Who Is Muhammad?
(PBUH) Prophet of Islam
A short and brief story for what you don’t know about Muhammad (PBUH), his life, his message, and what you may have never heard about him.
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Copyright © 2011.All rights are reserved. You may not distribute this report in any way. You may not sell it, or reprint any part of it without written consent from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review
PREFACE
History is an important branch of knowledge. It is not a science like physics or biology. It mostly depends on documents that have remained of the past. Although we can have knowledge of the past and past events by means of documents, it is quite often very difficult to penetrate into the facts behind those events. We can hardly know the intentions of historical ‘actors’ or ‘actresses’ and the real motives behind events. In order to be able to judge rightly about persons and events, the documents we have to should be reliable. Nevertheless, it is quite possible that personal inclinations and interests. Prejudices, and different other motives may have a part of their own in documents, and worse, documents may have been distorted. For example, if the Qur’an had not been sent down to Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, we could not have had true knowledge about the Israelite Prophets and especially the Prophet Jesus, and the original identity of Christianity and Judaism. The Old and New Testaments have been so frequently and badly distorted and corrupted that it is impossible to open a way through them to historical truths.
Have you ever read about the religion of over 1.5 billion people on this planet?
Have you ever thought about why thousands of people all over the globe are converting every day?
Have you ever heard about the true story of the prophet of Muslims, what is the meaning of the word Islam and how and when it all started some 1400 years ago?
Read and discover the very specific and fascinating history that until this day influences so many Muslims in their everyday life.
This book will offer information in an objective and interesting way which will enable you to understand the reasons behind many events in today’s news.
What makes a man a man?
In
other
words:
what
makes
man
genius,
rascal,
Saint
or
a
thief?
It
is
the
idea.
Yes, it is the idea that takes hold of you to make you see the world or even the universe in a different way from others.
It is the idea that overwhelms you. It cannot be resisted as it creeps into your mind and seizes your own will. This idea about life and our role in it runs through our veins so that we do live only to realize it.
Where does it come from? Is it fate that transmits it to us or our personal qualities and experiences that form the idea? Is it the result of our qualities that enable us to receive the signals sent to us by the Creator, the Ultimate Good that masterminds your whole life to accomplish a certain mission?
Haven't you got a whim, a thought or an idea that took hold of you when you were about to take a crucial decision like choosing your spouse, taking a job or getting into the university? Don't you think such an idea was transmitted to you by Him, the Ultimate Good?
Why did that idea come to you exclusively? It may be your role or mission in life. It may be your inherent qualities that entitled you. It may be both. That was exactly the case of Abraham, the Father of Prophets, who was the only qualified and worthy man living on earth to be commissioned by God to revive the religion of Adam that was revealed to him by God.
He was inclined to template and characterized by deep thinking. Unlike others, he did not busy himself with the ordinary matters of life, but he sought to reach the truth that controlled the world and the universe, the truth that gave meaning to life as man is not created in absurdity.
Abraham inherited the genes of his good-doers and pious forefather Noah, who descended from Adam's offspring. Adam himself received that idea, or the Religion, from God, the Creator. Adam had been teaching it to his sons until he perished. In origin, all prophets called for worshiping God alone and to be committed to good manners in dealing with others. After Adam had passed away, humanity moved to polytheism and idolizing statues. At first, people wanted to immortalize good and pious people or saints with statues. By the time, these idols were worshiped as people thought that they would intercede with God and lead them to salvation.
This idea of Religion was revived by Noah some centuries later. It was inherited from his forefather Adam. He reminded humanity of the Word of God. It was passed from Noah to Abraham after more than 10 centuries. No one on earth except Abraham was worthy of that message and honor. This idea remained latent and alive and passed through heredity from one generation to another. It was like software that is being copied or cloned in the mind whereas the body was the hardware that executes it.
Abraham was provoked by those who idolize the statues that they make with their own hands. They cannot do good or bad or defend themselves, not to mention those who worshiped them.
In order to illustrate his idea, Abraham smashed all the statues that his people consider gods except the biggest one. He put the axe on its shoulder so that they would think it broke them or resort to it for explanation. He wondered about the source of that idea and concluded that God was the source of that inspiration and that he was destined himself to fulfill a certain mission namely to revive the True Religion of Adam revealed to him by God.
