1 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful MMUUHHAAMMMMAADD RRAASSUULLUULLLLAAHH THE APOSTLE OF MERCY By S. Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Revised by ICSFP International Committee for the Support of the Final Prophet Website: www.icsfp.com Email: [email protected] INTRODUCTION 2 Table of Contents Introduction THE AGE OF IGNORANCE RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS SOCIAL AND MORAL CONDITIONS THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE THE PERSIAN EMPIRE INDIA ARABIA EUROPE THE ERA OF DARKNESS AND DEPRESSION WORLDWIDE CHAOS THE ADVENT OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD ARABIA'S ERA OF DEPRESSION NEED FOR A NEW PROPHET ARABIAN PENINSULA THE LAND AND IT'S PEOPLE CULTURAL CENTRES ARABIA IN ANCIENT HISTORY EARLIER REVEALED RELIGIONS OF ARABIA MECCA, BEFORE THE PROPHET ISMA'IL IN MECCA 3 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH THE QURAISH QUSAYY B. KILAB BANI HASHIM MECCAN PAGANISM THE ELEPHANTS AN IMPLICIT BELIEF OF THE QURAISH REPERCUSSIONS OF ABRAHA'S FAILURE MECCA, THE PROPHET’S BIRTHPLACE THE METROPOLIS RECONSTRUCTION OF MECCA THE CITY STATE COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS PROSPEROUS FAMILIES OF QURAISH CULTURE AND ARTS MILITARY PROWESS MECCA, THE HEART OF ARABIA THE MORAL LIFE FROM BIRTH TO PROPHETHOOD ‘ABDALLAH AND AMINA THE BIRTH OF THE PROPHET THE SUCKLING PERIOD DEATH OF AMINA AND ‘ABDUL MUTTALIB. ABU TALIB BECOMES THE GUARDIAN DIVINE TUTELAGE MARRIAGE WITH KHADIJA RECONSTRUCTION OF THE KA’BA INTRODUCTION 4 HILFUL FUDUL A MYSTIFYING UNREST AWN OF PROPHETHOOD HUMANITY’S MORNING TIDE IN THE CAVE OF HIRA PREDICTION OF WARAQA B. NAWFAL KHADIJAH ACCEPTS ISLAM ‘ALI B. ABU TALIB AND ZAYD B. HARITH ABU BAKR ACCEPTS ISLAM FLOWER OF QURAYSH FIND CREDENCE ON MOUNT SAFA A COGENT ARGUMENT BEGINNING OF PERSECUTION ABU TALIB’S ANXIETY PERSECUTION BEGINS III-TREATMENT OF THE PROPHET BY HIS PEOPLE SUFFERINGS OF ABU BAKR QURAYSH IN A FIX HEARTLESSNESS OF THE QURAYSH HAMZA ACCEPTS ISLAM PROPOSAL OF ‘UTBA TO THE PROPHET MUSLIMS MIGRATE TO ABYSSINIA QURAYSH PURSUE THE MUSLIMS J’AFARS PORTRAYAL OF ISLAM AND IGNORANCE DISCOMFORT OF THE QURAYSHITE EMISSARIES ‘UMAR EMBRACES ISLAM BOYCOTT OF BANI HASHIM 5 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH IN THE SH’EB ABI TALIB ANNULMENT OF THE DECREE DEATH OF ABU TALIB AND KHADIJAH SPARKLING SYMPHONY OF THE QUR’AN JOURNEY TO TA’IF THE ASCENSION REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ASCENSION OBLIGATORY PRAYER TRIBES INVITED TO ISLAM THE RISKY PATH OF ISLAM THE BEGINNING OF ISLAM AMONG THE ANSAR FIRST PLEDGE OF ‘AQABAH THE REASON FOR THE ANSAR’S ACCEPTANCE OF ISLAM STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF MADINA EXPANSION OF ISLAM IN MADINA THE SECOND PLEDGE OF ‘AQABA PERMISSION TO MIGRATE TO MADINA UNSUCCESSFUL CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE APOSTLE THE PROPHET’S MIGRATION TO MEDINA THE STRANGE INCONSISTENCY MORAL LESSON BROUGHT ABOUT BY MIGRATION TOWARDS THE CAVE OF MT. THAWR MIRACLE OF LOVE THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT OF HUMAN HISTORY “LO! ALLAH IS WITH US” SURAQA FOLLOWS THE APOSTLE A PREDICTION THE BEST HOST INTRODUCTION 6 YATHRIB BEFORE ISLAM DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MECCAN AND MEDINITE SOCIETIES THE JEWS RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OF THE JEWS FINANCES RELGIOUS AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CONDITIONS YATHRIB’S ADVANCED AND COMPOSITE SOCIETY IN MADINA THE CORDIAL WELCOME IN THE HOUSE OF