Tala al Badru Alayna

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It's Friday today - the most blessed day of the Muslim week. The day where we should recite as much Durood Shareef upon our Prophet Muhammad (saw) as we can.

I was listening to this nasheed after such a long time and thought I'd share some of the lyrics with you. The nasheed is about Tala al Badru Alayna.

Best caller to Gods way

The word to be obeyed

The bright moon in the valley of darkness

His eyes slowly rising 

Sunrise warms the horizon

Sand dunes form in the distance

He's up and out in an instant

The crowd, they all were waiting

Watching and anticipating

A man appears from a far

Could it be the one sent by Allah?

He shouts, "Here comes the Prophet

His face is a light that drives out the darkness

Words are alive, his message is living

Joy everywhere, our voices are singing"

He steps and reaches to touch

This man who suffered so much

His own troubles could not compare

To the Prophet scorned everywhere

He was shunned away by his own kin

Ridiculed and stoned by the townsmen

His blood was shed for the truth

But he never was vengeful or rude

Then the Prophet turns, and he smiles

Radiance that spreads out for miles

Embraces his hand with kindness and care

His heart sings out for all those to hear

Wakes up, alarm clock is ringing

Moonlight, the sun hasn't risen

Faint sounds of cars on the street

But inside his heart, he feels peace

He starts recalling his dream

The Prophet's face he had seen

He remembers then the tradition

In a dream, it truly will be him

Allah, oh what a feeling

So many years he followed his teachings

And this is the greatest time in his life

He prays to Allah and sings through the night

Here is the full nasheed:

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Zuhd

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Zuhd is an often misunderstood term, most probably because, among certain people - namely, certain followers of Sufi orders - it is taken to an extreme; or it is understood only on a superficial level. 

In the Arabic language, a Zahid - one who practices Zuhd - is someone who is austere and self-denying in his lifestyle. As an Islamic term, a Zahid is someone who gives up worldly pleasures and comforts for the sake of Allah, and because, through leading a self-denying existence in this life, he hopes to enjoy a comfortable and pleasure filled life in the Hereafter.

Suffice to say, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the leader of all Zahids. His Zuhd was based on his certain knowledge that this world is a fleeting abode. Its pleasures are few, limited and temporary; and life passes by so quickly that all people who live to be old agree that their lives went by quickly, that it seemed only yesterday that they were children. Such a life, therefore, cannot be compared to the everlasting life of the Hereafter. 

The Prophet (saw) kept his sight focused on the Hereafter, being very aware of what Allah has prepared for His believing slaves in terms of rewards, comfort, pleasures and eternal bliss. As such, he refused to take from this world anything that was above and beyond his basic needs. He understood that, the more one possesses in this life, the more attached one becomes to this world.

The Prophet (saw) was a Zahid not by force of circumstances, but by choice. As the leader of a nation, but moreover as a favoured and beloved Prophet of Allah, he could have had mountains of gold and silver. He could have led a luxurious and comfortable lifestyle. He only had to ask Allah, and he would have been given great wealth.

But he preferred to follow the way of Zuhd, to save his share of good things for the Hereafter. As a result of that choice, he spent many nights of his life hungry. At times, at least a month would pass by without a cooking fire being ignited in his house. During such periods of hardships, he would either go hungry for days, or he and his family would survive on water and dates. As one of his wives stated, it never occurred that he ate a satisfying amount of barley bread for three consecutive nights.

He would sleep not on a real mattress, but on a makeshift bed that was made of straw, one that would leave marks on the side of his body. On various occasions of his life, he would stave off the pangs of hunger by tying a rock around his stomach. His Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), who themselves suffered frequently from want, were often saddened to see the signs of hunger on the Prophet's (saw) face. 

As for the Prophet's (saw) house, it was made neither of bricks nor cement nor any other strong, resistant and long-lasting material. It was, on the contrary, made of simple clay. It was small, and its roof was low. His clothing was simple and plain, and never once did he sit at a dining table to eat. He underwent such hardships in order to discipline his soul, to preserve his faith, and to be deserving of the promise that Allah made to him:



And verily, your Lord will give you so that you shall be well pleased.
(Surah Duha - Verse 5)

In the way he (saw) turned away from this world, without rejoicing in its treasures or enjoying its pleasures; and in the way he focused on the Hereafter, performing deeds purely for the sake of Allah - the Prophet Muhammad (saw) became the ideal role model for all Zahids, and more generally, for all Muslims. 

