Introduction<\/p>\n
The Qur\u2019\u0101n is the word of the Ever-living God; it has been sent down to guide humanity for all times to come. No book can be like it. As you come to the Qur\u2019\u0101n, God speaks to you.To read the Qur\u2019\u0101n is to hear Him, converse with Him and to walk in His ways. It is the encounter of life with the Life-giver. \u2018God \u2013 there is no diety except Him, the Ever-living,the Sustainer of existence. He has sent down upon you the Book with in Truth \u2026 as a guidance for the people \u2026\u2019 (Qur\u2019\u0101n 3: 2-3).
\nFor those who heard it for the first time from the lips of the Prophet, the Qur\u2019\u0101n was a living reality. They had absolutely no doubt that, through him, God was speaking to them.Their hearts and minds were therefore seized by it. Their eyes overflowed with tears and their bodies shivered. They found each word of it deeply relevant to their concerns and experiences,and integrated it fully into their lives. They were completely transformed by it both as individuals and as a nation \u2013 into a totally new, alive and life-giving entity. Those who grazed sheep, herded camels and traded petty merchandise became the leaders of mankind.
\nNew World
\nAs we come to the Qur\u2019\u0101n, we come to a new world. Each Ayat [verse] is a sign of God \u2013informing us of His infinite mercy, power and knowledge. No other venture in our lives can be so momentous and crucial, so blissful and rewarding, as our journey to and through the Qur\u2019\u0101n. It is a journey that will take us through the endless joys and riches of the words that our Creator and Lord has sent to us and all mankind. Here we will find a world of untold treasures of knowledge and wisdom to guide us on the pathways of life, to mould our thoughts and actions. In it we will find deep insights to enrich us and steer us along the right course. From it you will receive a radiant light to illumine the deeper reaches of our soul.Here we will encounter profound emotions, a warmth to melt our hearts and bring tears running down our cheeks.It is beyond man\u2019s power to comprehend, or to describe, the greatness and importance of what the Qur\u2019\u0101n holds for him. It is God\u2019s greatest blessing for him. It is the fulfillment of His promise to Adam and his descendants: \u2018when guidance comes to you from Me,whoever follows My guidance \u2013 there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve\u2026\u2019 (2: 38). It is the only weapon to help our frail existence as we struggle against the forces of evil and temptation in this world. It is the only means to overpower our fears and
\nanxieties. It is the only \u2018light\u2019 (nur), as we grope in the darkness, with which to find our way to success and salvation. It is the only healing (shifa\u2019) for our inner sicknesses, as well as the social ills that may surround us. Its the constant reminder (dhikr) of our true nature and destiny,of our station, our duties, our rewards and our perils.
\nGod \u2013 the Greatest
\nThe Qur\u2019\u0101n was brought down by the one who is powerful and trustworthy in the heavens \u2013the angel Gabriel. Its first abode was the pure and sublime heart, the like of which no man has never had \u2013 the heart of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him. More than anything, it is the only way to come nearer and closer to our Creator. It tells us of Him,of His attributes, of how He rules over the cosmos and history, of how He relates Himself to us, and how we should relate to Him and to<\/p>\n
ourselves.
\nMost important is to remember is that what we read in the Qur\u2019\u0101n is the word of God which He has conveyed to us in a human language, only because of His mercy and care and providence for us. \u2018The Most-merciful, He has taught the Qur\u2019\u0101n\u2019 (55: 1-2). \u2018A mercy from your Lord\u2019 (44: 6). The majesty of the Qur\u2019\u0101n, too, is so overpowering that no human being can truly comprehend it. So much so as God says, \u2018If We had sent down this Qur\u2019\u0101n upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of God.\u2019 (59: 21). This act of Divine mercy and majesty is enough to awe and overwhelm us, to inspire us to ever-greater heights of gratitude, yearning and endeavour to enter the world of the Qur\u2019\u0101n. Indeed, no treasure is more valuable and precious for us than the Qur\u2019\u0101n, as God says of His generosity, \u2018O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.\u2019(10:57).
\nThe outcome of our entire life depends on how we heed the call given by God. The journeyis therefore decisive for our existence, for mankind, for the future of human civilization. A hundred new worlds lie in its verses. Whole centuries are involved in its moments. Know, in that case that it is the Qur\u2019\u0101n, and only the Qur\u2019\u0101n, which can lead us towards success and glory in this-world and in the world-to-come.
\nWe finish by citing a poem;
\n\u2018My mind ponders and contemplates,
\nDwelling on the reality of life,
\nYet nothing is as scary as the Realness of the Ever-Living.
\nHis closeness,
\nHis knowledge of my inner self,
\nThe insides tremble and frighten at this reality,
\nI awake,
\nSometimes,
\nI hear nothing except my heart beating,
\nBeat after beat it beats,
\nOne thought is flowing in my mind,
\nAll that my mind and body desire at this moment,
\nIs to stand,
\nTo stand before Him.
\nThis feeling I wouldn\u2019t exchange for the world,
\nTo fall prostrate and praise Him, tell Him I love Him and am longing to meet Him.
\nLife is a journey with many intended ambitions \u2013
\nYet mine is simple\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026to meet my Lord when I am closest to Him.\u2019<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Preface
\nIn early 2007, a friend visited me at my home in Birmingham, UK. He was visually emotional and asked if I could give him a translation of the Qur\u2019\u0101n in English. He explained that he had a non-Muslim work colleague who had been enthralled by the Qur\u2019\u0101n and that he, as a Muslim,felt ashamed he had not read it. So I gave him a spare translation I had and began to tell him
\nsome basic facts he should know as a seeker of truth \u2013
\nThe Qur\u2019\u0101n is a unique book for a multitude of reasons. To name a few:
\n\u2022 It does not read in chronological order of revelation \u2013
\n\u2013 i.e. the first verse you read from S\u016brah 1 is not that first verse revealed
\n\u2013 nor the last verse from S\u016brah 114 the very last verse of the Qur\u2019\u0101n.
\n\u2022 The Qur\u2019\u0101n was revealed over 23 years to the Prophet Muhammad \u2013
\n\u2013 Sometimes a few Ayats at a time \u2013 (the first revelation began with five
\nayat, then seven, etc)
\n\u2013 and at other times, S\u016brahs (chapters) were revealed as a whole.
\n(An Ayat is normally translated as \u2018a verse\u2019 \u2013 a more accurate linguistic
\ntranslation would be \u2018Sign\u2019 [of God])
\n\u2022 The Archangel Gabriel, under instruction from God, informed the Prophet to arrange
\nthe various Ayats into S\u016brahs.
\n\u2022 These S\u016brah\u2019s (chapters) can be divided into two types \u2013
\n\u2013 those revealed before the migration of the Muslim community \u2013 The
\nMakkan Period
\n\u2013 and those revealed after the migration \u2013 The Madinan period.
