Eng Book Aaban

The Life of the Prophet
Muhammad
(Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful
All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the [One Who] Sustains the Heavens and
Earths, Director of all that is created, who sent the Messengers (may the peace and blessings
of Allah be upon all of them) to rational beings, to guide them and explain the religious laws
to them with clear proofs and undeniable arguments. I praise Him for all of His bounties. I
ask Him to increase His Grace and Generosity. I bear witness that there is none worthy of
worship except Allah alone, who has no partner, the One, Who Subdues, the Generous, the
Forgiving. I bear witness that our leader Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, His
beloved and dear one, the best of all creation. He was honored with the Glorious Qur’an
that has been an enduring miracle throughout the years. He was also sent with his guiding
Sunnah that shows the way for those who seek guidance. Our leader Muhammad has been
particularized with the characteristic of eloquent and pithy speech, and simplicity and ease in
the religion. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, the other Prophets and
Messengers, all of their families and the rest of the righteous?
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) 1
The Life of the

Prophet Muhammad
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him
By: Aaban Riaz
Index
How It All Began............................................................................... 3
The Children of Ishmael.................................................................... 7
The Promise At Zamzam................................................................... 9
The Elephant Refuses To Move. ......................................................11
The Prophet Is Born ........................................................................ 13
A Time With Halimah .....................................................................15
The Orphan's Childhood .................................................................17
The Prophet's Marriage ..................................................................19
The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel ...........................................22
The First Muslims ..........................................................................24
The Troubles Begin ......................................................................... 27
The King Who Believed ..................................................................29
The Cruelty of Quraysh ..................................................................32
The Year of Sorrow.......................................................................... 35
The Farewell Pilgrimage.................................................................37
The Prophet’s Death .............................................................................41
How It All Began
Nearly four thousand years ago, in the Sumerian town of Ur in the valley
of the river Euphrates lived a young man named Abraham. The people of
Ur had once worshipped Allah but as time passed they forgot the true
religion and started praying to idols, statues made of wood or clay and
sometimes even of precious stones. Even as a small child Abraham could
not understand how his people, and especially his father, could make
these images with their own hands, call them gods, and then worship
them. He had always refused to join his people when they paid respect to
these statues. Instead he would leave the town and sit alone, thinking
about the heavens and the world about him. He was sure his people were
doing wrong and so alone he searched for the right way. One clear night
as he sat staring at the sky he saw a beautiful shining star, so beautiful
that he cried out: this must be Allah!' He looked at it in awe for some
time, until suddenly it began to fade and then it disappeared. He turned
away in disappointment saying: I love not things that set. (Qur'an 6.77)
On another night Abraham was again looking at the sky and he saw
the rising moon, so big and bright that he felt he could almost touch it. He
thought to himself: This is my Lord. (Qur'an 6.78) But it was not long
before the moon set as well. Then he said, unless my Lord guides me, I
surely shall become one of the folk who are astray. (Qur'an 6.78)
Abraham then saw the beauty and splendor of the sunrise and decided
that the sun must be the biggest and most powerful thing in the universe.
But for the third time he was wrong, for the sun set at the end of the day.
It was then that he realized that Allah is the Most Powerful, the Creator of
the stars, the moon, the sun, the earth and of all living things. Suddenly he
felt himself totally at peace, because he knew that he had found the Truth.
When he said unto his father and his folk: What do you worship? They
said: We worship idols, and are ever devoted to them. He said: Do they
hear you when you cry? Or do they benefit or harm you? They said: Nay,
but we found our fathers acting in this manner.
He said: See now that which you worship, You and your forefathers!
Lo! they are (all) an enemy to me, except the Lord of the Worlds. Who
created me, and He guides me, And Who feeds me and waters me. And
when I sicken, then He heals me. And Who causes me to die, then gives
me lift (again) And Who, I ardently hope, will forgive me my sin on the
Day of judgment. (Qur'an 26.70-82)
One day, while all the townspeople were out, Abraham angrily
smashed all the idols with his right hand except for one which was very
large. When the people returned they were furious.
They remembered the things Abraham had said about the idols. They
had him brought forth before everyone and demanded, 'Is it you who did
this to our gods, 0 Abraham?' Abraham replied, but this their chief did it.
Ask them, if they are able to speak.' The people exclaimed, 'You know
they do not speak.' 'Do you worship what you yourselves have carved
when Allah created you and what you make?' Abraham continued, 'Do
you worship instead of Allah that which cannot profit you at all, nor harm
you?' (Qur'an 37.95-6)(Qur'an 21.66)
Finally, Abraham warned them, Serve Allah, and keep your duty unto
Him; that is better for you if you did but know. You serve instead of
Allah only idols, and you only invent a lie. Lo! Those whom you serve
instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from
Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him you will
be brought back. (Qur'an 29. 16-17)
The people of Ur decided to give Abraham the worst punishment they

could find: he was to be burnt to death. On the chosen day all the people
gathered in the center of the city and even the King of Ur was there.
Abraham was then placed inside a special building filled with wood. The
wood was lit. Soon the fire became so strong that the people were pushed
back by the flames. But Allah said: “O fire, be coolness and peace for
Abraham”. (Qur'an 21.69)
The people waited until the fire had completely died down, and it was
then that they saw Abraham still sitting there as though nothing had
happened! At that moment they were utterly confused. They were not,
however, moved by the miracle that had just happened before their very
eyes.
Still Abraham tried to persuade his own dear father, who was named
Azar, not to worship powerless, un-seeing, un-hearing statues. Abraham
explained that special knowledge had come to him and implored his
father, 'So follow me and I will lead you on the right path. 0 my father!
Don't serve the Devil.' But Azar would not listen. He threatened his son
with stoning if he continued to reject the gods of Ur. He ordered Abraham
to leave the city with these words: 'Depart from me a long while.'
Abraham said, 'Peace be upon you! I shall ask my Lord's forgiveness for
you. Surely He was ever gracious to me.‟ (Qur'an 19.43-7)
Imagine how terrible it must have been for him to leave his home, his
family and all that he knew, and set out across the wilderness into the
unknown. But at the same time, how could he have remained among
people who did not believe in Allah and who worshipped statues?
Abraham always had a sense that Allah cared for him and he felt Allah
near him as he traveled. At last, after a long hard journey, he arrived at a
place by the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Egypt. There he married a
noble woman by the name of Sarah and settled in the land of Palestine.
Many years passed but Abraham and his wife were not blessed with any
children. In the hope that there would be a child, and in keeping with
tradition, Sarah suggested that Abraham should marry Hagar, her
Egyptian handmaid. Soon after this took place, Hagar had a little boy
named Ishmael. Sometime later Allah promised Abraham another son,
but this time the mother of the child would be his first wife, Sarah. This
second son would be called Isaac. Allah also told Abraham that from his
two sons-Ishmael and Isaac-two nations and three religions would be
founded and because of this he must take Hagar and Ishmael away from
Palestine to a new land. These events were an important part of Allah's
plan, for the descendants of Ishmael would form a nation from which
would come a great Prophet, who would guide the people in the way of
Allah. This was to be Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).
From the descendants of Sarah's child, Isaac, would come Moses and
Jesus.
So it was that Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael left Palestine. They

traveled for many days until finally they reached the arid valley of Bacca
later to be called Mecca), which was on one of the great caravan routes.
There was no water in the valley and although Hagar and Ishmael only
had a small supply of water left, Abraham left them there knowing Allah
would take care of them. Soon all the water was gone. The child began to
grow weak from thirst. There were two hills nearby, one called Safa and
the other Marwah. Hagar went up one hill and looked into the distance to
see if she could find any water, but found none. So she went to the other
hill and did the same. She did this seven times. Then sadly she returned to
her son, and to her great surprise and joy she found a spring of water
bubbling out of the earth near him. This spring, near which the mother
and child settled, was later called Zamzam. The area around it became a
place of rest for the caravans travelling across the desert and in time grew
into the famous trading city of Mecca.
From time to time Abraham traveled from Palestine to visit his family
and he saw Ishmael grow into a strong young man. It was during one of
these visits that Allah commanded them to rebuild the Ka'bah-the very
first place where people had worshipped Allah. They were told exactly
where and how to build it. It was to be erected by the well of Zamzam
and built in the shape of a cube. In its eastern corner was to be placed a
black stone that had fallen to earth from heaven. An angel brought the
stone to them from the nearby hill of Abu Qubays. Abraham and Ishmael
worked hard to rebuild the Ka'bah and as they did so they prayed to Allah
to send a Prophet from among their descendants. And when Abraham and
Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed):
'Our Lord! Receive this from us; Thou, only Thou, art the All-hearing, the
All-knowing; Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our
seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship,
and turn toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful.
Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who
shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the
Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only
Thou, art the Mighty, Wise. (Qur'an 2.127-9) When the Ka'bah was
completed, Allah commanded Abraham to call mankind to pilgrimage to
His Holy House. Abraham wondered how anyone could hear his call.
Allah said, 'You call and I will bring them.' This was how the pilgrimage
to the Ka'bah in Mecca was established and when Muslims make the
pilgrimage today they continue to answer the age-old call of Abraham.
The Children of Ishmael
Over the years Ishmael's children themselves had children. His

