SlideShare ist ein Scribd-Unternehmen logo
1 von 33
Downloaden Sie, um offline zu lesen
TelL Abou£THE PROPHET
S AN 1Y A S N AIN KHAN
What the Prophet’s Message Is, Why His Life Is So Important
and What He Teaches Me
Goodwordkfck.
631:Islam is accepted
by many Arabian tribes.623:Change ofQiblah from al-Aqsa
mosque in Jerusalem to the Kabah in
Makkah. Fasting is enjoined on believers.
605: The Prophet Muhammad
helps to rebuild the Kabah.
610: Beginning ofthe Prophet's mission.
The Angel Jibril reveals the first few
verses of the Quran to him while he is
thinking about God in the Cave of Hira
near Makkah. Khadijah, Ali, Abu Bakr and
Zayd become the first Muslims.
630:January (20Ramadan, AH8):
Makkah surrenders without a fight. The
Prophet $ forgives his Makkan opponents.
The idols are all taken away from the Kabah
and all of the people there accept Islam.
570:22April: TheProphet
S ls bom ,n Makkah His
father, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib
dies two months before his birth.
615:To escape mistreatment, a group
of the Prophet's followers leave their
homes and go away to Ethiopia, where a
Christian King helps them.
622:A plot is hatched in Makkah to kill the Prophet
Muhammad g. To save his life, the Prophet g goes
away to Madinah, which marks the beginning of the
Islamic calender known as Hijrah. The Prophet g
receives a warm welcome from the people of Madinah.
Most of his followers leave Makkah for Madinah.
624:17 March (19Ramadan, AH2) A
large army of Makkans comes all the wav
to Madinah to attack the Muslims. An
outnumbered Muslim group defeats them
at Badr near Madinah.
632:March (DhulHijjah, AH 10): The Prophet« goes
for his Hajj (known as the Farewell Pilgnmage). As he
stands at Arafat to deliver his sermon, the very last
verse of the Quran is revealed to him
595S The Prophet Muhammad marries
Khadijah. They have four daughters and two
sons. Sadly, both sc ? die very young.
629:The Prophet sends letters and
XSSXSssage^
iate place. The Propk s“ re with wings, called
EE^^^Heavens
and comes into the Divine Presence.
620:The Prophet purging street
® people of the He * wounded all
i-« Vi
Syna aiong with Xfetbu ^^222°
613: The Prophets: starts preaching Islam to
the people of Makkah. Not many respond to his
call. Most Makkans oppose him, treating him and
his followers with scorn and cruelty.
622:A plot is hatched in Makkah to kill the Prophet
Muhammad & To save his life, the Prophet S goes
away to Madinah, which marks the beginning of the
Islamic calender known as Hijrah. The Prophet S
receives a warm welcome from the people of Madinah.
Most of his followers leave Makkah tor Madinah.
630:January (20 Ramadan, AH8):
Makkah surrenders without a fight. The
Prophet g forgives his Makkan opponents.
The idols are all taken away from the Kabah
and all of the people there accept Islam.
..jp.
610: Beginning of the Prophet's mission.
The Angel Jibril reveals the first few
verses of the Quran to him while he is
thinking about God in the Cave of Hira
near Makkah. Khadijah, Ali, Abu Bakr and
Zayd become the first Muslims.
570:22 April The Prophet
624:t7March(t9Rama<fen,AH3' A
Xjfah?1 Makkans comes a“ lha way
to Madinah to attack the Muslims. An *
atB™neXUih:9r0UPde,ea,Sthem
631: Islam is accepted
by many Arabian tribes.
---------- -
621:IsraandMira/(the Journey and theAscent)
take place. The PropH is taken from Makkah to
Jerusalem on ahorse-likecreature with wings, called
Buraq, brought Iohim bythe Angel Jibril. From the
Temple MountinJerusalem, the Prophet g,
accompanied byJibril, goes up to the Seven Heavens
and comes into the Divine Presence.
623: Change ofQiblahfrom al-Aqsa
mosque in Jerusalem to the Kabah in
k Makkah. Fasling is enjoined on believers.
—
628:March(0^Qadah^^e
Prophet signs the Peacere ty
Hudavbiyyah, near Makkan. wu
the Quran calls “a clear victory-
595:The ProphetMuhammadmarries
Khadi|ah They have four daughters and two
sons Sadly, both sc : die very young.
605: The Prophet Muhammad s M
helps to rebuild the Kabah.
632:March(DhulHijjah, AH 10): The Prophet ®goes
for his Hajj (known as the Farewell Pilgrimage). As he
stands at Arafat to deliver his sermon, the very last
verse of the Quran is revealed to him.
8 June (12RabialAwwal, AH11): The Prophet g dies,
and his closest Companion, Abu Bakr, succeeds him as
the first Caliph in Islam.
629:The Prophetgsends letters and couriers tothe jkings of Persia, Yemen and Ethiopia, and to Emperor I
Heraclius, to bring to them the message of Islam.
T 582: At the age of twelve. Muhammad § travels to
Syria along with his uncle Abu Talib on atrading mission.
615: To escape mistreatment, agroup
of the Prophets followers leave their
homes and go away to Ethiopia, where a
Christian King helps them.
------------- -—-----------~r-
BB *.2?"^erusa/em
Illustrated by K.M. Ravindran
First published 2000
Reprinted 2012
© Goodword Books 2012
Goodword Books
1, Nizamuddin West Market, New Delhi-110 013
Tel. 91 1 1-4182-7083, 4652-1511
Fax: 9111-4565-1771
email: info@goodwordbooks.com
www.goodwordbooks.com
•____| —rm? nyr. rm mr-m< nm
Printed in India
ARABIA
■ pr ,
“ZA-...... «»
nd "'here pe ° stars loom . barren
UP°n sf>adeZ d^d fer 7®' « nfeht
go°dMi. Thereand each o*'"
Yathrib, a , Were three n heFs
a cool Zf °aSfa no“' Jl7>
ZzZ°r'c°ZZ^
PfdZy ^P^het&ZZhWaS‘”
ar ** junction of n "ant fc«ause 7‘ '"
7“ ^en more «Z T
^bah. n.hJrZ Z’ " th' 'mme J
“■-de to w P<*Pk came from
Z‘k h' *e Prophet ^'nal
J < Abraham and Ishmael)"” Z
" Panl^rly devoted ‘oZuZ
P,'°Phet
Sad- B, ther. A °n^ / S fa^er
Pr°te«Or >■ ^,7 "* heJ *d-
P/ace h th<! PilZ °f p ,d °f 1
R ^de 'va? fer,rMs ivl ^ab>ab
®ut 'w «-as resp'«ecl ° v«««d ' ’
drifts a not /j> a and ari .
n c a'Vay r the O(.l ^ired /->,
pW°r^d^^dTa^S>
T
believers had prayed for a prophet to
come, and there had been signs that
Allah had heard their prayers. Jewish
scriptures told ofa prophet that was to
come. On the night ofthe Prophet’s
birth a learnedJew in Yathrib saw a
brilliant star he had never seen before.
He called people together around him
and, pointing to the star, told them
^t a prophet must have been born,
word spread quickly
ZZ
ert outside Makkah It was one such area where
johet Muhammad * spent his early days
as soon as she began nursing Muhammad
& her milk increased. After they got back
home, many things began to change for t e
1 better. The land became green, and the date
palms grew heavy with fruit. Dates were one
ofthe family's main foods. The sheep and
camels regained their health. Halimah and
her husband knew that these blessings were j
because ofthe baby Muhammad St.
Muhammad S grew well during his
stay with Halimah and her family. He X
played with her children, and together they Wk
would take the sheep to graze. When
Mui,.mm.Jt mimd m Amjnak Pj
’im"S.ndht.ltl,ythrKyearM ,
2. Nursed in the Desert
comes next?” "Your mother,” said the
Prophet "Who is after that?” asked tire man,
“Your mother,” was the Prophet’s answer. “Who
comes next?" insisted the man again. “Your
▲ su'Mde Makkah It was one such area where
Muhammad A spent his early days
Good Family Ties
The Prophet revered parents. He would
/: “Paradise lies at the feet of mothers,” and
“God’s pleasure is in the father’s pleasure; and
God’s displeasure is in the father’s displeasure.”
Those, he believed, who served their parents
well, were deserving of Paradise. A man once
asked the Prophet “Who rightfully deserves
I£ saY:
I
f
the best treatment from me?” “Your mother,”
said the Prophet Then the man said, “Who
I .........
1 ___-gg? father,” said the noble Prophet
$$ The Prophet gave great importance to
family ties. He said, “The best man is he who is
zN best to his wife.”
It was the custom in those days, in
Makkah, for mothers to send their babies into
the desert to be nursed by paid foster mothers
from among the people who tended sheep.
The weather in the desert, away from the city,
was considered more healthy. Aminah, too,
did this, and so the little Muhammad
spent the first years of his life with a woman
named Halimah and her family of the Banu
Sa‘d tribe.
Halimah worried that she would not be
able to care properly for the baby
Muhammad <=£. They were very' poor, and
because of the previous year’s famine, she had
hardly enough milk to feed her own baby. But
I
favourite.
◄ A minaret of an old
mosque in Madmah
surrounded by green
palm trees
4. A Thoughtful Boy
z
learn from the stories of his life
that Muhammad £=? was a very thoughtful
boy. He took good care of his family’s sheep,
and played with the other children. But he
also spent much time alone, wondering
about the mysteries of nature. He thought
about the people around him, how they
lived and how they behaved. Even when he
was a very’ little boy, Halimah said that she
often found him sitting by himself.
In the creation of the
heavens and the earth, and
in the alternation ofnight
and day, there are signs for
men of sense; those that
remember God when
standing, sitting, and lying
down, and reflect upon the
creation of the heavens and
the earth.
—SurahAl-‘Imran, 3:190-191
There are stories about how, even as a
youngster, Muhammad believed in one
God, the God of Ibrahim ^8. He never
worshipped idols and refused to swear by
them as other Arabs had come to do. These
stories also tell us that Muhammad was
troubled by the fact that people always
seemed to be struggling for power and
money, and that once rich and powerful,
they became arrogant and showed no
generosity to the poor and needy.
We do not know exactly what
Muhammad looked like, but his cousin,
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, has given us some idea.
‘Ali said Muhammad was of medium
height, broad-shouldered, and had curly hair
and a thick beard. His walk conveyed
stIC„ d resolution: he walked soft y
but firmly, with large swift strides, an
slightlyforward. Some say the ground
seemed to roll itselfupforhim, and his
discipleshad to work hard to keep up with
him even when the Prophet walked at a
leisurely pace/
The Prophet's skin was tawny and his
eyes shown lightbrown from under bushy
eyebrows. The Prophet’s eyes did not
wander around, looking at this and that.
They were usuallydowncast. But when he
didlook up at somethinghe would look
straight into it.timehe was 25 years old,
“"■“mmadShad a reputation for
onesty. He was known among rhe
I^S
said- „
him-
J pyOSt
gent'L toierant uarrels ‘ 0e Or
"£i8h^ePt^fftCdf<>U'langr'Ml
and"eVe'lJUbon«sal<1’
AKibnAH ' iew to l°ve
ASVoWfrien
rtheProPhet ..Seeking
"AcqU7inu°iemcett ^Muslim- lr
Muhammad ® duty of every desert,
R sustamermm , out arrow aga
fl amongsrpeopleandy utinsearch0
enemies. ^«° hof Allah und
3 knowledge « on the P
returning-’ Prophet’s sayings was a
Another of the P h q( knoWledge,
anyone went on his way m way
God would make t
to Paradise.
<17
■
^ara/
. h’
p Speaking the Truth
 The Prophet Muhammad & once remarked
with great wisdom that you should always tell the
/ff truth, hecau. e that h ids toa life of virtue, and that
you should stay away from people who tell lies,
ly because that leads to a life ofevil. Indeed, the
dp noblest quality in a man or woman is honesty. It
shines forth, showingpurity ofsoul. One who tells
lies mars his inner selfand sinks deeper and deeper
into evil. The Prophet & observed: “The best
utterance to me is that oftruth. The trader who is
T, truthful and trustworthy will be raised on
Doomsday along with the Prophets.” (al-Bukhari)
T/iey were well suited to each other, and were
blessed with six children, two hoys and four
girls. Sadly, however, both sons died at an
early age.
Khadijah was not only Muhammad's wife,
but also his friend and helper, and, later, his
first disciple. When the Quraysh's persecution
ofthe Prophet & was at its height, just before
Muhammad’s decision to leave Makkah,
Khadijah died. It was a terrible loss for
Muhammad
h rears alter Khadijah's death,
M tnarried „her „,ves ’
“* one mare cUdi by the , l‘-«'
said
axvay
“0
to a
^eni Cfft
IJ7a'-na
^tha
>g
VerVW// . -
tHan K,^4ah t78ht h^
2aW ibn
. VVL
aw‘aytoa. -
Pcrson wh ?aar
--
f say*g tha[ ba<*,
L phate^rhe;U°u,dpay
Pr°Pher an*d, the
e‘d
s e»Xn^,""'z*»8n,
W K. 1 him, he e , anc?dHarZ U,dta^hlrn
S Sa‘d Chat he h.j ,S SUrDDse, Z '
E hc ^eferrej r r°pb^ th
f
’ Sr-'2^ ^
ntba ^nd his h y Was nowhis
hap^y. knowi °th<* went
go°d hands hat Zayd wa.s ln
^•^ha.
^^Z:sdrag
Huh, th'tho^hthe
„ Jut fhe
6-The Pledge: A 1
Even as a boy, Muhammad was
concerned about his fellow men. One day a
trader from Yemen had his goods stolen by a
group of wicked Makkans. The trader called
out for help, but no one came forth. So the
trader wrote a poem that made fun of the
Makkans’ bad behaviour, and recited it out
loud in public for all to hear. When Zubayr,
one of Muhammad’s uncles, heard this poem,
he felt ashamed.
Zubayr called the city elders to a
meeting, and an organisation was formed to
protect the oppressed people of Makkah. This
included foreign visitors as well as the people 1
who had always lived there. Muhammad I
became an enthusiastic member of the group, |
called Hilf al-Fudul, who pledged themselves
to be courteous and considerate towards ■
others, especially those weaker than ■
themselves. |g
Many years later, Muhammad still mH
kept this promise to Hilf al-Fudul, saying: I Igj
am not prepared to break my promise, even ■
against a herd of camels; if somebody should ■
appeal to me even today, by virtue of that jj
pledge, I would hurry to his help.
The Prophet Muhammad’s sense of
justice, his prompt understanding of problems H
and his real interest in his fellow men
combined to make him a leader. He could M
always be relied upon to judge fair y an uas ■
more and more sought out to help sett e R
disputes. His fame got a mighty boost y a |Sent that took place when Muhammad « ,
waS not more than 35 years old.
eader of M
en
The Kabah caught fire and burned to
the ground. All the tribes of Makkah took
part in repairing it and building it up
again, but when it was time to put
back the sacred Black Stone
1
first laid by the Prophet Ibraham Jj, there
was a crisis. Each of the four leading families
ofMakkah claimed that they alone should
have that honour. Finally, it was agreed that
the first man to enter the courtyard ofthe
Kabah would settle the issue. That man was
Muhammad
It seemed like a problem which could
.— i I k> .... | -----li
■■ TC.
W STRENGTH OF
W CHARACTER
There was an old Makkan woman
1 who hated the Prophet &. Every
morning when he passed by her
I house, she would empty a basket
I ofrubbish on his head from the
I upper story ofher house. He
| never grumbled or said ■ 0^, /
anything to her. One day
she was ill and in bed when —- Z
he passed that way. Surprised
that no rubbish had been emptied
on his head, he thought, “She must
be ill,” and went upstairs to enquire
how she was. The woman was very
frightened. She thought he had come
to quarrel with her. When he said he
had come to enquire after her health,
she began to cry. “What a good man you
are,” she sobbed. “I ill-treat you and you
enquire after my health. Teach me your
religion. Teach me your way oflife.
- -A
not be solved, hut Muhammad had a
simple idea that saved the honour of
everyone concerned. He spread out a white
sheet on the ground and placed the sacred
stone at its center. Then he instructed the
elders ofeach clan to lift a corner ofthe sheet
and carry the stone to its site. Then
dllU VC4XA J -----
Muhammad $, the peacemaker,
fixed the stone in its place /
with his own hands.
" y-
v « ■■ ■
Trfe- *- GAG
y ~r k " - *'•C * - SA
iKU/ '■
The Black Stone'jtp At the eastern comer ofthe
Kabah, about 5 feet above the
ground, there is an ovalblack stone ofabout 18 cm in diameter
A ®xe<f*n '^e waN-
)11 F This stone was originally
S,.fl set there by the Prophet
JAj Ibrahim Ju to markthe spotfrom
, , which to begin the tawafofthe
A habah. Now this is the only relic
*• '* 'he originalbuilding.
TrUth
The Prophet Muhammad’s
with Khadijah gave him every oPI
lead a comfortable life as a wealth
respected noble ofMakkah. And, i
i few years Muhammad did leac
nd quiet life as a merchant. But ht
tve up all worldly activity and set 1
arching for the truth.
Instead ofmeeting people all the
ir homes and at gatherings, and tr>
 for himselfa position among the 1
lakkah, Muhammad would wa
the barren hills ofthe desert. He
- hours and ponder the mysteries
creation. The vast silence of the desert, with
endless sand and sky and, at night, equally
endless darkness, alive only with the twinkling
ofmillions and millions of tiny stars, seemed to
bring one very close to the Creator.
Often Muhammad $ would stay alone
for days in the Cave ofHira, which was near
the top ofJabal al-Nur, or the Mountain of
Light, three miles from Makkah. He would
return home only for more supplies of food
and water, and then go back to the solitude of
nature to pray and meditate, asking the
Maker ofthe heavens and the earth for
answers to the questions that surged in his
- -
mind. What is man's true role in life!
What does the Lord require of us, as
His servants? From where does
man come, and where will he go
after death!
On the twelfth ofFebruary, 610 A.D.
Muhammad now forty years of age,
went to the Cave ofHira to spend
Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat.
He was sitting all alone in this cave, when
he had an extraordinary experience.
jffl Laws of Islam the Prophet
fti B nf rhe laws whicn
■ yh.hanrnrn'" taught
B . Do not hate each other, envy each
EM provoke each other.
Kg . Do not spy on each other,
■ other’s trust.
M . Do not speak ill of your friend behind his
H back.
□E • Give the labourer his
Bg dries.
B3 • Do not drink alcohol, and do not gamble—
H| it opens the door to the devil.
Jpl • Do not steal the
H • Do
If ‘Do .. vnarge i
S those who need it.
W * Do not take part in r. ymctices or do
" —i you would be ashamed if
town.
«• The Night of D
estiny
before Muhammad 4"a' llbnl •’PPeated
words: ' ' and tau8hr him these
ad In Rename of your Lord who
Cr^d. created man from a clot.
Read: And your l^rd is the Most
■ Generous V7lo taught by the pen,
Taught man what he did nor know.
o TT2vere the first words ofthe H°iy
Quran. Muhammad felt these lines
actually written on his heart. But the
experience left him surprised and confused.
He even felt he might be falling ill. He
rushed back to his wife, Khadijah, who
comforted him. She took him to her cousin,
Waraqah, who told him that the revelation
he had had was from the same source as the
messages of the Prophets Musa and Isa
X?. Gradually he began to understand—his
quest had finally been rewarded. His
restless, searching soul had been joined with
his Lord.
Allah not only gave him guidance, but
He also chose Muhammad as His
Prophet and special Messenger, to bring His
word to a world that had gone badly astray.
It was a tremendous responsibility. But
Muhammad far from becoming
vain or proud, remained as
g,XK< and humble a
He--turned mX?naSeVer-
hnie «me over t'heT10
Years, when the Ard Xt ^ntv t|
to him in different f 3°eel lihril would c
and filling the b • S°metimes ]H
& me horizon anJ 8 huge
Pair of eyes watching him lust a
remained invisible. OccT. he
Voice could be heard s S1°nally °nly his
^muffled, like a rl„e"Tin"" ,'he
the meaning was always clear But
Muhammad could n >1
happen,
mighr happen while he wa’ , hev
«-hile sirring, while prayjng Qr e a speech,
nd'"S He always k„ew whe„
were ahput to happeni anJ
ecu see the change come over him. He
would fall Silent, and normally lay down
, cloak His face might
d hi would P^Pire
^^^"non cold days- His
profusely. eve ..£ oll Were near
^"^Id'hear something like
hlS body and might never return
W once did I receive a revelation
without thinking that my soul had
been torn away,” said the Prop et.
At the end of the experience
Muhammad $ would return to
normal, and recite the new verses of
the Quran. His Companions were
instructed to record them.
The Quran—
A Supreme Miracle
The Prophet Muhammad $ faced many people in
his lifetime who did not believe in him. They
challenged him to work a miracle like the Prophet
Isa Si in order to prove that God had really sent him as
His messenger. This he did not do. He retorted that it
was quite unnecessary, as the Quran itself was the
supreme miracle. If anyone doubted it, let them try to
compose ten surahs that would bear comparison with it:
Produce ten invented chapters like it. Call on
whom you will among your idols, if what you
say be true. (11:12).
He also pointed out that there were obvious signs
of God everywhere—in the beauty of nature, in life­
giving water, in the growth of crops and in the miracle
of birth. The entire universe, in fact, was proof of His
existence as the Creator and Sustainer.
Allah s message to His prophets was made directly
through the angel Jibril. The Quran is the final
revelation, made to the Prophet Muhammad There
two main ways in which the revelations came to
of the Q^ran as one reVMl the Verses
easy. But at 0Xe“ “
bell Piercing his heart a / of a
method was vt and4tearing him aP«t- This
the Quran started whenlfp^ reVelation °f
°ld and continued in parts th "'t' ** 40 Years
last revelation of the Our hr°Ugh°Ut his >&• The
before his death, when theV'T °n'y 3 few montha
« Years ofage. the ProPhet ® was
9. The Messenger of God
These astonishing events were at first
difficult for people to understand. They were
still living in an age which is now called the
“Days of Ignorance.” And remember that after
the first revelation, the Prophet Muhammad
himself had been totally shaken by the
experience. It had only been very gradually,
with Khadijah’s help, that he had come to
understand and accept what had happened—
that he had been chosen by Allah as His
messenger to mankind.
Like Khadijah, th,
and friends realized heie Prophet’s
-—*u ne was an inteIigentikind and down-to-earth person. The
revelations he received were not tinged
with selfishness, hatred -- ' vev
and an
mtelllgent
> Ti ,
— reived were not ti
with selfishness, hatred or ill-will. Th
were a clear guide to righteousness,
insight into the kingdom of God.
Khadijah was the first to
respond to the call of the
Prophet Her cousin,
the wise man Waraqah,
explained to her that
just as Jibril had come
to Musa earlier on
Mount Sinai and told
to guide his people, so too
would Muhammad be
r
Muhamniad-
that dtothe
The next to P , <a]|.
,  was his cousin, AH
Prop, hXw»n-',asthe
Zhayd'Thete<“"vertfrOm
Bakr, a respected “Kte”
who became the Prophet
closest Companion. At lust
Muhammad taught
Khadijah and the small
group of friends how to pray,
and they would pray together.
At a certain point, after
the Prophet had been doing
this for three years, the angel
Jibril commanded Muhammad
to speak openly, and he
began to hold public meetings.
Slowly the message of Allah,
the Maker of heaven and earth
and all the things in heaven
and on earth, began to spread.
7'*
^r,le het&an
•<>is
>»eec;
Khadi)ahUn
&
a
the tri»ls
Messa$e &
ThcT/Stothe ‘idw°fshiponlycXwotnen
ri«htfU I V lend m°neV nd gambling
TheymUSt , rhat there reallY
for revenge- peop e a tune
He imPreS j there w«u , or
judgement hoW they h
thought on V Qr had they g he
......................
XXtMhey -^XX-ldtetoo late to
experienced it- By t most impOrtant
(eel »m> «i«l b« fo®""'|op relation io S°“*
,.,1W • ...» " dJ"Vlng conscious ofCod
and knew .U about
everyone and drelr reasons for behaving rhe way
rhe, did—and ifpeople were truly sooy for then bad
thoughts and actions, they would be forgiven. But
I God was also perfectly just—if people who had
1 passed a lifetime doing bad things were still not sorry
J about them by the time they died, they would not
be forgiven.
The Quraysh of Makkah felt particularly
threatened. The Prophet’s message that there was
only one God, and that all men were brothers who
served Allah, challenged the way the Quraysh had
come to live. They worshipped many different idols,
believed in all kinds of magic, fought amongst each
other for worldly gain, upheld the code of blood-
eud or vengeance, and oppressed and mistreated
those who were poorer and weaker than they
«(it 'h' »«"»
realised that he lts ,dols. and when they
the, profi, ^-u-e they
i
9. The Messenger of God
These astonishing events were at first
difficult for people to understand. They were
still living in an age which is now called the
“Days of Ignorance.” And remember that after
the first revelation, the Prophet Muhammad
himself had been totally shaken by the
experience. It had only been very gradually,
with Khadijah’s help, that he had come to
understand and accept what had happened—
that he had been chosen by Allah as His
messenger to mankind.
Like Khadijah, the Prophet’s famil
and friends realized he was an intellige^t
kind and down-to-earth person. The
revelations he received were not tinged
with selfishness, hatred < T.
were a clear guide to righteoi
insight into the kingdom of
Khadijah was the first
respond to the call of the
Prophet Her cousin,
the wise man Waraqah,
explained to her that
just as Jibril had come
to Musa earlier on
Mount Sinai and told him
to guide his people, so too
would Muhammad & be
or ill-wiu They
’usness, and
God.
Wa^aha
lb^t0
e«Ple n try to
otne woul<1 mad
- to
heir »»‘)S0PPSi„ tb« >rials
.'»'f*“ettKIeSpond»*e
The” his®®10’A
t”4'1’1’ f , convert
outside tpd merchant
I
Khadijah and the small
