Essential Islamic Studies Book One

IRE
TEXTBOOK SERIES
NEW SYLLABUS
ESSENTIAL ISLAMIC STUDIES

BOOK ONE
Authored
By
Dr. Sheikh Abdallah A. Kheir Capt. (Rtd) Yahya M.A. Ondigo

M.A. Islamic Studies B.Sc. Education & Islamic Studies
Imaam and Lecturer Kenyatta University Imaam and Khateeb of the main
Department of Philosophy and Mosque & Islamic Center Victoria,
Religious Studies, Nairobi – Kenya. Mahe – Seychelles.
Foreword
By
Professor Zablon Nthamburi
Of Kenyatta University Nairobi
© Copyright 2007 Capt (Rtd) Yahya M. A. Ondigo & Dr. Sheikh Abdallah
Kheir
First Edition, 1429 AH/2008 CE
ISBN:
First Print 2008 –1000 Copies
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 11
DEDICATION 12
PREFACE 15
CHAPTER ONE 16
INTRODUCTION TO ULUMUL QUR’AAN 16
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THE QUR’AAN 16
The central theme of the Qur’aan 17
The Qur’aan and its teachings to mankind 18
The way of Qur’aanic recitation 22
The means and the goals of Qur’aanic recitation 24
Questions 25
CHAPTER TWO 26
ULUMUL QUR’AAN I 26
QUR’AAN: DEFINITIONS AND IMPORTANCE 26
The meaning of the Qur’aan 26
The need for the revelation of the Qur’aan 27
The importance of the Qur’aan in human life 30
What Allaah said about the Qur’aan 31
What the Prophet said about the Qur’aan 37
What the companions said about the Qur’aan 40
The Role of Angel Jibreel in the Revelation of the Qur’aan 41
To bring down the Qur’aan from lauhil mahfoodh to baytul Izza 42
To bring the Qur’aan in piece-meal to Muhammad (s.a.w) 43
To teach the Prophet the recitation of Qur’aan 44
To supervise the proper arrangement of the Qur’aan 44
Why the Qur’aan was revealed in small bits (Portions) 45
To strengthen the Prophet’s resolve against the disbelievers 45
As a reminder to the believers to be patient 48
To simplify the memorization of Qur’aan 48
As an added proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w) 49
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To make easy the process of revelation on Muhammad (s.a.w) 52
To prove the miraculous nature of the Qur’aan 53
To simplify the application of the Shari’ah 54
To facilitate the preservation of the Qur’aan 55
The negative attitude of Muslims towards the Qur’aan 55
The lamentations of the Qur’aan 58
Questions 59
CHAPTER THREE 59
TAFSEER OF QUR’AAN 59
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-FAATIHAH 59
Tafseer Surah Al-Faatihah (1) 60
The Meaning of the Surah 61
Name of the Surah 61
Virtues of the Surah 62
Date and Place of revelation 64
Reasons for revelation 64
General over view of the Surah 64
The Lessons we learn from the Surah 66
Questions 70
CHAPTER FOUR 70
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AN-NASR 70
Tafseer Surah An-Nasr (110) 71
The lessons we learn from the Surah 73
Questions 77
CHAPTER FIVE 78
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-FIYL 78
Tafseer Surah AL-Fiyl (105) 79
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Questions 84
CHAPTER SIX 84
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-‘ASR 84
Tafseer Surah Al-‘Asr (103) 84
Theme and subject matter of the Surah 86
General over view of the Surah 87
Questions 93
CHAPTER SEVEN 93
ULUMUL HADITH I 93
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF HADITH 93
Definitions: 93
Al-Hadith- ‫ألحد يث‬ 94
The evolution of Hadith 96
Through the Prophet’s own initiative 97
Responses to questions put to the Prophet (s.a.w) 98
The demand of circumstances 99
The Interpretation of the Qur’aan 101
Forms of Hadith 102
Al-Fi’l Ar-Rasul 102
Al-Qaul Ar-Rasul 103
At-Taqrir Ar-Rasul 105
As-Sifatul-Rasul 105
Contribution of Hadith to Islamic thought and culture 106
Hadith as the Second Source of Guidance 107
Questions 109
CHAPTER EIGHT 109
AQEEDAH: A STUDY OF ISLAMIC BELIEFS I 109
THE PILLARS OF IMAAN (FAITH) I 110
Introduction To Islamic Beliefs 110
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Belief in Allaah (SW) 111
The Meaning of Tawheed 111
The Divine Attributes of Allaah (SW) 116
The Divine Names of Allaah (SW) 118
The Significance of Knowing These Names 124
The Meaning of Shirk 125
Types of Shirk 125
Common Forms of Shirks 128
Shirk Nullifies Good Deeds 141
Belief in Angels 142
The Main Characteristics of Angels 143
The duties of Angels in General 146
The Most Outstanding Angels and Their Functions 155
The Significance of Belief in Angels 160
Questions 161
CHAPTER NINE 162
AL-IBAADAH: INTRODUCTION TO DEVOTIONAL ACTS 162
SHAHAADAH (DECLARATION OF FAITH) AND SALAAH (PRAYER) 162
The Meaning of Shahaadah 164
Shahaadah is the true declaration of Tawheed 164
Allaah (SW) is the only true Creator, Cherisher, Sustainer and lawgiver 165
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the last Prophet and Messenger 166
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the greatest Prophet and Messenger 167
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the only universal Messenger 170
The Significance of Shahaadah 172
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) spent 23years to establish Laa ilaaha illallaah 172
All Prophets were sent to Establish Laa ilaaha illallaah 172
The Measuring of Laa ilaaha illallaah (‫)ال اله اّال هللا‬ 173
The Virtues of Laa ilaaha illallaah 175
The Quraysh weighed and understood the implication of Shahaadah 176
The Seven Conditions of Shahaadah 177
The meaning of Salaah (Muslim prayer) 179
Definition of Salaah 179
Twahaarah and Its Importance 179
Definition 179
Importance of Twahaarah 179
Wudhoo’ (Ablution) and Its Virtues 180
Definition 180
The Virtues of Ablution 181
How to perform Wudhoo’ 181
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Wiping over the socks and its conditions 182
When wiping over the socks ceases 182
The essential conditions of wudhoo’ 183
Essential Acts of Wudhoo’ 185
Matters that invalidate Wudhoo’ 185
Tayammum (Dry ablution) 185
How to perform Tayammum 185
Ghusl (taking bath from ritual impurity) 186
Occasions that necessitates Ghusl 186
How to perform Ghusl (complete ablution) 186
The Significance of Salaah 186
Salaah: The pillar of Islam 187
Salaah: The determinant of all good deeds 187
Salaah: The first Shari’ah act to be legislated 188
Salaah: The gift from the seventh heaven 189
Salaah: A programming towards righteousness 190
Salaah: The Surest way of thanking Allaah (SW) 190
The Essential Conditions of Salaah 191
Declaration of Shahaadah 191
An-Niyyah (Purity of Intention) 192
Cleanliness 192
Purification 192
Proper clothing and concealing of Awrah 192
Facing the Qiblah 192
Proper Timings 192
Types of Salaah 192
Fardh Aiyn 192
Fardh Kifaayah 194
Sunnah Prayers 195
Salaatul Jamaa‘ah and Its Importance 196
Creating awareness and concern 196
Creates equality among Muslims 197
Fostering love and brotherhood 197
Building unity and strength in the community 198
Training on obedience 198
Salaah on Special Occasions 199
Salaatul Musaafir (Prayer of a Traveler) 199
Jam‘u Taqdeem 200
Jam‘u Ta’akhir 201
Salaatul-Kusoof and Salatul-Khusoof 201
Salaatul Istisqa‘i 201
Sijdah (Prostration) 201
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Questions 202
CHAPTER TEN 204
AL-IBAADAH: DEVOTIONAL ACTS I 204
ZAKAT AND SADAQAH (ALMS & CHARITY) 204
Introduction to Zakat (Alms) and Sadaqa (Charity) 204
Definitions of Zakat 205
Types of Zakat 206
Zakatul Maal (Alms from Wealth) 206
Zakatul Fitr 207
Sadaqa (Charity) 209
The Differences between Zakat and Sadaqa 210
Conditions of Zakat 210
Payment of Zakat 211
Distribution of Zakat 218
The Recipients (Beneficiaries) of Zakat 219
The Non-beneficiaries of Zakat 223
Importance of Zakat 223
Some Benefits of Paying Zakat 224
The Difference between Zakat and Tax, Zakat and Integrity 226
Some Important Information about Zakat 227
Warnings from Qur’aan and Sunnah to those who don’t pay Zakat 228
Questions 230
CHAPTER ELEVEN 231
AKHLAQ: MORAL VALUES I 231
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ISLAMIC MORALITY 231
Introduction to Moral Values in Islam 231
Moral Development 232
How do Muslims form ethical or moral code? 233
Essential Components of Islamic Morality 234
Belief in Allaah (SW) as the Creator and Legislator 234
Belief in Judgment and accountability 235
Natural instincts ingrained in human intellect 237
Psychological stability and happiness 238
The parameters of revelation and reason 239
Dimensions of Islamic Morality 240
Maa’rufat (Virtues) 241
Munkaraat (Vices) 241
Significance of Islamic Morality 241
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Amr bil Ma‘ruuf Wa Nahyi anil Munkar 242
(Commanding good and forbidding evil) 242
Principles of Commanding Good and Forbidding Wrong 244
Sincerity of Intention (Ikhlas an-Niyyah) 244
Wisdom (Al-Hikmah) 246
Evidence or Proof (Burhaan) 248
Striving hard (Jihad) 251
Patience and perseverance (As-Sabr) 253
Morality Based on Faith and Good Deeds 256
Questions 258
CHAPTER TWELVE 259
MUAMALAT: RELATIONSHIP I 259
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS 259
Definition of Marriage (Nikah) 259
Objectives and Purpose of Marriage 260
Essential Conditions and Regulations of Marriage 261
Legal Guardian 261
Witnesses 262
The Wording of the Marriage Contract 262
Dowry (Mahri) 263
Islamic Marriage festival 263
Polygamy in Islam 265
Conditions for polygyny in Islam 266
Reasons for polygyny 267
Misconception and Misinterpretion of polygyny in Islam 268
Marriage of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) 270
The Rationale of Prophet’s Marriage 272
The wives of the Prophet (s.a.w) 273
The Family as an important unit in the Society 275
Rights and Duties of Family Members 278
Rights and Duties of the Parents 278
The Rights and Duties of the Husband 279
The Rights and Duties of the Wife 280
The Rights and Duties of children 280
The Rights and Duties of extended family members 281
Questions 282
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 283
TAARIKH AL-ISLAMIYYAH: HISTORY OF ISLAM I 283
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THE BIOGRAPHY OF MUHAMMAD AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS 283
The Conditions of Pre-Islamic Arabia 283
A Synopsis of the History of the Semites 283
Aspects of Pre-Islamic Arabia (Jahiliyyah) 286
The political situation 286
Religious situation of the Arabs 286
The social situation of the Arabs 291
The economic situation of the Arabs 293
The ethical situation of the Arabs 293
Makkah and the Ka’abah 295
The Grandparents of Muhammad (s.a.w) 298
Life History of Muhammad (s.a.w) in Brief 300
Parents of Muhammad (s.a.w) 300
The Year of the Elephant 301
The Birth of Muhammad (s.a.w) 303
The early life of Muhammad (s.a.w) 304
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Makkah 308
Ba’ath (Prophethood and Revelation) 308
Early Muslim Converts and Persecution 314
Muslims Seeking Asylum in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) 322
The Year of Grief 331
Israa wal Mi’raj (Night Journey and Ascension) 335
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Madinah 346
The Hijrah (Migration to Madinah) 346
The Beginning of the Muslim Ummah 352
Muhammad’s Battles with the Kuffaar of Makkah 355
The Battle of Badr 359
The Battle of Uhud 367
The Battle of Khandaq (Trenches) 369
The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah 371
The Battle and fall of Khaybar 373
The Conquest of Makkah 373
The Battle of Hunayn 375
Hijjatul Wadaa’ (The farewell pilgrimage) 376
The Death of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) 379
Some Achievements of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) 384
Brotherhood and Equality of mankind 387
Elimination of Racism 389
Eradication of Slavery 390
Improvement of the status of women 393
Religious tolerance 394
Questions 396
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN 397
MUSLIM SCHOLARS I 397
Muslim Scholars and their contributions to the growth of Islam 397
Sheikh Al-Amin Al-Mazrui 397
Birth and his early life 397
His education, works and personal life 397
Achievements and Contributions 398
Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Farsy 399
Birth and his early life 399
His education, works and personal life 400
Achievements and contirbution 402
Questions 402
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 403
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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We wish to record our grateful acknowledgement first and foremost to Allaah
(SW) who has enabled us to compile this work for our students both Muslims
and non-Muslims who are taking IRE as their field of specialization in education.
Secondly, we wish to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to our wives and
children who motivated and encouraged us to write this book and for being
patient with us when we took all their time to prepare this book. We also
register our sincere thanks to Prof. Z. Nthamburi of Kenyatta University
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies for going through the entire
document and kindly contributing a foreword to it may Allaah (SW) reward him
according to what he deserves in this world and the hereafter. Our sincere
thanks are also due to sister Aishah of Jamia Mosque as well as our colleagues and
friends for their contribution. Other gratitudes also go to our esteemed readers
who have encouraged us since the publication of our Essential Islamic Studies
Book Four came out. This acknowledgment and gratitude is a highly regarded
Islamic custom based upon the statement of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) who
is reported to have said: “Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allaah”.
Last but not least we ask Allaah (SW) to reward abundantly, all those who have
contributed in one way or the other to the successful completion of this work.
May the Almighty Allaah (SW) put their rewards in the Mizan Al-Hasaanat (scales
of their righteous deeds) in the Day of Judgment. Amin!
The Authors
DEDICATION
We wish to dedicate our book Essential Islamic Studies Book one to our
fathers; Abubakar Kheir
and Harun Ondigo Ombogo.
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And our prayers for them is according to the words of Ar-Rahmaan
My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for You are the best of the merciful.
(Qur’aan 23:118)
FOREWORD
Dr. Sheikh Abdallah Kheir and Capt. (Rtd) Yahya M.A. Ondigo have completed
writing book one of “Essential Islamic Studies”. This textbook is meant for the
beginners in form one. It is meant to introduce the students to the basic Islamic
Studies in the Secondary School.
A thematic approach is used here. The first six chapters deal with the science of
the Qur’aan. The students are introduced to the study of the Qur’aan and its
importance. They are then introduced to Tafseer or teachings of selected Surahs
of the Qur’aan. The authors have endeavoured to let the Qur’aan speak for itself.
The Qur’aan is more than a sacred text. As the authors point out, it is the greatest
miracle, “a linguistic, historical and a scientific miracle.”
The student is also introduced to the science of Hadith and its study (chapter7),
the pillars of Imaan (chapter8), devotional acts (chapter9&10). The following
chapters (chapter11&12) introduce the student to the basic principles of Islamic
morality (Akhlaaq). Chapter twelve particularly deals with the institution of
marriage and family relationships. It gives the essential conditions and regulations
of marriage. It also delves into the subject of polygyny in Islam as well as dealing
with misconceptions concerning polygyny. Emphasis is laid on the family as a very
important unit in the society.
Chapter thirteen gives a brief history of the Life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).
It traces the Prophet’s mission in Makkah and Madinah. The chapter endeavors to
highlight Muhammad’s (s.a.w) achievements and mission. The last chapter (14)
highlights some Muslim Scholars and their contribution to the growth of Islam.
The Shahaadah (declaration of faith) and Salaah (prayer or worship) can be said
to be the major acts of devotion dealt with in this book. While the declaration of
faith is important as one of the five pillars of Islam, Salaah is another important
pillar. The Shahaadah is the “Kalimah” that Muslims proclaim in their daily lives
and in their call to prayer. The Salaah takes the form of ritual prostration and
bowing down in which the precise bodily movements are important as the
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accompanying mental activity. Worshippers are required to be in a state of ritual
purity achieved by performing major or minor ablutions. Salaah may be
performed virtually anywhere, provided the place is free from impurities and the
worshippers are facing the “Qibla”.
This book is meant to introduce beginners to the tenets of Islam. It endeavors

to give a short history of the beginnings of Islam, its important doctrines and
practices. Taking the cue that Islam is a total way of life, the authors try to balance
the intellectual development of the student and practical application of
knowledge. It is an attempt to integrate intellect and spirituality. This is a
commendable effort, for knowledge should not be divorced from personal
morality. An attempt has been made to seek a greater understanding of the role
of religious values in our world.
There are two metaphors offered as a way of understanding the uniquely
Islamic mode of religious sojourning. The first surrounds the image of Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) as an exemplary sojourner and the need for Muslims to follow
his footsteps. The Hijrah (migration) from Makkah to Madinah marks the official
beginning of Muslim history. It also becomes a metaphor for a fundamental
requirement of all Muslims in their relations to the world around them. They must
be willing to “leave home” symbolically in order to hear God’s call to establish a
just and peaceful community. Pilgrimage to Makkah from Madinah (or anywhere
else in the world) becomes the second symbolic journey. It was a return to the
ancient holy city long before hallowed by the presence of Abraham (p.b.u.h). The
Hajj becomes a lifelong attempt to seek after the divine Center. As a unique
community of faith, the Muslim community must endeavor to journey together
back to the center of their faith (Makkah).
I must commend the authors of this book for their stimulating and accessible
introduction to Islamic Studies. They address major issues with clarity and
forthrightness. They engage the student with issues concerning their faith which
they need to comprehend and practice. They also guide the student through
contemporary urgent debates concerning Islamic moral values (Akhlaaq) and
relationship (Muamalat). The discussions of the Qur’aan and devotional acts are
excellent. I have no doubt that the students of Islam at every level will benefit
from the insights of this book. I welcome this book in our Schools’ System and
believe that it will prove to be an asset to both teachers and students.
Professor Zablon Nthamburi

Kenyatta University
Department of Philosophy &
Religious Studies
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13th March 2008
PREFACE
Essential Islamic Studies Book One for grade nine is a unique book written to guide students
through the topics prescribed in the New Islamic Religious Education (IRE) Secondary School
Syllabus. Although the book is aimed at exposing the secondary school learner to fundamental
principles and teachings of Islam, the authors have tried their level best to make the book suitable
to all those who are searching for the true knowledge of Islam regardless of their level of education.
Thus, the book can be useful to secondary, college as well as university students.
This work is among the IRE Textbook Series comprising of Four Textbooks. This Book One of the
series covers all the topics in year one of the New IRE syllabus. Book Two covers the work of year
2 and Book Three covers the year 3 syllabus and Book Four covers year 4 syllabus. It should be
noted that the New IRE syllabus is divided into 8 main areas of study, namely:
• Qur’aan
• Hadith
• Devotional Acts
• Pillars of Imaan (faith)
• Akhlaq (Moral values)
• Muamalat (Relationship)
• History of Islam
• Muslim scholars
The above areas are further divided into topics and sub-topics. In this Book, the authors have tried
where possible to divide the chapters to correspond with the units given to each topic in the
national curriculum. However, in some cases it has been found necessary to merge the topics
covered in two units into a single chapter in order to enhance understanding. In other cases, a
single unit in the syllabus may have required more than one chapter in the book, for example, the
unit on Qur’aan required each Surah to be covered in a complete chapter. Thus, the chapter
numbers cannot follow exactly the numbering of the curriculum units. Hence, the Book is divided
into fourteen chapters covering the eight units. At the end of each chapter is a section entitled
“Questions”. Some of these questions are designed to test whether readers have remembered and
understood the contents of the chapter. Other questions however are intended to make the student
think critically and thus relate what is in the chapter to his daily life or to the situation of our
society today. Thus, the book has given special attention to issues such as Zakah and how it
alleviates poverty, Salaah on special accassions, essential components of Islamic marality,
commanding good and forbidding evil and its methodology, marriage as the only legitimate
foundation of a healthy society, the life history of Prophet Muhammad and his achievements etc.
The New IRE Syllabus is a very comprehensive Syllabus that aims at preparing the student for his
adult life as a Muslim by exposing him to challenges of life. Therefore, this Book concentrates
more on the understanding of the material in the Syllabus than memorization.
May Allaah (SW) make the Series of Essential Islamic Studies an easy to read material and useful
to students and non-students in improving their knowledge and practice of Islam, and give them the
wisdom and courage of following Allaah’s teachings faithfully in the best manner. Amin!
Sheikh Abdallah A. Kheir & Capt.(Rtd) Yahya M. A. Ondigo

Nairobi, Kenya. Rabi-ul-Awwal 1429/ March 2008
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION TO ULUMUL QUR’AAN
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF THE QUR’AAN
The central theme of the Qur’aan

The Qur’aan and its teachings to mankind
The way of Qur’aanic recitation
The means and the goals of Qur’aanic recitation
Verily the most truthful of speeches is the Book of Allaah (the Qur’aan)
and the best of guidance is the one that was left behind by the Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) and the worst of matters in Islam are innovations
foreign to the teachings of Islam and every innovation is a misguidance
and every misguidance leads to the Hell Fire, may Allaah (SW) protect us
from the Hell Fire Ameen.
The Qur’aan today as it was fourteen centuries ago still remains the only
authentic way to know our Creator Allaah (SW) and come nearer and
closer to Him. And the Qur’aan is the last and final revelation of God to
humanity, which was given to the last, and final Prophet and Messenger
Muhammad (s.a.w) and this is why Allaah (SW) chose to preserve and
protect the Qur’aan from any kind of corruption unlike other books,
which were sent before such as the Torah, Zabur, Injeel, and Suhuf,
Allaah (SW) says.
Indeed, it is We who sent down the message (i.e. the Qur’aan)

and indeed We will be its guardian. (Qur’aan15:9)
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Indeed, those who disbelieve in the message [i.e. the Qur’aan]
after it has come to them (shall receive the punishment). And
indeed, it is a mighty Book. Falsehood cannot approach it from
before it or from behind it, [it is] a revelation from a [Lord who
is] Wise and Praiseworthy. (Qur’aan41:42)
The Qur’aan is a unique book in the sense that, it is the only book of its
kind. The Qur’aan is the greatest miracle that was given to Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w). It is a linguistic, historical and a scientific miracle
that will appeal to every age until the Day of Judgment.
The Qur’aan is not only unique in its perfection, purity and style but it is
also unique in the way it presents its subject matter unlike any other
book in this world. It is not a book in the sense of the word “Book” where
you find, an introduction, main subject matter of the book followed by a
conclusion.
Neither is the Qur’aan only restricted to presenting the historical events,
problems of philosophy, facts of science or social law, though all these
may be found to be inter-woven together without any apparent connection
and links.
The Qur’aan has subjects introduced without background information.
Historical events are not presented in a usual chronological order like
many human books. New topics sometimes crop-up in the middle of
another for no apparent reason, the speaker, and those spoken to, change
direction without the slightest fore warning.
So the reader of the Qur’aan who is unaware of its unique nature is often
puzzled when he finds it contrary to his understanding of a book in
general and “a religious book” in particular. Hence, the Qur’aan may
seem disorganized and haphazard to one who does not know the central
theme, its main aim and objective and its goal.1
The central theme of the Qur’aan
The central theme of the Qur’aan as we are going to see in the study of its
meaning is essentially the human being and his purpose in this world. So
the Qur’aan tells us about:
1. Who is Allaah? Our Lord, Creator, Cherisher and Provider.
2. What are the beautiful names and attributes of Allaah?
3. How Allaah controls and rules over the cosmos.
1
Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Usool at-Tafseer, pp. 88-89
17
4. How Allaah relates to human beings.
5. How human beings should relate to Allaah.
6. How a human being relates to himself and to other creatures.
7. How we should behave between ourselves.
8. Our purpose in this world, which is to worship Allaah alone.
9. About history, science, and other branches of knowledge.
10. About life after this life (Life in paradise or hell).
11. How Allaah provides for all His creation etc.
The Qur’aan and its teachings to mankind
The Qur’aan was not only revealed for recitation but it was also revealed
to be used to:
(i) Earn Allaah’s blessings and mercy.
And this is a Book (Qur’aan) we have revealed which is

blessed, so follow it and fear Allaah that you may receive
mercy. (Qur’aan 6:155)
So when the Qur’aan is recited, then listen to it and pay

attention that you may receive mercy. (Qur’aan7:204)
(ii) As a source of cure for diseases both of the heart and physical
ailments.
O man kind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord
and healing of what is in the breasts and guidance and a
mercy for the believers. (Qur’aan10:57)
These diseases of the heart that have afflicted the Muslim Ummah and
humanity in general are:
1. Kufr (Disbelief in Allaah)
2. Shirk (Associating partners with Allaah)
3. Nifaaq (Hypocrisy)
4. Hasad (Envy and jealousy)
5. Takabur (Arrogance and boastfulness)
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6. Aasabiyya (Nationalism and tribalism)
7. Bukhul (Greed and miserliness)
8. Shakkah (Doubtfulness)
9. Al-Bughdha (Hatred)
10. Al-Gheeba (Back biting)
11. Ar-Riyaa (Showing off)
And we have sent down the Qur’aan that which is healing and
mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrong
doers except in loss. (Qur’aan17:82)
(iii) The Qur’aan was sent to be a clear proof and evidence (scientific) or
other wise to the sceptic. This is why we have over one thousand
verses in the Qur’aan which are scientific by nature.
The month of Ramadhaan [is that] in which was revealed

the Qur’aan as a guidance for people and clear proofs of
guidance and a criterion. (Qur’aan2:185)
We will show them our signs in the horizons and within

themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the
truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He
is, above all things, a Witness? (Qur’aan41:53)
19
Have those who disbelieved not seen that the heavens and
the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and
made from water every living thing? Then will they not
believe? (Qur’aan21:30)
(iv) The Qur’aan was also revealed as a source of culture and knowledge
(authentic knowledge) by which all other knowledge may be tested.
For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on

knowledge, which We explained in detail, a guide and a
mercy to all who believe. (Qur’aan7:52)
[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the

