From “Cult” to World Religion

The Leader of Makkah has a change of heart

Abu Sufyan, who was the leader of the Quraish armies during the Battle of Uhud and the battle of al-Khandaq, was in a trade route in the northern Arab Peninsula when Emperor Heraclius’ forces surrounded his caravan, searching for any Meccan that new Muhammad personally to interrogate concerning the letter he received from the Prophet. They were merchants doing business in Levant, at the time when Allah’s Messenger had truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions were escorted to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius’ question said to them, “Who among you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “I am the nearest relative to him.”

Heraclius said, “Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stand behind him.” Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie, they (my companions) should contradict me.” Abu Sufyan added, “By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet. The first question he asked me about him was: ‘What is his family status among you?’ I replied, ‘He belongs to a good (noble) family among us.’ Heraclius further asked, ‘Have any of you ever claimed the same to be a Prophet before him?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Were any of his ancestors a king?’ I said no. Heraclius asked, ‘Do the nobles or the poor follow him?’ I replied, ‘It is the poor who follow him.’ He said, ‘Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?’ I replied, ‘They are increasing.’ He then asked, ‘Does anybody among those who embrace his religion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards?’ I replied, ‘No.’ Heraclius said, ‘Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim to be a Prophet?’ I replied, ‘No.’ Heraclius said, ‘Does he break his promises?’ I replied, ‘No. We are at truce with him but we do not know what he will do in it.’ I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that. Heraclius asked, ‘Have you ever had a war with him?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ Then he said, ‘What was the outcome of the battles?’ I replied, ‘Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.’ Heraclius said, ‘What does he order you to do?’ I said, ‘He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.’

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following: I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Prophets come from noble families among their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else among you claimed such a thing, your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man’s claim to fame. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before claiming prophethood, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah. I then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Messengers have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when it mixes with the delight of the heart. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Messengers never betray. I asked you about the outcome of your battles with him and you told me that you fought each other with alternate success. So the Messengers are tested in this way but the ultimate victory is always theirs. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you (Arabs), and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.’

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah’s Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows: ‘In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the great one of Byzantine. Peace be upon whoever follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will bear the sin of the peasants misguided by you. (And I recite to you Allah’s Statement:)

“O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).” [3:64].

Abu Sufyan then added, “When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the issue of Muhammad has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam.”

New Delegations, Threats from Khaybar, Byzantium

Not long after the non-aggression pact was made between the Muslims and Quraish, the Muslims suffered harassment from other tribes in various forms. After careful investigation, it was discovered that this movement traced back to several groups of Jews which had settled in Khaybar. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ first sent delegations insisting on peace, but when they were rejected, military action was chosen. He set out to Khaybar, a farm town with several forts, with an army. This operation took place in the first month of the calendar, Muharram, of the seventh year after migration. The Muslims were spotted descending upon Khaybar and the Jews walled themselves up into their forts. The Muslims then surrounded and captured each fort, one at a time, some offering truces, others fleeing when they could, and a few giving battle. In the end, the Muslims captured the town and captured a great deal of war spoils. The Prophet Muhammad married Safiyyah, the daughter of a slain Jewish chief, after she accepted Islam. The Prophet originally wanted the inhabitants to abandon the city, but when they proposed to stay and work their farm and give half their harvest to the Muslims in Madinah, the Prophet accepted their offer. Near the end of the operation in Khaybar, one of the resident women had prepared a meal for the Prophet and some of his companions, poisoning the shoulder of the lamb, knowing that this was the Prophet’s favorite part. When he took a bite, he disagreed with the taste and spat it out. Another companion sharing food with him died shortly after the meal. The woman was caught and confessed to putting poison in the food. When asked why, she said, “if he is a king, then to free ourselves from him; and if he be a prophet, then it shouldn’t hurt him anyway.” The Prophet forgave her on behalf of himself, but decreed her execution on behalf of his slain companion.