According to a the narrations, he (saw) said:

Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveller who is only passing through (one place on his way to a distant destination).

Seek little from this world, and Allah will love you. Refrain from taking what people have (with them), and people will love you.

What do I have to do with this world? Verily, the example of me with this world is nothing more than the example of a man who takes a noon-time nap underneath the shade of a tree, and who then gets up and leaves it.

The world is cursed, and everything in it is cursed - except for the remembrance of Allah, for good deeds that Allah loves, for a scholar, or for a student.

All that you have from wealth is what you eat and thus cause to be used up, what you wear and thus cause to be worn out, and what you give in charity and thus cause to remain for your benefit.

May Allah make us all the true people of Zuhd like our Prophet Muhammad (saw) - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Bravery

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All of the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) noble characteristics were direct results of certain causes - such as his strong faith in Allah, his fear in Allah, and the complete trust he placed in Allah. In this regard, the characteristic of bravery is no exception. 

The Prophet (saw) was a paragon of bravery because he feared no one save Allah, because he had faith in Allah's promise to protect him from his enemies, and because he placed his complete trust in Allah.

As such, he was like a great mountain, in that he did not easily shake or tremble, but instead remained firm and steadfast through the most harrowing of situations. His enemies threats did not perturb him; life threatening situations did not frighten him; and the threat of physical harm or even death did not faze him in the least.

He placed his complete trust in Allah, seeking no one's help save His help, being confident in His promise, and being satisfied and happy with His decree. With such wonderful qualities, it is not surprising that he personally fought in battles, placing himself in harm's way, even when few, if any, others were willing to do the same.

Never once did the Prophet (saw) flee from a battle; never once did he retreat even a single step when the fighting intensified. In fact, when heads were decapitated; when swords sliced through air, skin, flesh and bones; when many people met their deaths in a matter of minutes or seconds; when swords clashed with shields, and when arrows penetrated armour - the Prophet (saw) was the closest member of his army to the enemy. At times, the Sahabah (ra) used the Prophet (saw) as a shield, knowing that they would stand a better chance against their enemy if they rallied around the Prophet (saw).

For the Prophet (saw), it did not matter how many enemy soldiers there were on a battlefield; it did not matter how many weapons they had; these things did not matter because he believed with certainty that, regardless of the strength of the enemy, Allah would help him overcome them.

On the Day of Hunayn, most Muslims fled from the battlefield during the initial stages of battle. The only Muslims who remained steadfast on the battlefield were the Prophet (saw) and six of hid Sahaabah (ra); and this verse was revealed to him:

Then fight (O Muhammad) in the Cause of Allah, you are not tasked (i.e. held responsible) except for yourself, and incite the believers (to fight along with you) ..
(Surah Nisaa - Verse 84)

The Prophet (saw) was neither nervous nor frightened during times of battle; instead, he was calm and at peace, for he desired martyrdom at least as much as he desired victory.

As a result of the Prophet's (saw) bravery, he sometimes sustained injuries and lost many of his Companions (ra). And yet, he never became weak, cowardly or fearful; instead, he ploughed forward on the battlefield as if he wanted to die. 

On the Day of Badr, he not only led his army, but also took part in the fighting during the most intense and dangerous stages of the battle. During the Battle of Khandaq, the Confederate armies were apparantly in complete control of the situation, confident that it was only a matter of time before they broke the siege and destroyed the Muslims of Madinah. 

As for the Muslim soldiers, their hearts reached their throats, so afraid were they; they were shaken and put to trial, with at least some of them being on the verge of hopelessness. Meanwhile, the Prophet (saw) remained patient, steadfast and confident of victory.

But as confident as he was, he did not forget to invoke Allah for help. He stood up, prayed, supplicated, and invoked his Lord for help, until Allah answered his prayers and caused his enemies to be defeated, to suffer humiliation and to retreat in disgrace even though they greatly outnumbered the Muslims.

