The Living Thoughts of the Prophet Muhammad - Ahmadiyya

163 Pages·2008·6.04 MB·English

by  Maulana Muhammad Ali

THE LIVING THOUGHTS
OF THE PROPHET
MUHAMMAD

Maulana Muhammad “Ati

AUTHOR OF
tn English Teaotation ofthe Holy Quan with Comonantory (ath
Arabic tet, The Religion of ten, Mihanenaa she Prophet, Early
Calihan, Living Thoughts ofthe Poaphet Muboonmad, The Babi
Moremenh a Manwat of Hadith English): Bayon al-Qas‘n- Une
‘Translaion und Commcataty of the Qu in thee vuluces, Pad
ab Bart Transttion snd Commentary Of Sakti akin lt),
er.

Pubtised in USA, by

‘Atadiyya Anjuman Isha Tsien Lahore Ine. (US. 4.)
SES Kingsyute Rose, Columbus, kin 13226 118.

992

www.aaiil.org
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tie abana. Anjomsa la (ear mass Suet Be
raat of ie, Be Labor Paki, sail Ma BS

Chrveduopranaa oti ent trey arson ak ace
tice IPM 4a proces ats aces ala
{laser EP ad fs us Mi ise fy at he or
elma) ty cenaeonn sek °Chah pa era hed pay Pe
bn aed teased ond we we a eo scl ad

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“quads rig. 20 he mots Fan of anki, ne 4 Wa

‘peri, Keywoal Dac

Sule.

Lina Gerpesend culos ae 1GtI9
KIN ONTEL 6
Cantems
Fronstteraing
Pretacy Note

A Hot Skoteb atthe Prophet's Lite
Faith in Gud
The Oneness af vais
“The Diguity of Manhood.
Prayer t9 God

he Service of Hanis
Chaney
Charsoter Bulking
wea
Work and Laue
Home Lite
Tue Site

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‘Transliteration

Below is explained tho sytem af ransiteaton of proper names

and Arabic wunls ag adopted inthis book. L follows the nos osemt
rulesrecognizedly European Oritalits with very slight variations.

weapon

stands for haniea, sounding Hike bin hour, a sore ef catch in
tals fo ‘any sounding ike song guttural ame.
‘ads ke ines.

sound like in fuer

Sends ikea in mc; resent fia ore yi
sounds between cu in auto und in more represents a the
betoae ne

sands For dai, boing softer than

Sal fr a counding borssn ands

sands for ghan (sot guttural 2)

rounds like in how

Smoqth gute pirate, sounds Like byt is sharper.
souads 48a pi

sounds a5 ain ep,

sinads a6 in gm

tans fr ka, sends Hke crite Sch wo oe
ands for yak song aricalated guttural

stunds for sad. suonly articulated ike sn hss.
stands for shin, sounding ike oh she.

sounds Tike Taian dental, softer an

strongly atilsted palatal

sours bee bin thing und

sons ike w in

souads Like in mor

steunglyaetieoate patatal 2

Olle eters sound acm Enghish
Prefatory Note

‘hs following brief sketch ofthe life the Pmphet Muhammad,
the eefomation fe fought abou and the great sas wich he gave
lw the srl are bated almost entirely on the Holy Quran. "The
Propher’sbest-knewn narmeis Muhanad which means the praised
‘ne Another nams by which he wis known is Abid which means
the pratting one. The Quian. properly Que" the nae the
Scripture which the Prophet claimed te have been revealed whim by
Go. This tov isa significant name, sud means ht ior told be
senor recited. Te cae ofthe igion which te Prophet preached
is Isai, which again ia significant ame and means enter ne
‘ene he follower of his igi scaled a Must, which menos
fone who has found peace. ‘The term: Myhammidsn sad
Muhamimudanism havenever ea in gue among the follnwers uF
‘his religion

The Holy Qua was revealed tothe Prophet piecemeal ducing
‘petiod ut twenty-hnee yeu, Foc the Fontcth year of life 0 lik
lath. Ia divided inta 144 ctapiers, each chapter being called a
dra." agg chapters ate sub-divided nc settiuns, exch section
hea calle a ru. Bach vhapice enacisy uf w sumher of verses
he chapters ae of unequal length, the longest chapter comtuining
show oneself the entre book while dhe smalls contains only
‘hres verses. Some of the chapters were revealed cae, but the
-evelation of he mnjorty of the larger chapters extended over sears,
and some ofthe sualer ones ser alsa vealed in pieces. When a
“elgpter was vealed in pans, the Prophet speited the place of the
verse ur verers revealed. Thus the acraementa the verses in cagh
‘haper as eniely his ws. The arangeme nt Of the chaptces wis
abe the Peoghet's own work, Every pa esealed was both writen
down and committed n canary, 28 Seon 38 it was ese. by the
Propher's wompuninas. The whole of the Quran aeconting $9 the
Pruphor's anangerment wat safe in the memories of men in the
Prophet's lec, while the weten manuscripts were gathered
” “Tei Thanh ie ap Mata

together mumesiately fer his deat, by the ors of ABE Bakr, as
first sueceseor. Therefue. ll Muslin wherevar they may be Bing
have the same Quin,

