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Candidates should study: (CIE Syllabus)

The main events of the Prophet’s life from his birth to his call to prophet hood;
 The main events of his activities in Makka and his experiences with his opponents;
 The main events of his activities in Madina, his leadership of the community there and his conflicts with the Makkans and
others;
 His actions and character;
 The importance of his actions as examples for Muslim individuals in their personal conduct and relations with others
including women and non-Muslims;
 The importance of his actions as examples for Muslim communities in their relations with other states;
 His significance as Seal of the Prophets and last Messenger of Allah.

Candidates should be able to give accounts of the main events of the Prophet’s life, and his significance in Muslim
beliefs. They should also be able to explain the importance of his actions and experiences in the history and beliefs of
Islam, particularly in the way they provide examples for present day Muslim individuals and communities.

 In the examination either one or two questions will be set on this topic.

Biography of the Holy Prophet ____life in Makkah

Birth and upbringing of Holy Prophet Muhammad

Holy Prophet Muhammad was born on Monday the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 571 A.D (Year of the Elephants) in Makkah. Hazrat
Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet’s father, belonged to Banu Hashim a famous clan of Quraysh tribe. Shortly before the
Prophet's birth, while returning from a trade journey, Hazrat Abdullah fell ill at Yathrib (Madinah) and passed away. His
mother Hazrat Aminah (R.A) bint Wahb belonged to the noble family of Banu Zuhra, a branch of the Quraysh tribe.
After his birth, Prophet Muhammad stayed with his mother Hazrat Amina for a short period of time and then, as per tradition,
was handed over to his foster mother. The purpose of entrusting children to a wet nurse was so that they could be raised in the
desert --a healthier environment in which to grow up when compared to the city-- and so that they could learn fluent Arabic. In
accordance with this tradition, Prophet Muhammad was given to Hazrat Halima Sa’adia bint Abi Zohayb, who belonged to Banu
Sa’d, a branch of Hawazin tribe.
According to narration, Hazrat Halima (RA) and Hazrat Harith witnessed great abundance and blessing after taking Prophet
Muhammad in their care; their camels and sheep began to provide much more milk than they had before.
In addition, the authentic sources reveal that the splitting of the chest (shaqq al-sadr) incident occurred during the time Prophet
Muhammad was staying with his foster mother.
Imam Muslim narrates from Malik bin Anas that: “Hazrat Jibrail came to the Prophet while he was playing with other boys. He
took hold of him and laid him down on the ground, then he opened his chest and took out his heart, from which he took out a clot of
blood and said: “This was the Satan’s part in you” Then he washed it with Zamzam in a Golden tray. Then he put it back together
and returned it to its place. The boys went running to his mother and said: “Muhammad has been killed.” They went to him
and his color had changed.” {Sahih al Muslim, Kitab al Iman; H # 261}
After the occurrence of this miraculous event, Hazrat Halima Sa’dia got worried about the child and decided to return him to his
family.
When Prophet Muhammad reached the age of six, his mother Hazrat Amina (RA) took him to Yathrib (Madina) for visiting the
grave of Hazrat ‘Abdullah. She passed away when she was returning to Makkah, at a place called Abwa. Hazrat Muhammad
was brought back by a slave girl Hazrat Umm-e-Aiyman (RA).
After the demise of his mother, his grand-father Abdul Muttalib looked after him. Hazrat‘Abd- ul-Muttalib took great care of
Muhammad , as he was the only son of his beloved son ‘Abdullah, who had died at an early age. He tried his utmost to ensure
that his grandson did not feel the absence of fatherly compassion and love. Just before his death, Hazrat Abdul Muttalib had
handed over his grandson aged 8 years, to Abu Talib who was the paternal Uncle of Holy Prophet . He loved his nephew more
than his own children, believing that the child had brought fortune to the family, and he made great efforts to raise him well.
It is known that when Prophet Muhammad was about ten years old he worked as a shepherd for a period of time in order to
help his uncle Abu Talib, who had a large family. He would later refer to this time during his Prophet hood saying, "There has
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never been a Prophet who did not herd sheep." When his Companions asked, "Did you herd sheep O Messenger of
Allah?" he replied, "Yes. I herded the sheep of Makkah."

When Prophet Muhammad was 12 years old and his uncle had decided to go to Syria for trade, he wanted to accompany Abu
Talib. Seeing his nephew’s insistence on this, Abu Talib took the Prophet with him on his journey. The caravan stopped in Busra,
located in Syria. A Christian monk called Bahira, living in a monastery, invited the caravan to join him for a meal. After his
findings that Muhammad was the awaited Prophet foretold in the Bible, Bahira said “This is the master of all humans, Allah will
send him with a message which would be a mercy to all humans”. The monk advised Abu Talib to take him back to Makkah at
once, if the Jews found out about Muhammad they would try to kill him. Upon this warning, Abu Talib ended his journey and
returned to Makkah.

Fijar (sacrilegious) wars

There were frequent wars between the Arab tribes in the Age of Ignorance, so much so that there would even be warfare during
the sacred months (Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab) during which bloodshed was prohibited. Such battles were
known as Fijar (sacrilegious) wars because of their being fought in the sacred months. The Prophet was compelled to join
such a war in his later teens. The most reliable account states that the Prophet and his uncles participated in the great battle
that broke out between the Quraysh-(Kinanah)and Qays-'Aylan (Hawazin) alliances, but that he did not actually fight in the war,
rather protecting the belongings of his uncles, deflecting arrows with his shield and then collecting them to give to his uncles.
However, he witnessed the war and learnt war tactics and strategies.

Half-al-Fazul
As a result of Fijar wars thousands of lives were lost. When the kind hearted leaders of Makkah saw the effects of the war, they
formed a league called Half-al-Fazul with the object of maintaining peace in the region; also for suppressing any violence and
injustice and for upholding the rights of the weak, the poor, and defenseless who came to Makkah for pilgrimage or trade, and to
prevent the tribal wars that broke out frequently. The main cause of this pledge was that a Yamani merchant from Zabid had sold
some goods to Aas bine Wail, a notable member of the clan of Sahm. Having taken possession of the goods, he refused to pay the
agreed price. The merchant appealed to the Quraysh to see that justice was done. In response a meeting was hosted by the
Hashimites under the leadership of Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib along with some other tribes assembled in the house of a noble
Quraish, Abdullah bin Judaan and pledged to stand on the side of the oppressed, whether stranger or citizen, against the
oppressor and to remove injustice from the land.
Hazrat Muhammad was among those who attended the meeting and was so impressed by its noble objectives that he
remained loyal to it. Later on, he said; 'I was present in the house of Abdullah bin Judan at so excellent a pact that I would
not exchange my part in it for a herd of red, camels; and if now in Islam. I were summoned unto it, I would gladly respond'
The alliance was called al-Fazul because three main participants had the same name al-Fazal. It is also suggested that this
alliance was called al-Fazul because it was made for a noble cause. Faudul commonly means "virtuous" the alliance is often
translated as League of the Virtuous.
Prophet Muhammad worked as a Shepherd in his early life, and later he worked as a merchant like many of the Quraysh in
Makkah. He embarked on his career in trade by helping Abu Talib, who was involved in trading cloth and grain. Prophet
Muhammad continued this trade when his uncle became older.

Al-Sadiq and Al-Amin

Prophet Muhammad came to be known, at the age of twenty-five, Al-Sadiq (the truthful) and Al-Amin (the trustworthy)
because of his decency, bravery, compassion, fairness, and his honesty and reliability in commercial life. The Makkan trader ‘Qays
ibn Saib stated that he had many commercial dealings with Prophet Muhammad and that he had never come across a partner
in trade who was better than he. Quraysh tribe of Makkah, his worst enemies, called him by this title, and they used to entrust him
with their money and deposits before and after he declared his Prophet-hood.

Marriage with Hazrat Khadijah (RA)

A rich widow of Makkah, Khadija by name, hearing about Muhammad honesty and truthfulness, asked him to go to Syria for
her on a business trip. Hazrat Khadijah's (R.A.) slave Maysarah and one of her relatives, Khazima-ibn-Hakeem also accompanied
him in the trade mission. When Muhammad came back he gave an account for every dirham. Hazrat Khadija (R.A.) was
completely won over by his honesty and good manners.
So Hazrat Khadijah (R.A.) sent a marriage proposal to Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) through her sincere friend
Nafisa. As a mark of respect, Muhammad consulted his uncle Abu Taalib, and gladly accepted the proposal. Hazrat Khadijah
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(R.A.) was forty years old and Prophet was twenty- five.
Abu Taalib performed the Nikah and delivered the historical Nikah Khutbah (Sermon) which was noted for its praise of prophet
Muhammad and of the high regard in which he was held by the elders of Makkah. The couple had two sons, Qasim and
Abdullah, both of whom passed away in childhood. They had four daughters, Harat Zaynb (R.A.) Hazrat Umme-kulthum (R.A.)
Hazrat Ruqayya (R.A.) and Hazrat Fatimah (R.A.)
Fixing of Black Stone
As the ka'bah was badly damaged by floods, the different tribes of Makkah worked together to build the Ka'bah again. The building
was almost finished, only the famous black stone known as Hajre Aswad was left to be set into its place, and the tribes started
quarreling, because each tribe wanted to have the honor to replace the stone. There was great fear that fighting would take place,
when a wise old man Abu Ummayyah-bin-Mugheera gave them an idea. He said that the first person to enter the Ka'bah in the
morning shall suggest what was to be done. This idea was accepted by all the tribes. It so happened that Prophet Muhammad
was the first person to enter the Ka'bah in the morning. A pleasing shout of ‘Al Ameen!' filled the Ka'bah as the people of
Makkah had full confidence in his piety, justice and arbitration of Prophet . He took a sheet and spread it on the ground. He
placed the black stone in the center of the sheet and asked the chiefs of all the tribes to lift it up together. When the sheet reached
the proper height, he lifted the black stone and put it in its proper place. Everyone was happy because the problem was solved and
a major disaster was averted. At the time of this incident, Prophet Muhammad was 35 years old and the year was 605 A.D.

The First Revelation (610 AD)

The revelation of the Qur'an began in the Laila tul-qadr (night of power) of Ramadan (one of the odd nights after the 21st till end
Ramadan) after the Prophet Muhammad had passed the fortieth year of his life (610 AD), during his seclusion in the cave of Hira'
on a mountain near Makkah.

Hazrat Aisha (RA) the mother of the faithful believers narrated, “The commencement of the Divine revelation to Allah's Messenger (
was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him.
He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire
to see his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food
likewise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him and asked him
to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read." The Prophet added, "The angel caught me (forcefully) and
pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, 'I do not
know how to read.' Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then
released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, 'I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?' Thereupon he
caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said,

1. Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),
2. Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).
3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
4. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen .
5. Has taught man that which he knew not. (Sura al-'alaq (96:1-5)

Then Allah's Messenger returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint
Khuwailid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had
happened and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija 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." Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul
'Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from
the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa,
"Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Messenger
described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent
to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Allah's Messenger asked,
"Will they drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you
have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you
strongly." [Sahih al-Bukhari, I, No. 3]

After the first message thus received, revelation ceased for a certain period (called fatra) and then resumed: Narrated Jabir bin
'Abdullah Al-Ansari while talking about the period of pause in revelation reporting the speech of the Prophet, 'While I was walking,

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all of a sudden I heard a voice from the heaven. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the Cave of Hira' sitting
on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said "Wrap me (in blankets)" and then Allah
revealed the following holy verses of Surah Al-Muddathir:

1. O you (Muhammad ) enveloped (in garments)!

2. Arise and warn!
3. And your Lord (Allah) magnify!
4. And your garments purify!'

After this Allah's messages continued to come and he quietly but firmly began to preach the Oneness of Allah and the good ways
of living to his relatives and friends. His wife Hazrat Khadijah (R.A.) was the first to accept Islaam. His very close friend Hazrat Abu
Bakar bin Kuhafa (R.A.), and slave Hazrat Zaid (R.A.), and his cousin Hazrat Ali (R.A.), and then Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (R.A),
Hazrat Talha bin Ubaidullah (R.A.), Hazrat Zubair bin Awaam (R.A.), Hazrat Sa'ad bin Abi Waqass (R.A.) and Hazrat Abdur-
rahmaan bin Auf (R.A.) became Muslims.

Three years had elapsed from the time the Prophet (peace be upon him) had received the first revelation but he had remained a
silent preacher throughout such period. He was now commanded by Allah to announce it openly:
And warn your tribe (O Muhammad!) of near kindred.
And be kind and humble to the believers who follow you.
Then if they disobey you, say: "I am innocent of what you do."
[Al-Quran- Ash-Shu'ara' 26:214-15]
After receiving commandment of Allah, the Prophet ascended the heights of mount Safa and called his close relatives. When
they assembled he said to them, ‘If I tell you that horsemen were advancing to attack you from the other side of this hill, would you
believe me.’ They unanimously replied, oh yes, we would surely believe you. But when the prophet invited them to Oneness of
Allah and his prophethood, they turned away. His uncle Abu Lahab condemned him and said, “May you perish! Is it for this that you
have brought us here?” Allah did not like his attitude and said, “Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab , and perish he! [Al-Quran-
Surah Al-Masad, 111:1]

Opposition and Persecution by Quraysh

Persecutions suffered by the Prophet

When Holy Prophet declared his prophet hood and invited the community to Islam on Mount Safa, the polytheists of the
Quraysh tortured him and targeted insults at him, and their abuse continued to increase.
Holy Prophet invited them to the doctrine of “Tawheed” (oneness) whereas they insisted upon idolatry and polytheism, which
they called “the religion of their fathers.”

At first the Quraysh tried hard to get the Prophet interested in wealth, status, and other material benefits that they promised to give
him if he submitted to their ungodly will, and, after realizing that this method was of no use in their dealing with him, they attempted
to threaten and then to torment and torture him.

Cruel, false accusations, physical torment, foul language, economic and financial pressure and boycotts were among the inhumane
methods used by the Quraish chiefs against Muhammad and his faithful companions.

Here some examples of the offences and torments which the enemies of Islam inflicted upon
Muhammad , the Messenger of Allah are mentioned:

 Abu Lahb , an uncle of the Prophet, was the first person who started opposition and persecutions against the Prophet .
When the Prophet delivered his first sermon at Safa hill, Abu Lahab interrupted: "Woe be on you the rest of the day! Is that
what you summoned us for? Because of his open opposition to Islam, he is condemned by name in the Quran in sura al-
Masad.
 He also forced his sons Utba and Utaybah to divorce the daughters of the prophet, Hazrat Ruqayyah (RA) and Hazrat Um e
Kulsoom (RA).
 Abu Lahab’s wife Umm e Jameel bint Harb, had also her share in this ruthless campaign. She used to throw thorns in the
way of the Prophet to injure him physically.
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 One day while the Prophet was praying near the Ka’bah, a company of the Quraysh occupied their places in the
sanctuary. Uqbah ibn Abi Mu'ayt brought the fetus of a camel from somewhere and when the Prophet prostrated in
prayer, he laid it on his back and shoulders. The Messenger of God remained in prostration until his daughter Fatima
(RA) came running and threw it off him. She called down evil upon the one who had done it and the Prophet also joined
her in the condemnation. ( Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 9, Number 499)
 An old woman used to throw garbage and thorny bushes on the way Holy Prophet Muhammad .
 Once Prophet Muhammad was engaged in prayer near Ka’bah Uqbah bin Mu’ayt took his cloak and tried to strangle the
prophet . It was only when Hazrat Abu Bakr intervened by pushing Uqbah away from the prophet that the strangling
stopped. Hazrat Abu Bakr then exclaimed, “Do you wish to kill someone because he is asking you to worship Allah!”
Abu Bakr (RA) was immediately attacked and sustained terrible injuries in this incident.
 A few days after Hazrat Abu Talib's (as) death, when Muhammad was once passing through a lane, a woman emptied
her garbage from a window upon his head. He returned home with his head soiled. His young daughter Fatima al-Zahra (sa)
sat beside him, consoling and washing off the dirt.
 The Quraish tried to lure the Prophet huge amount of wealth, lordship of Makkah and a beautiful woman to be married
with .Yet the Messenger of Allah refused to avail these offers.
 The Quraish had also started a fierce economic struggle against Muhammad , and his followers. One of the inhumane
weapons they used against the Muslims was economic pressure and boycott of any sort of transactions with the Muslims. Bani
Hashim and Bani Abd Al-Muttalib joined Abu Talib after the boycott was enforced and withdrew to a narrow glen or wadi
known as Sheb Abi Talib.
 It was the seventh year of Muhammad, The Messenger of Allah's (SWT) mission. Weeks and months had passed, and the
people of Hashim lived in misery and hunger. The ban was so rigorously enforced that Muhammad, The Messenger of Allah's
(SWT) clan was reduced to eating acacia leaves and the cries of hungry children reverberated all over the valley. The event
of Taif can also be referred here.

