The Last Prophet of Allah
by Ghulam Nabi Muslim
Some Stories of the Prophet’s [Muhammad (pbuh)] Life
Faith in Allah:
Our Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)] had complete faith in Allah. Once he had gone in the desert. The day was very hot. He went under a tree to take rest. He hung his sword on a branch of the tree, lay down on the grass and fell asleep.
After some time, an enemy came there. He saw the Prophet asleep, drew his sword and went to kill him. Luckily, Muhammad woke up and saw the man. The man said to Muhammad,
“Who will save you now?”
Muhammad was not at all afraid. He replied calmly,
“Allah!”
The man trembled with the fear of Allah. His hand shook and his sword fell down. The Prophet of Allah took up the sword and said,
“Who will save you now from this sword?”
The man had no faith in Allah, so he replied,
“None can save me except you. Kindly spare my life.”
The Prophet of Allah was most merciful. He forgave the enemy and let him go. This kind treatment moved his heart and he became a Muslim.
Victory of Kindness:
Samama was a chief of Najd, a province of Arabia. Najd, to the east, was very fertile and produced wheat and many other crops, The Meccans always bought wheat from Najd. This prosperity made Samama very proud. He was a great enemy of the Muslims and killed many of them.
Once he fell into the hands of the Muslims. They brought him before the Prophet of Allah. Samama knew that he had killed many Muslims and deserved death. The Holy Prophet got him tied to a pillar in the courtyard of the mosque. Next morning, the Prophet of Allah came to him and said,
“How do you do?”
Samama replied humbly,
“I am quite well. If you sentence me to death, I deserve it. But if you show mercy, I shall be ever thankful to you.”
Hearing these words, the Prophet went away.
On the second day, the Prophet again went to Samama and put the same question. But Samama had nothing to add. The same question was repeated on the third day also and Samama gave the same reply. The Prophet then set Samama free and let him go. Samama never expected this noble treatment. Muhammad had won his heart. He went to a nearby garden, took a bath, changed his dress and went back in the presence of the Prophet of Allah.
“I have come to embrace Islam,”
said he.
“I hated you, I hated your religion and I hated your city the most. But now, my love for you, for your religion and for your city is above that of everything else.”
Steadfastness:
Muhammad preached that there is no God but Allah. He asked his people not to worship idols. He told them to do good. The people of Mecca did not follow him, but Muhammad went on with his noble mission. Many good persons joined him.
The Meccan chiefs wanted to put a stop to his mission, so, one day, they thought of a plan. They sent Utba, achief, to the Prophet. He said,
“O Muhammad! Your nation does not like your new religion. If you want wealth, we shall give a heap of gold; if you want a kingdom, we shall make you our ruler; and if you want to marry, we shall give you any girl you like. You should only give up preaching your new religion.”
These words had no effect on him. He replied calmly,
“If the Quraish place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left one, I shall not at all give up my cause. I shall either fulfil my work or lay down my life for it.”
Utba went away disappointed. He knew that nothing could shake Muhammad and such men always succeed in the end.
Religious Toleration:
Our Holy Prophet respected all the prophets of Allah. He never spoke ill of other religious books. He preached toleration.
Once a delegation of the Christians from Najran came to him. He had great respect for the Christians. He taught the Muslims to believe in the truth of Christ and his book, the Injeel [Gospel]. He invited the Christians to stay in the mosque. On Sunday, like good Christians, they wanted to say their prayer. They thought of going outside the mosque. The Holy Prophet was also present in the mosque.
“Where are you going,”
he asked.
“We are going out for prayer,”
they replied.
“Why don’t you say your prayer in the mosque? This is a place for worship.”
They had never heard of such toleration in religion before. Muhammad had given a new lead to mankind. He stands unique in this respect. He demands our respect and praise for him.