Abraham used logic sequence to convince his polytheist people of their false beliefs about the idols they worshiped. He refuted all their allegations to show them that there is only one God and that their alleged gods cause no gain or harm to man. He told them the planets shine and disappear. So, they are not worthy to be taken as gods. The moon also shines and fades away. The sun is greater and its light is more blazing, but it disappears. Therefore, they cannot be considered gods, and he reached with them to the conclusion no deity is worth of being worshiped but God alone. Logically, God never disappears or quits. Man should depend on his senses alone to reach the truth. Abraham finally said his folks, "Unless my God guides me, I shall surely go astray."
When Abraham call for the Word of God was resisted as his people found it too strange to believe in, he prayed to God to honor him and his offspring with conveying His Religion to all humans. God bestowed Abraham that wish. The Message or the Word of God was passed through inherited genes from generation to generation.
With little success of his call, Abraham and his spouse Sara decided to migrate from Ur (an ancient Iraqi town that lied on the Euphrates).They They crossed the river to Levant then moved to Egypt in order to spread the call for God and in response to heavenly inspiration. In Egypt, a ruler tried to seduce Sara as she was the most beautiful woman of that time. God preserved her in a miracle. Taking into consideration that she was pious and under the protection of God, the aggressor set them free and presented her an equally pious woman named Hager, who bore Abraham his eldest and first son, Ishmael.
Ur City, or city of light [1]
At an order of God, Abraham left Sara and moved to Arabia with Hager and their baby Ishmael. They reached Hejaz and settled in Mecca that was barren desert about twenty centuries Before Christ. He left her with Ishmael with little food and water. When he was about to leave her to go back to the Levant, She called him out, "O Abraham, O Abraham." Despite his grief, he did not turn his head to see them.
"Will you leave us so here in this desert with no one or anything but us?" He made no answer." Is it an order of God?" He nodded. "Then He shall not abandon us."
On moving was far enough not to see his wife and only child, Abraham looked in their direction and in sheer sadness, he supplicated to God "O Our Lord, I have made some of my offspring to dwell by Your Sacred House (the Ka'aba at Mecca) Grant, the company and peace and send from them an Apostle to guide them to Your Religion." Abraham was quite content and convinced that God would save them as He had saved Abraham before from the fire he was thrown in by polytheists.
When food and water ran out, Hager could not suckle her baby who cried out of hunger. She ran in despair and agony from one side of the valley of Mecca to another, seeking in vain for water to save her starving son. She was pleading in tears to God to mercy them and rescues her child. God, the Most Merciful ordered Gabriel to hit the ground in the spot that was just under Ishmael's leg.
Water spring poured instantly. It was a gift of God to reward the faithful and patient believers who passed the toughest test of their belief in Him. The spring water – called Zam Zam- gave life to this vacuum and sterile region. Our smart reader can easily imagine how valuable water is in the heart of such merciless barren desert.
Birds began to hover over the spring. Thus trading caravans learnt that there was water. A Yemen tribe called Jorhom was permitted by the spring owners-Hager and Ishmael- to settle there in exchange of protecting and serving them.
Hajer was now content and pleased thanks to God, who granted her and her son water and peaceful company. Ishmael – whose name in Hebrew language means that God has given me my wish – lived among the said tribe, spoke their Arabic language, and married from them.
Zam Zam well [2]
On the other hand, in Levant, Sara bore Isaac, who was thirteen years younger than his brother Ishmael. Abraham made a journey to Mecca to see how the Word of God was developing Mecca was now populated, which pleased him as his entreats to God realized and that the seeds of faith flowered and became fruitful. God ordered Abraham to rebuild the Sacred House of the Lord at Mecca as it was the first place on earth that had been devoted to the worship of God. It was set up by angels, but it disappeared under the desert sand. Abraham and Ishmael rebuilt it to enable believers from all over the globe to perform the pilgrimage and to worship and glorify God.
