The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets(sa) - Ahmadiyya

617 Pages·2013·7.36 MB·English

The Life & Character of the
Seal of Prophets
(May Peace and Blessings of Allāh be upon him)
VOLUME II
(Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīn)
By
Ḥaḍrat Mirzā Bashīr Aḥmad M.A.
2013
Islam International Publications Ltd.
The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets
An English rendering of Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīnsa — Volume II
Written by Ḥaḍrat Mirzā Bashīr Aḥmad M.A.
First Published in English in UK in 2013
Translated by: Ayyaz Mahmood Khan
© Islam International Publications Ltd.
Published by:
Islam International Publications Ltd.
(Additional Wakālat-e-Taṣnīf)
Islamabad, Sheephatch Lane
Tilford, Surrey
GU10 2AQ
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording or any information storage and
retrieval system, without prior written
permission from the publisher.
For further information please visit www.alislam.org
ISBN: 978 1 84880 094 6
About the Author
Ḥaḍrat Mirzā Bashīr Aḥmadra was born to the Promised Messiahas on
April 20, 1893, according to the Divine prophecy:
“The Moon of the Prophets will arrive and your affair will become manifest...
Soon a son will be born to you and grace will come close to you.”
He passed his matriculation with distinction in 1910 and did M.A.
(Arabic) in 1916 in compliance with the wish of the Promised Messiahas.
The blessings of Allāh which accompanied him, the prayers of the
Promised Messiahas in his favour, the guidance given to him by his elder
brother, Ḥaḍrat Khalīfatul-Masīḥ IIra, and his God-given abilities enabled him to
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II
serve the Aḥmadiyya Muslim Jamā‘at throughout his life in various capacities.
He was a great religious scholar and a prolific writer. His books, articles
and speeches are easily comprehensible even for the average reader. He wrote
on a number of topics; and his magnum opus is Sīrat Khātamun-Nabiyyīn.
Moreover, Sīratul-Mahdī, Silsila-e-Aḥmadiyyah, Tablīgh-e-Hidāyat, Kalimatul-
Faṣl and Hamāra Khudā are some of his significant works.
Apart from his books, he contributed many articles, the number of
which runs into the hundreds, to Jamā‘at dailies and periodicals - especially the
Al-Faḍl.
He was a man of God and the recipient of Divine revelations and visions,
but he would not disclose them, except rarely. One of his revelations was
مكیلع مالسلا i.e., ‘Peace be upon you’, and another one was:
Meaning, “Rise Muḥammadī, the time of your eminence has drawn near.”
He passed away on September 2, 1963 at the age of 71.
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Table of Contents
About the Author..............................................................................................iii
Publishers’ Note .................................................................................................xi
Foreword ...........................................................................................................xv
Preface - Volume II .......................................................................................xvii
Map of Arabia ..................................................................................................xxi
I - Early Establishment of Madīnah and Foundation of the Islāmic Government
State of Madinah .................................................................................................................................................1
Arrival in Qubā’ - 20 September 622 A.D. .........................................................................................5
Arrival at Madīnah and the First Friday Prayer ..............................................................................8
Residence at the Home of Abū Ayyūb ............................................................................................11
Construction of Masjid-e-Nabawī ..................................................................................................12
Commencement of Adhān ..............................................................................................................15
Increase in the Rak‘āt of Ṣalāt ........................................................................................................16
First Muslim From Among the Jews ...............................................................................................18
First Muslim From Among the People of Persia .............................................................................20
Non-Muslim Leaders of the Aus and Khazraj ................................................................................21
Brotherhood of the Anṣār and Muhājirīn ......................................................................................22
Division of Society in Madīnah and Treaty with the Jews .............................................................25
Threatening Letter from the Quraish to the Idolaters of Madīnah ................................................27
Threat of Abū Jahl ..........................................................................................................................29
Death of Walīd bin Mughīrah and Bloody Intentions of the Quraish ............................................30
Nights of Fear in Madīnah .............................................................................................................31
Unified Opposition of the Arab Tribes and Delicate State of the Muslims .....................................32
First Child of the Muhājirīn after Migration and Affection of the Holy Prophetsa .........................35
Demise of Two Chieftains From Among the Anṣār .........................................................................36
