim now. How do you like that? What do Prophet was in conversation with one of the great men of Qureysh, you think of your divine revelation now?’ But he never did that.
seeking to persuade him of the truth of Islam, a blind man came And yet, that is exactly the kind of behavior one would have and asked him a question concerning the faith. The Prophet was expected from him since he always sought to contradict Islam.
annoyed at the interruption, frowned and turned away from the In essence, Muhammad ﷺ said: ‘You hate me and you want blind man. In this Surah he is told that a man’s importance is not (1) The Amazing
to fin-ish me? Here, say these words, and I am finished. Come Qur’an.
to be judged from his appearance or worldly station.1
on, say them!’ But Abu Lahab never said them. Ten years!
(1) The Glorious Qur’an
9 One of the sure signs of his Prophethood is And in all that time he never accepted Islam or even became pg. 685.
found in the Chapter of Lahab (chapter 111) in sympathetic to the Is-lamic cause. How could Muhammad the Qur’an.
possibly have known for sure that Abu Lahab would fulfill the Qur’anic revelation if he (i.e. Mu-hammad) was not truly In it God, the Exalted, condemned Abu Lahab (the the Messenger of Allah? How could he pos-sibly have been Prophet’s uncle) to the torment of Hell. This chapter so confident as to give someone ten years to discred-it his was revealed during the early stages of his call to Is-claim of Prophethood? The only answer is that he was Allah’s lam. Were the Prophet ﷺ an imposter he would not Messenger; for in order to put forth such a risky challenge, one issue a ruling like this; since his uncle might accept has to be entirely convinced that he has a divine revelation.1
Islam afterwards!
10
Dr. Gary Miller
The Prophet
says: For example, the Prophet
ﷺ is called: ‘Ahmed’ in a verse
ﷺ had
of the Qur’an instead of ‘Muhammad’.
an uncle by the name of Abu Lah-ab. This man hated Islam to such an extent that he used to follow the God, the Exalted, says: (And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Prophet around in order to discredit him. If Abu Lahab Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of saw the Prophet ﷺ speaking to a stranger, he would Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and wait until they parted and then would go back to the stranger bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose and ask him, ‘What did he tell you? Did he say black? Well, it’s name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear white. Did he say ‘Morning?’ Well, it’s night.’ He faithfully said evidences, they said, "This is obvious sorcery.’) (61:6) the exact opposite of whatever he heard Muhammad ﷺ say.
Were he an imposter, the name ‘Ahmed’ would not How could the
However, about ten years before Abu Lahab died a little have been men-tioned in the Qur’an, since he was Prophet ﷺ possibly
chapter in the Qur’an was revealed to him. It distinctly stated known as ‘Muhammad’ amongst his people.
have been so confident that he would go to the Fire (i.e. Hell). In other words, it affirmed as to give someone ten
11 The religion of Islam still exists
that he would never become a Muslim and would therefore be years to discredit his
claim of Prophet hood?. condemned forever.
today and is spreading all over
the Globe.
For ten years all Abu Lahab had to do was say, ‘I heard that it has been revealed to Muhammad that I will never change - that Thousands of people world-wide continue to em-I will never become a Muslim and will enter the Hellfire. Well I brace Islam and prefer it over all other religions.
90
91
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
This happens even though the callers to Islam are not finan-Many have tried to add and omit verses from the Qur’an, cially backed as expected; and in spite of the efforts of the but they have never been successful; for these mistakes are enemies of Islam to halt the spread of Islam. God, the Exalted, discovered almost immediately. It is the only monotheistic (1) The 100’ A ranking of the most
says:
revelation whose initial copy is still preserved historically. It is a influential persons
Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, we will fact that you can compare any Ara-bic Qur’an today to Qur’ans in history.
be its guardian.)
preserved from the time of the Prophet
(15:9)
ﷺ and his Companions (2) We believe that
and not find a single difference in any word!
Islam is a Divine
God has truly preserved this Qur’an, not only in its book-form, revelation from
As for the Sunnah of the Messenger of God but further in the hearts and minds of Muslims who generation ﷺ which is the
Allah, and that
second source of legislation in Islam, it has been preserved Muhammad ﷺ did
after gen-eration commit the entire revelation to memory.
by trustworthy pious men and women. They spent their lives not found it.
