What Do You Know About Muhammad (PBUH)?

You may be a Ramadan Muslim, Jummah MuslimAt the level of ideas, there is no system of
or a practicing Muslim You may even have friendsthought and beliefsecular or religious, social or
who are atheists or non-believers. You maypolitical that could surpass or equal ISLAMthe
belong to any of the dogmas and denominationssystem which Muhammad (pbuh) propounded. In a
that exist in the world today or you may havefast-changing world, while other systems have
been a Communist or a believer in democracyundergone profound transformations, Islam alone
and freedom. No matter what you are, and nohas remained above all change and mutation, and
matter what your religious and political beliefs,retained its original form for the past 1400 years.
personal and social habits are YOU STILL MUSTWhat is more, the positive changes that are
KNOW THIS MAN!taking place in the world of human thought and
He was by far the most remarkable man thatbehavior truly and consistently reflect the healthy
ever set foot on this earth. He preached ainfluence of Islam in these areas.
religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down aEven the best of thinkers couldnt put their ideas
moral code, initiated countless social and politicalcompletely into practice, and to see the seeds of
reforms, established a dynamic and powerfultheir labours grow and bear fruit in their own
society to practice and represent his teachings,lifetime, except for Muhammad (pbuh), who not
and he revolutionized the worlds of humanonly preached the most wonderful ideas but also
thoughts and action for all time.successfully translated each one of them into
His name was Muhammad (peace and blessings ofpractice. At the time of his death his teachings
Almighty Creator be upon him)and hewere not mere precepts and ideas straining for
accomplished all these wonders in an unbelievablyfulfillment. They had become the very core of
short span of twenty-three yearsthe life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained
Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Arabia in 570 CE,individuals.
and when he died at the age of 63, the whole ofIn what other time or place and in relation to
the Arabian Peninsula had changes from paganismwhat other political, social, religious system,
and idol worship to the worship of One God; fromphilosophy or ideologydid the world ever witness
tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity andsuch a perfectly amazing phenomenon? Only in
cohesion; from drunkenness and immorality toISLAM, which is established as a complete way of
moderation and piety; from lawlessness andlife by Muhammad (pbuh) himself, did we witness
anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moralthat. History bears testimony to this fact and the
bankruptcy to the highest standards of moralgreatest skeptics have no option but to concede
excellence. Human history has never known suchthis point.
a complete transformation of people or placeIn spite of the phenomenal success which
before or since.crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment
Quran - Sura 21 - Al-Anbiya [The Prophets] Verseclaim to be God or God's incarnation or Son but
107-107:only a human being who was chosen and ordained
107. We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for allby the Creator to be a teacher of truth to
creatures.mankind and a complete model and pattern for
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the mosttheir actions.
successful of all religious personalities of theHe was a man with a noble and exalted mission
world." Bernard Shaw said, "If Muhammad (pbuh)and his unique mission was to unite humanity in
were alive today, he would succeed in solving allthe worship of the One and only God and to
those problems which threaten to destroy humanteach them the way to honest and upright living in
civilization in our time." Thomas Carlysle wasaccordance with the laws and commands of God.
amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, couldHe always described himself as a Messenger and
weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into aservant of God, as indeed every single action and
most powerful and civilized nation in less than twomovement of his proclaimed him to be.
decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired ofIn a world which has not hesitated to raise to
dreaming of a society along the lines establishedDivinity individuals whose very lives and missions
by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.have been lost in legend and who, historically
Indeed no other human being ever accomplishedspeaking, did not accomplish half as muchor even
so much, in such diverse fields of human thoughtone tenthas was accomplished by Muhammad
and behavior, in so limited space of time, as did(pbuh), should stop to take serious note of this
Muhammad (pbuh). He was a religious teacher, aremarkable man's claim to be God's messenger to
social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, amankind.
military genius, an administrative colossus, aToday, after the lapse of some 1400 years, the
faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devotedlife and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
husband, a loving fatherall in one. No other man inhave survived without the slightest loss, alteration
history ever excelled or equaled him in any ofor interpolation. Today they offer the same
these difficult departments of life.undying hope for treating mankind's many ills
Quran - Sura 68 - Al-Qalam [The Pen] Verse 4-4:which they did when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
4. And thou (standest) on an exalted standard ofwas alive. This is our honest claim and this is the
character.inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical
The world has had its share of great personalities.and unbiased study of history.
But these were one-sided figures whoThe least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive,
distinguished themselves in but one or two fields,concerned human being is to stop for one brief
such as religious thought or military leadership.moment and ask yourself: Could it be that these
None of these great leaders of the world everstatements, extraordinary and revolutionary as
combined within themselves so many differentthey sound, be really true? Supposing theyre true,
qualities to such an amazing level of perfection asand you did not know this man Muhammad (pbuh)
did Muhammad (pbuh).or hear about his teachings, did not know him well
The lives and teachings of these other greatand intimately enough to be able to benefit from
personalities of the world are shrouded in the misthis guidance and example; isnt it about time you
of time. There is so much speculation about theresponded to this tremendous challenge and made
time and the place of their birth, the mode andsome effort to know him? It will not cost you
style of their life, the nature and detail of theiranything but it may well prove to be the beginning
teachings and the degree and measure of theirof a completely new era in your life
success or failure that it is impossible for humanityCome; let us make a new discovery, the life of
today to reconstruct accurately and precisely thethis wonderful man Muhammad (pbuh), the like of
lives and teachings of those men.whom never walked on this earth, and whose
Not so this man, Muhammad (pbuh). Not only wasexample and teachings can change YOUR life and
he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history,OUR world for the better. May God shower His
but every detail of his private and public life, of hischoicest blessings upon him!
actions and utterances, has been accuratelyQuran - Sura 33 - Al-Ahzab [The Clans, the
documented and faithfully preserved to this day.Coalition, the Combined Forces] Verse 56-56:
The authenticity of the information so preserved56. Allah and His angels send blessings on the
is vouched for not only by faithful followers butProphet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on
also by unbiased critics and open-minded scholars.him, and salute him with all respect.