group of Mends how to pray,
andthey would pray toget et.
At a certain point, after
the Prophet had been doing
this for three years, the angel
Jibril commanded Muhammad
§ to speak openly, and he
began to hold public meetings.
Slowly the message of Allah,
the Maker of heaven and earth
and all the things in heaven
_ J oori-b hpoan to spread.
The I
for revenge- le tha q(
Heimpre^duP0 P ouldcome anm
l-fp after death, and the or
a “e 3 ur, rhev would be „ j theyjudgement when thej heyhadhved. Had
puntshed accordmg to h ndtheir own
thought only of money- freely to
comfort and luxury he hungry and the
orphans, widows, the srck * worshtp
needy? Had they bowed humbly
and prayer? , , d t0 convince
1 expenenced it. Y important
§ and evil was t^u, that is, being conscious of God
I at all times and being careful not to overstep the
ijS limits setby Him.« True, Allah was merciful and knew all about
Fj everyone and their reasons for behaving the way
they did-and if people were truly sorry for their bad
thoughts and actions, they would be forgiven. But
Ssffl God was also perfectlyjust—ifpeople who had
Sj passed a lifetime doing bad things were still not sorry
about them by the time they died, they would not
be forgiven.
The Quraysh of Makkah felt particularly
threatened. The Prophet’s message that there was
only one God, and that all men were brothers who
served Allah, challenged the way the Quraysh had
come to live. They worshipped many different idols,
believed in all kinds ofmagic, fought amongst each
Other for woddly gain, upheld the code ofblood­
feud or vengeance, and oppressed and mistreated
those who were poorer and weaker than they.
he Prophet’s own tribe, the Quraysh, were in
10 Justice
Before Islam, the blood feud prevailed:
when a member of a group was injured or
killed by a person from another group, the
first group had the right of vengeance, a
tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. But the
Quran praised the Muslim who accepted a
penalty less severe on the criminal than was
warranted by his crime, or who forgave
altogether. The Quran also decreed that if
bel«" deliberately killedan ,
be punished in Hell- t lother, |y
par Hood mon”e,L'fa“ide„tally,h7w^
The Quraysh tried fo
eluding the use of force t Ways-
Prophet Muhammad ft fr ° ,*e
stop the message from spreading Th'’' '»
determined to crush the m V Were
because they were too S™":"
rhe error of their ways and change theirti' ,
and practices. " eir beliefs
So the Prophet Muhammad Was
vnathis^56’3"0 hed at and
thr0 i kish He waS g ,ine in the
i trandn1111 , he was ptaYing ,
dir j Once, ^en he w r k
.......
hl, 6® , tMuh»m"’»a'sC<’n'Pa'”°nS'
TheP,°? Xrs«ution.For
w.l"«dillll<'n’bnRabah,
eo* ’% '(Islam. te ”s t0"“"d by,
his master- wlth a
the only words he uttered. Later Abu
able to free Bilal.
Ap” ■.zX A
i
II
, h_The ImP0^
Give night,
^■‘3Lone f-s God
h
Theperformanc j on the way the
Kabah in Makkah is and words, its
heart and mind, an the^ g{ the
me out of the darkness into the Light.
Muslims can pray alone wherever they are at the
prayer times, or they can join all other worshippers who
are saying prayers at the mosque. The Friday midday
prayer at the mosque is compulsory for all Muslim
males to attend. When many people pray together at
this time, this is called ‘congregational’ prayers.
The preparation for prayers is also part of the salad,
and this is meant to train believers in cleanliness,
punctuality and self-discipline, and in having the ability
to rise above personal worries or passing fancies. Of first
importance is niyah, or intention; and this refers to the
process ofclosing one s mind to worldly distractions,
cleaning one’s body and choosing a clean place to pray.
The ritual cleansing, called wudu, is done in a quiet
and prayerful way.
The Prophet, being a very considerate person, did
not want worshippers to suffer any unnecessary
ardsfop whlle saying
Pillars. “ZaHs tfe between
it belonged to ZaynabTh t01d that
hV fetlgUe- The Prophet said" it
You pray while you have rlJ L each of
5Itdown when you are ttred.’^^^ d° S0 and 'hen
The Makkans began
A Christia* King Helps Out
group of the Prophet’s O . QUran’ a
daily torture and h in mpanions’ weary' of
^p-PheXxtaitpetirfekaht>"
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) with the Ch"
King Najashi (Negus) Un I an rulet.
nightfall 16 of them ,l a C°Ver of
feUo»ed later by anoSr«aWaV,tObe
When the Makkans dis'X"^
Xi because the
The O IT Wrc an'°n= *'">■
cleverestt? ’ S<™ '»<> °f their
est men to persuade King Naiashi m
^TkXixr?and that^g for their return. Then thev
went to the King, and said, "Your Majesty
people have abandoned the religion of
Makkah, but they have not even become
Christians like you." The King's advisers
. --- piUj
m the Quran. Surah 19, which u
The Prophet‘Isa (Jesus) in Quran .
in the h°PhetS' " freqUently m“d -<
miraculous blnh of the Prophet 'Isa 'rndT^I J
the pure words of the Prophet Isa t hu Wlth
he was an infant tn the cradle: SP°ke 1
I am Allah’s servant; t
He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet. J
has made me Blessed, wherever I may be- I
lTnl^/T C°m^.a"ded me to Pray, and to give alms, so I
long as I live, and Itkewise to cherish my mother; He has 4
not made me arrogant or wicked. A
I was blessed the day I was bom, T
and peace be upon me, the day I die, and the day I am <
raised up alive! -4
—Surah Maryam, 19:30-32 1
——..n— - *
Promptly urged k1TT
straight away. " tO hand them Ov ,
But the King un
engry. saying, "T b beca
« protection and i w,^' *'*
to Say.” The Makkans What they k 6
realizing that the Kin at
Muslims entered, thev When the
King Najashi and were th b°W before
the advisers. But the MusT^011 rebuked by
“We kneel only to AUah " “
asked them about their religion" ’
said: "O King, we and our ance^o" n “T
away in ignorance from the faith X
th k'k m & Wh° ™th Isnaail built
he Kabah and worshipped only Allah We
did quite unspeakable things, worship: „s
1 ols, treating our neighbours unfairly.
n This was our
riie weak and so c _ anrong
always to
Cofourowntelati-’^^.He
have kCn hOn£tip onlyAlhh' to give up the
» ^ ^thers, to be truthful
b’d cUStOnt v to respect and help our
and truswntt'T’ femilies and look
neighbours.t0 dto put an end to misdeeds
after°rphanSHe ordered us to slander neither
and fighting- worship none
to gwe ahnsand to
Jwe believe in him and follow his lead.
Hr
_ between us and
• -n to conic to, ft our homes and cam
oUr religion, so we K
you, hoping to find^jashi said, “Tell me
Hearing this, d yOUr prophet
some of the revelations h then
Haims to have received from „
recited some Quranic mOther of the
Maryam, the pure and disbelieVing
Prophet‘baMias to fac
“JIZX say X cannot speak to a
‘ erXby. Then‘Isa St himself astonishes
them by uttering words of great wisdom.
Overwhelmed at this, the King
exclaimed: “The messages of ‘Isa and
Muhammad come from the same source.
And drawing a line with his cane on the floor,
he said joyfully, “Between your religion and
ours there is really no more difference than
this line.” King Najashi gave the Muslims
permission to live peacefully in his realm. The
clever Makkans were sent home bitterly
disappointed.
12. The Year of Sorrow
In the meantime the Quraysh had
imposed a social ban on the Prophet
Muhammad’s family in Makkah. No one
was to talk to them or conduct business
with them. This ban lasted for three years,
and caused the family great suffering.
During this period, the Prophet’s faithful
wife and greatest help, Khadijah, died.
After being ill-treated by the people ofTa'if. the Prophet a.
wounded from head to foot and very downhearted, set
out on the returnjourney At dusk he took refuge in a
vineyard belonging to two brothers. Utbah and Shybah
They took pity on the Prophet # and sent their servant
Addas with some fresh grapes Addas told him he was a
Chnstian and hailed from Nineveh in Iraq "So you are from
the town of the good Yunus (Jonah), son of Matthew,
observed the Prophet ® "How do you know Yunus?
Addas asked him "He was a prophet, and so am I." said the
Prophet 3: On heanng this. Addas bowed before the
Prophet <£. kissing his head, hands and feet
▼
ItisArab custom that someone under the
protection ofanotheris safe as long as the
protectorlives. Now, with the death ofhis
uncle, the Prophet & was without
protection. His enemies cheered, and
redoubled their brutalities.
In 619A.D., nine years now after the
beginningofthe revelation ofthe Quran,
and despairing ofhis work in Makkah, the
Prophet went to Ta'if, a nearby city, to
spreadhis message and seek help. But the
people ofTa'ifrefused tolisten to the
Then, Abu Talib, the Prophet’s loving
uncle and guardian, also died.
These were harsh blows. Abu Talib
was a respected elder of the Quraysh.
Though not a follower of Islam, he had
protected the Prophet against his enemies.
Prophet & Theyjeered at him an cro
him out oftown, setting the street urc ins
to peltinghim with stones. The Prophets
body was covered with wounds, and he was
bleeding from head to toe.
Suddenly, the Archangel Gabriel
appeared along with Malak al-Jibal, the
Angel of the Mountain. Malak al-Jibal
asked ifhe should crush the people ofTa'if
between two mountains. “No,” said the
noble Prophet and he raised his hands
instead to pray for the people ofTa'if:
ford, guide them. I am hopeful for their
descendants, who will one day serve Your
cause." Then he returned to Makkah.
The Mountains of Ta'if Somewhere here
the angel of the mountains appeared
to the Prophet Muhammad s. seeking
his permission to crush the people of
Ta'if for their ill-treatment of him But the
Prophet Sr. although in pain and
distress, only raised his hands towards
the sky and said. "No. O my Lordl"
What is really remarkable is that he
began to pray for the people ofTa'if.
13. An Extraordinary Experience
At this bitter moment, when the Quraysh
seemed to be on the verge ot crushing Islam,
the Prophet Muhammad had an
extraordinary experience—al-lsra and al-Miraj,
the Night Journey and the Ascension.
One night, as the Prophet Muhammad
slept next to the Kabah. in the same spot where
Abd al-Muttalib used to sleep, the Archangel
Jibril woke him and took him on a strange,
white winged animal, called Buraq (lightning),
from Makkah to al-Aqsa mosque in far away
Jerusalem. There the Prophet Muhammad
met Ibrahim Musa and Isa and the
other prophets, and they prayed together.
Then Jibril took the Prophet & through
Heaven’s gates, where he saw countless
angels. One was Malik the Keeper of hell,
who never smiles. Malik gave the Prophet a
glimpse into Hell to let him see the misery of
t/wse whosuffered there. The angels
thentooktheProphet&through
theSevenHeavens, onebyone.
Beyondtheseventhheaven, the
Prophet&passed through the veils
coveringthat which ishidden, until
atlasthe cameinto thedivineLight
ofAllah’sPresence. The
THE ISRA AND MTRAJ
For the Prophet the Night Journey and
the Ascension was a turning point. After years of
persecution and the terrible sadness of losing
both Khadijah and Abu Talib, the experience
gave him great comfort and the strength to go
on. He became convinced that Allah was always
with him.
This experience of the Divine Presence is
important for us: though we may never have the
good fortune to experience God with our whole
being, both spiritual and physical, as the Prophet
did, the inward, spiritual aspects of the
experience can still be striven for and shared by
every Muslim who is God-feaming and good.
It was during this experience that Allah’s
commandment on prayer was revealed to the
Prophet Muhammad He reported that Allah
wanted men to pray fifvy times a day, but that
on the Prophet Musa’s advice, he had appealed
for a less difficult routine. At last Allah resolved
that there should be five prayers a day. That has
remained Muslim practice ever since.
The Prophet’s Companions recorded this and
h
1
all of the other important events in the Proph, i .
life, along with his observations and words of
wisdom, with great faithfulness and precision. I : se
records came to be known as the hadith (traditi<
or sayings of the Prophet and served as an meal
guide to righteous living.
One collector of Hadith stands out from the
others. He was a cousin of the Prophet £&, by the
name of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. He was only thirteen
when the Prophet died. It is said that he memorized
no less than 1660 sayings of the Prophet 4^, and
would go to as many as thirty Companions to make
sure that his version of each hadith was correct.
Once, when he went to check on a hadith
previously unknown to him, he found the Companion
having his afternoon nap. Not wishing to disturb
him, the boy waited outside in the heat and dust.
When the Companion came out, he said: “O cousin
of the Prophet &! What is the matter with you? If
you had sent for me, I would have come to you."
“I am the one who should come to you," replied
‘Abdullah, “for knowledge is sought—it does not just
come.”
Prophet $ looked upon that which the
eyes cannot see and minds cannot
imagine, the Creator of the heavens and
the earth. Time, thought and feelings
vanished; there was only great peace and
the brilliance of pure light.
Too soon, the experience ended and
he was brought back to earth. The Prophet
# was amazed to find the spot where he
had lain was still warm, and the cup he
had tipped over was still emptying. This
incredible experience had taken place in
less than a moment!
The next morning, the Prophet
told the Quraysh what had happened.
They didn’t believe him. Many Muslims
were amazed and wanted the Prophet &
“;*i"h»»ehath.„gcouldhappen,
and th "‘Ph" ’ d'SCriPtion Jerusalem.
■*8.hetmlh'”nV,n“dt,“l'ewas
14 Migration to Madin
A The Cave of Thawr outside Makkah. where the Prooher k
The Prophet s message was spreading far
and wide and his following was growing. No
longer all alone and easy to attack, the
Prophet became the target of a murder plot
hatched by the Quraysh, who wanted to stamp
out Islam. In the meantime, the Lord
commanded him to leave Makkah and go to
Yathrib (now known as Madinah), to which
many Companions had already migrated, and
where he would be offered protection.
Under cover of darkness, the Prophet
Muhammad and Abu Bakr slipped away on
camel-back, leaving ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib lying in
the Prophet’s bed, so that the Quraysh would
not realize he had left Makkah. When the
Quraysh came to know, they offered a large
reward for the capture of the Prophet and
sent out search parties.
Guessing that the Prophet intended to
„„ to Yathrib (about 250 miles north of
Makkah). most of rhe search part.es headed
ah that directiori R
and Abu B.U Ut the Propk
ai ranged that a i °utlC lla,
given up. earcl' Partly had
*e Prcphe'ltnd tbVfi ‘1'“
fl’PPing of wings, a“dB*h«>d
of men's voices a„d footMd*
approaching. "If any one of‘lhen,
pp*13 at his feet he will fed ns-
whispered Abu Bakr. “No ” j ,
Prooher ’ said therophet We are not two but three, for do
you not know, Allah is with us. He will surely
protect us.” When the search party came to the
entrance of the cave, Abu Bakr and the
Prophet could hear them talking quite
clearly. Someone called out “Forget it. There’s
and Al”1 ,
”l'lW«ae<iS‘>Pe*g(a”ot'«s
I'it"11 11 webtju^°oneSidetle apPr°ach
whenade. eaCefullythere, ,J it to be
safethe^^
on their Journ V nd travelled only
A me ouna
/Vladinan-
putney took seven days-
THE SPIRIT OF MIGRATION
Hijrah—migration—is nt- nn, bur for the higher
purpose of serving Allah. The : at example was the
Prophet’s move from Makkah i<> ■ i.dmah, where the Muslims
were now able to establish an inii i ant Islamic centre, and
carry out the work of clawah much more successfully than in
Makkah. After the death of the Prophet, inspired by his well-
known “Final Sermon”, preached at the Mount of Mercy at
J Arafat to many thousands of people, most of the Companions,
and many others, migrated, and wherever they went, they
engaged in da'wall work. Under their influence, whole
societies, whole nations changed their faith, their cu ture an
even their languages.
With the end of Muslim rule in Spain, the Muslims,
escape oppression, fled to rhe nearby lands across the
Mediterranean. This stepped up the process of
fhz . —......X
A A minaret of the Prophets Mosque in Madmah seen at sunrise
It was now 622 A.D., twelve years after the
beginning of the revelation of the Quran. As the
Prophet on his she-camel Qaswa, and Abu
Bakr rode through the date groves and orchards
outside Madinah, people gathered to greet them.
The welcome was joyous. All those who migrated
with the Prophet were called Muhajir and were
treated as brothers and sisters by the Muslims of
Madinah, the Ansar. The Ansar even shared
their possessions and properties with the
Muhajir. From that day on, the town of
Yathrib was known as Mudinut al-Nabi, or
The City of the Prophet. Every citizen of
Madinah wanted him to be his guest. “I shall
stay wherever Allah wants me to,” he said. 1
.hull stay in the house before which my camel^
.tops." Qaswa stopped in front of the hous. 06^
. Ln called Ayub al-Ansati. He became the
. host. “Whete shall Ibmld a
Self-Sacrifice
The Muslims who came to Madinah from Makkah were clearly going to be a burden
on the local Muslims. The immigrants were empty-handed, while the local people (Ansar)
had houses, lands, orchards, etc. But the Madinan Muslims gave a hearty welcome to the
thc,Quran sa*s: "Th,,se' before them, who had homes in the City
h muh d d Fc "h bef°re them' love those who have sought refuge with
fooiX 3re g,Ven' rather Prefer them abov/themsXes,
prosper." (59:9) C 3t preserve themselves from their own greed shall surely
that' Jhman qUalitV' A daily neCeSSiry’if Cil'1
be able to give comfort to others- cuttine d Othersimay 8° forward; suffering oneself to
me
16« The Pea
to Madinah,
> made them
now saw that the
- ln °ne place, and
Bm the Prophet’s departure
instead of satisfying the Quraysh,
much angrier. They r~
Muslims were all gathering i_ -
becoming stronger in the process. Only pvT
ears after the Prophet's migration, a one
thousand strong army of the Quraysh
approached Madinah to attack.
The Quraysh camped at Badr, a group
of wells about eighty miles from Madinah.
Here they met the Prophet with a small
band of believers. By divine help, the
Muslims succeeded against heavy odds in
defeating the Quraysh. The fighting lasted
only a few hours, with very few of the
Muslims having been wounded. Their defeat
further enraged the Quraysh, and they
launched more battles within the space of a
few years.
The Battle of Uhud took
place in 624 AD, when the
Makkans, under Abu Sufyan,
attacked with about 3000
well equipped men. The
Prophet’s men numbered
only 700. Up till then, in all
battles the Arabs had always
carried away all the booty
which they could lay their
hands on. But this time the
Prophet gave strict
instructions. No one was to
take anything. They were not
fighting for
The battle raged f
w°men sang SOnD 1OUslY- The o
the Mad- §S tO encourage fo ^Uraysh
* Madln«es had obeyed th n If
they would have won, but th' T'”” *■
hn« and started gnabb^ ,h'V bromheir
‘l®al-Walid,one»ftheZZn
W°Phet ® himself was wounded on Z
and lost two teeth when he was hit b ' 'ad
AoSahkhdOWn W"!d‘n8' The Pinites S,°'”-
thought he was dead and were disheartened.
hen All, the Prophet’s son-in-law
sprang forward, and a cry was heard, “The
Prophet is alive!” The Madinites rallied
together. At last the Makkans rode away.
They had lost 14 men, while the Madinites
had lost 70, among them the Prophet’s uncle,
Hamzah. The Prophet fgt was sad for his dead
s^*Wl’ Zen for
*«-**“« Matte"5’"’
'“62 ,heMhe,S:"';
»^TbiS* Per«”“llKiS u
•d"Sedb,jaZnch«-»”"aMad‘n
■‘•f’01” '’d wndugfo'20*",
Tta"b°Z Lhem-and«tte"l’e
thtPwh««”thtba"
trench was nadv- qqq strong—
The Makkan arm', >
■ 4 hut could not cross the
then arrived, 4 fhe city. A whole
trench. So they besieged the city
.rnnrhrnssed, but they fc»d d»y ®
t0lJd nut crush the Madinites. Then
suddenly, there was a temble stonn and
the wind raced furiously, blowing away
their tents and stores. The Makkans
decided to retreat and left
quickly for their own
city. So ended the .<j
Battle of the Trench. .
♦<
A Clear Victory
In the sixth year of the Hijrah, or 628 A.D., the
Prophet 4, acting on the word of God, set out on a
pilgrimage to Makkah along with 1400 Companions. But
the Quraysh stopped them at a place called
al-Hudaybiyyah, some eleven kilometres from Makkah.
Here the Prophet signed a peace treaty with the
Quraysh, which was called by the Quran a clear
victory.’’ The Treaty provided for ten years of peace
between the Quraysh and the Muslims. There was to be
no war or treachery between them. The Treaty was
concluded with the agreement that the Muslims would
not make the pilgrimage that year, but that the
following year the Prophet Muhammad & and his
followers would be free to go to Makkah and stay for
three days.
X™? °f the Hudavbfoah Peace Treaty were
1. that the Muslims would return m M,J- l i
W«-g ,hed u“h M,d“b ,b“
»'ter*” »it
uul «ceed three days’- S'ay m MaUah did
that Muslims would n«, k •
that no Muslim resting taM^k""5 them’
to Madinah, but if anv m■ kkah would migrate
"-urn toMakkahlTuM " ^ed
Pagans visiting Madinak Prevented-
c°ntractmgparties rty t0 join any of the two
1
it. Inviting to Islam with the Prophet had risen from 15m
10,000, including several leading men
Makkah. n of
The Quraysh were again furious, and
regretted having signed the Treaty of
Hudaybiyyah. But if they broke the Treaty
openly, they would clearly look like villains, so
they began breaking it secretly, by supplying
weapons on the quiet to the Muslims’ enemies.
Aware of this betrayal, the Prophet St knew
that he must take over Makkah.
The Prophet Muhammad wanted to
avoid bloodshed, so he did not tell any of his
followers of his plans to capture Makkah. He
gathered the biggest possible army — ten
thousand in all — for he aimed at frightening
the Makkans into submission, so that the city
could be captured without any need for
▲ The Mosque of the Prophet aat Madinah. The mosque and its
surrounding plazas can hold over a million worshippers at a time.
Victors are usually proud and happy to
take revenge on their victims, but not the
Prophet Muhammad After his conquest of
Makkah the Prophet displayed the utmost
humility. When he entered Makkah, his head
was bowed so low that people could see his
beard touching the camel’s saddle. Standing
at the door of the Kabah, the Prophet
delivered an address:
There is none worthy of being served save
the One, Allah. He has fulfilled His promise
and offered help to His servants. He alone
has brought the hosts of enemies low.
The Prophet did not claim any credit
for the victory: he said it was entirely Allah’s
doing. And he went on to forgive the
Quraysh:
1 say to you as Yusuf said B
to his brothers: Let no
reproach be upon you this
day. Go, you are free.
Even Uthman ibn W
Talhah who had once refused
the Prophet’s entry to the
Kabah and persecuted him,
was later given back the key
to the shrine, and it remains ™g|gg
with his family to this day.
The door of the Kabah. screened by a
thick curtain made of mixed cotton and
silk on which passages from the Quran
are inscribed in fine calligraphy worked in
golden thread
19 A Simple Man
Despite his position as leader, the
Prophet Muhammad never behaved as if
he was greater or better than other people. He
never made people feel small, unwanted or
embarrassed. He urged his followers to live
kindly and humbly, releasing slaves whenever
they could and giving in charity, especially to
very poor people, orphans and prisoners,
without any thought of reward.
The Prophet £& himself was never
greedy. He ate very little and only simple
foods. He preferred never to fill his stomach.
Sometimes, for days on end, he would eat
nothing but raw food. He slept on a very
simple mattress on the floor and had almost
nothing in the way of home comforts or
decorations. One day Hafsah, his wife med
to make him more comfortable at night by
folding his reed mat double—without telling
A. The seven mosques complex in Madinah, an example of
simple architecture during the early ,|of isiam
him—to make it softer for him. That night
he slept peacefully, but he overslept and
missed the pre-dawn prayers. He was so
distressed when he found out that he never
slept like that again.
Simple living and contentment were the
key teachings in the Prophet’s life: hen
">xtUs Aishah’,he
. „hKrofhis and mostloyal
i,kan ordinaryman," she would answer.
.He„ouldsweepthehouse, stitch his own
clothes, mendhis own sandals, water the
camels,milk thegoats, help the servants at
theirwork, andeathis meals with them; and
hewouldgotofetch what we neededfrom the
market."He seldom hadmore than one set of
clothes, whichhe washedhimself.
He wasahome-loving, peace-loving
being. “Whenyou enterahouse ask
^•^"he^uldsay.Hegreeted
^'^^P^etAs-salamu^
/ '"r'Wpeaceheuponyo 7
1
Truth and ParadiseOnce a man came to the Prophet &
and said: “O Prophet, by God, it is my
earnest desire to go to heaven. Tell me
what I should do for this to happen.” The
Prophets replied, “Speak the truth."
When man speaks the truth he does good
deeds. His heart is lit up with the light of
faith, and when the heart is blessed with
