it is the way : let's know better

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2007-11-22T17:03:43Z

who is Prophet Mohammed

2007-11-22T17:10:38Z

Muhammad�peace be upon him �was born in Makkah in the year 570. �Since his father died before his birth and his mother died shortly thereafter, he was raised by his uncle who was from the respected tribe of Quraysh. �He was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained so till his death. �His people, before his mission as a prophet, were ignorant of science and most of them were illiterate. �As he grew up, he became known to be truthful, honest, trustworthy, generous, and sincere. �He was so trustworthy that they called him the Trustworthy. Muhammad�pbuh was very religious, and he had long detested the decadence and idolatry of his society.

�

At the age of forty, Muhammad�pbuh received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. �The revelations continued for twenty-three years, and they are collectively known as the Quran.

As soon as he began to recite the Quran and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered persecution from unbelievers. �The persecution grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. �This emigration from Makkah to the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

After several years, Muhammad�pbuh and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies. �Before Muhammad�pbuh died, at the age of sixty-three, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula had become Muslim, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. �Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the truth and clarity of its doctrine. �Islam calls for faith in only one God, Who is the only one worthy of worship.

The Prophet Muhammad�pbuh was a perfect example of an honest, just, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave human being. �Though he was a man, he was far removed from all evil characteristics and strove solely for the sake of God and His reward in the Hereafter. �Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of God

Legacy of Aprophet

2007-11-22T17:15:20Z

Fourteen hundred years ago, a humble merchant who could not read or write changed the face of Arabia. Today, his influence has spread to every corner of the world including the United

States. This is the story...

A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History

2007-11-22T17:39:43Z

A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History

by Michael H. Hart

My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world's great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive. The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivotal nations.

Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning. Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was illiterate. His economic position improved when, at age twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow.

Nevertheless, as he approached forty, there was little outward indication that he was a remarkable person. Most Arabs at that time were pagans, who believed in many gods. There were, however, in Mecca, a small number of Jews and Christians; it was from them no doubt that Muhammad first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe.

When he was forty years old, Muhammad became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him, and had chosen him to spread the

true faith. For three years, Muhammad preached only to close friends and associates. Then, about 613, he began preaching in public. As he slowly gained converts, the Meccan authorities came to consider him a dangerous nuisance. In 622, fearing for his safety, Muhammad fled to Medina (a city some 200 miles north of Mecca), where he had been offered a position of considerable political power.

This flight, called the Hegira, was the turning point of the Prophet's life. In Mecca, he had had few followers. In Medina, he had many more, and he soon acquired an influence that made him a virtual dictator. During the next few years, while Muhammad s following grew rapidly, a series of battles were fought between Medina and Mecca. This was ended in 630 with Muhammad's triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror. The remaining two and one-half years of his life witnessed the rapid conversion of the Arab tribes to the new religion.

When Muhammad died, in 632, he was the effective ruler of all of southern Arabia. The Bedouin tribesmen of Arabia had a reputation as fierce warriors. But their number was small; and plagued by disunity and internecine warfare, they had been no match for the larger armies of the kingdoms in the settled agricultural areas to the north. However, unified by Muhammad for the first time in history, and inspired by their fervent belief in the one true God, these small Arab armies now embarked upon one of the most astonishing series of conquests in human history.

To the northeast of Arabia lay the large Neo-Persian Empire of the Sassanids; to the northwest lay the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman Empire, centered in Constantinople. Numerically, the Arabs were no match for their opponents. On the field of battle, though, the inspired Arabs rapidly conquered all of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine. By 642, Egypt had been wrested from the Byzantine Empire, while the Persian armies had been crushed at the key battles of Qadisiya in 637, and Nehavend in 642.

But even these enormous conquests-which were made under the leadership of Muhammad's close friends and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and 'Umaribn al-Khattab - did not mark the end of the Arab advance. By 711, the Arab armies had swept completely across North Africa to the Atlantic Ocean There they turned north and, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed the Visigothic kingdom in Spain. For a while, it must have seemed that the Moslems would overwhelm all of Christian Europe.

However, in 732, at the famous Battle of Tours, a Moslem army, which had advanced into the center of France, was at last defeated by the Franks. Nevertheless, in a scant century of fighting, these Bedouin tribesmen, inspired by the word of the Prophet, had carved out an empire stretching from the borders of India to the Atlantic Ocean-the largest empire that the world had yet seen. And everywhere that the armies conquered, large-scale conversion to the new faith eventually followed. Now, not all of these conquests proved permanent.

The Persians, though they have remained faithful to the religion of the Prophet, have since regained their independence from the Arabs. And in Spain, more than seven centuries of warfare 5 finally resulted in the Christians reconquering the entire peninsula. However, Mesopotamia and Egypt, the two cradles of ancient civilization, have remained Arab, as has the entire coast of North Africa. The new religion, of course, continued to spread, in the intervening centuries, far beyond the borders of the original Moslem conquests.

Currently it has tens of millions of adherents in Africa and Central Asia and even more in Pakistan and northern India, and in Indonesia. In Indonesia, the new faith has been a unifying factor. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the conflict between Moslems and Hindus is still a major obstacle to unity.

How, then, is one to assess the overall impact of Muhammad on human history? Like all religions, Islam exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers. It is for this reason that the founders of the world's great religions all figure prominently in this book . Since there are roughly twice as many Christians as Moslems in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus.

There are two principal reasons for that decision.

First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.

Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam. Moreover, he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures, the Koran, a collection of certain of Muhammad's insights that he believed had been directly revealed to him by Allah. Most of these utterances were copied more or less faithfully during Muhammad's lifetime and were collected together in authoritative form not long after his death.

Webmaster's note: Mr Hart writes, "he is the author of the Moslem holy scriptures" which is INCORRECT. Prophet Muhammad was the person to whom the Quran was revealed by its Author - God.

The Koran therefore, closely represents Muhammad's ideas and teachings and to a considerable extent his exact words. No such detailed compilation of the teachings of Christ has survived.

Since the Koran is at least as important to Moslems as the Bible is to Christians, the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran has been enormous It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity.

On the purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad has been as influential in human history as Jesus. Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time. Of many important historical events, one might say that they were inevitable and would have occurred even without the particular political leader who guided them.