\n\u2013 These S\u016brahs would often include Ayats from both time periods
\n\u2022 The significance of the two periods \u2013
\n\u2013 in Makkah the call to one God was new. The Believers were opposed,
\nbeaten and oppressed by the Makkans who were the main proponents of
\nidol-worship in Arabia. The revelations in Makkah were regarding the
\nOneness of God, Paradise and Hellfire, the Day of Judgment etc. This was
\na period of many trials and tribulations for the Prophet Muhammad and
\nthe Believers.
\n\u2013 in Madinah the Prophet was the leader of the Isl\u0101mic state. The revelations
\nhere centered on establishing the religion, engaging the enemies of
\nGod, social and legal rulings on marriage, divorce, inheritance, punishment,
\netc.
\n\u2013 The challenges of both periods were different and the various Ayats reflect
\nthis.After explaining the importance of knowing the biography of the Prophet in order to deepen one\u2019s understanding of the Qur\u2019\u0101n, I began explaining how amazingly, the Qur\u2019\u0101n has been preserved word for word in written and oral form for over fourteen hundred years \u2013 a feat unmatched by any other book, including the Old and New Testament. I then went on to mention the many scientific miracles contained in the Qur\u2019\u0101n and also the prophecies in the Bible about the Prophet Muhammad. All this information I was relaying to my friend was scattered over many books and not contained in a single publication that I could give him. It was at this stage
\nit became evident to me that there was a need to publish a translation of the Qur\u2019\u0101n which would give its reader a complete and informed introduction to the miraculous book. And so,<\/p>\n
The Qur\u2019\u0101n Project was born.
\nWork then began by first selecting the Saheeh International translation of the Qur\u2019\u0101n as the translation we would use in our print \u2013 it is in simple English and corresponds well to the sentence structure of the Arabic. There were two changes that were made to this translation \u2013 the word \u2018Allah\u2019 was replaced with \u2018God\u2019 and \u2018Bismillah ir Rahman nir Raheem\u2019 (at the beginning of the S\u016brahs) was replaced by \u2018In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.\u2019<\/p>\n
It was then decided to use M. Mawdudi\u2019s S\u016brah introductions from his commentary of the Qur\u2019\u0101n, \u2018Towards Understanding the Qur\u2019\u0101n\u2019 (available online www.quranproject.org). These have been edited and abridged to include the most relevant information for a beginner. The following chapters were then selected to also be included:
\n\u2022 Short Biography of the Prophet Muhammad
\n\u2022 Introduction to the Study of the Qur\u2019\u0101n
\n\u2022 The Unique Qur\u2019\u0101nic Generation
\n\u2022 Preservation and Literary Challenge of the Qur\u2019\u0101n
\n\u2022 Scientific Miracles of the Qur\u2019\u0101n;
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on the Origin of the Universe
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on the \u2018Big Bang Theory\u2019
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on the Expanding Universe
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on the Orbital Movement of the Sun and the Moon
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on Duality in Creation
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on the Origin of Life in Water
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on Seas and Rivers
\n\u2013 Miracle of Iron
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on Mountains
\n\u2013 The Qur\u2019\u0101n on Human Embryonic Development
\n\u2013 Scientists Acceptance of the Miracles of the Qur\u2019\u0101n
\n\u2022 Miracles Performed
\n\u2022 Old and New Testament Prophecy of Muhammad
\n\u2022 Women in Isl\u0101m
\n\u2022 How do I become a Muslim?
\n\u2022 Quick Guide to Ablution and Prayer
\n\u2022 Frequently Asked Questions about Isl\u0101m \u2013 Short Answers \u2013<\/p>\n
www.quranproject.org
\nThe website www.quranproject.org was setup to accompany the publication. Here readers would be able to read it all online, download it, order their free copy, and go through the many additional sections including free online library, audio and video etc.
\nFinal Note Many of those involved have been completely humbled by the opportunity given to them by God to partake in this project. All praise and thanks are for Him and Him alone, the Lord of the Worlds. Often God uses diverse and numerous people for His work and this endeavor has
\nbeen no different. So many people have offered their time, help and services to this project and are too many to mention here. God knows every single one of them and we ask Him to accept this deed from us and make it as a means of achieving His love, mercy and ultimately Paradise \u2013
\n(ameen).
\nAll that is good and correct in this publication, and anyone who is subsequently guided, this is from God and a mercy from Him. Any mistakes and errors are from ourselves and we ask the forgiveness of God for them.
\n\u2018O God, Creator of the heavens and the earth \u2013 Accept this deed from us and forgive for us for any shortcomings. Enter us and our families into the highest levels of Paradise and protect us from being touched by the Fire even for a moment. Our prayers, sacrifices, lives and death are all for You. Bless us with Your Love, the love of whom You Love and the love of deeds which bring us closer to Your Love. O God, have mercy on us through the Qur\u2019\u0101n and make it for us a Light, Mercy and Guidance \u2013 Make the last part of our lives its best, the last deed the best
\none, and the best day of our lives the Day we meet You.\u2019 [ameen]
\nA.B. al-Mehri
\nRabi\u2019 al-Awwal, 1431 AH
\nFebruary, 2010
\nBirmingham, United Kingdom<\/p>\n
Short Biography of Prophet Muhammad<\/p>\n
The Prophet\u2019s Birth
\nMuhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttalib, of the tribe of Quraysh, was born
\nin Makkah in the year 571 A.D. His father died before he was born, and he was protected first by his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, and after his grandfather\u2019s death, by his uncle
\nAbu Talib.
\nAs a young boy he traveled with his uncle in the merchants\u2019 caravan to Syria, and some
\nyears later made the same journey in the service of a wealthy widow named Khadijah. So faithfully he conducted her business, and so excellent was the report of his behaviour,which she received from her old servant who had accompanied him, that she soon afterwards married her young agent; and the marriage proved a very happy one, though she was fifteen years older than he was. Throughout the twenty-six years of their life together he remained devoted to her; and after her death, when he took other wives he always mentioned her with the greatest love and reverence. This marriage gave him rank among the notables of Makkah, while his conduct earned for him the title al-Amin, the \u201ctrustworthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Physical Description
\nOne of the most comprehensive and detailed descriptions we have of the Prophet Muhammad came from a Bedouin woman who would take care of travelers who passed by her tent. The Prophet once stopped by her with his companions for food and rest. The Prophet asked her if they could buy some meat or dates from her but she could not find anything. The Prophet looked towards a sheep next to the tent. He asked her, \u201cWhat is wrong with this sheep?\u201d She replied, \u201cThe sheep is fatigued and is weaker than the other sheep.\u201d The Prophet asked, \u201cDoes it milk?\u201d She replied, \u201cI swear by your mother and father,
\nif I saw milk from it then I would milk it.\u201d He then called the sheep and moved his
\nhand over its udder; he pronounced the name of God and praised Him. Then he called
\nthe woman when the sheep steadied its feet and its udder filled. He asked for a large containerand milked it until it was filled. The woman drank until full as did his companions.Then it was milked for a second time until the container was full and they left her andcontinued on their journey. After a short while, the husband of the Bedouin woman returned from herding goats. He saw the milk and said to his wife, \u201cWhere did you get this milk from?\u201d She replied, \u201cI swear by God, a blessed man came to us today\u201d He said,
\n\u201cDescribe him to me.\u201d
\nShe began; \u201cI saw him to be a man of evident splendor. Fine in figure. His face handsome.Slim in form. His head not too small, elegant and good looking. His eyes large and black [and] his eye lids long. His voice deep. Very intelligent. His brows high and arched[and] his hair in plaits. His neck long and his beard thick. He gave an impression of dignity
\nwhen silent and of high intelligence when he talked. His words were impressive and his
\nspeech decisive, not trivial nor trite. His ideas like pearls moving on their string. He
\nseemed the most splendid and fine looking man from a distance and the very best of all
\nfrom close by. Medium in height, the eye not finding him too tall nor too short. A tree
\nbranch as it were between two others but he was the finest looking of the three. The best proportioned.<\/p>\n
His companions would surround him, when he spoke they would listen attentively
\nto his speech\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The First Revelation
\nThe Makkans claimed descent from Abraham through Ishmail and tradition stated that
\ntheir temple, the Ka`bah, had been built by Abraham for the worship of the One God. It
\nwas still called the House of God, but the chief objects of worship here were a number of idols, which were called \u201cdaughters\u201d of God and intercessors.