the wealth of faith, he can be sure of
entrance to God’s paradise. —Nuqush-e-Seerat
byHakim Muhammad Sayeed
pr in good niannerS’
He was a firm bel‘T. kindly, and
always greetingIP He once sard:
showing respect t re those who
■•The dearest ofyou to me
haVe^°hXoXd words and acttons
reveal him as a man of great gentleness,
kindness, humility, good humour
excellent common sense, who had
peat love for animals and for all peop e,
especially his family. Above all, he was
a man who practised what he preached.
His life, both private and public, was a
perfect model for his followers.
The Prophet did not have many
children. His two sons by Khadijah died
when they were very small, and another
baby boy, whom he had later on, also
died. However, he had four daughters,
all of whom married and had children.
Of them, the most famous, was his
youngest daughter, Fatimah, who
married his nephew ‘All and gave him
™° 8ran^ons' and Husayn, and
kX 8hKrs' Zaynab and
—— al-Oit>latayn'
nfrheTwoQiWas.°LM^Xd & while
The M°^ue e(e [he Prophet Muham revelation
re ..re...... gu-^,
“ PraVers of the Prophet
that prayer is atay ^^yinT"1 U$
C^e f°r everV single thing we hav^
God s power over all rk- have’and how
^-nt kinds of p^^
AUah for all the wonderf I T * f° Praise
and some are to thank W c the World
We often ask Xia
^ofonr^X^X^
-Pe;r
The Prophet ^advised people
to pray ln times of peace and plenty,
and not just in times of difficulty. One
of his favourite prayers in the Quran
was for parents: “My Lord, have mercy
on them, as they have raised me up
when 1 was little.” He also said
brotherly love was a great virtue. In his
prayers to his Creator for all of
humanity, he would say: "O Lord, all
Your servants are brothers.”
The Prophet urged his followers
to ask Allah for forgiveness: “Allah
holds out His hand at night for those
who have done wrong during the day to
repent. And He holds out His hand
during the day for those who have done
wrong at night to repent.”
J o have Cod’s special protection,
he would pray, “Allah, save me from
k-pr-o insanity and incurable diseases,
o il »h. s rve me from w ant, poverty
,nJ Kmg humbled. Save me from
i sr ngor King wronged.’
Prophet & f
their olvn ; f»'badeM
about suicide -re "s or
state " saju T fa"TOneisWa '°*it.l
n aeath is best fOr me • Y°urself
or her absence 3n°ther ln his
^v^is P^^^dfor'asX
P-Phet^expIauied toe-the
The Prophet ££ would urge
people to remember Allah
constantly, as he believed that “one
who remembers his Lord and one
who does not remember his Lord are
as unlike as the living and the
dead.” Therefore, the Prophet
would urge his followers to
remember Allah by day and by
night, even if only by saying a few
words. To make it easy for them to
do this, he taught them a short
prayer, saying:
Two phrases are light on the
'ongue yet heavy in the Balance
and beloved by the Merciful.
*"*“*><
S“Mun AlUrl-Atecn
<Gl^bet„C(xJ
“U'G'“^'oGod.
Magnificent.)
seemed lost, a
■■
21 The Prophet’s Hajj
into tt and fill its adjoining plazas.
5000 years ago, the Prophet Ibrahim Xi was commanded by Allah to lay the
foundations of the Kabah—the House of God in Makkah—and to call people to
make a pilgrimage (hajj) to it. People throughout the ages have responded to this
call, and now every year over two million people come from every comer of the
globe to perform this rite.
Hajj is one of the five tenets of Islam, and every Muslim, having the means, and
_ t to travel, must go on this pilgrimage once in his or her lifetime. All
pilgrims have to wear special, very simple clothes so that all may appear equal.
The Sacred Mosque at Makkah, once quite small, is now huge enough to hold as
Z mshowT" PllgTr " 3 AU the Pilgrims 8° round the Kabah -ven
ntes .ch as runnlgT^ Stf"d ™
Satan at Mina, and standing bef k ■ Ma™ah’ stonln8 the pillars of
'wening to sermons. The Hajj ends with a ft °f Arafat’ prayin§ and
— .. 11 ends wth a final encircling of the Kabah.
Hi! ?nCT°re'm the tenth year °f
H.)rah, or 632 AD.the Prophet
Muhammad® set out for Makkah co
perform his Hajj. This time about 100,000
eltevers accompanied him. This pilgrimage
IS commonly known as the Hajj of the
Farewell (Hajjat al-Wida). Here he
explained the rules of Hajj, and gave his
famous speech, known as the Final Sermon
(Khutbah of the Hajjat al-Wida).
Upon reaching Makkah, the
Prophet and his followers put on the
white, seamless sheets that showed their
equality before Allah. This is
called ihram. Then the pilgrims
went directly to the Kabah and
walked round it seven times in a
counter-clockwise direction. This
is called the tawaf. As pilgrims
arrived they called out:
Here I am, O Allah,
here I am!
Here I am,
O You without equal,
Here 1 am!
Yours is the kingdom,
the praise and the glory,
O You without equal,
God Alone!
This is the prayer called the
talbiyah. which is the answer to
the divine call to come and gtve
one’s life wholly to Allah.
Next, they tan
between the small * and forth
memory of the h f Safa and ]u
P l when AU i
^WtheSa',,andit ’"Ny.Thi,,,
search for thatw^
Accordmg to the Wes 1((
IbrahimS to leave his wife 'X"1'”’J
son Ismail S in His care . "a«. and g*.
valley of Makkah. In the barren'
soon began to die of thirst. Frantic H " ““
back and forth between the htllmp^X:"
spot a passing caravan in the distance. But
there was none. Finally, when all
Our Lives Should Revolve Around the Lord
& I
Mr-I jl'fl. naj) is one <
healthy enough
22. The Last Sermon
On the ninth day of the Prophet’s Hajj,
the pilgrims proceeded to the Plain of Arafat
to stand on the Mount of Mercy. There they
stood in the sweltering heat, bare-headed,
and thought about Allah and prayed for His
mercy. This is called the wuquf. Here, during
the sermon on that day the last passage of the
Quran was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad ^5: “Today 1 have perfected your
religion and 1 have completed My blessing
upon you, and 1 have approved Islam for your
religion.”
After praying, the Prophet W spoke to
his followers. He told the Muslims to let the
Quran and his own example be their guides
in life. He ordered them to stop living as they
had done before Islam. Revenge, a very old
£
Ramadan with the Prophet s
The Prophet £=£ said: “Those who fast are
destined to have two joys: One at the time of iftar
and the other when they meet their Lord.”
The observance of fasting (which means no
eating and drinking from dawn to sunset) during
the 29 or 30 days of Ramadan, the ninth month of
the Islamic lunar calendar, is one of the five pillars
of Islam. It is a crash course in self-discipline,
making us more aware of the necessity to do good
and avoid evil, and more thankful to God for His
grace and compassion. Believers during that period
spend longer than usual on their prayers and the
recitation of the Quran, and give more in alms.
They also avoid lying, cheating, obstructing justice
or oppressing their fellow men. Such selfless
behaviour is required ofbelievers, not only during
Ramadan, but throughout their entire lives. Every
believer—man and woman—must observe the fast.
But those who are ill during Ramadan, or too
elderly, or on a journey, may feed the poor instea ,
or make up the days of fasting later on. The fast rs
not meant to cause any undue hardship.
tradition in Arabia, and usurv „
ended. Property was to be resn,'"7° be
said, “Know that every Muslim ■ 7^ he
^r°t^er.” This was a laew idea^to^be^11^111 s
tribes. “Have I made myself very
the Prophet after every point. 3sked
After the sermon, the Prophet & looked
up and cried: “My Lord! Have I delivered
aright the Message 1 was charged with and
fulfilled my calling?” Then he told die
gathering: “You will be asked about me, so
what will you say?”
They answered with one voice: “We bear
witness that you have conveyed Allah’s
message and have performed your duty and
that you have meant goodness for us.” Pointing
his index finger toward heaven and then to the
people, he said: “Oh, Allah, be witness;
O Allah, be witness; O Allah, be witness.
n--'—""1 f t-Kp rpiouritsin of
sacrifice was sent to the poor and needy-
Three months after returning
the Farewell Pilgrimage to Madinah, the
Prophet fell ill- The Messenger of
Allah died on 8 June 632 A.D. He was
63 years old. As the news of his death
spread, people refused to believe it.
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, with his sword
unsheathed, swore that he would slay
anybody who said that the Prophet
had passed away. Seeing the chaos, Abu
Bakr mounted the pulpit and
announced: “O people! For those who
worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is
dead. But whosoever worshipped Allah,
let him know that Allah is alive, and
will never die.”
These brief words sum up an
^rranr belief Muslims have about
Ono?! ,MUhammad§- M-“ms
n« worship any human beina Th
»«ship Allah and Allah only. ?
2}- Exemplary Character
—J 1 r" IZZ-PlZ' * 1 0?^* *’51?i --LZ73i j f iS1 MU~
J£-f ,t I J f J *4 > . v I
i A—
1 -i^Orfer
Ox or - li>- • t- ’
<BI
^blepToX^^ “ tb°U8b,:
1 °C life and cl a P^u man.
’»«We
■"J.-.a„.|.n'l' '",eeard«daS
* '*eh a« m'V " Ma‘W
= *ouldst““ '““■"
““'H'
ate. “dipped.
“"** iho»e, h|e i””' 'U'
O'^OT0"
^■aab rOpl'«
, 5 Gnedin..
ChunselfhadL e'^uein
one of the
to this eyp„,
Pr«Phet MuhX PCrSoih th
Sreat’ poJy bo rmad < t,
Qura^ - Was'°rk of ISlam Jat the
century A D e^ealed in fhe
the Archan * ^^ah d e 7th
tlangel Jib thr°ugh
* £vents do n
/ the ord n°t unfo/d
Opened--'" ^ch
* more like Zea^rhy^
revealed ofAllah’s
chapters
°fprose,
elarttyallthatwas
rhe Prophet & fourteen hundred years
will to
Young Muslims start reciting the Quran
from a very early age, and many go on to
memorize the whole text. The Quran is the
only book in the history of mankind which is
memorized from cover to cover. Today, there
are thousands and thousands of people in the
world—they are called huffaz (sing, hafiz) —
who know the entire Quran by heart.
By the time of the Prophet’s death, many
thousands of men and women knew the
Quran by heart, and the whole text also
existed in written form. Till today, the Quran
has remained absolutely unchanged.
The Quran—The Book of Allah
Being the true word of Allah in human language, the
Quran is the eternal book of instruction for the whoJe of ~
M mankind. It provides correct and understandable answers to
C J all the questions which arise in an inquisitive mind, such as,
“Why has Allah placed humanity on earth? What is His
R scheme of things in creating such a vast universe? How
should we lead our lives?" “What will happen to us after
K death7" And so on. , . . , i
■M After memorizing all of the revelations which the angel
Jibril brought to him, the Prophet & instructed his
! Companions to memorize them too. He also called for a scribe
to dictate each one back to him. There were about twenty-
nine scribes, the more important ofwhom were Zayed ibn
Thabit, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman,
Abdullah ibn Sa‘d and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. Thus the
entire Quran was written down and memorized by hundreds
ofCompanions in the lifetime of the Prophet The Prophet
also recited the entire Quran twice in front of the angel
Jibril, thus putting its surahs in the correct order. Shortly after
the Prophet’s death, the Quran was put together in the form
ofa book (or mushaf) by the first Caliph Abu Bakr. During
the time of the Caliph Uthman, six official copies of it were
made, and several were sent off to various countries. Two
such copies exist today in museums in Istanbul and Tashkent.
From the time of the Prophet Muhammad <£, when the
Quran was revealed and written down on the leaves of date-
palms, parchments, etc., the script of the Quran has gone
through a number ofstages. Most of the early copies were
written in a script with square-shaped letters known as Kufic
In the early tenth century, Ibn Muqla, who was considered
the father ofArabic calligraphy, developed its rules and
ehned the shape, size, curvature and position ofeach letter
Shan? Ta SUCh “ Thu'A’ Naskh' ^haqqaq,
Kayham, Tauqi and Rrqa were developed. Thus the Arabic
mostly used to transcribe the^ranfo te» which is
Prophet mSXJJ” * -ghbouring lands, the
the Quran through hiTcomn?"' e”6” containing verses of
Otters were first fransC foto ^7° TheSe
Presenting them to the resnerri h, . °Cal lang|lages before
translations ofportions of rhe n 6 k'ngS' Thus the first
Prophet’s own lifetime. Late^ on^TcT6 d°nE durin8 the
Parts into Persian. During the tenfo W3S trans!ated
pnnted by wooden blocks. S Quran
mto Latin was done in 1143 ai!J, , ?SIat,on °fthe Quran
^1 t^^sPublhhedfo 1647P? 1 ,ed in 1543' A German
t„ Sa" aPPeared in 1648 Ove En«,ish
translated into i Over the years rh^ rx
and chi,d
H message of the q f ur§ed his foUow ‘; sermon, the
:?” “How
us after
;Jhe
the^ “ ToK5l<he
,^^■01 all dungs, what
TOdJyw noth? to possess!
-CaDek'berep^Sohewasgivena
[rsuasbeW As the angel left, he
sail "Mar .Allah bless it.
To ds man with the diseased scalp,
the angel sad. "Of all things, what would
too most love to have’’ The man replied,
’Beautiful hair and a cure for the disease
kt which people shun me.’ So the angel
passed hi- hards over him and his wishes
were granted. Again the angel asked. "Of
all thugs, what would you most love to
he replied. So he was
a pegm cow. And the angel
^’Mat-AHahblessiL"
^'^ma.thangelsatd,
^JJ^what wudl most love
whave HerepUJ,^-^
'^h-AHsothatlcan^
So the angel passed U
Ut“” h“»‘
anJ the Three Men
sight. Then the angel said, “Of all things, what
would you most love to possess?” “Sheep,” fie
replied. So he was given a ewe with its lambs. And
the angel said, “May Allah bless them.”
All the animals multiplied, so that the first
man had a valley full of camels, the second a vail
full ofcows and the third a valley full of sheep.
Later, the angel came in the guise of a leper
to the first man and said, “I am a poor man,
unable to travel any further without Allah’s
help—or yours. By the One who has given you
wealth and a beautiful skin and complexion,
give me a camel to ride on my journey.” The
man replied, “I have too many obligations.” The
angel said, “I seem to recognize you. Weren’t
you once a leper whom people shunned? And
weren’t you poor before Allah gave you so
much?” The man replied, “I inherited
this wealth from a nobleman, who
inherited it from a nobleman.” The
angel said, “If you are a liar, may Allah
turn you back into a leper.”
Then, in the guise of a bald man,
he came to the man who had once had a
diseased scalp and made the same
request as he had to the first man. His
plea was similarly turned down. The
angel said, “If you are a liar, may Allah
turn you back into a bald man.”
Coming to the third man in the
guise of a blind man, he said, “I am a
poor, homeless man, unable to reach my
destination, unless Allah , or you, can
help me. By the One who restored your
sight, give me a ewe to help me on my
way.” The man said, “I was blind, and
Allah restored my sight. So take
whatever you will and leave whatever
you will, for, by Allah, I will not grudge
you anything you take for His sake.”
The angel said, “Keep your wealth, for
you were only being tested. You may
keep your blessings, but your
companions have lost all.”
Many Kinds of Charity
The Prophet St said, “Give alms from the right
hand, but your left hand should not come to know of
it." But over and above giving alms and feeding the
poor, the Prophet <t^ gave much wider meaning to
the concept of charity, as he believed that every good
act was a form of charity: smiling at a fellow human
being; showing the road to a person who has lost his
way; removing hindrances such as thorns and stones
from the road; assisting the blind; helping a person to
mount his beast; uttering pure, comforting words and
replying to questions with mildness. All of these for
the Prophet were forms of charity.
And the Stone Moved
The Prophet Muhammad
a story of how three men out f
mountains, were caught
They quickly took m a
blocked by a huge stone -
came hurtlino _
mountain
impos_.
there a'l ni8ht, waitt„
8« UP- They did „ rl'is P»ents
. his behaviour, to
a away
............
..........
the mountains
toUn>andhegaVe^h«fo«iblV'
sherx:he«-dto,nzX-He
.iH^’’dseenxx”*.*-tweura
;J that he had a
The second sa h in love
^tddUAatdnVt°h'Scl'Mt.n
“^AUah.andheh^^
and, turning away fro®
1
i he had done to out of feat
' and beseeched Hint to he p hem
the stone moved another little b.t, L
but the gap was still not wide enough
for them to come out of the cave.
The third man said that once he
had hired the services of a workman
for a bushel of rice. When the work
was completed, he gave the man his
bushel of rice, but the workman, not
liking the quality of it, went off
without it. So he kept re-planting it
until he had earned enough money
from its sale to buy some cows. Years
later, the workman returned and
demanded his wages. He told the
man to take away the cows which
t’d greedy multiplied by that time.
And this he promptly did without
Mt™8 aSinBlecowf™.he.r owner.
^ '*8 th* tale, he begged
release them, as he had
good deed for fear of u
S° *e stoe moved a littl ™'
“ad' * tig enough gap f and
“me out Of the cave ' 'het" *°
__
sed with them and
------, o 11Uge Stone which
hurtling down the
*«.ain side. Now it was
—possible for them to get out.
So they began to pray to Allok
recalling the go*^^ *
<-<-> pray to Allah,
— as me good deeds they had
done, in the hopes that Allah
would be pleased with them and
The first one said that he
and his wife and children were
living with his aged parents.
Whenever he returned 1
set them free.
1 lie
and his wife and children were
living with his aged parents.
Whenever he returned with his
herd, he milked the animals and
then offered the milk first to his
parents and then to his children.
One day, he went far away and,
by the time he came back home,
it was very late and his parents
had fallen asleep. He milked the
herd as usual and brought the
milk to his parents, but seeing
that they were sound asleep, he
not feel like waking
children ran
ilk, but he felt
re it to
his parents-
it was vei > —
had fallen asleep,
herd as usual an<
milk to h'"
that they
did not f
His c
mil-
to giv'
it to I
", he
them up
to him for their
it was not right
them before he gave
So he stood
26’The Message Of Peace
to bring peace to th"""nt task »■
ssPlace, they wereXTdtX °' dwUi^
Only if they saw e ’ 1 n and 5isKK-
Mowers he would say, "You are all
children and Adam was made of clay,"
as mg t em to live in peace, would add, “a’
true believer is one with whom others feel
secure - one who returns love for hatred.”
He taught believers that returning love only
when love was given was base human
conduct. The true believer caused no harm to
those who mistreated him, but chose rather to
work for their good. The Prophet ■£& himself
led the way with his common sense, kindness,
gentleness, humility, and good humour. He
greatly loved all people and even animals.
The Prophet was a leader, yet,
believing he was no greater or better than
fz.
The Hadith—
Sayings of the Prophet
The Hadith, i.e. the sayings and deeds of the
Prophet ife, form a Muslim code of conduct second
only to the Quran in religious importance. Handed
down from person to person, starting with the
Prophet's Companions and contemporaries, the truth
of their content (main) was guaranteed by the
narrators' reliability. This system was called isnad.
The best of the six well-established books of
Hadith (al-kumb as-sittah) are the Sahih ("The
Authentic”) of al-Bukhan and Muslim. The others
p bv Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi. Al-Nas ai and Ibn
Forty Hadith of Nawawi. ____
. He«"“da"me”
“J cents. «hHhH
0,«™l»rfin'U thirteen
Throughout *
his prophetho"1' *e tlilh,
MnhtBt-^PT bitted,
allh«h.heM»ktosbltKry
)
4 An inside vi^w of the Propbets Mosque in Madina .
mt'
T especially to P ss,bl= and to 8ive
“d Prisoners _ with nX‘T‘''
He "as the soul of goodT' °f t"’ard'
f People harmed him, » *at
opposed this. When things became
impossible, he left for Madinah.
Wars were waged against him, but
he convinced his enemies that
peace had greater power than war,
as was shown by the peace treaty of
Hudaybiyyah. In this the
Prophet agreed to every demand
of his enemies, on the assurance
that, in return, peace would
necessarily ensue.
His life went through various
stages of well-being and extreme
hardship, yet never once did he
stray from the path of moderation.
At all times, and right till the end
e remained the patient and
WeU servant Of the AJmi h
27. Glossary
^-nresntetavrlgransmint
w jerfomr Hap Also the
name of the wo white unswn
plain cloths wombf male prlgnriS
to show equal* and put*
Akhinh The H«l« Me I &lf.aaifice, the «*ngres
tab when each fenon
o( rhe Ansar of Madinah
death, when each person
Tafsir Commentary an .
explanatory notes on the Quran
Talbiyah The invocation the
pilgrim often repeats after putting
on ihram dunng Hajj.
I Taqwa Piety, to be prudent and
I conscious of Allah. That is, being
I careful not to overstep the limits
I set by the Almighty.
I Tawaf Going around the Kabah
I seven times in an anti-clockwise
the Prophet Muhammad § said. I
“Deeds will be judged according to
intentions.
Nabi A person chosen by Allah to
bnng His message to humanity.
The Prophet Muhammad ® was
the last of the Prophets.
Quran TheDiwineBook, revealed
to the Prophet Muhammad ® as
the final revelation of Allah to
mankind. ______
WoaUsurv.thecharpngofmtetest direction.having theKabahon the
„ , Um. which is forbidden in | left hand side.
Tawhid Belief in the Oneness of
oaian iuc _______ Allah—the most fundamental of
observed by Muslims, as a form of  Islamic concepts,
worship of Allah. (One of the five I ,
pillars of Islam.) I
Sawm basting in the month of I
■Ramadan (One of the five pillars I
of Islam.)
Shanah The eternal ethical and I
moral codes of Islam based on the |
Quran and the Sunnah.
Sirah Biographical writings about
the conduct and examples of the
Prophet Muhammad ȣ.
Sunnah Literally,pathorexample.
It applies particularly to the
cenuu«.« v. «.. . -
wasashiningexample of this great
human quality-
lsra The msht joum* otthe
Ptophet Muhammad ® horn
Makkahto)etusalem.SeeMTRAj-
lahiliwah Davs of Ignorance, the
—____ penodra Arabiabefore thecoming
established books of Haduh These  rfUam
 Jibril The angel Gahnel .ho
mu-iui i 4AUoh <; messaees to the
al-Nas ai and ibn Mayah.
Dhul-HijjahThe monthoftheHan,
tos, The Helper, those peo^e
ofMadmahwhohelpedthehoph"
MahammadSandhtsCompauora
who. thn W*1 10 ’he"
homMakkah. (seep. 561
Ayah A verse of the Quran
Al-Kutub al-Sittah The sixwell
include collections of al-Bukhan,
jiuiu —
delivered Allah’s messages to the
Prophet Muhammad &
on a loan, which is forbidden in
Islam.
Salah The five daily prayers
Look for other books in the series:
that stands in the centre of the
grand mosque in Makkah towards
which Muslims face while praying.
It was originally built by the
?“X”he lUc  hub* A cube-shaped buMmg
_L_. ....J. ,r> trip rpnrrp nt tne
calendar
Dawah The introduction of Islam
to non-Muslims. ___ ___ ____
Hartith Sayings or traditions of the  ProphetsIbrahim andIsmail (peace
Prophet Muhammad These are v* *’ ‘
an important source of Islamic law.
Hafu Plural, huffaz Someone who
knows the entire Quran by heart
Hajj The annual pilgrimage to
Makkah. (One of the five pillars of
Islam.)
Hijrah Migration This refers to the
migration of the Prophet
Muhammad^ from Makkah to
Madinah inJune622 A.D It marks
the beginning of the Islamic
calendar
Hilfal-Fudul A group ofMakkans
formed to help weak and depnved
people In his youth, the Prophet
Muhammad w;
member of this group
be upon them)
Lailatul Qadr TheNight ofPower,
when the very first revelation of
theQuranwasmadetotheProphet
Muhammad
Mi'raj The ascent through the
heavens of the Prophet
Muhammad *>.
Muhajir The migrants, those who
migratedtoMadinah from Makkah
along with the Prophet
Muhammad <=?
Muslim One who submits himself
■ to Allah by following the religion
of Islam.
Niyvah Declaration of intention.
Islam teaches that intention has a
believer's life, as
Tdl Me, About
Umrah The lesser pilgrimage to
Makkah, which may be performed
at any time of the year.
I Wudu The washing ofhands, face
I and feet before prayers.
I Wuquf Literally, “standing.”
I Staying in the Arafat valley and
I especially praying there in the
I standing position on the second
! I day of Hajj.
I Zakat Purifying tax on wealth. It
is considered as a religious duty
— __ and a social obligation. (One of
example of the Prophet I the five pillars of Islam.)
Muhammad^ and includes what
he said, did and approved of.
Sahabah Singular sahib, sahabi.
Companions. The term is used for
those who were closest to the
Prophet t£, kept frequent company
with him, memorized the Quran,
assimilated his teachings and
transmitted his sayings. However,
ingeneral, anyone who believed in
the Prophet Muhammad's mission
and had seen him once in his life
time is regarded as a Companion.
Tdb Me,About'
Sallollafiu aluylu uosalknn. May
the peace andblessingsofAllah
be upon him. These words are
said every rime the Prophet
Muhammad is mentioned,
as a mark of respect and
salutation.
si Alaylus Salam Peace be upon
him. These words are said every
time the name of a prophet is
mentioned, asa mark ofrespect
and salutation.
TelCMe-About
CREATION