For example, the South American colonies would probably have won their independence from Spain even if Simon Bolivar had never lived. But this cannot be said of the Arab conquests.

Nothing similar had occurred before Muhammad, and there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him.

The only comparable conquests in human history are those of the Mongols in the thirteenth century, which were primarily due to the influence of Genghis Khan. These conquests, however, though more extensive than those of the Arabs, did not prove permanent, and today the only areas occupied by the Mongols are those that they held prior to the time of Genghis Khan.

It is far different with the conquests of the Arabs. From Iraq to Morocco, there extends a whole chain of Arab nations united not merely by their faith in Islam, but also by their Arabic language, history, and culture. The centrality of the Koran in the Moslem religion and the fact that it is written in Arabic have probably prevented the Arab language from breaking up into mutually unintelligible dialects, which might otherwise have occurred in the intervening thirteen centuries.

Differences and divisions between these Arab states exist, of course, and they are considerable, but the partial disunity should not blind us to the important elements of unity that have continued to exist. For instance, neither Iran nor Indonesia, both oil-producing states and both Islamic in religion, joined in the oil embargo of the winter of 1973-74. It is no coincidence that all of the Arab states, and only the Arab states, participated in the embargo. We see, then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.

Webmaster's note: Phrases like "the influence of Muhammed through the medium of the Koran" and "Muhammad's triumphant return to Mecca as conqueror" are very likely to misinform the readers because they suggest that the Qur'an is but a tool of the Prophet and that Islam was spread by the sword for no other reason than to conquer lands for power.

You Must Know This Man

2007-11-29T12:43:40Z

You Must Know This Man

You may be an antheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to any of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your ideological and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be - you must still know this man.

ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms:

"....a mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him:

"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (THE GENUINE ISLAM, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.

"HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh)

He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E. (common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three.

During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and IMAGINE all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.

Lamartine, the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders:

"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but 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 beliefs and souls....his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words.

"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 the 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)

The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time.

There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.

Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.

Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections.

MAHATMA GANDHI, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (pbuh) says in YOUNG INDIA:

"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.

These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."

THOMAS CALYLE in his HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP, was simply amazed as to:

"how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."

DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote:

"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12)

EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of ISLAM write:

"'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)

Muhammad (pbuh) 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.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, SAROJINI NAIDU says:

"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother." (S. Naidu, IDEALS OF ISLAM, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of PROF. HURGRONJE:

"The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations."

The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad (pbuh) or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity - but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes:

"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33)

K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam," calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying:

"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of MUHAMMAD (pbuh) have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's (pbuh) followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

The least YOU could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD (pbuh) or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him?

It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.

We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, Muhammad (pbuh), the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth

Prophethood in Islam

2007-11-29T12:52:18Z

Prophethood in Islam

Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance.

According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah had chosen from every nation a prophet or more to covey His Message to people.

One might ask: How were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?

Prophethood is Allah's blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet's life serves as a model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes which are usually corrected by revelation.

He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Moses' contemporaries were excellent in magic. So his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his days. Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skillful physicians. Therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure the incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Mohammed, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad's major miracle was the Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion of the Arab poets and orators could not produce despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Again Muhammad's miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place, i.e., they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so the miracle of Muhammad, the Quran. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These still can be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Quran.

Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message which is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.

Prophets are necessary for conveying God's instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? In other words, is there any reward or punishment for our deeds in this life? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, etc. can not be answered without revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why, messengers are the select of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.

Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed fornication while drunk, with his daughters; or David sent one his leaders to death to marry his wife. Prophets to Muslims are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories can not be true from the Islamic point of view.

The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message.

The content of the prophets' message to mankind can be summarized as follows:

Clear concept about God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.

Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.

Why has God created us? What does He want from us and what is the reward or punishment for obeying or disobeying Him?

How to run our societies according to His will? That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a happy and ideal society.

It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and too limited; the second is too subjective and frequently too misleading.

Now one might ask: How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We do not know for sure. Some Muslim scholars have suggested 240 thousand prophets. We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Quran, that is, God has sent a messenger (or more) to every nation. That is because it is one of God's principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Quran mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to the Prophet Mohammed. These 25 include Noah, the man of the Ark, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.These five are the greatest among God's messengers. They are called 'the resolute' prophets.

An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. Since all the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose - to lead mankind to God - belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophets' role or racial bias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets of God an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus Christ and Muhammad; the Christians reject Muhammad and in reality reject Moses because they do not abide by his laws. The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelation which those prophets brought from God has been tampered with in one way or the other. The belief in all the messengers of God is enjoined on the Muslims by the Quran.

"Say (O Muslims): we believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered."

(2:136)

The Quran continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read:

"And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God's religion and Who is better than God in religion?"

(2:137-38)

There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad as prophets who are usually misunderstood.

The Quranic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his 'Divinity' and 'Divine Sonship' and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Quran makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him son of God and mentions in this respect Adam who was created by God without a father and mother:

"Truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, 'Be', and he was."

(3:59)

Like other prophets Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but while showing these miracles he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus found a way among his followers because the Divine message that he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world, rather it was recorded after a lapse of about hundred years. According to the Quran he was sent to the children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah which was revealed to Moses and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.

"And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the PRAISED ONE."

(61:6) (The capitalized portion is the translation of Ahmad which is Prophet Muhammed's name.)

However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion crucified him. But the Quran refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him, rather he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Quran, which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him AL-AMEEN (the trustworthy). He also did not know that he was soon to made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the only one God and accept him as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his life-time in the memory of his companions and was also recorded in pieces of palm leaves, leather etc...

Thus the Quran that is found today is the same that was revealed to him; not a syllable of it has been altered as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Quran claims to be the book of guidance for the whole humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad as the last Prophet of God.

Muhammad, A Guidance to follow

2007-11-29T12:56:29Z

Muhammad, A Guidance to follow

Muhammad as a man had already died, but as a Prophet he left behind him a legacy in the form of the Qur�an and the Sunnah. He stressed the urgent need to hold firmly to these two sources during his Farewell speech in the valley of Arafat. If people hold fast to them, they will never go astray.

The teachings he left for us if put into practice in their true spirit and proper way will bring a happy life in this world and besides the indubitable rewards that will be received by those who believed in them in the life after death.