Lane-Poole in ‘Speeches and Table Talk of the Prophet Muhammad‘: “He was the most faithful protector of those he protected, the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him; they who described him would say, ‘I have never seen his like either before or after.’ He was of great taciturnity, but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation, and no one could forget what he said…”

A year after the truce of Hudaibiyah was signed, the Muslims returned to perform the rituals of the lesser pilgrimage. They returned to Madinah without incident, except that it was proven to the rest of Arabia that even though the Muslims migrated from Mecca, they still paid homage to the Ka’bah, honoring and venerating it. Around the same time, the Prophet received numerous new Muslim delegations from around the Arabian peninsula, some wanting to be instructed so they could return to their lands, others wanting to live with the Prophet in Madinah.

The Prophet sent more expeditions to other towns calling them to Islam, some met with opposition and others with reception. Throughout all of this, the Prophet was receiving more revelations for teaching, performing miracles, and making prophecies.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “My example and the example of the prophets who came before me is like a man who constructed a good building and beautified it. All except for the place of a single brick in one of its corners. So the people circled around the building, admired it, they exclaimed, ‘why not insert the last brick?’ And so I am that brick, and I am the last of the prophets.”

And he said, “Whoever hasn’t been thankful to the few has not been thankful to the many. Whoever doesn’t thank the people hasn’t thanked Allah. And speaking about the favors of Allah is gratitude, and abandoning that is disbelief (of the favors of Allah); and sticking to the united group is Mercy, and separation is Punishment.”

Eventually, the Byzantines wanted to challenge the Prophet ﷺ and crucified one of his companions. A Roman army made of 200,000 soldiers met 3,000 Muslim warriors, patrolling a northern area, led by Khalid bin Waleed a former Quraish general and recent Muslim convert, in a place called Mu’tah. The Romans ultimately retreated, because they did not want to be drawn into the desert.

 

From breach to Islam

Meanwhile, in the hijaz (western Arabia) a tribe which had entered into allegiance with the Prophet Muhammad was attacked by a tribe which had entered into allegiance with the Quraish, and the Quraish gave further supply to their ally, thus going against one of the accords of their treaty with the Prophet. News of this reached the Prophet, so he made stealth preparations and set out towards Mecca, the head of a 10,000 member army during the month of Ramadhan in the eighth year after his initial migration. Abu Sufyan, the former general who fought against the Muslims, was wandering about outside of Mecca when he met the Muslim army and realized that Allah had truly decreed success for this movement, so he too embraced Islam.

Announcement was made in Mecca for the coming of the Prophet Muhammad with his army. They entered, circled around the Ka’bah, and the Prophet Muhammad personally knocked down all of 360 idols that were positioned around it. He also opened up the Ka’bah and removed a portrait of Abraham depicting him casting arrows for guidance in decision making. All these items were gathered and burned. One of the Prophet’s companions of Ethiopian descent, Bilal, a former slave of Quraish, climbed atop the Ka’bah and made the Islamic call the prayer (known as the adhaan) thus summoning the town’s people. The Prophet asked them, “Do you know what I am going to do to you?” They responded, “A noble brother, son of a noble brother.” So he responded, “Go, for I declare you all free and forgive you.” After this peaceful homecoming and generous takeover, droves of the Meccans entered into the religion of Islam, even some of those whom had previously hurt the Muslims a great deal more than a decade before or during their wars. During this time period in Mecca, the Prophet met several emissaries from other Arab tribes announcing their Islam. The induction of Mecca into the Islamically governed lands happened on January 11, 630 CE.

A vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula had known of his truthfulness and good character from their trade with him long ago. And they realized that since he was preaching a Message in opposition to the Romans, the Persians, and Jews and Arabs, that only God could bring him such an easy victory from patience. So when he conquered Mecca without any major or minor battle, these Arabs accepted Islam in droves.

