Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah

Table of Contents

1. Terminology used in this book

3. Who is the Messenger?

5. Place of birth and childhood

6. The description of the Prophet ()

7. Prophet’s manners & Characteristics

8. Some of the Prophet’s ethical manners

9. Statements of justice and equity

10. The wives of the Prophet ()

12. Proofs from the Qur’an

13. Proofs from the Sunnah

14. Previous Scriptures

15. From the Gospel

16. Intellectual proofs

17. What the Testimony of Faith entails

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

All praise is due to God, the Lord 1 of the worlds, and may God
praise Prophet Muhammad, and render him and his household
safe and secure from all evil.

When talking about Prophet Muhammad () 2, one should keep
in mind that he is talking about the greatest individual in histo-
ry. This is not a baseless claim; for the one who reads his biog-
raphy and learns of his mannerisms and ethics, while keeping
aside all preconceived notions, would certainly reach this con-
clusion. Some fair and just non-Muslims have reached this con-
clusion as well.

The late Professor Hasan Ali, may God have mercy on him, said
in his magazine ‘Noor al-Islam’ that a Brahmin 3 colleague of his
once told him: “I recognize and believe that the Messenger of
Islam is the greatest and most mature man in history.” Profes-
sor Hasan Ali, may God have mercy on him, asked him: “Why
do you consider him as the greatest and most mature man?” He
replied:

The actual word used in the Qur'an is Rubb. There is no proper
equivalent for Rubb in the English language. It means the Creator, the
Fashioner, the Provider, the One upon Whom all creatures depend for
their means of subsistence, and the One Who gives life and causes
death.

This Arabic term means, “may God praise him and render him safe
from all evil.”

Brahmin: member of the highest of the four Hindu castes: the priest-
ly caste.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

No man possessed the characteristics, mannerisms and ethics
that he possessed at one time. He was a king under whom the
entire peninsula was unified; yet he was humble. He believed
that the dominion belonged to his God alone.

Great riches would come to him, and yet he lived in a state of
poverty; fire would not be lit in his house for many days, and
he would stay hungry. He was a great leader; he led small
numbers into battle against thousands, and yet he would de-
cisively defeat them. He loved peace agreements and would
agree to them with a firm heart, even though he had thou-
sands of his brave and courageous Companions by his side.
Each Companion was very brave and could confront a thou-
sand enemies alone, while not feeling the least bit intimidat-
ed. Yet, the Prophet was kind-hearted, merciful, and did not
want to shed a drop of blood. He was deeply concerned about
the affairs of the Arabian Peninsula, yet he did not neglect the
affairs of his family, household, or the poor and needy. He
was keen to disseminate Islam amongst those who had gone
astray. In general, he was a man concerned with the better-
ment and wellbeing of mankind, yet he did not indulge in
amassing worldly fortune. He busied himself with the wor-
ship of God and loved doings deeds which pleased Him. He
never avenged himself on account of personal reasons. He
even prayed for his enemies’ wellbeing, and would warn
them of the punishment of God.

He was an ascetic regarding worldly affairs and would wor-
ship God throughout the night. He was the brave and coura-
geous soldier who fought with the sword - and the infallible
Prophet - the conqueror who conquered nations and coun-
tries. He slept on a mat of hay and a pillow filled with coarse
fibers. People crowned him as the Sultan of the Arabs, or King

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

of the Arabian Peninsula, yet his family lived a simple life,
even after they received great fortunes; the riches were piled
in the Mosque. Fatima 4 complained to him about the strenu-
ous work she did, the grinding stone and water jug which she
used to carry - how they had left marks on her body… He did
not give her a portion of that wealth; instead, the Prophet ()
taught her a few words and supplications. His Companion
Umar 5 came to his house and looked in his room, and saw
nothing but a hay mat which the Prophet was sitting on,
which had left marks on his body. The only provisions in the
house were half a Saa’ 6 of barley in a container, and a water
skin that hung on the wall - this is all the Messenger of God
owned at a time when half the Arabs were under his control.
When Umar saw this, he could not control himself and wept.
The Messenger of God () said:

“Why are you weeping O Umar?” He replied: “Why
shouldn’t I weep - Khosrau and Caesar enjoy themselves
in this world and the Messenger of God () only owns
what I see!” He responded: “O Umar, wouldn’t it please
you that this is the share of Khosrau and Caesar in this
life, and in the Hereafter this pleasure would be for us
alone?”

When the Prophet examined his troops prior to the occupa-
tion of Makkah, Abu Sufyan stood beside al-Abbas, the uncle

Fatimah was one of the daughters of the Prophet, may God praise
him.

One of the Prophet’s close companions, and the second Caliph after
his death.

Saa’: a measure of capacity equal to four handfuls of the two hands
held together.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

of the Prophet () and they looked at the banners of the Mus-
lim army. Abu Sufyan at that time was not a Muslim. He was
amazed by the vast number of Muslims; they advanced to-
wards Makkah like a torrent of water. No one could stop
them and nothing stood in their way. Abu Sufyan then said to
al-Abbas: ‘O Abbas, your nephew has become a grand King!’
al-Abbas responded saying: ‘This is not kingship, rather
prophethood, and the Message of Islam.’

A’dee at-Ta’ee, the son of Ha’tim at-Ta’ee who is the para-
digm of generosity, attended the assembly of the Prophet ()
while he was still a Christian. When he saw how the Compan-
ions aggrandized and respected the Prophet (), he was con-
fused - was he a Prophet or a king? He asked himself, “Is he a
king or a Messenger of the Messengers of God?” While he
was pondering over this, a destitute woman came to the
Prophet () and said: "I wish to tell you a secret.” He said to
her: “In which road in Madeenah do you want me to meet
you?’ The Prophet () left with the destitute maid and took
care of her needs. When Ad’ee saw the humbleness of the
Prophet (), he realized the truth and discarded the crosses
that he was wearing and became a Muslim.

We will mention some statements of the Orientalists concerning
Muhammad (). We as Muslims firmly believe in the Prophet
() and his Message, and as such, do not need the statements of
non-Muslims to establish this fact. We are mentioning these
statements for the following two reasons:

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

a. To serve as a reminder and admonition for name-sake Mus-
lims who have abandoned their Prophet and his teachings, so
that they would heed and return to their religion. 7

b. So that non-Muslims would know who the Prophet is from
the statements of their own people, so that they would be guid-
ed to Islam.

I ask all readers to not hold any preconceived notions when
searching for the truth, whether it be this or any other Islamic
material. I ask God to open their hearts and chests to accept the
truth, and to show them the right path and inspire them to fol-
low it.

Dr.Abdurrahmaan b. Abdul-Kareem al-Sheha

Email: [وحدهم المديرون لديهم صلاحيات معاينة هذا الرابط]

The word translated as religion is 'Deen', which in Arabic commonly
refers to a way of life, which is both private and public. It is an inclu-
sive term meaning: acts of worship, political practice, and a detailed
code of conduct, including hygiene or etiquette matters.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Who is the Messenger, Muhammad ()?

His Lineage

He is Abul-Qasim (father of Al-Qasim) Muhammad, the son of
Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Mutalib. His lineage traces back to
the tribe of Adnan, the son of Ishmael [the Prophet of God, the
son of Ibraheem (Abraham)] may God praise them all. His
mother is Aminah, the daughter of Wahb.

The Prophet () said:

‘Indeed God chose the tribe of Kinanah over other tribes
from the children of Ishmael; He chose Quraish over other
tribes of Kinanah; He chose Banu Hashim over the other
families of the Quraish; and He chose me from Banu
Hashim.’ (Muslim #2276)

Thus, the Prophet () has the noblest lineage on earth. Even his
enemies attested to this fact, as did Abu Sufyan, the arch enemy
of Islam before he became Muslim, in front of Heraclius 8, the
Emperor of Rome.

Abdullah b. Abbas, the nephew of the Prophet, reported that
the Messenger of God () wrote to Heraclius and invited him
to Islam though a letter he sent with a companion of his named
Dihya al-Kalbi. Dihya handed this letter to the Governor of
Busra who then forwarded it to Heraclius.

Heraclius, as a sign of gratitude to God, had walked from Hims
to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when God had granted Him victory over

He was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire (610–641) who cap-
tured Syria, Palestine, and Egypt from Persia (613–628).

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

the Persian forces. When the letter of the Messenger of God
reached Heraclius, he said after reading it, ”Seek for me any-
one of his people, (Arabs of the Quraish tribe) if present here,
in order to ask him about the Messenger of God!” At that time
Abu Sufyan bin Harb was in Shaam (the Greater Syria Area)9
with some men from Quraish who had come as merchants dur-
ing the truce that had been concluded between the Messenger
of God and the pagans of Quraish. Abu Sufyan said,

"Heraclius’ messenger found us somewhere in the Greater
Syria area, so he took me and my companions to Ilya and
we were admitted into Heraclius’ presence. We found him
sitting in his royal court wearing a crown, surrounded by
the senior Byzantine dignitaries. He said to his translator.
’Ask them whom amongst them is a close relation to the
man who claims to be a prophet.’ ”

Abu Sufyan added,

“I replied: ’I am the nearest relative to him.’ He asked,
’What degree of relationship do you have with him?’ I re-
plied, ’He is my cousin,’ and there was none from the tribe
of Abd Manaf in the caravan except myself. Heraclius said,
’Let him come nearer.’ He then ordered that my companions
stand behind me near my shoulder and said to his transla-
tor, ’Tell his companions that I am going to ask this man
about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he tells a lie,
they should contradict him immediately.’ ”

Abu Sufyan added,

This is a historic region in the Middle East bordering the Mediterra-
nean. It is generally considered to include the modern states of Syria,
Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordon.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

“By God! Had it not been for shame that my companions
brand me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about
him when he asked me. But I considered it shameful to be
called a liar by my companions, so I told the truth.”

“He then said to his translator, ’Ask him what kind of fami-
ly he belongs to.’ I replied, ‘He belongs to a noble family
amongst us.’ He said, ’Has anybody else amongst you ever
claimed the same before him?’ I replied, ‘No.’ He said,
‘Have you ever blamed him for telling lies before he
claimed what he claimed?’ I replied, ’No.’ He said, ’Was an-
ybody amongst his ancestors a king?’ I replied, ’No.’ He
said, ’Do the noble or the poor follow him?’ I replied, ’It is
the poor who follow him.’ He said, ’Are they increasing or
decreasing (daily)?’ I replied, ’They are increasing.’ He said,
’Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion be-
come displeased and then discard his religion?’ I replied,
’No.’ He said, ‘Does he break his promises?’ I replied, ’No,
but we are now at truce with him and we are afraid that he
may betray us.’

Abu Sufyan added,

”Other than the last sentence, I could not say anything
against him.”

