Jihad In Islam

Jihad is never a tool of waging war against the innocents; it's never a means of flexing muscles or bullying the weak and oppressed . Jihad is one of the most misunderstood, and abused aspects of Islam. There are some Muslims who exploit and misuse this concept for their own political objectives. There are many non-Muslims who misunderstand it. There are some non-Muslims who misinterpret it to discredit Islam and Muslims.


What is Jihad?

The word Jihad does not mean “Holy War”. It means “struggle” or “striving”. Jihad means serious and sincere struggle on the personal as well as on the social level. It is a struggle to do good and to remove injustice, oppression and evil from the society. This struggle should be spiritual as well as social, economic and political. Jihad is to work hard to do right things.

Jihad is to protect one’s faith and one’s human rights. Jihad is not a war always although it can take the form of war. Islam is the religion of peace, but it does not mean that Islam accepts oppression. Islam teaches that one should do one’s utmost to eliminate tension and conflict. Islam promotes non-violent means to bring change and reform. Actually, Islam urges that one should eliminate evil through peaceful means without the use of force as much as possible.


Islam teaches proper ethics in the situation of war also. The war is permissible in Islam, but only when other peaceful means such as dialogue, negotiations and treaties fail. It is a last resort and should be avoided as much as possible. Its purpose is not to convert people by force, or to colonize people or to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory. Its purpose is basically: defense of life, property, land, honor and freedom for oneself as well as defense of others from injustice and oppression.


The basic rules of war in Islam are:

1. Be strong so that your enemy fear you and should not attack you.
2. Do not begin the hostilities. Work for peace as much as possible.
3. Fight only those who fight, no collective punishment; non-combatants should not be harmed. Weapons of mass destruction should not be used.
4. Stop hostilities as soon as the other party is inclined to peace.
5. Observe the treaties and agreements as long as the enemy observes them.

Allah says very clearly: (Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 190)

(The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 194)


Jihad is not terrorism:

It is to be emphasized that terrorism against the innocent civilians, whether through aggression or suicidal means, is under no circumstances permissible in Islam. Islam encourages the oppressed people to struggle for their liberation and it commands other Muslims to help those who are oppressed and suffering, but Islam does not allow, under any circumstance, terrorism against non-combatants and innocent people. Terrorism is not Jihad, it is Fasad (mischief). It is against the teachings of Islam. There are some people who use their twisted arguments to justify terrorism for their causes, but it has no justification: Allah says: (When it is said to them: 'Make not mischief on the earth,' they say: 'Why, we only want to correct things.' Indeed they are the mischief doers, but they realize (it) not.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 11-12)

Islam wants to establish a world order where all human beings - Muslims and non-Muslims - can live with justice in peace, harmony and good will. It gives its followers full guidelines to find peace in their personal and social lives, but it also tells them how to extend the good will on the basis of human relations towards others. Muslims worked under these principles for centuries. People of many faiths lived with them and among them. Islamic societies were known for their tolerance, generosity and humanity.

In our modern society where we are living in a global village, where non-Muslims are living with Muslims in the Muslim countries and Muslims are living with non-Muslims in countries where non-Muslims constitute a majority, it is our duty to bring better understanding among ourselves, work for peace and justice for all people and cooperate with each other in matters of goodness and virtue in order to stop all terrorism, aggression and violence against the innocent people. This is our Jihad today."

Introduction

The Biblical prophecies on the advent of the Prophet Muhammad are evidence of the truth of Islam for people who believe in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).1
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics :

1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will

declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth.

God Will Put His Words in the Mouth of this Prophet

The words of God (the Holy Quran) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. God sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Quran) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad, and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Quran, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”

Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point, is that the Quran was revealed in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10).
Note that God has said in the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy, 18:19). This means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in what this prophet says, and this prophet is the Prophet Muhammad.

MUHAMMAD

You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to anyone of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a Communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your religious and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be - YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN!

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

HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD, peace and blessings of Almighty God be upon him and he accomplished all these wonders in the unbelievably short span of twenty-three years.

Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him was born in Arabia on the 20th of August, in the year 570 of the Christian era, and when he died after 63 years, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had changed from paganism and idol-worship to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since!

The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the most successful of all religious personalities of the world". Bernard Shaw said about him that if Muhammad were alive today he would succeed in solving all those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our times. Thomas Carlysle was simply amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.

Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time, as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. He was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these difficult departments of life.

