Form the book
((Islam and Christianity /
by Ulfat 'Aziz-Us-Samad –
published by Al-Falah Foundation
www.falahonline.com ,
ISBN: 977-5813-14-X ))
The Prophet Muhammad
The Comforter, the spirit of truth, the Messenger of God about whose
coming Jesus (pbuh) had given the good news, was born in Arabia in the
year 571 A.C. At the time of his birth the true Religion had been
forgotten or distorted all over the world. The people among whom he
was born, the Ishmaelite Arabs, were polytheists and idolaters. They
were sunk in vice and superstitions of every kind. There was no law
among them except the law of the jungle and, perchance, a few
primitive tribal mores.
Among these people who had drifted far from God's Way, Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) grew up to be a Man of God. He was conspicuous among
them by his pure and spotless character, his love of truth and
compassion towards the poor and the downtrodden. They called him
Al-'Amin the trustworthy, the faithful.
As he grew older the superstitions and evil ways of the people caused
greater and greater sorrow to his heart. He spent many hours in
communion with his Creator and in meditation on the end or object of
man's life, he longed to bring people to the Straight Path, to "render
God unto man and man unto God". When he was forty years of age
Gabriel, the Messenger of God, shone the Divine light in its full
resplendence in Muhammad's heart.
He preached to them One and Only God, the Loving Creator and
Sustainer of all the worlds. He exhorted them to shun all kinds of
evil and cruelty and to love one another. He told them that real
Religion was the removal of the want and suffering of others and the
selfless service of fellow-men, that the religious ceremonies were
entirely useless if they did not train and discipline man to become
more righteous and to work for the good of others:
(Hast thau observed him who belieth religion? That is he who repelleth
the orphan, and urgeth not the feeding of the needy, Ah, woe unto
worshipers who are heedless of their Prayers; who would be seen at
worship, yet refrain from works of mercy!)
(Qur'an 107)
He struck the root of the false superiority based on color, caste,
race or nationality, declaring that all human beings were equal brothers.
The treatment meted out to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by his people was
not different from that meted out to earlier prophets. He was rejected
by people with vested interests and subjected to all kinds of
cruelties. Many of those that believed in him were badly tortured. A
combined attempt was made by all the tribes of Mecca to put an end to
his life. After bearing these tortures and cruelties for thirteen long
years with almost superhuman patience and forbearance, Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) at last migrated to Medina, where a large number of
people had already embraced Islam and become his followers. This was
the turning point in his life. The people of Medina not only believed
in him and his message but also made him the head of their new Islamic
state. Here Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), in addition to his moving appeals
for individual change of heart and transformation of character, worked
out the social implications of his message. The many revolutionary
changes that he introduced included the raising of women to a position
of equality with men, taking steps to abolish slavery, total
prohibition of all kinds of intoxicating drinks and of gambling,
putting an end to exploitation of every kind, doing away with
priesthood and granting religious freedom to all individuals and
communities, bringing into force the most enlightened code of laws
ever known to man and the establishment of a welfare state and a form
of administration which was an ideal blend of justice and mercy. He
brought into being a universal brotherhood in which there was no
distinction whatsoever on the basis of race, color, language, wealth
or sec. The distinguishing feature of those who joined this fold was
zeal for the Worship of One God and humanity. After accomplishing his
mission, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the last prophet of God, departed
form this world in the year 632 A.C., leaving behind the Glorious
Qur'an which was revealed to him by God, and his own sayings, to guide
people for all times to come.
The Ideal Character
The Prophet of Islam lived a life which can only be described as
godly. He was the model par excellence for men in various situations
and walks of life, as the Glorious Qur'an says:
(Verily in the Messenger of God ye have a perfect example for him who
looketh unto God and the Last Day and remembreth God much)
(33:21)
(O Prophet! Lo! We have sent thee as a witness and a bringer of good
tidings and a warner, and as a summoner unto God by his permission,
and as a lamp that giveth light)
(33:45.46)
He lived up to the highest ideals of the Glorious Qur'an and
exemplified in his life the virtues mentioned in the book of God. When
his wife, 'Aishah, was questioned about his morals, her reply was,
"His morals are the Qur'an". Conversely, when she asked to explain
certain ethical injunctions in the Qur'an she did so by illustrating
them from the Prophet's life and behavior.
To say that he was sinless would be only a negative description of the
Man of God who had conquered all temptations and passions and lived
only for the sake of God and in complete accord with the Will of God:
(Say: Lo! my worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are
for God, Lord of the worlds)
(Qur'an 6:162)
He was, as the Qur'an describes him, a "mercy to all nations". His
compassion extended to friends and foes alike, "Do you love your
Creator? Love your fellow creatures first", was his advice to his
followers. He felt extremely concerned at the depraved and corrupt
state of the people around him. It grieved his heart very much when as
the head of the state, he had to pass an order of punishment on any
one for the sake of justice or for the security of the young republic.
But for his own sake he never even lifted his finger against any one.
When at a critical moment some one asked him to cure his enemies and
persecutors, he replied:
"I have not been sent to curse but as mercy to mankind. O Lord, guide
my people for they know not."
(As-Suyuti, Aj-Jami` As-Saghir)
At the conquest of Mecca (to give just one instance out of many) he
freely forgave all his enemies, who had spared no effort to annihilate
him, his Religion and his followers, and were guilty of murder and
persecution. He told them. "this day there is no reproof against you".
Here is a practical example of the maxim "Love your enemies". He had
come to reclaim and reform the fallen humanity and he won the hearts
of the anti-social elements of his time by love and kindness. His
charity and readiness to help the people in all possible ways were
proverbial. He was the greatest friend of the poor and the downtrodden.
He strove all his life to lead mankind to One True God, to make them
godly, to rescue them from error, superstitions and sins, but in
inviting them to the truth he faithfully observed the Qur'anic injunction,
(There is no compulsion in religion)
(2:256)
He had imbued himself with Divine qualities and caused his fellow-men
to sake the greatest step towards the Divine. Yet he remained humble
and modest, conscious always of his nothingness before God, and from
the highest peak of moral and spiritual perfection to which he had
attained, he cried out to the people,
(Iam only a mortal like you)
(Qur'an 41:6)
next time we will talk about Non Muslims' tributes to the Prophet
