Thousands of years ago Moses (P) told the children of Israel, the promise of God Almighty; about raising a prophet who would be 'like Moses' (P); ‘I (God) will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers (the brothers of the children of Israel), like you (Moses); and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. It shall happen that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (The Bible Deuteronomy 18:18-19). However, in the law of Moses (the Torah) it was written: ‘So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab but no man knows of his tomb to this day here has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, (Deuteronomy 34:5,6,10). Thus long after the death of prophet Moses (P) ‘the prophet like Moses’ had not yet appeared.
Hundreds of years later, the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya, P) some questions: ‘Who are you?’ they said. He replied: ‘I am not the Christ.’ They asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you That Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ They asked him, ‘Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor That Prophet?’ (The Bible John1:19-21, 25). Thus the Jews were still waiting for three distinct personalities the Christ (i.e. the Messiah, Jesus P), Elijah (P), and THAT prophet. The Prophet like Moses, the prophet whom God had promised to raise had still not come!
Jesus (P) told his followers 'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. However when he, The Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth (John 16:12-13). And about 600 years after Jesus (P), in the desert of Arabia in Makkah, among the Ishmaelites (the Arabs, the brothers of the children of Israel) was born The Prophet, the prophet Muhammad (P). A prophet sent as a mercy to all mankind, a prophet who always spoke in the name of God and spoke what He commanded him to.
The Makkans had always believed what Muhammad (P) had to say for his truthfulness was well known in Makkah. When Muhammad (P) started preaching the message of Islam, the message of worshipping one God alone without any partners, the Makkans were annoyed by this message; for the Idols and religious ceremonies were a great source of income for the Makkan leaders (many of them Muhammad’s own uncles). The influential and rich among them threatened him. But the Prophet replied ‘Even if you keep the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, I will not give up preaching my message.’
They made Muhammad (P) ‘a great offer!’
Muhammad (P) would be made 'the chief or the king,' get the keys of the Ka'ba, be given lots of money or married in the most honourable tribe if he wished. Makkah would be under his command if he gave up his work. But the Prophet declined all these offers!
All power and authority was declined for God and for the love of His people, by Muhammad (P). The people for which he grieved and ardently wanted that they knew and accepted the truth. This shows Muhammad’s (P) commitment to his mission and his love for humanity in general. God had to tell him again and again not to grieve for the disbelieving folk: ‘You (O Muhammad) wouldst only, perchance torment yourself to death, following after them, in grief if they believe not in this Message (Quran18:6)’ - Grieving even to death for the people’s good! Such was Muhammad’s (P) greatness, which brings tears to the eyes of the believers.
The Muslims were oppressed and persecuted by the Arab disbelievers and so was the prophet. In Makkah insulting and hurting the prophet was an everyday event, ‘the nobles’ amongst the Quraish used to tell their slaves to do so. Once a lot of unbelievers gathered around him and started abusing and shouting loudly, this resulted in such jostling that the prophet had to take refuge at some place. Abu Lahab used to get animal refuse and filth put at the prophet’s door and his wife used to get thorns put in the way of the prophet. Dust and garbage was commonly thrown upon the prophet’s blessed head. The Makkans had decided that no Makkan would ever go or listen to the prophet. A person named Aqba listened to some of his words. Aqba’s friend rebuked him and asked him as to why he did not spit on the prophet’s face while he (Muhammad P) was talking. Aqba then spat on the Prophet’s (P) face. The prophet had to offer his prayers in secret in Makkah because the Makkans used to put animal intestines over him and also while food was being cooked at his house (source: Ibn Hisham Vol.2 p.280, 28, 233,277,238,276-277).
Once some unbelievers put a cloth around his neck and pulled it causing him (P) to suffocate and fall on the ground. The Prophet went to Taif to preach his message and there the people stoned him so much so that his shoes were filled with blood. He prayed forgiveness for them as 'they knew not.'
Muhammad and his followers were forced to live for 3 years in a valley. Suffering with hunger, eating the leaves of the trees, getting some food secretly they passed those years of hard-ship. Then the unbelievers decided that one man from every Arab tribe would go and kill Muhammad (P) but the prophet was saved by God’s help. All this was patiently endured by the merciful apostle of God and he never lost his trust in God, who had already told him “Verily the Later portion (of life) shall be better for thee than the First. Thy Lord shall give thee, and thou shall be satisfied. (Quran 93:4-5).” And how could one forget: “They were afflicted by misery and hardship and were so convulsed, that the Messenger and those who believed with him said, 'When comes God's help?' Ah, but surely God's help is nigh. (Quran 2:214). God's help came and Madina offered him to be their leader.