In this sense, Islam is a worldly religion which cares first for the worldly affairs of humanity. The hereafter is merely a continuation of the worldly life. It is difficult to portend that man can be saved in the hereafter without being saved in this world. The safe way is to follow the way shown to us by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). When his wife, �Aishah, was asked by a companion about the Prophet�s daily conduct, �Aishah replied that the conduct of the Prophet is the Qur�an which is the guidance from Allah and Muhammad was given authority by Allah to interpret it. That is why his conduct is exemplary of human conduct. Islam as brought by the Prophet Muhammad is very much misunderstood as a religion of rituals only like prayers, fasting, almsgiving and pilgrimage. Thanks to the new developments in the world, Islam is now looked upon In a wider perspective than the narrow-minded view.

The increased interest in Islamic studies by Muslims and non-Muslims supported by the advanced printing technology, has begun to open the eyes of the world about the true teaching and intrinsic values of Islam.

Economy:

In the field of economic development, the goal is not material gain, but human welfare in general. Islam exhorts that the balance between the material and physical aspects, between the individual and societal needs, be maintained in order to narrow the gap between two opposite sides of human world. It is stated in the Qur�an:�Say, who is there to forbid the beauty which Allah has brought forth for His creatures, and the good things from among the means of sustenance. Say, they are for those who believe (in Allah) In this worldly life, to be theirs alone in the Hereafter on the Day of Resurrection �� Say, the only things my Lord forbids are the shameful deeds, be they open or secret, the sin, unjustified envy, the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Allah, and the attributing unto Allah of aught of which you have no knowledge�

So everyone is free to conduct any business he likes outside the harmful circle he has been warned not to indulge in. If he does not listen to this warning, he will be in trouble. Every good quality as precondition to a successful business is encouraged by Islam.

The Prophet himself was a businessman before he was appointed as a Prophet. His ability to run business prudently, by his fairness and truthful conduct in dealing with people had won him the heart of his employer, Khadijah who later offered him m&riage. He advocated Muslims to follow the spirit of Prophet Daud (David) of hard work, earned his living from his own labour. He also said that faith of a Muslim is not complete If he is not good in his profession. He said: �If you leave matters to those who are not professional, you are waiting for the disaster�.

If he works in the production line, his products must be compatible with products of other companies or factories. In order to be marketable, it must suit the taste of buyers and their standards of living. In this regard, Islam teaches not to cheat in offering the product to the market. It must be shown as it is without any publicity it does not deserve. In the life time of the Prophet, he found many cases in market places where the merchants tried to cheat the customers. The Prophet said to them: �Whoever cheated are not from amongst us (Muslims)�.

Islam laid many regulations in the field of economy such as trade, leasing, business transaction, contract and others to prevent unfair dealing within the community and in the world of business at large. What is also prevented by Islam is a monopoly and exploitation -by one man or one group at the expense of the others.

Cleanliness:

The first thing in the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad is the care of cleanliness. The concept of cleanliness in Islam covers physical and spiritual, mundane and religious domains.

Before performing any rituals, prescribed by Islam, one should cleanse his body, and his dress, his place of worship and his environment should be clean.

Before performing his prayers or starting for pilgrimage, one has to make his ablution (wudu�). If he or she is in a state of unclean after having had a lawful Intimate intercourse or post-natal period or other reasons, he or she has to take a complete bath by pouring clean water over the whole body.

In the case of daily prayer, every Muslim has to clean his/her private parts, face, hand, feet, mouth, nose and ears at least five times every day for the five daily prayers. This also reminds him/her to keep his/ her soul clean from unlawful deeds.

Cleanliness is not in the physical sense only. The body should be purified as well from evil doings that might harm his relationship with others and with God. He has to clean his mind from bad intentions or committing unlawful acts. He has to clean his heart from jealousy, hypocrisy and other evil desires. He has to embody hope, truthfulness, forgiveness, compassion, holiness, the sense of brotherliness, neighbourliness and other noble qualities.

He has to pay special attention to his diet against all unhealthy food medically and religiously. He has to keep his eyes, ears, tongue from evils. These are among the noble characteristics as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad.

To clean the wealth, Islam instituted the zakat system (way of purifying wealth). A person whose wealth has reached a certain point is obligated to pay zakat (alms) which is a duty enjoined by God and undertaken by Muslims in the interest of society as a whole.

For those able persons whose wealth does not reach the minimum rate point, he can also give voluntary contribution to the needy. This does not mean that the needy should always be receiving help from the able.

Prophet Muhammad said: "The upper hand (giver) is better than the lower one (receiver of help).�

If the receiver of zakat can grasp the spirit of the Prophet�s saying, he will try his best to be the giver instead of the receiver by endeavouring to better his life as encouraged by the teachings of Islam.

In Islam the possession of more wealth does not raise a man�s dignity, nor does poverty degrade him. It is true that wealth is necessary for man to live on this earth, but It is only a means, not the end. The end is happiness in life by attaining the higher values and not losing sight of in the pursuit of wealth.

Among the great virtues of Islam is the command to do good and the prohibition to do evil. The good should be preserved and the evil should be discarded. In short, Islam is actually composed of a series of commands and prohibitions. All the commands and prohibitions are for the good of humanity. Allah the Most Knowing, the Most Merciful, did not decree any law and regulations but for the good and benefit of his creatures.

The prohibition was decreed because of its evil implications to humanity. The evils were created to test the human conscience and challenge their freewill in choosing between right and wrong.

All the commands and prohibitions from Allah as transmitted through His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was intended to purify the human soul in order to live a pure and clean life adored by Allah and human genesis.

Orderliness:

One of the other teachings of Islam is about orderliness. Discipline, regulation, management, planning and all other terms relating to organisation are mostly. understood as alien to Islam. On the contrary, Islam exhorts people to live in orderliness and to put the right thing in the right place. The foundation of Islamic order rests on two main principles, the crucial -faith in one God (Allah) and the oneness of humanity. All the frame works were laid down in the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad applied himself to working out the essential details of that order.

One of the great values taught by Islam in this regard is to make use of the time left to humanity. The Qur'an and the Sunnah (Traditions) mentioned about time, day, week, month, year and century. People are lost if they did not spend the time available to them during this life for good things. It is a great loss if people have to waste the valuable time they have at their disposal for useless activities. It is true that life should be enjoyable but not at the expense of human resources and values which are essential for the continuation of their wellbeing.

