# About the Prophet
Do we actually know the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as much as we should? Can we love someone we actually don’t know much about? Or on the other side of the coin, is it fair to hate someone without really knowing him?
Did you know that he is the most beloved person in the world? He is someone who is praised 24/7, for instance:
When the
When a Muslim prays throughout the day, he or she honors him.
Everytime a Muslim say his name, he or she adds "peace be upon him".
Did you know that at the close of his mission, at the floor of Mount of Mercy in Makkah, men and women of all races, cultures, and colours, rich and poor, were present and listened to his message, which stressed that the worth of a person is determined not through his or her class or colour or culture but by his or her actions. [2, pp. 212].
He had said and practiced throughout his life that “there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, or of a non-Arab over an Arab, and no superiority of a white person over a black person or of a black person over a white person, except on the basis of personal piety and righteousness.”
Or did you know that even though a lot of riches came to him, he would give it all away to the extent that his household would not even have food in it?
He would come home and ask: ‘Is there anything to eat?’
‘No,’ his wife would respond.
‘Then I shall be fasting,’ he would say. [1, pp. 98].
He was never concerned by money or power, he lived a very humble life. It has been recorded that the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was so small and low that the ceiling could be touched by a person standing on the floor. [1, pp. 113]
A brief glimpse
This website gives a brief glimpse of this great man, so you can understand who he was, before loving him, or see why it is baseless to hate him.
# Who was He?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in the year 570 CE; he was made a prophet and a messenger at the age of 40. After becoming a prophet, he remained in Makkah for 13 years until at the age of 53 he fled persecution and resettled in Medina where he lived for 10 years [1, pp. 8].
In the short period of 23 years, he had transformed an entire population, where one of the most backward people became one of the most civilized nations, and in latter centuries his followers became the super power of the world. For example, the Ottoman empire, ruled the world for six centuries with justice and religious freedom, based on the principles of the prophet’s message.
But
Who was he as a person?
What kind of life did he live?
How was he brought up?
His father had died before his birth and at the age of eight his mother had passed away, and later his grandfather and his uncle who had bought him up had died as well. He was made an orphan again and again in his life. He had also gone through the death of his beloved wife Khadijah, three of his daughters, and his three sons. His life had been crossed with tears, but he remained both gentle with his heart and firm in his mission [2, pp. 16].
He belonged to the ruling family of his people, more precisely, his tribe, the Quraish. He was highly respected and trusted by his people but when he became a prophet, he was ridiculed, insulted and oppressed.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) always lived very modestly, he continued living a humble life even after people had accepted him, his strength had grown and Islam had spread in all corners of the Arab world . His house was particularly bare, and he often had nothing, but a few dates left to eat. Yet he kept helping the needy around him. When he received presents, he had them given out, and he immediately freed the slaves who were sometimes sent to him as gifts. In spite of his increasingly important role in society and of his many responsibilities, he kept this simplicity in his life. He owned nothing, and he was always approachable by the women, children, slaves, and the poorest people around him. He lived among them; he was one of them. [2, pp. 117]
He was particularly known for
his honesty, and his attention to the orphans and the underprivileged of the society.
# How was he made a prophet?
The beginning of the prophethood was marked by the coming of good dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of seclusion was given to him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship continuously for many days, until suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the Cave of Hira.
The angel came to him and asked him to read
The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered: "I am not of those who read."
The angel held him so tightly that he could hardly bear it and again ordered: "Read!".
The Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated: "I am not of the one who read!"
The angel held him tightly again, almost choking him, and repeated the order for the third time: "Read!"
The same answer was repeated: "I am not of those who read!"
The angel, maintaining his hold, recited: "Read in the name of your Lord, who created humankind out of a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is most bountiful, He who taught by means of the pen, taught humankind that which they did not know".
These words were the first verses of the Quran revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel.
After speaking these words, the Angel Gabriel went away, leaving the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a deeply troubled state. He was afraid and did not know whether he had had a devilish vision or whether he was simply possessed. He decided to go back to his wife Khadija. He eventually arrived in great distress and said: "Cover me! Cover me!"
Khadijah wrapped him in a cloak and asked what was the matter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained what had happened and expressed his fear: "What is happening to me? I fear for myself."
Khadijah comforted him and whispered: "You have nothing to fear, have rest and calm down. God will not let you suffer any humiliation because you are kind to your people, you speak the truth, you help those in need, you are generous to your guests, and you support every just cause."
Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, who was a knowledgeable Christian and an educated old man.
Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?"
The Prophet (peace be upon him) described whatever he had seen.
Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out".
He asked, "Will they drive me out?"
Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive until the day when you will be turned out, then I would support you strongly.
# Why was he made a prophet?
He was made a prophet to bring mercy and blessings to this world.
Indeed, the prophet's sending is mercy.
His message is mercy.
His teachings are mercy.
He is everything associated with mercy.
He came with a message of faith, ethics, and hope, in which God reminds all people of His presence and of the final Day of Return [2, pp. 214].
The Prophet asked all those around him who were not convinced of the truthfulness of his message, to seek, to observe signs and to search for meaning in life. He taught them to carry on the inner struggle, to remain humble and aware of their weaknesses, to derive peace and contentment from the remembrance of God [2, pp. 194].
He had united people by faith, brotherhood, and love which were to transform them into witnesses of the message he was sent down with. However, they must under no circumstances accept being either oppressors or oppressed. They were to learn of the equality of all people in front of God and the necessary humility because we all descend from Adam and Adam was created from dirt. The most noble in the sight of God is the most pious. No one is superior to another, except by their intimate consciousness of God and their actions. [2, pp. 212]
# Comments from Non-Muslims
A believer, undoubtfully, will praise him but let us see some comments from a few prominent non-Muslims that I have selected for you here:
Mahatma K Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement, remarked:
"It was the rigid simplicity, the utter humility of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his courage, his bravery, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before him and overcame every obstacle."[8]
George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright, declared:
"The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But, after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the savior of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for."[3]
Michael Hart in 'The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History,' New York, 1978 said,
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history". [4]