Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah
May Allah Exalt his Mention
Written by:
Abdurrahman al-Sheha
Translated by:
Abdurrahmaan Murad
Copyright ©
This book is not copyrighted. Any or all parts of this book may be used for educational purposes as long as the information used is not in any way quoted out of context or used for profit.
This material has been reviewed and forwarded for publishing and distribution by the English language section of the Department of Islamic Resources.
Form #: 3787
Date: 30/1/2006
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Terminology used in this Book
(Taken from Sheik Mahmoud Murad's book 'Common mistakes in Translation')
1. Rubb: Some prefer to translate the term 'Rubb' into 'Lord.' Beside the fact that the latter is a Biblical term referring to the alleged lordship of the slave of Allah, Prophet Jesus, the word ‘lord’ which is limited to ‘master', 'chief', ‘proprietor’, or 'ruler', can never convey the conclusive signification of the term 'Rubb'. Among other signification, the term 'Rubb' means, the Creator, the Fashioner, the Provider, the One upon Whom all creatures depend for their means of subsistence, and the One Who gives life and causes death.
2. Deen: The word translated as religion is 'Deen', which in Arabic commonly refers to a way of life, which is both private and public. It is an inclusive term meaning: acts of worship, political practice, and a detailed code of conduct, including hygiene or etiquette matters.
3. Sal'lal'laahu a'laihi wa sal'lam. Some translate it as 'peace be upon him'. This translation is incorrect; the correct translation is, 'may Allah exalt his mention, and render him and his household safe and secure from every derogatory thing'.
All praise is due to Allah, the Rubb of the worlds, and may Allah exalt the mention of His Prophet, and render him and his household safe and secure from all derogatory things.
When talking about Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, one should keep in mind that he is talking about the greatest individual in history. This is not a baseless claim; for the one who reads his biography, and learns of his mannerisms and ethics, while keeping aside all preconceived notions would certainly reach this conclusion. Some fair and just non-Muslims have reached this conclusion as well.
Professor Hasan Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his magazine 'Noor al-Islam' that a Brahmin colleague of his once told him: 'I recognize and believe that the Messenger of Islam is the greatest and most mature man in history.' Professor Hasan Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, asked him: 'Why do you consider him as the greatest and most mature man?' He answered: 'No man possessed the characteristics, mannerisms and ethics that he possessed at one time. He was a king under whom the entire peninsula was unified; yet he was humble. He believed that the dominion belonged to his God alone. Great riches would come to him, and yet he lived in a state of poverty; fire would not be lit in his house for many days and he would stay hungry. He was a great leader; he led small numbers into battle against thousands, and yet he would decisively defeat them. He loved peace agreements, and would agree to them with a firm heart; even though he had thousands of his brave and courageous Companions by his side. Each Companion was very brave and could confront a thousand enemies alone, while not feeling the least bit intimidated. Yet, the Prophet was kind-hearted, merciful, and did not want to shed a drop of blood. He was deeply concerned about the affairs of the Arabian Peninsula, yet he did not neglect the affairs of his family, household, or the poor and needy. He was keen to disseminate Islam amongst those who had gone astray. In general, he was a man concerned with the betterment and wellbeing of mankind, yet he did not indulge in amassing worldly fortune. He busied himself with the worship of Allah and loved doings deeds which pleased Allah. He never avenged himself on account of personal reasons. He even prayed for his enemies' wellbeing, and would warn them of the punishment of Allah.
He was an ascetic regarding worldly affairs and would worship Allah throughout the night. He was the brave and courageous soldier who fought with the sword - and the infallible Prophet - the conqueror who conquered nations and countries. He slept on a mat of hay, and a pillow filled with course fibers. People crowned him as the Sultan over Arabs, or King of the Arabian Peninsula, yet his family lived a simple life, even after they received great fortunes; the riches were piled in the Masjid. Fatima complained to him about the strenuous work she did, the grinding stone and water jug which she used to carry - how they had left marks on her body. The Messenger at that time was dividing the female and male slaves amongst the Muslims. He did not give her a portion of that wealth; instead, the Prophet taught her a few words and supplications. His Companion, Umar came to his house and looked in his room, and saw nothing but a hay mat which the Prophet was sitting on, which had left marks on his body. The only provisions in the house were half a Saa' (measure of weight) of barley in a container, and a water skin that hung on the wall - this is all the Messenger of Allah owned at a time half the Arabs were under his control. When Umar saw this, he could not control himself and wept. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, said: 'Why are you weeping O Umar?' He replied: 'Why shouldn't I weep - Khosrau and Caesar enjoy themselves in this world and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, only owns what I see!' He responded: 'O Umar, wouldn't it please you that this is the share of Khosrau and Caesar in this life, and in the Hereafter this pleasure would be for us alone?'