The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields such as religious thought or military leadership. None of the other great leaders of the world ever combined in himself so many different qualities to such an amazing level of perfection as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him.

The lives and teachings of other great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and the place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity today to reconstruct accurately and precisely the lives and teachings of those men.

Not so this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. Not only was he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history, but every detail of his private and public life, of his actions and utterances, has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the information so preserved is vouched for not only by faithful followers but also by unbiased critics and open-minded scholars.

At the level of ideas there is no system of thought and belief-secular or religious, social or political-which could surpass or equal ISLAAM- the system which Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him propounded. In a fast changing world, while other systems have undergone profound transformations , Islaam alone has remained above all change and mutation, and retained its original form for the past 1400 years. What is more, the positive changes that are taking place in the world of human thought and behavior, truly and consistently reflect the healthy influence of Islam in these areas. Further, it is not given to the best of thinkers to put their ideas completely into practice, and to see the seeds of their labors grow and bear fruit, in their own lifetime. Except of course, Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, who not only preached the most wonderful ideas but also successfully translated each one of them into practice in his own lifetime. At the time of his death his teachings were not mere precepts and ideas straining for fulfillment, but had become the very core of the life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained individuals, each one of whom was a marvelous personification of everything that Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him taught and stood for. At what other time or place and in relation to what other political, social, religious system, philosophy or ideology-did the world ever witness such a perfectly amazing phenomenon?

Indeed no other system or ideology secular or religious, social or political, ancient or modern - could ever claim the distinction of having been put into practice in its fullness and entirety EVEN ONCE in this world, either before or after the death of its founder. Except of course ISLAAM, the ideology preached by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him which was established as a complete way of life by the teacher himself, before he departed from this world. History bears testimony to this fact and the greatest skeptics have no option but to concede this point.

In spite of these amazing achievements and in spite of the countless absolutely convincing and authentic miracles performed by him and the phenomenal success which crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment claim to be God or God's incarnation or Son - but only a human being who was chosen and ordained by God to be a teacher of truth to man kind and a complete model and pattern for their actions.

He was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble and exalted mission-and his unique mission was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE AND ONLY GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living in accordance with the laws and commands of God. He always described himself as A MESSENGER AND SERVANT OF GOD, and so indeed every single action and movement of his proclaimed him to be.

A world which has not hesitated to raise to Divinity individuals whose very lives and missions have been lost in legend and who historically speaking did not accomplish half as much-or even one tenth-as was accomplished by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him should stop to take serious note of this remarkable man's claim to be God's messenger to mankind.

Today after the lapse of some 1400 years the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. Today they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills which they did when Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, was alive. This is our honest claim and this is the inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical and unbiased study of history.

The least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive, concerned human being is to stop for one brief moment and ask yourself: Could it be that these statements, extraordinary and revolutionary as they sound, are really true? Supposing they really are true, and you did not know this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him or hear about his teachings? Or did not know him well and intimately enough to be able to benefit from his guidance and example? Isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and made some effort to know him? It will not cost you anything but it may well prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.

Come, let us make a new discovery of the life of this wonderful man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him the like of whom never walked on this earth, and whose example and teachings can change YOUR LIFE and OUR WORLD for the better.

Birth and Upbringing

Khadijah Bint Khuwailid ibn Asad ibn `Abdul `Uzza (Kusai ibn Kilab), a Quraishite woman from the clan of Asad, was born in 68 before Hijra (The Prophet's immigration) i.e., 556 AC. She was brought up to a noble and leading family. She was blessed with good qualities. She was famous for being a chaste and sensible woman with firm determination. During the pre-Islamic period, she was called At-Tahirah (The Pure).

As a wealthy merchant, Khadijah used to hire some people to speculate in her money. Hearing about Prophet Muhammad's honesty and noble character, she offered to hire him to be in charge of her business journey to the Levant and sent her servant Maysarah with him. He (peace be upon him) accepted her offer and soon Khadijah's profits doubled. Her servant Maysarah used to tell her about Prophet Muhammad's exemplary character. Admiring Prophet Muhammad's noble character, Khadijah proposed to him (peace be upon him) to get married to him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) agreed. Khadijah called in her Uncle Amr ibn As`ad ibn `Abdul `Uzza who soon came and marriage was concluded. At that time Khadijah was forty years old while Muhammad (peace be upon him) was twenty five years old.

Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was Prophet Muhammad’s first wife and his most beloved wife. He did not marry another woman in her lifetime. She bore him two sons and four daughters. She bore him Al-Qasim – part of the Prophet's nickname Abu Al-Qasim i.e. father of Al-Qasim-, Abdullah, Ruqayyah, Zaynab, Umm Kulthoum and Fatimah.

Professing Islam

When Allah (the Almighty) sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the Message of Islam, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first person to believe in Allah and His Messenger. Of all men and women, Khadijah was the first to embrace Islam. She as well as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to pray in secret till the period of public Calling to Islam.

Prophet Muhammad underwent much suffering and faced utter disbelief from the polytheists of Quraish and it was Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) who used to relieve his suffering and console him.
When Allah (the Almighty) sent the Archangel Gabriel with Revelation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he said to Muhammad: "Read in the Name of your Lord! Who created…" Muhammad then rushed to Khadijah with his heart beating severely with fear. He said: "Cover me! Cover me!" She covered him till his fear was over. Then he said: “O Khadijah, what is wrong with me? I am afraid something bad may happen to me.” Khadijah replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your Kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones."

After that Khadijah took him to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal ibn Asad, who converted to Christianity in the pre-Islamic period and who used to write in Arabic. He used to put the Gospel from Hebrew into Arabic as much as Allah willed him to write. He was an old man who lost his eyesight. Khadijah said to Waraqah, "O my cousin! Listen to the story of your fellow man." Waraqa asked, "O my fellowman! What have you seen?" Then Prophet Muhammad described what he had seen. Waraqah said, "This is the same one (Archangel Gabriel) who keeps the secrets, and whom Allah had sent to Moses."

Her place in the Prophet's Heart

Khadijah was a sensible, noble, pious, chaste, and generous woman. She was given glad tidings of entering Paradise. Allah (the Almighty) ordered His Messenger Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to give her glad tidings of having a palace in Paradise which is built from jewels with neither noise nor toil in it.

Of all Prophet Muhammad's wives, Khadijah had a special place in his heart. `Aishah said: "I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as much as I did of Khadijah though I did not see her, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to mention her very often, and when ever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut its parts and send them to the women friends of Khadijah. Once when I said to him, "(You treat Khadijah in such a way) as if there is no woman on earth except Khadijah," he would say, "Khadijah was such-and-such, and from her I had children."

`Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) praised Khadijah every time he remembered her before he would leave the house. One day he (peace be upon him) praised Khadijah, then `Aishah felt so jealous and said: "Why do you remember an old woman, dead long ago, while Allah has given you a better one in her stead?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) got very angry and told her that Allah had not given him a better one in her stead as she (Khadijah) was the only person to believe in him when all people disbelieved, the only person to believe him when all people belied him, and the only one to bear him children when all his wives did not bear him children. Upon hearing this, A'ishah decided never to speak bad of Khadijah again.

The Description of Our Prophet

“The Prophet had a most handsome constitution. Some likened the beauty of his smile to that of the full moon . . . His nose was thin . . . His face was smooth . . . His beard was thick . . . His neck was most beautiful . . . If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold . . . The expanse between his shoulders was wide.”

The Majesty of Our Prophet

Narrated by Hasan:
“Our Messenger of God was, by nature, imposing and magnificent.”

The Radiant Face of Our Prophet

Anas bin Malik (ra) says:
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) was neither tall nor short. He was handsome. His hair was neither delicate nor curly. On the other hand, the color of the face was of a splendorous white.”

The Powerful Body of Our Prophet

His neck was most beautiful, neither long, nor short. If the rays of the Sun fell on his neck, it appeared like a cup of silver mixed with gold. His chest was broad. It was even like a mirror and white like the moonlight... His shoulders were wide. His palms were softer than wool.”

The Stature of Our Prophet

Baraa bin Aazib (ra) relates:
“I never saw someone more handsome than the Messenger of God. His hair reached his shoulders. The portion between his two shoulders was wide. He was neither very tall nor very short.”

The Beautiful Eyes of Our Prophet

Abu Huraira (ra) describes him:
“His forehead was wide, and the place between his eyebrows was bright like pure silver, and his eyes were very beautiful and his eyes’ pupils were black. The hairs of his eyelashes were profuse . . . ”

The Complexion of Our Prophet

Abu Huraira (ra) reports:
“He was reddish-white . . .”