Especially Merciful- A book whose verses have been detailed
an Arabic Qur’aan for a people of knowledge. (Qur’aan42:2-3)
(v) The Qur’aan was also revealed with beautiful stories, the best of
stories full of lessons where we gain guidance and other benefits.
There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of

understanding. Never was it (i.e. the Qur’aan) a narration
invented, but a confirmation of what was before it and a
detailed explanation of all things and a guidance and a
mercy for people who believes. (Qur’aan12:111)
20
(vi) The Qur’aan was also revealed to be a source of protection from evil,
this is why whenever the Prophet went to sleep he would recite
Surahs Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas, and Aayatul kursiyy and blow on
his palms then smear over his body as means of seeking Allaah’s
protection from all kinds of evils. Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allaah be
pleased with her) that,
Whenever the Prophet went to bed every night, he used to cup his
hands together and blow over it after reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas,
Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas, and then rub his hands over
whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his
head, face and front of his body. He used to do that three times 1.
But above all these, the Qur’aan was revealed as a complete and
comprehensive guidance valid for all times and places as Allaah (SW) says
in the Qur’aan.
And the day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness

against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring
you as a witness against these (your people): and We have
sent down to you a Book explaining all things, a Guide, a
Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. (Qur’aan16:89)
Verily this Qur’aan guides to that which is most right (or

stable), and gives the glad tidings to the Believers who work
deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent
reward. (Qur’aan17:9)
So the Qur’aan in brief is:
 Guidance to the erring.
 An assurance to those in doubt.
1
Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.6 Hadith No.536A and Al-Qahtaani, Sa’eed Ibn Ali Ibn Wahf, Hisnul
Muslim pp. 132-133
21
 A solace to the suffering.
 A warning to the heedless.
 A fountain of mercy and wisdom.
 A hope to those in despair.
 And a light from darkness of Ignorance to the light and true
life of Islam.
Therefore we should do our best to:
• Sincerely believe in the Qur’aan.
• Love the Qur’aan.
• Recite the Qur’aan.
• Memorize the Qur’aan.
• Understand the Qur’aan
• Follow the Qur’aan by implementing it in our daily life.
• Call the people to believe in the Qur’aan and guide their lives by
the teachings of the Qur’aan.
The way of Qur’aanic recitation
We should not merely recite the Qur’aan occasionally, but we should
study the Qur’aan to ponder over and understand its meanings as Allaah
(SW) says,
This is a book, which we have revealed to you full of

blessings that they might reflect upon its verses and that
those of understanding would be reminded. (Qur’aan38: 29)
Al-Fauzan commented on this ayah and said,
Allaah has made it clear in this ayah that the first goal of
revealing the Qur’aan is for its verses to be powdered (reflected)
over. That is, we should think (deeply) about the meaning, their
implications, their intricate points and their information until we
are able to derive from them (the result that we fear Allaah and
worship Him alone). And that we know what we should do and
should not do with respect to deeds, statements, dealings and so
forth. This will not come completely to someone and will not be
achieved except by powdering and reflecting over the Qur’aan. 1
In addition to what Fauzan said concerning reflecting over the Qur’aan,
this also includes having a strong link and connection and complete
1
Zaraboza, Jamal Ad–Din How to approach and understand the Qur’aan, pp. 96-97 who quoted
al-Fauzaan, Saalih, Muhaadhiraat fi al-Aqeedah wa al-Dawah, vol. 2, p. 299
22
attention to the Qur’aan.1 When reciting and studying the Qur’aan, so
that when we are completely attuned to the Qur’aan’s recitation, then we:
i) Will ask for Allaah’s forgiveness whenever we come across a verse
that we have not properly fulfilled i.e. one that we have been
neglectful about.
ii) And whenever we come across a verse concerning Allaah’s mercy
we will respond by begging for Allaah’s mercy.
iii) And whenever we read about Allaah’s punishment, we immediately
seek for refuge and protection from such punishment.
iv) When we hear of Allaah’s beautiful names and attributes our
hearts should be filled with fear, gratitude, love and other
appropriate feelings.
v) Whenever we hear about God’s Messengers in the Qur’aan our
hearts should have an urge of following them and an aversion for
those who opposed them.
vi) When we read about the Day of Judgment, then our hearts should
long for paradise and tremble at the very thought of Hell fire.
vii) When we read of disobedient persons and nations who went astray
and earned God’s punishment we should intensely dislike being
like them.
viii) When we read about the righteous whom Allaah loves and rewards,
we should be eager to be like them, etc.
This was the way of reading of the Qur’aan by the Prophet (s.a.w) as
recorded by Imaam Muslim in his collection of Sahih Muslim.2 And a sign
that one has truly pondered over the meaning of the Qur’aan and is
considering what it is saying is by the Qur’aan having the effects
mentioned by Allaah in the following verse.
For, Believers are those who, when Allaah is mentioned, feel

a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His Signs
rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their
1
Qur’aan7:204
2
Abd Rabbih, Nabeeh Zakariyyah, Kaifah Nahyaa bi-l-Qur’aan, p. 99
23
trust in their Lord; Who establish regular prayers and spend
(freely) out of the gifts We have given them for sustenance:
Such in truth are the Believers: they have grades of dignity
with their Lord, and forgiveness, and generous sustenance:
(Qur’aan8:2)
The means and the goals of Qur’aanic recitation
In our study of the Qur’aan we should never confuse the goals of the
Qur’aanic recitation with the means. Pondering over and reflecting on the
meaning of the Qur’aan is not the end in itself. It is only part of the
means to apply the Qur’aan. The goal of the Qur’aanic studies is to
believe in the Qur’aan with complete certainty, recite it with a correct
understanding and apply the Qur’aan properly in our life. Al-Fauzan
noted as follows:
If we stopped at just reciting and pondering over the Qur’aan and
we leave acting [according to it], then we have stopped at the
beginning of the road and we have not attained anything. All our
efforts would have been lost without any benefit from them as we
would have tired ourselves on the steps and we would have
abandoned the fruits. This is because the fruit [of reading and
pondering] is the acting in accordance with the Qur’aan. Allaah
perfect and exalted be He said.
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allaah and establish

prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have
provided them, secretly and publicly [can] expect a
transaction [i.e. profit] that will never perish. He will give
them even more out of His bounty, for He is oft forgiving.
(Qur’aan35:29-30)
Al-Fauzan then goes on to say,

These verses show that they did not stop at recitation but in fact,
they established the prayer, after they had established the proper
recitation of the Qur’aan. Similarly, they gave out of what Allaah
had provided for them, by giving the Zakat, charity and doing acts
of goodness towards the creation. Thus the fruits of proper study
and recitation are the acting in accordance with the Qur’aan. If
24
you act in accordance with it, it will be a proof for you while if you
do not act in accordance with it; it will be a proof against you. 1
The prophet (s.a.w) said: “The Qur’aan is a proof for you or a proof against
you.”2 The Qur’aan is generally divided into three main parts:
▪ Tawheed (the oneness of Allaah)
▪ Ahkaam (Allaah’s Legislations)
▪ Qasas (Narrations of previous generations)
The Qur’aan was revealed in small sections to Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w), from the beginning of his Prophethood in 609 C.E. until shortly
before his death in 632 C.E., thus the Qur’aan came down continuously
in piecemeal over a period of 23 years.
Thus, various sections of the Qur’aan were generally revealed to solve the
problems, which existed among the Muslim communities in both Makkah
and Madinah. Since the problems and needs of Makkah were different
from those of Madinah, the revelations of the Qur’aan in Makkah and
Madinah have special characteristics of their own. It is very important to
know and clearly understand the Makkan revelations and the Madinan
revelations in order to have a proper understanding of the Qur’aan. We
shall look at both the general and specific characteristics of Madinan and
Makkan revelations in our Essential Islamic Studies Series Book Four.
Questions
(1) Give five reasons why Muslims believe that the Qur’aan is the last
revelation.
(2) Explain why the Qur’aan is considered the only unique divine book of
its kind.
(3) What are the goals of Qur’aanic studies in the life of a Muslim?
(4) Explain the Prophet’s methodology of Qur’aanic recitation.
(5) Name the three major divisions of the Qur’aan and how these
divisions affect the life of a Muslim.
1
al-Fauzaan, Saalih, Muhaadhiraat fi al-Aqeedah wa al-Dawah, vol. 2, p.302
2
Either the Qur’aan will intercede for you before Allaah on the Day of Judgment until you go to
Paradise or it will accuse you of neglecting it during your earthly lifetime until you go to Hell Fire.
25
CHAPTER TWO
ULUMUL QUR’AAN I
QUR’AAN: DEFINITIONS AND IMPORTANCE
The meaning of the Qur’aan

The need for the revelation of the Qur’aan
The importance of the Qur’aan in human life
The role of Jibreel in the revelation of the Qur’aan
Why the Qur’aan was revealed in small bits
The bad attitude of Muslims towards the Qur’aan
The lamentations of the Qur’aan
The meaning of the Qur’aan

The Arabic word Qur’aan is derived from the root word qara’aa meaning
to read1 or to recite2. Qur’aan is a verbal noun and hence means a recital
or a book that is read. Where as technically as used in the Qur’aan the
word refers to the revelation from Allaah in the broad sense3 and is not
1
Qur’aan17:93
2
Qur’aan75:18
3
Qur’aan17:82
26
always restricted to the written form in the shape of a book as we have it
today1. In brief the Qur’aan can technically be defined as:
1. The direct speech of Allaah sent down to the last Prophet Muhammad
through the angel Jibreel, in its precise meaning and wording,
transmitted to us by numerous persons (Mutawaatir) both verbally
and in written form.
2. The Qur’aan is the only unique inimitable book from God protected
from corruption by God Himself, and revealed continuously over a
period of 23 years.
3. The Qur’aan is the only authentic, true word of God, revealed to the
last Prophet and Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w), as the ultimate and
final message for the guidance of the whole of humankind in all fields
and spheres of life.2
The need for the revelation of the Qur’aan
There are a number of reasons that can be derived from the Qur’aan itself
as to why the Qur’aan was revealed in spite of the fact that other previous
scriptures had been revealed to various prophets such as the Torah,
Zabur, and Injeel given to the prophets Moses, David and Jesus (p.b.u.t)
respectively. The verse found in Qur’aan chapter 16 gives us three
reasons.
And we have not revealed to you the book, [0, Muhammad],

except for you to make clear to them that where in they
have differed and as a guidance and a mercy for people who
believe. (Qur’aan16:64)
1. The Qur’aan came to unite all the various warring religious sects of
idol worshippers (pagans), Judaism, Christianity, the Fire
worshippers (Zoroastrians), Buddhists, Confucians etc. into one
religion3.
2. The Qur’aan was sent as guidance to the right conduct of humankind
as it prescribes all the ways in which the human being has to lead his
life4.
3. The Qur’aan also came as a healing and mercy to show humankind
the path of salvation and repentance and as such it became the
highest mercy to the erring souls1.
1
Von Denffer. Ahmad, Ulumul Qur’aan, p. 17
2
Qur’aan2:185.
3
Qur’aan42:13
4
Qur’aan2:2
27
4. In the course of time due to lack of proper preservation, the text of the
earlier scriptures e.g. The Torah, Zabur, Injeel, and the Suhuf (scrolls)
of prophet Ibraheem and Musa (p.b.u.t) got altered and lost their
authenticity, therefore the Qur’aan was revealed to tell us what was
in the previous scriptures mentioned above, i.e. to confirm what was
in the previous scriptures. This can be seen from the verse below:
We have revealed to you [O, Muhammad], the book [i.e. the

Qur’aan] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of
scriptures and Muhayminan (trustworthy in highness and a
witness) over it. So judge between them by what Allaah has
revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from
what has come to you of the truth.2 (Qur’aan5:48)
5. From the above verse we see that the Qur’aan also came to act as a
form of quality control, as a yardstick or a criterion to judge the
previous scriptures and declare to us what remained intact and what
was changed. Consequently any scripture has to be scrutinized using
the Qur’aan as the bureau of standards, so that whatever part of the
previous scriptures is in accordance to the Qur’aan is passed as the
true word from God and whatever goes against the Qur’aan is rejected
as a corrupted text.
6. Since the previous scriptures were only meant and intended for a
particular people of a particular generation (time). Therefore due to
changing conditions and situations of humanity, those scriptures
were only limited to their time, hence the Qur’aan was revealed to
address the needs of the people for all time, this is because humanity
had been under going spiritual development through various stages
so that the Qur’aan came as a comprehensive message to meet their
continuously changing human circumstances for all places and all
time up to the day of resurrection. Allaah (SW) says,
1
Qur’aan10:57-58
2
Also see Qur’aan6:92
28
And it was not (possible) for this Qur’aan to be produced by
other than Allaah, but [it is] a confirmation of what was
before it and a detailed explanation of the former scriptures
about which there is not doubt from the lord of the world. 1
(Qur’aan10:37)
7. All the earlier religious sects continuously assured their followers and
humankind in general of the advent (i.e. the coming) of a Messenger,
Muhammad (s.a.w) with a book which would guide them into the
truth and unite them and lead them to the object of life in this world
and so, the prophet came with the Qur’aan which fulfilled this need.
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O children

of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allaah to you
confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing
good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name
is Ahmad”2. But when he came to them with clear evidence,
they said that this is obvious magic” 3 (Qur’aan61:6)
8. The Qura’an came as the final complete universal message4 to all of
humankind so that humanity cannot have any problem in knowing
the will of their creator.
Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds:

(Qur’aan 81:27)
1
Also see Qur’aan16: 89 and Qur’aan6:38
2
Another name of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
3
Also see The king James Version of the Bible, John 16:7-13
4
Qur’aan5:3
29
9. The Qura’an was revealed to be a judgment of authority and a source
of establishing Justice on earth (as judgment between right and
wrong in all human affairs).
Thus have We revealed it to be a judgment of authority in

Arabic. Were you to follow their (vain) desires after the
knowledge that has reached you, then would you find
neither protector nor defender against Allaah. (Qur’aan13:37)
The importance of the Qur’aan in human life
Most probably none of us Muslims ever forgets that the Qur’aan is the
last and final universal revelation of Allaah (SW) revealed to the last and
final Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w) that is not only a linguistic miracle
but a historical and scientific miracle as well, for the sole purpose of
guidance to humankind.
Yet at the same time, as Muslims we have not truly and completely
realized the implication of this fact and consequently (most of us do not
realize the importance of the Qur’aan as a guidance to all of mankind1.
Many Muslims today have either deliberately forgotten or neglected the
wonderful aspects of the Qur’aan, which Allaah has stated in the Qur’aan
and also ignored even that which the Prophet said concerning the
Qur’aan.
It is important to consider and look into the importance of the Qur’aan
because the more we understand and know about the Qur’aan, the more
we will yearn to learn it. The more somebody realizes the importance of
the Qur’aan, the closer he or she will want it to be to his heart and mind.
The one who is best qualified to describe to us the importance of the
Qur’aan and reveal to us its secrets is the Author, who is Allaah (SW);
therefore we will look at a few selected verses concerning the description
and importance of the Qur’aan.2
The one who knows the Qur’aan best from human beings to tell us about
the importance of the Qur’aan is the one who received it first, that is
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)3, so it would also be appropriate to look at
some statements from Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) telling us the
importance of the Qur’aan.
1
Qur’aan3:138
2
It is beyond the scope of this textbook to even cover a small fraction of what Allaah said about
His Glorious Book, the Qur’aan.
3
Qur’aan75:16-19, also Qur’aan 16:44
30
Lastly we will also look at the statements from those who were taught the
Qur’aan directly by the Prophet (s.a.w) i.e. his companions who
implemented the Qur’aan in the lifetime of the Prophet. Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) described these companions as the best generation1
and Allaah (SW) said that He was well pleased with them.2 Sayyid Qutb
described the companions of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as the Qur’aanic
generation.3
What Allaah said about the Qur’aan4
In the opening passages of the Qur’aan, the beginning of Surah al-
Baqarah, Allaah says,
This is the book; in it is guidance, sure, without doubt,

to those who fear Allaah; (Qur’aan2:2)
The author of How to Approach and Understand the Qur’aan points out
that though in the typical translation of this ayah, it may seem that the
verse does not tell us much about the importance of the Qur’aan, yet in
reality when you look at what the Mufasireen (Qur’aanic commentators)
have said then one will realize that in this verse Allaah (SW) has stated
many important points about His Book. Among these points as
expounded by the scholars of Islam are:
(1) That the phrase, ‘This is the Book’ implies that it is the most
complete book and that no other book deserves to be called a ‘‘book’’
like this book does. It is the real book that encompasses what no
other previous book encompassed. In other words Allaah is pointing
to the completeness and perfection of His Book and hence its
superiority over all other books.
(2) Allaah (SW) also mentions that this is the book concerning which
there can be no doubt, meaning that the amount of proofs and
evidence in the book leaves no reasonable doubt that this is a true
and perfect revelation from Allaah, therefore no one should have any
reason to doubt the Qur’aan. This also implies that a believer must
be completely certain and satisfied that everything stated in this
book is true.
(3) Allaah describes this book as ‘‘guidance’’; yes it is guidance for all of
the needs and benefits of the life of this world and that of the
1
Sahih Buukhari, (Arabic-English) Vol. 5 Hadith No. 3
2
Qur’aan9:100
3
Qutb, Sayyid, Milestones, pp. 21-35
4
The following are just a few verses as discussed by Jamal al-Din Zarabozo in his book How to
Approach and Understand the Qur’aan, pp. 8-16.
31
hereafter. It is the guide for human beings concerning fundamental
and secondary matters. It distinguishes truth from falsehood and
what is sound from what is weak and makes clear for them how to
follow the path that is beneficial for them both in their worldly
affairs and their other worldly matters.
(4) This verse also makes it clear that first and foremost the Qur’aan is
a book of guidance and specifically a guidance to those who have
taqwa1 though elsewhere in the Qur’aan Allaah has says concerning
this guidance as,
Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the

Qur’aan, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for
guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).
(Qur’aan2:185)
What the two verses imply according to the scholars is that the
guidance of the Qur’aan is there for every one to see and benefit
from, however not everyone is going to benefit from its wonderful
guidance. Only those who approach the Qur’aan in the proper way,
seeking to obey and implement its guidance will be the ones who will
truly benefit from the guidance of the Qur’aan, otherwise it may
even turn out to be a source of misguidance for those who approach
the Qur’aan with a pre-conceived mind trying to look for its faults
(the impossible) as Allaah says elsewhere,
But those who reject Faith say: "What means Allaah by this
similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads
into the right path; but He causes to go astray, except those who
forsake (the path), (Qur’aan2:26)
1
Taqwa means to be conscious of Allaah and to be careful of not overstepping the limits set by
Allaah. It is a defense against evil and temptations. It keeps a person within the boundaries of his
natural state. It has been describe as the single most important quality of a believer mentioned in
the Qur’aan. Those who posses this quality of taqwa live the natural way, the Qur’aanic way.
32
Allaah (SW) also refers to the Qur’aan as a rooh “spirit”. He says,
Thus have We revealed to you a rooh (spirit) of Our

command. (Qur’aan42:52)
While commenting on this verse, Saalih al-Fauzan noted that rooh implies
that which gives life to the heart. In the same way that the physical
heart’s life is directly attached to a rooh, the spiritual soul is also directly
attached to a rooh, and that rooh is the Qur’aan. It is this Qur’aan that
gives true life to the spiritual heart. If the heart is void of the Qur’aan,
then it is in fact spiritually dead, no matter how much it may seem to be
physically alive in this world.
The heart attains real life when it is joined with the Qur’aan. It is by the
teachings of the Qur’aan that the heart truly knows and recognizes its
Lord and how to worship Him. The heart then becomes filled with the love
of Allaah, fear of Allaah, reverence for Him, and full trust in Him and
hope in Him. These are some of the key ingredients that are needed for a
healthy heart. The Qur’aan moves the heart in the same way the physical
heart is moved by the physical soul.
Al-Raawi also noted that people are very much aware of the result of the
physical rooh departing the body. When that happens they take the body
and bury it as it is not able to perform any action since its rooh has left.
In a sense, it has become useless.
At the same time, people disregard what happens when the effects of the
Qur’aan are no longer seen on a person. They do not see what happens to
the person both in this world and the Hereafter when he has lost the rooh
of the Qur’aan. Without this rooh, a person is truly spiritually dead even
though it may look to all around him that he is physically alive. But he is
dead because he is not even realizing his purpose in this life. He is living
his life without heading towards its proper goal; hence, he may be called
the living-dead.
Allaah (SW) also describes the Qur’aan as a noor “light” He says,
33
And thus We have revealed to you a rooh of Our command
[i.e., the Qur’aan] You did not know what is the book or
[what is] faith, but We have made it a light by which We
guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, [O
Muhammad], you guide to a straight path. (Qur’aan42:52)
Light is that which shows a person the path in front of him. It is by this
light that he can avoid the harmful objects in his way and follow the way
that is beneficial to him. Al-Fauzan however noted that the Qur’aan,
which is a light, is different from the light, which people physically sense
in this world. Rather this is a spiritual light by which one recognizes and
understands what will benefit him in both his mundane and spiritual life.
He will recognize truth from falsehood and therefore he will be following
the path that leads to paradise. This light leads to the straight path and
Allaah’s grace and mercy. However this light will only benefit those who
follow it, as Allaah (SW) says.
O mankind! Verily there has come to you a convincing proof

from your Lord: for We have sent unto you a manifest light
(that is the Qur’aan). Then those who believe in Allaah, and
hold fast to Him, soon will He admit them to Mercy and
Grace from Himself, and guide them to Himself by a straight
Way. (Qur’aan4:174-175)
From the above it is clear that the Qur’aan is the key to the believers’ real
and true life. Without being connected with the Qur’aan in our daily life,
we become spiritually dead and living in darkness. Allaah (SW) says in
reference to this light of guidance that He grants and blesses the true
believers with,
Is he who was dead then We gave him life and set for him a
light whereby he walks among the people like him who is in
the darkness from which he can never come out?
(Qur’aan6:122)
34
Allaah (SW) also refers to the Qur’aan as a great honor and distinction.
He says,
We have revealed for you (O men!) a Book in which is a

Message [your honor and distinction] for the one that follows
it: will you not then understand? (Qur’aan21:10)
This verse was first addressed to the Arabs of the Quraysh, however its
meaning is general and is directed to every believer or every human being
from the time of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). The Arabs in the first
instance got this great blessing of the Qur’aan being in their language, if
they then adhered to it they would be remembered and honored for that
distinction which Allaah bestowed upon them. Yet beyond that we have
already indicated the verse is addressed to all believers and human
beings who will follow and adhere to the teachings of this book, that they
will be honored and be distinguished from the rest of Allaah’s creation.
Thus glory is found in adhering to and applying the Qur’aan in all
spheres of life as Allaah (SW) says,
Honor belongs to Allaah and His Messenger, and to the

Believers; but the Hypocrites know not. (Qur’aan63:8)
This fact was demonstrated in the case of the Arabs. Before they believed
in and followed the Qur’aan, they were a people who were never known
nor respected throughout the world. They had little or nothing to offer the
world. But after receiving the Qur’aan and truly believing in it and
applying it, they were able to convey it to the whole world, this is as
Allama Sayyid Qutb pointed out, that the only thought and provision that
they had to offer the world was the beautiful teachings of the Qur’aan
which later enlightened the world. By the Qur’aan their position was
exalted, they became the leaders of the East and the West.
The opposite effect of not following and adhering to the teachings of the
Qur’aan or conveying its teaching to other people is also true, as we are
witnessing the subjugation, humiliation and defeat of the whole Arab and
Muslim world, Allaah (SW) already warned us about this situation, He
said,
35
Then is it only a part of the Book that you believe in, and do
you reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among
you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on
the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most
grievous penalty. (Qur’aan 2:85)
Al-Saadi wrote when commenting on the verse, “a book in which there is
your honor and distinction”,
This verse is confirmed by what actually occurred. The believers in
the Messenger, those who took heed by the Qur’aan, from the
companions and those who came afterwards, achieved
prominence, distinction great renown and honor among the kings.
Such is well known to everyone. Similarly, it is well known what
happened to those who did not raise their heads with the Qur’aan
and were not guided or purified through it [they suffered from]
disgrace, disdain, ignobility, and unhappiness. There is no way to
achieve happiness neither of this world nor of the Hereafter except
by following the remembrance of this Book.
This principle applies to all times. If the believers want to be respected, to
have honor and dignity and not live in disgrace and humiliation, they
have no choice except to turn back to the Qur’aan. If they turn to the
Qur’aan applying it in their daily life, it will definitely be a source of their
honor and dignity in not only this temporary life but also a great blessing
in the everlasting life in the Hereafter. In fact the prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) said about the Qur’aan,
‫إ ن هلل ير فع بهاذا الكتا ب أقواما و يضضع به آخرين‬
Verily, Allaah exalts some people by this Book and He debases
others by it. (Sahih Muslim)
In these few verses and words of Allaah (SW) that we have discussed here,
we can already realize the importance of the Qur’aan. It is the Book that
contains all the guidance that one needs in his life. It is the rooh or soul
that one seriously needs to stay alive in this corrupted world. It is the
light that guides a person so as to avoid the pit falls in his daily life. And
it is the source of the Muslim’s dignity, honor and happiness in both this
life and the hereafter. There are many other verses wherein Allaah (SW)
has further expounded to as the importance of the Qur’aan in our life
such as; the Qur’aan is described as al- Furqaan, al-Burhaan, al-Dhikr, at-
36
Tanzil etc. But it is beyond the scope of this textbook to discuss all the
relevant verses.
What the Prophet said about the Qur’aan1
The Prophet (s.a.w) who received the Qur’aan and lived by it to the extent
that when Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) his beloved wife was
asked about his character she replied that he was the Qur’aan in action,
i.e. the life of Prophet Muhammad was according to the instructions of
Allaah in the Qur’aan. Such a personality is the best to unveil for us the
secrets and importance of the Qur’aan and he had the following to say
about the Qur’aan:
َ‫َقا َل َما ِمن‬ ‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ‫ع َل ْي ِه َو‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ َّ ‫ص َّلى‬
َ ِ ‫ع ِن ال َّن ِبي‬َ َ ‫ع ْن أ َ ِبي ه َُري َْرة‬ َ
‫علَ ْي ِه ْال َبش َُر‬
َ َ‫ت َما ِم ْثلُهُ َ أ َ ْو آ َمن‬ ِ ‫ي ِمنَ ْاْل َيا‬ ِ ‫ي ِإ ََّّل أُع‬
َ ‫ْط‬ ٌّ ‫اء َن ِب‬ِ ‫ْاْل َ ْن ِب َي‬
‫ي فَأ َ ْر ُجو أ َ ِني أ َ ْكثَ ُر ُه ْم‬ ُ َّ ُ‫َو ِإ َّن َما َكانَ الَّذِي أُو ِتيتُ َوحْ يًا أ َ ْو َحاه‬
َّ َ‫َّللا ِإل‬
‫تَا ِب ًعا َي ْو َم ْال ِق َيا َمة‬
Narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allaah be pleased with him) that,
The Prophet (s.a.w) said,There was no prophet among the prophets
but was given miracles because of which people had security or
had belief, but what I was given was the Divine Inspiration which
Allaah revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more
than those of any other prophet on the Day of Resurrection. 2
The Prophet (s.a.w) made it clear in this Hadith that the Qur’aan is a
great blessing and miracle from Allaah. It is unlike any other miracle that
was given to the previous prophets. Although the miracles that were given
to the previous prophets were something great yet they cannot match or
compare with what was given to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). They were
historical miracles that cannot be reproduced today, for example the staff
that was given to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) that changed into a
snake and swallowed the magical tricks of pharaoh’s magicians or that
Jesus (peace be upon him) raised the dead back to life and healed the
born blind and the leapers all these can easily be brushed off by the
sceptical scientists because they cannot be reproduced, they are only long
gone historical miracles that cannot appeal to the scientific age that we
are in today.
Whereas the miracle of the Qur’aan given to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
encompasses all that was given to the previous prophets, it is a historical,
linguistic and scientific miracle that will continuously appeal to every age
1
The following are just a few Ahaadith as discussed by Jamal al-Din Zarabozo in his book
How To Approach and Understand the Qur’aan, pp.18-23
2
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9 Hadith No. 379
37
until the end of time in this world, we could say that it is an ever-living
miracle that any sceptical scientist can verify at any moment in time. This
is why the Prophet had a reason to hope that he would have the greatest
number of followers on the Day of Judgment. Another statement from the
messenger of Allaah that sheds some light on the greatness of the
Qur’aan and its importance is as follows:
‫فضل كأل م هللا على سا ئر الكأل م كفضلى هللا على خلقه‬

The superiority of the speech of Allaah over all other speeches is
like the superiority of Allaah over His creation (Hadith in al-Tirmidhi
and al-Daarimi)
When we come to the realization that such is the nature of the superiority
of the Qur’aan in comparison to all other speeches, then we will definitely
dedicate some of our time to read and study this speech and not ignore it
or turn to other sources for guidance. This is why the Prophet (s.a.w) said
elsewhere.
‫أ بشروا فان هاذ القرآن طر فه بيد هللا و ظرفه بأيد يكم‬

‫فتمسكوا به فإنكم لن تهلكوا و لن تضلوا بعده أبدا‬
Have glad tidings! Verily, one end of this Qur’aan is in the hand of
Allaah and another end is in your hands. Adhere to it for then you
will not be destroyed and you will never go astray after it. (at-
Tabaraani, al-Albaani declared it as Sahih)
‫سلَّ َم قَا َل‬

َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ِ ‫ع ِن ال َّن ِبي‬ َ ِ ‫سى ْاْل َ ْشعَ ِري‬ َ ‫ع ْن أ َ ِبي ُمو‬ َ
‫ط ِيب‬ َ ‫ط ِيب َو ِري ُح َها‬ َ ‫َمثَ ُل الَّذِي َي ْق َرأ ُ ْالقُ ْرآنَ َك ْاْل ُ ْت ُر َّج ِة‬
َ ‫ط ْع ُم َها‬
‫ِري َح لَ َها َو َمثَ ُل‬ ‫ط ِيب َو ََل‬َ ‫ط ْع ُم َها‬ َ ِ‫َوالَّذِي ََل َي ْق َرأ ُ ْالقُ ْرآنَ َكالتَّ ْم َرة‬
َ ‫ط ِيب َو‬
‫ط ْع ُم َها‬ َ َّ ‫اج ِر الَّذِي َي ْق َرأ ُ ْالقُ ْرآنَ َك َمثَ ِل‬
‫الر ْي َحا َن ِة ِري ُح َها‬ ِ َ‫ْالف‬
َ ‫اجر الَّذِي ََل َي ْق َرأ ُ ْالقُ ْرآنَ َك َمثَ ِل ْال َح ْن‬
َ ‫ظلَ ِة‬
‫ط ْع ُم َها ُم ٌّر‬ ِ َ‫ُم ٌّر َو َمثَ ُل ْالف‬
.‫َو ََل ِري َح َل َها‬
Narrated Abu Musa Al Ashari that the Prophet (s.a.w) said, The
example of him (a believer) who recites the Qur'aan is like that of a
citron, which tastes good and smells good. And he (a believer) who
does not recite the Qur'aan is like a date, which is good in taste but
has no smell. And the example of a dissolute wicked person who
38
recites the Qur'aan is like the Raihana (sweet basil), which smells
good, but tastes bitter. And the example of a dissolute wicked
person who does not recite the Qur'aan is like the colocynth, which
tastes bitter and has no smell. 1
‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ ُ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ َ ُ‫ع ْنه‬
َ ِ ‫ع ِن ال َّن ِبي‬ َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ َّ ‫ي‬َ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ع ْث َمانَ َر‬ُ ‫ع ْن‬
َ
َ ‫قَا َل َخي ُْر ُك ْم َم ْن تَ َعلَّ َم ْالقُ ْرآنَ َو‬
‫علَّ َم‬
Narrated Uthman (may Allaah be pleased with him) that, The
Prophet (s.a.w) said, “The best among you (Muslims) are those who
learn the Qur'aan and teaches it to others.” 2
The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) elsewhere showed us the easy path
to paradise when he said,
‫ط ِريقًا ِإلَى ْال َجنَّ ِة‬ َ ‫َّللاُ لَهُ بِ ِه‬ َ ‫س فِي ِه ِع ْل ًما‬
َّ ‫س َّه َل‬ ُ ‫ط ِريقًا يَ ْلت َِم‬
َ َ‫سلَك‬ َ ‫َو َم ْن‬
ُ‫سونَه‬ ُ ‫ار‬َ ‫َّللا َويَتَ َد‬
ِ َّ ‫َاب‬َ ‫َّللا يَتْلُونَ ِكت‬
ِ َّ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ت ِم ْن بُيُو‬ ٍ ‫َو َما اجْ تَ َم َع قَ ْو ٌم فِي بَ ْي‬
ُ‫الرحْ َمةُ َو َحفَّتْ ُه ُم ْال َم ََلئِ َكة‬ َ ‫س ِكينَةُ َو‬
َّ ‫غ ِشيَتْ ُه ُم‬ َّ ‫علَ ْي ِه ُم ال‬
َ ‫ت‬ ْ َ‫بَ ْينَ ُه ْم إِ ََّّل نَزَ ل‬
,ُ‫سبُه‬
َ َ‫ع بِ ِه ن‬ َّ َ‫َّللاُ فِي َم ْن ِع ْن َدهُ َو َم ْن ب‬
َ ‫طأ َ بِ ِه‬
ْ ‫ع َملُهُ لَ ْم يُس ِْر‬ َّ ‫َو َذك ََر ُه ُم‬
Whoever takes a path to seek for knowledge thereby, Allaah
makes easy for him, due to it, a path to Paradise. No people
will gather together in a house among the houses of Allaah,
reciting the Book of Allaah and studying it among
themselves, except that tranquility is descended upon them
and the mercy of Allaah covers them, and the angels
surround them and Allaah makes mention of them to those
in His presence. And whoever is slowed by his deeds will
not be hastened forward by his lineage.3
Finally the Prophet made it clear that it is by adhering to the teachings of
the Qur’aan that Allaah exalts a people to the glorious position of leaders
of mankind, likewise it is by neglecting and shunning the glorious
Qur’aan that a people become the lowest of the low, humiliated and
disgraced. He said as recorded by al-Haakim who declared the Hadith
Sahih according to the standard of Bukhari and Muslim.
‫إن للا ير فع بهاذا الكتا ب أقواما و يضضع به آخرين‬
Verily, Allaah exalts some people by this Book and He debases
other by it.
1
Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 6 Hadith No. 538
2
Sahih Al-Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 6, Hadith No. 545
3
Sahih Muslim
39
What the companions said about the Qur’aan1
Finally on this sub-section on the importance of the Qur’aan, let us look
at what those who directly learned the Qur’aan in depth from the Prophet
himself and lived by its guiding light what they had to say about this
amazing Book, the glorious Qur’aan.
One of the most comprehensive and succinct descriptions of the Qur’aan
that clearly shows the importance of the Qur’aan in the life of a human
being and more so in the life of a Muslim comes from Ali ibn Abu Taalib
(may Allaah be pleased with him), the Companion of the Prophet and the
fourth khalifah (caliph). He once stated,
Stick to the Book of Allaah, which speaks of those who have gone
before as well as those who will come later, and tells the truth in
clear and definite terms in matters that you disagree. Whoever
neglects it out of conceit (pride) shall be humiliated by Allaah.
And whoever looks for guidance elsewhere shall be misled by
Allaah. It is the cord of Allaah, which shall never break, the Wise
Message and the right path, which shall never be distorted by evil
minds nor corrupted by wicked tongues. Its mysteries shall never
end, nor shall scholars ever be satisfied by the amount they know
of it. Whoever speaks according to it has spoken the truth;
whoever acts upon it shall be rewarded; whoever rules according
to it does justice; and whoever calls to it shows the Straight Path.
Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) a companion of

the Prophet and the second Khalifah on the other hand is quoted to have
said about Islaam itself, which directly implies the Qur’aan,
We were the most despised people and Allaah honored us and
gave us strength through Islaam. And if we ever seek such honor
through something other than that which Allaah honored us by,
Allaah will then disgrace us.
The companion and scholar of the Qur’aan, Abdullah ibn Mas’ud once
said,
A human being should not be asked about himself except with
respect to the Qur’aan, if he loves the Qur’aan, then he loves
Allaah and His Messenger.
The companion Abdullah ibn Amr also stated,

When one reads the Qur’aan it is as if prophethood is descending
upon him except that he is not receiving revelation. Whoever
reads the Qur’aan and believes that someone else has been given
something better than what he has been given has made great
1
The following are just a few statements from the companions of Prophet Muhammad and the
students of the companions as discussed by Jamal al-Din Zarabozo in his book How To Approach
and Understand the Qur’aan, pp.23-25
40
what Allaah has belittled and belittled what Allaah has made
great.
The companion Abdullah ibn Abbas, for whom the Prophet prayed that
Allaah might teach him the Book, as he himself said that,
The Prophet would often draw me as a child close to him, pat me
on the shoulder and pray: “O Lord, make him acquire a deep
understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him in the
meaning and interpretation of things”.
He commented about the Qur’aan as recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim
and said,
The bounty of Allaah is Islaam. And His Mercy is that He made
you from the people of the Qur’aan.
Uthmaan ibn Affaan and al-Hudhaifah ibn al-Yamaan were both reported
to have said,
When the hearts become pure, they can never get enough of
reading the Qur’aan. (meaning they always yearn to read the
Qur’aan)
And it is a well-known fact that Uthmaan ibn Affaan was murdered while
he was reciting the Qur’aan at a very old age of well above eighty years.
The Role of Angel Jibreel in the Revelation of the Qur’aan

The Qur’aan unlike all other revelations, which were revealed all at once,
was revealed gradually over a period of twenty-three years. The Qur’aan,
which is the speech of Allaah (SW), was written on Lauh-al-Mahfoodh (the
preserved tablet), which is with Allaah all praise be to Him. The Lauh-al-
Mahfoodh is the preserved tablet on which all the things that were to take
place from the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth,
until the end of time were written. In this respect the Prophet (s.a.w) said,
The first thing that Allaah created was the pen, He said to it ‘write’ it
responded, ‘O my Lord! And what should I write?’ Allaah said ‘write
the destiny of all things until the Day of judgment’ 1
This writing occurred and was preserved on the Lauh-al-Mahfoodh and so
included in this preserved tablet was the text of the Qur’aan; however the
method of this writing and when it occurred is only known to Allaah (SW).
But the fact that the Qur’aan was written and preserved in the Lauh-al-
Mahfoodh is mentioned in the Qur’aan as Allaah (SW) said.
1
Sunan Abu Dawud.
41
Nay, this is a Glorious Qur’aan, (Inscribed) in a Tablet
Preserved! (Quraan85:21-22)
Indeed, it is a noble Qur’aan in a Register well protected

(Lauh-al-Mahfoodh); which none can touch except the
purified [i.e. the angels]. [It is] A revelation from the Lord of
the worlds. (Qur’aan56:77-80)
Part of the wisdom of this kind of preservation of the Qur’aan is to prove
to the disbelievers the authenticity of the Qur’aan, since it was written
down even before its revelation in a place that guarantees its safety 1.
Some of roles played by angel Gabriel in the revelation of the Qur’aan are
as follows:
To bring down the Qur’aan from lauhil mahfoodh to baytul Izza

From the verses of Surah al-Waaqi’ah quoted above, some scholars
concluded that Jibreel took the Qur’aan from Lauh-al-Mahfoodh and
brought it down to the lowest heaven in a place called al-Bayt al-Izza (The
House of Honor) in the month of Ramadhaan on the night of decree also
called Laylat al-Qadr as mentioned in a number of verses of the Qur’aan.
The month of Ramadan [is that] in which the Qur’aan was

revealed, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of
guidance and criterion. (Qur’aan2:185)
We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of

Decree: (Qur’aan97:1)
1
Qadhi Abu Ammar Yasir, An Introduction to the Science of the Qur’aan, pp. 75-76
42
Indeed, We sent it (The Qur’aan) down during a blessed
night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind]. (Qur’aan44:3)
These verses clearly specify that the entire Qur’aan was brought down in
the month of Ramadhaan to the lowest heaven and specifically on the
Night of Decree also known as the night of power.
To bring the Qur’aan in piece-meal to Muhammad (s.a.w)
The other role of Angel Jibreel in the revelation of the Qur’aan was to
bring it down gradually over a period of twenty-three years to the Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) according to the prevailing circumstances and
situation (from which the scholars of the science of the Qur’aan derived
the science of Asbab an-Nuzul).
And indeed, it [i.e. the Qur’aan] is the revelation of the Lord

of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit [i.e. Gabriel] has
brought it down upon your heart [O Muhammad] – that you
may be of the warners in a clear Arabic language.
(Qur’aan26:92-95)
So Jibreel recited portions of the Qur’aan from Lauh-al-Mahfoodh to the
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) at different periods and occasions over a
period of 23years. The first portion of the Qur’aan that was revealed to
Prophet Muhammad which marked the beginning of his Prophethood
while he was on a spiritual retreat in the cave of Hiraa near Makkah
contemplating the wonders of Allaah (SW) are, the first five verses found
in Surah al-‘Alaq.
Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man

from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most
Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which
he knew not. (Qur’aan96:1-5)
These five verses were also revealed in the month of Ramadhaan, the
night of Decree. These verses underpin the importance of learning,
43
studying, writing and preserving knowledge by the pen or any instrument
of writing. Knowledge according to these verses is in its absolute sense
encompassing all fields of knowledge that are of benefit to human beings,
be they Islamic law, embryology, astronomy, economics, and other
natural sciences; all are emphasized according to these verses.
To teach the Prophet the recitation of Qur’aan
Another role of Jibreel was to teach the Prophet how to recite the
Qur’aan. Allaah (SW) says.
By the star when it descends. Your companion [i.e.

Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred. Nor does he
speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation
revealed. Taught to him by one intense in strength [i.e.
Gabriel]. (Qur’aan53:3-5)
To supervise the proper arrangement of the Qur’aan
The other role of Jibreel was to supervise the arrangement of the Qur’aan
and indicate to the Prophet (s.a.w) where each Surah was to be placed in
relation to the other Surahs together with the arrangement of all the
verses as we have them in the Mus-haf today.
Several statements from the Prophet (s.a.w) indicate that Angel Jibreel
used to recite the entire Qur’aan to him every month of Ramadhan. It was
also the practice of the Prophet to recite the Qur’aan to Angel Jibreel
every year during the month of Ramadhan, and Jibreel would also in turn
recite it back to him. Faatimah, the daughter of the Prophet, reported that
the Prophet (s.a.w) confided in her,
‘Jibreel used to recite the whole Qur’aan to me every Ramadhaan,
but this year he has recited it to me twice. I do not see (any
explanation for this) except that my time of death is near’ 1
In another narration, Aa’ishah the beloved wife of the Prophet added,
‘The prophet (s.a.w) used to meet Jibreel every night of
Ramadhaan, and recite to him the Qur’aan’
Therefore, the Prophet used to recite the Qur’aan to Jibreel, and used to
hear Jibreel’s recitation also, and the year he (s.a.w) died, he recited the
Qur’aan twice to Jibreel and heard it twice from Jibreel. During this last
recitation, Zayd ibn Thaabit was present.2
1
Sahih Bukhari Vol.
2
Qadhi Abu Ammaar Yasir, An Introduction to the science of the Qur’aan p. 131
44
Why the Qur’aan was revealed in small bits (Portions)
The wisdom behind the gradual revelation of the glorious Qur’aan is as
Allaah (SW) said.
And (it is) a Qur’aan which We have divided (into parts), in

order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We
have revealed it by stages. (In 23 years). (Qur’aan17:106)
If Allaah (SW) had wanted, He would have sent down the Qur’aan to
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) all at once (in its entirety) at the beginning of
his Prophethood, just like He had done to the previous scriptures.
However this was not the case because the Qur’aan was revealed
gradually over a period of 23 years and there are many verses of the
Qur’aan that attest to this fact.
And from these verses that we are going to mention, we can derive the
wisdom and benefit of this piece-meal gradual revelation of the Qur’aan to
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).
When the disbelievers tried to mock the gradual revelation of the Qur’aan
and challenged the Prophet (s.a.w) to bring forth the Qur’aan in its
entirety if truly he was a true prophet, Allaah (SW) intervened directly and
answered the disbelievers.
And those who disbelieve say: “Why is not the Qur’aan

revealed to him all at once?” Thus (it is sent down in parts),
that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have
revealed it to you gradually, in stages. (It was revealed to
the Prophet (s.a.w) [in 23 years]. (Qur’aan25:32)
Thus the gradual revelation was considered a blessing that Allaah (SW)
gave to the Prophet and to this Muslim Ummah. Some of the most
important reasons why the Qur’aan was revealed gradually are as
follows.1
To strengthen the Prophet’s resolve against the disbelievers
The Prophet (s.a.w) was anguished and distressed by the attitude of his
people (idolaters) and the Jews towards his message. They ridiculed and
1
Qadhi. Abu Ammaar Yasir, An Introduction to the science of the Qur’aan, pp. 82-87 also refer to
Philips. Abu Ameenah Bilal Usool, at-Tafseer pp. 135-146
45
mocked him; they called him names and claimed that he was a sorcerer,
a madman, or that the Jinn possessed him. So Allaah (SW) revealed
verses showing and reminding him that He is fully aware of what is going
on. Allaah said.
Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what

they say. (Qur’aan15:97)
Perhaps, you may feel like killing yourself (O Muhammad

[s.a.w]) with grief, sorrowing over their footsteps (for their
turning away from you), because they believe not in this
narration (the Qur’aan). (Qur’aan18:6)
Whenever the pressure of his opponents reached its peak and became
virtually unbearable, Allaah (SW) would reveal to the Prophet certain
verses that would comfort him, for example Allaah revealed to the Prophet
in the earlier Makkan revelation, stories of the earlier prophets of old, how
those prophets dealt with hardships and torments which they faced from
their
peopl
es,
Allaa
h
said.
And all that We relate to you (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) of the

news of the Messengers is in order that We may make strong
and firm your heart thereby. And in this (chapter of the
Qur’an) have come to you the truth, as well as an
admonition and a reminder for the believers. (Qur’aan11:120)
There are a number of ways in which the Prophet (s.a.w) was helped with
these stories.
(a) The Prophet (s.a.w) was told to learn from the lessons of the previous
prophets and be patient as they were.
46
Therefore be patient (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) as did the
Messengers of strong will and be in no haste about
them (disbelievers). (Qur’aan46:35)
(b) He was told that the plotting of the disbelievers with all their mocking
of Islam would do no harm to Allaah’s plans.
So let not their speech grieve you (O Muhammad

[s.a.w]), for Verily, We know what they conceal and
what they reveal. (Qur’aan36:76)
(c) Allaah (SW) promised success to His Messenger Muhammad

(s.a.w)
Allaah has decreed: “Verily! It is I and My Messengers who

shall be the victorious.” Verily, Allaah is All-Powerful, All-
Mighty. (Qur’aan58:21)
(d) Allaah (SW) also warned the disbelievers that they are bound to loose
heavily and retreat in flight.
Are your disbelievers (O Quraysh!) better than these [nations

of Nuh (Noah), Lut (Lot), Saalih (Saleh), and the people of
Fir’aun (Pharaoh), etc., who were destroyed)? Or have you
immunity (against Our Torment) in the Divine Scriptures? Or
do they say: “We are a great multitude, and we shall be
victorious?” Their multitude will be put to flight, and they
will show their backs. (Qur’aan54:43-45)
(e) The Prophet (s.a.w) was reminded that his duty was only to deliver the
message, it was not upon him whether they accept it or not.
47
The Messenger’s duty [i.e. Our Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w)
whom We have sent to you, (O mankind)] is but to convey (the
Message). And Allaah knows all that you reveal and all that
you conceal. (Qur’aan5:99)
(f) He was also reminded about the difficulties that other prophets
encountered in their efforts to deliver the message to their people.
Verily, (many) Messengers were denied before you (O

Muhammad [s.a.w]), but with patience they bore the denial,
and they were hurt, till Our Help reached them, and none
can alter the Words (Decisions) of Allaah. Surely there has
reached you the information (news) about the Messengers
(before you). (Qur’aan6:34)
As a reminder to the believers to be patient
The gradual revelation also served as a reminder to the believers and to
help strengthen the determination of the companions, so they were
inspired by the same verses to have courage and patience and stamina
needed to withstand the persecution of the idolaters. Allaah (SW) says,
And all that We relate to you (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) of the

news of the Messengers is in order that We may make strong
and firm your heart thereby. And in this (chapter of the
Qur’aan) has come to you the truth, as well as an
admonition and a reminder for the believers. (Qur’aan11:120)
To simplify the memorization of Qur’aan
The gradual revelation of the Qur’aan also helped to simplify the
memorization of the Qur’aan and its understanding. The piece-meal
revelation of the Qur’aan made it easy for the companions to memorize,
reflect, understand and implement the portions that were revealed. If the
Qur’aan had been revealed all at once, it would have been very difficult
for the companions to understand all of its verses correctly. This is why it
is reported by the companions Uthmaan ibn Affaan and Abdullaah ibn
48
Mas’ud and others that they used to learn ten verses of the Qur’aan at a
time, until they had memorized, understood whatever concepts and
regulations that were in them and implemented them before they could
proceed farther1.
It can also be said that if the Qur’aan had been revealed all at once in a
book form as the Torah was revealed; it would have led to a feeling of
complacency with regards to the preservation of the Qur’aan. Instead, due
to the fact that these verses were revealed gradually and occasionally, it
provided the opportunity and strong incentive to ensure the memorization
and writing down of these verses, which was very crucial for the
preservation of the Qur’aan. Allaah (SW) reminds us four times in the
same Surah about this great favor.
And We have indeed made the Qur’aan easy to understand

and remember, then is there any that will remember (or
receive admonition)? (Qur’aan54:17)2
As an added proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w)
The gradual revelation of the Qur’aan was also for the purpose of
continuously proving the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w) to the
idolaters and Ahlul Kitaab (Jews and Christian) who were fond of asking
the Prophet questions in order to outwit him and prove to the other
people that he was not a true prophet of God. Yet every time they posed a
question to the Prophet, Allaah (SW) would reveal to them an answer
through the Qur’aan that would shut their mouths. Allaah said about this
behavior of the disbelievers.
And no example or similitude do they bring (to oppose or to

find fault in you or in this Qur’aan), but We reveal to you the
truth (against that similitude or example), and the better
explanation thereof. (Qur’aan25:33)
The following are just a few examples of such verses.
(i) When the idolaters demanded miracles3 from the Prophet (s.a.w)
Allaah revealed the following ayaat.
1
Ibn Taymiyyah, Principles of Tafseer p. 12
2
Also refer to Qur’aan54:22; Qur’aan54:32; Qur’aan54:40.
3
See, Qur’aan29:50
49
And they said: “Why is not a sign sent down to him from his
Lord?” Say: “Allaah is certainly able to send down a sign,
but most of them know not.” (Qur’aan6:37)
Allaah (SW) answered them thus,
There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird

that flies with its two wings, but are communities like
you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their
Lord they (all) shall be gathered. Those who reject Our Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)
are deaf and dumb in darkness. Allaah sends astray whom
He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills.
(Qur’aan6:38-39)
And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the
dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together
all things before their very eyes, they would not have
believed, unless Allaah willed, but most of them behave
ignorantly. (Qur’aan6:111)
50
And nothing prevented men from believing when the
guidance came to them, except that they said: “Has Allaah
sent a man as (His) Messenger?” Say: “If there were on the
earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We
should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven
an angel as a Messenger.” Say: “Sufficient is Allaah for a
witness between me and you. Verily! He is the All-Knower,
the All-Seer of His slaves.” (Qur’aan17:94-95)
(ii) When they asked the Prophet about the nature of the soul, Allaah
(SW) revealed.
And they ask you (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) concerning the Rooh

(the Spirit); Say: “The Rooh (the Spirit): it is one of the
things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of
knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.”
(Qur’aan17:85)
(iii) When the Jews asked about the story of Dhul-Qarnayn to test the
prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w) Allaah (SW) revealed.
And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say: “I shall recite to

you something of his story.” Verily, We established him in
the earth, and We gave him the means of everything.
(Qur’aan18:83-84)
51
To make easy the process of revelation on Muhammad (s.a.w)
The gradual revelation of the Qur’aan was also to make easy the process
of revelation on the Prophet (s.a.w). This is because the descent of
revelation as we saw earlier on in this chapter was a great burden on the
Prophet (s.a.w), which usually left him drained and weak. Aa’ishah (R.A)
reported that,
Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired divinely on a very cold day
and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead (as the
inspiration was over).1
Even Allaah (SW) Himself bore witness to the fact that the revelation of
the Qur’aan was a weighty and burdensome process when He said.
Very, We will cast on you a heavy set of words. (Qur’aan73:5)
Yet in another place Allaah (SW) emphasized the greatness, power and
weight of the Qur’aan, He set forth the following metaphor for humanity
to reflect.
Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, verily, you

would have seen it humble itself and crumble into pieces out
of the fear of Allaah. Such are the similitudes, which We
propound to men, that they may reflect. (Qur’aan59:21)
Therefore the revelation of the final word of Allaah the Glorious Qur’aan
all in one stroke would have been too much for the Prophet (s.a.w) to
bear. Such a revelation would have placed him under the most extreme
pressure.
Allaah (SW) therefore made it easy for the Prophet by breaking the
Qur’aan down into bearable segments revealed gradually. In this way it
meant that the Prophet (s.a.w) would only be burdened for short periods
of time and his mission would not be hampered by long periods of
recovery.
Thus the segmented method of revelation represents the gentle manner in
which Allaah (SW) dealt with His last Messenger due to the might and
glory of the final message.2
1
Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 1, Hadith No. 2
2
Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Usool at-Tafseer p. 137-138
52
To prove the miraculous nature of the Qur’aan
Another reason why the Qur’aan was revealed gradually over a period of
23 years was to prove its miraculous nature. Indeed the Qur’aan was the
greatest miracle that was given to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w); it is a
miracle in many respects, linguistically, historically and scientifically. As
well as one of the most outstanding miraculous nature is that the
Qur’aan was revealed over a period of 23 years wherein it answered many
of the questions posed by the believers and the idolaters, it catered to a
number of different problems and situations, It solved a wide variety of
problems, it frequently commanded the Prophet and his companions to a
course of action and yet not a single of it’s six thousand and plus verses
comprising of 114 chapters ever contradicted each other!
A human authored book of this size and magnitude with an array of
subjects ranging from, matters of faith, law, history, linguistics,
psychology, sociology, war and peace, embryology, astronomy, biology,
mathematics, marine engineering, oceanography, agriculture and
metaphysics etc. A book of this kind even if written by a number of
scholars of the highest standing is still bound to contain invariably grave
errors and contradictions and therefore such would require various
revisions throughout.
Yet the Qur’aan which is known to contain all the subjects mentioned
above and many more was brought by a man who is known to have no
formal education, a man who never knew how to read or write! The only
acceptable explanation for such a book that was delivered in a short span
of two decades is that, this is not the work of Muhammad (s.a.w) but a
miracle from Allaah (SW) given to him.
To add to the miraculous nature of the Qur’aan is that the order and
arrangement of its verses was done not chronologically- but rather the
Prophet under the instruction of angel Jibreel (A.S) told his companions
of the location of any new verse that came down.
The Qur’aan was literally assembled out of the fragmented revelations. It
was as if an intricate puzzle was perfectly put together during the 23
years to form a flawless master-piece. Thus Allaah (SW) challenged people
of all time concerning this miraculous nature of the glorious Qur’aan,
Allaah said.
53
Do they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully? Had it
been from other than Allaah, they would surely have found
therein much contradiction. (Qur’aan4:82)
To simplify the application of the Shari’ah
The gradual revelation of the Qur’aan was also for the purpose of
making the laws of Islam (Shari’ah) easier to implement. Among the
many uncountable blessings of Allaah (SW) to the companions of the
Prophet (s.a.w) was that He revealed to them the laws of Islam
gradually so as to make it easier for them to adopt and implement
these laws, Allaah said.
Allaah intends for you ease and He does not want to

make things difficult for you. (Qur’aan2:185)
Allaah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was
created weak (narrow minded, hasty and petty). (Qur’aan4:28)
So initially at the beginning of revelation of the Qur’aan there were no
specific laws on the lawful and the forbidden. Rather the companions
during the Makkan stage of revelation, which lasted for 13 years, were
being trained spiritually so that they could form the nucleus of the future
Muslim state in Madinah. Once they had gone through this stage Allaah
(SW) then completed the revelation of the Shari’ah in gradual steps, so
that they could adapt to the life style of Islam.
Basically the Makkan period of revelation warned against shirk
(associating partners with Allaah) and proved the existence of Allaah
through His facts of creation. The verses also called on the pagans to
leave idol worship and direct their worship to the only true unique God as
well as not to call on others besides Allaah for help and good fortune or
removal of bad omens but only to call to Allaah for all their needs.
The Makkan verses also elaborated on the unique concept of Tawheed
and its benefits and instilled in the early companions a strong faith that
they needed to overcome the torture and persecution of the idolaters.
Soon after this stage, revelations came down establishing the basics of
worship1 and warning against major sins. Aa’ishah (R.A) stated this fact
when she commented,
1
Salaah in its current spirit and form was legislated in the 13 th year of prophethood, Sawm and
Zakah two years after the Hijrah and Hajj became compulsory six years after in Madinah.
54
The first revelation only mentioned Heaven and Hell (i.e. the basics
of Islamic creed ‘Aqeedah’) eventually when the people had
received ‘yaqiin’ that is when they had become firm in their
conviction of Islam, Allaah then revealed the Halal and Haraam. If
the first verses revealed were, ‘Do not drink, they would have
responded we will never give up wine!’ And if the first revealed
verse was, ‘Do not commit fornication’ they would have responded,
‘we will never give up fornication’ 1
Thus, the laws of Islam were revealed gradually to the early Muslims in
order to make easy the process of Adaptation and implementation.
To facilitate the preservation of the Qur’aan
The piece-meal revelation of the Qur’aan over a period of two decades was
also to facilitate the preservation of the Qur’aan. Since the majority of the
Prophet’s followers were unable to read and write, the main method of
preserving the Qur’aan became that of memorization. So, if the whole
Qur’aan had been revealed all at once, they would have been unable to
memorize the whole of it due to its length. Even the few who were able to
write would have been unable to record the whole of it, due to the
scarcity of writing material at the time. Thus, the revelation of the
Qur’aan in sections made it easier for the companions to memorize the
whole Qur’aan and teach it to each other. ‘Umar ibn al-khattab was
reported to have said, “Learn the Qur’aan five verses at a time, for verily,
Jibreel used to descend with the Qur’aan five at a time.” This also made it
easier for the scribes of the prophet (s.a.w) to record all of the Qur’aan
during his lifetime. This early preservation of the Qur’aan was critical to
maintaining the purity of the teachings of Islam, as it was the alterations
in earlier books of revelation, which led their followers astray. The
gradual revelation of the Qur’aan also gave them a greater opportunity to
contemplate the meanings of the verses. This in turn, caused them to
question the prophet (s.a.w) in order to clarify certain points or verify
certain interpretations.
Thus, this generation was able to gain a truly deep understanding of the
Qur’aan. This was of great importance, because their practical
implementation of the principles of the Qur’aan became a guide to later
generations of Muslims and continues to be one to this day. Such an
understanding would not have been possible had the Qur’aan been
revealed all at once2.
The negative attitude of Muslims towards the Qur’aan
Allaah (SW) said in His revelation the Glorious Qur’aan.
1
Sahih al-Bukhari Vol. H No.
2
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, Usool at-Tafseer pp. 140 –141
55
And whoever turns away from My remembrance — indeed, he
will have a depressed [i.e. difficult] life and We will gather
[i.e. raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say,
“My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once]
seeing?”[Allaah] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you,
and you forgot [i.e. disregarded] them; and thus will you this
Day be disregarded.” And thus do We recompense he who
transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord.
And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and
more enduring. (Qur’aan20:124-127)
The negative attitude that seems to have struck the Muslim Ummah in
our present age, is that the Qur’aan does not seem to have any impact in
the lifestyle of many Muslims or rather, the Qur’aan seems to have lost its
meaning in the lives of many today in the way they are treating the
Qur’aan, though the Qur’aan is probably the most widely read religious
book in the world today1, and the most widely memorized entirely from
the first chapter to the last chapter, yet the plight of the Muslim Ummah
today is as the author of ‘How to Approach and Understand the Qur’aan’
has said, it is very disturbing. He says that the reasons for the ideological,
intellectual and theological crisis that mankind is going through today is
the fact that the Muslims are not leading mankind nor showing mankind
the way to God’s guidance as found in the Qur’aan. The Muslim Nation
today can be described as an ill nation, however its cure can be found in
the Qur’aan.2 The author then goes on to quote the late al-Shangeeti who
noted that,
Part of the fact that the Qur’aan leads to the way that is most
upright and best3 is that it also leads to the solutions of the
1
The prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is reported to have said, “Many of the hypocrites in my ummah
will be from among the readers of the Qur’aan” Al-Haakim & Al-Baihaqi. He also said “He is not a
true believer in the Qur’aan who treats as permissible what the Qur’aan has declared prohibited”.
2
Zarabozo Jamal al –Din, How to approach and understand the Qura’an, pp. 259
3
Qur’aan 17:9
56
problems of this world in the best way possible. Nowadays there are
three essential problems facing the world, in particular the Muslim
nation, and the Qur’aan has presented the solutions for all of them.
The first major problem is the weakness of the Muslim Ummah with
respect to standing up to the disbelievers, even though Muslims
supposedly number one billion (now 1.3 billion) in today’s world.
This reality is witnessed day in and day out by for example, the
slaughter of Muslims in Bosnia, and Kosovo while most of the
Muslim world sits, apparently unable to help. The Qur’aan clearly
and equivocally shows the solution to this problem... Secondly not
only are Muslims not able to stand up for themselves and Islam but,
in addition, the unbelievers are over powering the Muslims and
inflicting them with killings, injuries and punishment 1 although the
Muslims possess the truth and the unbelievers have nothing but
falsehood…Thirdly is the disunity of the Muslim Ummah today 2. This
is one of the greatest reasons why the Muslim nation is in a state of
defeat and weakness; one can find hatred and enmity among
Muslims throughout the world today. There is no true love between
the Muslims. Their hearts are truly divided3 (though you may think
that they are one).4
The final words of the author of How to approach and understand the
Qur’aan on the plight of the Muslims, and the negative attitude that has
struck her are,
The Qur’aan is still the Book of Allaah, God’s guidance for humanity,
minutely preserved since the time of its revelation. If the Muslims
would turn to the Qur’aan and receive its guidance, they would
receive blessings for both this life and hereafter. It has become a very
sad state of affairs that for many of today’s estimated one billion
(now 1.3 billion) Muslims, there is a barrier between them and the
Qur’aan. It is not a physical barrier because many Muslims do not
perceive that the barrier even exists5. It is a barrier6 between the
heart of the individual and the Qur’aan, between the person’s actions
and the teachings of the Qur’aan, between his aspirations and
dreams in this life and what Allaah is calling him7 to do both in this
world and the Hereafter, it is a barrier between his way of life and
1
Most recently the American army invading Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein for the second time
being the third Gulf war, 1st Gulf war 2 Million Muslim lives were lost, 2 nd gulf war 1.5 Million
lives were lost.
2
With artificial boundaries imposed on the Muslim land, which further divides us.
3
See Qura’an 8:46 and Qura’an 59:14.
4
Zarabozo Jamal al –Din, How to approach and understand the Qura’an, pp. 259-264 who quoted
al-Shanqiti, Muhammad al-Ameen, Adhwaa al-Bayaan fi Idhaah al-Qur’aan bi-l-Qur’aan, pp.
452-457
5
Qur’aan 41:26; And those who disbelieve say, “Do not listen to this Qur’aan and make noise so
that you may be victorious over them”.
6
Qura’an 36:9-10
7
Qura’an 8:24
57
culture and the straight path in the Qur’aan. Again this is a most
dangerous barrier because the person may not perceive it. He has
the Qur’aan in his house; he puts it in the most honorable place in
the house; and he will even swear profusely to his belief in it. Yet the
Qur’aan does not guide him; the Qur’aan does not move him; when
he leaves his house or the mosque, he does not act according to its
commands nor does he judge and see things in its light 1
The lamentations of the Qur’aan 2
As an ornament do they adorn Me.
Yet they keep Me and sometime kiss Me.
In their celebrations they recite Me.
In disputes they swear by Me.
On shelves do they securely keep Me.
Till another celebration or dispute, when they need Me.
Yes, they read Me and memorize Me.
Yet only an ornament Am I.
My message lies neglected, My treasure untouched.
The field lies bare, where blossomed once true glory.
Wrong is the treatment that I receive so much to give have I,
Yet none is there to perceive this.
The Messenger of Allaah (Peace be upon him) said about the Qur’aan,
‫القرآن شا فع مشفع و ماحل مصد ق من جعله أما مه قا د ه إلى‬