 

Final attempts of Arabs to hold their polytheistic tribal patriarchal heritage

However, there were some Arabs that did not see this as an option. Rather, those residing south of Mecca in Ta’if (the town which stoned the Prophet a decade earlier) and Hunain (a town midway between Mecca and Ta’if) saw it their responsibility to stand firm upon idol worship and reverse the alarming Islamic trend among the Arabs. After spy missions traded back and forth between Hunain and Mecca, the Prophet turned in their direction with his conquering army of 10,000 along with 2,000 more new Muslims from Mecca. The tribal leader of Hunain ordered all the townspeople to gather their women, children and wealth in one area with their army’s back to them, so as to be motivated to fight stronger on behalf of their family. The idolaters opened fire with arrows and a strong assault which forced the Muslims into a confused retreat. The Prophet and his uncle, Abbaas, then rallied those around them to return to the fray and take charge of the battle.

“Truly, Allah has given you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunain when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you, then you turned back in flight. Then Allah did send down His tranquility upon the Messenger and on the believers, and sent down forces which you saw not, and punished the idolaters. Such is the recompense of disbelievers.” [9:25-26]

The army that had gathered at Hunain then retreated to nearby Ta’if, boarded themselves up in a large citadel, abandoning their families and wealth to the Muslims. The Prophet pursued the opposition and surrounded the castle for days on end, trading volleys back and forth until a stalemate was reached. When convinced that the boarded up army would eventually come out to seek their property, the Prophet returned to valley that all their goods lay and waited for a delegation to come and negotiate for them. After none arrived, he divided up the spoils of war as well as captives. Soon after that, a delegation indeed arrived but they wanted nothing more than their families, and so the Prophet persuaded his companions to set free all of their captives. And with that, the Prophet gave gifts to each of the captives upon their return to their fathers, husbands, brothers and sons. The two tribes, the Hawazin and Thaqeef which occupied Hunain and Ta’if ultimately accepted Islam and subsequently became among the most reliable sources of strength for the Muslim nation after the Prophet’s eventual death.

As always, between all of these expeditions and events that mark the timeline of the Prophet’s mission, he is teaching his companions the proper application of Islam. He is reminding them of the insignificance of this life and the great importance of living for the next life. He would admonish whenever people needed that reminder without ever boring them. He was also the “chief judge” in the Islamic society. Whenever there was any dispute between two or more individuals over trade, borders, mutual rights, inheritance, or even physical transgression, the involved parties would seek his judgment so that they could properly repair matters between them. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also served as a counselor between couples and families and for those who needed general advice in improving their lives and mentality in a balanced manner. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once spoken with a group of men saying, “O group of youth! Whoever among you who has the ability, then they should get married, because truly it is a better means of lowering your gaze and keeping your privates chaste. And whoever is unable, it is upon them to fast, because that is a control.”

A Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet in various tasks and he became sick and was about to die. The Prophet visited him, stood near his head and asked him to accept Islam. The boy looked to his father who said, “Obey Abul-Qasim” so the boy accepted Islam and later died. The Prophet said, “All praise be to Allah who saved him from the Fire.”

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also encouraged the Muslims to be keen on studying their religion, and never to be shy when it came to learning anything important. He said, “Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path of the paths to Paradise; and truly, the angels lower their wings out of contentment for the student of knowledge. And the scholar’s forgiveness is sought by those in the heavens and the earth including the whales in the sea, and the virtue of a scholar over a worshiper is like the virtue of a full moon over the rest of the stars, and verily, the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, and the prophets do not leave behind any gold or silver coin as inheritance, but knowledge, so whoever took a portion of it, receives a great bounty.”

