A Glance at the Life of
the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
By:
Professor Muhsin Qara'ati
Among all the Prophets, the Holy Prophet is the only Prophet about whose
life even ordinary matters have been recorded in history and this is a
great accomplishment of the Muslim nation because the biographical
sketches of other Prophets have been written after a lapse of
considerable time with alterations and incorrect accounts by some of
their followers. However on the life and attributes of the Holy Prophets
many books were written in Arabic language some details of which have
been mentioned in our discussions on the signs of the Prophets. Thus it
seems pertinent to give a brief account of the conduct and character of
our Holy Prophet. It would be profitable for all the Muslims to know the
details of the Prophet's character, morals, and private life. Whatever
is written in the following pages has been derived from Biharul Anwar,
vol. XVI; Sirah-i Ibn Hisham, Kuhlul Basar, Tafsir al-Mizan, vol. VI and
other authentic books.
His
Compassion and Sympathy:
Before the advent of Islam, it so happened that people were worried
about the apalling conditions of famine. Abu Talib, the uncle of the
Holy Prophet was also equally perturbed because he had a large family to
support and his resources were limited. The Holy Prophet decided with
his uncle Abbas to go to Abu Talib and in order to lessen the burden of
his daily expenses, each one of them should take one son of Abu Talib.
Thus Abbas took Ja'far and the Holy Prophet brought Imam Ali to his
house and became his guardian from his very childhood. This was one
example of the compassionate nature of the Prophet of Islam.
His
Morals:
The Holy Prophet used to sleep on the floor on a simple mat. He cobbled
his shoes and patched his clothes himself. He smiled away any
disgraceful remark. He would go to buy things for himself.
Anas bin Malik says, "For years I was in the service of the Holy Prophet
but never even for once did he reprimand me on my fault. The Holy
Prophet milked the she-goat himself, greeted the children first and
accepted the invitation of his slaves. He would never make a disparaging
remark about the food which was not of his liking. He was particular
about cleansing his teeth with Miswak,applying perfume and taking bath
on Fridays. While going out of the house he put on white dress. While
taking his food, he would never lean upon anything so that there might
not be any sign of pride when he was sitting before Allah's bounties.
His
Family Life:
Despite the fact that most of the wives of the Holy Prophet were of
advanced age, mothers of orphaned children, and were of varying nature
and disposition, he treated them nicely as is mentioned in the Holy
Qur'an: Treat them kindly ... (Surah an-Nisa, 4:19). Though some of his
wives treated him so badly that his companions used to advise him to
leave them for the good. But he used to say that the shortcomings of a
woman should be weighed with some of her good qualities also. One should
not divorce one's wife on her minor fault or slight unpleasant behavior
because women possess some good qualities and noble attributes also.
The Holy Prophet said: "Anyone who is affluent with regard to wealth and
property but still remains stingy with his wife and children, is not
amongst us". (Mustadrak, vol. II, p. 643)
After the passing away of his beloved wife, Lady Khadija the Holy
Prophet treated all those ladies who were her intimate friends with high
esteem and favour.
The Holy Prophet used to say: "I treat my family members better than
anyone else". (Wasa'il, vol. XIV, p. 122) 285
The Holy Prophet observed justice with his wives so strictly that even
during his serious illness his bed was made each night by regular turns
in every wife's chamber.
His
Feelings for the New-born:
A newborn baby was brought to the Holy Prophet for blessings or for
giving him a name. The new-born passed urine in the lap of the Holy
Prophet and the parents as well as the people standing around became
very much embarrassed. At this the Holy Prophet said: "Don't mind. The
little one is getting frightened of your making a noise. I shall have my
clothes washed". (Kuhlul Basar)
His Initiative in Greeting the Children: The Holy Prophet used to call
the name of the boys and girls with respect. He gave special
instructions about respecting the girls. In his code of conduct the
injunction for giving respect to the females is present. This is the
view of the Holy Prophet. But once when on the birth of a female child
the father of the child became so furious that his face turned black.
The Holy Qur'an says:
When the glad news of the birth of their daughter is announced to them,
their faces turn gloomy and black with anger. (Surah an-Nahl, 16:58)
Under such ghastly condition of the society, respect for the sons and
daughters particularly of the daughter was a conspicuous thing. The Holy
Prophet said: "The best of your offsprings are the daughters, and the
sign of a woman's auspiciousness is that her first-born is a daughter".