‫خلفه ساقه إلى ألنار‬ ‫جعله‬ ‫و من‬ ‫الجنة‬
The Qur’aan is an intercessor whose intercession is accepted and a
litigant who is believed. For the one who places it in front of him
[being guided by it], it will lead him to paradise. And for the one
who places it behind him [ignoring its guidance], it will drive him to
the Hell-fire3.
Allaah (SW) also made it clear to us that one of the greatest of His
uncountable blessings that He granted us which is far much better than
all the pomp and glitter of this world which people are struggling to
gather day and night, is the Qur’aan and therefore we should rejoice for
1
Zarabozo Jamal al –Din, How to approach and understand the Qura’an, p. 271
2
Hamid Abdul wahid, Islam The Natural Way p. 32
3
Recorded by Al-Baihaqi on the authority of Jaabir and ibn Masood according to al-Albaani. It is
sahih.
58
this most important blessing and work hard to attain something of its
understanding and implementation.
Say: "In the Bounty of Allaah. And in His Mercy, in that let
them rejoice": that is better than the (wealth) they hoard.
(Qur’aan10:58)
Questions
(1) Define the term Qur’aan and give the difference between
Qur’aan and Hadith.
(2) Outline five reasons why the Qur’aan was revealed even though
other scriptures like the Torah, the Zabur and the Injeel had
been revealed before.
(3) Outline the role of Angel Gabriel in the revelation of the
Qur’aan.
(4) Give five points why the Qur’aan was revealed piecemeal over a
period of twenty-three years.
(5) Why is the Qur’aan not having any positive effect in the life of
many Muslims today?
CHAPTER THREE
TAFSEER OF QUR’AAN
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-FAATIHAH
The Meaning of the Surah
The Name of the Surah
Virtues of the Surah
Date and Place of revelation
Reasons for revelation
General over view of the Surah
The Lessons we learn from the Surah
59
Tafseer Surah Al-Faatihah (1)
Surah Al-Faatihah Transliteration

1. Bismillaahir rahmaanir rahim(i)
2. Alhamdu lilla_hi rabbil 'aalamin(a).
3. Ar rahmaanir rahim(i)
4. Maaliki yaumid din(i)
5. Iyyaaka na'budu wa iyya_ka nasta'in(u)
6. Ihdinas siratal mustaqim(a)
7. Siraatal ladhina an'amta 'alaihim ghairil
maghdhuubi 'alaihim waladhaallin(a)
60
1. In the name of Allaah1, the Entirely merciful, the Especially Merciful
2. [All] Praise is [due] to Allaah, Lord2 of the worlds.
3. The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful3.
4. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense4.
5. It is You [alone] We Worship and You [alone] we ask for help.
6. Guide us to the straight path.
7. The path of those upon whom you have bestowed favor5, not of those
who have evoked your anger6 or of those who go astray7.
Name of the Surah
Surah al-Faatihah has many names; the most common being:
• This Surah is called Al-Faatihah that is the opener of the Book,
meaning the Surah with which prayers are begun.
• It is also called Umm Al-Kitaab (the mother of the Book) according to
the majority of scholars. Also in an authentic Hadith narrated by Abu
Hurayrah who said that the messenger of Allaah said:
‫الحمد للله ر ب العا لمين أ م القرآن و أم الكتا ب و السبع المثا ني‬
‫والقرآن العظيم‬
Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-Alamin is the mother of the Qur’aan, the
mother of the Book, and the seven oft repeated Ayaat of the
Glorious Qur’aan.
1
Allaah is the proper name belonging only to the one Almighty God, the Creator, Cherisher and
Sustainer of the whole universe, the Eternal and absolute, to whom alone all worship is due, the
same name Allaah is also used by the Arab Christians to refer to God Almighty.
2
The Arabic term “Rabb” when used to refer to Allaah, which is conveniently translated as “Lord”,
includes the following meanings “owner, cherisher, guardian and caretaker”.
3
Ar-Rahmaan and Ar-Raheem are two among the 99 names of Allaah derived from the word
“Rahmah” literally meaning Mercy. Both intend a complementary and comprehensive meaning
together. Rahmaan is only used to describe Allaah, while raheem can be used to describe a person
as well, just like the prophet Muhammad was described in the Qur’aan as Raheem. Qur’aan 9:128.
So Rahmaan is above the human level (i.e. intensely merciful), but since we perceive intensity as
short lived, Allaah describes Himself also as Raheem (i.e. continually merciful). Raheem includes
the concept of specialty –especially and specifically merciful to the believers. Forgiveness is part of
this mercy
4
I.e. Repayment and compensation for whatever we earned of good or evil during our life on this
earth. It is a day and time of absolute justice in the court of the wisest of the Judges.
5
Among the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous and this is the most excellent
companionship as Allaah said Qur’aan 4:69.
6 The Jews who evoked the anger of Allaah and those who behave like them and follow
their way as Allaah says in Qur’aan2:61 and Qur’aan5:78.
7 The Christians who went astray because of having following blind faith without
reasoning and all those who behave like them and follow their ways. As Allaah says in
Qur’aan5:72-77 and Qur’aan9:30
61
It is called Umm Al-Kitaab because the Qur’aan starts with it and
because the prayer is started by reciting it.1 It is also called Umm Al-
Kitaab, because it contains the meanings of the entire Qur’aan.1bn
Jarir at-Tabari said,
The Arabs call every comprehensive matter that contains several
specific areas an umm. For instance, they call the skin that
surrounds the brain umm Ar-Ras. They also call the flag that
gathers the ranks of the army an “umm”. He also said; Makkah
was called Umm-Al-Qura (the mother of the villages) because it is
the grandest and the leader of all villages. It was said that the
earth was made starting from Makkah.2
• Al-Faatihah is also called the Salaah because reciting it is a condition
for the correctness of Salaah.
• Al-Faatihah is also called Ash-shifaa (the cure).
• It is also called Al-Kanz (the Treasure).
• It is also called Al-Kaafiyah or the sufficient because it is sufficient and
complete as a description of reality and as a prayer.
• It is called Al-Asaas or ‘The foundation’ on the basis of a saying of the
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) wherein he said.
There is a foundation for everything…and the foundation of the
Qur’aan is the Faatihah and the foundation of Faatihah is
Bismillahi Ar-Rahimaani Ar-Rahiimi3.
Why is Surah Al-Faatihah having so many names? The reason is,
according to the culture and custom of the Arabs, anything that is
important in their lives is given so many names e.g. a knife, “yaumul
kiyaamah” etc. Hence, because of the importance of this Surah, it has
been given so many names, and this is why the Prophet (s.a.w) said that;
Surah al-Faatihah is the greatest and best Surah in the Qur’aan.
Virtues of the Surah
1. Surah Al-Faatiha is a spiritual light that brings many blessings
in our life. Muslim in his Sahih and An-Nasaai in his Sunan said
that Ibn Abbas said, “While Jibreel (Gabriel) was with the Messenger
of Allaah (s.a.w) he heard a noise from above. Jibreel lifted his sight to
the sky and said, “This is a door in heaven being opened, and it has
never been opened before now” An angel received the glad tidings of
two lights that you have been given, which no other prophet before
you was given. The opening of the book and the last (three) ayaat of
Surat-Al-Baqarah, you will not read a letter of them, but you will gain
its benefits”.
1
according to Fathu- al-Bari
2 Tafseer ibn Katheer Volume 1 p.41-43
3
Hamid Abdul Wahid, Islam The Natural Way, p.12
62
2. Surah Al-Faatihah is the greatest and the best Surah in the
Qur’aan. According to several Ahadith of Allaah’s Messenger
‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫ي‬ ُّ ِ‫عانِي النَّب‬
َ ‫ص ِلي فَ َد‬ َ ُ ‫س ِعي ِد ب ِْن ْال ُمعَلَّى قَا َل ُك ْنتُ أ‬ َ ‫ع ْن أَبِي‬ َ
ِ َّ ِ ‫َّللاُ ( ا ْست َِجيبُوا‬
‫ّلِل‬ َّ ‫ص ِلي قَا َل أَلَ ْم يَقُ ِل‬ َ ُ ‫َّللا إِنِي ُك ْنتُ أ‬ ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬ ُ ‫فَلَ ْم أ ُ ِج ْبهُ قُ ْلتُ يَا َر‬
ِ ‫ورةٍ فِي ْالقُ ْر‬
‫آن قَ ْب َل أَ ْن ت َْخ ُر َج‬ َ ‫س‬ُ ‫ظ َم‬ َ ُ ‫عا ُك ْم ) ث ُ َّم قَا َل أَ ََّل أ‬
َ ‫ع ِل ُمكَ أَ ْع‬ َ ‫سو ِل إِ َذا َد‬
ُ ‫لر‬ َّ ‫َو ِل‬
َ ُ ‫َّللا إِنَّكَ قُ ْلتَ َْل‬
َ‫ع ِل َمنَّك‬ ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬ُ ‫ِمنَ ْال َمس ِْج ِد فَأ َ َخ َذ بِيَدِي فَلَ َّما أَ َر ْدنَا أَ ْن ن َْخ ُر َج قُ ْلتُ يَا َر‬
ُ‫س ْب ُع ْال َمثَانِي َو ْالقُ ْرآن‬ َ ‫ب ْالعَالَ ِمينَ ه‬
َّ ‫ِي ال‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫آن قَا َل ا ْل َح ْم ُد‬
ِ ‫ّلِل َر‬ ِ ‫ورةٍ ِمنَ ْالقُ ْر‬ َ ‫س‬ ُ ‫ظ َم‬ َ ‫أَ ْع‬
ُُ *ُ‫ْال َع ِظيم الَّذِي أُوتِيتُه‬
The prophet (s.a.w) told, sayyid bin Al-mu’alla, ‘‘I will teach you the
greatest Surah in the Qur’aan before you leave the Masjid’’ And when
the prophet was about to leave the Masjid, sayyid bin Al-mu’allaa
reminded him about the promise so the prophet (s.a.w) said, “Yes Al-
Hamdu Lillahi Rabbil-Aalamin, it is the seven oft repeated (verses) and
the Glorious Qur’aan that I was given” 1
Another time the Prophet (s.a.w) said to Abdullah bin Jaabir,

“O’ Abdullah bin Jaabir! Should I inform you of the best Surah in
the Qur’aan? Abdullah said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allaah!” He
said, “Read, all praise be to Allaah, the lord of the existence until
you finish it.’’
3. Surah Al-Faatihah is medication for bodily ailments.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu sayyid Al-Khudri said, “once, we were
on a journey when a female servant came and said, “The leader of this
area has been poisoned and our people are away. Is there a healer
among you? Then a man whose healing expertise did not interest us
stood for her, he read a Ruqyah for him, and he was healed. The chief
gave him thirty sheep as a gift and some milk. When he came back to
us we said to him, ‘you know of a (new) Ruqyah, or did you do this
before?” He said, “I only used Umm Al-Kitaab as Ruqyah” We said, “Do
not do anything further until we ask the Messenger of Allaah? When
we went back to Al-Madinah we mentioned what happened to the
prophet (s.a.w). The prophet said, who told him that it is a Ruqyah?
Divide (the sheep) and reserve a share for me”.
1
Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, An-Nasaai, Ibn Majah, and Imam Ahmad
63
4. Surah Al-Faatinah is necessary for any Salaah to be complete
and acceptable. Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the
prophet (s.a.w) said, “Whoever performs any salah in which he did not
read Umm Al-Qur’aan, then his prayer is incomplete He said it three
times.”
Reported ubadah bin As-Saamit that Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said,

“There is no prayer for whoever does not recite the opening of the Book
(Faatihah)” 1
Therefore, the recitation of Al-Faatihah, during the prayer by the
Imaam and those praying behind him, is required in every Salaah and
in every Raka’a.
It was one of the very earliest revelations to the Prophet (s.a.w), before
this Surah, only a few portions of Surah al-‘Alaq, Muzzamil, and
Muddathir etc were revealed to Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)2. So it is an
early Makkan Surah.
The only other pillar that was legislated in Makkah apart from shahaadah
is the five daily Salah (prayer), therefore Allaah revealed this Surah to
teach the Prophet and all believers on how to dedicate pure prayer to
Allaah alone. Infact, after the first revelations came informing the Prophet
(s.a.w) that he had been chosen for prophet hood, Allaah sent Angel
Jibreel to teach him the correct method of prayer. This was necessary
because the correct method of Salah (prayer) could not be arrived at by
logical reasoning. Therefore even the Prophet himself had to be taught the
correct method of worshiping Allaah. Due to the great importance of
Salah in nurturing a person’s consciousness of his Lord (Taqwa), the early
Verses called upon the Prophet (s.a.w) and his early band of followers to
make the salah regularly3. This Surah is in fact a prayer which Allaah has
taught to all those who want to (worship Him and) make a study of His
Book. It has been placed at the very beginning of the Qur’aan to teach
this lesson to the reader. If you sincerely want to benefit from the
Qur’aan, you should offer this prayer to the lord of the universe.4
Surah Al-Faatihah is composed of seven verses, which are divided into
three main parts for a general understanding.
1
Sahih Bukhari and Muslim
2
Maududi Abul, A’la, The Meaning of the Qu’raan Vol. 1, p. 32
3
Philips, Aba Ameenah Bilal usool at-Tafseer p. 206 who quoted Al-itqaan vol. 1, p. 23
4
Maududi Abul, A’la, The Meaning of the Qur’aan Vol. 1, p. 32
64
In the first part – verses 1 to 4,
In the name of Allaah, the entirely merciful, the especially merciful.
All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. The entirely merciful,
the especially merciful. Sovereign of the day of recompense.
This first part describes the truth about God Almighty, that He is our
maker, owner, Lord, provider and cherisher of all creation. With all His
might and glory, God is, above all, good and kind, full of grace and mercy
to His creation.
He is also the master of the day of judgment which points to an existence
beyond this present life, this day also points to the fact that man has
been created with a purpose and that he must answer to God as to his life
on earth whether he fulfilled his purpose of creation or not, it also points
to the absolute fairness and justice of the creator. Therefore it follows
logically that for all these perfect attributes and bounties, only Allaah is
worthy of all praises and thanks. Alhamdu lillahi rabil Aalamini.
The second part – verse 5
It is You [alone] We Worship and You [alone]. We ask for help.
Also follows logically from the first part describing the only proper and
acceptable relationship between Allaah the creator and man the creature.
It is a relationship of the servants serving the master Allaah! It is
servitude to Allaah. Only Allaah the unique deserves to be worshiped and
served. You alone do we worship and you alone do we ask for help. It
means whoever utters these important words taught to us by our creator
must abandon the worship of all false gods, including his own desires and
inclination if these will go against the will of Allaah (SW) as Allaah says:
For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger,

(with the Command), "Worship Allaah, and avoid taaghut
(false objects of worship) " (Qur’aan16: 36)
Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire?
Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that
65
most of them hear or reason? They are not except like
livestock. Rather they are [even] more astray. (Qur’aan25:43-
44)
The third part – verses 6 and 7,

Guide us to the straight path. The path of those upon whom you
have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked your anger or of
those who go astray, this part registers man’s need for guidance and
help from his maker and sustainer and ends up with a plea and
supplication. “Guide us to the straight way”. The rest of the Qur’an is an
answer to this prayer. The Qura’anic way is the straight path (way)1.
The Lessons we learn from the Surah
1. That this Surah is the greatest and the best Surah in the Qur’an
and the foundation (the essence of the book).
2. That it is necessary to recite it in every Rakaa in Salah for any
Salah to be complete and acceptable to Allaah.
3. That Surah Al-Faatihah can be used as a cure for bodily ailments
and diseases of the heart.
4. Most importantly we learn the four categories of the unity of Allaah
(SW) i.e. four categories of Tawheed.
5. When we recite the first verse Bismillahi Ar-Rahmani Ar-Raheem.
By reciting these great names of Allaah we gain the following three
important lessons.
a) You are endowed with the blessings of Allaah of mercy, kindness
and His special grace when you begin with Basmalla.
b) You gain the protection of Allaah (SW) from the whispers of the
devil and all his plots.
c) Basmalla helps you to purify your intention in whatever you are
doing and acts as a check and balance as to whether what you
are doing is lawful or unlawful.
6. When we recite the second verse of Surah Al-Faatihah;

“ALHAMDULILAHI RABBIL A’ALAMIN”
We learn the first category of Tawheed i.e. Tawheed Ar-
Rububiyyah. Tawheed means to believe that Allaah is one and the
only unique God in all that we do to please him. For example,
prayer should only be to Allaah, sacrifice should only be done in
Allaah’s name, charity should only be given for Allaah’s pleasure
and Jihaad should only be fought for the sake of Allaah’s religion2.
1
The servant prays to Allaah to show him guidance and the master places the whole Qur’aan
before him in answer to his prayer as if to say “This is the guidance you begged from me hence the
next chapter begins Qur’aan 2:1-2 )2( ‫) ذلك الكتاب ال ريب فيه هدى للمتقين‬1( ‫الم‬
2 Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips Islamic Studies Book One, p.1

66
So when we recite the second verse we learn and inculcate in our
daily life the unity of Lordship (Tawheed ar-Ruboobeyah) it means
we accept Allaah as the only real super power in the universe, that
He alone is the creator, the cherisher and sustainer of the whole
universe. He is the one who gave all things the power to grow, to
move and to change. That nothing happens except what He allows
to happen. Allaah said,
Not a leaf falls but that He (Allaah) knows it. And no grain
is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist or
dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
(Qur’aan6:59)
He is the real owner of the universe. No good fortune comes to a
person or evil strikes a person except by His permission. Allaah
(SW) controls all that happens good or bad, whenever we want to
avoid some misfortune or get some good fortune, we should only
turn to Allaah and seek His help. If we do otherwise and depend on
good lack charms, or if we fear created things that people believe
will cause bad lack (like spilling salt, black cats crossing our paths,
breaking mirrors etc), thinking that we have saved ourselves from
bad lack then we will have committed shirk1 and not learned
anything from, AL-HAMDULILLAHI RABBIL A’ALAMIN.
7. When we recite; Ar-Rahimmaan-Ar-Rahiim we learn and inculcate

in our life Tawheed Al-Asmaa was-sifasat (unity of Allaah’s
beautiful names and Attributes), meaning we accept and describe
Allaah according to the way He described himself in the Qur’aan
and by those names and attributes that Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) has used to call on Allaah (SW). Allaah being the greatest,
His names are called the most beautiful names and when we
understand the meanings of these names rather than merely
reciting them, this will definitely strengthen our faith and reliance
in Allaah (SW) at all times.
8. When recite; Maaliki Yaumi ddin we learn and inculcate in our life
Tawheed Al-Haakimiyyah, that Allaah is the owner of the universe
and as such we are not totally free to do as we wish for we are
going to be held accountable on the day of judgment by Allaah the
1
Ibid., p.2
67
master of the day of judgment for all that we use to do on the
earth. Therefore as such we should only lead our life according to
the lAus of Allaah who is the only creator and governor of the
whole universe. When we decide to make our own lAus with our
limited and feeble minds then we are only negating the real fact
that Allaah’s lAus are the only ones to rule our lives, which means
we shall be taking the position of God there by committing shirk
and denying that there is no judgment day, that this life is the end
of everything, and this is the way of the secularists, materialists
and atheists who are doomed to destruction.
9. When we recite, Iyya_ka na'budu wa iyya_ka nasta'in(u). We
learn how to fulfil the purpose of our creation i.e. that only Allaah
alone deserves our worship and as such we should worship Him
alone without associating partners with Him. This is Tawheed Al-
Ibaadah, Ibaadah being to obey Allaah by doing all that He
commanded and avoiding all that He has forbidden. This involves
serving Allaah and completely surrendering (giving up) ones will to
God’s will. So that all our sincere and highest level of love,
obedience, fear, respect and complete servitude are directed to
Allaah alone. This Ibaadah also involves directing all prayers,
supplications, seeking of help, refuge and protection from Allaah
alone. Hence when we act in such away that our life is lead in
accordance to Allaah’s lAus and regulations in all areas of our life
and follow the example of the way of life of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him), then even the minutest of deeds will become
Ibaadah, for example, when we begin our daily meals by a short
prayer “Bismillah” (In the name of Allaah); and we eat and drink
using our right hands; avoiding the use of gold and silver utensils;
avoiding over-eating by eating a third, drinking a third and leaving
a third for breathing; and end our meals with a short prayer;
Alhamdulillaah! (All praise be to Allaah), then this everyday act of
eating becomes an act of worship and submission to Allaah for
which we will be rewarded1. Hence the embodiment of You alone do
we worship and from You alone we seek for help. But the moment
we go to fortune tellers, horoscopes, and disobey Allaah by not
praying to Him, and end up fearing, loving, respecting and seeking
help and refuge from other than Allaah, then we shall have negated
the fifth verse of Surah al-Faatihah and not gained any lesson from
“Iyyaka Na’abudu Wa Iyyaka Nastaain”
10. When we recite Ihdinas-siratal mustaqim(a). We also learn that
only Allaah can truly guide us to the right path leading to paradise
1
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips Islamic Studies Book One, pp. 11-12.
68
and keeping us away from the pitfalls of this worldly life. Since it is
Allaah who created us, He surely knows what is most beneficial
and best for us and as such we should never neglect, or hesitate to
consult Allaah in every aspect of our life for His guidance so as to
be rightly guided, as Allaah (SW) says,
When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close

(to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he
calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and
believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way .
(Qur’aan2:186)
Therefore from this verse we realize that we constantly need the

help and guidance of Allaah at every moment of our life because as
human beings we were created weak, feeble, narrow minded and
hasty most of the time. Hence we are taught to pray to Allaah,
Ihdinas siratal mustaqim, guide us to the straight path.
11. When we recite, Sira_tal ladhina an'amta 'alaihim gairil
magdu_bi 'alaihim waladha_llin. The path of those whom you have
bestowed your grace and favors, and not the path of those who
deserved your anger nor those who went astray.
We learn that the Straight path is one of those who have earned the
grace and favor of Allaah and are those whom Allaah is pleased with
from among the Prophets, the sincere truthful friends of Allaah, the
martyrs and the righteous and what an excellent companionship
this is!1. We have also seen from this Surah that there are two paths
in this world; one that leads to paradise (that is pleasing to Allaah)
and the path of misguidance leading to hell fire which is the path of
those who earned the curse of Allaah and those who went astray
due to their blind following of faith without questioning and
reasoning to find out the truth from falsehood2. So we pray to Allaah
to keep us away from this path of misguidance and help us to
remain firm in the path of His grace, which is pleasing to Him.
Ameen.
1
Qur’aan 4:69 ‫ومن يطع للا والرسول فأولئك مع الذين أنعم للا عليهم من النبيين والصديقين والشهداء والصالحين وحسن‬
‫أولئك رفيقا‬
2
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Those who earned the curse of Allaah
are the Jews (and those who behave like them and follow their ways) and those who went astray are
the Christians. Hadith recorded by Imaam Ahamad.
69
Questions
(1) Give five reasons why the Prophet said that Suratul Faatihah is the
greatest Surah in the Qur’aan.
(2) Outline the five famous names given to Suratul Faatihah and explain
why Suratul Faatihah has so many names.
(3) What are the virtues of Suratul Faatihah?
(4) What was the reason for the revelation of Suratul Faatihah?
(5) Explain five important lessons that we learn from Al-Faatiah.
CHAPTER FOUR
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AN-NASR
The Meaning of Surah An-Nasr

Name of the Surah
The lessons we learn from the Surah
70
Tafseer Surah An-Nasr (110)
Surah An-Nasr Transliteration
1 Idhaa jaa’a nasrullahi walfath.

