1.

The Dawn of Islam: The Prophetic Age (570-632):

Biography of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): A Chronology of the Major Events:

(570 AD): The Prophet Is Born: Early Meccan period:

 One day, while travelling north, one of the Arab tribes from Mecca met a hermit in the desert.
 Some of the men stopped to speak with him.
 Hermits were known to be wise and the Arabs often asked their advice.
 The hermit asked where they had come from.
 When they replied that they were from Mecca, he told them that Allah would soon send a
prophet, who would come from their people.
 They asked the name of this prophet and the hermit answered that his name would be
Muhammad and that he would guide them to a new way of life.
 Meanwhile in Mecca, Aminah, although saddened by the loss of her husband, felt especially well
and strong as she awaited the birth of her baby.
 During this time, she dreamt of many things.
 On one occasion it was as if a great light were shining out of her, and on another she heard a
voice telling her that she would have a boy and that his name would be Muhammad.
 She never forgot that voice but she told no one about it.
 On Monday, the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant, Aminah gave birth to a
son.
 Allah sends man many signs when one of His chosen Prophets is born and on that twelfth day of
Rabi al Awwal in the year 570 A.D, many such signs were seen.
 Some were seen by Jewish scholars who had read in their scriptures of a coming Prophet.
 One of these learned men in Yathrib, for instance, saw a brilliant new star he had never seen
before as he studied the heavens that night.
 He called the people around him and, pointing the star out to them, told them a Prophet must
have been born.

 That same night another Jew was passing by the meeting place of the leaders of Quraysh in
Mecca.
 He asked them if a baby boy had just been born and told them that if it were true, this would be
the Prophet of the Arab nation.
 Aminah sent news of the birth to her father-in-law, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who was sitting near the
Ka'bah at the time. He was very happy and began at once to think of a name for the boy.
 An ordinary name would not do. Six days came and went and still he had not decided.
 But on the seventh day, as he lay asleep near the Ka’bah, 'Abd al-Muttalib dreamt that he should
give the baby the unusual name of Muhammad, just as Aminah herself had dreamt.
  And the child was called Muhammad (pbuh), which means 'the Praised One'.
 When 'Abd al-Muttalib told the leaders of Quraysh what he had named his grandson, many of
them asked, 'Why did you not choose the sort of name that is used by our people?' At once he
replied, 'I want him to be praised by Allah in the heavens and praised by men on earth.

A Time with Halimah: (8 Days Old)

 Like many other women in Mecca, Aminah decided to send her son away from the city for his
early years to the desert where it was healthier.
 Women from the desert used to come to Mecca to collect the new babies and they would then
keep them until they developed into strong children, for which they were well paid by the
parents.
 Among the women who traveled to Mecca to fetch a new baby at the time Aminah's son was
born, was a Bedouin woman called Halimah.
 With her was her husband and baby son.
 They had always been very poor but this year things were harder than ever because there had
been famine.
 The donkey that earned Halimah on the journey was so weak from hunger that he often
stumbled.
 Halimah's own baby son cried all the time because his mother could not feed him properly.
 Even their she-camel did not give them one drop of milk.
 Halimah did not know what to do.
 She thought to herself, 'How can I possibly feed another baby when I haven't got enough milk
even for my own son?
 At last, they reached Mecca.
 All the other women of the tribe to which Halimah belonged, the Bani Sa'd, found a child to take
back with them, but not Halimah.

 The only baby left was Muhammad (pbuh).

 Usually, the father paid the wet-nurse but Mohammed’s father was dead.
 So, no one wanted to take him, even though he was from one of the noblest families of
Quraysh.
 Halimah did not want to take him either, but she did not want to be the only woman to go back
to her tribe without a baby to bring up.
 She asked her husband whether she should take Muhammad (pbuh) or not.
 He advised her to do so, adding, 'Perhaps Allah will bless us because of him.'
 They started on the return journey and as soon as Halimah began to feed Muhammad (pbuh)
her milk suddenly increased and she had enough for him as well as her baby son.
 When they were back home, everything began to change.
 The land became green, and the date trees, one of their main sources of food, gave lots of fruit.
 Even the sheep and their old she-camel began to give plenty of milk.
  Halimah and her husband knew that this good fortune had come because they had the new
baby, Muhammad (pbuh), whom they had come to love as if he were their own son.
 When Muhammad (pbuh) was two years old, Halimah took him back to his mother.
 She pleaded with Aminah, however, to let her keep him for a little longer, and to her great joy
the mother agreed.
 During his time with Halimah's family in the desert, Muhammad (pbuh) played with her children
and together they would take the sheep out to graze.
 At other times, however, Halimah would often find him sitting alone.
 It is said that on one occasion, two angels came to Muhammad (pbuh) and washed his heart
with snow.
 In this way Allah made his heart pure for He intended Muhammad (pbuh) to be greater than any
man ever born and to become the Seal of the Prophets
 In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “Did We not expand thy breast for thee and
eased thee of thy burden Which weighed down thy back; And exalted thy fame? So truly with
hardship comes ease, truly with hardship comes ease. So, when thou art relieved, still work and
strive to please thy Lord. (Qur'an 94.1-8)
 When Halimah finally took Muhammad (pbuh) back to Aminah, he was a healthy, strong boy.
Later he would look back with joy on the time he had spent with Halimah, and he always
thought of himself as one of the Bani Sa'd.

(576 AD): The Orphan's Childhood: Death of Aminah (Prophet's Mother):

 Muhammad (pbuh) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when he was about three years
old.
 Three years later Aminah decided to take her son to visit his uncles in Yathrib.
 On their way back to Mecca, however, Aminah became ill and died.
 She was buried in the village at al-Abwa not far from Yathrib.
 Muhammad (pbuh) returned sadly to Mecca with his mother's maid He was now six years old
and had lost both his father and mother.

(578 AD): Death of 'Abd Al-Muttalib (Prophet's Grandfather):

 He was then adopted by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by
his side at all times.
 Prophet Muhammad SAW was only 8 years old.
 It was the custom of 'Abd al-Muttalib to sit on a blanket near the Ka’bah.
 There he was always surrounded by people who had come to speak to him.
 No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him, however, except his grandson Muhammad
(pbuh), which shows how close they were to each other.
 Many times, 'Abd al-Muttalib was heard to say: 'This boy will be very important one day.'
 Two years later 'Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad (pbuh) stayed by him constantly.
  'Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, to adopt Muhammad (pbuh) after his death, which he
did.
 Abu Talib had many children of his own, but Muhammad (pbuh) immediately became part of his
family and the favorite child.

(582 AD): First Journey to Syria (with his Uncle Abu Talib)

 The time came for Quraysh to prepare a caravan to go to Syria.

 Abu Talib was going with them and he took Muhammad (pbuh) along while he was only 12 years
old.
 It was Mohammed’s first journey to the north.
 After days of travel, the caravan arrived at a place near Syria where the Romans used to come to
trade with the Arabs.
 Near this marketplace lived a monk called Bahira.
 His cell had been used by generations of monks before him and contained ancient manuscripts.
 Bahira' saw the caravan in the distance and was amazed to see that over it was a large white
cloud.
 It was the only cloud in a clear blue sky and it appeared to be shading one of the travelers.
 The monk was even more surprised to see that the cloud seemed to follow the caravan but
disappeared when the person it was shading sat down under a tree.
 Bahira’ knew from the scriptures that a prophet was expected to come after Jesus and it had
been his wish to see this prophet before he died.
 Realizing that what he had just seen was a miracle, he began to think that his wish might, after
all, come true.
 The monk sent an invitation to the Meccans to come and eat with him.
 The Arabs were surprised because they often passed by and Bahira had never invited them
before.
 When the group was all together for the meal, the monk said, 'Is this everyone?
 'No', someone said, 'a boy was left watching the camels.'
 Bahira‟ insisted that the boy should join them.
 The boy was Muhammad (pbuh).
 When he arrived Bahira‟ said nothing, but watched him all through the meal.
 He noticed many things about his appearance which fitted the description in the old
manuscripts.
 Later on, he took him aside and asked Muhammad (pbuh) many questions.
 He soon found out how he felt about the idols in the Ka'bah.
 When Bahira tried to make him swear by them, as the Arabs used to do, Muhammad (pbuh)
said, 'There is nothing in this world that I hate more'.
 They talked together about Allah and about Mohammed’s life and family.
 What was said made Bahira certain that this was indeed the Prophet who would follow Jesus.
 Then the monk went to Abu Talib and asked him how he was related to Muhammad (pbuh).
 Abu Talib told him that Muhammad (pbuh) was his son.
  Bahira replied that this could not be so because the boy was destined to grow up an orphan, and
he ordered Abu Talib to watch over Muhammad (pbuh) with great care.
 On one occasion, however, Muhammad (pbuh) went with some of the boys to a wedding in
Mecca.
 When he reached the house, he heard the sounds of music and dancing but just as he was about
to enter, he suddenly felt tired and, sitting down, fell asleep.
 He didn't wake up until late the next morning and thus missed the celebrations.
 In this way Allah prevented him from doing anything foolish for He was keeping Muhammad
(pbuh) for something much more important.

(585 AD): Pledge of Fudul to help the needy and the oppressed:

 Muhammad was 15 Years old.

 Muhammad joined a pact of chivalry (futuwwah) for the establishment of justice and the
protection of the weak and the oppressed made by certain notables of the Quraysh like Abd
Allah ibn Judan, the chief of the clan of Taym and cousin of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq.
 Az-Zubayr ibn Abd al-Muttalib, chief of the Hashim Clan brought the young Muhammad that
took part of the pact.
 The oath was called Hilf al-Fudul (League of the Virtuous).
 Muhammad was chosen because his absolute truthfulness, trustworthiness and integrity, his
sense of justice and compassion for the poor, oppressed and downtrodden.
 Al-Amin, the Trustworthy, the Honest, al-Sadiq, the Truthful, were the titles on everybody’s lips
for Muhammad, which means itself the Praised One.

(595 AD): Second journey to Syria

 By the time Muhammad (pbuh) was twenty-five he was famous for his honesty.
 He was respected by everyone, even the elders of Mecca.
 The purity of his nature increased with the years.
 It seemed he had an inner knowledge that other people did not have.
 He believed in one God Creator of the world-and he worshipped Him with all his heart and with
all his soul.
 Muhammad (pbuh) was the finest of his people, the most kind, truthful and reliable person in
Mecca.
 He was known among Quraysh as 'the trustworthy' (al-Amin) because of the good qualities Allah
had given him.
 He spent many quiet hours in a cave in Mount Hira, not far from Mecca, thinking about Allah.
 Among Quraysh was a respected and wealthy woman named Khadijah.
 She was involved in trade and on hearing of Mohammed’s reputation, sent for him and asked
him to take her goods and trade with them in Syria.
 Muhammad (pbuh) agreed and left for Syria with one of Khadijah's caravans.
  With him went her slave, Maysarah, and they spent a great deal of time talking together.
 Maysarah soon came to admire Muhammad (pbuh).
 He thought he was quite different from all the other men of Quraysh.
 Two unusual events took place during this journey which puzzled Maysarah very much.
 The first happened when they stopped to rest near the lonely home of a monk.
 Muhammad (pbuh) sat under a tree while Maysarah was busy with some work.
 The monk came up to Maysarah and asked, 'Who is the man resting under the tree?' 'One of
Quraysh, the people who guard the Ka’bah', said Maysarah.
 'No one but a Prophet is sitting beneath this tree', replied the monk.
 The second event occurred on the journey back to Mecca.
 It happened at noon, when the sun is at its hottest.
 Maysarah was riding behind Muhammad (pbuh) and as the sun grew hotter, he saw two angels
appear above Muhammad (pbuh) and shield him from the sun's harmful rays.
 The trading was very successful and Muhammad (pbuh) made more profit for Khadijah than she
had ever received before.
 When they arrived back in Mecca Maysarah told Khadijah everything about the trip and what he
had noticed about Mohammed’s character and behavior.
 Khadijah was a widow in her forties and as well as being rich and highly respected she was also
very beautiful.

(595 AD): Marriage to Khadijah:

 Many men wanted to marry her but none of them suited her.
 When she met Muhammad (pbuh), however, she thought he was very special.
 She sent a friend to ask Muhammad (pbuh) why he was not married.
 Muhammad (pbuh) said that it was because he had no money, to which the friend replied:
'Supposing a rich, beautiful and noble lady agreed to marry you?'
 Muhammad (pbuh) wanted to know who that could be.
 The friend told him it was Khadijah.
 Muhammad (pbuh) was very happy, because he greatly respected Khadijah.
 He went with his uncles, Abu Talib and Hamzah, to Khadijah's uncle, and asked his permission to
marry her.
 The uncle gave his permission and soon after, Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were married.

 Their marriage was a joyful one and Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were well suited.
 Their life together, however, was not without some sadness.
 They were blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters.

1. Birth of a son, Hadrat Qasim (may Allah be pleased with him) (598 AD)
 2. Birth of his daughter, Hadrat Zainab, may Allah be pleased with her. (600 AD)
3. Birth of his daughter, Hadrat Ruqayya, may Allah be pleased with her. (603 AD)
4. Birth of his daughter, Hadrat Um-e-Kalthum, may Allah be pleased with her. (604 AD)
5. Birth of his daughter, Hadrat Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her. (605 AD)

(605 AD): Reconstruction of the Ka’ba

 For a few years Muhammad (pbuh) lived a calm and quiet life as a merchant in Mecca.
 His wisdom benefited many people.
 One such time was when Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka’bah.
 Makka was hit by a flood and the Ka’ba was badly damaged.
 On reconstruction, a dispute arose as to which family should have the Honour to place the black
stone.
 The dispute was becoming serious when it was suggested that the first person to enter the
precincts of the Ka’ba should resolve the dispute or place the black stone on its place.
 It was a difficult decision for them because they had to knock it down before rebuilding it and
the people were afraid that Allah might be angry with them for knocking down His sanctuary.
 At last, one of the wise old men of Quraysh decided to begin, then everybody followed him.
 They worked until they reached down to the first foundation that Abraham had built.
 As soon as they began to remove the stones of this foundation, however, the whole of Mecca
began to shake.
 They were so afraid that they decided to leave these stones where they were and build on top
of them.
 Each tribe brought stones and they built the Ka'bah up until they reached the place where the
black stone was to be set.
 They then began to argue about who should have the honor of carrying the black stone and
lifting it to its, place in one of the corners of the Ka'bah.
 They almost came to blows but fortunately one of the men offered a solution.
 He suggested that they should be guided by the first person to enter the place of worship.
 They all agreed and as Muhammad (pbuh) was the first to enter everyone was pleased, because
they all trusted him.

 They told him the cause of the argument and he asked them to bring a large cloak.
 They did as he asked, and after spreading the cloak on the ground he placed the black stone in
the center of it.
 Then he asked a man from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak and together to raise it to
the height where the stone should be seeing.
 When this was done, he took the stone off the cloak and put it into place himself.
 This story shows how all Quraysh respected and trusted Muhammad (pbuh) and how, by his
wisdom and good sense, he was able to keep the peace.
Period of the Meccan revelations

(610 AD): First Revelation: The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel

 Muhammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the sun, the moon, the
earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that all people should worship only Him.
 Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'.
 He liked to be alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and drinking
little.
 In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of
retreat, in the cave.
 In the second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through
Muhammad (pbuh).
 This first Revelation occurred as follows.
 The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and commanded him to 'Read'.
Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.'
 At this the Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him to him until it was
almost too much to bear.
 He then released him and said again 'Read.' 'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the
Archangel embraced him again.
 For the third time the Archangel commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he
could not and was again embraced.
 On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel Gabriel said:
 “Read: In the Name of thy Lord who created, Created man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the
Most Generous Who teaches by the pen, teaches man that which he knew not. (Qur'an 96.1-5)
 Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them.
 When the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he we away.
 Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand what had happened to him.
 He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave.
 Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind? But he was
stopped by a voice from heaven which said; '0 Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of
Allah, and I am Gabriel.'
 He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel Gabriel.
 In a state of confusion, he returned home to Khadijah.
 When his wife saw him, she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a fever.
 He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did.
 After a while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'.
 Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect said: 'Be happy, 0 son of my uncle
and be confident.
 Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.'
 Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had
happened, he was exhausted and felt fast asleep.
  Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin, Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, to
ask him what he thought about all that had happened.
 Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had become a Christian after
studying the Bible.
 He told Khadijah that Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger.
 Just as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to guide his
people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of his people.
 But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the Prophet and some would
mistreat his followers.
 He must, however, be patient because he had a great message for all the world.
 From that day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the verses he
taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later written down, and are known to us as
the Holy Qur'an.

(610 AD): The First Muslims

 After that momentous day in the month of Ramadan, Revelation came again and again to the
Prophet (pbuh).
 He understood now what he had to do and prepared himself for what was to come.
 Only a strong and brave man, helped by Allah, can be a true prophet because people often
refuse to listen to Allah's message.
 Khadijah was the first to believe the Prophet (pbuh) and accept as true what he brought from
Allah.
 Through her, Allah made things easier for the Prophet (pbuh).
 Khadijah strengthened him, helped him spread his message, and stood up to the people who
were against him.
 Then Revelation ceased for a time.
 The Prophet (pbuh) was upset and unhappy, thinking that Allah had left him, or that he might
have angered Allah in some way so that Allah no longer thought him worthy of His message.
 However, the Archangel Gabriel came back to him and brought this surah, or chapter, of the
Qur'an:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “By the morning hours, and by the night when it is
stillest, Thy Lord hath neither forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee, and verily the Last will be better for
thee than the First. And verily thy Lord will give unto thee so that thou wilt be content. Did He not find
thee an orphan and protect thee? Did He not find thee wandering and guide thee? Did He not find thee
destitute and enrich thee? Therefore, the orphan oppresses not, Therefore the beggar drive not away,
and as for thy Lord's blessing, declare it”. (Qur'an: 93.1-11)

 The Prophet (pbuh) began to speak secretly of Allah's message to those Who were close to him
and whom he could trust.
 At that time Mecca was going through hard times.
 There was very little food to be had.
 Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, who had taken care of him after his grandfather's death, was
finding it very difficult to feed his large family.
 The Prophet (pbuh) said that he and another uncle, al-'Abbas, who was a rich man, would each
bring up one of Abu Talib's children in order to help him.
 The Prophet (pbuh) took Ali and his uncle took Ja’far.
 One day, when the Prophet (pbuh) was outside the city, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him.
 The Archangel kicked the side of a hill and a spring of water began to flow out.
 He then began to wash himself in the running water to show the Prophet (pbuh) the ritual
ablution to be made before prayer.
 Then the Archangel showed him all the positions of Muslim prayer-the various movements and
things to be said with each movement.
 The Prophet (pbuh) returned home and taught all these things first to Khadijah and then to his
followers.
 Since then, Muslims have continued to purify themselves before prayer by performing the ritual
ablution and have followed the same movements and prayers first performed by the Prophet
(pbuh).
 To begin with, though, only the Prophet (pbuh) and his wife knew of these things.
 Then one day „Ali entered the room and found the Prophet (pbuh) and Khadijah praying.
 He was puzzled and asked what they were doing.
 The Prophet (pbuh) explained to him that they were praising Allah and giving thanks to Him.
 That night 'Ali stayed up thinking about all that the Prophet (pbuh) had said; he had great
admiration and respect for his cousin.
 Finally, he came to a decision and the next day he went to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him that
he wanted to follow him.
 Thus, Khadijah was the first woman to embrace Islam, the teachings which the Prophet (pbuh)
brought from Allah, and „Ali was the first young man.
 Shortly after they were joined by Zayd ibn Harithah, a slave, freed and adopted by the Prophet
(pbuh).
 The Prophet (pbuh) began to leave Mecca with 'Ali in order to pray.
 One day Abu Talib happened to pass by and when he saw them, he stopped and asked them
what they were doing.
 The Prophet (pbuh) told him that they were praying and following the same religion as
Abraham.
 He explained that, like Abraham, he had been ordered to guide the people to Allah's truth.
 Abu Talib looked at his son, 'Ali, and said: 'Muhammad (pbuh) would never make you do
anything that was wrong. Go with him.
 But I cannot leave the religion I now follow and which was followed by my father.'
 Then he turned to the Prophet (pbuh), saying, 'Even so, I promise you, Muhammad (pbuh), that
no one will hurt you as long as I am alive.'
 And with that Abu Talib went on his way.
 At about this time the news of Muhammad (pbuh) being the Prophet reached an honest, wise,
and respected merchant of Mecca called Abu Bakr.
 He knew Muhammad (pbuh) well and believed he could never lie, so he went to find out for
himself if the story were true.
 The Prophet (pbuh) told him that he had indeed been sent by Allah to teach everyone to
worship the one true Allah.
  On hearing this from the Prophet's own lips Abu Bakr knew it to be the truth and became a
believer instantly.
 Later the Prophet (pbuh) was reported to have said that everyone he ever invited to accept
Islam showed signs of disbelief and doubt, except Abu Bakr; when he was told of it, he did not
hold back or hesitate.
 Because of his wisdom, honesty, and kindness people had always turned to Abu Bakr for advice.
 He was, therefore, a man of some influence and through him many people came to Islam.
 Among these was Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas as, the uncle of Aminah, the Prophet's mother.
 The night before Abu Bakr came to visit him and tell him about Islam, Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas
dreamt that he was walking in darkness.
 As he walked, he saw the moon and when he looked at it, he saw 'Ali, Abu Bakr, and Zayd, the
Prophet's freed slave, beckoning to him to come and join them.
 When Abu Bakr told him about the Prophet's religion, he understood the meaning of his dream
and went at once to the Prophet (pbuh) and declared himself a Muslim.
 He understood that to be a Muslim means to submit oneself to Allah's Will and to serve only
Him
 Another person brought to Islam by Abu Bakr was Bilal.
 One night Abu Bakr went to the house of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the most important men
of Quraysh.
 Umayyah was out and Abu Bakr found only Umayyah's slave, Bilal, at home.
 Abu Bakr talked to the slave about Islam and before he left, Bilal, too, had become a Muslim.
 The number of people following the Prophet (pbuh) began to grow.
 Sometimes they would all go out of the city to the mountains around Mecca to hear him recite
the Qur'an and to be taught by him.
 This was all done very secretly and only a very few people knew about Islam in those early days.

(613 AD): Inviting the near ones:

 Three years passed and one day the Archangel Gabriel came to the Prophet (pbuh) and ordered
him to start preaching openly to everyone.
 So, the Prophet (pbuh) told the people of Mecca that he had something very important to tell
them.
 He stood on a hillside in Mecca, called Safa, and they gathered around to hear what he had to
say.
 He started by asking them if they would believe him were, he to say that an army was about to
attack them.
 They answered that indeed they would, because he never lied.
 He then told them that he was the Messenger of Allah, sent to show them the right way, and to
warn them of terrible punishments if they did not follow him in worshipping only Allah and none
other.
 Abu Lahab, one of the Prophet's uncles who was among the listeners, suddenly stood up and
said,
  'May you perish! Did you call us here just to tell us this?' At this, Allah sent to the Prophet (pbuh)
the following Surah:

In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful “The Power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will
perish. His wealth and gains will not save him. He shall roast at a flaming fire, and his wife, the carrier of
firewood Will have upon her neck a rope of palm-fiber”. (Qur'an 111.1-5)

 Then the crowd dispersed and the Prophet (pbuh) was left alone.
 A few days later the Prophet (pbuh) tried again.
 A feast was prepared in his house for all of his uncles.
 After the meal he spoke to them and said, 'O sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib! I know of no Arab who
has come to his people with a better message than mine.
 I have brought you the best news for this life and the next.
 Allah has ordered me to call you to Him.
 So, which of you will help me?' All the men kept silent.
 Then 'Ali, his cousin, jumped up and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! I will help you.'
 Then the men all got up and left, laughing as they went because only one young boy had agreed
to help the Prophet (pbuh).
 His message ignored by most of the people and his uncles, the Prophet (pbuh) continued to
meet his friends secretly in a house near the hill of Safa.
 There they prayed together and he taught them about the religion of Islam.
 But even though they kept to themselves, they were sometimes abused by those who would not
believe.
 From one such incident, however, an unexpected conversion to Islam took place.
 One day, when the Prophet (pbuh) was returning home, speaking with his followers, he met Abu
Jahl, a leader of Quraysh, who hated the Prophet (pbuh) and his teachings.
 Abu Jahl started to insult him and to speak spitefully of Islam, but the Prophet (pbuh) made no
reply and went on his way.
 Later, Hamzah, one of the Prophet's uncles, who was a strong and brave warrior of whom
people were quite afraid, heard how his nephew had been insulted.

 Filled with rage, he ran straight to the Ka'bah where Abu Jahl was sitting among the people and
struck him a violent blow in the face with his bow.
 Hamzah then shouted, 'Will you insult him when I follow his religion, and I say what he says?
 Hit me back if you can!' Some people got up to help Abu Jahl but he stopped them saying, 'Leave
Hamzah alone, for by Allah, I have insulted his nephew badly.
 'From that moment on Hamzah followed the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) and with his
conversion to Islam Quraysh realized that the Prophet (pbuh) had a strong supporter and so for
a while they stopped persecuting him.
 Soon, however, the leaders of Quraysh became angry again, when they saw that the Prophet
(pbuh) was going ahead with his teaching.
 A group of them went to his uncle, Abu Talib, who had promised to protect him.
  They told him to ask the Prophet (pbuh) to stop attacking their gods and their way of life, and in
return they would let him do as he wished with his religion.
 After a time, they saw that there was no change, so they went back to Abu Talib and this time
they told him that if he did not stop his nephew, they would fight them both.
 Abu Talib was very upset by this quarrel among his people, but he could not break his word to
his nephew.
 He sent for the Prophet (pbuh) and told him what had happened, saying, 'Spare me and spare
yourself; do not put a greater burden on me than I can bear.'
 The Prophet (pbuh) thought that his uncle might abandon him and that he would no longer have
his support, but nevertheless he answered, '0 my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right
hand and the moon in my left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until
Allah makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service.
 Abu Talib was deeply moved by this answer.
 He told the Prophet (pbuh) that he would support him for as long as he lived and encouraged
him to go on spreading Allah's message.
 From that time on, however hard the leaders of Quraysh tried to convince Abu Talib to stop
protecting his nephew, he always refused to listen to them.
 In order to get rid of the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers, his enemies started persecuting
those Muslims who were poor or weak, or had no powerful friends.
 One such person was Bilal, the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf.
 His master would take him out into the desert, tie him up, and leave him in the sun with a large
stone on his chest.
 Fortunately, Abu Bakr was passing by one day and saw Umayyah torturing Bilal, so he bought
him from his master for a large sum of money and then set him free.
 But not all persecuted Muslims were as fortunate as Bilal.
 Many suffered, but all of them endured it patiently, knowing that they were doing the right
thing and that their reward in the life to come would be greater' than any happiness they could
find on earth.

(615 AD) Emigration of Muslims to Abyssinia: The King Who Believed

 As the number of the Prophet's followers increased so the enemies of the Muslims grew more
and more angry.
 At last, some of the Muslims decided to go to another country in order to live in peace.
 It was only five years since the Archangel Gabriel had first come to the Prophet (pbuh) and two
years since the Prophet (pbuh) had spoken out in public.
 The Muslims asked the Prophet (pbuh) to allow them to leave Mecca.
 He agreed, saying 'It would be better for you to go to Abyssinia.
 The king there is a just man and it is a friendly country.
 Stay there until Allah makes it possible for you to return.
 The Muslims prepared for the journey.
 They decided to wait until night so that they could leave without being seen.
 The first sixteen left Mecca and, after reaching the shore of die Red Sea, crossed over to
Abyssinia.
 Another eighty-three men and nineteen women followed, all hoping to be welcomed by the king
and people of that country.
 This was the first hijrah, or migration, in Islam.
 The Meccans were furious when they discovered that these Muslims had secretly left the city for
among them were the sons and daughters of many of the leading families of Mecca.
 The anger of the Meccans was even greater when they found out that the Muslims had been
warmly welcomed in Abyssinia.
 The leaders of Quraysh decided to send two men to the Abyssinian king in hopes of persuading
him to send the Muslims back.
 These were 'Amr ibn al-'As, a very clever speaker, and Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi’ah.
 Before they met this king, they gave each of his advisers a gift, saying: 'Some foolish men from
our people have come to hide in your country.
 Our leaders have sent us to your ruler to persuade him to send them back, so when we speak to
the king about them, do advise him to give them up to us.'
 The advisers agreed to do what the Meccans wished.
 Amr ibn al-'As and 'Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi'ah then went to the king and presented him also with
a gift, saying: 'Your Highness, these people have abandoned the religion we have always
followed in Mecca, but they have not even become Christians like you.'
 The royal advisers, who were also present, told the king that the Meccans had spoken the truth
and that he should send the Muslims back to their own people.

 At this, the king became angry and said, 'No, by God, I will not give them up.
 Those who have come to ask for my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me rather
than others, shall not be betrayed.
 I will summon them and ask them about what these two men have said.
 If the Muslims are as the Meccans say, I will give them up and send them back to their own
people, but if the Meccans have lied, I will protect the Muslims.
 'Amr was very upset by this for the last thing he wanted was for the king to hear what the
Muslims had to say.
 The king then sent for the Muslims.
 When they entered, they did not kneel before him as was the custom of the Abyssinians.
 'Why do you not kneel before our king?' they were asked by one of the advisors.
  'We kneel only to Allah', they replied.
 So, the king asked them to tell him about their religion.
 Ja'far ibn abi Talib, Ali's brother and a cousin of the Prophet (pbuh), was chosen to speak for the
Muslims.
 He replied, '0 King, at first we were among the ignorant.
 We and our ancestors had turned from the faith of Abraham, who, with Ishmael, rebuilt the
Ka’bah and worshipped only Allah.
 We used idols in our worship of Allah; we ate meat that had not been killed in the right way; we
did not respect the rights of our neighbors; the strong took advantage of the weak.
 We did terrible things of which I dare not speak.
 This was our life until Allah sent a Messenger from among us, one of our relatives, whom we
have always known to be honest, innocent, and faithful.
 He asked us to worship only Allah, and to give up the bad customs of our forefathers.
 He asked us to be truthful and trustworthy, to respect and help our neighbors, to honor our
families, and to put a stop to our bad deeds and endless fighting.
 He asked us to look after orphans.
 He ordered us not to slander or speak evil of women or men.
 He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or anything else alongside Him.
 He ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast.

