Prophethood in Islam

Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance.

According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah had chosen from every nation a prophet or more to covey His Message to people.

One might ask: How were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?

Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes which are usually corrected by revelation.

He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. 

Dates in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet

The date fruit and tree were dear to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the word “date” is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an more than 20 times.

While the date palm tree is called “nakhl,” the fruit is called “tamr” in Arabic.

The date palm, mentioned more than any other fruit-bearing plant in the Qur’an, is a symbol often associated with Islam and Muslims. Throughout the month of Ramadan, dates are a common ingredient in the Muslim diet.

The Prophet said: “Break your fast by eating dates as it is purifying,” (Ahmad).

On the basis of this Hadith, Muslims insist on breaking their fasts with dates. However, in another Hadith, the Prophet said, “If you have a date, break your fast with it, if you don’t have it, break the fast with water as it is purifying.” (Abu Dawood)

According to another Hadith, “The Messenger said: Ajwah dates are from Paradise.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Ajwah is one of the excellent varieties of dates grown in the Madinah region.

In Surah Maryam of the Holy Qur’an, Allah provided Prophet Isa’s (peace be upon him) mother Maryam (peace be upon her) with fresh dates when she was experiencing discomfort and pain during the final stages of her pregnancy.

“Shake the trunk of the palm toward you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you.” (Surah Maryam: verse 25)

Some Hadiths (Sayings) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

About making peace among people

1-Narrated Abu-Huraira : Allah’s Messenger said: (One should give in charity for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) every day the sun rises. To judge justly between two people is regarded as giving in charity, and to help a man concerning his amount, by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as giving in charity, to say a good word is also giving in charity, every step taken on one’s way to offer the compulsory prayer(in the mosque) is also giving in charity, and to remove a harmful thing from the pathway is also giving in charity.) – (Bukhari)

2-Narrated Asama`a bint Yazeed: Allah’s Messenger said: (Lying is permissible as regards three affairs: a husband taking to his wife to please her, a warrior in regards to matter concerning war, and man (mediator) trying to reconcile between people. )

About the supremacy of the weak Muslims

1-Abu-Huraira narrated the story of the woman who used to sweep the mosque. He said that the Prophet asked about her and the (companions) told him that she had died. The Messenger of Allah then said: why did you not inform me? Abu-Huraira said that it appeared as if they had treated her as of a little of importance. The Messenger of Allah said : show me her grave. They did as he requested and the Prophet performed the funeral prayer of her.

About the neighbor’s rights

1- Narrated A`isha,may Allah be pleased with her, (the prophet said: Gabriel kept in recommending me to treat the neighbor kindly till I thought he will make him an heir. )

2- Narrated Abo Shorayh: the Prophet said : by Allah, he does not believe! by Allah, he does not believe! by Allah, he does not believe! It was said, who is that, o Allah`s Messenger? He said: that person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil. It was narrated that a man came to Ibn Mas`oud and said; I have a neighbor that hurts me, abuse me, and annoy me. He said: go (pardon me). If he disobeyed Allah regarding you, obey Allah regarding him.

3- Narrated Abo Horayrah: a man said: Messenger of Allah! So and so (a woman) performs the prayer too much, observe fasting too much, and give Az-Zakah too much but she hurts her neighbors with her tongue? He said: she is in Hellfire.

Personal Character

Generally speaking and particularly within Islam there is nothing better and more encouraged than perfecting one’s character. The life of the Prophet Muhammed ,peace and blessing be upon him, was wholly focused on the importance of knowing and living life as the perfect example of good character and it is his character we strive to exemplify as far as it is possible.

For those who accept Islam as their new found faith is encouraged to direct attention towards being more aware of and therefore shedding any bad personal traits in favour of good and virtuous ones.

Trust, humility, truth, mercy, tenderness, forgiveness, patience, modesty and generosity are but a few recommended values which should prevail when dealing with humanity and indeed all of God’s creation.

Tempering negative characteristics is recommended in order to develop meaningful, lasting and fruitful relationships that will enhance personal well being and that of society at large.

Making mischief, singling out individuals to become the focus of ridicule, laughing at or jeering others, racial or intolerant attitudes towards individuals is not the behaviour expected and therefore should not be accepted of a Muslim.

