i INDSET MONOGRAPH SERIES ON ISLAM AND QUR'AN No. 10 MUHAMMAD RASULALLAH (SAWS) A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Shah Manzoor Alam Indian School of Excellence Trust (INDSET) Hyderabad - INDIA ii EXPRESSION OF PROFOUND AND GRATEFUL THANKS TO ALLAH (SWT) In the name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful I would like to express my most profound and grateful thanks to Allah (SWT) for granting me the honour and privilege of writing this Monograph on the Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). May Allah accept this humble contribution and bless it with success (Amen). SHAH MANZOOR ALAM iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Mustafa Educational Network Trust (INDSET) cordially thanks: Col. A. F. M. Muqsith (Retd.) Prof. Syed Khaja Moinuddin Prof. Tahseen Sayeed Prof. Hafeez Siddiqui, Prof. Mohd. Zahir They all went through the manuscript meticulously and offered valuable and constructive suggestions to ensure the authenticity of the text and improve the quality of its language. Col. Muqsith has made significant contribution in drafting Chapter 16 on the “Wives of the Prophet”. We also thank: Mrs. Reshma Begum and Mr. Mohd. Jamal for typing the manuscript. My niece Mrs. Afshan Tariq Khan who got the entire corrected manuscript retyped in her office before it was sent for final typing. Mr. Mohd. Pasha typed the final copy and prepared the Press copy for printing. CHAIR MAN – INDSET iv MUHAMMAD RASUL ALLAH (SAW) A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH CONTENTS Page PREFACE ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1~6 CHAPTER 2: BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD OF MUHAMMAD 7~21 Monk Bahira and Muhammad 11 Hilf-al Fudul Agreement Rebuilding of the Ka’bah (605 AD) 18 CHAPTER 3: BEGINNING OF THE PROPHETIC MISSION 22~61 Fatarah of the Revelations 25 Deputations of Quraysh to Abu Talib 31 Important Personalities Accept Islam 37 Migration to Abyssinia 40 Quraysh seeking the help of the Jews to outwit Muhammad 48 Boycott and Banishment of Banu Hashim and Banu Abd-ul Muttalib 49 Events Following the Termination of Boycott 54 Christians from Abyssinia convert to Islam in Makkah 56 The Taif Visit 58 v CHAPTER 4: SOME LANDMARK EVENTS BEFORE PROPHET’S MIGRATION TO YATHRIB 62~83 The Night Journey from Masjid Al-Haram (Ka’bah) to Masjid Al-Aqsa (Isra) and Ascent to Heaven (Me’raj) Isra (Night Journey) 62 Prophet’s Ascent to Heaven from Masjid Al-Aqsa 63 Pledges at Aqaba and Migration to Madinah 68 Migration of Makkan Muslims to Yathrib 73 Prophet Migrates to Yathrib 76 Concept of Tawakkal-‘al-Allah (Dependence on God) 82 CHAPTER 5: THE PROPHET ARRIVES IN MADINAH 84~94 Introduction of Mukhawat (brotherhood) between Ansaar and Mahajirs 88 Construction of Prophet’s Mosque 91 Riyadh-ul Jannah (a Garden Paradise) 93 Ahl-as Suffah 93 The Origin of Azan or Call to Prayer 95 CHAPTER 6: THE ISLAMIC STATE OF MADINAH AND IT’S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS OF YATHRIB 96~107 Origin of Jewish Settlements and their Expansion in Yathrib 96 Political Initiative by the Prophet 103 Issue of Al-Kitab or the Sahifah or Charter of Madinah 104 Major Demographic group in Madinah 108 Banu Qainuqa 109 Banu Nadeer 110 vi The Siege of Banu Qurayzah 110 Invasion of Muslim Forces of the Jewish Fortresses of Khyber: (Muharram, 7 Hijrah) 114 Khyber Besieged 116 The Hypocrites 118 CHAPTER 7: BATTLES OF THE PROPHET 123~169 Battle of Badr (18 Ramadhan, 2 Hijrah; 625 AD) 125 Fate of the Seventy Badr Prisoners 132 Battle of Uhud (15th Shawwal, 3 Hijrah; 625 AD) 134 The Positioning of Makkan Army 139 The Combat 139 The Battle of the Trench (Hijrah 5, 627 AD) 150 Exemplary Leadership 154 Treachery 158 Counter-Move 161 CHAPTER 8: TREATY OF HUDAIBIYA 170~183 (ZIL QADAH, 6 HIJRA: MARCH 628 AD) CHAPTER 9: SOME IMPORTANT POST-HUDAIBIYA EVENTS 184~191 Internationalization of Islamic Movement 184 Letter addressed to Emperor Heracles 185 Letter sent to the Persian Emperor 188 The Compensatory Umrah (Umrat-Al-Qadar) (Zil Qadh Hijrah 7) 189 CHAPTER 10: CONQUEST OF MAKKAH (20 RAMADHAN, 8 HIJRA: DECEMBER, 629 AD) 192~209 Treaty of Hudaibiyah Abrogated 194 March to Glory 197 Policy Declaration 201 vii Triumphant Entry 203 Grand Finale 206 CHAPTER 11: BATTLE OF HUNAYN (SHAWWAL, 8 HIJRA: JANUARY, 630 AD) 210~217 Crisis in the distribution of Booty 215 CHAPTER 12: THE TABUK MILITARY EXPEDITION (RAJAB – RAMADHAN, 9 HIJRA: OCT - DEC 630 AD) 218~227 Those who lagged behind 223 Non-Muslims Prohibited from Participating in Pilgrimage 227 CHAPTER 13: FAREWELL PILGRIMAGE OF THE PROPHET (HAJJATH AL-WIDA) 228~236 The Khutbah – The Last Sermon: Sermon on the Mountain of Arafat) (Dr. Hamidullah’s version of ‘Arafat Khutbah) 229 Pretenders to Prophethood 234 CHAPTER 14: ILLNESS AND DEATH OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD 237~240 CHAPTER 15: MUHAMMAD AS A PROPHET AND A MAN 