The life of Prophet Muhammad SAW (by Abdul rehman azzam)

Lo! My worship [and my prayers and my life and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He hath no partner. This I am commanded and I am

the first of the Muslims (those who surrender (unto Him)). 6: 163-164

1) Prophet Muhammad was the first citizen of this nation, its teacher and its guide.

2) Ernestrenan, in an essay on Muhammad and the origin of Islam remarks that unlike other religions which were cradled in mystery, Islam

was born in the full light of History. “its routes are at surface level, the life of its founder is as well known to us as those of the reformers

of 16TH century.

3) Abu-Talib’s clan, the Bannu Abd Manaf, the most influential in all Arabia- part of great Quraysh tribe.

4) It was only at the age of forty, when his duty to the one God compelled him to preach against idol worship, that his people began to

persecute him.

5) At the age of twenty-five, he married a lady of forty, his first wife, Khadija, a relative and a rich widow. They lived twenty five years

together in prosperity and happiness, and had four daughters and two sons, but of the daughters who lived and married, only Fatima had

descendents.

6) ‘When I was poor she enriched me; when they called me a liar, she alone remained true’.

7) ‘No, you have nothing to fear. God will never let you down; you are kind to your relatives, you are astute and patient, you give to the

needy, you are generous to guests, and you never fail to relieve people from distress.

8) In cave of mount Hira outside the city =forty= worship

9) His wife, his attendant secretary and his young cousin Ali were the first converts.

10) His best friend Abu Bakr, a rich merchant, Uthman and Talha equally important well to do Meccan citizens. Poor and slaves also = in

Muslim community

11) Then he received the command to preach in public; thus we send you (o Muhammad) to a nation, before whom other nations have

passed away, that you may recite to them that which We have inspired in you…thus We have revealed it, a decisive utterance in

Arabic. (13:30,37)

12) Against idol worship and to tell them to expect a resurrection and a day of judgment

13) He stood for the first time on the hill of Safa opposite the Kaaba where the Meccan idols were glorified, and said to the people: supposing

I now told you that just behind the slopes of this hill there was an enemy cavalry force charging on you. Would you believe? They replied,

we never knew that you lied

14) They mocked him and went away. 10- Year career of active struggle and persecution in Mecca. Flood story =Noah

15) The chiefs were seriously alarmed= Prophet’s message was a threat to idol worship which was considered a mean of pilgrimage and

trading.
16) Black slaves who had joined the obnoxious section= threat

17) The polytheism of Mecca had established from time immemorial. If it went, with it would go their honor, power and wealth.

18) Muhammad was the descendent of Abd Manaf, Hashim and Abd al Mutalib, who, generation after generation, who had been leading

men of the Quraysh and had had its interest at heart.

19) A prominent leader of the Meccan oligarchy, Utbah ibn Rabi’ah, was authorized to negotiate with Muhammad. Utba called Muhammad

to the kaaba and there stated his proposals: O son on my brother… if you want wealth, we will contribute to make you the richest of us

all. If your object is honor and power, we will make you our leader and promise to decide nothing without you. If, even, you think of

royalty, we will elect you our king…Muhammad (PBUH) declined.

20) The negotiation was broken; a compromise was impossible.

21) The Meccan oligarchy resorted to violence.

22) Muhammad was not send to the aristocrats alone; he was messenger to all people. He was preaching what God ordered; O mankind! Lo!

We… have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another (and be friends). Lo! The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is

the best in conduct.

23) Persecution of those who listened to the apostle of Allah continued.

24) They explained the danger = Quraysh = humiliation of their idols… they said: if we were to follow the right path with you ,we would be

torn out of our land and dispersed . They would nomads of Arabia and would not be secure in their homes.

25) For Prophet, victory of those who abided by His law.

26) A prominent leader, Umayah ibn Khalaf, took a decayed human bone from its grave and brought it to the Prophet, asking, “you say that

this will come to life again?” Muhammad replied: He Who has created it in the first instance can make it return.