Persecutions suffered by Followers of the Prophet

The Quraysh not only tortured the Prophet but also persecuted his followers mercilessly.
They used to beat weak Muslims and put them under chains, denying them food and water and forcing them to lie on the burning
sand and under the scorching heat of Arabia’s sun.

Hazrat Bilal Ibn Rabah was a slave who had embraced Islam. Umaya Ibn Khalaf, his master, used to bring him out at noontime and
throw him on his back into the hot sand. He ordered to place a great rock on the chest of Bilal (RA) and then he would say to him,
“No, by God, you will lie here till you die or deny Muhammad and worship Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.” Bilal (RA) endured the affliction,
crying, “One, One.”

Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) once saw Hazrat Bilal (RA) being tortured by his master. Sensing the servant’s conviction, he brought a
tougher and stronger black slave in lieu of Hazrat Bilal’s freedom. (Ibn Hisham)

Hazrat Ammar Ibn Yasir and his parents had accepted Islam (RA). Bani Makhzum used to take them out in the full glare of the sun
at the hottest part of the day and then take them to task for their faith. If the Prophet ( ) passed by them, he used to advise
them: “Patience, O family of Yasir, patience. Your destination is Paradise.” They endured all persecutions until ‘Bani Makhzum
killed Hazrat Ammar’s mother for she refused to renounce Islam. (Ibn Hisham)

When Hazrat Mus’ab Ibn Umayr (RA) came to know that the Prophet ( ) preached a new religion in the house of Hazrat Arqam
(RA). His curiosity took him there but he came back as a true believer in Islam. He did not, however, declare his faith open and
kept on meeting the Prophet ( ) secretly. ‘Uthman Ibn Talha once saw him performing the prayer and disclosed his secret to his
mother and other tribesmen. The result was that he was seized and imprisoned, and remained in shackles until he migrated to
Abyssinia. (Tabaqat Ibn S’ad)

Scared of the hostile atmosphere then prevailing against the Muslims in Makkah, others had sought the protection of their friends
who were still polytheists. One of them was Hazrat Uthman Ibn Mazun (RA) who was under the protection of Walid Ibn Al-Mughira,
but as he felt ashamed of being shielded by anyone other than God, he renounced the protection of the former. Shortly thereafter,
he had a heated argument with a polytheist who slapped him so hard on his face that he lost an eye. Walid Ibn Al-Mughira was
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present during the incident after which he told him. ‘Uthman, “By God, O son of my brother, your eye was secured against this
injury and you were well-protected.” “Nay, by God,” replied ‘Uthman Ibn Maz’un (RA), “The eye that is still unhurt longs for what
happened to the other for God’s sake. O ‘Abdu Shams, I am here in the vicinity and shelter of one who is exceedingly superior to
you in honor and glory.” (Ibn Hisham, )

When Hazrat Uthman Ibn ‘Affan (RA) accepted Islam, his uncle Hakam Ibn Abi al-As Ibn Umayya tied him securely with a rope and
said, “Have you renounced the faith of your fathers for a new religion? By God, I will not release you until you abandon this belief.”
Hazrat Uthman (RA) firmly replied, “By God, I will never give it up.” The firmness of Hazrat Uthman (RA) in his conviction ultimately
led Hakam to unshackle him.” (Tabaqat Ibn S’ad,)
Hazrat Kahbbab Ibn Al-Aratt (RA), a companion of the Prophet ( ), related his own story: “Some hooligans of the-Quraysh
came one day and seized me. Then they kindled a fire and dragged me into it, while a man kept me down by stomping on my
chest.” Hazrat Khabbab then bared his back which had white leprous spots. (Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d )

Causes of Opposition and Persecutions

The Quraish were leading tribe in the Arabian Paninsula. They were used to idol worship that the Holy Prophet openly
condemend. They took the teachings of Islam as an insult to their religion and the ways of their forefathers.
The location of the Ka'abah in Makkah gave them an important position as the custodians of the House. It was a source of
income for them, particularly the priests, as the pilgrims to the Ka'abah would being rich gifts for their idols. In the rise of Islam, they
saw the danger to their dignity and prestige and the loss of the important position which they had held for centuries. Apart from idol
worship, adultery, drinking, gambling, murder and plunder were common among the Arabs, Islam condemned all these. Embracing
Islam meant discarding these evil practices and adopting a new mode of life. The Quraish were not at all ready to do that.
The chiefs, particularly those belonging to the Banu Umayyah, Could not bear that anybody from among the Banu Hashim, the
tribe to which the Holy Prophet belonged, should have supremacy over them. They were also of the view that the Quran should
have been sent down to some influential person. The Quran says: "Also, they say: why is not this Quran sent down to some
leading man in either of the two (chief) cities." (43: 31)
The Quraish were proud of their chiefs, against whom they were not ready to accept the supremacy of the Holy Prophet
(P.B.U.H) who neither had wealth nor sons nor any other sign of worldly power. The Quraish used to say:"Is this the one whom
Allah has sent as a messenger?" (25:41)

Migration to Abyssinia “Ethiopia” (615 AD)

After much suffering at the hands of the Quraysh in Makkah, the Prophet commanded a small group of Muslims to make
Hijrah (migration) to a safe place in the country of Abyssinia. (Ethiopia). Abyssinia at that time was ruled by a Christian King (who
later embraced Islam and died in 9 A.H.), famous for his mercy and equity, whose title was Negus. They were sure to receive
protection and worship and live in peace there.
In Rajab of the fifth year of the Mission (615 CE), the first group immigrated to Abyssinia. The group comprised about 12 men and
5 women and included Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and his wife Hazrat Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with
her), the daughter of the Prophet .
The Quraysh pursued them to the port of Shuaibah by the Red Sea to capture them, but their vessels had left the shore. When the
group reached Abyssinia, they heard the rumor that the whole tribe of the Quraysh had accepted Islam. They were naturally very
much pleased at the news and returned to their country. On approaching Makkah, they learnt that the rumor was false and the
persecutions were going on unabated. Some of them decided to return to Abyssinia and the rest entered Makkah, seeking the
protection of a few influential people.
This is known as the first migration to Abyssinia.

Later on, a bigger group of around 83 men and 18 women emigrated to Abyssinia led by Jafar bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased
with him), the cousin of the Prophet . This is called the second emigration to that country and some companions took part in
both the migrations. The Quraysh did not like Muslims to prosper in the foreign where they could get favour from Negus, the king of
Abyssinia. So they sent a delegation to Abyssinia led by Amr bin Aas (a non-Muslim at the time) with handsome presents for the
king, his courtiers and the clergy. The delegation first met the chiefs and the priests and, by offering them presents, succeeded in
winning the court officials to their side.

When the king gave audience to the Quraysh, Amr bin Aas said that the Muslims in Abyssinia were not refugees from persecution
but were escapees from justice and law, and requested the king to extradite them to Makkah. The king, however, wanted to hear
the other side of the story also before giving any judgment, and summoned Hazrat Jafar (may Allah be pleased with him) to the
court to answer the charges against the Muslims. Hazrat Jafar (may Allah be pleased with him) made a memorable defense,
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addressing the Christian king he said,“O King! We were ignorant people and we lived like wild animals. The strong among us lived
by preying upon the weak. We obeyed no law and we acknowledged no authority save that of brute force. We worshipped idols
made of stone or wood, and we knew nothing of human dignity. And then God, in His Mercy, sent to us His Messenger who was
himself one of us. We knew about his truthfulness and his integrity. His character was exemplary, and he was the well-born of the
Arabs. He invited us toward the worship of One God, and he forbade us to worship idols. He exhorted us to tell the truth, and to
protect the weak, the poor, the humble, the widows and the orphans. He ordered us to show respect to women, and never to
slander them. We obeyed him and followed his teachings. Most of the people in our country are still polytheists, and they resented
our conversion to the new faith which is called Islam. They began to persecute us and it was in order to escape from persecution
by them that we sought and found sanctuary in your kingdom.”

When Hazrat Jafar (may Allah be pleased with him) concluded his speech, the king asked him, “Let us hear something of the
Qur’an that your Prophet has taught you. Hazrat Jafar (RA) recited a few verses from the beginning of Surah ‘Maryam’, which
touched the hearts of the king and the priestly class so much that tears flowed down their cheeks and wetted their beards. The king
remarked, “By Allah, these words and the words revealed to Musa (upon him be peace) are the rays of one and the same
light,” and he told the Quraysh embassy that he would by no means hand over the refugees to them. Then, disappointed and
disgraced, they held a counsel. One of them said, “I have hit upon a plan that is sure to draw the king’s wrath upon their heads”.
Although the others did not agree to such a drastic step he would not listen.
The next day, they excited the king by telling him that those heretics denounced Isa (upon him be peace) [Jesus] and did not
believe in his Divinity. The Muslims were again summoned to the court. They were much more distressed this time. When the king
inquired about their belief in Isa (upon him be peace), they said: “We believe in what Allah has revealed about him to our Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be on him), i.e. he is a servant and Prophet of Allah, and is His word, which He conveyed to the
virgin and pure Maryam.“ Negus said: “Isa (upon him be peace) never said anything beyond that.” The priests then began to
murmur in protest, but the king would not listen to them. He returned to the delegation the presents they had brought for him, and
said to the Muslims, “Go and live in peace. If anybody ill-treats you, he will have to pay heavily for it.” A royal declaration
was also issued to that effect. This enhanced the prestige of the Muslims in the country, and the Quraysh delegation had to return
disappointed.
The Muslims finally returned from Abyssinia in 7 A.H to Madinah.

Socio- economic boycott of Banu Hashim (617 AD-619 AD)

When Islam began to spread the Makkans asked Abu Talib, the uncle and protector of the Prophet , to hand him over to them
for execution but he steadfastly refused. Abu Talib called on the members of Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib to meet at the
Ka’bah and convinced them to pledge that they would protect their clansman, Muhammad . Abu Lahab, another of the
Prophet’s uncle and self-proclaimed sworn enemy, refused to take the pledge and declared he was on the side of the Quraysh.
The Quraysh held a meeting and decided to outcast the Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib by placing them under a total social
boycott. The other clans from the Quraysh would not marry their daughters, transact business with them, keep company with them,
nor would they accept any peace proposals from these two clans until they handed over the Prophet .
This was done on the 1st Muharram, in the 7th year of the Prophet’s mission.
The Prophet along with Abu Talib and clan members of Banu Hashim were forced to withdraw from Makkah and live in
She’eb Abi Talib, which was one of the valleys that ran down to Makkah.
The boycott was devastating and for many months they lived in misery. It was so rigorously applied and food was so scarce that
they had to eat the leaves of trees. The women, and more specially the children and suckling babies would cry with hunger which
could be heard all over the valley. The Quraysh told the merchants not to sell any goods to them. They remained in that state for
three years. Apart from some kind Qurayshi people who secretly sent food to them they were totally abandoned.
A group of fair-minded Quraysh, led by Hisham ibn ‘Amr, hated this unfair boycott. Hisham was highly respected among his people.
He contacted some men of the Quraysh whom he knew to be kind-hearted and considerate. He told them it was shameful to allow
such tyranny to continue and asked them to abandon the unjust contract.
During this time Allah (SWT) informed the Prophet that termites had eaten the parchment inside the Ka’bah. The only thing
that remained in the document was the name of Allah. Abu Talib then challenged the Quraysh, saying that if the Prophet’s claim
turned out to be false, he would no longer stand between them and the Prophet . However, if the Prophet had spoken the
truth, the Quraysh should end the boycott. The Quraysh accepted Abu Talib’s challenge.

When Mut’im bin Adi rose to retrieve the parchment, the assembly saw that it had been destroyed. Its only remaining words were
“Bismika Allahumma” (In Your Name, O Allah) and Allah’s name. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) had given the Quraysh yet
another sign but once again they refused to admit their error and accept Islam. Their only concession was to end the boycott. The
Prophet and his Companions came out of the mountain pass and were allowed to live in Makkah once again.

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The Year of Sorrow (619 AD)

The Prophet ( ) and his followers went back to a normal way of life but the years of hardship had made Hazrat Khadijah (RA)
very weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet ( ) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person
to accept Islam and support him. She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good heartedness, the best
company in his suffering. He had loved her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known as the 'Year of
Sorrow'. Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the most
respected men in Makka-one of the elders of Quraysh and Bau Hashim.
Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet ( ) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab custom anyone who is under
the protection of another is safe so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophet's protection was gone
and the leadership of the tribe of Hashim fell to Abu Lahab whose hatred of the Prophet was well established. As could be
expected, Abu Lahab was not prepared to offer him any support and so the persecution accelerated to a new height.

Visit to Taif
Makkans’ attitude became unbearable, Prophet Muhammad had to seek support from outside of Makkah. In June 619 A.D.,
ten years after receiving his mission from his Lord, the Prophet set out towards At-Ta’if, about 60 kilometers from Makkah, in
the company of his freed slave Zaid bin Haritha (RA) inviting people to Islam. But contrary to his expectations, the general
atmosphere was terribly hostile. He approached the family of ‘Umair, who were reckoned amongst the nobility of the town. But, to
his disappointment, all of them turned deaf ear to his message and used abusive language as regards the noble cause he had
been striving for.

Three brothers from the chieftains of Banu Thaqeef —‘Abd Yaleel, Mas‘ud and Habeeb met the Prophet , who invited them to
embrace Islam and worship Allâh, but they rudely mocked at him and refused his invitation.

The Messenger of Allâh, finding that they were hopeless cases, stood up and left them. For ten days he stayed there delivering his
message to several people, one after another, but all to no purpose. Stirred up to hasten the departure of the unwelcome visitor,
the people pelted him with stones and obliged him to flee from the city pursued by a relentless rabble. Blood flowed down both his
legs; and Zaid, endeavoring to shield him, was wounded in the head. The mob did not desist until they had chased him two or three
miles across the sandy plains to the foot of the surrounding hills. There, wearied and exhausted, he took refuge in one of the
numerous orchards, and rested against the wall of a vineyard. At a time when the whole world seemed to have turned against him,
Muhammad turned to his Lord and betook himself to prayer.
Seeing him in this helpless situation, Rabi‘a’s two sons, wealthy Makkans, were moved on grounds of kinship and compassion, and
sent to him one of their Christian servants with a tray of grapes. The Prophet accepted the fruit with pious invocation: "In the
Name of the Allâh." Hazrat Muhammad introduced himself as the final messenger of Allah. The Christian servant ‘Addas was
greatly impressed by him and he paid homage to the Prophet and kissed his hands. His masters admonished him at this act
but he replied: "None on the earth is better than Muhammad ”

Muhammad then prayed to Allah in which he expressed his trouble and weakness before Allah the Almighty. The Heavens
were moved by the prayer and Jibrail (AS) appeared before him and said;

“Allah knows all that has passed between you and these people. He has deputed an angel in charge of the mountains to
be at your command.”

Saying this, Jibrail (AS) led the angel before the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. The angel greeted him and said;

“O, Prophet of Allah! I am at your service. If you wish, I can cause the mountains overlooking this town on both sides to
collide with each other, so that all the people therein would be crushed to death, or you may suggest any other
punishment for them.”

Although the prophet (pbuh) had suffered a great deal in the hands of these people, yet he said;

“Even if these people do not accept Islam, I do hope from Allah that there will be persons from among their progeny who
would worship Allah and serve His cause.”

Look at the conduct of the Holy Prophet , whom we profess to follow. We get so much irritated over a little trouble or a mere

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abuse from somebody that we keep on torturing them and taking revenge throughout our lives in every possible manner. Does it
befit people who claim to follow the noble Prophet ?

Look, even after so much suffering at the hands of the Taif mob, he neither curses them nor does he work for any revenge, even
when he has the full opportunity to do so.

On the journey back to Makkah, the prophet and his companion rested for a while in a place called Nakhlah where a large
numbers of Jinns heard the Quran from the prophet Muhammad and embraced Islam.

Miracle of Al-Isra & Al-Miraj (620 AD)

(The night journey and the ascension of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)

10th year of prophet hood was a year of grief and sorrow as the prophet’s uncle Abu Talib and his wife H. Khadijah passed away.
After that, the Prophet went to Taif in the hope of spreading Islam but was rejected. All these events were of great disappointment
to the Prophet. So Miraj was in fact a ray of hope that Allah had not forsaken him and it strengthened him spiritually. In the 10th
year of Prophet hood on 27th Rajab the Prophet was taken for Isra and Miraj.

The miracle of al-Isra' is mentioned in the Quran as, “ Praise be to Allah Who enabled His slave, Muhammad, to make the
journey at night from Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, which is surrounded a blessed land.”