descendants increased and formed tribes which spread out all over
Arabia. One of these tribes was called Quraysh. Its people never moved
away from Mecca and always lived near the Ka'bah. One of the duties of
the leader of Quraysh was to look after those who came on pilgrimage to
the Ka'bah. The, pilgrims would come from all over Arabia and it was a
great honor to provide them with food and water.
As time passed, however, the Arabs stopped worshipping Allah

directly and started bringing idols back with them from the different
countries they visited. These idols were placed at the Ka'bah, which was
no longer regarded as the Sanctuary of Allah, as Abraham had intended it.
It was, however, still respected by the Arabs. Around this time the well of
Zamzam disappeared beneath the sand. Also at this time, Qusayy, one of
the leaders of Quraysh, became ruler over Mecca. He held the keys of the
temple and had the right to give water to the pilgrims, to feed them, to
take charge of meetings, and to hand out war banners before battle. It was
also in his house that Quraysh settled their affairs. After Qusayy's death,
his son 'Abdu Manaf, who had become famous during his father's
lifetime, took over the leadership of Quraysh. After him came his son
Hashim. It is said that Hashim was the first to begin the two great caravan
journeys of Quraysh, one in the summer to Syria and the north, and one
in the winter to Yemen and the south. As a result, Mecca grew rich and
became a large and important center of trade.
One summer Hashim went north to buy goods to sell in Yemen. On
his way he stopped in Yathrib to trade in the market and there he saw a
beautiful woman. She was Salma', the daughter of 'Amr ibn Zeid, who
was from a much respected family. Hashim proposed marriage to her and
was accepted because he was an honorable and distinguished man.
In time, Salma' gave birth to a beautiful son and as some of his hair
was white they called him Shaybah, which in Arabic means grey-haired'.
Mother and son stayed in the cooler, healthier climate of Yathrib,

while Hashim returned to Mecca, but he would visit them each time he
took his caravan to the north. During one of these journeys, however,
Hashim became ill and died. Shaybah, a handsome, intelligent boy, grew
up in his uncle's house in Yathrib. He was proud of being the son of
Hashim ibn 'Abdi Manaf, the head of Quraysh, guardian of the Ka'bah
and protector of the pilgrims, even though he had not known his father,
who had died while Shaybah was very young.
At Hashim's death his brother al-Muttalib took over his duties and
responsibilities. He traveled to Yathrib to see his nephew, Shaybah, and
decided that as the boy would one day inherit his father's place, the time
had come for him to live in Mecca. It was hard for Salma', Shaybah's
mother, to let her son go with his uncle but she finally realized that it was
for the best. Al-Muttalib returned to Mecca, entering the city at noon on
his camel with Shaybah behind him. When the people of Mecca saw the
boy they thought he was a slave and, pointing at him, called out „Abd al-
Muttalib', 'Abd' being the Arabic for 'slave'.
Al-Muttalib told them that Shaybah was not a slave but his nephew
who had come to live with them. From that day on, however, Shaybah
was always affectionately called Abd al-Muttalib. On the death of al-
Muttalib, who died in Yemen where he had gone to trade, 'Abd al-
Muttalib took his place. He became the most respected member of his
family, loved and admired by all. He was, however, unlike those Arabs
who had given up the teachings of Abraham.
The Promise At Zamzam
The well of Zamzam, which disappeared when the Arabs placed idols at
the Ka'bah, remained buried under the sand. Thus, for many years the
people of Quraysh had to fetch their water from far away. One day 'Abd
al-Muttalib was very tired from doing this and fell asleep next to the
Ka‟bah. He had a dream in which he was told to dig up Zamzam. When
he woke up he was puzzled because he did not know what Zamzam was,
the well having disappeared many years before he was born. The next day
he had the same dream, but this time he was told where to find the well.
'Abd al-Muttalib had one son at that time, and together they began to
dig. The work was so difficult that „Abd al-Muttalib made an oath to
Allah that if one day he were to have ten sons to help him and stand by
him, in return he would sacrifice one of them in Allah's honor. After
working for three days they finally found the well of Zamzam. Pilgrims
have been drinking from it ever since. The years passed by and 'Abd al-
Muttalib did have ten sons. They grew into fine, strong men and the time
came for him to keep his promise to Allah. He told his sons about the
promise and they agreed that he had to sacrifice one of them To see
which one it would be, they decided to draw lots, which was the custom
of Quraysh when deciding important matters. 'Abd al-Muttalib told each
son to get an arrow and write his own name upon it and then to bring it to
him. This they did, after which he took them to the Ka'bah where there
was a man whose special task it was to cast arrows and pick one from
among them. This man solemnly proceeded to do this. On the arrow he
chose was written the name of 'Abd Allah, the youngest and favorite son
of 'Abd al-Muttalib. Even so, the father took his son near the Ka'bah and
prepared to sacrifice him.
Many of the Quraysh leaders were present and they became very angry
because 'Abd Allah was very young and much loved by everyone. They
tried to think of a way to save his life. Someone suggested that the advice
of a wise old woman who lived in Yathrib should be sought, and so 'Abd
al-Muttalib took his son and went to see if she could decide what to do.
Some of the Meccans went with them and when they got there the woman
asked, 'What is the price of a man's life?' They told her, 'Ten camels', for
at that time if one man killed another, his family would have to give ten
camels to the dead man's family in order to keep the peace among them.
So the woman told them to go back to the Ka‟bah and draw lots between
'Abd Allah and ten camels. If the camels were chosen, they were to be
killed and the meat given to the poor. If 'Abd Allah was picked then ten
more camels were to be added and the lots drawn again and again until
they finally fell on the camels.
„Abd al-Muttalib returned to the Ka‟bah with his son and the people
of Mecca. There they started to draw lots between „Abd Allah and the
camels, starting with ten camels. „Abd al-Muttalib prayed to Allah to
spare his son and everyone waited in silence for the result. The choice fell
on „Abd Allah, so his father added ten more camels. Again the choice fell
on „Abd Allah, so they did the same thing again and again, adding ten
camels each time. Finally they reached one hundred camels, and only
then did the lot fall on the camels. „Abd Allah was saved and everyone
was very happy. 'Abd al-Muttalib however, wanted to make sure that this
was the true result so he repeated the draw three times and each time it
fell on the camels. He then gave thanks to Allah that He had spared „Abd
Allah's life. The camels were sacrificed and there was enough food for
the entire city, even the animals and birds. 'Abd Allah grew up to be a
handsome young man and his father eventually chose Aminah, the
daughter of Wahb, as a wife for him. It was a good match for she was the
finest of Quraysh women and 'Abd Allah the best of the men. He spent
several months with his wife but then he had to leave her and travel with
one of the caravans to trade with Syria. On his way back to Mecca from
Syria 'Abd Allah became ill and had to stop off in Yathrib to recover. The
caravan, however, continued on its way and arrived back in Mecca
without him. On hearing of 'Abd Allah's illness, „Abd al-Muttalib sent
another son, al-Hareth, to bring 'Abd Allah back to Mecca, but he was too
late.
When he arrived in Yathrib „Abd Allah was dead. Aminah was heart-
broken to lose her husband and the father of the child she would soon
give birth to. Only Allah knew that this orphan child would one day be a
great Prophet.
The Elephant Refuses To Move
Abrahah, who came from Abyssinia-a country in Africa-conquered