The Hair of Our Prophet

Aisha (ra) reports

“The blessed hair of The Messenger of God was longer than those that reached the earlobes, and shorter than those that reached the shoulders.”

The Beard of Our Prophet

He had a thick, dense beard

The Beautiful Mouth of Our Prophet

front teeth as he spoke. When he laugHis teeth were as white as pearls and bright, and the light gleamed from hished, it was as if his mouth gave off rays like soft lightning . . .”

The Manner of Dress of Our Prophet

Jundub ibn Makith (ra) said:
“Whenever a delegation came to meet the Messenger of God, he would wear his best clothes and order his leading companions to do likewise.

The Manner of Sitting of Our Prophet

Qaylah bint Makhramah reports:
“I saw the Messenger of God in the mosque (in a very humble posture) sitting. Due to his awe-inspiring personality, I began shivering

The Manner of Speaking of Our Prophet

The Prophet " peace be upon him " was the greatest of the Arabs in oratory and beauty of speech. He said: ‘I am the greatest orator among the Arabs.

The Smiling Face of Our Prophet

As recalled by Ali:
“The Messenger of God " peace be upon him " was the one who smiled the most and the most joyful of all.”

The Glances of Our Prophet

Hasan, the grandson of our Prophet described the way he looked at things as follows:
“The way he looked was extremely expressive .

The Pleasant Scent of Our Prophet

Jaabir bin Samura (ra) states:
“Whenever the Holy Prophet tread on any path, when someone passed by later, they could recognize that the prophet had passed by there because they could smell the fragrance of his body.”

The Affection for Others of Our Prophet

Anas bin Malik (ra) relates: “I remained in the service of the Messenger of God ) for ten years. He never once told me ‘Ugh.’ When I did something, he never asked me, ‘Why did you do so?’ When I failed to do a certain task, he never asked me why I did not do it.”

The Superior Moral Values of Our Prophet

“God’s Messenger When he shook hands with anyone, he did not withdraw his hands till the other man withdrew his. Similarly, he did not turn away his face from anyone till that man turned his face to the other side. And he was never seen to put forward his knees in front of one with whom he was sitting.”

companions by their surnames with honor and he used to give one surnam“. . . He used to call hise who had no surname.”

The Modesty of Our Prophet

“. . . Everyone thought that the Prophet honored him more. Whoever came to him could see his face . . . Yes, the way he sat, listened, his words, graceful jests and attention were always for those with him. Besides, the meetings he held with friends was marked by decency, modesty and security.”

Dress

His dress generally consisted of a shirt, tamad (trousers), a piece of plain rectangular cloth wrapped around the shoulders and a turban. On rare occasions, he would put on costly robes presented to him by foreign emissaries in the later part of his life (Ahmed, Musnad, Hafiz Bin Qaiyyam). His blanket had several patches (Tirmizi). He had very few spare clothes, but he kept them spotlessy clean (Bukhari). He wanted others also to put on simple but clean clothes. Once he saw a person putting on dirty clothes and remarked,

"Why can't this man wash them." (Abu Dawud, Chapter "Dress").

On another occasion he enquired of a person in dirty clothes whether he had any income. Upon getting a reply in the affirmative, he observed,

"When Allah has blessed you with His bounty, your appearance should reflect it." (Abu Dawud)

He believed : "Cleanliness s is piety"

Appearance

Muhammad (pbuh) was of a height a little above the average. He was of sturdy build with long muscular limbs and tapering fingers. The hair of his head was long and thick with some waves in them. His forehead was large and prominent, his eyelashes were long and thick, his nose was sloping, his mouth was somewhat large and his teeth were well set. His cheeks were spare and he had a pleasant smile. His eyes were large and black with a touch of brown. His beard was thick and at the time of his death, he had seventeen gray hairs in it. He had a thin line of fine hair over his neck and chest. He was fair of complexion and altogether was so handsome that Abu Bakr composed this couplet on him:

"as there is no darkness in the moonlit night so is Mustafa, the well-wisher, bright."

His gait was firm and he walked so fast that others found it difficult to keep pace with him. His face was genial but at times, when he was deep in thought, there were long periods of silence, yet he always kept himself busy with something. He did not speak unnecessarily and what he said was always to the point and without any padding. At times he would make his meaning clear by slowly repeating what he had said. His laugh was mostly a smile. He kept his feelings under firm control - when annoyed, he would turn aside or keep silent, when pleased he would lower his eyes.