\nIt was the practice of the Prophet to retire often to a cave in the desert for meditation.
\nHis place of retreat was Hira, a cave in a mountain called the Mountain of Light not far
\nfrom Makkah, and his chosen month was Ramadan, the month of heat. It was there one night towards the end of this quiet month that the first revelation came to him when he was forty years old.
\nHe heard a voice say: \u201cRead!\u201d He said: \u201cI cannot read.\u201d The voice again said: \u201cRead!\u201d He said: \u201cI cannot read.\u201d A third time the voice, more terrible, commanded: \u201cRead!\u201d He said:
\n\u201cWhat can I read?\u201d The voice said:
\n\u201cRecite in the name of your Lord who created
\nCreated man from a clinging substance.
\nRecite, and your Lord is the most Generous \u2013
\nWho taught by the pen \u2013
\nTaught man that which he knew not.\u201d
\nThe Vision of Cave Hira
\nHe went out of the cave on to the hillside and heard the same awe-inspiring voice say: \u201cO
\nMuhammad! Thou art God\u2019s messenger, and I am Gabriel.\u201d Then he raised his eyes and
\nsaw the angel standing in the sky above the horizon. And again the voice said: \u201cO Muhammad!
\nThou art God\u2019s messenger, and I am Gabriel.\u201d Muhammad stood quite still,
\nturning away his face from the brightness of the vision, but wherever he turned his face,there stood the angel confronting him. He remained thus a long while till at length theangel vanished, when he returned in great distress of mind to his wife Khadijah. She did her best to reassure him, saying that his conduct had been such that God would not let a harmful spirit come to him and that it was her hope that he was to become the Prophet of his people. On his return to Makkah she took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, avery old man, \u201cwho knew the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians,\u201d who declared hisbelief that the heavenly messenger who came to Moses of old had come to Muhammad,and that he was chosen as the Prophet of his people.<\/p>\n
Message of Isl\u0101m
\nMost of the people of Makkah who had acclaimed him as the trustworthy (al-Am\u012bn) and
\nthe trustful (as-S\u0101diq) could not bring themselves to believe in him. Nor could most of
\nthe Jews and Christians who had for so long been living in expectation of his arrival. Notthat they doubted his truthfulness or integrity but they were not prepared to turn theirwhole established way of living upside down by submitting to his simple but radical message.
\nHe would tell them;
\nWhen I recite the Qur\u2019\u0101n, I find the following clear instruction: God is He who
\nhas created you, and the heavens and the earth, He is your only Lord and Master.
\nHe is your only Lord and Master. Surrender your being and your lives totally to
\nHim Alone, and worship and serve no one but Him. Let God be the Only God.
\nThe words I speak, He places in my mouth, and I speak on His authority, Obey
\nme and forsake all false claimants to human obedience. Everything in the heavens
\nand on earth belongs to God; no person has a right to be master of another person,
\nto spread oppression and corruption on earth. An eternal life beyond awaits
\nyou; where you will meet God face to face, and your life will be judged; for that
\nyou must prepare.
\nThis simple message shook the very foundations of Makkan society as well as the seventh-century
\nworld. That world, as today, lived under the yoke of many false gods, kings
\nand emperors, priests and monks, feudal lords and rich businessmen, soothsayers and
\nspell-binders who claimed to know what others knew not, and who all lorded over human being.
\nThe Prophet\u2019s message challenged them all, exposed them all and threatened them all.
\nHis immediate opponents in Makkah could do no better than brand him unconvincingly
\nas a liar, a poet, soothsayer and a man possessed. But how could he who was illiterate, hewho had never composed a single verse, who has shown no inclination to lead people, suddenly have words flowing from his lips so full of wisdom and light, morally so uplifting, specifically so enlivening, so beautiful and powerful, that they began to change the hearts and minds and lives of the hearer? His detractors and opponents had no answer. When challenged to produce anything even remotely similar to the words Muhammad claimed he was receiving from God, they could not match God\u2019s words.
\nStages of The Call First privately, then publicly, the Prophet continued to proclaim his message. He himself had an intense, living relationship with God, totally committed to the message and mission entrusted to him. Slowly and gradually, people came forward and embraced Isl\u0101m.
\nThey came from all walks of life \u2013 chiefs and slaves, businessmen and artisans, men and women \u2013 most of them young. Some simply heard the Qur\u2019\u0101n, and that was enough to transform them. Some saw the Prophet, and were immediately captivated by the light ofmercy, generosity and humanity that was visible in his manner and morals, in his words and works and also in his face.
\nThe opposition continued to harden and sharpen. It grew furious and ferocious. Those
\nwho joined the Prophet were tortured in innumerable ways; they were mocked, abused,
\nbeaten flogged, imprisoned and boycotted. Some were subjected to severe inhuman tortures;made to lie on burning coal fires until the melting body fat extinguished them, orwere dragged over burning sand and rocks. Yet such was the strength of their faith thatnone of them gave it up in the face of such trials and tribulation.
\nThe Flight to Abyssinia
\nHowever, as the persecutions became unbearable, the Prophet advised those who could,to migrate to Abyssinia. It turned out that there, the Christian king gave the Muslims full protection despite the pleading of the emissaries sent by the Quraysh chiefs. This was thefirst emigration of Isl\u0101m.
\nIn the meantime, the Prophet and his Companions continued to nourish their souls and
\nintellect and strengthen their character and resolve for the great task that lay ahead. They met regularly, especially at a house near the Ka\u2019b\u0101h called D\u0101r al-Arqam, to read and study the Qur\u2019\u0101n, to worship and pray and to forge the tied of brotherhood.