Yemen and was made vice-regent there. Later, he noticed that at a certain
time of the year large numbers of people would travel from all over
Yemen and the rest of Arabia to Mecca. He asked the reason for this and
was told that they were going on pilgrimage to the Ka'bah. Abrahah hated
the idea of Mecca being more important than his own country, so he
decided to build a church of colored marble, with doors of gold and
ornaments of silver, and ordered the people to visit it instead of the
Ka'bah. But no one obeyed him.
Abrahah became angry and decided to destroy the Ka1bah. He
prepared a large army led by an elephant and set off towards Mecca.
When the Meccans heard that he was coming they became very
frightened. Abrahah's army was huge and they could not fight it. But how
could they let him destroy the Holy Ka'bah? They went to ask the advice
of their leader, 'Abd al-Muttalib. When Abrahah arrived outside Mecca,
'Abd al-Muttalib went to meet him. Abrahah said, 'What do you want?'
Abrahah had taken Abd al-Muttalib's camels, which he had found grazing
as he entered Mecca, so „Abd al-Muttalib replied, 'I want my camel’s
back.' Abrahah was very surprised and said, 'I have come to destroy your
Holy Ka‟bah, the holy place of your fathers, and you ask me about some
camels?' 'Abd al-Muttalib replied calmly, „The camels belong to me; the
Ka‟bah belongs to Allah and He will protect it.' Then he left Abrahah and
went back to Quraysh and ordered them to leave Mecca and wait for their
enemies in the mountains.
In the morning Abrahah prepared to enter the town. He put armor on

his elephant and drew up his troops for battle. He intended to destroy the
Ka'bah and then return to Yemen. At that moment, however, the elephant
knelt down and refused to get up, no matter how much the soldiers tried
to get it to move by beating it.
But when they turned its face in the direction of Yemen it

immediately got up and started off. In fact, it did the same in any other
direction, but as soon as they pointed it towards Mecca it knelt down
again. Suddenly, flocks of birds appeared from over the sea. Each bird
carried three stones as small as peas and they dropped them on Abrahah1s
army. The soldiers suddenly fell ill. Even Abrahah was hit by the stones
and fled in fear with the rest of his army back to Yemen, where he later
died. On seeing their enemy flee the Arabs came down from the
mountains to the Ka‟bah and gave thanks to Allah.
After this, Quraysh gained great respect and became known as 'the
people of Allah', and the year in which these events took place, 570A.D,
was named the 'Year of the Elephant'. In that year Allah had saved the
Ka'bah and he would soon bring forth a Prophet from among Quraysh. In
the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: “Hast thou not seen how
thy Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? Did He not bring their
stratagem to naught, And send against them swarms of flying creatures,
Which pelted them with stones of baked clay, And made them like green
crops devoured (by cattle)? (Qur'an 105.1-5)
The Prophet Is Born
One day, while travelling north, one of the Arab tribes from Mecca met a
hermit in the desert. Some of the men stopped to speak with him. Hermits
were known to be wise and the Arabs often asked their advice. The
hermit asked where they had come from. When they replied that they
were from Mecca, he told them that Allah would soon send a prophet,
who would come from their people. They asked the name of this prophet
and the hermit answered that his name would be Muhammad and that he
would guide them to a new way of life.
Meanwhile in Mecca, Aminah, although saddened by the loss of her

husband, felt especially well and strong as she awaited the birth of her
baby. During this time she dreamt of many things. On one occasion it was
as if a great light were shining out of her, and on another she heard a
voice telling her that she would have a boy and that his name would be
Muhammad. She never forgot that voice but she told no one about it.
On Monday, the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal in the Year of the

Elephant, Aminah gave birth to a son. Allah sends man many signs when
one of His chosen Prophets is born and on that twelfth day of Rabi al-
Awwal in the year 570 A.D, many such signs were seen. Some were seen
by Jewish scholars who had read in their scriptures of a coming Prophet.
One of these learned men in Yathrib, for instance, saw a brilliant new star
he had never seen before as he studied the heavens that night. He called
the people around him and, pointing the star out to them, told them a
Prophet must have been born. That same night another Jew was passing
by the meeting place of the leaders of Quraysh in Mecca. He asked them
if a baby boy had just been born and told them that if it were true, this
would be the Prophet of the Arab nation.
Aminah sent news of the birth to her father-in-law, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who
was sitting near the Ka'bah at the time. He was very happy and began at
once to think of a name for the boy. An ordinary name would not do. Six
days came and went and still he had not decided. But on the seventh day,
as he lay asleep near the Ka‟bah, 'Abd al-Muttalib dreamt that he should
give the baby the unusual name of Muhammad, just as Aminah herself
had dreamt. And the child was called Muhammad (pbuh), which means
'the Praised One'. When 'Abd al-Muttalib told the leaders of Quraysh
what he had named his grandson, many of them asked, 'Why did you not
Choose the sort of name that is used by our people?' At once he replied, 'I
want him to be praised by Allah in the heavens and praised by men on
earth.
A Time With Halimah
Like many other women in Mecca, Aminah decided to send her son
away from the city for his early years to the desert where it was healthier.
Women from the desert used to come to Mecca to collect the new babies
and they would then keep them until they developed into strong children,
for which they were well paid by the parents.
Among the women who traveled to Mecca to fetch a new baby at the
time Aminah's son was born, was a Bedouin woman called Halimah.
With her was her husband and baby son. They had always been very poor
but this year things were harder than ever because there had been famine.
The donkey that earned Halimah on the journey was so weak from hunger
that he often stumbled. Halimah's own baby son cried all the time because
his mother could not feed him properly. Even their she -camel did not
give them one drop of milk. Halimah did not know what to do. She
thought to herself, 'How can I possibly feed another baby when I haven't
got enough milk even for my own son?'
At last they reached Mecca. All the other women of the tribe to which
Halimah belonged, the Bani Sa'd, found a child to take back with them,
but not Halimah. The only baby left was Muhammad (pbuh). Usually the
father paid the wet-nurse but Mohammed‟s father was dead. So no one
wanted to take him, even though he was from one of the noblest families
of Quraysh. Halimah did not want to take him either, but she did not want
to be the only woman to go back to her tribe without a baby to bring up.
She asked her husband whether she should take Muhammad (pbuh) or
not. He advised her to do so, adding, 'Perhaps Allah will bless us because
of him.' They started on the return journey and as soon as Halimah began
to feed Muhammad (pbuh) her milk suddenly increased and she had
enough for him as well as her baby son. When they were back home,
everything began to change.
The land became green, and the date trees, one of their main sources
of food, gave lots of fruit. Even the sheep and their old she-camel began
to give plenty of milk.
Halimah and her husband knew that this good fortune had come
because they had the new baby, Muhammad (pbuh), whom they had
come to love as if he were their own son.
When Muhammad (pbuh) was two years old, Halimah took him back
to his mother. She pleaded with Aminah, however, to let her keep him for
a little longer, and to her great joy the mother agreed. During his time
with Halimah's family in the desert, Muhammad (pbuh) played with her
children and together they would take the sheep out to graze. At other
times, however, Halimah would often find him sitting alone. It is said that
on one occasion, two angels came to Muhammad (pbuh) and washed his
heart with snow. In this way Allah made his heart pure for He intended
Muhammad (pbuh) to be greater than any man ever born and to become
the Seal of the Prophets.
In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful

“Did we not expand thy breast for thee and eased thee of thy burden
which weighed down thy back; And exalted thy fame? So truly with
hardship comes ease, truly with hardship comes ease. So when thou art
relieved, still toil and strive to please thy Lord. (Qur'an 94.1-8)
When Halimah finally took Muhammad (pbuh) back to Aminah, he

was a healthy, strong boy. Later he would look back with joy on the time
he had spent with Halimah, and he always thought of himself as one of
the Bani Sa'd.
The Orphan's Childhood
Muhammad (pbuh) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when he

