The Prophet Muhammad ..The Last Prophet


Spiritual Nature

The spiritual nature of the Prophet is veiled in his human one and his purely spiritual function is hidden in his duties as the guide of men and the leader of a community. It was the function of the Prophet to be not only a spiritual guide, but also the organizer of a new social order with all that such a function implies. And it is precisely this aspect of his being that veils his purely spiritual dimension from foreign eyes.

Outsiders have understood his political genius, his power of oratory, his great statesmanship, but few have understood how he could be the religious and spiritual guide of men and how his life could be emulated by those who aspire to sanctity. This is particularly true in the modern world in which religion is separated from other domains of life and most modern men can hardly imagine how a spiritual being could also be immersed in the most intense political and social activity.

Social Nature

The Prophet did participate in social life in its fullest sense. He married, had a household, was a father and moreover he was ruler and judge and had also to fight many wars in which he underwent painful ordeals. He had to undergo many hardships and experience all the difficulties which human life, especially that of the founder of a new state and society, implies. But within all these activities his heart rested in contentment with the Divine, and he continued inwardly to repose in the Divine Peace. In fact his participation in social and political life was precisely to integrate this domain into a spiritual centre.

Contemplative Nature

The Prophet entertained no political or worldly ambition whatsoever. He was by nature a contemplative. He often spent long periods in the cave of Hira' in solitude and meditation. He did not believe himself to be by nature a man of the world or one who was naturally inclined to seek political power among the Quraysh or social eminence in Meccan society, although he came from the noblest family. It was in fact very painful and difficult for him to accept the burden of prophecy which implied the founding of not only a new religion but also a new social and political order.

Marriages

The marriages of the Prophet are not at all signs of his lenience vis-a-vis the flesh. Multiple marriage, for him, as is true of Islam in general, was not so much enjoyment as responsibility and a means of integration of the newly founded society. The multiple marriages of the Prophet, far from pointing to his weakness towards 'the flesh', symbolize his patriarchal nature and his function, not as a saint who withdraws from the world, but as one who sanctifies the very life of the world by living in it and accepting it with the aim of integrating it into a higher order of reality.

 Harshness, Kindness and Compassion

The Prophet exercises the utmost kindness possible and was harsh only with traitors. Now, a traitor against a newly founded religious community, which God has willed and whose existence is a mercy from heaven for mankind, is a traitor against the Truth itself. The harshness of the Prophet in such cases is an expression of Divine Justice. As to what concerned his own person, the Prophet was always the epitome of kindness and generosity.

Also the Prophet was not certainly without love and compassion. Although the Prophet was in a sense a king or ruler of a community and a judge and had to deal according to justice in both capacities, he was at the same time one whose being was anchored in the love for God.

From the Muslim point of view, the Prophet is the symbol of perfection of both the human person and human society.

Piety, Combativeness, Magnanimity

The universal characteristics of the Prophet are not the same as his daily actions and day to day life. They are, rather, characteristics which issue forth from his personality as a particular spiritual prototype. Seen in this light there are essentially three qualities that characterize the Prophet.

First of all the Prophet possessed the quality of piety in its most universal sense, that quality which attaches man to God. The Prophet was in that sense pious. He had a profound piety which inwardly attached him to God, that made him place the interest of God before everything else including himself.

Secondly he had a quality of combativeness, of always being actively engaged in combat against all that negated the Truth and disrupted harmony. Externally it meant fighting wars, either military, political or social ones, the war which the Prophet named the 'little holy war' [al-jihad al-asghar]. Inwardly this combativeness meant a continuous war against the carnal soul [nafs], against all that in man tends towards the negation of God and His Will, the 'great holy war' [al-jihad al-akbar].

If a religion is to be an integral part of life it must try to establish peace in the most profound sense, namely to establish equilibrium between all the existing forces that surround man and to overcome all the forces that tend to destroy this equilibrium. No religion has sought to establish peace in this sense more than Islam. It is precisely in such a context that war can have a positive meaning as the activity to establish harmony both inwardly and outwardly and it is in this sense that Islam has stressed the positive aspect of combativeness.

The Prophet was faced from the beginning of his prophetic mission with the task of wielding the sword of Truth, of establishing equilibrium and in this arduous task he had no rest. His rest and repose was in the heart of the holy war [jihad] itself and he represents this aspect of spirituality in which peace comes not in passivity but in true activity. Peace belongs to one who is inwardly at peace with the Will of Heaven and outwardly at war with the forces of disruption and disequilibrium.

Finally, the Prophet possessed the quality of magnanimity in its fullness. His soul displayed a grandeur which every devout Muslim feels. He is for the Muslim nobility and magnanimity personified.

Strength, Nobility and Serenity

To focus more sharply on the personality of the Prophet, the qualities can be enumerated as strength, nobility and serenity or inner calm.

Strength is outwardly manifested in the little holy war and inwardly in the great holy war. It is this great jihad which is of particular spiritual significance as a war against all those tendencies which pull the soul of man away from the Centre and Origin and bar him from the grace of heaven.

The nobility or generosity of the Prophet shows itself most of all in charity towards all men and more generally towards all beings.

The aspect of serenity, which also characterizes all true expressions of Islam, is essentially the love of truth. It is to put the Truth before everything else. It is to be impartial, to be logical on the level of discourse, not to let one's emotions color and prejudice one's intellectual judgment. It is not to be a rationalist, but to see the truth of things and to love the Truth above all else. To love the Truth is to love God who is the Truth, one of His Names being the Truth [al-haqq].

In Islam, when one thinks of the Prophet who is to be emulated, it is the image of a strong personality that comes to mind, who is severe with himself and with the false and the unjust, and charitable towards the worlds that surrounds him. On the basis of these two virtues of strength and sobriety on the one hand and charity and generosity on the other, he is serene, extinguished in the Truth.

He is that warrior on horseback who halts before the mountain of Truth, passive towards the Divine Will, active towards the world, hard and sober towards himself and kind and generous towards the creatures about him.

The second Shahadah, Muhammadun rasul Allah [Muhammad is the Prophet of God] thus implies by its sound the power, generosity and serenity of reposing in the Truth characteristic of the Prophet. This repose in the Truth is not based on a flight from the world but on a penetration into it in order to integrate and organize it. The spiritual castle in Islam is based on the firm foundations of harmony within human society and in individual human life.

Hadith and Sunnah

How can the Prophet become a guide for human life, and his life, deeds and thoughts serve as a guide for the Muslim in this terrestrial journey? The answer to this fundamental question, which concerns al the individual and collective life of Muslims of later generations, lies in the sayings which he left behind and which are known as Hadith and his daily life and practice known as Sunnah.