\nIn Makkah
\nYears passed and the people of Makkah would not give their allegiance to the Prophet\u2019s
\nmessage nor showed any sign of any easing in their persecution. At the same time, the
\nProphet lost his closest companion, his wife Khad\u012bjah, as well as his uncle Abu T\u0101lib, his
\nchief protector in the tribal world of Makkah. The Prophet now decided to carry his
\nmessage to the people of the nearby town of T\u0101\u2019if known for its wealth. In T\u0101\u2019if, too, thetribal leaders mocked and ridiculed him and rejected his message. They also stirred up their slaves and youth to insult him, mock him and pelt stones at him. Thus he was
\nstoned until he bled and was driven out of T\u0101\u2019if, and when God placed at his command
\nthe Angel of Mountains to crush the Valley of T\u0101\u2019if if he so wished, he only prayed for
\nthem to be guided. Such was the mercy and compassion of the one who is the \u2018mercy forall the worlds.\u2019
\nThis year is known by historians as the \u2018Year of Sorrow\u2019 due to the grief which the
\nProphet suffered as a result of all these worldy setbacks. However, as the Qur\u2019\u0101n states
\nthat after hardship there is ease, the Prophet was to be blessed with an amazing journey culminating with a meeting with Almighty God himself.
\nOne night the Prophet was awaken and taken, in the company of the Angel Gabriel, first to Jerusalem. There he was met by all the Prophets, who gathered together behind him ashe prayed on the Rock at the centre of the site of Masjid Aqsa, the spot where the Dome of the Rock stands today. From the Rock, led by the Archangel, he ascended through the seven heavens and beyond. Thus he saw whatever God made him see, the heavenlyworlds which no human eye can see, and which were the focus of this message and mission.It was also during this journey God ordained on the believers the five daily prayers.<\/p>\n
Joy After Sorrow
\nIn quick succession, the Prophet had suffered the terrible loss of Khadijah, his intimate
\nand beloved companion for 25 years, and of Abu Talib, his guardian and protector
\nagainst the bloodthirsty Makkan foes, and encountered the worst ever rejection, humiliation
\nand persecution at nearby Ta\u2019if. As the Prophet reached the lowest point in his vocation,
\nGod bought him comfort and solace. On the one hand, spiritually, He took him
\nduring the Night of Ascension to the Highest of Highs, realities and Divinities, face to
\nface with the Unseen. And on the other, materially, he opened the hearts of the people of
\nYathrib to the message and mission of Prophet Muhammad.
\nThe message that Makkah and Ta\u2019if rejected, found responsive hearts in Yathrib, a small
\noasis about four hundred kilometres to the north of Makkah. Now known as Madinah
\ntunnabi (the city of the Prophet), or Madinatun Munawwarah (the radiant city), it was
\ndestined to be the centre of the Divine light that was to spread to all parts of the world
\nfor all time to come.
\nThe Men of Yathrib
\nSoon after Prophet Muhammad\u2019s return from Ta\u2019if and the Night Journey, at the time of
\nthe pilgrimage, six men from Yathrib embraced Islam. They delivered the message of
\nIslam to as many as they could, and at the time of the next pilgrimage in the year 621 CE,
\n12 people came. They pledged themselves to the Prophet, that they would make no god
\nbesides God, that they would neither steal nor commit fornication, nor slay their infants,
\nnor utter slanders, nor disobey him in that which is right. The Prophet said; \u2018If you fulfil
\nthis pledge, then Paradise is yours.\u2019 This time the Prophet sent Mus\u2019ab ibn \u2018Umayr with
\nthem to teach them the Qur\u2019an and Islam and to spread the message of Islam.
\nMore and more people over the course of a year \u2013 tribal leaders, men and women \u2013 became
\nMuslims. At the time of the next pilgrimage, they decided to send a delegation to
\nthe Prophet, make a pledge to him, and invited him and all Muslims in Makkah to Yathrib
\nas a sanctuary and as a base for spearding the Divine message of Islam. In all, 73 men and
\ntwo women came. They met the Prophet at Aqabah. They pledged to protect the Prophet
\nas they would protect their own women and children, and to fight against all men, red
\nand black, even if their nobles were killed and they suffered the loss of all their possessions.
\nWhen asked what would be their return if they fulfilled their pledge, the Prophet
\nsaid; \u2018Paradise.\u2019 Thus the beginning was made, the foundations of the Islamic society,
\nstate and civilization were set.
\nThe road was now open for the persecuted and tortured followers of the Prophet to
\ncome to the Land of Islam, that was to be Madinah. Gradually most of the believers
\nfound their way to Yathrib. Their Makkan foes could not bear to see the Muslims living
\nin peace. They knew the power of the Prophet\u2019s message, they knew the strength of those
\ndedicated believers who cared about nothing for the age-old Arab customs and ties of
\nkinship, and who if they had to, would fight for their faith. The Makkans sensed the danger
\nthat the Muslims\u2019 presence in Madinah posed for their northern trade caravan routes.
\nThey saw no other way to stop all this but to kill the Prophet.<\/p>\n
Plot to Murder the Prophet
\nHence they hatched a conspiracy; one strong and well-connected young man was to be
\nnominated by each clan, and all of them were to pounce upon and kill the Prophet one
\nmorning as he came out of his house, so that his blood would be on all the clans\u2019 hands.
\nThus, the Prophets\u2019 clan would have to accept blood money in place of revenge. Informed
\nof the plot by the Angel Gabriel, and instructed to leave Makkah for Madinah,
\nthe Prophet went to Abu Bakr\u2019s house to finalise the travel arrangements. Abu Bakr was
\noverjoyed at having been chosen for the honour and blessing of being the Prophet\u2019s
\ncompanion on this blessed, momentous, sacred and epoch-making journey. He offered
\nhis she-camel to the Prophet, but the Prophet insisted on paying its price.
\nOn the fateful night, as darkness fell, the youths selected by the Quraysh leaders to kill
\nthe Prophet surrounded his house. They decided to pounce on him when he came out of
\nhis house for the dawn prayer. Meanwhile, the Prophet handed over all the money left by
\nthe Makkans with him for safe-keeping to Ali. Ali offered to lie in the Prophet\u2019s bed. The
\nProphet slipped out of his house, threw a little dust in their direction, and walked past his
\nenemies, whose eyes were still on the house. He met Abu Bakr at his house, and they
\nboth travelled to a nearby cave. When the Quraysh realised that the Prophet had evaded
\nthem, they were furious. They looked for him everywhere to no success and then announced
\na reward of 100 she-camels for anybody who would bring them the Prophet,
\ndead or alive. A tribal chief, Suraqah, sighted the Prophet and followed him, hoping to
\nearn the reward. The Prophet, with bloodthirsty foes in pursuit and an uncertain future
\nahead of him in Madinah, told Suraqah; A day will soon come when Kisra\u2019s golden bracelets
\nwill be in Suraqah\u2019s hands. Thereafter, Suraqah retreated, and the Prophet proceeded
\ntowards Madinah.
