Haniff Inc Presents A Look Into The Life Of The Most Influential Man In History A Journey To Arabia

I t was the year 570 CE, on the 12th day of the month of Rabi-al-Awwal. In Makkah, in the house of Abdul-Muttalib, a child was born. It was the child of Amina, the wife of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Muttalib. This was the child who would change the way of life of all those around him. This was the child who would unite all people under one way. This was the child who would bring the great empires of the world to a standstill. This child was Muhammad the last and final messenger of Allah to mankind.

570 CE CE T he man who is illiterate a prophet with a revelation from God who found a nation and society with millions of followers in all the centuries through out the entire world which astounded all historians

The Life Of The

His father, Abdullah, died before he was born. His mother, Aminah, died when he was six years old. His grandfather, Abdul Mutalib, who became his guardian, died when he was eight. He was then taken care of by one of his uncles, Abu Talib, in whose house he grew up. Here is a case of an orphan boy who through sheer hard work, became the most influential personality in history.

was born in Makkah as a fulfillment of the prayer of Abraham as explained in the following verse of the Holy Quran, a book of revelations from God to the Prophet. "Our Lord! send amongst them an Apostle of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom, and sanctify them: For Thou art the Exalted in Might, the Wise." Quran 2:129

is a direct descendant of Prophet Ismail, the first son of Prophet Abraham Press Space Bar To view his family tree

In his youth, Muhammad's pure character and his regard for truth and honesty won him the title "Al-Amin" (The Trustworthy) from his people. In his early twenties, Muhammad came into the service of Khadijah, a rich and upright widow, who employed him as one of her agents in her trading business. She was so greatly impressed by his conduct and sense of responsibility that she offered him her hand in marriage, although she was 15 years his senior. Muhammad accepted the proposal and they were married. He was 25 years old at that time.

Prophet Muhammad remained the husband of Khadijah for 25 years during which he had three sons and four daughters by her, but all his sons died in infancy. After Khadijah's death, the Prophet married again. He even had more than one wife at one time, but all his wives except one, were elderly widows whom he married to support them. Prophet Muhammad had altogether 11 wives. His 11 wives are : Khadijah, Saudah, A’isha, Hafasah, Zainab, Salamah, Zainab bte Jahsh, Juwairyah, Habibah Ramla, Safiyah & Maimunah.

Prophet Muhammad was 40 years in the year 610 CE. That’s when he got the first Revelation from God. It was the practice of Muhammad that he would often go up to the cave of Hira to meditate and pray to Allah alone. One night during the month of Ramadaan, while he was meditating, an angel appeared before him. This was the angel Jibraeel (Gabriel), in a thundering voice the angel commanded him "READ". "I cannot read", replied Muhammad honestly. The angel grabbed hold of him and squeezed him so hard that Muhammad thought he would die of suffocation. "READ", the angel commanded again. Muhammad's reply was the same. So the angel squeezed him again and again, each time harder than the previous, and Muhammad replied the same, each time thinking that he would die of suffocation.

The angel then released him and spoke the words which would be remembered as the first words of the final revelation to mankind: "Read in the name of your Lord, Who Created man out of a clot of blood. Read, and your Lord is the Most Bountiful. It is He who has taught man the use of the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.” Quran 96:1-5 This was the start of the revelation from Allah to humanity. It was the final incorruptible message by which mankind would have to live by and worship according to. And it was Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, who was chosen to spread this good news.

Last Sermon in simple and summarized form After praising, and thanking Allah he said: O People listen well. I may not be with you much longer. Therefore take these words to those who could not be present here today. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone. O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people". For many years, the Prophet faced opposition to his preaching. But, eventually he triumphed in his mission with God's Guidance. Just before the Prophet died of old age when he was 63, he delivered his last sermon on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' (in Mecca).

the last ofof

Every Prophet was sent to his own people, but I have been sent to all of Mankind Related by Bukhari and Muslim Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (Muhammad) said :

"And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a mercy to mankind" Qur’an 21:107 "O prophet, Verily We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, and as one who invites to Allah by His Permission, and as a lamp spreading light" Qur’an 33:45-46

Muhammad was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Qur’an that we now have between our hands. This Qur’an mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were able to believe him regarding anything that he said. Muhammad also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.

Muhammad also brought an Arabic Qur’an that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Qur’an challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Qur’an. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Qur’an. Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace, beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Qur’an. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of Allah. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential human in history. Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.

"Indeed in the messenger of Allah you have the most beautiful pattern of conduct for him who hopes in Allah and the last day, and remembers Allah much” Qur’an 33:21 A look at what People say about

He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E. (common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three. During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to 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 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 - and imagine all these unbelievable wonders in just over two decades. HISTORIANS ON HIS LIFE "He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." 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 numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)

“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one- third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls.…” Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, Is there any man greater than he?” LAMARTINE a famous Historian

"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life." MAHATMA GANDHI THOMAS CARLYLE in his (HEROES AND HEROWORSHIP), 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." DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote: "Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12) EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of Islam write: "'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MUHAMMAD, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)

"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of MUHAMMAD have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history. The least YOU could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him? It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life. You are invited to make a discovery of this wonderful man, MUHAMMAD, the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth

All praises are to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds, and may His mercy and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions, and the entire Muslim Ummah, Ameen!