”Heraclius then asked, ’Have you ever had a war with him?’
I replied, ’Yes.’ He said, ’What was the outcome of your bat-
tles with him?’ I replied, ’Sometimes he was victorious and
sometimes we.’ He said, ’What does he order you to do?’ I
said, ’He tells us to worship God alone, and not to worship
others along with Him, and to leave all that our fore-fathers
used to worship. He orders us to pray, give in charity, be
chaste, keep promises and return what is entrusted to us.’ ”

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

”When I had said that, Heraclius said to his translator, ’Say
to him: I asked you about his lineage and your reply was
that he belonged to a noble family. In fact, all the Messen-
gers came from the noblest lineage of their nations. Then I
questioned you whether anybody else amongst you had
claimed such a thing, and your reply was in the negative. If
the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have
thought that this man was following a claim that had been
said before him. When I asked you whether he was ever
blamed for telling lies, your reply was in the negative, so I
took it for granted that a person who did not tell a lie to
people could never tell a lie about God. Then I asked you
whether any 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 ances-
tral kingdom. When I asked you whether the rich or the
poor people followed him, you replied that it was the poor
who followed him. In fact, such are the followers of the
Messengers. Then I asked you whether his followers were
increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increas-
ing. In fact, this is the result of true faith till it is complete
[in all respects]. I asked you whether there was anybody
who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and
discarded his religion; your reply was in the negative. In
fact, this is the sign of true faith, for when its pleasure en-
ters and mixes in the hearts completely; nobody will be dis-
pleased with it. I asked you whether he had ever broken his
promise. You replied in the negative. And such are the Mes-
sengers; they never break their promises. When I asked you
whether you fought with him and he fought with you, you
replied that he did and that sometimes he was victorious

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

and sometimes you. Indeed, such are the Messengers; they
are put to trials and the final victory is always theirs. Then I
asked you what he ordered you. You replied that he ordered
you to worship God alone and not to worship others along
with Him, to leave all that your fore-fathers used to wor-
ship, to offer prayers, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to
keep promises, and to return what is entrusted to you. These
are really the qualities of a prophet who, I knew [from the
previous Scriptures] would appear, but I did not know that
he would be from amongst you. If what you say is true, he
will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew
that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately
to meet him; and were I with him, then I would certainly
wash his feet.’ ”

Abu Sufyan added,

“Heraclius then asked for the letter of the Messenger of God
and it was read. Its contents were the following:

I begin with the name of God, the most Beneficent, the
most Merciful [This letter is] from Muhammad, the slave
of God, and His Messenger, to Heraclius, the Ruler of the
Byzantine. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. I in-
vite you to Islam [i.e. surrender to God]). Accept Islam
and you will be safe; accept Islam and God will bestow
on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation
of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the
peasants [i.e. your nation].

O people of the Scriptures! Come to a word common be-
tween you and us, that we worship God, and that we asso-
ciate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us
shall take others as Gods besides God. Then if they turn

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

away, say: Bear witness that we are they who have surren-
dered [unto Him]. (3:64)

Abu Sufyan added,

“When Heraclius had finished his speech, there was a great
hue and cry caused by the Byzantine dignitaries surround-
ing him, and there was so much noise that I did not under-
stand what they said. So, we were ordered out of the court.”

“When I went out with my companions and we were alone,
I said to them, ‘Verily, Ibn Abi Kabsha’s (i.e. the Prophet’s)
affair has gained power. This is the King of the Romans
fearing him.’ ”

Abu Sufyan added:

“By God, I became surer and surer that his religion would
be victorious till I ended up accepting Islam.” (Bukhari #2782)





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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Place of Birth and Childhood

The Prophet () was born in the year 571 C.E. into the tribe of
Quraish [held noble by all Arabs], in Makkah [the religious cap-
ital of the Arabian Peninsula].

The Arabs would perform pilgrimage to Makkah and circum-
ambulate the Ka’bah which was built by Prophet Abraham and
his son, Prophet Ishmael, may God praise them both.

The Prophet () was an orphan. His father passed away before
he was born, and his mother died when he was six years old.
He was taken under the care of his grandfather, Abdul-
Muttalib, and when he died, his uncle, Abu Talib, took charge
of him. His tribe, as well as others, worshipped idols made
from stone, wood and even gold. Some of these idols were
placed around the Ka’bah. People believed that these idols
could ward off harm or extend benefit.

The Prophet () was a trustworthy and honest person. He nev-
er behaved treacherously, nor did he lie or cheat; he was known
amongst his people as ‘Al-Ameen’, or ‘The Trustworthy’. People
would entrust him with their valuables when they wanted to
travel. He was also known as ‘As-Sadiq’ or ‘The Truthful’ for he
never told a lie. He was well-mannered, well-spoken, and he
loved to help people. His people loved and revered him and he
had beautiful manners. God, the Exalted, says:

Indeed you are of a great moral character. [68:4]

The famous Scottish historian and writer, Thomas Carlyle (d.
1885) wrote in his book: ‘Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic
in History’:

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

But, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful
man. His companions named him "Al Amin, The Faithful." A
man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he
spoke and thought. They noted that he always meant some-
thing. A man rather taciturn in speech; silent when there was
nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did
speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the only
sort of speech worth speaking! Through life we find him to
have been regarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine
man. A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, cordial, com-
panionable, jocose even - a good laugh in him withal: there
are men whose laugh is as untrue as anything about them;
who cannot laugh. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-
meaning man! Full of wild faculty, fire and light; of wild
worth, all uncultured; working out his life - takes in the depth
of the Desert there.

The Prophet () liked to seclude himself in the Cave of Hira
before he was commissioned as a prophet. He would stay there
many nights at a time.

He () never partook in any falsehood; he never drank intoxi-
cants, nor did he ever bow to a statue or idol, take an oath by
them or offer to them an offering. He was a shepherd over a
flock of sheep which belonged to his people. The Prophet ()
said:

‘Every prophet commissioned by God was a shepherd
over a flock of sheep.’ His companions asked him: ‘Even
you, O Messenger of God?’ He said: ‘Yes, I would take
care of a flock of sheep for the people of Makkah.’ (Bukhari

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

At the age of forty, the Prophet () received divine revelation
when at the cave of Hira. The Mother of the believers, A’ishah 10
said:

The first thing that God’s Messenger () received while in the
Cave of Hira in Makkah were good visions [dreams]. Every
time he had a dream, it would come true and clear like the
split of the dawn. Later on, God’s Messenger () began to
love being alone in meditation. He spent lengthy periods for
days and nights to fulfill this purpose in the cave before re-
turning back to his family. He would take a supply of food for
his trip. When he came back to his wife Khadeejah 11 he would
get a fresh supply of food and go back to the same cave to
continue his meditation.

The Truth came to him while he was in the Cave of Hira. The
Angel Gabriel came to Muhammad () and commanded him to
read. Muhammad () replied, ”I cannot read!“ Gabriel em-
braced Muhammad () until he could not breathe, and then let
him go saying, ”O Muhammad! Read!“ Again, Muhammad
() replied, ”I cannot read!“ Gabriel embraced Muhammad
() for the second time. He then ordered him to read for the
third time, when he did not he embraced him tightly until he
could not breathe, and then released him saying, ”O Muham-
mad!

Recite with the Name of Your Lord Who has created (all
that exists). He has created man out of a (mere) clot of con-
gealed blood: Read! And your Lord is the Most Gener-
ous.(96:1-3)

A wife of the Prophet ().

10

Khadeejah was the first wife of the Prophet.

11

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

The Messenger of God () returned home trembling. He en-
tered his home and told Khadeejah: “Cover me up, cover me
up!“ Khadeejah covered Muhammad () until he felt better. He
then informed her about what happened to him in the Cave of
Hira. He said, ”I was concerned about myself and my well-
being.“ Khadeejah assured Muhammad () saying:

By God! You don’t have to worry! God, the Exalted, will
never humiliate you! You are good to your kith and kin.
You help the poor and needy. You are generous and hospi-
table to your guests. You help people who are in need.

Khadeejah took her husband Muhammad () to a cousin of
hers named Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin Abdul Uzza.
This man became a Christian during the pre-Islamic times,
known as the Era of Ignorance. He was a scribe, who wrote the
Scripture in Hebrew. He was an old man who became blind at
the latter part of his life. Khadeejah said to her cousin,

"O cousin, listen to what your nephew [i.e. Muhammad ]
is about to tell you!“ Waraqah said: "What is it you have
seen, dear nephew?“

The Messenger of God () informed him of what he had seen
in the Cave of Hira. Upon hearing his report, Waraqah said,

”By God! This is the Angel Gabriel who came to Prophet
Moses, may God praise him. I wish I would be alive when
your people will drive you out of Makkah!“ The Messen-
ger of God () wondered: ”Are they going to drive me out
of Makkah?!” Waraqah affirmed positively saying, ”Never
has a man conveyed a Message similar to what you have
been charged with, except that his people waged war
against him - if I am to witness this, I will support you.”

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Waraqah lived only a short period after this incident and
passed away. Revelation also stopped for a while.’ (Bukhari #3)

The chapter of the Qur’an quoted in the hadeeth 12 above marks
the beginning when he was commissioned as a Prophet. God,
the Exalted, then revealed to him:

O you (Muhammad ) enveloped (in garments); Arise
and warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your gar-
ments purify! (74:1-4)

This chapter of the Qur’an marks the beginning when he was
commissioned as a Messenger.

With the revelation of this chapter of the Qur’an, the Prophet
() began calling his nation to Islam openly. He began with his
own people. Some of them refused adamantly to listen to him,
for to them, he was calling to a matter which they had never
witnessed before.

The religion of Islam is a complete way of life, which deals with
religious, political, economical and social affairs. Furthermore,
the religion of Islam did not only call them to worship God
alone and to forsake all idols and things they worshipped; ra-
ther, it prohibited them from things they considered pleasura-
ble, such as consuming interest and intoxicants, fornication, and
gambling. It also called people to be just and fair with one an-
other, and to know that there was no difference between them
except through piety. How could the Quraish [the most noble
tribe amongst the Arabs] stand to be treated equally with the
slaves! They did not only adamantly refuse to accept Islam; ra-

The narration of a statement, deed, tacit approval, or characteristic
of the Prophet.

12

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

ther, they harmed him and blamed him, saying that he was cra-
zy, a sorcerer and a liar. They blamed him with things they
would dare not have before the advent of Islam. They incited
the ignorant masses against him, harmed him and tortured his
companions. Abdullah b. Masood, a close companion of the
Prophet said:

While the Prophet () was standing up and praying near
the Ka’bah, a group of Quraish were sitting in their sitting
place, one of them said: “Do you see this man? Would
someone bring the dirt and filth and bloody intestines
from the camels of so and so, and wait till he prostrates,
and then place it between his shoulders?” The most
wretched amongst them volunteered to do it, and when
the Prophet () prostrated, he put the filth between his
shoulders, so the Prophet () stayed in prostration. They
laughed so hard that they were about to fall on each other.
Someone went to Fatimah who was a young girl, and in-
formed her of what had happened. She hurriedly came
towards the Prophet () and removed the filth from his
back, and then she turned around and she cursed the
Quraishites who were sitting in that sitting. (Bukhari #498)

Muneeb al-Azdi, a companion of the Prophet () said:

I saw the Messenger of God in the Era of Ignorance say-
ing to people: “Say there is no god worthy of being wor-
shipped except Allah if you would be successful.” There
were those who spat in his face, those who threw soil in
his face, and those who swore at him until midday. When
[once] a certain young girl came with a big container of
water, he washed his face and hands and say: “O daughter,

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

do not fear that your father will be humiliated or struck by
poverty.” (Mu’jam al-Kabeer # 805)

Abdullah b. Amr al-Aas, a companion of the Prophet () was
asked about some of the evil the pagans did to the Prophet (),
to which he replied:

[Once a pagan] approached the Prophet () while he was
praying near the Ka’bah and twisted his garment around
his neck. Abu Bakr 13 hurriedly approached and grabbed
his shoulder and pushed him away saying: ”Do you kill a
man because he proclaims Allah as his Lord, and clear
signs have come to you from your Lord?” (Bukhari 3643)

These incidents did not stop the Prophet () from calling to Is-
lam. He preached this message to the many tribes that came to
Makkah for Hajj 14. A few believed from the people of Yathrib (a
small city north of Makkah), known today as Madeenah, and
they pledged to support him and help him if he chose to mi-
grate there. He sent with them Mus’ab b. Umair to teach them
the tenets of Islam. After all the hardships that the Muslims of
Makkah faced from their own people, God granted them the
permission to migrate to Madeenah. The people of Madeenah
greeted them and received them in a most extraordinary man-
ner. Madeenah became the capital of the new Islamic state, and
the place from which the call to Islam was spread far and wide.

The Prophet () settled there and taught people how to recite
the Qur’an and the rulings of the religion. The inhabitants of
Madeenah were greatly moved and touched by the Prophet’s

The closest companion to the Prophet () and the first Caliph of Is-
lam after his death.

13

Pilgrimage to Makkah.