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

W H O W A S S A C R I F I C E D
W H O  W A S  S A C R I F I C E DW H O  W A S  S A C R I F I C E D
W H O W A S S A C R I F I C E DZAKIR
 
The Prophet's Life at Madina
The Prophet's Life at MadinaThe Prophet's Life at Madina
The Prophet's Life at Madinashagufta777
 
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_this
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_thisProphet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_this
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_thisArabBibles
 
Old Testament Stories for Children
Old Testament Stories for ChildrenOld Testament Stories for Children
Old Testament Stories for ChildrenFreekidstories
 
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyful
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyfulHoly Prophet PBUH as most mercyful
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyfulShehzad Ali
 
Girls and Women in the Bible
Girls and Women in the BibleGirls and Women in the Bible
Girls and Women in the BibleFreekidstories
 
No.144 english | Huldah Ministry
No.144 english | Huldah MinistryNo.144 english | Huldah Ministry
No.144 english | Huldah Ministryhuldahministry
 
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring Book
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring BookOld Testament Stories for Children: Coloring Book
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring BookFreekidstories
 
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUHThe Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUHZeeshan Latif
 
Children and Young People in the Bible
Children and Young People in the BibleChildren and Young People in the Bible
Children and Young People in the BibleFreekidstories
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: SummaryAdil Hussain
 
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children Freekidstories
 
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: Animales
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: AnimalesBible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: Animales
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: AnimalesFreekidstories
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: SummaryAdil Hussain
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: SummaryAdil Hussain
 

Was ist angesagt? (19)

W H O W A S S A C R I F I C E D
W H O  W A S  S A C R I F I C E DW H O  W A S  S A C R I F I C E D
W H O W A S S A C R I F I C E D
 
The Prophet's Life at Madina
The Prophet's Life at MadinaThe Prophet's Life at Madina
The Prophet's Life at Madina
 
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_this
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_thisProphet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_this
Prophet of doom_03_i_dont_noah_bout_this
 
Old Testament Stories for Children
Old Testament Stories for ChildrenOld Testament Stories for Children
Old Testament Stories for Children
 
Islam.pdf
Islam.pdfIslam.pdf
Islam.pdf
 
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyful
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyfulHoly Prophet PBUH as most mercyful
Holy Prophet PBUH as most mercyful
 
Girls and Women in the Bible
Girls and Women in the BibleGirls and Women in the Bible
Girls and Women in the Bible
 
No.144 english | Huldah Ministry
No.144 english | Huldah MinistryNo.144 english | Huldah Ministry
No.144 english | Huldah Ministry
 
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring Book
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring BookOld Testament Stories for Children: Coloring Book
Old Testament Stories for Children: Coloring Book
 
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUHThe Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH
The Life of Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH
 
Muhammad (SAW) in the Bible [Dawah Booklet]
Muhammad (SAW) in the Bible [Dawah Booklet]Muhammad (SAW) in the Bible [Dawah Booklet]
Muhammad (SAW) in the Bible [Dawah Booklet]
 
Children and Young People in the Bible
Children and Young People in the BibleChildren and Young People in the Bible
Children and Young People in the Bible
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 10: Summary
 
Print and Place on Fridge
Print and Place on FridgePrint and Place on Fridge
Print and Place on Fridge
 
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children
Jesus is Born: 25 Bible Passages for Advent for Children
 
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: Animales
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: AnimalesBible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: Animales
Bible Stories: Animals - Historias de la Biblia: Animales
 
Raising Muslim Children
Raising Muslim ChildrenRaising Muslim Children
Raising Muslim Children
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 7: Summary
 
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: SummaryThe Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: Summary
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Chapter 8: Summary
 

Ähnlich wie Tell me about the prophet muhammad (saw) by saniyasnain khan

Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir Naik
Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir NaikIs the Quran the word of God? - Zakir Naik
Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir NaikHear O World
 
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of Islam
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of IslamUnderstanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of Islam
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of IslamRAD DAD GONE MAD Doug Hove
 
