Muhammad -
The Recipient of The Qur’an

Muhammad was the only child of his parents – Sayyed ‘Abd-Allah bin ‘Abd Al-Muttalib Al- Hashemi and Sayyedah Aminah bint Wahb Al-Zuhriyya. He was born in Makkah, a commercial metropolis and a pilgrims’ hub in the Arabian Peninsula. His father passed away before his birth, and the mother when he was six. A shepherd in early life and a successful merchant in adulthood, he married Sayyedah Khadijah bint Khuwaylid at the age of 25. The happy couple became the parents of two sons and four daughters.

Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah was reputed to be a friendly and trustworthy gentleman with an impeccable character. He was admired for his generosity as well as his wisdom. The mutually hostile factions often called upon him to act as an arbiter. At home, he was known for his caring and helpful attitudes.

As he was attaining maturity, he was getting deeply disturbed by the social and moral environment around him. He found the idolatry and fetishism unholy and social injustices distressing. He increasingly began to search for a response to his own agony at the injustice and chaos around him by resorting to meditation and seclusion. He would go away from home for several days in a row and stay in a small cave on Mount al-Noor, it is a cave hiding in shyness and seclusion with a difficult access, named Hira.

One midnight, during the last week of the month of Ramadan that the Cave lightened up. It witnessed the presence of rows over rows of angels led by the Arch Angel, Gabriel. Muhammad got bewildered. It brought him awe, fear and foreboding. It was an experience unique of its kind; unique in somewhat similarity to the one that Sayyadah Mary, the virgin, experienced, when she was in a similar state, and the same Angel appeared – she was scared, she was screaming.

The Arch Angel, Gabriel, comforted Muhammad, as he did to Mary. He assured him of Allah’s Peace and Blessings. He told Muhammad of carrying two Divine Messages for him: First to confer the last Prophethood on you O Muhammad! Second to convey the Last Divine Law, through you, to the mankind before the Last Hour approaches. Muhammad! You shall be the herald of good news of Allah’s Grace for those who follow the Divine Law, ‘Mubashshir’ and ‘Basheer’ as well as the warner of Allah’s Disgrace for those who will not, ‘Mundhir’ and ‘Nadheer’.

Muhammad’s soul was spiritually cleansed. He descended Mount Nur like gold refined by Divine Light. It was not the same Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah who had ascended it – it was Muhammad Rasoolulah who descended it. He was assigned with a Mighty Mission which was heavy enough to have reduced the mountains to ruble had it descended upon these. It was CE 610 when he was 40 years.

The mission focused on three principal themes: First, Allah - the Lord Unitary, is the absolute source of all social, religious, political and legal authority. Second, all human beings are equal regardless of lineage, race and color. Third, the governance must be based on humaneness and social responsibility.

The Prophet’s life and mission made an overwhelming appeal to the masses. It uplifted the status of women, gave rights to the under privileged, and regulated the moral and social life of the disenfranchised. Obviously, it undermined the social and political authority of the ruling and the privileged in Makkah. They felt threatened. They started a systemic campaign of intimidation and persecution of the newly formed nucleus of Prophet Muhammad’s followers. The campaign of oppression and torture continued for thirteen long years. It was then that he advised some of his companions to seek refuge in Abyssinia/Ethiopia in CE 615.

While there was a trickle of converts, opposition was formidable. For the powerful and prosperous Makkan oligarchy, the message of condemnation of the socioeconomic inequities constituted a direct challenge to their economic, social, and political interests.

Finally, Allah – The Exalted and Almighty (EA) - guided His Last Prophet and his companions to emigrate to Madeenah in CE 622, as he approached 53. At Madeenah, he arrived in the companionship of a group of people whom he had raised as ‘devotees’ during Makkah times. They were dedicated, trustworthy, compassionate, honest and hardworking. Allah assigned the Prophet and his followers a mission to create a moral social order: ‘You are the noblest community raised for the good of humankind, as you are promoting whatever is right, and preventing whatever is wrong, and believing in Allah ….’ - Q.03:110.

This became a ‘Mission Statement’ and it influenced the Muslim life and practice throughout the later centuries, providing a rationale for moral activism, good governance and Islamic laws to promote good and prevent wrong.

The Prophet was the Prophet-head of a religious-political community as well as a social and moral reformer in Madeenah. He had the authority and opportunity to implement Allah’s message and governance. Thus, one of his early initiatives included the reformation that sought to purify and redefine a believer’s way of life and living.