was about three years old. Three years later Aminah decided to take her
son to visit his uncles in Yathrib. She told her maid, Barakah, to prepare
everything they would need for the long journey, and then they joined
one of the caravans going there. They stayed in Yathrib a month and
Muhammad (pbuh) enjoyed the visit with his cousins. The climate there
was very pleasant and he learned to swim and to fly a kite. On their way
back to Mecca, however, Aminah became ill and died. She was buried in
the village at al-Abwa not far from Yathrib. Muhammad (pbuh) returned
sadly to Mecca with his mother's maid He was now six years old and had
lost both his father and mother. He was then adopted by his grandfather,
„Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by his side at all
times. It was the custom of 'Abd al-Muttalib to sit on a blanket near the
Ka‟bah. There he was always surrounded by people who had come to
speak to him. No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him,
however, except his grandson Muhammad (pbuh), which shows how
close they were to each other. Many times 'Abd al-Muttalib was heard to
say: 'This boy will be very important one day.'
Two years later 'Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad (pbuh)
stayed by him constantly. 'Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, to
adopt Muhammad (pbuh) after his death, which he did. Abu Talib had
many children of his own, but Muhammad (pbuh) immediately became
part of his family and the favorite child. The time came for Quraysh to
prepare a caravan to go to Syria. Abu Talib was going with them and he
took Muhammad (pbuh) along. It was Mohammed‟s first journey to the
north. After days of travel, the caravan arrived at a place near Syria where
the Romans used to come to trade with the Arabs. Near this marketplace
lived a monk called Bahira‟. His cell had been used by generations of
monks before him and contained ancient manuscripts.
Bahira' saw the caravan in the distance and was amazed to see that
over it was a large white cloud. It was the only cloud in a clear blue sky
and it appeared to be shading one of the travelers. The monk was even
more surprised to see that the cloud seemed to follow the caravan but
disappeared when the person it was shading sat down under a tree.
Bahira‟ knew from the scriptures that a prophet was expected to come
after Jesus and it had been his wish to see this prophet before he died.
Realizing that what he had just seen was a miracle, he began to think that
his wish might, after all, come true.
The monk sent an invitation to the Meccans to come and eat with him.
The Arabs were surprised because they often passed by and Bahira‟ had
never invited them before. When the group was all together for the meal,
the monk said, 'Is this everyone? ‟ 'No', someone said, 'a boy was left
watching the camels.' Bahira‟ insisted that the boy should join them. The
boy was Muhammad (pbuh). When he arrived Bahira‟ said nothing, but
watched him all through the meal. He noticed many things about his
appearance which fitted the description in the old manuscripts. Later on
he took him aside and asked Muhammad (pbuh) many questions. He soon
found out how he felt about the idols in the Ka'bah. When Bahira tried to
make him swear by them, as the Arabs used to do, Muhammad (pbuh)
said, 'There is nothing in this world that I hate more'. They talked together
about Allah and about Mohammed‟s life and family. What was said made
Bahira certain that this was indeed the Prophet who would follow Jesus.
Then the monk went to Abu Talib and asked him how he was related
to Muhammad (pbuh). Abu Talib told him that Muhammad (pbuh) was
his son. Bahira replied that this could not be so because the boy was
destined to grow up an orphan, and he ordered Abu Talib to watch over
Muhammad (pbuh) with great care. There are many stories told about
Mohammed‟s youth. Some tell of how he used to take the family's sheep
to graze and was always kind to them. While they grazed he would sit
thinking about the mysteries of nature. Unlike those around him1 he
never worshipped the idols and never swore by them.
He also wondered why people were always struggling for power and
money, and this saddened him and made him feel lonely, but he kept his
feelings to himself. He was a quiet, thoughtful boy, and rarely played
with other boys of his age. On one occasion, however, Muhammad
(pbuh) went with some of the boys to a wedding in Mecca. When he
reached the house he heard the sounds of music and dancing but just as he
was about to enter he suddenly felt tired and, sitting down, fell asleep. He
didn't wake up until late the next morning and thus missed the
celebrations. In this way Allah prevented him from doing anything
foolish for He was keeping Muhammad (pbuh) for something much more
important
The Prophet's Marriage
By the time Muhammad (pbuh) was twenty-five he was famous for his
honesty. He was respected by everyone, even the elders of Mecca. The
purity of his nature increased with the years. It seemed he had an inner
knowledge that other people did not have. He believed in one God-
Creator of the world-and he worshipped Him with all his heart and with
all his soul. Muhammad (pbuh) was the finest of his people, the most
kind, truthful and reliable person in Mecca. He was known among
Quraysh as 'the trustworthy' (al-Amin) because of the good qualities
Allah had given him. He spent many quiet hours in a cave in Mount Hira,
not far from Mecca, thinking about Allah. Among Quraysh was a
respected and wealthy woman named Khadijah. She was involved in
trade and on hearing of Mohammed‟s reputation, sent for him and asked
him to take her goods and trade with them in Syria. Muhammad (pbuh)
agreed and left for Syria with one of Khadijah's caravans. With him went
her slave, Maysarah, and they spent a great deal of time talking together.
Maysarah soon came to admire Muhammad (pbuh). He thought he was
quite different from all the other men of Quraysh.
Two unusual events took place during this journey which puzzled
Maysarah very much. The first happened when they stopped to rest near
the lonely home of a monk. Muhammad (pbuh) sat under a tree while
Maysarah was busy with some work. The monk came up to Maysarah
and asked, 'Who is the man resting under the tree?' 'One of Quraysh, the
people who guard the Ka‟bah', said Maysarah. 'No one but a Prophet is
sitting beneath this tree', replied the monk. The second event occurred on
the journey back to Mecca. It happened at noon, when the sun is at its
hottest. Maysarah was riding behind Muhammad (pbuh) and as the sun
grew hotter he saw two angels appear above Muhammad (pbuh) and
shield him from the sun's harmful rays. The trading was very successful
and Muhammad (pbuh) made more profit for Khadijah than she had ever
received before.
When they arrived back in Mecca Maysarah told Khadijah everything
about the trip and what he had noticed about Mohammed‟s character and
behavior.
Khadijah was a widow in her forties and as well as being rich and
highly respected she was also very beautiful.
Many men wanted to marry her but none of them suited her. When
she met Muhammad (pbuh), however, she thought he was very special.
She sent a friend to ask Muhammad (pbuh) why he was not married.
Muhammad (pbuh) said that it was because he had no money, to which
the friend replied: 'Supposing a rich, beautiful and noble lady agreed to
marry you?' Muhammad (pbuh) wanted to know who that could be. The
friend told him it was Khadijah. Muhammad (pbuh) was very happy,
because he greatly respected Khadijah. He went with his uncles, Abu
Talib and Hamzah, to Khadijah's uncle, and asked his permission to
marry her. The uncle gave his permission and soon after, Muhammad
(pbuh) and Khadijah were married.
Their marriage was a joyful one and Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah
were well suited. Their life together, however, was not without some
sadness. They were blessed with six children, two sons and four
daughters. Sadly their first born, a son called Qasim, died shortly before
his second birthday, and their last child, also a son, only lived for a short
time. Happily, their four daughters-Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum,
and Fatimah-all survived.
For a few years Muhammad (pbuh) lived a calm and quiet life as a
merchant in Mecca. His wisdom benefited many people. One such time
was when Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka‟bah. It was a difficult
decision for them because they had to knock it down before rebuilding it
and the people were afraid that Allah might be angry with them for
knocking down His sanctuary. At last one of the wise old men of Quraysh
decided to begin, and then everybody followed him. They worked until
they reached down to the first foundation that Abraham had built. As
soon as they began to remove the stones of this foundation, however, the
whole of Mecca began to shake.
They were so afraid that they decided to leave these stones where they
were and build on top of them. Each tribe brought stones and they built
the Ka'bah up until they reached the place where the black stone was to
be set. They then began to argue about who should have the honor of
carrying the black stone and lifting it to its place in one of the corners of
the Ka'bah.
They almost came to blows but fortunately one of the men offered a
solution. He suggested that they should be guided by the first person to
enter the place of worship. They all agreed and as Muhammad (pbuh)
was the first to enter everyone were pleased, because they all trusted him.
They told him the cause of the argument and he asked them to bring a
large cloak. They did as he asked, and after spreading the cloak on the
ground he placed the black stone in the centre of it. Then he asked a man
from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak and together to raise it to the
Height where the stone should be see. When this was done, he took the
stone off the cloak and put it into place himself. This story shows how all
Quraysh respected and trusted Muhammad (pbuh) and how, by his
wisdom and good sense, he was able to keep the peace.
The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel
Muhammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of
the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that all
people should worship only Him. Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave
the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'. He liked to be alone
there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and
drinking little. In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca to
spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave. In the
second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind
through Muhammad (pbuh). This first Revelation occurred as follows.
The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and
commanded him to 'Read'. Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.' At
this the Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him
to him until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and
said again 'Read.' 'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the
Archangel embraced him again. For the third time the Archangel
commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he could not and
was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel
Gabriel said:
“Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth, Createth man from a
clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who teacheth by the pen,
Teacheth man that which he knew not. (Qur'an 96.1-5) Muhammad
(pbuh) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them. When
the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he we
away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand
what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the
cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold
of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; '0
Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.'
He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel
Gabriel.
In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife

saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a
fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a while
he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'. Khadijah
believed all that he told her and with great respect said: 'Be happy, 0 son
of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in
His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.' Muhammad (pbuh), the
Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had
happened he was exhausted and felt fast asleep.
Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin,
Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had
happened. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and
had become a Christian after studying the Bible. He told Khadijah that
Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just
as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him
to guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of
his people. But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the
Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be
patient because he had a great message for all the world. From that day
on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the
verses he taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later written
down, and are known to us as the Holy Qur'an.
The First Muslims
After that momentous day in the month of Ramadan, Revelation came

again and again to the Prophet (pbuh). He understood now what he had to
do and prepared himself for what was to come. Only a strong and brave
man, helped by Allah, can be a true prophet because people often refuse
to listen to Allah's message. Khadijah was the first to believe the Prophet
(pbuh) and accept as true what he brought from Allah. Through her, Allah
made things easier for the Prophet (pbuh). Khadijah strengthened him,
helped him spread his message, and stood up to the people who were
against him.
Then Revelation ceased for a time. The Prophet (pbuh) was upset and
unhappy, thinking that Allah had left him, or that he might have angered
Allah in some way so that Allah no longer thought him worthy of His
message. However, the Archangel Gabriel came back to him and brought
this surah, or chapter, of the Qur'an:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“By the morning hours, And by the night when it is stillest, Thy Lord
hath neither forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee, And verily the Last will
be better for thee than the First. And verily thy Lord will give unto thee
so that thou wilt be content. Did He not find thee an orphan and protect
thee? Did He not find thee wandering and guide thee? Did He not find
thee destitute and enrich thee? Therefore the orphan oppress not,
Therefore the beggar drive not away, And as for thy Lord's blessing,
declare it”. (Qur'an: 93.1-11)
The Prophet (pbuh) began to speak secretly of Allah's message to