When the Prophet examined his troops prior to the occupation of Makkah, Abu Sufyan stood beside al-Ab'bas, the uncle of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and they looked at the banners of the Muslim army. Abu Sufyan at that time was not a Muslim. He was amazed by the vast number of Muslims; they advanced towards Makkah like a torrent of water. No one could stop them and nothing stood in their way. Abu Sufyan then said to al-Ab'bas: 'O Ab'bas, your nephew has become a grand King!' Ab'bas responded saying: 'This is not kingship, rather prophethood, and the Message of Islam.'
Ad'ee at-Ta'ee, the son of Ha'tim at-Ta'ee who is the paradigm of generosity, attended the assembly of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, while he was still a Christian. When he saw how the Companions aggrandized and respected the Prophet, he was confused - was he a Prophet or a king? He asked himself, 'is this a king or a Messenger of the Messengers of Allah?' While he was pondering over this, a destitute woman came to the Prophet, and said: 'I wish to tell you a secret.' He said to her: 'which road in Madinah do you want me to meet you in?' The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, left with the destitute maid, and took care of her needs. When Ad'ee saw the humbleness of the Prophet, he realized the truth and discarded the crosses that he was wearing and became a Muslim.'
We will mention
some statements
of the Orientalists
concerning Muhammad
, may Allah exalt his mention.
We as Muslims believe in the
Prophet, may Allah exalt his
mention, and his Message.
We are mentioning these
statements for the following two reasons:
a. To serve as a reminder and admonition for name-sake Muslims who abandoned their Prophet, so that they would heed and return to their Deen.
b. So that non-Muslims would know who the Prophet is from the statements of their own people, so that they would be guided to Islam.
I ask these people to not hold any preconceived notions when searching for the truth, when reading this or any other Islamic material. I ask Allah to open their hearts and chests to accept the truth, and to show them the right path and inspire them to follow it.
Who is the Messenger, Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention?
His Lineage:
He is Abul-Qasim (father of Al-Qasim) Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul-Mutalib. His lineage traces back to the tribe of Adnan, son of Ismael [the Prophet of Allah, the son of Ibraheem, the one whom Allah chose for His love] may Allah exalt their mention. His mother is Aminah, daughter of Wahb.
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:
'Indeed Allah chose the tribe of Kinanah over other tribes from the children of Ismail; He chose the Quraish over other tribes of Kinanah; He chose Banu Hashim over the other families of the Quraish; and He chose me from Banu Hashim.'(Muslim #2276)
Thus, the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, has the noblest lineage on earth. His enemies attested to this fact; Abu Sufyan, who was the arch enemy of Islam before he became Muslim, attested to this fact in front of Heraclius, the Ruler of Rome.
Abdullah b. Ab'bas, with whom Allah is pleased, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, wrote to Caesar and invited him to Islam and sent him a letter with Dihya Al-Kalbi, who handed it to the Governor of Busra who then forwarded it to Caesar.
Caesar as a sign of gratitude to Allah, had walked from Hims to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when Allah had granted Him victory over the Persian forces. So, when the letter of the Messenger of Allah reached Caesar, he said after reading it, "Seek for me anyone of his people, (Arabs of Quraish tribe) if present here, in order to ask him about the Messenger of Allah!" At that time Abu Sufyan bin Harb was in Sham with some men from Quraish who had come (to Sham) as merchants during the truce that had been concluded between the Messenger of Allah; and the infidels of Quraish. Abu Sufyan said, ‘Caesar's messenger found us somewhere in Sham so he took me and my companions to Ilya and we were admitted into Caesar's presence to find him sitting in his royal court wearing a crown and surrounded by the senior Byzantine dignitaries. He said to his translator. "Ask them whom amongst them is a close relation to the man who claims to be a prophet."’