We must love other to be loved by God

Man is not only a social animal but a spiritual one. This spirituality stems from the fact that he was created by God, who had blown his spirit into him. Thus, while our body is a container of the soul, which is attached to earthly matters, the soul, with its essence of the spirit, always longs to be united with the Creator.

One of the meanings of the word Islam is surrender, and human life is nothing but surrender. We had no choice when our souls were created, nor did we have a choice when they were united with the flesh in our mother's womb. We had no choice living as a fetus and after birth were dependent on our parents and others around us.

The Quran states: "When God comprehended in his design heavens and earth and asked them to come together willingly or unwillingly, they said we come together in willing obedience." Human longing for union with God is no different from a child who got separated from his mother in a mall and then finds her and runs back to her folds.

It has been said that it is not man who is the seeker but it is he who is being sought. For this union of soul to take place with its Creator, one must achieve the state of peaceful bliss.

Muhammad's Conduct and Morals as Evidence of his Prophethood

The evidence of prophethood in Islam stands alone in this theme. Never before the advent of Muhammad, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, was the moral perfection an evidence of prophethood. Here are some reasons for that:

1. The Holy Qur’an praises the Prophet’s morals. The Almighty Allah says:

"And verily, you [O Muhammad] are on an exalted [standard of] character." (Qur’an, 68:4)

He mentions that the Prophet’s good morals and conduct made his companions gather around him. The Almighty Allah says:

"…And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you…" (Qur’an 3:159)

2. The perfect character is a miracle, as many people try hard to achieve that but cannot.

3. The perfect morals necessitates truthfulness which in turn necessitates acceptance of speech, and since the most important element in prophethood is telling and accepting of the news, the perfect character is an evidence of Messengership.

4. In confirming the Prohet’s perfect morals and conduct there is a strong answer to the invective accusing the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, of bad morals that made him unqualified to have the honour of Prophethood (according to accusers).

The Prophesy of Prophet Muhammad in Buddhist Scriptures

1. Buddha prophesised the advent of a Maitreya:

A) Almost all Buddhist books contain this prophecy. It is in Chakkavatti Sinhnad Suttanta D. III, 76:

"There will arise in the world a Buddha named Maitreya (the benevolent one) a holy one, a supreme one, an enlightened one, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe:

"What he has realized by his own supernatural knowledge he will publish to this universe. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at its climax, glorious at the goal, in the spirit and the letter.

He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and thoroughly pure; even as I now preach my religion and a like life do proclaim. He will keep up the society of monks numbering many thousands, even as now I keep up a society of monks numbering many hundreds".

B) According to Sacred Books of the East volume 35 pg. 225:

"It is said that I am not an only Buddha upon whom the leadership and order is dependent. After me another Buddha maitreya of such and such virtues will come. I am now the leader of hundreds; he will be the leader of thousands ."

C) "According to the Gospel of Buddha by Carus pg. 217 and 218 (From Ceylon sources):

Muhammad (pbuh) prophesised in Bhavishya Purana

According to Bhavishya Purana in the Prati Sarag

 Parv III Khand 3 Adhay 3 Shloka 5 to 8 :

"A malecha (belonging to a foreign country and speaking a foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear with his companions. His name will be Mohammad. Raja (Bhoj) after giving this Maha Dev Arab (of angelic disposition) a bath in the Panchgavya and the Ganga water (i.e. purifying him of all sins) offered him the present of his sincere devotion and showing him all reverence said, "I make obeisance to thee. O ye! The pride of mankind, the dweller in Arabia, Ye have collected a great force to kill the Devil and you yourself have been protected from the malecha opponents."

The Prophecy clearly states:

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The name of the Prophet as Mohammad.

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He will belong to Arabia. The Sanskrit word Marusthal means a sandy track of land or a desert.

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Special mention is made of the companions of the Prophet, i.e. the Sahabas. No other Prophet had as many companions as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

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He is referred as the pride of mankind (Parbatis nath). The Glorious Qur’an reconfirms this

"And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character" [Al-Qur'an 68:4]

"Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah, a beautiful pattern (of conduct)". [Al-Qur'an 33:21]

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He will kill the devil, i.e. abolish idol worship and all sorts of vices.

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The prophet will be protected against his enemies.