2 Wa ra aitannaasa yadkhuluna fee deen illahi afwaajaa.
3 Fasabbih bihamdi rabbika was taghfirhu innahu kaana tawwabaa.

1. When the help and victory of Allaah comes.
2. And you see droves of people entering Allaah’s religion.
3. Then glorify and praise your Lord and ask His forgiveness
Surely, He is the Oft-Forgiving.
Name of the Surah

The name Nasr literary means ‘help or aid’ and is taken from the first line
of the Surah. This name is very suitable for the Surah because it
expresses the main thought of the Surah, which is the coming of Allaah’s
help1. Other names of the Surah are,
 At-Tawdee, which means ‘the farewell chapter’, this is because it was
revealed shortly before the death of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).
 Idhaa Jaa’a, this is another famous name of the Surah, which
comes from the first two words in the Surah which literary means
‘when there comes’.
This is the last Surah of the Qur’aan to be revealed and it was originally
preceded by Surah at-Tawbah, which now forms the ninth Surah of the
Glorious Qur’aan, Allama Abu A’la Maududi in is Tafseer “The meaning of
1
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Islamic Studies Book One, p. 52
71
the Qur’aan” has given us several traditions from the companions
recording the place and period of revelation as follows:
Abdullah Ibn Abbas states that this is the last Surah of the
Qur’aan to be revealed, i.e. no complete Surah was sent
down to the Holy Prophet after it. (Muslim, Nasai, Tabarani,
Ibn Abi Shaibah, Ibn Marduyah)
According to Abdullah ibn Umar, this Surah was sent down
on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage in the middle of
the Tashriq Days at Mina, and after it the Holy Prophet rode
his she camel and gave his well-known Sermon. (Tirmidhi,
Bazzar, Baihaqi, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Abd bin Humaid, Abn Yala, Ibn
Marduyah)

Abdullah ibn Abbas says that when this Surah was
revealed, the Holy Prophet said that he had been informed of
his death and his time had approached. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn
Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Marduyah)
In the other traditions related from Abdullah Ibn Abbas, it
has been stated that at the revelation of this Surah the Holy
Prophet understood that he had been informed of his
departure from the world. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Tabarani,
Nasai, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah)
Mother of the Believers, Umm Habibah, says that when this
Surah was revealed the Holy Prophet said that he would
leave the world that year on hearing this Fatimah the
Prophet’s daughter wept. Thereat the Prophet said: "From
among my family you will be the first to join me." Hearing
this she laughed. (Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah). Baihaqi has
related a tradition containing almost the same theme from
Abdullah ibn Abbas.
Thus the immediate purpose of this Surah was to inform the Prophet
(s.a.w) that his end was near, giving him ample time to prepare for his
death. His preparation consisted of:
▪ Giving away his few remaining possessions.
▪ Warning his followers of the greatest dangers, which they will face.
▪ Seeking forgiveness from Allaah for whatever errors he might have
made unintentionally.
However, the general reason for the revelation of this Surah is to
remind the believers not to forget Allaah and their duties to Him
when Allaah grants them success. This reminder is necessary
because it is the nature of people to only remember Allaah in times of
difficulty. Rather the believers are reminded and encouraged to praise
72
Allaah and thank Him for his uncountable favors at all times both in
good times and bad times and doing this is one of the signs of true
faith in Allaah as the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was reported to
have said,
َ ‫س َّل َم‬
‫ع َجبًا ِْل َ ْم ِر‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َ ُ‫َّللا‬َّ ‫صلَّى‬ َ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬
‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫ب قَا َل َقا َل َر‬ ُ ‫ع ْن‬
ٍ ‫ص َه ْي‬ َ
ُ‫صا َب ْته‬َ َ ‫ذَاكَ ِْل َ َح ٍد ِإ ََّّل ِل ْل ُمؤْ ِم ِن ِإ ْن أ‬ ‫ْس‬َ ‫ْال ُمؤْ ِم ِن ِإ َّن أ َ ْم َرهُ ُك َّلهُ َخي ٌْر َولَي‬
ُ‫ص َب َر فَ َكانَ َخي ًْرا لَه‬
َ ‫ض َّرا ُء‬ َ َ ‫ش َك َر فَ َكانَ َخي ًْرا لَهُ َو ِإ ْن أ‬
َ ُ‫صا َب ْته‬ َ ‫س َّرا ُء‬
َ
Narrated by Suhayb ibn Sinan ar-Rumi Allaah's Apostle (peace be

upon him) said: Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good
in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else
except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel
delight, he thanks (God), thus there is good for him in it, and if he
gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently),
there is good for him in it. 1
The believers are also reminded that included in the remembrance of
Allaah is to constantly ask for Allaah’s pardon and forgiveness for
whatever sins that are committed whether minor or major, because no
one is free from sins and it is only Allaah who forgives sins our sins. If
one is arrogant and contented not caring to seek for the forgiveness of
Allaah, then he will become a truly evil individual destined for Hell.
1) That however weak the believers may seem to be at any moment of
time, they should not loose hope in Allaah but they should know
that the help of Allaah will always come to them as long as they
uphold the Deen of Allaah i.e. Al-Islam.
2) That just as Allaah (SW) gave victory and success to the Prophet
(s.a.w) and those who believed with him against their enemies,
likewise will Allaah give victory and help to those who will follow
the (sunnah), way of life of the Messenger of Allaah and the
example of the his companions so that the Deen of Allaah may be
superior.
3) That whenever Allaah blesses us with His help and victory over our
enemies then we should praise and give thanks to Allaah rather
than attributing our success and victory over the enemy to our
strength, weapons, and abilities, because success is never a direct
result of our efforts as Allaah said in the glorious Qur’aan.
1
Sahih Muslim Hadith No. 7138
73
We will, without doubt, help Our Messengers and those who
believe, (both) in this world's life and on the Day when the
Witnesses will stand forth. (Qur’aan40:51)
That victory and success given to the believers by Allaah (SW) is a
proof of the true and perfect religion of Allaah given to all the
Prophets. This is the religion of Islam that is destined to rule the
world. This will only happen if the believers strive hard and help in
the Deen of Allaah, Allaah (SW) said:
O you who believe! Be you helpers of Allaah: as said Jesus,

the son of Mary, to the Disciples, "Who will be my helpers to
(the work of) Allaah?" Said the Disciples, "We are Allaah's
helpers!" Then a portion of the Children of Israel believed,
and a portion disbelieved: but We gave power to those who
believed against their enemies, and they became the ones
that prevailed. (Qur’aan61:14)
It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance

and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all
religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it).
(Qur’aan9:33)
4) Another lesson we learn from this Surah is that since man is

created Weak, petty and narrow minded in the sense that
sometimes he perceives good as bad and bad as good due to the
74
fact that he is imperfect in knowledge1, therefore the believers are
taught in this Surah to seek forgiveness for their sins from Allaah
(SW) alone for none can forgive sins besides Allaah.
Furthermore for the believers to be successful in this life and the
hereafter Allaah (SW) has commanded that we all turn to Him in
sincere repentance, Allaah says.
O you who believe! Turn to Allaah with sincere repentance:

in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills
and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow; the
Day that Allaah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet
and those who believe with him. Their Light will run
forward before them and by their right hands, while they
say, "Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us
Forgiveness: for You has power over all things." (Qur’aan66:8)
And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers that

you might succeed. (Qur’aan24:32)
The Prophet also taught his companions important ways of seeking
the forgiveness of Allaah. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) taught his
close companion Abu Bakr (R.A) the following du’aa to be recited at
the end of his Salaah just before tasleem (Assalaamu Alaikum
Warahmatullah):
1
Qur’aan 2:216
َ‫َّللاُ يَ ْعلَ ُم َوأَ ْنت ُ ْم ََل تَ ْعلَ ُمون‬ َ ‫سى أَ ْن تُحِ بُّوا‬
َّ ‫ش ْيئًا َوه َُو ش ٌَّر لَ ُك ْم َو‬ َ ‫عسى أَ ْن تَ ْك َرهُوا‬
َ ‫ش ْيئًا َوه َُو َخيْر لَ ُك ْم َو‬
َ ‫ع‬ َ ‫َو‬
But it is possible that you may dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you may love a thing,
which is bad for you. But Allaah knows, and you know not.
75
‫اللهم ا ني ظلمت نفسي ظلما كثير وال يغفر ا لذنوب األ أنت فغفرلى‬
‫مغفرة من عند ك وارحمني انك أنت الغفور الرحيم‬
Allaahumma innee dhalamtu nafsee dhulman katheeraa
Wa laa yaghfirudh-dhunooba illaa anta Faghfir lee
maghfiratan min ‘indika warhamnee Innaka antal-
Ghafoorur-Raheem.
O Allaah, verily I have really wronged myself a lot and none

can forgive sins except You. So forgive me with Your forgiveness
and Have mercy on me. Verily you are the Most Forgiving, the
Most Merciful.
5) Another lesson we learn in the closing part of this Surah is that,
Allaah’s forgiveness knows no bounds. Allaah will continuously
forgive those whose repentance is sincerely from their hearts and not
merely from their lips. As for those who merely say words of
repentance whereas their hearts have no sincere sorrow and regret
but continue in their sins there is no forgiveness for them as Allaah
says.
Of no effect is the repentance of those who continue

doing evil, until death faces one of them, and he says,
"Now have I repented indeed;" nor of those who die
rejecting faith; for them have We prepared a punishment
most grievous. (Qur’aan4:18)
Moreover, a believer should not have the feeling that his or her sins
are too great and too many to be forgiven for such are the negative
thoughts from the devil, who wants us to lose hope in the infinite
mercy of Allaah and thereby make us his slaves by becoming habitual
sinners and truly lost souls. Rather we have to come to the realization
that it is part of man’s nature to make mistakes just as the Prophet
Muhammad had said in one of his statements,
All of the children of Adam habitually err, but the best of those
who err are the habitually repentant. (Sunan Tirmidhi, Ibn
Maajah, ad-Daarimi and Ahmad, rated authentic)
76
Therefore those who constantly seek the forgiveness of Allaah whenever
they commit any sin are the best of mankind who never lose hope in the
mercy of Allaah, Allaah says.
Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their

souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah: for Allaah forgives
all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur’aan39:53)
And those who, having done something to be ashamed of, or

wronged their own souls, earnestly bring Allaah to mind,
and ask for forgiveness for their sins; and who can forgive
sins except Allaah? And are never obstinate in persisting
knowingly in (the wrong) they have done. For such the
reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with
rivers flowing underneath; an eternal dwelling: how
excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!
(Qur’aan3:135-136)
Questions
(1) Explain the significance of the revelation of Surah An-Nasr.
(2) State two other common names of Surah An-Nasr.
(3) Outline five important teachings of Surah An-Nasr in relation to
the situation of Muslims all over the world today.
77
CHAPTER FIVE
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-FIYL

Name of the Surah
78
Tafseer Surah AL-Fiyl (105)
Transliteration of Surah Al-Fiyl
1 Alam tara kaifa fa’ala rabbuka bi as-haa bil fiyl

2 Alam yaj’al kaidahum fiy tadhliyl
3 Wa arsala ‘alaihim twairan abaabiyl
4 Tarmiyhim bihijaa ratim min sij jiyl
5 Faja'alahum ka’asfim ma’kuul
1. Have you not considered, (O Muhammad) how Your Lord dealt with
the companions of the elephant?
2. Did He not make their plan into misguidance?
3. And He sent against them birds in flocks,
4. Striking them with stones of hard clay,
5. And He made them like eaten straw.
Name of the Surah
The name Al-Fiyl literary means ‘the elephant’, and is taken from the first
verse of the Surah. This name is quite suitable because it represents the
main figure in the Surah that is the huge elephant of the Abyssinian
governor of Yemen, Abrahah who was intent in destroying the Holy
Kaabah at Makkah.
79
There is almost a unanimous agreement of the scholars that this is an
early Makkan Surah, especially when studied with its historical
background all indications show that this Surah was sent down in the
very earliest Makkan period probably between 2nd and 5th year of the
prophethood of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him). So this
Surah was revealed at Makkah.
The most probable reason for the revelation of this Surah is that, Allaah
(SW) was reminding the disbelieving Quraysh of an incident so well
known to them, which they used to consider a sort of the beginning of
their history. A unique event that convinced them to worship none but
Allaah alone for ten years. But the reminder given to the Quraysh in this
few beautiful rhetoric lines was essentially meant to tickle their memories
of the blessing that Allaah (SW) had bestowed on them when they were
even polytheists and Allaah helped them by protecting and preserving the
Ka’abah at a time when they felt too weak to face the mighty aggressors
and were most in need not being able to withstand against Abrahah’s
army of sixty thousand men and thirteen elephants coming to destroy the
holy house. As if Allaah was telling the Quraysh,
‘How can you now mistreat My messenger Muhammad and his
companions who are only calling you to the worship of Allaah alone whom
you had accepted to worship alone for a period of ten years after being
saved from Abrahah and his strong army, don’t you think that if you go on
persecuting My messenger and his band of followers, that the same
destruction I meted to the Christian ruler and his so called mighty army will
also befall you too’
Yet this Surah was also an eternal reminder and a reassurance to

Prophet Muhammad and his followers that they should never loose hope
in the mercy and help of Allaah, that they should be patient and trust in
Allaah for if Allaah had protected and preserved the sacred house Al-
Ka’abah which was filled with 360 idols whom the Quraysh were
worshipping how much more would Allaah (SW) save the believers and
give them His help and victory against the persecution of the Quraysh or
any other tyrants seeing that they were upholding the unity of Allaah and
worshipping Him alone.
1. By Allaah (SW) referring to a very well known incident in this Surah
which was still very fresh in the minds of the Quraish and all the
Arabs in the Arabian peninsula, an incident which had a far
reaching effect even to the neighbouring tyrannical empire, in this
way Allaah (SW) was drawing everyone’s attention to the wonders
and miracles involved in the incident itself so as to impress in the
80
hearts and minds of humanity that all evil plots and plans however
powerful and strong they may seem to want to destroy the divine
pure message of Islam are bound to fail just like the evil plans of
Abrahah Al-Ashrram and his 60,000 strong army men with 13
elephants who were intent in demolishing the Ka’abah were
shuttered and become futile for all to see and comprehend.
2. In this Surah, Allaah (SW) reminded the Quraish of His grace which
He had bestowed on them when He protected and preserved the
sacred House at a time when they were too weak to face the mighty
aggressors (the people of the elephant), this was in order to make
them feel ashamed and disgraceful as they had persistently
continued denying the pure message of Allaah (SW) relentlessly
persecuting the Prophet of Allaah and the few believers who
supported him. So the message being driven home here by Allaah
(SW) is, O you Quraish just in the same way I destroyed Abrahah and
his powerful army with their evil designs of wanting to pull down the
Ka’abah so will I also destroy you and your evil plans of persecuting
the messenger Muhammad and his followers by trying to suppress the
message of Islam they have brought for mankind.
3. We also learn from this Surah in the light of it’s historical

background that Allaah (SW) did not want the polytheists (The
Quraish) to take the responsibility of protecting His holy House, in
spite of the fact that thay held it in deep respect and sought security
in being it’s neighbours. So by Allaah leaving the polytheists to be
defeated by the Abyssinians, and the divine will directly intervening
to repel the aggression and thereby Allaah (SW) protecting and
preserving His sacred house, thus were the polytheists not given the
opportunity to hold the protection of the sacred House as this would
prompt the Quraish to bring in their fanatical ignorance into the
sacred House. Consequently the direct intervention by Allaah (SW) to
protect the Holy House was meant to convince the Quraish and the
rest of the Arabian tribes to embrace Islam, the religion of Allaah
(SW) as it was conveyed by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him), because surely the respect for and guardianship of the Ka’abah
and their paganism which they had spread around it was no reason
enough for rejecting Islam. Therefore Allaah’s reminder to them of
this incident was part of His campaign against them and His
drawing their attention to their amazingly stubborn attitude.1
4. The events in this Surah also suggests that Allaah (SW) did not allow
the people of earlier revelation, represented in this case by Abrahah
the Christian ruler and his army to destroy the sacred House or to
impose their authority over the Holy land, even when it was
1
Qutb, Sayyid, In the shade of the Qur’aan, The 30th part, p. 304
81
surrounded by the impurity of polytheists who were it’s guardians.
This was in order that the sacred house may remain free from any
polytheists’ human authority and safe from all evil plotting and
designs, so Allaah preserved the freedom of the land so that the
seemingly new religion of Islam which was in reality the religion of all
the prophets of Allaah culminating with the coming of Prophet
Muhammad, that this religion may once again grow up in the Holy
land completely free from any subjugation of despotic authority. So
Allaah chose this religion of Islam to be the force, which will
overcome, bulldoze and dominate over all religions and ideologies 1 so
as to give complete guidance to the whole of mankind and take over
the leadership of humanity in establishing justice and morality. This
was Allaah’s will concerning His House and religion which was
accomplished long before any human being knew that the prophet
who was to convey the “New Message’ was born in the same year of
the elephant.2
5. This Surah also clearly shows us the reality of the Arabian situation
at the time of the year of the elephant. The Arabs did not have any
major role to play on the face of the earth for they did not even have
an identity of their own before the advent of Prophet Muhammad
with the message of Islam. In fact, apart from the heartland of the
Arabian Peninsula the whole peninsula was under foreign rule. But
even this heartland was continuously in a state of tribalism and
divisions, which deprived it of any weight in world power politics.
These tribal wars could drag as much as forty years or even more,
the effects being that neither individually nor as a group did the
Arab tribes count as a power in the eyes of the neighbouring mighty
emperies as it happened in the invasion of the “Elephant
Aggression”. Yet under Islam the subjugation and humiliation of the
Arabs came to an end and for the first time in history they played an
international role, they acquired a power state to be reckoned with
by the world powers. They possessed a sweeping force that destroyed
thrones, conquered empires and brought down the false, deviating,
oppressive and ignorant leadership and took over the leadership of
mankind to establish the justice of Islam3. The Arabs achieved this
honour because they understood that they are Muslims and carried
the message of Islam with great zeal, which they delivered, to
humanity with mercy and compassion without holding any sort of
nationalism or factionalism. They were not after establishing any
Arab empire under which they may live in luxury and conceit,
1
Qur’aan 9:33 and Qur’aan 61:9
2
Qutb, Sayyid In the shade of the Qur’aan, The 30th part p. 304
3
Ibid, p. 305
82
neither was their aim to subjugate other nations to their own rule
after freeing them from the oppressive Byzantine and Persian rule.
Rather their aim was clearly defined by Rabaie Ibn Aamir, the
companion of the Messenger of Allaah who was sent to the Persian
commander, when he said in his headquarters: “Allaah ordered us to
set out in order to liberate humanity from the worship of creatures
and bring them to the worship of Allaah alone and also to liberate
them from the narrowness of this life so that they may look forward
to the broadness of the life hereafter and from the oppression of
other religions and ways of life so that they may enjoy the justice of
Islam.”
6. Another lesson we gain from this Surah is that even if a polytheist
supplicates to the one true God without associating partners to Him,
Allaah may answer his prayers as the Quraish who were pagans did
supplicate to Allaah when they were urgently in need of the
protection of the holy House and were too weak to protect it
themselves so they sort divine help and they were answered. This
sort of situation has been repeatedly narrated to us in the glorious
Qur’aan as we read in:
If indeed you ask them who has created the heavens and the
earth and subjected the sun and the moon (to His Law), they
will certainly reply, "Allaah." How are they then deluded
away (from the truth)? Now, if they embark on a boat, they
call on Allaah, making their devotion sincerely (and
exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely
to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to
others)! Disdaining ungratefully Our gifts, and giving
themselves up to (worldly) enjoyment! But soon will they
know. (Qur’aan 29:65-66)
When distress seizes you at sea, those that you call upon -
besides Himself - leave you in the lurch! But when He
83
brings you back safe to the land, you turn away (from
Him), most ungrateful is man! (Qur’aan17:67)
Ibn Katheer in his Book of Tafseer as regards this verse says:
Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl fled from Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) at the time of
the conquest of Makkah. He rode off the red sea to cross over to Ethiopia,
but as they proceeded a heavy stormy wind overtook their boat, and huge
waves came to them from all sides, and they thought that they were
encircled therein. The people of the boat said to one another: “None can
save you except Allaah (the only true God of the heavens and the earth).
So supplicate to Allaah (by making your faith purely for Him alone and
none else) to deliver you safely from drowning”. Ikrimah said to himself.
‘By Allaah if none can help and benefit us in the sea except Allaah alone
then no doubt none can help and benefit us over the land except Allaah
alone. O Allaah! I promise you that if you deliver me safely from this, I will
go and put my hand in the hands of Prophet Muhammad and surely I will
find him full of pity, kindness and mercy’. So they were delivered safe by
Allaah and returned to their seashore and came out of the sea. Ikrimah
then proceeded straight to Allaah’s Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w),
narrated his story and embraced Islam just as he had promised Allaah
and he became a perfect Muslim fighting many Jihads afterwards.
Questions
(1) Why is this Surah famously known as the Elephant?
(2) State the reasons for the revelation of this Surah in the early Makkan
period.
(3) Explain five important lessons that Muslims can learn in this Surah.
CHAPTER SIX
TEACHINGS OF SELECTED SURAHS: AL-‘ASR

Name of the Surah
Theme and subject matter of the Surah
Tafseer Surah Al-‘Asr (103)
84
Transliteration of Surah AL-‘Asr
1 WAL ‘ASR
2 INNAL INSAANA LAFEE KHUSRIN
3 ILLALLADHEENA AAMANU WA ‘AMILUS-SWAALIHAATI WA
TAWAASAU BIL HAQQI WATAWAASAU BIS-SWABR

1 By (the Token of) Time (through the Ages).
2 Verily Man is in a great state of loss and ruin.
3 Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and enjoin
Each other to uphold the Truth, and enjoin each other to
uphold Patience and Constancy.
Name of the Surah
The name ‘ASR literary means ‘afternoon’ a time when the shadow of
anything is twice its length and is taken from the first line of the Surah.
This name is very suitable for the Surah because it expresses the main
thought of the Surah, which is the importance of what follows after Allaah
(SW) swearing by the token of time through the ages.
A great majority of the commentators opine that Surah Al-‘Asr is an early
Makkan Surah; its subject matter also testifies that it must have been
sent down in the earliest stage at Makkah, when the message of Islam
was being presented in brief but highly impressive sentences so that the
listeners who heard them once could not forget them even if they wanted
to, for they were automatically committed to memory1. It is one of the
shortest Surahs with only three verses yet it is quite comprehensive and
precise.
1
Maududi Abul, A’la, The Meaning of The Qur’aan, Volume16, p. 203
85
Theme and subject matter of the Surah
This Surah is a matchless specimen of comprehensiveness and brevity. A
whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words,
which is too vast in content to be fully expressed in such a textbook. The
Surah plainly and clearly explains the way to true salvation and success
for man and also the way to ruin and destruction for him. Imaam
Shaafe’ii very rightly said that a deep and thoughtful study of this Surah
alone provides adequate guidance in attaining one’s salvation.
As a matter of fact, there is a striking analogy between this Surah and
Surah Al-Ikhlas in the sense that whereas Surah Al-‘Asr sums up in a few
concise words the way and practical guidance that leads to eternal
success and salvation Surah Al-Ikhlas delineates in a few words the
nature and unity of God (Tawheed) monotheism. Though very short and
compact, yet both of these Surahs are extremely rich in meaning relating
to their respective themes.1
How important this Surah was in the sight of the Companions can be
judged from the tradition cited from the companion Abdullah bin Hisn ad-
Darimi Abu Madinah, according to which whenever any two of them met
they would not part company until they had recited Surah Al-‘Asr to each
other.2 In this Surah Allaah (SW) has clearly and decisively showed us
that we can only prosper as individuals, societies, countries and nations
if we altogether, acquire true knowledge and faith and do good deeds and
collectively encourage one another to promote truth, justice, patience and
steadfastness. If we do not, we will find ourselves in a great state of loss
and ruin.
This Surah also sums up the Islamic view of the history of human
societies. It sets out the four minimum conditions, which can help save
any individual or community from loss and ruin. It also tells what people
and communities must do to be strong and prosperous. Far from what
the mass media instils in our minds everyday that strength, prosperity,
and salvation can only be obtained from wealth, political power, and the
strength of numbers all of which are important as a means to an end, yet
Islam on the other hand advocates above all, the combined and total
commitment to truth and justice and the determination to remain patient
and steadfast that can save any community from ruin and guarantee its
strength and prosperity. As Allaah says in the Glorious Qur’aan:
1
For a full exposition of a thorough analysis of the Surah please refer to the book, The Way to
Salvation In The Light of Surah Al-‘Asr, By Dr. Israr Ahmed.
2
Collected by at-Tabarani.
86
Indeed, Allaah orders justice and good conduct and giving to
relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and
oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be
reminded. (Qur’aan16:90)
Surah Al-‘Asr is composed of three very short and precise verses which
form one complete sentence. The first verse Wal-‘Asr1 is an oath by Allaah
(SW) wherein He swears by a period of time, which passes swiftly, and
whenever Allaah swears by anything then it is an indication of the great
importance and significance of what Allaah (SW) is swearing by. In this
particular verse we get to understand that by the swift passage of time
through the ages human beings are indeed in a great, perpetual, constant
and recurring state of loss. Meaning man is a loser for every second of his
existence, man loses something for every moment of his existence:
▪ He loses his fitrah (pure natural sinless state weakens).
▪ He loses his life span (his age).
▪ He comes closer to his grave for every second that passes.
▪ He loses his health.
▪ He loses his strength etc.
We have also been reminded elsewhere in the Qur’aan of this reality, that
man is a loser for every moment of his life as time passes, Allaah (SW)
says,
If we grant long life to any, We cause him to be reversed

in nature: will they not then understand? (Qur’aan36:68)
In the second verse INNAL INSAANA LAFEE KHUSRIN Allaah (SW) gives
us the general condition of humanity, that all human beings are in a
1
One of those numerous uncountable blessings that Allaah has given us is the time, our life time
that we have in this world yet many of us are truly ungrateful for many of those blessings from
Allaah. Many of us unless reminded will not consider the gift of time as a great favor and blessing
from Allaah, we do not see how precious, how delicate and how important time really is in our life.
For this reason Allaah swore by the swift passage of time that man is indeed in a great perpetual,
constant, recurring state of loss. For more information on the blessings of Allaah see Ondigo,
Yahya M. A, God’s Blessings To Humanity Part I & II.
87
great perpetual, constant and recurring state of loss as time passes
swiftly, yet a majority of humanity realize it not, because their criterion of
failure or success, of gain or loss is how much wealth, power, status and
influence they have. Thus today with the influence of secularism all
human endeavors and struggle in the life of this world is directed
according to this false criterion of success or failure. So in our day and
age, all but a few are running after the fleeting things of this world,
wealth, property, status, honor, fame and world power. People today
expend all their energies only for the above purposes, because to them
this equals to success but Allaah (SW) refuted this false notion.
The mutual rivalry for piling up of worldly things diverts

you, until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).
(Qur’aan102:1-2)
The minds of most of our students today are directed towards obtaining
degrees in sciences, Information technology (IT), Bachelor of Commerce,
Medicine, Engineering etc. so that they may earn a lot of money and
acquire high status, positions of influence and power in society because
they have been made to believe by secular education that this amounts to
success. However, the acquisition of all this is not blame worthy if our
intentions of doing so are to please Allaah (SW) and serve and care for
humanity at large, yet making the acquisition of the material wealth the
soul criterion of success or failure in this world is totally out of tune with
the sublime teachings of this Surah. Hence the third verse of Surah Al-
‘Asr corrects all the false assumptions of making material wealth the
criterion of success or failure, it gives an exception to the general state of
loss and ruin of all mankind it says, “Except those who believe (in Allaah
and all the articles of faith) and do righteous deeds and encourage each
other in upholding the truth and encourage each other in upholding
patience and perseverance”.
In other wards Allaah (SW) the All-knowing, All-wise creator of humanity
and all that exists negates all erroneous assumptions made by man about
the criterion of success or failure and affirms in this verse that the true
criteria of man’s success or failure is neither money nor wealth nor
position and status that a person welds in the society. Rather the
criterion of success or failure is whether you believe in Allaah (SW) and
are commited to truth and justice or not.
By this criteria a person who does not possess the four basic minimum
qualities of faith, righteous deeds, exhortation of Truth and exhortation of
patience and perseverance is bound to failure and will never achieve the
88
true goal of life and in the end he will be the true loser 1 even though he
may be a millionaire or a billionaire like Qaarun of Egypt, or have might
and power like Haaman the minister of the pharaoh or even have the
highest status in position and political power the like what the Pharaoh of
Egypt had to the extent that he declared himself to be God2 to his people
nevertheless his claim did not save him from eternal destruction just like
his minister Qaarun was swallowed alive with his horse.3