 

The Expedition to Tabuk

During the eighth month of the lunar calendar, Rajab, of the ninth year after migration, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ announced to his companions that they would be heading north to battle against the Roman empire, in what would turn out to be a symbolic venture after the previous skirmish at Mu’tah. This later adventure became known as the Tabuk expedition. This ghazwah (name for any military expedition wherein the Prophet participated) was significant for the Muslims for many reasons. Due to the size of the army the Muslims would be facing–200,000 fighters with their emperor as commander–participation was obligatory, for the first time ever. In all past battles and skirmishes, participation was voluntary as long as a quota was met. However, the Prophet accepted any excuses that any of the hypocrites gave to avoid participation in this battle. Also, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was involved in a great deal of fundraising to purchase weaponry and riding beasts and all other necessary supplies for this campaign. And throughout the expedition, a chapter of the Quran called Al-Tawbah (The Repentence) which is situated as the ninth chapter, was revealed during this year, most of it during fundraising, journey and return home. This chapter is categorically the most critical of the hypocrites, their cowardliness, and their efforts to sow discord among believers—a chapter every believer reads wincingly to make sure they do not have any qualities of hypocrisy.

“And of them are some who made a covenant with Allah (saying): ‘If He bestowed on us of His bounty, we will verily, give charity and will be certainly among the righteous.’ Then when He gave them of His bounty, they became niggardly, and turned away, averse. So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies.” [9:75-77]

When the Prophet set out for the expedition, he was invited to pray in a new masjid that was built outside of Medina. On his way there, it was revealed to him that this was actually a center the hypocrites intended to use as a headquarters for anti-Islamic propaganda and operations but only wanted the Prophet’s prayer there as a front to suggest that it had been approved, free of blame.

“And as for those who put up a mosque by way of harm and disbelief and to disunite the believers and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger aforetime, they will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good. Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars. Never stand in there for prayer. Verily, a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein for prayer. In it are men who love to clean and to purify themselves. And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure. Is it then he who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and His Good Pleasure better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on the brink of an undetermined precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the evil-doers.” [9:107-109]

The Prophet continued his expedition in the middle of summer and the temperatures soared, putting all the participants to test. When the Muslims finally reached Tabuk to meet the Byzantine army, they set up camp and performed their military exercises which were an effective deterrent, causing the Romans to back off without any attack. At this point, a group of Muslims, associated with the hypocrites were seen making fun of the Prophet and his senior companions. When one bystander heard this, he became angry and rushed to tell the Prophet, but revelation from Allah preceded him.

“If you ask them, they declare: ‘We were only talking idly and joking.’ Say: ‘Was it at Allah, and His Signs and His Messenger that you were mocking?’ Make no excuse; you disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others among you because they were criminals in disbelief.” [9:65-66]

When the Muslims finally arrived back to Medina, the Prophet further accepted the excuses of those who did not participate, except for three individuals among the believers who admitted that they had no excuse except procrastination. The Prophet turned away from them for several days until Allah revealed His Forgiveness upon them.

“Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhaajiroon (immigrants) and the Ansaar (helpers of Al-Madinah) who followed him in the hour of difficulty, after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated, but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is to them full of kindness, Most Merciful. And the three who were left behind…” [9:117-118]

Washington Irving wrote in ‘Life of Muhammad,’ New York, 1920. His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory as they would have done had they been effected by selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manner and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonial of respect was shown to him.

 

Farewell Pilgrimage, but first, a warning to the Arabs

Several months after the Tabuk expedition, the month of hajj came, the twelfth month known as dhul-hijjah, and the Prophet sent his companion Abu Bakr to perform the hajj that year with whoever else desired. The Prophet himself did not attend because it was still customary for the Meccans to circumambulate the Ka’bah without any clothes. They claimed they did not want to perform the rites in the same clothes that they sinned in. The Prophet also sent his cousin, the young Ali ibn Abi Talib, who grew up in his house and was also among the first to accept Islam—to accompany Abu Bakr, and recite the first 30 verses of the ninth chapter of the Quran, Al-Tawbah (The Repentence), to the Meccans and to all the Arabs performing the pilgrimage that year, Muslims among them and idolaters, announcing the end of all treaties between the Muslims and all disbelievers after four months. Their options were either to make new treaties, accept Islam, or prepare for possible war. As for Christians and Jews, who are frequently referred to by Allah in the Quran as “ahlal-kitaab” (people of the book/scripture) they had a further option of occupation with dhimmah (covenanted, protected) status. It was also part of the mission of Abu Bakr and Ali to announce that no one would ever circle the ka’bah again without any clothing after this season. From the beginning of what Ali recited to them was,