He introduced a new moral order that shook the very foundations of the then Arabian society. It comprised:

A believer’s life and living are not for self or family or tribal interest, but for seeking Allah’s Countenance (Li Wajhi-Allahil Karim).
Belief in the Time of Final Judgment and the Resurrection - adding a new dimension of human responsibility and accountability.
Tribal vengeance and retaliation were subordinated to a belief in and reward from a Just and Merciful Creator and Judge – Allah.
Each person was personally accountable not to tribal customary law but to an overriding Divine Law.
Thus, a society based on tribal affiliation and man-made family/tribal law and custom was replaced by a religiously bonded community - Ummah - governed by Allah’s Law and the practice of His Prophet.

The other initiative The Prophet took was to ensure societal peace and interfaith harmony among Muslims and other communities in Madeenah, which had settlements of Jews, Christians and Arab pagans. He promulgated a charter, sometimes called the ‘Constitution of Madeenah.’ Its 47 articles set out the rights and duties of all citizens.

The Prophet and the first Muslim community are seen as exemplifying the ideal of implementing the socially just society envisioned by The Qur’an - a society in which moral and social justice counterbalance oppression of the weak and economic exploitation.

While recognizing differences in gender, ethnicity and status, The Qur’an teaches the ultimate supra-tribal (transnational) unity and equality of all believers before Allah. Belief and action are to be joined - Muslims are not only to know and believe, but also to act and implement; worship and devotion to Allah embrace both private and public life, affecting not only prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage, but social behavior as well. Believers are those who behave like the believers; not those who look like or are called with Muslim names.

By taking what was best in morality, The Prophet proclaimed a sweeping program of socioeconomic reforms, which is among its most striking features: exploitation of the poor, weak, widows, women, orphans and slaves is vividly condemned - Q.04:02, 10, 12. False contracts, bribery, abuse of women, hoarding of wealth, and interest/usury were denounced, and so were slavery and aristocratic privilege, practices of female infanticide, fornication/adultery, robbery, etc. It adopted a formula of the career open to the talents that represented a very considerable advance on the practice of the then prevalent Greco-Roman and the ancient Iranian world.

The Qur’an provides a blueprint for a new order in society in which the poor would be treated more fairly with sufficient support. This ‘economy of poverty’ prevailed in Islamic theory and practice up until the 13 and 14 centuries was based on a notion that wealth is to be circulated and purified, in part, through charity. This illustrates a distinctively Islamic way of conceptualizing charity, generosity, poverty and the poor as reciprocation for Allah’s bounty. Since the poor were at the heart of this economic universe, the teachings of The Qur’an on poverty had a considerable, even a transforming impact in Arabia, the Near East, and beyond.

Allah’s Injunctions required the believers to live their lives not only for their own personal interest, but also as agents of mercy to mankind through the spirit of ukhuwwah (all- encompassing brotherhood) where later part of Q.05:02 states: ‘…. support each other in righteousness and piety, and do not support each other in sinfulness and hostility….’ This all-encompassing brotherhood transcended beyond lineage and kinship.

An important landmark of the pivotal role of unity in Islamic tradition was the establishment of ukhuwwah between the Ansar and Muhajireen according to which the former agreed to share their wealth and property with the Muhajireen and gave a portion of their homes to their families for use, and allowed them to farm on their lands under a system of sharecropping. Allah records appreciation for the Ansars’ altruistic spirit of contribution for the welfare of the Muhajireen in Q.59:09. Thus, the foundations of a ‘welfare society’ were laid down that connected individuals and brought them to a state of social cohesion.

Social welfare in Islam started in two forms: first, ‘Zakat’ - an obligatory charity that purifies one’s self and possessions given out annually for benefit of the poor, destitute, marginalized and others. Second by public works: the purchase and construction of wells. Upon his hijra to Madeenah, The Prophet found only one well to be used for public benefit, which was bought and used by the general public. After the Prophet’s declaration that ‘water’ was a better form of sadaqah (charity), many of his companions sponsored the digging of new wells. During the Caliphate, the Muslims repaired many of the aging wells in the lands they conquered. These projects were financed through the institution of ‘waqf.’ The fundamental idea of waqf was to bring the profound ideal of philanthropic and benevolent attitudes within society into reality.

The idea of the waqf is very inclusive and expanded beyond religion to social and welfare purposes. The Prophet encouraged his companions to use waqf for both religious and worldly purposes. The establishment of mosques for worship and community activities, building wells for the use of the early Muslim community in Madinah, horses for use in battles and lands cultivated for feeding the poor were all financed by waqfs under the supervision and guidance of The Prophet himself.