(Mustadrak, vol. II, p. 614—615)
A companinon of the Holy Prophet was sitting with him. When he heard the
news of the birth of his daughter he became displeased. The Holy Prophet
then said to him: "When earth is her abode, the sky is her shelter and
her livelihood is secure with Allah, why have you become so unhappy? She
is like a flower spreading its fragrance and she will stand you in good
stead". (Wasa'il, vol. XV, p. 101)
A man told the if Holy Prophet that he had never kissed his child. The
Holy Prophet said: "This is the sign of your cold bloodedness" .
In the matter of giving equal treatment to all the children, the Holy
Prophet said: "If you kiss a child before another, you should kiss the
other one also".
He
Was Not an Opportunist:
One of the sons of the Holy Prophet was Ibrahim who expired early in his
infancy. When after his death there happened to be a solar eclipse,
people thought it was as a consequence of the demise of the son of the
Holy Prophet. At this the Holy Prophet assembled the people and said:
"The occultation of the sun was not due to the sad demise of my son,
Ibrahim". Thus the Holy Prophet got the people saved from falling into
ignorance, superstition and undue love. On such an occasion if there had
been a politician in place of the Holy Prophet he would have given a
wrong interpretation of this incident and would have aroused the people
to maintain undue love.
He
Was Always on the Lead:
In the Battle of Ahzab all the enemies of Islam, including the infidels,
idolaters and hypocrites decided to wipe out Islam altogether and for
this purpose they prepared to make a heavy attack on Madina. The Holy
Prophet decided to fight against the enemies and with the consultation
of his companions it was decided that a trench might be dug around the
city of Madina as a first measure of defence. On this occasion the Holy
Prophet took the lead in digging the trench and he engaged himself in
this task until the trench was ready while some of the Muslims had taken
leave and some others had gone away without taking permission.
His
Hospitality:
Salman Farsi, the loyal companion of the Holy Prophet said: "I happened
to visit the Holy Prophet at his house. He offered me the same pillow
which was the only one in his own use". Such a treatment of his visitors
was not particularly shown to Salman Farsi but it was for every Muslim.
One day each of the foster brothers and sisters of the Holy Prophet
separately came to the Holy Prophet. He treated the sister with greater
respect than the brothers. When the people inquired about this
distinction, the Holy Prophet replied: "As this sister used to respect
her parents, I have greater regard and love for her". (Biharul Anwar,
vol. XVI, p. 281)
Sometimes the guests of the Holy Prophet overstayed their welcome even
after finishing with their meals and got themselves busy in conversation
but still he tolerated it. At last a Qur'anic verse was
revealed saying:
If you are invited, you may enter, but be punctual (so that you will not
be waiting while the meal is being prepared). When you have finished
eating, leave his home, and do not sit around chatting among yourselves.
This will annoy the Prophet and he will feel embarrassed to tell you.
(Surah al-Ahzab, 33 53 )
His
Extreme Dedication:
The Holy Prophet used to wake up from his sleep after midnight. After
prostrating himself before Allah, brushing his teeth with Miswak, and
reciting a few verses of the Holy Qur'an, he got himself busy with the
worship of Allah. Some of his wives used to say to him: "You are
innocent and infallible and yet you do a lot of imploration!" The Holy
Prophet would answer them by saying: "Should I not try to be a grateful
servant of Allah".
During the month of Ramazan, the Holy Prophet used to free his slaves.
While offering prayers he trembled with fear. When he offered his
prayers alone he prolonged his bowing and prostration but in
congregation he shortened them. One of his companions who was appointed
to lead the congregational prayers was instructed by him to recite a
short Surah after Surah al-Hamd so as not to prolong the duration of the
prayers in congregation.
His
Insight and Sagacity:
While solving any problem, the Holy Prophet used to apply his foresight,
and sense of justice.
When the different tribes of Arabia rebuilt the Holy Ka'ba, the dispute
arose as to which tribe should install the sacred Black Stone (Hajar ul
aswad) at its original place. This dispute was going to create an ugly
situation. A man suggested that whoever came to the Masjidul Haram first
of all in the early morning should be made to arbitrate between them.
The following morning the Holy Prophet was the first to come to the Holy
Ka'ba and hence he was accepted as an arbiter in this dispute. The Holy
Prophet then ordered them to bring a sheet of cloth. When the cloth was
brought he placed the sacred Black Stone in the middle of the sheet of
cloth and asked every chief of the tribes to lift it from each corner
and carry it near the Holy Ka'ba. Thereafter, the Holy Prophet picked up
the sacred Black Stone and placed it at its original place. It was
because of the Holy Prophet's insight as well as the sense of justice
that the dispute was settled amicably.