Allah the Most Knowing had created time and space suitable for human activities for they can attain achievements in life. There are times for work, study, recreation, resting and even celebration. All are parts of activities in worshipping Allah and serving His cause. The Qur'an says that Allah had created day for earning and night for resting and enjoyment. He created the sun, the moon and all outer-space objects co that man on the earth can fix the time and arraflge the calendar. By having a standard time and standard calendar and the movements of astronomical objects, people are able to regulate their time table in choosing the right moment for them in doing business and carrying out their activities.

Islam prescribes certain times for the daily prayers, certain month for the obligatory fasting and certain time during life time for performing the haj pilgrimage which indicates that the religion brought by Prophet Muhammad places the life of Muslims in systematic order. For every move and occasion made by Muslims there is a rule governing it, be it in the form of advice, spiritual guidance or practical directive. If all these directives are followed and understood properly, people will have high discipline and a well-managed life.

Islam encourages people to think correctly before taking any action. This means planning. There are many verses in the Qur'an admonishing against doing things unthinkingly and jumping to conclusions.

The Prophet also showed good example in fulfilling promise and staying true to treaty, agreement or contract made between parties.

As a man of honour he always remained true to the principles agreed in the treaty, depicting his high discipline and inclination of doing everything in proper order.

Friendliness:

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a warmhearted and faithful friend. He loved his companions. He extended greetings to those he knew and to those he did not know. He treated all people around him with kindness and affection.

He was very courteous to all those who met him. He never contradicted anybody who is not opposed to the teachings of Islam. He treated equally the humble and the lofty. He claimed no distinction and lived amongst his companions as if he was not their leader.

Neighbourliness:

He regarded the neighbours as brothers and sisters because of their closeness and living in the same vicinity. He once smelt the aroma of the soup cooked by his wife. He told her to give some of it to the neighbours who also smelt it. He said it was not right for a Muslim to sleep with a full stomach after having had a good meal but let his neighbour starve. He laid the foundation for a friendly relation and cooperation among neighbours exemplifying that living as a neighbour one has one�s right and responsibility.

In regard to the rights of a neighbour, the Prophet said: �Help him if he asks your help; give him relief if he seeks your relief; show him concern if he is distressed and when he is ill; attend his funeral if he dies; congratulate him If he meets any good; sympathize with him if any calamity befalls him; do not block his air by raising your building without his permission and do not harass him.�

Goodwill:

He was a good exemplar to those who subscribe to a harmonious society. Islam exhorts people not to violate the rights of others and injure their interest, but should positively cooperate with each other and establish a mutual relationship and social cohesion.

To safeguard the unity and solidarity of the nation and to achieve the welfare and wellbeing of the community, Muslims have been enjoined to avoid mutual hostility, social dissension, backbiting one another, and hurting others with their hand or tongue.

Islam as brought by the Prophet Muhammad exhorts Muslims to visit the sick, to help the needy and assist the weak. Islam makes no discrimination on the basis of race, colour or language. Its appeal Is to the entire humanity.

Women:

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought changes for the betterment of women.

Woman is recognised by Islam as a full and equal partner of man in the procreation of humankind. He is the father, she is the mother, and both are essential for life. Her role is no less vital than his. By this partnership she has an equal share in every aspect; she is entitled to equal rights; she undertakes equal responsibilities, and in her there are many qualities and so much humanity as there are In her partner.

She is equal to man in bearing personal and common responsibilities and in receiving rewards for her deeds.

She is equal to man in the pursuit of education and knowledge.

Islam enjoined the seeking of knowledge upon Muslims, it makes no distinction between man and woman.

She is entitled to freedom of expression as much as man is. Her sound opinions are taken into consideration and cannot be disregarded just because she is a female.

Islam grants woman equal fights to contract, to enterprise, to earn and posses independently. Her life, her property, her honour are as sacred as those of man.

Islam has also given woman a share of inheritance. Before Islam, she was not only deprived of that share, but was herself considered as property to be inherited by man.

Statehood:

When Prophet Muhammad arrived at Madinah, he initiated the formation of an Islamic state. After establishing political brotherhood and the authority of the state of Madinah, he began negotiations with various tribes around the dy and made treaties with them.

When the Makkan unbelievers launched a series of attacks on Madinah, Prophet Muhammad was able to confront them, and when the Makkans were finally defeated in the battle of the Trenches (Al-Khandaq), he was able to make truce with them at Hudaibiyah for ten years. This treaty was a masterpiece of practical statesmanship on the part of Prophet Muhammad.

His diplomacy in sending and receiving envoys to and from the various chiefs of tribes and foreign rulers, his fairness In conducting judiciary, and his general pardon at the liberation of Makkah, was another proof of his lofty statesmanship.

The State he established in Madinah was not a matter of chance. It was the very nature of his mission that he would establish a state to enforce the way of Allah. People might accept a new faith but it would take time to change their habits, custom and way of life. And even If a small group of people succeeded In changing their way of life, there would be many others who would not let these people practise their belief and try to stop them by force. So the Islamic State became an urgent necessity to protect the Islamic way of life.

The State founded by Prophet Muhammad was invested with physical force, as every State must necessarily be, to fulfil its function of stopping aggression and oppression.

A democratic system In Islam is expressed through the term shura (council). The Qur'an says: �And those who respond to their Lord and keep up prayer and their affairs (of government) is by council among themselves and who spend out of what we have given them.�.