The violent wind that Allah sent to the Confederate armies instilled terror into the hearts of the polytheist soldiers, and thus the siege came to an end. And on the night of Badr, the Muslims fell asleep; as for the Prophet (saw), he stood up, prayed and invoked Allah for help.

No one was as brave as was the Prophet (saw), who said:

"By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, I would love to be killed in the way of Allah, to then be resurrected, and to then be killed again".

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - The Generous One

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Of all of Allah's created beings, none has ever been as generous as the Prophet Muhammad (saw). There are reasons why he was so generous. He was sent to adorn himself and others with the noblest of manners; when he gave to others, he expected nothing in return from them, desiring instead to be rewarded by Allah alone; and, perhaps most importantly, he trusted in Allah so much that he did not fear poverty.

Because the Prophet (saw) possessed the above mentioned qualities, he became the very personification of generosity. An Arab poet once noted that the Prophet (saw) would have altogether forsaken the word No, had it not been for the Tashahud (the testimony of faith):

He said "no" never, except when he made Tashahud,
Had it not been for Tashahud, his "no" would have been a "yes".

What the poet meant, of course, is that, whenever someone went to the Prophet (saw) and asked him for something - money, food, clothing, or something else - he (saw) would never say "No". But he did use the word "No" in the testimony of faith: "No one has the right to be worshipped but Allah".

Among Arabs, certain historical figures are still remembered for their generosity - the likes of Haram, Ibn Jad'an, and perhaps most famously, Hatim. And yet none of these men even approached the generosity of the Prophet (saw). Without thinking twice about the matter, the Prophet (saw) once gave a man an entire flock of sheep that were so numerous that they filled the valley that separated two mountains. 

At around the same time, he gave each chieftain of various Arab tribes one hundred camels. On one occasion, a man asked the Prophet (saw) for the very shirt he had on his back. In response to the man's strange request, the Prophet (saw) removed his shirt and handed it over to the man.

When the Prophet (saw) showed generosity, he expected nothing in return. Many rich men, especially kings, give charity, hoping not for a monetary return, but instead for respect, love, admiration and loyalty. The Prophet (saw) expected none of these things; nay, he acted so humbly that he made a person feel that, by taking something from the Prophet (saw), he was the one who was doing the Prophet (saw) a favour, and not vice versa. 

Or in the words of a poet:
You see him, when you go to him, with a cheerful expression on his face.
Making it seem that you are the one giving him that which you ask for.

If the Prophet (saw) had nothing when someone asked him for something, he would find something to give him. And when he had very little himself, he would give away what little he had, trusting that Allah would reward him and provide for him.

When the spoils of war would be gathered, he would distribute them in less than an hour. His table-spread was like a complementary food stand - any and all comers were welcome to it, except that they were welcome to take generous portions. 

Everyone benefited from the Prophet's (saw) generosity: The traveller he treated as a guest; the hungry he provided with food; his relatives he honoured with good treatment; to the needy he gave without fear of poverty; the rich and the poor alike he treated well; Jews, Bedouins, enemies, and hypocrites all ate with him as his guests. 

It is not mentioned in any narration that the Prophet (saw) ever became weary of being generous, ever said "no" to someone who asked him for help, or ever showed the least bit of displeasure towards someone who demanded his assistance.

On one occasion, a Bedouin pulled back violently at the collar of the Prophet's (saw) robe, so violently, in fact, that a mark was left of the Prophet's (saw) neck. The Bedouin then said: "Give me from what you have in terms of Allah's wealth; from the wealth that is neither your father's nor your mother's". The Prophet (saw) turned to the Bedouin, laughed good-naturedly, and then gave him a generous share of wealth.

When a treasure of gold or silver would come to him, he would distribute it immediately, without saving even a coin from it for himself. When he gave someone money, he was happier to give than was the other person to receive. 

A paragon of generosity himself, the Prophet (saw) exhorted Muslims to follow his example. He said:

"Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be generous to his guest".

In another narration, he said:

"Every person will be under the shade of his own charity (on the Day of Resurrection), until judgement is rendered among people."

According to yet another narration, he said:

"Charity never causes one's level of wealth to decrease".