14

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21

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

manners. They loved him more than they loved their own
selves; they would rush to serve him, and they would spend all
they had in the path of Islam. The society was strong and its
people were rich in Faith, and they were extremely happy. Peo-
ple loved each other, and true brotherhood was apparent
amongst its people. All people were equal; the rich, noble and
poor, black and white, Arab and non-Arab - they were all con-
sidered as equals in the religion of God, no distinction was
made among them except through piety. After the Quraish
learnt that the Prophet’s call had spread, they fought him in the
first battle in Islam, the Battle of Badr. This battle took place be-
tween two groups unequal in preparations and weapons. The
Muslims numbered 314; whereas, the pagans were 1000 strong.
God gave victory to the Prophet () and the Companions. After
this battle, a number of battles took place between the Muslims
and the pagans. After eight years, the Prophet () was able to
prepare an army 10,000 strong. They proceeded towards
Makkah and conquered it, and with this Muhamamad ()
overcame the people who had harmed and tortured him and
his Companions with every conceivable cruelty. In their fleeing
for their lives, they had even been forced to leave their property
and wealth behind. The year of this decisive victory is called
‘The Year of the Conquest.’ Allah, the Exalted, says:

When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest,
and you see the people entering into the religion of Allah
in multitudes, then glorify the Praises of your Lord and
ask His forgiveness. Indeed, He is the One Who accepts
the repentance and Who forgives. [110:1-3]

Upon the conquest, the Prophet () gathered the people of
Makkah and said to them:

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

”What do you think I will do to you?“ They answered:
“You will only do something favorable; you are a kind
and generous brother, and a kind and generous nephew!”
The Prophet () said: “Go - you are free.“ (Baihaqi #18055)

This incredible act of forgiveness caused many to accept Islam.
The Prophet () then returned to Madeenah. After a period of
time, the Prophet () intended to perform Hajj, so he headed
towards Makkah with 114,000 Companions and performed
Hajj. This Hajj is known as ‘Hajjatul-Wadaa’ or the ‘Farewell Pil-
grimage’ since the Prophet () never performed another Hajj,
and died shortly after he performed it.

On the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah at Mount Arafat, the Prophet (), de-
livered his farewell sermon. After praising Allah, he said:

P

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.

O People! Just as you regard this month, this day, this city
as sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim.
Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember, you
will indeed meet your Lord and He will indeed reckon your
deeds. Allah has forbidden you to take usury; therefore all
interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital,
however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer
inequity. 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 great things, so beware of following him in small things.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

O People! It is true that you have certain rights with regards
to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remem-
ber that you have taken them as your wives only under Al-
lah’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 take as intimate friends those
whom you do not approve of as well as to never be un-
chaste.

O People! Listen to me in earnest; worship Allah, perform
your five daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadhan, give
alms and perform the pilgrimage (i.e. Hajj) if you can afford
to. All mankind is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There
is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-
Arab over an Arab; or for a white over a black, nor for a
black over a white; except through piety. Know that every
Muslim is a brother to every other Muslim and that the
Muslims are one community. Nothing shall be legitimate to
a Muslim that belongs to another unless it was given freely
and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and an-
swer for your deeds. 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 faith will be
born. Reason well, therefore, O people! And understand the
words that I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, if
you follow them you will never go astray: the Book of Allah
(i.e. the Qur’an) and my Sunnah. 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

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24

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah,
that I have conveyed Your Message to Your People.’

The Prophet () died in Madeenah on the 12th day of Rabi al-
Awal in the 11th year of Hijrah and was buried there as well.
The Muslims were shocked when they learnt of his death; some
Companions did not believe it. Umar said: ‘Whoever says that
Muhammad is dead, I will behead him!’ Abu Bakr then ad-
dressed the Muslims and read the words of God:

Muhammad is not but a Messenger. Other messengers
have passed away before him. So if he was to die or be
killed, would you turn back on your heels to unbelief?
And He who turns back on his heels will never harm God
at all; but God will reward the grateful. [3:144]

When Umar heard this verse, he stopped saying what he was
saying, since he was very keen on applying the rules of God.
The Prophet () was 63 years of age when he died.

The Prophet () stayed in Makkah for forty years before being
commissioned as a Prophet. After being commissioned as a
Prophet; he lived there for another thirteen years, in which he
called people to the pure monotheistic belief of Islam. He then
migrated to Madeenah, and stayed there for ten years. He con-
tinued to receive revelation there, until the Qur’an and the reli-
gion of Islam were complete.

The famous playwright and critic, George Bernard Shaw (d.
1950) said:

I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estima-
tion because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion
which appears to possess that assimilating capability to the
changing phases of existence which make itself appeal to eve-

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25

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

ry age - I have prophesized about the faith of Muhammad
that it would be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be
acceptable to the Europe of today. Medieval ecclesiastics, ei-
ther through ignorance or bigotry, painted Muhammadanism
in the darkest colours. They were, in fact, trained to hate both
the man Muhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammad
was an anti-Christ. I have studied him, the wonderful man,
and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be
called the Saviour of humanity. 15

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

The Description of the Prophet ()

The Prophet was of a slightly above-average height. Amazing-
ly, in gatherings, he would appear taller than those actually
taller than him - until the people dispersed. In complexion, he
was white with a rosy tinge; pale, but not excessively so. His
hair was jet black and wavy, but stopped short of curling, and
was kept between his earlobes and shoulders. Sometimes he
would part his hair at the middle. Other times, he would wear
it braided. The Prophet () had the physique of a powerful
man. He had a broad upper-back and shoulders between which
was the Seal of Prophethood. He had long muscular limbs,
large joints and a wide girth. His lean stomach never protruded
out past the profile of his chest. His face was radiant, “as if the
sun were following its course across and shining from his
face,” said one Companion. His neck was silvery white; his
forehead, prominent; his pupils, large and black; his eyelashes,
long and thick; his nose, high-tipped with narrow nostrils. At
the time of his death, the Prophet had exactly 17 white hairs
shared between his temples and the front of his thick, beard. He
had hair on his forearms and shins and a line of fine hair also
ran from his chest to his navel.

The Prophet () would walk briskly with a forward-leaning
gait, moving with strength of purpose and lifting each foot
clearly off the ground. His pace was such that fit men would
tire trying to keep up. When he turned, he would turn his
whole body, giving full attention to the one addressing him and
showing complete concern to what was being said. When he
pointed, he would use an open hand so as not to offend. Like-
wise, when he criticized a person's behavior, rather than name

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27

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

the individual, he would simply say: “Why do people do so
and so?” He would laugh only to the extent that the gap be-
tween his front teeth would become visible. He would become
angry only to the extent that his face would turn red and the
vein between his fine, bow-shaped eyebrows would bulge. He
once said:

“I am the master of the descendants of Adam and I do not
say so out of pride.” (Tirmidthi)

That freedom from pride was obvious even to children, who
would playfully lead the Prophet () through the streets of Me-
dina whilst grasping his finger. Indeed he had said:

“He who does not show mercy to our young, nor honor
our old, is not from us.” (Abu Dawood)

(Allah has sent you) a Messenger who recites to you the
clear Signs of Allah that He may take out those who be-
lieve and work righteousness from the darkness to the
light (of Islamic Monotheism).  [65:11]

Ali, cousin and son-in-law to the Prophet, said of Muham-
mad:

'He was the Last of the Prophets, the most giving of hearts,
the most truthful, the best of them in temperament and
the most sociable. Whoever unexpectedly saw him would
stand in awe of him, and whoever accompanied him and
got to know him would love him. Those describing him
would say: "I have never seen anyone before or after him
who was comparable to him.”

The Prophet's beloved wife, A'ishah, said of her selfless hus-
band:

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28

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

“He always joined in household chores and would at
times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the
floor. He would milk, tether and feed his animals.”

She also described his character as: “The Qur'an (exempli-
fied).’

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent
example to follow for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last
Day and remembers Allah much. [33:21]

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29

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Some of the Prophet’s Manners & Characteristics:

1. Sound Intellect: The Messenger () had an excellent, com-
plete and sound intellect. No man has ever had an intellect as
complete and perfect as his. Qadhi Iyaadh 16, may God have
mercy on him, said:

This becomes clear to an individual when the researcher reads
the Prophet’s biography and understands his state of affairs,
and his meaningful and inclusive utterances and traditions,
his good manners, ethics and moral character, his knowledge
of the Torah and Gospel and other Divine Scriptures, and his
knowledge of statements of the wise, and knowledge of by-
gone nations, and ability to strike examples and implement
policies and correct emotional manners. He was an example
and paradigm to which his people could relate to in all
branches of knowledge; acts of worship, medicine, laws of in-
heritance, lineage, and other matters as well. He knew and
learned all of this without reading or examining the Scrip-
tures of those before us, nor did he sit with their scholars. The
Prophet had no formal schooling, and was without
knowledge of the above before being commissioned as a
Prophet, nor could he read or write. The Prophet () was wise
to the fullest extent of his mental capacity. God, the Exalted,
informed him of some of what had taken place (in the past)
and of that which would take place in the future. This is a

A great scholar of Islam who wrote many works, including on the
Biography of the Prophet ().

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30

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

sign that the Dominion belongs to God, and that He is capable
over all things. 17

2. Doing Things for the Sake of God: The Prophet () would
always do deeds through which he would seek the pleasure of
God. He was harmed and abused when he invited and called
people to Islam; yet he was patient and endured all of this, and
hoped for the reward of God. Abdullah b. Masood said:

‘The Prophet () resembled a prophet who was harmed
by his people. He wiped the blood from his face and said:
‘O God! Forgive my people, for they know not!’ (Bukhari

#3290)

Jundub b. Sufyaan said that the Messenger’s finger bled during
one of the battles, and he said:

‘You are but a finger which has bled; which suffers in the
path of God.’ (Bukhari #2648)

3. Sincerity: The Prophet () was sincere and honest in all his
matters, as God had ordered him. Allah, the Exalted, says:

Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living
and my dying are for God, Lord of the worlds. No partner
has He. And this I have been commanded and I am the
first (among you) of the Muslims. [6:162-163]

4. Good Morals, Ethics and Companionship: The Prophet ()
was a living example for all humans to follow. His wife A’ishah
was asked about his manners, and she said,

P16F

P

Qadhi Eiyadh, ‘Al-Shifa bita’reefi Hoquooqil-Mostafa’

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31

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘His manners were the Qur’an.’

In this statement, A’ishah meant that the Prophet () abided by
its laws and commands and abstained from its prohibitions,
and observed the virtuous deeds mentioned in it. The Prophet
() said:

‘God has sent me to perfect good manners and to do good
deeds.’ (Bukhari & Ahmed)

Allah, the Exalted, described the Prophet () saying:

And indeed, you are of a great moral character [68:4]

Anas b. Malik served the Prophet () for ten years; He was
with him day in and day out, both when the Prophet () trav-
eled and when he was a resident in Madeenah. He was knowl-
edgeable of the Prophet’s manners. He said:

‘The Prophet () did not swear at anyone, nor was he
rude, nor did he curse anyone. If he desired to reprimand
someone, he would say: ‘What is wrong with him, may
dust be cast in his face!’ (Bukhari #5684)

5. Politeness and Good Manners: The Prophet () showed
good manners and was courteous to all, even to children. Once
when the Prophet was in a gathering, a drink was brought to
the Prophet () and he drank from it. On his right side there
was a young boy and on his left side were elderly men. Feeling
obliged by the respect of elders, and not wanting to hurt the
feelings of the child, he asked the young boy:

‘Do you mind if I give the drink to them?’ The young boy
said: ‘O Prophet of God! By God! I would not prefer any-
one to drink from the place you drank. This is my fair

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32

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

share 18.’ The Messenger of God () handed the boy the
drink.” (Bukhari #2319)

P17F

P

6. Love for Reformation and Reconciliation: Whenever a situa-
tion occurred which called for reconciliation, the Prophet ()
would hurry to resolve it. Once when he heard that the people
of Qubaa’ 19 disputed with each other about a matter, the Proph-
et () said:

P18F

‘Let us go to resolve the situation and make peace between
them.’ (Bukhari #2547)

7. Ordering with the good and forbidding evil: If the Prophet
() saw an act which opposed a tenet of the religion, he would
reprimand it in a suitable manner. Abdullah b. Abbas said:

The Messenger of God  saw a man wearing a gold ring 20, so
he reached for it, [and] removed it…. He then said:

‘Would one of you seek a burning charcoal and place it on
his hand?!’