Ka'aba, house of the lord in Mecca [3]
Forty years later. Abraham built another Sacred House of the Lord at Jerusalem to remind humanity of monotheism and the Religion of God. Both Abraham and Isaac followed by his son Israel and their descendants- peace be upon them all - were truly faithful and devoted to God. Nevertheless, when Israel and his sons moved to Egypt as a result of drought, the people living around Jerusalem and Mecca returned to polytheism. They worshiped statues and idols. It was exactly like the sand that covered the House of the Lord at Mecca. These statues were first caved and set up to memorize Saints or good – doers. The following generation thought that their fathers idolized them to bring about good or repel evil or to intercede with God – God forbid – and defend them. It is an endless strife of mankind against Satan.
That was the situation in Arabia and around Mecca, this vast and strategic region with its scarce water and hot blazing sun who worsens the dry climate. The society of Mecca was as cruel and heartless as the climate. It was composed of the free noble class that lived in luxury and the poor and marginalized slaves who lived from hand to mouth. They raised sheep and wandered from place to another in search of water and pasture. They also depended on trade caravans that moved to Yemen in winter and Levant in summer. Mecca was in the heart of that trading rout. The inhabitants of Arabia and the surrounding areas used to visit Mecca to perform the pilgrimage as it had been an inherited tradition since the time of Abraham.
Arabs were –and still were –known for their generosity and chivalry. They preserved the bowel in which Abraham presented food to angels thinking that they were men. It is now kept in Turkey. Arabs acquired some of the Persian and Greek culture and knowledge by traveling for trade. They also mastered geography and astronomy that provided them with guidance throughout the desert roads. They followed the stars in their travels. They were also matchless in the field of poetry and eloquence. Every year, a festival was held at Mecca for competitions of poetry. People of Mecca and around rarely embraced Christianity or Judaism. Only six individuals were still following the religion of Abraham. Serving the pilgrims and protecting Ka'aba was the most sublime and honorable status a tribe can boast of.
Qurish was the tribe that maintained that honor. They were the descendants of Abraham and Ishmael whose offspring were the only owners of Zamzam spring and also who were the tribes entitled to serve the Sacred House of God. Abdul Muttalib was the leader of Mecca and a descendant of Abraham and Ishmael.
He was also the grandfather of Muhammad. He married his son Abdu Allah to a venerable lady named Aamena. Few days after that marriage Muhammad's father went on a trading journey leaving his pregnant wife at home. He fell ill and was left with his relatives in Yathrib (Al Madina).Then, the news of his death reached Mecca. Aamena was so sad that she nearly died of grief. Her only solace in life was the fetus she bore of her late husband Abdu Allah.
She had dreamt that her son would light the whole world. When he was born, she knew that he was blessed for she never felt any pain of pregnancy or birth like other women. His birth marked a new stage of the history of mankind. It was the birth of pure religion and the end of polytheism. He was chosen by God to renew the religion of Abraham and resume his mission on earth after oblivion had made the Word of God to fade.
At a moonlit night, on Monday, April 20th, 571, G, Muhammad was born. At that night, the Persian throne was shattered. The fire that Magi idolized was extinguished as a sign of God that their epoch was doomed to end at the hands of Muhammad's followers, those pious believers who submit to God alone.
Abdul Muttalib, his grandfather, considered his birth as compensation of his deceased son Abdu Allah. He carried the new born to Ka'aba and encircled it to thank God for His gift. He was inspired to call him Muhammad – which means in Arabic "praiseworthy "- to be praised and dignified by all. He was suckled by Halima Al-Saadia for it was the habit of Arabs to raise their children among Bedouin to be healthy due to fresh air of the desert. Desert life teaches tolerance and adds to stamina as it habituates people to hard life.
Halima discovered that Muhammad was blessed. Her sheep who were weak and thin of hunger became robust and produced more milk than usual. Whenever he moved from a place to another, a cloud was providing him with shade. He was also distinguished among children for his tendency to deep thinking and contemplation.