Some people may argue that Raja Bhoj mentioned in the prophecy lived in the 11th century C.E. 500 years after the advent of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and was the descendant in the 10th generation of Raja Shalivahan. These people fail to realise that there was not only one Raja of the name Bhoj. The Egyptian Monarchs were called as Pharaoh and the Roman Kings were known as Caesar, similarly the Indian Rajas were given the title of Bhoj. There were several Raj Bhoj who came before the one in 11th Century C.E.

Muhammad - The Most Influential Man in History

My choice of Muhammad 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 religious and secular levels. Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. 

Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive. The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations. Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning. 

Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was illiterate. His economic position improved when, at age twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow. Nevertheless, as he approached forty, there was little outward indication that he was a remarkable person. 

Most Arabs at that time were pagans, who believed in many gods. There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. When he was forty years old, Muhammad became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him, and had chosen him to spread the true faith. 

For three years, Muhammad preached only to close friends and associates. Then, about 613, he began preaching in public. As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. In 622, fearing for his safety, Muhammad fled to Medina (a city some 200 miles north of Mecca), where he had been offered a position of considerable political power. 

This flight, called the Hegira, was the turning point of the Prophet's life. In Mecca, he had had few followers. In Medina, he had many more, and he soon acquired an influence that made him a virtual dictator. During the next few years, while Muhammad's following grew rapidly, a series of battles were fought between Medina and Mecca. This was ended in 630 with Muhammad's triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror. The remaining two and one-half years of his life witnessed the rapid conversion of the Arab tribes to the new religion.

Prophet Muhammad: Giving light to humanity

Islam attaches much importance to attending mosques for congregational prayers, which are the best way to offer all five daily obligatory prayers. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged his followers to attend congregational prayers in mosques, using every method to make them eager to do so. He is authentically reported to have said: “As one walks to the mosque, every time he lifts one foot to make a step, he is credited with one good deed, a sin is removed from him and his standing (with God) is raised one step.”

Muslims are instructed in the Qur’an to follow the Prophet’s guidance in every way. He provides guidance to enlighten their lives. Indeed, he was keen to have light in every step. Ibn Abbas reports that when the Prophet went out to the mosque for the congregational prayer, after he had heard the call to prayer, i.e. adhan, he used to supplicate: “My Lord, give me light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my eyesight, and give me light behind me and in front me. 

Grant me light.” God certainly granted him his wish, and he became, as the Qur’an describes, “one who calls people to God by His leave and a light-giving beacon.” (33: 46) We wonder what humanity would be like had it been bereft of Muhammad, his purity of heart, his enlightened insight and his message that has regenerated purity into the monotheistic faith, purging it of any alien trace of falsehood?

Prophet Muhammad was attached, heart and soul, to the mosque. He made such attachment a pleasant hope for every Muslim. By his practice, he fulfilled the prayer of Abraham, his great ancestor, as he prayed: “My Lord, cause me and (some of) my offspring to establish regular prayers.” (14: 40) According to one report, when Muhammad entered the mosque, he used to say: “I seek shelter with God, the Great, His noble face and everlasting power against Satan, the accursed.” He said: “When a Muslim says this, Satan says: ‘this person has ensured safety from me for the rest of the day.” Another report mentions that when the Prophet entered the mosque, he said: “All praise be to God. My Lord, forgive me and open to me the gates of Your grace,” and when he left, he again praised God and sought forgiveness, adding, “My Lord, open to me the gates of Your bounty.” There is an interesting difference in the two supplications: As one enters the mosque to offer worship, one is looking to the hereafter when God’s grace ensures acceptance, forgiveness and heavenly reward. When one leaves the mosque, one is resuming life affairs where he is in need of God’s bounty.

Prophet Muhammad: A Man of Character

Now that we know we must love the Prophet what true love is, and what the signs of love are, we must begin to actually build this love.

The longest lasting love is a love of someone’s perfection in noble inner qualities. So we will now begin to go through snapshots of the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

For forty years prior to the revelation, the Prophet Muhammad was indisputably known to be of sound morals. Amongst his tribe he was known as “As-Sadeeq Al-Ameen,” meaning the honest and trustworthy one. The fact that he was given this name can mean one of two things:

1. Either his honesty and trustworthy nature surpassed all others, or

2. At the time, it was rare to find someone who was honest and trustworthy; therefore his nature was unique and treasured as such.