Death of Two Enemies of Islām ......................................................................................................36
II - Commencement of Jihād by the Sword and Fundamental Discussion on
Jihād
Does Islām Permit Compulsion in the Matter of Religion? .............................................................40
State of Muslims at the Commencement of Jihād Refutes the Notion of Compulsion ....................44
No Individual Has Ever Been Coerced to Become Muslim ..............................................................44
Lives of the Companions Reject the Notion of Compulsion ............................................................48
Desire of the Holy Prophetsa to Reconcile Rejects the Notion of Compulsion ..................................49
Muslims Achieved Exceptional Progress During a Time of Peace ..................................................51
Hundreds of Disbelievers Remained Averse to Islām at the Victory of Makkah ............................52
v
Causes of War .................................................................................................................................53
First Qur’ānic Verse Regarding Jihād ............................................................................................61
Holy Qur’ān as the Most Authentic Historical Evidence ................................................................63
Some Additional Qur’ānic Verses Relevant to Jihād ......................................................................65
Some Fundamental Narrations Relevant to Jihād by the Sword ...................................................69
Manner of War in Arabia ...............................................................................................................76
Categories of the Islāmic Wars .......................................................................................................77
Etiquette of Islāmic Jihād ...............................................................................................................78
Commencement of Jihād & Precautionary Measures of the Holy Prophetsa ...................................89
III - Early Battles, Commencement of Fasting, Alteration of the Qiblah and
Initial Discussion on the Battle of Badr
Commencement of Ghazwāt and Sarāyah and the Ghazwah of Waddān - Ṣafar 2 A.H. ...............97
Sariyyah of ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Ḥārithra- Rabī‘ul-Awwal 2 A.H. ........................................................99
Sariyyah of Ḥamzah bin ‘Abdil-Muṭṭalibra - Rabī‘ul-Awwal 2 A.H. .............................................100
Ghazwah of Buwāṭ - Rabī‘ul-Ākhir 2 A.H. ....................................................................................101
Ghazwah of ‘Ushairah & Sariyyah of Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqāṣ - Jamādiyul-Ūlā 2 A.H. ....................101
Attack of Kurz bin Jābir and Ghazwah of Safwān - Jamādiyul-Ākhir 2 A.H. ...............................101
Sariyyah of ‘Abdullāh bin Jaḥsh towards Nakhlah ......................................................................102
Alteration of the Qiblah................................................................................................................108
Fasting in Ramaḍān .....................................................................................................................111
‘Īdul-Fiṭr .......................................................................................................................................113
Introductory Discussion Relevant to the Battle of Badr ...............................................................115
IV - Battle of Badr, Establishment of the Islāmic Empire and Destruction of
the Chieftains of the Quraish
Battle of Badr - Ramaḍān 2 A.H. (March 623 A.D.) .......................................................................131
Effect of Badr Upon the Idolaters of Madīnah ..............................................................................172
Victory of the Byzantine Empire and Prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa .........................................173
V - Conduct of the Holy Prophetsa with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue
of Slavery
Issue of Slavery and the Holy Prophetsa .......................................................................................177
Teaching of the Holy Prophetsa Regarding the Betterment of Existing Slaves .............................180
Teaching of the Holy Prophetsa Regarding the Manumission of Existing Slaves .........................187
Permanent System for the Manumission of Slaves ......................................................................194
Doctrine Relevant to Freed Slaves ................................................................................................198
How Did the Muslims Act upon the Teaching of the Manumission of Slaves ..............................200
All Doors of Advancement were Open to Freed Slaves .................................................................202
Why Were All Slaves Not Freed at Once? .....................................................................................204
Why Did Slavery Continue to Remain in Islāmic Countries? .......................................................211
A Final Testament of the Holy Prophetsa Regarding Slaves..........................................................212
Teaching of the Holy Prophetsa to Prevent Future Slavery ..........................................................213
vi
Issue of Prisoners of War ..............................................................................................................216