\nFour stages of the Prophets life in Makkah
\nThe Makkan period can be summarized in four stages:
\n1. The first stage began with his appointment as a Messenger and ended with the
\nproclamation of Prophethood three years later. During this period the Message
\nwas given secretly to some selected persons only but the common people of Makkah
\nwere not aware of it.
\n2. The second stage lasted for two years after the proclamation of his Prophethood.
\nIt began with opposition by individuals: then by and by it took the shape of antagonism,
\nridicule, derision, accusation, abuse and false propaganda then gangs were
\nformed to persecute those Muslims who were comparatively poor, weak and helpless.
\n3. The third stage lasted for about six years from the beginning of the persecution to
\nthe death of Abu Talib and Khadijah in the tenth year of Prophethood. During
\nthis period the persecution of the Muslims became so savage and brutal that many
\nof them were forced to migrate to Abyssinia while social and economic boycott
\nwas applied against the remaining Believers.
\n4. The fourth stage lasted for about three years from the tenth to the thirteenth year
\nof Prophethood. This was a period of hard trials and grievous sufferings for the
\nProphet and his followers. Life had become unendurable at Makkah and there ap17
\npeared to be no place of refuge even outside it. So much so that when the Prophet
\nwent to Ta\u2019if, it offered no shelter or protection. Besides this, on the occasion of
\nHajj, he would appeal to each and every Arab clan to accept his invitation to Islam
\nbut was met with blank refusal from every quarter. At the same time, the people
\nof Makkah were holding counsels to get rid of him by killing or imprisoning or
\nbanishing him from their city. It was at that most critical time that God opened
\nfor Islam the hearts of the People of Yathrib where he migrated at their invitation.
\nThe Hijrah (622 C.E.)
\nThis was al-Hijrah, the emigration \u2013 a small distance in space, a mighty leap in history, an
\nevent that was to become a threshold in the shaping of the Islamic Ummah. This is why
\nthe Muslims date their calendar from Hijrah (emigration) and not from start of revelation
\nor from the birth of the Prophet.
\nIn Qubah, 10 kilometres outside Madinah, the Prophet made his first stopover. Here he
\nbuilt the first Masjid. Here he also made his first public address; \u2018Spread peace among
\nyourselves, give away food to the needy, pray while people sleep \u2013 and you will enter Paradise,
\nthe house of peace.\u2019
\nThree days later, the Prophet entered Madinah. Men, women, children, the entire populace
\ncame out on the streets and jubilantly welcomed him. Never was there a day of grater
\nrejoicing and happiness. \u2018The Prophet has come! The Prophet has come!\u2019 sang the little
\nchildren.
\nThe first thing the Prophet did after arriving in Madinah was to weld the Muhajirs or
\nEmigrants and the hosts, called the Ansar or Helpers into one brotherhood. Still today
\nthis brotherhood remains the hallmark of the Muslims. One person from the Emigrants
\nwas made the brother of one from among the Helpers \u2013 creating a bond stronger than
\nblood. The Helpers offered to share equally all that they possessed with their new brothers.
\nBrotherhood
\nSo, the Muslims were forged into a close-knit community of faith and brotherhood, and
\nthe structure of their society was being built. The first structure was also raised. This was
\nthe Masjid, the building dedicated to the worship of One God \u2013 called Masjid al-Nabi,
\nthe Prophet\u2019s Masjid. Since then the Masjid has also remained the hallmark of the Muslims\u2019
\ncollective and social life, the convenient space for the integration of the religious
\nand political dimension of Islam, a source of identification, a witness to Muslim existence.
\nAt the same time, steps were taken and required institutions built to integrate the entire
\nsocial life around the centre and pivot of the worship of One God. For this purpose, five
\ndaily prayers in congregation were established. Ramadhan, fasting every day from dawn to
\nsunset for an entire month, was also prescribed. Similarly, to establish \u2018giving\u2019 as the way
\nof life, Zakah, a percentage of one\u2019s wealth to be given in the way of God, was made obligatory.<\/p>\n
The Jews and Hypocrites
\nIn the first year of his reign at Yathrib the Prophet made a solemn treaty with the Jewish
\ntribes, which secured to them rights of citizenship and full religious liberty in return for
\ntheir support of the new state. But their idea of a Prophet was one who would give them
\ndominion, not one who made the Jews who followed him, brothers of every Arab who
\nmight happen to believe as they did. When they realised that they could not use the
\nProphet for their own ends, they tried to shake his faith and his Mission and to seduce his
\nfollowers, behaviour in which they were encouraged secretly by some professing Muslims
\nwho considered they had reason to resent the Prophet\u2019s coming, since it robbed them of
\ntheir local influence. In the Madinan Surahs there is frequent mention of these Jews and
\nHypocrites.
\nThe First Expeditions
\nThe Prophet\u2019s first concern as ruler was to establish public worship and lay down the
\nconstitution of the State: but he did not forget that Quraysh had sworn to make an end to
\nhis religion, nor that he had received command to fight against them till they ceased from
\npersecution. After twelve months in Yathrib several small expeditions went out, led either
\nby the Prophet himself or other migrants for the purpose of reconnoitering and of dissuading
\nother tribes from siding with Quraysh. One of the other purposes of those expeditions
\nmay have been to accustom the Makkan Muslims to engage with enemy forces.
\nFor thirteen years they had been strict pacifists, and it is clear, from several passages of
\nthe Qur\u2019an, that many of them disliked the idea of fighting and had to be inured to it.
\nThe Campaign of Badr
\nIn the second year of the Hijrah (migration) the Makkan merchants\u2019 caravan [which had
\nthe confiscated possessions of what the Muslims had left in Makkah] was returning from
\nSyria as usual by a road which passed not far from Yathrib. As its leader Abu Sufyan approached
\nthe territory of Yathrib he heard of the Prophet\u2019s plan to capture the caravan.
\nAt once he sent a camel-rider towards Makkah, who arrived in a worn-out state and
\nshouted frantically from the valley to Quraysh to hasten to the rescue unless they wished
\nto lose both wealth and honour. A force of a thousand strong was soon on its way to
\nYathrib: less, it would seem, with the hope of saving the caravan than with the idea of
\npunishing the raiders, since the Prophet might have taken the caravan before the relief
\nforce started from Makkah.
\nDid the Prophet ever intend to raid the caravan? In Ibn Hisham, in the account of the
\nTabuk expedition, it is stated that the Prophet on that one occasion did not hide his real
\nobjective. The caravan was the pretext in the campaign of Badr; the real objective was the
\nMakkan army.
\nHe had received command to fight his persecutors, and with the promised of victory, he
\nwas prepared to venture against any odds, as was well seen at Badr. But the Muslims, illequipped
\nfor war, would have despaired if they had known from the first instance that
\nthey were to face a well-armed force three times their number.<\/p>\n
The army of Quraysh had advanced more than half-way to Yathrib before the Prophet
\nset out. All three parties \u2013 the army of Quraysh, the Muslim army and the caravan \u2013 were
\nheading for the water of Badr. Abu Sufyan, the leader of the caravan, heard from one of
\nhis scouts that the Muslims were near the water, and turned back to the coast-plain leaving
\nthe Muslims to meet the army of Quraysh by the well of Badr.