 We believe he is right and therefore we follow him and do as he has commanded us.
 The Meccans began to attack us and come between us and our religion.
 So, we had to leave our homes and we have come to you, hoping to find justice.'
 The king, who was a Christian, was moved by these words.
 Amr had to think quickly of a way to win the argument.
 Cunningly he said to the king, 'These people do not believe in Jesus in the same way as you'.
 The king then wanted to know what the Prophet (pbuh) had said about Jesus.
 Ja'far replied by reciting a Surah from the Qur'an which tells the story of Jesus and his mother
Mary.
 These are a few of the lines he recited:

“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when
she had Withdrawn from her people to an eastern place, and had chosen seclusion from them. Then We
sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge
in the Beneficent One from thee, if Thou fearest God. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I
may bestow on thee a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me,
neither have I been unchaste? He said: 'Even so thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We
may make of him revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. And she
conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place. Then she brought him to her own folk,
carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an monstrous thing. Oh sister of Aaron! Thy
father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. Then Mary pointed to the child (Jesus); But
they said, 'How can we speak to one who is still in the cradle, a young child?' He said, 'Lo, I am Allah's
servant; He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet.
He has made me Blessed, wheresoever I may be; and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give alms, so
long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother; he has not made me arrogant, Peace be upon me, the
day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up alive!” (Qur'an 19:16-33). “

 When the king heard this, his eyes filled with tears.
 Turning to his advisers, he said, 'These words have surely come from God; there is very little to
separate the Muslims from the Christians.
 What both Jesus and Muhammad, the Messengers of Allah, have brought comes from the same
source.
 So, the Muslims were given the king's permission to live peacefully in his country.
 'Amr was given back the gift he had presented to the king and the two Meccans returned home,
bitterly disappointed.

(616 AD) Hadrat Hamza and Hadrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, accept Islam

 Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib (c. 566-625) accepts Islam and the guidance of Prophet Muhammad.
 He was Muhammad’s paternal uncle.
 It was traditionally alleged that Hamza was four years older than Muhammad.
 Hamza’s Islam was complete, and he followed the Apostle’s commands.
 When he became a Muslim, the Quraysh recognized that the Apostle had become strong, and
had found a protector in Hamza, and so they abandoned some of their ways of harassing him.”
 Also, in this same year, Umar Ibn al-Khattab converted to Islam one year after the Migration to
Abyssinia.
 After reciting the qur’anic verses that were: “Verily, I am Allah: there is no God but Me; so serve
Me (only and establish regular prayer for My remembrance” (20: l4).
 Umar then went to Muhammad and accepted Islam in front of him and his companions
(sahaba).
 Umar was 33 years old when he accepted Islam.

(616-619 AD) Embargo and Boycott of Banu Hashim (Prophet's Family) by Quraysh: The Cruelty of
Quraysh

 The leaders of Quraysh became increasingly worried about the way the people of Mecca were
being divided by the Prophet's teachings.
 But now the leaders of Quraysh became even more alarmed and began to see Islam as a threat
to the whole life of the city of Mecca.
 They grew more and more furious as the numbers of Muslims increased until finally, they, too,
decided as to kill the prophet.
 On hearing of these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, immediately sent a message to all the
sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, asking them to protect their nephew, and this they agreed to do.
 When Quraysh realized that they could not kill the Prophet (pbuh) because of this protection,
they decided instead to avoid him and his followers completely.
 A declaration to this effect was hung at the Ka’bah.
  It stated that no one in the city was allowed to have anything to do with the Prophet (pbuh) and
his people, or even to sell them any food or drink whatsoever.
 At first the Muslims found some support among the Bani Hashim, the branch of Quraysh to
which the Prophet (pbuh) belonged.
 Some of these people were not Muslims but showed loyalty to their kinsmen by suffering along
with them.
 However, life grew more and more difficult and food was scarce.
 The hatred of the rest of Quraysh for the followers of the Prophet (pbuh) grew so great that
when his companions tried to buy supplies from a caravan passing near to Mecca, Abu Lahab,
one of the Muslims' worst enemies, offered ten times the price of the goods to the merchant.
 By doing this he managed to stop the Muslims, from buying what they desperately needed.
 During the years of this terrible treatment, a wonderful thing happened.
 Instead of Islam becoming weaker, it grew stronger.
 Allah sent more and more Revelations.
 It was as though the Muslims were being strengthened and cleansed by the hardships they
suffered and were being tested in their faith.
 Each year at the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca, people came from all over Arabia.
 These pilgrims saw the terrible cruelty and injustice of Quraysh towards the Muslims, and many
of them were sorry for the Prophet's followers.
 Quraysh began to feel ashamed of their harsh treatment, especially as many of the Muslims
were their cousins and close relatives.
 Finally, at the end of three years, Muhammad (pbuh) came to Abu Talib one day and said that
the boycott agreement written by the Quraysh had been eaten up by insects and no writing had
been left except the name of Allah.
 Abu Talib went to the Ka’ba where the Quraysh were gathered and said:
 My son says that the agreement which you had written has been eaten by insects and nothing
remains except the name of Allah.
 If he is right, then you must end your injustice and if it is wrong then we will admit that you
were right and we were wrong.”
 The agreement was opened and nothing was left except the name of Allah.
 The boycott was lifted.

(620 AD) The Year of Sorrow:

 The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal way of life but the years of hardship
had made Khadijah very weak.
 She became ill and soon afterwards she died.
 Thus, the Prophet (pbuh) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam and
support him.
  She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-heartedness, the best
company in his suffering.
 He had loved her very much.
 This happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known as the 'Year of Sorrow'.
 Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also died.
 Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh.
 Even though he had never been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (pbuh)
against his enemies.
 Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet (pbuh) but also a dangerous one.
 According to Arab custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe so long as his
protector lives.
 Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophet's protection was gone.
 The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to console and comfort him,
and without his uncle to protect him.
 They began to treat him worse than ever before.
 Even small children insulted him.
 One young man actually threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but the Prophet (pbuh) went
home without making anything of it.
 When one of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her saying, 'Do not
weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your father.'

(620 AD) Visit to Ta’if

 Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh and the Prophet (pbuh) now felt that
Islam could make no further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were closed
against him.
 He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if where he hoped to find support.
 He walked all the way to the town, which was seventy kilometers away.
 There he spoke in all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to him.
 He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but they would not listen either.
 Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they laughed at him and ordered their
slaves to insult him and pelt him with stones.
 Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near a wall on the edge of town
where he could be alone.
 There he prayed to Allah.
 The wall near which the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by two
brothers.
 When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him and sent one of their slaves to him
with a dish filled with grapes.
 Before he began to eat, the Prophet (pbuh) said 'Bismillah'-'In the Name of Allah.'
 The servant, whose name was „Addas, was very surprised at these words, which he had never
heard before.
 'By Allah', said „Addas, 'this is not the way the people of this country speak.'
  'Then from what country do you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet
(pbuh).
 'I am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he replied. '
 From the town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added the Prophet 'How do you know
about him?' asked „Addas.
 'He is my brother-he was a Prophet and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh).
 Addas bent down and kissed the Prophet's head, his hands and his feet, because now he saw
that he was truly a Prophet.
 The Prophet (pbuh) then walked back to Mecca.
 He was now able to put up with everything patiently for he knew that Allah would never leave
him.
 His journey to Ta'if had not been in vain for Addas, the Christian, had become a Muslim, and this
was the beginning of great changes.
 Later Muhammad said: “The day of Taif was worse for me than the day of Uhud; that was the
most difficult point of my life.”

(621 AD): The Night Journey and The Ascent to Heaven: Journey of Mi'raj

 One night as the Prophet (pbuh) lay sleeping in the same spot where 'Abd al-Muttalib used to
sleep, next to the Ka’bah, he was woken by the Archangel Gabriel.
 Later the Prophet (pbuh) described what happened: 'I sat up and he took hold of my arm.
 I stood beside him and he brought me to the door of the mosque where there was a white
animal for me to ride.'
 The Prophet (pbuh) told of how he mounted the animal and, with the Archangel Gabriel at his
side, was transported from Mecca to the mosque called al-Aqsa, in faraway Jerusalem.
 There the Prophet (pbuh) found Abraham, Moses, and Jesus among a group of Prophets.
 The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) acted as their leader, or imam, in prayer.
 Then he was brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other milk.
 He chose the milk and refused the wine.
 At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, 'You have been rightly guided to the fitrah, the true nature of
man, and so will your people be, Muhammad.
 Wine is forbidden to you.
 The Prophet (pbuh) also related how they passed through Heaven's gates and saw countless
angels.
 Among them was Malik, the Keeper of Hell, who never smiles.
 Malik stepped forward and showed the Prophet (pbuh) a view of Hell and the terrible plight of
those who suffer in that place.
 Then the Prophet (pbuh) was taken up by the angels, through the seven Heavens, one by one
Along the way he again saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and the Prophet (pbuh) said that he
had never seen a man more like himself than Abraham.
 He also saw John, called Yahya in Arabic, Joseph or Yusef, Enoch, that is Idris, and Aaron.
  At last, he reached the Lote Tree of the Uttermost, the sidrat al-muntaha where no Prophet had
been before.
 Here the Prophet (pbuh) received Revelation of what Muslims believe Five daily prayers made
obligatory for Muslims.
 On the morning following these events and the Prophet's return to Mecca, he told Quraysh
what had happened.
 Most of them said, 'By God! This is ridiculous! A caravan takes a month to go to Syria and a
month to return! Can you do that long journey in a single night?'
 Even many Muslims were amazed by this and wanted the Prophet (pbuh) to explain.
 Some ran with the news to Abu Bakr who said, 'By Allah, if Muhammad (pbuh) himself has said
so, then it is true.
 Remember, the Prophet tells us that the word of Allah comes to him directly from heaven to
earth at any hour by day or night, and we believe him.
 Isn't that a greater miracle than what you are now doubting?' Then Abu Bakr went to the
mosque and listened to the Prophet's detailed description of Jerusalem.
 He commented, 'You tell the truth, 0 Prophet of Allah!' From then on, Abu Bakr was honored
with the title 'al-Siddiq‟, which means 'he who gives his word to support the truth'.
 Others also began to believe the Prophet's story when he went on to describe two caravans, he
had seen on his way back to Mecca.
 He told the doubters where he had seen the caravans, what they were carrying and when they
would arrive in Mecca.
 All that the Prophet (pbuh) had said was born out when the caravans arrived at the time, he said
they would, carrying all that he had described.
 Muhammad married his second wife, Sawda bint Zam’a (died 674) in Ramadan in the tenth year
after his prophethood (in April/May 620).
 Sawda bint Zam’a, had been the first woman to immigrate to Abyssinia in the way of Allah.
 Her husband had died and she was living with her aged father, Zam’a ibn Qays, from the Amir
ibn Luayy clan of the Quraysh, until her marriage with Muhammad.

(621 AD) The Treaty of ‘Aqabah

 In Yathrib there were two main tribes, the Aws and the Khazraj.
 Both were very powerful, they were always at war with one another, and both worshipped
idols.
 Also, in Yathrib were many Jews who, unlike the Arab at that time, knew that there was only
One God, and worshipped Him.
 They had told the Arabs many times that a Prophet would be coming to them.
 The time came for the pilgrimage to the Ka’bah, and several people from Yathrib were going,
among them six men from the tribe of Khazraj.

 They had heard about the Prophet Mohammed’s preaching and thought that must be the
Prophet the Jews had told them about.
  So, they decided to go speak to him during their stay in Mecca.
 They met the Prophet (pbuh) at a spot known as Aqabah, near Mecca, and invited them to sit
with him.
 He explained to them what Islam meant recited to them from the Qur'an.
 When they heard the Qur'an recited touched their hearts so deeply that they became Muslims
and on leaving Mecca they promised to return the following year.
 When they reached Yathrib carrying Islam in their hearts, they told their relatives and friends
what they had heard from the Prophet (pbuh) and many more people became Muslims.
 A year passed and the pilgrimage season came around again.
 Twelve important men from Yathrib went to Mecca to meet the Prophet (pbuh) and promised
faithfully to serve him and Islam.
 In return, the Prophet (pbuh) sent one of his friends, Musab ibn 'Umayr, with them to teach the
Qur'an and instruct them in their new religion.
 Another year passed and still more Muslims came from Yathrib to Mecca for the pilgrimage.
 On this occasion a secret meeting with the Prophet (pbuh) was arranged to be held at night.
 Seventy-three men and one woman from Yathrib came, and the Prophet (pbuh) arrived with his
uncle, al-Abbas.
 During this meeting the men from Yathrib offered to protect and defend the Prophet (pbuh) and
his followers if they would come to live in Yathrib.
 This promise of protection came to be known as the Treaty of Aqabah.
 The treaty was most fortunate for even though Islam was growing in Yathrib, the Muslims in
Mecca were still suffering.
 The Prophet (pbuh) therefore told his friends and followers to go to Yathrib where they would
be safe, and most of them took this opportunity to leave.
 Despite all this suffering the Prophet (pbuh) was not allowed to fight his enemies, for Allah had
told him to forgive those who insulted him or would not listen to his message.
 But the Quraysh had closed their minds so utterly to the word of Allah, and grew so hard-
hearted towards the Prophet (pbuh)and his followers, that Allah gave permission to the Prophet
(pbuh) to fight those who tried to harm him or his companions.
 Quraysh began to fear the Prophet (pbuh) for they realized that he was now strong enough to
fight them and had been given leave to do so by Allah.
 They also knew that he now had the people of Yathrib to help and protect him.
 Seeing that the Muslims were leaving the city, they decided to kill the Prophet (pbuh), before
he, too, left Mecca to join his followers in Yathrib.
 In this way they hoped to put an end to Islam once and for all.

Medinan period
(622 AD): Al-Hijrah: The Hijra Migration to Yathrib (Madina) 1st Islamic Hijri

 The Breaking of All Connections with One's Home, for the Sake of Allah Alone.
 After his companions had left for Yathrib, the Prophet (pbuh) stayed in Mecca, waiting for
permission from Allah to leave the city.
 Abu Bakr and Ali stayed with him.
 There were also some Muslims whom Quraysh had not allowed to leave.
 Abu Bakr kept asking the Prophet (pbuh) to allow him to go to Yathrib, but the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) kept saying, 'Do not be in a hurry; it might be that Allah will give you a travelling
companion.'
 The leaders of Quraysh assembled in the house of their ancestor, Qusayy, as was customary
when they had an important decision to make.
 They had to find a way of getting rid of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), before he was able to
join his friends in Yathrib.
 As they were busy arguing, the Devil appeared at the door in the form of a noble and handsome
old man.
 When they saw this elderly gentleman standing there, they asked him who he was.
 He said he was a Shaikh from the mountains who had heard what they meant to do and thought
he might be able to help or advise them.
 They thought he looked like a wise man, so they invited him in.
 Each leader then started to put forward ideas about what should be done, but none of them
could agree about which was best, until AbuJahl told them his plan.
 This was that each clan should provide a strong, young warrior, each of whom would be given a
sword.
 All the young warriors would then wait outside the Prophet's house and together attack him as
he came out.
 In this way they would be rid of him but as the blame for killing him would fall on all the clans,
the Prophet's family would not be able to seek revenge.
 When he heard this, the Devil in the disguise of the old man, said, 'That man is right; in my
opinion it is the only thing to do!' The leaders of Quraysh then left to carry out their plan to
murder the Prophet (pbuh).
 Before the night fell, on which Muhammad (pbuh) was to be killed, the Archangel Gabriel came
to him and said, 'Do not sleep tonight in your own bed.'
 The Prophet (pbuh) understood what was going to happen, so he told Ali to lie in his bed and
wrap himself in the blanket that the Prophet (pbuh) normally used, promising that no harm
would befall him.
 With, the coming of darkness the young men of Quraysh had gathered outside the Prophet's
house, waiting for him to come out.
 After he had made sure that 'Ali was safe, the Prophet (pbuh) left the house.
 The young men waited the whole night and were furious when, in the morning, they saw Ali
instead of the Prophet (pbuh) coming out of the house.
 I They realized that their plan had failed completely.
 In the meantime, the Prophet (pbuh) went to Abu Bakr's house and told him, 'Allah has told me
that now is the time for us to leave Mecca.' 'Together?' asked Abu Bakr.
  'Together', the Prophet (pbuh) replied.
 Abu Bakr wept for joy, because now he knew that the travelling companion, he had been
promised was the Prophet (pbuh) himself.
 Then he said, 'O Messenger of Allah, these are the two camels which I have kept ready for this.'
 And so, the two of them left for a cave in Thawr, a mountain to the south of Mecca where they
intended to hide.
 When they were out of the city the Prophet (pbuh) looked back and said, 'Of all Allah's earth,
you are the dearest place to Allah and to me and if my people had not driven me out, I would
never have left you.'
 When Quraysh found out that the Prophet (pbuh) and his companion had gone, they set out
after them, searching in every direction.
 Three days later they finally reached the cave where the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr were
hiding, but a strange and wonderful thing had happened.
 A spider had woven its web right across the entrance to the cave and a dove was nesting with
her mate nearby.
 As the Meccans stood in front of the cave, with only the spider's web separating them from the
fugitives, Abu Bakr began to fear for their safety.
 He whispered to the Prophet (pbuh), they are very close.
 If one of them turns we will be seen.' But he was comforted by the Prophet's reply: “What do
you think of two who have with them Allah as their third? 'Grieve not, for verily Allah is with us”.
(Qur'an 9.40).
 After a few moments the search parry decided that no one could have entered the cave
recently, or the spider's web would not have been complete and the dove would not have
nested there, and so they left without searching inside.
 Three days later the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr thought it safe to leave the cave.
 Abu Bakr's son, 'Amir, had arranged for three camels and a guide to help them continue their
journey to Yathrib. '
 Amir would ride behind his father.
 The leaders of Quraysh, meanwhile, returned to Mecca and offered a reward of one hundred
camels to whoever captured the Prophet (pbuh).
 Among those who went in search of him was a famous warrior.
 He was, in fact, the only one to catch up with him, but whenever he came close, his horse would
suddenly sink up to its knees in the sand.
 When this had happened three times, he understood that the Prophet (pbuh) was protected by
a power stronger than anything he had known, and so he went back to Mecca.
 On arriving there he warned everyone against continuing the search, relating what had
happened to him.
 The Prophet's journey from Mecca is called the hijrah, or migration.
 It was really the first step towards the spread of Islam throughout the entire world, and Muslims
begin their calendar from the year of the hijrah.
 The Hijrah is also often identified erroneously with the start of the Islamic lunar calendar, which
was set to Friday 16 July 622 (1St day of Muharram).

(622 A.D): Arrival in Yathrib

 When the people of Yathrib heard that the Prophet (pbuh) had left Mecca and was on his way to
their city, they anxiously awaited his arrival.
 Each morning they would go to the edge of the city to see if he were coming.
 Finally, on Monday, September 27, in the year 622 A.D., someone saw him in the distance and
shouted to everyone, 'Here is Muhammad! (pbuh) the Messenger of Allah has arrived!'
 All the Muslims went out to greet him, shouting, “Allahu Akbar”! Allah is Great! Muhammad the
Messenger of Allah has arrived!' The women and children sang songs to show how glad they
were to see him.
 The Prophet (pbuh) entered the city with his friend Abu Bakr.
 Most of the people there had not seen him before and as they gathered around, they did not
know which of the two was the Prophet (pbuh), until Abu Bakr got up to shield him with his
cloak from the burning sun.
 Yathrib would now be Called al-Medina, which means, The City.
 The Messenger of God (pbuh) stayed in Quba', which is a place at the entrance of Medina, for
three days.
 On the first Friday after his arrival the Prophet led the congregation in prayer.
 After this many of the wealthiest men invited him to come and live with them and share their
riches.
 But he refused and, pointing to his she-camel, Qaswa', said, 'Let her go her way', because he
knew that his camel was under Allah's command and would guide him to the spot where he
should stay.
 They let the camel go until she finally knelt down beside a house belonging to the Bani an-
Najjar, the tribe to whom the Prophet's mother was related.
 This house was used as a drying-place for dates and belonged to two young orphan boys named
Sahl and Suhayl.
 They offered to give it to the Prophet (pbuh) but he insisted on paying them for it, and so their
guardian, Asad the son of Zurarah, who was present, made the necessary arrangements.
 The Prophet (pbuh) ordered that a mosque and a place for him to live be built on the site.
 All the Muslims worked together to finish it quickly even the Prophet (pbuh) joined in.
 It was here that the Muslims would pray and meet to make important decisions and plans.
 The building was quite plain and simple.
 The floor was beaten earth and the roof of palm leaves was held up by tree trunks.
 Two Stones marked the direction of prayer.
 At first worshippers faced Jerusalem, but Soon after the direction of prayer was changed
towards the Ka’bah in Mecca.
 After the building of the mosque, the Prophet (pbuh) wanted to strengthen the relationship
between the people called the Muhajirah or Emigrants, who had left Mecca with him, and the
people of Medina, who were known as the Ansar, or Helpers.
 Each man from Medinah took as his brother a man from Mecca, sharing everything with him
and treating him as a member of his own family.
 This was the beginning of the Islamic brotherhood.
 In the early days of Islam, the times for prayer were not announced and So the Muslims would
come to the mosque and wait for the prayer so as not to miss it.
 The Prophet (pbuh) wondered how to tell the people that it was time for prayers.
  He discussed it with his friends, and at first two ideas were put forward; that of blowing a horn
as the Jews did, and that of using a wooden clapper like the Christians.
 Then a man called Abd Allah ibn Zayd came to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him he had had a
dream in which he had seen a man dressed all in green, holding a wooden clapper.
 He had said to the man, 'Would you sell me your clapper in order to call the people to prayer?'
 The man had replied, 'A better way to call the people to prayer is to Say: "Allahu Akbar, Allah is
Most Great!" four times, followed by "I bear witness that there is no divinity but Allah, I bear
witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, come to prayer, come to prayer, come to
salvation, come to salvation.
 Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! There is no divinity but Allah!"'
 When the Prophet (pbuh) heard this, he said it was a true vision from Allah.
 He sent for Bilal, who had a beautiful, strong voice, and ordered him to call the people to prayer
in just this way.
 Bilal did so and soon after 'Umar came out of his house and told the Prophet (pbuh) that he had
seen exactly the same vision himself.
 The Prophet (pbuh) replied, 'Allah be praised for that.'
 The adhan, or call to prayer, which came to 'Abd Allah ibn Zayd in his dream and was performed
by Bilal on the instruction of the Prophet (pbuh), is the one we still hear today being called from
the minarets of mosques all over the world.

(622 AD): The Constitution of Medina / The Charter of Medina

 The Charter of Medina (Sahjfat al-Madinah) was drafted by the Islamic prophet Muhammad
shortly after his arrival at Medina following the Hijra from Mecca.
 The document ensured freedom of religious beliefs and practices for all citizens of Medina.
 Among the people in Medina, there was a small community (three tribes) of Jews with Arab
communities constituting the majority of the population.
 Because of wars going on for several generations, the resources of the Arabs were depleted and
their influence in Medina was dwindling.
 The Jews were traders and many of them used to lend money at exorbitant interest.
 The continuing wars boosted their economy and personal wealth.
 The immediate result of the Prophet’s migration to Medina was peace and unity between the
communities of Aws and Khazraj.

 The Prophet, motivated by the general welfare of citizens of Medina, decided to offer his
services to the remaining communities including the Jews.
 He had already laid down the basis for relationship between the Emigrants from Mecca (known
as Muhajirin) and Medinites (known as the Ansar, the helpers).
 The Treaty between Muslims, non-Muslim Arabs and Jews of Medina was put in writing and
ratified by all parties.
 It has been preserved by the historians.
 The document referred Muhammad (pbuh) as the Prophet and Messenger of God but it was
understood that the Jews did not have to recognize him as such for their own religious reasons.
 The major parts of the document were:
 “In the name of Allah (The One True God) the Compassionate, the Merciful.
 This is a document from Muhammad, the Prophet, governing the relation between the Believers
from among the Qurayshites (i.e., Emigrants from Mecca) and Yathribites (i.e., the residents of
Medina) and those who followed them and joined them and strived with them.
 They form one and the same community as against the rest of men.
 “No Believer shall oppose the client of another Believer.
 Whosoever is rebellious, or seeks to spread injustice, enmity or sedition among the Believers,
the hand of every man shall be against him, even if he be a son of one of them.
 A Believer shall not kill a Believer in retaliation of an unbeliever, nor shall he help an unbeliever
against a Believer.

 “Whosoever among the Jews follows us shall have help and equality; they shall not be injured
nor shall any enemy be aided against them....
 No separate peace will be made when the Believers are fighting in the way of Allah....
 The Believers shall avenge the blood of one another shed in the way of Allah Whosoever kills a
Believer wrongfully shall be liable to retaliation; all the Believers shall be against him as one man
and they are bound to take action against him.

 “The Jews shall contribute (to the cost of war) with the Believers so long as they are at war with
a common enemy.
 The Jews of Banu Najjar, Banu al-Harith, Banu Sa'idah, Banu Jusham, Banu al-Aws, Banu
Tha'labah, Jafnah, and Banu al-Shutaybah enjoy the same rights and priviledges as the Jews of
Banu Aws.

 “The Jews shall maintain their own religion and the Muslims theirs.
 Loyalty is a protection against treachery.
 The close friends of Jews are as themselves.
 None of them shall go out on a military expedition except with the permission of Muhammad,
but he shall not be prevented from taking revenge for a wound.

 “The Jews shall be responsible for their expenses and the Believers for theirs.
 Each, if attacked, shall come to the assistance of the other.

 “The valley of Yathrib (Medina) shall be sacred and inviolable for all that join this Treaty.
  Strangers, under protection, shall be treated on the same ground as their protectors; but no
stranger shall be taken under protection except with consent of his tribe....
 No woman shall be taken under protection without the consent of her family.

 Whatever difference or dispute between the parties to this covenant remains unsolved shall be
referred to Allah and to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.
 Allah is the Guarantor of the piety and goodness that is embodied in this covenant.
 Neither the Quraysh nor their allies shall be given any protection.

 “The contracting parties are bound to help one another against any attack on Yathrib.
 If they are called to cease hostilities and to enter into peace, they shall be bound to do so in the
interest of peace; and if they make a similar demand on Muslims it must be carried out except
when the war is against their religion.

 “Allah approves the truth and goodwill of this covenant.

 This treaty shall not protect the unjust or the criminal.
 Whoever goes out to fight as well as whoever stays at home shall be safe and secure in this city
unless he has perpetrated an injustice or committed a crime....
 Allah is the protector of the good and God-fearing people.”
 The first written constitution of a State ever promulgated by a sovereign in human history
emanated from the Prophet of Islam.
 It was enacted from the first year of Hijrah (622 CE).
 The treaty stipulated a city state in Medina, allowing wide autonomy to communities.
 Private justice was to be banished.
 The head of the State had the prerogative to decide who should participate in an expedition, the
war and peace being indivisible.
 Social insurance was to be instituted.

THE CHARTER OF MADINAH AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

 The Madinah Charter was executed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on the one hand, and
the various Muslim and Jewish tribes on the other.
 He had immigrated to Madinah, upon the invitation of its community, because his life was being
threatened in Makkah due to his religious beliefs.
 The Madinah community liked the Prophet's message and wanted to give it a home in its own
city.
 So, the Prophet experienced firsthand religious oppression and knew very well the importance
of religious liberty.
 The Charter of Madinah is an integral part of the sunnah of the Prophet.
 The role of the sunnah is to shed further light on the revelation itself, embodied in the Noble
Qur'an, Thus, it is no surprise to know that the Qur'an itself states clearly and succinctly that
"There shall be no compulsion in religion." (2:256)
 Further, the Noble Qur'an connects this state of religious liberty with the state of political
maturity of the community.
 For, it continues to say: "the mature course is clearly distinct from the oppressive one."
 In the last part of this verse, the Qur’an also affirms that those who believe in God, and reject
the tyrant or oppressor (‫ طاغوت‬,) have the most secure handhold (‫( الوثقى العروة‬that never fails.
But to believe in God is to believe in all the values and liberties God declared and guaranteed in
the Qur'an.
 As hard as observing these liberties may be, this is part of the Islamic message as emphasized by
the Charter of Madinah.
 Moreover, as the Qur'an tells us, these freedoms are in fact a source of political maturity and
stability in Muslim societies.
 While there are many other verses in the Qur'an that support this fundamental principle of
religious liberty, I would like to limit myself to two additional observations:
 first, I would like to focus on one very simple Qur'anic verse which states: "We have given
dignity to the Children of Adam." (17:70)
 Note that the verse is very inclusive.
 Dignity is given to ALL the children of Adam, not only to Muslims or men or whites or the rich.
 It is part of the dignity of a human being to be able to think and worship freely.
 This is one of the important foundations on which the Charter of Madinah rests.
 Second, I would like to note that the Qur'an repeatedly states that the core of Islamic praxis is
Justice.
 Or to put it differently: The whole creation of the Heavens and Earth was based on Justice.
 This notion of Justice is explained throughout the Qur'an to be a restorative one based on
compassion and forgiveness, not a distributive one whose only goal is to punish.
 Putting all this together, it is clear that in a just Muslim society that respects the dignity of each
of its members, the right to freedom of thought and belief ranks very high.
 It is also no surprise that Thomas Jefferson, the American Founding father, who owned a copy of
the Qur'an, argued against compulsion in religion and adopted a similar approach to religious
freedom.
 His approach led to the adoption of the 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, a precursor
of the First Amendment in the US Constitution.
 So, over a thousand years later, the principles articulated in the Qur'an and the Charter of
Madinah remain as fresh and relevant as they were in the early days of Islam.
 But what do these liberties entail? The Charter of Madinah came to detail for us these liberties
within the context of that society, constituted predominantly of both Muslim and Jewish tribes.
 It is important to note that it was the Prophet who initiated this constitutional contract between
him and the Madinah tribes.
 So, let me turn to some of the details in the Charter.
 The religious tribal structure of Madinah required the Prophet to devise a special legal structure
in order to protect the religious liberty of the diverse religious tribes, and promote peace in the
overall Madinah community.
  So, he devised a "federalist" model amongst them, Muslim and Jewish alike.
 This federalism preserved for each group its own identity, customs, and internal relations.
 The Charter actually names each tribe and extends to it specifically these protections.
 All members of the "federation" were then joined together in common defense and
peacemaking.
 The Charter referred collectively to the tribes, Muslim and Jewish, as "one people," and asserted
that: "to each their own religion."
 By becoming part to the Charter, Jewish tribes became entitled to both succor and equality.
 They had the same standing in the community as Muslims and were entitled to Muslim loyalty.
 If wronged, the Charter stated that they must be helped.
 The signatories to the Charter, both Muslim and Jewish, had a duty and a right to mutual
assistance and consultation.
 Both groups were required to bear their portions of the communal (defense) expenses,
whenever the city was at war.
 The Charter of Madinah repeatedly emphasized its governing principles of fairness and equity.
 For example, no one was to be punished for the wrong committed by another, even if an ally.
 Every tribe was required to deal with the other tribes on the basis of what is customary and just.
 All believers were required to be against anyone who sought to spread injustice, sin, enmity or
corruption among them, even if that person was the son of one of them.
 They were not permitted to shelter an evil-doer.
 This Charter was not devised by the Prophet to meet a temporary situation.
 As stated earlier, it was part and parcel of the Qur'anic message.

