The Prophet muhammad
the prophet muhammadﷺ
—HIS LIFE
Muhammad (H) was born around 570CE in Makkah; he was orphaned at a young age so he was brought up by his uncle. He worked as a trader, married at the age of 25 and lived a modest and relatively uneventful life. He was however well-respected and noted for his honesty and integrity, and as such was given the title, “the trustworthy one”. He used to spend long hours contemplating in a cave in Makkah. At the age of forty, he began to receive revelation from Almighty God. He started preaching to his people, to direct their lives and worship purely to Almighty God alone, and to forsake all forms of idolatry (i.e. the worship of other than Almighty God). He forbade the people from worshipping him and any other prophet before him –he always referred to himself as the Servant and Messenger of God and never ascribed divinity to himself. He and his early followers were persecuted for their monotheistic belief of the worship of God alone. However, that persecution did not prevent more and more people from embracing Islām. As the oppression became severe, he and his followers were commanded to migrate to another city, Madinah, which is to the north of Makkah. In Madinah, the people accepted his message, turning to him for guidance. From this position he was able to spread Islām far and wide. The enemies of Muhammad sent armies to wipe out the small Muslim community, however, although being significantly outnumbered they were able to overcome or repel the aggressors. Within a few years he was able to conquer Makkah without a battle. In victory, Muhammad (H) was very merciful, and many of his former enemies, including the leaders of Makkah and many Christians and Jews became Muslim. By his death, at the age of 63, Muhammad had spread Islām to most of the Arabian Peninsula and his followers spread the religion to most of the world. Prior to Muhammad (H), the Arabs had been irrelevant in history. Muhammad united them and changed them from paganism and idolatry to worship of the one Almighty God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living. He changed them into a nation that would take their religion to most of the world within a hundred years of his death. He led them upon knowledge from the darkness of idolatry, oppression and evil traditions to the light of worship of the one true Creator. History has not seen such a startling change or the speed by which a new religion would grow. Unlike other empires whose gains were transitory, and soon disappeared, Islām’s ability to conquer hearts and minds has led to its permanency. Muhammad lived in the full light of history; his followers took great care to preserve his teachings. They are preserved till this day and are known as the ‘Hadeeth’ and are the source of Islāmic Law along with the Qur’ān. Muhammad ﷺ explained, implemented and lived the teachings of the Qur’ān as did the society he established around him. To Muslims, Muhammad ﷺ is the supreme example for all people; he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Almighty God states in the Quran: “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you, full of pity, kind and merciful.” (9:128). His statements, actions and tacit approvals form the basis of how Muslims should live their lives. Unfortunately, many Muslims throughout the ages have been bad examples and opposed the true teachings of Muhammad ﷺ. Likewise, there have been a great many good examples who follow the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ to whom God said: “And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.” (68:4). So Muslims are obliged to follow him and emulate his noble character.
—WHAT HISTORIANS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MUHAMMAD ﷺ
Although Muhammad ﷺ was one of the world’s greatest personalities, little is known about him in the West and much misinformation is spread regarding him. However, many historians have studied and written about him. “He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without the Pope’s pretensions, he was Caesar without the legions of Caesar, without a bodyguard, without a palace and without a fixed revenue. If ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by divine right it was Muhammad, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports.” (Reverend Bosworth, Mohammad and Mohammadism) Note, as Muslims we say he was neither a Caesar nor a Pope, rather a Prophet of Almighty God. “If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad?” (Lamartine, Historie de la Turquie) “Orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a culture without images, founder of twenty terrestrial empires and one spiritual empire. That is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness maybe measured, we may well ask, ‘Is there any man greater than he?’” (Lamartine, Historie De La Turquie) “It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword, carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle” (Mahatma Gandhi, Young India)
—MUHAMMAD ﷺ IN THE BIBLE
In the Qur’ān it states Muhammad was prophesised in other scriptures. This is backed by the fact that many of the early Muslims were learned Christians and Jews, who were expecting a prophet in Arabia. When we analyse the scriptures, we find in the Bible in Deuteronomy 18:18 that God tells Moses, “I will raise up for them (the Jews) a prophet like you from among their brethren”. Christians believe this prophesy refers to Jesus. However it is clear this Prophet, will be like Moses and from the brethren of the Jews. The Jews are descended from Isaac and the Arabs descended from Ishmael. Ishmael and Isaac were brothers, the sons of Abraham. Thus the brethren of the Jews are the Arabs (Descendants of Ishmael). Moses and Muhammad were far more similar to one another in this respect than Jesus. Both had natural births, both married, both had children, both were initially rejected by their people, and both finally accepted and led their people, both had to flee their homeland, both overcame their enemies, both brought forth new religious Laws (established God’s law) and both had natural deaths; even though as Muslims we believe just as Muhammad (H) said: “The Prophets are brothers, their mothers are different but their Religion is one.” It is important to note that the Jews were waiting for this prophet at the time of Jesus. they felt this prophet, the one like Moses, was different from the Christ. In John 1:19-25, they asked John the Baptist whether he was the Christ, or “The Prophet”. Thus showing that they were waiting for two great Prophets, the Christ and “The Prophet”. Muslims believe Jesus was the Christ and Muhammad was “The Prophet”.