Before the Prophet took this night journey, the ceiling of the house in which he was staying was opened, and Jibril descended. He
cut open the chest of Prophet Muhammad and washed that open area with Zamzam water. Then he emptied something
from a container into the chest of the Prophet to increase his wisdom as well as the strength of his belief. This was done to prepare
the Messenger of Allah for that which he had yet to see in the upper world from among the wonders of the creation of Allah.

Al-Isra: After the Prophet performed the Evening Prayer (^Isha'in Majid e Haraam, Makkah, H.Jibril came to him with a white
animal. This animal was the buraq,--one of the animals of Paradise. Jibril held the buraq by his ear and told the Prophet to mount
it. When the buraq was mounted, the Prophet set forth. Then the buraq continued with the Messenger of Allah until they entered
the city of Jerusalem. There the Prophet went to Masjid al-Aqsa. The Prophet entered the masjid where Allah assembled for him all
the Prophets--from Adam to Isa. Prophet Muhammad moved forward and led them all in prayer. This is an indication the Prophet is
higher in status than all the rest of the prophets and messengers. Then he was brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other
milk. He chose the milk and refused the wine. At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, 'You have been rightly guided to the fitrah, the
true nature of man, and so will your people be, Muhammad. Wine is forbidden to you.

After the Prophet took this night journey from Masjid al-Haram to Masjid al-Aqsa, he ascended to the upper heavens. When the
Prophet and Jibril arrived at the first heaven, there, Prophet Muhammad saw Prophet Adam. To Adam's right, the Prophet
saw some bodies, and to Adam's left, other bodies. If Adam would look to his right he would laugh, and if he would look to his left
he would cry. Adam was seeing the souls of his descendants. Those on his right were his descendants who would die as believers
and those on his left were his descendants who would die as non-believers.
Then the Prophet ascended to the second heaven. In this second heaven was where Prophet Muhammad saw Prophets
Eisa and Yahya. Isa and Yahya are cousins; their mothers were sisters. They welcomed the Prophet and made supplication (du^a')
for him for good things. The Prophet ascended to the third heaven, where he found Prophet Yusuf. Prophet Yusuf was extremely
handsome. Allah bestowed half the beauty on Yusuf. Yusuf received the Prophet with a warm welcome and made supplication
(du^a') for him for good things.

Then the Prophet ascended to the fourth heaven, where he found Prophet Idris. Idris welcomed the Prophet and made supplication
(du^a') for him for good things. In the fifth heaven, the Prophet encountered Harun, the brother of Prophet Musa. In the sixth
heaven, he encountered Prophet Musa. Each of these Prophets received Prophet Muhammad with a warm welcome and
made supplication (du^a')') for him for good things.

Then the Prophet ascended to the seventh heaven, and that is where our Messenger saw Prophet Ibrahim. The Prophet saw
Prophet Ibrahim with his back against al-Bayt al-Ma’mur.

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Then the Prophet ascended to what is beyond the seven skies; he entered Paradise. He saw examples of the inhabitants of
Paradise and how their situation would be. He saw most of the inhabitants of Paradise are the poor people .In Paradise, the
Prophet saw some of the bounties Allah prepared for the inhabitants of Paradise.
He was gifted the obligation of the five Obligatory Prayers. At first, Allah obligated fifty prayers.

When Prophet Muhammad encountered Musa, Musa told him to make supplication (dua') to his Lord to ease the obligation
of fifty (50) prayers, because his nation could not handle that. Musa said, "I have experience with the people of Israel, and I know
your nation cannot bear that." So the Prophet asked his Lord to lessen these prayers for his people. Five prayers were eliminated.
Once again, Musa told the Prophet to ask Allah to lessen the number of prayers. Allah did. Nine times the Prophet made
supplication to Allah to lessen these prayers--until these prayers were lessened to five Obligatory Prayers. So Prophet Musa was a
great benefit to us. Had we been obligated to pray fifty prayers a day, this would have been a difficult matter for us.

On Prophet Muhammad's journey, Allah enabled him to see some of His wondrous creations. The Prophet saw angels
smashing some people's heads with rocks. These heads would return to the shape they had been, and then the angels would
smash their heads again--and so on. Jibril told the Prophet, "These are the ones whose heads felt too heavy to perform prayer--the
ones who used to sleep without praying."

On his journey the Prophet saw people who were competing to eat some rotten meat--ignoring meat that was sliced and unspoiled.
Jibril told the Prophet, "These are people from your nation who leave out that which is permissible (halal), and consume that which
is forbidden ((haram). "This reference was to the fornicators, that is, the ones who left out the permissible (marriage) and
committed sins (fornication).

The Prophet saw people scratching their faces and chests with brass finger nails. Jibril said, "These are the examples of those who
commit gossip ((ghibah)"

After all these matters took place with the Prophet, he returned to the city of Makkah. Some scholars said the Prophet's journey
took about one-third of the night, i.e., his journey from Makkah to Jerusalem, then to the heavens and what is above them, and
then back to Makkah .The next day the Prophet told the people what happened to him the previous night. The blasphemers belied
the Prophet and mocked him, saying, "We need a month to get there and back, and you are claiming to have done all this in one
night?" They said to Abu Bakr, "Look at what your companion is saying. He says he went to Jerusalem and came back in one
night." Abu Bakr told them, "If he said that, then he is truthful. I believe him concerning the news of the heavens--which an angel
descends to him from the heavens. How could I not believe he went to Jerusalem and came back in a short period of time--when
these are on earth?" At that, the Companion, Abu Bakr, was called "as-Siddiq"--because of how strongly he believed what the
entire Prophet said.

Pledges of Aqabah [11th year of Prophet-hood (620AD)]

 The Prophet ( ) would make contact with various Arab tribes that came into Makkah for their festivals, trade fairs or
pilgrimages and preach the truth of Islam to them. He would take the opportunity to call them towards worshipping only Allah
(Glorified and Exalted is He) and to believing in his Prophethood. Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab would often follow him, dissuading
people from listening to his message. To avoid them, he would come out in the darkness of night to contact the caravans
staying at a distance of several miles from the Ka’bah.
 One night, the Prophet ( ) accompanied with his faithful friends Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Ali passed by Aqabah where
they encountered six people who had come from Yathrib (later to be known as Madinah) to perform pilgrimage at the Ka’bah.
The Prophet ( ) preached Islam to them and recited some verses of the Quran. They listened carefully and embraced
Islam on the spot. They were neighbors of the Jews in Yathrib and had heard them mention of the coming of a great Prophet
in the near future and about his dominance over all others. The six new Muslims promised that they would invite their people
to Islam upon returning to Yathrib and that they would meet the Prophet again during the next pilgrimage.

First Pledge of Aqabah [12th year of Prophet-hood [621 AD]

 The next year, five of the six returned to meet the Prophet ( ) again at Aqabah and they brought with them another seven
converts. These twelve persons pledged their allegiance to Islam at the hand of the Prophet ( ) and this became known as
the ‘First pledge of Aqabah’. They pledged that they would not associate partners with Allah, commit theft, fornicate, kill their

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children, defame others, nor disobey the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) when he instructed them to do
good.

 The Prophet ( ) deputed Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umair to go with them to teach Islam and preach to others. He remained busy
all the time in teaching the Quran and other Islamic practices to the people. He stayed with Hazrat As’ad bin Zararah (may
Allah be pleased with him) and was known as the teacher. During this period many people from Yathrib embraced Islam.

Second Pledge of Aqabah (13th year of Prophet hood 622 AD)

 The following year Mus’ab bin Umair (may Allah be pleased with him) set out from Yathrib for Makkah with a
caravan of 72 men and two women which comprised of Muslims and pagans. The Muslims wanted to meet the
Prophet ( ) and to invite him to come to Yathrib. They had been dismayed at the harassment, abuse and fear
that overshadowed the Prophet and the other Muslims and had resolved to offer them their loyal
protection if they moved there. A secret meeting with the Prophet ( ) was arranged one late night at Aqabah
during the Hajj days.
 The Prophet ( ) met them accompanied by his uncle Abbas who at that point was not a Muslim. He talked to the group,
recited the Quran, prayed to Allah and encouraged people to embrace Islam. Then he said, “I ask for your allegiance on the
basis that you protect me as you would protect your wives and children.” They pledged their allegiance to him and this became
known as the ‘Second pledge of Aqabah’. They asked him to promise that he would not leave them and return to his people.
The Prophet gave his promise, “I am from you and you are from me. I will fight those you fight and will be at peace with
those with whom you are at peace.” Twelve men were then chosen to be responsible for the affairs of the community, these
included Hazrat Sa’d bin Ubadah, Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawahah and Hazrat Ubadah bin Samit (may Allah be pleased with
them). After this they all parted company.
 However, the word got out very quickly that a meeting had taken place and the Makkans were quite angry at
these developments.
 After the second Pledge of Aqaba Muslims were instructed to leave Makkah and soon they began to migrate to
Yathrib in small groups, leaving behind their homes and belongings. They sacrificed everything they had carrying
a few essential belongings on the back of their camels. The Makkans tried their best to halt the Muslims from
leaving but the majority of them left without incident. Muslims that were caught were imprisoned in their
homes. Often their own family members did this to prevent them from escaping.

Migration to Madinah (13th year of Prophet-hood 622AD)

All the Muslims of Makkah had departed except the Prophet , Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) and Hazrat Ali (R.A). The Quraysh got
worried over these developments.

A big conference of the leaders of Quraish was held at Dar-un-Nadwah and many resolutions were tabled to decide the issue. But,
even the idea of banishment or exile of the Prophet was not entertained. One leader of the Quraish, Sheikh Najdi, suggested
that every sign of Islam should be wiped off from the land of Arabia.

“Remember how the Unbelievers plotted against you to restrain you or kill you, or get you out (of your city). They plot and plan, and
Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.” (Surah Al- Anfal:30)

The assassination of the Prophet was the only way out for the Quraish. One youth from each clan was chosen to set upon
Rasulullah so that the Banu Hashim would not be able to hold any particular Quraish clan responsible for his death. It was
decided to kill the Prophet that same night.

While Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) made all secret arrangements for the Hijrat, Hazrat Jibra'eel (A.S.) forewarned the Prophet of
the intention of the Quraish that night and declared Allah’s permission for migration to Yathrib. Hazrat Ali (R.A.) slept in the Prophet
's bed while Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) and the Prophet left Makkah unnoticed and took refuge in the Cave of Thawr which

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was about 7 km from Makkah. He had also instructed Hazrat Ali (R.A.) to return all the goods and property, which he had held in
trust, to the rightful owners.

After a whole night's watch on the house of the Prophet , the Quraish were shocked in the morning to find only Hazrat Ali
(R.A.) in the bed of the Prophet .They began a desperate search of the countryside around Makkah and offered huge rewards
for the capture of the Prophet ,dead or alive.

When the Prophet and Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) arrived at the cave on Mount Thawr, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) entered first to
clear away anything that might injure the Prophet .He found a few holes and stuffed them with pieces of cloth. The Prophet
then entered and went to sleep on Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) lap. Suddenly, something (snake) stung Abu
Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) foot, but he did not twitch, fearing he would wake the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah
be on him). The pain was so intense that tears began to run down his cheeks and onto the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah
be on him) face. The Prophet woke up and saw that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in pain. He applied his
spittle on the injury and the pain disappeared.

Quraish finally reached the cave where the Prophet and Abu Bakr were hiding. By a divine miracle, a spider had spun a web
over the mouth of the cave and a pigeon had laid eggs in the nest close by. The cave looked undisturbed. As the Makkans stood in
front of the cave, Hazrat Abu Bakr began to fear for their safety. But he was comforted by the Prophet's reply: “Grieve not, for
verily Allah is with us”. (Surah Al-Tawbah:40) .

For three consecutive nights the Prophet and Abu Bakr (RA) remained hidden in the cave. During this period Hazrat Asma
bint Abu Bakr (RA) would provide them food. Hazrat Abdullah bin Abu Bakr (RA) would collect information about the activities of
the Quraysh and kept the Prophet and his father Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) well informed about the enemy’s
plans.

Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) slave, Amir bin Fuhayra (may Allah be pleased with him), would graze Abu
Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) goats near the cave so that both men could drink fresh milk. Early the next morning Amir
would drive the goats back to Makkah along the same route that Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) son took, to obscure
his footprints.

After three days, when it was felt safe to continue the Hijrat, the Prophet mounted his camel AL-QASWA while Hazrat Abu
Bakr ( R.A.) and his assistant Hazrat Aa'mir-bin- Fahirah (R.A.) shared another mount. Abdullah-bin- Urayqit who was their guide,
led the way towards Madinah. They followed a path which was not frequented by regular caravans.

At one stage, a Quraishi horseman spotted them. His name was Suraaqah bin Maalik and his objective was to win the huge reward
of 100 camels offered by Quraysh for the capture of the Prophet . But each time he charged, his horse's feet sank into the
sand, and ultimately, he felt embarrassment and asked forgiveness of the Prophet . During their journey the Prophet (SAW)
passed the tent of Hazrat Umm e Ma’bad (RA), a woman of Banu Khuzah. Her goat was giving no milk during the drought. The
Prophet ( ) stroked its udder, invoked the name of Allah and prayed for a blessing. Milk started flowing. He gave Hazrat Umm
Ma’bad (RA) and his Companions milk to drink until they were satisfied. Then he drank last of all. The goat was milked a second
time and her milk filled a vessel. When Abu Mabad returned home, his wife told him what had happened, exclaiming, BY Allah, it
could only have been a blessed man who passed by us. When she described the stranger, he said, By Allah, I think it is the man
whom the Quraish are seeking.

They continued their journey and on the sixth day of Hijrah, they reached Quba on the border of Madinah. This was on 8th of Rabi-
ul-Awwal, thirteen years after prophethood. During this very short stay in Quba, the Prophet laid the foundation of the first
mosque in Islam (Masjid e Quba).

On Friday 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the Prophet proceeded to Madinah and when it was time for Zuhr prayer, he led the first
Jum'a prayer with a hundred worshippers in an open field in the locality of Banu Saalim. After salah, he mounted his camel again
and proceeded further till he entered into Madinah the same evening. Every Muslim wanted to be his host. But his mount was
under Divine Command and he vowed to stop only where his camel would stop. At length, the camel stopped near the house of
Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (R.A.) who welcomed the Prophet to his house.

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Biography of the Holy Prophet ____life in Madinah

[1 AH/622 AD]
Masjid-e-Nabwi
Masjid-e-Nabwi is the Masjid (mosque) established by the Prophet ( ) upon his migration to Madinah. It is the second most
revered Masjid in Islam and the second largest in the world, after Masjid al-Haram in Makkah.

When the Prophet ( ) migrated to Madinah (then called Yathrib), the chiefs of the city and his immediate followers rode around
his camel in their best clothes and in glittering armour. Everyone was hoping he would stop by their house. The Prophet ( )
would answer everyone politely and kindly, “[This camel] is commanded by Allah; wherever it stops, that will be my home.” The
camel moved on with loosened reins, reaching the site of the present Masjid-e-Nabwi and knelt down. The Prophet ( ) alighted
and said, “This is the home” and inquired as to who owned the land. The land by two orphan brothers, Sahl and Suhail. The
Prophet ( ) purchased the land and then gave orders to construct a masjid. Most of the building was done by bricks made of
stones and clay. The palms in the courtyard were cut down and their trunks were used as pillars to support the roof of palm
branches, but the greater part of the courtyard was left open. Small stones were laid on the floor to prevent it from becoming too
muddy. At the rear of the masjid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) built a shaded area called as-Suffah in
which the poor companions would spend the night. Two small huts were also constructed on the eastern side of the masjid to
accommodate his two wives at the time, Hazrat Aisha (RA) and Hazrat Sauda(RA).

 Muhajreen and Ansar together took part in the work, including the Prophet himself, and as they worked, they chanted
two verses which one of them had made up for the occasion: “O Allah, no good is but the good Hereafter, So help the
Helpers and the Emigrants.”

 Masjid-e-Nabwi acted as a hub for all religious, political, administrative, social collective decision making, court & dispute
settlement, social affairs, Preaching of Islam and educational activities.

 Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet said: “Whoever performs forty salah in my masjid, not
missing one salah in the masjid, for him is granted exemption from the fire of Hell, and exemption from punishment and he
shall remain free of hypocrisy.” [Ahmad]

 Abu Hurairah ( ) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said:“One salah offered in my
masjid is superior to one thousand salahs offered in other masjids except Masjid al-Haram (Makkah al-Mukarramah).”
[Bukhari]

Adhaan /Azaan (Call to Prayer)

In Makkah, the number of Muslims were small. They could make Jama’ah(congregation) without any call. When Prophet
Muhammad ( ) arrived in Madinah, the number of Muslims started to increase. Prophet Muhammad ( ) built Masjid Al-
Nabawi to offer Salaah regularly. By the second year of Hijrah, the number of Muslims had increased. The people announced in a
loud voice. “As-salat ul-jamiah (the congregational prayer is ready).” Those who heard this call came to join the Salah.
Muslims felt the need to find a way to inform people to come to the Salat. Prophet Muhammad ( ) asked his companions for
their suggestions.