(623 AD): Completion of Marriage to 'Aisha (ra) 2nd Islamic Hijri

 Aisha bint Abi Bakr (614-678) becomes the third wife of Prophet Muhammad.
 Her father was Abu Bakr al-Siddiq from the clan of Taym of the Quraysh and her mother
belonged to the Kinana tribe.
 Aisha was called Umm al-mu’minin “Mother of the Believers”) and she became Muhammad’s
favorite wife. (Radi Allahu anha – May Allah be pleased with her).
(624 AD): The Change of Qiblah

 The Prophet received a Divine command to change the Qibla from Jerusalem to the Ka’bah at
Mecca.
 This moment took place during the prayer in a mosque at Medina.
 When the prophet Muhammad changed the direction in prayer, the entire congregation led by a
companion follow the change.
 So that mosque was called Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblas) and is the uniquely
mosque in the world contained two prayer niches (maharib, sing. mihrab).
 Sahih Bukhari says: «Narrated Ibn Umar: While some people were offering Fajr prayer at Quba
(mosque), some-one came to them and said, “Tonight some Qur’anic Verses have been revealed
to the Prophet and he has been ordered to face the Ka’bah (at Mecca) (during prayers), so you
too should turn your faces towards it.”
 At that time their faces were towards Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned towards the Ka’bah (at
Mecca)

(624 AD): The Battle of Badr 2nd Islamic Hijri

 The Muslims who had gone to Medinah, had left all their belongings behind in Mecca and these
had been taken by their enemies.
 Thus, when the Muslims heard that Abu Sufyan, one of the leaders of Quraysh, was on his way
back to Mecca from Syria with a large caravan of goods, they decided that the time had come
for them to retrieve some of their losses.
 The Prophet (pbuh) gave the Muslims permission for this attack and everyone began to get
ready for the raid, for it had been revealed:
 “Permission to fight is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is
surely able to give them victory” (Qur'an 22.39)
 The retrieval of their goods, however, was not their only reason for wanting to attack the
caravan.
 The Muslims did not think they should simply remain safely in Medinah; they wanted to spread
the message of Islam.
 They thus felt that if Quraysh wanted freedom to trade in safety, then the Muslims must also
have freedom to believe in Allah, to follow His Messenger (pbuh), and spread His Word.
 It was, therefore, thought that the best, and only way to get Quraysh to understand this was to
attack what was most important to them-a caravan.
 Abu Sufyan, in the meantime, heard about the Muslims' plan and quickly sent a message to
Quraysh in Mecca, telling them that the caravan was in danger and asking for help.
 As a result, nearly all Quraysh came out to help him defend the caravan.

 There were a thousand men and two hundred horses.

 The women also went along to cheer the men on with their singing.
 Unaware of this, the Prophet (pbuh) set out with his followers.
 It was the month of Ramadan and the Muslims were fasting.
 There were only three hundred and five of them, most of them Ansar, men from Medinah.
 With them they had three horses and seventy camels, on which they rode in turns.
 They arrived in the area of Badr, some distance from Medinah where they made camp and
waited for news of the caravan.
 Then they heard that Quraysh had set out from Mecca with a strong army.
 The situation had suddenly changed.
 They were no longer going to make a raid on a caravan-they were going to have to fight
Quraysh.
 The Prophet (pbuh) gathered his men around him to find out what they wanted to do.
 First Abu Bakr, and then „Umar, spoke for the Muslims who had come from Mecca.
 They said they would obey the Prophet (pbuh).
 But the Prophet (pbuh) wanted to hear the opinion of the Ansar, because he did not want to
force them into doing something they did not want to do.
 Sa’d Ibn Mu’adh, one of the leaders of the Ansar, got up and said, we believe in you and we
swear before all men that what you have brought is the truth.
 We have given you our word and agreement to hear and obey.
 So, go where you wish, we are with you even if you should lead us into the sea! The Prophet
(pbuh) was greatly encouraged by these words and so it was agreed to fight.
 Abu Sufyan learned where the Muslims were camped.
 He changed the course of the caravan and quickly took it out of their reach.
 He then sent word to Quraysh telling them that the caravan was safe and that they should
return to Mecca.
 But the leaders of Quraysh were proud and stubborn men.
 They refused to return as they had made up their minds to show everyone how powerful they
were by destroying the Muslims.
 Now there was a wadi, or valley, at Badr, with wells on the side nearest Medina, and it was here
that the Muslims took up position facing the valley with the wells behind them.
 Quraysh meanwhile placed themselves on the other side of the valley.
 The Muslims then dug a reservoir, filled it with water from one of the wells, and made a barrier
around it.
 Then they stopped up the wells.
 In this way the Muslims had enough drinking water for themselves, while the Meccans would
have to cross the valley and fight the Muslims in order to get water.
 The night before the battle, while the Muslims slept peacefully, a heavy rain fell.
 “When He made the slumber fall upon you as a reassurance from Him and sent down water
from the sky upon you, in order that He might purify you, and remove from you the fear of
Satan, and strengthen your hearts and make firm (your) fret thereby”. (Qur'an 8.11)
 On the morning of Friday, the 17th of Ramadan, 2 A.H., (March 17th, AD), the two armies
advanced and drew closer to one another.
 The rain been heavier on the side of Quraysh, making the ground soft and difficult.
 On the side of the Muslims, however, the rain had backed the sand down hard, making it easy
for them to march.
  The Prophet (pbuh) preferred the men to fight in ranks.
 As they prepared to march, he noticed someone had stepped out in front of the others.
 The Prophet (pbuh) then went to a shelter made of palm branches from which he could
command the battle. Abu Bakr stayed with him, while Sa’d ibn Mu'adh, with several of the
Ansar, stood outside guarding the hut.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) saw the enormous Quraysh army descending the hill into the valley,
with all their banners and drums, he began to pray for the help which Allah had promised him.
 These were some of his words. '0 Allah, here come Quraysh full of vanity and pride, who oppose
Thee and call Thy Messenger a liar.
 Allah, if this little band (the Muslims) perishes today, there will be none left in the land to
worship Thee.'
 At first the battle began in single combat when one of Quraysh swore that he would drink from
the Muslims' reservoir and then destroy it, or die in the attempt.
 Hamzah, the Prophet's uncle, came forward to face him and killed him.
 Three of the most important men of Quraysh then stepped forward and gave out a challenge for
single combat.
 The Prophet (pbuh) sent out 'Ali, Hamzah, and Ubaydah ibn al-Harith, to face them.
 It was not long before Hamzah and Ali had killed their opponents.
 As for 'Ubaydah, he had wounded his enemy but was wounded himself, and so his two
companions killed the wounded Meccan and carried 'Ubaydah back to the safety of the Muslim
ranks.
 After this, the two armies attacked each other and fighting broke out all around.
 The sky was filled with arrows.
 The Muslim army held its ground against the great army of Quraysh and even though the
Muslims were much fewer in number, they gained a great victory, destroying the Meccan army
and killing most of its leaders.
 Among the leading Meccans who died were Abu Jahl and Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who was killed by
his former slave, Bilal.
 Seeing that their leaders were nearly all dead, the remainder of Quraysh retreated.
 The Prophet (pbuh) sent word to Medinah to tell them of the victory.
 He then gathered up the spoils of war and divided them equally among the Muslims.
 Some of the Meccans had been taken prisoner and the Prophet (pbuh) gave orders that they
should be treated well until their relatives from among Quraysh came to fetch them.

(625): Battle of Uhud: Uhud-Defeat Comes from Disobedience: 3rd Islamic Hijri

 When the survivors of the defeated Quraysh at Badr to Mecca gathered to speak with Abu
Sufyan.
 They said, 'Muhammad has best men, so help us to fight him so that we may avenge those we
have lost.'
 In order to do this, it was agreed that everyone who had had a share in the caravan should put
his profits towards the cost of a new army, which would be three times as big as the one at
Badr.
 Among those who joined the new army was an Abyssinian slave called Wahshi; who was known
for his accuracy with the spear.
 His master, Jubayr ibn al-Mutim, said to him, 'Go with the army and if you kill Hamzah, the uncle
of Muhammad, in revenge for my uncle's death, I will set you free when Hind, Abu Sufyan's wife,
heard about this she sent a Wahshi to say that she would clothe him in gold and silk if he would
carry out his master's wish, for she, too, wanted Hamzah dead because he had both her father
and brother.
 While the Meccans made their plans, the Prophet's uncle, Abbas, one the few Muslims still living
in Mecca, sent a letter of warning to the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina.
 He told him that Quraysh were setting out with a huge arm for Uhud, a place just outside
Medina.
 On receiving this timely warning, the Prophet (pbuh) gathered his companions around him to
discuss what they should do.
 He thought it would be better to wait for the enemy inside city rather than go out to meet them,
because it would be easier to defend Medinah from inside the city walls.
 But the young Muslims were going out and face Quraysh.
 They said, '0 Prophet of Allah, lead us out against our enemies, or else they will think we are too
cowardly and too weak to fight them.'
 One of the rulers of Medina, Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, however, agreed with the Prophet (pbuh) and
advised him to remain in the city, saying, 'Whenever we have gone out to fight an enemy we
have met with disaster, but none has ever come in against us without being defeated.'
 But when the Prophet (pbuh) saw that the majority were in favor of going out to meet Quraysh,
he decided to do so, and after the Friday prayer he put on his armor.
 The Muslims then set out with one thousand men in the direction of Mount Uhud which
overlooks Medina.
 The enemy was camped on the plain below the mountain where they were laying waste the
crops of the Muslims.'
 Abd Allah ibn Ubayy was angry that the Prophet (pbuh) had not followed his advice and after
going part of the way, turned back for Medina, taking one third of the entire army with him.
 This left the Prophet (pbuh) with only seven hundred men to meet the enormous Meccan army,
which numbered three thousand.
 The remainder of the Muslims went on until they reached the mountain of Uhud.
 There the Prophet (pbuh) ordered them to stand in ranks in front of the mountain, so that they
would be protected from behind.
 He then positioned fifty archers on top of the mountain, giving them the following order: 'Keep
the Meccan cavalry away from us with your arrows and don't let them come against us from the
rear, whether the battle goes in our favor or against us.

 Whatever happens keep to your places so that we cannot be attacked from your direction, even
if you see us being slain or booty being taken.'
 When the Muslims were in position, the Prophet (pbuh) held up his sword and said, 'Who will
use this sword with its right?'
 This was a great honor and many men rose to claim it, but the Prophet (pbuh) decided to give it
to Abu Dujanah, a fearless warrior.
 Then the battle commenced.
 The Muslims were well organized and had the advantage, because although Quraysh had more
than four times as many men, they were tired from their journey and thus not ready to fight.
 As a result, the Muslims were able to make a surprise attack, led by Abu Dujanah, who was
wearing a brilliant red turban.
 As the fighting increased the Quraysh women, led by Hind, began to beat their drums to urge
their men on.
 Abu Dujanah said: 'I saw someone urging the enemy on, shouting wildly, and I made for him, but
when I lifted my sword against him, he screamed and I saw that it was a woman; I respected the
Apostle's sword too much to use it on a woman.'
 That woman was Hind.
 As usual, Hamzah, the Prophet's uncle, fought with great courage, but while leading the Muslims
in a fierce attack, which nearly defeated the Meccans, he was suddenly and cruelly struck down
by the slave Wahshi.
 Later, Wahshi told how it happened: 'I was watching Hamzah while he was killing men with his
sword.
 I... aimed my spear until I was sure it would the mark and hurled it at him.
 He came on towards me but collapsed and fell.
 I left him there until he died, then I came and took back my spear.
 Then I went back to the camp because I did not want to kill anyone but him.
 My only aim in killing him was to gain my freedom.'
 The Quraysh warriors were soon scattered and forced to retreat.
 It looked as though they had been defeated! Seeing this, forty of the fifty Muslims archers on
top of the mountain ran down from their position to collect booty, for the Quraysh army had left
many of their belongings behind.
 The archers rushed to take what they could, forgetting the Prophet's orders.

 Khalid Ibn al-Walid, Commander of the Quraysh cavalry, saw what' happening and quickly
turned his men around and ordered them to attack the Muslims from behind.
 The Muslims were taken completely by surprise.
 The Quraysh then began attacking from both sides at once.
 Many Muslims were killed and instead of winning they began to lose the battle.
 To add to the confusion, it was rumored that the Prophet (pbuh) had killed.
 When the Muslims heard this, they were at a loss to know what to do.
 Then a man named Anas called out, 'Brothers! If Muhammad (pbuh) has been killed what will
your lives be worth without him? Don't think about living or dying.
 Fight for Allah. Get up and die the way Muhammad (pbuh) died! ‟ and on hearing these words
the Muslims took courage.
  There had been several cavalry attacks on the position held by the Prophet (pbuh) and his
companions and the Prophet's cheek had been badly gashed.
 As the Meccans closed in again, he called out, 'Who will sell his life for us?'
 At this, five Ansar got up and fought until they were killed, one by one.
 Their places were soon taken, however, by a number of Muslims who drove off the attackers.
 Amongst the defending Muslims was Abu Dujanah who put his arms around the Prophet (pbuh)
and made himself into a human shield.
 Throughout the remainder of the battle, he held on to the Prophet (pbuh), but as the fighting
drew to a close, he suddenly let go.
 Abu Dujanah was dead, killed by the many arrows in his back that had been aimed at the
Prophet (pbuh).
 With the defeat of the Muslims, Quraysh were at last avenged.
 As they left the field of battle Abu Sufyan called out to his men, 'You have done well; victory in
war goes by turns today in exchange for Badr!'
 When he heard this, the Prophet (pbuh) told „Umar to answer him, saying, 'Allah is Most High
and Most Glorious.
 We are not equal.
 Our dead are in Paradise and your dead are in Hell!'
 The Muslim soldiers then followed the departing Quraysh part of the way to make sure they
were not going to attack Medinah.
 After the enemy had left, the Prophet (pbuh) made his way around the Battle-field to see the
extent of the Muslim losses.

 Many of the most faithful Muslims had been killed.

 Among the dead, the Prophet (pbuh) found the body of his closest friend and uncle, Hamzah,
who had been killed by the slave, Wahshi.
 At the sight of this, the Prophet (pbuh) said, 'There will never be a moment as sad for me as
this.'
 Hamzah's sister, Safiya, came to pray and ask forgiveness for her brother, saying 'We belong to
Allah and to Allah we are returning.'
 After the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed over the many dead, he said, 'I tell you that no one has
been wounded in Allah's cause but Allah will remember him and on the Day of Resurrection will
raise him from the dead.
 Look for the one who has learned most of the Qur'an and put him in front of his companions in
the grave.'
 They were buried where they had fallen as martyrs.

“Of them Allah says: “Do not think that those, who were killed for Allah's sake are dead. Nay, they are
alive. With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed
upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those that have not yet joined them because they
have nothing to fear or grieve over”. (Qur'an 3.169-170)”
  It is said that the Prophet (pbuh) swore that no Muslim who had died for his beliefs would want
to come back to life for a single hour, even if he could own the whole world, unless he could
return and fight for Allah and be killed a second time.
 The Muslims realized that their defeat had been caused by their disobedience to the Prophet
(pbuh).
 The Qur'an tells us that the Muslims had been tested by Allah at Uhud and had failed but that
Allah forgave them their weakness.

“Some of you there are that desire this world, and some of you there are that desire the next world.
Then He turned you from them, that He might try you; and He has forgiven you; and Allah is bounteous
to the believers”. (Qur'an 3.145)”

 People living nowadays should learn from the lessons learned by the early Muslims at Uhud.
 Disobedience to the Prophet (pbuh) and love for the things of this world caused their defeat.
 The same can happen to us as well.
 Even if we have no battle like Uhud to fight, we can still die for Allah's sake by fighting what is
bad in ourselves.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) came back from a battle he said to his men, 'We have returned from
the lesser war to the greater war.'
 He meant by this that the struggle that goes on within every human being to become a better
person is the more difficult battle.

(627 AD): The Battle of The Trench: 5th Islamic Hijri

 When the Prophet (Pbuh) first arrived in Medinah, the Jews who were living there had
welcomed him.
 The Prophet (Pbuh) had returned their greeting, as he wished to be on good terms with them.
 An agreement was also reached between the Muslims and the Jews, which gave the Jews the
freedom to practice their religion and which also set out their rights and their duties.
 Among these duties was that in the case of war with Quraysh, the Jews would fight on the side
of the Muslims.
 Despite this agreement, however, some of the Jewish tribes, who resented the Prophet's
presence in Medinah, soon began to cause trouble amongst the Muslims.
 They tried to set the Muslim Emigrants from Mecca and the Ansar against each other.
 The troublemakers were given many warnings but they continued to be a nuisance.
 In the end, the Muslims had no choice but to drive them from Medinah.
 A new agreement was offered those Jews who remained but the trouble did not end there.

 One of the Jewish tribes, the Bani Nadir plotted to murder the Prophet (Pbuh) but their plan was
discovered and they, too, were exiled from the city.
 Knowing that they could not defeat the Muslims themselves, some of the leaders of the exiled
Jews secretly went to Mecca to enlist the help of Quraysh.
 Knowing what the Meccans would like to hear, they pretended to believe in the same things.
 They said that they thought that the old Arab tradition was better than the teachings of the
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and that they believed that the Quraysh religion of worshipping
many idols was better than the Prophet's with only one God.
 Then the Jews told them that if all the Arab tribes attacked Medinah, the Jews inside the city
would help to defeat the Prophet (Pbuh) and Islam once and for all.
 The leaders of Quraysh were pleased to hear all this and seizing on what seemed to them a very
good opportunity, agreed to the plan and began to gather together a formidable army.
 In the mean-time in Medinah, only one Jewish tribe, the Bani Quraydhah, refused to betray the
Muslims.
 Eventually the Muslims learned of the preparations being made for war in Mecca and of the
plotting of the Jews within Medinah itself.
 The betrayal of the Muslims by the Jews did not surprise the Prophet (Pbuh), who said of them:
'The hearts of the Jews have become closed to the truth.
 They have forgotten what Muses taught them long ago that there is only one God.'
 The Muslims wondered how they could defend Medinah.
 They heard that Abu Sufyan was coming to attack them with an enormous army which included
many other Arab tribes, as well as Quraysh.
 What were they to do with only a single week to prepare?
 The Prophet (Pbuh) and his men knew that it would be impossible for them to fight off all these
tribes!
 The only thing they could do was to stay inside the city and try to defend it as best they could.
 Now among the people of Medinah was a Persian named Salman, who had to live in the city
some time before the Prophet's arrival there.
 As a convert to Christianity, he had traveled to Medinah after Christian sages had told him that a
Prophet would be born in Arabia.
 On arriving in he was, however, sold into slavery by the merchants with whom he had traveled.
 Later he became a Muslim, gained his freedom and became a member of the Prophet's
household.

 When the people gathered to discuss a plan of action against the approaching enemy, Salman
was present and it was he who suggested that they should dig a trench around the city.
 The Prophet (Pbuh) thought this a good idea, so the Muslims set to work, although it was in the
middle of winter.
 They worked day and night, digging the trench as quickly as possible.
 The Prophet (Pbuh) himself carried rocks and when the men were tired, he gave them the will to
carry on.
 Someone later recalled how beautiful he looked, dressed in a red cloak with dust upon his
breast and his dark hair nearly reaching his shoulders.
 There was little food at this time and the men were often hungry as they worked.
 On one occasion, however, a little girl gave some dates to the Prophet (Pbuh), which he spread
out on a cloth.
 The men were then called to eat and the dates kept increasing in number until everyone had
been fed.
 Even after everyone had eaten their fill, the dates continued to increase so that there was more
than the cloth could hold.
 Similarly, there is the story of the lamb, that has come down to us from one who was there: 'We
worked with the Apostle at the trench.
 I had a half-grown lamb and I thought it would be a good thing to cook it for Allah's Messenger.
 I told my wife to grind barley and make some bread for us.
 I killed the lamb and we roasted it for the Prophet (Pbuh).
 When night fell and he was about to leave the trench, I told him we had prepared bread and
meat and invited him to our home.
 I wanted him to come on his own, but when I said this, he sent someone to call all the men to
come along.
 Everyone arrived and the food was served.
 He blessed it and invoked the Name of Allah over it.
 Then he ate and so did all of the others.
 As soon as one lot were satisfied, another group came until all the diggers had eaten enough,
but still there was food to spare.
 On March 24, 627 A.D, Abu Sufyan arrived with more than ten thousand men.
 The Muslims numbered only three thousand.

 Quraysh and their allies surrounded Medinah but between the two armies was the long, wide
trench.
 The Prophet (pbuh) and his men stayed behind this trench for nearly a month defending the city
against their more powerful enemy.
 Many times, warriors tried to cross the trench and enter the city, but each time they were
pushed back by the Muslims.
 The Muslims were afraid that if any did manage to cross over, the Jews inside Medinah would
join forces with them and the Muslims would be beaten.
 The Jewish tribe of Bani Quraydhah, who had stood by the, agreement with the Muslims, were
pressed by a Jewish emissary from the enemy without, to break their promise.
 Eventually they agreed to do so and when the news of this reached the Prophet (pbuh) and his
companions they were greatly troubled.
 Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, the leader of the tribe of Aws, was sent by the Prophet (pbuh) with two other
men to find out if this were true.
 When they arrived in the part of Medinah where the Jews lived, they found were even worse
than they had previously thought.
 Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, whose tribe was closely allied with the Bani Quraydhah, tried to persuade their
leader not to break the treaty with the Muslims, but he refused to listen.
 This meant that the Muslims could not relax their guard for one moment, for they were now
threatened not only by the enemy beyond the trench, but by the Bani Qurayzah, within the
walls of the city.
 Things became more difficult for the Muslims day by day.
 It was extremely cold and food began to run out.
 To make matters worse, the Bani Qurayzah began openly and actively to join forces with the
other Jews and cut off all supplies to the Muslims, including food.
 The enemies of Islam then planned how to capture Medinah.
 The situation looked desperate and the Prophet (pbuh) prayed to Allah to Allah to help the
Muslims defeat their enemies.
 That very night a sandstorm blew up which buried the tents of Quraysh.
 The storm continued for three days and three nights making it impossible for the enemy to light
a fire to cook a meal or warm themselves by.
 On one of these dark nights the Prophet (pbuh) asked one of his men, Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yaman,
to go on a dangerous mission.
 The Prophet (pbuh) told him to make his way across the trench to the enemy camp where he
should find out what they were doing.

 With much difficulty Hudhayfah crossed the trench and made his way to a circle of Quraysh
warriors talking in the darkness.
 He sat near them, but as there was no fire, no one noticed him.
 He then heard Abu Sufyan's voice: 'Let us go home!' he said. 'We have had enough.
 The horses and camels are dying, the tents keep blowing away, most of the equipment has been
lost, and we cannot cook our food. There is no reason to stay!'
 Shortly after hearing this Hudhayfah made his way quickly and quietly back across the trench
and the next morning the Muslims rejoiced to find that what he had overheard had come true-
Quraysh and their allies had gone away!
 The siege of Medinah had ended in a great victory for Islam.
 But this was not to be the end of the difficulties, for the Archangel Gabriel the Prophet (pbuh)
and told him that he should punish the Bani Qurayzah for betraying him and the Muslims.
 On hearing this, the Prophet (pbuh) ordered the Muslims to march against the Bani Qurayzah as
they hid in their fortress.
 The Muslims besieged them for twenty-five days until they finally gave in.
 On surrendering, they asked the Prophet (pbuh) to let someone judge their case, and he agreed.
 He also allowed them to choose who would give the ruling.
 The man chosen to judge the Bani Qurayzah was Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, leader of the Aws, a tribe
which had always protected the Qurayzah in the past.
 Sa'd ibn Mu'adh who had himself been wounded in the battle, decided that the Jews should be
tried by their own Holy Law, according to which anyone who broke a treaty would be put to
death.
 As a result, all the men of the Bani Qurayzah were executed and the women and children made
captive.
 If the Jews had succeeded in their pact, Islam would have been destroyed.
  Instead from that day on, Medinah became a city where only Muslims lived.
 Very soon after peace had been restored to Medinah, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh died of his wounds.
 It was said that the Archangel Gabriel came in the middle of that night and said to the Prophet
(pbuh) '0 Muhammad, who is this dead man?
 When he arrived, the doors of heaven opened and the Throne of Allah shook.'
 The Prophet (pbuh) got up as soon as he heard this, but found that Sa'd was already dead.
 Although he had been a heavy man, the men who carried his body to the grave found it quite
light.
 They were told that the angels were helping them.
 When he was buried, the Prophet (pbuh) said three times 'Subhan Allah!' (Glory be to Allah!),
and 'Allahu Akbar!' (Allah is Most Great!).
 When asked why he did this, he replied, 'The grave was tight for this good man, until Allah eased
it for him.'
 This is one of the rewards that Allah gives to martyrs and good Muslims.

(628 AD): The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah: 6th Islamic Hijri

 Quraysh had tried to destroy Islam but had failed.

 The number of Muslims grew and their armies increased from three hundred at the battle of
Badr, seven hundred at the battle of "Uhud, to three thousand at the battle of the Trench.
 After the annual fast of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh) had a dream, which indicated that the
Muslims should go to Mecca for the pilgrimage.
 One thousand and four hundred Muslims got ready to go with him on the Lesser Pilgrimage
called 'the `Umra'.
 They dressed in white and went unarmed to show Quraysh that they had come to make the
pilgrimage and not to fight.
 When Quraysh heard that the Prophet (pbuh) was on his way, they sent troops with Khalid Ibn
al-Walid to stop the Muslims from entering the city.
 To avoid meeting this small army the Prophet (pbuh) changed his route and led the men through
rugged mountain passes.
 When they reached easier ground, he told them, 'Say, we ask Allah's forgiveness and we repent
towards Him 'At Hudaibiyyah, south of Mecca, the Prophet's camel knelt down and refused to
go any further.
 The Muslims thought she was either stubborn or tired, but the Prophet (pbuh) said: 'The same
power that once stopped the elephant from entering Mecca is now stopping us!'
 He then ordered them to make camp, which they did, although they all hoped they would travel
on to the sacred Ka'bah the following day.
 On setting up camp, the believers were dismayed to find that the springs were almost dry.
 When he heard this the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) instructed a man called Najiyah to take the
bowl of water in which he had performed his ablutions, pour it into the hollows where the small
amount of spring water lay, and stir it with his arrows.
 Najiyah did as he was told and the fresh water gushed up so suddenly that he was hardly able to
get out of the way in time.
 Messengers were sent to Quraysh to tell them that the Muslims had come only for the
pilgrimage, to worship Allah at the Holy Ka'bah, and that they wanted to enter the city
peacefully.
 But Quraysh took no notice.
 Finally, the Prophet's son-in-law, 'Uthman Ibn Affan, a wise and respected man, was chosen to
go, and the Muslims settled down to wait and see what news he would bring back.
 After they had waited a long time, the Muslims became very worried.
 At last, they decided that he must have been killed.
 A state similar to that of Revelation then came upon the Prophet (pbuh).
 He gathered the Muslims around him under an acacia tree and asked them to swear their
allegiance to him, which they did.
 This pact, which is mentioned in the Qur'an, became known as the Treaty of Radwan (which
means Paradise).
 Shortly after, `Uthman Ibn Affan returned and the Muslims were relieved to see that no harm
had come to him.
 Some Meccan warriors tried to attack the Muslim camp but were captured and brought before
the Prophet (pbuh), who forgave them when they promise to stop attacking the Muslims.
 Soon after this, official messengers came from Quraysh and talks began for a peaceful
settlement.
 A man called Suhayl ibn 'Amr was sent by the Meccans to work out a treaty.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) asked 'Ali to write 'In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful', on the top of the page, Suhayl objected, saying 'Write only: bismik Allahumma (in Thy
name, 0 Allah).
 I don't know him as al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Rahim (the most Merciful).'
 The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and dictated: 'This is a treaty between Muhammad the Messenger of
Allah and Suhayl ibn 'Amr.
 ''Stop!' cried Suhayl, 'I don't believe that you are Rasulallah (the Messenger of Allah).
 If I thought you were Allah's Messenger, I wouldn't be fighting against you, would I?'
 Calmly, the Prophet (pbuh) agreed that he should be referred to in the treaty as Muhammad',
son of 'Abd Allah.
 The Muslims were very upset at this, and 'Umar furiously cried out, 'Are you not Allah's
Messenger, and are we not Muslims?
 How can we accept such treatment when we are right and they are wrong?
 This will make people laugh at our religion!' But the Prophet (pbuh) knew what was best and the
Treaty of Hudaybiyah was signed.
 In this treaty the two sides agreed to stop fighting for a period of ten years.
 It was also agreed that the Muslims should go back to Medinah immediately but that they could
return the following year for the pilgrimage.
 This pilgrimage would last three days.
 In addition, the treaty allowed Muslims wishing to leave Islam and return to Mecca to do so.
 It also permitted Meccans to leave and become Muslims provided they had the permission of
their guardians.
 The Muslims agreed to send any Meccan who did not have their guardian's permission back to
Mecca.
  Suhayl's son had come with his father with the idea of joining the Prophet (pbuh) but when the
treaty was signed, he was, of course, forced to return to Mecca.
 He cried bitterly.
 The Prophet (pbuh) said, '0 Abu Jandal, be patient and control yourself.
 Allah will provide relief and find a way out for you and others like you.'
 The majority of the Muslims were very disappointed when they heard the terms of the
agreement and thought that it should not have been accepted.
 They did not realize that this was in fact a great victory for the Prophet (pbuh), which Allah
would later confirm in a Revelation.
 The agreement made sure that the following year they would enter Mecca peacefully, and in
time would result in Muslims becoming stronger and more respected throughout Arabia.
 At the time the treaty was signed the Muslims could not have foreseen that the number of
people who would travel to Medinah to become Muslims in following year would be greater
than in all the years before.
 Before the Muslims departed, they followed the Prophet's example of making sacrifice and
either shaving or cutting their hair.
 Even though they were unable to visit the sacred mosque, their pilgrimage was accepted by
Allah because it had been their true intention.
 On the return journey to Medinah, the 'Victory' chapter of the Qur'an was revealed to the
Prophet (pbuh).

“It begins: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “Surely We have given thee (0
Muhammad) a clear victory, That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin That which is past and that which is
to come, and may complete His blessings upon thee, and may guide thee on the right path, and that
Allah may help thee with mighty help”. (Qur'an 48.1-3)”

(628 AD): The Invitation 6th Islamic Hijri

 The peace which the Treaty of Hudaybiyah guaranteed for ten years meant people could travel
from all over Arabia to visit the Prophet (pbuh) and a great many came to declare their Islam.
 Also, during this period the Prophet (pbuh) decided that the time had come for his message to
be taken to other countries, so he sent trusted companions with letters, telling of his message,
to the leaders of the most powerful nations of the day.
 It is recorded that he said, Allah has sent me as a mercy to all men, so take the message from
me that Allah has mercy on you.
 It is also recorded that some time before, when the Prophet (pbuh) was digging before the
Battle of the Trench, three flashes of lightning had blared forth from a rock he had been striving
to remove.