The Prophet’s Miracles

The split of the moon

Ibn Kathir said, the most miraculous of all is the cleavage of the moon. Allah says:

" the Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder ( the people of Mecca requested the Prophet Mohammad " peace be upon him " to show them a miracle so he showed them the splitting of the moon ). And if they see a sign, they turn away and say: 'This is continuos magic'.

The moon was split into two in the sky. One piece went behind mount Hira and the other one went to it's other side, leaving the mountain in between, while the people thought it was magic. So when those who were traveling reached Mecca, they were asked about the moon issue and they narrated that they saw, from then on it became clear to the people of Mecca that the cleavage of the moon was genuine, real and true.

The Hadith about the Stone’s Greeting the Prophet

Jaber Bin Samra reported that Prophet Muhammad said: "I know a stone in Makah that was greeting me before legation, I know it now ". It is said that it’s the black stone and some said it is another one. Narrated by Muslim and At Trinity

And Abdullah bin Masoud said :” When I was walking in Makah I used to see a stone I know, every time the Prophet passed over it I heard the stone saying :” Peace be upon you, Messenger of Allah.”

The Miracles Performed by the Prophet
with his Sanctified Palm

On the authority of Abu Zayd ibn Akhtab (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) passed his hand on my face then invoked Allah for me."

Azrah said, that (Abu Zayd ibn Akhtab) lived one hundred and twenty years, and had only few grey hairs.' Narrated by Al-Tirmithi, considered as a “Hasan” Hadith by Al-Hakim and Al-Dhahabi agreed with him.


On the authority of Jaber ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "When boys passed by the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would pass his hands on one or both of their cheeks. When I passed by him, he passed his hand on one of my cheeks. My cheek which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had passed his hand on, looked better than the other one." Narrated by At-Tabarani and its origin is in Sahih Muslim.

On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him): "I attended a session for Allah's Messenger who then was holding a handful of gravel then the gravel said: 'Subhan Allah' i.e., All Praised be to Allah). Abu Bakr, Omar, `Uthman and `Aly were among us. All those who were in the session heard the gravel's Tasbih (saying:'Subhan Allah' i.e., All Praise be to Allah)" Narrated by Al-Tabarani and the “Isnad” (Chain of narrations) of At-Tabarani is “Sahih” right with reliable narrators.


This is well-expressed by Sheikh Jamal Addien Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Yusuf As-Sarsari who said in a poem:

While mountains praised Allah responding to Dawood (David),
And titanic iron became flexible,
Hard rocks turned flexible, and gravel praised Allah in his palm.
While springs of water gushed forth by Moses' staff,
Water gushed forth from Muhammad's palm

The Angles’ Protection over the Prophet

Abu Huraira reported that Abu Jahl asked some of the Polytheists whether Muhammad prays in front of all people. They told him: Yes. So Abu Jahl swore by their idols (Allat and Aluzza) that If he would see him praying, he would trample his neck, or cast dust on his face. He came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) when he was praying and tried to trample his neck. He came near the Prophet, but turned upon his heels and tried to repulse something with his hands. It was said to him: What is the matter with you? Abu Jahl said: There is between me and him a ditch of fire and terror and wings. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) said: If he were to come near me the Angels would have torn him to pieces. Then Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse:

-Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and evil deed, etc.).
-Because he considers himself self-sufficient.
-Surely! Unto your Lord is the return.
-Have you (O Muhammad ) seen him (i.e. Abu Jahl) who prevents,
-A slave (Muhammad) when he prays?
-Tell me, if he (Muhammad) is on the guidance (of Allah)?
-Or enjoins piety?
-Tell me if he (the disbeliever, Abu Jahl) denies (the truth, i.e. this Qur'an), and turns away?
-Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?
-Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock,
-A lying, sinful forelock!
-Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers),
-We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!
-Nay! (O Muhammad)! Do not obey him (Abu Jahl). Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!

The Mountain of Uhud's Shaking

Have you ever heard that a solid body fell in love? It is normal that a human likes the appearance of a wall because of its beauty, but it is very strange that a wall expresses its love for a human.
Aly ibn abi Taleb (may Allah be pleased with him) said : “After the invasion of Uhud a lot of Muslims left away from Uhud as seventy of the best of companions of the Prophet have been martyred in its shed and valley.
And when the Messenger of Allah ( peace be upon him] went to Uhud with Abu Bakr, Omar, and Uthman {in a version other than that omar and aly were with the Prophet}[ may Allah be pleased with them], he prayed for the martyrs of Uhud. Uhud waged suddenly, then the Messenger of Allah [PBUH] smiled and lift his pure leg hitting the mountain, and said ( stop).
Why did the mountain wage and why did it stop after the hit??
When the mountain felt the touch of the Messenger’s feet on his rocks, it began to chill in a happy way. Then it stopped for the sake of him.