The Muslims had to fight many wars with the Arab unbelievers who had oppressed them. The large amounts of money that came through warfare was given in charity by the prophet. A man who had denied authority before denied the usage of money and as the prophet’s wife said: ‘We used to see three crescents in two months, and no fire used to be made in the houses of Allah's Apostle. Urwah said, ‘What used to sustain you?’ Aisha said, ‘dates and water, except that Allah's Apostle had neighbors they used to give the Prophet some milk, and he used to give us from it to drink’ (Muslim no. 5282). Umar (Rta) cried seeing this state of the prophet and said 'O Allah's Apostle! …though you are Allah's Apostle you are living in destitute’. The Prophet replied. 'Won't you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we the Hereafter?’ (Bukhari 60:435).
Whenever someone wronged Muhammad (P) he always forgave him. He only punished people when they violated the state laws or when they harmed other people. As his wife said: He (the prophet) never took revenge for himself concerning any matter that was presented to him (Bukhari 81:777).
Many people tried to kill him and he was even able to get the sword of a man who came to kill him but he still forgave him (source: Bukhari 59:458), he forgave the unbeliever who had pushed his daughter and she had had a miscarriage, how many of us can do the same? Just 3-4 years before his death a Jewish woman brought poisoned sheep for the prophet to eat. His (P) palate showed ill effects. The companions wanted to kill the woman but the prophet forbade them (source: Bukhari 47:786).
A certain prisoner of war was a vigorous orator and used to speak openly against the prophet, some companions proposed that his teeth be broken but the prophet said 'If I get his teeth broken God shall break My teeth, even though I am a Prophet! (Ibn Hisham as quoted in Maududi's Tafhim-ul-Quran Vol.5 p.14). And when he (P) finally conquered Makkah, all those who had killed or oppressed the Muslims and the prophet, thought they would be put to death. The prophet said, ‘This is the day of mercy’ ‘You are safe, you are free.’ Peace be upon the merciful apostle of Allah.
Muhammad (P) brought a great revolution in the whole world and turned the Arab Bedouins, who were an ignorant and savage nation, into the most civilized nation humanity ever new. Muhammad emphasized on acquiring knowledge and thinking deeply about God’s creation. He abolished poverty, maintained justice and he was the first prophet to completely abolish the concept of slavery, gradually.
Slaves were acquired during wars, thus (after a certain time) the Muslims were forbidden enslaving anyone in wars and were left with only 2 choices i.e. they would let all the captives go free with or without some ransom. They had no other choice, God said: ‘tie fast the bonds (make captives) then set them free, either by grace or ransom, till the war lays down its loads (Quran47:4). Finally it was also revealed ‘Those of your slaves who seek freedom, contract with them accordingly (Quran 24:33). The prophet said: ‘And one should not say, my slave, or my slave-girl, but one should say my lad, my lass' (Bukhari 46: 728).
In his ‘last sermon,’ emphasizing on human equality, he said ‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve, Arabs and non-Arabs, whites or blacks have no superiority over one another except by piety or good action’ Abolishing the concept of revenge-killings, he said ‘Verily your blood, your properties are sacred and inviolable. Annulled are the blood-revenges of the Days of Ignorance (Muslim no. 2803). He said 'Whoso slays any human being unless it be a person guilty of man-slaughter or of spreading disorders in the land, shall be as if he had slain mankind altogether; And whoso gives life to a soul, shall be as if he has given life to mankind altogether (Quran 5:32).
When the prophet and his companions fought those who had oppressed them, he forbade everyone to harm any innocent person: ‘God does not forbid you from being just and kind to those who do not fight you. God forbids you to making friends, Only those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive you out of your homes’ (Quran 60:8-9) And ‘The way (to fight or punish) is Only open against those who do wrong to the people, and are insolent in the earth wrongfully. But he who BEARS patiently and is forgiving surely that is true constancy'(Quran 42:42-43).
Muhammad (P) taught and displayed through his character doing good even to enemies! He taught that we make enemies our friends, rather our Intimate friends: ‘Goodness and Evil can never be equal. Repel Evil with what is better or good. Then will he between whom and you was enmity become as he were your intimate friend (Quran 41:34)’
Muhammad (P) being such a great man was yet so humble, different from the ‘mighty men’ of today who’s anger and rudeness, is their pride. Lives of great men are not easy; Muhammad (P) suffered so much, yet never complained to God. No male child of the prophet ever survived and Ibrahim his son whom he loved with all his heart left him at the age of 15* months. ‘My eyes weep, my heart is in grief but from my tongue I shall say words which God likes,’ were the words of the prophet. Based on his teachings the Muslims were able to make great educational, religious and social contributions to the world in the past (which led to the Renaissance and Reformation in the west as well). Following the prophet can make us change the world, discover new things and make our status in the world better.