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: When the Muslims arrived at Medina, they used to assemble for the prayer, and used to guess the time for it.
During those days, the practice of Adhan for the prayers had not been introduced yet. Once they discussed this problem regarding
the call for prayer. Some people suggested the use of a bell like the Christians, others proposed a trumpet like the horn used by
the Jews, but ‘Umar was the first to suggest that a man should call (the people) for the prayer; so Allah’s Apostle ordered Bilal to
get up and pronounce the Adhan for prayers. (Al-Bukhari :: Book 1 : Volume 11 : Hadith 578)

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The Charter of Madinah – Mankind’s First Written Constitution

(Treaty with Jews and other non-Muslims of Madinah)
Prophet Muhammad ( ) delivered the message of Allah in Makkah for about 13 years in the face of staunch opposition. In 622
A.D. he finally moved to Yathrib (Madinah) together with his followers after receiving an invitation from the Arab tribes of Yathrib.

At that time, Yathrib was a pluralistic society composed of people of different religions with a large population of Jews. These
tribes were engaged in bitter quarrels and often went to war over disputes that had been going on for generations. There were 12
tribes of Arabs divided between Aws and Khazraj and ten Jewish tribes including Banu Nazeer, Banu Quraiza and Bani Qainuqa.

The continuous state of anarchy in Madinah eventually forced the residents to seek options for peace. They agreed to make a
prominent tribal chief, Abdullah ibn Ubay bin Salool, their king so that peace and harmony could be achieved. Around this time,
Prophet Muhammad ( ) arrived in Madinah and the tide turned against Abdullah bin Ubay. Since the Prophet was viewed as a
respectable, honest and trustworthy person, he was requested to head the soon to be city-state of Madinah.

Creation of the Charter

After assuming a central role in Madinah, the Prophet recognized a few pressing needs, which included:

 Determining the rights and responsibilities of the local population as well as the immigrants from Makkah
 Making agreements with the non-Muslim population of Madinah, especially the Jews, to ensure peace and harmony
 Creating a strategy and plan to defend the city against invasions
 Making resources available for the immigrants to make a living

The strong need to create a centralized government in Madinah to end the prevailing anarchy culminated in the creation of the
Charter of Madinah. The text of the charter has been preserved in its entirety by the scholars Ibn Ishaq and Abu Ubaid. It is
divided into two parts; the first part deals with the rules and regulations for Muslim immigrants (Muhajiroon) and Muslim natives
(Ansar) and the second part deals with the rights and responsibilities of the Jews of Madinah.

This charter contains 47 clauses, which laid the foundations of a sovereign nation-state comprising of Muslims, Jews and Pagans,
having equal rights and responsibilities under a common citizenship.

. The salient features of this charter include:

1. All parties included in the charter, i.e. Muslims, people of the book (Jews and Christians) and pagans, had freedom to
practice their religion
2. All citizens of the state had equal rights and responsibilities and were protected against excess and oppression
3. A system of financial aid was developed within each tribe and between tribes. Communal funds were set up which were
used in times of financial need such as to pay ransom or blood-money
4. In the event of a war or hostile attack from outsiders on one tribe, all tribes of Madinah (signatories of the charter) were
required to come to the aid of the defending tribe
5. In the event of a dispute among the signatories, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the final authority for settling the dispute
6. The Quraysh of Makkah were to be boycotted commercially by all signatories and nobody was to extend any support to
them

Significance of the Charter of Madinah

It is a landmark document, not only in Muslim history but also in the constitutional history of the world. This charter transformed all
aspects of life in Madinah including political, religious and social life. Its biggest achievement was bringing belligerent tribes
together to form a polity and establishing long term peace among them. It put an end to the prevailing anarchy and protected the
life, liberty, property and religious freedom of all people included in the accord. It created a state where equal rights and
responsibilities were truly provided for all citizens. The charter of Madinah replaced the traditional tribal kinship with a new social
order and created a nation state with a new social fabric.

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Many historians consider the English Magna Carta to be the first written constitution; however, according to the research of Dr.
Muhammad Hamidullah, one of the most eminent Muslim researchers and scholars of the 20th century, the Charter of Madina
(Mithaq-ul-Madina) was the first constitution written by mankind. The Charter of Medina precedes the American constitution of
1787 CE and the English Magna Carta of 1215 CE.

Brotherhood between Muhajreen and Ansar (Emigrants and Helpers)

• When the Holy Prophet (PBUH) arrived in Madina, he declared brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar in the house of
Hazrat Anas ibn Malik. There were ninety men – half of them from the Muhajirin and half of them from the Ansar – and the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) declared brotherhood between them in charity and benevolence, and made them to inherit from each other in
case of the death of any of them, in preference to their next-of-kin. This continued until the Battle of Badr took place, when Allah
revealed:
“And blood relations among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allah (regarding inheritance)…” (33:6), returning
the right of inheritance to the next of kin, rather than those joined in brotherhood.

Muhajirin (Emigrants)
• The Muhajirin are those people who emigrated in the way of Allah from Makkah to Madina.
• The term ‘Muhajir’ is not applied to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself.
• The Muhajirin suffered greatly at the hands of the Quraish before their migration.
• Some emigrants had to leave their sons, daughters, wives or husbands behind for their religion.
• Some stole out of Makkah alone and made the arduous journey to Madina by themselves.
• Also, they took virtually no possessions to Madina, and thus arrived penniless.

“Those who believed, migrated and expended blood and treasure in fighting for the cause of Allah, occupy a high
position.” (Al-Quran)

Ansar (Helpers)
• The Ansar are the people of the tribes of Aus and Khazraj.
• These tribes had migrated to Madina in the twilight of the Himyarite Empire.
• These two tribes fought with each other, as well as the Jews with whom they shared the city.
• After Muhammad (PBUH)’s arrival, these two tribes lived in peace forever.
• After the establishment of the Brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, the Ansar were eager to divide their every
possession with their new brothers.
• Quite a few Ansar even divorced some of their wives to give to their brothers who had arrived from Makkah without their families
or without their wives.
• The Ansar stood with the Holy Prophet (PBUH) through thick and thin right from the Battle of Badr, where Hazrat Saad bin Muaz,
on behalf of the Ansar, pledged allegiance and unequivocal support to the cause of Islam. They did this, even though they were not
required to do so by the Pledges of Aqabah.
• After the death of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), they gave up their right and reconciled with the suggestion that the next caliph ought
to be from the Quraish.
• Along with the Muhajirin, they too made tremendous contribution to the spread of Islam by conquest and preaching.

Ahadith:
“The sign of faith is love of the Ansar and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred of the Ansar.”
“If the people took one path, and the Ansar another, I would choose the path of the Ansar.”

So let us implement this concept of brotherhood in our lives. It is part of our religion, and it is part of our history. It is our identity that
defines us as Muslims and as followers of Prophet Mohammad . Let us search for opportunities to help our fellow Muslim
brothers. When we hear that one of our brothers needs help or is facing a problem, let us really push ourselves and go out of our
way to help. Not just financially, because sometimes it is easy to give some money and forget about the problem. We should be
willing to go out and walk with our brother to help him fix his problems and help him physically and to be there with him.

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[2 AH/623-624 AD]
CHANGE OF QIBLAH: The Prophet (PBUH) as well as the Muslims had been facing towards Jerusalem while worshipping.
Such practice was followed for one year and four months after migrating to Madinah. It was the wish of the Prophet (PBUH) that
the Ka’abah be made the Qiblah for prayers, for they had been holding the sanctuary at Makkah in a respectful regard since the
time of Prophet Ibrahim (RA).

Fasting and Zakat: Zakat and Fasting were made obligatory for Muslims in the second year of migration.

Permission of Jihad: The Muslims were given permission to fight against those who fight against them.

Battle of Badr [2 AH/624 AD]

The Quraysh were not happy at the peaceful settlement of Muslims in Madina. The Holy Prophet was aware of their cunning
intensions. Therefore he would send parties to patrol the outskirts of Madina to keep an eye on the movements of the enemy as
well as to approach certain tribes to secure their neutrality.

Once the Prophet Muhammad ( ) dispatched a small party of eight persons under the leadership of Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahash
(RA) in the month of Rajab in which the killing and fighting was not allowed .When Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahash and his
companions reached at Nakhlah, they encountered a small caravan of Quraish under the leadership of Amr bin Hadhrami. They
attacked the caravan, and Amr bin Hadharmi, was killed, two were captured and the fourth escaped. The scouting party took over
the merchandise of the caravan and made haste to return to Madina. When Holy Prophet Muhammad ( ), came to know about
the incident of Nakhla, he got angry with Hazrat Abdullah bin Jahash for fighting since he was not ordered to do so.

The death of Amr bin Hadharmi, however, provoked Quraish and stimulated their hostile designs against the Muslims.

Although there was an open conflict between Makkans and the Muslims, it was the second year of Hijrah (2AH) that the Makkans
got an opportunity to materialize their hideous designs to invade Madinah and eliminate Muslims from the world. The Makkans
were making continuous preparation for waging war against Muslims. They were sending caravan after caravan to Syria to finance
the expenditure for their new campaign out of the profit of their sales. One such caravan was returning to Makkah from Syria. As its
route passed from a point very close to Madinah, its leader Abu Sufyan, fearing an attack from Muslims sent a fast rider to Makkah
with an appeal for help.

When the representative of Abu Sufyan arrived in Makkah, and reported to the Makkans, a preparation was at once made to
invade on Madina. Within three days, a well-armed force of over a thousand warriors set out from Makkah under the command of
Abu Jahl. When they reached near Badr, a messenger of Abu Sufyan brought the news that the caravan had passed through the
danger zone safely and that it was not necessary to march towards Madina. On hearing this, some of them counselled that they
should go back, but Abu Jahal and his party rejected the suggestion violently and proceeded towards Badr.

When the Holy Prophet heard about the evil designs of Makkans, he and his followers unanimously decided to fight against them.
The Prophet also received a revelation that permitted Muslims to wage a war against invaders. “Fight in the way of Allah against
those who fight against you, but do not transgress, for Allah does not love the transgressors” (2:190)

Thus the first battle between the Muslims and the Makkans was fought on17th Ramdan, 2 A.H./March 13, 624 A.D at Badr, 128
km away from Madina .

The Muslims, who were unprepared for the engagement, numbered only 313 men who had only two horses, 70 camels and a few
swords. This small force was marshalled out of Madina for Badr.

The Makkans under the command of Abu Jahal, were a thousand (1000) with 300 horses and Seven hundred (700) camels.
Numerically the Muslim force was hardly one-third of the Makkans. The Quraysh reached the battle field of Badr earlier and
occupied the points of advantage.

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The Muslims could not get any well or spring. More over the sandy soil was causing the feet of camels sink. Then it was suggested
by Hazrat Habab bin Munzir (RA) to take possession of a nearby big spring. The suggestion was accepted and Muslims moved to
take over the spring. By the grace of Allah, it rained heavily and small reservoirs got full of water.

Although the Muslims were in full control of the water, the Holy Prophet allowed the enemies to use water.

The two armies rested in their camps at Badr for the night. The Holy Prophet spent the whole night preceding the day of the battle
in prayer and supplication. He prayed, “O Allah! If small band of men perish, there will be none alive to worship you. And
your faith will be destroyed forever” (Sahih Bukhari)

The prayer was accepted and heavenly assistance was promised in these words of the Quran, “Remember you implored the
assistance of your Lord, and he answered you: “I will assist you with a thousand of angels, ranks on ranks.” (8:9)

The Holy Prophet arranged the lines in battle-order and gave strict instructions that his men would not start fighting until he gave
them his final order. He recommended them to use their arrows carefully and never resort to sword unless the enemies too close.
As per custom in Arabia, the three best soldiers were supposed to fight with the three best soldiers of the opponent army. From
Quraish, Utbah, Shaibah and waleed stepped forward. From Muslims, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Hamzah and Hazrat Abu Ubaida bin
Jarrah (May Allah be pleased with all of them) came forward and the combat began. All three chiefs were killed and then general
fight commenced.
Seventy (70) pagans were killed and seventy were taken as prisoners of war. Prominent leaders of Quraish like Abu Jahal was
killed by two young brothers Hazrat Maaz and Hazrat Muawaz, Umayyah bin Khalf was killed by Hazrat Bilal. (Former master of
Hazrat Bilal) and Utbah ibne Rabi was killed by Hazrat Hmaza.

Only fourteen (14) Muslims were martyred. Large amount of booty was collected by the Muslims.

The captives of war were dealt with kindness. Some were freed on ransom, some old and poor were freed without any ransom.
Learned prisoners were given the duty to teach Muslim children for a fixed time, after which they would be set free.

Significance of Battle of Badr

1. The victory at Badr is a milestone in the history of Islam. Had the Muslims been defeated they might have disappeared
from the earth, as feared by the Prophet a few hours before.
2. The victory inspired Muslims with new hope, gave them confidence in their physical power and encouraged for future
success.
3. The victory at Badr strengthened Islam. The opposing elements became weak and the surrounding tribes came under the
influence of Islamic State.
4. All the prominent leaders were killed in the battle and the leadership passed to Abu Sufyan.
5. A large number of the people of Madina converted to Islam which added a lot of strength, power and moral standing of the
true faith.
6. The disbelievers of Arabia and The Jews first time became aware of the new power of Islam.
7. The battle helped immensely to strengthen the Holy Prophet’s position at Madina.

The Battle of Uhad [3 A.H/625 AD]

The Quraish felt badly humiliated at their defeat at Badr, and wanted to take revenge of their leaders who were killed in the battle of
Badr such as Abu Jahal, Utba and Shayba etc. Therefore, they started making preparation for another campaign on a larger scale.

The Jews and hypocrites of Madinah also instigated the Quraish against Muslims and ensured their support. Finally the Quraysh
set out for Madinah under the leadership of Abu Sufyan with three thousand (3000) men including two hundred (200) horsemen.
Seven hundred (700) soldiers were in full armour.

While the Muslims could muster only one thousand (100) men. The number of Muslims was further decreased when 300 men
belonging to hypocrite group refused to fight outside the city and deserted the Muslims at a critical moment. The Prophet, however,
came out of Madinah with the rest of men to meet Makkans.

The battle was fought near the mount’ of Uhad, about two miles north of Madinah. In the first rush of the battle Muslims defeated

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the Makkans. But a serious mistake of Muslim archers turned the victory into defeat. Fifty archers under the command of Hazrat
Abdullah bin Zubair (RA) were ordered by the Prophet to guard a mountain pass and not to quit it in any circumstances. But
when these archers saw that the Makkans were defeated and are fleeing, leaving behind a large amount of booty, they too, fearing
to lose their share of spoils, left the pass. Khalid bin Walid, the leader of Makkans cavalry, seeing, the pass without guard, made a
dash towards it and attacked the Muslims from behind. This unexpected attack turned the tables. Muslims were dispersed with
great loss of life.

The Holy Prophet too, was attacked. He was injured and lost two of his teeth. The non-believers made repeated attempt to
reach the Prophet. But it was not an easy task. His devoted companions soon gathered around him to protect him from the fury of
attackers. They demonstrated unparalleled courage and bravery to defend their leader. When the Prophet called them to
protect him, six Ansar came forward and lost their lives one by one. Hazrat Abu Dajana covered the Prophet with his body
and received all the arrows on his back. Hazrat Talha, took the blows of the sword on his hand with the ultimate loss of one hand.
The Prophet himself remained calm and quiet; and instead of cursing the enemy prayed for them to God, saying: “O God,
forgive my people as they are ignorant and know not.”

The Makkans however, did not think it safe to push the matter too far; and they after a demonstration of victory, by raising slogans,
left the field and marched off toward Makkah. Thus the battle of Uhad proved undecided. The Prophet sent a detachment of
seventy Muslims to pursue the enemy. The Prophet himself advanced up to eight miles south of Madinah. Abu Sufyan, at this
moment thought it better to return and complete the victory. But when he found that Muslims are again organized and ready to give
a tough battle, he gave up his idea. However he proclaimed to come again next year.
The battle of Uhad proved a disaster for Muslims, 70 Muslims were killed against 30 of the Makkans. And perhaps this is the
greatest loss of lives suffered by Muslims in any single battle during the lifetime of the Prophet . Among the martyred were men
like Hazrat Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet and one of the greatest defenders of the Prophet in the early days of Islam; and
Hazrat Mus’ab bin Umair, who was mainly instrumental in converting the people of Madinah to Islam and teaching them Islamic
tenets.
In this battle the women of Quraish, who were brought with the army to encourage men by their presence, mutilated the dead
bodies of Muslims, making necklaces and bracelets of dead men’s ears and noses. Hindah; the wife of Abu Sufyan, plucked out
the liver of Hamza and chewed it.

