In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Prophet Muhammad
(Peace be upon him & his progeny)
By
Dr. Syed H. Akhtar
Austin, Texas
Introduction: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him & his
progeny) is the Prophet of Islam and the last prophet that God sent to
ma
nki
n
d.Hei
sc
on
s
i
de
r
e
dt
he“
Se
a
loft
h
ePr
op
he
t
s
,
”wh
i
c
hme
a
ns
the bringer of the final revelations from God, and God will not send
another prophet after him.
TheQur
’
a
n,t
h
edi
v
i
ne
l
yr
e
ve
a
l
e
ds
c
r
i
p
t
ur
et
ha
ti
st
hea
c
t
ua
lwor
dof
God in the Arabic language, describes him in many honorable terms,
s
uc
ha
s
,“
Thebe
s
te
xa
mpl
et
of
o
l
l
ow,
”“
Me
r
c
yt
ot
hewo
r
l
ds
,
”a
n
d
“
Onas
u
b
l
i
memor
a
l
i
t
y
.
”I
nt
hef
o
l
l
owi
n
gpa
ge
s
,a
na
t
t
e
mptwi
l
lbe
made to review how he conducted himself to earn those praises
bestowed on him by the Lord of the universe.
Brief life history of Prophet Muhammad. He was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, then
called Hijaz, in 560 A.D. Shortly after, he became an orphan, and was raised by his
uncle, Abu Talib. He had no formal education and there is no documentation that he was
taught to read or write before he declared his prophet hood. The Arabs of that region
were very backward, illiterate, immoral, and cruel. They were polytheists and idolworshippers.
As a young man, Muhammad kept aloof from others and did not participate in pagan
rituals and popular cultural activities. He frequently went to a cave known as Hira in
order to meditate and seek nearness to God. At the age of forty, he received the first
revelations from God, through Angel Gabriel. From that point on, he declared that there
was only one God and that he was the Prophet of God.
The pagan establishment vehemently opposed him. They offered him authority, honor,
gold and silver, and any earthly pleasures that he desired, in order to stop preaching
about one God and preaching against idol worship. Prophet Muhammad outright refused
these offers, stating that if they put the sun in his right hand and moon in his left hand, he
would not renounce his mission to preach about the one God. His followers were
tortured and some of them were brutally killed. He and his followers were banished from
his home city, isolated, and faced hardship and hunger. He finally emigrated to Medina,
where he was welcomed, and there he established himself.
He subsequently fought several defensive wars waged against him by the pagans of
Mecca, who were determined to kill him and root out the new religion. He successfully
defended himself and his religion with a small rag tag force of his followers against a
well trained and well equipped much larger force, on several occasions. Near the end of
his life, he finally returned to Mecca, his hometown, with 10,000 followers, and secured
it without a fight. To the astonishment of the surrendered Meccans, he declared general
amnesty. No retribution was exacted, even from those who had committed serious
crimes.
Thus, in a short period of 10 years, Muhammad had established Islam in the greater part
of Arabia and brought law and order and decency to a people known for their
lawlessness, ignorance, and immorality. The world has yet to produce another example
ofama
nwi
t
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ha
mma
d’
sa
c
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ompl
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me
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me
r
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a
l
leader, a general, an administrator, a judge, a revolutionary, and a moralist, all in one.
Besides, he was humble, forgiving, and demonstrated the highest degree of truthfulness.
He practiced what he preached. He was, and still is, loved and adored by millions.
People were ready to lay down their lives readily for him. He brought respect, dignity,
and legal status to women. He broke the barriers of tribalism, race, color, culture,
ancestry, power, and wealth. He declared that all humankind was equal, and that the
nearest to God and noblest in His sight was the one with the greatest piety. He brought a
revolution, which continues to influence the destiny of humanity. The message that he
br
o
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gh
ti
nt
h
ef
or
m ofs
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r
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,t
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a
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sal
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me
nt
,wh
i
c
hc
o
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i
nu
e
st
o
influence men, bring them wisdom, guidance, and draw them closer to the one true God.
Muhammad as a youth. He refused to associate with people of his age in vain and
immoral cultural practices of his time. As a young adult, he was dignified, soft-spoken,
and considerate. He was so honest and trustworthy that he gained the respect of his peers
a
n
dt
hes
oc
i
e
t
y
,
a
nde
a
r
ne
dt
het
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eof“
a
l
-Ami
n,
”me
a
ni
ng“
t
het
r
u
s
t
e
d.