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. english
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. englishMakkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. english
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. englishHarunyahyaEnglish
 
islam for beginners.pdf
islam for beginners.pdfislam for beginners.pdf
islam for beginners.pdfccccccccdddddd
 
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the HadithLesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the HadithAustin Boyd
 
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the HadithLesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the HadithAustin Boyd
 
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdfccccccccdddddd
 
Islam geography and history
Islam geography and historyIslam geography and history
Islam geography and historylnelson7
 
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds Prophethood
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds ProphethoodUnderstanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds Prophethood
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds ProphethoodRAD DAD GONE MAD Doug Hove
 
Islamand Muslims Today
Islamand Muslims TodayIslamand Muslims Today
Islamand Muslims Todayrabubakar
 
Rise Of Islam
Rise Of IslamRise Of Islam
Rise Of IslamGreg Sill
 
The Sources of Islam
The Sources of IslamThe Sources of Islam
The Sources of IslamPeter Hammond
 
Naqshbandi Devotions and Practices
Naqshbandi Devotions and PracticesNaqshbandi Devotions and Practices
Naqshbandi Devotions and PracticesZaid Ahmad
 
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?Is the Qur’an God’s Word?
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?The Choice
 
En muhammad the_prophet_of_mercy
En muhammad  the_prophet_of_mercyEn muhammad  the_prophet_of_mercy
En muhammad the_prophet_of_mercyHelmon Chan
 

Ähnlich wie Tell me about the prophet muhammad (saw) by saniyasnain khan (20)

Islam.pdf
Islam.pdfIslam.pdf
Islam.pdf
 
Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir Naik
Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir NaikIs the Quran the word of God? - Zakir Naik
Is the Quran the word of God? - Zakir Naik
 
Islamiat Presentation (1).pptx
Islamiat Presentation (1).pptxIslamiat Presentation (1).pptx
Islamiat Presentation (1).pptx
 
Prophecies about the holy prophet (SAW)
Prophecies about the holy prophet (SAW)Prophecies about the holy prophet (SAW)
Prophecies about the holy prophet (SAW)
 
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of Islam
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of IslamUnderstanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of Islam
Understanding Islam Part 2 The Origins Of Islam
 
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. english
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. englishMakkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. english
Makkah. Mother of cities and the holy site of Ka'bah. english
 
islam for beginners.pdf
islam for beginners.pdfislam for beginners.pdf
islam for beginners.pdf
 
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the HadithLesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
 
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the HadithLesson 4   Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
Lesson 4 Muhammad the Quran and the Hadith
 
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf
101 Seerah Stories and Dua.pdf
 
33 31 moslem prophecy www.gftaognosticaespiritual.org
33 31 moslem prophecy www.gftaognosticaespiritual.org33 31 moslem prophecy www.gftaognosticaespiritual.org
33 31 moslem prophecy www.gftaognosticaespiritual.org
 
Islam geography and history
Islam geography and historyIslam geography and history
Islam geography and history
 
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds Prophethood
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds ProphethoodUnderstanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds Prophethood
Understanding Islam Part 3 Mohammeds Prophethood
 
Islamand Muslims Today
Islamand Muslims TodayIslamand Muslims Today
Islamand Muslims Today
 
Intro To Islam
Intro To IslamIntro To Islam
Intro To Islam
 
Rise Of Islam
Rise Of IslamRise Of Islam
Rise Of Islam
 
The Sources of Islam
The Sources of IslamThe Sources of Islam
The Sources of Islam
 
Naqshbandi Devotions and Practices
Naqshbandi Devotions and PracticesNaqshbandi Devotions and Practices
Naqshbandi Devotions and Practices
 
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?Is the Qur’an God’s Word?
Is the Qur’an God’s Word?
 
En muhammad the_prophet_of_mercy
En muhammad  the_prophet_of_mercyEn muhammad  the_prophet_of_mercy
En muhammad the_prophet_of_mercy
 

Mehr von docsforu

The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid ali
The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid aliThe forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid ali
The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid alidocsforu
 
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijab
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijabKalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijab
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijabdocsforu
 
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...docsforu
 
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqThe world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqdocsforu
 
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawi
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawiThe islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawi
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawidocsforu
 
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...docsforu
 
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...docsforu
 
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]docsforu
 
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...docsforu
 
The blessings of ramadan by javed ali
The blessings of ramadan by javed aliThe blessings of ramadan by javed ali
The blessings of ramadan by javed alidocsforu
 
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudi
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudiIslam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudi
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudidocsforu
 
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bari
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bariMarriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bari
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul baridocsforu
 
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqThe world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqdocsforu
 
Muhammad by ziauddin sardar
Muhammad by ziauddin sardarMuhammad by ziauddin sardar
Muhammad by ziauddin sardardocsforu
 
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1docsforu
 
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbal
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbalJustice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbal
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbaldocsforu
 
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvi
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlviThe miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvi
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvidocsforu
 
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvi
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadviThe minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvi
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvidocsforu
 
Change must come from within by dr amru khalid
Change must come from within by dr amru khalidChange must come from within by dr amru khalid
Change must come from within by dr amru khaliddocsforu
 
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...docsforu
 

Mehr von docsforu (20)

The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid ali
The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid aliThe forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid ali
The forty pathways to heaven by sheikh khalid sayyid ali
 
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijab
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijabKalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijab
Kalam cosmological arguments by mohammed hijab
 
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...
Mustafa the paragon of mercy explanation of the salaam mustafa jaan e rahmat ...
 
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqThe world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 1 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
 
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawi
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawiThe islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawi
The islamic marriage by maulana ashraf ali thanawi
 
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...
Attributes of the righteous wife by shaykh abdur razzaq ibn abdul muhsin al a...
 
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...
Fiqh of tolerance written by dr abdel hakim el sadiq el-faitouri translated b...
 
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]
Islamic economics the ultimate alternative by mohamed ghanem [english]
 
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...
The dreamer's handbook sleep etiquettes &amp; dream interpretation in light o...
 
The blessings of ramadan by javed ali
The blessings of ramadan by javed aliThe blessings of ramadan by javed ali
The blessings of ramadan by javed ali
 
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudi
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudiIslam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudi
Islam an historical perspective by abul alaa mawdudi
 
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bari
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bariMarriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bari
Marriage and family building in islam by dr. muhammad abdul bari
 
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruqThe world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
The world of teens part 2 by shaykh muhammad yahya ibn faruq
 
Muhammad by ziauddin sardar
Muhammad by ziauddin sardarMuhammad by ziauddin sardar
Muhammad by ziauddin sardar
 
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1
Understanding the etiquettes of differing by saalim ibn saalih al marfadee1
 
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbal
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbalJustice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbal
Justice islamic and western perspectives by zafar iqbal
 
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvi
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlviThe miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvi
The miracles of the prophet muhammad (saw) by maulana ahmed saeed dehlvi
 
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvi
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadviThe minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvi
The minaret speaks by sayyed abul hasan ali nadvi
 
Change must come from within by dr amru khalid
Change must come from within by dr amru khalidChange must come from within by dr amru khalid
Change must come from within by dr amru khalid
 
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...
Short biography of the prophet (saw) &amp; his ten companions by al imam al h...
 

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptx
Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptxWellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptx
Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptxJisc
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfAdmir Softic
 
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxTowards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxJisc
 
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptx
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptxOn_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptx
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptxPooja Bhuva
 
Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...pradhanghanshyam7136
 
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...Poonam Aher Patil
 
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...Amil baba
 
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POS
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POSHow to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POS
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POSCeline George
 
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024Elizabeth Walsh
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17Celine George
 
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...Nguyen Thanh Tu Collection
 
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdfMicro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdfPoh-Sun Goh
 
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.christianmathematics
 
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Pooja Bhuva
 
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17Celine George
 
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxheathfieldcps1
 
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docxPython Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docxRamakrishna Reddy Bijjam
 
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptApplication orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptRamjanShidvankar
 
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptxMaritesTamaniVerdade
 

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptx
Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptxWellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptx
Wellbeing inclusion and digital dystopias.pptx
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
 
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxTowards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
 
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptx
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptxOn_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptx
On_Translating_a_Tamil_Poem_by_A_K_Ramanujan.pptx
 
Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...Kodo Millet  PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
Kodo Millet PPT made by Ghanshyam bairwa college of Agriculture kumher bhara...
 
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual  Proper...
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
 
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
 
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POS
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POSHow to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POS
How to Manage Global Discount in Odoo 17 POS
 
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
 
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
Mehran University Newsletter Vol-X, Issue-I, 2024
 
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...
80 ĐỀ THI THỬ TUYỂN SINH TIẾNG ANH VÀO 10 SỞ GD – ĐT THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH NĂ...
 
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdfMicro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
Micro-Scholarship, What it is, How can it help me.pdf
 
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
 
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
 
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
 
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptxThe basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
The basics of sentences session 3pptx.pptx
 
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docxPython Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
Python Notes for mca i year students osmania university.docx
 
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptApplication orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
 