\nBefore the battle, the Prophet was prepared, still further to increase the odds against him.
\nHe gave leave to all the Ansar (natives of Yathrib) to return to their homes unreproached,
\nsince their oath did not include the duty of fighting in the field; but the Ansar
\nwere only hurt by the suggestion that they could possibly desert him at a time of danger.
\nThe battle went at first against the Muslims, but against the odds with a much weaker army
\nthey were victorious.
\nThe victory of Badr gave the Prophet new prestige among the Arab tribes; but thenceforth
\nthere was the feud of blood between Quraysh and the Islamic State in addition to
\nthe old religious hatred. Those passages of the Qur\u2019an which refer to the battle of Badr
\ngive warning of much greater struggles yet to come.
\nIn fact in the following year, an army of three thousand came from Makkah to destroy
\nYathrib. The Prophet\u2019s first idea was merely to defend the city, a plan of which Abdullah
\nibn Ubayy, the leader of \u201cthe Hypocrites\u201d (\u2018Muslims by name only\u2019), strongly approved.
\nBut the men who had fought at Badr and believed that God would help them against any
\nodds thought it a shame that they should linger behind walls.
\nThe Battle on Mount Uhud
\nThe Prophet, approving of their faith and zeal, gave way to them, and set out with an army
\nof one thousand men toward Mt. Uhud, where the enemy were encamped. Abdullah
\nibn Ubayy was much offended by the change of plan. He thought it unlikely that the
\nProphet really meant to give battle in conditions so adverse to the Muslims, and was unwilling
\nto take part in a mere demonstration designed to flatter the Muslims. So he withdrew
\nwith his men, a fourth or so of the army.
\nDespite the heavy odds, the battle on Mt. Uhud would have been an even greater victory
\nthan that at Badr for the Muslims but for the disobedience of a band of fifty archers
\nwhom the Prophet set to guard a pass against the enemy cavalry. Seeing their comrades
\nvictorious, these men left their post, fearing to lose their share of the spoils. The cavalry
\nof Quraysh rode through the gap and fell on the exultant Muslims.
\nThe Prophet himself was wounded and the cry arose that he was slain, till someone recognized
\nhim and shouted that he was still living; a shout to which the Muslims rallied.
\nGathering round the Prophet, they retreated, leaving many dead on the hillside.
\nOn the following day the Prophet again ventured forth with what remained of the army,
\nwith the intention that the Quraysh might hear that he was in the field and so might perhaps
\nbe deterred from attacking the city. The stratagem succeeded, thanks to the behaviour
\nof a friendly Bedouin, who met the Muslims and conversed with them and afterwards
\nmet the army of Quraysh. Questioned by Abu Sufyan, he said that Muhammad was<\/p>\n
in the field, stronger than ever, and thirsting for revenge for yesterday\u2019s affair. On that information,
\nAbu Sufyan decided to return to Makkah.
\nMassacre of Muslims
\nThe reverse which they had suffered on Mt. Uhud lowered the prestige of the Muslims
\nwith the Arab tribes and also with the Jews of Yathrib. Tribes which had inclined toward
\nthe Muslims now inclined toward Quraysh. The Prophet\u2019s followers were attacked and
\nmurdered when they went abroad in little companies. Khubayb, one of his envoys, was
\ncaptured by a desert tribe and sold to Quraysh, who tortured him to death in Makkah
\npublicly.
\nExpulsion of Banu-Nadheer
\nThe Jews, despite their treaty, now hardly concealed their hostility. They even went so far
\nin flattery of Quraysh as to declare the religion of the pagan Arabs superior to Islam. The
\nProphet was obliged to take punitive action against some of them. The tribe of Banu-
\nNadheer were besieged in their strong towers, subdued and forced to emigrate. The Hypocrites
\nhad sympathized with the Jews and secretly egged them on.
\nThe War of the Trench
\nIn the fifth year of the Hijrah the idolaters made a great effort to destroy Islam in the War
\nof the Clans or War of the Trench, as it is variously called; when Quraysh with all their
\nclans and the great desert tribe of Ghatafan with all their clans, an army of ten thousand
\nmen rode against Al-Madinah (Yathrib). The Prophet (by the advice of Salman the Persian)
\ncaused a deep trench to be dug before the city, and himself led the work of digging
\nit.
\nThe army of the clans was stopped by the trench, a novelty in Arab warfare. It seemed
\nimpassable for cavalry, which formed their strength. They camped in sight of it and daily
\nshowered their arrows on its defenders. While the Muslims were awaiting the assault,
\nnews came that Banu Quraythah, a Jewish tribe of Yathrib which had till then been loyal,
\nhad gone over to the enemy. The case seemed desperate. But the delay caused by the
\ntrench had dampened the zeal of the clans, and one who was secretly a Muslim managed
\nto sow distrust between Quraysh and their Jewish allies, so that both hesitated to act.
\nThen came a bitter wind from the sea, which blew for three days and nights so terribly
\nthat not a tent could be kept standing, not a fire lighted, not a pot boiled. The tribesmen
\nwere in utter misery. At length, one night the leader of Quraysh decided that the torment
\ncould be borne no longer and gave the order to retire. When Ghatafan awoke next morning
\nthey found Quraysh had gone and they too took up their baggage and retreated.
\nPunishment of Banu Quraythah
\nOn the day of the return from the trench the Prophet ordered war on the treacherous
\nBanu Quraythah, who, conscious of their guilt, had already taken to their towers of refuge.
\nAfter a siege of nearly a month they had to surrender unconditionally. They only
\nbegged that they might be judged by a member of the Arab tribe of which they were ad21
\nherents. The Prophet granted their request. But the judge, upon whose favor they had
\ncounted, condemned their fighting men to death, their women and children to slavery.
\nEarly in the sixth year of the Hijrah the Prophet led a campaign against the Bani al-
\nMustaliq, a tribe who were preparing to attack the Muslims.
\nAl-Hudaybiyah
\nIn the same year the Prophet had a vision in which he found himself entering the holy
\nplace at Makkah unopposed, therefore he determined to attempt the pilgrimage. Attired
\nas pilgrims, and taking with them the customary offerings, a company of fourteen hundred
\nmen journeyed to Makkah. As they drew near the holy valley they were met by a
\nfriend from the city, who warned the Prophet that Quraysh had put on their leopardsskins
\n(the badge of valour) and had sworn to prevent his entering the sanctuary; their cavalry
\nwas on the road before him. On that, the Prophet ordered a detour through mountain
\ngorges and the Muslims were tired out when they came down at last into the valley of
\nMakkah and encamped at a spot called Al-Hudaybiyah; from here he tried to open negotiations
\nwith Quraysh, to explain that he came only as a pilgrim.