When man meets an extraordinary person he carries the impression of this meeting always. This end is achieved through the fresh interpretation that each generation makes of his life [siyar], through the litanies and chants repeated in his priase [mada'ih] and though the celebrations marking his birth [mawlid] or other joyous occasions.

The Hadith literature, in both Sunni and Shi'ite sources, is a monumental treasury of wisdom which is at once a commentary upon the Qur'an and a complement to its teachings. The prophetic sayings concern every domain from pure metaphysics to table manners. In addition, in this literature many questions pertaining to metaphysics, cosmology, eschatology and the spiritual life are discussed. Altogether, after the Qur'an, the Hadith and the prophetic Sunnah which is closely bound to it are the most precious source of guidance which Islamic society possesses, and along with the Qur'an they are the fountainhead of all Islamic life and thought.

The Hadith is, after the Qur'an, the most important source of both the Law, Shari'ah, and the Spiritual way, Tariqah. And it is the vital integrating factor in Muslim society, for the daily lives of millions of Muslims the world over have been modelled upon the prophetic Sunnah and Hadith.

Through the Hadith and Sunnah Muslims come to know both the Prophet and the message of the Qur'an. Without Hadith much of the Qur'an would be a closed book. We are told in the Qur'an to pray but were it not for prophetic Sunnah we would not know how to pray. Something as fundamental as the daily prayers which are the central rite of Islam would be impossible to perform without the guidance of the prophetic practice. This applies to a thousand and one other situations so that it is almost unnecessary to emphasize the vital connection between the Qur'an and the practice and sayings of the Prophet whom God chose as its revealer and interpreter to mankind.

Within the vast corpus of prophetic sayings there are forty which are called 'sacred sayings' [Hadith qudsi] which are not a part of the Qur'an but in which God speaks in the first person through the Prophet. These sayings, although small in number, are of extreme importance in that they are, along with certain verses of the Qur'an, the basis of the spiritual life in Islam. Sufism is based on these sayings and many a Sufi knows them by heart and lives in constant remembrance of their message. These sayings all concern the spiritual life rather than social or political matters. They deal with man's direct relation with God.

The presence of these sayings indicate how deeply the roots of Islamic spirituality are sunk in the sources of the revelation itself. Far from being just a legal and social system devoid of a spiritual dimension, or one upon which a spiritual dimension was artificially grafted later on, Islam was, from the beginning, both a Law and a Way. The two dimensions of Islam, the exoteric and the esoteric, are best demonstrated in the case of the Prophet himself who was both the perfection of human action on the social and political plane and the prototype of the spiritual life in his inner oneness with God and in his total realization in which he saw nothing except in God and through God.

Prophetic Tradition and the Cycle of Prophecy

Prophethood is, according to the Islamic view, a state bestowed upon men whom God has chosen because of certain perfections in them by virtue of which they become the instrument though whom God reveals His message to the world. Their inspiration is directly from Heaven. A prophet owes nothing to anyone. he is not a scholar who discerns through books certain truths, nor one who learns from other human beings and in turn transmits this learning. His knowledge marks a direct intervention which is not, from the Islamic point of view, an incarnation but a theophany [tajalli]. This definition of prophethood holds true for every prophet, not just in the case of the founder of Islam.

Although all prophecy implies a meeting of the Divine and human planes, there are degrees of prophecy dependent upon the type of message revealed and the function of the messenger in propagating that message.

There is first of all the nabi, a man who brings news of God's message, a man whom God has chosen to speak to. But the message that the nabi receives is not necessarily universal. He may receive a message which is to remain within him and not be divulged openly or is meant to be imparted to only a few in the cadre of an already existing religion. Of the prophets in this sense [anbiya], there are, according to tradition, one-hundred and twenty-four thousand whom God has sent to every nation and people.

The universality of prophecy so clearly enunciated in the Qur'an means the universality of tradition, of religion. It means that all orthodox religions come from heaven and are not man-made. It also implies by its comprehensive formulation the presence of Divine revelation not only in the Abrahamic tradition but among all nations.

Among the anbiya there are those who belong to another category of prophets, or a new level of prophecy, namely those who not only receive a message from heaven but are also chosen to propagate that message for the segment of humanity providentially destined for it. The prophet with such a function is called rasul.

Above the rasul stands the prophet who is to bring a major new religion to the world, the 'possessor of firmness and determination' [ulu'l-'azm].

There are then altogether three grades of prophecy, that of the nabi, the rasul and the ulu'l-'azm. The Prophet was at once a nabi, a rasul and an ulu'l-'azm and brought the cycle of prophecy to a close. After him there will be no new Shari'ah or Divine Law brought into the world until the end of time. There are to be no revelations [wahy] after him, for he marks the termination of the prophetic cycle [da'irat al-nubuwwah].

It may on the surface appear as a great tragedy that man seems to be thus left without any possibility of renewing the truths of the revelation through new contact with the source of truth. But in reality the termination of the prophetic cycle does not mean that all possibility of contact with the Divine order has ceased. Whereas revelation [wahy] is no longer possible, inspiration [ilham] remains always as a latent possibility. Whereas the cycle of prophecy [da'irat al-nubuwwah] has come to an end, the cycle of wilayat [da'irat al-wildyah], which for want of a better term may be translated as the 'cycle of initiation' and also sanctity, continues.

Actually wilayah means the presence of this inner dimension within Islam which the Prophet inaugurated along with a new Shari'ah and which will continue to the end of time. Thanks to its presence, man is able to renew himself spiritually and gain contact with the Divine although a new revelation is no longer possible.

Far from there being a need for any new religion, which at this moment of time can only mean a pseudo-religion, the revelation brought by the Prophet contains in itself all that is needed to fulfill in every way the religious and spiritual needs of Muslims, from the common believer to the potential saint.

Universal Man

The Prophet, besides being the leader of men and the founder of a new civilization, is also the perfection of the human norm and the model for the spiritual life of Islam. He said 'I am a human being like you' [ana basharun mithlukum], to which Muslim sages over the ages have added, yes, but like a precious gem among stones [ka'l-yaqut bain al-hajar]. The profound symbolism contained in this saying is connected with the inner nature of the Prophet. All men in their purely human nature are like stones, opaque and heavy and a veil to the light that shines upon them.

