Prophet Mohammad(saaw)

Father’s Name: Abdullah-Ibne-Abdul Mutalib

Mother’s Name: Aminah Binte Wahab

Birth: Born in Mecca on Friday 17th Rabi-ul-Awal in the year of the elephant.

Death: At the age of 63 in Medina on Monday 28th Safar 11 A.H. Buried in his quarters adjoining Masjid-e-Nabavi.

The Prophet(saaw) had many magnificent qualities that we could write about, amongst which we would include his immaculate manners and how he dealt with people, no matter how they were towards him. Allah(swt) himself has mentioned in his holy book that the Prophet(saaw) is a mercy from himself.  And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds (21:107).

 Prophet Muhammad’s (saaw) father Abdullah, son of Abdul Mutalib, died before he was born and when he was six, he lost the loving mother Aminah Binte Wahab. His grandfather, Abdul Mutalib took the responsibility of bringing up the orphan. At the age of ten, he was bereft of his venerable grandfather and on his deathbed he appointed his son Abu-Talib as the guardian of Muhammad (saaw). At approximately the age of 40 years of age the Prophet (saaw) was instructed to now disclose who he was and begin preaching the message starting with his close relatives.

The story of the early stages of the birth of Islam are already widely reported and there is no need of repetition here. The character and qualities of the Prophet (saaw) were so elevated that within 10 years the whole of pagan Arabia had succumb and accepted Islam. Even if people were reluctant or didn’t truly want to let go of their previous idolatrous beliefs, Islam spread like an invisible, spiritual, cleansing breeze taking people along with it as it dispersed in all directions. A recommendation is if you have the time please do watch the movie “The Message” (1976). This is an excellent film starring Anthony Quin, and gives an excellent insight into the early history of Islam.

Over 1400 years have now passed and the true magnificence and status of the Holy Prophet (saaw) is becoming known ever further. Even when those who want to defame or defile the memory do so, they will inevitably lead researchers to the truth, resulting in more people becoming aware of the man who was and still is “a Mercy to the worlds”. The Quran says the Holy Prophet (saaw) does not say anything in his personal capacity, but what he says is revealed to him by Allah (swt). The Prophet’s (saaw) sayings are in abundance for the guidance of Muslims.

Revered by Muslims and non-Muslims alike The Holy Prophet (saaw), in addition to being loved and revered by Muslims, has influenced many societies throughout the world.The following quotes from non-Muslims fully demonstrate this point.

Thomas Carlyle in ‘Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History,’ 1840″The lies (Western slander) which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad(saaw) are disgraceful to ourselves only.” “A silent great soul, one of those who cannot but be earnest. He was to kindle the world, the world’s Maker had ordered so.”

Mahatma Gandhi, a statement published in ‘Young India,’1924.I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind…. I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet(saaw), the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the second volume (of the Prophet’s biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of that great life.

Sir George Bernard Shaw in ‘The Genuine Islam,’ Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.”If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam.”“I have always held the religion of Muhammad(saaw) in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity”. “I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad(saaw) that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today.”

Michael Hart in ‘The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons In History,’ New York, 1978.My choice of Muhammad(saaw) to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level. .. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad(saaw) on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ(as) and St. Paul on Christianity. .. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad(saaw) to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.

Dr. William Draper in ‘History of Intellectual Development of Europe’Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born in Mecca, in Arabia, the man who, of all men, has exercised the greatest influence upon the human race… To be the religious head of many empires, to guide the daily life of one-third of the human race, may perhaps justify the title of a Messenger of God.

W. Montgomery Watt in ‘Muhammad(saaw) at Mecca,’ Oxford, 1953. His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement – all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad(saaw) an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad(saaw) is.. Thus, not merely must we credit Muhammad(saaw) with essential honesty and integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all, if we are to correct the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget that conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be attained with difficulty.

K. S. Ramakrishna Rao in ‘Muhammad(saaw): The Prophet of Islam,’ 1989My problem to write this monograph is easier, because we are not generally fed now on that (distorted) kind of history and much time need not be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations of Islam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth the name. The principle of Islam that “there is no compulsion in religion” is well known.Jules Masserman in ‘Who Were Histories Great Leaders?’ in TIME Magazine, July 15, 1974, Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Muhammad(saaw), who combined all the three functions. To a lesser degree Moses(as) did the same.