One would contend that it was due to the vast and wide practice of waqf throughout Muslim history that individuals and society became economically empowered, thus minimizing the role of state in education, welfare and even healthcare. In fact, it continued to become the heartbeat of the Muslim community and survived in its religious as well as worldly forms. The dynamo of civil society was not personal interest but it was a paradigm that reflected the degree of religiosity of individuals in maintaining their vertical relationship with Allah, and their horizontal relationship with their brothers and sisters – the people.

The role of the state was ‘minimal’ and ‘limited’ to allow other representatives of society to have their share in power and decision-making. The state functioned as the protector of people, of their security and freedom. It maintained law and order and regulated the market and public goods without interfering in the market process through central planning. Institutional checks and balances and effective watchdogs restrained arbitrary state action.

The term ‘social welfare,’ ‘social justice,’ ‘social reform’ and/or ‘social development’ does not have a precise definition. However, this jargon refers to a wide range of policies, activities and services for health, housing, income maintenance, education and social work. In fact, it instills a wide-range of issues extending far beyond the actions of a government, the means by which welfare is developed in a society and delivered to its people. This was the main target of Islam. Thus, social solidarity was apparent in all aspects of The Prophet’s Message.

It took him several years to strive and battle against tyranny, oppression and social injustice. He created a generation of highly inspired Faithful for whom his words were the guiding star of their lives. His words continue to be the guiding star for millions upon millions - past, present and future.

It was in Madeenah that he, slowly but steadily, set up the foundations of the first Islamic Welfare State. He wrote the charter that guaranteed the political and economic rights of all men and women. He established the code of ethics for times of peace and times of war. He set a track record of personal examples of social responsibility and egalitarianism. It is to this time that the Muslim Faithful, around the world, are inspired to re-establish this model state as a political and economic system.

While he was approaching the sixty-third year of his life, the Prophet prepared himself and his family for the Hajj - the only Hajj that he performed in his lifetime. On this occasion he was happy to be in the company of about 145,000 Believing Faithful – both men and women, young and old - who gathered at Arafat on Friday, the 09 of Dhul-Hijjah, in AH 10/CE 632.

He spoke short portions, and men around him repeated his words so that everyone throughout the valley could hear his speech from the slopes of Mount al-Rahmah.

The essence of his address was intense and powerful. It set the foundation of his teachings and Mission for all times:

Treat the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.
Do not inflict inequity and, as a consequence, do not cause yourselves to suffer inequity.
You are forbidden for all times to get involved in usury/interest business.
Treat your spouse with kindness; they are your partners in life and faithful supporters.
Stay fully and sincerely committed to the worship of One Allah. Offer the daily
Mandatory Prayers....Fast during the month of Ramadan......Give a part of your wealth in Zakat.
All human beings are equal. The superiority of one over the other is only by one’s reverence to Allah, deeds and dealings of righteousness and responsible social behavior.
The Muslim Community constitutes One Family.
Hold fast to the Qur’an!
This appeared to be his last public address. This was also the time when he received the last Divine Revelation - Q.05:03 – ‘This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favors upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.’

The last cycle of prophet-hood was drawing to its close. Muhammad’s Divine Prophetic Mission to humanity was being wrapped-up. The Qur’an was complete and so was the life of The Prophet. It was time to leave.

Back in Madeenah from the Ḥajj, he was frail, weak and unwell. He was running intense fevers. In the forenoon of one summer of AH 11/CE 632, at the age of 63, while he was in his chamber, that the movement of death approached him. He raised his index finger and eyes to the Heaven and called out: ‘Better the next world.’ With these words he peacefully left this world for a better world; his home beyond this life, in proximity to The One, his Best Friend, Rafiq-al-‘Ala, his Rabb – The Lord Supreme.

His body was respectfully laid to rest in the place where he breathed his last breath.

It is since that hot summer day that the Community of Muslims have never ceased, all over the world and through the ages, to salute The Last Prophet and recite, with all their hearts and love:

Allah and His angels and all righteous souls send their wholesome blessings on Muhammad.

Muhammad, the person - Gem of a Person. Muhammad, the Prophet - Gem of a Prophet, The Alumni of The Prophethood.

The green dome of The Prophet Masjid in Madeenah, Arabian Peninsula makes the canopy of his resting place.