Muhammad – A Prophet for all Humanity by - Islamic Studies

441 Pages·2008·1.39 MB·English

by  Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents................................................................2
Introduction........................................................................8
NOTES...........................................................................15
1. From Adam to the Messiah.........................................16
NOTES...........................................................................23
2. The Emergence and Legacy of the Prophet
Muhammad......................................................................24
NOTES...........................................................................32
3. Exemplary Conduct.....................................................33
HUMILITY AND FORBEARANCE............................45
NOTES...........................................................................59
4. Sublime Character........................................................61
ABSENCE OF ACRIMONY.........................................70
NOTES...........................................................................78
5. Lessons of the Prophet’s Life.......................................80
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THE REWARDS OF RESTRAINT...............................80
NEVER YIELDING TO DESPAIR...............................88
THE PROPHET FORCED INTO EXILE.....................92
ABSOLUTE TRUST IN GOD.......................................95
REACHING A CONSENSUS......................................97
AVOIDING CONFRONTATION.............................103
NOTES.........................................................................111
6. The Path of the Prophet.............................................113
EVOLUTION NOT REVOLUTION..........................113
UNSWERVING OBEDIENCE...................................119
NOTES.........................................................................129
7. The Revolution of the Prophet..................................130
A COMPARISON.......................................................132
DIVINE SUCCOUR....................................................138
EXALTATION OF THE WORD OF GOD................145
A NEW NATION IS BORN.......................................149
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Table of Contents
THE BEST NATION...................................................155
AVOIDING EXTRANEOUS ISSUES........................162
FITTING IN WITH GOD’S SCHEME.......................166
NOTES.........................................................................175
8. Rising above Events...................................................177
9. The Prophetic Method...............................................183
STRENGTHENING ONESELF INWARDLY...........183
INWARD STRENGTH...............................................185
THE EXTERNAL TARGET: MISSIONARY ACTIVITY
......................................................................................198
PATIENCE AND STEADFASTNESS.......................209
TRUSTING IN GOD...................................................220
NOTES.........................................................................221
10. The Prophet in Makkah...........................................223
THE BEGINNING OF THE PROPHET’S PUBLIC
MISSION......................................................................227
THE PROPHET’S CALL............................................235
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Table of Contents
THE APTITUDE OF THE ARABS............................240
THE ALL–PERVASIVENESS OF THE PROPHET’S
MESSAGE....................................................................247
FACTORS WORKING IN FAVOUR OF PREACHING
WORK..........................................................................253
REACTION TO THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM...........260
EXPULSION................................................................273
NOTES.........................................................................281
11. Islam comes to Madinah..........................................285
NOTE...........................................................................290
12. Emigration—From Makkah to Madinah................291
THE EMIGRANTS ARE MADE AT HOME............293
VICTORY OF ISLAM.................................................307
NOTES.........................................................................322
13. Victory and after.......................................................324
NOTES.........................................................................335
14. The Termination of Prophethood...........................337
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Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
Table of Contents
NOTES.........................................................................349
15. The Qur’an—The Prophet’s Miracle.......................351
SOCIAL UPHEAVALS...............................................357
LITERARY ADVANCEMENT..................................369
NOTES.........................................................................382
16. The Companions of the Prophet.............................384
ISLAM WAS SOMETHING THEY LOVED.............384
RECOGNISING THE PROPHET AT THE VERY
BEGINNING...............................................................386
ADHERING TO THE QUR’AN WHEN IT WAS
STILL THE SUBJECT OF CONTROVERSY.............389
SPENDING ONE’S WEALTH FOR THE SAKE OF A
TRUTH WHICH HAS YET TO BE ESTABLISHED392
PLACING ONE’S OWN CROWN ON THE HEAD
OF ANOTHER............................................................394
REALIZING ONE’S OWN LIMITATIONS..............396
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY UPON ONESELF.......398
NOT BEARING GRUDGES.......................................400
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Table of Contents
DOING MORE THAN ONE IS LEGALLY BOUND
TO.................................................................................401
AVOIDING CONTROVERSY, AND
CONCENTRATING ON ONE’S BASIC GOAL......404
BEING CONTENT TO REMAIN IN OBSCURITY..406
RATIONAL DECISIONS, DURING EMOTIONAL
CRISES.........................................................................407
GROWING LIKE A TREE..........................................410
NOTES.........................................................................413
17. Manifestation of Prophethood in the Present Day
and Age...........................................................................414
NOTES.........................................................................439
MUHAMMAD A PROPHET FOR ALL HUMANITY440
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Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
Introduction

INTRODUCTION
In an American publication entitled The Hundred,
the author mentions the one hundred people he
believes to have exerted the greatest influence on
human history. The author, Dr Michael Hart, was
born into a Christian family, and received a
scientific education. But at the top of his roll of
honour he has placed neither Christ’s name, nor
Newton’s. There was one person, he believes,
whose achievements excelled all others: that person
was the Prophet Muhammad. No one else has had
such an impact on the history of man. “He was the
only man in history,” he writes, “who was
supremely successful on both the religious and
secular levels.”1
Just as to the American, Michael Hart, he is the
most outstanding figure of human history, to the
English historian, Thomas Carlyle, he is “the hero of
the Prophets.”
In ancient times, when Abraham and Ishmael were
building the House in Makkah, they prayed for a
prophet among their descendants. 2,500 years later,
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Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
Introduction
this “hero,” the Prophet Muhammad, arose from
the People of Makkah bringing with him special
divine succour. The prayer of Abraham was
fulfilled, and with it the purpose of the prophets’
coming to the world was achieved.
Before Muhammad, history did not carefully record
the lives of the prophets. From a strictly academic
and historical point of view, then, their
prophethood was difficult to establish. The Prophet
Jesus was the last of the ancient line of prophets and
has a following of millions, yet so tenuous is his
historical position that Bertrand Russell has had
occasion to remark: “Historically it is quite doubtful
whether Christ ever existed at all.” This is not the
case with the Prophet Muhammad, the last of the
prophets. His life is so well-documented and clearly
laid down in history that anyone who studies his
life is forced to agree with Professor Philip Hitti
that, “Muhammad was born in the full light of
history.”2
The factor, which makes the greatest contribution to
the permanence of Muhammad’s prophethood, is the
Qur’an, that enduring miracle which was revealed to
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Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
Introduction
him by God. If this miracle had been of the same
order as those bestowed upon his prophetic
predecessors, its effects would not have outlived him,
and his prophethood would not have been accepted
in the way that it was by subsequent generations. A
miracle is a wondrous event which man, on his own,
is unable to produce. This definition applies in full
measure to the Qur’an: it is beyond man even to
emulate it. There is no doubt that the Qur’an is a
miracle wrought by the Almighty.
Muhammad’s role was exceptional in that he was to
be the last of the prophets. It had been so ordained
by God. The final revelation of God’s will was to be
conveyed to the people by him and, for posterity,
the scriptures had to be preserved by him and
subsequently by his devoted followers throughout
the centuries. To ensure this train of events, the
Prophet had to bring about a great revolution that
would give him a following the world over.
Muhammad is the father of no man among
you. He is the Prophet of God and the last of
the prophets. God has knowledge of all
things.3
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