PROPHET MUHAMMAD (Peace Be Upon Him)

1. PROPHET MUHAMMAD(Peace Be Upon Him) PROPHET OF ALLAH THE ALMIGHTY Lo! We inspire you (Muhammad) as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Isa (Jesus) and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Zabur (Psalms) [Surah An-Nisa (The Women), verse 163] ALLAH created human beings for a definite purpose Humankind needs guidance from ALLAH, The All-Knowing, The All-Wise Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Isa (Jesus), David & Solomon (peace be upon them all) were all prophets sent by ALLAH to deliver guidance (hidayah) ALLAH completed his promised guidance through Muhammad (PBUH) All the prophets were inspired with divine guidance Islamic Awareness

2. LINEAGE OFPROPHET MUHAMMAD(PBUH) ADAM NOAH JAPHETH SHEM HAM IBRAHIM ISAAC ISHMAEL MADIAN KEDAR FIHR (QURAISH) M U H A M M A D Islamic Awareness

3. THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH IBRAHIM ISAAC ISHMAEL JACOB (ISRAEL) JOSEPH JONAH LEVI BENJAMIN JUDAH DAWUD MOSES AARON SOLOMON MUHAMMAD ISA (JESUS) Islamic Awareness

4. PURPOSE OF THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH Indeed, We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people, and he said : O my people! Worship ALLAH! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day! [Surah Al-’Araf (The Heights), verse 59] And (remember) Ibrahim (Abraham) when he said to his people: “Worship ALLAH (Alone) and fear Him; that is better for you if you did but know [Surah Al-’Ankabut (The Spider), verse 16] And, indeed, We did send Musa (Moses) with our Ayat (Signs) to Fir’aun (Pharoah) and his chiefs (inviting them to Islam). He said: Verily, I am a Messenger of the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) [Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Gold Adornments, ), verse 46] Islamic Awareness

5. PURPOSE OF THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH And your Lord knows best all who are in the heavens and the earth. And, indeed, we have preferred some of the Prophets above others, and to Dawud (David) We gave the Zabur (Psalms). [Surah Al-Isra’ (The Night Journey), verse 55] And Sulaiman (Solomon) inherited the (knowledge of) Dawud (David). He said: O mankind! We have been taught the language of birds, and on us have been bestowed all things. This, verily, is an evident grace (from ALLAH). [Surah An-Naml (The Ants), verses 15-16] And when Isa (Jesus) came with (Our) clear Proofs, he said: I have come to you with Al-Hikmah (Prophethood), and in order to make clear to you some of the points in which you differ. Therefore fear ALLAH and obey me. Verily, ALLAH! He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). This is the (only) Straight Path. [Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Gold Adornments), verses 63-64] Islamic Awareness

6. Prophet Muhammad: Advent Foretold in Previous Scriptures And remember when Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Taurat [Torah] before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he (Ahmad i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: This is plain magic. [As-Saff (The Ranks), verse 6] Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (Muhammad), whom they find written with them in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) – he commands them for Al-Ma’ruf; and forbids them from Al-Munkar; he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat, and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba’ith, he releases them from their heavy burdens, and from the fetters that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honour him, help him, and follow the light (Quran) which has been sent down, it is they who will be successful. [AL-Araf (The Heights), verse 157] Islamic Awareness

7. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) LIFE BEFORE PROPHETHOOD Muhammad was born in Makkah, Arabia in 570 CE He was a member of the Bani Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe The Hashimites were an influential family His father, Abdullah, died before he was born His mother, Aminah, died when he was six years old His Uncle, Abu Talib, took care of him and preferred him to his own sons Islamic Awareness

8. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) LIFE BEFORE PROPHETHOOD Abu Talib & Muhammad went to Syria on a trading mission They were met by a Christian monk named Bahirah at Busra (in Syria) Muhammad was twelve years old. Bahirah the monk had never met Muhammad, but he instantly recognized the Prophet and said while taking his hand, “This is the master of all humans. ALLAH will send him with a Message which will be a mercy to all beings.” Abu Talib asked, “How do you know that?” He replied, “When you appeared from the direction of ‘Aqabah, all stones and trees prostrated themselves, which they never do except for a Prophet. I can also recognize him by the Seal of Prophethood which is below his shoulder, shaped like an apple. We have found this in our books (i.e. Christian scriptures).” Islamic Awareness

9. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) LIFE BEFORE PROPHETHOOD As a young man, Muhammad was a trader He was known as As-Sadiq (The Truthful) and Al-Amin (The Trustworthy) Quraish appointed him as arbitrator in a dispute He was employed by Khadijah, a wealthy woman of the Quraish tribe His honesty, trustworthiness, piety & nobility facilitated their marriage He abhorred idolatry and believed in one God He would retreat to a cave in Mt Hira to glorify ALLAH and ponder on the plight of his people He spent his time in worship and deep reflection about the world around him He would feed the poor who came to him during his retreats Islamic Awareness

10. The Prophet’s Mission At age forty, he received the first revelation from ALLAH The angel Gabriel visited him in the cave on one night in Ramadan Gabriel came to him and said, “Recite.” “I cannot recite”, said Muhammad. The Prophet said, “Then he (the angel) took me and embraced me tightly and then let me go and repeated the order, “Recite.” “I cannot recite,” I said, and once again he squeezed me and let me go until I was exhausted. Then he said, “Recite.” I said, “I cannot recite.” He squeezed me a third time and then let me go and said: Read! In the Name of your Lord who has created; HE has created man from a clot Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous Who has taught by the pen HE has taught man that which he knew not [Surah Al-’Alaq(The Clot), verses 1-5] Islamic Awareness

11. The Prophet’s Mission:Makkah Period PROPHETHOOD Muhammad continued to received revelation from the Angel Gabriel Revelation (and Prophethood) lasted 23 years Muhammad’s life after he became Prophet can be divided into 2 phases: the Makkah & Madinah periods The Makkah period lasted approximately 13 years This period may be further divided into 3 parts: The Phase of Secret Invitation (3 years): he preached only to his family and close friends The Phase of Public Invitation to the people of Makkah (from 4th year until migration to Madinah): he preached in public and explained the folly of idolatry Beginning of persecution of the early Muslims The Phase of Invitation outside of Makkah (from the end of the 10th year through the Madinah period until the end of his life Islamic Awareness

12. The Prophet’s Mission:Calling to Islam O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord (ALLAH)! And purify your garments! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)! And give not a thing to have more. And be patient for the sake of your Lord (i.e. perform your duty to ALLAH)! [Al-Muddaththir (The One Enveloped), verses 1-7] This verses describe the Prophet’s responsibilities: to convey the message, warn the people & adhere to ALLAH’s commands, And warn your tribe (O Muhammad) of near kindred. [Ash-Shu’ara (The Poets), verse 214] Command to begin open preaching Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded and turn away from Al-Mushrikun. [Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract), verse 94] Prophet proclaimed invitation to Islam at public gatherings & assemblies Islamic Awareness

13. ISRA’ & MI’RAJ: Ascension to the Heavens Glorified be He Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid-al-Aqsa (at Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) Our Ayat (proofs and signs). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [Surah Al-Isra (The Night Journey), verse 1] A miraculous journey which took place 12 to 16 months before the Hijrah (Prophet’s migration to Madinah) The Prophet was sleeping near the Ka’bah in Makkah when he was woken by the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) The Prophet mounted Al-Buraq (a horse-like being with 2 wings), which took him from Makkah to Jerusalem In Jerusalem, Prophet Muhammad met all the other prophets and led them in prayers When he was offered milk and wine, he accepted the milk Jibreel (Gabriel) said, “O Muhammad, you enjoy what is pure. Surely, you will guide your people to the right path.” Prophet Muhammad was taken through the seven heavens by the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) He met other prophets in these heavens Islamic Awareness

14. ISRA’ & MI’RAJ: Ascension to the Heavens His journey through the heavens continued until he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha (the remotest lote tree), which symbolizes the end of worldly knowledge The Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) could journey no further Prophet Muhammad alone was presented before ALLAH ALLAH enjoined the 5 daily salat (ritual prayers) upon the Muslims The Prophet was allowed to see Paradise and Hell The Prophet saw 4 rivers – 2 hidden and 2 manifest The 2 manifest rivers were the Nile and the Euphrates and the 2 hidden rivers were in Paradise SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NIGHT JOURNEY: Establishes the sanctity of Jerusalem for Muslims: the point where the earth and sky meet and from which the Prophet ascended to the heavens Makkah, Madinah and Jerusalem are all sacred for Muslims Establishes the status of Muhammad as Prophet of Allah; he led the other prophets in prayer, and he alone appeared before ALLAH The Journey was a Sign for Muhammad Other prophets had received Signs: Thus did we show Ibrahim (Abraham) the kingdom of the heavens and the earth that he may be one of those who have faith with certainty. [Surah Al-An’am (The Cattle), verse 75] That We may show you (Moses) (some) of Our Greater Signs [Surah Ta Ha, verse 23] Islamic Awareness