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
 

Tell me about the prophet muhammad (saw) by saniyasnain khan

  • 1. TelL Abou£THE PROPHET S AN 1Y A S N AIN KHAN What the Prophet’s Message Is, Why His Life Is So Important and What He Teaches Me Goodwordkfck.
  • 2. 631:Islam is accepted by many Arabian tribes.623:Change ofQiblah from al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem to the Kabah in Makkah. Fasting is enjoined on believers. 605: The Prophet Muhammad helps to rebuild the Kabah. 610: Beginning ofthe Prophet's mission. The Angel Jibril reveals the first few verses of the Quran to him while he is thinking about God in the Cave of Hira near Makkah. Khadijah, Ali, Abu Bakr and Zayd become the first Muslims. 630:January (20Ramadan, AH8): Makkah surrenders without a fight. The Prophet $ forgives his Makkan opponents. The idols are all taken away from the Kabah and all of the people there accept Islam. 570:22April: TheProphet S ls bom ,n Makkah His father, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib dies two months before his birth. 615:To escape mistreatment, a group of the Prophet's followers leave their homes and go away to Ethiopia, where a Christian King helps them. 622:A plot is hatched in Makkah to kill the Prophet Muhammad g. To save his life, the Prophet g goes away to Madinah, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calender known as Hijrah. The Prophet g receives a warm welcome from the people of Madinah. Most of his followers leave Makkah for Madinah. 624:17 March (19Ramadan, AH2) A large army of Makkans comes all the wav to Madinah to attack the Muslims. An outnumbered Muslim group defeats them at Badr near Madinah. 632:March (DhulHijjah, AH 10): The Prophet« goes for his Hajj (known as the Farewell Pilgnmage). As he stands at Arafat to deliver his sermon, the very last verse of the Quran is revealed to him 595S The Prophet Muhammad marries Khadijah. They have four daughters and two sons. Sadly, both sc ? die very young. 629:The Prophet sends letters and XSSXSssage^ iate place. The Propk s“ re with wings, called EE^^^Heavens and comes into the Divine Presence. 620:The Prophet purging street ® people of the He * wounded all i-« Vi Syna aiong with Xfetbu ^^222°
  • 3. 613: The Prophets: starts preaching Islam to the people of Makkah. Not many respond to his call. Most Makkans oppose him, treating him and his followers with scorn and cruelty. 622:A plot is hatched in Makkah to kill the Prophet Muhammad & To save his life, the Prophet S goes away to Madinah, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calender known as Hijrah. The Prophet S receives a warm welcome from the people of Madinah. Most of his followers leave Makkah tor Madinah. 630:January (20 Ramadan, AH8): Makkah surrenders without a fight. The Prophet g forgives his Makkan opponents. The idols are all taken away from the Kabah and all of the people there accept Islam. ..jp. 610: Beginning of the Prophet's mission. The Angel Jibril reveals the first few verses of the Quran to him while he is thinking about God in the Cave of Hira near Makkah. Khadijah, Ali, Abu Bakr and Zayd become the first Muslims. 570:22 April The Prophet 624:t7March(t9Rama<fen,AH3' A Xjfah?1 Makkans comes a“ lha way to Madinah to attack the Muslims. An * atB™neXUih:9r0UPde,ea,Sthem 631: Islam is accepted by many Arabian tribes. ---------- - 621:IsraandMira/(the Journey and theAscent) take place. The PropH is taken from Makkah to Jerusalem on ahorse-likecreature with wings, called Buraq, brought Iohim bythe Angel Jibril. From the Temple MountinJerusalem, the Prophet g, accompanied byJibril, goes up to the Seven Heavens and comes into the Divine Presence. 623: Change ofQiblahfrom al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem to the Kabah in k Makkah. Fasling is enjoined on believers. — 628:March(0^Qadah^^e Prophet signs the Peacere ty Hudavbiyyah, near Makkan. wu the Quran calls “a clear victory- 595:The ProphetMuhammadmarries Khadi|ah They have four daughters and two sons Sadly, both sc : die very young. 605: The Prophet Muhammad s M helps to rebuild the Kabah. 632:March(DhulHijjah, AH 10): The Prophet ®goes for his Hajj (known as the Farewell Pilgrimage). As he stands at Arafat to deliver his sermon, the very last verse of the Quran is revealed to him. 8 June (12RabialAwwal, AH11): The Prophet g dies, and his closest Companion, Abu Bakr, succeeds him as the first Caliph in Islam. 629:The Prophetgsends letters and couriers tothe jkings of Persia, Yemen and Ethiopia, and to Emperor I Heraclius, to bring to them the message of Islam. T 582: At the age of twelve. Muhammad § travels to Syria along with his uncle Abu Talib on atrading mission. 615: To escape mistreatment, agroup of the Prophets followers leave their homes and go away to Ethiopia, where a Christian King helps them. ------------- -—-----------~r- BB *.2?"^erusa/em
  • 4. Illustrated by K.M. Ravindran First published 2000 Reprinted 2012 © Goodword Books 2012 Goodword Books 1, Nizamuddin West Market, New Delhi-110 013 Tel. 91 1 1-4182-7083, 4652-1511 Fax: 9111-4565-1771 email: info@goodwordbooks.com www.goodwordbooks.com •____| —rm? nyr. rm mr-m< nm Printed in India
  • 5. ARABIA ■ pr , “ZA-...... «» nd "'here pe ° stars loom . barren UP°n sf>adeZ d^d fer 7®' « nfeht go°dMi. Thereand each o*'" Yathrib, a , Were three n heFs a cool Zf °aSfa no“' Jl7> ZzZ°r'c°ZZ^ PfdZy ^P^het&ZZhWaS‘” ar ** junction of n "ant fc«ause 7‘ '" 7“ ^en more «Z T ^bah. n.hJrZ Z’ " th' 'mme J “■-de to w P<*Pk came from Z‘k h' *e Prophet ^'nal J < Abraham and Ishmael)"” Z " Panl^rly devoted ‘oZuZ P,'°Phet Sad- B, ther. A °n^ / S fa^er Pr°te«Or >■ ^,7 "* heJ *d- P/ace h th<! PilZ °f p ,d °f 1 R ^de 'va? fer,rMs ivl ^ab>ab ®ut 'w «-as resp'«ecl ° v«««d ' ’ drifts a not /j> a and ari . n c a'Vay r the O(.l ^ired /->, pW°r^d^^dTa^S> T believers had prayed for a prophet to come, and there had been signs that Allah had heard their prayers. Jewish scriptures told ofa prophet that was to come. On the night ofthe Prophet’s birth a learnedJew in Yathrib saw a brilliant star he had never seen before. He called people together around him and, pointing to the star, told them ^t a prophet must have been born, word spread quickly ZZ
  • 6. ert outside Makkah It was one such area where johet Muhammad * spent his early days as soon as she began nursing Muhammad & her milk increased. After they got back home, many things began to change for t e 1 better. The land became green, and the date palms grew heavy with fruit. Dates were one ofthe family's main foods. The sheep and camels regained their health. Halimah and her husband knew that these blessings were j because ofthe baby Muhammad St. Muhammad S grew well during his stay with Halimah and her family. He X played with her children, and together they Wk would take the sheep to graze. When Mui,.mm.Jt mimd m Amjnak Pj ’im"S.ndht.ltl,ythrKyearM ,
  • 7. 2. Nursed in the Desert comes next?” "Your mother,” said the Prophet "Who is after that?” asked tire man, “Your mother,” was the Prophet’s answer. “Who comes next?" insisted the man again. “Your ▲ su'Mde Makkah It was one such area where Muhammad A spent his early days Good Family Ties The Prophet revered parents. He would /: “Paradise lies at the feet of mothers,” and “God’s pleasure is in the father’s pleasure; and God’s displeasure is in the father’s displeasure.” Those, he believed, who served their parents well, were deserving of Paradise. A man once asked the Prophet “Who rightfully deserves I£ saY: I f the best treatment from me?” “Your mother,” said the Prophet Then the man said, “Who I ......... 1 ___-gg? father,” said the noble Prophet $$ The Prophet gave great importance to family ties. He said, “The best man is he who is zN best to his wife.” It was the custom in those days, in Makkah, for mothers to send their babies into the desert to be nursed by paid foster mothers from among the people who tended sheep. The weather in the desert, away from the city, was considered more healthy. Aminah, too, did this, and so the little Muhammad spent the first years of his life with a woman named Halimah and her family of the Banu Sa‘d tribe. Halimah worried that she would not be able to care properly for the baby Muhammad <=£. They were very' poor, and because of the previous year’s famine, she had hardly enough milk to feed her own baby. But I
  • 8. favourite. ◄ A minaret of an old mosque in Madmah surrounded by green palm trees
  • 9. 4. A Thoughtful Boy z learn from the stories of his life that Muhammad £=? was a very thoughtful boy. He took good care of his family’s sheep, and played with the other children. But he also spent much time alone, wondering about the mysteries of nature. He thought about the people around him, how they lived and how they behaved. Even when he was a very’ little boy, Halimah said that she often found him sitting by himself. In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation ofnight and day, there are signs for men of sense; those that remember God when standing, sitting, and lying down, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth. —SurahAl-‘Imran, 3:190-191 There are stories about how, even as a youngster, Muhammad believed in one God, the God of Ibrahim ^8. He never worshipped idols and refused to swear by them as other Arabs had come to do. These stories also tell us that Muhammad was troubled by the fact that people always seemed to be struggling for power and money, and that once rich and powerful, they became arrogant and showed no generosity to the poor and needy. We do not know exactly what Muhammad looked like, but his cousin, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, has given us some idea. ‘Ali said Muhammad was of medium height, broad-shouldered, and had curly hair and a thick beard. His walk conveyed stIC„ d resolution: he walked soft y but firmly, with large swift strides, an slightlyforward. Some say the ground seemed to roll itselfupforhim, and his discipleshad to work hard to keep up with him even when the Prophet walked at a leisurely pace/ The Prophet's skin was tawny and his eyes shown lightbrown from under bushy eyebrows. The Prophet’s eyes did not wander around, looking at this and that. They were usuallydowncast. But when he didlook up at somethinghe would look straight into it.timehe was 25 years old, “"■“mmadShad a reputation for onesty. He was known among rhe I^S said- „ him- J pyOSt gent'L toierant uarrels ‘ 0e Or "£i8h^ePt^fftCdf<>U'langr'Ml and"eVe'lJUbon«sal<1’ AKibnAH ' iew to l°ve ASVoWfrien rtheProPhet ..Seeking "AcqU7inu°iemcett ^Muslim- lr Muhammad ® duty of every desert, R sustamermm , out arrow aga fl amongsrpeopleandy utinsearch0 enemies. ^«° hof Allah und 3 knowledge « on the P returning-’ Prophet’s sayings was a Another of the P h q( knoWledge, anyone went on his way m way God would make t to Paradise.
  • 10. <17 ■ ^ara/ . h’ p Speaking the Truth The Prophet Muhammad & once remarked with great wisdom that you should always tell the /ff truth, hecau. e that h ids toa life of virtue, and that you should stay away from people who tell lies, ly because that leads to a life ofevil. Indeed, the dp noblest quality in a man or woman is honesty. It shines forth, showingpurity ofsoul. One who tells lies mars his inner selfand sinks deeper and deeper into evil. The Prophet & observed: “The best utterance to me is that oftruth. The trader who is T, truthful and trustworthy will be raised on Doomsday along with the Prophets.” (al-Bukhari) T/iey were well suited to each other, and were blessed with six children, two hoys and four girls. Sadly, however, both sons died at an early age. Khadijah was not only Muhammad's wife, but also his friend and helper, and, later, his first disciple. When the Quraysh's persecution ofthe Prophet & was at its height, just before Muhammad’s decision to leave Makkah, Khadijah died. It was a terrible loss for Muhammad h rears alter Khadijah's death, M tnarried „her „,ves ’ “* one mare cUdi by the , l‘-«' said axvay “0 to a ^eni Cfft IJ7a'-na ^tha >g VerVW// . - tHan K,^4ah t78ht h^ 2aW ibn . VVL aw‘aytoa. - Pcrson wh ?aar -- f say*g tha[ ba<*, L phate^rhe;U°u,dpay Pr°Pher an*d, the e‘d s e»Xn^,""'z*»8n, W K. 1 him, he e , anc?dHarZ U,dta^hlrn S Sa‘d Chat he h.j ,S SUrDDse, Z ' E hc ^eferrej r r°pb^ th f ’ Sr-'2^ ^ ntba ^nd his h y Was nowhis hap^y. knowi °th<* went go°d hands hat Zayd wa.s ln ^•^ha. ^^Z:sdrag Huh, th'tho^hthe „ Jut fhe
  • 11. 6-The Pledge: A 1 Even as a boy, Muhammad was concerned about his fellow men. One day a trader from Yemen had his goods stolen by a group of wicked Makkans. The trader called out for help, but no one came forth. So the trader wrote a poem that made fun of the Makkans’ bad behaviour, and recited it out loud in public for all to hear. When Zubayr, one of Muhammad’s uncles, heard this poem, he felt ashamed. Zubayr called the city elders to a meeting, and an organisation was formed to protect the oppressed people of Makkah. This included foreign visitors as well as the people 1 who had always lived there. Muhammad I became an enthusiastic member of the group, | called Hilf al-Fudul, who pledged themselves to be courteous and considerate towards ■ others, especially those weaker than ■ themselves. |g Many years later, Muhammad still mH kept this promise to Hilf al-Fudul, saying: I Igj am not prepared to break my promise, even ■ against a herd of camels; if somebody should ■ appeal to me even today, by virtue of that jj pledge, I would hurry to his help. The Prophet Muhammad’s sense of justice, his prompt understanding of problems H and his real interest in his fellow men combined to make him a leader. He could M always be relied upon to judge fair y an uas ■ more and more sought out to help sett e R disputes. His fame got a mighty boost y a |Sent that took place when Muhammad « , waS not more than 35 years old. eader of M en The Kabah caught fire and burned to the ground. All the tribes of Makkah took part in repairing it and building it up again, but when it was time to put back the sacred Black Stone 1 first laid by the Prophet Ibraham Jj, there was a crisis. Each of the four leading families ofMakkah claimed that they alone should have that honour. Finally, it was agreed that the first man to enter the courtyard ofthe Kabah would settle the issue. That man was Muhammad It seemed like a problem which could .— i I k> .... | -----li ■■ TC. W STRENGTH OF W CHARACTER There was an old Makkan woman 1 who hated the Prophet &. Every morning when he passed by her I house, she would empty a basket I ofrubbish on his head from the I upper story ofher house. He | never grumbled or said ■ 0^, / anything to her. One day she was ill and in bed when —- Z he passed that way. Surprised that no rubbish had been emptied on his head, he thought, “She must be ill,” and went upstairs to enquire how she was. The woman was very frightened. She thought he had come to quarrel with her. When he said he had come to enquire after her health, she began to cry. “What a good man you are,” she sobbed. “I ill-treat you and you enquire after my health. Teach me your religion. Teach me your way oflife. - -A not be solved, hut Muhammad had a simple idea that saved the honour of everyone concerned. He spread out a white sheet on the ground and placed the sacred stone at its center. Then he instructed the elders ofeach clan to lift a corner ofthe sheet and carry the stone to its site. Then dllU VC4XA J ----- Muhammad $, the peacemaker, fixed the stone in its place / with his own hands. " y- v « ■■ ■ Trfe- *- GAG y ~r k " - *'•C * - SA iKU/ '■ The Black Stone'jtp At the eastern comer ofthe Kabah, about 5 feet above the ground, there is an ovalblack stone ofabout 18 cm in diameter A ®xe<f*n '^e waN- )11 F This stone was originally S,.fl set there by the Prophet JAj Ibrahim Ju to markthe spotfrom , , which to begin the tawafofthe A habah. Now this is the only relic *• '* 'he originalbuilding.
  • 12. TrUth The Prophet Muhammad’s with Khadijah gave him every oPI lead a comfortable life as a wealth respected noble ofMakkah. And, i i few years Muhammad did leac nd quiet life as a merchant. But ht tve up all worldly activity and set 1 arching for the truth. Instead ofmeeting people all the ir homes and at gatherings, and tr> for himselfa position among the 1 lakkah, Muhammad would wa the barren hills ofthe desert. He - hours and ponder the mysteries creation. The vast silence of the desert, with endless sand and sky and, at night, equally endless darkness, alive only with the twinkling ofmillions and millions of tiny stars, seemed to bring one very close to the Creator. Often Muhammad $ would stay alone for days in the Cave ofHira, which was near the top ofJabal al-Nur, or the Mountain of Light, three miles from Makkah. He would return home only for more supplies of food and water, and then go back to the solitude of nature to pray and meditate, asking the Maker ofthe heavens and the earth for answers to the questions that surged in his - - mind. What is man's true role in life! What does the Lord require of us, as His servants? From where does man come, and where will he go after death! On the twelfth ofFebruary, 610 A.D. Muhammad now forty years of age, went to the Cave ofHira to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat. He was sitting all alone in this cave, when he had an extraordinary experience. jffl Laws of Islam the Prophet fti B nf rhe laws whicn ■ yh.hanrnrn'" taught B . Do not hate each other, envy each EM provoke each other. Kg . Do not spy on each other, ■ other’s trust. M . Do not speak ill of your friend behind his H back. □E • Give the labourer his Bg dries. B3 • Do not drink alcohol, and do not gamble— H| it opens the door to the devil. Jpl • Do not steal the H • Do If ‘Do .. vnarge i S those who need it. W * Do not take part in r. ymctices or do " —i you would be ashamed if town.
  • 13. «• The Night of D estiny before Muhammad 4"a' llbnl •’PPeated words: ' ' and tau8hr him these ad In Rename of your Lord who Cr^d. created man from a clot. Read: And your l^rd is the Most ■ Generous V7lo taught by the pen, Taught man what he did nor know. o TT2vere the first words ofthe H°iy Quran. Muhammad felt these lines actually written on his heart. But the experience left him surprised and confused. He even felt he might be falling ill. He rushed back to his wife, Khadijah, who comforted him. She took him to her cousin, Waraqah, who told him that the revelation he had had was from the same source as the messages of the Prophets Musa and Isa X?. Gradually he began to understand—his quest had finally been rewarded. His restless, searching soul had been joined with his Lord. Allah not only gave him guidance, but He also chose Muhammad as His Prophet and special Messenger, to bring His word to a world that had gone badly astray. It was a tremendous responsibility. But Muhammad far from becoming vain or proud, remained as g,XK< and humble a He--turned mX?naSeVer- hnie «me over t'heT10 Years, when the Ard Xt ^ntv t| to him in different f 3°eel lihril would c and filling the b • S°metimes ]H & me horizon anJ 8 huge Pair of eyes watching him lust a remained invisible. OccT. he Voice could be heard s S1°nally °nly his ^muffled, like a rl„e"Tin"" ,'he the meaning was always clear But Muhammad could n >1 happen, mighr happen while he wa’ , hev «-hile sirring, while prayjng Qr e a speech, nd'"S He always k„ew whe„ were ahput to happeni anJ ecu see the change come over him. He would fall Silent, and normally lay down , cloak His face might d hi would P^Pire ^^^"non cold days- His profusely. eve ..£ oll Were near ^"^Id'hear something like hlS body and might never return W once did I receive a revelation without thinking that my soul had been torn away,” said the Prop et. At the end of the experience Muhammad $ would return to normal, and recite the new verses of the Quran. His Companions were instructed to record them. The Quran— A Supreme Miracle The Prophet Muhammad $ faced many people in his lifetime who did not believe in him. They challenged him to work a miracle like the Prophet Isa Si in order to prove that God had really sent him as His messenger. This he did not do. He retorted that it was quite unnecessary, as the Quran itself was the supreme miracle. If anyone doubted it, let them try to compose ten surahs that would bear comparison with it: Produce ten invented chapters like it. Call on whom you will among your idols, if what you say be true. (11:12). He also pointed out that there were obvious signs of God everywhere—in the beauty of nature, in life­ giving water, in the growth of crops and in the miracle of birth. The entire universe, in fact, was proof of His existence as the Creator and Sustainer. Allah s message to His prophets was made directly through the angel Jibril. The Quran is the final revelation, made to the Prophet Muhammad There two main ways in which the revelations came to of the Q^ran as one reVMl the Verses easy. But at 0Xe“ “ bell Piercing his heart a / of a method was vt and4tearing him aP«t- This the Quran started whenlfp^ reVelation °f °ld and continued in parts th "'t' ** 40 Years last revelation of the Our hr°Ugh°Ut his >&• The before his death, when theV'T °n'y 3 few montha « Years ofage. the ProPhet ® was
  • 14. 9. The Messenger of God These astonishing events were at first difficult for people to understand. They were still living in an age which is now called the “Days of Ignorance.” And remember that after the first revelation, the Prophet Muhammad himself had been totally shaken by the experience. It had only been very gradually, with Khadijah’s help, that he had come to understand and accept what had happened— that he had been chosen by Allah as His messenger to mankind. Like Khadijah, th, and friends realized heie Prophet’s -—*u ne was an inteIigentikind and down-to-earth person. The revelations he received were not tinged with selfishness, hatred -- ' vev and an mtelllgent > Ti , — reived were not ti with selfishness, hatred or ill-will. Th were a clear guide to righteousness, insight into the kingdom of God. Khadijah was the first to respond to the call of the Prophet Her cousin, the wise man Waraqah, explained to her that just as Jibril had come to Musa earlier on Mount Sinai and told to guide his people, so too would Muhammad be r Muhamniad- that dtothe The next to P , <a]|. , was his cousin, AH Prop, hXw»n-',asthe Zhayd'Thete<“"vertfrOm Bakr, a respected “Kte” who became the Prophet closest Companion. At lust Muhammad taught Khadijah and the small group of friends how to pray, and they would pray together. At a certain point, after the Prophet had been doing this for three years, the angel Jibril commanded Muhammad to speak openly, and he began to hold public meetings. Slowly the message of Allah, the Maker of heaven and earth and all the things in heaven and on earth, began to spread. 7'* ^r,le het&an •<>is >»eec; Khadi)ahUn & a the tri»ls Messa$e & ThcT/Stothe ‘idw°fshiponlycXwotnen ri«htfU I V lend m°neV nd gambling TheymUSt , rhat there reallY for revenge- peop e a tune He imPreS j there w«u , or judgement hoW they h thought on V Qr had they g he ...................... XXtMhey -^XX-ldtetoo late to experienced it- By t most impOrtant (eel »m> «i«l b« fo®""'|op relation io S°“* ,.,1W • ...» " dJ"Vlng conscious ofCod and knew .U about everyone and drelr reasons for behaving rhe way rhe, did—and ifpeople were truly sooy for then bad thoughts and actions, they would be forgiven. But I God was also perfectly just—if people who had 1 passed a lifetime doing bad things were still not sorry J about them by the time they died, they would not be forgiven. The Quraysh of Makkah felt particularly threatened. The Prophet’s message that there was only one God, and that all men were brothers who served Allah, challenged the way the Quraysh had come to live. They worshipped many different idols, believed in all kinds of magic, fought amongst each other for worldly gain, upheld the code of blood- eud or vengeance, and oppressed and mistreated those who were poorer and weaker than they «(it 'h' »«"» realised that he lts ,dols. and when they the, profi, ^-u-e they