About tworhids of the Holy Qoran sae roveuled at Mecca
‘where the Propet paste thitten year of hit ite ar the Cal, anc
hou mne-third a Medina vliere be passed the Tat con years of his
Tite. In arrangement the chapters revealed a Mecca a
‘with dase revealed at Medina, The following thle wi
reader an approaimate dew the isterical order of ree'ation af the
‘haptess a8 they sand in the presert amcangene
arly Mecca period 60 copies: 1, 17-21, S186, 67-108, 111

fry
Middle Mecea period 17 eters: 28-22, 34-34, 40-06,
lage Mecca period 3 chaplers 6,7, 10-16, 22, 3, 25-78
arly Medina period 6 chapter: 2.8.47, 61, 62, 64
Middle Mein peril 12 chayleass 38,24, 33,48, 57-460, 63, 68.
Last Medina perind — Achaplem: 9,49, 66, LUO

“Ths Holy Quran isthe chief. and aditely the most elie,
some ofthe Prone’ teaching. the principles being alli ew
init Sunna Git, aay or rafe ormnmer of acting, which east
Prophet's practice, va sscondary source of what the Prophet ght
isdn TierTly meses suing, hut in is technical sense i is Oe
rureution or record of Suna In effect Suna and Hadith cover the
same ground and are applicable 0 the Prophets wetfons, practices
und susigs, but lath is der erm ascii, in adiion to
the record of the Progle’s ractices. graphics! ad alswrical
Clements. Sunna ur Minis was resngized from ehe very begining,
ta affording guidance in religious water, and is nse its Force ws
Taw und ie prevervation are all aceabe to the life-time of the
Prone, thigh undoubtedly Hail elletins in book form cure
aes

he collection of Hadi passe daough Ave stoges before ic
ssid the farin of Musa and Jom’, The fle wings 2
‘kno edge of Heth a peter en, and it not only aramges repos
PRR AIORY MUTE wt

acconting ty theirsubjee mater, whieh isnt th: i Muni,
but i ako of a more eritisl tone. Sis ealectivns of Hadith are
recognized w ths class by the AML Suna as reliable, comaonly
known as Bokbir, Muslin, Aisa Dist Tirnilh, Iba Maja and
[Nat OF those Bakshi i i isn poi of Ge isthe
most exiisal alse, 43d ondeubredly oxsupies the fist pli i
resaity. In this teatise Rikhari hs heew refered ko more
Frequently than any ether collection Occasionally the Mishka,
‘ich isa collseion af Hadith taken fiom the above sn bucks and
one uthercalectnns, sich 5 Ball Da Quill eta haben
tanslated into bogs, has. also been sete

All zeferonces gre i this atige witha an indication of dhs
name are the Holy Quan, te is Face mresening the mur
cf the chapter and the second figure the sumer ofthe vers. All
hor refermnces are dicated by mame, In tke reference to Hach
collections, the fis figure represents the aumnber of the hook al the
scoond the umber of the chaps

MUHAMMAD ALT

MIsLiM tows
AGRE, INI
Chapter 1

A Brief Sketch of the
Prophet’s Life

1k was in tbe your 871 of the Christian Era thatthe Prophet
Muhanad vas Born, on the 12 ofthe lunar month Rabi, De
ame of he noblest fray of Aria he Quran, who were hel
the highes esteem, being yunrdians of the Sacred Hause a Mecca,
the Kea, the sirtuat cena ofthe whole uf Acabis, At thet ul
his th Arabia was steeped deep inthe worst frm a olay that
has ever provaite in any tourtry. The Karbaitvelf wae Fil of ios,
and every honseholdhac. in addon, its ownidals, Unhevwn stones,
wees and ays wf sand ere alsa worshipped. In spite this al
sand deep-rooted idolatry, the Armbe were, as Uoaivonh Shih
feenarks, maniac. “Lat ed dri" a he ays, "he epicure
lune ofthe majority uf he paems tha hve come dose tu.” There
wan prachealy no faith in the Fite after death, no feciug, of
responsiiliy for one's actions. The Ansby, kunsevce, Believed in
demons, an Uiscases were atiborod 19 the lluenee of vil pis
Tgnorance prevailed army the high a well the lo, sa mech 30
"ths nabest of men could boast of kis igmarunce, Thee was no
‘moral endo, and vice was rampant The senual Slatin ware loowe,
Obscene poems und songs wos recited in public assemblies, There
as no punishment for adultery, nr any anal sanction aginst i
Prosctutou had auhing dishonoarableubact ca that leading men
ould keee brates. Wormen were "in the mast degraded postion,
‘worse even than hat in which hey were aner dhe laws of Mam in
Higdustan."' Wompan ya looked on a8 x eve chal. tnstead of
luavng any vight to inheritance 9 prepety, her own person fomted