To give is to be blessed. Whatever you give away in charity, you get back in some form or another. 

Wasalaam! 

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - the Patient One

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

In the English language, patience is sometimes defined as the capacity for calm endurance of pain, trouble and inconvenience. 

As an Islamic virtue, patience has an additional spiritual quality to it: To endure hardships for the sake of Allah, consciously making the intention that, by being patient and by not complaining, one will hopefully receive rewards from Allah in the Hereafter. After all, many hardy people in this world calmly endure pain and hardship; but relatively few people do so for the sake of Allah. 

As for the Prophet (saw), he was a paragon of patience. For him, being chosen to be the seal of the Prophets meant, not an easy life, but a life of difficulties and hardships, of trials and tribulations, of pain and suffering. In fact, no one in the history of mankind faced as many hardships as did the Prophet (saw).

Death would have been easier than the personal tragedies the Prophet (saw) experienced throughout his life, and yet he never complained, but instead remained steadfast, patient, and thankful to his Lord.

In being patient, he was obeying his Lord's command:

And endure you patiently (O Muhammad), your patience is not but from Allah ...

(Surah An-Nahl - Verse 127)

He patiently endured being an orphan, being poor and being hungry. He was patient when he was forced to leave his homeland, his house, and his family. He was patient when he was being persecuted, when some of his Companions were being tortured, and when others among his family members and Companions were killed. He was patient when his enemies waged war against him, when Bedouins acted ignorantly with him, when Jews plotted against him, when hypocrites conspired to harm him, when many of his own relatives forsook him and declared war upon him.

He was patient in other ways as well. He patiently resisted the temptations of this world, the allure of riches, and the appeal of being strong and powerful. He turned away from all of the above because, instead of those worldly attractions, he longed only to please His Lord.

In every aspect of his life, and in every stage of his prophethood, the Prophet (saw) was patient. Patience, in fact, was his armour against everything that is harmful in this life. Every time he remembered what his enemies said, he recalled the words of Allah:

So bear patiently (O Muhammad) what they say ..
(Surah Ta-Ha, Verse 130)

Every time a difficult situation became almost too difficult to bear, he remembered the saying of Allah: 

... So (for me) patience is most fitting ..
(Surah Yusuf, Verse 18)

And every time he faced almost certain destruction at the hands of his enemies, he remembered Allah's saying:

Therefore be patient (O Muhammad) as did the Messengers of strong will ..
(Surah Ahqaf, Verse 35)

His was the patience of a man who is perfectly confident that Allah will help him and that Allah will reward him for his hardship and for his patience. His was the patience of a man who knew that Allah was with him and that Allah was all the help he needed in life. As such, nothing - no harsh word, no curse, no rude behaviour, and no physical torture - could shake him, faze him, perturb him, or even annoy him.

When his uncle died, he was patient. When his wife died, he was patient. When Hamzah (ra) died, he was patient, even though Hamzah was killed in an especially gruesome manner.

When he was forced to leave Makkah, he was patient. When his son died, he was patient. When most of his people rejected his message, he remained patient. When his pure and chaste wife was accused of doing a vile deed, he remained patient, seeking help from none save Allah.

When his people labelled him a poet, a sorcerer, a madman, and a liar, he remained patient. When they cursed him, persecuted him, waged war against him, and physically assaulted him, he remained patient.

In short, he was, and continues to remain the leader of those who practice patience, and the ideal role model of those who are thankful.

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - The Truthful One

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Of all men who have ever walked the earth, none has - nor will any ever be - as truthful as the Prophet (saw). How could anyone come close to him, when he never spoke a single lie in his entire life, not even one that was meant as a joke?

And while he held himself to a high standard of truthfulness, he ordered his followers to do the same. He said: "Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness and piety, and this piety leads to Paradise. And, a man continues to be truthful and to search out for the truth until, with Allah, he is written as a truthful person".

The Prophet (saw) informed Muslims that, while a believer might be miserly or cowardly on occasion, he will never lie; furthermore, he forbade Muslims from lying even if they do so only as a joke, in order to make others laugh.