The man was later told, after the Prophet  left: ‘Take your
ring! Make good use of it [by selling it].’ The man said: ‘No, by
God! I will never take it after the Messenger of God  cast it
away.’ (Muslim #2090)

Abu Saeed al-Khudri said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
‘Whoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his

According to Islamic etiquette. One should always begin from the
right.

A town previously on the outskirts of Madeenah.

It is prohibited for men to wear gold in Islam.

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33

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and
if he is not able to do so, then with his heart…’ (Muslim)

8. Love of Purification: A companion passed by the Prophet
() while he was not in a state of purification. He greeted him
with God’s name, but the Prophet () did not return the greet-
ing until he performed ablution and apologized saying:

‘I disliked that I should mention God’s name while I am
not in a state of purity.’ (Ibn Khuzaimah #206)

9. Safeguarding and Minding One’s Language: The Messenger
of God () would busy himself with the remembrance of God;
he would not talk in vain. He would lengthen his prayers and
shorten the speech, and he would not hesitate to help and take
care of the needs of a needy, poor or widow. (Ibn Hib’ban #6423)

10. Excelling in Acts of Worship: A’ishah said that the Prophet
of God () used to pray during the night until his feet would
swell. She said, ‘Why do you do this, O Messenger of God,
while God has forgiven your past and future sins?’ The Prophet
() replied:

‘Shall I not be a grateful slave (of God)?’ (Bukhari #4557)

11. Forbearance: Once some companions came to the Prophet
() complaining about a tribe, namely the Daws, who refused
to accept Islam, asking him to curse them. The Prophet ()
raised his hands in prayer and instead said:

‘O Allah guide the tribe of Daws and bring them to Islam!’

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34

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

12. Good Appearance: The companions knew the Prophet ()
to be the most beautiful of people. One companion said:

‘The Prophet () was a person of average height. His
shoulders were wide. His hair reached his earlobes. Once I
saw him adorned in a red garment; I never saw anything
more beautiful than him.’ (Bukhari #2358)

13. Asceticism in Worldly Affairs: There are many examples in
the Prophet’s life which prove that he had no concern for the
pleasures of this life. Abdullah b. Masood said:

‘The Messenger of God () went to sleep on a mat. He
stood up and he had marks on his side due to the mat that
he had slept on. We said: ‘O Messenger of God, shall we
not make [a proper] bedding for you?’ He said: ‘What do I
have to do with this world? I am only like a wayfarer upon
a mount that stopped to take shade and rest under a tree,
and then leaves it behind and continues on the journey.’

Amr’ b. al-Haarith said the Messenger of God () did not
leave any gold or silver currency, or a slave, male or female,
after his death. He only left behind his white mule, his weap-
ons and a piece of land which he declared as Charity.’

(Bukhari #2588)

14. Altruism: Sahl b. Sa’d said: The Prophet () had more care
for those around him than for his own self.

‘A woman gave the Messenger of God () a Burdah
(gown). The Prophet () asked his Companions: ‘Do you
know what a Burdah is?’ They replied, ‘Yes, O Prophet of

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35

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

God! It is a piece of woven cloth [similar to a shawl]. The
woman said: ‘O Prophet of God! I have woven this shawl
with my own hands, for you to wear.’ The Messenger of
God () took it while he direly needed it. After a while,
the Messenger of God () came out of his home wearing
it, and a Companion said to the Messenger of God (): ‘O
Prophet of God! Grant me this shawl to wear!’ The Mes-
senger of God () said: ‘Yes.’ He then sat for awhile, and
headed back home, folded it and gave it to the person who
asked for it. The Companions scolded him saying: ‘It was
not appropriate for you to ask for his shawl; especially
since you know he does not turn anyone down or send
them away empty-handed! The man said: ‘By God! I only
asked him to give it to me because I want to be shrouded
in this shawl when I die.’ Sahl, the narrator of the Hadeeth
said: ‘The shawl was used as a shroud for that man when
he died.’ (Bukhari #1987)

15. Strong Faith and Dependence on God: Although the
Prophet () and his companions faced severe trials from the
disbelievers, he always reminded them that the end was for the
believers, and that the Will of God will come to pass. When
Abu Bakr and the Prophet hid in a cave after they had left their
homes in order to migrate to Madeenah, the disbelievers of
Makkah had sent scouts in search of them. They came so close
to the cave that Abu Bakr could see their feet. Abu Bakr said:

‘I looked at the feet of the pagans while we were in the
cave [of Thawr]. I said, ‘O Prophet of God! If anyone of
them looks down at his feet he would see us!’ The Mes-
senger of God () said: ‘O Abu Bakr! What do you think

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36

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

of two with whom God, the Exalted, is their Third?’ (Mus-

lim #1854)

16. Kindness and Compassion: The Prophet was the kindest of
people, and this was also apparent in his treatment of infants.

‘The Messenger of God () performed Salah (prayer)
while he was carrying an infant girl named Umaamah,
daughter of Abul-Aas. When he bowed, he put her on the
ground, and when he stood up, he would carry her again.’

(Bukhari #5650)

17. Simplification and Ease: The Prophet () always sought to
make things easy for people. The Messenger of God () said:

‘I start the prayer with the intention of lengthening it, but
when I hear a child crying, I shorten the prayer, as I know
its mother would suffer from his screams!’ (Bukhari #677)

18. Fearing God, being Mindful to not trespass His Limits:
The Messenger of God () said:

‘Sometimes, when I return to my family, I would find a
date-fruit on the bed. I would pick it up to eat it; but I
would fear that it was from the charity 21, and thus, throw it
back [on the ground].’ (Bukhari #2300)

19. Spending Generously: Anas bin Malik said:

‘The Messenger of God () was never asked for some-
thing when a person accepted Islam, except that he grant-

It was forbidden by God for the Prophet () or his family to accept
any form of charity.

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37

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

ed that person what he asked. A man came to the Prophet
() and he gave him a herd of sheep that was grazing be-
tween two mountains. The man returned to his people and
said: ‘O my people accept Islam! Muhammad () gives out
generously like one who does not fear poverty.’ (Muslim

#2312)

Ibn Abbas said:

‘The Prophet () was the most generous of people. He was
most generous during Ramadhan when he met Gabriel
(); he would meet him every night during Ramadhan to
practice and review the Qur’an with him. The Messenger
of God () was so generous, that he was faster than the
swiftest wind in this regard. (Bukhari #6)

Abu Dharr said:

‘I was walking with the Prophet () in the Har’rah (vol-
canic region) of Madeenah and we faced the mount of
Uhud; the Prophet () said: ‘O Abu Dharr!’ I said: ‘Here I
am O Messenger of God!’ He said: ‘It would not please me
to have an amount of gold equal to the weight of Mount
Uhud, until I spend and give it out (in the sake of God)
within a night or within three nights. I would keep a sin-
gle silver piece of it to help those who are in debt. (Bukhari

#2312)

Jabir b. Abdullah said:

‘The Prophet  did not refuse to give anything which he
had to someone if he asked for it.’ (Bukhari #5687)

20. Cooperation: The Prophet () was not a king who com-
manded his followers to carry out his orders. Rather he always

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38

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

carried out his own affairs and helped others in collective du-
ties. A’ishah was once asked about how the Prophet () be-
haved with his family. She said:

‘He helped and assisted his family members with their
chores; but when the call to prayer was heard, he would
[stop everything and] leave to attend the prayers.’

Al-Baraa bin ‘Azib said:

“I saw the Messenger of God () on the Day of the Trench
carrying dirt [that was dug from the trench] until his chest
was covered with dirt.” (Bukhari #2780)

21. Truthfulness: A’ishah said:

‘The trait and characteristic which the Prophet () hated
most was lying. A man would tell a lie in the presence of
the Prophet () and he would hold it against him, until he
knew that he repented.’ (Tirmidthi #1973)

Even his enemies attested to his truthfulness. Abu Jahl, who
was one of the harshest enemies of Islam, said: ‘O Muhammad!
I do not say that you are a liar! I only deny what you brought
and what you call people to.’ God, the Exalted, says:

We know indeed that what they say certainly grieves
you, but surely they do not call you a liar; but the unjust
deny the verses of God. [6:33]

22. Aggrandizing the limits set by Allah, and Always Seeking
the Moderate Path: A’ishah said:

‘The Prophet () was not given a choice between two mat-
ters, except that he chose the easier of the two, as long as it

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39

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

was not a sinful act. If that act was a sinful act, he would
be the farthest from it. By God! He never avenged himself.
He only became angry when people transgressed the lim-
its and boundaries of God; in that case he avenged [for the
sake of God].’ (Bukhari #6404)

23. Pleasant Facial Expression: Abdullah bin al-Harith said:

‘I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the Mes-
senger of God ().’ (Tirmidthi #2641)

24. Honesty, Trustworthiness and Reliability: The Prophet ()
was well-known for his honesty. The pagans of Makkah -who
were openly hostile towards him- would leave their valuables
with him. His honesty and reliability was tested when the pa-
gans of Makkah abused him and tortured his companions and
drove them out of their homes. He ordered his cousin, Ali b.
Abi Talib to postpone his migration for three days to return to
people their valuables. 22

Another example of his honesty, trustworthiness and reliability
is demonstrated in the Truce of Hudaibiyah, wherein he agreed
to the article in the treaty which stated that any man who left
the Prophet () would not be returned to him, and any man
who left Makkah would be returned to them. Before the treaty
was concluded a man named Abu Jandal b. Amr had managed
to escape from the pagans of Makkah and rushed to join Mu-
hammad (). The pagans asked Muhammad to honor his
pledge and return the escapee. The Messenger of God () said:

Ibn Hisham’s Biography, Vol. 1, p.493 [Arabic Edition].

22

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘O Abu Jandal! Be patient and ask God to grant you pa-
tience. God will surely help you and those who are perse-
cuted and make it easy for you. We have signed an agree-
ment with them, and we certainly do not betray or act
treacherously.’ (Baihaquee #18611)

25. Bravery and courage: Ali said:

‘You should have seen him on the Day of Badr! We sought
refuge with the Messenger of God (). He was the closest
among us to the enemy. On that Day, the Messenger of
God () was the strongest one among us.’ (Ahmed #654)

As for his courage and bravery under normal circumstances -
Anas b. Malik said:

‘The Messenger of God () was the best of people and the
most courageous. One night, the people of Madeenah
were frightened and headed towards the sounds they
heard during the night. The Messenger of God () met
them while coming back from the place of the sound, after
he made sure that there was no trouble. He was riding a
horse that belonged to Abu Talhah without any saddle,
and he had his sword with him. He was assuring the peo-
ple, saying: ‘Do not be frightened! Do not be frightened!’

(Bukhari #2751)

He met up with people riding a horse with no saddle, and he
carried his sword, for there might be a reason or need to use it.
He did not wait for others to investigate the source of trouble as
is usually done in these situations.

26. Bashfulness and Modesty: Abu Ayoub al-Ansari said that
the Messenger of Allah () said: ‘Four (traits) are from the prac-

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

tice of the Messengers; modesty, using perfume and siwak
(tooth stick) and marriage.’ (Tirmidthi)

A’ishah said: ‘A woman asked the Prophet () about the bath
which is taken at the end of the menstrual period. The Prophet
() said: “Purify yourself with a piece of cloth scented with
musk.” The Prophet () felt shy and turned his face. A’ishah
said: “I pulled her to myself and told her what the Prophet ()
meant.”’ (Bukhari #313)

27. Humbleness: The Messenger of God () was the most
humble person. He was so humble that if a stranger were to en-
ter the mosque and approach the Prophet’s sitting place while
he was sitting with his Companions, one would not be able to
distinguish him from his Companions. Anas bin Malik said:

‘Once, while we were sitting with the Messenger of God
() in the Masjid, a man on his camel approached. After
he tied it with a rope, he asked: ‘Who amongst you is Mu-
hammad?’ The Messenger of God () was sitting on the
ground while he was leaning, with his Companions. We
directed the Bedouin, saying: ‘This white man leaning on
the ground.’ The Prophet () did not differ nor distin-
guish himself from his Companions.