\nThe first messenger he sent towards the city was maltreated and his camel hamstrung. He
\nreturned without delivering his message. Quraysh on their side sent an envoy which was
\nthreatening in manner, and very arrogant. Another of their envoys was too familiar and
\nhad to be reminded: sternly of the respect due to the Prophet. It was he who, on his return
\nto the city, said: \u201cI have seen Caesar and Chosroes in their pomp, but never have I
\nseen a man honoured as Muhammad is honoured by his comrades.\u201d
\nThe Prophet sought some messenger who would impose respect. Uthman was finally
\nchosen because of his kinship with the powerful Umayyad family. While the Muslims
\nwere awaiting his return the news came that he had been murdered. It was then that the
\nProphet, sitting under a tree in Al-Hudaybiyah, took an oath from all his comrades that
\nthey would stand or fall together. After a while, however, it became known that Uthman
\nhad not been murdered. A troop which came out from the city to molest the Muslims in
\ntheir camp was captured before they could do any hurt and brought before the Prophet,
\nwho forgave them on their promise to renounce hostility.
\nTruce of Al-Hudaybiyah
\nThen proper envoys came from Quraysh. After some negotiation, the truce of Al-
\nHudaybiyah was signed. For ten years there were to be no hostilities between the parties.
\nThe Prophet was to return to Madinah without visiting the Ka\u2019bah, but in the following
\nyear he might perform the pilgrimage with his comrades, Quraysh promising to evacuate
\nMakkah for three days to allow of his doing so. Deserters from Quraysh to the Muslims
\nduring the period of the truce were to be returned; not so deserters from the Muslims to
\nQuraysh. Any tribe or clan who wished to share in, the treaty as allies of the Prophet
\nmight do so, and any tribe or clan who wished to share in the treaty as allies of Quraysh
\nmight do so.
\nThere was dismay among the Muslims at these terms. They asked one another: \u201cWhere is
\nthe victory that we were promised?\u201d It was during the return journey from al-Hudaybiyah
\nthat the Surah entitled \u201cThe Conquest\u201d (surah 48) was revealed. This truce proved, in
\nfact, to be the greatest victory that the Muslims had till then achieved. War had been a
\nbarrier between them and the idolaters, but now both parties met and talked together,
\nand the religion spread more rapidly. In the two years which elapsed between the signing
\nof the truce and the fall of Makkah the number of reverts was greater than the total number
\nof all previous reverts. The Prophet traveled to Al-Hudaybiyah with 1400 men. Two
\nyears later, when the Makkans broke the truce, he marched against them with an army of
\n10,000.
\nThe Campaign of Khaybar
\nIn the seventh year after the Hijrah, the Prophet led a campaign against Khaybar, the
\nstronghold of the Jewish tribes in North Arabia, which had become a hornets\u2019 nest of his
\nenemies. The forts of Khaybar were reduced one by one, and the Jews of Khaybar became
\nthenceforth tenants of the Muslims until the expulsion of the Jews from Arabia in
\nthe \u2018Caliphate of Umar.\u2019 On the day when the last fort surrendered Ja\u2019far son of Abu Talib,
\nthe Prophet\u2019s first cousin, arrived with all who remained of the Muslims who had fled
\nto Abyssinia to escape from persecution in the early days.
\nThey had been absent from Arabia for fifteen years. It was at Khaybar that a Jewess prepared
\nfor the Prophet poisoned meat, of which he only tasted a morsel without swallowing
\nit, and then warned his comrades that it was poisoned. One Muslim, who had already
\nswallowed a mouthful, died immediately, and the Prophet himself, from the mere taste of
\nit, derived the illness which eventually caused his death. The woman who had cooked the
\nmeat was brought before him. When she said that she had done it on account of the humiliation
\nof her people, he forgave her.
\nPilgrimage to Makkah
\nIn following year the Prophet\u2019s vision was fulfilled: he visited the holy place at Makkah
\nunopposed. In accordance with the terms of the truce the idolaters evacuated the city,
\nand from the surrounding heights watched the procedure of the Muslims. At the end of
\nthe stipulated three days the chiefs of Quraysh sent a reminder to the Prophet that the
\ntime was up. He then withdrew, and the idolaters reoccupied the city.
\nMu\u2019tah Expedition
\nIn the eighth year of the Hijrah, hearing that the Byzantine emperor was gathering a force
\nin Syria for the destruction of Islam, the Prophet sent three thousand men to Syria under
\nthe command of his freed slave Zayd. The campaign was unsuccessful except that it impressed
\nthe Syrians with a notion of the reckless valour of the Muslims. The three thousand
\ndid not hesitate to join battle with a hundred thousand. When all the three leaders
\nappointed by the Prophet had been killed, the survivors under the command of Khalid
\nibn al-Walid, who, by his strategy and courage, managed to preserve a remnant and return
\nwith them to Madinah.<\/p>\n
Truce Broken by Quraysh
\nIn the same year Quraysh broke the truce by attacking a tribe that was in alliance with the
\nProphet and massacring them even in the sanctuary at Makkah. Afterwards they were
\nafraid because of what they had done. They sent Abu Sufyan to Madinah to ask for the
\nexisting treaty to be renewed and, its term prolonged. They hoped that he would arrive
\nbefore the tidings of the massacre. But a messenger from the injured tribe had been before
\nhim, and his embassy was fruitless.
\nConquest of Makkah
\nThen the Prophet summoned all the Muslims capable of bearing arms and marched to
\nMakkah. The Quraysh were overawed. Their cavalry put up a show of defence before the
\ntown, but were routed without bloodshed; and the Prophet entered his native city on
\nhorseback with his head humbled before God as conqueror. The inhabitants expected
\nvengeance for their past misdeeds. The Prophet proclaimed a general amnesty. Only a
\nfew known criminals were proscribed, and most of those were in the end forgiven. In
\ntheir relief and surprise, the whole population of Makkah hastened to swear allegiance.
\nThe Prophet caused all the idols which were in the sanctuary to be destroyed, saying:
\n\u201cTruth has come; darkness has vanished away;\u201d and the Muslim call to prayer was heard
\nin Makkah.
\nBattle of Hunayn
\nIn the same year there was an angry gathering of pagan tribes eager to regain the Ka\u2019bah.
\nThe Prophet led twelve thousand men against them. At Hunayn, in a deep ravine, his
\ntroops were ambushed by the enemy and almost put to flight. It was with difficulty that
\nthey were rallied to the Prophet and his bodyguard of faithful comrades who alone stood
\nfirm. But the victory, when it came, was complete and the booty enormous, for many of
\nthe hostile tribes had brought out with them everything that they possessed.
\nConquest of Ta\u2019if
\nThe tribe of Thaqif was among the enemy at Hunayn. After that victory their city of Ta\u2019if
\nwas besieged by the Muslims, and finally reduced. Then the Prophet appointed a governor
\nof Makkah, and himself returned to Madinah to the boundless joy of the Ansar, who
\nhad feared lest, now that he had regained his native city, he might forsake them and make
\nMakkah the capital.