The
Holy Prophet in the Battlefield:
Imam Ali says: "The Holy Prophet used to be always on the forefront in
the battlefield to face the enemy. And in the Battle of Trench when it
was decided to dig a trench around the city of Madina, the Holy Prophet
was the first to pick up the pickaxe for digging the earth and he
continued digging the trench along with his followers until the trench
was completely ready". The Holy Imam further says: "In the battlefields
whenever we Muslims were faced with some difficulty, we took shelter of
the Holy Prophet and sought his help and protection".
His
Decisiveness:
The Holy Prophet was never prepared to ignore his ideological programme
or any of its principles for the sake of increasing the number of his
followers. Some people from Ta'if came to the Holy Prophet and said: "We
can profess Islam provided that you give us permission for idol-worship
and exempt us from offering prayers". The Holy Prophet rejected their
conditions straightaway. He did not care to increase the numerical
strength of his followers at the cost of the fundamental principles of
Islam. The Holy Prophet was not like those who would compromise on
principles.
His
Piety and Devotion:
Once the Holy Prophet gave twelve Dirhams to Imam Ali to buy a dress for
him (the Prophet). The Holy Imam went to the bazaar and brought a dress
costing the some amount of money. The Holy Prophet seeing the dress
said: "If the dress had been more simple, it would have been better. If
the shopkeeper agrees to take back the dress return it to him". The Holy
Imam returned the dress and brought back twelve dirhams to the Holy
Prophet. This time the Holy Prophet went along with Imam Ali to the
bazaar. On the way he saw a slave-girl who was crying. The Holy Prophet
asked her the cause of her trouble. She said: "My master gave me four
dirhams to buy things from the bazaar but I lost that amount of money. I
am afraid of going back home because of my master". The Holy Prophet
gave that girl four dirhams and bought a dress for himself for four
dirhams. On his way back home he saw a man who was without proper
clothes. The Holy Prophet gave his dress to this man and came back to
the bazaar to buy another dress for the remaining four dirhams left with
him. On his way back again the Holy Prophet saw the same slave-girl
still standing there. She lamented that since she was already late for
home she was scared of her master who would beat her for this. The Holy
Prophet accompanied the slave-girl to her master's house. In deference
to the Holy Prophet's coming to his house the master not only excused
the slave-girl but also freed her. The Holy Prophet then said: "Those
twelve dirhams were so auspicious that they enabled two needy ones to
clothe themselves and a slave-girl to become free". (Biharul Anwar, vol.
XVI. p. 215)
Indeed if we care to cut down our personal expenditure we can help the
needy to procure some of their basic needs.
The Holy Prophet owed a few dirhams to a Jew. One day he came to the
Holy Prophet and demanded his money but the Holy Prophet had no money
with him to pay off his debt. The Jew said: "I will not leave this place
until you give me my money back". He stayed there till it was the Zohr
(midday prayers) time. People offered their Zohr prayers. Then the time
for evening, dusk and night prayers came and the Jew was still there to
pester the Holy Prophet. At last the people became annoyed. But the Holy
Prophet said: "We are not supposed to be unjust to him". Consequently
the Jew who shadowed the Holy Prophet until the following day embraced
Islam, and distributed his money in charity in the name of Allah. He
said: 'I was not actually meaning to harm the Holy Prophet, for my
intention was to test the Holy Prophet's high qualities of character ".
His
Loyalty:
Ammar Yasir, one of the celebrated companions of the Holy Prophet
narrates: "Before the announcement of the Prophethood of the Holy
Prophet, he and I together used to tend the cattle. One day I suggested
to the Holy Prophet that a certain place was most suited for tending our
cattle and we should go over to that pasture. The Holy Prophet agreed.
On the following day I found that the Holy Prophet had already reached
there but he was holding his sheep off and was not allowing them to
graze. On my asking the reason for this the Holy Prophet said: "There
was an agreement between us that both of us together would graze our
sheep and thus it was not proper on my part to graze my sheep without
you doing the same at the same time".
His
Method of Teaching:
While teaching the people Islamic faith and moral conduct or answering
questions, the Holy Prophet used to repeat his instructions three times
so as to drive the idea home.