The Prophet () would not hesitate to help the poor, needy and
widows in their needs. Anas b. Malik said:

‘A woman from the people of Madeenah who was partial-
ly insane said to the Prophet (): ‘I have to ask you [your
help] about something.’ He helped her and took care of
her needs.’ (Bukhari #670)

28. Mercy and Compassion: Abu Masood al-Ansari said:

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘A man came to the Prophet () and said: "O Messenger of
God! By God! I do not pray Fajr prayer because so and so
lengthens the prayer." He said: ‘I have never seen the Messen-
ger of God () deliver a speech in such an angry state. He said:

‘O People! Verily there are among you those who chase
people away! If you lead people in prayer, shorten the
prayer. There are old and weak people and those with
special needs behind you in prayer.’ (Bukhari #670)

Once when the Prophet () went to visit his grandchild he shed
some tears.

The Messenger of God () sat with the child while he was
on his deathbed. The child’s eyes froze in their places like
stones. Upon seeing that, the Messenger of God () wept.
Sa’d said to him, ‘What is this ‘O Prophet of God?’ He
said: ‘This is a mercy that God, the Exalted, places in the
hearts of His slaves. Truly, God is merciful to those who
are merciful towards others.’ (Bukhari #6942)

29. Patience and Forbearance: Anas bin Malik said:

‘Once, I was walking with the Messenger of God ()
while he was wearing a Yemeni cloak with a collar with
rough edges. A Bedouin grabbed him strongly. I looked at
the side of his neck and saw that the edge of the cloak left
a mark on his neck. The Bedouin said, ‘O Muhammad!
Give me [some] of the wealth of God that you have.’ The
Messenger of God () turned to the Bedouin, laughed and
ordered that he be given [some money].’ (Bukhari #2980)

Another example of his patience is the story of the Jewish Rab-
bi, Zaid bin Sa’nah. Zaid had given something as a loan to the
Messenger of God (). He himself said,

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘Two or three days prior to the return of the debt, the Mes-
senger of God () was attending the funeral of a man from
the Ansar. Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and some other
Companions were with the Prophet (). After he prayed the
funeral prayer he sat down close to a wall, and I came to-
wards him, grabbed him by the edges of his cloak, and
looked at him in a harsh way, and said: ‘O Muhammad!
Will you not pay me back my loan? I have not known the
family of Abdul-Mutalib to delay in repaying debts!”

I looked at Umar b. al-Khat’taab - his eyes were swollen
with anger! He looked at me and said: ‘O Enemy of God, do
you talk to the Messenger of God and behave towards him
in this manner?! By the One who sent him with the truth,
had it not been for the fear of not entering the Heavenly
Gardens, I would have beheaded you with my sword! The
Prophet () was looking at Umar in a calm and peaceful
manner, and he said: ‘O Umar, you should have given us
sincere counseling, rather than to do what you did! O Umar,
go and repay him his loan, and give him twenty Sa’a (meas-
urement of weight) extra because you scared him!’

Zaid said: ‘Umar went with me, and repaid me the debt, and
gave me over it twenty Sa’a of dates. I asked him: ‘What is
this?’ He said: ‘The Messenger of God () ordered me to
give it, because I frightened you.’ Zaid then asked Umar: ‘O
Umar, do you know who I am?’ Umar said: ‘No, I don’t -
who are you?’ Zaid said: ‘I am Zaid b. Sa’nah.’ Umar in-
quired: ‘The Rabbi?’ Zaid answered: ‘Yes, the Rabbi.’ Umar
then asked him: ‘What made you say what you said to the
Prophet () and do what you did to him?’ Zaid answered:
‘O Umar, I have seen all the signs of prophethood in the
face of the Messenger of God () except two – (the first) his

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

patience and perseverance precede his anger and the se-
cond, the more harsher you are towards him, the kinder and
more patient he becomes, and I am now satisfied. O Umar, I
hold you as a witness that I testify and am satisfied that
there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except God
alone, and my religion is Islam and Muhammad () is my
Prophet. I also hold you as a witness that half of my wealth -
and I am among the wealthiest people in Madeenah - I give
for the sake of God to the Muslims.’ Umar said: ‘you will
not be able to distribute your wealth to all the Muslims, so
say, ‘I will distribute it to some of the followers of Mu-
hammad ().’ Zaid said: ‘I said, then I will distribute (the
apportioned) wealth to some of the Muslims.’ Both Zaid and
Umar returned to the Messenger of God (). Zaid said to
him: ‘I bear witness that there is no true god worthy of be-
ing worshipped except God alone, and that Muhammad ()
is the slave of God and His Messenger.’ He believed in him,
and witnessed many battles and then died in the Battle of
Tabook while he was encountering the enemy - may God
have mercy on Zaid.’ (Ibn Hibban #288)

A great example of his forgiveness and perseverance is appar-
ent when he pardoned the people of Makkah after its conquest.
When the Messenger of God () gathered the people; who had
abused, harmed and tortured him and his companions, and had
driven them out of the city of Makkah, he said:

‘What do you think I will do to you?’ They answered: ‘You
will only do something favorable; you are a kind and gen-
erous brother, and a kind and generous nephew!’ The
Prophet () said: ‘Go - you are free to do as you wish.’

(Baihaqi #18055)

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

30. Patience: The Messenger of God () was the epitome of pa-
tience. He was patient with his people before calling them to
Islam; for they would worship idols and do sinful acts. He was
patient and tolerant with the abuse and harm the pagans of
Makkah inflicted on him and his Companions and sought the
reward of God. He was also patient and tolerant with the abuse
of the hypocrites in Madeenah.

His patience was severely tested when he lost his loved ones.
His wife, Khadeejah, died during his lifetime, as did all his
children, save his daughter, Fatimah. His uncle Hamzah and
Abu Talib passed away as well. The Prophet () was patient
and sought the reward of God. Anas b. Malik said:

‘We entered the house of Abu Saif - the blacksmith - with
the Prophet (). Abu Saif’s wife was the wet-nurse of his
son, Ibraheem. The Messenger of God () lifted his son
Ibraheem, and smelled and kissed him. After a while he
went and saw his son again - he was dying. The Prophet
() started to cry. Abdurrahmaan b. Auf said: ‘O Prophet
of God, you too cry!’ The Messenger () said: ‘O Ibn Auf,
this is a mercy’ - the Prophet () shed more tears and said:
‘The eyes shed tears, the heart is saddened, and we only
say what pleases our Lord, and we are saddened by your
death, O Ibraheem!’ (Bukhari #1241)

31. Justice and Fairness: The Messenger of God () was just
and fair in every aspect of his life and in the application of the
religion. A’ishah said:

‘The people of Quraish were extremely concerned about a
Makhzoomi woman (i.e. the woman from the tribe of
Makhzoom) who committed a theft. They conversed among

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

themselves and said, ‘Who can intercede on her behalf with
the Messenger of God ()?’

They finally said: ‘Who dares to speak to the Messenger of
God () in this matter except Usamah b. Zaid, the most be-
loved young man to the Messenger of God ().’ So Usamah
spoke to the Messenger of God () regarding the woman.
The Messenger of God () said:

‘O Usamah! Do you intercede (on their behalf to disre-
gard) one of God’s castigations and punishments!’

The Messenger of God () got up and delivered a speech,
saying:

‘People before you were destroyed because when the
noble among them stole, they would let him go; and if
the poor and weak stole they would punish him. By
God! If Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I
would cut her hand off.’ (Bukhari #3288)

The Messenger of God () was just and fair and allowed others
to avenge themselves if he harmed them. Usaid b. Hudhair
said:

‘A man from the Ansar, was cracking jokes with people
and making them laugh, and the Prophet () passed by
him and poked his side lightly with a branch of a tree that
he was carrying. The man exclaimed: ‘O Prophet of God!
Allow me to avenge myself!’ The Prophet () said: ‘Go
Ahead!’ The man said: ‘O Messenger of God, you are
wearing a garment, and I was not when you poked me [i.e.
you jabbed my exposed skin, so it is only fair I do the
same to you]!’ The Messenger of God () raised his upper
garment [to expose his side], and the Ansari [merely]

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

kissed it, saying: ‘I only meant to do this, O Messenger of
God!’ (Abu Dawood #5224)

32. Fearing God, and Being Mindful of Him: The Messenger of
God () was the most mindful person of God. Abdullah bin
Masoud said:

‘[Once] the Messenger of God () said to me: ‘Recite to
me from the Qur’an!’ Abdullah b. Masood said: ‘Shall I re-
cite it to you, while it was you to whom it was revealed?!’
The Prophet () said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘I started to recite Su-
rat an-Nisaa 23, until I reached the verse:

How then if We brought from each nation a witness,
and We brought you as a witness against these people!

(4:41)

Upon hearing this verse, the Messenger of God () said:
‘That is enough!’ Abdullah b. Masood said, ‘I turned
around and saw the Messenger of God () crying.’ ”

(Bukhari #4763)

A’ishah said:

‘If the Messenger of God () saw dark clouds in the sky; he
would pace forwards and backwards and would exit and enter
his house. As soon as it rained, the Prophet () would relax.
A’ishah asked him about it, and he said: ‘I do not know, it may
be as some people said:

Then, when they saw the (penalty in the shape of) a
cloud traversing the sky, coming to meet their valleys,
they said: ‘This cloud will give us rain! Nay, it is the (ca-

The fourth chapter of the Qur’an.

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48

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

lamity) you were asking to be hastened! A wind wherein
is a Grievous Penalty! 24 (46:24)

33. Richness and Contentment of the Heart: Umar b. al-
Khattab said:

‘I entered the Messenger’s house and I found him sitting
on a mat. He had a leather pillow stuffed with fibers. He
had a pot of water by his feet, and there was some clothes
hung on the wall. His side had marks due to the mat that
he lay on. Umar wept when he saw this, and the Messen-
ger () asked him: ‘Why do you weep?’ Umar said: ‘O
Prophet of God! Khosrau and Caesar enjoy the best of this
world, and you are suffering in poverty?!’ He said: ‘Aren’t
you pleased that they enjoy this world, and we will enjoy
the Hereafter?’ (Bukhari #4629)

34. Hoping for Goodness, Even for his Enemies: A’ishah said:

‘I asked the Messenger of God (): "Did you face a day
harder and more intense than the Battle of Uhud?” He re-
plied: ‘I suffered a lot from your people! The worst I suf-
fered was on the Day of al-’Aqabah when I spoke to Ali b.
Abd Yaleel b. Abd Kilaal (in order to support me) but he
disappointed me and left me. I left the area while I was
quite worried, and walked - when I reached an area called
Qarn ath-Tha’alib, I raised my head to the sky and noticed
a cloud that shaded me. Gabriel () called me and said: ‘O
Muhammad! God, the Exalted, has heard what your peo-
ple have said to you - and has sent the Angel in charge of
the mountains, so you can command him to do what you

Bukhari #3034.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

please.’ The Prophet () said: ‘The Angel in charge of the
mountains called me saying: ‘May God praise you and
keep safe from all evil! O Muhammad, I will do whatever
you command me to do. If you like I can bring the
Akhshabain mountains together and crush them all.’ The
Messenger of God () said: ‘It may be that God raises
from among them a progeny who worship God alone and
associate no partners with Him.’ (Bukhari #3059)



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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

The Prophet’s Manners with Those around Him

1. The Prophet’s close relations with his Companions: The
Prophet was very close to his companions, and this is well-
known when one reads the detailed reports about the Prophet’s
biography. The Prophet () is the example which we should
emulate in all our matters. Jareer b. Abdullah said: ‘The Prophet
() did not prevent me from sitting with him since I accepted
Islam. He always smiled when he looked at me. I once com-
plained to him that I could not ride a horse and he hit me in my
chest and supplicated God, saying:

‘O God! Steady him, and make him a person who guides
others and a source of guidance.’ (Bukhari #5739)

2. The Prophet () would entertain his Companions and
joke with them: Al-Hasan said: ‘An old woman came to the
Prophet () and said: “O Messenger of God, ask God to
admit me into the Heavenly Gardens.” He said: “Old wom-
en will not enter the Heavenly Gardens!” She then walked
away crying. The Prophet () said: “Tell her that she will
not enter the Heavenly Gardens as an old woman, for Allah
says:

Verily, We have created them (maidens) of special crea-
tion. And made them virgins. Loving (their husbands on-
ly), (and) of equal age. [56:35-7]

The Prophet () did not only verbally entertain and joke with
his companions, but sported and amused them as well. Anas b.
Malik said:

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘A Bedouin named Zahir b. Haram would give gifts to the
Prophet () and he would prepare things for him as well. The
Prophet () said: ‘Zahir is our desert, and we are his city.’