1. taco Sit
a “TU PROHIEE MUKAMAAD

par ofthe inheritance, and the eit could dispoe of her use lke,
fven if hee not care to Lake Ie 38a wife, Thre was 9 sete,
_govemment, no forthe ad and might was preci ight. The
‘Amis helonged to one race ail spake one language, yet they were
the most disunited people, THbe made war on ike, and furily on
fail, onthe most Givial excuse. Te strong among them angled
upon the rights uf the weak, and te weak could not get hei W085
erent, The widow andthe orptan were quite helpless and slaves
‘were ied most ervlly.

Ammongst hie aople was born Mufsramad, ap orphan from his
hie, she lost ven is mother when six years old. He came uf the
nobles arly ofthe Qumush et, ike the est of hs crane, he
‘warane taught nding and wriliag, He tended sheep for some ce,
and thenobles fhe dbs a0 contempt foethar occupation. but
in hs youth he wa ehietly accupied i tad. It vas, hovcver, his
igh morals thal ditingusbed i fiom the firs fra all his
compaliues, The Holy Quran, which contains the mast cuxtwarthy
account of the Prophet's He, says dat he was tho "postessor of
sublime moras’ Leading genemlly 4 reserved tie, be had for
fiends ony those men whune taoral greatness wns smite hy al
“ic tnuthfulness is testified ia ihe eletest oes? His bisceost
‘opponents were challenged lo puinl ow a single back spot on his
cchwracter during the Faty years thar he bad. passed among them
before be reoived the Divine call It was in his youth ut, cn
account of his poe and unsaid character and is Tove fori and
hmesty. re won from bis competing te tle of alm, or the
ulti. Living ia counts in which idol-worship was the basis of
the everyday feof the commutity; Muarard ted daly Tro
tix shildhood, wnd the Toly Qurse is again eur authority forth
satoment that he never bent his forehead before an idol! Even Sie
‘Wikia Muic bears testimony 10 the purty of hie charactor i his
youth: "Our authorities all agree in atoribing to the youth af
Muhumenad a malealy of depormcat and purty of manners care
sarong the Mecvans.” Andagain; "Endowed wich avefined inland

2 4 om A SI
A MRILY SKETCH OFTHE PROFHET'S Lik 3

‘elieat taste, reserved al meditative be lved nach within himell,
and the pondaring of his heart no doubt supplied occupation fot
Teisure boars spenc by ethers of w low stump in rude spams and
profliguey: The fair characler and honourable bearings of the
tenohtrasive youth von the ayprokaiouothisellose-ciizens: and by
common consent he vee the il af a-amaus he Fil.”

Though le fivedin uciyin which drinking orgles were only tow
commnion, never didadrop af wine iehhislipe Fven AbC Bake te,
‘mast incite Gen of uhanrmaa’s youth, never tasted sine. The
Society at Meoeu found plassure ih gambling, yet mover did
‘Mohamad uke par in any such pastime. Ie lived among, peozle
who were addicted to waras they were adic wine, yet he ad
no king or eihes:

Toquore Miuie ain, “though now nerly Gren yeur of age he
Jnad not aye the love of eas.” Perforce, he had ta Uke part om
‘ne occasion in Ue famous sxriegians warthtcoatinued fr tour
yams beeen the Qurash athe Bawzin et edd mo none
‘gather up acrows Dot came fram the enemy and han hem over to
his vacles. He didnot even tke ta tdiig Far Jove of wealth hut
singly oul of regard fore vrcle Ab Talib, whi be lvewe help,
Thus sigs Mic: “Muhsrmmad was never covelous of went, or at
vy petiod of his carer energetic in che pursuit of riches for thelr
wn sake. IC lel to mse, he sould probably have prefered the
‘iel and repose of his presen Tie tothe bussle and cars of @
rmercanlleourney. He wotlk! not spontaneously have contemplated
such an expedition. Bur whe the proposal wan mud. hie gens
soul alonce fet the necessity of doing ll hat was possible torso
bis uncle and he choerftlyeesponded lathe cll.”

Above alls eae life as marked by tha rae characteristic.
aes ofall in Aeshia a he Um, love ofthe poor, the orphan, the
‘widow the weak, th helpfes andthe slave, Before he had affine
of means, he was ae ofthe raenbers who took arth to stand Dy
the oppressed and Formed themselves into. Ig as champions uf
the injured. When at twenty-ive he married a wealthy widow:
‘Sta, he spene freely Cord lp ofthe poor. Na stave came nko
the Rousehoid but was st Free by him. He Bad soquied such a farne