A Wonderful Relation with a Tree Trunk

Allah's Messenger used to deliver sermons standing by an old palm tree trunk. When a pulpit was made for him he used it instead. The trunk then started moaning with a sound heard by all the attendants in the mosque. Allah's Messenger ( peace be upon him ) went down the pulpit interrupting his sermon, held the trunk and said "Calm down, calm down trunk, if you wish I could plant you and you would turn green and would be fruitful till the day of judgment or if you wish I could burry you and you would be my partner in the hereafter. The trunk replied "I want to be buried and to be your companion in the hereafter”. Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be Pleased with Him) said: when Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him ) died we used to say " O Allah's Messenger a trunk which you left yearned your absence, now that you left us, aren’t our hearts supposed to yearn for you.

Special things about Prophet Muhammad

What the Bible Tells about Muhammad.

According to the Bible, God said to Moses, on whom be peace: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. (The Holy Bible, New International Version, Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18). The prophet described in the above verse must have the following three characteristics :

1. He will be like Moses.
2. He will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3. God will put His words in the mouth of the prophet and he will declare what God commanded him.

Let us see which prophet God was speaking of:

1. The prophet like Moses Some people feel that this prophecy refers to the prophet Jesus, on whom be peace. But, although Jesus (peace be upon him and all of God’s prophets and messengers) was truly a prophet of God, he is not the prophet spoken of here. He was born miraculously, and finally God raised him up miraculously. On the other hand, Muhammad is more like Moses; both were born in a natural way and both died natural deaths.

2. From among the Ishmaelites Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis, chapter 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation. And Isaac became the grandfather of Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was to come not from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, the Ishmaelites. Muhammad a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed that prophet.

3. God will put his words in his mouth ‘Neither the ******* of the revelation, nor its form, were of Muhammad’s devising. Both were given by the angel, and Muhammad’s task was only to repeat what he heard.’ (Word Religions from Ancient history to the Present, by Geoffrey Parrinder, p. 472).

God sent the angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words that he should repeat to the people. The words are therefore not his own; they did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the angel. These are written down in the Qur’an word for word, exactly as they came from God. Now that we know that prophet we must listen to him, for, according to the Bible, God says: ‘I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him’ (Good News Bible, Deut. 18:19).
Jesus (on whom be peace) In the Glorious Qur'an The Qur’an tells us many wonderful things about Jesus. As a result, believers in the Qur’an love Jesus, honor him and believe in him. In fact, no Muslim can be a Muslim unless he or she believes in Jesus, on whom be peace.

The Qur’an says that Jesus was born of a virgin, that he spoke while he was still only a baby, that he healed the blind and the leper by God's leave and that he raised the dead by God's leave. What then is the significance of these miracles? First, the virgin birth. God demonstrates His power to create in every way. God created everyone we know from a man and a woman. But how about Adam, on whom be peace? God created him from neither a man nor a woman. And Eve from only a man, without a woman. And finally, to complete the picture, God created Jesus from a woman, without a man. What about the other miracles? These were to show that Jesus was not acting on his own behalf, but that he was backed by God.

The Qur’an specifies that these miracles were performed by God's leave. This may be compared to the Book of Acts in the Bible, chapter 2, verse 22, where it says that the miracles were done by God to show that he approved of Jesus. Also, note that Jesus himself is recorded in the Gospel of John to have said: ‘I can do nothing of my own authority' (5:30).

The miracles, therefore, were done not by his own authority, but by God's authority. What did Jesus teach? The Qur'an tells us that Jesus came to teach the same basic message which was taught by previous prophets from God – that we must shun every false god and worship only the One True God. Jesus taught that he is the servant and messenger of the One True God, the God of Abraham. These Qur'anic teachings can be compared with the Bible (Mark 10:18; Matthew 26:39; John 14:28, 17:3, and 20:17) where Jesus teaches that the one he worshipped is the only true God. See also Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13, and 4:27 where we find that his disciples knew him as ‘Servant of God’.