His
Sheltering the Enemy:
In the eight year of the migration, when the Holy Prophet left Madina at
the head of an army and conquered Makkah? he entered the Holy Ka'ba and
smashed up all the idols in it. Safwan, one of the chiefs of the
idolaters, who belonged to the tribe of Umayya fled away to Jeddah which
was at a distance of a few miles from Makkah. Some people interceded
with the Holy Prophet for his pardon. The Holy Prophet then sent his
head-gear to him so that he should be under protection while entering
Makkah. Safwan returned from Jeddah and asked for a grace time of two
months until he could think of embracing Islam. But the Holy Prophet
gave him the grace period of four months instead of two months. Safwan
remained with the Holy Prophet on his many travels and after finding
himself enchanted by the personality of the Holy Prophet and move by the
powerful force of his preachings, voluntarily professed Islam as his
religion. The Holy Qur'an says:
If the pagans ask you to give them refuge, give them asylum so that they
may hear the words of Allah. Then let them return to their towns for
they are ignorant people. (Surah at-Taubah, 9:6)
According to Islamic jurisprudence in Jihad (the Holy War against the
infidels) the giving of shelter and asylum to infidels have been
stressed.
His
Behavior with the Enemies:
On the occasion of the conquest of Makkah, the Holy Prophet pardoned
even his blood-thirsty enemies and not only that he even pardoned the
unbelieving woman who had conspired to kill him by cooking for him a
poisoned meal.
Once an enemy of Islam happened to come to the Holy Prophet and instead
of greeting him with the celebrated Islamic Greeting "Assalam u Alayka"
(Peace be in you) he said "Assamu Alayka" (Death be on you) and
insolently repeated these words several times, but despite possessing
the means for revenge, the Holy Prophet replied back by saying "Wa
Alayka" (Same be to you). Some of those who were present there became
very furiousat the insolent behavior of the enemy. They said to the Holy
Prophet: "Why did you not retaliate upon your enemy?" The Holy Prophet
replied: "I reciprocated his greeting in his own words that is, "The
same on you" which he had wished for me".
Affectionate Treatment of His Friends:
While on a journey people used to divide work among themselves and the
Holy Prophet, too, had his work to do himself. He used to collect the
firewood for cooking food. Despite his worthy companions desire not to
let him work, the Holy Prophet would not agree to it. Once when the Holy
Prophet alighted from the camel's back and went to tether the animal to
a tree, some companions rushed forward to do that little job but the
Holy Prophet did not accept the help of the companions and instead said"
"You too should not throw yourself upon the help of other".
Some Special Traits of the Holy Prophet
• The Holy Prophet readily accepted the
invitation of the slaves and he considered it necessary to hold them in
high regard like other notables of the tribes. However he would entrust
their leadership to those who were held in respect by them.
• The Holy Prophet was not mindless of good or
bad behavior. He used to encourage as well as admonish people as the
occasion demanded. He was always much concerned about the proper
guidance of the people In this context the following Qura'nic verse was
revealed to him:
We have not revealed the Qur'an on you that you should be burdened, but
as admonition for whom who fear. (Sura Ta Ha, 20:2)
• In a gathering the Holy Prophet gave so much
individual attention to each other and every person that he thought that
he was the only favorite of the Holy Prophet.
• Sometimes the companions suggested to the Holy
Prophet to curse the enemies but he never agreed and instead prayed to
Allah to show them guidance.
• Whenever he shook hands with somebody he would
not withdraw until the other person withdrew his hand first.
• Whenever he went on riding he never allowed
anybody to follow him on foot and instead he asked the people to go
separately until he met them on the appointed place.
The Holy Prophet never disappointed a beggar. A woman sent his son to
the Holy Prophet and asked for his dress. When the son came to the Holy
Prophet he gave him his dress. On this occasion the following Qur'anic
verse was revealed to him.
Do not be niggardly nor extravagant that you may later feel reprehensive
and constrained. (Surah Bani Isra'il, 17:29)
• Whenever he happened to attend a gathering he
always seated himself at a lower place. He would readily accept a
present howsoever humble it was. • Whenever he
found any Muslim or a companion missing in a meeting, he would
immediately inquire after him. If he happened to be on a journey, he
would pray for his safe return and if he happened to be sick he would
pray for his speedy recovery.
• He would ask the people to sit in a circular
seating arrangement so as not to give any distinction to anyone over the
other.
