The Final Prophet (PBUH)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born in 570 A.D. in a noble family of Banu Hashim ancestry. However, he was not fortunate enough to have been born wealthy as he was born an orphan. His father, Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib, died of sickness at the age of 25 on a trading journey to Syria, leaving his wife Amenah only a few months pregnant.

His grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, who was the chief of Makkah at that time, showed pride in him as Muhammad (PBUH) compensated him for the loss of his son who died in the prime of his youth. His mother showed affection for her son as she awaited the best nurses to come and take care of him: The tradition at that time was that nurses would come from the desert seeking to be the custodians of the children of nobility in return for good pay and gifts. Giving that Muhammad (PBUH) was not wealthy all nurses turned away from him, Halimah of the Banu Saad tribe was one of them, but when she could not find any other child she was ashamed to return home empty-handed, so she went back and took Muhammad, and since then Allah showered his mercy on her; for instance animals started giving plenty of milk after they had been dry. Therefore, she and her husband felt they were blessed to have taken Muhammad (PBUH) and became very attached to him.

Muhammad (PBUH) spent five years with Banu Saad during which nothing out of the ordinary happened except one told incident which scared Halimah and became known as “the splitting of his chest.” When he was playing with the other boys Jibril held him, threw him down, split his chest, took out his heart and took out a clump from it and said: “this is Satins portion of you.” Then he washed him in a basin made of gold with the water of Zam Zam, then sealed his chest and returned him where he was. (Anas, Muslim and Ahmed) The boys ran to Halimah and said Muhammad (PBUH) has been killed. They came back and found him alive but pale.

Muhammad (PBUH) returned to Makkah at the age of five to his mother and grandfather who took good care of him, but the days refused to allow him tranquility among those tender hearts, as his mother died during a visit to Madinah to visit her husband’s grave. She took Muhammad (PBUH) and his maid Umm Aiman with her. On the way back, she fell very sick and died in Abwaa leaving Muhammad (PBUH) with Umm Aiman.

His grandfather always took good care of him and never left him alone, he took him to all public gatherings. However, at the age of eight, Abdul Muttalib died leaving him into his uncle Abu Talib’s care. Since Abu Talib had many children and was not wealthy, Muhammad (PBUH) insisted on sharing the burdens of life with him. He went with his uncle on a trading journey to Syria at the age of thirteen. He met a monk called Bahira during the journey who looked at his face and the sign on his back (the sign of Prophethood) and asked Abu Talib: “What is this boy to you?” ‘My son he said.’ “His father should not be alive.” Said Buhira. Abu Talib then said, ‘Yes, in fact he is my brother’s son’ and told him the rest of the story. The monk said “Now you are telling me the truth. Take him back and be careful of the Jews over him.”

Muhammad (PBUH) then returned to Makkah and resumed his life, working as a shepherd in his early life. He did not acquire knowledge or education from a monk or a philosopher or sorcerer, as was the norm then. Instead he read through the pages of life and took what he found good. He combined the good qualities of discipline with spiritual purity, rightness and contentment.

In this manner, he entered his third phase of life and got acquainted with his first wife Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) who was a merchant woman of nobility and wealth. She had heard of his truthfulness and trustworthiness, so she offered him to take her trade to Syria (before marrying him). He was 25 years old and she was 40 years old when they got married. Their marriage lasted until she died at the age of 65.

Every year, Muhammad (PBUH) used to leave Makkah to spend Ramadan in the cave of Hira where he used to meditate and worship for self-purification away from the falsehood of Jahilia. In this cave, He met with the heavenly host and listened to the voice of the angel telling him to read. He knew that he had become a Prophet of Allah (PBUH) and that it was Jibril, the ambassador of revelation who came to him; then the mission’s struggle began.

Quraish spared no efforts to fight Islam and persecuted those who embraced it. The Prophet (PBUH) and his companions abused, ridiculed, humiliated, accused of indulging in magic, and the weak and oppressed believers were tortured until they disbelieved, died or swooned (as they had no clan to defend them).