There are many instances in the seerah (Prophetic biography) that illustrate the moral soundness of the Prophet Muhammad. One of these stories exemplifies the strength of the trust people had in him. It happened near the beginning of his prophethood. He summoned the people of Quraysh to the foot of a mountain and called out to them, saying: “Would you believe me if I told you an enemy host was waiting behind this hill to attack you?” Everyone, including those who would soon become his enemies, agreed that they would believe him.

Although we may have heard this story many times, it may be difficult to grasp the true significance of that moment; an entire tribe agreed that they would prepare for a battle with an enemy they had not seen, using their precious time, and risking their resources – based on the words of one man. Allahu Akbar! (God is great)

Principles of Success in the light of the life of Prophet Mohammed

It is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam (saw) has been the supremely successful man in human history. But he was not just a hero, as Thomas Carlyle has called him. According to the Qur'an, he was the best example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.

By studying the life of the Prophet (saw), we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet (saw). Indeed, the Prophet of Islam (saw) was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

1. First Principle: To begin from the possible

This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah (ra). She said: "Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier choice." (Al-Bukhari) To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.

2. Second Principle: To see advantage in disadvantage

In the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in the Qur'an was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94:5-6).

This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail the opportunities.

3. Third Principle: To change the place of action

This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Mecca to Medina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

4. Fourth Principle: To make a friend out of an enemy

The Prophet (saw) of Islam was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time the Qur'an enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as the Qur'an added, "You will see your direst enemy has become your closest friend" (41:34).

It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet (saw) is a historical proof of this principle.

5. Fifth Principle: To turn minus into plus

After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet (saw) announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam (saw): He faced adversity with the determination to writing success out of failure.

Mohammed The Prophet

In the desert of Arabia was Mohammad born, according to Muslim historians, on April 20, 571. The name means highly praised. He is to me the greatest mind among all the sons of Arabia. He means so much more than all the poets and kings that preceded him in that impenetrable desert of red sand.

When he appeared Arabia was a desert -- a nothing. Out of nothing a new world was fashioned by the mighty spirit of Mohammad -- a new life, a new culture, a new civilization, a new kingdom which extended from Morocco to Indies and influenced the thought and life of three continents -- Asia, Africa and Europe.

When I thought of writing on Mohammad the prophet, I was a bit hesitant because it was to write about a religion I do not profess and it is a delicate matter to do so for there are many persons professing various religions and belonging to diverse school of thought and denominations even in same religion. Though it is sometimes, claimed that religion is entirely personal yet it can not be gain-said that it has a tendency to envelop the whole universe seen as well unseen. It somehow permeates something or other our hearts, our souls, our minds their conscious as well as subconscious and unconscious levels too. The problem assumes overwhelming importance when there is a deep conviction that our past, present and future all hang by the soft delicate, tender silked cord. If we further happen to be highly sensitive, the center of gravity is very likely to be always in a state of extreme tension. Looked at from this point of view, the less said about other religion the better. Let our religions be deeply hidden and embedded in the resistance of our innermost hearts fortified by unbroken seals on our lips.

But there is another aspect of this problem. Man lives in society. Our lives are bound with the lives of others willingly or unwillingly, directly or indirectly. We eat the food grown in the same soil, drink water, from the same the same spring and breathe the same air. Even while staunchly holding our own views, it would be helpful, if we try to adjust ourselves to our surroundings, if we also know to some extent, how the mind our neighbor moves and what the main springs of his actions are. From this angle of vision it is highly desirable that one should try to know all religions of the world, in the proper sprit, to promote mutual understanding and better appreciation of our neighborhood, immediate and remote.

Further, our thoughts are not scattered as appear to be on the surface. They have got themselves crystallized around a few nuclei in the form of great world religions and living faiths that guide and motivate the lives of millions that inhabit this earth of ours. It is our duty, in one sense if we have the ideal of ever becoming a citizen of the world before us, to make a little attempt to know the great religions and system of philosophy that have ruled mankind.