• In matters of enforcing laws, he never showed
special favour to anybody. Once one of his companions interceded with
him for a woman of a famous tribe to excuse her punishment. At this the
Holy Prophet said: "By Allah! I am not the one to relax the punishment
ordained by Divine commandment in favour of anybody. If my own daughter
Fatima had committed a theft, I would have not spared her even from the
punishment".
• The Holy Prophet paid particular attention to
the captives and the slaves and he himself married a captive woman and
thus by this action of his the Muslims started showing regard to the
captives and they freed many of them. The Holy Prophet asked the people
to be kind to the captives and to feed them and clothe them like
themselves and to call them by their names so as not to give them a
feeling of inferiority.
• The Holy Prophet treated the poor and the rich
alike and during the conversation he never allowed irrelevant or
controversial things to be discussed, besides he never found fault with
anybody nor did he indulge in laughter.
His
Concern of the Common Man:
Unlike those leaders who fled away from the scene of trouble and
hardship or those who left their friends in the lurch and migrated from
their town or country, the Holy Prophet stayed in Makkah all the time
and instead sent his followers to migrate to Abyssinia (Ethiopia). While
migrating to Madina, the Holy Prophet first sent a batch of the loyal
followers to Madina.
His
Consulting the People:
In all those matters where there was no special command from Allah and
they were left to the people's discretion, the Holy Prophet very often
used to consult them before taking any decision. As for example on the
occasion of the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophet set up an advisory
council and consulted the people as to whether the believers should
fight the battle outside Madina or they should remain within the city of
Madina. The Holy Prophet himself and a few of his companions were of the
opinion that the battle should be fought in Madina and accordingly
defense should be built up there, but most of the young people gave
their opinion for fighting the battle outside Madina. Here we see that
the Holy Prophet gave preference to the opinion of young and zealous
fighters over that of others including his own, and as such they all
marched forward towards Uhud to face the enemy. What is more interesting
is that the verse 159 of Surah Ale Imran was revealed after the set-back
of the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud. (Tafsir-i Namuna, vol. III, p.
142)
The above-mentioned verse was revealed despite the fact that after
accepting the opinion of the companions, Muslims had to suffer defeat.
Allah says in the same verse as follows:
Forgive them and ask Allah to forgive (their sins) and consult with them
in certain matters. But when you reach a decision trust Allah. Allah
loves those who trust Him. (Surah Ale Imran, 3:159)
His
Behavior with His Opponents:
The treatment of the Holy Prophet with his opponents was based on the
following Qur'anic
injuction:
If they (the unbelievers) propose peace, accept it, and trust in Allah.
(Surah al-Anfal, 8:61)
Of course, in another verse we read that if the doubts arise the
agreement should be revoked. The Holy Qur'an says:
If you are afraid of treachery of some of your allies, you may disregard
your treaty with them. Allah does not love the treacherous ones. (Surah
al-Anfal, 8:58 )
The Holy Qur'an says about the Jews and the Christians as follows:
Muhammad, say to the followers of the Bible, 'We must come to a common
term. Let us worship no one except Allah nor consider anything equal to
Allah, nor regard any of us as our lord besides Allah. (Surah Ale Imran,
3:64 )
A group among the followers of the Bible would love to mislead you but
they mislead no one save themselves. (Surah Ale Imran, 3:68)
Some of them speak ill of the Prophet saying, 'He listens to everything
and believes what he hears'. Muhammad, tell them, 'He only listens to
what is good for you, believes in Allah and has trust in the believers.
He is Mercy for the believers among you. Those who speak ill of the
Messenger of Allah will face a painful punishment'. (Su rah at-Tauba,
9:61)
The Holy Prophet considered military preparations for fighting against
the enemies of Islam, the necessity of coaching of youngster for the art
and skill of archery and similar other skill of paramount importance. He
used to say that in exchange for one single arrow that was shot at the
enemy of Allah, its maker, its buyer who handed it over to the soldiers
of Islam and the one who shot it at the enemy were ensured of Paradise.
In the case of hypocrites, we see that the Holy Prophet ordered the
demolition of a Masjid that was built by the hypocrites. On the occasion
of the Battle of Tabuk some hypocrites were conspiring against Islam in
a room of a public inn. When the Holy Prophet learnt of such a
conspiracy he ordered the storming of the room where the plot was being
hatched and accordingly the believers stormed the room over the heads of
the hypocrites, (and those who survived were treated harshly). The Holy
Prophet did not offer the funeral prayers for these hypocrites. However,
he was lenient towards the infidels when they wanted some more time to
take a decision about their embracing Islam.