There are a number of lessons that we gain from studying and
understanding this great Surah and for the sake of brevity the most
important of these lessons are as follows.
1. That this is one of the earliest Surahs of the Glorious Qur’aan that was
revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in the earliest period of his
prophethood in Makkah.
2. That this is one of the shortest Surahs of the Glorious Qur’aan, which
has three short lines, all connected to form one complete sentence
with the most comprehensive meaning.4
3. That whenever the companions of the messenger of Allaah (SW)

concluded their meetings before they departed from each other they
would recite Surah Al-‘Asr to each other due to its great importance of
reminding them the way to salvation.
4. That we should realize the importance of time as one of the numerous

blessings from Allaah and strive to plan and manage the wise usage of
our time so that we do not become those in constant perpetual loss as
time swiftly passes us by, while we are joking and whiling it away
without our realization and then regret afterwards as the messenger of
Allaah had said, There are two blessings of which many are deprived
(deceived): good health and free time. (Bukhari)
This regret of not utilizing our free time wisely is evident as found in
another statement of the messenger of Allaah when he said, That in
1
"Serve you what you will besides Him." Say: "Truly, those in loss are those who lose their own
souls and their People on the Day of Judgment: Ah! That is indeed the (real and) evident Loss!"
(Qur’aan39:15)
2
Then he (Pharaoh) collected (his men) and made a proclamation, saying, "I am your Lord, most
high." But Allaah did punish him (and made an) example of him, in the Hereafter, as in this life.
Verily in this is an instructive warning for whosoever fears (Allaah). (Qur’aan79:23-26)
3
See Qur’aan28:81-84
4
A quality known as Jawamul Kalimah (shortest expression with widest of meanings) which was
only given to Prophet Muahammad (s.a.w), Sahih Al-Bukhari vol. 1 HNo.323
89
the hereafter one will not regret anything of the duniya except those
moments in his worldly life that were not spent in the dhikr of Allaah
(the remembrance of Allaah).
Furthermore, time is considered as a trust for which we are
responsible and therefore should never be wasted or spent foolishly,
especially when it involves the rights of our creator and our fellow
human beings and for this reason the Prophet (s.a.w) said as reported
by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud.
On the Day of Resurrection, the feet of man will remain firmly
Planted and he will not be able to move from Allaah until he
Answers five questions:
# How did he spend his lifetime
# His youth where and how did he spend it1
# How and from where did he acquire his wealth
# How and where did he spend his wealth
# And what did he do with his acquired knowledge. (at-tabarani).
Yet we let this precious time flip away through our life without never
asking ourselves the very important question, “how did I spend my
time today?” so that we can make good use of our prime youth,
because one second of our life passes and there is no power or wealth
on earth that can retrieve it back, as it is said “you cannot turn back
the clock” in this regard Al-Hassan Al-Basri said,
Not a single dawn breaks out without two angels calling out ‘Oh!
Son of Adam, I am a new day and I witness your actions so make
the best out of me because I will never come back till the Day of
Judgment.’2
We can now see the importance of Allaah (SW) swearing by the swift
passage of time in this Surah, therefore with regard to how we should
spend our life time and make the best usage of this gift of time, the
Prophet (s.a.w) was asked by someone, ‘who is the best of people’, he
answered: “One who lives longest and his deeds are good and the
worst Person is one who lives longest and his deeds are evil.”
5. Another lesson that we learn from this Surah is that all mankind are in
a great and constant, recurring, perpetual state of loss regardless of
his wealth, power, position of authority, race, tribe socio-economic
status. That man is a loser for every second that ticks away unless he
fulfils the minimum requirements for his salvation, just as it is a
requirement for a secondary school leaver to attain a certain minimum
grade in his examination before he can be admitted to any university
1
His prime youth, age, teenage, strength, the years of his power, ability and health
2
Al-Qaradawi Yusuf, Time in the life of the Muslim p. 8 Also Altalib Hisham recorded it as Al-
Ma’thur of the Prophet (s.a.w) in Training Guide for Islamic Workers p.190.
90
or college for further studies. So does this Surah teach us the
minimum requirements for salvation in the hereafter.
6. That the minimum requirements for salvation from eternal destruction

according to this Surah are:
• True faith in Allaah (SW), His Angels, His divine books, His Messengers,
The Day of Judgment, and Divine Destiny1
• Doing righteous deeds that have been ordained by Allaah in
away that is pleasing to Him2
• Advising each other on upholding the truth3
• Advising each other on upholding patience and perseverance. 4
If one of these minimum conditions of salvation is not fulfilled then
there is no salvation, in fact, Allaah (SW) has delineated for us the four
minimum demands of salvation in the simplest terms possible so that
people may dedicate themselves to its achievements according to our
capability.
7. The Surah also teaches us that the mere verbal utterance or mere
confession of faith without practical application of the faith in our
daily life which includes among other things, establishing Salah,
paying Zakat, fasting in the month of Ramadhaan and going for the
Pilgrimage to the sacred House in Makkah, propagating the message
of Islam5 as well as good conduct and keeping away from all those
things that Allaah (SW) and His Messenger have forbidden to us. But
even more is required than this, the affirmation and declaration of
truth and inviting others to accept this message of Islam as well as
1
Sahih Muslim, Hadith No.
2
The way that is pleasing to Allaah (SW) is that the good deed should conform to three conditions,
that the one doing it should be a Muslim, it should be done sincerely for the sake of Allaah and that
it must be done according to the Shari’ah of Islam, i.e. Qur’aan and Sunnah.
3
Meaning adhering to the truth i.e. Implementing the message of Islam and calling people to Islam
4
Holding on to patience while implementing Islam as a complete way of life and persevering in the
face of any hardship that you may face while implementing the Shari’ah of Allaah and while
calling people to the message of Islam with wisdom and good preaching.
5
It has been for a very long time the general assumption that the task of propagating the message of
Islam is a duty of a particular special group of people and that other Muslims have no obligation of
calling people to Islam and even this so-called special group of people, instead of propagating the
complete message of Islam and consequently bearing all the tribulations that by necessity must
follow them, instead they have left the path of determination and sacrifice and decided to make
their path easier by watering down the true message and conveying only the part of the message
that will bring no harm to them. In this manner the whole Muslim Nation has become dominated by
inactivity, stagnation, escapism and lethargy, leaving the Muslim community weak, humiliated and
subjugated as Allaah said “O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that, when you are
asked to go forth in the Cause of Allaah, you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the life of
this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter”.
(Qur’aan 9:38)
91
remaining firm and steadfast in the face of hardships and calamities
for the sake of Allaah is also very necessary for the Muslim ummah to
gain its rightful position as the leaders of humanity. Allaah said about
this reality,
O you who believe! If you will aid (the cause of) Allaah, He
will aid you, and plant your feet firmly. (Qur’aan47:7)
(They are) those who, if We establish them in the land,

establish regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the
right and forbid wrong: with Allaah rests the end (and
decision) of (all) affairs. (Qur’aan22:40)
The Believers, men and women, are protectors, one of

another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil:
they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and
obey Allaah and His Messenger. On them will Allaah pour
His Mercy: for Allaah is Exalted in power, Wise. Allaah hath
promised to Believers – men and women – Gardens under
which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions
in Gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the
92
Good Pleasure of Allaah: that is the supreme felicity.
(Qur’aan9:71-72)
The obligation of calling people towards good and forbidding them from
evil is covered thoroughly in chapter eleven.
Questions
(1) Give the correct translation of Surah Al- ‘Asr and discuses the themes
therein.
(2) State the four minimum requirements for salvation and success
according to the teachings of this Surah.
(3) Give an explanation of at least five important lessons that we learn in

this Surah
CHAPTER SEVEN
ULUMUL HADITH I
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF HADITH
Definition of the term ‘Hadith’

The evolution of Hadith
Contribution of Hadith literature to Islamic thought
Hadith as the second source of guidance
Importance and significance of Hadith/Sunnah
Definitions:
93
Al-Hadith- ‫ألحد يث‬
The Arabic word Hadith has the primary connotation of ‘New’, being used
as an antonym of old-qadeem. From this linguistic root is derived the use
of the word Hadith to mean an item of news, a tale, a story or a report –
be it historical or legendary, true or false, moral or scandalous, relating to
the present or the past.
This word Hadith was employed in this sense by the poets before the
advent of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and even by the Qur’aan and
also by the Prophet himself. Storytellers are and were referred to as
Huddath1.
Similarly Arabic words such as Salaah, Sujood, Zakaah, Taqwa, Siyaam
had other meanings prior to the influence of Islam, which gave them the
meanings that they have today. In the same way, from the time of the
Prophet (s.a.w) the Arabic word Hadith had the meanings given
previously, but with the influence of Islam, the Prophet’s stories and
communications dominated all other communications. Consequently, the
term Hadith began to be used exclusively for reports that spoke of the
Prophet’s actions and sayings.2
The term Hadith has been used both in the Qur’aan and Hadith to mean
the following:
(i) The Qur’aan itself is referred to as Hadith
Then leave Me alone with those who reject this (Hadith)

Communication: by degrees shall We punish them from
directions they perceive not. (Qur’aan68:44)
‫ب‬ َ ‫سلَّ َم ِإذَا َخ‬

َ ‫ط‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫َّللا قَا َل َكانَ َر‬ َ ‫ع ْن َجا ِب ِر ب ِْن‬
ِ َّ ‫ع ْب ِد‬ َ
‫ضبُهُ َحتَّى َكأَنَّهُ ُم ْن ِذ ُر َجي ٍْش َيقُو ُل‬َ ‫غ‬ َ َّ‫ص ْوتُهُ َوا ْشتَد‬
َ ‫ع ََل‬ َ ‫ع ْينَاهُ َو‬
َ ‫ت‬ ْ ‫احْ َم َّر‬
‫ص َب َع ْي ِه‬ َ ‫صبَّ َح ُك ْم َو َمسَّا ُك ْم َو َيقُو ُل بُ ِع ْثتُ أَنَا َوالسَّا‬
ْ ‫عةُ َك َهاتَي ِْن َو َي ْق ُرنُ َبيْنَ ِإ‬ َ
‫َّللا َو َخي ُْر ْال ُه َدى‬
ِ َّ ‫َاب‬
ُ ‫ث ِكت‬ ِ ‫طى َو َيقُو ُل أَ َّما َب ْعدُ فَإِ َّن َخي َْر ْال َحدِي‬
َ ‫سبَّا َب ِة َو ْال ُو ْس‬
َّ ‫ال‬
1 Siddiqi, M. Zubayr, Hadith Literature Its Origin, Development & Special Features, p.1.
2 Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Usool al-Hadeeth p.7, Limited Edition for Preston University.
94
‫ض ََللَة‬
َ َ ‫بِ ْد‬
‫ع ٍة‬ ‫َو ُك ُّل‬ ‫ُمحْ دَثَات ُ َها‬ ِ ‫ْاْل ُ ُم‬
‫ور‬ ‫َوش َُّر‬ ‫ُم َح َّم ٍد‬ ‫ُهدَى‬
Jabir bin. Abdullah said: When Allaah's Messenger (may peace

he upon him) delivered the sermon, his eyes became red, his
voice rose and his anger increased so that he was like one
giving a warning against the enemy and saying: "The enemy
has made a morning attack on you and in the evening too." He
would also say: "The last Hour and I have been sent like these
two." and he would join his forefinger and middle finger; and
would further say: “The best of the speech (Hadith) is
embodied in the Book of Allaah, and the best of the
guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the
most evil affairs are their innovations; and every
innovation is error." 1
(ii) A historical literature
Has the (Hadith) story of Moses reached you? (Qur’aan20:9)

َ ‫سلَّ َم قَا َل َب ِلغُوا‬
ً‫عنِي َولَ ْو آ َية‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َّ ‫ع ْم ٍرو أَ َّن النَّ ِب‬
َ ‫ي‬ َ ‫َِّللا ب ِْن‬ َ ‫ع ْن‬
ِ َّ ‫ع ْبد‬ َ
ُ‫ي ُمتَ َع ِمدًا فَ ْل َيتَ َب َّوأْ َم ْق َع َده‬
َّ َ‫عل‬ َ َ‫ع ْن َب ِني ِإس َْرا ِئي َل َو ََل َح َر َج َو َم ْن َكذ‬
َ ‫ب‬ َ ‫َو َح ِدثُوا‬
ِ ‫ِمنَ ال َّن‬
‫ار‬
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: The Prophet said, "Convey (my
teachings) to the people even if it were a single sentence, and tell
others the stories of Bani Israel (which have been taught to you),
for it is not sinful to do so. And whoever tells a lie on me
intentionally, will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire." 2
(iii) General Conversation
And remember when the Prophet disclosed a matter in

confidence to one of his wives…(Qur’aan66:3)
The Prophet is reported to have said,
1 Sahih Muslim (Arabic-English), Hadith No. 1885.

2 Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, HNo. 667.
95
‫يفرٌون منه‬
َ ‫من استمع إلى حديث قوم و هم له كارهون أو‬
‫أنك‬ ‫أَل‬ ‫نه‬ ‫ذ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫في‬ ٌَ ‫صب‬
“Whoever eavesdrops on the conversation of a people who

dislike him doing so or flee from him, molten copper will be
poured in his ear”.1
Literal Meaning of Hadith

Literary, Hadith means a narration, communication or news consisting of
the factual account of an event.2
Technical Meaning of Hadith

Among the Hadith scholars (Muhaadithoon) the term ‘Hadith’ technically
means:
Whatever is transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) of his
actions, sayings, statements, sermons, letters, explanations, tacit
approvals, advice and his physical characteristics.3 The scholars of
Islamic law (Fuqahaa) do not include the physical appearance of the
Prophet in their definition of Hadith.
This technical definition is derived from the Prophet himself and his
companions. An example of this is when the Prophet (s.a.w) remarked to
Abu Hurairah that he knew his anxiety about his Hadith, the Prophet
(s.a.w) was referring to his own Hadith (statements). Similarly, Utbah had
had the Prophetic Hadith in mind when he commented that Ibn Abbas
related only two or three Ahaadith (plural of Hadith) in a month. Umar
Ibn Khattab also meant the Hadith of the Prophet when he asked the
companions not to narrate too many Ahaadith. Ali ibn Abu Talib also
instructed, ‘when you write down Hadith, write it with the Isnaad’ he was
referring particularly to the Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w).4
The evolution of Hadith
There are a number of factors that lead to the evolution of Hadith from
the time of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as well as during the time of the
companions of the Prophet and their students.
1 Sahih Bukhari Volume , HNo.

2 Kamali Muhammad Hashim, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 46.
3 Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Usool al-Hadeeth p. 9
4 Siddiqi, M. Zubayr, Hadith Literature, Its Origin, Development and Special Features p. 1.
96
Through the Prophet’s own initiative
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) being the last and final universal Messenger
to the entire humanity who was chosen by Allaah (SW) to convey the final
divine revelation (Qur’aan and Sunnah) and expound that revelation to
humanity took the initiative of teaching his companions the Qur’aan and
its interpretation in accordance to the command of Allaah.
Similarly (to complete My Blessings on you) We have sent

among you a Messenger (Muhammad[s.a.w]) of your own,
reciting to you Our Verses (the Qur'aan) and sanctifying you,
and teaching you the Book (the Qur'aan) and the Hikmah
(i.e. Sunnah, Islamic laws and Fiqh - jurisprudence), and
teaching you that which you used not to know. (Qur’aan2:151)
O Messenger (Muhammad [s.a.w])! Proclaim what has been

sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you
have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from
mankind. Verily, Allaah guides not the people who
disbelieve. (Qur’aan5:67)
Therefore, as the Prophet was conveying the teachings of the Qur’aan and
giving explanations of various verses, delivering sermons and making
various verdicts as they cropped up in their daily lives, these were
memorized and recorded down which consequently evolved into a body of
Ahaadith. One example is sufficient as follows: Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) is reported by Ibn Umar to have said to him when he held him by
his shoulders,
Be in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller. And Ibn
Umar used to say, When you have reached the evening do not
eagerly wait for the morning, and when you have reached morning
do not eagerly wait for the evening. Take from your health for your
illness and from your life for your death. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
97
In fact, the Prophet (s.a.w) had made it clear that he had been given by
Allaah (SW) both the Qur’aan and Ahaadith when he said,
‫أَل و إني قد أوتيت ألقران و مثله معه‬

Undoubtedly I have been given the Qur’aan and some thing like it
(Ahaadith) along with it. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Responses to questions put to the Prophet (s.a.w)

Whenever the companions of the Prophet had any problems in the
process of implementing Islam or understanding the Qur’aan or even if
they had any dispute on any matter they would immediately go to the
Prophet and enquire about the matter. The responses given by the
Prophet (s.a.w) would then be memorized and recorded down as solutions
to those matters, which would then be binding on the Muslims to follow
whenever similar disputes or problems arise again. In this way also a
body of Ahaadith was evolved. Below are some examples of such cases:
The incident of Abu Darda and Salman al-Farsy (may Allaah be pleased
with them) is a good example as narrated by Abu Juhaifa that:
The Prophet established a bond of brotherhood between Salman and
Abu Darda'. Salman paid a visit to Abu ad-Darda and found Umm Ad-
Darda' dressed in shabby clothes and asked her why she was in that
state?" She replied, "Your brother, Abu Ad-Darda is not interested in
the luxuries of this world." In the meantime Abu Ad-Darda came and
prepared a meal for him (Salman), and said to him, "(Please) eat for I
am fasting." Salman said, "I am not going to eat, unless you eat." So
Abu Ad-Darda' ate. When it was night, Abu Ad-Darda' got up (for the
night prayer). Salman said (to him), "Sleep," and he slept (for the time
is not yet). Again Abu-Ad-Darda' got up (for the prayer), and Salman
said (to him), "Sleep." When it was the last part of the night, Salman
said to him, "Get up now (for the prayer)." So both of them offered their
prayers and Salman said to Abu Ad-Darda', "Your Lord has a right on
you; and your soul has a right on you; and your family has a right on
you; so you should give the rights of all those who have a right on
you). Later on Abu Ad-Darda' visited the Prophet and mentioned that
to him. The Prophet, said, "Salman has spoken the truth." 1
The Prophet one time asked young Abdullaah, son of the famous Amr Ibn
Al-Aas, and a companion of the Prophet (s.a.w), because he had become
known for his extreme self-denial. The Prophet came to know of the
punishing routine he had resorted to and so he asked him:
“Has it not been said that you fast during the day and stay awake at
night, O’ Abdullaah?” “Yes, O Messenger of Allaah” he replied. “Do not
do so,” cautioned the Prophet. “Fast and break your fast. Stay up (for
sometime) and sleep (for sometime). Your body certainly has a right
1 Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 8 Hno. 161

98
over you. Your eyes have a right over you. Your wife has a right over
you. Your visitors have right over you. So give each part his right.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:

A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet
asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allaah), and when they were
informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and
said, "Where are we from the Prophet? As his past and future sins
have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer
throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the
year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away
from the women and will not marry forever." Allaah's Messenger came
to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By
Allaah, I am more submissive to Allaah and more fearing of Him than
you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women.
So he who does not follow my tradition in religion is not from me (not
one of my followers)." 1
The demand of circumstances
Different circumstances and situation would present themselves up as
the Prophet was culturing the companions and developing them
spiritually, morally, socially and economically as well as politically. These
circumstances were sometimes quite challenging to the Prophet’s
companions which would then require them to resort to the advice of the
Prophet (s.a.w) as such in this way also Ahaadith was evolved. In this
case also we can cite a number of incidences as follows: Narrated 'Urwa:
Az-Zubair quarrelled with a man from the Ansar because of a natural
mountainous stream at Al-Harra. The Prophet said "O Zubair! Irrigate
(your lands and then let the water flow to your neighbor’. The Ansar
said, "O Allaah's Apostle (This is because) he (Zubair) is your cousin?"
At that, the Prophet's face became red (with anger) and he said "O
Zubair! Irrigate (your land) and then withhold the water till it fills the
land up to the walls and then let it flow to your neighbor." So the
Prophet enabled Az-Zubair to take his full right after the Ansari
provoked his anger. The Prophet had previously given an order that
was in favor of both of them Az-Zubair said, "I don't think but that the
Verse was revealed in this connection: "But no, by your Lord, they can
have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between
them." 2
The incident of the Prophet proposing Zainab binti Jahash to be married
by his beloved former slave Zaid bin Haritha was the cause of the
revelation of the verse below as reported in anumber of Ahaadith.
1 Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith No. 1

2 Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Volume. 6, Hadith No. 109
99
It is not fitting for a Believing man or a Believing woman,
that when Allaah and His Messenger have decided on
matter, to have any option (or their own opinion) about
their decision: if anyone disobeys Allaah and His
Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.
(Qur’aan33:36)
Ibn Abbaas, Qatadah, Ikrimah and Muqaatil bin Hayyaan say

that this verse was sent down at the time when the Prophet
proposed Zainab for Zaid bin Haritha, and Zainab and his
relatives did not agree. According to Ibn Abbaas, when the
Prophet made the proposal, Zainab said, “I do not approve him for
myself. I am a Qurayshaite by birth.” Her brother Abdullaah bin
Jahsh expressed the same sort of disapproval, because Zaid was
a freed slave of the Prophet and Zainab was the daughter of his
paternal aunt, Umaimah bint Abdul Muttalib. They did not like
the Prophet (s.a.w) to propose a girl of noble Qurayshite family,
who was none other than his own first cousin for his freed slave.
At this, this verse was sent down and on hearing it Zainab and all
her relatives yielded to the proposal at once. Then the Prophet
married them, paid 10 dinaars and 60 dirhams from his own
pocket as dower on behalf of Zaid, provided the bridal dress and
sent some articles of food for domestic use. Though this verse was
sent down on a special occasion, the injunction given in it is the
cardinal principle of the constitutional law of Islam, and it applies
to the entire Islamic system of life. According to it no Muslim
individual or nation, or institution, or court or parliament or
state, is entitled to use its own freedom of opinion in a matter in
which Allaah and His Messenger have already given a decision. To
be a Muslim means to surrender one’s freedom of opinion and
action before Allaah and His Messenger. It would be a
contradiction in terms if a person or a nation claimed to be
Muslim and then reserved for itself the freedom of choice and
action. No sensible person can think of combining the two
contradicting attitudes together. The one who desires to remain
Muslim will inevitably have to bow down to the command of
Allaah and His Prophet, and the one who is not inclined to bow
his will to Allaah and His Messenger will have to admit that he is
not a Muslim. If he does not admit he will be regarded as a
hypocrite both by Allaah and by the people even though he might
proclaim to be a Muslim at the top of his voice.1
1
Maududi Abul A’la, The meaning of the Holy Qur’aan Vol. 10, p. 113, notes, 65 and 66.
100
And so, Allaah (SW) commanded Muslims to take all that the Prophet
gives them and abstain from all that he forbids them. Allaah (SW) says:
And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it and

whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it). (Qur’aan59:7)
The Interpretation of the Qur’aan
The evolution of Ahaadith also arose as a result of the companions of
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) asking him about certain verses of the
Qur’aan which were not clear to them since Allaah (SW) had also made it
clear that part of the mission of Muhammad (s.a.w) was to make clear the
understanding of the Qur’aan because Allaah had promised to expound to
him the meaning of His book as Allaah (SW) says:
And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad [s.a.w])

the reminder and the advice (the Qur'aan), that you may
explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that
they may give thought. (Qur’aan16:44)
Move not your tongue concerning (the Qur'aan, O Muhammad

[s.a.w]) to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and
to give you the ability to recite it And when We have recited
it to you [O Muhammad through Jibreel (Gabriel)], then
follow you its (the Qur'aan's) recital. Then it is for Us (Allaah)
to make it clear to you. (Qur’aan75:16-19)
So whenever any verse was not clear to the companions they immediately
went to seek its explanation from the Prophet and as a result the
interpretation of the verse given by the Prophet evolved as a body of
Hadith literature as we can see in the examples below: Narrated
Abdullaah (R.A) that when verse 82 of Surah An’aam was revealed,
101
It is those who believe and confuse not their belief with Dhulm
(wrong doing), for them (only) there is security and they are the
guided. (Qur’aan6:82)
It was very hard for the Prophets companions, so they went to the
Prophet and asked him, “Which of us has not confused his belief with
wrong doing?” Allaah’s Messenger said, “The verse does not mean
this. Don’t you hear Luqman’s statement to his son: O my son join not
in worship others with Allaah. Verily! Joining others in worship with
Allaah is a great Dhulm (wrong) indeed.” (Qur’aan31:13)1
Narrated Aa’ishah (R.A) [the Prophet’s wife], I asked Allaah’s
Messenger about verse sixty of Surah Al-Mu’minun:
And they who give what they give (charity) while their hearts
are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.
(Qur’aan23:60)
And added “Are they those who drink alcoholic drinks, and steal?”
Allaah’s Messenger replied, “No, O daughter of As-Siddiq, but they are
those who fast, pray, and practice charity and are afraid that (their
good) deeds may not be accepted (by Allaah) from them. ‘It is they who
hasten in good deeds’”2
Forms of Hadith
Based on the Hadith scholar’s definition of the term Hadith, meaning:
whatever is transmitted from the Prophet of his actions, sayings, tacit
approvals or physical characteristics, we can identify four categories of
Hadith that we may call forms of Hadith as follows:
Al-Fi’l Ar-Rasul
These are the various actions done by the Prophet (s.a.w) during his
lifetime and observed by his wives, companions and subsequently
narrated to us in the form of Hadith. For example,
‫ح‬
ٍ ‫س ْر‬ َ ‫ع ْم ِرو ب ِْن‬ ِ َّ ‫ع ْب ِد‬
َ ‫َّللا ب ِْن‬ َ ‫ع ْم ِرو ب ِْن‬َ ُ‫الطاه ِِر أَحْ َمدُ بْن‬ َّ ‫َحدَّثَنِي أَبُو‬
‫ع ِن اب ِْن‬
َ ‫س‬ َ ُ‫ع ْن يُون‬
َ ‫ب‬ٍ ‫ي قَ َاَل أَ ْخبَ َرنَا ابْنُ َو ْه‬
ُّ ِ‫َو َح ْر َملَةُ بْنُ يَحْ يَى الت ُّ ِجيب‬
‫عثْ َمانَ أَ ْخبَ َرهُ أَ َّن‬ ُ ‫ي أَ ْخبَ َرهُ أَ َّن ُح ْم َرانَ َم ْولَى‬
َّ ِ‫طا َء بْنَ يَ ِزيدَ اللَّ ْيث‬
َ ‫ع‬َ ‫ب أَ َّن‬
ٍ ‫ِش َها‬
‫ث‬ َ َ‫ضأ َ َفغ‬
َ ‫س َل َك َّف ْي ِه ثَ ََل‬ َّ ‫عا بِ َوضُوءٍ َفت ََو‬ َ َ‫ع ْنهُ د‬ َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َّ ‫ي‬ َ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫عفَّانَ َر‬ َ َ‫عثْ َمانَ بْن‬ُ
1
Sahih Al-Bukhari (Arabic-English), Volume 6, Hadith No. 299
2
Sunan At-Tirmidhi
102
ُ‫س َل يَدَه‬
َ ‫غ‬ َ ‫ت ث ُ َّم‬ٍ ‫ث َم َّرا‬ َ ‫س َل َوجْ َههُ ثَ ََل‬ َ ‫غ‬ َ ‫ض َوا ْستَ ْنثَ َر ث ُ َّم‬ َ ‫ض َم‬ ْ ‫ت ث ُ َّم َم‬ ٍ ‫َم َّرا‬
َ ‫س َل يَدَهُ ْاليُس َْرى ِمثْ َل ذَلِكَ ث ُ َّم َم‬
‫س َح‬ َ ‫غ‬َ ‫ت ث ُ َّم‬ ٍ ‫ث َم َّرا‬ َ ‫ق ثَ ََل‬ِ َ‫ْالي ُْمنَى إِلَى ْال ِم ْرف‬
‫س َل ْاليُس َْرى‬ َ ‫غ‬ َ ‫ت ث ُ َّم‬
ٍ ‫ث َم َّرا‬َ ‫س َل ِرجْ لَهُ ْالي ُْمنَى إِلَى ْال َك ْعبَي ِْن ثَ ََل‬ َ ‫غ‬ َ ْ‫َرأ‬
َ ‫سهُ ث ُ َّم‬
َ ‫ضأ َ ن‬
‫َحْو‬ َّ ‫ت ََو‬ ‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫ِمثْ َل ذَلِكَ ث ُ َّم قَا َل َرأَيْتُ َر‬
َ ‫ضأ َ ن‬
‫َحْو‬ َّ ‫ت ََو‬ ‫سلَّ َم َم ْن‬َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬ ُ ‫ضوئِي َهذَا ث ُ َّم قَا َل َر‬ ُ ‫ُو‬
‫غ ِف َر لَهُ َما تَقَد ََّم‬ ُ ُ ‫سه‬ َ ‫ِث فِي ِه َما نَ ْف‬
ُ ‫ام فَ َر َك َع َر ْكعَتَي ِْن ََل يُ َحد‬ َ َ‫ضوئِي َهذَا ث ُ َّم ق‬ُ ‫ُو‬
‫ضو ُء أَ ْسبَ ُغ َما‬ ُ ‫علَ َما ُؤنَا يَقُولُونَ َهذَا ْال ُو‬ ُ َ‫ب َو َكان‬ ٍ ‫ِم ْن ذَ ْنبِ ِه َقا َل ابْنُ ِش َها‬
ِ‫ص ََلة‬َّ ‫يَت ََوضَّأ ُ بِ ِه أَ َحد ِلل‬
Humran, the freed slave of 'Uthmaan, said: 'Uthmaan bin
'Affaan called for ablution water and this is how he performed
the ablution. He washed his hands thrice. He then rinsed his
mouth and cleaned his nose with water (three times). He then
washed his face three times, then washed his right arm up to
the elbow three times, then washed his left arm like that, then
wiped his head; then washed his right foot up to the ankle three
times, then washed his left foot like that, and then said: I saw
the Messenger of Allaah (may peace be upon him) perform
ablution like this ablution of mine. Then the Messenger of Allaah
(may peace be upon him) said: ‘He who performs ablution like
this ablution of mine and then stood up (for prayer) and offered
two rak'aas of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be
distracted, all his previous sins are expiated’. Ibn Shihab said:
Our scholars remarked: This is the most complete of the
ablutions performed for prayer.1
Al-Qaul Ar-Rasul
This constitutes a direct statement from the Prophet (s.a.w) either in
response to a question paused to him or a command from him forbidding
certain things or allowing certain things, as well as a general statement of
guidance such as his sermons etc. In fact most Ahaadith are of this form
as narrated to us by several companions of the Prophet (s.a.w), below are
three examples of Aqwaal Ar-Rasul.
َ ُ‫س ْفيَانُ قَا َل َحدَّثَنَا يَحْ يَى بْن‬