Indeed memorizing and reciting it, learning and teaching it gathering these tradi-tions, and scrutinizing them to separate are among the things Muslims are very keen on doing, for the the weak from the authentic; they even clarified which narrations Prophet ﷺ said:
were fabricated. Whoever looks at the books written in the
‘The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.’
science of Hadeeth will realize this, and that the narrations that (Bu-khari)
are authentic are in fact authentic.
12 Veracity and truthfulness of his principles Thomas Carlyle said: A false man found a religion? Why, and that they are good and suitable for every a false man cannot build a brick house! If he does not know time and place.
and follow truly the properties of mor-tar, burnt clay and The results of the application of Islam are clear and well known, what else he works in, it is no house that he makes, but which in turn testify that it is indeed a revelation from God. Fur-a rubbish-heap. It will not stand for twelve centuries, to
• Thomas Carlyle.
thermore, is it not possible for Muhammad ﷺ to be a Prophet, lodge a hundred and eighty million; it will fall straightway.
as many Prophets and Messengers were sent before him? If A man must conform himself to Nature’s laws, be verily in the answer to this query is that there is nothing that prevents communion with Nature and the truth of things, or Nature will answer him, No, not at all! ... prominent world-leaders, do prosper by their quack-ery, for a day. It is like a forged bank-note; they get it passed out of their worthless hands: Michael Hart1 says: Muhammad founded others, not they, have to smart for it. Nature bursts up in and promulgated one of the world’s great (1) ‘Heroes, Hero-fire-flames; French Revolutions and such like, proclaim-ing Worship and the
religions2, and became an immensely
Heroic in History’.
with terrible veracity that forged notes are forged. But of a effective political leader. Today, thirteen Great Man especially, of him I will venture to assert that it centuries after his death, his influence is still is incredible he should have been other than true. It seems powerful and pervasive.
to me the primary foun-dation of him, and of all that can lie in him, this.(1)
S T P S
92
93
5
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Intellectual Proofs
TO BE A MUSLIM
this - we then ask, ‘why do you re-ject his Prophethood, and confirm the Prophethood of the Prophets before him?’
13 An entire generation of men cannot bring about laws similar to the laws of Islam which Be prepared to change your
deal with every aspect of life, such as trans-life for the better.
actions, marriage, social conduct, politics, acts of worship and the like.
Every action begins
1
with intention
(1) ‘Heroes, Hero-
Worship and the
So, how can an unlettered man bring something like this, and Heroic in History’.
2
bring it in the space of twenty odd years? Isn’t this a clear proof and sign of his Prophethood?
Make sure you know
what it means to be
14 The Prophet
a Muslim.
ﷺ did not start calling people to
Make the intention
in your heart.
Islam until he turned forty years old.
His youth had passed and the age in which he should have B E
rest and spend his time leisurely, was the age in which he was MUSLIM
3
commissioned as a Prophet and charged with the dissemina-5
tion of Islam.
W I N Y O U R L I F E
Thomas Carlyle, said: It It goes greatly against the impostor find the nearest
theory, the fact that he lived in this entirely unexceptionable, Islamic center
Say the ‘Testimony
or mosque
entirely quiet and commonplace way, till the heat of his years of Faith’
(Shahada).
was done. He was forty before he talked of any mission from
≈
Heaven. All his irregularities, real and supposed, date from after his fiftieth year, when the good Kadijah died. All his To become a member of
the Muslim community
Arabic Words:
"ambition," seemingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest and participate in community
events
“ La ila-ha il-Allah,
life; his "fame," the mere good opinion of neighbors that Take a shower if
Muhammad Ra-soo lul-la “
you can
4
knew him, had been sufficient hitherto. Not till he was already getting old, the pru-rient heat of his life all burnt out, and peace growing to be the chief thing this world could give him, did he start on the "career of ambi-tion" and, belying all his past character and existence, set up as a wretched empty charlatan to acquire what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, I have no faith whatever in that.(1)
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09
Conclusion
96
97
Muhammad The Messenger of God
Conclusion
We conclude this research with the words of Alphonse de avenging patriotism against the profana-tion of Heaven formed LaMartaine(1) in ‘Historie de al Turquie’:
the virtue of the followers of Muhammad; the conquest of one- Philosopher, Never has a man set for himself, voluntarily or involuntarily, a third the earth to the dogma was his miracle; or rather it was Orator,
Apostle, Legislator,
more sublime aim, since this aim was superhuman; to subvert not the miracle of man but that of reason.