When he was six years of age, his mother Aamena took him to Yathrib to pay a visit to his father's grave with his grandfather Abdul Muttalib. On the way back to Mecca, his mother was seriously ill and died. Abdul Muttalib returned to Mecca with his orphan grandson in total distress and compassion for the lad who lost his parents in such an early age. To make up for that, he preferred Muhammad to his sons. He was inspired that Muhammad was created for a great mission, although he did not know what it was. Muhammad never idolized or knelt to statues. He never shared in absurd acts or fights like those who were around him.
When he was 8, his grandfather Abdul Muttalib passed away, and his eldest Uncle Abu Talib took charge of him. Abu Talib became his guardian and protector. Drought stroke Mecca, People and their animals faced a certain threat of death. Abu Talib went to Ka'aba, raised Muhammad with his hands and prayed to God to give them rain in honor of that blessed lad. Rain fell at once, and Mecca was saved.
At 12, Muhammad went on a trading journey following the example of his forefather Abraham, who moved throughout the earth. In Levant, a monk called Buhaira beheld him sitting under a specific tree and saw signs of a prophet. The monk asked about Muhammad and when he knew he was orphaned and illiterate, he said to those who were in the caravan, "I swear that he is the apostle who will be sent to revive the religion of God because when he sat under that tree, every single stone and tree bowed God in gratitude."
Like all prophets, peace be upon them, Muhammad was a shepherd. It gives man the opportunity and time to think of the vast open environment with its valleys. Mountain and sky lay before him. It teaches man patience and tolerance. Since he was known and named in Qurish as 'the honest', Khadija –a reverend noble lady-commissioned to take charge of her trading caravan. It was reported that he never lied or broke a promise. She was married to him for his morals and also due to a prophecy; she heard that Muhammad is heir of Abraham's message, and that he is the apostle who shall guide humanity to God.
At the age of 35, Ka'aba was about to collapse as a result of erosion factors. It had to be rebuilt. All tribes and clans wanted to have the honor of laying down the corner stone. As negations failed to settle the dispute, Muhammad was chosen to be the arbitrator. He was so wise that he settled it in a fair way. He put the stone on a piece of cloth and told every tribe chief to hold on end to share the honor of building Ka'aba.
Holly black stone inside Ka’aba [4]
Muhammad was the heir of the Word of God. Alternatively, the pure religion from his forefather Abraham He also inherited this mission in his genes as a descendant of Abraham. He was born in a similar environment to that of Abraham, like the desert surrounding, raising sheep, moving about from a place to another and the people who idolized statues. Muhammad never bowed or knelt before an idol. He never drank or gambled or commit adultery or any disgraceful act like those around him.
He was endowed with signs of prophecy before he met with the angel Gabriel. His dreams always came true on the following day. He dreamt of Gabriel giving him a book (Quran) although he was illiterate. It was true that the supplication of Abraham to God to grant humanity a guide to lead them along the path to God was answered and was embodied in a descendant of Abraham; Muhammad who inherited the same idea that Abraham had had many centuries before. Since God is just, He never inflicts his punishment on disbelievers without warning. Prophets are sent to guide people and warn them of disobedience of God.
About 40 years of age, Muhammad abandoned Mecca that was idolizing statues. He took refuge in an isolated cave called Heraa. He used to spend the month of Ramadan there entreating to God to guide him to the truth. That was exactly the model of Abraham for the idea that took hold of Abraham came to life again with Muhammad. If you were lucky to visit Mecca, you would see for yourself how high and risky it is to reach that cave. It seems like an oyster that keeps a valuable pearl –Muhammad – with all care and compassion.
Mountain of light in Mecca [5]
After spending Ramadan in that way, Muhammad went on his normal life and traveled for trade. At the end of the third successive year's contemplation in that cave, God responded to his plead. He met Gabriel, who said to Muhammad, "Read." Muhammad answered, "Don't read." It was repeated two times. At the third time Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of Quran: "Read by the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot. Read and your Lord is the Most Generous, who has taught man by the pen what he knew not."
Heraa Cave [6]
Muhammad returned home shivering of fear. His wife calmed him and took him to a monk who was a relative of her. After hearing what happened, he said to Muhammad, "It is the Holy Spirit that was sent to Moses. You are the last apostle. Wish I could live to the time when your people will drive you to migrate." Muhammad wondered, "Will they drive me away?!" "Yes, every prophet bearing the Message of God is antagonized." When he saw Gabriel again sitting between heaven and earth, he was swept with panic. Shiver overwhelmed him. He hurried home where his wife wrapped him up and comforted him.