those who were close to him and whom he could trust. At that time
Mecca was going through hard times. There was very little food to be
had. Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, who had taken care of him after his
grandfather's death, was finding it very difficult to feed his large family.
The Prophet (pbuh) said that he and another uncle, al-'Abbas, who
was a rich man, would each bring up one of Abu Talib's children in order
to help him. The Prophet (pbuh) took „Ali and his uncle took Ja‟far.
One day, when the Prophet (pbuh) was outside the city, the Archangel
Gabriel appeared to him. The Archangel kicked the side of a hill and a
spring of water began to flow out. He then began to wash himself in the
running water to show the Prophet (pbuh) the ritual ablution to be made
before prayer. Then the Archangel showed him all the positions of
Muslim prayer-the various movements and things to be said with each
movement. The Prophet (pbuh) returned home and taught all these things
first to Khadijah and then to his followers. Since then Muslims have
continued to purify themselves before prayer by performing the ritual
ablution and have followed the same movements and prayers first
performed by the Prophet (pbuh). To begin with, though, only the Prophet
(pbuh) and his wife knew of these things. Then one day „Ali entered the
room and found the Prophet (pbuh) and Khadijah praying. He was
puzzled and asked what they were doing. The Prophet (pbuh) explained
to him that they were praising Allah and giving thanks to Him. That night
'Ali stayed up thinking about all that the Prophet (pbuh) had said; he had
great admiration and respect for his cousin. Finally he came to a decision
and the next day he went to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him that he
wanted to follow him. Thus Khadijah was the first woman to embrace
Islam, the teachings which the Prophet (pbuh) brought from Allah, and
„Ali was the first young man. Shortly after they were joined by Zayd ibn
Harithah, a slave freed and adopted by the Prophet (pbuh).
The Prophet (pbuh) began to leave Mecca with 'An in order to pray.
One day Abu Talib happened to pass by and when he saw them he
stopped and asked them what they were doing. The Prophet (pbuh) told
him that they were praying and following the same religion as Abraham.
He explained that, like Abraham, he had been ordered to guide the people
to Allah's truth. Abu Talib looked at his son, 'Ali, and said: 'Muhammad
(pbuh) would never make you do anything that was wrong. Go with him.
But I cannot leave the religion I now follow and which was followed
by my father.' Then he turned to the Prophet (pbuh), saying, 'Even so, I
promise you, Muhammad (pbuh), that no one will hurt you as long as I
am alive.' And with that Abu Talib went on his way. At about this time
the news of Muhammad (pbuh) being the Prophet reached an honest,
wise, and respected merchant of Mecca called Abu Bakr. He knew
Muhammad (pbuh) well and believed he could never lie, so he went to
find out for himself if the story were true. The Prophet (pbuh) told him
that he had indeed been sent by Allah to teach everyone to worship the
one true Allah. On hearing this from the Prophet's own lips Abu Bakr
knew it to be the truth and became a believer instantly. Later the Prophet
(pbuh) was reported to have said that everyone he ever invited to accept
Islam showed signs of disbelief and doubt, except Abu Bakr; when he
was told of it he did not hold back or hesitate. Because of his wisdom,
honesty, and kindness people had always turned to Abu Bakr for advice.
He was, therefore, a man of some influence and through him many people
came to Islam. Among these was Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas as, the uncle of
Aminah, the Prophet's mother. The night before Abu Bakr came to visit
him and tell him about Islam, Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas dreamt that he was
walking in darkness. As he walked he saw the moon and when he looked

at it he saw 'Ali, Abu Bakr, and Zayd, the Prophet's freed slave,
beckoning to him to come and join them. When Abu Bakr told him about
the Prophet's religion, he understood the meaning of his dream and went
at once to the Prophet (pbuh) and declared himself a Muslim. He
understood that to be a Muslim means to submit oneself to Allah's Will
and to serve only Him. Another person brought to Islam by Abu Bakr was
Bilal. One night Abu Bakr went to the house of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one
of the most important men of Quraysh. Umayyah was out and Abu Bakr
found only Umayyah's slave, Bilal, at home. Abu Bakr talked to the slave
about Islam and before he left, Bilal, too, had become a Muslim. The
number of people following the Prophet (pbuh) began to grow.
Sometimes they would all go out of the city to the mountains around
Mecca to hear him recite the Qur'an and to be taught by him. This was all
done very secretly and only a very few people knew about Islam in those
early days.
The Troubles Begin
Three years passed and one day the Archangel Gabriel came to the
Prophet (pbuh) and ordered him to start preaching openly to everyone. So
the Prophet (pbuh) told the people of Mecca that he had something very
important to tell them. He stood on a hillside in Mecca, called Safa, and
they gathered around to hear what he had to say. He started by asking
them if they would believe him were he to say that an army was about to
attack them. They answered that indeed they would, because he never
lied. He then told them that he was the Messenger of Allah, sent to show
them the right way, and to warn them of terrible punishments if they did
not follow him in worshipping only Allah and none other. Abu Lahab,
one of the Prophet's uncles who was among the listeners, suddenly stood
up and said, 'May you perish! Did you call us here just to tell us this?' At
this, Allah sent to the Prophet (pbuh) the following Surah:
In the Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
“The Power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish. His wealth
and gains will not save him. He shall roast at a flaming fire, And his wife,
the carrier of firewood Will have upon her neck a rope of palm-fibre”.
(Qur'an 111.1-5)
Then the crowd dispersed and the Prophet (pbuh) was left alone. A
few days later the Prophet (pbuh) tried again. A feast was prepared in his
house for all of his uncles. After the meal he spoke to them and said, 'O
sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib! I know of no Arab who has come to his people
with a better message than mine. I have brought you the best news for
this life and the next. Allah has ordered me to call you to Him. So which
of you will help me?' All the men kept silent. Then 'Ali, his cousin,
jumped up and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! I will help you.' Then the men
all got up and left, laughing as they went because only one young boy had
agreed to help the Prophet (pbuh).
His message ignored by most of the people and his uncles, the Prophet
(pbuh) continued to meet his friends secretly in a house near the hill of
Safa. There they prayed together and he taught them about the religion of
Islam. But even though they kept to themselves, they were sometimes
abused by those who would not believe. From one such incident,
however, an unexpected conversion to Islam took place. One day, when
the Prophet (pbuh) was returning home, speaking with his followers, he
met Abu Jahl, a leader of Quraysh, who hated the Prophet (pbuh) and his
teachings. Abu Jahl started to insult him and to speak spitefully of Islam,
but the Prophet (pbuh) made no reply and went on his way.
Later, Hamzah, one of the Prophet's uncles, who was a strong and
brave warrior of whom people were quite afraid, heard how his nephew
had been insulted. Filled with rage, he ran straight to the Ka'bah where
Abu Jahl was sitting among the people and struck him a violent blow in
the face with his bow. Hamzah then shouted, 'Will you insult him when I
follow his religion, and I say what he says? Hit me back if you can!'
Some people got up to help Abu Jahl but he stopped them saying, 'Leave
Hamzah alone, for by Allah, I have insulted his nephew badly. 'From that
moment on Hamzah followed the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) and
with his conversion to Islam Quraysh realized that the Prophet (pbuh) had
a strong supporter and so for a while they stopped persecuting him. Soon,
however, the leaders of Quraysh became angry again, when they saw that
the Prophet (pbuh) was going ahead with his teaching. A group of them
went to his uncle, Abu Talib, who had promised to protect him. They told
him to ask the Prophet (pbuh) to stop attacking their gods and their way
of life, and in return they would let him do as he wished with his religion.
After a time they saw that there was no change, so they went back to
Abu Talib and this time they told him that if he did not stop his nephew,
they would fight them both. Abu Talib was very upset by this quarrel
among his people, but he could not break his word to his nephew. He sent
for the Prophet (pbuh) and told him what had happened, saying, 'Spare
me and spare yourself; do not put a greater burden on me than I can bear.'
The Prophet (pbuh) thought that his uncle might abandon him and that he
would no longer have his support, but nevertheless he answered, '0 my
uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my
left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until
Allah makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service. Abu Talib was
deeply moved by this answer. He told the Prophet (pbuh) that he would
support him for as long as he lived and encouraged him to go on
spreading Allah's message. From that time on, however hard the leaders
of Quraysh tried to convince Abu Talib to stop protecting his nephew, he
always refused to listen to them. In order to get rid of the Prophet (pbuh)
and his followers, his enemies started persecuting those Muslims who
were poor or weak, or had no powerful friends. One such person was
Bilal, the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf. His master would take him out
into the desert, tie him up, and leave him in the sun with a large stone on
his chest. Fortunately Abu Bakr was passing by one day and saw
Umayyah torturing Bilal, so he bought him from his master for a large
sum of money and then set him free. But not all persecuted Muslims were
as fortunate as Bilal. Many suffered, but all of them endured it patiently,
knowing that they were doing the right thing and that their reward in the
life to come would be greater' than any happiness they could find on
earth.
The King Who Believed
As the number of the Prophet's followers increased so the enemies of the