The Prophet also possesses this human nature outwardly. But inwardly he has become alchemically transmuted into a precious stone which, although still a stone, is transparent before the light and has lost its opacity. The Prophet is outwardly only a human being [bashar], but inwardly he is the full realization of manhood in its most universal sense. He is the Universal Man [al-insan al-kamil], the prototype of all of creation, the norm of all perfection, the first of all beings, the mirror in which God contemplates universal existence. He is inwardly identified with the Logos and the Divine Intellect.

Islam considers all prophets as an aspect of the Universal Logos, which in its perspective is identified with the 'Reality of Muhammad' [al-haqiqat al-muhammadiyyah], which was the first of God's creation and through whom God sees all things. As the Muhammedan Reality the Prophet came before all the other prophets at the beginning of the prophetic cycle, an it is to this inner aspect of him as the Logos to which reference is made in the Hadith 'He [Muhammad] was prophet [th Logos] when Adam was still between water and clay.'

So did the cycle of Prophecy begin with the Muhammedan Reality, with the inner reality of Muhammad, while it ended with the human manifestation of him. He thus is inwardly the beginning and outwardly the end of the prophetic cycle which he synthesizes and unifies in his being. Outwardly he is a human being and inwardly the Universal Man, the norm of all spiritual perfection.

The Prophet possessed in himself that reality which later gained the technical name of Universal Man. But the 'named' was there long before this name was given to it.

Human Understanding

Behold! There was born into the world of sense the unlettered Prophet, the comely child, noble of birth, but nobler still in the grace and wisdom of human love and human understanding; dowered with the key which opened to him the enchanted palace of nature; marked out to receive -- to receive and preach in burning words the spiritual truth and message of the Most High.

Darkness to Light

Others before him had been born in darkness, beyond the reach of history; others again it pleased God to send as Messengers, preaching, working in the dim twilight of history, wherein men fashion legends after their own hearts and dimly seek a light afar, remote from the lives mean and sordid, such as they knew.

True Wisdom

But Muhammad came in the fullest blaze of history; with no learning he put to shame the wisdom of the learned; with pasture folk he lived and worked, and won their love; in hills and valleys, caves and deserts, he wandered, but never lost his way to truth and righteousness; from his pure and spotless heart the Angels washed off the dust that flew around him; through the ways of crooked city folk, he walked upright and straight, and won from them the ungrudging name of the Man of Faith who never broke his word.

Loyalty

To the Praiseworthy indeed be praise: born in the Sacred City he destroyed its superstition; loyal to his people to the core, he stood for all humanity; orphan-born and poor, he envied not the rich, and made his special care all those whom the world neglected or oppressed -- orphans, women, slaves, and those in need of food or comforts, mental solace, spiritual strength, or virtues downtrodden in the haunts of men.

Purity of Mind and Soul

His mother and his foster-mother loved and wondered at the child; his grandfather, 'Abd al Muttalib, of all his twice-eight children and their offspring, loved him best and all his sweet and gentle ways; his uncle Abu Talib, loath though he was to give up the cult of his fathers, knew well the purity of Muhammad's mind and soul, and was his stoutest champion when the other chiefs of Mecca sought to kill the man who challenged in his person their narrow Pagan selfish lives.

The Highest Cause

To his cousin 'Ali, the well beloved, born when he was thirty, he appeared as the very pattern of a perfect man, as gentle as he was wise and true and strong, the one in whose defense and aid he spent his utmost strength and skill, holding life cheap in support of a cause so high, and placing without reserve his chivalry, his prowess, his wit and learning, and his sword at the service of this mighty Messenger of God.

His Mission

Virtues & Sins

Not till the age of forty did he receive the Commission to stand forth and proclaim the Bounty of God, and His gift, to lowly Man, of knowledge by Word and Pen; but all through his years of preparation he did search the Truth: he sought it in Nature's forms and laws, her beauty and her stern unflinching ways; he sought it in the inner world of human lives, men's joys and sorrows; their kindly virtues and their sins of pride, injustice, cruel wrong, and greed of gain; scarce checked by the inner voice that spoke of duty, moral law, and higher still, the Will Supreme of God, to which the will of man must tune itself to find its highest bliss.

Seeking the Light

But he grew steadfastly in virtue and purity; untaught by men, he learned from them, and learned to teach them; even as a boy of nine, when he went in a trade caravan with Abu Talib to Syria, his tender soul marked inwardly how God did speak in the wide expanse of deserts, in the stern grandeur of rocks, in the refreshing flow of streams, in the smiling bloom of gardens, in the art and skill with which men and birds and all life sought for light from the Life of Lives, even as every plant seeks through devious ways the light of the Sun.

The Heavenly Mirror

Nor less was he grieved at Man's ingratitude when he rebelled and held as naught the Signs of God, and turned His gifts to baser uses, driving rarer souls to hermit life, clouding the heavenly mirror of pure affections with selfish passions, mad unseemly wrangles, and hard unhallowed loathsome tortures of themselves.

Honesty & Integrity

He worked, and joyed in honest labor; he traded with integrity to himself and to others; he joined the throngs of cities and their busy life, but saw its good and evil as types of an inner and more lasting life hereafter; people gladly sought his help as umpire and peacemaker because they knew his soul was just and righteous: he loved the society of old and young, but oft withdrew to solitude for Prayer and inward spiritual strength; he despised not wealth but used it for others; he was happy in poverty and used it as his badge and his pride when wealth was within his reach but not within his grasp, as a man among men.

Life-long Helpmate

At twenty-five he was united in the holy bonds of wedlock with Khadijah the Great, the noble lady who befriended him when he had no worldly resources, trusted him when his worth was little known, encouraged and understood in his spiritual struggles, believed in him when with trembling steps he took up the Call and withstood obloquy, persecution, insults, threats and tortures, and was a life-long helpmate till she was gathered to the saints in his fifty-first year -- a perfect woman, the mother of those that believe.

Peaceful Contemplation

There is a cave in the side of Mount Hira' some three miles north of the city of Mecca, in a valley which turns left from the road to 'Arafat. To which Muhammad used to retire for peaceful contemplation: often alone, but sometimes with Khadijah. Days and nights he spent there with his Lord. Hard were the problems he revolved in his mind -- harder and more cross-grained than the red granite of the rock around him -- problems not his own, but his people's, yea, and of human destiny. Of the Mercy of God, and the age-long conflict of evil and righteousness, sin an abounding Grace.

Earthly Life

Not till forty years of earthly life had passed that the veil was lifted from the Preserved Tablet and its contents began to be transferred to the tablet of his mind, to be proclaimed to the world, and read and studied for all time -- an fountain of mercy and wisdom, a warning to the heedless, a guide to the erring, an assurance to those in doubt, a solace to the suffering, a hope to those in despair -- to complete the chain of Revelation through the mouths of divinely inspired Prophets.