Family affiliations had no influence on his taking ideological
decisions. It was the uncle of the Holy Prophet for whose condemnation a
strongly worded Qur'anic verse was revealed. The Holy Qur'an says:
May the hands of Abu Lahab perish! May he too perish! His property and
worldly gains will be of no help to him. He will suffer in a blazing
fire and so too will his wife (who threw thorns and firewood in the
Prophet's way). Around her neck will be a rope of palm tree. (Surah
Lahab, 111:1—5)
Indeed the disruptionist's hands should be cut off no matter even if he
happens to be the uncle of the Holy Prophet. In this connection there is
clear injunction in the Holy Qur'an that believers cannot ask for the
forgiveness of the infidels and polytheists. The Holy Qur'an says;
After it was made clear that the pagans are to be the dwellers of Hell,
the Prophet and the believers should not have sought forgiveness from
Allah for them even if they may have been relatives. (Surah at-Tauba,
9:113)
In the following verse Allah encourages the Holy Prophet lest the
enemy's plot might shake his decision.
Do not yield to the disbelievers or the hypocrites, ignore their
annoying you and trust in Allah. Allah is your all-Sufficient Protector.
(Surah al-Ahzab, 33:48)
Exercise patience and let it be only for the cause of Allah. Do not be
grieved about them nor be disappointed at their evil plans. (Surah an-Nahl,
16:127)
But they (the idols) will not be able to help them. Instead the
disbelievers as the troops of the idols will be brought before Allah.
(Surah Ya Sin, 36:75)
Muhammad, exercise patience against what they say, glorify your Lord
with His praise before sunrise and sunset. (Surah Qaf, 50 39)
An
Apology to the Holy Prophet:
While writing on the merits of the Holy Prophet I am feeling helpless
because of my limited knowledge. As a matter of fact an appreciation on
the life and attributes of the Holy Prophet can only be undertaken by a
person of the calibre of Imam Ali as it is the Holy Prophet whose praise
has been done by Allah Himself, whom Allah takes him through the heavens
and by whose auspicious presence the angels' abode becomes blessed.
It is the Holy Prophet whom the Divine carrier takes away from the Holy
Masjid (the Ka'ba) in Makkah to Baytul Muqaddas (the Masjid in
Jerusalem). The Holy Qur'an says:
Glory to Him who carried His servant during the night for a visit from
the Holy Mosque (at Makkah) to the Aqsa Mosque (at Jerusalem). Whose
precincts We have blessed, that We may show him some of Our signs.
(Surah Bani Isra'il, 17:1)
On the one hand these exalted destinations are the proof of the exalted
personality of the Holy Prophet. On the other hand we find his
attributes and personal qualities of love and affection and refined
thoughts and sympathetic behavior towards all. "Once a thirsty cat keeps
an eye on the water container meant for the Prophet's ablution. The Holy
Prophet instead of using that water for ablution places it before the
cat. The Holy Prophet is harder than the rock against the enemies and is
softer than snow toward his friends. He foregoes his personal rights
against his enemies also but in the implementation of the laws he is
very strict, so much so that he swears that he would not forgive even
his own daughter, if she ever committed any wrong". (Biharul Anwar, vol.
XVI)
How dare we talk about the attributes of the Holy Prophet? We read in
Nahjul Balaghah (Peak of Eloquence, ISP 1984) that when nobody could
read or write, the Holy Prophet stressed the acquiring of knowledge by
saying that it was obligatory for all the Muslims. Now after the passage
of fourteen centuries we see that everybody is clamouring for acquiring
knowledge.
At the time when on the murder of one person the entire tribe used to
rise for taking revenge upon the murderer's people and several of their
innocent people were put to death, the Holy Prophet stopped this heinous
custom. That was the time when savagery was at its peak. The Holy
Prophet said that if anyone would drive his animal even on his journey
to Makkah too fast, his testimony would not be considered reliable
because the one who cruelly fatigues his animal is hard-hearted. The
example of compassion and mercy that the Holy Prophet set before the
people in those days became the sign of the success and grace of the
nation. The Holy Qur'an says:
Believers, listen to Allah and the Messenger when they call you to that
which gives you life. (Surah al-Anfal, 8.24)
The command of Allah is not without meaning when He says about the Holy
Prophet of Islam as follows:
He who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah. (Surah an-Nisa, 4:80)
He does not speak out of his own desire. (Surah an-Najm, 53.3)
You are certainly on the right path. (Surah az-Zukruf, 43:43)
He will grant you a majestic triumph. (Surah al-Fath, 48:23)
How can one attempt to write something in praise of the Holy Prophet
when Allah Himself has exalted his name and his mission in the following
words?