He was ordered to convey the message of God to humanity, to call people to worship God alone, to warn of the grave punishment for those who disobey and to call for good morals and justice.
The same idea of Adam and Abraham – the religion of God - was reborn with Muhammad. God has chosen him to spread His Word in that strategic central region. Muhammad is the last prophet as the world was destined to witness unprecedented progress in science and means of communications that will enable the call of Islam to reach all corners of the world. It was the will of God that this region will be central in economic life because of the discovery of oil as Muhammad had promised his followers that the "poor bare-footed shepherds of Arabia shall inhabit high buildings" as a sign of richness.
Since Muhammad began his call for Islam, he had no rest and never enjoyed his life-like anyone else. He sought no gain, no fame or glory. (At his death, his followers found out that he had mortgaged his shield to buy food. However, he never accepted charity) It was such grave burden and responsibility that no one except him could bear it. Following the order of God, Muhammad began secretly to call his closest acquaintances and wise people to embrace Islam. The first believers were his spouse, his close friend Abu Bakr and his cousin Ali Ben Abu Talib, who was a lad by this time.
For three years, the call was disclosed to be selected and limited individuals. It is the call for equality, fraternity and good morals. No free or rich or white man or woman is privileged over a slave or poor or black one. A short time ago, a Brazilian football coach in Saudi Arabia embraced Islam when he saw the poor porter of the club leading the team players who earn millions of dollars, although he was nothing compared to them.
Muhammad was ordered to declare his call. He gathered his clan, Banu Hashim, and addressed them, "I thank God, believe in Him and seek his support. I testify that there is no deity (worthy of being worshiped) but God. I have never lied to you. I swear by God that I am the apostle of God to you and that all shall die. All shall be resurrected and judged before God. You shall abide in paradise or hell forever for your deeds. Those gathering were astonished. Some wanted to attack him, but his protector, Abu Talib prevented it.
Despite opposition and resistance, Muhammad Never gave up. One day, he mounted the highest mountain and called up his people as if warning of an emergent danger or a military attack. When they gathered in alarm, he warned them of hell fire and wrath of God to disbelievers and polytheists. He warned, them," Work for your own good. You shall be judged before God Almighty and shall be sent to paradise or hell. No one, even I, shall bear God's punishment for another." He was faced with indignation and some cursed him. However, for Abu Talib, he could have been killed on the spot. He kept attending their forums and assemblies. He recited verses of Qur'an calling them to worship God alone. Qur'an calls for equality, fraternity and eloquence. Arabs realized that Quran was not the speech of a human being. Its rhythms and themes had never been said or heard before. Qur'an is the eternal miracle of Muhammad. Never was it excelled or matched. Its prophecies have been and still being realized. In this Holy Book, You can find a lot of scientific evidence that was never known to man at that time, like the movement of earth, genes, and others.
Qur'an began to attract believers especially slaves and marginalized classes Qurish, Muhammad's tribe, feared that he would spread his call at pilgrimage season when Arabs gathered in Mecca. Some said he was a magician, or madman or poet. They divided themselves on all routs leading to Mecca to warn people of listening to him. Muhammad spared no effort to call for the religion of Abraham. Like Jesus who said he aimed to revive the religion of Moses. Muhammad sought to revive it as it is all the same religion revealed to Adam by God. Thus, Muhammad was known to all Arabs because of Qurish warning. After pilgrimage season, Qurish plotted to root out that call in various ways:
Mockery, sarcasm and accusation of telling lies
They called him names, insulted believers, and composed poetry and jokes to satirize believers. God supported Muhammad reminding him that all apostles faced that suffering in the cause of God.
Spreading rumors and adverse propaganda
They accused Muhammad of being liar, magician or poet. God in Qur'an defended Muhammad as He reminded disbelievers of Muhammad's honesty and straightforwardness among them for 40 years before spreading the call of God.