On the Tip of a Muslim Tongue

1. assalaamu alaykum (Peace be upon you) - by way of greetings

2. wa alaykumus salaam (peace be upon you) - in reply to the greetings

3. bismillah (in the name of Allah) - before making a beginning

4. jazakAllah (may Allah reward you) - for expression of thanks

5. fi amanullah (may Allah protect you) - by way of saying good-bye

6. subhanAllah (glory be to Allah) - for praising something

7. insha’Allah (if Allah wishes) - for expressing a desire to do something

8. astaghfirullah (I beg Allah for forgiveness) - repenting for sins before Allah

9. ma sha’Allah (as Allah has willed) - for expressing appreciation of something good

10. alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah) - for showing gratitude to Allah after success or even after completing anything

11. ya Allah (Oh Allah) - when in pain or distress, calling upon Allah and none else

12. ameen (may it be so) - the end of a Dua or prayer

13. inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon (to Allah we belong and to Him is our return) - this is uttered as an expression of sympathy of the news of some loss or some one's death.

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Ten Things We Waste

1. Our Knowledge

Wasted by not taking action with it.

2. Our Actions

Wasted by committing them without sincerity.

3. Our Wealth

Wasted by using on things that will not bring us ajr (reward from Allah). We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things which have no benefit in this life or in the akhirah (hereafter).

4. Our Hearts

Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah (swt) and his Messenger (sallallahu 'alahi wasallam), and a feeling of peace and contentment. In it's place, our hearts are filled with something or someone else.

5. Our Bodies

Wasted because we don't use them in ibadah (worship) and service of Allah.

6. Our Love

Our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.

7. Our Time

Wasted, not used properly, to compensate for that which has passed, by doing what is righteous to make up for past deeds.

8. Our Intellect

Wasted on things that are not beneficial, that are detremental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.

9. Our Service

Wasted in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah, moreover something that will benefit us in dunya.

10. Our Dhikr (Remembrence of Allah)

Wasted, because it does not effect us or our hearts.

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Remembering Allah is Success

Our Creator, Allah has given us the precious gift of life and with it comes the freedom to live it as we desire. We are able to make our own decisions and choices in life and this freedom in itself is a gift from Allah. Our Creator knows us very well and is aware of our weaknesses and so has given us guidance on how to spend our lives so that we can be successful.

We accept that Allah is the Greatest and we hear these words every so often. However, our hearts and minds do not truly appreciate the significance of this statement. Surely, if we believe that Allah is the Greatest, we must regard the path that he has prescribed for us as the Greatest path. Therefore, the way we choose to live our lives should be based around the guidance that Allah Has given us because He is the Greatest and those who follow His divine guidance will be truly successful.

Despite knowledge and awareness of the above, we are drawn into alternative ways of life which conflict with that which Islam has recommended for us. A lifestyle which distances us from the beauty of Islam and the guidance of Allah, unfortunately becomes attractive and desirable. 

Benefits of Reciting Ayat Al-Kursi

Islam and Music

When it comes to Islam, music is a very interesting and heavily debated topic. Before I continue any further, I’d like to make it clear that my intention is not to take any side of the argument but instead to present both opinions in a short article. My aim is not to tell you what is haram (forbidden) or what is halal (permissible) but instead to explore some of the points we often debate. I’d like to add that I myself do listen to music, but I assure you that this won’t affect the neutrality of the article.

We all listen to music, so what can be wrong with it? For me, that argument is about as weak as they get, just because something is common or popular, it doesn’t become acceptable, I’ll leave the additional examples to your very own imagination. What is it about music that could potentially make it prohibited in Islam? It relaxes the mind and helps you to be calm and focused in life. No, that doesn’t seem like a major risk of listening to music. Music is difficult to define especially because it means so many different things to so many different people. There are many different types of music in the world, and if I chose to evaluate each and every type, you’d be moving to another webpage at the speed of light! So let me have a go at only one or two types of music.

Music enters the ears and moves down to the heart and eventually influences the soul. Some argue that it can control your lifestyle, your actions and your thoughts, put simply it can control you. One would ask, how might that be possible? You listen to a song written by a murderer, who kills for enjoyment, and then you go out and do exactly the same as him. Not quite, it is a little more sophisticated than that. 

A youngster spends five hours daily (remember you can do other stuff whilst listening to your tracks) listening to rap music which, just like a jam-sandwich is packed with jam, is packed with abusive language. The rap artist is a drug addict, living in a land where money grows on trees. 

Music is his voice, his frustration, anger, whatever you call it, his way of expressing himself and his heart presented in an audio format. The heart of a man (or a woman) is influenced by what he/she sees and hears, so if the youngster in our example, is constantly exposed to ‘filth’, what are the chances his mind will become corrupted? There is no rocket science in this example; it is plainly obvious that music can influence people. 