Is it Permissible for Prisoners to be executed? .............................................................................225
Specific Issue Relating to Bond-Women .......................................................................................227
A Question of Female Prisoners ....................................................................................................230
VI - Rukhsatānah of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra and an Exposition of Her Age at the
Time, the Issue of Polygamy and Two Fabricated Incidents
Rukhsatānah of Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra - Month of Shawwāl 2 A.H. ....................................................237
Polygamy Practiced by the Holy Prophetsa and its Wisdoms .......................................................250
Two Fabricated Incidents .............................................................................................................266
VII - Commencement of War with the Tribes of Najd and the Jews, the
Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Fāṭimah and Ḥafṣah, and a Few Miscellaneous Incidents
Ghazwah Qarqaratul-Kudr - Shawwāl 2 A.H. ..............................................................................277
Ghazwah of Sawīq - Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H. ........................................................................................279
‘Īdul-Aḍḥā - Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H. ....................................................................................................280
Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Fāṭimahra - Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H. .....................................................................281
Ghazwah of Banū Qainuqā‘ - Late 2 A.H. .....................................................................................284
Jannatul-Baqī‘ and the First Person to be Buried Therein ...........................................................291
Ghazwah of Dhi ‘Amr - Muḥarram or Ṣafar 3 A.H. ......................................................................292
Marriage of Ummi Kulthūmra - Rabī‘ul-Awwal 3 A.H. .................................................................293
Ghazwah of Buḥrān - Rabī‘ul-Awwal 3 A.H. ................................................................................294
Sariyyah of Zaid bin Ḥārithahra Towards Qaradah - Jamādiyul-Ākhirah 3 A.H. ........................296
Execution of Ka‘b bin Ashraf - Jamādiyul-Ākhirah 3 A.H. ...........................................................297
Is Falsehood and Deception Permitted in War?............................................................................307
Marriage of Ḥafṣah bint ‘Umarra - Sha‘bān 3 A.H. .......................................................................311
Birth of Imām Ḥasan - Ramaḍān 3 A.H. .......................................................................................315
VIII - Blow of a Misfortune, Law of Inheritance, Prohibition of Alcohol,
Treachery of the Disbelievers and Two Tragic Incidents
Battle of Uḥud - Shawwāl 3 A.H. (March 624 A.D.) .......................................................................319
Ghazwah of Ḥamrā’ul-Asad .........................................................................................................350
Outcomes of the Battle of Uḥud ...................................................................................................353
Islāmic Law of Inheritance ...........................................................................................................355
Prohibition of Alcohol...................................................................................................................357
Mischief by the Banū Asad and the Sariyyah of Abū Salamah - Muḥarram 4 A.H. ....................360
Mischief of the Banū Laḥyān and Execution of Sufyān - Muḥarram 4 A.H. ................................361
Treachery of the Disbelievers and the Incident of Rajī‘ - Ṣafar 4 A.H. .........................................363
Incident of Bi‘r-e-Ma‘ūnah ...........................................................................................................367
vii
IX - Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy
Qur’ān, Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainabra, the Great Calumny and Mischief of
the Hypocrites
Exile of the Banū Naḍīr - Rabī‘ul-Awwal 4 A.H. ...........................................................................377
Ḥaḍrat Ummul-Mu’minīn Zainab bint Khuzaimahra ..................................................................385
Birth of Ḥusainra - Sha‘bān 4 A.H. ................................................................................................386
Ghazwah of Badrul-Mau‘id - Dhū Qa‘dah ....................................................................................386
Marriage to Ummi Salamahra - Shawwāl 4 A.H. ...........................................................................388
Personal Scribe of the Holy Prophetsa and Learning Hebrew .......................................................390
Compilation of the Qur’ān ............................................................................................................390
Sequence of the Holy Qur’ān ........................................................................................................393
The Holy Prophetsa as an International Judge ..............................................................................400
Mother of Ḥaḍrat ‘Alīra Passes Away ............................................................................................401
Ghazwah of Dummatul-Jandal and a New Addition to the Islāmic Wars - Rabī‘ul-Awwal 5 A.H. .....