Sublime Knowledge

The Chosen One was in the Cave of Hira'. For two years and more he had prayed there and adored His Creator and wondered at the mystery of man with his corruptible flesh, just growing out of a clot, and the soul in him reaching out to knowledge sublime, new and ever new, taught by the bounty of God, and leading to that which man himself knoweth not. And now, behold! a dazzling vision of beauty and light overpowered his senses, and he heard the word "Iqra'!"

A Clear Mission

"Iqra'!" which being interpreted may mean "Read!" or "Proclaim!" or "Recite!" The unlettered Prophet was puzzled; he could not read. The Angel seemed to press him to his breast in a close embrace, and the cry rang clear "Iqra!" And so it happened three times; until the first overpowering sensations yielded to a collected grasp of the words which made clear his Mission; its Author, God, the Creator, its subject, Man, God's wondrous handiwork, capable, by Grace, of rising to heights sublime; and the instruments of that mission, the sanctified Pen, and the sanctified Book, the Gift of God, which men might read, or write, or study, or treasure in their souls.

Lifting the Veil

The veil was lifted from the Chosen One's eyes, and his soul for a moment was filled with divine ecstasy... when this passed, and he returned to the world of Time and Circumstance and this world of Sense, he felt like one whose eyes had seen a light of dazzling beauty, and felt dazed on his return to common sights. The darkness now seemed tenfold dark; the solitude seemed tenfold empty; the mount of Hira', henceforth known as the Mountain of Light, the mere shell of an intense memory. Was it a dream? Terror seized his limbs and he straightway sought her who shared his inmost life, and told her of his sense of exaltation, and the awful void when the curtain closed.

His First Disciples

Understanding & Comfort

She understood, rejoiced, and comforted him; gave strength to his shaken senses; wrapped up in warmth his shivering body, unused as yet to bear the strain and stress of an experience rare to mortal men. She knew it was no dream or delusion. She went and consulted her cousin Waraqah, a devout worshipper of God in the Faith of Christ, learned in spiritual lore. He listened and with her rejoiced that he, Muhammad, was God's Chosen One to renew the Faith.

Stilling the Passions

She said: 'Blessed be thou, Chosen One! Do we not see thy inner life -- true and pure? Do not all see thy outer life -- kind and gentle? -- Loyal to kin, hospitable to strangers? No thought of harm or mischief ever stained thy mind nor word ever passed thy lips that was not true or stilled not the passions of narrower men. Ever ready in the service of God, thou art he of whom I bear witness: there is no god but He, and thou art His Chosen Prophet.'

True Freedom

Khadijah believed, exalted in faith above all women; 'Ali, the well-beloved, then a child of ten, but lion-hearted, plighted his faith, and became from that moment the right hand of Islam; Abu Bakr, the Sincere, the True-hearted, the man of wealth and influence, who used both without stint for the Cause, the sober counselor, the inseparable friend, never hesitated to declare his faith; and Zayd, the freedman of Muhammad, counted his freedom as naught compared with the service of Muhammad and Islam. These were the first fruits of the mission: a woman, a child, a man of affairs, and a freedman, all banded together in the equality of Islam.

The Task Before Him

Vision of Eternity

The revelation had come, the mission and the inspiration. But what was it leading to? It was a miracle, but not in the sense of a reversing of Nature: Al Mustafa's vision was linked with Eternity, but he was no soothsayer foretelling passing events; the mysteries of knowledge were being opened out, but his message was no mere esoteric doctrine, to be grasped by a few in contemplation, fleeing from action; nor was it the practice of single or social monasticism, undisturbed by the whims or passions of life. He was asked to stand forth, to preach, to declare the One Universal God, the Gracious, the Merciful, and to lead men to the Right and forbid the Wrong.

True Power & Wealth

The wrong? -- The selfish pride of birth, the massing of power and wealth in the hands of a few, the slaughter of female infants, the orgies of gambling and drunkenness, the frauds of temples and idols and priests, the feuds and arrogance of tribes and races, the separation of Sacred and Profane, as if the unity of All Life and All Truth did not flow from the unity of God, the Most High.

Spiritual Growth

He was loyal to his family, but could he support their monopoly of power? -- To his tribe, but were the Quraysh the only creatures of God? To the temple of Mecca, but could he wink at Lat and 'Uzza, and the other monsters, whose worship killed the spiritual growth of Man? -- To the earlier Revelations, but could he hold with the superstitions and falsehoods, the dogmas and creeds which went against reason and nature, and the inner light which was now fanned into flame by the Will of God?

Shaking the Foundations

And so his very virtues an loyalties pointed to offense and conflict, mockery and misrepresentation, hatred and persecution, threats, tortures, and exile for him and his, and martyrdoms, wars, revolutions, and the shaking of the foundations of history and the social order. But Islam meant the willing submission of his will to God, the active attainment of Peace through Conflict.

The Agony of Submission

And he gave that submission, not without effort, even as Moses did before him, and Jesus in the agony of the garden of Gethsemane.

PROPHET Muhammad's (SAW) Biography

Muhammad ibnu Abdillah was born in Mecca in the year 569 CE. He earned his living as a trader and was known by his people as al-amin (the trustworthy one). When Muhammad (SAW) reached the age of 40, the angel Gabriel came to him with revelations that established his prophet-hood. Muhammad (SAW) was first ordered to instruct his immediate family on Islam, including his beloved wife Khadija, but eventually it was revealed to him that he should begin delivering the message to all of mankind. In the next 20 years of his life, he communicated the message of Allah to his people, and set an example for how each human being should lead her or his life. This is especially valuable since Muhammad (SAW) is the last Prophet of Allah. In the year 632, the year of his death, the Prophet delivered his famous last sermon.

Birth

Muhammad (SAW) (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was born in Makkah, Arabia, on Monday, 12 Rabi' Al-Awwal (2 August C.E). His mother, Aminah was the daughter of Wahb bin Abd Al-Manaf of the Zahrah family. His father, Abdullah, was the son of Abd Al-Muttalib. His genealogy has been traced to the noble house of Isma'il, the son of Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH) (May Peace be upon him) in about the fortieth descent.

Muhammad's father had died before his birth and his mother died when he was about six years old making him an orphan.

In accordance with the tradition of noble families of Makkah, he was taken by a foster mother, Halimah, to her village where he lived for a few years. During these years he was taken to Makkah several times to visit his mother. After the death of his mother, he was placed under the custody of his grandfather, Abd Al-Muttalib. When the grandfather died, he was under the care of his uncle, Abu Talib. By this time he used to look after sheep around Makkah and used to accompany his uncle on trade journeys to Syria.