ABU AYYUB ANSARI CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROPHET’S MOSQUE BONDS OF BROTHERHOOD BETWEEN THE ANSARS AND MUHAJIRIN COVENANT BETWEEN THE MUSLIMS AND THE JEWS THE CALL TO PRAYER HYPROCRICY RAISES ITS HEAD IN MEDINA BEGINNING OF JEWISH ANIMOSITY CHANGE OF THE QIBLAH JEWS GIVE OFFENCE TO MUSLIMS PERMISSION TO FIGHT EXPIDITION OF ABWA AND ‘ABDALLAH B. JAHSH FAST MADE OBLIGATORY ECISIVE BATTLE OF BADR 7 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH FAITHFULNESS OF THE ANSAR ENTHUSIASM OF THE YOUNGSTERS STRENGTH OF THE CONTENDING PARTIES THE DEMOCRATIC WAY THE PROPHET AS A GENERAL PREPARATION FOR THE FIGHTING BESEECHMENT AND ENTREATY TO THE LORD THE TRUE POSITION AND STATION OF THE MUSLIMS THE GENERAL ATTACK THE FIRST MARTYR THE AMBITION OF TWO BROTHERS THE GREAT VICTORY EFFECTS OF THE VICTORY OF BADR TIES OF BLOOD OR FAITH TREATMENT OF THE CAPTIVES RANSOM OF THE PRISONERS OTHER EXPEDITIONS KA’B B. ASHRAF MEETS HIS DOOM THE BATTLE OF UHUD REVENGE - A BINIDNG OBLIGATION THE PROPHET TAKES POSITION THE ENTHUASIAM OF THE YOUNGSTERS THE FIRST PHASE OF ACTION HAMZA AND MUS’AB B. ‘UMAYR KILLED VICTORY OF THE MUSLIMS THE TABLE TURNS ON THE MUSLIMS THE LOVING COMPANIONS INTRODUCTION 8 MUSLIMS REGAIN CONFIDENCE THE EXEMPLARY ENDURANCE BURIAL OF MUS’AB B. UMAYR LOVING REGARD FOR THE PROPHET DEVOTION AND FAITHFULNESS MORE PRECIOUS THAN THEIR OWN LIVES BI’R MA’UNA DYING DECLARATION OF A MARTYR EXPULSION OF BANU AN-NADIR THE RIGHT OF DHAT-UR-RIQ’A WHO CAN NOW SAVE YOU? EXPEDITION WITHOUT FIGHTING THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCHES WISDOM: A LOST PROPERTY OF THE MUSLIMS ENTHUSIASM AND THE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT MIRACLE PREDICTING A BRIGHT FUTURE SOME MORE MIRACLES THE FIERY ORDER THE ACTUAL FIGHT ARDENT ZEAL OF MUSLIM WOMEN DIVINE SUCCOR ACTION AGAINST BANI QURAYDA BANI QURAYDA'S BREACH OF FATH BANI QURAYDA ASSAILED REPENTANCE OF ABU LUBABA TRUTH IN ACTION 9 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH DECISION CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW OF MOSES BENEVOLENCE AND LARGE-HEARTEDNESS EXPEDITION OF BANI AL-MUSTALIQ AND THE AFFAIR OF IFAK THE TRUCE OF HUDAYBIA VISION OF THE PROPHET TRIP TO MECCA LOVE PUT TO TRIAL THE PLEDGE OF RIDHWAN PARLEYS, CONCILIATION AND ACCORD THE TREATY OF PEACE EXEMPLARY MODERATION AND PRUDENCE TREATY OR TRIAL FAITH PUT TO TRAIL IGNONIMOUS PEACE OR SIGNAL VICTORY FAILURE OR SUCCESS THE TREATY TURNS TO VICTORY KHALID B. WALID AND ‘AMR b. AL-‘AS LETTERS TO MONARCHS WHO WERE THESE KINGS? HERACLIUS (610 – 641) CHOSROSE II MUQAUQIS NEGUS REACTION OF THE MONARCHS HERACLUIS AND ABU SUFYAN INTRODUCTION 10 LETTERS TO THE ARAB POTENTATES THE EXPIDITION TO KHAYBAR THE DIVINE REWARD THE APOSTLE LEADS THE ARMY THE VICTORIOUS COMMANDER ‘ALI FACES THE JEWISH WARRIOR AN EASY REWARD DEVOID OF ULTERIOR MOTIVES: “I DID NOT COME TO YOU FOR IT” RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE ARRIVAL OF JA’AFAR B. ABI TALIB ANOTHER JEWISH CONSPIRACY EFFECT OF THE CONQUEST OF KHAYBAR THE SPOILS OF KHAYBAR LARGEHEARTEDNESS OF THE MUHAJIRIN THE MISSED PILGRIMAGE RIGHTS OF WOMEN RESTORED EXPEDITION OF MU’TA FIRST EXPEDITION TO THE BYZANTINE TERRITORY DAUNTLESS WARRIORS ACTION STARTS KHALID ASSUMES COMMAND A GLIMPSE OF THE BATTLEFIELD JA’AFAR TAYYAR WORDS, KIND AND COMFORTING NOT DESERTERS BUT BATTLERS 11 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH SUBSEQUENT EXPEDITIONS CONQUEST OF MECCA BACKGROUND OF THE CONQUEST DERELICTION OF BANI BAKR AND QURAISH COMPLAINT TO THE APOSTLE LAST BID TO SEEK JUSTICE