”
Muhammad the Prophet: He was focused, consistent, extremely patient, kind, and
forgiving. He withstood the hatred and insults of his people and never retaliated in kind.
During his banishment, he and his followers were socially and economically boycotted,
and they underwent hunger, deprivation, and isolation. He kept the morale of his
followers high and bore the hardships equally with the rest of his people, with full trust
in the Divine Will.
Muhammad the Statesman. He conducted the affairs of state with a great amount of
diplomacy and wisdom. He sent emissaries to Roman and Persian monarchs, and other
governments near and far. He received ambassadors and delegations from other
countries. They went away impressed and, in many instances, embraced his teachings.
2
Muhammad the Commander in Chief. He fought wars, planned strategies, and
actively participated in armed conflicts to defend himself and the new faith. A single
defeat in any of the wars would have resulted in his death and an end to his mission.
Muhammad as Judge: He judged impartially, with due consideration to all the parties
involved. His decisions were based upon justice, compassion, and strictly upon divine
laws. He did not permit nepotism, favoritism, or partisanship to interfere with justice.
The rich, the poor, the lowly, the mighty, the privileged, and the downtrodden felt safe
and secure under his administration.
Muhammad the Lawgiver. Under his administration, criminal and civil laws were
e
s
t
a
b
l
i
s
he
db
a
s
e
du
po
nt
h
eQur
’
a
n
i
ci
n
j
unc
t
i
o
ns
.Th
e
s
el
a
wswe
r
ec
ompr
e
he
n
s
i
ve
,
addressing all situations. Many of the laws were based upon established Abrahamic and
Mosaic religious laws.
Muhammad as a teacher.Hi
skn
owl
e
dg
ea
n
du
n
de
r
s
t
a
n
di
ng oft
heQu
r
’
a
n wa
s
unmatched. He taught morals, ethics, mannerism, and civility to the uncultured Arabs of
his time. He had remarkable tact and never belittled even the most ignorant and
uncultured inquirer.
Muhammad the family man. He was kind and respectful to his wives and promoted
respect and kindness to parents. Arabs at that time used to bury alive their newborn girls
out of shame. He forbade that practice, and taught that the education and raising of
daughters was a virtuous act. He dealt with his wives with kindness and compassion, and
was frequently seen participating in house chores.
Muhammad the ruler of Arabia. From an orphan, to pauper, then persecuted, then a
refugee, then head of state, and finally the ruler of nearly all Arabia, he did not change
his demeanor. He continued to be humble and unpretentious. He was readily accessible.
Bedouin Arabs used to call upon him, and even sometimes rebuked him based on their
poor understanding of Islam. He showed the utmost amount of patience in dealing with
them.
Muhammad’
smi
s
s
i
onac
c
ompl
i
s
he
d. In his lifetime, the religion of Islam as taught by
him was completed and perfected. Islam became the religion of most of Arabia. This
accomplishment is unparalleled in the history of mankind. No prophet before him could
claim success like that of Muhammad. During their lifetime, their own people essentially
rejected the two great prophets, Moses and Jesus.
Great discoveries. Based on the teachings of Muhammad, the Arab Muslims made great
strides in various fields of human knowledge. At the time when Europe was in the dark
ages, universities and schools in Baghdad, Iraq were busy in research and discoveries in
3
nearly all field of human knowledge, including astronomy, physics, mathematics, and
medicine. Students from all over the world came to study there.
TheSc
r
i
pt
ur
eQur
’
an. Mu
ha
mma
d’
sl
e
ga
c
yi
sn
otc
o
nf
i
ne
dt
ot
h
er
e
l
i
g
i
ont
ha
th
e
brought, which is practiced by one-fifth of the world population, but includes the book,
Qur
’
a
n.I
ti
sabook that is unique in many ways. It was revealed over 23 years, yet has
no contradictions in it. It is preserved, unaltered, over 1400 years, through being
memorized by the faithful, word for word. It is a living book, in terms of language and
contents. It continues to inspire people of all religions and all walks of life. Its poetic
contents and rhythmic recitation are pleasing to the ear of even unaccustomed and nonArabic speaking listeners. The scientific knowledge contai
n
e
di
nt
heQur
’
a
ni
sn
ot
ou
t
da
t
e
d,
e
ve
nbyt
o
d
a
y
’
ss
t
a
nda
r
d
s
.