The Qur’an tells us that some of the Israelites rejected Jesus, and conspired to kill him, but God rescued Jesus and raised him to Himself. God will cause Jesus to descend again, at which time Jesus will confirm his true teachings and everyone will believe in him as he is and as the Qur'an teaches about him. Jesus is the Messiah. He is a word from God, and a spirit from Him. He is honored in this world and in the hereafter, and he is one of those brought nearest to God. Jesus was a man who spoke the truth which he heard from God. This can be compared with the Gospel According John where Jesus says to the Israelites: ‘You are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God’

The Prophet And His wives

How was the Prophet Treating his Wives?

Prophet Muhammad dealt justly with his wives, loved them, fondled them, and was patient and loyal with them. His actions sprang from a feeling of responsibility and because Allah the Almighty has created him righteous and equitable by nature.

Lady A'isha said that the Prophet of Allah never preferred one wife more than the others and used to see them all in their homes everyday although he used to spend the night with one only.

Treating his wives with equity never changed according to the change in his conditions. Whether he was traveling or present he was equitable. When he wanted to travel he used to pick without personal preference (through some way like drawing straws) which wife to accompany him.

He used to spend one day and one night with each wife except when Lady Sauda Bint Zam'a reached old age and no longer had sexual desires she dedicated her day and night to Lady A'isha may Allah be pleased with them. By doing so, Lady Sauda was also seeking to please the Prophet.

Another form of dealing justly was when the Prophet married a virgin he would stay with her for three nights not to let her feel lonely and then he would spend with her the same as his other wives. When he " peace be upon him " married Umm Salama he said to her: "There is no lack of estimation for you on the part of your husband. So if you desire I can spend a week with you, and if you like I may spend three (nights) and then I will visit you in turn." She said: "Spend three (nights)." Narrated by Muslim.

Prophet Muhammad treated his wife equally even in his last days when he was very sick. He used to go to each of his wives in her turn. Lady A'isha said that when the Prophet became too sick he asked her wives for permission to be nursed at Aisha's. They agreed of course.

In another narration, Lady A'isha said that Prophet Muhammad asked in his last days: "Where should I be tomorrow?" hoping it to be the turn of A'isha. His wives permitted him to stay wherever he wanted. He stayed with Lady A'isha until he died. He died in Aisha’s arms.

Although that the Prophet (PBUH) treated his wives with perfect equity in what he could control, he apologized to Allah the Almighty that he could not be equitable in what he could not control. Lady A'isha may Allah be pleased with her reported that the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) used to treat his wives equally and say: "O Allah, this is how I divide what I can control. O Allah do not blame me for what You control and I can not control." Abu Dawoud said: "Prophet Muhammad meant what is in his heart." Allah controls our feelings and hearts and made the love of Lady A'isha greater in the heart of the Prophet than the love of any other woman. That he could not control indeed.

Because feelings are out of our hands and in the hands of Allah; men married to more than one wife are not obliged to equally love each wife but to be equal in spending time with them and expenses. However, the Prophet implores Allah to forgive him for loving Lady A'isha more. Allah says: "And the ones who bring whatever they bring with hearts tremulous that they are returning to their Lord").

Prophet Muhammad stressed on the importance of dealing justly with wives because otherwise on the Day of Judgment the man will be severely punished.

Prophet Muhammad is the faithful believers' example. Allah says: "Indeed you have already had a fair example, in the Messenger of Allah, for whoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much."

The sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad are legislations guiding his 'Umma' nation to the righteous path. We should follow in the footsteps of the Prophet except for the actions intended by Allah the Almighty to be for the Prophet alone.

The Prophet And His Wives

Pampering his Wives and Treating them Kindly

We all read about the life of Prophet Muhammad in the fields of education, faith, politics, war, or economy but seldom was written or published about his life inside his house and his relationship with his wives. A person well informed about the familial relationships of Prophet Muhammad 'peace be upon him' finds out that it included meanings that we desperately miss in our present time. These meanings would contribute to the stability of our homes and marriages. In this article we are giving some examples of Prophet Muhammad's ) consideration to the feelings of his wives, his appreciation, and manifestation of love.