‫س ِعي ٍد‬ ُ ‫الزبَي ِْر قَا َل َحدَّثَنَا‬
ُّ ُ‫َُّللا بْن‬
ِ َّ ‫ع ْبد‬
َ ‫ي‬ ُّ ‫َحدَّثَنَا ْال ُح َم ْي ِد‬
‫اص‬ ٍ َّ‫ع ْلقَ َمةَ بْنَ َوق‬ َ ُ‫ي أَنَّه‬
َ ‫س ِم َع‬ َ ‫ي قَا َل أَ ْخبَ َرنِي ُم َح َّمدُ ابْنُ إِب َْراه‬
ُّ ‫ِيم التَّي ِْم‬ ُّ ‫ار‬
ِ ‫ص‬ َ ‫ْاْل َ ْن‬
َ ‫علَى ْال ِم ْنبَ ِر قَا َل‬
ُ‫س ِم ْعت‬ َ ُ‫ع ْنه‬ َّ ‫ي‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫ض‬
ِ ‫ب َر‬ َّ ‫ع َم َر بْنَ ْالخ‬
ِ ‫َطا‬ ُ ُ‫س ِم ْعت‬ َّ ِ‫اللَّ ْيث‬
َ ‫ي يَقُو ُل‬
1
Sahih Muslim (Arabic-English), Hadith No. 436
103
‫ئ َما‬ ِ ‫سلَّ َم يَقُو ُل إِنَّ َما ْاْل َ ْع َما ُل بِالنِيَّا‬
ٍ ‫ت َوإِنَّ َما ِل ُك ِل ْام ِر‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫َر‬
‫ُصيبُ َها أَ ْو إِلَى ْام َرأَةٍ يَ ْن ِك ُح َها فَ ِهجْ َرتُهُ إِلَى َما‬
ِ ‫َت هِجْ َرتُهُ إِلَى دُ ْنيَا ي‬
ْ ‫ن ََوى فَ َم ْن كَان‬
‫هَا َج َر إِلَ ْي ِه‬
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: I heard Allaah's Apostle saying,
“The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every
person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So
whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his
emigration was for what he emigrated for.”1
‫سلَّ َم فَقَا َل أَ َرأَيْتَ إِذَا‬

َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫سأ َ َل َر‬
ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫ع ْن َجابِ ٍر أَ َّن َر ُج ًَل‬َ
ُ‫ضانَ َوأَحْ لَ ْلتُ ْال َح ََل َل َو َح َّر ْمت‬ َ ‫ص ْمتُ َر َم‬ُ ‫ت َو‬ ِ ‫ت ْال َم ْكتُوبَا‬ َّ ‫صلَّيْتُ ال‬
ِ ‫صلَ َوا‬ َ
‫علَى‬ ِ َّ ‫ش ْيئًا أَأَ ْد ُخ ُل ْال َجنَّةَ قَا َل نَعَ ْم قَا َل َو‬
َ ُ‫َّللا ََل أَ ِزيد‬ َ ‫ْال َح َر‬
َ ‫ام َولَ ْم أَ ِز ْد‬
َ َ‫علَى ذَلِك‬
َ َ‫ذَلِك‬
‫ش ْيئًا‬
It is narrated on the authority of Jaabir that a man once said to the

Messenger of Allaah (may peace be upon him): Shall I enter
Paradise in case I say the obligatory prayers, observe the (fasts) of
Ramadan and treat that as lawful which has been made
permissible (by the Shari'ah) and deny myself that which is
forbidden, and make no addition to it? He (the Prophet) replied in
the affirmative. He (the inquirer) said: By Allaah, I would add
nothing to it2.
‫سلَّ َم ذَاتَ َي ْو ٍم ث ُ َّم أَ ْق َب َل‬

َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫ص َّلى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬ ُ ‫صلَّى ِبنَا َر‬ َ ‫اض‬ ُ ‫فَقَا َل ْال ِع ْر َب‬
‫وب فَقَا َل‬ ُ ُ‫ت ِم ْن َها ْالقُل‬ ْ َ‫ت ِم ْن َها ْالعُيُونُ َو َو ِجل‬ ْ َ‫ظةً بَ ِليغَةً ذَ َرف‬َ ‫ظنَا َم ْو ِع‬
َ ‫ع‬َ ‫علَ ْينَا فَ َو‬
َ
‫وصي ُك ْم‬ ِ ُ ‫ظةُ ُم َودِعٍ فَ َماذَا تَ ْع َهدُ إِلَ ْينَا فَقَا َل أ‬ َ ‫َّللا َكأ َ َّن َه ِذ ِه َم ْو ِع‬
ِ َّ ‫سو َل‬ ُ ‫قَائِل يَا َر‬
َ َ‫ش ِم ْن ُك ْم بَ ْعدِي ف‬
‫سيَ َرى‬ ْ ‫ع ْبدًا َحبَ ِشيًّا فَإِنَّهُ َم ْن يَ ِع‬
َ ‫ع ِة َوإِ ْن‬ َّ ‫َّللا َوالس َّْمع َو‬
َ ‫الطا‬ ِ َّ ‫بِتَ ْق َوى‬
ِ
‫س ُكوا بِ َها‬َّ ‫الرا ِشدِينَ تَ َم‬ َّ َ‫َاء ْال َم ْهدِيِين‬ ِ ‫سنَّ ِة ْال ُخلَف‬
ُ ‫سنَّتِي َو‬ ُ ِ‫يرا فَعَلَ ْي ُك ْم ب‬
ً ِ‫اختِ ََلفًا َكث‬
ْ
‫عة َو ُك َّل‬ ِ ‫ت ْاْل ُ ُم‬
َ ‫ور فَإِ َّن ُك َّل ُمحْ دَثَ ٍة بِ ْد‬ ِ ‫علَ ْي َها بِالنَّ َو‬
ِ ‫اج ِذ َوإِيَّا ُك ْم َو ُمحْ دَثَا‬ َ ‫عضُّوا‬ َ ‫َو‬
‫ض ََللَة‬ َ ‫بِ ْد‬
َ ‫ع ٍة‬
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Hadith No. 1
2
Sahih Muslim (Arabic-English) Volume, I HNo.17
104
Al-‘Irbaadh Ibn Saariyah Said, The Messenger of Allaah prayed
with us one day then he faced us, after which he gave us an
emotional sermon that filled our hearts with fear and made tears
came to our eyes, then one of us said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, it is
as though this is a farewell sermon, so what do you commend us to
do?’ He said, ‘ I counsel you to fear Allaah and to listen and obey
even if an Ethiopian servant (is your leader) for verily whoever
among you who lives long after me will see great controversy, so
you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of rightly guided
Khulafaa (caliphates) –cling to them stubbornly. Beware of newly
innovated matters (in religion), for verily every innovated matter is a
heresy and every heresy is going astray’ 1
At-Taqrir Ar-Rasul
These are actions that were done in front of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w),
which he acknowledged either by keeping quiet or by confirming with his
words, for example.
One morning, Ali ibn Abu Taalib went outside Madinah in search
of work so that he could feed his family. He came upon a lady
looking for a labourer to carry water from a well to a clay pit. He
agreed to carry the water for her in return of some dates. He did
so and got about twenty dates. On the way home, he met the
Prophet (s.a.w) who asked what he was carrying. Ali said: “It is
the dates I earned for the work I did. My hands are blistered from
drawing water from the well with a palm-fiber rope.” The Prophet
rubbed Ali’s face and his hand, and in obvious approval said:
“Allaah has blessed this hand.” And he continued: “O Ali, give me
a date. I will treat myself with it.”2
As-Sifatul-Rasul
These are the physical attributes and characteristics of the appearance of
the Messenger of Allaah as reported by his companions who saw him
which are considered as part of Hadith, for example Anas bin Maalik
reported.
َ ‫س ِعي ِد ب ِْن أَ ِبي ه ََِل ٍل‬
‫ع ْن‬ َ ‫ع ْن‬
َ ‫ع ْن خَا ِل ٍد‬
َ ‫ْث‬ُ ‫َحدَّثَنِي ابْنُ بُ َكي ٍْر قَا َل َحدَّثَنِي اللَّي‬
‫ص َّلى‬
َ ‫ي‬ َّ ‫ف النَّ ِب‬
ُ ‫ص‬
ِ ‫َس بْنَ َمالِكٍ َي‬ َ ‫س ِم ْعتُ أَن‬َ ‫ِالرحْ َم ِن قَا َل‬ َ ‫َر ِبي َعةَ ب ِْن أَ ِبي‬
َّ ‫ع ْبد‬
‫ير أَ ْزه ََر‬ ِ ‫ص‬ ِ َ‫الط ِوي ِل َو ََل ِب ْالق‬
َّ ‫ْس ِب‬ َ ‫سلَّ َم قَا َل َكانَ َر ْب َعةً ِمنَ ا ْلقَ ْو ِم لَي‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ
َ ُ‫َّللا‬
‫سبْطٍ َر ِج ٍل أ ُ ْن ِز َل‬ َ ‫ططٍ َو ََل‬ َ ‫ض أَ ْم َهقَ َو ََل آ َد َم َلي‬
َ َ‫ْس ِب َج ْع ٍد ق‬ َ ‫ْس ِبأ َ ْب َي‬َ ‫اللَّ ْو ِن لَي‬
َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو ِب ْال َمدِينَ ِة‬
‫ع ْش َر‬ َ ‫ع ْش َر ِسنِينَ يُ ْنزَ ُل‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َوه َُو ابْنُ أَ ْر َبعِينَ فَلَ ِب‬
َ َ‫ث ِب َم َّكة‬ َ
1
Ezzedin Ibrahim and Denys Johnson-Davies Forty Hadith An-Nawawi, p. 94-95.
2
Hamid AbdulWahid, Islam the Natural Way p. 60.
105
ُ‫ضا َء قَا َل َربِيعَة‬ َ َ‫ْس فِي َرأْ ِس ِه َولِحْ يَتِ ِه ِع ْش ُرون‬
َ ‫شعَ َرة ً بَ ْي‬ َ ‫ض َولَي‬ َ ِ‫ِسنِينَ َوقُب‬
‫ب‬ ِ َ‫سأ َ ْلتُ فَ ِقي َل احْ َم َّر ِمن‬
ِ ‫الطي‬ َ َ‫شعَ ِر ِه فَإِذَا ه َُو أَحْ َم ُر ف‬ َ ُ‫فَ َرأَيْت‬
َ ‫شعَ ًرا ِم ْن‬
Narrated Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him):Allaah's

Apostle was neither very tall nor short, neither absolutely white
nor deep brown. His hair was neither curly nor lank. Allaah
sent him (as an Apostle) when he was forty years old.
Afterwards he resided in Makkah for ten years and in Medina
for ten more years. When Allaah took him unto Himself, there
were scarcely twenty white hairs in his head and beard.1
Contribution of Hadith to Islamic thought and culture

Hadith literature and its various branches of science is the richest source
for the investigation of early Islamic history. It provides material for an
understanding of the legal, cultural and religious ideas of those early
centuries2. The history of the origin, development and criticism of Hadith
literature is a subject which is important and fascinating, its importance
can be seen from the fact that Hadith literature has served as an
astonishingly voluminous source of data for the history of pre-Islamic
Arabia and early Islam, and for the development of Arabic literature as
well as of Islamic thought in general as well as Islamic law in particular.
Hadith also played a decisive role in establishing a common cultural
framework for the Islamic world, and continues to weld influence on the
minds and lives of the Muslim community, an influence that is very likely
to continue for the foreseeable future. The history and development of
Hadith literature is quite fascinating because it sheds so much light on
the psychology of the Hadith scholars, the Traditions, the devotedly
scrupulous as well as the confirmed forgers, and on many of the key
political and cultural movements which germinated and developed in
various regions of the Muslim world throughout its complex history. It
portrays a brilliant medieval academic world that gave birth to many of
the European scholarly institutions, including doctorate and the
baccalaureate. It also contains some of the ideas that have currently been
borrowed by democracy, justice among mankind and nations, the
condemnation of aggression, and the ideal of global peace. All this,
moreover, is linked to the sacred, to a consciousness of man’s exalted
meaning and destiny, which seems to mark the Muslims out today more
than ever before.3
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Volume 4, Hadith No. 748.
2 Azami, M. Mustafa, Studies in early Hadith Methodology and Literature p. Xvii.
3 Siddiqi, M. Zubayr, Hadith Literature Its Origin, Development and Special Features p. Xiii
106
Hadith as the Second Source of Guidance
The Qur’aan, which is the final revelation of Allaah to humanity, is the
direct speech of Allaah revealed to the last Prophet and Messenger
Muhammad Ibn Abdullaah (s.a.w). It is the first primary source of
guidance to humanity entirely. Therefore the Qur’aan contains revelations
from Allaah pertaining to all aspects of human life both mundane and
religious. It contains a number of laws as for example marriage, care of
orphans, inheritance, divorce, criminal laws, trade laws and religious
laws of worship etc. Yet the Qur’aan is not meant to be a book of history
or sociology. The Qur’aan is in fact a very concentrated and unique book
of its kind that does not go into the minute details but rather gives broad
general principles that gives guidance to humanity in all their endeavors.
It is a book where Allaah speaks to His creatures to lead a decent and
refined life1. And Prophet Muhammad is the one who was chosen by
Allaah (SW) to expound the understanding and practical application of
the Qur’aan, Allaah (SW) says:
And We have sent down unto you the Message

(Qur’aan); that you may explain clearly to men what is
sent for them, and that they may give thought.
(Qur’aan16:44)
Thus the Qur’aan often at times explains itself but it is also explained by
the Hadith of the Messenger of Allaah as well as his Sunnah from which
we get the interpretation of the Qur’aan otherwise known as Tafseer.
But words alone however powerful they may be cannot fully be
appreciated and comprehended or understood unless they are supported
by a living practical example. Therefore, along with the words of the
Qur’aan and hadith, Allaah (SW) gave to humanity the Messenger (s.a.w)
together with his pure family and the noble companions as a living
embodiment of the Qur’aan, hence the Sunnah. Allaah (SW) said,
You have indeed in the Messenger of Allaah a beautiful

pattern (of conduct to follow) for any one whose hope is in
Allaah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the
remembrance (praise) of Allaah. (Qur’aan33:21)
1 Doi AbdurRahman I, Shari’ah The Islamic Law, p. 51

107
When Aa’ishah one of the beloved wives of the Prophet (s.a.w) was asked
about the conduct or way of life of Rasoolullaah (s.a.w), she said that he
was a living Qur’aan. Abu Raafi’ reported Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) as
saying,
Let me not find one of you reclining on his couch and saying when
he hears something regarding which I have commanded or
forbidden, ‘I do not know, what we find in Allaah’s book, we have
followed’ (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
Al-Miqdaam Ibn Ma’deekarib reported Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) saying,
Indeed I have brought the Qur’aan and something like it along with
it. Yet a time is coming when a man will be reclining on his couch
and saying, ‘ keep to the Qur’aan whatever you find in it
permissible treat as permissible and whatever you find prohibited
therein treat as prohibited’ But what Allaah’s Messenger has
prohibited is like what Allaah has prohibited, the domesticated
donkey, carnivorous wild animals, lost property that belongs to an
ally (unless the owner does not want it) are all not permissible to
you. (Sunan Abu dawud and ad-Daarimee)
Consequently, the Hadith and Sunnah forms the second primary source
of guidance and Shari’ah and as such should not be treated lightly as
wise sayings of sages, philosophers or the verdicts of rulers and leaders
but as a revelation from Allaah (SW). Therefore as Muslims we must
believe with full conviction that both the words and actions of the Prophet
(s.a.w) represents the will of Allaah and must be followed and obeyed, this
is why Allaah says.
So whatever the Prophet gives you take it and whatever he

forbids you keep away. (Qur’aan59:7)
But no, by you Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they
make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in
their souls no resistance against you decisions, but accept
them with the fullest conviction. (Qur’aan4:65)
108
Questions
(1) Define the term Al-Hadith literary and technically.
(2) Discuses the factors that lead to the evolution of Al-Hadith.
(3) Name four kinds of Al-Hadith An-Nabawi.
(4) Briefly explain how Hadith literature has contributed to the Islamic
thought and culture.
(5) Discuss the importance of Hadith in the life of a Muslim as the

second source of guidance.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AQEEDAH: A STUDY OF ISLAMIC BELIEFS I
109
THE PILLARS OF IMAAN (FAITH) I
Belief In Allaah (SW)
The Meaning of Tawheed
The Divine Attributes of Allaah (SW)
The Divine Names of Allaah (SW)
The Significance of Knowing These Names
The Meaning of Shirk
The Types of Shirk
Common Forms of Shirks
Shirk Nullifies All Good Deeds
Belief In Angels
The Main Characteristics of Angels
The Duties of Angels In General
The Most Outstanding Angels and Their Functions
The Significance of Belief in Angels
Introduction To Islamic Beliefs

‘Aqeedah is not a practical matter that can be visibly seen in a human
being, but it is a matter of knowledge which a Muslim is obliged to firmly
believe in his heart because Allaah (SW) has told him about these matters
in the Qur’aan and through the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad
(s.a.w)1. Thus, a Muslim is duty bound to believe with certainty in six
pillars of Imaan (faith) according to Allaah’s saying in the Glorious
Qur’aan,
The Messenger (Muhammad [s.a.w]) believes in what has been

sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.
Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His
Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one
another of His Messengers" - and they say, "We hear, and we
1 al-Ashqar ‘Umar Sulaymaan, BELIEF IN ALLAAH In the Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah,
p. 30
110
obey. (we seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the
return (of all)." (Qur’aan2:285)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) also defined this belief in the famous Hadith
of Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) [A.S] when Jibreel asked the him
…then tell me about Imaan (faith). He said: It is to believe in
Allaah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last
Day, and to believe in the divine destiny, both good and evil
thereof. He said: You have spoken rightly… 1
But in this chapter we are going to discuss only the belief in Allaah and
the Angels, the rest of the pillars of Imaan (faith) will be covered in
Essential Islamic Study Books Two, Three and Four.
Belief in Allaah (SW)
The Meaning of Tawheed
Islamically Tawheed means to believe that Allaah is the one and only God
in all the things that we do to please Him. For example, prayer should
only be to Allaah, sacrifice should only be done in Allaah’s name, charity
should only be given for Allaah’s pleasure and Jihaad should only be
fought for the sake of Allaah’s religion.2 Thus Allaah (SW) says,
Say (O Muhammad [s.a.w]): "Verily, my Salaat (prayer), my

sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of
the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists). "He has no
partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the
first of the Muslims." (Qur’aan6:162-163)
So a Muslim believes in the Absolute oneness of Allaah (SW) that He is
the only creator, cherisher, sustainer, lawgiver, unique one without
images, perfect one in His names and attributes, the only savior, helper
and redeemer according to the following evidence in the Qur’aan and
Sunnah.3
1
Part of a long Hadith collected in Sahih Muslim (English Translation), HNo. 4 and also collected
by An-Nawawi in his Forty Hadith (Arabic-English) Ezzeddin and Davies, pp. 28-33
2
Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Islamic Studies Book: One, p. 1
3
Ondigo Yahya Muhammad Atei, MUSLIM–CHRISTIAN INTERACTIONS Past, Present and
Future, pp. 18-23
111
Say: He is Allaah, the One and Only; Allaah, the Eternal,
Absolute (independent of all needs but all depend on Him) He
begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto
Him. (Qur’aan112:1-4)
Allaah is the creator of all things, and He is over all things,

disposer of affairs. (Qur’aan39:62)
Allaah is numerically one (without partners)
Had there been within them i.e. [the heavens and the earth]
gods besides Allaah, they both would have been ruined. So
exalted is Allaah, Lord of the throne, above what they
describe. (Qur’aan21:22)
Allaah is the only one with perfect beautiful names and attributes
Muslims believe that Allaah is the only one that is perfect in his
knowledge, wisdom, mercy, justice, power and all other names and
attributes no one shares with Him these names and attributes in their
perfection as He (SW) says,
112
He is Allaah, other than whom there is no deity, knower of
the unseen and the witnessed. He is the entirely merciful,
the especially merciful. He is Allah, other than whom there
is no deity, the sovereign, the pure, the perfection, the
bestower of faith, the overseer, the exalted in might, the
compeller, the superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever
they associate with him. He is Allah, the creator, the
inventor, the fashioner; to him belong the best names.
Whatever is in heavens and earth is exalting him. And he is
the exalted in might, the wise. (Qur’aan59:22-24)
Allaah is the only lawgiver (governor)
Muslims also believe that Allaah (SW) is the only lawgiver and the only
one who legislates in all human affairs as such whoever claims legislation
for himself is only committing the grave sin of associating partners with
Allaah, Allaah (SW) says.
You worship not besides Him except [mere] names you have
named them,1 you and your fathers, for which Allaah has
sent down no authority. Legislation is not but for Allaah. He
has commanded that you worship not except Him. That is
the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.
(Qur’aan12:40)
Allaah is the only savior, helper and redeemer
Muslims believe that since Allaah (SW) is the only savior, helper and
redeemer then it is only He who should be worshipped and sort for help.
All Good and bad fortunes are by His will and therefore whenever one
wants to avoid bad fortune or get help, good luck and any other kind of
assistance he or she should only turn to Allaah (SW) and ask sincerely
from Him all his needs, Allaah (SW) says.
And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah,

[being] sincere to him in religion, inclining to truth, and to
1
The false objects of worship, which you have called ‘gods.’
113
establish prayer and to give Zakaah. And that is the correct
religion. (Qur’aan98:5)
Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he

calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors
of the earth? Is there a deity with Allaah? Little do you
remember. (Qur’aan27:62)
And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer):
but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find
themselves in Hell, in humiliation!" (Qur’aan40:60)
Abdullaah son of Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them) reported
that,
One day I was behind the Prophet (s.a.w) and he said to me: O
young man, I shall teach you some words (of advice): Be mindful of
Allaah, and Allaah will protect you. Be mindful of Allaah and you
will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask Allaah; if you seek
help, seek help of Allaah. Know that if the whole Ummah (Nation)
were to gather together to benefit you with anything they will not
benefit you with anything except that which Allaah had already
prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you
with anything, they would not harm you except with that which
Allaah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been
lifted and the pages have dried 1.
So Allaah (SW) is the helper, redeemer and savior, He says about saving
the God fearing on the Day of Judgment.
Then we will save those who feared Allaah and leave the
wrongdoers within it (The fire), on their knees. (Qur’aan19:72)
1
Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Also in an-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith, Hadith No.19
114
Allaah is the only unique God without Images or Likeness
Muslims also believe that anything, picture or image that one imagines in
his or her mind to be like God is not God and therefore Muslims have no
statues or images of Allaah as objects of worship, they worship Allaah
(SW) directly without any intermediaries whether prophet, king, saint,
idols, man-made ideology, passions, philosophy, or any such objects of
veneration, Allaah says.
And Worship Allaah and join none with Him (in

Worship) (Qur’aan4:36)
There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-hearing the

All-seeing. (Qur’aan42:11)
Allaah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-

subsisting, Eternal (sustainer of all existence). No slumber
can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens
and on earth. Who is there that can intercede in His
presence except as He permits? He knows what (appears to
His creatures as) Before or After or Behind them. Nor shall
they encompass aught of His knowledge except as He wills.
His Kursi (Footstool or Chair) extends over the heavens and
the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them for He is the Most High, the Supreme (in
glory). (Qur’aan2:255)
115
The Divine Attributes of Allaah (SW)
A Muslim believes and only describes Allaah (SW) according to those
divine attributes by which He has described Himself in the Qur’aan and
by those used by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) to describe Him. These
divine attributes mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah are of two types:
(a) Those which the human mind can never know and comprehend
fully, such as Self, Hand, Face, Foot, Fingers, Shin, Rising over His
Throne, Descending to the lowest heaven, Laughing etc.
(b) Those which the human mind can deduce and understand such as,
His Power, Wisdom, Love, Hatred and Anger, Mercy, Knowledge,
Hearing, seeing, Life, Sustainment and Eternity etc.
All these divine attributes have evidence in Qur’aan and Sunnah.1 Yet
both categories of attributes belonging to Allaah (SW) must be understood
in the light of the saying of Allaah (SW) in the Qur’aan,
There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-hearing, the

All-seeing (Hears and sees all things) (Qur’aan42:11)
In other words, though there are certain attributes that seem to be
common between God and Man yet this is only by name because just like
everything that exists has attributes or qualities by which it is known so
does Allaah (SW). Like in science we learn that animals and plants are
living things, but animals are totally different from plants due to certain
attributes. Animals can move and a majority of them take care of their
young ones, whereas plants do not have these characteristics.
Similarly, though Allaah (SW) is alive, hearing and seeing; and we are
also alive hearing and seeing, yet our life is not self generated and is
limited because we die, our seeing and hearing is also limited but Allaah’s
life is self generated and His life is Eternal, He cannot die and His hearing
and seeing is absolute nothing is hidden from his vision and hearing.
In the same like manner as discussed above all the other divine
attributes of Allaah (SW) are understood, be they the Face of Allaah, Feet,
Laughing, Anger, love etc. Hence, none of the divine attributes of Allaah
(SW) in their absolute sense are same as those of His creation. His
attributes are perfect while ours and other creatures are imperfect. As
such, we should never give Allaah the attributes of His creation nor
should we give creation His divine attributes.
1
For full discussion with all evidence see al-Asqar ‘Umar Sulaymaan, BELIEF IN ALLAAH In the
Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, pp. 240-305
116
The Methodology in Understanding the Attributes of Allaah 1
‘Umar Sulaymaan al-Shqar, quotes Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-
Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his book: Minhaaj wa
Diraasaat li Aayaat al-Asmaa’ wa s-Sifaat, That he says:
The Holy Qur’aan indicates that the issue of the Divine Attributes
is focused on three principles. Whoever follows all of them has
reached the correct view, and attained the belief which the
Prophet (s.a.w) and his Companions and the righteous Salaf
adhered to. Whoever misses out one of these principles is
misguided.
The first principle
Declaring that Allaah (SW) is far above any of His Attributes resembling
any of the attributes of His creatures. This principle is indicated by the
aayaat (verses):
…There is nothing like unto Him…(Qur’aan42:11)
And there is none co-equal or comparable to Him

(Qur’aan112:4)
So put not forward any similitude unto Allaah [as there

is nothing similar to Him, nor does He resemble anything]
(Qur’aan16:74)
The second principle
Believing in Allaah (SW) as He has described Himself, because Allaah
(SW) cannot be described by anyone who knows Allaah better than
Allaah:
1
For full discussion with all evidence see al-Asqar ‘Umar Sulaymaan, BELIEF IN ALLAAH In the
Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, pp. 326-329
117
…Say, ‘Do you know better than Allaah? (Qur’aan2:140)
And (this principle includes) believing in what the Messenger (s.a.w) has
said in describing Allaah, because no one among the human beings
knows Allaah better than the Messenger of Allaah of whom Allaah says:
Nor does he speak of [his own] desire. It is only a

Revelation revealed to him (Qur’aan53:3-4)
The third principle

This principle is the one on which the issue of the divine Attributes
centers –ash-Shanqeeti says that there is no hope of fully understanding
the true nature of how these attributes are, because understanding their
true nature is impossible. Allaah (SW) says about this reality,
He [Allaah] knows what happens to them [His creatures] in

this world, and what will happen to them [in the Hereafter]
but they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge.
(Qur’aan20:110)
Therefore it is impossible for the human mind to encompass the
attributes of the Lord of the heavens and the earth, this is because, the
human mind no matter how intelligent it may be and how great its
powers of understanding may reach is totally incapable of knowing the
true nature of things that cannot be seen even by the microscope much
less Allaah (SW).
In fact man is incapable of knowing the true nature of the soul that
resides in his body; he is incapable of knowing the true nature of light
which is the apparent of things; he is incapable of knowing the true
nature of matter such as the Bermuda triangle in the Atlantic Ocean, the
black holes which are part of the stars in the cosmos, so how can he hope
to understand the true nature of the Divine Essence and Attributes.
The Divine Names of Allaah (SW)
A Muslim also believes that all the names of Allaah are the Most Beautiful
and that by whatever name we use to call on Him it is good as long as it
does not indicate any form of Shirk (associating partners unto Him) as
Allaah (SW) says in the Qur’aan.
118
Say: "Call upon Allaah, or call upon AR-Rahmaan: by
whatever name you call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him
belong the Most Beautiful names. (Qur’aan17:110)
Part of the belief in the Most Beautiful names of Allaah (SW) is to believe
that none in the whole universe shares with Allaah (SW) His most
beautiful names as we find it in a number of verses in the glorious
Qur’aan:
Allaah! There is no god but He! To him belong the Most