Mus
l
i
ms
’r
e
g
ar
df
o
rMuhammad.Thes
c
r
i
p
t
u
r
eQur
’
a
ne
nj
o
i
n
st
ot
a
lo
be
di
e
nc
et
o
Prophet Muhammad. A believer is commanded to show him the utmost respect.
Whenever his mere name is mentioned, the believer sends peace upon him, and
i
n
v
oke
sGod’
sb
l
e
s
s
i
ngu
p
onh
i
m.TheQur
’
a
nc
l
e
a
r
l
ys
t
a
t
e
st
h
a
tt
hePr
o
ph
e
tha
s
greater right on the believers than they have on their own lives. With this knowledge,
non-Muslims may understand why Muslims are sensitive about any adverse
comments about the Prophet.
Thef
o
l
l
owi
n
gq
u
ot
e
sf
r
om t
heQur
’
a
ns
h
o
wt
hes
t
a
t
usofPr
o
ph
e
tMuh
a
mma
di
nt
h
e
eyes of God, as a reminder to the believers.
“Andmo
s
ts
ur
e
l
yy
o
u(
Pr
o
ph
e
t
)c
o
nf
or
mt
os
u
bl
i
memo
r
a
l
i
t
y
.
”Cha
p
t
e
r6
8,
v
e
r
s
e4
“Su
r
e
l
yGo
dan
dHi
sang
e
l
sb
l
e
s
st
hePr
o
ph
e
t
;O’y
o
uwh
obe
l
i
e
v
e
!Cal
lf
or(
di
v
i
ne
)
bl
e
s
s
i
n
gsonhi
man
ds
a
l
ut
ehi
mwi
t
ha(
be
c
omi
n
g)s
al
u
t
a
t
i
o
n.
”Ch
ap
t
e
r3
3,
v
e
r
s
e56
“ThePr
o
p
he
th
a
sg
r
e
a
t
e
rc
l
ai
m ont
hef
a
i
t
h
f
ult
ha
nt
h
e
yha
v
eont
he
ms
e
l
v
e
s
,
”
Chapter 33: verse 6
“Sa
y
:Obe
yGoda
ndt
heApo
s
t
l
e
,
”Ch
ap
t
e
r3:v
e
r
s
e3
2.
What non-Muslims say about Muhammad.
“
I
fgr
e
a
t
ne
s
sofpu
r
p
os
e
,s
ma
l
l
n
e
s
sofme
a
ns
,a
n
da
s
t
o
u
nd
i
n
gr
e
s
u
l
t
sa
r
et
h
et
hr
e
ec
r
i
t
e
r
i
a
of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with
Mu
ha
mma
d?
”
“
Thi
sma
nmove
dn
oto
n
l
ya
r
mi
e
s
,l
e
gi
s
l
a
t
i
on
s
,e
mpi
r
e
s
,pe
o
pl
e
sa
n
ddy
na
s
t
i
e
s
,bu
t
millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved
the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the be
l
i
e
f
sa
nds
o
u
l
s…”
4
“
Hi
sf
o
r
be
a
r
a
nc
ei
nv
i
c
t
or
y
,hi
sa
mbi
t
i
o
n,whi
c
hwa
se
n
t
i
r
e
l
yd
e
v
ot
e
dt
oo
nei
d
e
a
,a
ndi
n
noma
nne
rs
t
r
i
v
i
ngf
ora
ne
mpi
r
e…;hi
se
n
dl
e
s
spr
a
y
e
r
s
,hi
smy
s
t
i
cc
on
ve
r
s
a
t
i
onwi
t
h
go
d,
h
i
sde
a
t
ha
n
dhi
st
r
i
umpha
f
t
e
rde
a
t
h,
”
“
Phi
l
os
o
ph
e
r
, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational
dogmas (e.g. unity of God and immateriality of God, etc.), of a cult without images, the
founder of twenty terrestrial empires and one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As
regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is
t
he
r
ea
nyma
ngr
e
a
t
e
rt
ha
nh
e
?
”
Lamartine, Histoire de la Turquie, Paris 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-77.
“
I
ti
sn
ott
hepr
o
pa
g
a
t
i
o
nb
utt
hepe
r
ma
ne
nc
yofhi
sr
e
l
i
g
i
ont
ha
tde
s
e
r
ves our wonder,
the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and medina is
pr
e
s
e
r
ve
da
f
t
e
rt
her
e
vo
l
ut
i
o
n
soft
we
l
vec
e
nt
ur
i
e
s
…”
Edwar
dGi
bbonandSi
monOc
kl
ay,“Hi
s
t
or
yoft
heSar
ac
e
nEmpi
r
e
”London1870,P.54.