Youth

In his youth he believed firmly in the Oneness of Allah (God)(SWT). He lived a very simple life and hated vanity and pride. He was compassionate to the poor, widows and orphans and shared their sufferings by helping them. He avoided all vices, which were commonly practiced among young people such as gambling, drinking wine, vulgarity and others. He was well-known as As-Sadiq (the truthful) and Al-Amin (the trustworthy). He was always trusted as a mediator between two conflicting parties in his homeland, Makkah.

Marriage

When he was about 25 years old, his uncle urged him to work with the caravan which belonged to a wealthy widow named Khadijah. He accepted and undertook the journey to Syria. He conducted business with such prudence and sense of duty that he returned with larger profit than usual. Khadijah was so impressed by the honest and attractive personality of Muhammad (PBUH) that she offered to marry him which Muhammad (PBUH) accepted. This marriage was a happy one. They had children. Khadijah was so far his only wife until she died at the age of 51.

Prophethood

Muhammad (PBUH) was born amidst a polytheistic (unbeliever) society. He was saddened and sick of the corrupt society around him. He often went to Hira cave in the mountain near Makkah, later known as Jabal An-nur (the mountain of Light) where he meditated and pondered over the prevailing darkness brought about by ignorance. There he often remained deep in thought in communion with the unseen yet All-Pervading God of the Universe.

One night, while he was meditating in the Hira cave, the Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him. The Angel aroused him and his mighty voice reverberated in his ears. He was perplexed and did not know what to do. He was asked to read. He replied: "I cannot read!" The Angel repeated three times asking Muhammad (PBUH) to read, but he replied the same answer. Finally the Angel asked:

[Read in the name of your Lord , who created man from a clot. Read in the name of your God, the Most Bountiful, who taught by means of the pen, and taught man what he did not know.] (Qur'an 96: 1-5)

This was the first revelation received by Muhammad (PBUH). He was 40 years old at that time. The revelation continued to come to him from time to time in a period of 23 years.

These series of revelation were arranged according to the divine guidance given to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and later collected in the form of a Mushaf (book) the Qur'an (Reading). Most of its verses have clear meaning. Some verses are interpreted in conjunction with other verses and some others were interpreted by the Prophet (PBUH) himself through his words, actions and agreements which are known as his Sunnah (Traditions).

The Qur'an and the Sunnah together constitute the guidance and way of life for those who submit their life to Allah (God) (SWT). People who follow this guidance and way of life are guaranteed by Allah (SWT) to be saved in this world and the Hereafter.

Challenges

When the Prophet (PBUH) called the people to the way of Allah, not many people listened to his call. Most of them were members of his family and from the low class society. Among them were Khadijah, Ali, Zayd and Bilal. When he intensified his mission (da'wah: Call to Islam) by publicly announcing the religion he preached, he won more followers but at the same time had to face many challenges from the nobles and leaders who found their position being threatened and jeopardized. They stood together, under the pretext of defending the religion of their ancestors, to fight the new religion.

The morale of the few people who embraced Islam was heightened when a small group of the respected people of Makkah joined the religion.

Notable among them were `Uthman bin `Affan, Zubair bin Al-`Awwam, `Abd Ar-Rehman bin `Awf, Talhah bin `Ubaydullah, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, Arqam bin Abi Arqam, `Ubaydullah bin Harith, Sa'id bin Zayd, `Amr bin Nufail, Fatimah (the wife of Nufail), Asma binti Abu Bakr, `Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Ja'far bin Abi Thalib (May Allah be pleased with them) and many others. Before this group, Abu Bakr was the first among the earlier followers that impressed the Prophet (PBUH) very much. The Prophet (PBUH) said about him: "I never invited anyone to the faith who did not display any hesitation in embracing it except Abu Bakr. When I had offered Islam, he showed no hesitation at all in accepting it."

As the result of these challenges from the Makkan unbelievers, some Muslims were subjected to torture, persecutions, isolations and boycotts. The Prophet (PBUH) had to be patient and had to look for the protection of Muslims. He asked Negus, King of Ethiopia to allow Muslims to migrate to his country. Negus welcomed the Muslims emigrants in his territory and refused to hand them over to the Makkan unbeliever rulers.

Migration (Hijrah)

By the end of the Makkan period, the Prophet (PBUH) lost two people who were dear to him. They were his most affectionate uncle, Abu Talib, and his faithful and loving wife, Khadijah. After their deaths, the Makkans felt free to do what they wanted to impose to the Prophet and his followers.

In many Makkah was the Ka'bah (the Holy Mosque), which was built by Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) centuries before as a holy place to worship Allah (SWT), the One. But in the course of time, the place had been converted by unbelievers to the worship of objects other than Allah (SWT). People added to it many tradition of their own. They used to visit this place for a few months in a year for pilgrimage. They came from all parts of Arabia, representing various famous tribes. The pilgrimage, inspite of its religious bearing, constituted for the Arabs a yearly festival where people met and indulge in their cultural activities. The Prophet (PBUH) took this opportunity to spread Islam.

Among those who were interested in his call, were a group of people from Yathrib (Madina) in the North of Arabia. They met secretly with the Prophet (PBUH) and a few Muslims from Makkah in a village called `Aqabah. After becoming Muslims, they took an oath of allegiance to protect Islam, the Prophet and the Makkan Muslims.

The following year, the group of Muslims from Yathrib came again to Makkah. They met the Prophet (PBUH) at the same place where they previously met. This time, `Abbas bin Abd Al-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle who was himself not a Muslim yet, was present at the meeting. They invited the Prophet (PBUH) and the Muslims from Makkah to emigrate to Yathrib. They promised to treat them as true brothers and sisters. A long dialogue was held between the Muslims of Yathrib with the Prophet's uncle to make sure that they really wanted to welcome the Makkan Muslims in their town. The Prophet (PBUH) agreed at the end to emigrate to the new land.

Upon knowing that, the Muslims had planned to leave Makkah, the Makkan unbelievers tried to stop the immigration but the first group had already migrated to Yathrib. The Makkans had fearthat the movement to Yathrib would give the Muslims a new base to spread Islam.

Within two months nearly all Muslims fMakkah, except the Prophet, Abu Bakr, Ali and a few helpless people had migrated. The Makkans then decided to kill the Prophet (PBUH). They made a plan for this purpose, but Allah (SWT) had made another plan over them, to quote the Qur'an. With various tactics and a good planning, the Prophet finally arrived peacefully in Yathrib, which was later known as Madinat Ar-Rasul (The city of the Prophet).