242~252 Muhammad as a Man 244 CHAPTER 16: WIVES OF THE PROPHET 253~262 BIBLIOGRAPHY 263 APPENDIX – 1: THE SAHIFA OR KITAB OR CHARTER OF MADINAH: viii ISSUED BY PROPHET MUHAMMAD AFTER ESTABLISHING THE STATE OF MADINAH 265 APPENDIX – 2: 1. MUHAMMAD (570-632)’ THE 100’, A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY 275 ix FOREWORD It is a distressing fact that most of the Muslims lack proper understanding about the universal relevance of the Qur'anic Message, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) for the guidance of all mankind. There is considerable misapprehension too about Islam and the Message of the Qur'an in the minds of Non-Muslims. The Indian School of Excellence Trust (INDSET) is making an humble endeavour through a series of monographs on Islam and Qur'an to project the image of Islam in its proper perspective and to explain the significance of the Qur'anic Message in a scientific and systematic way. It is awfully difficult to do full justice to the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) whose admirable and incomparable achievements both as a Prophet and as a Man have remained unexcelled in the annals of history. In view of this Michael Hart, author of the book “Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History’, proclaims unhesitatingly that “It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.” This Monograph stresses the fact that the Prophet was conscious that virtuous acts can originate from sources other than Islam as well. The Covenant of Hilful-Fudhul x (Protecting the weak and the poor from the tyranny and oppression of the rich and the powerful) originated from the polytheists. Muhammad (SAWS) was a signatory to it. He was proud of his participation in this Covenant. Even as a Prophet he fully endorsed it. Islam is a supremely tolerant religion and Prophet’s level of tolerance was proverbial. He practiced it with immaculate perfection. He allowed the Christians of Najran to offer their prayer, facing Jerusalem, in the Prophet’s Mosque. The Prophet was firmly against pride, revenge and vindictiveness in moments of triumph and glory. His triumphant entry into Makkah was a model of humility. He entered Makkah not as a victor but as a humble servant of Allah to restore the pristine purity of Ka’bah as the house of worship for Allah (SWT) alone in the true Ibrahimic tradition. The Companions of the Prophet distinguished between his status as a Prophet and his role as a Man expressing his personal views. The Companions would accept the revelations unhesitatingly. But whenever the Prophet expressed his personal views, if they disagreed, they would respectfully discuss its pros and cons with him. He always welcomed it. He would gladly accept the opinion of the Companions if he found them reasonable. The Prophet was equally conscious of the fact that with the passage of time the Quran and his Traditions may not offer solutions to the new emerging problems of mankind. He, therefore, encouraged original thinking and xi innovative ideas as is evident from his discussion with Ma’az bin Jabal when he was appointed governor of Yemen. However, the innovative solutions to the emerging problems must conform to the fundamental principles enunciated in the Quran which are of universal relevance. It is indeed shocking that the Muslim societies, the world over, have deviated markedly from the basic values outlined in the Qur’an. They are either too liberal as in the West or adamantly rigid, bigoted, dogmatic, orthodox and intolerant. They have ceased to display the compassionate, tolerant, flexible and progressive character of Islam preached and practiced by the Prophet. The Muslims must revert back to their original roots to pursue and practice the Islam of Muhammad (SAWS). We conclude with a prayer to Allah (SWT) to graciously bless our efforts with success (Ameen). Shah Manzoor Alam Chairman-INDSET & FormerVice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Srinagar Muhammad Rasul Allah (SAWS) – A Biographical Sketch 1 MUHAMMAD RASUL ALLAH (SAW) A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH CHAPTER – 1 INTRODUCTION The Arab society, before the advent of Islam, called the Jahiliyyah period, possessed certain virtuous qualities which are conspicuously absent even in the modern civilization. They were a most eloquent people, frank and outspoken with phenomenally strong memory, firm determination, brave, loyal and trustworthy. These wonderful human qualities were totally perverted under the influence of idolatry. It turned them into debauch and habitual gamblers. While gambling they would even put on stake all their belongings, including their wives. Woman had no rights during the Jahiliyyah period. Polygamy was common and in addition, men would have a number of concubines. Married women, without children, will be allowed by their husbands to have sex with other men to get pregnant.