Muslims grew more and more angry. At last some of the Muslims
decided to go to another country in order to live in peace. It was only five
years since the Archangel Gabriel had first come to the Prophet (pbuh)
and two years since the Prophet (pbuh) had spoken out in public. The
Muslims asked the Prophet (pbuh) to allow them to leave Mecca. He
agreed, saying 'It would be better for you to go to Abyssinia. The king
there is a just man and it is a friendly country. Stay there until Allah
makes it possible for you to return. The Muslims prepared for the
journey. They decided to wait until night so that they could leave without
being seen. The first sixteen left Mecca and, after reaching the shore of
die Red Sea, crossed over to Abyssinia. Another eighty-three men and
nineteen women followed, all hoping to be welcomed by the king and
people of that country. This was the first hijrah, or migration, in Islam.
The Meccans were furious when they discovered that these Muslims
had secretly left the city for among them were the sons and daughters of
many of the leading families of Mecca. The anger of the Meccans was
even greater when they found out that the Muslims had been warmly
welcomed in Abyssinia. The leaders of Quraysh decided to send two men
to the Abyssinian king in hopes of persuading him to send the Muslims
back. These were 'Amr ibn al-’as, a very clever speaker, and „Abd Allah
ibn abi Rabi‟ah. Before they met this king, they gave each of his advisers
a gift, saying: 'Some foolish men from our people have come to hide in
your country. Our leaders have sent us to your ruler to persuade him to
send them back, so when we speak to the king about them, do advise him
to give them up to us.' The advisers agreed to do what the Meccans
wished.
Amr ibn al-’as and 'Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi'ah then went to the king
and presented him also with a gift, saying: 'Your Highness, these people
have abandoned the religion we have always followed in Mecca, but they
have not even become Christians like you.' The royal advisers, who were
also present, told the king that the Meccans had spoken the truth and that
he should send the Muslims back to their own people. At this, the king
became angry and said, 'No, by God, I will not give them up. Those who
have come to ask for my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me
rather than others, shall not be betrayed. I will summon them and ask
them about what these two men have said. If the Muslims are as the
Meccans say, I will give them up and send them back to their own people,
but if the Meccans have lied I will protect the Muslims.' 'Amr was very
upset by this for the last thing he wanted was for the king to hear what the
Muslims had to say. The king then sent for the Muslims. When they
entered, they did not kneel before him as was the custom of the
Abyssinians. 'Why do you not kneel before our king?' they were asked by
one of the advisors. 'We kneel only to Allah', they replied. So the king
asked them to tell him about their religion.
Ja'far ibn abi Talib, Ali's brother and a cousin of the Prophet (pbuh),
was chosen to speak for the Muslims. He replied, '0 King, at first we were
among the ignorant. We and our ancestors had turned from the faith of
Abraham, who, with Ishmael, rebuilt the Ka‟bah and worshipped only
Allah. We used idols in our worship of Allah; we ate meat that had not
been killed in the right way; we did not respect the rights of our
neighbors; the strong took advantage of the weak. We did terrible things
of which I dare not speak. This was our life until Allah sent a Messenger
from among us, one of our relatives, whom we have always known to be
honest, innocent, and faithful. He asked us to worship only Allah, and to
give up the bad customs of our forefathers. He asked us to be truthful and
trustworthy, to respect and help our neighbors, to honor our families, and
to put a stop to our bad deeds and endless fighting. He asked us to look
after orphans. He ordered us not to slander or speak evil of women or
men.
He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or

anything else alongside Him. He ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to
fast. We believe he is right and therefore we follow him and do as he has
commanded us.
The Meccans began to attack us and come between us and our

religion. So we had to leave our homes and we have come to you, hoping
to find justice.'
The king, who was a Christian, was moved by these words. „Amr had
to think quickly of a way to win the argument. Cunningly he said to the
king, 'These people do not believe in Jesus in the same way as you'. The
king then wanted to know what the Prophet (pbuh) had said about Jesus.
Ja'far replied by reciting a Surah from the Qur'an which tells the story of
Jesus and his mother Mary. These are a few of the lines he recited:

“And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had
Withdrawn from her people to an eastern place, And had chosen
seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for
her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the
Beneficent One from thee, if Thou fears God. He said: I am only a

messenger of thy Lord that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. She said:
How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I
been unchaste? He said: 'Even so thy Lord faith: It is easy for Me. And (it
will be) that We may make of him revelation for mankind and a mercy
from Us, and it is a thing ordained. And she conceived him, and she
withdrew with him to a far place. Then she brought him to her own folk,
carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an monstrous
thing. Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy
mother a harlot. Then Mary pointed to the child (Jesus); But they said,
'How can we speak to one who is still in the cradle, a young child?' He
said, 'Lo, I am Allah's servant; He has given me the Book, and made me a
Prophet.
He has made me Blessed, where so ever I may be; and He has

enjoined me to pray, and to give alms, so long as I live, and likewise to
cherish my mother; he has not made me arrogant, unless Peace be upon
me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up
alive!” (Qur'an 19:16-33) . When the king heard this, his eyes filled with
tears. Turning to his advisers, he said, 'These words have surely come
from God; there is very little to separate the Muslims from the Christians.
What both Jesus and Muhammad, the Messengers of Allah, have brought
comes from the same source.
So the Muslims were given the king's permission to live peacefully in

his country. 'Amr was given back the gift he had presented to the king
and the two Meccans returned home, bitterly disappointed.
The Cruelty of Quraysh
The leaders of Quraysh became increasingly worried about the way the
people of Mecca were being divided by the Prophet's teachings. Finally,
„Umar ibn al-Khattab, one of the nobles of Mecca, decided that the only
way to silence the Prophet (pbuh) was to kill him. Having made up his
mind, he set out at once to look for him. On his way he met a man who
saw at once what „Umar was going to do and said: 'Why don't you look a
little closer to home before going to kill Muhammad? Don't you know
your own sister Fatimah is a Muslim?' 'Umar was shocked. He could not
believe this was true. He went at once to his sister's house. When he
arrived outside the house he heard Fatimah and her husband Sa‟id reading
aloud surah Ta Ha, a chapter from the Qur'an. Hearing her brother's voice
at the door, Fatimah quickly hid the scroll with the surah written on it
among the folds of her dress. „Umar stormed into the room and
demanded, 'What is this nonsense I heard?' Fatimah denied everything.
„Umar then lost his temper and attacked Fatimah's husband shouting,
'They tell me that you have joined Muhammad in his religion!' Fatimah
tried to defend her husband and „Umar hit her too. Then she admitted,
„Yes, we are Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger and
you can do what you like!'
Seeing her faith and courage, „Umar suddenly felt sorry for what he
had done and said to his sister, 'Let me see what I heard you reading just
now so that I may understand just what it is that your Prophet has
brought. Fatimah gave the scroll to him after he had washed to make
himself clean and pure before touching it, and had promised to give it
back to her afterwards.

“Ta Ha We have not revealed unto thee (Muhammad) this Qur'an For
thee to be distressed, but only as a reminder Unto him who fears a
Revelation from Him who created the earth and the high heavens; the
Beneficent One Who is established on the Throne; To Him belongs
Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth And all that is between them,
and All that is underneath the soil.
If Thou speaks aloud Be thou loud in thy speech, yet Surely He knows
the secret (thought) And that yet more hidden. Allah There is no god but
He to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names”. (Qur'an 20: 1-8). As he
read, 'Umar suddenly knew that these were the most beautiful words he
had ever heard and that this religion must be the true one. With his sword
still in hand, he went straight to the Prophet's house and
Knocked loudly at the door. One of the Prophet's closest followers looked
out. There stood 'Umar who was known for his courage and strength.
When he saw 'Umar so excited and with his sword in hand, he was afraid
for the Prophet's life. But the Prophet (pbuh) asked him to allow 'Umar to
come in and to leave them alone together. The Prophet (pbuh) asked
'Umar why he had come, to which he replied: 'I have come to swear that
there is no god but Allah and that you, Muhammad, are the Messenger of
Allah.' As he spoke these words, his hand still held the sword with which
he had intended to kill the Prophet (pbuh). This same sword' would now
be used to defend the Prophet (pbuh) and the faith of Islam. At that time,
whenever Muslims wanted to perform the ritual encircling of the Ka'bah,
known as tawaf they had to do it secretly and in fear. 'Umar, however,
was very courageous. As soon as he had declared his faith, he went
directly to the Ka'bah and in broad daylight made the circling of the
Sacred House before the astonished people of Mecca. No one dared to
say anything. But now the leaders of Quraysh became even more alarmed
and began to see Islam as a threat to the whole life of the city of Mecca.
They grew more and more furious as the numbers of Muslims increased
until finally they, too, decided as 'Umar once had, that the Prophet (pbuh)
would have to be killed.
On hearing of these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle,