New Era

In Madinah the Prophet (PBUH) was able to work freely in spreading Islam. The followers of Islam increased day after day. But the threat by the Makkans did not stop. A few physical confrontations with the Makkans were ensued. Sometimes the battles were won by the Muslims, and sometimes by the Makkans. The Prophet (PBUH) also engaged in battles with the Byzantine and Persian powers that were jeopardizing the existence of Islam from the north and the east. But confrontation with the Makkans stopped for a while after the treaty of Hudaibiyah had been signed between the Muslims and the unbeliever Makkans.

During the Madinah period, the Muslims also established treaties with the Jews of Madinah and the tribes around the city. The Jews broke the treaty, which led to their expulsion out of the Arabian peninsula.

In Madinah, the Prophet (PBUH) succeeded in establishing Islam as a way of life in its true meaning. He was not only giving guidance on purely religious matters such as salat (prayers), zakat (almsgiving), Saum (fasting) and Hajj (pilgrimage) and examples in these matters, and also provided Muslims with rules and laws covering social, economic, political fields.

Emissaries Entertained in Madinah

It was in Madinah that the Prophet (PBUH) received envoys and emissaries from various tribes and nationals, asking matters of various sorts, demanding dialogues, negotiations etc. Among the emissaries were an envoy representing the Christian community in Najran (South Arabia). The Prophet (PBUH) welcomed them, entertained them as honoured guests and even allowed them to conduct their religious service in his city.

It was a good occasion to share each other's views on matters of religion. Some members of the envoy were deeply impressed by the treatment they received from the Muslims, thus leading them to embrace Islam.

Liberation of Makkah

The treaty of Hudaibiyah gave the Muslims a big opportunity to exemplify the true Islam in personal conduct and in relations with peoples and communities. But the peace did not stay long due to the attitude of the Makkan tribal chiefs who broke the treaty. Soon the Prophet (PBUH) marched very quietly to Makkah in the 8th year of the Hijrah (emigration) to Madinah. The Makkans gave no resistance and by the whole city surrendered to the Prophet (PBUH). He announced a general amnesty for all his enemies and treated all citizens of the city with generosity. A verse of the Qur'an was revealed on the occasion:

[ When the help of Allah and victory comes, and you see the people enter the religion of Allah in crowds. So glorify the Name of your Lord and beg His forgiveness. He, verily accept repentance.] (Qur'an 110: 1-3)

After the liberation of Makkah all the remaining hostile tribes in Arabia began to realize the reality of Islamic faith. People had seen the noble teachings of Islam. Good examples of forgiveness, tolerance, justice, fairness, steadfastness and other qualities as exemplified by the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions had left an impression in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people who became Muslims.

Farewell Pilgrimage

In time the whole Arabia had become the land of Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) intended to perform the Hajj (pilgrimage). He announced his intention to the Muslims in Madinah and the surrounding areas and asked them to join him. This was in fact the only Hajj performed by him during his life time.

On this occasion he taught those who were present with him and to the whole world about the Hajj and the divine message that Allah had entrusted him to all mankind.

At the last gathering with the Ummah (nation) during the Hajj season, the Hajj of Wada' (Farewell) a sermon was delivered by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the valley of Arafat about 81 or 82 days before his death. It contained the very fundamentals of Islam. Seated on his camel, he spoke with a clear tone and asked who heard his speech to convey it to those who were not present there. Among others he said:

"O people, lend me and attentive ear, for I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O people, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury, therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived.

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hopes that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O people, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in mildness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to commit adultery.

O people, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah (SWT), say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, and give your wealth in zakat. Perform hajj if you can afford to. You know that every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody has superiority over the other except by piety and good deeds.

Remember, one day your will appear before Allah (SWT) and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not go astray from the path of righteousness after my death.

O people, no Prophet or Messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore,

O people, and understand my words, which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my example, the Sunnah, and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness O' Allah, (SWT) that I have conveyed Your message to Your slaves."

The importance of this sermon can be seen from the Prophet's perception that this occasion may be the last one during his lifetime. He felt that this was the right time to summarize the principles of Islam to his fellow brothers and sisters.

By the perfection of this religion, it means that there's no need for humanity, and for the Muslims in particular, to look for another alternative way of life. As long as one holds fast to the two things left behind by the Prophet (the Qur'an and the Sunnah), one will never go astray.

Death

About two months after returning from Makkah for Pilgrimage, the Prophet (PBUH) became ill but he was still able to perform his prayers in the mosque and give directives to the companions. His health was deteriorating day by day. At the last moment he asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayers in the mosque, Every member of his family and every companion was worried about his health. It was on Monday, 12th Rabi'Al-Awwal, the year 11A.H., when he passed away at the age of sixty three years.

Many people did not believe that he had passed away. They thought that the Messenger of Allah would live forever. It was Abu Bakr, who had the feeling, since the Farewell Pilgrimage that the death of the Prophet (PBUH) was coming near, He convinced the congregation that the Prophet (PBUH) had actually passed away. Abu Bakr said to the congregation that if they worshipped Mu, Muhammad had died , and if they worshipped Allah (SWT), He lives forever. Then recited from the Qur'an:

"Muhammad (PBUH) is nought but a Messenger like the Messengers who had surely passed away before him: will you, then, if he dies or be slain, turn round on your heels?"

A Guidance to follow

Muhammad as a man had already died, but as a Prophet (PBUH) he left behind him a legacy in the form of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. He stressed the urgent need to hold firmly to these two sources during his farewell speech in the valley of Arafat. If people hold fast to them, they will never go astray.

The teachings he left for us if put into practice in their true spirit and proper way will bring a happy life in this world and besides the indubitable rewards that will be received by those who believed in them in the life after death. In this sense, Islam is a worldly religion which cares first for the worldly affairs of humanity. The Hereafter is merely a continuation of the worldly life. It is difficult to portend that man can be saved in the Hereafter without being saved in this world. The safe way is to follow the way shown to us by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When his wife, `Aishah, was asked by a companion about the Prophet's (PBUH) daily conduct, `Aishah replied that the conduct of the Prophet (PBUH) was the Qur'an which is the guidance from Allah and Muhammad (PBUH) was given authority by Allah to interpret it. That is why his conduct was the exemplary of human conduct. Islam as brought by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is very much misunderstood, as a religion perceived to contain souls and rituals like prayers, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimage. Thanks to the new developments in the world, Islam is now looked upon in a wider perspective than the narrow-minded view in the past.