Abu Sufyan added, ’I replied: "I am the nearest relative to him." He asked, "What degree of relationship do you have with him?" I replied, "He is my cousin," and there was none of Bani Abd Manaf in the caravan except myself. Caesar said, "Let him come nearer." He then ordered that my companions stand behind me near my shoulder and said to his translator, "Tell his companions that I am going to ask this man about the man who claims to be a prophet. If he tells a lie, they should contradict him immediately."’
Abu Sufyan added, ’By Allah! Had it not been for shame that my companions brand me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be called a liar by my companions, so I told the truth.’
‘He then said to his translator, "Ask him what kind of family he belongs to." I replied, "He belongs to a noble family amongst us." He said, "Has anybody else amongst you ever claimed the same before him?" I replied, "No." He said, "Have you ever blamed him for telling lies before he claimed what he claimed?" I replied, "No." He said, "Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?" I replied, "No." He said, "Do the noble or the poor follow him?" I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him." He said, "Are they increasing or decreasing (daily)?" I replied, "They are increasing." He said, "Does anybody amongst those who embrace his Deen become displeased and then discard his Deen?" I replied, "No." He said, 'Does he break his promises?" I replied, "No, but we are now at truce with him and we are afraid that he may betray us."
Abu Sufyan added, ’Other than the last sentence, I could not say anything against him.’
‘Caesar then asked, "Have you ever had a war with him?" I replied, "Yes." He said, "What was the outcome of your battles with him?" I replied, "Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we." He said, "What does he order you to do?" I said, "He tells us to worship Allah alone, and not to worship others along with Him, and to leave all that our fore-fathers used to worship. He orders us to pray, give in charity, be chaste, keep promises and return what is entrusted to us. "'
‘When I had said that, Caesar said to his translator, "Say to him: I asked you about his lineage and your reply was that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the Messengers came from the noblest lineage of their nations. Then I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following a claim that had been said before him. When I asked you whether he was ever blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I took it for granted that a person who did not tell a lie to people could never tell a lie about Allah. Then I asked you whether any of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. When I asked you whether the rich or the poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor who followed him. In fact, such are the followers of the Messengers. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing. In fact, this is the result of true faith till it is complete (in all respects). I asked you whether there was anybody who, after embracing his Deen, became displeased and discarded his Deen; your reply was in the negative. In fact, this is the sign of true faith, for when its pleasure enters and mixes in the hearts completely; nobody will be displeased with it. I asked you whether he had ever broken his promise. You replied in the negative. And such are the Messengers; they never break their promises. When I asked you whether you fought with him and he fought with you, you replied that he did and that sometimes he was victorious and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the Messengers; they are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs. Then I asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah alone and not to worship others along with Him, to leave all that your fore-fathers used to worship, to offer prayers, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to return what is entrusted to you. These are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew (from the previous Scriptures) would appear, but I did not know that he would be from amongst you. If what you say is true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet. "'
Abu Sufyan added, ’Caesar then asked for the letter of the Messenger of Allah and it was read. Its o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0oo0o0o 0o0oo0o0o0o0os were:
"I begin with the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad, the slave of Allah, and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. I invite you to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah). Accept Islam and you will be safe; accept Islam and Allah will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the peasants (i.e. your nation). O people of the Scriptures! Come to a word common between you and us, that we worship Allah, and that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as Gods besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)"[3.64]
Abu Sufyan added, ’When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great hue and cry caused by the Byzantine dignitaries surrounding him, and there was so much noise that I did not understand what they said. So, we were ordered out of the court.’
‘When I went out with my companions and we were alone, I said to them, ”Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha's (i.e. the Prophet's) affair has gained power. This is the King of Bani Al-Asfar fearing him.”’
Abu Sufyan added: 'By Allah, I became surer and surer that his Deen would be victorious till I ended up accepting Islam.'(Bukhari #2782)
Place of Birth and Childhood:
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was born in the year 571 (according to the Gregorian calendar) in the tribe of Quraish [which was held noble by all Arabs] in Makkah [which was considered the religious capital of the Arabian Peninsula].
The Arabs would perform Hajj in Makkah, and circumambulate around the Ka'bah which was built by Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismael, may Allah exalt their mention.
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was an orphan. His father passed away before he was born, and his mother died when he was six years old. His grandfather, Abdul-Mutalib, took care of him, and when he died, his uncle, Abu Talib, took care of him. His tribe and the other tribes worshipped idols made from stone, wood and even gold. Some of these idols were placed around the Ka'bah. People believed that these idols could ward off harm or extend benefit.