“
Hewa
sCa
e
s
a
ra
n
dPop
ei
no
ne
;bu
th
ewa
sPo
pewi
t
h
o
utPo
pe
’
spr
e
t
e
ns
i
on
s
,Ca
e
s
a
r
without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a
palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the
right divine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the power without its instruments and
wi
t
ho
uti
t
ss
u
pp
or
t
.
”
Bos
wor
t
hSmi
t
h,“MohammadandMohammadani
s
m,
”London1874,
P.92
“
I
ti
si
mpo
s
s
i
b
l
ef
ora
ny
onewh
os
t
ud
i
e
dt
hel
i
f
ea
ndc
ha
r
a
c
t
e
roft
heg
r
e
a
tpr
o
phe
tof
Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived to feel anything but reverence for
t
ha
tmi
gh
t
ypr
op
he
t
,
on
eoft
hegr
e
a
tme
s
s
e
n
ge
r
soft
heSu
pr
e
me
.
”
Anni
eBe
s
ant
,“Thel
i
f
eandt
e
ac
hi
ng
sofMuha
mmad,
”Madr
as1932,P.4
“
Hi
sr
e
a
d
i
ne
s
st
ou
n
de
r
gope
r
s
e
c
u
t
i
o
nsf
orhi
sb
e
liefs, the high moral character of men
who believed in him and looked up to him as their leader, and the greatness of his
ultimate achievement –a
l
la
r
gueh
i
sf
un
da
me
nt
a
li
nt
e
gr
i
t
y
.
”
W.Mont
gome
r
y,“Muhammadi
nMe
c
c
a,
”Oxf
or
d,1953,P.52
“
Myc
hoi
c
eofMu
ha
mma
dt
ol
e
a
dt
h
el
i
s
toft
hewor
l
d’
smos
ti
nf
l
ue
nt
i
a
lpe
r
s
on
sma
y
surprise some readers, and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in
hi
s
t
or
ywhowa
ss
u
pr
e
me
l
ys
uc
c
e
s
s
f
ulonbo
t
ht
her
e
l
i
gi
o
usa
n
ds
e
c
ul
a
rl
e
ve
l
.
”
Mi
c
hae
lH.Har
t
,“The100:A Ranki
ngoft
heMos
tI
nf
l
ue
nt
i
alPe
r
s
onsi
nHi
s
t
or
y,
”Ne
w Yor
k:
Hart Publishing Company, Inc. 1978, P. 33.
Conclusion. Muhammad (peace be upon him & his progeny) has earned the admiration
and respect of historians, philosophers, leaders, and students of religion, both Muslim
and non-Muslim. Today, his teachings continue to influence people in all walks of life,
and in every corner of the earth, fourteen hundred years after he left this world.
[The End]
5
References:
1.
”
Th
eLi
f
eofMuh
a
mma
dbyMu
h
a
mma
d”byHy
k
e
l
,Ame
r
i
c
a
nt
r
us
tPu
bl
i
c
a
t
i
on
s
,Un
i
t
e
dSt
a
t
e
sof
America.
2.“
Th
eQu
r
’
a
n
,
”t
r
a
n
s
l
a
t
i
onbyM.
H.Sh
a
k
i
r
,Pu
bl
i
s
h
e
dbyTa
h
r
i
k
eTa
r
e
s
i
l
eQu
r
’
a
nI
n
c
.El
mhu
r
s
t
,NY.
3. Th
eJ
e
r
u
s
a
l
e
mBi
bl
e
,Re
a
de
r
’
sEdi
t
i
on
,
”Dou
bl
e
da
y& Compa
ny
,I
n
c
.Ne
wYor
k
.
4. “
Th
eBi
bl
et
h
eQu
r
’
a
na
n
dSc
i
e
n
c
e
”byMa
u
r
i
c
eBu
c
c
a
i
l
l
e1978Ame
r
i
c
a
nTr
u
s
tPu
bl
i
c
a
t
i
on
s
.
5. The Prophet by Professor K.S. Ramakrishna Rao, Head of Dept of Philosophy, University of Mysore,
India.
6. “
Wh
a
tt
h
e
ys
a
ya
bou
tMuha
mma
d,
”abr
oc
h
u
r
epu
bl
i
s
h
e
dby The Institute of Islamic Information and
Education, Chicago, Illinois.
6