The increased interest in Islamic studies by Muslims and non-Muslims supported by the advanced printing technology has begun to open the eyes of the world about the true teachings and intrinsic values of Islam.

Economy (Expertise and Outlook)

In the field of economic development, the goal is not material gain, but human welfare in general. Islam exhorts that the balance between the material and physical aspects, between the individual and societal needs, be maintained in order to narrow the gap between two opposite sides of human world. It is stated in the Qur'an:

"Say, who is there to forbid the beauty which Allah has brought forth for His creatures, and the good things from among the means of sustenance. Say, they are for those who believe [in Allah (SWT)] in this worldly life, to be theirs alone in the Hereafter on the Day of Resurrection ... Say, the only things my Lord forbids are the shameful deeds, be they open or secret, the sin, unjustified envy, the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Allah (SWT), and the attributing unto Allah (SWT) of aught of which you have no knowledge"

So everyone is free to conduct any business he likes outside the harmful and shameful circle he has been warned to refrain from. If he does not listen to this warning, he will be in trouble. Every good quality set as a precondition to a successful business is encouraged by Islam.

The Prophet (PBUH) himself was a businessman before he was appointed as a Prophet. His ability to run business prudently, by his fairness and truthful conduct in dealing with people had won him the heart of his employer, Khadijah who later offered him marriage. He advocated Muslims to follow the spirit of Prophet Daud's (PBUH) (David) industriousness who earned his living from his own labour. He also said that faith of a Muslim is not complete if he is not good in his profession. He said:

"If you leave matter to those who are not professional, you are waiting for a disaster".

If he works in the production line, his products must be compatible with product of other companies or factories. In order to be marketable, it must suit the taste of buyers and their standards of living. In this regard, Islam teaches not to cheat in offering the product to the market. It must be shown as it is without any publicity it does not deserve. In the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), he found many cases in market places where the merchants tried to cheat the customers. The Prophet (PBUH) said to them:

"Whoever cheats is not one of us (Muslim Book of Iman 164 and Ahmed V.3 PP 498)".

Islam laid many regulations the field of economy such as trade, leasing, business transaction, contract and others to prevent unfair dealing within the community and in the world of business at large. What is also prevented by Islam is a monopoly and exploitation by one man or one group at the expense of the others.

Cleanliness

The first thing in the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the concern for cleanliness. The concept of cleanliness in Islam covers physical and spiritual, mundane and religious domains.

Before performing any rituals prescribed by Islam, one should cleanse his body, and his dress, his place of worship and his environment should also be clean.

Prior to carrying out his prayers or starting for pilgrimage, one has to make his Wudu (ablution). If he or she is in a state of impurity after having had a lawful intimate intercourse or post-natal period or other reasons, he or she has to take a complete bath by pouring clean water over the whole body.

In the case of daily prayer, every Muslim has to clean his/her private parts, face, hands, feet, mouth, nose, and ears at least five times every day for the five daily prayers. This also reminds him/her to keep his/her soul clean from unlawful deeds.

Cleanliness is not in the physical sense only. The body should be purified as well from evil doings that might harm his relationship with others and with Allah (SWT). He has to clean his mind from bad intentions or committing unlawful acts. He has to clean his heart from jealously, hypocrisy and other evil desires. He has to embody hope, truthfulness, forgiveness, compassion, holiness, the sense of brotherliness, neighborliness and other noble qualities.

He has to pay special attention to his diet against all unhealthy food medically and religiously. He has to keep his eyes, ears, tongue from evil. These are among the noble characteristics as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

To clean the wealth, Islam instituted the zakat system (way of purifying wealth). A person whose wealth has reached a certain point is obligated to pay zakat (alms) which is a duty enjoined by God and undertaken Muslims in the interest of society as a whole.

For those capable persons whose wealth does not reach the minimum chargeable rate, he can also give voluntary contribution to the needy. This does not mean that the needy should always be receiving help from the affluent ones.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

"The upper hand (giver) is better than the lower one (receiver)". Muslim Kitab Zakat No. 124

If the receiver of zakat can grasp the spirit of the Prophet's (PBUH) saying, he will try his best to be the giver instead of the receiver by endeavoring to better his life as encouraged by the teachings of Islam.

In Islam the possession of more wealth does not raise a man's dignity, nor does poverty degrade him. It is true that wealth is necessary for man to live on this earth but it is only a means, not the end. The end is happiness in life by attaining the higher values and not losing sight of in the pursuit of wealth.

Among the great virtues of Islam is the command to do good and the prohibition to do evil. The good should be preserved and the evil should be discarded. In short, Islam is actually composed of a series of commands and prohibitions. Allah the most Knowing, the Most Merciful, did not decree any law and regulations but for the good and benefit of his creatures.

The prohibition was decree because of its evil implications to humanity. The evils were created to test the human conscience and challenge their freewill in choosing between right and wrong.

All the commands and prohibitions from Allah as transmitted through His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was intended to purify the human soul in order to live a pure and clean life adored by Allah (SWT) and human beings.

Orderliness

One of the teachings of Islam is about orderlin. Discipline, regulation, management, planning and all other terms relating to organization are mostly considered as alien to Islam. On the contrary, Islam exhorts people to live in orderliness and to put the right thing in the right place. The foundation of Islamic order rests on two main principles, the crucial faith in one Allah (God) and the oneness of humanity. All the frame works were laid down in the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) applied himself to working out the essential details of that order.

One of the great values taught by Islam in this regard is to make use of the time left to humanity. The Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophetic traditions) mentioned about time, day, week, month, year and century. People are lost if they did not spend the time available to them during this life for good things. It is a great loss if people have to waste the valuable time they have at their disposal for useless activities. It is true that life should be enjoyable but not at the expense of human resources and values which are essential for the continuation of their well-being.

Allah the Most Knowing had created time and space suitable for human activities for they can attain achievements in life. There are times for work, study, recreation, resting and even celebration. All are parts of activities in worshipping Allah (SWT) and serving His cause. The Qur'an says that Allah (SWT) had created the day for earning and night for resting and enjoyment. He created the sun, the moon and all outer-space objects so that man on the earth can fix the time and arrange the calendar. By having standard time and standard calendar and the movements of astronomical objects, people are able to regulate their timetable in choosing the right moment for them in doing business and carrying out their activities.

Islam prescribes certain times for the daily prayers, certain month for the obligatory fasting and certain time in one's life time for performing the Hajj or pilgrimage which indicates that the religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) places the life of Muslims in systematic order. For every move and occasion made by Muslims there is a rule governing it, be it in the form of advice, spiritual guidance or practical directive. If all these directives are followed and understood properly, people will have high discipline and a well-managed life.