27) Muhammad then advised them to migrate to the opposite side of the red sea to Christian Abyssinia. They were received there by the

Negus (emperor), whose protection they asked.

28) Muslim refugees recited parts of the Quran which praise Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Negus and Bishops … believed … same sources as

Christianity.

29) Meccans sent emissaries with presents to the Abyssinians and petitioned them for the surrender of their escaped slaves and other

emigrants, but they refused.

30) Meccans negotiations with Banu Hashim. Finally, the Meccan oligarchy decided to step in against Abu Talib. In their opinion, he was the

real protector of the blasphemy.

31) Threats … Prophet departed… uncle called him back and said , ”Go , my son. Say what you believe; I shall never under any circumstance

let you down”.

32) Abu Talib refused to embrace Islam and remained a leader in Mecca with its pagan traditions and codes of honor.

33) He still preached publically

34) Abu Talib wisely and quietly took stalk of the situation, and decided to withdraw to a valley on the eastern outskirts of Mecca. He wanted

to avoid bloodshed.
35) Hardly and new coverts were made during this period and converts remained outside … refuge in Abyssinia. Nevertheless, the Prophets

determination and courage never weakened as he never doubted God’s ultimate victory.

36) Arab’s boycotts with Hashmites … in the third year of boycott… many Quraysh leaders… guilty about isolating their kinsman.

37) In the eight year of Prophet’s Mission, the converts, his uncle Abu Talib, the clan that had honored its tribal traditions in giving protection

to a faithful son went back to their homes.

38) Many of emigrants came back ... but subjected to intensified persecution and endless suffering … Prophet went to Taif (50 miles from

Mecca) with servant Zaid… walked up the rugged mountains to that city… followed by vagabonds and street urchins … Prophet’s feet

bled. He sat and appealed to the Almighty for mercy. Prophet replied to Zaid when Zaid asked as if he did not fear thrusting himself …

Prophet replied, God will protect His religion and His Prophet… However, a good-hearted pagan chief, Al Mutim ibn e Adi, took him under

his protection- guarded by a polytheist.

39) 622 AD= Hijra

40) Yathribite delegation told the Prophet that their people were willing to accept Islam : we will not worship, we will not steal, nor

commit adultery, nor kill our children, nor will we disobey our Prohpet in anything that is right. This pledge was later called ‘the first

Bait-ul- Alaqba (pledge of Alaqba).

41) The trusted Abu Bakr and Ali stayed behind in Mecca with the prophet. Ali sought to deceive the spies of the oligarchy by occupying the

Prophet’s bed, while Abu Bakr and the Prophet …hide out… cave – Mount Thawr. (Few miles from Mecca) for three days… Muhammad

rode off to Yathrib.

42) Pagans and Jews gave him good reception. Jews were monotheists and Arab pagan tribes who had originally come from Yemen …Jews

wanted to become ally against pagan Arabs and Christians… pagans wanted to compete Mecca with the help of Prophet. Prophet knew

important trade routes to Syria and the North

43) His new nation = Ummah= would have to divorce itself from idolatry, usury, immorality, alcoholism, tribalism, One God. His first concern

in Yathrib was to build his simple place or worship, the Masjid, where the faithful could also meet to discuss the affairs of their world…

Islam is political and social religion.

44) Mecca time = fundamentals of faith =unity of God, resurrection, DOJ, purification of the soul.

45) Madina time=Ummah- congregation or nation… independent entity… a constitution and system of defense and security and peace in

Yathrib. This was accomplished through treaty. This was the famous covenant of Yathrib, resembling in certain aspects that of the United

Nations, which aimed at maintenance of peace and security amongst various tribes and the creation of common system of security as a

consequence of common responsibility.

46) Nomadic Arabia = static defense

47) Prophet – second Hira =initiated mobile defense i.e Badar …300 infantry men and 3 cavalry men with no armor but swords and limited

supplies.