Enough of a testament to his truthfulness is the fact that Allah entrusted him with the job of conveying His message to both mankind and jinns. The Prophet (saw) then carried out that job with complete truthfulness and trustworthiness, accurately conveying the entire message he was entrusted with, without adding or removing even a single letter of that message.

The Prophet (saw) was truthful on all occasions and in all situations - in times of war and times of peace; when he was happy and when he was angry; when he was serious and when he was joking; when he was engaged in normal conversations and when he issued legal rulings. 

And he was truthful with all people - with close acquaintances and strangers, with men and women, with friends and enemies. When buying and selling, when signing contracts or treaties, when delivering sermons or writing letters, when issuing legal rulings or telling stories - in these and all other situations, the Prophet (saw) was completely truthful. In fact, he couldn't lie, for Allah not only forbade him from lying, but also protected him from it.

The Prophet (saw) was truthful not only in speech, but also with his gestures and signals. For instance, in certain situations, he considered the act of winking to be a lie, because it gave key information to some people, while leaving others in the dark.

Allah said:
O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).
(Surah Tawbah - Verse 119)

And, in another verse, He said:
.. Then if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them.
(Surah Muhammad - Verse 21)

The Prophet (saw) was truthful with Allah, truthful with himself, truthful with his family, truthful with his friends, truthful with people in general, and even truthful with his enemies. 

Had the truth been an actual man, that man would have been Muhammad (saw). He was known as, The Truthful, Trustworthy One prior to the advent of Islam; imagine, then, how he became once he began to receive revelation from his Lord, once he became a Prophet, once he became blessed with guidance and uprightness. 

Wasalaam!

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Book

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The Book he was sent with is the Quran - categorically the best and the most sacred of all books, the only Book on the face of the earth that is perfect and that is free from any and all defects. Not a line, not a word, nay, not even a letter of falsehood can be found in any of its pages; which is not surprising, considering that it was revealed by the All-Wise, the One Who is worthy of all praise. 

Everything about the Quran - its meanings, the ordering of its words, the arrangement of its chapters, the legal rulings it contains - is perfect.

What is more, it is a blessed Book: One is blessed when one recites it, when one contemplates its meanings, when one uses it to cure one's physical and spiritual ailments, when people turn to it to judge their disputes, and when one applies its teachings. For each of its letters that one recites, one receives ten rewards.

The Quran is the best of companions, being always available, truthful, comforting, trustworthy and beneficial. It has about it a quality of sweetness. It surpasses all else, but is never surpassed itself. It is neither magic nor poetry nor the speech of man; rather, it is the speech of Allah. From Him it emanated, and to Him it shall return. That most trusted of Angels, Jibraeel (as), came down with it to the heart of the Messenger of Allah (saw).

The Quran was revealed in clear Arabic. To all who know the Arabic language, it is the standard of eloquence, and yet it is a standard that no man can meet or equal or reproduce in any way. It is, moreover, guidance, mercy, an admonition, light, a clear proof, and a cure for what is in the hearts of men. 

It is divinely protected, so that, no matter how much Islam's enemies try to corrupt or change its verses, it cannot be changed in the least. Allah will always protect it from any additions or deletions. As such, the Quran is an eternal and lasting miracle.

The Quran is a protection for those who follow it; a means of salvation for those who apply its teachings; a gateway towards happiness for those who follow its guidance; and a door to ultimate success for those who turn to it for judgement in every aspect of their lives.

The Prophet (saw) said: "Recite the Quran; for indeed, it will come as an intercessor for its people (for the people who recite it and apply its teachings) on the Day of Resurrection". 

According to another narration, the Prophet (saw) said: "The best among you is he who learns the Quran and teaches it to others". 

And according to yet another narration, the Prophet (saw) said: "Verily, through this Book, Allah raises certain people; and, through it, He lowers others".

It is the Book that has confuted poets, silenced philosophers, struck dumb the most eloquent of people, amazed scholars, and left speechless the wise.

Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right ..
(Surah Al-Isra, Verse 9)

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Religion

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

His religion is Islam, the only religion that leads to success and safety. Allah said:

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.

(Surah Aale Imraan, Verse 85)

It is the religion that came to free human beings from the shackles of misguidance; it is an easy religion, and it is a comprehensive, complete and perfect religion.