 These flashes had shown him the fortresses of the civilizations to the South, East, and West
which were soon to come into Islam.
 Now at the time the Prophet (pbuh) sent out his message.
 Abu Sufyan and some other members of Quraysh were trading in Syria, a province of the Eastern
Roman Empire (later to be called Byzantium).
 Also, at about this time the Emperor Heraclius, ruler of this Empire, had a dream, and sadly told
visitors to his court in Syria: I saw our Empire fall and victory go to a people who do not follow
our religion.'
 At first, he thought this must refer to the Jews and he even had it in mind to kill all the Jews
living under his rule fit then an envoy from the governor of Basra arrived with a message for the
Emperor:
 0 Emperor Heraclius. there are some Arabs in the city who are speaking of wonderful
happenings in their country', and he then told of what he had heard about the Prophet (pbuh).
 On hearing this Heraclius commanded his soldiers: Go and find me someone who can tell me
more about this.'
 The soldiers, however, did not find those who had been talking about the Prophet (pbuh), but
instead found Abu Sufyan and some of his companions and brought them before the Emperor.
 Heraclius asked, 'Is there anyone among you who is a close relative of the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh)?'
 Abu Sufyan replied, „I am.‟ So the Emperor addressed all the questions to him, thinking he
would know the Prophet (pbuh) best.
 He said, 'Tell me what is the Prophet's position in your tribe" Abu Sufyan said, 'he is a member
of our most respected family.
 Did anyone before him say the kinds of things he says?' the Emperor went on. „
 No.‟ was the reply.' And was he ever accused of lying or cheating?' „Never. ‟
 And then the Emperor asked: „And what about his ideas and opinions, and his powers of
reasoning? ‟
 „No one has ever had cause to doubt him or find fault with his reasoning‟, replied Abu Sufyan. „
 Who follows him, the proud or the humble? ‟ „The humble. ‟ „
 Do his followers increase or decrease? ‟ „They increase‟, said Abu Sufyan, „none of his followers
leave him. ‟
 The Emperor then turned to other matters and asked: „If he makes a treaty, does he keep it? ‟
„Yes‟, Abu Sufyan replied. „
 Did you ever fight against him? ‟ inquired the Emperor.
 To which Abu Sufyan answered: „Yes.

 Sometimes we won, sometimes he won, but he never broke his word in any agreement. ‟
 The emperor then asked: „What does he say people must do? ‟ „To worship one God‟, said Abu
Sufyan.
 He forbids people to worship as their fathers worshipped, and says they must pray to Allah
alone, give elms, keep their word, and fulfil their duties and responsibilities.
 ‟ Abu Sufyan had spoken the truth even though he was an enemy of the prophet (pbuh), and did
not become a Muslim until the very end of his life.
 But he was afraid to lie before the members of his caravan who were also there with him.
 The meeting ended with these words from the Emperor: „I see from this that he is indeed a
prophet.
 You said that his followers don not leave him which proves they have true faith, for faith does
not enter the heart and then go away.
 I knew he was coming and if what you say is true, he will surely conquer me.
 If I were with him now, I would wash his feet. You may leave now. ‟
 It was not long after this that the messenger, Dihyah, arrived at the Syrian court bearing the
Prophet Mohammed’s letter which said, „If you accept Islam you will be safe and Allah will give
you a double reward.
 If you do not, you will have to live with results of your decision. ‟ Heraclius grabbed the letter.
 He was so upset he could hardly control himself.
 He said to Dihyah, „I know your master is a true prophet of Allah.
 Our books tell of his coming.
 If I were not afraid that the Romans would kill me, I would join Islam.
 You must visit Bishop Daghatir and tell him everything.
 His word is more respected among the people than mine. ‟ So Dihyah related the message to
the Bishop and when he heard it, Daghatir said, „Yes, your master whom we call Ahmed is
mentioned in our scriptures. ‟
 He then changed from his black ropes into white ones and went and spoke to the people
gathered in the church.
 ‟O Romans, a letter has come to us from Ahmed, in which he calls us to Allah.
 I bear witness that there is no Divinity but Allah and that Ahmed is his slave and messenger. ‟
(Ahmed is another name for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).)
 But on hearing this the crowd grew angry and attacked Daghatir, beating him until he was dead.
 Heraclius was afraid that the same thing would happen to him, so he spoke to his generals from
a balcony saying, „

 Romans! A man has written to me calling me to his religion I believe he is truly the prophet we
have been told to expect.
 Let us follow him so that we can be happy in this world and the next.
 ‟ The Romans cried out in anger when they heard this, so Heraclius quickly said, „I was only
pretending; I wanted to see how strong your faith was.
 I am pleased to see that you are true to your religion.
 ‟ Heraclius then suggested that they attack or give land to the Muslims in order to maintain
peace, but the Romans refused.
 Realizing that he could do no more, and knowing that one day Islam would conquer Syria,
Heraclius left the province and returned to Constantinople, the capital of Eastern Roman
Empire.
 As he rode away, he turned around to look back and said, „Goodbye for the last time, O land of
Syria! ‟
 Meanwhile, another of the Prophet’s messengers arrived at the palace of Chosroes, the Shah (or
king) of Persia, where he was told by the royal guard: „When you see the Shah, you must bow
and not lift your head until he speaks to you. ‟
 To this the Prophet’s messenger replied, `I will never do that. I bow only to Allah. ‟ „
 Then the Shah will not accept the letter you bring‟, they said.
 And when the time came for the messenger to see him, the Shah was indeed very surprised to
see the man holding his head high and refusing to kneel respectfully before him like everyone
else.
 Nonetheless, the Shah still read out the letter:
 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful “From Muhammad, Messenger of Allah
to Chosroes, Shah of Persia.
 Peace be upon those who follow the truth, who believe in Allah and His Prophet and who testify
that there is no divinity but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger.
 I ask you in the Name of Allah, because I am His Messenger, to warn your people that if they do
not accept His Message, they must live with the consequences.
 Become Muslim and you will be safe.
 If you refuse to tell them you will be to blame for the ignorance of your subjects”
 The Shah was furious when he read this and tore the letter into little pieces.
 When the messenger returned to Arabia and told the Prophet (pbuh) what Chosroes had done,
the Prophet (pbuh) said, 'May Allah also tear his kingdom into little pieces.'
 And several years later it happened just as the Prophet (pbuh) had said it would.

 As with Syria and Persia, a messenger was also sent to the Negus (or King) of Abyssinia, with the
following letter:

“Peace. Praise be to Allah, the King, the All-Holy, the Peacemaker, the Keeper of Faith, the Watcher.
“He is Allah, there is no divinity but He, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the All-peaceable, the
Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the All-sublime. Glorified be Allah from
all that they associate with Him”. (Qur'an 59.23)”

 And I testify that Jesus, son of Mary, is the spirit of Allah and His Word which He cast to Mary
the Virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus.
 Allah created him from His Spirit and His Breath as He created Adam by His Hand and His Breath.
 I call you to Allah, the Unique, without partner, to His obedience, and to follow me and to
believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah.
 Peace be upon all those who follow true guidance.
 The King of Abyssinia was a very wise man, and was thought by the world to be a good Christian.
 He had, of course, already heard of the Prophet (pbuh) and his religion from the Muslims who
had sought refuge in his country years before.
 He was deeply moved by the letter and when he came down from his throne it was not just to
show his respect but also to declare that he was already a Muslim.
 He answered the Prophet's letter with one of his own. “To Muhammad the Prophet of Allah
from the Negus al-Asham, King of Abyssinia.
 Assalamu aleikum 0 Prophet of Allah wa rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu.
 There is none like Him who has guided me to Islam.
 I received your letter, O Messenger of Allah.
 Some of your followers, as well as your cousin Ja'far, still live here.
  I believe you are truly the Messenger of God and reaffirm the pledge of allegiance I made to you
some time ago before your cousin Ja’far, at whose hand I joined Islam and surrendered to the
Lord of the Worlds.
 A fourth messenger had, in the meantime, traveled by boat to Alexandria to meet the
Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, who was a Coptic Christian.
 In his letter, the Prophet (pbuh) invited the Muqawqis to accept Islam, because Christian who
believed in the message of Jesus should also believe in him, for he had come with the same
message from Allah. It read:
 “From Muhammad, son of 'Abd Allah to the great Copt.
 Peace he upon whoever follows the Truth.
 I beseech you to accept Islam.
 Become a Muslim.
 Allah will reward you twice.
 If you refuse, you will carry the blame for not allowing your people to share in this blessing”.
 The Muqawqis showed respect for what the letter said. He treated the messenger well, and sent
many presents with him for the Prophet (pbuh), but he did not become a Muslim.
 Although only Abyssinia responded to the Prophet's call to Islam, all was not lost, for a few years
later Persia, Syria and Egypt all became Muslim countries.

(628 AD): Expedition to Khaybar / Battle of Khaybar 7th Islamic Hijri

 The tribes of Banu Qinaqa & Banu Nadir who were expelled out of Madina for plotting havoc
had settled in Khayber (80 miles from Madina).
 They had built 7 strong forts (Khayber means a fort).
 Even here they were constantly plotting to attack the Muslims.
 The Prophet decided to stop them and in Muharram 7 A.H. Muhammad (pbuh) with 1400
Muslims had surrounded all the forts.
 In the course of a month all the forts were defeated.
 A piece of land called Fadak was gifted to him by one of the tribes and he gave it to his daughter
Fatima (pbuh).
 (628 AD): Completion of Marriage to Umm Habibah (ra) 7 th Islamic Hijri

(629 AD): Performance of Missed Umrah 7th Islamic Hijri

 A year after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet (pbuh) was able to lead two
thousand pilgrims on the 'Umra.
 Quraysh vacated Mecca and watched the rites from the hills above the city.
 The agreed period of three days was observed, after which the Muslims returned to Medinah.
 About this time, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, the great warrior who had defeated the Muslims at Uhud,
set out from Mecca for Medinah.
 Along the way he met 'Amr Ibn al-'As, the clever speaker who had pursued the Muslims when
they fled to Abyssinia.
  'Amr, who had attempted to find asylum in Abyssinia, had just returned from that country, the
Negus having urged him to enter Islam.
 He asked Khalid, 'Where are you going?' Khalid replied, 'The way has become clear.
 The man is certainly a Prophet, and by Allah, I am going to become a Muslim.
 How much longer should I delay?' 'Amr Ibn al-As answered, 'I am travelling for the same reason.
 So, they both traveled on to Medinah to join the Prophet(pbuh).
 The two men were, however, worried about meeting the Prophet (pbuh) because of having
fought against the Muslims in the past.
 Therefore, 'Amr came before Allah's Messenger he said, 'O Prophet, will my past faults be
forgiven and no mention made of what has gone before?'
 The Prophet (pbuh) replied, 'Amr, Islam wipes away everything that happened before, as does
the hijrah.'

(629 AD): Battle of Mu’ta 8th Islamic Hijri:

 Unsuccessful expedition against Byzantine territory, in Mu’ta, Palestine.

 An Islamic raiding force of 3,000 under Ibn Zayd Ibn Harithah, the Prophet’s adopted son, set off
northwards to avenge the murder of Muslim emissaries by the Ghassanids, a northern Arab
tribe, who lived in the nominally Romano-Byzantine frontier zone of what is now southern
Jordan.
 However, the Muslims were defeated at Mu’ta and Zayd Ibn Harithah, Ja’far ibn Abi Talib Abd
Allah ibn Rawaha were killed and Khalid ibn al-Walid was put in command.
 The defeat at Mu’ta is seen as the first armed clash between Muslims and the Byzantine world,
and a foretaste of clashes to come.
 The defeat at Mu’ta pushed Muhammad to organize quickly a new force of 500 cavalry to attach
Dhat al-Salasil in the southern region of Transjordan against the Arab tribes of Banu Bali, Banu
Quda and Banu Udhra, allies of the Byzantines.
 This successful operation was led by Amr ibn al-As (c. 585-664), the future conqueror of Egypt.

(630 AD): Entry into Mecca / Conquest of Makka 8th Islamic Hijri:

 Despite the improved relations between Mecca and Medinah after the signing of the Treaty of
Hudaybiyah, the ten-year peace was to be broken by Quraysh who, with their allies, the Bani
Bakr, attacked the Khuzaah tribe.
 Now Khuzaah were allies of the Muslims and when the Prophet (pbuh) heard of the attack he
immediately ordered his men to prepare for war.
 When they were ready, he told them that their destination was Mecca and, as he did not want
any fighting within the walls of the city, he told them they must move quickly and take the
enemy by surprise.
 In this way the Meccans would not have time to prepare for war and, being surrounded would
have to surrender.
 The Muslims would then be able to take the city without injury or loss of life to anyone.
 When the Muslim army, which numbered ten thousand, set out for Mecca it was the month of
Ramadan in the eighth year of the Hijrah.
 Many of the men kept the fast, even though they were not obliged to because they were
travelling.
 Everyone was jubilant because they were going to Mecca, especially as some of them had not
seen their homes in the city for eight long years.
 In the meantime, the Prophet's uncle, al- 'Abbas, had decided that the time had come for him
and his wife to leave Mecca and join the Prophet (pbuh) in Medinah.
 They did not, however, have to go far as after a distance of only twenty-five kilometers they
came across the Muslim camp.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) saw them he said, 'Uncle, your emigration is the last emigration.
 My prophecy is the last prophecy.' Al-'Abbas then joined the army and his wife went on to the
safety of Medinah.
 Night fell and the Muslims made fires to light their camp.
 The Meccans, looking out of the city, were amazed to see the many fires, and Abu Sufyan went
all over Mecca trying to find out whose camp it was.
 Suddenly he saw al-Abbas riding towards him from the direction of the fires.
 He was returning as a messenger of peace from the Prophet (pbuh) and said to Abu Sufyan, 'The
Muslims have come with a large army.
 They do not wish to fight, only to enter the city.
 It would be better to surrender and not fight.
 Come under my protection and meet the Prophet (pbuh).'

 Abu Sufyan agreed, and got up behind al-Abbas, who was riding the Prophet’s white mule.
 It was still night as they entered the Muslim camp.
 Each time they passed a fire, someone would call out, 'Who goes there?'
 None of them recognized the stranger as the leader of their enemy but all knew al-Abbas and so
let them through.
 As they passed by 'Umar, however, he immediately recognized Abu Sufyan and yelled out, 'Abu
Sufyan! The enemy of Allah!' He ran after them intending to kill his enemy but al-Abbas made
the mule go faster.
 They reached the Prophet's tent just before Umar who rushed in after them quite out of breath.
 'Umar begged the Prophet (pbuh), '0 Messenger of Allah, let me end the life of Abu Sufyan, this
enemy of Islam, who has led the Quraysh armies in their attacks on us!'
 Al-Abbas interrupted, saying, 'I have sworn to protect him during his time here whereupon the
Prophet (pbuh) told his uncle to take Abu Sufyan to his tent for the night.
 In the morning Abu Sufyan was taken to the Prophet (pbuh) who said, 'Abu Sufyan! Have you
not yet realized that there is no divinity but Allah?'
 To this Abu Sufyan replied, 'If there had been another, he surely would Have helped me by now.
‟
 „Shame on you, Abu Sufyan', responded the Prophet (pbuh), 'it is time you realize that I am truly
Allah's Messenger.'
 After a moment or two, Abu Sufyan, who remembered how „Umar had not been allowed to kill
him, replied: 'I can see you are a generous and forgiving man but I still cannot be sure of that.'
 At this, al- Abbas, who had been standing nearby turned to him and said: „Believe as I do now.'
 Abu Sufyan stood quietly for a moment, then in a calm, clear voice swore in front of everyone,
there is no divinity but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.'
 The Prophet (pbuh) then told Abu Sufyan to go back to Mecca and tell the people that the
Muslims would enter the city the next morning.
 Before he left, however, al-'Abbas suggested to the Prophet (pbuh) that as Abu Sufyan was a
proud man, it would be good to give him an honorable position.
 The Prophet (pbuh) took this advice, saying to Abu Sufyan, 'Tell the people that when we enter,
anyone seeking refuge in your house will be safe.'
 This was a great honor for Abu Sufyan.
 In addition, the Prophet (pbuh) told him to assure the Meccans that those who remained in
their own homes or at the Ka’bah would also be protected.

 Abu Sufyan returned quickly to the city.

 He made straight for the hill Hagar had climbed in her search for water and from which the
Prophet (pbuh) later spoke, and called upon Quraysh to come to him.
 Abu Sufyan then spoke to the people, '0 people of Mecca, the fires we saw all around us were
the camp fires of Muhammad and his men.
 He has come with a strong army and there are too many for us to fight.
 It is best, therefore, to surrender.
 Anyone who stays in my house, or in his own home, or at the Ka'bah will be safe.'
 Early next day, the Muslims entered Mecca from all sides.
 They had been ordered to cause no harm unless anyone tried to stop them entering.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) arrived, he got off his camel, bowed down on the ground and thanked
Allah for this victory.
 When the unbelievers saw this, they knew that the Prophet (pbuh) had come in peace.
 People began leaving their homes and running towards the Ka’bah.
 When they arrived there, they found the Prophet (pbuh) performing the ritual encircling of the
Ka'bah, the tawaf on his camel, surrounded by the Muslims.
 When he had finished, he said, 'There no divinity except Allah and He has no partner.
 Men and women of Quraysh be not proud for all are equal; we are all the sons of Adam, and
Adam was made of dust.' Then he recited this verse to them:
“O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes so you
may know each another. Surely the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah
is All-knowing, All-aware”. (Qur'an 49.13)

 After this he said to them: 'O Quraysh, what do you think I am going to do to you?'
 The people thought carefully before answering because they knew that according to the laws of
war, they could all be taken prisoner.
 They also knew, however, that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was generous, so they replied,
„You will treat us as a kind nephew and a generous brother would.'
 To this he replied with the words used by the Prophet Joseph when his brothers came to Egypt:
'God forgives you and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.'
 Later the Prophet (pbuh) went to the hill of Safa and there the crowd followed him and surged
forward, taking his hand one by one, to declare themselves Muslim.
 He then turned to the Ka'bah and, pointing his staff at the three hundred and sixty-five idols
which were placed there, recited from the Qur'an:

“… Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Lo! Falsehood is ever bound to vanish”. (Qur'an
17.81)

 At this, each idol fell over onto its face.

 Together with his followers the Prophet (pbuh) then proceeded to purify the Ka'bah, after which
he ordered Bilal to climb on top of it and perform the call to prayer.
 Since then, the call to prayer has been heard five times a day in Mecca.
 The Ka'bah, the House of Allah, has served the purpose for which it was built by Abraham
thousands of years ago, as a sanctuary for the worship of Allah, our Creator, and Mecca
continues to be the spiritual center of Islam.
 On the day Mecca was conquered, the Prophet (pbuh) addressed the people saying: 'Allah made
Mecca holy the day He created heaven and earth and it is the Holy of Holies until the
Resurrection Day.
 It is not lawful for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein, nor to
cut down trees therein.
 It was not lawful for anyone before me and it will not be lawful for anyone after me.
 Indeed, it is not lawful for me except at this time, only Allah's anger against his people makes it
permissible.
 Mecca has now regained its former holiness.
 Let those here now go forth and tell others.'

(630 AD): The Lesson of Pride at The Valley of Hunayn / Battle of Hunayn 8 th Islamic Hijri:

 Islam flourished in Mecca and the Muslims became stronger and stronger.
 But south of Mecca lived a tribe of warriors called Hawazin, who had not become Muslim.
 They made an agreement with another tribe from Ta'if, called Thaqif to fight the Muslims and
destroy them before they could spread their religion throughout Arabia.
 The Thaqif, who were known for their courage, soon won the support of other tribes living
around the Ta'if area, especially when such tribes were told: „Look what has happened! If
Quraysh, the largest tribe of all, have fallen to Muhammad, it is only a matter of time before the
same will happen to the rest of us.
 We should strike now before the Muslims are established in Mecca and have the support of
Quraysh.'
 The Chief of one of these tribes, a fearless warrior called Malik Ibn Awf, was chosen as the
leader.
 He put forward a plan: 'You should all go out to battle accompanied by your families, your tents,
your sheep and goats, for with all your belongings at stake, none of you will dare give up the
fight.'
 Everyone agreed with Malik except an old, blind man called Dorayd.
 He had been a great warrior in his day and because of his experience and valuable advice still
accompanied the men into battle.
 'I don't like Malik's plan', he insisted.
 'If a man is so cowardly as to leave a battle, then he will leave his family as well.
 The women and children will be a great worry to us and if we are defeated all our wealth will fall
into enemy hands.'
 But Malik ignored this advice and stuck to his original plan.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) heard what the enemy tribes were planning, he found himself forced
to fight and ordered his army towards Ta’if.
 He had twelve thousand men and the enemy only four thousand.
 The Muslims were proud of their strength and as they looked around at their number, said to
themselves, 'We will never be defeated!'
 On hearing this the Prophet (pbuh) knew that the Muslims had become too proud and because
of this would not succeed.
 He warned them, 'Look to Allah and not to your own strength. ‟
 The time for battle came.
 The Muslim army advanced along the Hunayn path, a narrow way in the rugged mountains,
towards the valley where the Hawazin and the other tribes were waiting.

 It was very early morning and not yet light.

 The Muslims were unaware that, under cover of darkness, the Hawazin warriors had already
climbed up the mountain and were waiting for them.
 As soon as all the Muslims were trapped in the narrow passage-way below, the Hawazin
ambushed them.
 First, they threw rocks down upon them and then attacked with arrows and swords.
 In surprise and fear, the Muslims started to retreat.
 The Prophet (pbuh) was bitterly disappointed to see them fleeing in terror but he stayed firmly
in his place with Abu Bakr, 'Ali, his uncle al-Abbas, and a few companions at his side.
 Al-'Abbas then called to the Muslims to return and not to abandon the Prophet (pbuh).
 Ashamed at what they had done, and seeing the Prophet (pbuh) facing the enemy almost alone,
the Muslims quickly returned to fight.
 Then Allah sent His angels-the hosts ye cannot see-to their aid.
 A fierce battle followed.
 The Muslim warriors advanced, attacking furiously, driving the Hawazin back from the path into
the valley, where the fighting went on long and hard.
 At the end of the day the Muslims won but not before having learned a hard lesson about the
danger of pride.
 Just as the old man had predicted, the defeated enemy fled, leaving their families and
possessions to be captured.
 Later all the leaders of the tribes except one came to ask for them back and to declare their
acceptance of Islam.
 The Prophet (pbuh) forgave them and returned their families to them, but not their belongings.
 The one exception was the leader of Hawazin.
 He fled to Ta'if, where he sought protection in the castle, but the Muslims pursued him and
surrounded the city, which they besieged for about three weeks.
 They tried to break into the castle but after losing many men in the attempt the Prophet (pbuh)
ordered a withdrawal.
 The story did not end there, however, for shortly afterwards Hawazin and most of the other
tribes came to Mecca and declared themselves Muslim, including Malik Ibn Awf, who had led
them in battle and whom the Prophet (pbuh) now made their leader.
 After the battle of the Hunayn Valley, the Prophet (pbuh) distributed what goods had been
taken between the people of Quraysh and the other Bedouin tribes.
 The Ansar from Medinah, who had been his only support during the long hard years before the
conquest of Mecca, received nothing.
 They felt angry about this and went to the Prophet (pbuh) to complain.
 He said to them, what is this I hear of you?
 Do you think badly of me? Did I not come to you when you did not know the truth and Allah
guided you;
 when you were poor and Allah made you rich; when you were enemies and Allah softened your
hearts?
 Are you covetous for the things of this world that I must use to gain people's trust so that I can
then lead them to Islam?
 Surely for you Islam is enough?
 Are you not satisfied that while some men take away flocks and herds you take Allah's
Messenger back with you to Medinah?'
 On hearing this, all the men felt very contrite and began to weep then with great humility and
reverence their spokesman said: 'We are indeed well pleased to have Allah's Messenger as our
gift in this life. ‟
 Perhaps we could ask ourselves the same question.
 Are we not blessed to have the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Book, guiding us in what
really matters for ever and ever?
 Is this not so much more important than thinking about the momentary pleasures of the day?
 Shortly after this the Ansar left for Medinah accompanied by the Prophet (pbuh).
 He could have stayed among his own people and lived out his days in Mecca, but he returned as
he had promised, to live among the people of Medinah, which was a great blessing for them.
“Allah gave you victory on many fields and on the day of Hunayn, when you exulted in your great
numbers it was of no help to you, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then you turned
back in flight; Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down upon is Messenger and upon the believers,
and sent down hosts you could not see, and punished those who did not believe. Such is the reward of
disbelievers. Then afterwards Allah will relent toward whom He will; for Allah is Forgiving, Merciful”.
(Qur'an 9.25-27)”

(630 AD): Expedition of Tabuk / Tabuk-The Test of Faith 9 th Islamic Hijri

 News of the growing power of the Muslims, as more and more of Arabia followed the Prophet
(pbuh), eventually reached Heraclius, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
 The Romans saw the uniting of the Arabs in Islam as a possible threat to their Empire and the
Emperor's advisors and generals, therefore, decided that the best thing to do would be to attack
the Muslims from the north and east at the same time and destroy Islam once and for all.
 Two years had passed since Heraclius had told them of the Prophet's letter asking them to
submit to Islam, but just as then, they were in no mood now to listen to such ideas.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) heard of the Romans' plans, he decided that it would be better to
meet the Roman army in Tabuk, some 500 kilometers form Medinah on the route to Syria, than
to await an attack on Medinah.
 One reason for this decision was that the Prophet (pbuh) felt that if the Muslims were defeated
at Medinah, the city as well as the army would be taken, which would mean the end of Islam.
 This was a very hard decision for him to make because not only was Tabuk a very long way
away, but it was also hardest time and a particularly hot year.
 Added to this was the fact that the enemy had an enormous army.
 Now at this time there were some people living in Medinah who were not true believers.
 They were called 'hypocrites' because they pretended to believe but hid what was truly in their
hearts.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) everyone to war, these hypocrites tried to create fear and doubt
among the Muslims, saying 'How can we hope to defeat the Romans whose great empire
stretches over vast areas of the world? And even if we could, we will not get the chance because
the long journey and the heat will defeat us first.

 In any case, our crops and fruits are ready to be harvested; how can we leave them?
 We will be ruined if we do!' All that the hypocrites said severely tested the Muslims.
 Who would continue to fight for his religion against such odds? Who would have the courage to
give his wealth to help equip an army? This test of faith would indeed show who the true
Muslims were.
 On this question, Allah revealed the following verse:
“O you who believe! What ail you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, you are
bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Do you take pleasure in the life of the world rather than in
the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter”. (Qur'an 9.38)”

 To form and equip an army the Prophet (pbuh) needed a great deal of money and despite all
that the hypocrites had said, many Muslims, especially the Prophet’s close friends, were willing
to help.
 'Uthman Ibn Affan, for instance, generously provided horses and arms for ten thousand soldiers
and Abu Bakr gave all that he had in the world.
 Umar, too, gave a great deal, and in this way the Prophet (pbuh) was able to equip an army of
forty thousand soldiers.
 Finally, everything was ready but just as they were about to leave, seven more men came to the
Prophet (pbuh) to ask if they could go with him.
 Unfortunately, he had to refuse because there were no animals for them to ride.
 The seven men were so upset that they wept as they left.
 With nothing more to be done, the army moved off, but just then several spare camels were
found.
 On learning of this, the Prophet (pbuh) sent for the seven men, who were overjoyed to find that
they could join him in his fight.
 By now the Romans had heard that the Muslims were coming out to meet them.
 They felt even more sure of victory when they heard this because they believed that it would be
quite impossible for an army to cross a waterless desert in the scorching summer sun.
 Even if by some miracle the Muslims succeeded, they would be so exhausted that it would be
easy to defeat them.
 As it happed the heat was so intense and the journey so difficult that several Muslims did turn
back.
 The Prophet (pbuh) and most of the others, however, continued until they finally ran out of
water.
 The expedition now seemed hopeless as the men grew thirstier and thirstier.
 The Prophet (pbuh) prayed to Allah for help and, as he finished his prayer, the first drops of rain
came splashing down.

 The rain continued to fall until all the Muslims had drunk their fill.
 That night they slept soundly for the first time in days, refreshed by the water and confident
that Bilal would wake them as usual for the dawn prayer.
 But Bilal slept so deeply that he did not wake up.
 It was the first time that the Muslims had missed a prayer and they were very upset.
 The Prophet (pbuh), however, was not angry with Bilal and told the Muslims that they need not
be upset because they had not intentionally missed the prayer.
 The Prophet (pbuh) and his army continued their trek across the desert and finally arrived at the
oasis of Tabuk.
 When they got there, however, they were surprised to find that the Roman army had retreated
in fear on hearing of the miraculous crossing of the desert by the Muslims.
  The Prophet (pbuh) waited at the oasis for a while but when it became apparent that the
Romans were not going to fight, he gave the order to return home.
 The enemy was not pursued because the Prophet (pbuh) only fought when attacked.
 The long march to Tabuk had been yet another test of faith for the Muslims.
 Even so, there were still some among those who made that heroic journey who were hypocrites,
pretending to be sincere while being enemies of Islam in their hearts.
 No one could have suspected that anyone who had made that journey across the desert with
the Prophet (pbuh) would be an enemy of his.
 Realizing this, several hypocrites plotted to kill the Prophet (pbuh) by pushing him off the top of
a high, rocky passage that ran between the mountains of Aqabah.
 Before the army reached this rocky passage, however, Allah warned the Prophet (pbuh) about
this wicked plan.
 The Prophet (pbuh), therefore, ordered the entire army to travel through the valley while he
and his two guards went by way of the cliff.
 As the plotters approached, he shouted to them so that they could see that he knew of their
plan, whereupon they quickly ran back to the army and tried to hide among the rest of the
soldiers.
 Later, the Prophet (pbuh) gathered his followers around him and told them what had happened.
 He picked out the men who had plotted against him and even told them the exact words they
had spoken to each other.
 Some of the Prophet's companions said that these men should be killed, but the Prophet (pbuh)
forgave them.