All�h�s Messenger to the Whole Mankind

2007-11-29T13:09:00Z

Prophet Muhammad� All�h�s Messenger to the Whole Mankind

Dr. Norlain Dindang Mababaya

�

(Note: Readers may also read the Author�s �booklet �Muhammad :All�h�s Messenger to the Whole Mankind� published in 1993 by the Cooperative Office for Call and Guidance at North Riyadh under the Supervision of Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowment and Call and Guidance, P.O. Box 87913, Riyadh 11652, Saudi Arabia)

Prophet Muhammad� (Salallahu �alayhi wa salam, meaning: May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was All�h's� great Prophet and Messenger�� like Jesus, the Son of Mary.� The Prophet's mission, however, is universal. Allah�� (Subhanahu wa ta�ala, meaning: the Exalted, Most Glorious) tells mankind that Prophet Muhammad is no more than a Messenger (Qur�an 3: 144), the unlettered Prophet who believes in Him and His Words (Qur�an 7: 158).� He is the Seal of the Prophets and the true universal Messenger of All�h to the whole mankind (Qur�an 33: 40). Allah ,the All-Mighty, makes this very clear:

"We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a universal (Messenger) to men giving them glad tidings and warning them (against sin) but most men understand not." (Qur�n 34: 28)

The Messenger� possesses an exalted (standard of) character (Qur�an 68:4) and an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah�� and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah�� much� (Qur�an 33: 21). Allah (.endowed him with exalted standard of character for us to follow. Every aspect of his life has been fully dealt with, providing complete guidance to the whole mankind. For our guidance, Allah ,the All-Mighty commands us to believe and obey His Messenger .):

"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): �If you (really) love All�h then follow me (i.e. accept Isl�mic Monotheism, follow the Qur�ªn and the Sunnah), All�h will love you and forgive you your sins. And All�h is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.� Say (O Muhammad): �Obey All�h and the Messenger (Muhammad).� But if they turn away, then All�h does not like the disbelievers." (Qur�an 3: 31)

"O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Rabb (Sustainer). So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to All�h belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And All�h is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." (Qur�n 4: 170)

"O you who believe! Obey All�h, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and render not vain your deeds." (Qur�n 47: 33)

�� It is a must that we obey Prophet Muhammad�.� Allah tells us that he who obeys His Messenger .,beys Him:�

"He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed All�h, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (Muhammad) as a watcher over them." (Qur�n 4: 80)

�� Allah� sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religions.� He says:

"It is He (Allah) Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion even though the Pagans may detest (it)." (Qur�n 61: 9)

�� Prophet Muhammad� being the True Messenger of Allah�� not only sincerely believes and testifies to the Oneness of All�h, the Only True God, Who Alone deserves all praises and true worship, but also teaches the same universal message. In one of his teachings we learn how he teaches us to glorify and testify Allah�� as True:

�Ibn �Abbas� narrated that when the Prophet� got up at night to offer the Tahajjud (midnight) prayer, he used to say: �O All�h! All the praises are for you. You are the Holder of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You have the possession of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. All the praises are for You. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You.� You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all the praises are for You. You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, and to meet You is true. Your Word is the truth and Paradise is true, Hell is true, all the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true, and the Day of Resurrection is true. O All�h! I surrender (my will) to You. I believe in You and depend on You, repent to You, and with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers). And I take You as a Judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous and future sins; and whatever I concealed or revealed. And You are the One Who makes (some people) forward and (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but You.� (Bukhari 2/221, 9/482 and 534)

�� If you are among those who have read some of the countless distortions written against Isl�m and the Prophet time has come that you believe in him as the true Messenger of Allah�� to all humanity.� Verily, Muhammad� is the true universal Messenger and the final Prophet of All�h. In fact, he is known as the As-Sadiq and Al-�Amin� (the Truthful and the Trustworthy). Many non-Muslims who knew and listened to him during his time, embraced Isl�m because of his truthfulness. Indeed, Muhammad� is true and he teaches nothing but the Truth. Above all, he teaches us the worship of the One True God, which is the very essence of the true religion, Isl�m. For your salvation, believe in Prophet Muhammad� as the true, final Messenger of Allah (� and believe in the Message with which he was sent. Believe in Isl�m as the true religion from Allah .Take admonition from the following authentic �H�d�th:

�Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that All�h�s Messenger� said,� �By Him in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, he amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me; but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent (i.e., Isl�m) and dies in his state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.�� (Muslim 1/ 284)

_________

Note: Please take note of the following� abbreviations used in this article:

(SWT): Subhanahu wa Ta'ala � �The Exalted�

(s.a.w.s.) : Sall-Allahu �Alayhi wa Sallam � �Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him�

(r.a.): Radia Allahu �Anhu � �May Allah be pleased with him�, Radi Allahu �Anha- �May Allah be pleased with her�, Radi Allahu �Anhum - �May Allah be pleased with them.��

The Best of Creation -- "The Walking Qur`an

2007-11-29T13:12:26Z

The Best of Creation -- "The Walking Qur`an

by

AbuBakr Karolia

South Africa, October 27, 2003

�A WALKING QUR`AN�, EMBODYING THE LAWS OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH (S).

The life of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Him) has been said by his wife, Aisha (May Allah (S) be pleased with her) to be like "a walking Qur`an", embodying the Laws of Almighty Allah (subhaana wa taalah).

This characterization and behaviour of the Prophet (S) embodies the practical message of Islam. The Nobel Qur`an is a guide, covenant, criterion, a balance and a healing (shifa) for humanity and the �Walking Qur`an� represents a noble character, which is a symbol of the Book of Allah. The Prophet (S) represents Islam and is the essence of this message and the value, wisdom, practice and object of the Rasul (S) was totally for the pleasure of Allah (S).

Allah (S) clarifies in the Noble Qur`an in Surah 2 Al Baqarah the Cow Verse 2 -5 that:

�This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who are conscious of Allah (S) (Taqwa).

�Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them;�

�And who believe in the Revelation sent to you, and sent before your time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter�.

�They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will succeed�.

A MUTTAQEE CHARACTER

The above verses of the Noble Qur`an tell us that it is a guidance for those that yearn to establish Taqwa (Allah consciousness or cautious awareness of Allah), who believe in the unseen, are steadfast in prayer, spend charity, and believe in all the revelations from Allah and in the Hereafter. Taqwa (Allah consciousness or cautious awareness of Allah) is related to the beginning and the end of wisdom and the establishment of piety, righteousness and the transformation of the self, towards a perfected self.

These verses direct humankind towards a conduct that expands and develops true leadership, prosperity and happiness. This is the perfect character inspired from the guidance of the Glorious Qur`an and in total submission to Allah (S) and develops a disposition, described by Aisha (R) as the �Walking Qur`an�.

Let us consider the Prophet�s (S) noble character who submitted to his Lord, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and the reasons why he was the seal of the Prophets (Khataman Nabi) and who will take up his station as the intercessor for humankind in the Hereafter.