15. HIJRAH: The Prophet’s Migration to Al-Madinah “Hijrah” means migration Early Muslims in Makkah were being tortured and persecuted by the idolaters for their belief in One God (ALLAH) Muslims were few in number and many of them were powerless slaves In the 12th year of the Prophet’s mission, 12 men from the city of Yathrib (later calledMadinah) met Muhammad at Al-Aqabah during Hajj These men became Muslim and pledged their allegiance in the 1st Pledge of Al-Aqabah: We shall worship one God, associating none with Him We shall not go near stealing and adultery We shall not kill our daughters We shall vilify no one We shall not backbite We shall obey the Prophet in all good things The Prophet sent Mus’ab bin Umair to teach Islam in Madinah, who succeeded in inviting many people to Islam The next year, 73 men and 2 women from Madinah pledged their allegiance to the Prophet in the 2nd Pledge of Al-Aqabah They promised to protect him and help the Muslims of Makkah resettle in Madinah to escape persecution Islamic Awareness

16. HIJRAH: The Prophet’s Migration to Al-Madinah Al-Ansar (The Helpers) were the Muslims of Madinah, and the Muhajirun (Emigrants) were the Muslims from Makkah The Quraish tried to prevent their departure, but many were able to escape The migrating men and women gave up their wealth, homes and families to practice Islam freely in Madinah Several months later, ALLAH granted the Prophet permission to leave for Madinah The Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) informed Muhammad that the Quraish were plotting to kill him The Prophet and his close companion Abu Bakr As-Siddiq managed to escape Another companion, ‘Ali bin AbiTalib, lay asleep in the Prophet’s bed while the other two made their escape The Prophet and Abu Bakr hid in a cave at Mt Thaur for 3 days while the Quraish scoured the areas around Makkah Their enemies came very near the cave, but ALLAH protected them with miracles: a spider spun its web across the cave’s entrance, pigeons nested and laid eggs in front of it, and the branches of a small tree blocked it The Prophet and Abu Bakrreached Madinah safely The Prophet built a mosque in Madinah Madinah is held sacred by all Muslims Umaribn Al-Khattab (the 2nd Muslim Caliph) established the year of migration as the first year of the Muslim HijriCalender Islamic Awareness

17. The Prophet’s Mission: Madinah Period PROPHETHOOD The Madinah Period lasted approximately 10 years This period can be divided into 3 phases: The first phase was characterized by trials and challenges from hostile elements within Madinah and enemies outside of it This phase concluded with the Al-Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty The second phase featured a truce with the pagan leadership of Makkah This phase concluded with the conquest of Makkah in Ramadan, 8 years A.H. The Prophet also invited kings outside of Arabia to enter into Islam The third phase saw many tribes and groups coming to Madinah to embrace Islam People were becoming Muslims in large numbers This phase ended with the Prophet’s death 11 years A.H. Islamic Awareness

18. Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) O, People, just as you regard this month (Dhul Hijjah), this day (9th), this city (Makkah) as sacred, so do regard also the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligations shall henceforth be waived. Beware of satan, for the safety of your religion. The devil has lost all hope of leading you astray in big issues, but beware of being led astray in small issues. O, People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember, you have taken them as your wives only under ALLAH’S trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then they shall have 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. O, People, listen to me earnestly! Worship ALLAH; offer your five daily prayers; fast during the month of Ramadan; and give your wealth in zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford it. Islamic Awareness

19. Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) All of mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor does a black have any superiority over a white, except in piety and good deeds. Nurture yourself that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that all Muslims constitute one Brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim if it belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it is given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, you will appear before ALLAH to answer for your deeds. So, beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone. O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand the words which I have conveyed to you. I leave behind two things, the QURAN, and my example, THE SUNNAH, and if you abide by these you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and the latter to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those listening directly from me. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed Your message to Your people. Islamic Awareness