Kindness to Slaves:
Slavery existed in Arabia before Islam. Muhammad was against slavery. His wife Khadija was a rich lady. She gave a slave named Zaid to serve her husband. But the Prophet set him free at once. But Zaid did not leave Muhammad.
This Zaid, when quite young was separated from his parents. Someone picked him up and sold him in Mecca. Now, his father and uncle went about in search of him. At last they reached Mecca. They learnt that Zaid was with Muhammad. They, therefore, went to the house of Muhammad and requested him to send Zaid with them. The Holy Prophet sent for Zaid and permitted him to accompany his father. But Zaid refused to go. Muhammad to him was more kind than his parents.
Such was Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam. He loved the slaves. He raised the slaves to kingship.
There lived an old woman in Madina. She used to sweep the mosque of the Prophet. The Prophet of Allah was very kind to her. Once she fell ill. Muhammad now and then went to look after her health, but she grew from bad to worse. One day her condition grew serious. There was no hope for her life. The Prophet said to his companions,
“If she dies at night, do not forget to inform me.”
The woman died late at night. The companions did not think it proper to trouble the Prophet and buried her without informing him. Next morning, the Prophet heard of her death. He felt much sorrow, so he went to her grave along with his companions. He stayed there for some time and prayed for her departed soul.
Freedom of Thought:
There lived in Madina a slave girl named Buraira. She was married to Mughis, a slave of the same city. Mughis loved his wife very much. After some time Buraira got free. According to Islam, she could divorce her husband after freedom. She did not like Mughis. So, she divorced him.
But Mughis had great love for her. When Buraira refused to live with him, Mughis went to the Holy Prophet and told him the whole story. The Prophet sent for Buraira. When she came, he asked her not to leave her husband.
“Is it your order or advice?”
asked Buraira respectfully.
“It is my advice only,”
replied the Prophet of Allah.
“I do not like Mughis and do not want to remain with him,”
said the young lady humbly. The Prophet of Allah then let her go.
Divine Protection:
Safwan and Umair were two enemies of the Prophet Muhammad. Safwan lost his father in the Battle of Badr while Umair’s son was taken prisoner. They wanted to take revenge, so they chalked out a plan. Umair was to go to Madina to kill Muhammad while Safwan promised to look after his family.
Umair poisoned his sword and set out for Madina. After a few days, he reached Madina and got down his camel. Luckily, Umar the Great caught sight of him. He ran to Umair, caught him by the neck and took him to the Holy Prophet. Hazrat Muhammad told Umar to leave his neck. Then he said to Umair,
“What has brought you to Madina?”
“I have come to see my son,”
said Umair humbly.
“It is wrong,”
said the Prophet.
“You have come to kill me but you do not know that Allah is my protector.”
Then he told Umair about his plan which he had made with Safwan at Mecca. Umair knew that the Prophet was right. But who could tell the Prophet except Allah? The truth dawned upon him, so he said,
“You are the Prophet of Allah. Only Allah could inform you. So I bear witness that there is none to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet.”
Mercy to Mankind:
The people of Mecca were the greatest enemies of Islam. For thirteen years they tortured Hazrat Muhammad and his followers, the Muslims. The result was that they had to leave their kith and kin, homes and property, and run away to Madina. Even at Madina they were not allowed to live in peace. Again and again, they led armies against the Muslims, killing many of them. But they were defeated every time. At last, the truth triumphed. The Muslims entered Mecca victorious. The Meccans deserved no pity. But Muhammad was a mercy to mankind. He sent for all the Meccans and said,
“For twenty-three years you tortured, looted and killed the Muslims. What do you expect in return?”
“We have been in the wrong, but you are a kind brother,”
they all cried with one voice.
“There is no blame today against you; you are free,”
announced the Messenger of Allah.
The Meccans did not expect this mercy. Hazrat Muhammad had won their hearts with this unique act of mercy. Human history had never known such a merciful conqueror before. They all turned Muslims and the whole of Arabia came under Islam. This was the sword Muhammad always used to spread his religion.