Lady Ai'sha may Allah be pleased with her once asked Prophet Muhammad "How is your love to me?" He said: "Like a rope tied in knot." She said: "How is the knot?" He said: "Same as ever." He meant his love has not changed and as a knot is settled in his heart. Let us imagine Lady Ai'sha's feelings and her happiness after listening to her husband describing his love to her, knowing before hand that she is his most loved wife and has listened to him over and over saying that she-may Allah be pleased with her was favored above all women. His words must have pleased her no doubt.

Calling one's wife with the name she loves the most or with a nickname or a musical name is one of the forms of pampering and being kind to one's wife. This can be seen in the life of Prophet Muhammad who, in a saying 'Hadith' that is agreed upon by scholars, used to say to his wife Ai'sha: "Ai'sh, O Ai'sh, this is Gabriel saying peace be upon you."

He also used to call Ai'sha: "Homayraa'"-a short form of "Hamraa'" which, according to Ibn Kathir in The End 'Al Nehaya' , means the white skinned woman. Althahabi also said that "Hamraa'" in the language of the people of 'Hegaz' means white and blushing-a rare feature among them. So Prophet Muhammad ) used to treat Ai'sha kindly and call her with lovely names.

Imam Muslim said that Ai'sha reported that Prophet Muhammad ) used to kiss one of his wives while fasting which made her laugh may Allah be pleased with her.

In another saying 'Hadith', Ai'sha said that Muhammad ) said that the best of the believers is the one who is best in manners and kindest to one's wife.

These sayings 'Hadiths' demonstrate how Prophet Muhammad ) cared for his wives and how well he treated Ai'sha may Allah be pleased with her. One of the forms of cuddling and well treating one's wife is feeding her with one's own hands. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Whatever you spend is considered charity even the mouthful that you put in your wife's mouth." Even the food that one feeds one's wife with one's hands is considered an act of charity that is rewarded by Allah and not only an action that guarantees one her love and cooperation.

Cuddling and being kind to one's wife has a tremendous emotional effect on her. This action of following the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) costs a man nothing and grants him Allah's reward, his wife's love and cooperation. Therefore a man is commanded to cuddle and treat his wife kindly.

A man's nature dictates him a certain way of expressing his feelings and it is different from a woman's. A woman expresses her love with words like, I love you, I miss you, I need you, etc. On the other hand, a man expresses love in action and production and seldom with words. If a man wants to tell his wife that he loves her he buys her something she wants or brings some food and drinks or furniture to the house. According to a man, this is a form of expression.

The generous Prophet has indeed overcome this negative trait in the nature of men. He used to describe his love and passion verbally for Lady Ai'sha may Allah be pleased with her, treated her kindly, pamperd her, and let his wives hear what they wished for from their beloved husband. This is an important aspect in a relationship. Ibn Assaker narrated that Lady Ai'sha may Allah be pleased with her said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told her: "I could not care less to die knowing that you are my wife in heaven." Imagine Lady Ai'sha's emotions having heard the words that guaranteed her security, love and peace in this life and in the hereafter.

Al Aas Ibn Al Rabee' the husband of Zaynab the daughter of Prophet Muhammad 'peace be upon him' leaves Makkah escaping Islam. She sends him to return and embrace Islam. He sends her a letter, an extract of which is: "By Allah, I don't see your father as an offender and I love nothing more than following the same rout with you dear beloved. However, I hate being said that your husband has let his people down. Would you consider this and pardon me?" The letter demonstrates that Al Aas loved zaynab and wanted to be with her in whatever road. Moreover he hated that people would talk in a way that displeases her. At the end he asks her to consider and pardon him, for the sake of that love Zaynab could go to him and return with him a Muslim.

Some writers demonstrate the respect of the West to women by giving examples like a husband opening the door to the car to his wife. At the surface, this is respect. However, a mature person can see many aspects in which a woman is being offended and disrespected in the West. Muslims do not have the issue of man/woman conflict because they believe each one completes the other and that mutual respect is a must.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is our example in this. One time during his stay alone in adoration of Allah in the last ten days of Ramadan, his wife Lady Safeya came to visit him and spoke with him for some time then went to the door. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) led her to the door to say goodbye. In another narration, he told her: "Do not hurry to leave till I come with you." Her house was at Ussama's and he (PBUH) left with her. Respect is the source of continual love and stability in a family. Therefore we wish it to prevail between a man and a wife.

If spouses treated each other in such way, a marriage would definitely be beautiful. We desperately need to leaf through the life of the Prophet ' peace be upon him ' and the Islamic history to discover the most beautiful theories in the art of marriage.