 As soon as he arrived back in Medinah, the Prophet (pbuh) went to the mosque and prayed.
 Many of the hypocrites and the lukewarm who had not gone with him to Tabuk came to give
their reasons for not having done so.
 Three men of spiritual value who had not joined the army were subjected by the Prophet (pbuh)
to the discipline of waiting for Allah's forgiveness.
 For fifty days no one spoke to them.
 Finally, Allah revealed a verse to the Prophet (pbuh) which declared that these three men were
forgiven:

(631 AD): Mubahila 10th Islamic Hijri:

 Muhammad (pbuh) invited the Christians of Najran on the 24th of Dhulhijja to a Mubahila (A
prayer of the faithful in order to rid themselves of the company of liars).
 The event was the result of a delegation led by Abdul Masih to discuss matters regarding Isa
(pbuh Jesus)
“If any one disputes in this matter with you, after the knowledge has come to you, say: “Come! let us
gather together, - our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves: Then
let us earnestly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie!” Quran 3:61 “

 Muhammad (pbuh) brought Ali, Fatima, Hasan & Husayn (pbuh).

 The Christian delegation on seeing them withdrew from the Mubahila.
 Meeting with Christians of Najran.
 The most important interaction between the Christians and the Prophet was the visit of the
Najran delegation to Medina.
 Prophet Muhammad had been sending official letters to different countries and their rulers,
inviting them to Islam.
 Among these were two different invitations that had been sent to Najran with Khalid ibn al-
Walid and Ali ibn Abi Talib to Yemen.
 At that time the Najran Christians had a highly organized religious life.
 Prophet Muhammad sent a representative to the Christians of Najran, Mughira ibn Shu’ba, who
was sent to explain the invitations and the religion of Islam.
 After discussions with Mughira, the Christians of Najran decided to send a group of people to
visit the Prophet.
 The delegation was made up of about 60 well-educated Christians: A bishop, his 45 scholars, and
15 men.
 Their intention was to learn the nature of the revelations Prophet Muhammad was receiving.
 When the Najran delegation reached Madina, they debated with the Prophet in an investigatory
dialogue for two or three days in the mosque of Madina.
 Prophet Muhammad allowed them to pray in the mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi) where the
Muslims prayed.
 The whole incident was the first occurrence of peaceful dialogue between Christians and
Muslims; it was the first time that Christians prayed in a mosque.

(631 AD): Death of Ibrahim (Prophet’s son through Maria Qibtiyya) 10 th Islamic Hijri

 Ibrahim fell ill after the Battle of Tabuk at which time he was over a year old.
 Muhammad (pbuh) his eyes filled with tears said: “The eyes send their tears and the heart is
saddened, but we do not say anything except that which pleases our Lord.
 Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us”.
 His death coincided with an eclipse of the sun and a rumour went out saying that the sun was
eclipsed in sadness over the death of Ibrahim.

 Upon hearing this Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The sun and the moon are signs of God.
 They are eclipsed neither for the death nor birth of any man.
 On beholding an eclipse, therefore, remember God and turn to Him in prayer’.
(632 AD): The Farewell Pilgrimage / Hajj al-Widaa 10th Islamic Hijri

 The Prophet (pbuh) had become the most powerful leader in the whole of Arabia.
 After the idols in the Ka'bah had been smashed and Quraysh had become Muslim, most of the
other tribes of Arabia came to declare their Islam.
 The year in which they came was later to be called the Year of Deputations.
 As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) sent his men to teach them about
their new religion.
 Many people also came to Medinah to question the Prophet (pbuh) himself.
 One tribe sent a man called Dimam, who was large and strong.
 On arriving in Medinah, he went straight to the mosque, where the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
was sitting with some of his companions, and stood over the Prophet (pbuh).
 In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which of you is the son of 'Abd al Muttalib?'
 When the Prophet (pbuh) answered him Dimam went on, 'I am going to ask you a hard question,
so do not misunderstand me.
 I ask you to swear by Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you and the Allah of those who
will come after you, has He sent you to us as a messenger?'
 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (pbuh).
 'Has Allah instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray these five prayers; to pay alms; to
fast; to make the pilgrimage and to follow the other laws of Islam)?' continued Dimam.
 When the Prophet (pbuh) answered that Allah had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam
became a Muslim and, as he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are told to do and avoid
the things we are forbidden-no more and no less.
 ` As Dimam mounted his camel to leave, the Prophet(pbuh) told the people around him, 'If this
man is sincere, he will go to Paradise.
 ' When Dimam reached his people they all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall, after he
had finished speaking, there was not among them that had not accepted Islam.
 When the time came for the yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed that the prophet (pbuh) would
be going to Mecca.
 The Muslims flocked to Medinah from all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka’bah.
 As the tribes arrived, they camped around the city until they finally numbered more than thirty
thousand.
 The Prophet (pbuh) went out with his family and friends to pilgrimage, but before setting off, he
led all the Muslims in prayer.
 After the prayers, the Prophet (pbuh) got on his camel and headed towards Mecca followed by
the pilgrims, all of whom, for the first time in centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God.
 The Prophet (pbuh) and his companions were deeply moved by the sight of the huge number of
Muslims accompanying them to Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no one.
 They could not help but remember their original flight from Mecca when they had been so few
in number and were forced to leave in order to avoid the anger of Quraysh.
 Throughout the journey the Muslims repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (pbuh)
which he in turn had received from the Archangel Gabriel.
 This prayer, the talbiyah, has been part of the Hajj ritual ever since.
  It is in answer to the call Abraham was commanded to make when he and Ishmael finished
building the Ka’bah.
 After ten days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same pass by which they had entered
on the Day of Conquest of Mecca.
 When they reached the Ka’bah, the Prophet (pbuh) stood before it in prayer, then he and all the
Muslims walked around it seven times saying their prayer aloud.
 Next, just as Abraham had done, they went towards the Mount of Mercy at 'Arafah, which the
Prophet (pbuh) ascended on a camel.
 From the mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to them as they stood
assembled on the vast plain below.
 What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the „Farewell Sermon‟, because it was the last speech
the Prophet (pbuh) made before he died.
 He said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and He will question you about your works.'
 He asked the Muslims to take their guidance from the Qur'an and from his own example.
 This, he said, was the best way to live.
 He ordered them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
 Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended forever; usury was prohibited;
property was to be respected.
 Things which previously were forbidden during the four sacred months of the year were now
forbidden at all times.
 He then commanded, 'Know that every Muslim is a Muslim's brother', which was a completely
new idea to the tribes who had so often quarreled in the past.
 He also said, 'Allah has given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves.
 After each point the Prophet (pbuh) asked, 'Have I explained it well? Is it perfectly clear?'
 Everyone answered, 'Yes.'
 For these were the people who would have to pass on the Prophet's message and instructions
to those who were unable to be present that day and to future generations.
 The Prophet (pbuh) said, 'I have left you two things.
 If you hold on to them you will be saved.
 They are Allah's Book and the words of your Prophet.'
 He then asked, 'Have I not conveyed the message?'
 The multitude shouted out, 'By Allah, yes!' The Prophet (pbuh) ended, '0 Allah! Bear witness to
that.'

“… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so, do not fear them, but
fear Me! This day I have perfected your religion, for you, and I have completed My favor unto you, and
have chosen for you as a religion AL-ISLAM”. (Qur'an 5.3) “

 Many Muslims started to shed tears, knowing that if the Prophet (pbuh) had completed his
message, his life must be near its end.
 After spending the rest of the day of Arafah in prayer and contemplation, the Muslims began to
complete the pilgrimage by returning to Mecca with the talbiyah prayer still on their lips.
 The first night of the return journey was spent at Muzdalifah.
 Here they gathered pebbles, which they carried with them the next day to Mina.
  There they stood before a huge rock and stoned it in remembrance of Abraham's meeting with
the Devil in that very place.
 When Abraham received the order from Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith,
the Devil had tried to convince him not to do it.
 He came to Abraham at Mina, as he was on his way to carry out Allah's command, but Abraham
took some stones and hurled them at the Devil to drive him away since the casting of stones at
Mina on the Prophet's 'Farewell Pilgrimage',
 this has become another ritual which Muslims perform on the annual pilgrimage to remind
them that they, too, must continue to drive the Devil away when he tries to prevent them from
being obedient to Allah.
 After throwing the stones, the pilgrims sacrificed sheep and camels and gave the meat to the
poor.
 In this way the great faith of Abraham was remembered, for when he had been ready to
sacrifice Ishmael, Allah had sent a sheep in his place.
 The Muslims then completed the pilgrimage by again circling the Ka’bah seven times.
 They then cut their hair and nails and changed out of their white clothes to show they had
returned to their daily lives.
 Before returning to Medinah, the Muslims spent three nights in the valley at Medinah where the
final preparations were made for the journey home.
 As for the Prophet (pbuh), he made one final visit before leaving Mecca.
 This was to the grave of his devoted wife, Khadijah, who had been the first person to believe in
Allah's Revelation through him.
 The Prophet (pbuh) knew that this would be the last time he would see the grave, or Mecca,
because during the pilgrimage he had received the chapter of the Qur'an called 'Help', form
which he knew that his death was not far away.

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “When Allah's help and triumph comes and thou
see, mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops, then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek
forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy”. (Qur'an 110.1-3)”

THE LAST SERMON OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD

This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H. (632 CE) in the 'Uranah valley of
Mount Arafat in Makkah.

It was the occasion of the annual rites of Hajj (the pilgrimage).

It is also known as the Farewell Pilgrimage.

After praising, and thanking Allah (The One True God) the Prophet began with the words:
1. "O People! lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be
amongst you again. Therefore, listen carefully to what I am saying and Take These Words to
Those Who Could Not Be Present Here Today.
2. “O People! just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and
property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful
owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your
LORD, and that he will indeed reckon your deeds.
3. “Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall
henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any
inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas
ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) be waived.
4. “Every right arising out of homicide in pre-Islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such
right that I waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al-Harithiah.
5. “O Men! the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible
that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the
months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, three of these are successive and one
occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.
6. “Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of that he will be able to
lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.
7. “O People! it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have
rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and
with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and
clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners
and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom
you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.
8. “O People! listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during month
of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat (obligatory charity). Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
9. “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab
has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any
superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to
every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a
Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.
10. “Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer
your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
11. “O People! No Prophet or Apostle Will Come after Me and No New Faith Will Be Born. Reason
well, therefore, O People! and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two
things, the QUR’AN and my SUNNAH (i.e., sayings, deeds, and approvals) and if you follow these
you will never go astray.
12. “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may
the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly.
13. “Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people."
As part of this sermon, the Prophet recited them a Revelation from Allah which he had just received and
which completed the Qur’an, for it was the last passage to be revealed:

“This day the disbeliever’s despair of prevailing against your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me
(Allah)! This day have I perfected for you your religion and fulfilled My favor unto you, and it hath been
My good pleasure to choose Islam for you as your religion (Surah 5, Ayah 3).”

 The sermon was repeated sentence by sentence by Safwan's brother Rabiah (RA), who had a
powerful voice, at the request of the Prophet and he faithfully proclaimed to over ten thousand
gathered on the occasion.
 Toward the end of his sermon, the Prophet asked “O people, have I faithfully delivered unto you
my message?"
 A powerful murmur of assent “O Allah, yes!", arose from thousands of pilgrims and the vibrant
words “Allahumma na’m” rolled like thunder throughout the valley.
 The Prophet raised his forefinger and said: “Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed your
message to your people."

(632 AD): 11th Islamic Hijri 12th Rabi Al-Awwal: The Prophet’s Death:

 One Night, shortly after his return to Medinah, the Prophet(pbuh) woke up at midnight and
asked his servant‟ Abd Allah to saddle his mule.
 They then left the house and went to the Baqi al-Gharqad, the burial ground of the Muslims.
 There the Prophet (pbuh) stood in the front of the graves and, as though he could see the
Muslims buried in them, spoke to them and prayed over them.
 Later, ‟Abd Allah reported, ‟The Prophet (pbuh) told me that he was ordered to pray for the
dead and that I was to go with him. ‟
 After the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed he turned to „Abd Allah and said, „I can choose between all
the riches of this world, a long life and then Paradise, or meeting my Lord and entering Paradise
now.
 ‟ „Abd Allah begged him to choose a long, rich life, followed by Paradise, but the Prophet (pbuh)
told him that he had already chosen to meet his Lord now rather than remain in the world.
 The following morning the Prophet (pbuh) awoke with a terrible headache, but despite this he
had led the prayers at the mosque.
 From what he said afterwards to the people assembled there, they understood that his death
was near.
 The Prophet (pbuh) praised his best friend, Abu Bakr, who had begun to weep, and told
everyone that he knew they would all meet again at a pool in Paradise.
 He added, however that although he was sure they would always worship Allah alone, he feared
that the pleasures of the world would attract them, and they would begin to compete with one
another for material possessions, forgetting spiritual things.
  Soon after the Prophet (pbuh) requested that he be moved to the room of Aisha, one of his
wives.
 As the days passed his fever grew worse, until one day he was so ill that he could not even get to
the mosque, which was next to where Aisha lived.
 The Prophet (pbuh) told Aisha to tell the Muslims to let Abu Bakr, her father, lead the prayer,
which made them very sad for this was the first time anyone had taken the Prophet's place.
 Later, on the 12th day of Rabi al-Awal, in the 11th year of Islam (June 8 th 632 A.D.), the Prophet
(pbuh) heard the voices of the people in prayer.
 With great effort he got up and looked from his door at all the Muslims who were assembled in
rows behind Abu bakr; he smiled with great satisfaction.
 Abu Bakr saw him and stepped back to give the Prophet (pbuh) his place.
 The Muslims were happy, thinking he was going to pray with them as before, but the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), who looked radiantly beautiful that day signaled to them to continue on
their own.
 He prayed in a sitting position at the right of Abu Bakr, after which he went back inside and lay
his head on 'Aishah’s lap.
 He was in such pain that his daughter Fatimah cried out in pity.
 Then the Prophet (pbuh) said, 'There is no pain for your father after this day; truly, death has
appeared to me.
 We must all suffer it till the Day of Judgement.'
 As he lay there, A'ishah remembered that he had once said, Allah never takes a Prophet to
Himself without giving him the choice.'
 Then she heard the Prophet (pbuh) speak.
 His last words were, 'Nay, rather the Exalted Communion of Paradise.'
 A’ishah then said to herself, 'So, by Allah, he is not choosing us!' When the people in the
mosque heard that the Prophet (pbuh) was dead, they were filled with grief.
 Umar could not, and would not, believe it, and exclaimed that it was not true.
 Abu Bakr then went out and spoke gently to the people, saying 'All praise belongs to Allah! 0
people, whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead.
 But for him who worships Allah, Allah is living and never dies.'
 He then recited this verse from the Qur'an which had been revealed after the battle of Uhud:

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful “Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the
like of whom) have passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dies or is slain, you will turn back
on your heels? He who turns back does no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful. No soul can
ever die except by Allah's permission and at a term appointed. Who so desires the reward of the world,
we bestow on him thereof; and whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, we bestow on him
thereof We shall reward the thankful”? (Qur'an 3.144-145)”

 After this the people pledged their loyalty to Abu Bakr, whom the Prophet (pbuh) had chosen to
lead the prayer.
  Abu Bakr accepted and concluded what he had to say with these words: 'Obey me so long as I
obey Allah and His Messenger. But if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, you owe me no
obedience.
 Arise for your prayer, Allah have mercy upon you!' The people rose and asked him; 'Where will
the Prophet (pbuh) be buried?'
 Abu Bakr remembered that the Prophet (pbuh) had said, 'No Prophet dies who is not buried on
the spot where he died.'
 And so, the Prophet (pbuh) was buried in a grave dug in the floor of Aishah’s room, in the house
next to the mosque.
 The spot became known as the Haram al-Nabawi and Muslims from all over the world go there
to pray and to give their blessings and greetings of peace the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Ghazwa (Battle) of Waddan

53 Years

29 Safar 2 AH 31 August 623

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Safwan

54 Years

2 AH 623 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) Dul-'Ashir

54 Years

2 AH 623 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Badr

54 Years

12-17 Ramadan 2 AH March 8-13, 624 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Bani Salim

54 Years

25 Ramadan 2 AH 21 March 524 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Bani Qainuqa'

54 Years

15 Shawwal 2 AH 10 April 624 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Sawiq

54 Years
5 Dhul-Haj 2 AH 29 May 624 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Ghatfan

54 Years

Muharram 3 AH July 624 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Bahran

55 Years

Rabi-us-Sani 3 AH October 624 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Uhad

55 Years

6 Shawwal 3 AH 22 March 625

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Humra-ul-Asad

55 Years

8 Shawwal 3 AH 24 March 625 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Banu Nudair

56 Years

Rabi-ul-Awwal 4 AH August 625 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Dhatur-Riqa

56 Years

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 4 AH October 625 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Badru-Ukhra

56 Years

Dhi Qad 4 AH April 626

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Dumatul-Jandal

57 Years

25 Rabi-ul-Awwal 5 AH

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Banu Mustalaq

57 Years

3 Shaban 5 AH 28 December 626 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Ahzab or Khandaq (Ditch)

57 Years

8 Dhi Qa'd 5 AH 31 March 627 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Bani Quraiza

57 Years

Dhul-Haj 5 AH April 627 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Bani Lahyan

57 Years

1 Rabi-ul-Awwal 6A H 21 July 627 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Dhi Qard or Ghaiba

58 Years

Rabi-ul-Akhar 6 AH August 627 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Khaibar

58 Years
Muharram 7 AH June 628 AD

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Ghazwa of Muta

60 Years

Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8 AH August 629 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Mecca and Fall of Mecca

60 Years

10 Ramadan 8 AH 1 January 630 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Hunain (or Autas or Hawazan) and Ghazwa (Battle) of banu Ta'if

60 Years

Shawwal 8 AH January 630 AD

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Ghazwa (Battle) of Tabuk, the last great battle lead by the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him

61 Years

Rajab, 9AH October 630 AD

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The Muslims fought the total of twenty-nine (29) battles during the life of the Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) from which some were fought by the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) himself and from which some
were lead and/or participated by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) which are:

1. The battle of Waddan (1 Hijri).

2. The battle of Bawat (2 Hijri).
3. The battle of Al-Asherah (2 Hijri).
4. The battle of Badr (2 Hijri).
5. The battle of Badr Al-Kubrah (2 Hijri).
6. The battle of Bani Saleem (2 Hijri).
7. The battle of Bani Qaenaqaa' (2 Hijri).
8. The battle of Al-Saweeq (2 Hijri).
9. The battle of the Amr (3 Hijri).
10. The battle of Bahran (3 Hijri).
11. The battle of Uhud (3 Hijri).
12. The battle of Hamraa' Al-Asad (3 Hijri).
13. The battle of Bani Al-Nazeer (4 Hijri).
14. The battle of That Al-Reqaa' (4 Hijri).
15. The battle of Badr Al-Akherah (4 Hijri).
16. The battle of Domat-Ul-Gandal (5 Hijri).
17. The battle of Al-Khandaq (5 Hijri).
18. The battle of Bani Al-Mustalaq (5 Hijri).
19. The battle of Bani Qurayzah (5 Hijri).
20. The battle of Bani Lehyan (6 Hijri).
21. The battle of The Qird (6 Hijri).
22. The battle of Al-Hudaybeyah (6 Hijri).
23. The battle of Khaibar (7 Hijri).
24. The battle of Umrat Al-Qadaa' (7 Hijri).
25. Fath Mekkah (8 Hijri).
26. The battle of Haneen (8 Hijri).
27. The battle of Al-Taa'ef (8 Hijri).
28. The battle of Tabuk (9 Hijri).

Twenty seven (27) battles from the twenty nine (29) battles were fought with the attendance of the
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself not as a fighter, but rather a leader or something else with only
nine (9) of them being fought by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself using his sword which are :

1. The battle of Badr (2 Hijri).

2. The battle of Uhud (3 Hijri).
 3. The battle of Al-Khandaq (5 Hijri).
4. The battle of Banu Qurayzah (5 Hijri).
5. The battle of Al-Mustalaq (5 Hijri).
6. The battle of Khaybar (7 Hijri).
7. Fath Mekkah (8 Hijri).
8. The battle of Haneen (8 Hijri).
9. The battle of Al-Ta'ef (9 Hijri).

Although the scholar’s opinions differ on the number of the battles that the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
attended, but most of them agree that twenty-seven (27) were attended by the Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH) with nine (9) battles from them being fought by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Motivator (Daa’i), Major points of his mission:

 Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn (henceforth b. meaning the son of) ˓Abdullah b. ˓Abd al-Muttalib,
of the clan of Hashim, of the tribe of Quraysh, is acknowledged by more than one billion
Muslims as the last messenger of God.
 It was through him that the Qur’anic passages, which his followers believe present the word of
God, had been revealed to guide the nascent community through its predicaments.
 The religion that Muhammad preached is called Islam, meaning submission to God; its creed
asserts that there is but one God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.
 As humanity by gasping in the agonies of death, God raised up Prophet Muhammad to bring life
back to humanity and deliver it from darkness into light. Says the Holy Qur'an:
 A Book which was revealed unto thee, in order that you might lead mankind out of the depths of
darkness into light by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in Power, Worthy
of all praise! Ibrahim 14:1
 The Prophet's advent gave to humanity a new life, a new light, a new faith, a new warmth, a
new society and a new culture.
 It was the beginning of a new era in human history, marking the commencement of the real
mission of man on earth.
 It must be clear that the world at the time of the Prophet's advent was like a house hit by a
severe earthquake.
 All that was in it had turned upside down, while large spaces had been bereft of everything and
made completely desolate.
  In this confusion man had forgotten himself He had lost his self-respect to the extent that he
was shamelessly prostrating himself before stones, trees and water.
 Drinking, gambling, usury and plunder had become the order of the day.
 Daughters were killed at birth.
 God's wealth was in the grime of the kings' palms, and human beings their bondsmen.
 Clergymen had raised themselves to a position of Divinity.
 The sole purpose of the intellect was thought to be to plan crimes and invent new ways of
hideous debauchery and vulgar extravagance.

The Difference Between a Prophet and a Leader

 Had the Prophet been a political leader, the ideal action for him to take would have been to
weld Arabia into one country and the Arab tribes into one nation, with himself at their head.
 Abu Jahl, 'Utbah and all his other relentless opponents would have readily accepted his
leadership.
 They had already demonstrated their confidence in him by appointing him to arbitrate in
Makkah's most dangerous dispute.
 However, the Prophet it had not been raised to substitute one evil for another, to condemn an
injustice in one place and condone it elsewhere.
 He had not been sent to erect the mansion of Arab glory upon the ruins of the hopes and
yearnings of other nations, to emancipate men from the subjugation of the Romans and Iranians
and to place them under subjugation of the descendants of 'Adnan and Qahtan.
 The Prophet was not a political leader.
 He was a preacher of the Divine Word, a Warner and a Dearer of Glad Tidings.
 He was the "Lustrous Lamp".
 He had come to emancipate men from the worship of their fellow men by calling on them to
submit to the One and Real Lord, the Almighty God.
 to check evil and promote good deeds and to prohibit what was dirty and unhealthy and
sanction what was clean and wholesome.
 He, therefore, did not address himself to any particular country or community, and he made the
wvhole human race his concern.
 It was only right that he should begin his mission with Arabia as, being the darkest place on
earth during the darkest age of human history, it was in dire need of the first rays of light.
 Besides this, the central place that Makkah occupied on the map of the then known world,
together with its tradition of political freedom, made it an ideal base for a movement which
stood for Liberty, Peace and Universal Brotherhood.
 The Arabs also possessed certain inborn virtues that made them fit for being instrumental in
spreading the teaching of Islam throughout the world.
 The Prophet S.A.W was not one of those reformers who content themselves with striving
against a few moral abuses of their age and succeed in eradicating them for the time being, or
depart from the world without having accomplished anything at all.
Unravelling the Knot of Human Destiny
 The Holy Prophet applied the right solution to the problem of human nature.
 It was the problem which had defied solution at the hands of all reformers before him.
 He began by entreating men to believe in God and to bring down all false gods from the
pedestal of Divinity.
 "O People," he declared, "Say, 'there is no god but One God' and you shall prosper

Ignorance About Islam:

 This thunderous proclamation caused a stir among the ranks of paganism and, in an instant,
paganism was up in arms against this simple human truth.
 And the leaders among them (forthwith) said: 'Go forth and stick to your gods; for this is truly a
thing designed (against you) Holy Qur'an, Sad 38:6
 The ghastly deeds of crime and cruelty perpetrated on the Muslims by the enemies of Truth are
preserved in the pages of history.
 They show that Islam had found its mark and had struck at the very root of unbelief.
 The citadel of Darkness had been stormed, and the beleaguered forces rushed forth to fight to
the bitter end.
 But the Prophet did not waver.
 In the hurricane of hatred and persecution he stood firm like a rock.
 He told his uncle who had brought him up since childhood:
 "O my uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left to force me to
renounce my work, verily I will not desist until God makes manifest His work or I perish in the
effort.
 For thirteen years he remained in Makkah, resolute and steadfast, insisting on belief in Divine
Unity, his Messenger ship, Resurrection and Last Judgement.
 His faith in his Mission was never shaken, not even for a moment.
 He did not compromise with untruth.
 He was convinced that the majestic message that had been vouchsafed to him alone held the
answer to all the unsolved problems of humanity.

The First Muslims:

 The whole of Arabia became hostile to the Prophet It needed the heart of a lion to accept his
mission.
 It meant treading the path of fire and walking into the jaws of death.
 Yet, some brave souls among the Quraysh responded to the Divine Call.
 Theirs was not a hurried decision they knew what they were doing.
 There were no worldly considerations to prompt them.
 They deliberately shut the doors to worldly comforts and luxury.
 They had heard the call to faith, and the world had shrunk for them.
 Sleep had gone out of their eyes and their soft beds had turned into beds of thorns.
  Truth had dawned upon them, and now there could be no turning back.
 They knew in their hearts that there could be no peace for them until they had declared their
faith in God and His Messenger.
 So, they all decided to go to the Prophet and accept the faith he preached.
 The Prophet lived in their part of town, only a short distance away.
 But the hatred of the Quraysh made the way to him so long and so perilous that to traverse it
was like undertaking a long and hazardous journey.
 It was safer by far to take a trade caravan to Syria or the Yemen, eluding the barbarous
highwaymen, than to meet the Prophet in Makkah itself.
 Yet, they did go to him, took at his hand the oath of allegiance to God and His Messenger and
pledged their lives to stand by him.
 They took a tremendous risk.
 Severe hardships and unsparing trials would inevitably beleaguer their lives, but they were
prepared for the worst.
 They listened to the Holy Qur'an which said:
 Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, 'We believe, and that they will not be
tested? We did test those before them, and God will certainly know those who are true from
those who are false. Surah al-'Ankabut 29:2,3
 And they also heard the following Divine Commandment:
 Or, do you think that you shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as (came to) those
who passed away before you? (while) they encountered Suffering and adversity and were so
shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him cried out:
'When (will come) the help of God'' Ah Verily, the help of God is always near at Hand! Surah Al-
Baqarah 2:214
 Finally, what they had dreaded happened and the Quraysh emptied the quiver of their wrath.
 Not one arrow was left unused.
 But the believers remained steadfast.
 They said, "This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised; verily, the word of Allah and his
Messenger is true" (al-Ahzab 33:22); and it reinforced them internally and strengthened them in
their resolve.
 The more they were persecuted, the stronger did their determination grow.
 From this furnace of trial, they emerged as pure as gold.

The Religious and Spiritual Education of the Companions

 At the same time the Prophet supplied the Companions with the spiritual guidance of the
Qur'an and looked after religious education.
 He made them bow, five times a day, before the Creator and the Preserver of the Worlds with
cleanliness of body, humility of heart and concentration of mind.
 Day by day, they increased in stature, morally and spiritually, and rid themselves of shallow,
earthly aspirations.
 Their love for the Lord of the World increased daily.
 Still, the Companions were tough since war was their old pastime.
  Their history was full of bloody episodes like those of Basus and Dabhis and Ghabra.
 The memory of the war of Fijar was still fresh in their minds.
 But the Prophet kept their warlike temperament under control.
 Their native arrogance had yielded before the sublimity of their Faith.
 The Prophet commanded them to "stay their hands and establish prayer” and they obeyed him.
 They were like wax in his hands.
 Without a semblance of cowardice, they passively endured what no people in the world had
ever endured.
 Not a single instance is recorded in the pages of history in which a Muslim raised his arm in the
defense of his own person or resorted to retaliation or went back to his old ways of Ignorance.

In Madinah

 When the enmity of the Quraysh exceeded all limits, God allowed the Muslims to migrate to
Madinah where Islam had already found its way.
 In Madinah, the Makkan and the Madinite Muslims fraternized with each other.
 They had nothing in common except the new Faith.
 Blood was still dripping from the swords of the Aus and the Khazraj - they had not yet removed
from their clothes the stains of blood received in the battle of Bu'ath.
 In these circumstances, Islam sowed the seeds of affection in their hearts for one another and
brought about a brotherhood that would never have been possible among blood brothers.
 The ties established between the Ansar and the Muhajirs were stronger even than the ties of
blood.
 This new community, which consisted of the emigrants from Makkah and the Helpers from
Madinah, was the nucleus of a splendid Islamic Nation and the Commonwealth of Islam.
 It was born at a time when the world wavered precariously between life and death.
 Its birth tipped the scales in favour of life.
 To strengthen this community was indispensable for the survival of mankind; for this very
reason, when God stressed the forging of brotherly bonds between the Ansar and Muhajirs.

The Highest Pinnacle of Development:

 The religious training of the Companions continued in Madinah under the supervision of the
Prophet who explained the conception and purpose of religion and fostered among them the
virtues of introspection and self-censorship, love of learning and anxiety for the After-life.
 The Companions were seized by an overwhelming urge for self-effacement in the path of God.
 So easy had it become for them to turn their backs on worldly attachments that in ten years
they set forth more than a hundred times on jihad, twenty-seven times in the company of the
Prophet.
 The verses of the Qur'an, as revealed through the Prophet brought into force numerous
commands with regard to their personal conduct, possessions and families; these were quite
new and by no means easy to observe, but the Companions had become so accustomed to
 surrendering themselves unquestioningly to the will of God that they experienced no difficulty in
complying.
 Once the Gordian knot of disbelief had been cut, it was easy to unfasten the other knots that
bound them.

 And once the Prophet had opened their hearts to Islam, he did not have to struggle at each step
to make them reject Wrong and accept Right.
 They entered into the new faith with heart and soul and submitted themselves without demur
to what the Prophet decreed.
 They unhesitatingly confessed before the Prophet such crimes as were not known to anyone
except themselves.
 If they committed any crime, they voluntarily submitted themselves for punishment.
 Many of them actually had wine-cups in their hands when the Qur'anic injunction against the
use of intoxicants was revealed, but the Word of God came between them and their cups.
 They threw away the cups at once and broke their wine-barrels so that the drains of Madinah
literally overflowed with their contents.
 Thus, when they had attained to the highest pinnacle of moral development and become proof
against the inducements of Satan and of their own baser self, when they had learned to prefer
the future good to the immediate good and had been transformed into lovers of the Hereafter
even while living in this world, when neither poverty could be a barrier in their path nor could
riches make them vain, when they had become meek, yet unbending before power, and when
they had come to be the dispensers of justice among men even though it might go against
themselves, their own kith and kin, God made the whole world subservient to them and
appointed them the Defenders of the Faith.
 The Prophet nominated them his successors and went to join the Most High, happy in the
triumphant fulfilment of his Mission and in the belief that he had left his charge in hands that
would not falter.