“Freedom from all obligations is declared from Allah and His Messenger to those of the pagans with whom you made a treaty. So travel freely for four months throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape Allah; and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers. And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah – the 12th month of Islamic calendar) that Allah is free from obligations to the polytheists and so is His Messenger. So if you repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape Allâh. And give tidings of a painful torment to those who disbelieve. Except those of the idolaters with whom you have a treaty, and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty to them for the end of their term. Surely, Allah loves pious. Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, kill the idolaters wherever you find them,^[1]The belligerent tribes who have no desire for a formal peace and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in every ambush. But if they repent and perform the prayers, and give the obligatory charity, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And if anyone of the disbelievers seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.” [9:1-6]

A year would pass between the hajj of Abu Bakr and the hajj of the Prophet, during the same month of course, in the tenth year after his migration to Madinah. There were no battles, skirmishes or conflicts during this time, not between the Muslims and the pagan Arabs, nor between the Muslims and the Jews, and not even the hypocrites of Medina. The hypocrites had been silenced since their “spokesman” Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul passed away, and because the Muslims were gaining great success in all spheres. The hypocrites only show their true selves and reap havoc when the Muslims are weak and their existence appears to be threatened, as is the case in every age.

Sir George Bernard Shaw in ‘The Genuine Islam,’ Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.: “I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness…” And “I have studied him – the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity.”

After the Prophet announced he would perform the hajj, all the Muslims of Arabia, which by that time, was a vast majority of the Arabs, prepared to meet him in Mecca. Observers counted about 120,000 Muslim pilgrims to perform pilgrimage rites with the Prophet. He gave several speeches and the Muslims realized that the end of his life was near. From some of these sermons,

“O People! Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore, listen carefully to what I am saying and take these words to those who could not be present here today. O People! just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life, reputation, 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 ribaa (usury, interest) therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Your capital is yours to keep. You shall neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) be waived.

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

O people! The unbelievers indulge in tampering with the calendar in order to make permissible that which Allah forbade, and to prohibit which Allah has made permissible. With Allah the months are twelve in number. Four of them are sanctified [where aggression is even more forbidden], three of these are successive [the two Hajj months at end of the year, and Muharram at the beginning of the lunar year] and one [Rajab, the 7th month] occurs singly between the [6th and 8th] months of Jumaada and Sha’baan.

Beware of Satan for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope of misguiding you in large affairs, so beware of following him in small matters.

O People! It is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His Permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in accordance with custom.^[2]Don’t be fooled by the wording here, they always have the right to be fed and clothed as Allah has commanded in the Quran. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People! Listen to me in earnest, worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat (obligatory charity). 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 are one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly.

Do not therefore do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer for your actions. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People! No prophet or messenger will come after me and no new [Heavenly sanctioned] 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 SUNNAH (i.e., sayings, deeds, and approvals) 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 it may be that a latter listener understands something of my words better than the one who heard it directly.

Be my witness O Allah, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people.

As part of this sermon, the Prophet recited them a Revelation from Allah which he had just received and which nearly completed the Qur’an, for it was the last passage to be revealed. And it was during this time that the dietary Laws of Islam were completed, as Allah says,

“Forbidden to you are: animals that died without slaughter, blood from the slaughter, the flesh of swine, and that which a name other than Allah’s was announced upon it while slaughtering and that which has been killed by strangling, or a violent blow, or a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns – and that which has been eaten by a wild animal – unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) – and that which is sacrificed upon stone altars. Forbidden also are divination arrows.^[3]This is taking three arrows, one with “yes”, another with “no” and a third that is blank, and then when a person seeks to make a decision, he randomly grabs one. If he gets the blank one, he … Continue reading All of that is abomination. This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats), then surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. They ask you (O Muhammad) what is lawful for them. Say: ‘Lawful to you are all good foods, and those birds of prey which you have trained for capture and hunting dogs, training and teaching them in the manner as directed to you by Allah; so eat of what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over them, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Swift in reckoning.’ Made lawful to you this day are all good lawful foods. The food of the people of the Scripture is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them.” [5:3-5]