—WAS MUHAMMAD ﷺ A FAKE?
It is clear on analysis of Muhammad’s (H) life that he really was a Prophet, and that God was helping and guiding him. The incredible success that he had reinforces this. Some opponents of Islām claim he was either a liar or someone who was deluded. Let’s take each hypothesis at a time:
—1. WAS HE A LIAR?
There are many stories from the Prophet’s life that go against the fact that he was a liar or seeking fame. For example, an eclipse of the sun occurred after the death of the Prophet’s
son Ibrāhīm. The people thought it was a sign from God, like a condolence. If the Prophet was truly seeking fame, one would have expected him to seize the opportunity to support his claims of Prophethood. However he criticised them and said the eclipse had nothing to do with the death of his son. As more people became Muslims, the Makkans, offered to make him their leader and give him wealth and women if he compromised some of his teachings. Even though the Muslims were few in number and being severely persecuted, he refused. Again a fraud or a seeker of fame would have been expected to seize the opportunity to gain wealth and power. If Muhammad was a false Messenger, why did he after gaining leadership, still live so simply? Surely he would have tried to gain as much from the worldly life as possible, rather than repeatedly stating that his reward was in the Hereafter. He slept on mats that left deep marks on his body, and stood in prayer through the night. Yet before the revelation descended upon him, he was a wealthy and well-respected member of the community. Why should he jeopardise all this unless he was upon the truth. Also a liar would not castigate himself, yet God corrected him in the Qur’ān. A fraudster would often praise himself, yet in the Qur’ān we find the name of Jesus mentioned more often than Muhammad. And Mary, the mother of Jesus being described as being “chosen above the women of all nations”, a title that maybe he would prefer for his own mother if he was a liar!
—2. WAS HE A MADMAN?
Was Muhammad (H) deluded? Some opponents of Islām suggest that rather than being a liar he was a madman. However this causes many problems also. How could Muhammad keep on getting things right!? He spoke about matters which were not common knowledge in his time. The Qur’ān refers to many modern-day scientific facts. In all of these facts there are no mistakes, even though most of these facts were only proven to be true in the last few decades. Maurice Bucaille, the French scientist and physician states, “In a century, where for many, scientific truth has dealt a deathblow to religious belief, it is precisely the discoveries of science that in an objective examination of the Islamic revelation have heightened the supernatural nature of certain aspects of the revelation.” There are many prophesies made by Muhammad (H) as well as in the Qur’ān. Again, we find that there are no mistakes. For example, the prophesy that the Qur’ān would be preserved in its original form for all times. How could Muhammad ﷺ know that the book would remain unaltered for over a thousand years? If we wrote a book today, the chances of it being preserved in its original form a thousand years from now are extremely remote! Again in the Qur’ān, Almighty God (Allāh) informs Muhammadﷺ that He will protect him from the harm of Mankind. How could Muhammad ﷺ know that he would have a natural death? This prophesy is all the more amazing when you look at the persecution, attempts on his life, and numerous battles Muhammad ﷺ participated in for his faith. Abu Lahab was one of the fiercest early opponents of Islām and of the Prophet. His life story supports Muhammad’s authenticity as a Prophet. Several years before he died, a verse was revealed in the Qur’ān which stated that he would remain in the Hellfire forever, i.e. that he would never become a Muslim, and he would remain an enemy of Islām till the last. All Abu Lahab needed to do to discredit Islām, was to say he had become a Muslim, even if it was just outwardly.
—3. THE MIRACLE OF THE QUR’ĀN
There is also the issue of the Qur’ān, the main miracle of Islām. At the time the Qur’ān was revealed, the Arabs prided themselves on their eloquence, poetry, literary and oratory skills. The Qur’ān however was something else. The eloquence, the rhetoric, the unique structure and internal arrangement, mesmerised the people. Men were moved to tears on hearing its words, and amazingly some of the staunchest opponents of Islām became Muslims. Throughout the Qur’ān God challenges mankind to produce anything like it, but although people have tried, no one has been able to replicate the Qur’ān. How could Muhammad (H), who was known to be illiterate, produce the most outstanding work in terms of literary merit? The truth is that the Qur’ān is the Word of God revealed to Muhammad ﷺ. God said: “And if you are in doubt as to what we have revealed to our servant then produce a chapter like it and call your witnesses or helpers besides God if you are truthful. But if you cannot, and of a surety you cannot, then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones which is prepared for those who reject faith” (Qur’ān 2:22-3)
—CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that Muhammad was one of history’s great individuals, so whatever you believe in, wherever you are from we ask you to find out more about this incredible man.
An Article written by Abu Khadeejah ‘Abdul-Wāhid Alam