The Prophet () approached him while he was selling his
goods, and the Prophet () hugged him from behind, and he
could not see him. He then said: ‘Let me go!’ When he knew
that it was the Prophet () who was hugging him, he pressed
his back towards the Messenger’s chest! The Messenger of God
() then said: ‘Who will buy this slave from me?’ Zahir said: ‘O
Messenger of God, I am worthless!’ The Messenger of God 
said:

‘You are not considered worthless by God!’ or he said:
‘You are valuable and precious to God.’ (Ibn Hibban #5790)

3. He would consult his Companions: The Prophet () would
consult his Companions, and take their opinions and points of
view into consideration in issues and matters for which no tex-
tual proofs were revealed. Abu Hurairah said:

‘I have not seen a person more keen for the sincere advice
of his companions than the Messenger of God ().’

(Tirmidthi #1714)

4. Visiting the sick, whether he was Muslim or non-Muslim:
The Prophet () was concerned about his Companions and
would make sure that they were well. If he was told about a
Companion who was sick, he would rush to visit him with the
Companions that were present with him. He wouldn’t only vis-
it the Muslims who were sick; rather, he would even visit non-
Muslims. Anas b. Malik said:

‘A Jewish boy would serve the Prophet () and he fell
sick, so the Prophet () said: ‘Let us go and visit him.’

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

They went to visit him, and found his father sitting by his
head, and the Messenger of God () said: ‘proclaim that
there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except
Allah alone’ and I will intercede on your behalf on ac-
count of it on the Day of Resurrection.’ The boy looked at
his father, and the father said: ‘Obey Abul-Qasim! 25’ so the
boy uttered: ‘There is no true god worthy of being wor-
shipped except Allah alone and Muhammad () is the last
Messenger.’ The Messenger of God () said: ‘All praise is
due to God, Who saved him from the Fire of Hell.’ (Ibn

Hibban #2960)

5. He was grateful for people’s goodness towards him, and
would reward that generously: Abdullah b. Umar said that the
Messenger of God () said:

‘Whoever seeks refuge with God against your evil, then do
not harm him. Whoever asks you by God, then give him.
Whoever invites you, then accept his invitation. Whoever
does a favor for you or an act of kindness, then repay him
in a similar manner; but if you do not find that which you
can reward him with, then supplicate God for him contin-
uously, until you think you have repaid him.’ (Ahmed

#6106)

A’ishah said:

‘The Messenger of God () would accept gifts, and re-
ward generously on account of that.’ (Bukhari #2445)

6. The Messenger’s love for everything which is beautiful and
good: Anas said:

Another name of the Prophet ().

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘The hand of the Messenger of God () was softer than
any silk that I had ever touched, and his scent was sweeter
than any perfume that I had ever smelt.’ (Bukhari #3368)

7. The Messenger of God () loved to help others by interced-
ing on their behalf:

Abdullah b. Abbas said:

‘The husband of Bareerah was a slave whose name was
Mugheeth - I saw him walking behind her in the streets of
Madeenah crying, and his tears were falling off his beard.
The Messenger of God () said to Al-Abbas: ‘Doesn’t it
amaze you, how much Mugheeth loves Bareerah, and how
much she dislikes Mugheeth!’

The Prophet () said to Bareerah: ‘Why don’t you go back
to him?’ She said to him: ‘Are you commanding me to do
so?’ He said: ‘No, but I am interceding on his behalf.’ She
said: ‘I have no need for him.’ (Bukhari # 4875)

8. The Messenger of God () would serve himself: A’ishah
said:

‘I was asked how the Messenger of God () behaved in
his house.’ She said: ‘He was like any man; he washed his
clothes, milked his sheep, and served himself.’ (Ahmed

24998)

The Prophet’s excellent manners, not only made him serve him-
self; rather, he would serve others as well. A’ishah said:

‘I was asked how the Messenger of God () behaved in
his house.’ She said: ‘He would help out in the house with
the daily chores, and when he heard the Adthan he would
leave [everything and head] for the Mosque.’ (Bukhari 5048)

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Statements of Justice and Equity:

1. The German Poet, Wolfgang Göethe 26, said: ‘I looked into
history for a human paradigm and found it to be in Muham-
mad .’

2. Professor Keith Moore 27, said in his book: The Developing
Human:

It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Mu-
hammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge
was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to
me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or
Allah.

P26F

P

He further said: ‘I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling
that this is a divine inspiration or revelation, which lead him to
these statements.’

3. Dr. Maurice Bucaille 28, said in his book: The Qur’an, and Mod-
ern Science:

A totally objective examination of it [the Qur’an] in the light
of modern knowledge, leads us to recognize the agreement

German writer and scientist. A master of poetry, drama, and the
novel. He also conducted scientific research in various fields, notably
botany, and held several governmental positions.

26

He was the former President of the Canadian Association of Anat-
omists, Department of anatomy and cell biology, University of Toron-
to.

27

Dr. Maurice Bucaille was an eminent French surgeon, scientist,
scholar and author of ‘‘The Bible, The Qur’an and Science.’’

28

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55

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

between the two, as has been already noted on repeated occa-
sions. It makes us deem it quite unthinkable for a man of Mu-
hammad’s time to have been the author of such statements,
on account of the state of knowledge in his day. Such consid-
erations are part of what gives the Qur’anic Revelation its
unique place, and forces the impartial scientist to admit his
inability to provide an explanation which calls solely upon
materialistic reasoning.’

4. Annie Besant 29 in The Life and Teachings of Mohammad, said:

It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character
of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knew how he taught and
how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for the mighty
Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And
although in what I put to you I shall say many things which
may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel, whenever I reread
them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for
that mighty Arabian teacher.

5. Dr. Gustav Weil in History of the Islamic Peoples said:

Muhammad was a shining example to his people. His charac-
ter was pure and stainless. His house, his dress, his food –they
were characterized by a rare simplicity. So unpretentious was
he that he would receive from his companions no special
mark of reverence, nor would he accept any service from his
slave which he could do for himself. He was accessible to all
at all times. He visited the sick and was full of sympathy for

English theosophist, philosopher, and political figure who advocat-
ed home rule and educational reforms in India.

29

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56

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

all. Unlimited was his benevolence and generosity as also was
his anxious care for the welfare of the community. 30

6. Maurice Gaudefroy said:

Muhammad was a prophet, not a theologian, a fact so evident
that one is loath to state it. The men who surrounded him and
constituted the influential elite of the primate Muslim com-
munity, contented themselves with obeying the law that he
had proclaimed in the name of Allah and with following his
teaching and example. 31

7. Washington Irving 32, said:

His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory as
they would have done had they been effected by selfish pur-
poses. 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 dis-
pleased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonial of re-
spect was shown to him. 33

8. Edmund Burke said: “The Muhammadan law, which is bind-
ing on all from the crowned head to the meanest subject, is a
law interwoven with a system of the wisest, the most learned
and the most enlightened jurisprudence that ever existed in the
world.” 34

P3F

P

Encyclopedia of Seerah, by Afzalur-Rahman.

30

ibid

31

He was a famous writer. He died in 1859.

32

Encyclopedia of Seerah, by Afzalur-Rahman.

33

ibid

34

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

After the death of his first wife, Khadeejah, the Prophet ()
married eleven women; all were divorcees, except for A’ishah.
Six of his wives were from the tribe of Quraish, and five were
from different Arabian tribes. The Prophet () married these
women for a number of reasons:

1. Religious and legislative purpose: The Prophet () married
Zainab b. Jahsh. The Arabs in the Era of Ignorance would pro-
hibit a man from marrying the wife of his adopted son; they
believed that the adopted son was like a man’s actual son in all
aspects. The Prophet () married her, although she was previ-
ously the wife of his adopted son, Zaid b. Harithah. The Mes-
senger of God () married her to abolish this belief. God, the
Exalted, says:

And when you said to him to whom Allah had shown fa-
vor and to whom you had shown a favor: keep your wife
to yourself and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; and you
concealed in your soul what Allah would bring to light,
and you feared men, and Allah had a greater right that you
should fear Him. But when Zaid had accomplished his
want of her, We gave have her to you as a wife, so that
there should be no difficulty for the believers in respect of
the wives of their adopted sons, when they have accom-
plished their want of them; and Allah’s command shall be
fulfilled.. (33:37)

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

2. Political reasons and for the spread of Islam, to invite peo-
ple to Islam, and to gain the favor of the Arab tribes: The Mes-
senger of God () married women from the largest and strong-
est Arab tribes. The Prophet () ordered his Companions to do
this as well. The Prophet () said to Abdurrahmaan b. Auf:

‘If they obey you (i.e. accept Islam) then marry the daugh-
ter of the head of the tribe.’

Dr. Cahan said: ‘Some of the aspects of his life may seem con-
fusing to us due to present day mentality. The Messenger is
criticized due to his obsession of attaining worldly desires and
his nine wives, whom he married after the death of his wife
Khadeejah. It has been confirmed that most of these marriages
were for political reasons, which were aimed to gain loyalty of
some nobles, and tribes.’

3. Social reasons: The Prophet () married some of his Com-
panions’ wives who had died, in battle or while on a mission to
preach Islam. He married them even though they were older
than him, and he did so to honor them and their husbands.

Veccia Vaglieri 35 in her book ‘In Defense of Islam’ said:
‘Throughout the years of his youth, Muhammad () only mar-
ried one woman, even though the sexuality of man is at its peak
during this period. Although he lived in the society he lived in,
wherein plural marriage was considered the general rule, and
divorce was very easy - he only married one woman, although
she was older than him. He was a faithful husband to her for
twenty-five years, and did not marry another woman, except
after her death. He at that time was fifty years old. He married

A famous Italian Orientalist.

35

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

each of his wives thereafter for a social or political purpose;
such that he wanted to honor the pious women, or wanted the
loyalty of certain tribes so that Islam would spread amongst
them. All the wives Muhammad () married were not virgin,
nor were they young or beautiful; except for A’ishah. So how
can anyone claim that he was a lustful man? He was a man not
a god. His wish to have a son may have also lead him to marry;
for the children that he had from Khadeejah all died. Moreover,
who undertook the financial responsibilities of his large family,
without having large resources. He was just and fair towards
them all and did not differentiate between them at all. He fol-
lowed the practice of previous Prophets such as Moses, whom
no one objected to their plural marriage. Is the reason why peo-
ple object to the plural marriage of Muhammad () the fact that
we know the minute details of his life, and know so little of the
details of the lives of the Prophets before him?’

Thomas Carlyle said: ‘Mahomet himself, after all that can be
said about him, was not a sensual man. We shall err widely if
we consider this man as a common voluptuary, intent mainly
on base enjoyments,--nay on enjoyments of any kind.’ 36







‘Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History’

36

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Textual Proofs which support the
Prophethood of Muhammad 

Proofs from the Qur’an:

1. God, the Exalted, says:

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he
is) the Messenger of Allah, and the last of the Prophets:
and Allah has full knowledge of all things. (33:40)

2. Jesus  gave the glad tidings of Prophet Muhammad in the
Gospel. God, the Exalted, says:

And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O Children
of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you, con-
firming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad
Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name
shall be Ahmad." But when he came to them with Clear
Signs they said, ‘This is evident sorcery!’ (61:6)

Proofs from the Sunnah 37:

The Prophet () said:

‘My example and the example of the Prophets before me is
like a man who built a house, which he built and perfect-
ed except for the space of one block; people would go
round the house and stare in awe at its perfection and say,

Sunnah: the narration of the speech, actions, characteristics, or tacit
approvals of the Prophet.