History's most Remarkable Revolution

 The mighty revolution wrought by the Prophet among the Arabs, which through them produced
a new and lasting impression on all the nations of the globe, was unique in all respects.
 It was a most extraordinary event in human history, yet there was nothing about it that could
not be explained rationally.
 Let us study the character, the scope and the influence of this great Revolution on the destiny of
the human race.

The Fruits of Faith

 During the pre-Islamic era people generally worshipped inanimate objects which could neither
help nor grant their petitions and had, in been created merely to serve their needs.
 Hence, there was no real moral enthusiasm, no genuine spirituality in their religions.
  The God of their conception was an artisan who had retired into a corner after finishing His job.
 They believed that He had bequeathed His kingdom to those whom He had adorned with the
mantle of Divinity and now it was they who controlled the affairs of the universe.
 They lacked any spiritual understanding of God.
 They had no intimate consciousness of the Divine attributes and, consequently, their hearts did
not bear the imprint of God's glory or love.
 The Greek philosophers had, accordingly, ended up destroying the spirit of religion and making
it a rigmarole of empty ceremonies, sports and festivals.
 The Muslims in general and the Arabs in particular rejected this vague and sickly religiousness
and attained a Faith which was at once intense and profound and which permeated through
every fiber of their existence.
 They pledged their Faith in God Who has Excellent Attributes, who is the Most Exalted, the Most
Magnificent and the Master of the Day of Judgement.
 Says the Holy Qur'an:
 God is He besides whom there is no other God; The Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of
Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the
Irresistible, the Supreme; Glory to God (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He
is the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms and Colors. To Him belong the Most Beautiful
Names; Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is
the Exalted in Might, the Wise. al-Hashr 59:23,24
 This solemn conviction produced a miraculous transformation among the early followers of
Islam.
 Whoever affirmed his faith in the One Transcendent God and testified to 'Lii iliiha illalliih'
experienced a sudden change in himself.

Self-Criticism

 This faith was a wonderful source of moral training.

 It generated among its followers an amazing strength of will, self-criticism and justice, as
nothing can help overcome the inducements of the self so successfully as a living faith in the
Omnipresence of God.
 If anyone succumbed to evil or negative urges and fell into error, even unobserved, he would
immediately confess to the Prophet and undergo the severest punishment willingly to save
himself from Divine Displeasure.
 A number of such incidents have been handed down to us by reliable historians, such as that of
Ma'iz ibn Malik Aslami.
 One day he approached the Holy Prophet and said, "O Prophet of God, I have been guilty of
adultery, and I beg of you to cleanse me."
 The Prophet sent him away, but he returned the next day and repeated the confession.
 The Prophet again sent him away and inquired from his family "whether the balance of his mind
had been disturbed.
 The relatives of stated that, as far as they knew, there was nothing abnormal in his behaviour.
  When Ma'iz came to him for the third time, the Prophet again inquired about his mental
condition, and his relatives gave the same answer.
 They would not think of telling a lie to save the life of a relative.
 Ma'iz, too, would not shrink back.
 He appeared before the Prophet and confessed his guilt for the fourth time.
 Then, at fast, the Prophet ordered him to be stoned to death according to Islamic law.

Honesty and Trustworthiness

 Virtues such as honesty and trustworthiness developed in the early Muslims as the natural fruits
of a sense of living belief in the Omnipresence of the Absolute God.
 Even when alone and unnoticed, or in any other situation wherein they could easily transgress
the bounds of religious conduct, fear of God kept the Muslims under rigid control.
 After the victory of Madain, when the Muslims were collecting the booty, one of them brought
something
 he had come across and deposited it with the treasurer.
 It was so enormously valuable that those who saw it were astounded.
 They had never seen such a valuable treasure before. They began to question him.
 "Are you sure you have not held back a part of it?" "By God," he replied, "had I wished l could
have misappropriated the whole lot without any of you being the wiser."
 This straightforward reply made a deep impression and they felt that they were in the presence
of an extraordinary man.
 They begged him to disclose his name, but he declined. "I can't tell you my name," he said,
"because you will then start praising me, while all praise is for Allah.
 I am well content with whatever He bestows as a reward."
 When he departed; they sent a man after him to find out who he was.
 Then it was discovered that he was 'Amir ibn 'Abd Qays.

The Eschewing of Man-Made Gods

 The belief in one God, the Sovereign Lord of the universe, raised the heads of Muslims so high
that now they could not be made to bow before anyone but the Almighty.
 Mirroring in their hearts, as they did, the glory of the Most Glorious, the glitter of worldly
grandeur made no impression.
 Abu Musa says that when he reached the court of the Negus along with other Muslim
emigrants, he found that 'Amr ibn al-'A~ was sitting on the Emperor's right.
 'Umarah on his left and the priests were forming a double row in the front.
 'Amr and 'Umarah informed the Emperor that the Muslims would not kneel before him.
 But the priests insisted that they should do so, upon which Ja'far, may Allah be pleased with
him, unhesitatingly said, "We, Muslims, kneel before God alone and before no one else. "

Rare Courage
  Enthusiasm for the After-life endowed the Muslims with almost superhuman courage.
 Worldly aims and interests having ceased to have any significance in their eyes, they advanced
towards the ultimate goal of paradise with great ardency.
 It is reported that as Anas ibn an-Nadr, may Allah be pleased with him, advanced on the enemy
at a critical moment in the Battle of Uhud, he met Sa'd ibn Mu'adh to whom he said, "By God,
Sa'd, I can feel the sweet fragrance of Paradise coming from the direction of the Mount of
Uhud."

 With these words he rushed into the heart of the battle.

 Sa'd said that when the dead body of Anas was recovered from the battlefield, there were more
than eighty wounds on it.
 The infidels had literally cut him to pieces; as a result, only his sister could recognize his corpse.
 'Amr ibn al-Jamuh, who was lame, had four sons.
 They used to accompany the Holy Prophet whenever he set out on Jihad.
 When the Prophet was leaving for Uhud, 'Amr wanted to join him, but his sons were opposed to
it on account of his physical disability and old age.
 Finding them adamant, 'Amr sought the help of the Prophet.
 "My sons dissuade me from going with you," he said, "while it is my desire that I walk in
Paradise with my impaired leg."
 The Prophet~ explained that the Jihad was not binding on him.
 At the same time, he did not like 'Amr's sons standing in their father's way in the holy cause
upon which he had set his heart.
 So, he said to them, "Why don't you let him go? God may grant him martyrdom."
 The sons agreed and 'Amr went to join the holy war and was killed.
 Shaddad ibn al-Had says that on a journey a Bedouin came to the Prophet and attached himself
to his party after embracing Islam.
 The Prophet instructed a Companion to take good care of him.
 When the campaign of Khayber took place, the Prophet gave a share of the booty to the man,
but as he was not present - as he was shepherding the cattle of the Muslims - it was kept with a
Companion who gave it to him on his return in the evening.
 The Bedouin took the booty to the Prophet and inquired as to what it was.
 The Prophet told him that it was his share of the spoils, upon which he said, "But l did not join
you for it," and pointing towards his throat he added, "I joined to be pierced by an arrow here."
 The Prophet replied, "God will fulfil your wish if you are true in your affair with Him."
 Then another battle took place in which he was killed.
 When his corpse' was pointed out to the Prophet, he remarked, "His affair with God was true;
so, God too made him true. "

Implicit Surrender

 The unruly Arabs, who were so lawless in their ways, surrendered themselves so absolutely to
the guidance of the Faith that it was impossible for them to infringe the Divine Law.
  They accepted the Sovereignty of God in its fullest sense.
 In peace and in war, in joy and in sorrow, in every relationship of life, at each tum of affairs and
in the minutest details of their concerns they looked to His guidance and help and carried out
His commands without the slightest demur.
 Fadlalah ibn 'Umair al-Laythi once planned to assassinate the Prophet during the Tawaf' of the
Ka'bah.
 As Fadlalah drew near him, the Prophet inquired, "ls it you, Fadalah?" "Yes, it is me, 0 Prophet of
God," he replied.
 "Tell me," the Prophet asked, "with what intention have you come?"
 "There is nothing to tell," replied Fadlalah, "I was only remembering God."
 The Prophet smiled and placed his hand over Fadalalah's heart.
 The peace of Fadalalah's heart was restored.
 He, afterward~. would say that as soon as the hand was lifted, the Prophet appeared to be so
handsome, as if God had not created anything in the world more beautiful than he.
 On his return, Fadalah met his mistress who invited him to chat, but he declined.
 He said that there could be no scope for such a thing after one had submitted to Islam.

True Knowledge

 The prophets had imparted to man the true knowledge of God's existence and His attributes and
actions.
 They had laid the foundations upon which man could erect the binding of his own spiritual
conduct without getting involved in fruitless metaphysical discussions on "being" and
"knowing".
 But man heeded not.
 Instead of being grateful for Divine guidance, he allowed his thought' to drift aimlessly.
 He behaved like an explorer who, setting aside the geographical charts, tries to scale every
height, fathom every depth and measure every distance on his own.
 The Companions of Prophet Muhammad were twice blessed in this respect because, by giving
themselves up to his guidance, they were spared the pointless quest of speculative theology
regarding the existence and nature of God and were left free to devote their energies to
productive learning.
 They served as the guardians of the Revealed Word.
 Consequently, they were able to retain the substance of faith while others only skirted its
shadow.

A Single Humanity

 The Islamic concept of God as the Creator, Nourisher and Sustainer of all peoples and nations
and the universal scope of the ministry of Prophet Muhammad demolished all barriers of blood,
colour and geography between man and man and welded mankind into one family.
 In Islam all men formed, as it were, a single humanity.
  They were members of the same family, being the children of the same father: Adam.
 An Arab had no superiority over a non-Arab and a non-Arab had no superiority over an Arab.
 The most honoured was the most righteous.

 The Prophet said emphatically, "O people, Verily, God has removed from you the blemish of
ignorance and the pride of birth.
 There are but two classes of men: those who are righteous and God fearing and honorable in
the eyes of God; and those who are wicked and sinful and dishonorable in His eyes."
 Everything that tended to divide humanity into factions and groups was severely condemned by
the Prophet.
 "He who lives in factionalism is not one of us.
 He who dies in factionalism is not one of us.
 He who fights for factionalism is not one of us. "
 He succeeded in establishing a classless society in which the high and the low, the rich and the
poor, the white and the colored were united in one single brotherhood.

Social Responsibility

 The Muslims were charged with a strong sense of responsibility.

 Their minds had matured and they conducted themselves as responsible members of their
families, their professions, their Faith and the entire society.
 They were the helpers of truth; they acted by mutual consultation; they obeyed the head of the
State, the Caliph, wholeheartedly and overtly as well as covertly, but only as long as he
remained loyal to the Divine Commandments.
 "There is no loyalty unto the created which involves disloyalty unto the Creator," was an
essential dictum of their polity.
 The revenues of the State, which until then filled the private purses of the rulers, were confided
in God and spent as approved by Him.
 The position of the Caliph was like that of an orphan's guardian; he took from the public funds
only what was necessary for his sustenance in case he did not have an income of his own,
otherwise he accepted no payment or reward.
 Ownership of land, too, was vested in God and they believed that they would be called upon to
answer before Him for every inch of it held by them.
A Civic Conscience

 Centuries of ignorance and oppression had brought the common folk down to the level of
animals, who mutely submitted to the many social wrongs to which they were subjected.
 In the righteous and democratic environment of Islam the civic sense of the people was aroused,
and the Islamic society came to possess a social conscience.
 Social responsibility was hammered into human consciousness by Islam as a religious demand.

The Real Purpose of Love

 The noble instinct of love, to whose credit lie many outstanding achievements in history, had,
before Islam, been rendered dormant.
 Things had come to such a state that it was now understood only in the context of the transient
manifestations of beauty.
 For many years, there had not appeared anyone who could, by the appeal of his personality and
the exquisiteness of his character, claim the unqualified devotion of his fellow men and then
divert it into the right channel.
 The world found such a man in Prophet Mohammad it, in whom God had assembled all that was
adorable in a human being.
 Eyewitness accounts reveal that whoever came into the presence of the Holy Prophet was
instantaneously overawed, while those who came to know him were bewitched.
 His admirers reported that they had not seen the like of him anywhere in the world.
 Hearts were drawn to him as if they had been waiting all their lives to be drawn by the
magnetism of his personality.
 History cannot provide a single instance of anyone meeting with such love, obedience and
respect as he inspired in his people.

Exceptional Devotion

 Cited below are some instances which illustrate the exceptional devotion of the Prophet's
Companions.
 One day Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was assaulted by the enemies of the Faith at
Makkah.
 'Utbah ibn Rabi' ah, in particular, beat him so severely that his face swelled until it became
difficult to recognize him. He was carried home in an unconscious condition by Banu Taym.
 But so ardent was his love for the Prophet that the first thing he did on regaining consciousness
towards the evening was to inquire about the Prophet's welfare.
 "How is the Prophet of God?" he asked through his swollen lips.
 His attendants felt greatly piqued and they began to scold him for showing so much concern for
one who, in their opinion, was the sole cause of his misfortune.
 But he persisted in his inquiry, and when his mother, Umm Khair, brought him nourishment, he
refused to accept it until he had received news about the Prophet $.

 Umm Khair assured him that she knew nothing about his friend.
 He then asked her to go and inquire from Umm Jamil, the daughter of Khattab, but the latter
was so terrified that she would not admit that she knew the Prophet.
 "I do not know who is Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah or Abu Bakr," she declared, "but I am willing to
accompany you to your son if you like.
 " Umm Khair replied that she would like nothing better.
 When Umm Jamil came to Abu Bakr's house and saw his condition, she began to curse his
assailants.
 She said, "I swear by God that the community that has done this is a community of shameless
heathens.
 God will surely punish it for its sins."
 But Abu Bakr had no patience for such things.
 "Tell me," he said, "how is the Prophet?" Umm Jamil cautioned him that his mother was
listening.
 When Abu Bakr assured her that it was not necessary to observe secrecy in the presence of his
mother, she disclosed that the Prophet was safe at the house of Ibn Arqam.
 Abu Bakr, thereupon, declared that he would neither eat nor drink until he had joined the
Prophet.
 They waited for the darkness of the night to deepen and, when it was safe enough Abu Bakr was
taken to the Prophet by his mother and Umm Jamil.
 Alone, he then took his meal.

 During the Battle of Uhud, as the news circulated that the Prophet had been seriously wounded,
a woman whose brother, father and husband had been killed in the battle that very day forgot
her own sorrow and rushed to the battlefield shouting, "How is the Prophet?
 " People assured her that by the grace of God he was safe, but she refused to be comforted until
she had actually seen him.
 She was taken to him.
 When she saw him, she said: "No calamity is a calamity if you are safe."

 Abu Sufyan, when he came to Madinah, went to meet his daughter, Umm Habiba, who was
married to the Prophet.
 He was about to sit on the Prophet's bed when she hastily rolled it up.
 Abu Sufyan was taken aback at this treatment and sarcastically remarked,
  "Daughter, I could understand whether I was not worthy of the bed or the bed was not worthy
of me."
 "No," his daughter explained, "the thing is that it is the Prophet's bed and you are an unclean
infidel."
 The love and reverence shown to the Prophet; by his followers is also apparent from the
statement made by 'Urwah ibn Mas'ud Thaqafi before his brethren Quraysh on his return from
Hudaibiyyah.
 He said, "I have seen many monarchs.
 I have been in the courts of Caesar, Khusrau and Negus.
 I can swear that I have not seen any king held in greater respect by his subjects than
Muhammad is by his Companions.
 By God, when he gives an order, they all rush to carry it out; when he performs the wudu ', they
nearly come to blows in the scramble for the water he has used for it: when he speaks, a hush
overtakes them.
 So excessively do they revere him that they dare not raise their eyes in his presence to obtain a
full view of him."

New Men - A New Ummah

 Thus, it was that the most stupendous change in human history was brought about.
 The Prophet had uncovered rich treasures of human material that had been lying dormant
under the mass of Ignorance since the beginning of creation and imparted to them the light of
genius which was to hold the world spellbound through ages to come.
 He had made into men what until then were mere herds of dumb-driven cattle.
 He had aroused their innate possibilities; he had released the fountains of their real life and
elevated them to be the standard-bearers of light, learning, Faith and culture in the world.
 Within a short span of time the desert of Arabia threw up mighty personalities whose names
illuminate the pages of history to this day.
 'Umar, who used to graze his father's camels, suddenly rose to dazzle the world with the
sublimity of his character and grandeur of his achievements.
 Another example is Khalid ibn al-Walid after embracing Islam he shone in the world as the
Sword of Allah. This Sword fell upon Rome like lightning and his brilliant conquests are recorded
in history.
 Salman the Persian, the son of a village priest, left his borne and suffered many trials and
tribulations until he reached Madinah and embraced Islam.
 He then returned to the country of his birth as its Governor.
 this high Honour made no difference to the simplicity of his nature.
 He still lived in a modest cottage and was often seen carrying loads on his head.
 Bilal, the Abyssinian slave, acquired such eminence that even Caliph Umar addressed him as his
Master.
 Zayd ibn Harithah commanded the Muslim army in the Battle of Mutah.
 Abu Dharr, Miqdad, Abu Darda', 'Ammar ibn Yasir, Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Ubayy ibn Ka'b, after
embracing Islam, became renowned ascetics and excellent scholars.
  'Ali ibn Abi Talib, 'A'ishah, 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Zayd ibn Thabit and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas
ascended to the highest pinnacle in the world of learning through sitting at the feet of the
Prophet a man who had not been tutored by any mortal.
 They fountainheads of knowledge and wisdom.
 The world now listens to these "sons of the desert"

A Well-Blended Body of Men

 Indeed, never before had a more harmonious body of men appeared on the stage of history.
 They were equipped with every requisite for success in both worlds.
 These men produced the blueprint of a culture and a dominion which, within a remarkably short
time, rose to be highly influential over three large continents.
 It was a mine of talent which sent forth an endless stream of men of quality and ability,
including wise rulers, honest administrators, impartial judges, prayerful leaders, pious army
commanders and God-fearing scientists.
 Owing to the peculiar mental upbringing of the Muslims and the ceaseless propagation of
Islamic ideals among them, the Islamic Common wealth was steadily supplied with earnest and
God-fearing servants.
 The responsibilities of the government were vested in those who preferred the dissemination of
Truth to the collection of revenue, and who possessed a correct understanding of the organic
relationship between religion and life, and knew how to co-ordinate the world of faith with the
world of practical affairs in such a way as to make life full and righteous.
 The Holy Prophet applied the key of Messenger-ship to the lock of human personality and it
opened up, laying before the world all the rich treasures with which God had endowed man.
 He cut asunder the mainsprings of ignorance and brought its power to dust.
 He forced, with Divine power, the then benighted world to march on a new highway of life.
 He inaugurated a fresh era in the annals of mankind the Islamic era which will shine forever in
human history.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Military Leader/Strategist:

Etiquettes of Leadership:
The Noble Prophet (S) was the commander in many battles and he sent forth numerous Sariyah
missions.

As far as good leadership, which necessitates certain conditions and characteristics such as good
etiquette and lofty morals that are obviously required to be found in the individual,
It is undisputable that the Holy Prophet (S) had the greatest morals, such that he was praised by Allah
thus:

“And indeed, you possess a great character”.

His having such a character made him a successful commander who was able to attain the goals and gain
momentous victories in many of his battles.

His most praiseworthy traits were:

He was kind to everyone and was courteous with the soldiers and his people in all circumstances.

He was trustworthy and truthful, loyal to his covenants and pacts.

When he got angry, he would swallow his anger and when he had the power (to exact revenge), he
would turn a blind eye.

A prime example from the instances when this can be witnessed was the conquest of Makkah - when
there was an opportunity to take revenge against those who persecuted him and his followers, he
forgave them all.

He was sincere in the actions he performed for God and in the service of the people.

He brought peace between the people and established friendship between the opposing factions of the
Aus and Khazraj, and even the Muhājirs and Ansārs.

He removed malice, enmity, hatred and sedition from them and gave everyone their rightful position.

He would enjoin people to do good and forbid them from evil through struggle and the expounding of
its importance, [and through] patience in hardships, tribulations, hopelessness and persecution of the
people [the disbelievers].

Indeed, these lofty characteristics were a sign of his greatness as a leader.

Patience became the cornerstone of his leadership by which he would persevere against the enemies.

Kindness and courtesy were the ornaments of his command and his respect, veneration, love and
humility among the troops brought about a sense of brotherhood and love among them and gave them
a feeling of closeness to their leader.

His other qualities were forbearance and forgiveness.

All these qualities of the Prophet (S) presented him as the light of guidance for all those who would be
given the responsibility for leadership.

A) Intellectual Traits:

One: Reflection, Contemplation and Far-sightedness

 When the Noble Prophet (S) was sent, the people were immersed in superstition, idol worship,
magic and sorcery.
 Their values were materialistic and their thoughts were lowly.
 They would say: There is nothing but the life of this world; we live and we die.
 The Prophet forced them to apply their intellects in thought and contemplation, invited them to
worship One God and purified them of the vileness of idol worship and depravity and got rid of
it.
 He then took them towards greatness and glory.
 The Almighty chose the Prophet (S) so that he could be a messenger and a teacher to them.
 Whenever the Creator of the Universe chooses someone to bring His message, He selects the
person who has the greatest intellect of all people.
 Allah knows best where to place His Message.
 Therefore, there is no doubt that the Prophet (S) had a perfect intellect by which he was able to
lead an entire nation and take them to the highest level of religious and worldly achievement.
 By thinking and pondering about the situation of his community, we come to the conclusion that
the Holy Prophet (S) was the wisest person in the world.
 This is because he was able to reform a community that was accustomed to harshness and
violence and had ingrained [in themselves] the qualities of vainglory and callousness.
 He trained them and took their affairs in hand and led them out of ignorance into knowledge
and guidance; in such a way that despite their past, they became his fervent supporters.
 They carried on his message and spread it throughout the world and stood up to fight by his
side.
 The Noble Prophet (S), by his own acumen, devised new methods in the ‘art of warfare’,
‘government’, ‘administration’, ‘politics’, ‘economics’, ‘social order’ etc.

 On this basis, in the Battle of Badr, he initiated battle formations.

 In the Battle of Ahzāb he dug a trench around the city.
 In the expedition of Hudaybiyyah he negotiated with the Quraysh and made a pact with them,
the great benefits of which were only seen later.
 In the same way, he would use new strategies in the battlefields that assisted him in gaining
victory over the enemies and they were stunned and perplexed by the [new] tactics.
 The greatest and most important intellectual traits of the Holy Prophet (S) were: reflection,
contemplation and far-sightedness.
 These attributes were deduced from his many feats in the battles, the most important of which
was his choice and selection of the first soldiers from among the Quraysh and the Muhājirin
without the participation of the Ansār.
 The wisdom behind this was that the Ansār has made a vow in the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah
that they would help and support the Prophet in Madina and for this reason it was evident that
the Muhājirs would have to play the main role in battles and wars.
 However, after some time, without making any reference to the pledge, the Holy Prophet (S)
informed the Ansār and made it clear to them that their participation and assistance in the
battles was required.
 From the other instances where the wisdom and prudence of the Prophet we can cite the
treaties that he would make with neighboring tribes; because through this he would gain access
to various desert routes that were frequented by the caravans of the Quraysh on their way to
Syria.
 In the Battle of Uhud he ordered a group of archers to position themselves on the mountain side
and to remain there until they were allowed by him to leave their post and it was seen how
those archers disobeyed the order of the Holy Prophet (S).
 When they thought that victory had been gained, they abandoned their post in order to take
their share of the booty, thereby granting the enemy easy access and enabling them to overturn
the outcome of the battle.
 The Holy Prophet (S) wanted the archers to remain in their positions on the mountain so that
after the victory is achieved in this fight, the forces could increase in their strength through
peaceful means and the awe and glory of the Muslim army may be elevated both within and
outside the borders.
 About this Zuhri says: ‘There was no bigger victory that was gained in Islām before this.’
 The Noble Prophet (S) would deal cautiously with the Jews and hypocrites who lived in the
neighboring areas.
 A good commander also needs a creative and an innovative mind with superior intelligence and
the Prophet (S) was distinguished with these very attributes.
 He manifested this in certain instances, the most important of which were:
 The creation and establishment of a state and the selection of warriors who would be harsh
against their enemies and merciful and kind with their friends.
 With these principles, the Holy Prophet (S) would fight battles against the Quraysh, the Jews and
the hypocrites.
 He planned the stages of battle and begin studying the strategies of war with the Quraysh and
the possibility of gaining control of Madina and its surrounding areas.
 He was the one who envisioned the war with the Romans which was later realized by the army
of Islām and this was another prime example of his far-sightedness and vision.
 The Prophet, with his vision and insight, foresaw that the Jews of Khaybar would soon rebel
against the Muslim army just as the Jews of Bani Nadhir and Bani Quraydha has done, so he
made all the necessary preparations for such an occurrence.
 In the meantime, he forbade the tribe of Bani Asad from helping the Jews of Khaybar in any way
and prevented the pact of unity that was about to be made between them.
 As a result, he made it possible to weaken the Jewish forces and then send an army the likes of
which they had never faced to fight them.
 During the Expedition of Bani Mustalaq, he married Juwayrah the daughter of Hārith.
 Not long thereafter, the tribe of Bani Mustalaq accepted Islām group by group.
 At the same time, the mission carried out by Usāma bin Zayd was also successful and resulted in
a great victory.
  Even though many of the commanders of the Muslim army lacked the vision and far-sightedness
of their great leader, the Holy Prophet (S), they would nonetheless turn to themselves and
accept these obvious and evident truths.
 The greatest reflections of the Prophet (S) and his superiority of intellect were manifested in the
following matters:

1. Planning and Organization:

 Planning and organization are considered two of the primary elements in the establishment of a
state, a society, an army and all affairs related to these.
 Before the Prophet created an army and groups and delegations turned to him, he formulated a
plan to set up a new state in Madina.
 One of the manifestations of this planning was that he met with some people from Madina
during the period of Hajj and made a ‘quasi-military’ pact with them.
 He presented a new religion for them to accept and accepted the responsibility of ending the
conflict between their two tribes of the Aus and Khazraj.
 He advised them to be the representatives for the propagation of Islām in Yathrib.
 The next year, before the commencement of the Hajj rituals, a group that was bigger than the
first group, came to meet with the Prophet (S) and pledge allegiance to him, and this was the
first official pledge of allegiance of the people of Madina.
 After the pact, the Prophet (S) send Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr to teach the people of this newly
‘converted’ city.
 He should therefore be considered the first emissary of the newly founded Islāmic state.
 Thirteen years after the appointment of the Prophet, a group comprised of 73 men and women
from the chiefs and nobles of the Aus and Khazraj came for Hajj and make a pact with the Holy
Prophet (S) in which they vowed to defend him just as they would defend their honor and their
children.
 This pact became known as the ‘Second Pledge of ‘Aqaba’.

 From the outcomes and consequences of this planning was the spread of the Islāmic faith.
 The securing of the basic material and security needs of the Muslims in Madina and support for
them against the persecution [of the enemies].
 The formation of an army to face the threat of the Quraysh and their allies.
 The Prophet (S) organized an army comprising of the Muhājirin and the Ansār.
 The Ansārs were made up of the Aus and Khazraj while the Muhājirs consisted of all the
different tribes and were considered among the foremost experts of warfare in the army.
 The Holy Prophet (S) appointed a commander for each tribe and also appointed one general
commander over them all.
 In every battle, he would organize them according to the needs, natural resources, enmity,
friendship and terrain.
 His soldiers were arranged and divided into the front-line, the rear, the right flank, the left flank
and the heart of the army.
  The Prophet gave a lot of importance to military intelligence and information [about the
enemy].
 In the same way, he would send some soldiers in martyrdom-seeking Sariya missions.
 Like the Sariya of Muhammad ibn Maslamah that was given the mission of assassinating Ka’b ibn
Ashraf because of his insolence and malice against Islām and the leadership [of the Prophet] and
all the Muslims.
 Or like the Sariya of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ateek who was given the mission of killing Salām ibn Abi al-
Huqayq, and other similar missions that were sent.

2. Taking Decisions and Issuing Clear Orders

 The Prophet (S) never used to issue firm and clear orders.
 Except after he had got the complete information about the conditions of the battle.
 He was able to make decisive judgments and issue the best orders accordingly while remaining
steadfast in the face of the changing situations of battle.
 The most important qualities that distinguished the commands of the Holy Prophet (S) were:

1. Studying the different aspects before making a decision and consequently issuing the command.
2. Not reverting or turning back after the command has been issued.
3. Changing the commands in accordance with the changing circumstances of the battle.
4. Maintaining the ability of making intellectual decisions and offer continuous guidance and
leadership even during the most difficult times in the battlefield.
5. He would decide on the realization of victory.

Two: Skill and Intellectual Brilliance in Executing the Duties of a Commander

 With certainty, the sagacity an intellectual brilliance of the Holy Prophet (S) in commanding and
controlling the army during war was clearly manifested.

 He would test people and then select the strongest and most capable person to give the
command to.
 For example, he chose Hamza ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib as the commander of one of the first Sariya
missions.
 He appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Jahash to lead a Sariya mission to gather intelligence about the
Quraysh.
 He made Abā Dujāna the head of the sword-fighters and selected Usama bin Zayd as the
commander of an army that comprised of some of the great companions.
 He put some of the Ansār and Muhājirin under the command of ‘Amr bin ‘Aās and send them to
fight the tribe of Bani Qudhā’ah.
  All these examples show that all these people who were given the responsibility of leadership in
important missions were more capable and skilled than others.
 They had the vision and insight required to overcome the enemies they had to face.
 Another example of the intellectual brilliance of the Prophet (S) in times of war was his focus, at
the start of battle, on the points which would secure victory and attain the desired goal.
 For instance, in the battles of ‘Dhi Amr’ and ‘Bani Salim’ he put the focus on the right flank and
in all the other battles like Uhud, would identify the weaknesses in the enemy army and focus
on it.
 Transferring and moving the command post during battle was necessary in order to maintain a
control over the forces and urge them to remain strong and move forward.
 In order to protect the forces and organize them in specific formations, the Holy Prophet (S)
would shift his command post depending on the changing circumstances during battle.
 In the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet (S) chose a juncture and a means of shifting the command
post to a new location.
 In the Battle of Khaybar, he set up four command posts.
 He positioned the central command post at the uppermost corner of the fortress al-Natāh and
stationed the furthermost post in Rajee’.
 He later ordered that the central command post should be moved to a new location that was
better suited strategically.
 One of the most important traits and strategic acumen of a commander is the ability to face
new scenarios that may be encountered in battle.
 He needs to be creative and resourceful and should be well aware of the realities that would
enable him to reach the road of liberation [from the enemy’s grasp] and victory.
 It is in this way that experiential knowledge in examination is a way which follows the intellect in
order to arrive at correct decisions.
 The Noble Prophet (S), with his far-sightedness, vision, skill and intellectual brilliance,
understood this and applied it to solve all the problems and execute all the missions that the
commander was responsible for.