..This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion ..

(Surah Maaidah, Verse 3)

Islam came to free people from servitude to those who themselves are slaves, and to guide them to worship the Lord of all slaves. It came to take them from the narrowness of this world to the vastness of the Hereafter; from the darkness of polytheism to the light of Islamic monotheism; from the misery of disbelief to the happiness of Faith.

It is a religion that is at once appropriate and valid for all times and all places. The One Who legislated Islam as a religion is alone able to forgive sins, and He alone knows both what His slaves outwardly display and what is hidden in the deepest recesses of their hearts.

This perfect and well balanced religion came with beneficial knowledge and good deeds, which is what makes its adherents distinct from Jews and Christians. The Jews had knowledge, but it did not benefit them since they did not apply it. The Christians, on the other hand, strove to perform good deeds, but since they lacked knowledge, they strayed from the Straight Path. Islam is the Straight Path, the path that is followed by those who have not incurred upon themselves Allah's wrath, and who are not misguided.

Despite being illiterate, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was sent to recite to people Allah's verses, to purify them, and to teach them the Book and wisdom; for, prior to his advent, they had been in manifest error.

Islam came to forbid lying and the giving of false testimony; it came to forbid oppression and tyranny; it came to forbid cheating people in the buying and selling of goods. Islam came to forbid all forms of wrongdoing.

And it also came to preserve the sanctity and dignity of human life - to protect the heart with faith; to protect the well being of the human body, by legislating laws that achieve that effect; to protect people's wealth from being wrongly seized or taken; to protect people's honour from all forms of slander and backbiting; to safeguard people's lives, by forbidding the wrongful shedding of blood; and to protect the mind from anything that diminishes or outright destroys its ability to function properly.

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Manners

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When it came to manners, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was superior to all other people. And why would he not be so, for it was Allah who guided him, trained him, and refined his character. As such, the Prophet (saw) had the best manners; he was the most truthful human being in speech; he was the most rightly-guided person; he feared Allah the most; he was the kindest of all people towards his relatives; he was the bravest person to have ever walked the earth; he was the most generous of people; he was the most just of all people; and he was, in every other way, the most superior of all people. All of this was a natural consequence of the Prophet (saw) being nurtured, cared for, trained, and taught by Allah.

Because of his wonderful qualities, the Prophet (saw) was near and dear to the hearts and souls of people. He was blessed and easy going, and yet he had about himself an aura of dignity and gravity that suited his lofty character. His face shone with the light of guidance; his mouth smiled with love; his heart was truly alive; and his mind was illuminated with elevated thoughts.

He had the uncanny ability of making all those around him happy, and of making all of his Companions feel at ease. While he loved favourable signs (signs that make one feel that something good will happen), he detested evil omens: the former, he (saw) knew, prompted one to be positive and to act well; the latter, on the other hand, made one pessimistic and deterred one from performing good deeds.

It was the Prophet's (saw) wont to pardon and forgive the mistakes of others. And he was generous, more generous, in fact, than gentle wind or much needed rain. He subdued people, not with a sword, but with generosity and good manners. With his message, he brought happiness to mankind. Whoever saw him, loved him; whoever knew him, stood in awe of him; and whoever met him, venerated him. His speech captivated people's hearts, and his noble manners at once tamed and subjugated people's souls.

Allah made his heart firm and steadfast, so that it never deviated from the truth. Allah guided his speech, so that he never spoke ignorantly. Allah safeguarded his Faith, so that he never went astray. And, Allah supported his mission, so that he was never forsaken or forced into despair. In every way imaginable, he was blessed and guided.

And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character.

(Surah Qalam - Verse 4)

And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently ..

(Surah Aale-Imran - Verse 159)

The Prophet (saw) said: "The person among you who fears Allah the most and is most knowledgeable about Allah, is me".

In another hadith, he said: "The best among you is he who is the best towards his family. And among you all, I am the one person who stands out as being the best towards his family."

He (saw) is also related to have said: "Verily, I have been sent only to make complete (both in myself and others) the noblest of manners".

All the Glory be to Allah, Who chose the Prophet (saw), raised him, protected him, guided him, and looked after him.