......................................................................................................................................................401
Lunar Eclipse in Madīnah and Ṣalāt-e-Khusūf ............................................................................404
Famine in Makkah and Compassion of the Holy Prophetsa Towards the Quraish ........................405
Marriage of Zainab bint Jaḥashra - 5 A.H. ....................................................................................406
Revelation of Injunctions Regarding Pardah ...............................................................................411
Remaining Events Relevant to the Marriage of Ḥaḍrat Zainabra .................................................415
Would the Holy Prophetsa Concoct Revelation According to His Own Will? .................................422
Ghazwah of Banū Muṣṭaliq and the Great Calumny - Sha‘bān 5 A.H. .........................................426
The Great Calumny ......................................................................................................................433
Marriage of Juwairiyah bint Hārithra ...........................................................................................443
Permission for Birth Control.........................................................................................................445
X - Siege of Madīnah and Delicate State of the Muslims, Failure of the
Disbelievers and Reality of Miracles
Battle of the Confederates or Battle of the Ditch - Shawwāl 5 A.H. (February/March 627 A.D.) ........
......................................................................................................................................................449
Reality of Miracles ........................................................................................................................457
Remaining Events Relevant to the Ghazwah of the Ditch ............................................................463
XI - Treachery of the Banū Quraiẓah and the End of the Jews in Madīnah,
Laws of Marriage and Divorce
Ghazwah of Banū Quraiẓah - Dhu Qa‘dah 5 A.H. (March/April 627 A.D.) ...................................485
False Incident of Raiḥānah ...........................................................................................................496
Account of Banū Quraiẓah and Non-Muslim Historians .............................................................498
Demise of the Head Chieftain of the Ansār and Reality of the Bounties of Paradise ....................507
Reality of the Bounties of Paradise ...............................................................................................509
Various Miscellaneous Incidents of 5 A.H. ...................................................................................511
Attention of the Holy Prophetsa towards Military Exercise ..........................................................512
Islāmic Law of Marriage and Divorce ..........................................................................................513
viii
XII - First Era of Life in Madīnah Comes to an End and the Islāmic System
of Government
The Dawn of a New Era ................................................................................................................533
Islāmic System of Government .....................................................................................................535
True Right of Government Rests with the Majority and Reaches Individuals Through Democracy ..
......................................................................................................................................................536
Consultation is Necessary in Government....................................................................................537
How was the Khilāfat of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra and Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra Established? ............................539
Khilāfat of the Banū Umayyah was not a True Islāmic Khilāfat .................................................542
Conditions for the Appointment of a Successor ...........................................................................543
Can A Person Resign from Leadership? ........................................................................................544
The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between
Religious and Secular Rulers ........................................................................................................545
Islāmic Standard of Obedience .....................................................................................................548
Deposition of a Government is Not Permissible Whilst Living Under its Rule .............................551
Is the Right of Leadership Specific to the Quraish? ......................................................................553
Relations with Non-Muslims ........................................................................................................558
Religious Tolerance ......................................................................................................................561
The Issue of Jizyah........................................................................................................................563
General Treatment and Political Relations ..................................................................................566
Justice and Equity ........................................................................................................................568
Aid for Destitute Dhimmīs ............................................................................................................569
Regard for Sentiments ..................................................................................................................569
Reverence for the Religious Leaders of Other Nations .................................................................570
Glossary of Terms .............................................................................575
Index of Subject Matter .....................................................................583
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