On that faithful day in the Hereafter, humankind will necessitate a person who will appeal to the Almighty Allah (S) for their case in His court. The Prophet (S) will represent the original Islam as his character that personified a �universal man� who acknowledged, recognized, submitted and pleased Almighty Allah, the Lord of the Cosmos.��

The Prophet (S), as the intercessor in the courts of the Hereafter will be honoured and the divine tribute and respect will be upon him and he will be recognized as the finest creation that fulfilled the covenant, testimony and the original promise that was made by the soul (Ruh) to Almighty Allah (S).

A MERCY (RAHMA) FROM ALLAH

The Prophet (S) was described as the perfect man (Insan-al-Kamil).� The Prophet (S) is the ideal model of Muslim virtue and piety for the believer. He is also the archetype and representative of the institution of Prophethood. His message was not for a single nation or community but was for humankind.

In Surah 21 Al Anbiyah, (The Prophets), Verse 107 we read:

�And We have not sent you but as a Mercy to the worlds�.

The above verse portrays the universal nature of the Prophet�s (S) mission and attributes to him a character of compassion, understanding and kindness. His temperament and disposition had to be a universal quality for it to be honoured by humankind.� His was the character that was appreciated and accepted by Muslims as the final and Last Messenger of Allah (S).

The Prophet (S) was recognized in Makkah as the trustworthy (Al Amin) which gave him the credibility to carry the legacy of Prophethood. The Arabic word �Zuhud� describes the character of all the Prophets. A person who is a �Zuhud� is one who lives a simple, humble and an enlightened life, worshipping the Creator. He values his Iman �(belief) and his life is based on a Tauheedi (the unity of the Creator) system, establishing a consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) and assisting humankind.

Surah 68 Al Qalam Verse 4 confirms the Prophets (S) character as beautiful and inspiring:

�And Most Certainly,�thou (O Muhammad) are of most sublime and exalted character�.�

THE PROPHETS (S) INTELLECTUAL ENDEAVOUR

Qadi Ayad (1118 C.E. /496 AH- 1166 C.E. /544 AH) an Imam in Tafsir and Hadith, a faqih in usul (a Jurist), a scholar in the Arabic language was from Ceuta under Spain, then an enclave of Morocco. In his magnum opus Ash Shifa, describes a biographical account of the life of Prophet Muhammad�s (S) character by his acuteness, eloquence, his nobility, his intellect, forbearance, decency, excellent conduct, his compassion and his justice amongst other qualities. We read about the immense value placed on him by His Lord and his nobility in this world and the Hereafter.

Qadi Ayad says when the Prophet (S) died he knew everything about the Shariah (Divine Laws) and its sciences without any room for doubt about its authenticity. His knowledge of the hidden realms of the heaven, earth and Allah�s (S) creation and his elaboration of Allah�s (S) Names and Attributes, the preconditions of the Last Day, the matters of the next world, the states of the happy or the wretched and other things had an absolute certainty regarding them.

A WITNESSER AND A WARNER

Allah (S) acknowledges the responsibility of the Prophet (S) and describes this tribute beautifully in the Noble Qur�an as follows:

Surah 33 Al Ahzab, (the Clans) Verse 45/46:

�O Prophet! Truly We have sent you as a Witness and a Bearer of Good News as well as a Warner, -�

�And as one who invites to Allah�s (grace) by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light�.

These verses endowed the Prophet (S) with all the ranks of nobility and every praiseworthy quality. He is a witness to his community by the fact that he has conveyed the message to them. He is a bringer of good news as a lamp that spreads light to those that accept his judgement, love him, obey him and is a Warner to those that rebel against the Creator.

THE PROPHET (S) WAS THE ACTUALIZED QUR`AN

When one studies, the Glorious Qur`an one immediately realizes that one cannot separate the Character of the Qur�an from the Character of the Rasul (S). The Noble Qur`an teaches a person how to organize, discover, and transform him/herself.

Humankind has been chosen to bear responsibility and to realize their real position in the world within the cosmology of creation. The range of a person�s freedom is within the guiding principles of the Qur`an al Kareem and the example of the Prophet who was called the �Walking Qur`an�. He was the epitome of the Glorious Qur`an and a potential man who had all the good qualities actualized by himself as the �walking Qur`an�.

Allah (S) in Surah 51 Al Dahriyat Verse 56 tells us that:

�And I (Allah) created not the jinn�s and humans except they should worship Me (Alone�.

We learn from the above verse that Allah (S) created all creation to worship Him. Therefore, the purpose of human existence is to worship Allah (S). The one who perfected the worship of Allah was the Messenger of Allah. He was created to know Allah better then anyone. He was not created to be the master of Allah�s (S) creation but to be a servant and messenger of Allah (S). Therefore, it is the Prophet (S), as a bondsman to Allah (S) (ubudiyah), who carried the final message of the Creator, was judged as the best of creation.

A BELOVED FRIEND OF ALLAH

A renowned teacher Shaykh Hamza Hanson Malik of the Zaytuna Institute, in California tells us that the name of the Prophet (S) is a passive tone and a noun that means the most oft praised. This is the station of the Prophet (S) that Allah (S) praises him, and he is praised in every tongue in the world.

The messenger of Allah was given the title �Habibullah� or the beloved of Allah (S). This is a very superior station as it reflects the Muhabbah (love and friendship) of Allah (S) on the Prophet (S).

The Qur`an al Kareem attributes to the Prophet (S) honour and is a testimony of his character, which is appreciated by Muslims worldwide. Surah�s in the Great Qur`an as Y�-S�n (Surah 36), Al-Muzzammil (the enshrouded one, Surah 73) and Al Muddaththir (the cloaked one, Surah 74) are named after him, demonstrating his position and station that was documented in posterity for mankind to witness and to uphold him as the last messenger from Allah (S).

Surah Y�-S�n in particular is known as the �heart of the Noble Qur`an� and there are many words of wisdom and a healing within it.� The Wise Qur`an calls the Rasul, �Y�-S�n� and confirms him as a Messenger on a straight path seeking and submitting to the Mighty and Merciful Lord and Creator.

Surah 36 Y�-S�n, Verse 1-5 authenticates and confirms the Prophets (S) station:�

��Y�-S�n�

�� By the Qur`an, full of Wisdom,-�

� Thou art indeed one of the Prophet�s�

� On a Straight Way�.