Lessons from the Battle of Uhad

1. The believers learned the negative consequence of disobedience of the Prophet , loss of courage and dispute, and that
what occurred was the result of it, they became more careful and aware thereafter.
2. Sincere believers were distinguished from hypocrites, for when Allah (Almighty) gave the Muslims victory over their enemies
on the day of Badr some entered Islam whose motives were not as they appeared. So, the wisdom of Allah (Almighty)
necessitated a test to differentiate between the believer and the hypocrite.
3. When Allah (Almighty) afflicts Muslims with setbacks, loss and defeat, they become humble and submissive, making them
deserving of His might and victory.
4. The loss at Uhad taught Muslims a great lesson to remain united and loyal in times of adversity and disappointment .This
illustrate the importance of working together and avoiding disunity at any cost.
5. The Muslims also learnt that they should always obey the Prophet and the commander, disobedience of the Prophet can
have disastrous consequences. The Quran says, “Obey Allah and obey the messenger and those who charged with authority”

The Battle of Trench (Khadaq) (5 A.H / 627AD)

After the battle of Uhad there were still conspiracies against the Muslims of Madina. The growing power of Muslims at Madina was
a great threat for the social, religious and commercial interests of Makkans, therefore, they wanted to eliminate the Muslims. The
Jewish tribes that had been driven out of Madinah to Khyber also started plotting against the Muslims. Leading figure of the
expelled Banu Nadir Jews, Huyay ibn Akhtab went to Makkah, met with the Quraysh and incited them against the Muslims,
promising their help and support.

The Jews and the Makkans jointly instigated the tribes of Arabia like Banu Ghatfan, Banu Murrah, Banu Fazarah, Banu
Sulaim,Banu Saad, banu Asad and a number of small tribes to take arms against the Muslims. (Battle of Ahzab -The battle of
Confederates)

In the 5th year of Hijrah (627AD) during the month of Dhul-Qadah, a force of ten thousand men was collected by Makkans to
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march towards Madinah. At this critical moment, the remaining Jewish tribes of Madinah, Banu Quraizah, by breaking its
agreement with the Prophet , also joined the invading forces.

Having learned of these developments and upon the suggestion of Hazrat Salman al-Farsi following consultation with his
Companions, Prophet Muhammad decided on the digging of trench in the north of the city, vulnerable to enemy attack. The
trench was completed within a few weeks, the trench was – approximately 5.5 kilometres in length, 9 meters in width, and 4.5
meters in depth.

The Holy Prophet here again, as usual took equal part with other Muslims in digging the trench. When the invading army
approached the city it found the ditch main obstruction in its way into the city. Three thousand (3000) Muslims were protecting the
trench. The invaders, however, made several attempts to cross the ditch, but failed every time.

At one stage during the siege, a few Quraysh cavalrymen managed to cross to the Muslim side via a narrow point of the trench.
One of these men was ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd , celebrated among Arabs for his courage and bravery. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd requested a warrior for
one on one combat. A young (Hazrat Ali) came forward. Prophet Muhammad gave Hazrat Ali (RA) his sword and his turban. ‘Amr
was overtaken by ‘Hazrat Ali who he had initially underestimated and was killed with a sweeping blow of his sword while the others
were forced to retreat. The siege continued for about four weeks. The Muslims were deeply frightened. The Qur’an describes them
saying:

"When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull and the hearts rose up to
the throats, and you began to think diverse thoughts concerning Allah." Holy Qur’an (33:10)

At last continuous failures and increasing difficulties created distrust among the allies. And worst of all, on the 27th day of the
siege a terrible cyclone with heavy rains worked havoc with the enemy. The invaders now decided to raise the siege and return to
their homes. Allah says, “O you who believe! Remember Allah’s blessing on you when hosts came against you, and we
loosed against them a wind, and hosts you did not see”(Al-Ahzab:09)

This was the last and the greatest attempt of anti-Islamic forces of Arabia to dislodge Islam from its stronghold. It was in fact a
battle of nerves rather than of losses. And like the earlier ones this too utterly failed. Thus came to an end the series of aggressive
wars started by the enemies of Islam five years ago. The faith, discipline, determination, devotion and sacrifice of Muslims bore
fruit. They were now not only safe but more confident of their future than ever before.

The Prophet’s Relations with Jews and Hypocrites

 When the Prophet arrived at Madina an important issue was to outline clear relationship between Muslims and the
Jews.
 After an exchange of views, an agreement was formed which granted equal rights to the Jews and other non-Muslims with full
freedom to follow their own religion with out any interference from Muslims.
 It guaranteed freedom of worship for the Jews.
 It also guaranteed protection of their life, property and worship places.
 It stated that the Muslims and the Jews were allies and would help each other.
 Neither party would commit aggression against the other.
 In case of an attack on Madina both the Muslims and Jews would defend it.
 If any of the two communities is under attack the other community will extend its support to fight against the enemy.
 If any party made peace with the enemy, the other must also do so, except in the case of religious fight.
 The treaty also established the Holy Prophet as the leader and the head of the state. He came to be recognized as the
undisputed leader, ruler, judge and the commander of the people of Madina. It was an attempt to establish friendly relationship
between the Muslims and the Jews to defend Madina from all invaders.
 Gradually the Jews distanced themselves from him: they persistently mocked the revelations, and doubted his claim of prophet
hood.
 The Holy Prophet Muhammad expelled the three major tribes in three stages after they showed treachery in fighting and
sided with the Quraysh.

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Banu Qainuqa were expelled in 624 AD.

 They broke the treaty of Madinah and sided with the Quraish in the battle of Badr.
 They had secret communications with the Quraish against Muslims.
 They insulted a Muslim woman in the market .A Muslim who was the, got enraged and killed the Jew but was himself killed by
a group of Jews.
 The Holy Prophet raised an army and laid the siege to Banu Qainuqa residence which lasted for 15 days.
 After their surrender the were exiled from Madina had settled at Khyber.

Banu Nadir were exiled in 625 AD

 They attempted to kill the Prophet
 The prophet was informed about their evil design by Allah. They were ordered to leave Madina with in 15 days.
 They did not obey the order and later were besieged for 15 days.
Ultimately they were exiled to Khyber empty handed. Created by Sir B G

Banu Qurasiza 626AD/5 AH

 During the battle of trench they had communication with allies’ forces and endangered the security of Madina.
 After the battle was over the Holy Prophet laid siege of their strongholds which lasted for 25 days.
 After surrender, they requested that H.Saad bin Muadh (RA) should decide their fate.
 He decided according to the law of Old Testament .Men were killed, children were and women were made captives. Allah says
in the Quran, “And those of people of the Book who aided them (Allies),Allah did take them down from their strongholds and
cast terror into their hearts; some you slew and some you made prisoners”.(33:26)
 Khyber Expedition, the last encounter of the Prophet with the Jews in 7AH/ 627AD.

Hypocrites
 There were some people in Madinah who did not become sincere Muslims were known as Hypocrites. (Munafiqeen).The Holy
Quran says about them, “When it is said to them, Come to what Allah has revealed, and to the Messenger’ you see the
hypocrites avert their faces from you in disgust”.
 Abdullah bin Ubayy of Khazraj tribe was the leader of Munafiqeen.
 They had hidden conspiracies with the Quraish and the Jews to destroy Muslims.
 They showed their disloyalty most strongly in withdrawing when the Quraysh attack led to the battle of Uhud.
 They remained persistent opponents of The Holy Prophet Muhammad .
 They also built a Masjid to divide the Muslims which was known as Masjad e Dharar and burnt on the instruction of the prophet
.
 Tey leveled false accusation against Hazrat Ayesha.(RA)concerning her chastity. However her innocence was proved by the
Holy Quran.
 In the battle of trench Hypocrites refused to safeguard the entrance of Madinah

Treaty of Hudaibiyah [6 AH/628AD]

 In 6 A.H., the Holy Prophet had a dream that he had entered the Sacred Mosque (Masjid ul Haram). Therefore, he
decided to go to Makkah for performing Umrah, or the minor pilgrimage. The Quran says: “Allah indeed fulfilled the vision
for His Messenger with truth. You shall certainly enter the Sacred Mosque if Allah pleases in security.” (Al-Fath 48:27)

 The Holy Prophet washed his clothes, mounted his camel Qaswa and marched towards Makkah in the company of
1400 companions including his wife Umm-e-Salma. When the Quraish heard of the approach of the Muslims they were
prepared to resist their entry by force of arm, they sent a force under the command of Khalid bin Waleed and Ikramah bin Abu
Jahl. As the Prophet had no intention to fight, he left the main road and led the Muslims towards the less frequented
road. They camped at a place called Hudaibiya, which was some miles from Makkah, the Quraish resolved to fight rather than
allow Muslims to enter Makkah.

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 The Prophet sent a Messenger to Makkah who was ill-treated by the Quraish. Then, he sent Uthman ibn Affan (RA)
who had a powerful clan to protect him in Makkah. Since Uthman ibn Affan (RA) was detained for a long time, a rumour broke
out in the Muslim camp that he had been killed by the Quraish.

 The Prophet called his companions to take a pledge to fight and avenge the blood of Uthman (RA). This pledge was
taken on the hand of Prophet while he stood under a tree, hence it became known as Bayt Al Ridwan, the pledge of
tree or the Pledge of God’s Pleasure. Allah says, “Allah indeed was pleased with the believers, when they swore
allegiance to you under the tree and He knew what was in their hearts, so he sent down peace on them and rewarded
them with clear victory.” (48:18)
 The arrogant Quraish now realized that the Muslims were strong enough to defend their faith and evil tactics could not frighten
them. So they decided to conclude a treaty of reconciliation and peace with the Muslims. Sohail bin Amir was sent to write a
treaty.

Clauses of the Treaty

1. The Muslims shall return this year and come back next year, but they shall not stay in Makkah for more than three days. They
must be unarmed but can bring with them swords only which should be sheathed and these shall be kept in bags.
2. War activities shall be suspended for ten years, during which both parties will live in full security and neither will raise sword
against the other.

3. If a tribe wishes to join the Holy Prophet or enter into a treaty with him, they should have the liberty to do so; and
likewise whosoever wishes to join the Quraish or enter in a treaty with them should be allowed to do so.

4. If anyone from the Quraish goes to Muhammad without his guardian’s permission, meaning escapee he should be sent
back to the Quraish, but should any of Muhammad’s followers return to the Quraish he shall not be sent back.

Many of the Muslims including Hazrat Umar(RA) were not happy over the terms of the treaty which were very harsh and
against the interest of Muslims apparently. Yet the Holy Prophet accepted them with the command of Allah Who
Himself, declared this treaty to be a manifest victory for the believers by saying: “Truly, We have opened up a path to clear
triumph for you.” (48:1)

Importance/ Effects/Advantages of the Treaty Hudaibiya

By entering into ten years truce with the Quraish, the Holy Prophet reaped several political and strategic advantages.
1. Firstly, Madina started to be reckoned as an equal power with Makkah in the eyes of the whole of Arabia.
2. Secondly, the Quraish became neutral in the struggle between the Holy Prophet on one side and the Jews and Bedouin
on the other.
3. Thirdly, Madina became a centre around which all the tribes were united under the banner of Islam.
4. In the two that followed, more people accepted Islam than in the preceding six years. The great Muslim Khalid bin Waleed and
Amr bin Aas accepted Islam during this period.
5. The Quraish had imposed an unjust term, which laid down that the converts from Makkah could not go to Madina. These
converts instead of going to Madina fled and settled on a hilly track on road to Syria from where they posed a threat to the
trade caravans of the Quraish. The Quraish were forced to beg the Muslim to cancel this clause from the Treaty.
6. The Prophet traveled to Hudaybiyya with 1400 men. Two years later, when the Makkans broke the truce, he marched against
them with an army of 10,000. Also, many Arab tribes, though still unbelievers, wanted to enter into treaty relations with the
Muslims and now they could make alliances with the Muslims.
7. After the Treaty, the Holy Prophet sent messages of Islam to kings and emperors some of whom embraced Islam.
8. The Treaty of Hudaibiya was a turning point in the great struggle of Islamic revolution which laid the foundation of later
successes. It ultimately paved the ground for the peaceful and bloodless conquest of Makkah.
9. The Treaty of Hudaybiya is the best answer to those critics who allege that Islam was spread with the power of the sword.

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The Battle of Khyber (7 AH/629 AD)

The Battle of Khyber was fought in the year 629 between Muslims and the Jews living in the oasis of Khyber, located 150
kilometers (93 mi) from Madina in the north-western part of the Arabian peninsula, in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
Literally "Khyber" means a fort, and the place was so named because it consisted of a series of forts. There were six or seven
forts, and each was occupied by a different section of the Jews. After their expulsion from Madinah, most of the Jews of Banu
Qainuqah and Banu Nadhir took refuge in Khyber. In the Battle of the Ditch (Ghazwa-e-Khandaq), the Jews of Khyber had helped
the Quraysh. When after the Battle of the Ditch, the Jews of Banu Quraizah were executed, the Jews of Khyber promised revenge,
and they planned an invasion of Madinah on a large scale. They were seeking an alliance with the Quraish. In the meantime by the
treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Quraysh had made a truce with the Muslims and were no longer free to join the Jews in an attack on
Madinah. That was the first advantage that accrued to the Muslims as a result of the treaty of Hudaibiyah. Taking full advantage of
this favorable situation, immediately on return from Makkah after signing the Hudaibiyah pact, the Holy Prophet led a 1400
Muslim force to Khyber.
The Jews were caught in surprise at the appearance of the Muslim force. The Prophet asked them to submit. They made fun
of the offer and said that their forts were unconquerable, and that they would teach the Muslims bitter lesson. They shut
themselves in their forts and the Muslims besieged them. The first battle took place on the fort called Naim. The Muslim force was
commanded by Muhammad bin Muslimah. The battle was fierce. The Muslim Commander was martyred, but the fort was captured.
In the following days they captured other small fortresses. The main fort of the Jews was Qamus, and it was regarded as
invincible. The siege dragged on for twenty-one days, but the Jews held out. The Holy Prophet changed the Commander
every day, but the fort proved to be a hard nut to crack.

With the failure of successive missions, the Holy Prophet said that the following day he would entrust the command to a person
who was the beloved of Allah as well as His Prophet , and who would conquer the fort. The following day when the Muslim
forces assembled to lead the attack, all were anxious to know as to who was to have the honor of commanding the Muslim forces,
and winning the victory that day. The honor fell to Hadhrat Ali (RA). The Holy Prophet put the armor on Ali with his own hands. He
handed him the standard, and after praying for the victory of the Muslims, the Holy Prophet commanded the Muslims forces to
attack the fort in the name of God. As the Muslim forces came close to the fort, the Jew warrior Marhab emerged out of the fort,
and challenged Ali to a duel. Marhab enjoyed reputation as a great warrior equivalent to a thousand men but that day, Hadhrat Ali
appeared to have extraordinary power. He killed Marhab in no time. Thereafter three more Jewish warriors stepped forward and
were killed by Hadhrat Ali (RA).
The death of three successive Jew warriors demoralized the Jews and they ran back to shut themselves in the fort. Before the
Jews could shut the gate of the fort, Ali struck at the gate and uprooted it. Thereafter the Muslim force rushed inside the fort and
massacred the Jews who resisted them.
As Hadhrat Ali (RA) returned to the Muslim camp, the Holy Prophet went forward to greet him, and praised him as the Victor of
Khyber.
As a result of the victory, in accordance with the Jewish law, all male Jews could be executed. The Jews pleaded for mercy and
undertook to pay one half of the produce of their lands to the Muslims as annual tribute. The Holy Prophet accepted the terms
offered by the Jews and a treaty was made accordingly. The Jews undertook to remain faithful to the Muslims and accepted their
dominance. The number of Muslims who were martyred was about 18 while 93 Jews were killed.

Consequences of the Battle of Khyber

The Battle of Khyber was another turning point in the history of Islam. It had far reaching consequences. The Muslim rule was no
longer confined to Madinah and its immediate environments. It came to be extended to other parts of Arabia and the Jews who had
been so hostile to the Muslims had become the subjects of the Islamic state. The Quraysh could no longer depend on the support
of the Jews. If we study the events that took place one after the other we can recognize the Hand of God directing the course of
things in favor of the Muslims. The Hudaibiyah pact which was apparently unfavorable to the Muslims paved the way to the
conquest of Khyber, and the conquest of Khyber paved the way to the conquest of Makkah. Hadhrat Ali was the Victor of Khyber.
The exploits of Ali at Khyber have attained the dimensions of legends.

