who was he..
his teachings...
Over the years, all sorts of accusations have been invented
against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Nevertheless, he has sparked an interest amongst many
people. Many are eager to understand the teachings and
history of Islam. Questions have emerged such as who was
Muhammad?
“Muhammad (peace be upon him), was nothing more or less
than a human being, but he was a man with a noble mission,
which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY
ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright
living based on the commands of God. He always described
himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God' and so indeed
every action of his proclaimed to be” (History of the Saracan
Empires, London, 1870, p. 54).
“…philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior,
conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a
cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial
empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human
greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there
any man greater than he?” (Lamartine, Histoire de la
Turquie, Paris 1854, vol. II, pp. 276-277).
Muhammad, the messenger of God...
Muhammad was born in the year 570 AD in the Arabian city of
Makkah. Orphaned by the age of six, Muhammad was brought
up by his grandfather and later on by his uncle Abu Talib. In
his 20’s, he went to work for a widow named Khadijah, who
ran trading caravans. Older merchant’s recognised
Muhammad’s character and he became known as “El-Amin”the trusted one. When he was 25 he married Khadijah.
the first revelation...
At the age of 40 while in solitude at Mount Hira, Muhammad
had an experience that changed his life. Angel Gabriel
appeared before him proclaiming that he was to be the
Messenger of God. Angel Gabriel commanded him to read the
following passage which later became known as the first
revealed verse of the Quran.
“Read! In the name of your Lord and Cherisher, Who created,
Created man out of a mere clot of congealed blood.
Proclaim! and your Lord is Most Bountiful, He Who taught
man the use of pen, taught man that which he knew not.”
(Quran, 95:1-5)
WHO IS MUHAMMAD?
The Prophet’s main objective was to universally restore the
same monotheistic beliefs revealed to humanity through
Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. His teachings also focused
on perfecting human character. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet
(may God be pleased with her), was asked to describe the
character of the Prophet. She responded: “He was not foul in
his actions, nor in his speech; he was not boisterous in the
marketplace; he did not retaliate in kind to vile acts
perpetrated against him; rather he pardoned and
forgave”(Tirmidhi).
the death of Muhammad...
In 632 AD, the Islamic community lost its Prophet, leader,
friend, guide and counsellor. His death marked the end of
divine revelation from God. Some of his followers refused to
believe that he had died. Abu Bakr addressed his followers
and proclaimed, “Whoever worshipped Muhammad, let him
know that Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped God,
let him know that God lives and dies not!”
Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great
religions, and became an immensely effective political
leader. Today, centuries after his death, his influence is still
powerful and a source of guidance.“His readiness to undergo
persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the
men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader,
and the greatness of his ultimate achievement… To suppose
Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves...
none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in
the West as Muhammad” (W. Montgomery Watt, 'Muhammad
at Mecca', Oxford, 1953, pp. 57).