Islam encourages people to think correctly before taking any decision. This means planning. There are many verses in the Qur'an admonishing against doing things unthinkingly and jumping to conclusions.

The Prophet (PBUH) also showed a good example in fulfilling promise and staying true to treaty, agreement or contract made between parties.

As a man of honour he always remained true to the principles agreed in the treaty, depicting his high discipline and inclination of doing everything in proper order.

Friendliness

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a warmhearted and faithful friend. He loved his companions. He extended greeting to those he knew and to those he did not know. He treated all people around him with kindness and affection.

He was very courteous to all those who met him. He never contradicted anybody who is not opposed to the teachings of Islam. He treated equally the humble and the lofty. He claimed no distinction and lived amongst his companions as if he was not their leader.

Neighborliness

He regarded the neighbors as brother and sisters because of their closeness and living in the same vicinity. He once smelt the aroma of the soup cooked by his wife. He told her to give some of it to the neighbours who also smelt it. He said it was not right a Muslim to sleep with a full stomach after having had a good meal but let his neighbour starve. He laid down the foundation for a friendly relation and co-operation among neighbours exemplifying that living as a neighbour, one has one's right and responsibility.

In regard to the rights of a neighbour, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

"Gibreel (PBUH) used to advise me to take good care of the neighbour until I thought he would make him my heit." (Bukhari Kitab Al Adab No. 28 and Muslim Kitab Al Bir No. 146)

Goodwill

He was a good exemplar to those who subscribe to a harmonious society. Islam exhorts people not to violate the rights of others and injure their interest, but should positively cooperate with each other and establish a mutual relationship and social cohesion.

To safeguard the unity and solidarity of the nation and to achieve the welfare and well-being of the community, Muslims have been enjoined to avoid mutual hostility, social dissension, backbiting one another, and hurting others with their hand or tongue.

Islam as brought by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) exhorts Muslims to visit the sick, to help to the needy and assist the weak. Islam makes no discrimination on the basis of race, colour or language. Its appeal is to the entire humanity.

Respect for Women

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) brought changes for the betterment of womens conditions.

Woman is recognized by Islam as a full and equal partner of man in the procreation of humankind. He is the father, she is the mother, and both are essential for life. Her role is no less vital than his. By this partnership she has an equal share in every aspect; she is entitled to equal rights; she undertakes equal responsibilities, and in her there are many qualities and so much humanity as there are in her partner.

She is equal to man in bearing personal and common responsibilities and in receiving rewards for her deeds.

She is equal to man in the pursuit of education and knowledge.

Islam enjoined the seeking of knowledge upon Muslim, it makes no distinction between man and woman, who is entitled to freedom of expression as much as man is. Her sound opinions are taken into consideration and cannot be disregarded just because she is a female.

Islam grants woman equal rights to contract, to enterprise, to earn and possess independently. Her life, her property, her honor are as sacred as those of man.

Islam has also given woman a share of inheritance. Before Islam, she was not only deprived of that share, but was herself considered as property to be inherited by man.

Statesmanship

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) arrived at Madinah, he initiated the formation of an Islamic state. After establishing politics, brotherhood and the authority of the state of Madinah, he began negotiations with various tribes around the city and made treaties with them.

When the Makkan unbelievers launched a series of attacks on Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was able to confront them, and when the Makkans were finally defeated in the battle of Al-Khandaq (Trenches), he was able to make truce with them at Hudaibiyah for ten years. This treaty was a masterpiece of practical statesmanship on the part of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

His diplomacy in sending and receiving envoys to and from the various chiefs of tribes and foreign rulers, his fairness in conducting judiciary, and his general pardon at the liberation of Makkah, was another proof of his lofty statesmanship.

The State he established in Madinah was not a matter of chance. It was the very nature of his mission that he would establish a state to enforce the way of Allah. People might accept a new faith but it would take time to change their habits, custom and ways of life. And even if a small group of people succeeded in changing their ways of life there would be many others who would not let these people practice their belief and try to stop them by force. So the Islamic State became an urgent necessity to protect the Islamic way of life.

The State founded by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was built physical force, as every state must necessarily be, to fulfill its function of stopping aggression and oppression.

A democratic system in Islam is expressed through the term shura (council). The Qur'an translation reads:

[ And those who respond to their Lord and keep up prayer and their affairs [of government] by counseling among themselves and who spend out of what We have given them.] (Qur'an 42: 38)

Summary

The Prophet is human equilibrium which has become extinct in the Divine Truth. He marks the establishment of harmony and equilibrium between all tendencies present in man, his sensual, social, economic, political tendencies, which cannot be overcome unless the human state itself is transcended. He displays the integration of these tendencies and forces with the aim of establishing a basis which naturally leads towards contemplation and extinction in the Truth. His spiritual way means to accept the human condition which is normalized and sanctified as the ground for the most lofty spiritual castle.

The spirituality of Islam of which the Prophet is the prototype is not the rejection of the world but the transcending of it through its integration into a Centre and the establishment of a harmony upon which the quest for the Absolute is based. The Prophet in these qualities that he displayed so eminently is at once the prototype of human and spiritual perfection and a guide towards its realization.

The Prophet is the perfection of both the human collectivity and the human individual, the norm for the perfect social life and the prototype and guide for the spiritual life. He is both the Universal Man and the Primordial Man [al-insan al-qadim].

The Prophet possessed eminently both the human [nasuf] and spiritual [lahut] natures, and for this very reason his example makes possible the presence of a spiritual way in Islam. He was the perfect ruler, judge and leader of men. He was the creator of the most perfect Muslim society in comparison with which every later society is a falling away. But he was in addition the prototype of the spiritual life. That is why it is absolutely necessary to follow in his footsteps if one aspires towards spiritual realization.

The love of the Prophet is incumbent upon all Muslims and especially upon those who aspire towards the saintly life. This love must not be understood in an individualistic sense. Rather, the Prophet is loved because he symbolizes that harmony and beauty that pervade all things, and displays in their fullness those virtues, the attainment of which allow man to realize his theomorphic nature.

References:

-Abdul Hamid Siddique, The life of Muhammad. Beirut: Dar El Fath.

-Afzalur Rehman, Muhamma, Blessing for Mankind.

-London: The Muslim Schools Trust London.

-Ministry of Religious Affairs Pakistan, Universality of the Prophet's Message.

-Mohammed Hussein Hikal, Hayat Mohammed. Cairo: Dar Al Ma'arif.