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Letters to Kings and Emperors [7AH: 629 AD]

The following year after the treaty of Hudaibiya, the Prophet decided to write to neighbouring kings, including those of the two
superpowers, summoning them to Islam. In order to make the selection of ambassadors to the rulers, he asked his Companions to
assemble in the Mosque. After performing the obligatory prayer, he addressed them:

"O people! Allah has sent me as the one who is compassionate to the mankind and the prophet to the world. Therefore
preach (the message of Islam) on my behalf, Allah will have Mercy upon you..."

The Prophet then selected some of his very competent companions as ambassadors to kings and heads of states. Some of them
are listed below:

Ambassadors of the Prophet Kings and Emperors

Abdullah bin Hudhafah (ra) Chosroes II (Emperor of Persian Empire)

Amr bin Umayyah (ra) Negus, King of Abyssinia

Hatib' bin Abi Baitah (ra) Muqawqis, Ruler of Egypt

Shuja bin Wahab al-Asadi (ra) Harith Gassani, Governor of Syria

Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi (ra) Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantines (Eastern Roman Empire)

'Ala bin Hadrami (ra) Al-Mundhir , Ruler of Bahrain

In all, he sent some two dozen letters over a period of 2-3 years, to as many rulers, inviting them to Islam. He wrote to them in
extremely simple words and style. He informed them, in an amazingly humble yet magnanimous way, that they could retain their
kingdoms to themselves (as had Najashi, the king of Abyssinia). He was not interested in their kingdoms, nor had any political
ambitions. Yet, he warned them in the most polite manner, that if they refused to submit to One God, they faced some risks. He did
not threaten them with military action, so as not to antagonize them, but rather pointed out the common origin of theirs and his own
message: the religion of One God. In all humbleness, he reduced himself to their level. He was a believer himself, he wrote! He
made it clear that he was not inviting them to submit to him, but to his and their true Lord: The One God.

The Battle of Mu’tah [8 AH/629 AD]

 In the year 7 A.H. the Holy Prophet sent letters to the kings and leaders around Arabia inviting them to embrace Islam.
Among those who carried these letters was Hazrat Haris bin Umair Al-Azdi (RA) who was deputed to go to the ruler of Busra
,Syria.
 When Hazrat Haris bin Umair Al-Azdi (RA) stopped at Mu’tah, on the borders of Syria , he was killed by Shurahbil bin Amr
Al-Ghassani, Caesar’s governor of Syria.
 Killing envoys and messengers used to be regarded as most awful crime and amounted to the degree of war declaration.
 So, the purpose of Mu’tah expedition was to teach Shurabil a lesson and to tell all such rulers that Muslims were now a force
to be reckoned with which could not be dealt with in a insulting manner.
 The Holy Prophet assembled a fighting force of 3000 and he appointed Hazrat Zaid bin Harisa (RA) to be their leader.
The Holy Prophet knew that the Muslims were to confront Romans and not any weak or insignificant tribe, so he
explained that if Hazrat Zaid (RA) were to die, then the command be taken over by Hazrat Jafar bin Abi Talib (RA), and in case
he too dies, then Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawahah(RA) should lead the troops.
 As the Muslim fighting force of 3000 was no match to the frightening strength of the Romans numbering 100,000, all the three
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commanders died one after the other and ultimately the banner of leadership was handed over to Hazrat Khalid bin Walid, the
sword of Allah, who was able to manage a tactical withdrawal without suffering any more losses.
 It is reported that Hazrat Jaffer bin Abu Talib (RA) aged thirty three who had recently returned from Abyssinia had more than
ninety wounds on his body from spears and arrows.
 It is also reported that Hazrat Khalid bin Walid broke nine swords in this battle.
 No doubt, the Muslims had to retreat but it did show that they were now a fast coming-up force which could no longer be
ignored even by the mighty enemies like the Romans.

Conquest /Victory o f Makkah [8AH/630 AD]

Causes
 The defeat of the Muslims at Mu’tah encouraged the Quraish to adopt a hostile attitude towards the Muslims. In the treaty of
Hudaibiya, it was laid down that anyone who wanted to enter into a treaty with the Prophet or the Quraish could do so.

 The Banu Bakr entered into an alliance with the Quraish while the Banu Khuza’ah made a pact with the Prophet .
Two years after the treaty of Hudaibiya, Banu Bakr attacked and killed the men of Banu Khuza’ah. A deputation of the Banu
Khuza’ah came to the Holy Prophet and asked for his aid and protection. The Holy Prophet promised to help them. He sent a
messenger to the Quraish offering them three alternatives:
1. To pay compensation or blood money for the men of Banu Khuza’ah.
2. To dissolve their alliance with Banu Bakr.
3. To declare that the treaty of Hudaibiya stood dissolved.
 The Quraish opted for the third alternative but soon realized that they were no match for the Muslims and sent Abu Sufyan to
settle the affair as best as he could. Abu Sufyan went to Madina and first went to see his daughter Umme Habiba, one of the
wives of the Prophet but she refused to help him. Then he went to Abu Bakr(RA), Umar(RA), Usman(RA) and Ali(RA), but they
all expressed their inability to intercede on his behalf. Then he went to the mosque of the Prophet and shouted that the
Quraish would guarantee peace and protection to all, but the Prophet rejected the offer.

 Events
 The Prophet prepared an army of 10000 men; he maintained complete secrecy to prevent Quraish from organizing an alliance
with their neighboring tribes. The Holy Prophet set out to Makkah on the 10th of Ramazan 8AH/630 AD. The Muslims
camped outside Makkah. The Quraish were taken by complete surprise. They came to know of it when they saw 10000 fires lit
on the hills outside Makkah. The Prophet had ordered his followers to light up these torches so that the Makkans should know
what they were up against. The sight of so many fires magnified the size of the Muslim army in the eyes of the Quraish and
they were demoralized, over awed and completely unnerved. Abu Sufyan came to spy for the Quraish and was completely
taken aback. The guards of Allah’s apostle caught him and brought him to the Prophet. At that point Abu Sufyan embraced
Islam.
 Before entering Makkah the Prophet proclaimed that whosoever remained in his own house would be safe, whoever was in
Kabah would be safe and those who entered the house of Abu Sufyan would be safe. Thus safety was guaranteed to virtually
everyone. The Prophet told his army not use arms against anyone when they entered Makkah unless they met with resistance
or were attacked. He ordered them to avoid bloodshed; they were to resort to arms if absolutely unavoidable. He ordered that
the old, the women and the children should not be harmed.
 He divided his army into four columns; each column was assigned a specific part of Makkah to capture. They entered
peacefully. The column of Khalid bin Waleed was showered with arrows and he had to fight back 13 men from the Quraish. In
the skirmish two Muslims were martyred.
 The Prophet went to the Kabah and performed Tawaaf. He went inside and prayed, then he purified it. There were about 360
idols in the Kabah, while destroying the idols he recited the following verse: ‘’ and say the truth has come and falsehood
has passed away, falsehood is bound to pass away’’ (17:81). The Messenger of Allah opened the door of the Kabah. The
Quraish had filled the mosque and were waiting to see what he would do. Before the Zuhr prayer the Prophet directed Hazrat
Bilal to ascend the roof of the Kabah and announce the azaan. After the prayers the Holy Prophet proceeded to the Safa Hill
and people came in crowds to embrace Islam. He then delivered a sermon on the unity of God, abolition of the customs of the
ignorance and practices of the Quraish and laid emphasis on the duty of man to God and Mankind.
 At the end of the sermon he asked them ‘’ what do you think I am going to do to you?’’ They said ‘’ you are a noble brother and

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a son of a noble brother.’’ The Prophet said ‘’ no blame on you be this day. Go, you are free.’’ The Quraish were
dumbfounded, they never expected to escape so lightly. The mercy of the Prophet captivated their hearts. Even the bitterest
enemy amongst them was convinced of the supreme moral virtues of Islam. The truth of Islam penetrated deep into their
hearts. The prophet stayed in Makkah for about 20 days during which he made final arrangements for the administration of the
city. He defined the boundaries of Haram of Makkah by erecting pillars of stones at proper places. Most of the offices
and the privileges of the Quraish were abolished. The Quran says regarding the conquest of Makkah: ‘’When Allah’s help
comes and he open up your way [Prophet], when you see people embracing God’s faith in crowds, celebrate the
praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness...’’ (110:1-3)

Significance:
The conquest of Makkah was not only due to the superb leadership of the prophet but also due to his magnificent character,
his tact, diplomacy, administrative skill and statesmanship that he exhibited as the head of the new Islamic state of Medina as
well as his deep faith in his mission and profound trust in Allah. The conquest of Makkah produced the following results:
 The Muslims recovered their native homeland.
 The Kaabah was purified of idols.
 The Muslims conquered the economic, cultural, political, spiritual, social and international centre of Arabia.
 The Holy Prophet pardoned everyone and showed that he was sent as a mercy for the whole world.
 Many people accepted Islam in groups including Abu Sufyan who was a bitter enemy of Islam.
 The Holy Prophet, for the first time appointed someone as the governor of Makkah, and went back to Madina.
 The whole Arabia came under the control of the Muslims.
 Allah’s promise proved true that after the Battle of Trench, the Makkans would not attack the Muslims and with the conquest of
Makkah their chances of attacking Medina vanished forever.

The Battle of Hunayn [8AH/630AD]

o The conquest of Makkah triggered the mass conversion of the Arabs to Islam in many parts of the country. But there were
some tribes living in the east and south-east of Makkah which did not wish to reject idolatry.

o They were alarmed at the rapid progress of Islam, and they thought that if it continued to spread at the same speed, they
would soon be surrounded by the Muslims, and would become isolated from other pagan tribes. Their leaders figured that it
would be unwise on their part to let the Muslims consolidate their recent gains and become too strong.

o They, therefore, decided to act immediately by attacking the Muslims in Makkah and destroying them. The leading tribes
among them were the Thaqeef, Hawazin, Banu Sa'ad and Banu Jashm, all fierce warriors, jealous of their independence
and proud of their warlike traditions.

o In late January 630 AD, the Prophet received intelligence that Thaqeef and Hawazin had left their home base, and were
moving toward Makkah. When these reports were confirmed, he too ordered a general mobilization in the newly-conquered
city.

o The Prophet didn't want Makkah to become a battle-ground. He, therefore, hastily left Makkah on January 26, 630 AD, at the
head of 12,000 warriors, to meet the enemy. Out of this force, ten thousand men were from Madina, and the other two
thousand were recruits from the newly-converted Makkans.

o This new army was the largest force ever assembled in Arabia to that date. As its various formations marched out of the city
gate, some of the Muslims mounted to overconfidence and exclaimed: “We shall not be defeated this time.” This statement
was not liked by Allah.It is said in the Holy Quran, “Truly Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the
Day of Huanain when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you not”. (Surah Al- Tauba: 25)

o They arrived at the valley of Hunain in the evening of the 1st Shawwal 8 A.H. /630 CE and camped at the entrance of the
valley until dawn, unaware that the enemy lay in ambush in the narrow gorge of the hills.

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o At dawn the following morning the army began to move, and Holy Prophet riding his white mule 'duldul' was in the rear
while Hazrat Khalid- ibn Walid (R.A.), commanded a group of soldiers from the Banu Sulaym, was in the front rank.
o As the Muslims passed through the narrow pass, Malik ibn Auf Nadri ordered his army to attack in the darkness before dawn,
first with arrows then with general charge. No sooner was the entire Muslim army in the pass pressed together shoulder to
shoulder. The arrows were showered on the Muslims aimed from the ridges, overlooking the pass.
o The Muslims' rank broke up and were stricken with panic. There was chaos and confusion and the Muslims began to retreat.
In this confusion of the ferocious attack of the enemy, Holy Prophet stood his ground and was surrounded by a number
of Muhajireen, Ansaar and immediate relatives. As the Muslim soldiers passed by Holy Prophet called out to them and
tried to rally them back to the ranks.
o Then Muslims charged upon the enemies. They were convinced that victory would their and the fate of the martyr would even
be greater than that of the surviving victor. The battle raged and men fell on all sides. Soon Hawaazin, Thaqif and their allies
realised that their efforts were in vain and that they faced destruction and defeat. They turned around and started to flee,
leaving behind their women, children and all their properties: 22,000 camels; 40,000 goats and 113400 grams of silver. The
captives which numbered 6,000 were transported under Muslim protection to the valley of Ji'ra'nah where they were held until
the Muslims returned from their pursuit of the enemy and from their blockade of the Thaqif tribe in the city of Taif.
o The siege of Ta'if lasted for twenty days after which the Prophet ordered his army to raise the siege. After having
returned from siege, the Prophet distributed the booty captured from Banu Hawazin, as ordained by the Quran. But
soon a deputation of Hawazin, came to the Prophet, and begged for restoration of their women and children, the Prophet
at once freed those who had come in his share, he appealed for the same to the Muslims, if they liked. At this Muslims
promptly set free the Hawazin women and children. This generous treatment of the Prophet had deep impression upon
Hawazin who accepted Islam in the 9th year of Hijrah.

Expedition of Tabuk [9AH/631AD]

 The incident of Tabuk took place at the borders of Hejaz and Syria in the month of Ramadhan 9 A.H. to fight the Roman army.
The Romans felt insecure from the emerging Muslim empire which had gained dominance in the region after the conquest of
Makkah and they had also seen their bravery and self-sacrifices at the battle of Mu’tah. Heraclius was the Byzantine Emperor
then. He was preparing a big army as a result of the provocations of the Christian Arabs living around in order to eliminate the
religion of Islam and its followers.
 The Prophet upon hearing this news from the trade caravans travelling between Syria and Hejaz immediately ordered the
Muslims to prepare for war in reply to the aggressors. During those days the people of Madina were caught up in a famine and
it was the time to harvest the palm-dates. On this pretext and other childish reasons, the hypocrites excused to participate in
the war by taking up the enormously long journey in the extremely hot weather. And some of the hypocrites tried to demoralize
other Muslims to also not join the army (as in Surah Tawba’81). “Those who stayed away (from Tabuk expedition) rejoiced
in their staying behind the Messenger of Allah; they hated to strive and fight with their properties and their lives in the
Cause of Allah, and they said: "March not forth in the heat." Say: "The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat", if only
they could understand!”
 Despite their efforts, the largest Muslim army of 30,000 obeyed the Prophet’s command and also contributed generously for
the war expenses. Hazrat Umar (Ra) gave half of his property and Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) gave all his possessions. Hazrat
Uthman (RA) who was called Ghani (the rich one) gave the three hundred camels laden with grains. He also gave fifty horses
and one thousand gold coins (dinars).
 After seven days journey, the Muslims reached Tabuk but the enemy had already dispersed when they heard about the
numerical strength of the approaching Muslim army. When the Prophet learned of their fear and withdrawal, he saw no
reason to pursue them within their territory. Instead, the Prophet remained in Tabuk for twenty days inviting all the people in
the region to befriend them. His purpose was to spread Islam and secure the frontiers of Arabia, the center of Islam.

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Significance of Expedition of Tabuk

 The Tabuk expedition did not achieve any military objectives, it nevertheless indicated the direction, from which Islam would
face the greatest danger.
 It proved the might of the Islamic state to all the neighbouring states that it was prepared to face any world powers of that time.
 One indirect result of the expedition of Tabuk was the final extinction of the hypocrites of Abullah bin Ubbay. They always
plotted against the Muslims and helped the enemies during the battle.
 The expedition to Tabuk in Rajab 9 A.H. was the last campaign of the Prophet.

The Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet (10AH/632AD)

Muhammad delivered his last sermon (Khutbah) on the ninth of Dhul Hijjah, 10 years after Hijrah in Arafat. His words were
quite clear and concise and were directed to the entire humanity.

 After praising, and thanking Allah he 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 to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO
COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

 People, just as you regard this month, this day, and 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 obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, 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 (Prophet’s uncle)
shall henceforth be waived…

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

 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 any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be
unchaste.

 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 does a black have 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.
 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".