Three: Sagacity and Perspicacity

 Sagacity and perspicacity actually refer to deep insight and discernment that are able to clear up
ambiguities and discover the reality of hidden secrets and a means of reaching it.
 It is evident that from the people, those who are distinguished for their perspicacity are the
ones who have insight and ingenuity.
 Ostensibly, sagacity depends upon observing, listening, moving or all of these combined.
 The Noble Prophet (S) would take guidance from the Glorious Qur’ān that was revealed to him,
or from the intellectual ability and sagacity that God had bestowed upon him.
 He has even spoken about the cleverness of a believer.
 As for his perspicacity in matter of warfare, [this is seen in] the fact that he invited Suhayl ibn
‘Amr, the spokesperson for the Quraysh, to accept Islām.
  He did great service to the community and foresaw the fall of the Roman and Persian empires
and the spread of Islām throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
 After the killing of Mundhir bin ‘Amr al-Sā’idi’s forces in the Sariya that was sent to Bi’r al-
Ma’unah, the Prophet (S) also hid his concern from the inhabitants of Najd and only after the
Battle of Khandaq did the he announces that the Muslim army would change to an attacking
army.
 The sagacity of the Holy Prophet (S) was also witnessed in the Treaty of Hudaybiyya which
turned out to be a great victory for the Muslims.
 In the Battle of Muta, he informed of the impending martyrdom of three commanders in his
speech.
 In the Expedition to Tabuk, he dismantled the borders of the Byzantine Empire in order to open
the way for the Muslim army to enter their lands.
 All these decisions were made by the far-sightedness and perspicacity that the Prophet (S) had
in politics, economics, sociology, matters pertaining to warfare and his ability to gauge
individuals and groups both within and without in issues of this world and the hereafter.

B) Practical Traits

1. Principles of Warfare

 The principles of warfare that were instituted by the Noble Prophet (S) were the foundational
principles [that were necessary] for ‘attaining victory’.
 Therefore, his call was clear and his war was based on the following principles:

(i) recruiting forces

(ii) deploy them sparingly

(iii) using surprise attacks at the appropriate time and place

(iv) relying on speed that would enable battle strikes

(v) continued pressure during continuous and consecutive battles against the enemies that take place
without any break

(vi) implementing maneuvers using the resources and forces that were at hand

(vii) giving importance to maintaining security for the forces

(viii) reliance on acquisition of intelligence and information

(ix) organizing the forces

(x) Establishing a form of synchronization and a co-operation between the various fighters of the cavalry,
infantry and all the other ranks as well as between the right and left flanks and the center of the army

(xi) Not dispersing the forces because it was not appropriate to do so given the weapons and resources
that were available, and this is [also] a practice of the new form of warfare
(xii) Strengthening the morale of his own soldiers in such a way that they would not fear death

(xiii) Creating an atmosphere of security in all the various battlefields; and all of these were from the
great principles of warfare of the Holy Prophet (S).

 Just as the Noble Prophet (S) was aware of the principles of war, he was also skilled in the use of
both defensive and offensive warfare.
 He would use defensive warfare when constrained and execute attacks when necessary.
 When the threat was averted, he would have no need for either.
 It is for certain that when the Prophet (S) had weak forces and few resources, he would take up
defense.
 For this reason, in the beginning of his mission, his defensive stance was evident, because at this
time he was prey to the persecution and harassment and was forced to migrate; an affair that
brought nothing but good for him.
 In Madina, his intention and goal, except in a few cases when he had no choice but to take up
defense, was to attack.
 When he had a strong and complete army, he turned to offensive warfare.
 This method is one of the more advanced styles of war – which he used when sending the Sariya
missions and laying the groundwork for battle before the great Battle of Badr, which was an
offensive battle.

The methods and means by which this offensive warfare would be carried out were:

1. Killing the people who were in the way of the Islāmic revolution.

2. Swift reprisal for those who were always ready to oppress and tyrannize.

3. Making pacts of unity with the neighboring tribes.

4. Focusing the [army’s] strength on some of the more important fights against the enemies.

 When the Battle of Uhud took place, he was forced to temporarily take up a defensive position,
but this defensive war was again changed back into an offensive war in the Battle of Hamrā al-
Asad.
 the Muslim army was able to retake the victory from the enemy with its attacking forces and
overturn the outcome.
 The Prophet (S) continued to face the enemy and conduct pre-emptive strikes until the Battle of
Khandaq took place in which he also came out victorious.
 After the Battle of Khandaq, he used offensive warfare continuously and endlessly.
 He would say: Now it is we that must take the initiative to fight the enemy while they cannot
fight us, and we should take the initiative to go towards them.

2. Pre-emptive Warfare (Harb al-Wiqāyah)

  The Noble Prophet (S) founded the basis of pre-emptive warfare, which required fewer fighters
and resources as was seen in the first Sariya mission which comprised of thirty fighters, but this
number was increased to 313 plus two on horseback in the Battle of Badr.
 The Holy Prophet (S) would always attack the enemy before they could rise up [and launch an
attack on the Muslims.
 The most important principles of this type of war that the Prophet (S) relied upon were:
 swiftness, stealth, surprise attacks, moving the war to the enemy’s area at the right time and
place, acquiring of precise information, increasing the morale of the attacking fighters, deploying
the forces sparingly and minimizing loses.
 With these principles, he opened up the way of attaining greater victory over the enemy.
 The Prophet started pre-emptive war in the Battle of Bani Saleem.
 He marched his forces towards the tribes of Ghatfān and Saleem who had gathered at the
waters of Qarqarat al-Kadar.
 He carried out a surprise attack on them which led to a greater victory over them.
 This was the same strategy applied in the Battle of Dhi Amr against the Bani Tha’labah, Ghatfān
and Muhārib tribes to overpower them.
 In this case, he obtained information and then carried out a perfect Sariya mission wherein he
did not utilize all the forces he had.
 Rather he only deployed those whom he needed in every battle, in accordance with the forces
of the allies and enemies, and in this way, he put the principle of ‘deploying the forces sparingly’
into practice.
 In the aforementioned battle (of Dhi Amr), the number of soldiers were four hundred and fifty
whereas in the next battle (the Battle of Bahrān) the number was reduced to three hundred.
 The Prophet (S) appointed Salamah bin ‘Abd al-Asad al-Makhzumi as the leader of the mission
and ordered him to march quickly, day and night, so that he can reach the Bani Asad before they
could recruit their forces.
 In order to carry out the surprise attack, the commander would move stealthily, march by night
and use routes that were not common.
 He would take advantage of the time and place when the enemy is most vulnerable, just as was
done in the Battle of Bani Mustalaq where an attack was carried out while they were busy
watering their animals at a place known as al-Marisee’ near the shore.

3. Lightning Strikes and Blitzes

 The Holy Prophet (S) would order the carrying out of lightning strikes and blitzes and for this he
would rely on the following:
(i) the psychological effect it would have on the enemy
(ii) swiftness in movement and maneuvering
(iii) training in advanced archery skills
(iv) competition
(v) resistance
(vi) carrying out surprise attacks
(vii) establishing the morale of attack in his own army
 (viii) Keeping the preparations for a surprise attack secret
(ix) reducing the load of munitions and equipment that is carried by the troops.

 Here we can mention the battles of Badr and Uhud under defensive and the Conquest of
Makkah, Hunayn and Tabuk under offensive battles.
 In each case the speed of the troops was in accordance to what was appropriate [for the type of
battle].
 Lightning strikes and blitzes needed dominance and superiority and could be changed in relation
to defense and offence.
 It also reduced human and material losses; because it terrified the enemy and made him
continuously come under intense hardships and tribulations.
 In this state, in the face of lightning attacks, they would be forced to hesitate and end up
surrendering without putting up any resistance.
 As a result, the number of martyrs and wounded [in this type of warfare] would be reduced.
 In offensive battles, the Holy Prophet (S) would always try to have a greater number of forces
[than the enemy].
 In the Battle of Bani Quraydha, the number of forces in the Muslim army was three thousand
compared to seven hundred and fifty from the Bani Quraydha.
 In the Battle of Khaybar 1,500 fighters were sent to face one thousand Jews of Kahybar,
 In the Conquest of Makkah, ten thousand men faced the entire city of Makkah;
 Similarly, this superiority was seen in most of the Sariya missions that were sent...

 In battles where it was not possible to gain superiority as far as the number of forces was
concerned, like in the Battle of Hunayn, he implemented lightning strikes.
 In this battle, the number of soldiers in the Muslim army was twelve thousand against the
twenty thousand from the Hawāzin, the Watheeq and other tribes.
 This attack was commanded by people who were distinguished for;
 caution, resistance, utilizing the time and place,
 swiftness that was greater than the speed of the enemy,
 changing and adapting quickly in the face of changing circumstances and making choices based
on them,
 focusing the attention on the enemy and obtaining strong intelligence about them.
 All these factors made the Muslim army superior and enabled them to gain victory.

4. Pursuing and Chasing After Fleeing Enemy Soldiers

 Chasing the enemy and pursuing him after carrying out a successful attack is known as ‘al-
Mutāradah’ and the aim behind it is to annihilate and destroy the defeated forces of the enemy.
 The Holy Prophet (S) never allowed this in any of the battles he fought and was victorious.
  He would [after gaining victory] set the enemy captives free and allow them to go wherever they
wished.
 He also instructed the commanders of Sariya missions not to pursue the fleeing enemy because
this was not helpful in realizing any of the military and political goals.

 When we look carefully at the Battle of Dhāt al-Suwayq we find that the Prophet (S) was not
keen to pursue Abu Sufyān,
 because if he would have reached the Quraysh in Makkah while the Muslim army was pursuing
him,
 the polytheists would quickly prepare and gather for war, and
 thus, this would end in an outcome that was not favorable for the pursuing forces.

 In the Battle of Dhāt al-Ruqā’, after the Noble Prophet (S) gained victory over the Bani Mahārib,
the Bani Tha’labah and the Ghatfān, he never pursued their fleeing fighters, because it was
possible for them to regroup with the Ghatfān and recruit more forces and in such a case it
would be difficult to gain the upper hand over them.
 In the Battle of al-Ghābah also, the Muslim army caught up with the fleeing enemy army at Dhi
Qirad but was forced to return back from the same route.
 After this, the Prophet (S) sent out many missions to fight against the enemy, but he would
always command them not to pursue the enemy if they were victorious.
 When he sent Abi Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad al-Makhzumi to fight the Bani Asad, he instructed
him:

 Go towards the land of the Bani Asad and carry out an attack on them before they can gather
together against you.
 Similarly, in the other missions like the Sariya of Usāmah ibn Zayd143 that was sent to (fight) the
Abnā, there was no effort to pursue the defeated and fleeing soldiers.

5. Attacks and Onslaughts

The Prophet (S) was fully aware of this tactic, because it has been narrated that he would use offence
and attacks whenever the situation called for it.

If it is used [in the present], by an elite commander – meaning someone who is courageous, brave,
sound, intelligent and with a great personality who can execute attacks successfully –

it would not match up to the way it was done at the time of the Prophet (S).

The attacks and onslaughts that were carried out by the Prophet (S) had the following distinguishing
features:

a) Camouflage and Stealth:

  Like what took place in the Battle of Bahrān against the tribe of Bani Saleem.

b) Silence and Quietness:

 This was seen in all the offensive missions and battles, especially the Battle of Bani Saleem, Bani
al-Mustalaq and Badr, as well as other battles.

c) ‘Surprise’

 was a constituent of all the offensive battles and military missions, especially Badr, and was part
of the foray.
 Just as seen in the Battle of Bani Quraydha, Khaybar, the Sariya of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (‘a) against
the Banu Sa’d and the Sariya of Usāma bin Zayd.

d) Speed:

 as witnessed in the battle against the Bani Muhārib and the Bani Tha’labah in the Battle of Dhāt
al-Ruqā’ and in other Sariya missions.

e) Deception in Time and Place:

 this was another distinguishing feature of the military operations conducted by the Muslim army
that was used in the Battles of Khandaq and Khaybar.

 The commander who was given the task of carrying out an attack was someone who was
physically strong, had good hearing, strong sight and was free from any ailment or malady that
could impede him during the operation.
 Similarly, the Prophet (S) would take into consideration the goal and the time [together] – like in
the Battle of Khaybar,
 the place – as in the Battle of Khandaq, and
 all three i.e., time, place and the objective – as in the Sariya of Usāma bin Zayd to Abnā, so that
the enemy could be attacked when they were least prepared for battle.
 The Noble Prophet (S) prevented the fighters from raising their voices or shouting and
screaming, and in the Battle of Badr he ordered that the bells of the camels should be removed
from their necks.
 He would always encourage his troops to use new ways and methods for carrying out attacks.

6. Deception and Trickery

  Some of the military tactics that are necessary and important in the battlefield are deception
and trickery.
 Deception is the art of hiding and concealing the truth and involves doing things that would
mislead the mind of the enemy away from the fight, while at the same time being alert about
the resources and operations [of one’s own army].
 The Holy Prophet (S) knew about the importance of deception and trickery in war and would
plan it and then execute it perfectly.
 He counted deception as part of warfare and would say: War is deception.
 In the first battle that was fought against the enemy at Badr, he replied to the question of Habāb
bin Mundhir about this tactic and reaffirmed that indeed, war is deception, cunning and trickery.
 The Prophet (S) also gave Muhammad bin Maslamah, who had taken the responsibility of killing
Ka’b ibn Ashraf, the permission to deceive the enemy and say anything that will enable him to
carry out his mission.
 Similarly, after his accepting Islām, Na’eem bin Mas’ud was ordered to trick the enemy in the
battle of Khandaq in the same way.
 So, he was told: You are from the tribe of Ghatfān.
 When you go to them, if you are forced to display hatred for us then do so for this will be more
beneficial for us than if you openly help us.
 So, go forward, for war is deception and cunning.
 In this mission, he successfully dispersed the enemy and this resulted in a victory for the
Muslims.
 In the war of Bani Lahyān, the supreme commander portrayed the type of battle, the time and
the route taken in a different way [to what he actually intended].
 In the Battle of Khaybar, he used trickery and deception against the Ghatfān and they were not
able to join with the forces at Khaybar and thus returned to their homeland.
 In the Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (S) misled the Quraysh by sending Abi Qatāda ibn Rabi’
towards the direction of Najd, thus misdirecting and distracting them from his real target (which
was Makkah), and by equivocation and trickery, he cut off all the routes in and out of Makkah.
 In the Battle of Muta also, Khālid bin Walid used this tactic.
 And in this way, by increasing the movements of the army, the enemy was tricked into believing
that a large number of reinforcements had come to the aid of the Muslim army, so they became
frightened and turned back.

7. Superiority in Battle

 The Prophet (S) would always be careful about superiority over the enemy in battle, so he would
gather all the needed forces and resources for the important battles.
 He sent Sariya missions towards the coastal regions and also to face the Quraysh, like the Sariya
of Hamza and the later missions, or the battles like Waddān, Bawāt and al-‘Asheera; and also
towards the eastern regions after the battle of Badr.
 The Prophet (S) gained an upper hand in the following ways:
o Inventing new ways of warfare: like in the Battle of Badr, the battle of the fortresses and
the lightning strikes...
 o Focusing the forces at the appropriate time and place, as in the Battle of Uhud and
Hunayn.
o Being swift as was required by the conditions of battle, like in many of the battles and
Sariya missions.
o Destruction of most of the enemy forces, like in the Battle of Badr, Hunayn and Bani
Quraydha.
o Restricting the freedom of the enemy, like in the battles of Badr, Quraydha and Khaybar.
o Putting the enemy forces in hardship and difficulty, just like cutting off any
reinforcements from the Bani Quraydha and besieging them.
o Burning down the date palms of Bani Nadhir and the gardens of Tā’if.
o Gaining access to the backup forces of the enemy and restricting or destroying them,
such that the Prophet (S) would make his forces reach the enemy and take their horses
as booty.
 The Holy Prophet (S) did not always seek to have a larger army than the enemy.
 For instance, in the Sariya of Hamza, the number of soldiers was thirty as opposed to the three
hundred Makkans.
 In the Battle of Badr, 313 [Muslim] fighters went up against one thousand polytheists.
 In the Battle of Uhud, seven hundred came to face three thousand polytheists, and in the Battle
of Ahzāb, three thousand faced ten thousand infidels.
 However, he mostly sought to gain superiority as far as the excellence of the forces were
concerned just as in the battles of Hamrā al-Asad, Badr al-Aākhar and Bani al-Mustalaq.
 In some of the battles, despite the greater number of enemy forces and weapons, he would gain
decisive victories over them for which the battles of Badr and Hunayn are perfect examples.
 Nonetheless, he would change the number of forces sent in every different situation.
 In the Battle of Bani Quraydha, there was a relatively large number of forces as compared to the
enemy as was also the case in the War of Bani Lahyān.
 The Prophet (S) would not attack one tribe or one group in a single strike.
 Rather, he would divide the enemy in order to gain complete victory and dominance of them
materially and spiritually.
 For example, he divided the Jewish forces into the following:
 Bani Qaynuqā, Bani Nadhir, Bani Quraydha and [the Jews of] Khaybar.
 He attacked each of these groups separately.
 For instance, in the Battle of Ahzāb, he attacked the Jews separately from the Quraysh and the
Bani Ghatfān separately from them both.
 In the Battle of Hunayn, he also divided the enemy i.e., he separated the front-line from the
soldiers who were behind and then launched an attack on them.

8. Swiftness and Speed in Battle

The Noble Prophet (S) was steadfast about the importance of speed in battle, because this tactic made it
possible for him to carry out surprise attacks.
The number of fallen soldiers would not be known [when the attacks were swift] and this would weaken
the resolve of the enemy while strengthening the morale of the attacking army such that the enemy was
unable to launch a counter attack.

In order to achieve the desired swiftness, the Prophet embarked on training the forces and made them
practice it in all the consecutive battles and missions that would be carried out to face the enemy.

In this way, the soldiers became accustomed to move swiftly and fight in the battles without making
mistakes.

The modes of transport used by the Prophet played an important role in attaining the desired speed.

These consisted mainly of horses and camels.

The Muslim army also relied on being quick in getting ready for war and in order to instantaneously face
the enemy and recruit forces, they needed material resources and manpower.

In order to achieve this, the Prophet (S) used the following methods:

Swiftness in defense and attack:

 In defense, like in the battles of Uhud and Khandaq and in attack, like in the battles and Sariya
missions of Bani Saleem, Dhi Amr, Bahrān, Dhāt al-Ruqā’, Dumat al-Jundal, the Sariya of Abi
‘Ubayda ibn al-Jarrāh, Abi Salama and al-Khabt, this was clearly seen.

Speed in besieging:

 Like in the battles of Bani Qaynuqā, Bani Quraydha and Khaybar.

Quickness in marching forward:

 In the battles and missions like Badr, when the enemies were heading towards al-Udwat al-
Dunyā, they overtook them and also in the battles of Bani Saleem, Dhāt al-Ruqā’, Bani
Quraydha, Bani Lahyān, the Sariya of Muhammad ibn Maslamah to kill Ka’b ibn Ashraf, the
Sariya of Zayd bin Hāritha to attack the caravan of the Quraysh and the Sariya of Abi Salamah
where he journeyed by day and night in order to reach the enemy.

Speed in acquiring information and intelligence:

 Like in the battles of Badr, Dhāt al-Ruqā’, Bani al-Mustalaq, Khaybar, the Conquest of Makkah
and the Sariya of Muhammad bin Maslamah to destroy the Bani Bakr, (the Sariya of) ‘Akāsha bin
Mahsan against the Bani Asad and Ghālib bin ‘Abdillah al-Laythi against the Bani Murrah.

Swiftness in counter attacks:

 Like in the Battle of Uhud and in lightning strikes like in the Battle of Hunayn.

Speed in [carrying out] other missions:

  Including in the Sariya missions of ‘Umayr ibn ‘Uday to kill ‘Asmā’, of Sālim bin ‘Umayr to kill Ibn
Abi ‘Ifk, of Muhammad bin Maslamah to kill Ka’b ibn Ashraf, of ‘Abdullah bin Anees to kill Sufyān
ibn Khālid al-Hadhali and of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ateek in order to kill Abi Rāfi’.

Swiftness in attack:

 In battles and Sariya missions like Dumat al-Jundal, Bani al-Mustalaq, Ibn Quraydha, Bani
Lahyānm the Sariya of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (‘a) [who was sent] towards the Bani Sa’d, Bashir ibn Sa’d
Ansāri who was sent to the Bani Murrah and Usāma bin Zayd towards the Abnā.

Speed in preventive war:

 Like in the battles and Sariya missions of Dhi Amr, Bahrān, Dhāt al-Ruqā’, Dumat al-Jundal, Bani
al-Mustalaq, the Sariya of Abi Salamah, Abi ‘Ubaydah ibn Jarrāh for revenge from the Bani
Tha’labah, and al-Khabat.

Swiftness in Lightning Strikes:

 Like in the battles of Dhāt al-Ruqā’, Bani Quraydha, Dhi Qirad and the Sariya of Zayd ibn Hāritha
against the tribe of Judhām.

Quickness in raids200:

 In the battle of Dhāt al-Ruqā’ and other Sariya missions.

9. Revolutionary and All-inclusive War

 This type war was based on rising up against injustice and tyrannical forces with all the might
and resources available.
 It relied on the power of the people who have been inspired and are driven by the force of
spiritual, political or religious motivations.
 It is actually a first step in destroying the might and awe of the enemy and gaining victory over
him.
 In ‘revolutionary and all-inclusive war’, the Holy Prophet (S) would spiritually and mentally
prepare the forces and the inhabitants of the city.
 In turn, they would be ready to sacrifice all their lives and property for the cause, because they
believed and trusted in the fairness, the instruction, the authority, the love and the command of
the Prophet (S).
 It is undeniable that the spiritual aspect played an important role in strengthening the resolve of
the revolutionary forces and weakening the enemy, and as such it was employed in all the
battles and was also accompanied by material means in order to strengthen it.
 The Holy Prophet (S) used this to the utmost in the weak points of the enemy so that he could
make them internally and externally weakened and perplexed.
  That which distinguished the Islāmic revolution of the Noble Prophet (S) and gave the Prophet
(S) a special status as a knowledgeable and spiritual leader included:
1. Selecting appropriate agents.
2. The people were content with his fairness and justice...
3. Preparing all the people completely.
4. Establishing of affinity and affection between them.
5. Guiding both armed and unarmed forces towards a common goal.
6. Acquiring new friends and allies.
7. Humiliating the tyrants and despots.
8. Demonstrating how the Islāmic system is superior to polytheism and other systems.
9. Teaching and propagating the new ideology.
10. Making others love faith and hate disbelief.
11. Being the best role model as a leader.

10. Psychological Warfare

 This is a collection of actions that are undertaken to influence the enemy or the rival with the
aim of weakening the enemy’s determination, resolve and material and spiritual power.
 Psychological warfare was considered the most important type of war in the strategy and
planning of the Noble Prophet (S) and he made it the focal point in his battle against the enemy.
 He would leave them stunned and gain control over their spirits and minds, and as a result, he
would take away their ability to fight back and resist.
 The Prophet (S) has himself said about this: I have been assisted by creating a fear in the hearts
of the enemy.

 One who is frightened begins imagining things that are far from reality.
 For example, in the Battle of Khaybar, the tribe of Ghatfān imagined that their lands were under
attack by the Muslim army, so they turned back and returned out of fear but when they reached
their land they found nothing of what they had imagined.
 The same thing that happened to the Ghatfān happened to the Jews of Khaybar also and this
made them ready to surrender and seek peace and conciliation.
 An army that becomes frightened and scared is unable to benefit from their weapons and fight
in battle, and even if they fight, they would be very weak and disorganized in battle and this
would result in nothing but [loss or] surrender to their enemy.
 Because of being overcome by fear, the commander of the army of the inhabitants of Khaybar
was unable to shoot the arrows from his bow even after readying them for firing, and his forces
had become weary and weak.
 The level of fear can be clearly seen in the words of one Jewish person who was granted
amnesty by the Prophet (S): The inhabitants of this place have been destroyed out of fear of
you.
 From the first time that the Holy Prophet (S) sent a Sariya mission to fight against the enemy, he
relied on psychological warfare.
 After the first battle, all this changed and he began to use it against the Quraysh and ended it
against the Romans.
 Through this practice, a number of enemies would flee before coming face to face with the
Muslim army just like what happened in the Battle of Bani Saleem and in other battles.
 Some of the enemies like the inhabitants of Akeedar, Jurbā’ and Yuhannā would seek [to make]
peace pacts.
 Many groups from Arab tribes would frequently come to him to sign peace treaties while others
would fight with fear and weakness, like the tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqeef in the Battle of
Hunayn and the people of Makkah during the Conquest of Makkah.
 Other groups would also be on the watch for this [Muslim] army and would be frightened of it,
like the fear of the Romans in the battles of Dumat al-Jundal and Tabuk.
 The Prophet (S) was able to put fear in the heart of the enemy even in the smallest of battles,
from a single mission to a large contingent, in such a way that they would fear even coming face
to face with him and would become unable to face any army, small or big.
 The Jews of Bani Nadheer, because of the fear that had entered their hearts, destroyed their
houses by their own hands and the hands of the Muslim army, and the Banu Lahyān chose to
flee and disperse when the army of the Prophet (S) approached them.

 However, the Sariya mission would create fear in the enemy as well.
 Just as the Sariya of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (‘a) with the Bani Sa’d had done - to such an extent that
they loaded their belongings on their camels and fled along with their leader who said:
 The army of Muhammad is coming towards us and we are incapable of facing them.
 A psychological war was also fought with the tribes of Ghatfān through the Sariya of Sa’eed ibn
Sa’d al-Ansāri, and ‘Uyayna ibn Mihsan and his companions were routed in this battle.
 When Hārith ibn ‘Auf al-Muriy, who had an allegiance with them called them to stand up and
fight, he heard nothing but this response:
 How strong are the companions of Muhammad who are on our trail! Harith ibn ‘Auf says:
 I went on the side of the route followed by the army of Muhammad (S) so that I could see them
from a distance while they would not see me.
 I stayed from evening until late in the night but I saw nobody, it was as if nothing was following
my allies but fear.
 Similarly, the Quraysh got scared and took to their heels when they just came face to face with
‘Utbah ibn Aseed (Abu Baseer) al-Thaqafi.
 Even the kings and emperors to whom the Prophet (S) sent emissaries were fearful of the
messengers and emissaries.
 The most important tools of psychological war that were used by the Prophet of God (S) were
intelligence agents and spies whom he would send towards the enemy.
 These spies would spread rumours that would enervate the enemy and force them to flee.
 The Prophet (S) sent Ma’bad al-Khuzā’i towards the Quraysh in the Battle of Hamrā’ al-Asad.
 He began talking to them about the huge number of forces in the Muslim army and their intense
urge for revenge and thirst for blood, thereby influencing the minds of the Quraysh and
paralyzing them.
  In the Battle of Khandaq, he (S) sends Na’im ibn Mas’ud so that he could divide and disperse the
confederates and weaken the enemy forces.
 The Holy Prophet (S) would send Sariya missions in order to fulfill the objectives of psychological
war and would at times, like in the expedition to Tabuk, send the entire army for this purpose
and at other times he sent only a section of the army like in the Battle of Bani Lahyān where he
sent Abu Bakr with a section of the army and ordered him to march towards the Quraysh.
 The Prophet (S) arranged all this in order to attain the goals of psychological war and would also
in turn seek to destroy the information and intelligence of the enemy.

 He would achieve this through complete sagacity and by arresting the enemy spies, like the
shepherd who was arrested on the way to the Battle of Bani Saleem, or the arresting and
imprisoning of a spy until the end of the Battle of Bahrān, as well as killing the spy of the Bani
Mustalaq because of his not giving up the intelligence, and the interrogation of the spies of
Khaybar where the Prophet (S) himself asked them questions.

 As for the second instrument [for attaining the objectives of psychological warfare], it was
displaying the might of the forces that were under the command of the Prophet (S).
 The features of these forces included:

a) Being invisible:

 Meaning the divine power that put fear into the hearts of the enemy like the battle of the angels
[who participated] in the Battle of Badr
 the blowing of storms and [falling] hailstones in the battle of Khandaq, until even the
commanders of the army of polytheists and their council of chiefs pointed to the invisible force
and would say:
 The God of Muhammad will soon take revenge, and so, they turned back.

b) Being undefeatable:

 As the enemy themselves emphasized this saying:

 Standing up against him yields no results.
 This transpired with ‘Uyayna ibn Mihsan who had tried numerous times to rise up with his
people against the Muslim army.
 After this happened, he became a Muslim and even led a Sariya mission against the Bani Tamim.
 In the same way, the Arab tribes who realized that there was nothing to be gained by their
enmity with the Muslims saw it prudent to surrender and submit themselves to the Holy
Prophet (S) and would thus come to him.
  As such, the Bani Qaynuqā’, Bani Nadheer, Bani Quraydha and the Jews of Khaybar, all gave a
suggestion of peace when they lost hope in their rebellion.

c) They had the spirit [and zeal] of attack.

d) They would invent new ways and methods of warfare.

 It is undisputable that this [military] management took on a new form in the Battle of Hamrā al-
Asad.
 During this battle, the Prophet (S) took the wounded and handicapped along with his army and
ordered that many fires be lighted so that the enemy would think that the Muslim army was
large and powerful.
 In the Battle of Hudaybiyya, he pulled his cloak and his garment to one side and left his right arm
openly visible and ordered the Muslims to do the same, saying: May Allah bless the one who
displays the strength of his arm

C) Physical and Spiritual Traits

From the most evident spiritual traits of the Holy Prophet (S) was that he was never overcome by pride
from his victories.

This was clearly seen when he returned from the Battle of Badr and the Conquest of Makkah.

He also never became disheartened by loss, just as the loss in the Battle of Uhud did not affect him,
rather he quickly prepared for the Battle of Hamrā’ al-Asad soon after.

The breach of the treaty by the Bani Quraydha, who joined with the confederates [in the Battle of
Ahzāb] also did not affect the Prophet (S) in the least, rather it strengthened his resolve and made him
steadfast.

Another one of his traits was ‘precaution and restraint’, and he would assess the enemy in this way and
would begin preparing and readying the resources and weaponry required to face them.