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was a trustworthy and honest person. He never behaved treacherously, nor did he lie or cheat; he was known amongst his people as 'Al-Ameen', or 'The Trustworthy'. People would entrust him with their valuables when they wanted to travel. He was also known as 'As-Sadiq' or 'The Truthful' for he never told a lie. He was well-mannered, well-spoken, and he loved to help people. His people loved and revered him and he had beautiful manners. Allah, the Exalted, says:
(Indeed you are of a great moral character.)[68:4]
Thomas Carlyle said in his book: 'Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History':
'But, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. His companions named him "Al Amin, The Faithful." A man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke and thought. They noted that he always meant something. A man rather taciturn in speech; silent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the only sort of speech worth speaking! Through life we find him to have been regarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man. A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, cordial, companionable, jocose even - a good laugh in him withal: there are men whose laugh is as untrue as anything about them; who cannot laugh. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-meaning man! Full of wild faculty, fire and light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working out his life - takes in the depth of the Desert there.'
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, liked to seclude himself in the cave of Hira before he was commissioned as a prophet. He would stay there many nights at a time.
He, may Allah exalt his mention, did not practice falsehood; he did not drink any intoxicants, nor did he bow to a statue or idol, or take an oath by them or offer to them an offering. He was a shepherd over a flock of sheep which belonged to his people. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said:
'Every prophet commissioned by Allah was a shepherd over a flock of sheep.' His companions asked him: 'Even you, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Yes, I would take care of a flock of sheep for the people of Makkah.'(Bukhari 2143)
When Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, turned forty, he received divine revelation; he was at the cave of Hira. The Mother of the believers, A'ishah, with whom Allah is pleased, said:
'The first thing that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention, received, while in the Cave of Hira in Makkah, were good visions [dreams]. Every time he had a dream, it would come true and clear, like the split of the dawn. Later on, Allah’s Messenger, may Allah exalt his mention, began to love being alone in meditation. He spent lengthy periods for days and nights to fulfill this purpose in the Cave before returning back to his family. He would take a supply of food for his trip. When he came back to his wife Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, he would get a fresh supply of food and go back to the same Cave to continue his meditation.’
‘The Truth came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira. The Angel Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, came to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and commanded him to read. Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, replied, ”I cannot read!“ Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, embraced Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, until he could not breathe, and then let him go saying: ”O Muhammad! Read!“ Again, Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, replied: ”I cannot read!“ Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, embraced Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, for the second time. He then ordered him to read for the third time, when he did not he embraced him tightly until he could not breathe, and then let him go saying: ”O Muhammad!
(Recite with the Name of Your Rubb! Who created, Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And your Rubb is Most Bountiful.)[96:1-3]
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, returned home trembling. He entered his home and told Khadeejah: “Cover me up, cover me up!“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, covered Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, until he felt better. He then informed her about what happened to him in the Cave of Hira. He said: ”I was concerned about myself and my well-being.“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, assured Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, saying: “By Allah! You don’t have to worry! Allah, the Exalted, will never humiliate you! You are good to your kith and kin. You help the poor and needy. You are generous and hospitable to your guests. You help people who are in need.“ Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, took her husband Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, to a cousin of hers named Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza. This man became a Christian during the Era of Ignorance. He was a scribe, who wrote the Scripture in Hebrew. He was an old man who became blind at the latter part of his life. Khadeejah, with whom Allah is pleased, said to her cousin, ”O cousin, listen to what your nephew [i.e. Muhammad , may Allah exalt his mention, ] is about to tell you!“ Waraqah said: ”What is it you have seen, dear nephew?“ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, informed him of what he had seen in the Cave of Hira. Upon hearing his report, Waraqah said, ”By Allah! This is the Angel Jibreel, may Allah exalt his mention, who came to Prophet Musa, may Allah exalt his mention. I wish I would be alive when your people will drive you out of Makkah!“ The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, wondered: ”Are they going to drive me out of Makkah?!“ Waraqah affirmed positively saying, ”Never has a man conveyed a Message similar to what you have been charged with, except that his people waged war against him - if I am to witness this, I will support you.” Waraqah lived only a short period after this incident and passed away. Revelation also stopped for a while.’(Bukhari #3)
The chapter of the Qur'an quoted in the hadeeth above marks the beginning when he was commissioned as a Prophet. Allah, the Exalted, then revealed to him:
(O you (Muhammad (may Allah exalt his mention) enveloped (in garments); Arise and warn!And your Rubb (Allah) magnify! And your garments purify!)[74:1-4]
This chapter of the Qur'an marks the beginning when he was commissioned as a Messenger.
