Prophet Muhammed, the messenger of mercy

By Amal Hewavissenthi

Nabi Muhammed served the people throughout his lifetime as an illustrious human being, a head of state, a teacher, an advisor and a commander of an army. His commanding personality as the prophet of mercy was well balanced and is the perfect example of life to be earnestly followed by people.

Nabi Muhammed (AD 570-632) was an extraordinary man in history who was supremely successful on the religious as well as secular levels. Above all, he played a far more significant role in the development of Islam and carried his mission as a religious leader proving himself an ideal follower of Allah. This exemplary community leader never neglected his responsibilities as a father, a husband, a friend and a neighbour.

In short, he played a major role in proselytising the new faith and in establishing the religious practices-ethical and moral principles of Islam. He arranged his insights and concepts that he strongly believed to have been directly revealed to him by Allah in the form of discussions. These discussions posthumously appeared in what is popularly known as Qur'an.

Therefore Qur'an generally represents Muhammed's ideas and teachings to a substantial degree. Thus, the influence and inspiration of Muhammed through the medium of Qur'an. Furthermore, Muhammed was a secular as well as a religious leader and he may rank as an influential political leader as the key force behind the Arab conquests.

The life of Muhammed itself is an interesting tale of a practical man. Muhammad bin Abdullah was born in the year 570 in the city of Mecca in Arabia which was by then a region far from the centers of learning, trade and art. Islamic tradition tells us that he grew up as an orphan as his father had died prior to his birth and the mother Aminah died when he was yet six years old.

His father Abdullah was the leader of the tribe known as Qureysh - a tribe believed to have been descended from Prophet Abraham to whom the Prophet Muhammad's ancestry is traced. Following the death of Muhammad's parents, Abdul Muthalib, his grandfather took over the guardianship of the six year old child.

Muhammed had no formal education although he was highly acknowledged as a youth with sincerely, fidelity and honesty. His economic position improved when, at the age of twenty five, he married a wealthy widow Kadija who was by then, a successful businesswoman.

Most Arabs during this period were pagans who pinned their faith on many gods. In Mecca, there were a small number of Christians and Jews and it was from them that Muhammed first learned of a single, omnipotent God who ruled the entire universe. When he was forty years old, Muhammed became convinced that this one true God (Allah) was speaking to him and had chosen him to disseminate the true faith.

The first sign of Prophethood came up to Muhammed in the form of a dream which subsequently came true. The dream was a divine inspiration. In the vision, the angel Gabriel appeared before him commanding "Iqra" (which meant "recite"). As the angel Gabriel voiced "Iqra" again, Muhammed was too astonished to give a reply. Petrified with surprise, he answered "I am a person who can't read or write". Yet he subsequently became capable of reciting what Gabriel commanded to him.

Thus, Prophet Muhammed received Allah's revelations over a prior of twenty three years with vivid descriptions of paradise and hellfire, with encouragement and warnings to all those it was to reach. For around three eventful years, he preached only to his cose friends and associates.

About 613, he began preaching in Public. As he was becoming popular with people of Mecca, the authorities began to consider him a dangerous nuisance. Sensing a looming danger, Muhammed fled to Medina for safety and there he was offered a position of considerable political power. This secret flight ('Hegira') was definitely a turning point of the Prophet's life and here he was surrounded by a large number of followers.

As his followers grew rapidly, a series of fierce battles ensued between Medina and Mecca. With the end of the battle, Muhammed returned triumphantly to Mecca as a conqueror. Thus, unified by Muhammed for the first time in history and inspired by their fervent belief in the God, the small Arab armies embarked on a series of conquests in human history.

On the field of battle, the inspired Arabs rapidly conquered all of Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Even with these enormous conquests, made under the leadership of Muhammed's close friends and immediate successors, Abu Bakr and Umar ibn advanced further. There they turned north and crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed the kingdom of Spain.

Prophet Muhammed established political ties with various factions among the local Arabs and formed a constitution. He made every possible effort to build up a civilised and well disciplined nation out of chaotic tribalism and welcomed peace into the new state.

In all respects he fought many battles not to capture political power over any state but to make people understand the true path of Allah.

He attempted to convey his message through mercy and peace but when certain parties refused morality and mercy, Muhammed had no other option but to fight to safeguard his follower's freedom and rights.

He commanded rare leadership to his soldiers in the battle field and was an excellent role model as a military leader. Thus he was a commander who gathered statistics about military capabilities of his soldiers and employed scouts to gather information.

Prophet Muhammed, during the period of his prophethood of 23 years, changed the entire Arabian Peninsula from Paganism to worship of one supreme god.

The greatness of this man lies in the fact that he did not walk on comfortable paths but carried his noble mission dauntlessly through thorny paths of scorn, harrassment and hardship.

He worked relentlessly for the betterment of human kind and guided them towards the correct path that leads to the heaven.

Al Qur'an says "We have sent you forth as a universal messenger to all man kind, giving them good news and warning them against sin."