\nThe Tabuk Expedition
\nIn the ninth year of the Hijrah, hearing that an army was again being mustered in Syria,
\nthe Prophet called on all the Muslims to support him in a great campaign. The far distance,
\nthe hot season, the fact that it was harvest time and the prestige of the enemy
\ncaused many to excuse themselves and many more to stay behind without excuse. Those
\ndefaulters are denounced in the Qur\u2019an. But the campaign ended peacefully. The army
\nadvanced to Tabuk, on the confines of Syria, and then learnt that the enemy had not yet
\ngathered.<\/p>\n
Declaration of Immunity
\nAlthough Makkah had been conquered and its people were now Muslims, the official order
\nof the pilgrimage had not been changed; the pagan Arabs performing it in their manner,
\nand the Muslims in their manner. It was only after the pilgrims\u2019 caravan had left Madinah
\nin the ninth year of the Hijrah, when Islam was dominant in North Arabia, that the
\nDeclaration of Immunity, as it is called, was revealed (Surah 9). The Prophet sent a copy
\nof it by messenger to Abu Bakr, leader of the pilgrimage, with the instruction that Ali was
\nto read it to the multitudes at Makkah. Its declaration was that after that year, Muslims
\nonly were to make the pilgrimage, exception being made for such of the idolaters as had a
\ntreaty with the Muslims and had never broken their treaty nor supported anyone against
\nthem. Such were to enjoy the privileges of their treaty for the term thereof, but when
\ntheir treaty expired they would be as other idolaters. That proclamation marks the end of
\nidol-worship in Arabia.
\nThe Year of Deputations
\nThe ninth year of the Hijrah is called the Year of Deputations, because from all parts of
\nArabia deputations came to Madinah to swear allegiance to the Prophet and to hear the
\nQur\u2019an. The Prophet had become, in fact, the Ruler of Arabia, but his way of life remained
\nas simple as before. He personally controlled every detail of organization, judged
\nevery case and was accessible to every suppliant. In the last ten years he destroyed idolatry
\nin Arabia; raised women from the status of a cattle to legal equity with men; effectually
\nstopped the drunkenness and immorality which had till then disgraced the Arabs; made
\nmen in love with faith, sincerity and honest dealing; transformed tribes who had been for
\ncenturies content with ignorance into a people with the greatest thirst for knowledge; and
\nfor the first time in history made universal human brotherhood a fact and principle of
\ncommon law. And his support and guide in all that work was the Qur\u2019an.
\nThe Farewell Pilgrimage
\nIn the tenth year of the Hijrah, the Prophet Muhammad went to Makkah as a pilgrim for
\nthe last time \u2013 his \u201cpilgrimage of farewell\u201d as it is called \u2013 when from Mt. \u2018Arafat he
\npreached to an enormous throng of pilgrims. He reminded them of all the duties Islam
\nenjoined upon them, and that they would one day have to meet their Lord, who would
\njudge each one of them according to his work. He said:
\n\u201cO People, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether, after this year, I shall
\never be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully
\nand take these words to those who could not be present here today.
\nO People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life
\nand property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to
\ntheir rightful owners. Treat others justly so that no one would be unjust to you. Remember
\nthat you will indeed meet your Lord, and that He will indeed reckon your
\ndeeds. God has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall
\nhenceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict
\nnor suffer inequity\u2026.
\n\u2026. Beware of the devil, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he
\nwill ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small
\nthings.
\nO People, it is true that you have certain rights over your women, but they also have
\nrights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under God\u2019s
\ntrust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the
\nright to be fed and clothed in kindness. Treat your women well and be kind to them,
\nfor they are your partners and committed helpers. It is your right that they do not
\nmake friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste…
\nO People, listen to me in earnest, worship God (The One Creator of the Universe),
\nperform your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give
\nyour financial obligation (zakah) of your wealth. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.
\nAll mankind are from Adam and Eve – an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab
\nnor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over
\na black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
\nLearn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute
\none brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow
\nMuslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to
\nyourselves.
\nRemember, one day you will appear before God (The Creator) and you will answer
\nfor your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am
\ngone.
\nO People, no prophet or messenger will come after me and no new faith will be born.
\nReason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I am
\nleaving you with the Book of God (the Qur\u2019an) and my Sunnah (practices), if you follow
\nthem you will never go astray.
\nAll those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others
\nagain; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me
\ndirectly. Be my witness O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people.\u201d
\nIllness and Death of the Prophet
\nIt was during that last pilgrimage that the Surah entitled \u2018Victory\u2019 (surah 110) was revealed,
\nwhich he received as an announcement of approaching death. Soon after his return
\nto Madinah he fell ill. The tidings of his illness caused dismay throughout Arabia and
\nanguish to the folk of Madinah, Makkah and Ta\u2019if, the hometowns. At early dawn on the
\nlast day of his earthly life he came out from his room beside the masjid at Madinah and
\njoined the public prayer, which Abu Bakr had been leading since his illness. And there
\nwas great relief among the people, who supposed him well again.
\nWhen, later in the day, the rumour grew that he was dead. Umar threatened those who
\nspread the rumour with dire punishment, declaring it a crime to think that the Messenger
\nof God could die. He was storming at the people in that strain when Abu Bakr came into
\nthe mosque and overheard him. Abu Bakr went to the chamber of his daughter Aisha,
\n26
\nwhere the Prophet lay. Having ascertained the fact, kissed the dead-man\u2019s forehead and
\nwent back into the mosque. The people were still listening to Umar, who was saying that
\nthe rumour was a wicked lie, that the Prophet who was all in all to them could not be
\ndead. Abu Bakr went up to Umar and tried to stop him by a whispered word. Then, finding
\nhe would pay no heed, Abu Bakr called to the people, who, recognizing his voice, left
\nUmar and came crowding round him. He first gave praise to God, and then said: \u201cO
\npeople! Lo! As for him who worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. But as for him
\nwho worships God, God is Alive and dies not.\u201d He then recited the verse of the Qur\u2019an:
\n\u201cMuhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on
\nbefore him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your
\nheels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm
\nGod at all; but God will reward the grateful.\u201d
\nQur\u2019an 3:144
\n\u201cAnd,\u201d says the narrator: an eye-witness, \u201cit was as if the people had not known that such
\na verse had been revealed till Abu Bakr recited it.\u201d And another witness tells how Umar
\nused to say: when \u201cI heard Abu Bakr recite that verse my feet were cut from beneath me
\nand I fell to the ground, for I knew that God\u2019s messenger was dead, May God bless him!\u201d
\nThe final messeneger sent to humanity died at the age of 63 years old in the 10th year of
\nthe Hijrah (migration) \u2013 632 A.D.
\nSuch is Prophet Muhammad. According to every standard by which human greatness can
\nbe measured he was matchless; no person was ever greater.
\nSource: A.B. al-Mehri. Edited from following sources \u2013
\n– M. Pickthall, Introduction \u2013 The Glorious Qur\u2019an,
\n– K. Murrad, Who is Muhammad?
\n– M. Mawdudi, Tafhim al-Qur\u2019an<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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