immediately sent a message to all the sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, asking
them to protect their nephew, and this they agreed to do. When Quraysh
realized that they could not kill the Prophet (pbuh) because of this
protection, they decided instead to avoid him and his followers
completely. A declaration to this effect was hung at the Ka‟bah. It stated
that no one in the city was allowed to have anything to do with the
Prophet (pbuh) and his people, or even to sell them any food or drink
whatsoever.
At first the Muslims found some support among the Bani Hashim, the
branch of Quraysh to which the Prophet (pbuh) belonged. Some of these
people were not Muslims but showed loyalty to their kinsmen by
suffering along with them. However, life grew more and more difficult
and food was scarce. The hatred of the rest of Quraysh for the followers
of the Prophet (pbuh) grew so great that when his companions tried to
buy supplies from a caravan passing near to Mecca, Abu Lahab, one of
the Muslims' worst enemies, offered ten times the price of the goods to
the merchant. By doing this he managed to stop the Muslims, from
buying what they desperately needed. During the years of this terrible
treatment, a wonderful thing happened. Instead Of Islam becoming
weaker, it grew stronger. Allah sent more and more Revelations. It was as
though the Muslims were being strengthened and cleansed by the
hardships they suffered and were being tested in their faith. Each year at
the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca, people tame from all over Arabia.
These pilgrims saw the terrible cruelty and injustice of Quraysh towards
the Muslims, and many of them were sorry for the Prophet's followers.
Quraysh began to feel ashamed of their harsh treatment, especially as
many of the Muslims were their cousins and close relatives. Finally, at
the end of three years, they were convinced that the time had come to put
an end to the persecution of the Muslims, and they decided to take down
the notice hanging at the Ka‟bah. To their astonishment, the sheet of
paper had been completely eaten up by worms, all except the words, 'In
Your Name, O Allah', which had been written at the top of the paper.
The Year of Sorrow
The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal way of life
but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very weak. She became ill
and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet (pbuh) lost his beloved
wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam and support him. She had
been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-heartedness, the
best company in his suffering. He had loved her very much. This
happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known as the 'Year of
Sorrow'. Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector,
Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men
in Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though he had never been a
follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (pbuh) against his
enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet (pbuh) but also
a dangerous one. According to Arab custom anyone who is under the
protection of another is safe so long as his protector lives. Now, with the
death of his uncle, the Prophet's protection was gone.
The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to

console and comfort him, and without his uncle to protect him. They
began to treat him worse than ever before. Even small children insulted
him. One young man actually threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but
the Prophet (pbuh) went home without making anything of it. When one
of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her
saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your father.'
Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh and the Prophet
(pbuh) now felt that Islam could make no further progress in Mecca
because the hearts of Quraysh were closed against him. He decided,
therefore, to travel to Ta'if where he hoped to find support. He walked all
the way to the town, which was seventy kilometers away. There he spoke
in all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to him. He
met the leaders of the three most important tribes but they would not
listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they
laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and pelt him with
stones.
Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near a
wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to
Allah in these words: “O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness,
helplessness and lowliness before men. 0 Most Merciful, Thou art the
Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave
my fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast
given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what
happens to me. Thy favor alone is my objective. I take refuge in the Light
of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on which this
world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me or Thy
wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou art well
pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee.” The wall
near which the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by
two brothers. When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him
and sent one of their slaves to him with a dish filled with grapes. Before
he began to eat, the Prophet (pbuh) said 'Bismillah'-'In the Name of
Allah.' The servant, whose name was „Addas, was very surprised at these
words, which he had never heard before. 'By Allah', said „Addas, 'this is
not the way the people of this country speak.' 'Then from what country do
you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet (pbuh). 'I
am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he replied. 'From the
town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added the Prophet 'How do
you know about him?' asked „Addas. 'He is my brother-he was a Prophet
and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). „Addas
bent down and kissed the Prophet's head, his hands and his feet, because
now he saw that he was truly a Prophet. The Prophet (pbuh) then walked
back to Mecca. He was now able to put up with everything patiently for
he knew that Allah would never leave him. His journey to Ta'if had not
been in vain for „Addas, the Christian, had become a Muslim, and this
was to be the beginning of great changes.
The Farewell Pilgrimage
The Prophet (pbuh) had become the most powerful leader in the whole of
Arabia. After the idols in the Ka'bah had been smashed and Quraysh had
become Muslim, most of the other tribes of Arabia came to declare their
Islam. The year in which they came was later to be called the Year of
Deputations. As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
sent his men to teach them about their new religion. Many people also
came to Medinah to question the Prophet (pbuh) himself. One tribe sent a
man called Dimam, who was large and strong. On arriving in Medinah,
he went straight to the mosque, where the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was
sitting with some of his companions, and stood over the Prophet (pbuh).
In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which of you is the son of 'Abd al-
Muttalib?' When the Prophet (pbuh) answered him Dimam went on, 'I am
going to ask you a hard question, so do not misunderstand me. I ask you
to swear by Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you and the
Allah of those who will come after you, has He sent you to us as a
messenger?' 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (pbuh). 'Has Allah
instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray these five prayers; to pay
alms; to fast; to make the pilgrimage and to follow the other laws of
Islam)?' continued Dimam. When the Prophet (pbuh) answered that Allah
had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam became a Muslim and, as
he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are told to do and avoid the
things we are forbidden-no more and no less.` As Dimam mounted his
camel to leave, the Prophet(pbuh) told the people around him, 'If this man
is sincere, he will go to Paradise.' When Dimam reached his people they
all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall, after he had finished
speaking, there was not among them that had not accepted Islam.
When the time came for the yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed that
the prophet (pbuh) would be going to Mecca. The Muslims flocked to
Medinah from all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka‟bah.
As the tribes arrived they camped around the city until they finally
numbered more than thirty thousand.
The Prophet (pbuh) went out with his family and friends to
pilgrimage, but before setting off, he led all the Muslims in prayer. After
the prayers, the Prophet (pbuh) got on his camel and headed towards
Mecca followed by the pilgrims, all of whom, for the first time in
centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God. The Prophet (pbuh) and his
companions were deeply moved by the sight of the huge number of
Muslims accompanying them to Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no
one. They could not help but remember their original flight from Mecca
when they had been so few in number and were forced to leave in order
to avoid the anger of Quraysh. Throughout the journey the Muslims

repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (pbuh) which he in turn
had received from the Archangel Gabriel. This prayer, the talbiyah, has
been part of the Hajj ritual ever since. It is in answer to the call Abraham
was commanded to make when he and Ishmael finished building the
Ka‟bah.
Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik in al-

hamd wa al-ni'amatu laka wal-mulk, la sharika laka . Here I am, O
Allah, at Thy service. Here I am, Thou art without partner, here I am. All
Praise and blessings are thine, and Dominion! Thou art without partner!
After ten days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same pass
by which they had entered on the Day of Conquest of Mecca. When they
reached the Ka‟bah, the Prophet (pbuh) stood before it in prayer, then he
and all the Muslims walked around it seven times saying their prayer
aloud. Next, just as Abraham had done, they went towards the Mount of
Mercy at 'Arafah, which the Prophet (pbuh) ascended on a camel. From
the mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to them as they
stood assembled on the vast plain below.
What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the „Farewell