�It is a Revelation sent down by (Him), the Exalted in Might, Most Merciful�.

The Prophet (S) was called by other names as Ahmed, Al Hassir (the gatherer). Al Aaaqib (one who comes last), Al Mutawakkil (One who puts his trust in Allah (S)) etc, but the most venerable name is Muhammad (S) that carries such affection, reverence and nobility by Allah (S) in the Glorious Qur�an and it is incomparable to any name or human being ever created.

Surah 47 in the Noble Qur`an is named after the Noble Prophet (S) and called Muhammad (may the Almighty sent peace and salutations upon him). This Surah acknowledges a direct recognition by Allah (S) Who appreciates His Prophet (S) and confirms his status and state of certainty.

�In Surah 33 Al Ahzab (The Clans) Verse 56 Allah (S) declares:

�Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Send your blessings on him too, and salute him with all respect�.

The above verse illustrates a personification and an example of love and friendship (muhabbah). It is Allah�s (S) Sunnah to sent salutations to the Prophet (S) and commands believers to do the same with respect. Therefore, it is essential knowledge to love the Prophet (S), to emulate him and to replicate his love of Allah (S) and Allah (S) love of the Prophet (S).�

Love of the Prophet (S) is what differentiates the believers in the perfection of their Iman (belief). Love for the Prophet (S) means to acknowledge, cherish and elevate all the potential goodness and greatness that Allah (S) has created within man.

Allah (S) beautified the outward character of the Rasul (S) and gave him the quality of respect to balance it. The Prophet (S) disposition was gentle and soft and was a mercy (Rahma) from Allah upon him. He was an essence of sweetness and the people who spent time with him adored and fell in love with him. He smile was a charity (sadqah) and was most welcomed by those that met him.

THE PRACTICAL MAN

In the Encyclopaedia of the Seerah a scholar Afzalur Rahman states that the Prophet (S) of Islam led a comprehensive and a perfect life. He was a married man, had children and in this sphere of life he left unique principles of human relations between husbands and wives and between parents and children. He further states that the Prophet (S) was a trader and in business transactions and the economic field he gave unparalled ideas for the establishment of a balanced and exemplary economic system for the benefit of humankind.

The Prophet (S) as an ideal man and in the light of his speech (Hadith) and action (Sunnah) provided a perfect example for humankind in every area of human endeavour.� His teachings have been documented in detail and serves as a moral quality which has been adopted as a way of life which must be put into practice as a salvation for humankind.� The next few paragraphs tell us about his practical wisdom and action that are appreciated by all who study and emulate the Prophet�s (S) life and example.��

When we study the Seerah of the Prophet (S) and in particular when the Prophet (S) signed a treaty or truce and made a pledge, despite the fact that it was difficult on Muslims, such as the Truce of Hudaibiya (628 C.E./6AH), he honoured every word of it. The extraordinary patience and insight he showed in negotiating the truce with the envoys from Makkah, notwithstanding their procrastination and being pedantic, showed how very dear peace was to his heart.

The Truce showed the Prophets (S) foresight and diplomatic insight as it seemed to have been a defeatist and a demoralising exercise. It was due to this Truce that the �Prophet (S) captured the hearts of the Meccan people during the relative period of peace that enable communications and discussions to take place with those who appreciated the Islamic message and became Muslims.

HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN��

The Rasul (S) was very kind towards women and they were treated very badly in those days. As a young man, the Prophet (S) was greatly distressed when he heard about the burial of newly born daughters. He objected and pleaded to the clans and chieftains of the Arabs to outlaw this evil practice. When a person entered Islam, he made it an exposition of an assurance for his followers to never practice any form of infanticide. The Prophet (S) said that, �If a man has daughters and he takes good care of their upbringing, the fire of hell will not touch him�.

�He did not distinguish between men and women and treated them both alike in all matters of life. He paid as much attention to the education of women as to that of men and even developed a close relationship with many women. He gave them dignity, equal to men in the community. In his sight, women and men were equal members of the society, each contributing to its growth, prosperity and development in their own sphere and in their own way, being neither superior nor inferior to the other. The Prophet (S) established a standard for women�s rights that was unequaled anywhere.

LOVE OF CHILDREN

In the Madina Mosque, the Prophet enjoyed meeting children - boys and girls - in groups. He told them about the Lord of the Universe and His angels, how Allah (S) responds to one's prayers and His command that the children should respect and obey their parents. His followers some times brought him fruits from their orchards and the Prophet (S) shared them with the children in the Mosque. He loved his grandsons, Hassan (R) and Hussein (R), and his granddaughter, Imamah (R). He taught them Qur�anic verses and was pleased with their recitation. If he heard a child weeping, he made it a point to find out from its parents the reason for this and gave it affection and sympathy. He always loved children and treated them with immense gentleness and kindness.

TOWARDS ALLAH�S (S) CREATION

The Prophet (S) was also against cruelty to animals and birds. "They are Allah�s (S) creation", he told his followers. He saw a camel, weak, bent and hungry. He urged its owner to take proper care of it. He praised the man who drew water from a well and gave it to a thirsty dog. During a journey, the Prophet saw one of his Companions pick up a little bird from its nest in a tree. When its mother started moaning and crying, he ordered the bird's return to its nest. The Prophets (S) concern for animals goes beyond the prevention of physical cruelty, but enjoins on the human species to take over the responsibility of all creatures to be their active protectors.

A noble example of chivalry was displayed when the Prophet (S) entered Makkah after the conquest of the city. In his hour of triumph, he did not claim credit for the victory and attributed it to Allah (S) completely.� During the 23 years of his Prophethood, he experienced inexplicable behaviour and violence from the leaders of the city towards him and his followers. The Prophet (S) showed tremendous leadership, wisdom and courage by granting a general amnesty and forgave all the outrages against him and Islam. This action stands out in the annals of history and it is a wonderful example of respect for people and property during adverse conditions and war. His orders to his commanders and companions (R) to respect the sanctity of the city and its people thus laid a foundation for the establishment peace and the rise of Islam.��

THE LIVING QUR`AN

One of the finest lessons for present day Muslims is to emulate the idea of the �walking Qur`an� by not only reading, reciting or studying the Qur`an but to live it, which is what will provide solutions for our problems and heighten our relationship with our Creator. The Noble Qur`an is a pristine book that has withered the storms and tribulations of history and remains a shining light of guidance for humankind.