48) Quraysh = large supply caravan… but defeated.

religious entity and confirmed the power of the Prophet but it was not decisive.

50) 3rd Hijra- Meccans again came to Uhud to attack Ummah – Prophet was wounded but saved Ummah. Abu Sufyan – leading Meccans –We

will meet again next year… battle of Trench = WON!... 6th Hijra –moved to Mecca with force

51) Truce (for the very first time the right of every person to practice and preach his faith freely was recognized by a formal treaty)= 10 years

= pilgrimage . After truce they violated their treaty …630 AD… 10,000 Muslim Ummah, army on Wednesday in Mecca. On that memorable

day, the Prophet asked Meccans, “what do you think I will do to you?” … they replied …” you are a generous brother and the son of a

generous brother , Prophet replied “ go you are free”.

52) The army = entered quietly and peaceably, no house was robbed, no woman insulted… After the conquest of Mecca… went to Taif … with

largest force in their history to date… forgave them… Muslims expanded east Roman and the Persian and the Byzantine… 10 th Hijra… the

last farewell pilgrimage.

 570 birth

 Quresh tribe

 Banu hashim clan

 Arabian peninsula..mecca..80 km away from red sea.

 Kaaba …mecca…focal point for entire Arabian peninsula. Away from the influence of Persian and byzantine …

 Father Abdullah died before birth in yathrib

 Mother aminaah died when he was 6

 Grand father abdul mutlib brought up propher saw

 Paternal uncle abu talib lloked after the death of grand father.

 In 20’s prophet was accomplished merchant…sadiq al amin…an honest trader

 Khadija…wealthy widow …married Muhammad saw.

 Monotheist arabs = hanif singular.

 Group—follower of Abraham –against idols – prophet was among hanifs

 Instead of engaging in idol worship so rampant in society , Muhammad saw chose seclusion==habit of retreating to a cave atop

mountain…5km from mecca

 First revealations= 610 AD

 Sitting in cave …gabriel. Repeated for 3 times …shaken..rushed home…comforted by khadija RA …cousin..familer with jewish and

Christian scriptures—immediately accepted Muhammad sae as a essanger of God.]

 Closest companion = abu bakar…young cousin =ali ra .. house servant = zayd ra

 “ woe to every scorner and mocker who collects wealth and continuously counts it. He thinks his wealth will make him immortal—no! he

will surely be thrown into the fire”. 104:1-4

 Even if prophet Muhammad had not advocated any change in society, the new beliefs alone were a threat to the economic and social

position of the polytheist.

 Idols –pilgrimage-business # monotheism = threat to quresh.

 Abu talib –leader of banu hashim clan –refused to accept islam but protected his nephew.

 617 AD quresh bycott banu hashim clan—no business transactions with them.

 Taif gathered to pelt Muhammad saw from stones…

 Why prophet saw migrated to medina??? Persecution , physical abuse…economic and social threats and other problems by quresh

 Yathrib…300km from mecca

 2 main tribes of yathrib … AWZ AND KHAZRA.

 Left mecca =622AD

 Abu bakar –journey with propher saw and eluded quresh , plans to have Muhammad saw murder before he could leave…

 Yathrib … new name = medina.

 MEDINA…first muslim state ..ansar = original residents…muhajireen=migrated to medina.

 Ansar..Either AWZ OR KHAZRAJ…muhajireen = muslim community or ansar local tribes.

 Constitution of medina = the jews…are one community with the believers. To the jews, their religion … and to the Muslims..Their religion.

 New things in medina == UMMAH, NEW CONSTITUTION IN MEDINA …EQUALITY AND BROTHERHOOD IN COMMUNITY.

 Prophet saw = constitution’s authority and city’s ultimate arbitrator..Islamic law..Freedom was given to other minorities to practice their

religion.

 New versus= worship , taxation , inheritance, relations between muslims and non muslims.

 Noah---abraham---moses—david---jesus—stories….