Conqueror of Ideas,
supersti-tions which had been imposed between man and his The idea of the unity of God, proclaimed amidst the exhaustion Restorer of Rational Creator, to render God unto man and man unto God; to restore of the fabulous theogonies, was in itself such a miracle that beliefs... The founder of twenty terrestrial
the rational and sacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of the upon it’s ut-terance from his lips it destroyed all the ancient empires and of one material and disfig-ured gods of idolatry, then existing. Never temples of idols and set on fire one-third of the world. His life, spiritual empire that is has a man undertaken a work so far beyond human power with his meditations, his heroic reveling against the superstitions of Muhammad.
so feeble means, for he (Muhammad) had in the conception his country, and his boldness in defying the furies of idolatry, as well as in the execution of such a great design, no other his firmness in enduring them for fif-teen years in Mecca, his instrument than himself and no other aid except a handful of acceptance of the role of public scorn and almost of being a men living in a corner of the desert. Finally, never has a man victim of his fellow countrymen: all these and fi-nally, his flight, accomplished such a huge and lasting revolution in the world, his incessant preaching, his wars against odds, his faith in because in less than two centuries after its appearance, Ishis success and his superhuman security in misfortune, his lam, in faith and in arms, reigned over the whole of Arabia, forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted and conquered, in God’s name, Persia Khorasan, Transoxania, to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless Western India, Syria, Egypt, Abyssinia, all the known continent pray-ers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his of Northern Africa, numerous islands of the Mediterranean Sea, triumph af-ter death; all these attest not to an imposture but to Spain, and part of Gaul. "If greatness of purpose, smallness of a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma.
means, and astonish-ing results are the three criteria of a human This dogma was twofold the unity of God and the immateriality genius, who could dare compare any great man in history with of God: the former telling what God is, the latter telling what Muhammad? The most fa-mous men created arms, laws, God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more sword, the other start-ing an idea with words.
than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legisla-tions, empires, Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror peoples, dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then of Ideas, Re-storer of Rational beliefs... The inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and the souls.
one spiritual empire; that is Muhammad. As
(1) He was a poet,
a member of
regards all standards by which human
On the basis of a Book, every letter which has become law, the provisional
greatness may be measured, we may
government, and
he creat-ed a spiritual nationality which blends together well ask, is there any man greater
a one-time presi-
peoples of every tongue and race. He has left the indelible than he?’.
dential candidate.
characteristic of this Mus-lim nationality the hatred of false gods and the passion for the One and Immaterial God. This
• Thank God
OTHER BOOKS WRITTEN
BY THE AUTHOR:
01. The Message of Islam
02. Islam - The Religion of Peace
03. Human Rights in Islam
04. Women in Islam
05. The Purity
06. Glad Tiding
07. Prophet Jesus in the Quran
08. Bilal, the Abyssinian - One Light, Many Colors 09. The Key
10. Islamic Perspective on Sex
11. Every Innovation is a Means of Misguidance 12. The Beginning and the End
13. My First Steps in Islam
14. Hisn al-Mu’min (Fortification of the Believer) 15. The Path to Happiness
16. Ease and Tolerance
17. Romance in Islam
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05
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07
08
09
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THE Messenger of God
Muhammad
An account of the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the book introduces us to the Prophet’s noble character, his humble life and his conduct with his family at home, his companions and people in all their different positions in society. It tells us how he strove to fulfil the task God assigned to him and we contemplate how he dealt with his enemies and the exceptional magnanimity he showed to all.
We will learn about his simple, but highly effective, method of advocating his message, based on wisdom and gentle admonition and how keen he was to ensure that justice and security should be enjoyed by all people. In short, we realize that the Prophet’s life was a practical reflection of what God says about him in the Qur’an: “We have
sent you as a manifestation of Our grace
towards all the worlds.” (21: 107)
We trust that you will enjoy
reading this book and we
will be happy to receive
your comments and
For more details visit
observations.
www.GuideToIslam.com
.
contact us :Books@guidetoislam.com
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