Life and Teachings of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (1)

2021-06-22

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Arabia is a land of unparalleled charm and beauty, with its trackless deserts of sand dunes and mirages in the dazzling rays of a tropical sun. Its starry sky has excited the imagination of poets, travellers and mystics. It was in this land, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace, was born in the city of Mecca, which is about fifty miles from the Red Sea.(1)

It was in the latter half of the sixth century when the world was plunged into utter darkness that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, was born. The then-known world stood on the verge of destruction, with chaos as the order of the day and pre-Islamic Arabia was no exception to this, rather it was in the lowest depths of abysmal darkness; infanticide was rampant, debauchery was looked upon as chivalrous, drunkenness was a common sight and all forms of evil was glorified.

J.H. Denison in his Emotions as the basis of Civilization wrote: “In the fifth and sixth centuries, the civilized world stood on the verge of chaos ….it seemed that the great civilization which had taken four thousand years to construct was on the verge of disintegration … Civilization like a gigantic tree whose foliage had over-reached the world … stood tottering .. rotted to the core ….. It was among the Arabs that the man was born who was to unite the whole known world of the East and the South”.(2)

The religious attachment of 6th century Arabia was idolatry, though there were a sprinkling of Atheists and worshippers of heavenly planets, who offered sacrifices to the sun, moon and other heavenly bodies. Christians and Jews were also to be found. The centre of Christian activity was al-Najran, while the Jews were concentrated in Khaibar and Medina. In spite of these varied religious concepts, there was also a group who sought to follow the religion of their forefather Abraham. The administration of their affairs, like their religious beliefs, was also in a state of disarray. Sir William Muir had this to say: The prospects of Arabia before the rise of Muhammad were as unfavourable to religious reform as they were too political union or national regeneration. (3)

In spite of their religious and administrative divisions, the Arabs possessed a remarkable memory and were eloquent people. Their eloquence and memory found expression in their poetry. Every year a fair was held for poetical competitions at Ukaz. In his book The Literary History of the Arabs, R.A.Nicholson writing about the poetical ability of the Arabs, states: It is related that Hammad said to Caliph Walid bin Yazid: ‘I can recite to you, for each letter of the alphabet, one hundred long poems, without taking into account short pieces, and all of that composed exclusively by poets before the promulgation of Islam. (4)

It is no small wonder, therefore, that Allah chose an Arab and the Arabic language for His final dispensation and the preservation of His Word. The condition of the world in general and Arabia, in particular, is graphically put in the Holy Quran when Allah says:” Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what men’s hands have wrought.”(5) This is the condition which is painted by all the historians, in so many words, about the sixth century. Before the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, an Abyssinian army was on the verge of conquering Mecca. But were totally annihilated by smallpox, a reference to which is in the Holy Quran chapter 105. This occurred fifty-three days before the birth of our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace.

His father’s name was Abdullah who died before his birth. His mother’s name was Amina. A few days after his birth, as was the custom among the nobility of the Arabs, he was given to the care of a Bedouin wet nurse. Whose name was Haleema. For two years, he grew up under her care. after which. she took him back to his mother. But, due to an epidemic in Mecca, he returned with Haleema for another three years.

When he returned to his mother, she took him for a visit to Medina, but on the return journey, she died. At the age of six, he was entrusted to the care of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib who expired two years later. At this stage, he was placed under the care of his uncle Abu Talib. In his early youth, he used to tend his uncle’s flocks. During his youth, he joined a society whose aims were, to help the poor and the needy, safeguard the rights of the oppressed and support and uphold the cause of justice. He was also launched into commercial enterprises and undertook journeys with caravans to Yemen and Syria. His honesty and integrity earned him the title of Al-Amin – The Trustworthy. At the age of twenty-five, he was married to Khadija – a wealthy widow, whose caravans he commanded. She offered her hand to him in marriage, after she received very good reports about his conduct and honesty in the discharge of his duties as the leader of her caravans.

The Divine Call came to him in his fortieth year and depicting the state of mind of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, Thomas Carlyle in his book Heroes and Hero worship writes: “ The great mystery of existence, .. glared in upon him, with its terrors, with its splendours; no hearsay could hide that unspeakable fact `Here am I’. Such sincerity, as we named it has in very truth something divine. The word of such a man is a voice from nature’s own heart. Men do and must listen to that and to nothing else – All else is wind in comparison.

From of old a thousand thoughts, in his pilgrimages and wanderings, had been in this man: What am l? What is this unfathomable thing I live in, which men call the Universe? The grim rocks of Mount Hira, of Mount Sinai, the stern solitudes answered not. The great heavens rolling silently overhead, with its blue glaring stars, answered not. There was no answer. The man’s soul and what of God’s inspiration dwelled there had to answer”.(6) The first persons to have accepted his call, were his wife Khadija, his cousin Ali, a freed slave Zaid and his close friend Abu Bakr. For three years after receiving the Divine Call, the preaching was conducted rather quietly with the number of his followers increasing rapidly. After this, a rather quiet start. The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was commanded to proclaim his message which he received from Allah, publicly. Accordingly, he addressed his message about the Unity of God and of his being the Messenger of God from every available quarter.

Since this belief was threatening their very existence. The pagan Arabs started to mount pressure on the Holy Prophet, and his followers to renounce their cause and take to idol-worshipping. On one occasion, they sent a delegation to the Holy Prophet’s uncle that he should restrain the Holy Prophet, from preaching his message. They threatened Abu Talib with their combined opposition. Finding himself in this state, he sent for the Holy Prophet and explained to him the situation. The Holy Prophet answered with these memorable words: “My dear uncle, if they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, even then I shall not abandon the proclamation of the Unity of God. I shall set up the true faith upon the earth or perish in the attempt”.

Continue in the next article: ( Life and Teachings of The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (2) )