With the revelation of this chapter of the Qur'an the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, began calling his people to Islam openly. He began with his own people. Some of them refused adamantly to listen to him because he was calling them to a matter which they had not witnessed before.
The Deen of Islam is a complete way of life, which deals with religious, political, economical and social affairs. Furthermore, the Deen of Islam did not only call them to worship Allah alone, and to forsake all idols and things they worshipped; rather, it prohibited them from things they considered pleasurable, such as consuming interest and intoxicants, fornication, and gambling. It also called people to be just and fair with one another, and to know that there was no difference between them except through piety. How could the Quraish [the noblest tribe amongst Arabs] stand to be treated equally with the slaves!! They did not only adamantly refuse to accept Islam; rather, they harmed him and blamed him, saying that he was a crazy person, a sorcerer and a liar. They blamed him with things they would not dare to have blamed him with before the advent of Islam. They incited the ignorant masses against him, and harmed him and tortured his companions. Abdullah b. Masood, with whom Allah is pleased, said:
'While the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was standing up and praying near the Ka'bah, a group of Quraish were sitting in their sitting place, one of them said: 'Do you see this man? Would someone bring the dirt and filth and bloody intestines from the camels of so and so, and wait till he prostrates, and then place it between his shoulders? The most wretched amongst them volunteered to do it, and when the Prophet , may Allah exalt his mention, prostrated, he put the filth between his shoulders, so the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, stayed in prostration. They laughed so hard that they were about to fall on each other. Someone went to Fatimah, with whom Allah is pleased, who was a young girl, and informed her of what had happened. She hurriedly came towards the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and removed the filth from his back, and then she turned around and she cursed the Quraishites who were sitting in that sitting.(Bukhari #498)
Muneeb al-Azdi said: 'I saw the Messenger of Allah in the Era of Ignorance saying to people:
'Say there is no god worthy of being worshipped except Allah if you would be successful.' There were those who spat in his face, and those who threw soil in his face, and those who swore at him until midday. Whenever a certain young girl came with a big container of water, and he would wash his face and hands and say: 'O daughter do not fear that your father will be humiliated or struck by poverty.'(Mu'jam al-Kabeer # 805)
Urwah b. az-Zubair said, 'I asked Abdullah b. Amr al-Aas to tell me of the worst thing the pagans did to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and he said:
'Uqbah b. Mu'ait approached the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, while he was praying near the Ka'bah, and he twisted his garment around his neck. Abu Bakr, with whom Allah is pleased, hurriedly approached and grabbed Uqbah's shoulder and pushed him away saying: 'Do you kill a man because he proclaims Allah as his Rubb, and clear signs have come to you from your Rubb?' ' (Bukhari 3643)
These incidents did not stop the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, from giving Da'wah. He called the many tribes that came to Makkah for Hajj to Islam. A few believed from the people of Yathrib, which is known today as Madinah, and they pledged to support him and help him if he chose to go with them to Madinah. He sent with them Mus'ab b. Umair, with whom Allah is pleased, who taught them Islam. After all the hardships that the Muslims of Makkah faced from their own people, Allah allowed them to migrate from their city to Madinah. The people of Madinah greeted them and received them in a most extraordinary manner. Madinah became the Capital of the Islamic state, and the point from which the Da'wah was spread.