The Prophet returned to Medina after performing hajj, and shortly after that, he fell ill. He sought permission from his other wives to stay in the home of Aa’ishah, where the rest could visit him there since it was too difficult for him to move about. During his last days, he specified Abu Bakr to lead the congregational prayers in his mosque and refused to allow anyone else do so and directed his followers to seek Abu Bakr with any issues his death. The last revelation that came to him to teach the world from the Quran was,

“And fear the Day you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person will be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.” [2:281]

From among his last exhortations to the Muslims were a reminder, “The prayer [be diligent about] the prayer, and [fulfill the rights of] those under your authority.” His wife, Aa’ishah also mentioned him saying, “Allah’s curse is upon the Jews and Christians, they took the graves of their prophets and righteous ones as places of worship,” warning against imitating that practice. He also repeatedly warned the Muslims not to exaggerate his own status, that he was Allah’s servant and messenger, and warned the Muslims from exaggerating in him like the Christians towards Jesus, or by turning his grave into a place of pilgrimage.

“Say: I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Unseen, I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to a people who believe.”” [7:188]

He passed away while resting in the lap of his wife, Aa’ishah, shortly after he said, “Oh Allah, with the Highest companion.” His death was in the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal, the third month of the lunar calendar, corresponding to June 8^th, 632 CE.  This was after the beginning of the eleventh year from his initial migration. His best friend, and soon-to-be successor, kissed the Prophet’s forehead and closed his eyelids and announced to the people, “Whoever worships Muhammad, Muhammad has died; whoever worships Allah, then Allah is All-Living, above the heavens and never dies,” and he recited the verse,

“And Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.” [3:144]

The Prophet was buried underneath the floor of the room he died in, according to what he instructed prior to this, “a prophet is buried wherever he died.” His body still lies in his home, on the side of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

One of his companions, Anas ibn Malik said: I served the Prophet for ten years, and not all of my service to him was as he would have liked, but he never said ‘Uff to me, and he never said “why did you to that?” for something I had done, nor did he say “why did you not do such and such” for something I had not done.

Another observer said: Allah’s Messenger ﷺ kissed his grandson Al-Hasan bin Ali while Al-Aqra’ bin Habis At-Tamim was sitting beside him. Al-Aqra said, “I have ten children and I have never kissed any one of them,” Allah’s Messenger cast a look at him and said, “Whoever is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully.”

The Prophet’s cousin, son-in-law & 4th successor, Imam Ali mentioned: “When I put the weapon of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ to my chest, I found inscribed on the hilt of his sword: ‘Pardon those who’ve oppressed you, keep in contact with those who’ve cut you off, do good to those who’ve done evil to you, and say the truth even if it’s against yourself’

The Prophet’s wife Aishah said he was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, and he would stand in prayer every night for hours, until his feet would swell, crack and bleed. He slept on a mattress of leather stuffed with palm fiber and poked holes in his back. Months might pass by in his home where they would eat nothing but water and dates.

 

The Prophet’s Legacy

He was chosen as a Prophet whilst alone and uneducated in a cave and ended up with over 120,000 followers by the time death came to him, and today approximately 1.5 billion. He did not seek out the events that made his life great, but they were Ordained and he responded in the best way possible. Through the Prophet Muhammad, Allah communicated the message of pure monotheism, of perfect communal legislation, morals and of all good things. The example of the Prophet gave way to a series of empires united in their aid to Islam which were strong for over 1,000 years. The Islamic Civilization made among the greatest contributions the world knew at that time in various empirical sciences, jurisprudence, etiquette, the science of history, sociology, philosophy, logic and medicine.

Michael Hart writes in The 100, a Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History,

“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.”