Wasalaam! 

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - The Messenger

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It was, to say the least, tremendous news, amazing news and life changing news for everyone on earth: The Seal of all Prophets (as), after a long wait, had finally come to preach his message to mankind.

What are they asking one another? About the great news (Islamic monotheism). About which they are in disagreement.

(Surah An-Naba, Verse 1-3)

Kings and peoples of foreign lands, nomads, inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula - everyone was discussing the Prophet (saw) and his message. It was as if history temporarily stopped while all people took a collective long, deep breath, so that they could absorb the significance of the Prophet's (saw) arrival on earth.

The earth was spiritually barren and dry, given that the last Prophet before Muhammad (saw) was sent by Allah more than six hundred years earlier, that the message of that previous Prophet - Isa (as) - was all but lost, and that very few monotheists remained on earth.

If people starve to death in the absence of food and drink, then the inhabitants of the earth, prior to the advent of the Prophet (saw), were spiritually starved, with no nourishment - knowledge and guidance - to keep their souls alive.

Therefore, the arrival of the Prophet (saw) on earth was very similar to the falling of rain in a time of drought. In short, the Prophet's (saw) arrival represented light: And can light be hidden or shut out?

They intend to put out the Light of Allah with their mouths. But Allah will complete His Light even though the disbelievers hate it.
(Surah Saff, Verse 8)

In fact, it is authentically established that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The example of what Allah sent me with, in terms of guidance and knowledge, is the example of beneficial rain that falls from the sky and causes crops to grow".

The Prophet (saw) was therefore sent for one main reason - so that Allah alone could be worshipped, without any partners being associated with Him. He was sent so that it could be said on earth, "None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah".

He was sent to uphold the truth, and to crush falsehood. He was sent with clear proofs; with a wonderful and perfect religion; with justice and kindness; with peace and love; with safety and faith; with purity, prayer, charity, fasting, Hajj and Jihad; with the concepts of enjoining good and forbidding evil; with noble deeds and good manners; and, with uprightness and happiness.

He was sent to disprove all forms of polytheism, to destroy all false idols, to eradicate ignorance, to wage war against falsehood and oppression, and to deter people from all base and vile manners. Anything that is good, he guided people to it; and anything that is evil, he warned people against it.

Wasalaam!

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) as a Child

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The Prophet (saw) did not descend from the heavens at the age of forty, ready immediately to begin preaching the message of Islam. On the contrary, he entered this world in the same manner that all other children (of course with the exception of Prophet Adam (as), Hawwa and Prophet Isa (as) entered it. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) was born to a mother and father.

Furthermore, his aging process was not accelerated for him, whereby he transformed from an infant into a forty year old Prophet in a matter of moments, weeks or months. No, time passed by for him in a normal fashion, and, as with all of the other people on earth, he had to go through the various stages of life - infancy, childhood, young adulthood, all the way to old age.

What was he like as a child? To put it simply, he was a child, but was not like other children. He was both innocent and born of excellent lineage, and he was at once intelligent and pure. Perhaps what distinguished him most from other children was the fact that, at every stage of his young life, he was being divinely protected by Allah.

To the keen-sighted observer, Muhammad (saw) the child was being prepared for great things. Everyone who played a part in raising him - his mother; his nursemaid, Haleemah (ra); Abdul Mutallib; and Abu Talib - knew that he was being divinely prepared for a great mission in life, but what that mission was, they probably couldn't guess (except of course for Abu Talib, who had been informed by a monk about the seal of prophethood on Muhammad's (saw) back).

Divine protection didn't just mean that Allah protected Muhammad (saw) from physical harm; actually, it primarily meant protecting him in a spiritual sense. Thus, as a child or even as a young adult, Prophet Muhammad (saw) was never know for frivolity, for having bad manners, or even for the innocent mischief making that is common among children. 

He remained innocent and without a blemish to stain his character because he was being prepared to bring happiness to mankind, to bring them out of darkness and into the light. Thus, he was a man, and yet a Prophet; he was a human being, but at the same time he was a Messenger; he was a slave of Allah, and yet he was divinely protected from doing wrong; he was a human being, and yet revelation descended upon him.