A Brief Biography of the Holy Prophet of Islam(S.A.W.)

The State of the World before Islam

When Almighty Allah sent His last and greatest Prophet, Muhammad [s], mankind was immersed in a state of degeneration. The messages of the past prophets had been distorted and ignored, civilisation was on the decline and humanity had slumped into an age of darkness, with disbelief, oppression and corruption rife everywhere. The whole world presented the gloomiest picture ever of human history. Hence, the Qur'an's terming of this chaotic state of affairs as 'Ignorance', or to put it exactly in the words the Holy Book has used 'Jahiliyah'.

Consequently it is incorrect to view 'Jahiliyah' as something of the remote past, for it is quite clear from the Qur'an's terminology that any people rejecting Divine Messengers, turning a deaf ear to the Almighty's revelations and overcome with carnal desires, can aptly be termed an ignorant lot. Therefore broadly speaking, the term 'Jahiliyah' is not limited to any particular era cut can also be applied to all similar societies irrespective of whether they existed in the past or are still found in our contemporary era, the so-called, Space Age.

Accordingly, it is easy to recognise the symptoms of 'Jahiliyah', there is oppression and corruption, because the salient features of such a society are disbelief, deviation, breach of divine commandments, spread of injustice and vices such as usury, drinking alcohol, adultery, gambling, bloodshed, moral decadence, etc. Thus any society in which such perversions prevail is without doubt 'Jahiliyah'.

Such was the sad state of affairs in which mankind lived, before Allah sent them a Prophet, describing him as a 'Mercy for the creation'. The Arabs among whom Muhammad [s] was born were fragmented into a number of heterogeneous tribes constantly engaged in internecine bloodshed. They had replaced Abraham's monotheism with the worship of idols, stars, angels and demons, turning the Ka'aba built for the One and Only Creator, into a pantheon of idols. Tribal rivalries and blood feuds, fuelled among them like the burning desert sands of Arabia.

Ignorance was not confined to the Arabs alone, for on the fringes of Arabia where the desert gives way to hospitable lands, met the ever changing borders of 'World Arrogance', the two superpowers of the age; the Persian and the Byzantine Empires. Both bidding for hegemony over the known world had bled white with wars, and despite their massive territories, it was obvious they were in their death throes.

The fire-worshipping Persians with their strange concept of dualism were further plagued by the still weirder Mazdakite doctrine which advocated communal ownership and went to such an extent as to rule women to be the common property of all men. Like Mani a few centuries earlier, who had claimed a new religion by combining the teachings of Jesus and Zoroaster, Mazdak's movement was also a reaction to the corruption of the traditional priestly class. 

Both creeds had flattered to deceive and died away after the execution of their proponents, who more or less depended on royal patronage. On the other hand the Sassanian aristocracy aligned with the Zoroastrian clergy was steeped in pleasures burdening the downtrodden masses with heavy taxes and oppression.

At the other end was the Byzantine World, which though claiming to profess a divinely revealed religion had in fact polluted the monotheist message of Prophet Jesus [a] with the sediments of ancient Greek and Roman pagan thoughts, resulting in the birth of a strange creed called Christianity. 

Way back in 381 A.D., the Greco-Roman Church council had declared as heresy, the doctrine of Arius of Alexandria, to which most of the eastern provinces of the empire adhered, and in its place the council had coined the absurd belief that God and Jesus are of one substance and therefore co-existent. Arius and his followers had held the belief in the uniqueness and majesty of God, Who alone, they said has existed since eternity, while Jesus was created in time.

Throughout the 5th and 6th centuries the church continued to be racked by a myriad of controversies over its illogical attempts to define the alleged dual (divine and human) nature of Jesus in the light of Greek mythology and Persian Mithraism, the influence of both of which was quite visible on the Christian church. In addition, weirder beliefs like Holy Ghost, Mother of God (Mary) and Trinity cropped up which caused trouble in Syria, Egypt and North Africa, where the Monophysite Christians held 'god the father' to be infinitely superior to 'god the son'. In short, terror, oppression and sectarian persecution were the order of the day in Christendom.