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, settled there and taught people Qur'anic recitation and Islamic Jurisprudence. The inhabitants of Madinah were greatly moved and touched by the Prophet's manners. They loved him more than they loved their own selves; they would rush to serve him, and spend all they had in his path. The society was strong and its people were rich in terms of Iman (Faith) and they were extremely happy. People loved each other, and true brotherhood was apparent amongst its people. All people were equal; the rich, noble and poor, black and white, Arab and non-Arab - they were all considered as equals in the Deen of Allah, no distinction was made among them except through piety. After the Quraish learnt of the Prophet's Da'wah and that it had spread, they fought with the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, in the first battle in Islam, the Battle of Badr. This battle took place between two groups which were unequal in preparations and weapons. The Muslims were 314; whereas, the pagans were 1000 strong. Allah gave victory to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and the Companions. After this battle, many battles took place between the Muslims and the pagans. After eight years the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was able to prepare an army 10,000 strong. They headed towards Makkah and conquered it, and with this he defeated his people, who had harmed him and tortured his Companions in every way. They had even been forced to leave their property and wealth behind and flee for their lives. He decisively defeated them, and this year was called 'The Year of the Conquest.' Allah, the Exalted, says:
(When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, and you see the people entering into the Deen of Allah in multitudes, then exalt him with praise of your Rubb and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever accepting of repentance.)[110:1-3]
He then gathered the people of Makkah and said to them:
'What do you think I will do to you?' They answered: 'You will only do something favorable; you are a kind and generous brother, and a kind and generous nephew!' The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, said: 'Go - you are free to do as you wish.'(Baihaqi #18055)
This was one of the main reasons why many of them accepted Islam. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, then returned to Madinah. After a period of time, the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, meant to perform Hajj, so he headed towards Makkah with 114,000 Companions and performed Hajj. This Hajj is known as 'Haj'jatul-Wa'daa' or the 'Farewell Pilgrimage' since the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, never performed another Hajj, and died shortly after he performed it.
The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, died in Madinah on the 12th day of Rabi ath-thani in the 11th year of Hijrah. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was buried in Madinah as well. The Muslims were shocked when they learnt of his death; some Companions did not believe it! Umar, with whom Allah is pleased, said: 'Whoever says that Muhammad is dead, I will behead him!' Abu Bakr, with whom Allah is pleased, then gave a speech, and read the words of Allah:
(Muhammad is not but a Messenger. Other messengers have passed away before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels to unbelief? And He who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.) [3:144]
When Umar, with whom Allah is pleased, heard this verse he stopped saying what he was saying, since he was very keen on applying the rules of Allah. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, was 63 years old.
He stayed in Makkah for forty years, before being commissioned as a prophet. After being commissioned as a Prophet; he lived there for another 13 years in which he called people to Tawheed (true monotheism). He then migrated to Madinah, and stayed there for ten years. He continuously received the revelation there, until the Qur'an and the Deen of Islam were complete.
George Bernard Shaw said:
‘I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to possess that assimilating capability to the changing phases of existence which make itself appeal to every age - I have prophesized about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today. Medieval ecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry, painted Muhammadanism in the darkest colours. They were, in fact, trained to hate both the man Muhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammad was an anti-Christ. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of humanity - ’[1]
The Description of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention:
Hind the daughter of Abu Haalah at-Tamimi, with whom Allah is pleased, described the Prophet of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, with the following description:
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, was a sensational man, who was honored by all who saw him. His face glowed like the full moon. He was of moderate height, not too tall and not too short. He had a large head and his hair was wavy. He would part his hair if it got long, otherwise, his hair did not exceed the lobes of his ears under normal circumstances. He was a healthy pink. His forehead was wide. His eyebrows were naturally groomed, and were not joined. There was a vein between his eyebrows that swelled in case of anger. His nose was straight and had a special glow. The bridge of his nose was slightly high. He, may Allah exalt his mention, had a thick beard with soft cheeks. His mouth was slightly large. He had moustaches. His teeth had gaps in between. His neck was [pretty] like that of a doll, and it was silvery white. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was moderately built and very strong. His belly and chest were on the same level. His chest and shoulders were wide. His body joints were big. His skin was white. He had hair from the end of his breastbone to his navel. There was no hair on his breasts, but his arms and shoulders were hairy. His forearms were large and his palms were wide. Both his hands and feet were short, and his fingers were of moderate length. His feet were flat and smooth; due to the smoothness of his feet water would not settle on them. He walked in strides and in a graceful manner; he would lift his feet, and not drag them. Whenever he, may Allah exalt his mention, turned he would turn with his entire body [as opposed to turning his neck and head only]. He lowered his gaze at all times. He looked down to earth more often than he looked up to the heaven. He often glimpsed at things [as opposed to staring at things]. He offered the greetings to others before they offered it to him.’