In historical terms, it is false to depict Prophet Muhammad (saw) simply as being a leader. The leaders who have lived on earth and then died are similar in number to the hair on ones head. They had ambitions for power and aspirations for great wealth, and they achieved the trivial things they had set out to gain. Few people remember them, and even less care about them.

But the Prophet (saw) was much, much, much more than a leader. He was a guide and a Prophet; he came with the Book of Allah and with his own Sunnah; he came with light and guidance; he came with beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.

He focused on people's well-being not just in this life, but in the Hereafter as well; and he was concerned not just with people's physical well-being, but with their spiritual well-being as well.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) was not merely knowledgeable. By the permission of Allah, he taught the knowledge he had been blessed with to others; he trained the most famous and eminent scholars and jurists of the world; he taught orators how to deliver wonderful speeches; he guided the wise and the unlearned; and he guided all people to the truth:

And verily, you O Muhammad, are indeed guiding mankind to the Straight Path.
(Quran 42:52)

Prophet Muhammad (saw) was not a king who used soldiers and guards to keep a firm grip on power. He was a Prophet and Messenger sent by Allah: He was a warner and a bearer of glad tidings to every king and commoner, every free man and slave, every rich man and poor man, every Arab and non-Arab, every white man and black man.

And, We have sent you O Muhammad not but as a mercy for the mankind, jinns and all that exists.
(Quran 21:107)

The Prophet (saw) said: "By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, if any person from this Nation, if any Jew, or if any Christian hears about me and then dies without believing in that which I have been sent with, he will be among the people of the Hellfire".

If we follow him from his childhood to his youth, we will find that he maintained his purity and innocence, adding to those qualities a number of other noble traits, such as eloquence, trustworthiness, good manners and chastity. 

He never spoke a single lie; in fact, he had not even a single defect in his character. Truthful in speech, honourable in terms of his character, pure in both speech and deed, noble in his manners, easy going in his dealings, good natured in terms of his disposition, Muhammad (saw) the young man was, it is no wonder, universally loved and respected by his fellow tribesmen.

So, when he openly announced his prophethood years later, his enemies could not recall a single character flaw, a single slip-up, a single mistake that they could use to attack his character. He had, to their despair and anger, an absolutely clean record. 

They themselves had labelled him "The Trustworthy One"; they themselves would entrust him and no one else with their valuables; they were the ones who would ask him to settle their disputes.

He was, they knew, a paragon of virtues during his youth; imagine, then, how noble and virtuous and good he became once the duties of prophethood fell onto his shoulders.

And, verily, you O Muhammad are on an exalted standard of character.
(Quran 68:4)

Wasalaam!

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Homeland

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

From all of the places on the earth, Allah chose for His Prophet (saw) the most beloved of lands to Him - the inviolable city, the holy city, the city of pure soil, the city that was under His constant protection.

Yes, the Prophet (saw) was born in Makkah, the city wherein Prophets and Messengers performed Prayer, the city in which revelation came down. Moreover, Makkah was the city that contained in it the Ancient House - the Kabah.

It was in Makkah that the Prophet (saw) was raised as a child; it was Makkah's streets that the Prophet (saw) became familiar with as a boy, and then as a young man; and it was Makkah that became dearer to the Prophet (saw) than all other lands. 

When he was forced to leave Makkah, he was going to a place where he would be honoured, and yet he did not really want to leave. 

Addressing the city he loved the most, the Prophet (saw) said around the time he was forced to leave it, "By Allah, you are the best of Allah's lands, and the most beloved of Allah's lands to Allah. And had it not been for the fact that I was forced to leave you, I would not have left".

It was in Makkah that the Prophet (saw) first received revelation; it was there that he first preached his message; and it was there that he and his followers congregated for the very first time.

When the Prophet (saw) was forced to leave Makkah, he bid farewell to it in a beautiful manner; and when he actually left, he could hardly endure the pain of separation - the pain that one feels when one is forced to leave something that is very near and dear to one's heart.

I swear by this city, Makkah -

And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city -

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, upon his family and upon his companions as long as stars appear in the sky, as long as birds continue to sing, and as long as the wind continues to blow - Ameen!

Wasalaam!