Even during the time of prayer, he would not leave precaution, rather he was careful and cautious.

Another trait of his was ‘softness accompanied with firmness’ which would be seen in the different
circumstances of battle and because of the quickly changing conditions, he would issue new commands
and orders.

‘Speed in (issuing) command(S)’ was considered important by him in order to tackle the new
circumstances [that came up in battle] and was a necessary condition for the ‘centralization of
command’ which the Prophet (S) stressed upon and of which he was the protector in its essence and
foundation.

This was considered one of the loftiest personal traits of his command; because all of the struggles and
military resources that were spent for attaining the goal would be recruited and organized by himself
and in this way his renown as a commander spread both internally and externally and this was sufficient
to cause the enemies to flee before having to march towards them.

1. Physical Traits

 In modern science it has been proven that parts of the body of an individual have specific
features which show their ‘strength and courage’, ‘beauty and appeal’, ‘ethics and intentions’
and ‘habits’.
 For example, a round face shows wisdom and dignity; a wide mouth shows strength; big black
eyes show beauty, intelligence, eloquence, humility, forbearance and dignity; arched and
separated eyebrows indicate awe, courage and might; and plenty of hair on the body, chest,
chin and head indicate might and intensity in combat.
 When we do a detailed and complete study, we find that the Holy Prophet’s body had all these
features that spoke of his ability and genius in leadership, and all this also agrees with what has
been mentioned by the scholars of modern science.

2. Spiritual Traits

 As the extent of the scope of a person’s kindness gets larger and encompasses all human beings
equally, it makes him a leader who is close to the hearts of the people and gives him greater
control of different aspects of leadership and makes him more powerful as a commander.
 The life of the Holy Prophet (S) had a completely humanitarian face and approach.

 He (S) grew up as an orphan and faced poverty and deprivation, and had to bear patiently with
the persecution and harassment of some of his relatives and community members.
 The Prophet (S) addressed all the people and called them towards right guidance and urged
them towards the advancement of humanity.
 In this task, he began with his near relatives and then gave the message to others and finally
addressed it to the entire world.

 He bestowed honor on the Children of Adam and his dealings with his friends and community
members was based on affinity and reconciliation between them.
 He strengthened the bond of trust and harmony among them and inculcated the feeling of
mercy for all human beings in their hearts.
 He would be merciful to the young and would show respect to the elderly.
 He would take away some of their burdens and hardships and forbade their killing in wars.
 He would please the orphans and grant them refuge.
 He would show kindness to the poor and needy and instructed the people to be good to their
servants.
 He even showed mercy to animals and forbade the people from harming them.
  The attention and consideration of the Noble Prophet (S) would also include (inanimate) things
such that he named his sword ‘Dhul Fiqār’, his shield ‘Dhāt al-Fudhul’, his spear ‘Mathwā’, his
bow ‘al-Katum’, and his quiver ‘Kāfur’.
 One of the most important examples of his humanity was that when the Holy Prophet (S) sent
forces to battle or for Sariya missions against the enemy, he would advise them to be friendly
with the people and not to carry out raids or night assaults on them.
 He always preferred to come to a compromise with the enemy instead of killing their menfolk
and leave their women and children [without guardians].
 He (S) always instructed that the elderly, the children and the women were not to be tortured
and the bodies of the dead must not be disfigured.
 From his greatest humanitarian traits in war was that when the Quraysh had sought refuge with
him, he ended the ‘economic blockade’ against them and accepted their request for importing
grain from Yemen.
 Despite what they had done to him, he freed the women and children prisoners of Bani Tamim.
 The Noble Prophet (S) called for universal peace in the world and avoided war except in cases
where there was no other option.
 The letters that he sent to the neighboring kings and rulers were adorned and embellished with
calls for peace and conciliation.
 And this is what he instituted as the start of conversation between the Children of Adam.
 The Holy Prophet (S) gave a new and specific meaning to leadership.
 In some of the battles he appointed more than one commander.
 He outlined the criteria for a befitting commander of the army and its strengthening and he
established a bond between the principles of politics and the military.
 He made obedience the secret of discipline, submission and compliance.
 He laid the foundation of new planning, exemplary organization and better leadership.
 He made the soldiers steadfast in [the quest for] good morals and knowledge and put in their
hearts the love for death and disinclination towards the life of this world.
 He (S) would select the commanders and leaders based on their merit and ability.
 He brought the army and the people together equally under his leadership and would grant
them as much of the resources as were available.
 In these matters, he included the young and old, the strong and weak, the men and women.
 He invited them to [follow his] leadership and the ideology of equality and made these two
complementary counterparts to each other.
 He always tried to elaborate these ideas and transform them so that he could arrive at his
desired goal.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Political Leader/Head of the State:

 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had introduced basic norms of Public Administration and practically
presented an administrative model for the experts of Management Sciences disciplines.
  Many of the rules and regulations he (PBUH) laid out, in accordance to the Quranic command,
ended up coinciding with the contemporary policies used today in many nations and even in the
United Nations.
 He (PBUH) commanded his nation with honor, justice, equality, peace, and respect to humanity.
 All of these principles were practiced by him (PBUH) centuries before the contemporary world
attempted to rule politics in a similar way.
 Thus, it can be said that many western countries have borrowed these basic principles of
governmental rule from the first Islamic Welfare State of Madina.

If we investigate the Holy Prophet in how he was holding so much important responsibility as the Head
of the State, then we learn to confer at every occasion that he, as the great benefactor, bravely
performed legal and political heroic deeds which are examples of their own in the world of deeds.

He (PBUH) was the head of state as the legal assistant of Almighty Allah and commander in chief of the
army.

He (PBUH) was the chief of justice and chief supervisor of economics; Almighty Allah was their only
trustee.

All duties of collective life, the department, and all officers, after creating an organized and established
center, were busy in their works.

His (PBUH) valuable personality was fulfilling these hopes of human society, a society out of which
everyone was going to become exemplary.

As the vicegerent of Allah, his (PBUH) attainments are marvelous.

Because of him (PBUH), new principles, order, instructions, and basic organization showed their
beautiful faces on the grounds of these ancient national concepts were introduced with a new and
balanced system.

The Holy Prophet’s Administration:

Holy Prophet (PBUH), as the administrator of active government in the formation of human society,
organized an Islamic university, established an Islamic government, and performed remarkable deeds
and these are in short:

 He (PBUH) cleared the government from all kind of administrative mistakes or corruption which
usually can be seen in today’s states or administrations.
 For this purpose, he (PBUH) purified the hearts and minds of the people spiritually and socially.
 In this way, he (PBUH) was able to properly train and guide his (PBUH) people (companions).
 Enforcing these practicable laws of nature with genuine justice and true moderation made the
government an example for the rest of the world.
 After debarring the ideology of autocracy from the world of faith and action, he (PBUH) declared
the government a “grand state” and inserted so much simplicity in its nature that kings and their
unlimited power were rejected.
 Chamberlain and door keeper, officers of big salaries, and bribe receivers were all vanished.
 He (PBUH) enforced the genuineness of justice because of which to obtain justice became easy
and inexpensive for all.
 The purpose of justice was to declare the support of the weak and low class and encourage
mutual compromise among the parties of case.
 He (PBUH) followed Quranic instructions because Allah loves justice.
 He (PBUH) proved himself, by enforcing and encouraging the idea that everyone is accountable
to Allah and the society.
 He (PBUH) announced the equality of human rejects and determined the states of citizens and
imposed appropriate taxes.
 He (PBUH) also proposed a permanent name for each tax.
 He (PBUH) appointed financial officers for this and established the officer of finance.
 It means that he (PBUH) established a comprehensive finance management system by creating
specialized positions in the society to ensure the proper equality within the society.
 He (PBUH) preferred to always select people for the governmental offices on the basis of merit
and specialization in the subject which can be seen in today’s Human Resource Management
Sciences.
 The wealth acquired by the collective efforts was declared the wealth of masses.
 This was made law for the government wealth, that taxes would be imposed upon the rich and
spared for the poor.
 It means that the political economy was based on economic justice and law of equality, as Allah
has created poor and rich in the society with a responsibility to the government to make justice
among these two different classes which are called have and have not categories.
 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) practically improved the living quality of the poor class including slaves
and jaria (women slaves) by spending money upon them with such a manner in which their
honor and respect in the society was not hurt.
 He (PBUH) established administrative circles.
 Madina was declared the capital of the Islamic State.

 Officers were appointed for the various parts of the Islamic territory.
 The standard requirement of appointment was that the officer should know the nature of the
work.
 The government ensured that they brought to the notice of the newly appointed officer, the
nature of the job and the responsibility regarding any decision making as per Quran and Sunnah.
 The Head of the State, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) never considered blood relationships or social
influences at the time of appointment of such officers.
 He (PBUH) set an example, a standard to be followed in the future.
 Contemporary national states follow the same criteria of administration as the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) has already practiced during his (PBUH) period.
 For such appointments he (PBUH) used to consult with his companions and verify the character
of the officer before the declaration of appointment or responsibility.
 The same occurs in the contemporary states and administration.
 He (PBUH) declared the Principle of Consultation as per Quranic order “and make consultation
regarding your affairs.” Surah Al-Imran (3:159)
 After creating centralization of power and stability in the temperament of government, he
(PBUH) ordered that all government work should be decided in the light of consultation.
 It has been proven that the holy Prophet (PBUH), during his (PBUH) period of government, never
declared himself authoritarian because he (PBUH) rejected the society of authoritarians,
hypocrites, and upper and lower classes.
 He (PBUH) believed that the best way of administration was to have regular meetings with the
Cabinet of the State (government officials), and consultation with the top ten companions who
were given the news of getting forgiveness and being promised Jannah in their lives (known as
“Ashra-e-Mubashshira”) were considered, in contemporary political science terms, as members
of the Senate, the upper house of the state.
 While the Prophet (PBUH) used to have his (PBUH) general meeting with the common members
of the society in his (PBUH) Mosque; this kind of meeting, as per definition of the subject of
political science, can be explained as the House of Representatives.
 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) equally accepted the advice and suggestions of all the members of the
Senate as well as the House of Representatives.
 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) welcomed advice not only from senior members of the society, but
equally gave importance to the advice from the youth and women of the society.
 Additionally, he (PBUH) consulted with special people (disabled) in order to ensure that they
were also included in the process of consultation or decision making for the state.
 He (PBUH) organized the military system and participated in nine battles and eighteen defensive
expeditions.
 He (PBUH) ordered thirty-nine military expeditions to go forward.
 He (PBUH) also appointed military commanders and initiated the ways and rules of humanity
during war.
 These rules included: never light farming fields on fire, do not cut down any trees or harm
nature, do not fight with those who are not fighting back, and have respect for women, children,
and the disabled, as well as, those who were either against wars by their government or
declared that they were not part of such wars and closed the doors of their homes.

 The most important principles of war set by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was to not disrespect the
body of the dead enemy by running them over with their horses and once an area was
conquered, do not mistreat the captives or prisoners of war by dragging them across the
ground, hanging them from trees, or making them undress.

 These basic principles can be seen in the contemporary international law, as well as, in the
municipal laws of various nations.
  The United Nations has also worked on such principles and declared, at various levels, the same
principles by different notifications regarding respect of humanity or under the charter of
human rights.

 He (PBUH) wrote letters to the Kings, Rulers of the States, and the Lords, inviting them to accept
Islam due to its universal message.

 He (PBUH) proved that he (PBUH) was not after any wealth or state power, but rather wanted to
bring people back to the first social contact which was made between God and human beings.

 The letters sent to the various ruling bodies, proved his (PBUH) boldness, honesty, and respect
for human beings.

 His (PBUH) letters and the principles of Kitaab-us-Siyar (Islamic International Law) are the best
sources to understand the intention of the Head of the Islamic State, Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH).

 His (PBUH) letters practically showed the humbleness of character, respect for the neighboring
countries, and honor for the office of the Head of the State.

 None of the letters, written to such authorities, can be produced as direct or indirect threats to
other states or an attempt at an expansion of power into their territories.

 An impartial analysis would reveal that such ambassadorial letters were only soft reminders to
request them to remember the promise they made to God and enter into the circle of Islam as it
was the message of Allah conveyed through the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH).

 Today’s national states, through their foreign policies, or media statements usually threaten
their neighboring countries and if they have an opportunity to enter into the territory of any
country, they do not respect international law.

 For example, we can see in Europe and some developing countries. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
never wanted to expand the territory of his state, but rather he (PBUH) wanted to promote the
message of peace and tolerance for the humanity in the world.

The basic concepts were to seek the Consent of Allah, Prosperity of Hereafter, and the good will of the
public and in fact the results were beneficial and pleasant.

His (PBUH) success set an example for the future generations, and even without knowing, the
contemporary state politics and government follow the same basic principles, rules, and regulations that
the Prophet (PBUH) had started, in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, so many centuries before.
The fact that these policies are used in today’s times justifies all the administrative actions that the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took in his (PBUH) time period.

By the will of Allah, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) initiated holy wars against those who were bitter enemies
or in opposition and wished to ruin the Islamic State.

The Battle of Badar, Hudabia, Hunain, and Khaybar, etc. were the best examples of the administration of
the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

He (PBUH) appointed commanders for the Islamic Forces, looking into the expertise in war strategy.

When many areas were included in the Islamic State due to the victory or of the embracing of Islam, he
(PBUH) kept these basic principles before him: if the leader has also embraced Islam, then he, the
Prophet (PBUH), allowed that leader to continue.

On the other hand, if the leader had not accepted Islam, then another person was nominated.

At the time of nomination, it was observed how many Quranic verses were learned by heart from the
candidates.

There was no department of politics and government in which he had not presented a principle or law.

Generally, every government performs its best administrative matters through administration, judiciary,
and legislature.

There is no doubt that the Holy Prophet (PBUH), through his intelligence with the best administration,
laid down the base of Islamic Welfare State.

During the period of the Prophet (PBUH), the concept of judiciary legislature and administration were
present, but these three were not performing their duties separately.

All three were properly utilized by the Prophet (PBUH) as per the revelation.

Eventually these three were amalgamated in each other when Maaz Bin Jabal, the companion of the
Holy Prophet (PBUH), was made the Representative of Yemen, the Administration, the decisions, the
enforcement of laws, and receiving of taxes were properly performed according to the rules set by the
Prophet (PBUH).

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sent Maaz Bin Jabal as the Representative of the Federal Government,
who may be known as the Federal Minister or Governor in contemporary terms, for the financial and
administrative affairs in the province.

Today’s Federal Government performs the same duties as the Holy Prophet (PBUH) did during his
(PBUH) time period, sending a Governor for the provinces is a political convention and part of political
culture.

Such appointments are legal and protected by the Federal Legislature.

The Governor is called the Representative of the Federal Government in the Province.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH), sending such people as Governors to various provinces of the Islamic State,
proved that he promoted interaction between the Provincial Government and the Federal Government
to ensure that there was a balance of power between these two levels.

The strategy as Head of the Administration of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is an example for today’s
modern states.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) declared respect for life, property, and human honor.

The Quranic order was carried out as the Quran says “No nation shall make fun of another.”

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) clearly mentioned his administrative policy declaring that “another man’s
possessions are prohibited for a Muslim, just like his blood, property, and respect.”

The last sermon of the Prophet (PBUH), which is known as “Hujjatul Wada” is the best example for the
human rights.

It is known as the Charter of Humanity because the Prophet (PBUH) says that “your lives, your property,
and your honor have the same respect as today (Day of Arafah) has.”

This Hadith exemplifies the importance of all these aspects of human beings.

These same factors can be seen, most important and highlighted, in the constitutions of the USA, UK,
France, Switzerland, and the rest of the world.

The United Nation has also declared these principles most important for every individual of the world.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) declares his administrative policy regarding state responsibility.

He (PBUH) says this is the Muslim who have received assurance of the safety of his life and property
from Allah and His Prophet (PBUH).

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) assures many individual freedom rights, including:

 Freedom is guaranteed as long as the individual is within the limits of not causing harm to
others.
 This means that every individual should be treated equally regardless of their social standing,
their economic status, or their political ties.

 The freedom is guaranteed under the promise that everyone will participate in the society in a
way that ensures that the community stays a safe and secure place for everyone.

 Additionally, he (PBUH) said that no one is to be taken as a prisoner without proper justice.

 This principle has been adopted by the contemporary states.

 Municipal law of the state prohibits the detainment of an individual in the police station or in
the prison without any justification or proof.
 In the present scenario we see many lawsuits in the developing countries, or sometimes even in
the developed countries, once the prisoner is detained illegally in the prison, the courts of the
justice system declare the government or the administration as the defaulter.

 This is because the governing body has gone beyond its limits and this is called Modern English
Law.

 While the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has given respect to all individuals by the above-mentioned
principles.

 The importance of individual rights cannot be overstated.

 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said “since when did you make the people of the society into slaves,
while their mothers gave birth to them as free men.”

 This principle of administration reveals that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was very much concerned
about the respect for individuals.

 Although the political scientists Benthem presented the Theory of Individualism and the
contemporary USA follows the same theory, the Prophet (PBUH) introduced this theory and
practically proved it by placing it into practice.

 This can be compared to the modern USA Bill of Rights in which an individual’s most basic rights
as an American, as well as, just a human being is described and guaranteed.

 Similarly, Canadian law assures the Theory of Individualism through its legislature and protects
its citizens in the light of the same principle.

 The Holy Prophet (PBUH) undoubtedly can be declared as the pioneer of this theory.

 Furthermore, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) declares his policy regarding the respect of humanity and
respect to an individual.

 He (PBUH) says, “the worst people are those who buy and sell human beings.”
 The Prophet (PBUH) also had policies concerning the freedom of religion for an individual of the
society.
 Although he (PBUH) was the Messenger of Allah Almighty, he advocated that the people would
choose the religion their follow, without forcing them.
 The Quran says, “there is no forcefulness in religion.” Surah Al-Baqarah (2:256).
 This verse clearly states that Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) never wanted to forcefully bring
people towards the religion.
 Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the Messenger of Allah in that his (PBUH) duty was to spread
the message of God, not forcefully convert the people of the society to the religion.
  Equality is the most important phenomena in the promotion of political culture.
 Every state claim that it provides opportunities of equality and equity to its citizen.
 It seems like a very novel idea, however the Holy Quran, centuries before, stated, “So judge
between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what
has come to you of the truth.” Surah Al-Maidah (5:48)
 In this way, Allah has made it mandatory for the state, especially the Judiciary, to be impartial
during decision making.
 This reference clarifies the Law of Equality and respect for humanity.
 A very interesting incident can be quoted here in support of equality, once a woman from the
tribe of Quraish stole something, and Hazrat Osamah was sent by the tribe to request the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) to concede for the woman.
 As Hazrat Osamah began talking to the Prophet (PBUH), the Prophet’s (PBUH) facial expression
changed, and he addressed the people by telling them that before them, many nations fell into
failure when a poor person caught stealing was punished which a rich person caught stealing
was spared.
 He (PBUH) continued by swearing by Allah that if his own daughter were to steal, her hand
would be cut off.

Conclusion:

In short, we also see the principles of social equality which negates all sorts of discrimination and the
system of upper and lower class.

The Last Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the final declaration of these principles.

We also see economic equality in the society of Madina, the First Islamic State.

He (PBUH) also promoted and delegated the right of meetings and socio-political party making, but
based on the principle of propagation of Islamic teaching.

Raising a voice against cruelty was considered a fundamental right of an individual in the society.

Furthermore, protection of other worship places, freedom of living, the right of purchase of property,
the right of education, the right of health, fundamental requirements of an individual, the safety of
highways, cleaning of streets and roads, appointment of public servants on the basis of merit,
supervision of public servants, protection of the boundaries of Islamic state, reformation of society,
peace keeping, justice for all, protection of law, and providing opportunities for the minority class were
some of the basic responsibilities of the public administration during the period of the Holy Prophet
(PBUH).

All the principles discussed in this paper can be seen as essential parts of constitutions around the
world.

The United Nations and other countries are anxious to ensure that the state is performing its duty and
providing all these facilities through the government.
If any state fails to fulfill its duty to its people, there may be a resolution by the international donors or
international brotherhood.

Recently, we have seen that some of the states cut off their foreign relations with other states due to
non-compliance of such basic laws.

The United Nations serves as a watch dog, and the big donors want to see that all these declared
principles are active among the nations.

We see all these principles active and beneficial in the year 2016, while the same principles were
incorporated in the Islamic State of Madina to provide basic facilities to its nation and create a peaceful
environment in the world through respect for humanity and every creation of Allah.

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) AS A POLITICAL LEADER

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was both a prophet of Allah and a statesman.

His leadership was most comprehensive and dynamic.

He was the paragon of virtue and spirituality.

He was a noble and compassionate teacher, guide, and reformer.

He was a family man.

Indeed, he was also a political leader.

As a political leader the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) unified the Arabian Peninsula,
established a great state whose capital was Madinah, defeated his enemies, and had most successful
military expeditions.

However, his real political leadership was in the realm of morality and spirituality in which he conducted
himself perfectly in situations of weakness as well as strength.

His way of dealing in Makkah and Madinah indicates his great political leadership.

He was always willing to help others.

Allah granted him the special gift to resolve conflicts and disputes.

Even before he became the Prophet of Allah, he was able to resolve a major dispute between the people
of Makkah.

It is reported that the people of Makkah were repairing the walls of the Ka`bah.
When the time came to place the Black Stone in its place in the southeast corner of the Ka`bah, each
tribe wanted to have this honor.

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked to be the judge and decide the matter fairly.

He resolved this dispute with great wisdom in an amicable way.

He spread his own cloak on the ground and placed the Stone upon it.

He then asked representatives of each tribe to lift the cloak together.

When the Black Stone reached the required height from the ground he went forward and set it in its
place.

He always wanted to make peace among people.

At an early age it is reported that when some people of Makkah wanted to establish a committee to
suppress violence in their society, he immediately joined them.

This committee took a pledge of virtue known as the Hilf al-Fudul.

Later during his prophetic life he recalled this pledge and praised it highly and said, “Even now if I am
called upon in the name of this pledge, I shall not refuse.”

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a man of ideals but he was also a practical
man.

He preached the message to all and did not isolate himself from his society.

He used any of the good traditions and customs they had and benefited from them.

Although his uncle, Abu Talib, did not accept his message of Tawheed, he was willing to give him all his
support and help in the Islamic work.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) appreciated his uncle’s help.

After his uncle’s death he went to Ta’if to seek alliances with some other tribes there.

He did not succeed, but it is important to note that he was trying to seek alliances for the cause of Islam.

The Hijrah to Ethiopia is also an example of his political skill in seeking alliances with others.

When the persecution increased in Makkah and some of his followers found it difficult to live in that
environment, he allowed them to migrate to Ethiopia and seek the help of the Christian King there.
In Ethiopia Muslims found peace and they reciprocated the King’s hospitality with prayers and support
for the King and his party.

Muslims’ relations were so good with the monarch that he grew to love Islam and before his death he
became a Muslim.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a skillful and courageous political leader.

His enemies could not scare or intimidate him.

He never succumbed to any temptations.

The people of Makkah tried to turn him away from his message and mission by offering him a great deal
of money or anything that he wanted for himself but with one condition that he would give up his
mission.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) very firmly, yet politely, turned down all their offers.

In Madinah he established a state where all people were equal, where matters were decided through
consultation, and where all people had to follow the same law.

It was a state without any favoritism in favor of any family or group.

Even a non-Muslim was not to be mistreated under his rule.

The story of Tu’mah ibn Abraq is an excellent example of justice and human rights for all people under
his authority.

Tu’mah, who was a Muslim, stole someone’s armor in Madinah and then he blamed a Jew.

Allah sent a special revelation to warn people against such injustice (see Surat An-Nisaa’: 110-112).

The Jewish citizen of Madinah was declared innocent and Tu’mah was found guilty.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took great care of his people’s religious as well as
economic needs.

Not only did he preach, but he was also concerned about their economic well-being.

He made treaties and alliances with many tribes.

He had great diplomatic skills.

He taught the world diplomacy that was built on morality and honesty.

He honored all his treaties and he defended his people.

He was aware of the surrounding circumstances and made his people ready and alert.
He never initiated a battle or a war, but when he was attacked, he was firm and decisive.

He always emphasized peace and harmonious relations.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a man of great patience and resolution.

There are many lessons for us to learn from his life.

The most important aspect of his leadership was that he was always honest and truthful.

Even his enemies could not find any flaw in his honesty and truthfulness.

The most beautiful example of this we find in the conversation between Heraclius, the Emperor of
Byzantium, and Abu Sufyan who was a bitter enemy of the Prophet at that time.

This conversation took place in the year 628 CE when Heraclius received a letter from the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him).

Heraclius was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem when he received this important letter.

After receiving the message, the Emperor sent for his chief of police and told him to search the country
for a man from the same tribe as the one who claimed to be a prophet.

Abu Sufyan, a leader of the Quraysh, who was a bitter enemy of the Prophet at that time, happened to
be trading in Gaza with some of his companions from Makkah.

The Emperor’s search party found them there and they were immediately taken to Jerusalem.

Heraclius called them into his court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him.

He called for his translator who translated Heraclius’ questions and said to them, “Who amongst you is
closely related to the man who claims to be a prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative
(amongst the group) to him.”

Heraclius said, “Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stay behind him.”

Abu Sufyan added, “Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to ask me some
questions regarding that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should

contradict me.”

Abu Sufyan added, “By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not
have spoken the truth about the Prophet.”
The first question Heraclius asked me was, “What is the status of his family among you?” I replied, “He
belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.” Heraclius further asked, “Has anybody else amongst you
ever claimed the same (that is, to be a prophet) before him?” I replied, “No.” He said, “Was anybody
amongst his ancestors a king?” I replied, “No.” Heraclius asked, “Do the nobles or the poor follow him?”
I replied, “It is the poor who follow him.” He said, “Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by
day)?” I replied, “They are increasing.” He then asked, “Does anybody amongst those who embrace his
religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?” I replied, “No.” Heraclius said, “Have
you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a prophet)? I replied, “No.” Heraclius said,
“Does he break his promises?” I replied, “No. We have a truce with him but we do not know what he will
do.” I could not find the opportunity to say anything against him except that. Heraclius asked, “Have you
ever had a war with him?” I replied, “Yes.” Then he said, “What were the outcome of these battles?” I
replied, “Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we were.” Heraclius said, “What does he order
you to do?” I said, “He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with
Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to be chaste, and to keep
good relations with our kith and kin.”

After this conversation it is reported that Heraclius said:

“I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact, all the
Messengers come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether
anybody amongst you ever claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If your reply had been
in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man’s statement. Then
I asked you whether anyone from his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had
been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I
further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he is now saying, and your
reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever
tell a lie about Allah. I then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied
that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Messengers are followed by the poor in the
beginning. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they
were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked
whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded it. Your
reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith when its light enters the hearts and
mixes completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise
Messengers never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you
to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to
worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth, and to be chaste.

If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy the place underneath my feet and I knew it (from
the scriptures) that he was going to appear, but I did not know that he would be from among you, and if
I could reach him, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his
feet.”
Political lessons from Prophet Muhammad

THE successful career of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a political leader, aside from his
primary role as a spiritual guide, is yet to receive widespread attention from religious leaders, let alone
the general public.

Politics is not just a matter of governing, but also a vital tool for education, spiritual, awareness, human
understanding and the dissemination of values and principles.

Islam teaches us to achieve this through various peaceful means, including through sincere advice,
providing role models, rational persuasion, exemplary leadership, and others.

Politics in Islam aims to guide people towards good and abstain from evil.

Integrity, honesty, and trust are key Islamic values that also apply to politics.

These values are underpinned by the firm conviction that the ultimate reward lies not in this world, but
in the hereafter and admission to paradise.

These are among the ethical principles of taught and practiced by Prophet Muhammad.

Another exemplary leadership trait of his, as the leader of the city state of Madinah, includes open
consultation (shura), where different views and constructive criticisms are welcomed, and input from
the Companions were taken into consideration, and sometimes acted upon.

The Prophet also practiced delegation of power.

This can be seen in the appointment of Muaz bin Jabal as a governor to Yemen.

This was done to the extent that the Prophet allowed Muaz to practice his independent reasoning
(ijtihad) in matters on which no clear text was found in the Quran and Sunnah.

The Prophet’s leadership also emphasizes persuasion as opposed to coercion.

Winning the people’s hearts has always been the Prophet’s primary approach.

It is through his high spirit, inspiring leadership, a keen understanding of societal reality, and
humanitarian values that the Prophet successfully transformed his people from the state of ignorance
(jahiliyyah) and idol-worshipping, to worshipping Allah, the one and only Creator.

Aside from transforming his society, the Prophet was also known to engage with major personalities and
train them into new generations of future leaders.

Notable instances included the second caliph, Umar Khattab, a once famous drunkard and a fierce
opponent of Islam, who became one of the bravest companions in the history of the Khulafa al-
Rashidun, and the first Muslim leader to vastly expand the Islamic territories.

Gaining power has not always been the Prophet’s goal.

The ultimate objective of leadership lies in his message to invite humans to the ways of Islam.

The Prophet was not hostile to non-Muslims, but invited them in a peaceful and felicitous manner.

In a famous narration, the Prophet said: “The best among you is those who have the best manner and
character.” (Bukhari)

If, however, they refused to do accept Islam peacefully, they were will then be protected by the state
under the “zimmi” agreement.

The zimmi agreement was in fact ahead of its time in the era of tribal warfare, and far from intending to
treat non-Muslims as second-class citizens.

The so-called Machiavellian attitude of “the end justifies the means” is not at all compatible with Islam
and must be vigorously opposed and discouraged.

Islamic principles dictate that both the means and the ends conform to the teachings of Islam.

Mere imbuing of Islamic-sounding names or terminology in political activities do not make them Islamic.

Such instances of abuse include cases where religious vocabulary is used to mislead innocent and
uninformed folks for political gain.

Also not in line with the Prophet’s teaching is the practice of uncovering or scrutinizing the personal and
private shortcomings of political rivals and disclose them in public to gain support.

This contradicts the Prophetic teaching of concealing the faults of others, so that Allah do the same for
us in the hereafter.

This, however, does not include matters of public interest.

Aside from the many Prophetic principles and values above, the practice of tolerance and understanding
are essential to preserve peace and harmony in a multicultural society.

The single pursuit to gain votes and acquire power, at any cost, is not only against the precepts of Islam
and the way of the Prophet, but would only lead to chaos and abuse in society.

In conclusion,

the four most noble characters of Prophet Muhammad SAW (pbuh) were: trustworthiness (siddiq),
integrity (amanah); communicative (tabligh), and intelligence (fathonah).

These are also the prime traits that leaders of political parties can emulate.
Such characters have a high potential to bring about transparency, tolerance, cooperation and unity
among the people.

All leaders should exemplify the positive values of the Prophet (pbuh), and fulfil their responsibility to
serve the people, and not seek power for personal gains.