Virtues of the Prophet between glorifying and example setting مناقب النبي (ص) بين التعظيم والتعليم

It would be wrong to look on to the rank of the Prophet through his ideal virtues seeking merely to glorify him in pursuit of his intercession-as it is known among the common people- thus forgetting the purpose for which the Prophet was sent, which is the purification of mankind from the blemishes of infidelity, the inward and the outward. This is not accomplished except by assuming the prophet as an example, not in the sense of attaining the same rank of perfection as the prophet, but by acting like him as far as possible.

إن من الخطأ بمكان ، أن ننظر الى منزلة النبي الاعظم من خلال مناقبه المثلى ، لاجل التعظيم المجرد طلبا : للشفاعة ، او قضاء الحاجة - كما هو متعارف بين العامة - ناسين الهدف الذي من اجله بعث النبي الاكرم (ص) ، الا وهو تخليص البشرية من كل شوائب الشرك : جليّها وخفيّها .. ولا يتحقق ذلك الا من خلال اتخاذ النبي (ص) اسوة وقدوة ، لا بمعنى الوصول الى نفس مدارج النبي من الكمال ، وانما التشبه به قدر الامكان.

What substantiates the possibility of following the prophet’s example to a certain degree are the interesting expressions in Allah’s saying: {You have had a good example in Allah’s Messenger for whomsoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah oft}, because the verse has the expression “Have had” which implies stability and continuity, and the address is for all, as in the word “you”. The verse stipulated, for the ability to follow the example, the belief in Allah without which man could not move, and without motion he would not feel the necessity to follow the example of the symbols of that motion. The verse also stipulates the necessity of the belief in the Last Day without which man will lose the motives for motion, desiring the reward and fearing the punishment.

إن ما يؤكد قابلية النبي (ص) للتأسي به بدرجة من الدرجات ، هي التعابير الملفتة في قوله تعالى : { لقد كان لكم في رسول الله اسوة حسنة لمن كان يرجو الله واليوم الآخر وذكر الله كثير } ، ففيها التعبير بـ ( كان) الدال على الثبات والاستمرار ، والخطاب للجميع بعبارة ( لكم ) .. واشترطت القدرة على التأسي ، بضرورة الايمان بالله تعالى الذي لولاه ، لما تحرك العبد ، ولولا الحركة لما رأى ضرورة للتأسي برموز تلك الحركة .. وكذلك بضرورة الايمان باليوم الاخر الذي لولاه ، لفقد العبد مشوقات الحركة : طمعا في الأجر ، وخوفا من العقاب.

Striking natural changes coincided with the birth of the Prophet, like the cracking of Khisrau’s arch, the nullifying of the sorcerer’s work and the drying of Lake Sawa. All to announce the realization of a new era in the history of mankind, for it is the second striking stage after the creation of Adam. It was also marked by the movement of Satan’s men to change the path. For it was related that Satan’s men had asked him: “ What is it that frightened you o our master?” He said: “ woe unto you, the skies and the earth have changed as of tonight. Then he dipped into the earth roaming it until he reached the Kabba and addressed archangel Gabriel saying: “do I have a share in him?” Gabriel replied: “No”. Then Satan said: “In his followers, then?” Gabriel said: “Yes”. Then Satan said: “ I am satisfied”. The practical lesson from this is that; The more intense the motivation of guidance gets, the more fierce the enemies of the guided men get.

زامنت ولادة النبي (ص) تغييرات طبيعية ملفتة من : انفصام طاق كسرى ، وابطال سحر السحرة ، وجفاف بحيرة ساوة ، لتبشر بتحقق عصر جديد في تاريخ البشرية .. فهي المرحلة الثانية الملفتة بعد خلقة آدم (ع) كما زامنها ايضا تحرك الابالسة لتغيير المسيرة .. فقد ورد أن الابالسة قالوا للشيطان : ما الذي افزعك يا سيدنا؟.. فقال لهم : ويلكم !.. لقد انكرت السماء والارض منذ الليلة ، ثم انغمس في الدنيا فجالها حتى انتهى الى الحرم ، وخاطب جبرائيل قائلا : هل لي فيه نصيب؟.. قال: لا .. قال ففي امته؟.. قال: نعم ، فقال رضيت .. والدرس العملي من ذلك : انه كلما اشتدت موجبات الهداية ، كلما ازداد تكالب الاعداء على السائر في طريق الهدى.