(Muhammad), haven 't We comforted your heart and relieved you of the
burden which had been a heavy weight upon your back, and exalted your
fame? Surely with hardship there is ease. With hardship indeed there is
ease. So when you are free, work diligently and turn to your Lord with
all your love. (Surah al-Inshira, 94:1—7)
It is not possible that in these few pages we may throw light on the
high morals of the Holy Prophet about whom Allah Himself says in the
following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
You have attained a high moral standard. (Surah al-Qalam, 68:4)
The Holy Qur'an which describes this world a poor and insignificant
thing makes the position of the Holy Prophet exalted. There can be no
better appreciation of the Holy Prophet than the one given in the Holy
Qur'an as follows:
(Muhammad), We have granted you abundant virtue. So worship your Lord
with full dedication and sacrifice. It is surely your opponents whose
line will come to end. (Surah al-Kauthar, 108:1—3)
And in the Hereafter too, Allah dignified the position of the Holy
Prophet as an interceder.
What can I write about the highly exalted attributes of the Holy Prophet
whose birth extinguished the leaping flames of the Fireplace of Persia,
and whose being installed as Prophet removed all disturbances and
chaotic conditions from the land. When he was born the foundation of the
palace of Kisra, the ancient monarchs of Persia (Iran), were shaken.
When he was assigned to Prophethood the entire humanity got
wonder-struck. It was he, whom the Holy Qur'an declared the "Mercy for
the whole Universe". Who can write and how can we write about such a
unique personality?
What can I say about him, who reaches such a lofty place of honour that
he becomes the guest of Allah on the night of Ma'raj (ascension); and
yet who, in his humbleness, declares that he would not turn down the
invitation of a slave and would travel a far off distance in order to
share a simple food with him?
For his journey to the heavens, Buraq, a Divine carrier, was provided to
him, while at his own, he never hesitated to ride on a mule. The
Archangel Jibra'il who brings the Divine revelation to him conveyes him
the greetings of Allah, and he himself is so humble in disposition that
he first greets the children.
In the state of prostrating himself before Allah he submits his forehead
and heart before Allah and when his two grandsons (Imam Hasan and Imam
Husayn) find him under that position and ride on his back, he prolongs
his prostration so that their feeling might not be hurt. How to speak of
him, who at one and the same time is dedicated to the worship and
remembrance of Allah and is also mindful of the feelings of the two
children! The people should take lesson from this in the matter of
upholding the rights of children, men, women and the labourers and they
should be ashamed of raising empty slogans.
The Holy Prophet remains cheerful with the people while he is in their
company He sheds tears also at the demise of his son, Ibrahim. But in
either case he does not exceed the limit and does not do anything
against the Will of Allah.
In the morning he offers his prayers, passes the time in the midst of
his companions during the day, and lets the companions with one another
in useful pursuits, not for fun and pleasure, including riding and
archery which can stand them in good stead in times of self-defense
against the oppressors. And the prize that is awarded is the date-palm
tree, the leaves of which provide pleasant shade, the wood as fuel, and
the fruit as food.
False Accusations:
Is it correct to make false allegations against Islam whose Prophet
gives a grace period of four months instead of the two asked for, on the
day of the conquest of Makkah; makes the house of his arch-enemy as
sanctuary of peace; announces general amnesty and pardons to all his
opponents and bears with patience hardships for fifteen years at the
hands of the infidels of Makkah, and if he takes his sword in hand to
protect himself and his faith and to defeat the nefarious designs of his
enemies and asks the believers to wage Jihad (Holy War) against them so
as to emancipate mankind from treachery, savagery, oppression, and to
liberate man from all kinds of domination and subjugation? Certainly
not.
Sometimes the opponents say that Islam was spread at the point of the
sword and this is not correct because from historical facts and evidence
the total number of those killed was not more than 1700 from both sides
in all the battles of Islam against enemies.