  • 15. i 9. The Messenger of God These astonishing events were at first difficult for people to understand. They were still living in an age which is now called the “Days of Ignorance.” And remember that after the first revelation, the Prophet Muhammad himself had been totally shaken by the experience. It had only been very gradually, with Khadijah’s help, that he had come to understand and accept what had happened— that he had been chosen by Allah as His messenger to mankind. Like Khadijah, the Prophet’s famil and friends realized he was an intellige^t kind and down-to-earth person. The revelations he received were not tinged with selfishness, hatred < T. were a clear guide to righteoi insight into the kingdom of Khadijah was the first respond to the call of the Prophet Her cousin, the wise man Waraqah, explained to her that just as Jibril had come to Musa earlier on Mount Sinai and told him to guide his people, so too would Muhammad & be or ill-wiu They ’usness, and God. Wa^aha lb^t0 e«Ple n try to otne woul<1 mad - to heir »»‘)S0PPSi„ tb« >rials .'»'f*“ettKIeSpond»*e The” his®®10’A t”4'1’1’ f , convert outside tpd merchant I Khadijah and the small group of Mends how to pray, andthey would pray toget et. At a certain point, after the Prophet had been doing this for three years, the angel Jibril commanded Muhammad § to speak openly, and he began to hold public meetings. Slowly the message of Allah, the Maker of heaven and earth and all the things in heaven _ J oori-b hpoan to spread. The I for revenge- le tha q( Heimpre^duP0 P ouldcome anm l-fp after death, and the or a “e 3 ur, rhev would be „ j theyjudgement when thej heyhadhved. Had puntshed accordmg to h ndtheir own thought only of money- freely to comfort and luxury he hungry and the orphans, widows, the srck * worshtp needy? Had they bowed humbly and prayer? , , d t0 convince 1 expenenced it. Y important § and evil was t^u, that is, being conscious of God I at all times and being careful not to overstep the ijS limits setby Him.« True, Allah was merciful and knew all about Fj everyone and their reasons for behaving the way they did-and if people were truly sorry for their bad thoughts and actions, they would be forgiven. But Ssffl God was also perfectlyjust—ifpeople who had Sj passed a lifetime doing bad things were still not sorry about them by the time they died, they would not be forgiven. The Quraysh of Makkah felt particularly threatened. The Prophet’s message that there was only one God, and that all men were brothers who served Allah, challenged the way the Quraysh had come to live. They worshipped many different idols, believed in all kinds ofmagic, fought amongst each Other for woddly gain, upheld the code ofblood­ feud or vengeance, and oppressed and mistreated those who were poorer and weaker than they. he Prophet’s own tribe, the Quraysh, were in
  • 16. 10 Justice Before Islam, the blood feud prevailed: when a member of a group was injured or killed by a person from another group, the first group had the right of vengeance, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. But the Quran praised the Muslim who accepted a penalty less severe on the criminal than was warranted by his crime, or who forgave altogether. The Quran also decreed that if bel«" deliberately killedan , be punished in Hell- t lother, |y par Hood mon”e,L'fa“ide„tally,h7w^ The Quraysh tried fo eluding the use of force t Ways- Prophet Muhammad ft fr ° ,*e stop the message from spreading Th'’' '» determined to crush the m V Were because they were too S™":" rhe error of their ways and change theirti' , and practices. " eir beliefs So the Prophet Muhammad Was vnathis^56’3"0 hed at and thr0 i kish He waS g ,ine in the i trandn1111 , he was ptaYing , dir j Once, ^en he w r k ....... hl, 6® , tMuh»m"’»a'sC<’n'Pa'”°nS' TheP,°? Xrs«ution.For w.l"«dillll<'n’bnRabah, eo* ’% '(Islam. te ”s t0"“"d by, his master- wlth a the only words he uttered. Later Abu able to free Bilal. Ap” ■.zX A i II , h_The ImP0^ Give night, ^■‘3Lone f-s God h Theperformanc j on the way the Kabah in Makkah is and words, its heart and mind, an the^ g{ the me out of the darkness into the Light. Muslims can pray alone wherever they are at the prayer times, or they can join all other worshippers who are saying prayers at the mosque. The Friday midday prayer at the mosque is compulsory for all Muslim males to attend. When many people pray together at this time, this is called ‘congregational’ prayers. The preparation for prayers is also part of the salad, and this is meant to train believers in cleanliness, punctuality and self-discipline, and in having the ability to rise above personal worries or passing fancies. Of first importance is niyah, or intention; and this refers to the process ofclosing one s mind to worldly distractions, cleaning one’s body and choosing a clean place to pray. The ritual cleansing, called wudu, is done in a quiet and prayerful way. The Prophet, being a very considerate person, did not want worshippers to suffer any unnecessary ardsfop whlle saying Pillars. “ZaHs tfe between it belonged to ZaynabTh t01d that hV fetlgUe- The Prophet said" it You pray while you have rlJ L each of 5Itdown when you are ttred.’^^^ d° S0 and 'hen
  • 17. The Makkans began A Christia* King Helps Out group of the Prophet’s O . QUran’ a daily torture and h in mpanions’ weary' of ^p-PheXxtaitpetirfekaht>" Abyssinia (Ethiopia) with the Ch" King Najashi (Negus) Un I an rulet. nightfall 16 of them ,l a C°Ver of feUo»ed later by anoSr«aWaV,tObe When the Makkans dis'X"^ Xi because the The O IT Wrc an'°n= *'">■ cleverestt? ’ S<™ '»<> °f their est men to persuade King Naiashi m ^TkXixr?and that^g for their return. Then thev went to the King, and said, "Your Majesty people have abandoned the religion of Makkah, but they have not even become Christians like you." The King's advisers . --- piUj m the Quran. Surah 19, which u The Prophet‘Isa (Jesus) in Quran . in the h°PhetS' " freqUently m“d -< miraculous blnh of the Prophet 'Isa 'rndT^I J the pure words of the Prophet Isa t hu Wlth he was an infant tn the cradle: SP°ke 1 I am Allah’s servant; t He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet. J has made me Blessed, wherever I may be- I lTnl^/T C°m^.a"ded me to Pray, and to give alms, so I long as I live, and Itkewise to cherish my mother; He has 4 not made me arrogant or wicked. A I was blessed the day I was bom, T and peace be upon me, the day I die, and the day I am < raised up alive! -4 —Surah Maryam, 19:30-32 1 ——..n— - * Promptly urged k1TT straight away. " tO hand them Ov , But the King un engry. saying, "T b beca « protection and i w,^' *'* to Say.” The Makkans What they k 6 realizing that the Kin at Muslims entered, thev When the King Najashi and were th b°W before the advisers. But the MusT^011 rebuked by “We kneel only to AUah " “ asked them about their religion" ’ said: "O King, we and our ance^o" n “T away in ignorance from the faith X th k'k m & Wh° ™th Isnaail built he Kabah and worshipped only Allah We did quite unspeakable things, worship: „s 1 ols, treating our neighbours unfairly. n This was our riie weak and so c _ anrong always to Cofourowntelati-’^^.He have kCn hOn£tip onlyAlhh' to give up the » ^ ^thers, to be truthful b’d cUStOnt v to respect and help our and truswntt'T’ femilies and look neighbours.t0 dto put an end to misdeeds after°rphanSHe ordered us to slander neither and fighting- worship none to gwe ahnsand to Jwe believe in him and follow his lead. Hr _ between us and • -n to conic to, ft our homes and cam oUr religion, so we K you, hoping to find^jashi said, “Tell me Hearing this, d yOUr prophet some of the revelations h then Haims to have received from „ recited some Quranic mOther of the Maryam, the pure and disbelieVing Prophet‘baMias to fac “JIZX say X cannot speak to a ‘ erXby. Then‘Isa St himself astonishes them by uttering words of great wisdom. Overwhelmed at this, the King exclaimed: “The messages of ‘Isa and Muhammad come from the same source. And drawing a line with his cane on the floor, he said joyfully, “Between your religion and ours there is really no more difference than this line.” King Najashi gave the Muslims permission to live peacefully in his realm. The clever Makkans were sent home bitterly disappointed.
  • 18. 12. The Year of Sorrow In the meantime the Quraysh had imposed a social ban on the Prophet Muhammad’s family in Makkah. No one was to talk to them or conduct business with them. This ban lasted for three years, and caused the family great suffering. During this period, the Prophet’s faithful wife and greatest help, Khadijah, died. After being ill-treated by the people ofTa'if. the Prophet a. wounded from head to foot and very downhearted, set out on the returnjourney At dusk he took refuge in a vineyard belonging to two brothers. Utbah and Shybah They took pity on the Prophet # and sent their servant Addas with some fresh grapes Addas told him he was a Chnstian and hailed from Nineveh in Iraq "So you are from the town of the good Yunus (Jonah), son of Matthew, observed the Prophet ® "How do you know Yunus? Addas asked him "He was a prophet, and so am I." said the Prophet 3: On heanng this. Addas bowed before the Prophet <£. kissing his head, hands and feet ▼ ItisArab custom that someone under the protection ofanotheris safe as long as the protectorlives. Now, with the death ofhis uncle, the Prophet & was without protection. His enemies cheered, and redoubled their brutalities. In 619A.D., nine years now after the beginningofthe revelation ofthe Quran, and despairing ofhis work in Makkah, the Prophet went to Ta'if, a nearby city, to spreadhis message and seek help. But the people ofTa'ifrefused tolisten to the Then, Abu Talib, the Prophet’s loving uncle and guardian, also died. These were harsh blows. Abu Talib was a respected elder of the Quraysh. Though not a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet against his enemies. Prophet & Theyjeered at him an cro him out oftown, setting the street urc ins to peltinghim with stones. The Prophets body was covered with wounds, and he was bleeding from head to toe. Suddenly, the Archangel Gabriel appeared along with Malak al-Jibal, the Angel of the Mountain. Malak al-Jibal asked ifhe should crush the people ofTa'if between two mountains. “No,” said the noble Prophet and he raised his hands instead to pray for the people ofTa'if: ford, guide them. I am hopeful for their descendants, who will one day serve Your cause." Then he returned to Makkah. The Mountains of Ta'if Somewhere here the angel of the mountains appeared to the Prophet Muhammad s. seeking his permission to crush the people of Ta'if for their ill-treatment of him But the Prophet Sr. although in pain and distress, only raised his hands towards the sky and said. "No. O my Lordl" What is really remarkable is that he began to pray for the people ofTa'if.
  • 19. 13. An Extraordinary Experience At this bitter moment, when the Quraysh seemed to be on the verge ot crushing Islam, the Prophet Muhammad had an extraordinary experience—al-lsra and al-Miraj, the Night Journey and the Ascension. One night, as the Prophet Muhammad slept next to the Kabah. in the same spot where Abd al-Muttalib used to sleep, the Archangel Jibril woke him and took him on a strange, white winged animal, called Buraq (lightning), from Makkah to al-Aqsa mosque in far away Jerusalem. There the Prophet Muhammad met Ibrahim Musa and Isa and the other prophets, and they prayed together. Then Jibril took the Prophet & through Heaven’s gates, where he saw countless angels. One was Malik the Keeper of hell, who never smiles. Malik gave the Prophet a glimpse into Hell to let him see the misery of t/wse whosuffered there. The angels thentooktheProphet&through theSevenHeavens, onebyone. Beyondtheseventhheaven, the Prophet&passed through the veils coveringthat which ishidden, until atlasthe cameinto thedivineLight ofAllah’sPresence. The THE ISRA AND MTRAJ For the Prophet the Night Journey and the Ascension was a turning point. After years of persecution and the terrible sadness of losing both Khadijah and Abu Talib, the experience gave him great comfort and the strength to go on. He became convinced that Allah was always with him. This experience of the Divine Presence is important for us: though we may never have the good fortune to experience God with our whole being, both spiritual and physical, as the Prophet did, the inward, spiritual aspects of the experience can still be striven for and shared by every Muslim who is God-feaming and good. It was during this experience that Allah’s commandment on prayer was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad He reported that Allah wanted men to pray fifvy times a day, but that on the Prophet Musa’s advice, he had appealed for a less difficult routine. At last Allah resolved that there should be five prayers a day. That has remained Muslim practice ever since. The Prophet’s Companions recorded this and h 1 all of the other important events in the Proph, i . life, along with his observations and words of wisdom, with great faithfulness and precision. I : se records came to be known as the hadith (traditi< or sayings of the Prophet and served as an meal guide to righteous living. One collector of Hadith stands out from the others. He was a cousin of the Prophet £&, by the name of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas. He was only thirteen when the Prophet died. It is said that he memorized no less than 1660 sayings of the Prophet 4^, and would go to as many as thirty Companions to make sure that his version of each hadith was correct. Once, when he went to check on a hadith previously unknown to him, he found the Companion having his afternoon nap. Not wishing to disturb him, the boy waited outside in the heat and dust. When the Companion came out, he said: “O cousin of the Prophet &! What is the matter with you? If you had sent for me, I would have come to you." “I am the one who should come to you," replied ‘Abdullah, “for knowledge is sought—it does not just come.” Prophet $ looked upon that which the eyes cannot see and minds cannot imagine, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Time, thought and feelings vanished; there was only great peace and the brilliance of pure light. Too soon, the experience ended and he was brought back to earth. The Prophet # was amazed to find the spot where he had lain was still warm, and the cup he had tipped over was still emptying. This incredible experience had taken place in less than a moment! The next morning, the Prophet told the Quraysh what had happened. They didn’t believe him. Many Muslims were amazed and wanted the Prophet & “;*i"h»»ehath.„gcouldhappen, and th "‘Ph" ’ d'SCriPtion Jerusalem. ■*8.hetmlh'”nV,n“dt,“l'ewas
  • 20. 14 Migration to Madin A The Cave of Thawr outside Makkah. where the Prooher k The Prophet s message was spreading far and wide and his following was growing. No longer all alone and easy to attack, the Prophet became the target of a murder plot hatched by the Quraysh, who wanted to stamp out Islam. In the meantime, the Lord commanded him to leave Makkah and go to Yathrib (now known as Madinah), to which many Companions had already migrated, and where he would be offered protection. Under cover of darkness, the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr slipped away on camel-back, leaving ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib lying in the Prophet’s bed, so that the Quraysh would not realize he had left Makkah. When the Quraysh came to know, they offered a large reward for the capture of the Prophet and sent out search parties. Guessing that the Prophet intended to „„ to Yathrib (about 250 miles north of Makkah). most of rhe search part.es headed ah that directiori R and Abu B.U Ut the Propk ai ranged that a i °utlC lla, given up. earcl' Partly had *e Prcphe'ltnd tbVfi ‘1'“ fl’PPing of wings, a“dB*h«>d of men's voices a„d footMd* approaching. "If any one of‘lhen, pp*13 at his feet he will fed ns- whispered Abu Bakr. “No ” j , Prooher ’ said therophet We are not two but three, for do you not know, Allah is with us. He will surely protect us.” When the search party came to the entrance of the cave, Abu Bakr and the Prophet could hear them talking quite clearly. Someone called out “Forget it. There’s and Al”1 , ”l'lW«ae<iS‘>Pe*g(a”ot'«s I'it"11 11 webtju^°oneSidetle apPr°ach whenade. eaCefullythere, ,J it to be safethe^^ on their Journ V nd travelled only A me ouna /Vladinan- putney took seven days- THE SPIRIT OF MIGRATION Hijrah—migration—is nt- nn, bur for the higher purpose of serving Allah. The : at example was the Prophet’s move from Makkah i<> ■ i.dmah, where the Muslims were now able to establish an inii i ant Islamic centre, and carry out the work of clawah much more successfully than in Makkah. After the death of the Prophet, inspired by his well- known “Final Sermon”, preached at the Mount of Mercy at J Arafat to many thousands of people, most of the Companions, and many others, migrated, and wherever they went, they engaged in da'wall work. Under their influence, whole societies, whole nations changed their faith, their cu ture an even their languages. With the end of Muslim rule in Spain, the Muslims, escape oppression, fled to rhe nearby lands across the Mediterranean. This stepped up the process of fhz . —......X
  • 21. A A minaret of the Prophets Mosque in Madmah seen at sunrise It was now 622 A.D., twelve years after the beginning of the revelation of the Quran. As the Prophet on his she-camel Qaswa, and Abu Bakr rode through the date groves and orchards outside Madinah, people gathered to greet them. The welcome was joyous. All those who migrated with the Prophet were called Muhajir and were treated as brothers and sisters by the Muslims of Madinah, the Ansar. The Ansar even shared their possessions and properties with the Muhajir. From that day on, the town of Yathrib was known as Mudinut al-Nabi, or The City of the Prophet. Every citizen of Madinah wanted him to be his guest. “I shall stay wherever Allah wants me to,” he said. 1 .hull stay in the house before which my camel^ .tops." Qaswa stopped in front of the hous. 06^ . Ln called Ayub al-Ansati. He became the . host. “Whete shall Ibmld a Self-Sacrifice The Muslims who came to Madinah from Makkah were clearly going to be a burden on the local Muslims. The immigrants were empty-handed, while the local people (Ansar) had houses, lands, orchards, etc. But the Madinan Muslims gave a hearty welcome to the thc,Quran sa*s: "Th,,se' before them, who had homes in the City h muh d d Fc "h bef°re them' love those who have sought refuge with fooiX 3re g,Ven' rather Prefer them abov/themsXes, prosper." (59:9) C 3t preserve themselves from their own greed shall surely that' Jhman qUalitV' A daily neCeSSiry’if Cil'1 be able to give comfort to others- cuttine d Othersimay 8° forward; suffering oneself to
  • 22. me 16« The Pea to Madinah, > made them now saw that the - ln °ne place, and Bm the Prophet’s departure instead of satisfying the Quraysh, much angrier. They r~ Muslims were all gathering i_ - becoming stronger in the process. Only pvT ears after the Prophet's migration, a one thousand strong army of the Quraysh approached Madinah to attack. The Quraysh camped at Badr, a group of wells about eighty miles from Madinah. Here they met the Prophet with a small band of believers. By divine help, the Muslims succeeded against heavy odds in defeating the Quraysh. The fighting lasted only a few hours, with very few of the Muslims having been wounded. Their defeat further enraged the Quraysh, and they launched more battles within the space of a few years. The Battle of Uhud took place in 624 AD, when the Makkans, under Abu Sufyan, attacked with about 3000 well equipped men. The Prophet’s men numbered only 700. Up till then, in all battles the Arabs had always carried away all the booty which they could lay their hands on. But this time the Prophet gave strict instructions. No one was to take anything. They were not fighting for The battle raged f w°men sang SOnD 1OUslY- The o the Mad- §S tO encourage fo ^Uraysh * Madln«es had obeyed th n If they would have won, but th' T'”” *■ hn« and started gnabb^ ,h'V bromheir ‘l®al-Walid,one»ftheZZn W°Phet ® himself was wounded on Z and lost two teeth when he was hit b ' 'ad AoSahkhdOWn W"!d‘n8' The Pinites S,°'”- thought he was dead and were disheartened. hen All, the Prophet’s son-in-law sprang forward, and a cry was heard, “The Prophet is alive!” The Madinites rallied together. At last the Makkans rode away. They had lost 14 men, while the Madinites had lost 70, among them the Prophet’s uncle, Hamzah. The Prophet fgt was sad for his dead s^*Wl’ Zen for *«-**“« Matte"5’"’ '“62 ,heMhe,S:"'; »^TbiS* Per«”“llKiS u •d"Sedb,jaZnch«-»”"aMad‘n ■‘•f’01” '’d wndugfo'20*", Tta"b°Z Lhem-and«tte"l’e thtPwh««”thtba" trench was nadv- qqq strong— The Makkan arm', > ■ 4 hut could not cross the then arrived, 4 fhe city. A whole trench. So they besieged the city .rnnrhrnssed, but they fc»d d»y ® t0lJd nut crush the Madinites. Then suddenly, there was a temble stonn and the wind raced furiously, blowing away their tents and stores. The Makkans decided to retreat and left quickly for their own city. So ended the .<j Battle of the Trench. . ♦< A Clear Victory In the sixth year of the Hijrah, or 628 A.D., the Prophet 4, acting on the word of God, set out on a pilgrimage to Makkah along with 1400 Companions. But the Quraysh stopped them at a place called al-Hudaybiyyah, some eleven kilometres from Makkah. Here the Prophet signed a peace treaty with the Quraysh, which was called by the Quran a clear victory.’’ The Treaty provided for ten years of peace between the Quraysh and the Muslims. There was to be no war or treachery between them. The Treaty was concluded with the agreement that the Muslims would not make the pilgrimage that year, but that the following year the Prophet Muhammad & and his followers would be free to go to Makkah and stay for three days. X™? °f the Hudavbfoah Peace Treaty were 1. that the Muslims would return m M,J- l i W«-g ,hed u“h M,d“b ,b“ »'ter*” »it uul «ceed three days’- S'ay m MaUah did that Muslims would n«, k • that no Muslim resting taM^k""5 them’ to Madinah, but if anv m■ kkah would migrate "-urn toMakkahlTuM " ^ed Pagans visiting Madinak Prevented- c°ntractmgparties rty t0 join any of the two
  • 23. 1 it. Inviting to Islam with the Prophet had risen from 15m 10,000, including several leading men Makkah. n of The Quraysh were again furious, and regretted having signed the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. But if they broke the Treaty openly, they would clearly look like villains, so they began breaking it secretly, by supplying weapons on the quiet to the Muslims’ enemies. Aware of this betrayal, the Prophet St knew that he must take over Makkah. The Prophet Muhammad wanted to avoid bloodshed, so he did not tell any of his followers of his plans to capture Makkah. He gathered the biggest possible army — ten thousand in all — for he aimed at frightening the Makkans into submission, so that the city could be captured without any need for ▲ The Mosque of the Prophet aat Madinah. The mosque and its surrounding plazas can hold over a million worshippers at a time.
  • 24. Victors are usually proud and happy to take revenge on their victims, but not the Prophet Muhammad After his conquest of Makkah the Prophet displayed the utmost humility. When he entered Makkah, his head was bowed so low that people could see his beard touching the camel’s saddle. Standing at the door of the Kabah, the Prophet delivered an address: There is none worthy of being served save the One, Allah. He has fulfilled His promise and offered help to His servants. He alone has brought the hosts of enemies low. The Prophet did not claim any credit for the victory: he said it was entirely Allah’s doing. And he went on to forgive the Quraysh: 1 say to you as Yusuf said B to his brothers: Let no reproach be upon you this day. Go, you are free. Even Uthman ibn W Talhah who had once refused the Prophet’s entry to the Kabah and persecuted him, was later given back the key to the shrine, and it remains ™g|gg with his family to this day. The door of the Kabah. screened by a thick curtain made of mixed cotton and silk on which passages from the Quran are inscribed in fine calligraphy worked in golden thread
  • 25. 19 A Simple Man Despite his position as leader, the Prophet Muhammad never behaved as if he was greater or better than other people. He never made people feel small, unwanted or embarrassed. He urged his followers to live kindly and humbly, releasing slaves whenever they could and giving in charity, especially to very poor people, orphans and prisoners, without any thought of reward. The Prophet £& himself was never greedy. He ate very little and only simple foods. He preferred never to fill his stomach. Sometimes, for days on end, he would eat nothing but raw food. He slept on a very simple mattress on the floor and had almost nothing in the way of home comforts or decorations. One day Hafsah, his wife med to make him more comfortable at night by folding his reed mat double—without telling A. The seven mosques complex in Madinah, an example of simple architecture during the early ,|of isiam him—to make it softer for him. That night he slept peacefully, but he overslept and missed the pre-dawn prayers. He was so distressed when he found out that he never slept like that again. Simple living and contentment were the key teachings in the Prophet’s life: hen ">xtUs Aishah’,he . „hKrofhis and mostloyal i,kan ordinaryman," she would answer. .He„ouldsweepthehouse, stitch his own clothes, mendhis own sandals, water the camels,milk thegoats, help the servants at theirwork, andeathis meals with them; and hewouldgotofetch what we neededfrom the market."He seldom hadmore than one set of clothes, whichhe washedhimself. He wasahome-loving, peace-loving being. “Whenyou enterahouse ask ^•^"he^uldsay.Hegreeted ^'^^P^etAs-salamu^ / '"r'Wpeaceheuponyo 7 1 Truth and ParadiseOnce a man came to the Prophet & and said: “O Prophet, by God, it is my earnest desire to go to heaven. Tell me what I should do for this to happen.” The Prophets replied, “Speak the truth." When man speaks the truth he does good deeds. His heart is lit up with the light of faith, and when the heart is blessed with the wealth of faith, he can be sure of entrance to God’s paradise. —Nuqush-e-Seerat byHakim Muhammad Sayeed pr in good niannerS’ He was a firm bel‘T. kindly, and always greetingIP He once sard: showing respect t re those who ■•The dearest ofyou to me haVe^°hXoXd words and acttons reveal him as a man of great gentleness, kindness, humility, good humour excellent common sense, who had peat love for animals and for all peop e, especially his family. Above all, he was a man who practised what he preached. His life, both private and public, was a perfect model for his followers. The Prophet did not have many children. His two sons by Khadijah died when they were very small, and another baby boy, whom he had later on, also died. However, he had four daughters, all of whom married and had children. Of them, the most famous, was his youngest daughter, Fatimah, who married his nephew ‘All and gave him ™° 8ran^ons' and Husayn, and kX 8hKrs' Zaynab and