‘Alee (P.B.U.H), the spiritual brother of the prophet (who also brought him up) described the prophet by saying: “Allah has associated with him since he was weaned, His greatest angel who was entering him upon the course of noble characteristics”. Thus, if Allah wanted to do good to a servant of His, He would rectify him by inspiration or association of an angel with him. What then keeps a man from asking his God to direct him by the directing angels, to protect him in his boisterous course of life from deviation and taking the sides of Satans?

يصف علي (ع) أخاه وهو ربيب المصطفى ، قائلا : ( ولقد قرن الله به من لدن أن كان فطيما ، اعظم ملك من ملائكته ، يسلك به طريق المكارم ) .. وهكذا فإن الله تعالى اذا اراد بعبد خيرا ، سدده الهاما، أو إقرانا بملك.. فما المانع من أن يطلب العبد من ربه ، أن يسدده بملائكة التسديد ، ليحفظونه في دورة حياته الصاخبة ، من موجبات الانحرافات ، والارتماء في احضان الشياطين؟

The Qur’an has ascribed to the prophet qualities not ascribed to anyone of the great prophets, by saying that he is: {Upon a mighty morality}. It is not important that a man keeps these qualities when he is alone with himself, rather what is important is that he practices them when he is confronted with contradicting social elements. It was related that a youth came to the prophet and said: “ Do you permit me to fornicate?” The prophet’s companions chided him and spoke rudely with him, but the Prophet wanted to uproot the corruption from the depth of his being when he returned him to his original nature by saying: “Do you like to see your mother or sister fornicated with?” He replied: “No”. Then the Prophet said: “All people are like that!” Then he placed his blessed hand on the youth’s chest and said: “ O Allah, forgive his misdeed, purify his heart and guard his private parts (against committing fornication). Which one of us then has such forbearance to contain perverted behaviour?

إن القرآن الكريم وصف النبي (ص) بما لم يصف به احدا من الانبياء العظام ، وهو انه على خلق عظيم .. وليس المهم أن يمتلك الانسان هذه الصفة في خلوته مع نفسه ، وانما المهم أن يكون كذلك في خضم المواجهة مع العناصر الاجتماعية المنافرة .. فقد ورد انه جاء شاب الى النبي (ص) فقال : أتأذن لي بالزنا ؟.. فنهره الاصحاب واغلظوا عليه ، ولكن نبي الرحمة (ص) اراد أن يجتث جذور الفساد من اعماق وجوده ، عندما ارجعه الى فطرته قائلا له: اتحب أن يزنى بأمك او اختك.... فقال لا .. فقال (ص) : كل الناس كذلك!.. ثم وضع يده المباركة على صدره قائلا: اللهم اغفر ذنبه ، وطهر قلبه ، وحصن فرجه!.. فأي منا له مثل سعة الصدر هذه ، في استيعاب الحركات المنحرفة؟!..

The Prophet’s miracle was not restricted to the splitting of the moon and the movement of the inanimate body but it extended beyond that to splitting the hearts and moving the thoughts. When a nation unique amongst nations in practicing the most despicable act of burying female infants (the most beloved of our blood), turns to be: {The best nation ever brought forth to men}, the likes of the angel-bathed Handhala and Qutada the son of Nu’man who witnessed the battle of Badr and one of his eyes was gouged out in the battle of Uhud when he came to the prophet and said: “I was recently married to a good looking woman and we love each other and I hate her to see me in this form”. Then the Prophet put it back into its place saying: “O Allah, cover him with your grace.”

لم تنحصر معجزة النبي الاكرم (ص) في فلق القمر وحركة الجماد ، وانما تعدت الى فلق القلوب ، وحركة الافكار.. واذا بأمة تنفرد بين الامم بأرذل خصلة ( الا وهي وأد البنت وهي من احب فلذات اكبادنا) لتتحول الى خير امة اخرجت للناس ، امثال : حنظلة غسيل الملائكة ، وقتادة بن النعمان الذي شهد بدرا ، وفقئت عينه يوم احد فجاء الى رسول الله (ص) فقال: ان لي امرأة جميلة ، احبها وتحبني ، واني جديد عرس ، فاكره أن تراني بهذه الهيئة .. فأخذها النبي (ص) ووضعها في مكانها قائلا: اللهم اكسه الجمال !..

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