37

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘Had it not been for this space!’ The Prophet () said: ‘I
am that brick, I am the last of Prophets.’ (Bukhari #3342)

Previous Scriptures:

Ataa’ b. Yasaar, said: ‘I met Abdullah b. Amr b. al-Aas and I
asked him:

‘Tell me about the description of the Messenger of God () in
the Torah.’ He said: ‘He is described in the Torah with some of
what he is described in the Qur’an; ‘We have indeed sent you as
a witness (over mankind) and one who gives glad-tidings, and
warns others, and one who protects and safeguards the com-
moners. You are My slave and Messenger; I called you
Mutawakkil (The Trusted One). You are neither ill-mannered nor
rude, nor do you raise your voice. You do not pay evil with
evil; rather, you forgive and pardon. I will not collect his soul
until I guide the nations, and until they say, ‘There is no true
god worthy of being worshipped except God alone’ and until
they clearly see the Truth.’

Ata said: I met Ka’b, the Rabbi, and asked him about this narra-
tion, and he did not differ with Abdullah b. Amr b. Al-Aas ex-
cept for a minor difference in the wording of the narration.’

(Baihaqi #13079)

Abdul-Ahad Dawud38, said: ‘but I have tried to base my argu-
ments on portions of the Bible which hardly allow of any lin-
guistic dispute. I would not go to Latin, Greek, or Aramaic, for
that would be useless: I just give the following quotation in the

He was Rev. David Benjamin Keldani, B.D. A Roman Catholic priest
of the Uniate-Chaldean sect. He was born in 1867 at Urmia in Persia.

38

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

very words of the Revised Version as published by the British
and Foreign Bible Society.

We read the following words in the Book of Deuteronomy
chapter xviii. verse 18: "I will raise them up a prophet from
among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words
in his mouth." If these words do not apply to Prophet Muham-
mad, they still remain unfulfilled. Prophet Jesus himself never
claimed to be the Prophet alluded to. Even his disciples were of
the same opinion: they looked to the second coming of Jesus for
the fulfillment of the prophecy. So far it is undisputed that the
first coming of Jesus was not the advent of the "prophet like un-
to thee," and his second advent can hardly fulfill the words. Je-
sus, as is believed by his Church, will appear as a Judge and not
as a law-giver; but the promised one has to come with a "fiery
law" in "his right hand."

In ascertaining the personality of the promised prophet the oth-
er prophecy of Moses is, however, very helpful where it speaks
of the shining forth of God from Paran, the mountain of Mecca.
The words in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter xxxiii. verse 2,
run as follows: "The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from
Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came
with ten thousands of saints; from his right hand went a fiery
law for them."

In these words the Lord has been compared with the sun. He
comes from Sinai, he rises from Seir, but he shines in his full
glory from Paran, where he had to appear with ten thousands
of saints with a fiery law in his right hand. None of the Israel-
ites, including Jesus, had anything to do with Paran. Hagar,
with her son Ishmael, wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba,
who afterwards dwelt in the wilderness of Paran (Gen. xxi. 21).

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

He married an Egyptian woman, and through his first-born,
Kedar, gave descent to the Arabs who from that time till now
are the dwellers of the wilderness of Paran. And if Prophet
Muhammad admittedly on all hands traces his descent to Ish-
mael through Kedar and he appeared as a prophet in the wil-
derness of Paran and reentered Mecca with ten thousand saints
and gave a fiery law to his people, is not the prophecy above-
mentioned fulfilled to its very letter?

The words of the prophecy in Habakkuk are especially note-
worthy. His (the Holy One from Paran) glory covered the heav-
ens and the earth was full of his praise. The word "praise" is
very significant, as the very name Muhammad literally means
"the praised one." Besides the Arabs, the inhabitants of the wil-
derness of Paran had also been promised a Revelation: "Let the
wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages
that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let
them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory
unto the Lord, and declare His praise in the islands. The Lord
shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a
man of war, he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his
enemies" (Isaiah).

In connection with it there are two other prophecies worthy of
note where references have been made to Kedar. The one runs
thus in chapter 1x. of Isaiah: "Arise, shine for thy light is come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee ... The multitude of
camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
all they from Sheba shall come.. All the flocks of Kedar shall be
gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minis-
ter unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar,
and I will glorify the house of my glory" (1-7). The other proph-
ecy is again in Isaiah "The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that
was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. For
they fled from the swords and from the bent bow, and from the
grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me,
Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the
glory of Kedar shall fail: And the residue of the number of
archers, the mighty of the children of Kedar, shall be dimin-
ished" Read these prophecies in Isaiah in the light of one in
Deuteronomy which speaks of the shining forth of God from
Paran.

If Ishmael inhabited the wilderness of Paran, where he gave
birth to Kedar, who is the ancestor of the Arabs; and if the sons
of Kedar had to receive revelation from God; if the flocks of
Kedar had to come up with acceptance to a Divine altar to glori-
fy "the house of my glory" where the darkness had to cover the
earth for some centuries, and then that very land had to receive
light from God; and if all the glory of Kedar had to fail and the
number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar,
had to diminish within a year after the one fled from the
swords and from the bent bows - the Holy One from Paran
(Habakkuk iii 3 ) is no one else than Prophet Muhammad.
Prophet Muhammad is the holy offspring of Ishmael through
Kedar, who settled in the wilderness of Paran. Muhammad is
the only Prophet through whom the Arabs received revelation
at the time when the darkness had covered the earth.

Through him God shone from Paran, and Mecca is the only
place where the House of God is glorified and the flocks of
Kedar come with acceptance on its altar. Prophet Muhammad
was persecuted by his people and had to leave Mecca. He was
thirsty and fled from the drawn sword and the bent bow, and

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

within a year after his flight the descendants of Kedar meet him
at Badr, the place of the first battle between the Meccans and
the Prophet, the children of Kedar and their number of archers
diminish and all the glory of Kedar fails. If the Holy Prophet is
not to be accepted as the fulfillment of all these prophecies they
will still remain unfulfilled. "The house of my glory" referred to
in Isaiah lX is the house of God in Mecca and not the Church of
Christ as thought by Christian commentators. The flocks of
Kedar, as mentioned in verse 7, have never come to the Church
of Christ; and it is a fact that the villages of Kedar and their in-
habitants are the only people in the whole world who have re-
mained impenetrable to any influence of the Church of Christ.

Again, the mention of 10,000 saints in Deuteronomy xxx 3 is
very significant. He (God) shined forth from Paran, and he
came with 10,000 of saints. Read the whole history of the wil-
derness of Paran and you will find no other event but when
Mecca was conquered by the Prophet. He comes with 10,000
followers from Medina and re-enters "the house of my glory."
He gives the fiery law to the world, which reduced to ashes all
other laws. The Comforter - the Spirit of Truth - spoken of by
Prophet Jesus was no other than Prophet Muhammad himself.
It cannot be taken as the Holy Ghost, as the Church theology
says. "It is expedient for you that I go away," says Jesus, "for if I
go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I de-
part I will send him unto you."

The words clearly show that the Comforter had to come after
the departure of Jesus, and was not with him when he uttered
these words. Are we to presume that Jesus was devoid of the
Holy Ghost if his coming was conditional on the going of Jesus:
besides, the way in which Jesus describes him makes him a
human being, not a ghost. "He shall not speak of himself, but

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak." Should we pre-
sume that the Holy Ghost and God are two distinct entities and
that the Holy Ghost speaks of himself and also what he hears
from God? The words of Jesus clearly refer to some messenger
from God. He calls him the Spirit of Truth, and so the Koran
speaks of Prophet Muhammad, "No, indeed, he has brought
the truth, and confirmed the Messengers." Ch.37:37 39

Proofs from the New Testament

There are a number of passages in the New Testament which
clearly refer to the coming of Muhammad () by implication
through the nature of his actions or functions.

*John, the Baptist: The Jews sent priests to him to find out who
he was. ‘He confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked
him, ‘’What then? Are you Elijah?” And He said: “I am not.”
Are you that Prophet?’ And he answered, “No”…And they said
to him: “Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor
Elijah, nor that Prophet?’(John 1:20-25).

That Prophet is not Jesus, but Muhammad, because John the
Baptist continued preaching and baptizing and foretelling the
coming of that Prophet during the life-time of Jesus.

*Jesus: The Prophet Jesus foretold the coming of another
Prophet, whose name would be ‘Periqlytos’ or ‘Paraclete’ or
‘Paracalon’ and who (that is, whose teaching) would last forev-
er, ‘I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Com-
forter (Periqlytos), that he may abide with you forever.’ (John
XIV, 16).

Muhammad in the Bible, Abdul-Ahad Dawud.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

The word periqlytos means ‘illustrious, ‘renowned’ and
‘praiseworthy’ and this is exactly what the name ‘Ahmed’
means. It is confirmed in the Qur’an that the Prophet Jesus did
prophesize that a Prophet named ‘Ahmed’ would come after
him. God, the Exalted, says:

And remember when Jesus the son of Mary, said: “O
Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you,
confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving
glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name
shall be Ahmed. (61:6)

Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Intellectual Proofs which Support the
Prophethood of the Messenger of God

1. The Prophet () was unlettered. He did not know how to
read or write. He lived among a people who were unlettered as
well. Therefore one cannot claim that the Qur’an was authored
by Muhammad ()! God, the Exalted, says:

And you did not recite any Book before it, nor did you
write one with your right hand; in that case the liars
would have doubted. (29:48)

2. The Arabs were challenged to bring forth something simi-
lar to the Qur’an, and they were unable to do so! The beauty,
structure and deep meanings of the Qur’an amazed the Arabs.
The Qur’an is the everlasting miracle of Muhammad (). The
Messenger of God () said:

‘The miracles of the Prophets (before Muhammad ) were
confined to their times. The miracle I have been given is
the Qur’an, which is everlasting; therefore, I hope to have
the most followers.’ (Bukhari 4598)

Even though his people were eloquent and well known for their
awesome poetry, God challenged them to produce similar to
the Qur’an, but they couldn’t. God then challenged them to
produce a chapter similar to it, and they couldn’t.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

And if you are in doubt as to what We have sent down to
Our slave, then produce a chapter like it, and call upon
your helpers beside Allah, if you are truthful. (2:23)

God challenges mankind at large to bring forth similar to the
Qur’an. God says:

Say, ‘if mankind and the Jinn gathered together to pro-
duce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the
like thereof, even though they should help one another.

3. The Prophet  continued preaching and calling people to
Islam, even though he faced many hardships and was con-
fronted by his people, who were plotting to kill him. Yet the
Prophet  continued preaching, and was patient. If he was an
imposter - he would stop preaching and would have feared for
his life.

W. Montgomery Watt said:

His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high
moral character of the men who believed in him and looked
up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his ultimate
achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose
Muhammad an impostor raises more problems that it solves.
Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly ap-
preciated in the West as Muhammad.... Thus, not merely must
we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and integrity of
purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if we are to correct
the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget
the conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be at-
tained with difficulty.

4. Every person loves the ornaments and beauties of this life,
and would be swayed by these things. God, the Exalted, says:

Beautified for men is the love of desired things –women
and children, and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and
pastured horses and cattle and crops. That is the provision
of the present life; but it is God with Whom is an excellent
abode. (3:14)

Man, by his nature, is keen in acquiring ornaments and beauties
of this world. People differ in the method they use to acquire
these things. Some would resort to using lawful means to gain
these things, while others would resort to using unlawful
means to acquire these things.