Someone asked: 'Describe his manner of speech.' Hind said: 'The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, appeared sad most of the time, and would be in deep thought. He would never rest completely, and he did not speak unless he needed to. Whenever he spoke he would start and complete his statements with the name of Allah. He spoke clearly and uttered meaningful, precise and accurate statements only. His statements were very decisive; no one could distort his words. He was extremely kind and caring. He never insulted others. He was grateful for every blessing Allah bestowed on him, no matter how minute it seemed; he never belittled anything. He did not criticize any food he tasted, nor did he praise it. He was never upset for worldly affairs. If a person was wronged he would become very angry. His anger would not subside until the person's right was given to him. He would not become angry if he was wronged, nor would he avenge himself. When he pointed, he pointed with his entire hand; when he was surprised he would flip his hand. When the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, talked he would tap his right palm using his left thumb. When he was angry he would turn his face away, and when he was pleased and happy he would lower his gaze. Most of his laughter was done by smiling. Whenever he smiled, his teeth appeared like pearls of hale.'
Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I did not inform al-Husain about this (description of the Prophet) for a period of time, but he had already asked his father (Ali, may Allah be pleased with him) about these details. Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I asked my father about how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, entered upon his family, and left them and about his manners in general.’ Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I asked my father how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, spent his time in his house, and how he divided his time.' He replied: 'He divided his time into three portions; one portion for the sake of Allah, the other for his family, and the third he divided between himself and people. He did not conceal any advice or guidance from any of them. He would spend the portion he allotted for his Ummah by attending to the needs of people according to their religious status and needs. He would busy these people by teaching them that which would benefit them and their Ummah, and by informing them of what they needed. He would say to them: ‘Let those who are present convey (what they have learned) to those who are absent, and inform me of the needs of those who cannot attend our sitting, for: 'Whoever informs the ruler of a person's plight, Allah would affirm him on the bridge on the Day of Resurrection.'
Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, further said, ‘I asked my father about the manners of the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, while he was outside his home?’ He said, ‘He safeguarded his tongue [from idle talk] and gave sincere counseling and talked with beneficial speech by which he would be able to gather and unite people. He honored the generous, kind and noble person amongst each people, and he would charge them with the affairs of their people. He warned people against evils and guarded himself against them as well, though he never frowned in the face of any person. He asked about people's situation and ordered with the good and forbade evil. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was moderate in all his affairs. He never wasted an opportunity to remind his companions and give them sincere counseling. He, may Allah exalt his mention, was prepared for every case, and would uphold the truth and was not heedless. The people who sat nearest to him were the best among people. The best Companion was him who offered the best advice. The Companion highest in rank was the one who supported and helped him in the best manner.
Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘I asked my father how the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, behaved in his sittings, and he said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, never got up or sat down without mentioning the name of Allah. He forbade designating a certain spot to a person so that he would consider it as his own. He sat wherever he found a spot. He also ordered others to do the same, when they entered a sitting. He divided his time equally and justly among his Companions who sat with him. The one who sat with the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would think that he was the most important and beloved individual to him. If a person came asking him for a certain need, he would not rush him, rather he would allow the person to complete his request and leave at his own accord. The Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, would not return one who asked empty-handed; he would even say nice words to him if he was not able to fulfill his request. He had an open heart and an open mind. He was considered like a kind and caring father to everyone; all people were to him equal. His sittings were sittings of knowledge, perseverance, patience, modesty, and trust. No one would raise his voice in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention. No one talked evil about another in his presence either. Those in the sitting treated each other in a humble manner, and they respected the elderly and were merciful to the young and they respected the stranger.'
Al-Husain, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'I asked my father about the Prophet’s attitude with people in his meetings and sittings, and he said to me: ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, was constantly cheerful. He was extremely kind and caring. He was never rough. He never raised his voice in public or used foul language. He never talked ill of anyone or gossiped. He never adulated anyone. He never disappointed anyone. He avoided three things; argumentation, talking too much and interfering in what is of no importance to him. He also avoided three other things; he never talked ill of anyone, he never mocked anyone and he never spoke of anyone's fault in front of others, nor did he criticize anyone. He spoke only about things that he hoped to be rewarded for. Whenever he spoke his Companions looked at the ground [out of respect and attention] it was as if birds landed on their heads. When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, stopped talking, his Companions talked. They never differed in front of him. Whenever one of his Companions talked, the rest would attentively listen until he completed his statement. Only leading Companions talked in the presence of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention.
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, demonstrated extreme patience when he listened to a stranger with a difficult accent or dialect. He would not ask the speaker any question until he completed his statement. In fact, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention, directed his Companions to assist the person who sought his help. He never interrupted a speaker until the speaker completed his statement and stopped at his own accord or if the person got up to leave.’ (Baihaqi)
العرض الشجري