Sermon‟, because it was the last speech the Prophet (pbuh) made before
he died. He said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and He will question
you about your works.' He asked the Muslims to take their guidance from
the Qur'an and from his own example. This, he said, was the best way to
live. He ordered them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended forever;

usury was prohibited; property was to be respected. Things which
previously were forbidden during the four sacred months of the year were
now forbidden at all times. He then commanded, 'Know that every
Muslim is a Muslim's brother', which was a completely new idea to the
tribes who had so often quarreled in the past. He also said, 'Allah has
given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves. After each point
the Prophet (pbuh) asked, 'Have I explained it well? Is it perfectly clear?'
Everyone answered, 'Yes.' For these were the people who would have to
pass on the Prophet's message and instructions to those who were unable
to be present that day and to future generations. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'I have left you two things. If you hold on to them you will be saved.
They are Allah's Book and the words of your Prophet.' He then asked,
'Have I not conveyed the message?' The multitude shouted out, 'By Allah,
yes!' The Prophet (pbuh) ended, '0 Allah! Bear witness to that.'
“… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever harming)

your religion; so do not fear them, but fear me! This day I have perfected
your religion, for you, and I have completed my favor unto you, and have
chosen for you as a religion AL-ISLAM”. (Qur'an 5.3) Many Muslims
started to shed tears, knowing that if the Prophet (pbuh) had completed
his message, his life must be near its end.
After spending the rest of the day of „Arafah in prayer and

contemplation, the Muslims began to complete the pilgrimage by
returning to Mecca with the talbiyah prayer still on their lips. The first
night of the return journey was spent at Muzdalifah. Here they gathered
pebbles, which they carried with them the next day to Mina. There they
stood before a huge rock and stoned it in remembrance of Abraham's
meeting with the Devil in that very place. When Abraham received the
order from Allah to sacrifice his son Ishmael as a test of his faith, the
Devil had tried to convince him not to do it. He came to Abraham at
Mina, as he was on his way to carry out Allah's command, but Abraham
took some stones and hurled them at the Devil to drive him away since
the casting of stones at Mina on the Prophet's 'Farewell Pilgrimage', this
has become another ritual which Muslims perform on the annual
pilgrimage to remind them that they, too, must continue to drive the Devil
away when he tries to prevent them from being obedient to Allah. After
throwing the stones, the pilgrims sacrificed sheep and camels and gave
the meat to the poor. In this way the great faith of Abraham was
remembered, for when he had been ready to sacrifice Ishmael, Allah had
sent a sheep in his place. The Muslims then completed the pilgrimage by
again circling the Ka‟bah seven times. They then cut their hair and nails
and changed out of their white clothes to show they had returned to their
daily lives. Before returning to Medinah, the Muslims spent three nights
in the valley at Medinah where the final preparations were made for the
journey home.
As for the Prophet (pbuh), he made one final visit before leaving
Mecca. This was to the grave of his devoted wife, Khadijah, who had
been the first person to believe in Allah's Revelation through him. The
Prophet (pbuh) knew that this would be the last time he would see the
grave, or Mecca, because during the pilgrimage he had received the
chapter of the Qur'an called 'Help', form which he knew that his death
was not far away.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“When Allah's help and triumph comes And thou seest, mankind
entering the religion of Allah in troops, then hymn the praises of thy
Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy”.
(Qur'an 110.1-3)
The Prophet’s Death
One Night, shortly after his return to Medinah, the Prophet (pbuh) woke
up at midnight and asked his servant‟ Abd Allah to saddle his mule. They
then left the house and went to the Baqi al-Gharqad, the burial ground of
the Muslims. There the Prophet (pbuh) stood in the front of the graves
and, as though he could see the Muslims buried in them, spoke to them
and prayed over them. Later, ‟Abd Allah reported, ‟The Prophet (pbuh)
told me that he was ordered to pray for the dead and that I was to go with
him.‟
After the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed he turned to „Abd Allah and said,
„I can choose between all the riches of this world, a long life and then
Paradise, or meeting my Lord and entering Paradise now.‟ „Abd Allah
begged him to choose a long, rich life, followed by Paradise, but the
Prophet (pbuh) told him that he had already chosen to meet his Lord now
rather than remain in the world. The following morning the Prophet
(pbuh) awoke with a terrible headache, but despite this he had led the
prayers at the mosque. From what he said afterwards to the people
assembled there, they understood that his death was near. The Prophet
(pbuh) praised his best friend, Abu Bakr, who had begun to weep, and
told everyone that he knew they would all meet again at a pool in
Paradise. He added, however that although he was sure they would
always worship Allah alone, he feared that the pleasures of the world
would attract them, and they would begin to compete with one another
for material possessions, forgetting spiritual things. Soon after the
Prophet (pbuh) requested that he be moved to the room of A‟isha, one of
his wives. As the days passed his fever grew worse, until one day he was
so ill that he could not even get to the mosque, which was next to where
A‟isha lived. The Prophet (pbuh) told A‟isha to tell the Muslims to let
Abu Bakr, her father, lead the prayer, which made them very sad for this
was the first time anyone had taken the Prophet's place.
Later, on the 12th day of Rabi al-Awal, in the 11th year of Islam (June
th
8 632 A.D.), the Prophet (pbuh) heard the voices of the people in prayer.
With great effort he got up and looked from his door at all the Muslims
who were assembled in rows behind Abu bakr; he smiled with great
satisfaction. Abu Bakr saw him and stepped back to give the Prophet
(pbuh) his place. The Muslims were happy, thinking he was going to pray
with them as before, but the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), who looked
radiantly beautiful that day signaled to them to continue on their own. He
prayed in a sitting position at the right of Abu Bakr, after which he went
back inside and lay his head on 'A'ishah's lap. He was in such pain that
his daughter Fatimah cried out in pity. Then the Prophet (pbuh) said,
'There is no pain for your father after this day; truly, death has appeared
to me. We must all suffer it till the Day of Judgement.' As he lay there,
A'ishah remembered that he had once said, Allah never takes a Prophet to
Himself without giving him the choice.' Then she heard the Prophet
(pbuh) speak. His last words were, 'Nay, rather the Exalted Communion
of Paradise.'
A‟ishah then said to herself, 'So, by Allah, he is not choosing us!'

When the people in the mosque heard that the Prophet (pbuh) was dead,
they were filled with grief. „Umar could not, and would not, believe it,
and exclaimed that it was not true. Abu Bakr then went out and spoke
gently to the people, saying 'All praise belongs to Allah! 0 people,
whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. But for him who
worships Allah, Allah is living and never dies.'
He then recited this verse from the Qur'an which had been revealed after
the battle of Uhud:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have
passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dies or is slain, you will
turn back on your heels? He who turns back does no hurt to Allah, and
Allah will reward the thankful. No soul can ever die except by Allah's
permission and at a term appointed.
Who so desires the reward of the world, we bestow on him thereof;

and whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow on him
thereof We shall reward the thankful”. (Qur'an 3.144-145)
After this the people pledged their loyalty to Abu Bakr, whom the
Prophet (pbuh) had chosen to lead the prayer. Abu Bakr accepted and
concluded what he had to say with these words: 'Obey me so long as I
obey Allah and His Messenger. But if I disobey Allah and His
Messenger, you owe me no obedience. Arise for your prayer, Allah have
mercy upon you!' The people rose and asked him; 'Where will the
Prophet (pbuh) be buried?' Abu Bakr remembered that the Prophet (pbuh)
had said, 'No Prophet dies who is not buried on the spot where he died.'
And so the Prophet (pbuh) was buried in a grave dug in the floor of
A'ishah's room, in the house next to the mosque. The spot became known
as the Haram al-Nabawi and Muslims from all over the world go there to
pray and to give their blessings and greetings of peace the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh). And Lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing. And
Lo! thou art of a tremendous nature. (Qur'an 67. 3-4)

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The Life of the Prophet

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

The Life of the

How It All Began

The people of Ur decided to give Abraham the worst punishment they

So it was that Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael left Palestine. They

The Children of Ishmael

Over the years Ishmael's children themselves had children. His

As time passed, however, the Arabs stopped worshipping Allah

Mother and son stayed in the cooler, healthier climate of Yathrib,

The Promise At Zamzam

The Elephant Refuses To Move

Abrahah, who came from Abyssinia-a country in Africa-conquered

In the morning Abrahah prepared to enter the town. He put armor on

But when they turned its face in the direction of Yemen it

The Prophet Is Born

Meanwhile in Mecca, Aminah, although saddened by the loss of her

On Monday, the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal in the Year of the

A Time With Halimah

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful

When Halimah finally took Muhammad (pbuh) back to Aminah, he

The Orphan's Childhood

Muhammad (pbuh) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when he

The Prophet's Marriage

The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel

In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife

The First Muslims

After that momentous day in the month of Ramadan, Revelation came

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Prophet (pbuh) began to speak secretly of Allah's message to

walking in darkness. As he walked he saw the moon and when he looked

The Troubles Begin

The King Who Believed

As the number of the Prophet's followers increased so the enemies of the

He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or

The Meccans began to attack us and come between us and our

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Beneficent One from thee, if Thou fears God. He said: I am only a

He has made me Blessed, where so ever I may be; and He has

So the Muslims were given the king's permission to live peacefully in

The Cruelty of Quraysh

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

On hearing of these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle,

The Year of Sorrow

The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to

The Farewell Pilgrimage

to avoid the anger of Quraysh. Throughout the journey the Muslims

Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik in al-

What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the „Farewell

Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended forever;

“… This day those who disbelieve are in despair of (ever harming)

After spending the rest of the day of „Arafah in prayer and

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The Prophet’s Death

A‟ishah then said to herself, 'So, by Allah, he is not choosing us!'

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Who so desires the reward of the world, we bestow on him thereof;

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