Edward Gibbon in ‘The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ 1823. The good sense of Muhammad(saaw) despised the pomp of royalty. The Apostle of God submitted to the menial offices of the family, he kindled the fire, swept the floor, milked the ewes, and mended with his own hands his shoes and garments. Disdaining the penance and merit of a hermit, he observed without effort of vanity the abstemious diet of an Arab.

Imam Musa-bin-Jafar (as) relates that a Jewish man called on the Prophet (saaw) for payment of a number of dinars due to him, and declared that he would not leave him till the debt was paid. ‘Sit here then,’ said Muhammad (saaw), ‘for I am unable at present to satisfy your claim.’ The creditor therefore remained till the Prophet (saaw) had performed all the prayers, until dawn the following morning. Meanwhile the companions of Muhammad (saaw) endeavoured to get rid of the Jewish man by threats and promises, but the former interrupted them by demanding what they had to do in the matter. They replied, ‘Prophet of God (saaw), this Jewish man keeps you here and does not allow you to move.’ But he (saaw) said, ‘The Most High has not raised me up to strive with anyone.’ As the days advanced the Jewish man became so impressed with the character of his debtor, that at last he cried out, ‘I testify there is no God but Allah (swt), and I testify that Muhammad (saaw) is His servant and apostle; and I devote half my property to the cause of God. Verily my motive for trying Muhammad (saaw) as I have done, has been to see if the description I have read in the Torah of the last Prophet of time, agrees with him. In that sacred book it is written that Muhammad-bin-Abdullah (saaw), whose birthplace is Mekkah and whose removal is to Medinah, is not rough in manner, nor loud in his conversation, nor does he utter abrupt and in-courteous words.

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (as) relates that on a certain occasion when the garments of the Prophet (saaw) had become old and worn, a man brought him twelve dihrams as a religious offering. Ali (as) was sent to the bazaar to make a purchase, and reported the story as follows: I went, said Ali (as), and bought a robe for the Prophet (saaw) at the price of the whole sum that had been given him. He looked at the article and observed that an inferior one would have pleased him better; and asked me if I thought the seller would take the garment back. Finally he sent me to return the robe in case the merchant would consent to give up his bargain, which he did and restored the money. The Prophet (saaw) then went with me to the bazaar with a view of selecting a garment the quality of which he would approve of. On the way we passed a little maid-servant sitting by the road weeping. He (saaw) kindly inquired the cause. She replied, ‘O Prophet of God (saaw), the people to whom I belong gave me four dirhams to make a purchase for them, and I have lost the money and dare not go home.’He (saaw) then gave the maid four dirhams and said, ‘Now return.’ On entering the bazaar He (saaw) bought a robe for four dirhams, and put it on, thanking Allah (swt) for the favour. As we were returning from the bazaar we saw a naked man who said , ‘Whoever clothes me may God clothe him with the garments of Paradise.’ Immediately the Prophet (saaw) took off his new robe, put it on the man, and went back and bought himself another garment of the same description with the remaining four dirhams, putting it on with renewed thanks to Allah (swt).On our return we again saw the maid-servant sitting by the road. He asked her why she did not go home. She replied that she had been gone so long, she feared she should be beaten on her return. He then told her to show him the way, and he would go home with her. When we came to the door He (saaw) said, ‘Peace be to you, o people of this house!’ but no one answered. The second call was alike ineffectual, but the third time they responded, ‘Peace be to Thee, O Prophet of God (saaw), and the mercy and blessings of God be upon thee!’ He then inquired why they did not answer sooner, and he was told that they wished his invocation of peace upon them to abound, and be the cause of their enjoying many blessings. He then said, ‘This maid has returned late, but do not scold her.’ They replied, ‘For the honour of your visit we emancipate her.’ The Prophet (saaw) thereupon rendered thanks to Allah (swt) and said, ‘I never before saw twelve dirhams more productive of good than these: two persons have been clothed and a slave freed by this small sum.’