EFFORTS FOR RENEWAL OF THE TREATY PROPHET PREFERRED OVER PARENT ABU SUFYAN BEWILDERED AFFAIR OF HATIB B. BALTA’A THE WRIT OF AMNESTY ABU SUFYAN APPEARS BEFORE THE APOSTLE GENERAL AMNESTY ABU SUFYAN WITNESSES THE ARMY TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO MECCA THE DAY OF MERCY AND FORGIVENESS A FEW SKIRMISHES KA’BAH CLEARED OF IDOLS PRINCELY GENEROSITY ISLAM, THE RELIGION OF MONOTHEISM THE PROPHET OF MERCY EQUALITY BEFORE LAW KINDNESS TO ENEMIES HIND ACCEPTS ISLAM INSEPARABLE FROM COMPANIONS SINNER TURNS INTO SAINT ALL TRACES OF PAGANISM ABOLISHED INTRODUCTION 12 IMPACT OF MECCA’S CONQUEST THE YOUTHFUL ADMINISTRATOR BATTLE OF HUNAYN ASSEMBLAGE OF HAWAZIN NOT A SIGN OF IDOLATRY IN THE WADI OF HUNAYN RIFT WITHIN THE LUTE VICTORY AND PEACE OF GOD THE LAST ENCOUNTER IN AUTAS THE BATTLE OF TA’IF FUGITIVES OF THAQIF SIEGE OF TA’IF KINDNESS IN THE BATTLEFIELD THE SIEGE RAISED THE SPOIL OF HUNAYN LOVE FOR ANSAR AND THEIR SELFLESSNESS CAPTIVES RELEASED LOVING KINDNESS THE LESSER PILGRIMAGE NO COMPLAISANCE TO IDOLATRY KA’B B. ZUHAYR ACCEPTS ISLAM THE EXPEDITION TO TABUK THE TIME OF THE EXPEDITION ENTHUSIASM OF THE MUSLIMS 13 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH THE ARMY’S DEPARTURE FOR TABUK THE DEMORALIZED HYPOCRITES TREATY OF PEACE WITH AYLAH’S RULER BACK TO MEDINA THE FUNERAL OF A POOR MUSLIM THE TRIAL OF KA’B B. MALIK THE EXPEDITIONS AT A GLANCE THE FIRST HAJJ THE YEAR OF DEPUTATIONS ARRIVAL OF DEPUTATIONS IN MEDINA THE APOSTLE’S CONVERSATION WITH A PAGAN COMMANDMENT FOR ZAKAT AND CHARITY THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT OF THE PILGRIMAGE UNIQUE RECORD OF THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE A SYNOPIS OF THE FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE PILGRIMAGE PROCEDURE THE ADDRESSES OF THE APOSTLE THE ETERNAL REST COMPLETION OF THE APOSTLE’S MISSION RECITATION OF THE QUR’AN AND DEVOTIONAL EXERCISE ARDENT DESIRE FOR PROXIMITY TO GOD BEGINNING OF THE ILLNESS THE LAST ARMY KEEN INTEREST IN THE DETACHMENT OF USAMA INTRODUCTION 14 SOLICITUDE FOR THE WELFARE OF MUSLIMS INDIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD AND WEALTH ANXIETY FOR THE PRAYERS THE VALEDICTORY ADDRESS DIRECTIVES FOR KINDNESS TO THE ANSAR LAST LOOK AT THE MUSLIMS IN PRAYER INTERDICTION OF PRAYERS AT SEPULCHERS THE LAST COUNSEL HOW THE APOSTLE LEFT THIS WORLD BEWILDERMENT OF THE COMPANIONS THE COURAGEOUS PROCLAMATION BY ABU BAKR OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO ABU BAKR BURIAL OF THE APOSTLE WIVES AND CHILDREN OF THE APOSTLE THE PROPHET’S MARRIAGES THE PROPHET’S CHILDREN CHARACTER AND FEATURES LOVE OF GOD INDIFFERENCE TO THE WORLD NATURAL DISPOSITION MODERATION AND SEEMLINESS THE PROPHET IN HIS HOUSE SELFLESSNESS INSTINCTIVE SUBLIMENESS MIDLNESS, COURTESY AND FORBERANCE MODESTY 15 MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH COURAGE AND SHYNESS MERCY AND COMPASSION A COMPREHENSIVE AND ETERNAL MODEL MERCY FOR THE WORLD CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE Bibliography ENGLISH ARABIC URDU AND PERSIAN INTRODUCTION 16 Introduction In the name of Allah, the Most Benevolent, the Most Merciful Praise be to Allah, Lord of the World, and blessings and peace be on the one, exalted among the prophets and the Seal of the apostles, Muhammad, and his progeny and companions, and on those who sincerely follow him until the Day of Judgment. The seminary in which the writer of these lines had his first lesson was the nursery which impressed upon his mind the mould of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).