  • 26. —— al-Oit>latayn' nfrheTwoQiWas.°LM^Xd & while The M°^ue e(e [he Prophet Muham revelation re ..re...... gu-^, “ PraVers of the Prophet that prayer is atay ^^yinT"1 U$ C^e f°r everV single thing we hav^ God s power over all rk- have’and how ^-nt kinds of p^^ AUah for all the wonderf I T * f° Praise and some are to thank W c the World We often ask Xia ^ofonr^X^X^ -Pe;r The Prophet ^advised people to pray ln times of peace and plenty, and not just in times of difficulty. One of his favourite prayers in the Quran was for parents: “My Lord, have mercy on them, as they have raised me up when 1 was little.” He also said brotherly love was a great virtue. In his prayers to his Creator for all of humanity, he would say: "O Lord, all Your servants are brothers.” The Prophet urged his followers to ask Allah for forgiveness: “Allah holds out His hand at night for those who have done wrong during the day to repent. And He holds out His hand during the day for those who have done wrong at night to repent.” J o have Cod’s special protection, he would pray, “Allah, save me from k-pr-o insanity and incurable diseases, o il »h. s rve me from w ant, poverty ,nJ Kmg humbled. Save me from i sr ngor King wronged.’ Prophet & f their olvn ; f»'badeM about suicide -re "s or state " saju T fa"TOneisWa '°*it.l n aeath is best fOr me • Y°urself or her absence 3n°ther ln his ^v^is P^^^dfor'asX P-Phet^expIauied toe-the The Prophet ££ would urge people to remember Allah constantly, as he believed that “one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember his Lord are as unlike as the living and the dead.” Therefore, the Prophet would urge his followers to remember Allah by day and by night, even if only by saying a few words. To make it easy for them to do this, he taught them a short prayer, saying: Two phrases are light on the 'ongue yet heavy in the Balance and beloved by the Merciful. *"*“*>< S“Mun AlUrl-Atecn <Gl^bet„C(xJ “U'G'“^'oGod. Magnificent.)
  • 27. seemed lost, a ■■ 21 The Prophet’s Hajj into tt and fill its adjoining plazas. 5000 years ago, the Prophet Ibrahim Xi was commanded by Allah to lay the foundations of the Kabah—the House of God in Makkah—and to call people to make a pilgrimage (hajj) to it. People throughout the ages have responded to this call, and now every year over two million people come from every comer of the globe to perform this rite. Hajj is one of the five tenets of Islam, and every Muslim, having the means, and _ t to travel, must go on this pilgrimage once in his or her lifetime. All pilgrims have to wear special, very simple clothes so that all may appear equal. The Sacred Mosque at Makkah, once quite small, is now huge enough to hold as Z mshowT" PllgTr " 3 AU the Pilgrims 8° round the Kabah -ven ntes .ch as runnlgT^ Stf"d ™ Satan at Mina, and standing bef k ■ Ma™ah’ stonln8 the pillars of 'wening to sermons. The Hajj ends with a ft °f Arafat’ prayin§ and — .. 11 ends wth a final encircling of the Kabah. Hi! ?nCT°re'm the tenth year °f H.)rah, or 632 AD.the Prophet Muhammad® set out for Makkah co perform his Hajj. This time about 100,000 eltevers accompanied him. This pilgrimage IS commonly known as the Hajj of the Farewell (Hajjat al-Wida). Here he explained the rules of Hajj, and gave his famous speech, known as the Final Sermon (Khutbah of the Hajjat al-Wida). Upon reaching Makkah, the Prophet and his followers put on the white, seamless sheets that showed their equality before Allah. This is called ihram. Then the pilgrims went directly to the Kabah and walked round it seven times in a counter-clockwise direction. This is called the tawaf. As pilgrims arrived they called out: Here I am, O Allah, here I am! Here I am, O You without equal, Here 1 am! Yours is the kingdom, the praise and the glory, O You without equal, God Alone! This is the prayer called the talbiyah. which is the answer to the divine call to come and gtve one’s life wholly to Allah. Next, they tan between the small * and forth memory of the h f Safa and ]u P l when AU i ^WtheSa',,andit ’"Ny.Thi,,, search for thatw^ Accordmg to the Wes 1(( IbrahimS to leave his wife 'X"1'”’J son Ismail S in His care . "a«. and g*. valley of Makkah. In the barren' soon began to die of thirst. Frantic H " ““ back and forth between the htllmp^X:" spot a passing caravan in the distance. But there was none. Finally, when all Our Lives Should Revolve Around the Lord & I Mr-I jl'fl. naj) is one < healthy enough
  • 28. 22. The Last Sermon On the ninth day of the Prophet’s Hajj, the pilgrims proceeded to the Plain of Arafat to stand on the Mount of Mercy. There they stood in the sweltering heat, bare-headed, and thought about Allah and prayed for His mercy. This is called the wuquf. Here, during the sermon on that day the last passage of the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ^5: “Today 1 have perfected your religion and 1 have completed My blessing upon you, and 1 have approved Islam for your religion.” After praying, the Prophet W spoke to his followers. He told the Muslims to let the Quran and his own example be their guides in life. He ordered them to stop living as they had done before Islam. Revenge, a very old £ Ramadan with the Prophet s The Prophet £=£ said: “Those who fast are destined to have two joys: One at the time of iftar and the other when they meet their Lord.” The observance of fasting (which means no eating and drinking from dawn to sunset) during the 29 or 30 days of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a crash course in self-discipline, making us more aware of the necessity to do good and avoid evil, and more thankful to God for His grace and compassion. Believers during that period spend longer than usual on their prayers and the recitation of the Quran, and give more in alms. They also avoid lying, cheating, obstructing justice or oppressing their fellow men. Such selfless behaviour is required ofbelievers, not only during Ramadan, but throughout their entire lives. Every believer—man and woman—must observe the fast. But those who are ill during Ramadan, or too elderly, or on a journey, may feed the poor instea , or make up the days of fasting later on. The fast rs not meant to cause any undue hardship. tradition in Arabia, and usurv „ ended. Property was to be resn,'"7° be said, “Know that every Muslim ■ 7^ he ^r°t^er.” This was a laew idea^to^be^11^111 s tribes. “Have I made myself very the Prophet after every point. 3sked After the sermon, the Prophet & looked up and cried: “My Lord! Have I delivered aright the Message 1 was charged with and fulfilled my calling?” Then he told die gathering: “You will be asked about me, so what will you say?” They answered with one voice: “We bear witness that you have conveyed Allah’s message and have performed your duty and that you have meant goodness for us.” Pointing his index finger toward heaven and then to the people, he said: “Oh, Allah, be witness; O Allah, be witness; O Allah, be witness. n--'—""1 f t-Kp rpiouritsin of sacrifice was sent to the poor and needy- Three months after returning the Farewell Pilgrimage to Madinah, the Prophet fell ill- The Messenger of Allah died on 8 June 632 A.D. He was 63 years old. As the news of his death spread, people refused to believe it. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, with his sword unsheathed, swore that he would slay anybody who said that the Prophet had passed away. Seeing the chaos, Abu Bakr mounted the pulpit and announced: “O people! For those who worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. But whosoever worshipped Allah, let him know that Allah is alive, and will never die.” These brief words sum up an ^rranr belief Muslims have about Ono?! ,MUhammad§- M-“ms n« worship any human beina Th »«ship Allah and Allah only. ?
  • 29. 2}- Exemplary Character —J 1 r" IZZ-PlZ' * 1 0?^* *’51?i --LZ73i j f iS1 MU~ J£-f ,t I J f J *4 > . v I i A— 1 -i^Orfer Ox or - li>- • t- ’ <BI ^blepToX^^ “ tb°U8b,: 1 °C life and cl a P^u man. ’»«We ■"J.-.a„.|.n'l' '",eeard«daS * '*eh a« m'V " Ma‘W = *ouldst““ '““■" ““'H' ate. “dipped. “"** iho»e, h|e i””' 'U' O'^OT0" ^■aab rOpl'« , 5 Gnedin.. ChunselfhadL e'^uein one of the to this eyp„, Pr«Phet MuhX PCrSoih th Sreat’ poJy bo rmad < t, Qura^ - Was'°rk of ISlam Jat the century A D e^ealed in fhe the Archan * ^^ah d e 7th tlangel Jib thr°ugh * £vents do n / the ord n°t unfo/d Opened--'" ^ch * more like Zea^rhy^ revealed ofAllah’s chapters °fprose, elarttyallthatwas rhe Prophet & fourteen hundred years will to Young Muslims start reciting the Quran from a very early age, and many go on to memorize the whole text. The Quran is the only book in the history of mankind which is memorized from cover to cover. Today, there are thousands and thousands of people in the world—they are called huffaz (sing, hafiz) — who know the entire Quran by heart. By the time of the Prophet’s death, many thousands of men and women knew the Quran by heart, and the whole text also existed in written form. Till today, the Quran has remained absolutely unchanged. The Quran—The Book of Allah Being the true word of Allah in human language, the Quran is the eternal book of instruction for the whoJe of ~ M mankind. It provides correct and understandable answers to C J all the questions which arise in an inquisitive mind, such as, “Why has Allah placed humanity on earth? What is His R scheme of things in creating such a vast universe? How should we lead our lives?" “What will happen to us after K death7" And so on. , . . , i ■M After memorizing all of the revelations which the angel Jibril brought to him, the Prophet & instructed his ! Companions to memorize them too. He also called for a scribe to dictate each one back to him. There were about twenty- nine scribes, the more important ofwhom were Zayed ibn Thabit, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Abdullah ibn Sa‘d and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. Thus the entire Quran was written down and memorized by hundreds ofCompanions in the lifetime of the Prophet The Prophet also recited the entire Quran twice in front of the angel Jibril, thus putting its surahs in the correct order. Shortly after the Prophet’s death, the Quran was put together in the form ofa book (or mushaf) by the first Caliph Abu Bakr. During the time of the Caliph Uthman, six official copies of it were made, and several were sent off to various countries. Two such copies exist today in museums in Istanbul and Tashkent. From the time of the Prophet Muhammad <£, when the Quran was revealed and written down on the leaves of date- palms, parchments, etc., the script of the Quran has gone through a number ofstages. Most of the early copies were written in a script with square-shaped letters known as Kufic In the early tenth century, Ibn Muqla, who was considered the father ofArabic calligraphy, developed its rules and ehned the shape, size, curvature and position ofeach letter Shan? Ta SUCh “ Thu'A’ Naskh' ^haqqaq, Kayham, Tauqi and Rrqa were developed. Thus the Arabic mostly used to transcribe the^ranfo te» which is Prophet mSXJJ” * -ghbouring lands, the the Quran through hiTcomn?"' e”6” containing verses of Otters were first fransC foto ^7° TheSe Presenting them to the resnerri h, . °Cal lang|lages before translations ofportions of rhe n 6 k'ngS' Thus the first Prophet’s own lifetime. Late^ on^TcT6 d°nE durin8 the Parts into Persian. During the tenfo W3S trans!ated pnnted by wooden blocks. S Quran mto Latin was done in 1143 ai!J, , ?SIat,on °fthe Quran ^1 t^^sPublhhedfo 1647P? 1 ,ed in 1543' A German t„ Sa" aPPeared in 1648 Ove En«,ish translated into i Over the years rh^ rx and chi,d H message of the q f ur§ed his foUow ‘; sermon, the :?” “How us after
  • 30. ;Jhe the^ “ ToK5l<he ,^^■01 all dungs, what TOdJyw noth? to possess! -CaDek'berep^Sohewasgivena [rsuasbeW As the angel left, he sail "Mar .Allah bless it. To ds man with the diseased scalp, the angel sad. "Of all things, what would too most love to have’’ The man replied, ’Beautiful hair and a cure for the disease kt which people shun me.’ So the angel passed hi- hards over him and his wishes were granted. Again the angel asked. "Of all thugs, what would you most love to he replied. So he was a pegm cow. And the angel ^’Mat-AHahblessiL" ^'^ma.thangelsatd, ^JJ^what wudl most love whave HerepUJ,^-^ '^h-AHsothatlcan^ So the angel passed U Ut“” h“»‘ anJ the Three Men sight. Then the angel said, “Of all things, what would you most love to possess?” “Sheep,” fie replied. So he was given a ewe with its lambs. And the angel said, “May Allah bless them.” All the animals multiplied, so that the first man had a valley full of camels, the second a vail full ofcows and the third a valley full of sheep. Later, the angel came in the guise of a leper to the first man and said, “I am a poor man, unable to travel any further without Allah’s help—or yours. By the One who has given you wealth and a beautiful skin and complexion, give me a camel to ride on my journey.” The man replied, “I have too many obligations.” The angel said, “I seem to recognize you. Weren’t you once a leper whom people shunned? And weren’t you poor before Allah gave you so much?” The man replied, “I inherited this wealth from a nobleman, who inherited it from a nobleman.” The angel said, “If you are a liar, may Allah turn you back into a leper.” Then, in the guise of a bald man, he came to the man who had once had a diseased scalp and made the same request as he had to the first man. His plea was similarly turned down. The angel said, “If you are a liar, may Allah turn you back into a bald man.” Coming to the third man in the guise of a blind man, he said, “I am a poor, homeless man, unable to reach my destination, unless Allah , or you, can help me. By the One who restored your sight, give me a ewe to help me on my way.” The man said, “I was blind, and Allah restored my sight. So take whatever you will and leave whatever you will, for, by Allah, I will not grudge you anything you take for His sake.” The angel said, “Keep your wealth, for you were only being tested. You may keep your blessings, but your companions have lost all.” Many Kinds of Charity The Prophet St said, “Give alms from the right hand, but your left hand should not come to know of it." But over and above giving alms and feeding the poor, the Prophet <t^ gave much wider meaning to the concept of charity, as he believed that every good act was a form of charity: smiling at a fellow human being; showing the road to a person who has lost his way; removing hindrances such as thorns and stones from the road; assisting the blind; helping a person to mount his beast; uttering pure, comforting words and replying to questions with mildness. All of these for the Prophet were forms of charity.
  • 31. And the Stone Moved The Prophet Muhammad a story of how three men out f mountains, were caught They quickly took m a blocked by a huge stone - came hurtlino _ mountain impos_. there a'l ni8ht, waitt„ 8« UP- They did „ rl'is P»ents . his behaviour, to a away ............ .......... the mountains toUn>andhegaVe^h«fo«iblV' sherx:he«-dto,nzX-He .iH^’’dseenxx”*.*-tweura ;J that he had a The second sa h in love ^tddUAatdnVt°h'Scl'Mt.n “^AUah.andheh^^ and, turning away fro® 1 i he had done to out of feat ' and beseeched Hint to he p hem the stone moved another little b.t, L but the gap was still not wide enough for them to come out of the cave. The third man said that once he had hired the services of a workman for a bushel of rice. When the work was completed, he gave the man his bushel of rice, but the workman, not liking the quality of it, went off without it. So he kept re-planting it until he had earned enough money from its sale to buy some cows. Years later, the workman returned and demanded his wages. He told the man to take away the cows which t’d greedy multiplied by that time. And this he promptly did without Mt™8 aSinBlecowf™.he.r owner. ^ '*8 th* tale, he begged release them, as he had good deed for fear of u S° *e stoe moved a littl ™' “ad' * tig enough gap f and “me out Of the cave ' 'het" *° __ sed with them and ------, o 11Uge Stone which hurtling down the *«.ain side. Now it was —possible for them to get out. So they began to pray to Allok recalling the go*^^ * <-<-> pray to Allah, — as me good deeds they had done, in the hopes that Allah would be pleased with them and The first one said that he and his wife and children were living with his aged parents. Whenever he returned 1 set them free. 1 lie and his wife and children were living with his aged parents. Whenever he returned with his herd, he milked the animals and then offered the milk first to his parents and then to his children. One day, he went far away and, by the time he came back home, it was very late and his parents had fallen asleep. He milked the herd as usual and brought the milk to his parents, but seeing that they were sound asleep, he not feel like waking children ran ilk, but he felt re it to his parents- it was vei > — had fallen asleep, herd as usual an< milk to h'" that they did not f His c mil- to giv' it to I ", he them up to him for their it was not right them before he gave So he stood
  • 32. 26’The Message Of Peace to bring peace to th"""nt task »■ ssPlace, they wereXTdtX °' dwUi^ Only if they saw e ’ 1 n and 5isKK- Mowers he would say, "You are all children and Adam was made of clay," as mg t em to live in peace, would add, “a’ true believer is one with whom others feel secure - one who returns love for hatred.” He taught believers that returning love only when love was given was base human conduct. The true believer caused no harm to those who mistreated him, but chose rather to work for their good. The Prophet ■£& himself led the way with his common sense, kindness, gentleness, humility, and good humour. He greatly loved all people and even animals. The Prophet was a leader, yet, believing he was no greater or better than fz. The Hadith— Sayings of the Prophet The Hadith, i.e. the sayings and deeds of the Prophet ife, form a Muslim code of conduct second only to the Quran in religious importance. Handed down from person to person, starting with the Prophet's Companions and contemporaries, the truth of their content (main) was guaranteed by the narrators' reliability. This system was called isnad. The best of the six well-established books of Hadith (al-kumb as-sittah) are the Sahih ("The Authentic”) of al-Bukhan and Muslim. The others p bv Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi. Al-Nas ai and Ibn Forty Hadith of Nawawi. ____ . He«"“da"me” “J cents. «hHhH 0,«™l»rfin'U thirteen Throughout * his prophetho"1' *e tlilh, MnhtBt-^PT bitted, allh«h.heM»ktosbltKry ) 4 An inside vi^w of the Propbets Mosque in Madina . mt' T especially to P ss,bl= and to 8ive “d Prisoners _ with nX‘T‘'' He "as the soul of goodT' °f t"’ard' f People harmed him, » *at opposed this. When things became impossible, he left for Madinah. Wars were waged against him, but he convinced his enemies that peace had greater power than war, as was shown by the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In this the Prophet agreed to every demand of his enemies, on the assurance that, in return, peace would necessarily ensue. His life went through various stages of well-being and extreme hardship, yet never once did he stray from the path of moderation. At all times, and right till the end e remained the patient and WeU servant Of the AJmi h
  • 33. 27. Glossary ^-nresntetavrlgransmint w jerfomr Hap Also the name of the wo white unswn plain cloths wombf male prlgnriS to show equal* and put* Akhinh The H«l« Me I &lf.aaifice, the «*ngres tab when each fenon o( rhe Ansar of Madinah death, when each person Tafsir Commentary an . explanatory notes on the Quran Talbiyah The invocation the pilgrim often repeats after putting on ihram dunng Hajj. I Taqwa Piety, to be prudent and I conscious of Allah. That is, being I careful not to overstep the limits I set by the Almighty. I Tawaf Going around the Kabah I seven times in an anti-clockwise the Prophet Muhammad § said. I “Deeds will be judged according to intentions. Nabi A person chosen by Allah to bnng His message to humanity. The Prophet Muhammad ® was the last of the Prophets. Quran TheDiwineBook, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ® as the final revelation of Allah to mankind. ______ WoaUsurv.thecharpngofmtetest direction.having theKabahon the „ , Um. which is forbidden in | left hand side. Tawhid Belief in the Oneness of oaian iuc _______ Allah—the most fundamental of observed by Muslims, as a form of Islamic concepts, worship of Allah. (One of the five I , pillars of Islam.) I Sawm basting in the month of I ■Ramadan (One of the five pillars I of Islam.) Shanah The eternal ethical and I moral codes of Islam based on the | Quran and the Sunnah. Sirah Biographical writings about the conduct and examples of the Prophet Muhammad »£. Sunnah Literally,pathorexample. It applies particularly to the cenuu«.« v. «.. . - wasashiningexample of this great human quality- lsra The msht joum* otthe Ptophet Muhammad ® horn Makkahto)etusalem.SeeMTRAj- lahiliwah Davs of Ignorance, the —____ penodra Arabiabefore thecoming established books of Haduh These rfUam Jibril The angel Gahnel .ho mu-iui i 4AUoh <; messaees to the al-Nas ai and ibn Mayah. Dhul-HijjahThe monthoftheHan, tos, The Helper, those peo^e ofMadmahwhohelpedthehoph" MahammadSandhtsCompauora who. thn W*1 10 ’he" homMakkah. (seep. 561 Ayah A verse of the Quran Al-Kutub al-Sittah The sixwell include collections of al-Bukhan, jiuiu — delivered Allah’s messages to the Prophet Muhammad & on a loan, which is forbidden in Islam. Salah The five daily prayers Look for other books in the series: that stands in the centre of the grand mosque in Makkah towards which Muslims face while praying. It was originally built by the ?“X”he lUc hub* A cube-shaped buMmg _L_. ....J. ,r> trip rpnrrp nt tne calendar Dawah The introduction of Islam to non-Muslims. ___ ___ ____ Hartith Sayings or traditions of the ProphetsIbrahim andIsmail (peace Prophet Muhammad These are v* *’ ‘ an important source of Islamic law. Hafu Plural, huffaz Someone who knows the entire Quran by heart Hajj The annual pilgrimage to Makkah. (One of the five pillars of Islam.) Hijrah Migration This refers to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad^ from Makkah to Madinah inJune622 A.D It marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar Hilfal-Fudul A group ofMakkans formed to help weak and depnved people In his youth, the Prophet Muhammad w; member of this group be upon them) Lailatul Qadr TheNight ofPower, when the very first revelation of theQuranwasmadetotheProphet Muhammad Mi'raj The ascent through the heavens of the Prophet Muhammad *>. Muhajir The migrants, those who migratedtoMadinah from Makkah along with the Prophet Muhammad <=? Muslim One who submits himself ■ to Allah by following the religion of Islam. Niyvah Declaration of intention. Islam teaches that intention has a believer's life, as Tdl Me, About Umrah The lesser pilgrimage to Makkah, which may be performed at any time of the year. I Wudu The washing ofhands, face I and feet before prayers. I Wuquf Literally, “standing.” I Staying in the Arafat valley and I especially praying there in the I standing position on the second ! I day of Hajj. I Zakat Purifying tax on wealth. It is considered as a religious duty — __ and a social obligation. (One of example of the Prophet I the five pillars of Islam.) Muhammad^ and includes what he said, did and approved of. Sahabah Singular sahib, sahabi. Companions. The term is used for those who were closest to the Prophet t£, kept frequent company with him, memorized the Quran, assimilated his teachings and transmitted his sayings. However, ingeneral, anyone who believed in the Prophet Muhammad's mission and had seen him once in his life time is regarded as a Companion. Tdb Me,About' Sallollafiu aluylu uosalknn. May the peace andblessingsofAllah be upon him. These words are said every rime the Prophet Muhammad is mentioned, as a mark of respect and salutation. si Alaylus Salam Peace be upon him. These words are said every time the name of a prophet is mentioned, asa mark ofrespect and salutation. TelCMe-About CREATION