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Teachings of the Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet

The Last Sermon of the Holy Prophet emphasizes on the following:

1. Sacredness of a Muslim’s life and property

2. The importance of propagating this message to all others (A Muslim’s responsibility thus does not end by following the religion)
3. A reminder that everyone is fully accountable for their deeds and Allah (God) will take every person into account. If everyone
heeded to this fact alone, the world would be a much better place today.
4. “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.” These words of the prophet are self-explanatory.
5. The prohibition of dealing with interest (Numerous accounts in Quran and Hadith prohibit taking, giving or being a part of any
transaction dealing with interest).
6. “You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity.”
7. The awareness of Satan and how Satan can work to deviate us from the right path and doing evil things.
8. Rights of women over men and rights of men over women.
9. Treatment of women with kindness.
10. Modesty and chastity in women.
11. The importance of worshiping Allah (saying your five daily prayers (Salah), fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving
charity (Zakat) and performing pilgrimage
12. Equality amongst all (blacks, white, Arabs, non-Arabs, etc.)
13. The need to establish justice.
14. Islam is the final divine religion (Last prophet and Last Book).

Let’s do our part in following the prophet’s message and propagating the message to everyone.

Demise of the Holy Prophet [11AH/632AD]

 A short time after returning from the "Farewell Pilgrimage", the Holy Prophet fell sick. The Holy Prophet felt that having fulfilled
his mission his earthly life was to end and he was to meet his Master.
 During this time, Prophet Muhammad suffered from headaches that intensified from time to time as well as high fever. During
his illness, he went to lead prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque with the help of his Companions. On one such occasion, he
climbed to the pulpit and said: “A servant has been allowed to choose this world or his Lord. He chose his Lord.” Immediately
understanding that the Prophet was referring to himself, Hazrat Abu Bakr began to cry. He Prophet consoled him and told him
that he was very pleased with him.
 The last wishes that the Prophet expressed to the Muslims encompass such issues as treating those for whom they are
responsible with kindness, displaying meticulousness in their preparations for the Hereafter with the consciousness that they
will be held to account, and paying special attention to receiving foreign envoys in the best possible way and presenting them
with gifts.
 Prophet Muhammad spent his last days with ‘A’isha and when his illness intensified three days before his demise, he asked
Abu Bakr to lead the prayers. At a point at which he felt better, he went to the Mosque with the assistance of ‘Ali and Fadl ibn
‘Abbas and when Abu Bakr, who was leading the prayers, retreated to allow the Prophet to return to his place, the Prophet
indicated for him to continue and stood for prayer by his side. Following the Morning Prayer of the day the Prophet passed
away, Abu Bakr visited him and upon seeing his situation slightly improved, sought his permission and returned to his home.
However, the Prophet’s condition worsened suddenly. According to Hazrat‘A’isha’s account, before Prophet Muhammad
passed away, he said softly, “There is no god but God, how difficult it is to surrender the soul!” and passed away in her arms,
with the words, “To Rafiq al-A'la! (the Highest Abode)” (12 Rabi’ al-Awwal, 11AH/Monday 8 June, 632).

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The Prophet’s behavior towards Non-Muslims

1. Islam is a religion of peace, love, kindness and tolerance towards all. The Holy Quran says that “There is no compulsion in
matters of Faith (i.e. Din)”. (2:256).
2. The dealings of the Prophet , may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, with other religions can best be
described in the verse of the Quran: “To you be your religion, to me be mine.” ( Surhah Al-Kaafiroon)

3. The Arabian Peninsula during the time of the Prophet was a region in which various faiths were present. There were
Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, polytheists, and others not affiliated with any religion. When one looks into the life of the
Prophet, one may draw on many examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of other faiths.
4. When the Holy Prophet migrated to Madina, one of the first things he did was to strike an agreement with the Jewish
tribes of Madina who were given complete freedom of religion and equal rights with Muslims as citizens of the Islamic State of
Madina. After an exchange of views, an agreement was formed which granted equal rights to the Jews and other non-Muslims
with full freedom to follow their own religion without any interference from Muslims. It guaranteed freedom of worship for the
Jews. It also guaranteed protection of their life, property and worship places. It stated that the Muslims and the Jews were
allies and would help each other. Neither party would commit aggression against the other. In case of an attack on Madina
both the Muslims and Jews would defend it.
5. When the Christians of Abyssinia and Najran visited Madina, they were accommodated in the Masjid-I-Nabvi and the Holy
Prophet himself acted as their host.

6. The Christians of Yemen, Najran and other tribes were given charter of liberty by the Holy Prophet , guaranteeing them
to practice their religion according to their own customs and traditions.

7. The Holy Prophet was also very kind, just and fair to the Jews who missed hardly any opportunity to exhibit their
contempt and hostility towards the Muslims in general and their leader in particular.

8. Once a Jew complained to the Holy Prophet that a Muslim had slapped him, the Holy Prophet immediately called
that person and scolded him there and then. It is also recorded in history that he stood up as a mark of respect when the
funeral of a Jew was passing.

9. The Holy Prophet “Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or
burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet
Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)

10. The Holy Prophet said, While safeguarding the rights of non-Muslims, the Islamic states have even gone to the extent of
openly allowing them to manufacture, import, sell and consume alcohol which, otherwise, is strictly prohibited in Islam.

11. All this has been in compliance with the commands of Allah Almighty and His Messenger who enjoined on believers to
always treat non-Muslims in a humane, dignified and respectable manner.

12. Keeping these teachings of Islam in mind Muslims must treat non Muslims fairly.

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Relations of the Islamic State of Madinah under the Holy

Prophet with other States
1. Policy of Co-existence and non-aggression:

 As Islam is a religion of peace, love and kindness to all mankind, the Holy Prophet , right from beginning, did his level best to
ensure peaceful co-existence with neighboring States and Tribes. The state of Medina strictly followed the policy of non-
interference in others’ affairs and never initiated hostilities or aggression against other States, Tribes or Groups.

2. Honoring of Covenants, Agreements and Treaties:

 The Holy Prophet not only initiated the peace process but also scrupulously honored the covenants, Agreements or Treaties
which the State of Madina signed with others.

 The most glaring example is of the Treaty of Hudaibiya which was yet in the process of being signed by both sides but as the
provisions had verbally been agreed to, the Holy Prophet returned Abu Jandal (RA) back to his guardian from Makkah
although he was neither legally bound to do so nor any of his Companions was agreeable to this. The same holds true about other
agreements as well.

 History bears witness to the fact that the Muslims honored the treaty which had been signed with the Jews of Khayber in letter and
spirit and remained contented with half produce of dates and fruits although the area was too rich to be left with the adversaries.

 The Holy Prophet advised his Companions and functionaries of the State to always keep in mind the Commands of Allah
Almighty in this behalf.

 “And fulfill the covenant, for the Covenant shall be questioned about.” (17:34)

3. Showing Full Respect and Honor to Foreign Ambassadors, Dignitaries and Delegations:
 The State of Madina always treated foreign dignitaries with full honor. The Holy Prophet normally used to accommodate
foreign visitors in the Masjid-I-Nabvi and would personally ensure that they and their mounts were well looked after.

 There is not a single example where any such dignitary was maltreated or given less protocol and respect to which he was
otherwise entitled under the then prevailing norms. Even when the bitterest enemy of Islam, Abu Sufyan, visited Madina after his
side had violated the Treaty of Hudaibiya, he was neither insulted nor humiliated by anyone; the only thing which the Muslims did
was not to recommend him to the Holy Prophet or, in any other manner, show any sympathy for his cause.

4. New Rules of War and Humane Treatment of Prisoners:

 The Holy Prophet instructed his Companions that even in most distressing circumstances, they should not become
revengeful and arrogant and always try to remain within the norms prescribed by Allah Almighty.

 The Holy Prophet set new standards of treatment and release of prisoners of war. For example, all the prisoners of the
Battle of Badr were extended excellent treatment. All those who could afford were released after payment of ransom.

 The poor and the old were allowed freedom without any ransom while those who could read and write were given the option of
release after a fixed time provided they taught ten Muslim children each. It was something novel and unique in Arabia, for until then
the prisoners were either killed straightaway after their capture, or were subjected to most inhuman treatment during captivity.

 General Amnesty after victory:

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 It was something normal in Arabia if a revenge war continued for generations. The Holy Prophet showed to the Arabs the
other extreme i.e. of general amnesty to all, including the worst enemies, at the time of his conquest of Makkah.

5. Definite Show of Strength and Power where required :

 The thrust of Holy Prophet ’s policies, no doubt, was peaceful co-existence and non-aggression against others but if war
became inevitable as in the case of Makkahns, the Jews of Khyber and the Romans of the Byzantine Empire, he struck at them
with full force, determination and courage till such time that they either surrendered or ceased hostilities otherwise .

 The same he did by resorting to preventative strikes whenever he received a credible information that such and such tribe or state
was mobilizing its forces to attack at Madina.

Conclusion: the Policy followed by the Holy Prophet was to have friendly relations with all States and Tribes around Madina
based on equality, justice, and non-interference in each other’s affairs and to live in peace as good neighbors.

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Position of Women in Islam

 At the time of the dawn of Islam woman all over the world in degraded position and without any rights and was considered
as non-entity. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, she has been asserting her rights in the western countries
and has now been given certain political and economic rights. But Islam recognized Woman’s position fourteen hundred
years ago and granted her, her due rights and privileges which are not enjoyed by woman in other faiths, systems and
societies even in this modern computer age.

 Islam recognizes woman as an equal and full partner to man. Both enjoy equal rights and undertake equal responsibilities.
In holy Quran Allah says “O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and
from it created it mate and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and woman” They are equal in nature
and origin, as at another place Quran says”. And God has given you mates of your own nature, and has given you
from the children and grandchildren and has provided good things for you”.

 In Islam woman enjoys absolute equality as a member of family unit. In certain ways her position as wife and as mother is
unique and of great honour and distinction. As a wife she is the queen and mistress of the house hold and the status of
the husband are determined by the way he treats her.

 Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “The best amongst you is the one who is the best to his wife and I am the
best among you to my family” At another occasion he said “Among the believers who show most perfect faith are
those who have the best disposition to and are kindest to their families”.

 In last sermon Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) said “O people! Surely there are rights in favour of your women
which are incumbent up on you and there are rights in favour of you which are incumbent upon them. Have
therefore fear of God with regard to women and I enjoin you to treat them well”

 In regard of marriage Islam has granted freedom of wish and will to woman the woman can refuse if she does not life
approve the mate Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “No widow should be married without consulting her and
virgin be married without her assent and her assent is her silence”.

 In Islam woman’s positions as mother is unique, she is the focus of all members of family. She enjoys great esteem and
respect from all and all come to pay their respects. In a tradition Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said “Even
Paradise lies beneath the feet of your mothers”.

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 Female children used to be buried by Arabs in pre-Islamic era. Islam stopped this practice and instead enjoined kind and
fair treatment to girls. The prophet (peace be upon him) said “whoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive
does no insult her and does not favour his son over her will be received by God into paradise.”

 Islam regards both man and woman as equal and promises equal rewards to them for their good deeds and Holy Quran
says “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female. The noblest of you in the sight of God is the best in
conduct.”

 Islam recognizes woman’s right to inherit to have money and own property whether single or married, she can buy, sell,
mortgage or lease any or all of her property she inherits any property including land or real estate from her parents,
brothers and husbands.

 She can keep her property acquired before marriage and has no legal obligation to spend on her family out of her
personal wealth, she is also entitled to a dowry from her husband, she may invest her property in any way she like or
thinks best, she is quite independent and can keeps her maiden name and does not merge it after marriage with her
husband as happen in western, African and Asian countries.

 The above facts clearly show that the rights and duties of woman are equal not necessarily identical with those of man. In
certain areas woman enjoys privileges denied to man. Islam has granted woman rights and duties in a most balanced way
that match and suit her functions in society and she is held in great esteem and honour in all her positions from childhood
to motherhood.

Teachings of Islam about the position of Women as

Wives, Mothers and Daughters

Position of women as Wives:

 Women are half of the humanity. They constitute the essential and integral part of our society. The world would have been
barren without them. Allah (SWT) has endowed them with unique qualities like affection, tenderness, emotions and
grace. Be it a mother, sister, daughter, or wife, their contribution to our life is immense and cannot be substituted
 The Holy Prophet (SAW) raised woman’s status to a height which was never given to her before. She was empowered to
lead a dignified life and commanded respect and honor. A woman’s passes through three main phases in her life:
First she is some one’s daughter, then she becomes a wife, and then she becomes a mother. Islam’s bestows upon her a
special importance and dignity in all three spheres.
 A wife is the partner in life. She must be treated fairly and kindly. A husband must extend just treatment to his wife and
household. He must demonstrate care, kindness and solve any problem within his means, while for bearing the
deficiencies and shortcomings of his wife seeking the Pleasure of Allah in both worlds.
 Primary responsibility of a wife is to manage the affairs at home and bring up children and teach them moral, social
values.
 A husband should consult with his wife concerning their life and future needs and plans. He is required to secure and
provide for his wife and household all means of peaceful environment at home and outside. The Messenger (SAW) of
Allah said:
 “Those believers who have the most complete faith who possess the best of character and the best among you
are those who are the best to their wives.”
 The rights of wives concerning their husbands are many and may be summarized as follows:
 Choice in marriage: A woman is given right to decide her marriage. The Prophet (SAW) said, “A grown up shall be
asked permission about herself. If she is silent, it is her permission, and if she declines, there shall be no
compulsion on her” (Bukhari)
 Right to get divorce (Khula): Wife has been given the right to obtain divorce if she thinks it is impossible to live life with
the husband on sound grounds and reasons.

 Dowry: A wife is entitled to receive a dowry from her husband which a marriage contract is void without it. Allah says in
t And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (dowry) with a good heart, but if they, of
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their own good will, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm (as Allah has made it
lawful). (4:4)

 Financial Support: A husband is required to provide, within his means and limits, all essential and basic requirements of
his wife, children and entire household. She has financial independence.
 A wife has a right to take a reasonably required amount from her husband’s property for herself and her children without
her husband’s knowledge if he spends miserly on them according to the hadith wherein Hind bint Utbah said: O
Messenger of Allah: verily Abu Sufyan is a miser and doesn’t give me enough for myself and my child except
what I take from his wealth without his knowledge, so he (SAW) said: “Take what is reasonably enough for you
and your son”.

 Companionship and intimate relationship: One of the most important rights of a wife is to secure from her husband a
satisfactory level of intimate relationship and a fair amount of time with him. This right of the wife and family members
must be fully maintained since a wife needs an affectionate husband to take care of her and fulfill her basic needs.
 Protection of all the secrets of the wife: A husband must not disclose any of his wife’s deficiencies or shortcomings,
keeping all what he see and hear from his wife as a secret that should not ever be disclosed.

 By all the abilities available, a husband must not place or expose his wife or family members to any immoral situation or
evil environment. He must protect the private wealth and property of his wife and must not use any of her personal funds
or possessions without her prior approval. He must not engage in any transaction concerning his wife's finances, without
her consent.
 In his last sermon Prophet (SAW) had drawn attention to woman’s rights and the social/family etiquettes pertaining to her.
He (SAW) had said that the wife’s rights on husband include sharing food and clothing etc., on equal and fair level. In the
pre-Islamic days of ignorance, husbands used to slap their wife across the face and used to talk with her harshly and
abusively. Prophet (SAW) strongly and strictly condemned such an uncivilized behavior.
 Prophet Muhammad said: The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you\ to my
family.

Key Points
1. Wives are equal to their husbands.

2. They are partners with their husbands in family life.

3. They are primarily responsible for the home.

4. They have a right to divorce.

Position of women as Mothers

o It is an undeniable fact that we are indebted to our parents, particularly mother. She not only nourished us in her womb, but
went through pain and suffering. She toiled when we were totally helpless infants. She spent sleepless nights caring for us.
Our parents as a team provided for all our needs: physical, educational, psychological, and in many instances, religious,
moral, and spiritual. Our indebtedness to our parents is so immense that it is not possible to repay it fully. In lieu of this, it
becomes obligatory for us to show the utmost kindness, respect, and obedience to our parents.
o The position of parents, and the mutual obligations and responsibilities, have been addressed in Islam in great detail. The
Qur'anic commandments, as well as the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) guide us in this matter.
o The parent-child code of behavior in Islam is unique, since rules were laid down by Divine command.
o References to parents have been made at least 15 times in the Holy Qur'an. There are numerous traditions of the Prophet

Muhammad on this subject.

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o "We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth." (46:15)
Thus, Allah (swt) has enjoined on us to show kindness, respect, and humility to our parents. We are commanded to do this,
even though they may have injured us. The only exception to the above command is made in the following verse:
o "We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; but if they strive (to force) thee to join with Me anything of which thou hast
no knowledge, obey them not." (29:8)
Some of the traditions of Prophet Muhammad , and of the learned members of his family, about our responsibilities
toward our parents are quoted here:

o "Paradise lies under the feet of the mother."

o "If a person looks with love at his parents, Allah writes in his favor the reward equal to the performance of one Hajj
o A man came to Prophet Muhammad asking: Messenger of God, who among the people is the most worthy ofmy good
company? The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. The mansaid then who else: The Prophet (P) said, Your mother. The man
asked, Then who else? Only then did the Prophet (P) say, Your father. (Al-Bukhari ).
o Parents' duties: Islam has assigned certain duties to parents that they must fulfill. If they fail in those, they will be questioned
about it. Besides providing the basic necessities of life, Islam requires that the parents teach their children about the Oneness
of Allah (swt), the Quranic commandments, values, the Prophets and their teachings, and the moral code of Islam as
according to the Quran and the Sunnah (teachings) of the Prophet Muhammad .