The Prophet’s (saaw) Last Sermon

First the Messenger of Allah (saaw) praised The Almighty (swt) and then addressed People: “O People! Know that Gabriel came down to me several times bringing me an order from the Lord (swt), the Merciful, that I should stop at this place and inform you.” “O Folk! Don’t you witness that there is no deity but Allah (swt), Muhammad (saaw) is His servant and His Apostle, Paradise is truth, Hell is truth, death is truth, resurrection is truth, and that the Hour shall certainly arrive, and Allah (swt) shall raise people from the graves?” People replied: “Yes, we believe in them.” “O people! Behold! It is as if the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah(swt)) and I shall answer that call. Behold! I am leaving among you two precious and weighty Symbols that if you stick to both of them, you shall never go astray after me. Each of these two surpasses the other in its grandeur. One of them is the Book of Allah (swt) and the other one is my select progeny (Itrat), that is family (Ahlul-Bayt (as)). Beware of how you behave with them when I am gone from amongst you, for they (i.e., Quran and Ahlul-Bayt(as)) shall never separate from each other until they reach me in Heaven at the fountain (of al-Kawthar). I remind you, in the name of Allah (swt), about my Ahlul-Bayt (as). I remind you, in the name of Allah (swt), about my Ahlul- Bayt (as). Once more! I remind you, in the name of Allah (swt), about my Ahlul-Bayt (as).” “O People! Don’t you know that I have more authority upon you than yourself?” People cried and said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah (saaw).” Then Prophet repeated: “O Folk! Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?” People said again “Yes, O Messenger of Allah (saaw).”

Then Prophet (saaw) said: “O People! Surely God is my Master, and I am the master of all believers.” Then he grasped the hand of Ali (as) and raised it and said: “OF WHOEVER I AM HIS MASTER, ALI (as) IS HIS MASTER. O Allah! Love those who love him. Be hostile to those who are hostile to him. Hate those who hate him. Help those who help him. And keep the truth with him wherever he turns.” (repeating this paragraph three times). “Ali (as), the son of Abu Talib, is my brother, my agent (Wasi), and my successor (Caliph), and the leader (Imam) after me. His position to me is like that of Haroon (as) (Aaron) to Moses (as), except that there is to be no prophet after me. He is your master after Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saaw).” “O Folk! Verily Allah (swt) has appointed him to be your Imam and ruler. Obedience of him is obligatory for all Immigrants (Muhajirin) and Helpers (Ansar) and those who follow them in virtue, and on the dwellers of the cities and the nomads, the Arabs and the non-Arabs, the freeman and the slave, the young and the old, the great and the small, the white and the black.” “His commands should be obeyed, and his word is binding and his order is obligatory on everyone who believes in one God. Cursed is the man who disobeys him, and blessed is the one who follows him, and he who believes in him is a true believer. His WILAYAH (believe in his mastery) has been made obligatory by Allah (swt), the Powerful, the Exalted.” “O Folk! Speculate on the Quran and understand its verses. Go over its clear verses and do not go to the ambiguous ones. For, by Allah (swt), nobody can properly explain them to you its warnings and its meanings except me and this man (i.e., Ali(as)) whose hand I am lifting up in front of myself.” “O People! This is the last time that I shall stand in this assembly. Therefore listen to me and obey and submit to the command of The Lord. Verily Allah (swt), He is your Lord and God. After Him, His prophet, Muhammad (saaw) who is addressing you, is your master. Then after me, this Ali (as) is your master and your leader (Imam) according to Allah’s (swt) command. Then after him leadership will continue through some selected individuals in my descendants till the day you meet Allah (swt) and His Prophet (saaw).””Time has come back to its original state which it had when Allah (swt) created the Heavens and the Earth. The number of months in the sight of Allah (swt) is twelve (i.e., twelve Imams). Four of them (i.e., Imam Ali (as), Hasan (as), Husain (as), and al-Mahdi (as)) are sacred (i.e., will rise for power), three out of these four are consecutive (i.e., the rising of Ali (as), Hasan (as), and Husain (as)). Do not sin against your souls in their periods (by disobeying them. See Quran 9:36). Postponement of a sacred month (i.e., delay in accepting their leadership) is only an excess of disbelief whereby those who disbelieve are misled; they permit what God has forbidden, and forbid what God has allowed.” “Behold! Certainly you shall meet your Lord and He will ask you about your deeds. Beware! Do not become infidels after me by striking the necks of one another. Lo! It is incumbent upon those who are present to inform what I said to those who are absent for perhaps the informed one might comprehend it (understand it) better than some of the present audience. Behold! Haven’t I conveyed the Message of Allah (swt) to you? Behold! Haven’t I conveyed the Message of Allah (swt) to you?” People replied: “Yes.” The Prophet (saaw) said: “O God! Bear witness.” (Note: The last two paragraphs are reproduction of the speech of the Prophet (saaw) as recorded in Sirah Ibn Hisham at the end of “Chapter of Farewell Pilgrimage”, and also Sahih al-Bukhari, Arabic-English, traditions 5.688, 7.458, and 9.539. See also verse 9:36 of Quran). After the Prophet (saaw) finished his long speech, the following verse was revealed:  “This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My Favour on you, and chosen for you Islam as a religion.” (Quran 5:3).