The Prophet (S) was a man, but no ordinary man, he was a gift from Allah (S) and we must accept this wonderment with thankfulness (Sukr). He was a perfect, righteous character because his Iman (belief) was sound and rooted in Taqwa (Allah consciousness or transcendental awareness of Allah). The Prophet (S) represented Allah (S) and spoke on behalf of Him.

Allah (S) revealed the Noble Qur`an to the Prophet of Islam (S) over a period of 23 years, attributed to the Prophet (S) as his miracle and is the True Words of Allah, a primary source of Guidance and the Final Message for humankind. This miracle was one, which was to last for all time, therefore assigned to the Prophet (S) as his everlasting miracle.

Modern scientific minds require a scope of knowledge and confirmation that must be conclusively established and verifiable for suitable study and research. The Prophet�s (S) life� have been documented in detail which has provided an interesting challenge for historians and sociologist to examine and benefit humankind from his teachings.

The guiding principles of the Wise Qur`an that the Prophet (S) practicalised provided a secure standard for humankind. His success must be analysed to find solutions for contemporary societies and to appreciate the rich heritage that provided an ethos that was Divinely Guided and established hearts that were joyous and contented.

The Prophet (S) provided and set unparalleled standards for the well being and safety of his community. He provided a social environment and structure where people felt secure and happy. He provided them with a belief system that developed individuals and societies that were successful in this world and the Hereafter.�

The study of the life and history (Seerah) of the Prophet of Islam (S) has shown staggering clarity of the mysteries of the Universe and the power of his intellect encompasses the reality of the seen and the Unseen. The Nobel example and character of the Prophet (S) filled the vacuum in humankind�s spiritual make-up which only divine guidance or Prophethood could fill.

The Prophet (S) display of positive virtues brought a profound feeling of spiritual discovery, which changed and influenced the world forever. The impact that the Prophet (S) had on the social, economic and political milieu, shaped a better world and confirmed him as one of the greatest leaders and human beings ever to grace the earth.� His legacy continues to be studied, respected and vibrantly influences humankind for its progression and survival.� �

THE NOBLE QUR`AN, A GUIDE TO SELF KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMATION

At the �sermon of the mount� (632 C.E./10AH), the Rasul (S) conveyed words of caution and advised Muslims to follow the path of the Qur`an ul Kareem and his way (Sunnah) so that they will never be led astray. This is the Shariah (Divine Laws), which represents the character of the �walking Qur`an�.

He was a monotheistic character, which exemplified this unity and oneness of Allah (S) (Tauheed) and established a testament of belief on behalf of the Creator. A testament that confirms a person as a Muslim (one who submits to Allah (S)) is to accept unconditionally, to acknowledge, recognise and to testify that:

There is no God accept Allah (S) and to further testify that Muhammad (S) is the Prophet (S) (Final Rasul) of Allah (S).�

This testament from an Islamic point of view verifies a most important statement of belief (Iman) in the unity of Allah (S) and the Unity of Prophethood, (Adam (AS) to Muhammad (S)) the Unity of humankind, the Unity of Religions, and the Unity of the Final message of the Lord of the heavens and earth for all time.

It is essential to appreciate that the Prophet (S) groomed and reflected a correct behaviour from the guidance of the Qur�an-ul-Kareem, which was his transformation. This self-transformation was a mirror to his companions who through self-knowledge, self-discipline and a pleasing behaviour based on the teachings of Islam established a foundation and the best society in Madinah-ul-Munawwarah, the City of Light that reflected its light to the far corners of the world.��

Muslims worldwide must acknowledge, recognise and appreciate this profound unity, which is to hold fast on to the rope of Allah (S), to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (S) and not be divided. This unity was the behaviour of the Prophet (S) and it was his worship (Ibadah) as it must be ours. He complied with the message and the injunctions of the Qur�an al Kareem and that was how he lived. He is an example for all Muslims, and must be comprehensively followed and appreciated.

The Prophet (S) of Islam taught, practised and was the Living example of the Qur`an al Kareem, the final book of Allah (S). He was the final messenger of Allah (S) who represented humankind and all the worlds and he perfected his character, embodying Allah�s (S) laws and described as the �walking Qur`an�. The values have not changed and it is the perfect way and the conduct of the Prophet (S). This is our heritage and we must live it. We should be �Walking Qur`ans�.

May Allah (S) Bless the Prophet (S) and sent salutation upon him, his family, his companions (R) and his followers (Ummah).

Innal llaha wa Malaa'ikatahu Yu salluna allan nabiyi. Ya Ayyuhal ladheena aamanu sallu alaihi wasallimu tasleema.

Allah-humma sallie alaa Muhammadeen wa aala aali sayeedana Muhammadeen wa bariek wa sallam

ADDITIONAL FACTS ON THE PROPHET (S) OF ISLAM.

Name - Muhammad

Title - Al-Mustafa, Al-Amin, Ar-Rasool

Kunyat - Abul Qasim

Born - Friday, the 17th of Rabi-ul Awwal around 570 C.E. in Makkah

Father's Name - Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muttalib

Mother's Name - Amina bint-e-Wahab

Died - at the age of 63 years on Monday, 28th Safar 11 AH/632 C.E.

Buried- in his house adjoining the mosque at Medina

Prophethood - period of 23 years, 13 years in Makkah and 10 years in Medina.

There are only four places where we can find the name Muhammad (S) inside the Holy Qur'an.

1. Ali Imran 3, 144

�Muhammad is no more than a messenger: Many were the messenger that passed away before him�.

�2. Al-Ahzab 33 (The Clans), 40

�Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things�.

3. Muhammad 47, 2

�Those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and believe in the (Revelation) sent down to Muhammad - for it is the Truth from their Lord, - He will remove from them their ills and improve their condition�.

4. Al-Fath 48 (Victory), 29

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer), seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration.

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The Best of Creation -- "The Walking Qur`an

The Best of Creation -- "The Walking Qur`anby

AbuBakr Karolia

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A WITNESSER AND A WARNER

Allah (S) in Surah 51 Al Dahriyat Verse 56 tells us that:

A BELOVED FRIEND OF ALLAH

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