Key Points
1. They have the main responsibility for bringing up children.

2. They are the first teachers of faith and proper conduct.

3. They deserve respect from their children because of what they have done for them.

4. Islam considered kindness to parents next to the worship of God.

Position of women as Daughters

1. In the pre-Islamic period, daughters were buried alive. Islam condemned such a crime in the strongest terms. Prophet (SAW)
defined it as a great virtue to look after daughters. He (SAW) said that he, who has two daughters and takes care of them
in a befitting manner, he and I will be in paradise like this.” (He (SAW) joined his two fingers to emphasize the point.) In
one of the traditions the number of daughter is given as 3. One companion asked: “Yaa Rasul Allah, what if a person has only
one daughter?” He (SAW) replied: “He will earn the same reward.”

2. Prophet (SAW) showed an exemplary treatment of love and affection for his daughters. When asked as to who was loved
most by Prophet (SAW), Ummul Momineen Aa’yesha (RAnha) replied that it was Fatima (RAnha). When his illustrious
daughter Fatima (RAnha) used to visit our beloved Prophet (SAW) used to greet her by standing, kissing her forehead and
having her sit in his place. She (RAnha) was the last to be visited when Prophet (SAW) used to go on journey and first to be
visited when he (SAW) returned from it.

3. He (SAW) considered the father as responsible to support the daughter until she is married. Father’s support is
supposed to continue in case she becomes a widow or is divorced, but in the case of a son, father has the option to
support him until his adulthood.

4. Daughters should be cared for as carefully as sons. “Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not
insult her, and does not favor his son over her; God will enter him into Paradise.” (Ibn Hanbal, No. 1957)

5. Finding a suitable match for the girl is also the duty of parents yet they should always be allowed freedom in choices.

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6. In Islam daughters are entitled to inheritance like sons."Allah commands you as regards your children's (inheritance):
to the male, a portion equal to that of two females;" (Qur'an 4:11)
7. They have right to get education. “Acquiring knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and Muslim woman.”

Modesty
Modesty in Islam is known as haya, a word which describes both shyness and a deeper modesty that is based on faith. A sense of
haya should affect a Muslim’s conduct before God, before others and even when one is alone.
A number of narrated prophetic traditions (Ahadith) illustrate the significance of modesty. The following hadith suggests that
modesty is so important that the absence of it could lead a person to sinful behavior and disbelief: “The Prophet said: ‘If
you have no shame, do as you wish.’" (al-Bukhari)
Another hadith links modesty to faith: “The Prophet said: ‘Faith consists of more than seventy branches. And haya
(modesty) is a part of faith.’(al-Bukhari)

Islamic Rules of interaction between men and women/

Modesty for Muslim Men and Women/ Opposite Sex
 One of the distinct features of the Religion of Islam is its complete guidelines in all walks of human lives. Islam not only
provides guidelines in spiritual and moral aspects, but it helps individuals as well as community in social and financial aspects
as well.

 Social and behavioral teachings of Islam keep the society not only pure from sins, disputes and doubts but every sector of
society enjoys full justice in the society.

 Among these social teachings are the guidelines for interaction between men and women in the society.

 One of the terms used in this discussion is Mahram and non-Mahram, which is a relative term. For a woman Mahram are all
those men that she cannot get marry with like father, son, brother, uncle, nephew etc.

 The rules and restrictions mentioned are for women and men both those are non-Mahram to each other. The idea is that
women and men in general are segregated from each other. However if there is a situation that they have to be together and
interact with each other there are certain rules to be observed. We find in the Quran and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah
at least nine major rules with respect to men and women interaction in the society.

Principles of Modesty
1. Men guard their gazes.
Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty (Quran24:30).
2. Women guard their gazes.
Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty
(Quran 24:31).
3. Women do not display their beauty to the non-Mahram men.
(Women do) not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husbands'
sons, their brothers or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons………… (Quran 24:31)
Displaying beauty means anything that attracts the attention besides natural beauty of women like beautiful dress, ornaments or
make up.
4. Women cover themselves.
(Women) should draw their head covers over their bosoms (Quran 24:31, O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the
believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (Quran 33:59)
Besides the above two verses of Quran several Ahadith explains the details that women are to cover themselves while going out
where they are likely to come across non-Mahram men.
5. Women should not talk to men too pleasantly to create a misunderstanding.
(Women should) not be too complacent of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire: but speak ye
a speech (that is) just. (Quran 33:32)
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Women should not talk pleasingly. They, when talking to Non- Mahram men should be straight forward and brief.
6. Walking and movement of women should not attract the men’s attention.
And they (women) should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden beauty. (Quran 31:24)
Walking or hitting the ground in order to let men here the jewelry or ornaments or just getting attention by walking in a stylish way is
what mention in this ayah of the Quran is.
7. Women should not use perfume that men can smell.
Any women that go to Masjid with perfume so that it can be smelled, her prayer is not
accepted until she takes bath. (Musnad Ahmad). Any woman that uses perfume then go to other people so that they (men) can
smell her perfume, she is like this and this. (Musnad Ahmad)
Besides that going out to any place where men can smell her perfume is not allowed for women. This also protects men and
women from getting trapped in a situation that they can be blamed falsely for any inappropriate action.
8. A man should not be alone with non-Mahram woman.
A man should never be alone with women as the third one will be Satan (Musnad Ahmad).
As a rule a man and a woman should not be alone. This is a precautionary measure of obligatory kind in order to avoid any
situation that may lead to any deed against the Islamic laws.
9. Men and women should not get mixed up while walking, exiting, or entering.
Once when Messenger of Allah was coming out of the Masjid he saw men and women getting mixed up he called the women to
stay behind and walk on the sides and not in the middle of the street (Abu-Dawood).
The Messenger of Allah had specified a door of his Masjid to be used only for women. (Abu-Dawood)
This door still exist called Babun-Nisa, the door of women. Omar bin al-Khattab (rta) never allowed any men to pass from that door.

Rules of Business Transaction

The Prohibition of Selling Haram Goods
Trading in goods which are normally used for committing sin is haram. Examples of such things are swine, intoxicants, and other
prohibited foods in general, as well as idols, crosses, statues, and the like. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, "Surely, Allah
and His Messenger have prohibited the sale of wine, the flesh of dead animals, swine and idols,"

The Prohibition of Interest (Riba)

Islam blocks the way for anyone who tries to increase his capital through lending on usury or interest (riba), whether it is at a low or
a high rate, reprimanding the Jews for taking usury, even though they had been prohibited to do so.

The Condemnation of Hoarding

The Prophet (peace be on him) denounced hoarders in very strong words, saying, "If anyone withholds grain for forty days out of
the desire for a high price, Allah will renounce him."

He Who Deceives Us Is Not of Us"

Islam prohibits every type of fraud and deception, whether it be in buying and selling or in any other matter between people. In all
situations the Muslim must be honest and truthful, holding his faith dearer than any worldly gain.
Once, when passing by a grain merchant, the Prophet's curiosity was aroused. He thrust his hand into the heap of grain
and found it wet. "What is this, O merchant?" he asked. "It is because of rain," the man replied. The Prophet (peace be on
him) then said to him, "Why did you not put it on top so that the people could see it? He who deceives us is not of us."

Frequent Swearing
The sin of deceiving is the greater when the seller supports it by swearing falsely. The Prophet (peace be on him) told the
merchants to avoid swearing in general and, in particular, in support of a lie, saying, "Swearing produces a ready sale but blots
out the blessing."

Withholding Full Measure

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One way of defrauding the customer is to measure or weigh incorrectly. In the Qur'an Allah Ta'ala says, “ And give full measure
when you measure and weigh with the straight balance; that is most fitting and best in the final determination.” (17:35)

The Prohibition of Interest (Riba)

 The word "Riba", in Arabic language, literally means an "increment' or addition". In Islamic Fiqh the term riba has a special
meaning. Riba is an unjustified increment in borrowing or lending money, paid in kind or in money above the amount of loan,
as a condition imposed by the lender or voluntarily by the borrower. Riba defined in this way is called in Fiqh riba al-duyun
(debt usury).
 Riba also is an unjustified increment gained by the seller or the buyer if they exchanged goods of the same kind in different
quantities. This is called "riba al-fadl" or "riba-al-buyu" (trade usury).

 The Holy Quran mentions about RIBA in many verses. The Holy Quran forbids Muslims to give or take Interest. The
Injunctions of Quran reminds people that interest does not add anything to wealth but on the contrary decrease it. The Quran
further says:"That which you give in interest, in order that it may increase other peoples wealth, increases not with
Allah, but that which you give as Zakat, seeking Allah's pleasure, increases manifold." ( Surah Al-Baqarah Verse: 275)

 The Quran warns such people of the evil consequences of this attitude and admonishes them to abstain from this evil practice.
 “O you, who believe, fear Allah and give up what remains due to you of interest if you are indeed Believers. And if you
do not, then be warned of war (against you) by Allah and His Messenger, while if you repent you shall have your
capital. Do not do wrong and you shall not be wronged.” ( Surah al-Baqarah: 278-279)

 Hazrat Jabir (RA) has reported that the Messenger of Allah cursed the devourer of usury, its payer, its scribe
and its two witnesses. He also said that they were equal (in sin). (Muslim)

 Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah said: I came across some people in the night in
which I was taken to the heavens. Their stomachs were like houses wherein there were serpents, which could be
seen from the front of their stomachs. I asked: O Gabriel! Who are these people? He replied these are those who
devoured usury. (Ahmed, Ibn Majah)

 The strict prohibition of interest in Islam is a result of its deep concern for the moral, social, and economic welfare of mankind.

 Riba creates environment of selfishness, self-centeredness, and heavy heartedness. “Money must be earned at all cost, even
if I have to suck it out of other person’s blood”. This attitude is prohibited in Islam as it create aversion, antipathy in society,
and destroys mutual trust, benevolence, charitableness, charity, goodwill, kind heartedness, kindness, philanthropy.

 Permitting the taking of interest discourages people from doing good to one another, as is required by Islam.

 The lender is very likely to be wealthy and the borrower poor. If interest is allowed, the rich will exploit the poor, and this is
against the spirit of mercy and charity.

 Thus, in a society in which interest is lawful, the strong benefit from the suffering of the weak. As a result, the rich become
richer and the poor poorer, creating socio-economic classes in the society separated by wide gulfs.

 Naturally this generates envy and hatred among the poor toward the rich, and contempt and callousness among the rich
toward the poor. Conflicts arise, the socio-economic fabric is torrent, and social order is threatened. Therefore, Islam strictly
prohibits interest (RIBA).

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Outstanding Qualities of the Holy Prophet

Simplicity
Hazrat Muhammad was a very simple person and spent all his life in simplicity. He was very unceremonious and informal in
his habits. He ate whatever he was given, wore very thick and coarse cloth, even when he was the ruler of a state and undisputed
leader of the people. He sat on the floor, bare ground or a mat without any hesitation, alone or in the company of other people. He
ate bread made from coarse flour and even spent days on mere dates. He wore simple clothes and did not like display or show. He
was by nature simple and liked simplicity and informality in everything. Created by Sir B G

Hazrat Ibn Masud (RA) said that God's Messenger slept on a reed mat and got up with the mark of it on his body. He said, "O
God's Messenger! I wish you would order us to spread something out for you and make something." The Prophet replied, "What
have I to do with the world, I am like a rider who rests for a while under the shade of a tree, then goes off and leaves it." Ubaid-
Allah bin Muhsin reported God's Messenger as saying, "If anyone among you is secure in mind in the morning, healthy in body and
has food for the day, it is as though the whole world has been brought into his Possession."

In short, Muhammad lived and liked a simple life and enjoyed every minute of it. He taught his companions, through his personal
example, to lead a simple life and not to be ostentatious.

Moderation
Hazrat Muhammad was a perfect example of moderation to his followers in every walk of life. In expenditure, he advised
them to spend within their means, neither to be so lavish as to make them selves destitute, nor to hold back their wealth from those
who had a claim on their resources.
Reported by Bukhari.”Some companions of God's Messenger resolved to engage in worship; one said that he would pray all night;
another said that he would always fast and never stop; the third said that he would never marry and never have any relations with
women. God's Messenger heard about them and said, "I swear by God that I fear God and realize my responsibilities to Him more
than you, but this is my way: I fast sometimes and sometimes I do not fast; I pray during the night and sleep as well; and marry
women. Anyone who does not like my way has no relation with me."
The following Hadiths (prophet sayings) are just examples of what Prophet Mohammad ordered the people to follow:
Narrated 'Aishah (radiallahu anhaa): The Prophet came in when a woman was sitting beside me. He asked me, "Who is she?" I
said: "She is the one whose performance of Salat (prayer) has become the talk of the town." Addressing her, he said, (What
is this!) You are required to take upon yourselves only what you can carry out easily. By Allah, Allah does not withhold His Mercy
and forgiveness of you until you neglect and give up (good works). Allah likes the deeds best which a worshipper can carry out
constantly." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
He gave mankind a golden rule of moderation between the two extremes of lavish expenditure and miserliness; neither to be
extravagant in ordinary spending as well as in charity, nor to be niggardly.

Fulfillment of Promises
The Holy Prophet said, “The one who does not keep promises has no religion”
In the treaty of Hudaibiyah, one of the conditions was that if any Muslim went to Medinah from Makkah, he would be returned on
demand. When the Treaty was being written, Abu Jandal escaped from the prison of the Makkans in chains. All the Muslims were
shocked to see him in this condition, but the Holy Prophet said to him, "O Abu Jandal! Be patient, we cannot break the promise.
God will very soon find a way for you." He was returned to the people of Makkah. Two companions of the Holy Prophet, Hazifa bin
al-Yaman and Abu Husail, while coming from Makkah, were caught by the unbelievers. The Makkans insisted that they should not
go to Muhammad but the two companions refused. At last they were released on the condition that they would not participate in the
battle (of Badr) on behalf of the Muslims. They came to the Holy Prophet and told him the whole story. It was a severe test of their
truthfulness. The Muslims were very few and needed more men to fight against the unbelievers. The addition of two men would
have made a lot of difference to them but the Holy Prophet said, "Both of you must go back; we will keep the promise under all
circumstances. We need only the help of God." Muhammad always kept his promises and contracts at all costs even with his

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enemies, and never broke his word. He preached the Qur'an and practiced what he taught to other people in obedience to the
Commandment of God
Abdullah ibn Abdul Hamsa reported that he bought something from God's Messenger before he received his prophetic
commission, and as there was something still due to Muhammad, he promised that he would bring it to his place. But Hamsa forgot
about it and remembered three days later. He went to that place and found God's Messenger there waiting for him. The Prophet
said, "You have caused me great trouble and inconvenience. I have been here three days waiting for you."

Forgiveness
A great quality of the Holy Prophet was that he never took revenge from anyone, so much so that he forgave even his
bitterest enemies. When he conquered Makkah, the city where he and his followers were subjected to ruthless torture, humiliation,
insults, boycott and persecution for thirteen long years, he pardoned everyone by granting general amnesty to all, something which
hardly has any parallel in world history.

When the Holy Prophet was maltreated at Taif, the angel of mountains greeted him and said:
“O Muhammad, Allah listened to what your people had said to you so that you may give me your orders. If you wish I will bring
together the two mountains that stand opposite to each other at the extremities of Makkah to crush them in between.” But Allah’s
Messenger said: “I rather hope that Allah will raise from among their descendents people as will worship Allah the One, and will not
ascribe partners to Him (in worship).” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
In the Battle of Uhd, when the face and head of the Holy Prophet were bleeding, his Companions asked him to curse the
enemies, but he said that he was not sent to curse but to invite people to the path of Allah.
Only a man of his sterling personality could have forgiven Wehshi, who killed Hazrat Hamza in the Battle of Uhd or Hind, the wife of
Abu Sufyan, who had torn out and chewed Hazrat Hamza’s liver.
Whenever he dealt with any situation, he always kept in view the commands of Allah who says:
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish.” (7:199 Al-Quran)

Contact: Sir BG (03222253698)

For notes on the following subjects:

1. O’level Geography
2. O’level History
3. O’level Urdu (Syllabus B)
4. O’level Islamiyat 2058
5. IGCSE Islamiyat 0493

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