In spite of all that Islam grew stronger, so Quraish decided to change strategy and agreed not to buy, sell or intermarry with Muslims or those who approved of their religion, protected them or sympathized with them. They wrote this agreement which was called “The General Boycott” on a piece of parchment and hung it inside the Kabah as a secret pact. Therefore, Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers were forced into confinement in the Vale of Banu Hashim where they were cut off of any assistance. This boycott lasted three long years during which only the bond of faith kept the hearts together and gave them strength. It ended after Hisham Ibn Amr (who felt very upset about the terrible plight of Muslims) gathered some clans around him and agreed to break the pact. They went to Makkah to tear the parchment and to their surprise they found that the worms had already eaten it up except the words: “In Your name O God.”

After ten years of suffering for the mission of Islam, Muhammad suffered the loss of his wife Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib, in other words, he had lost his public life, as his uncle defended him and protected him from any calamity, and his private life, as Khadijah loved, supported and shared with him the miseries and pains of the Dawah.

Muhammad led a very ordinary life yet the life style he practiced offered an example for others to follow. So this is an invitation to search through the Prophet’s (PBUH) lifestyle and adopt what he did in his daily activities.

To start with read what Al Hasan (son of Ali) said about the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) Doors are not locked under him, nor do door keepers stand for him, and trays of food are not served to him in the morning or the evening. He sits on the ground and eats his food from the ground. He wears coarse (rough) clothes and rides on a donkey with others sitting behind him, and he licks his fingers after taking food.”

Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) used to say Salam when he would arrive to a place where people were seated and when he wished to leave, he also said Salam as “the former is as appropriate as the latter.” (Abu Dawud)

He did not like people exalting him “He came out once leaning on a stick and a group of people stood up, he said: don’t stand up as foreigners stand up exalting each other therewith.” (Abu Dawud)

When visiting people, he used to ask permission to enter saying “Peace be upon you, may I enter.” (Abu Dawud) and when his guests were leaving he used to go with them to the door of the house.

Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) used to receive gifts and to give gifts back. (Bukhari) and he said “Make gifts to one another for a gift removes rancor from the chest.” (Tirmithi)

At home, he used to serve his family. Aisha was asked about what the Prophet (PBUH) used to do in his house, she said “He used to work for his family, that is to serve his family, and when the prayer time came, he went out for prayer.” (Bukhari)

The pains of sickness attacked the Prophet (PBUH) since the ending of Safar of the eleventh year. Once he fainted and his family put medicine in his mouth. When he awoke, he showed his dislike of that. During his illness he would supplicate “O Allah help me in the pangs of death.” (Bukhari: narrated by Aisha)

He was warning Muslims -- even when he was in the throes of death -- that they should stay committed to monotheism by saying “Allah’s curse be upon the Jews and Christians, they took their Prophets’ graves as mosques.” (He was warning them against the action.) (Bukhari and Muslim)

The last thing the Prophet (PBUH) did before his death (according to Aisha): “He lay down in my lap, brushed his teeth harder than he had ever done before”, then his eyes were fixed and he was saying ‘Nay, the Companion on high from paradise.’ -I said to myself “You were given the choice and you have chosen, by Him who sent you with the Truth. Then, he passed away.” (Bukhari)

This was a brief study of the Prophet’s (PBUH) way of life. It must be stressed that we will never really understand the Sirah unless we study the Quran and Sunnah.

Praise and Glory be to Allah, we seek Allah’s forgiveness and we turn to him in repentance.

Last Sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

After praising and thanking Allah the Prophet (PBUH) said:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. 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. Allah has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib [the Prophet's uncle] be waived.

Every right arising out of homicide in pre-islamic days is henceforth waived and the first such right that i waive is that arising from the murder of Rabiah ibn al Harithibn.

O People, the unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calender in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to forbid that which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are holy, three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumada and Shaban.

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of that he will be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadhan, 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 a black nor a black has any superiority over a 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 meet 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 my words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur'an and my 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."