Sometimes the opponents find fault with the Holy Prophet that he married
too many wives and mislead the people by insinuating, God forbid, that
he was lustful, although the fact is that the Holy Prophet passed the
youthful years of his marital life with only wife, the revered Lady of
Islam, Khadija-tul Kubra up to the age of fifty years, and his wedding
with her was solemnized at the initiation of Lady Khadija when she was
forty and the Holy Prophet was twenty five years old.
Lady Khadija had already rejected the offer for marriage of several
other men who wanted to marry her because of her financial standing. But
Lady Khadija proposed to the Holy Prophet because he was found to be a
trustworthy, truthful and righteous person enjoying high reputation in
the whole of the Arabian Peninsula and besides, she had already heard
from her uncle Warqa bin Nawfal the prophecies of the preceding Prophets
about the appearance of the Holy Prophet as the Prophet of Allah and of
her marriage with him.
The Holy Prophet spent 25 years of his married life with Lady Khadija
and spent her wealth in the preaching of Islam and to relieve mankind
from ignorance and tyrannies although there were some of the choicest
girls wanted to marry him, but he always refused their offer. The other
wives of the Holy Prophet were married to him only after the demise of
his first wife Lady Khadija and that too when he had passed the age of
fifty. These women were of elderly age and were widows and had orphaned
children and hence he had to lead a hard and strenuous life with them
instead of life of ease, comfort, and indulgence. These wives of the
Holy Prophet were of varying temperament and dispositions and as such it
was not easy to get along with them. The husbands of some of these wives
were martyred while fighting against the infidels and as such they
needed protection for themselves and the orphans. If they had not been
married to the Holy Prophet they would have reverted to infidelity. One
among them was Sauda whose husband died after he had migrated to
Abyssinia and she was left without any patron and supporter. Umm Salama
was another such wife who was of old age and was mother of orphaned
children. Zaynab was also another wife of the Holy Prophet who was the
daughter of his aunt from the father's side. She was first married to
Zayd bin Harith, the slave and adoptive son of the Holy Prophet. Her
marriage with Zayd did not last long and she was divorced by him. Then
she married the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet married Zaynab at Allah's command so that the very root
and basis of a wrong custom might be abolished. According to this custom
of the Age of Ignorance nobody was allowed to marry the wife of his
adopted son and in this case since Zayd was the adopted son of the Holy
Prophet, the latter could not marry Zaynab, the divorced wife of the
former. But Allah ordered this marriage in order to abolish this custom
at the hands of the Holy Prophet himself.
Juwayria, another wife of the Holy Prophet was a captive. Her marriage
with the Holy Prophet motivated the Muslims to treat the captives with
great regards and kindness so much so that they freed many of them.
Besides, with a view to maintain cordial relations among various
influential tribes, to prevent disruption among them, and to promote
internal stability, the Holy Prophet married such women as Ayesha,
Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Safiya and Maymuna. Safiya of course was the daughter
of the tribal chief of a big Jewish tribe of Bani Nuzayr. When she was
taken prisoner, the Holy Prophet married her and established
relationship with a big tribe.
In short, many of the wives of the Holy Prophet were those who had
passed the age of youth and personal charm, and most of them had been
married once or twice before, and had orphaned children with them, and
whom the Holy Prophet married when he was past fifty, an age which by no
means can be regarded as an age of youthful and lustful desires and by
that time he had attained great reputation already, and that many a
beautiful girl aspired to marry him. This is the proof of the fact that
the purpose of the Holy Prophet in contracting various marriages was
based on pious and noble cause only and as such no sane person can dare
attack his personal character.
Besides keeping these wives, the Holy Prophet most often passed his
nights in offering prayers and remembering Allah as he did in his youth
also. The Holy Qur'an says about his dedication and worship of Allah as
follows.
You, who have enwrapped in a mantle, worship (Allah) for only a few
hours at night. (Surah Muzzammil, 73:1—3)
It is only we who even for the sake of one wife forsake Allah. If the
number of wives does not prevent anyone from getting right guidance,
spiritual enlightenment, performing religious duties of offering
prayers, attending jihad, uplifting the society and doing justice to
wives themselves and instead it becomes the source of their support and
protection, there cannot be any reason for criticism. If somebody feels
the prick of conscience at the number of wives a man has then it may be
due to any of the following reasons:
(i) If the husband is not giving just treatment to his wives.
(ii) If the idea of having many wives is aimed at satisfying ones
lustful desires.
(iii) If the husband gets himself involved in investing his energies and
talents in pampering his wives.
If none of the above conditions is present then keeping of wives cannot
be prevented from any moral or social standpoint. |