If this is known (you should know that) Quraish tried to per-
suade the Prophet () to stop calling people to Islam. They told
him that they would make him the master of Quraish, marry
him to the most beautiful women, and make him the most af-
fluent man amongst them. He responded to these tempting of-
fers, saying:

‘By God, if they place the sun in my right hand, and the
moon in my left hand to leave this matter, I would not
leave it, until God makes it apparent, or I am killed calling
people to it.’ (Ibn Hisham)

Were the Prophet  an impostor he would have accepted this
offer without hesitation.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

They called him a prophet, you say? Why, he stood there face
to face with them, here, not enshrined in any mystery, visibly
clouting his own cloak, cobbling his own shoes, fighting,
counseling ordering in the midst of them. They must have
seen what kind of a man he was, let him be called what ye
like. No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed as this man in a
cloak of his own clouting. During three and twenty ears of
rough, actual trial, I find something of a veritable hero neces-
sary for that of itself. 40

5. It is well known that subjects and wealth of a kingdom are
subjected to the will of the king, and his service. As for Mu-
hammad () he knew that this life was a transitory stage.
Ibraheem b. Alqamah said that Abdullah said: ‘The Prophet ()
lay down on a straw mat which had marked his side, so I said:
‘O Messenger of God! I ransom you with my mother and father!
Allow us to put bedding on this mat that you lay on, so your
side would not be affected and marked.’ The Prophet () said:

‘My example in this life is like a rider who took rest under
the shade of a tree then continued on his journey.’ (Ibn

An-Nu’man b. Basheer said:

‘I saw your Prophet () (during a time) when he was not
able to even find low quality dates to fill his stomach.’

‘Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History’

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

‘The Messenger of God () never filled his stomach for
three consecutive days until his death.’ (Bukhari #5059)

Even though the Arabian Peninsula was under his control, and
he was the source of goodness for its people, the Prophet ()
would at some times not find food to suffice him. His wife,
A’ishah said that the Prophet () bought some food from a Jew
(and agreed to pay him at a later time) and he gave him his ar-
mor as collateral.’ (Bukhari #2088)

This does not mean that he could not obtain what he wanted;
for the moneys and wealth would be placed in front of him in
his Masjid, and he would not move from his spot, until he dis-
tributed it amongst the poor and needy. Among his Compan-
ions were those who were wealthy and affluent - they would
rush to serve him and would give up the most valuable of
things for him. The reason the Prophet () renounced the rich-
es of this world, was because he knew the reality of this life. He
said: ‘The likeness of this world to the Hereafter, is like a person
who dipped his finger in the ocean - let him see what would
return.’ (Muslim #2858)

Reverend Bosworth Smith said:

If ever a man ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for
he had all the powers without their supports. He cared not
for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his private life
was in keeping with his public life. 41

6. Certain incidents would befall the Prophet of God ()
which would need clarification, and he would not be able to
do anything because he did not receive revelation regarding

Muhammad and Muhammadanism.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

it. During this period (i.e. between the incident and revelation)
he would be exhausted. One such incident is the incident of
Ifk’ 42 wherein the Prophet’s wife A’ishah was accused of being
treacherous. The Prophet () did not receive revelation con-
cerning this incident for one month; during which his enemies
talked ill of him, until revelation was revealed and the inno-
cence of A’ishah was declared. Were the Prophet () an im-
poster he would have resolved this incident the minute it came
about. God says:

Nor does he speak out of desire. (53:3)

7. The Prophet () did not ask people to adulate him. On the
contrary, the Prophet () would not be pleased if a person adu-
lated him in any way. Anas said:

‘There was no individual more beloved to the Compan-
ions than the Messenger of God.’ He said: ‘If they saw
him, they would not stand up for him, because they knew
he disliked that.’ (Tirmidthi #2754)

Washington Irving, said: ‘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 testimo-
nial of respect was shown to him.’

i.e. The incident wherein the hypocrites falsely accused A’ishah,
with whom Allah is pleased, of being unchaste.

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

8. Some verses from the Qur’an were revealed in which the
Prophet () was blamed and admonished, due to some inci-
dent or happening; such as:

a. The words of God, the Exalted:

O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which
God has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives?
And God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (66:1)

The Prophet () abstained from eating honey, due to the be-
havior of some of his wives. God then admonished him because
he forbade upon himself what God deemed lawful.

May God forgive you (O Muhammad). Why did you
grant them leave (for remaining behind; you should have
persisted as regards your order to them to proceed on Ji-
had) until those who told the truth were seen by you in a
clear light, and you had known the liars? (9:43)

God admonished the Prophet () because he quickly accepted
the false excuses of the hypocrites who lagged behind in the
Battle of Tabook. He forgave them and accepted their excuses,
without verifying them.

It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of
war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a
great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You de-
sire the good of this world, but God desires for you the
Hereafter. And God is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (8:67)

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Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah 

Not for you (O Muhammad, but for God) is the decision;
whether He turns in mercy, to (pardon) them or punishes
them; verily, they are the wrong-doers. (3:128)

The Prophet frowned and turned away. Because there
came to him the blind man. And how can you know that
he might become pure from sins? Or he might receive ad-
monition, and the admonition might profit him? (80:1-4)

Abdullah b. Umm Maktoom, who was blind, came to the
Prophet () while he was preaching to one or some of the
Quraish leaders, and the Prophet () frowned and turned away
- and God admonished him on account of that.

Therefore, were the Prophet () an imposter, these verses
would not be found in the Qur’an.

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall said:

One day when the Prophet was in conversation with one of
the great men of Qureysh, seeking to persuade him of the
truth of Al-Islam, a blind man came and asked him a question
concerning the faith. The Prophet was annoyed at the inter-
ruption, frowned and turned away from the blind man. In
this Surah he is told that a man’s importance is not to be
judged from his appearance or worldly station.43

9. One of the sure signs of his Prophethood is found in the
Chapter of Lahab (chapter 111) in the Qur’an. In it God, the
Exalted, condemned Abu Lahab (the Prophet’s uncle) to the
torment of Hell. This chapter was revealed during the early

The Glorious Qur’an pg. 685

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stages of his Da’wah (call to Islam). Were the Prophet () an
imposter he would not issue a ruling like this; since his uncle
might accept Islam afterwards!

For example, the Prophet () had an uncle by the name of
Abu Lahab. This man hated Islam to such an extent that he
used to follow the Prophet around in order to discredit him. If
Abu Lahab saw the Prophet () speaking to a stranger, he
would wait until they parted and then would go back to the
stranger and ask him, ‘What did he tell you? Did he say
black? Well, it’s white. Did he say ‘Morning?’ Well, it’s night.’
He faithfully said the exact opposite of whatever he heard
Muhammad () say. However, about ten years before Abu
Lahab died a little chapter in the Qur’an was revealed to him.
It distinctly stated that he would go to the Fire (i.e. Hell). In
other words, it affirmed that he would never become a Mus-
lim and would therefore be condemned forever. For ten years
all Abu Lahab had to do was say, ‘I heard that it has been re-
vealed to Muhammad that I will never change – that I will
never become a Muslim and will enter the Hellfire. Well I
want to become a Muslim now. How do you like that? What
do you think of your divine revelation now?’ But he never did
that. And yet, that is exactly the kind of behavior one would
have expected from him since he always sought to contradict
Islam. In essence, Muhammad () said: ‘You hate me and
you want to finish me? Here, say these words, and I am fin-
ished. Come on, say them!’ But Abu Lahab never said them.
Ten years! And in all that time he never accepted Islam or
even became sympathetic to the Islamic cause. How could
Muhammad possibly have known for sure that Abu Lahab
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was not truly the Messenger of Allah? How could he possibly
have been so confident as to give someone ten years to dis-
credit his claim of Prophethood? The only answer is that he
was Allah’s Messenger; for in order to put forth such a risky
challenge, one has to be entirely convinced that he has a di-
vine revelation. 44

10. The Prophet () is called: ‘Ahmed’ in a verse of the Qur’an
instead of ‘Muhammad’. God, the Exalted, says:

And remember when Eesa, son of Maryam said: ‘O Chil-
dren of Israel! I am the Messenger of God unto you, con-
firming the Torah which came before me, and giving glad
tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name
shall be Ahmed. But when he came to them with clear
proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic.’ (61:6)

Were he an imposter, the name ‘Ahmed’ would not have been
mentioned in the Qur’an, since he was known as ‘Muhammad’
amongst his people.

11. The religion of Islam still exists today and is spreading all
over the Globe. Thousands of people embrace Islam and prefer
it over all other religions. This happens even though the callers
to Islam are not financially backed as expected; and in spite of
the efforts of the enemies of Islam to halt the spread of Islam.
God, the Exalted, says:

Verily, We sent down the Reminder (i.e. the Qur’an) and
surely, We will guard it from corruption. (15:9)

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Thomas Carlyle said:

A false man found a religion? Why, a false man cannot build a
brick house! If he does not know and follow truly the proper-
ties of mortar, burnt clay and what else he works in, it is no
house that he makes, but a rubbish-heap. It will not stand for
twelve centuries, to lodge a hundred and eighty millions; it
will fall straightway. A man must conform himself to Na-
ture’s laws, _be_ verily in communion with Nature and the
truth of things, or Nature will answer him, No, not at all! Spe-
ciosities are specious--ah me!--a Cagliostro, many Cagliostros,
prominent world-leaders, do prosper by their quackery, for a
day. It is like a forged bank-note; they get it passed out of
_their_ worthless hands: others, not they, have to smart for it.
Nature bursts up in fire-flames; French Revolutions and such
like, proclaiming with terrible veracity that forged notes are
forged. But of a Great Man especially, of him I will venture to
assert that it is incredible he should have been other than true.
It seems to me the primary foundation of him, and of all that
can lie in him, this. 45

The Prophet  preserved the Qur’an, after God had preserved
it in the Books, chests of men generation after generation. In-
deed memorizing and reciting it, learning and teaching it are
among the things Muslims are very keen on doing, for the
Prophet  said:

‘The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach
it.’ (Bukhari #4639)

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Many have tried to add and omit verses from the Qur’an, but
they have never been successful; for these mistakes are discov-
ered almost immediately.

As for the Sunnah of the Messenger of God () which is the
second source of legislation in Islam, it has been preserved by
trustworthy pious men. They spent their lives gathering these
traditions, and scrutinizing them to separate the weak from the
authentic; they even clarified which narrations were fabricated.
Whoever looks at the books written in the science of Hadeeth
will realize this, and that the narrations that are authentic are in
fact authentic.

Michael Hart 46 says:

Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s
great religions 47, and became an immensely effective political
leader. Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence
is still powerful and pervasive.

12. Veracity and truthfulness of his principles and that they
are good and suitable for every time and place. The results of
the application of Islam are clear and well known, which in
turn testify that it is indeed a revelation from God. Further-
more, is it not possible for Prophet Muhammad () to be a
Prophet, as many Prophets and Messengers were sent before
him? If the answer to this query is that there is nothing that
prevents this - we then ask, ‘why do you reject his

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‘The 100’ A ranking of the most influential persons in history.

We believe that Islam is a Divine revelation from Allah, and that
Muhammad  did not found it.

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Prophethood, and confirm the Prophethood of the Prophets be-
fore him?’

13. Man cannot bring about laws similar to the laws of Islam
which deal with every aspect of life, such as transactions,
marriage, social conduct, politics, acts of worship and the like.
So, how can an unlettered man bring something like this? Isn’t
this a clear proof and sign of his Prophethood?

14. The Prophet () did not start calling people to Islam until
he turned forty years old. His youth had passed and the age in
which he should have rest and spend his time leisurely, was the
age in which he was commissioned as a Prophet and charged
with the dissemination of Islam.

Thomas Carlyle, said:

It goes greatly against the impostor theory, the fact that he
lived in this entirely unexceptionable, entirely quiet and
commonplace way, till the heat of his years was done. He was
forty before he talked of any mission from Heaven. All his ir-
regularities, real and supposed, date from after his fiftieth
year, when the good Kadijah died. All his "ambition," seem-
ingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest life; his "fame," the
mere good opinion of neighbors that knew him, had been suf-
ficient hitherto. Not till he was already getting old, the pruri-
ent heat of his life all burnt out, and _peace_ growing to be
the chief thing this world could give him, did he start on the
"career of ambition;" and, belying all his past character and
existence, set up as a wretched empty charlatan to acquire
what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, I have no
faith whatever in that. 48

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