Beautiful Names. (Qur’aan20:8)1
And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call

on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie
or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They
will be requited for what they used to do. (Qur’aan7:180)
The Prophet (s.a.w) also talked about the Most Beautiful names of Allaah
(SW) giving an indication as to the number of the names as reported by
Abu Huraira (R.A) who said:
Allaah has ninety-nine Names, i.e., one hundred minus one, and
whoever guards [or counts] them (i.e. believes in their meanings
and acts accordingly), will enter Paradise; and Allaah is Witr (one)
and loves 'the Witr' (i.e., odd numbers).2
However, this Hadith seems to be conflicting with another narration from
Ibn Mas’ud wherein the Prophet (s.a.w) said:
No slave (servant of Allaah) is ever afflicted with distress or grief,

and says ‘Allaahuma inni abduka ibnu ‘abdika, ibnu amatika,
naasiyati bi yadika, maadhin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya
qadhaauka as-aluka bikulli ismin huwa laka, sammayta bihi
nafsaka aw anzaltahu fii kitaabika, aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min
khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fii ‘ilm al-ghaybi ‘indaka, an taj’al al
Qur’aana rabee’a qalbi wa noora sadri, wa jalaa’a huzni, wa
dhahaaba hammi
1
Also see Qur’aan59:22-24
2
Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 75, Hadith No. 419
119
O’ Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female
slave. My forelock is in Your Hand, Your command over me is ever
executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name
belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed
in Your book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have
preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make
the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a
departure of my sorrow and a release of my anxiety. 1
The confusion that seems to be in these two narrations is that the Hadith
of Abu Hurairah indicates that the names of Allaah are explicitly ninety-
nine whereas the Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud shows that the names of Allaah
are more than ninety-nine among which Allaah has not revealed in His
Book, but taught only to certain ones of His creation, or He has kept
them to Himself and has not taught them to any of His creation. Which
means that the names that Allaah has kept to Himself or revealed only to
certain ones among His creation are other than the ninety-nine as
reported by Abu Huraira.
What comes out from these two narrations therefore is that the number
of names that Allaah (SW) has taught us in His Book, and His Messenger
has mentioned explicitly is ninety-nine and no more. Any additional
names are something that we do not know, because they are part of the
concealed knowledge of Allaah or have been revealed exclusively to
certain ones among His creation. Otherwise it does not make sense to
limit the names of Allaah to ninety-nine.2
Furthermore there is no authentic Hadith that lists all the ninety-nine
names of Allaah in such a way as to leave no room for debate concerning
them. Rather these names have been narrated here and there in the Book
of Allaah and in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w). A verse
may mention one or two names, or even more or a verse of the Qur’aan
may end with one or more of Allaah’s names, or list a group of these
names. For instance Allaah (SW) says:
1
Al-Qahtaani Sa’eed Ibn’Ali Ibn Wahf, Hisnul Muslim Arabic-English, pp.155-157
2
al-Ashqar ‘Umar Sulaymaan, BELIEF IN ALLAAH In the Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, p.308
120
He is Allaah, other than whom there is no deity, knower of
the unseen and the witnessed. He is the entirely merciful,
the especially merciful. He is Allah, other than whom there
is no deity, the sovereign, the pure, the perfection, the
bestower of faith, the overseer, the exalted in might, the
compeller, the superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever
they associate with him. He is Allah, the creator, the
inventor, the fashioner; to him belong the best names.
Whatever is in heavens and earth is exalting him. And he is
the exalted in might, the wise. (Qur’aan59:22-24)
However, Muslim scholars have endeavored to compile the Names of

Allaah from the Qur’aan and Sunnah and also endeavored to interpret
and explain them. And Among the many scholar who made the efforts of
compiling these names, Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani may have come closest to
the truth when he listed the ninety-nine names taken from the Qur’aan,
thus complying with the number mentioned in the Hadith of Abu Huraira
(R.A). The scholar, ‘Umar sulaymaan al-Ashqar in his book BELIEF IN
ALLAH lists these names as quoted from Ibn Hajar as follows:
121
Allaah’s Name In The Meaning of Allaah’s Name In The Example In
The Qur’aan English Language Qur’aan
1. Allaah God All-Mighty 2:255
2. Ar-Rabb The Lord, Sustainer, Cherisher 45:3
3. Al-Ilaah The God 2:163
4. Al-Waahid The One 12:39
5. Ar-Rahmaan The Entirely Merciful 55:1
6. Ar-Raheem The Especially Merciful 44:42
7. Al-Malik The King, Sovereign 3:26
8. Al-Quddoos The Holy 62:1
9. As-Salaam The Author of Peace 59:23
10. Al-Mu’min The Giver of Security 59:23
11. Al-Muhaymin The Watcher over His Creatures 59:23
12. A-Azeez The All-Mighty 6:96
13. Al-Jabbaar The compeller 59:23
14.Al-Mutakabbir The Supreme, the Majestic 59:23
15. Al-Khaaliq The Creator 56:59
16. Al-Baari The Inventor of all things 59:24
17. Al-Musawwir The Fashioner 59:24
18. Al-Awwal The First 57:3
19. Al-Aakhir The Last 57:3
20. Adh-Dhaahir The Most High, Manifest 57:3
21. Al-Baatin The Most Near, the Hidden 57:3
22. Al-Hayy The Ever-Living 30:19
23. Al-Qayyoom The Self-Sufficient sustainer and 20:111
protector of all
24. Al-‘Aliyy The Most High, the Sublime 42:4
25. Al-‘Adheem The Most Great 69:33
26. At-Tawwaab The Acceptor of Repentance 2:128
27. Al-Haleem The Ever-Forbearing 64:17
28. Al-Waasi The All-Sufficient for His creatures’ 2:247
needs
29. Al-Haakim The All-Wise 60:5
30. As-Shaakir The All-Appreciative 76:3
31. Al-‘Aleem The All-Knowing 43:9
32. Al-Ghanee The Rich, Free of all wants and needs 31:12
33. Al-Kareem The Bountiful, The Generous 44:49
34. Al-‘Afuw The Oft-Pardoning 4:99
35. Al-Qadeer The All-Powerful 30:54
36. Al-Lateef The Most Subtle and Courteous 31:16
37. Al-Khabeer The All-Aware 66:3
38. As-Samee’ The All-Hearing 42:11
39. Al-Baseer The All-Seeing 42:11
40. Al-Mawlaa The Lord, Protector and Supporter, 8:40
41. An-Naseer The Helper 22:78
42. Al-Qareeb The Near (to all, by His Knowledge) 11:61
43. Al-Mujeeb The Responsive 11:61
44. Ar-Raqeeb The All-Watcher 5:117
45. Al-Haseeb The All-Sufficient in taking account 4:86
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46. Al-Qawee The Most Strong 42:19
47. Ash-Sheheed The Witness 5:117
48. Al-Hameed The One Who is Worthy of All Praise 85:8
49. Al-Majeed The All-Glorious 11:73
50. Al-Muheet The Encompasser 3:120
51. Al-Hafeedh The Guardian 11:57
52. Al-Haqq The Truth 22:6
53. Al-Mubeen The Manifest 24:25
54. Al-Ghaffar The Oft-Forgiving 40:42
55. Al-Qahhar The Irresistible, the Dominant 13:16
56. Khallaq The Creator 15:86
57. Al-Fattah The Judge, the Reliever, the Opener 34:26
58. Al-Wadood The Most Loving 85:14
59. Al-Ghafoor The Oft-Forgiving 85:14
60. Ar-Ra’oof The Full of Kindness 16:47
61. Ash-Shakoor The Most Ready to Appreciate 35:34
62. Al-Kabeer The Most great 34:23
63. Al-Mut’aal The Most High 13:9
64. Al-Muqeet The Ever All-Able, All-Witness 4:85
65. Al-Musta’aan The One Whose Help is to be sought 12:18
66. Al-Wahhaab The Bestower 3:8
67. Al-Hafi The Ever Most Gracious 19:47
68. Al-Waarith The Inheritor 15:23
69. Al-Wali The Protector or Guardian 2:257
70. Al-Qaa’im The One Who Takes Charge (Guards,
Maintains, Provides)
71. Al-Qaadir The Able 6:65
72. Al-Ghaalib The One Who has Full Power and 12:21
Control, the Predominant
73. Al-Qaahir The Irresistible 16:18
74. Haafidh The Protector 11:57
75. Al-Barr The Most Subtle, Kind, Courteous and 52:28
Generous; The Source of All Goodness
76. Al-Ahad The One 112:1
77. As-Samad The Self-Sufficient Master, the Eternal 112:2
78. Al-Maalik The King, the Owner, the Proprietor 1:4
79. Al-Muqtadir The Omnipotent, All-Able to carry out 54:42
what He wills
80. Al-Wakeel The Disposer of all Affairs 39:62
81. Al-Haadi The Guide 25:31
82. Al-Kafeel The surety 16:91
83. Al-Kaafi The Sufficient 39:36
84. Al-Akram The Most Generous 96:3
85. Al-A’alaa The Most High 87:1
86. Ar-Razzaaq The All-Provider 51:58
87. Dhul-Quwwatil- Owner of Power, the Most Strong 51:58
Mateen
88. Ghaafir adh- The Forgiver of Sin 40:3
Dhamb
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89. Qaabil-at-Tawb The Accepter of repentance
90. Shadeed al-Iqaab The Severe in Punishment 5:2
91. Dhu’t-Tawl The Bestower (of favors) 40:3
92. Rafee’ ad- The Owner of High ranks 40:15
Darajaat
93. Saree’ al-Hisaab The Swift in Reckoning 13:41
94. Faatir as- The Creator of the heavens and the 14:10
Samawaati wal-Ardh earth
95. Badee’ as- The Originator of the heavens and the 2:117
Samaawati wal-Ardh earth
96. Noor as- The Light of the heavens and the earth 24:35
Samawaati wal-Ardh
97. Maalik al-Mulk The Possessor of the Kingdom 40:16
98, 99. Dhul-Jalaali Owner of Majesty and Honor 55:27
wal-Ikraam
The Significance of Knowing These Names

The significance of knowing the Names and Attributes of Allaah (SW) is
that a believer derives a number of benefits from his knowledge of these
names as follows:
(a) A believer gets to Know Allaah (SW) better and put his full trust in
Allaah (SW) for all his affairs, for indeed the Names and attributes
of Allaah are the geatest means of getting to know his Lord.
Without the true understanding of these Names and Attributes,
belief in Allaah will remain an ambiguous idea which does not bear
good fruits.
(b) A believer also gets to know the best way of thanking Allaah (SW)
by praising and glorifying Him by these Beautiful Names and
Attributes which is the greatest way of praising and thanking Him.
Furthermore this is one of the greatest kinds of dhikr
(remembrance) that is beloved to Allaah (SW) and one that makes a
Muslim successful in this world and the hereafter.1
(c) Supplicating or praying to Allaah (SW) through His Names and
Attributes is the surest way of Allaah responding to a believer’s
invocations. Just as the Prophet (s.a.w) on more than one occasion
commented that one of his conmpanions had called on Allaah (SW)
by His greatest name, which if He is called upon by it, He will
respond.
(d) A believer also increases his faith by learning and reciting these
Names and Attributes in his daily life, because the more a person
learns about Allaah (SW) and His Names and Attributes, the more
His faith increases.
1
See Qur’aan33:41-41, Qur’aan29:45 and Qur’aan62:10
124
(e) A believer also feels strong and steadfast by reciting these Names,
because he is relying on and putting all his trust in the Most
Strong, the All-Able, the One who has full power and control of all
affairs in the universe.
(f) Reciting these names also makes ones heart feel attached to
Allaah. For the person who knows that his provision (rizq) comes
from Allaah will ask Him for provision; and the one who knows
that Allaah is the compeller will fear Him; and the one who knows
that Allaah is All-Knowing will remember that He is watching…and
forth and so on.
The Meaning of Shirk
Shirk literary means partnership, sharing or associating, as it is said in
Arabic sharaktuhu fil-amr (I became somebody’s partner) if one becomes a
partner (shareek). And Allaah (SW) says about Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h)
when He sent him to Pharaoh:
[Moses said] ‘And let him share my task [ashrikhu] (of

conveying Allaah’s Message and prophethood)
(Qur’aan20:32)
But Islamically Shirk refers to the act of associating partners or rivals
unto Allaah (SW) in whatever form it may take, either in His worship thus
worshipping others beside or alongside with Allaah or in His Beatiful
Names and Attributes which means giving Allaah the attributes of His
creation or assigning creation Allaah’s divine attributes or; shirk in His
Lordship meaning believing that others have a share in Allaah’s Power to
create, sustain and cherish as well as in His legislating the laws by which
we should conduct our life. Shirk is the opposite of Tawheed and is that
which nullifies it.
Types of Shirk
According to the terminology of Islamic Shari’ah there are two types of
Shirk:
(a) Ash-Shirk al-Akbar (major shirk)
This is the act of making something or someone a god alongside Allaah,
whether it is an angel, a Messenger, a Wali (“Saint”), the sun, the moon, a
rock or a human being, which is worshipped as Allaah is worshipped, by
praying to it, seeking its help, offering sacrifices to it, making vows to it,
and other kinds of worship.
Therefore a mushrik whis is guity of major shirk is the who believes in
someone else as a Lord alongside or besides Allaah (SW), such as the
Christians who regard Allaah (SW) as the third of three (trinity), or the
Magians (Zoroastians) who attribute good events to the Light and bad
events to the Darkeness, or the Sabians who believed that the stars and
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planets controlled what happened on earth. And similar to these are the
grave-worshippers who claim that the souls of the awliya (“saints”) can
control things after their death: that they can fufil people’s needs, relieve
their distress, help those who call upon them or protect those who seek
refuge with them for their protection.1
The thing that is associated with Allaah does not have to be regarded as
equal to Allaah in all aspects in order to be counted as shirk. According to
Shari’ah, a person is regarded as a mushrik if he believes that anyone or
anything is a partner unto Allaah, even if he regards it as inferior to
Allaah in terms of power and knowledge, just as Allaah (SW) says in the
Qur’aan when mentioning what the mushrikeen will say while regretting
in the Hell fire in the hereafter:
By Allaah, we were truly in a manifest error, when we held

you (false gods) as equals (in worship) with the Lord of the
'Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists); and none has
brought us into error except the Mujrimoon [Iblîs (Satan) and
those of human beings who commit crimes, murderers,
polytheists, oppressors, etc.]. Now we have no intercessors,
nor a close friend (to help us). (Alas!) If we only had a chance
to return (to the world), we shall truly be among the
believers! Verily! In this is indeed a sign, yet most of them
are not believers. (Qur’aan26:97-103)
This refers to the equality in love, fear, hope, obedience and submission
by which they associated partners unto Allaah, not in the power of
creation because, even these mushrikoon (polytheists) used to believe that
Allaah alone had the power of creation and sustainance.
1
al-Ashqar ‘Umar Sulaymaan, BELIEF IN ALLAAH In the Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, p.403
126
If you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and
the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" They will
surely reply: "Allaah." How then are they deviating (as
polytheists and disbelievers)? Allaah enlarges the provision
for whom He wills of His slaves, and straitens it for whom
(He wills). Verily, Allaah is the All-Knower of everything. If
you were to ask them: "Who sends down water (rain) from
the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its
death?" They will surely reply: "Allaah." Say: "All the praises
and thanks be to Allaah!" Nay! Most of them have no sense.
(Qur’aan29:61-63)
Thus, the greatest crime and the worst of sins is to ascribe partners unto
Allaah while we know that He created us, as narrated by Abdullaah ibn
Mas’ood (R.A) who asked the Messenger of Allaah, ‘Which sin is the
greatest in the sight of Allaah?’ He said, ‘That you should claim that Allaah
has a partner (a rival) when He has created you’.1
(b) Ash-Shirk al-Asghar (minor shirk)
This entails doing actions of righteousness for showing off or doing things
for the sake of created beings, and not performing acts of worship purely
for the sake of Allaah. Thus, any act of worship or any religious deed done
in order to gain fame, praise, power or any worldly benefits falls under
this type of shirk.
This kind of shirk (Ash-Shirk al-Asghar), even though it does not put a
person out of the fold of Islam, still puts a person in a grave danger of
reducing his rewards for any good deeds to a very great extent and may
even cancel out good deeds altogether. A number Ahaadith of the
Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) attest to this reality:
Abu Huraira reported Allaah's Messenger (s.a.w) as stating that
Allaah the Most High and Exalted said: I am the One, One who
does not stand in need of a partner. If anyone does anything in
1 Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

127
which he associates anyone else with Me, I shall abandon him
with one whom he associates with Me. 1
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) also said as reported in Musnad of Imaam
Ahmad that,
“What I fear for you most is ash-Shirk al-asghar.”They said, “O
Messenger of Allaah, what is ash-Shirk al-asghar?” He said,
“Showing off.”
In the Hadith collection of al-Bayhaqi, it is also reported that on the Day
of Judgment,
Allaah will say to them (Mushrikoon) on the Day that He rewards
His slaves for their action: ‘Go to those for whom you used to
show off in the world, and see whether you can find any reward
or any good with them’.
Common Forms of Shirks2
Due to ignorance of the sixth condition of Shahaadah in the Muslim
community today, a number various forms of Shirk have become prevalent
to the extent that many Muslims today do not believe in Allaah except
that they associate partners with Him.
And most of them believe not in Allaah except that they

associate others with Him. (Qur’aan12:106)
Among the most common and serious of these forms of Shirk in our
Muslim society, which fall under Shirk in al-‘Ibaadah and
consequently negates the Shahaadah are:
Worshipping others besides or alongside Allaah (SW) is Shirk
This involves directing any act of worship to other than Allaah and the
reward is sought from creation instead of the Creator, which represents
the most obvious form of idolatry.3 This form of Shirk is considered the
greatest act of rebellion against Allaah and the ultimate sin, which
cancels out all the good that a person may do and guarantees its
perpetrator eternal damnation in Hell. All false religions and man-made
systems primarily base their worship in this form of Shirk, thus, calling
people to the worship of creation. And so Allaah revealed to His servant
Jesus the son of Mary to say to his people.
1
Sahih Muslim, (English Translation), Hadith No. 7114
2
Ondigo Yahya M.A., The Seven Conditions of Shahaadah pp. 147-163
3
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, The Fundamentals of Tawheed, p 36
128
They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allaah is the
Messiah, the son of Mary” while the Messiah has said, “O
Children of Israel, worship Allaah, Who is my Lord and your
Lord.” Indeed, he who associates others with Allaah—Allaah
has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And
there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers. (Qur’aan5:72)
Muslims whose acts of worship fall into this form of Shirk are those who
pray to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) or through him, as well as those who
pray to mystics in the sufi hierarchy of saints believing that they can
answer their prayers, though Allaah (SW) said in the Qur’aan:
Say: Think to yourselves, if Allaah’s punishment came to

you or the Final Hour, would you then call on other than
Allaah? (Reply) if you are truthful. (Qur’aan6:40)
Shirk at-Twaa’a: Obedience of creation in unlawful matters

This form of Shirk involves people obeying creation in opposition to the
Creator in that which He has declared unlawful making it lawful or vice
versa. Allaah (SW) strongly speaks about this in the Qur’aan to the extent
of allowing children to disobey their parents if they command them to do
things that go against Allaah’s commandments, Allaah says.
But if they strive to make you join in worship with Me things

of which you have no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear
them company in this life with justice (And consideration),
and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love and
repentance). In the End the return of you all is to Me, and I
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will tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that you did.
(Qur’aan31:15)
On one occasion, the Prophet’s companion, ‘Adee Ibn Haatim, who was a
convert from Christianity, heard the Prophet (s.a.w) reciting the Qur’aanic
verse,
They take their priests and their monks to be their lords in

derogation of Allaah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ,
the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but
One God: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him:
(far is He) from having the partners they associate (with
Him). (Qur’aan9:31)
So ‘Adee said: “surely we did not worship them,” The Prophet turned to him
and said, “Did they not make the forbidden (Haraam) what Allaah had
made lawful (Halaal),1 and you all made it Haraam, and did they not
make Halaal what Allaah had made Haraam2 and you all made it
Halaal?” He replied, “We certainly did.” The Prophet (s.a.w) then said,
“That is how you worshipped them.”3
Moreover the Prophet had also said in one of his statements that, “There
should not be any obedience to the creature when it involves the
disobedience of the Creator, obedience is obligatory only in what is good
(and reasonable)”’4
Shirk al-Twaa’a will take people to Hell fire as Allaah (SW) says:
1
Christian clergy made Haraam the marrying of more than one wife and the marrying of first
cousins. Roman Catholics forbade priests from marrying and forbade divorce in general, which are
being disputed today in the 21st century by a majority of priests who want them lifted so that they
can marry, in fact in the tear 2004 there was a heated debate about this issue among the priests in
America.
2
The Christian Church made Halaal the consumption of pork, blood and alcohol. Others also made
allowable painting and statues depicting God as man.
3
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, The Fundamentals of Tawheed, p 25, who quoted Sunan at-Tirmithi.
4
130
Verily, Allaah has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared
for them a flaming Fire (Hell). Wherein they will abide
forever, and they will find neither a Walî (a protector) nor a
helper. On the Day when their faces will be turned over in
the Fire, they will say: "Oh, would that we had obeyed
Allaah and obeyed the Messenger (Muhammad [s.a.w])." And
they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and
our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way. Our
Lord! Give them double torment and curse them with a
mighty curse!" (Qur’aan33:64-68)
Shirk al-Mahabba: Loving a creature as one should love Allaah

Love is a form of worship, which in its perfection, should be directed only
to Allaah (SW). According to Islam the love of Allaah is expressed by total
obedience to Him. It is not the type of love that man naturally feels
towards the creation; towards parents, children, food, etc. To direct such
kind of love to Allaah (SW) is to lower Him to the level of His creation
which is the Shirk of love. Love, which is worship, is the total surrender of
one’s will to Allaah. Consequently, Allaah (SW) told the Prophet (SW) to
tell the believers:1
Say: "If you do love Allaah, follow me: Allaah will love you
and forgive you your sins; for Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful." (Qur’aan3:31)
If any one allows the love of anything or anyone to come in between
himself and Allaah, by either loving that thing to the same dimension of
1 Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, “The Fundamentals of Tawheed”, p. 37

131
loving Allaah or even more than the love of Allaah then he will have
worshipped that thing and thus committed Shirk against Allaah (SW). In
this way, money can become one’s false god or even one’s desires could
become a god. The Prophet (s.a.w) said, “The worshipper of the Dirham
will always be miserable.”1 Whereas Allaah (SW) said,
Have you seen him who has taken his own desire as his
ilaah (god)? Would you then be a Wakil (a disposer of his
affairs or a watcher) over him? (Qur’aan25:43)
The Shirk of loving creation to the same extent that one should love
Allaah (SW) will be the cause of humiliation on the Day of judgment and
the doers will be driven to the Hell fire wherein they will regret and wish
to disown those whom they associated with Allaah as the associated
disowned and denied them. They will wish to be given another chance in
the world so as to disown those whom they followed and loved, whom
they thought were so powerful to help them but alas! All power on that
Day will belong to Allaah who will then show them their deeds as regrets
and, thus, they will never get out of the fire as much as they wish to do
so. This eventful scene has been clearly portrayed in the Qur’aan as a
reminder for those who are committing this kind of Shirk so that they can
leave off and stay away from this kind of dreadful sin.
Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides
Allaah, as equal (with Allaah): they love them as they should
love Allaah, but those of Faith are overflowing in their love
for Allaah. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they
1
Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 8, HN0. 443
132
would see the Punishment: that to Allaah belongs all power,
and Allaah will strongly enforce the Punishment. Then
would those who were followed clear themselves of those
who followed (them): they would see the Penalty and all
relations between them would be cut off. And those who
followed would say: "If only we had one more chance, we
would clear ourselves of them, as they have cleared
themselves of us." Thus will Allaah show them (the fruits of)
their deeds as (nothing but) regrets. Nor will there be a way
for them out of the Fire. (Qur’aan2:165-167)
Shirk ad-Dua’a: The act of supplicating to other than Allaah

As we saw at the beginning of this chapter, this form of Shirk involves
directing prayers to the dead in two ways, using them as intercessors or
praying directly to them believing that they can answer our prayers by
forgiving our sins or that they can carry our prayers to Allaah (SW) just as
the Catholics use their priests in the confession of their sins. Catholics
confess their sins to their priests and the priests ask God’s forgiveness for
them. Or even they pray directly to Mary the mother of Jesus to forgive
them their sins. Thus, the priests act as middlemen between the people
and God.
The ignorant Muslims who commit this form of Shirk do not realize that
they have actually borrowed the pre-Islamic Arabs in their practice of
using their idols as intermediaries who they claimed brought them near
to God the Creator. Whenever they were asked why they were
worshipping idols instead of Allaah their true Creator, they would reason
out and say that they were not worshipping them but were only using
them to bring them closer to Allaah. The idol worshipers said,
We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to

Allaah. (Qur’aan39:3)
In the like manner some grave-worshippers among Muslims pray to the
dead asking them to convey their requests to Allaah for the fulfillment of
their needs, believing that these righteous dead people are not only closer
to Allaah than them but that they can also hear their requests and fulfill
them after their death. Thus, the dead become idol intermediaries capable
of doing favors to the living.1
Others pray directly to the dead begging them forgiveness for their sins.
In so doing, they give the dead humans Allaah’s attribute of being (at-
Tawwaab), the only One to whom repentance is due; as well as that of
being (al-Ghafoor), the only One capable of forgiving sins. There is a
1
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, Fundamentals of Tawheed p. 178
133
strong similarity between their practice and that of the Catholics among
the Christians who call on special saints for the fulfillment of their needs.
For example, if something is lost, Saint Anthony of Thebes is prayed to in
order to help find it. St. Jude Thaddaeus is the patron saint of the
impossible and is prayed to for intercession in incurable illnesses,
unlikely marriages or the like. If some one is setting for a journey, Saint
Christopher, the patron saint of travelers used to be prayed to for
protection up until 1969 when he was officially struck off the list of saints
by papal decree, after it was confirmed that he was fictitious. Also
included in this category are Christians in general with regard to Prophet
Jesus whom they consider to be God incarnate. So, most Christians pray
to Jesus (p.b.u.h) instead of God. In the same way there are many
ignorant Muslims who pray to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) both of which
go into the category of Shirk of dua’a and are totally rejected in Islam.
Rather Islam holds that the dead go into a state called Barzakh wherein
their deeds come to an end.1 They are unable to do anything for the living
but they may only benefit themselves in the grave due to certain good
deeds that they did while they were still alive as reported by Abu Huraira
from Allaah’s messenger who said, “When a man dies, all his (good) deeds
are cut off except three: charity of continuing benefit, knowledge that is
beneficial to people and a righteous child who supplicates for him.”2
The Prophet (s.a.w) had also taken great pain to explain that he could not
benefit anyone in this life, regardless of his or her closeness to him as
Allaah (SW) commanded him to say to his followers:
Say: "I have no power to bring any good or avert harm even
to myself except as Allaah wills. If I had knowledge of the
unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil
should have touched me: I am but a Warner, and a bringer
of glad tidings to those who believe." (Qur’aan7:188)
One of his companions, Abu Huraira reported that when the verse “Warn
your nearest relatives” was revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w), he said, “O
people of Quraysh, secure deliverance from Allaah (by doing good deeds). I
cannot avail you at all against Allaah; O sons of Abdul-Muttallib, I cannot
1
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, Fundamentals of Tawheed, p179, who has also covered elaborately
this form of shirk in two last chapters entitled, Grave worship and Saint worship.
2
Sahih Muslim, (English Translation), Vol. 3, Hadith No. 4005
134
avail you at all against Allaah; O (my uncle) ‘Abbaas Ibn Abdul-Muttallib, O
(my aunt) Safeeyah, I cannot avail you at all against Allaah; O Faatimah,
daughter of Muhammad, ask me whatever you like, but I have nothing
which can avail you against Allaah.”1
On another occasion, one of the Prophet’s companions concluded his
statement to the Prophet (s.a.w) with the phrase, “It is what Allaah wills
and you will.” The Prophet (s.a.w) immediately corrected him saying, “Are
you making me an equal to Allaah? Say: ‘It is what Allaah alone wills.’ ” 2
In spite of all these clear opposition of directing pray to Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w), many Muslims not only do that but also direct their
prayers to a hierarchy of saints. This heretical practice is based on the
claim of mystics (Sufis) that the cosmic order is preserved by a fixed
number of saints called Rijaal al-Ghayb (The men of the unseen world).
When a holy man among them dies, his place is immediately filled by a
substitute. At the peak of the hierarchy is the Qutb (pole or mystic axis of
the world), or the Ghawth (Succor). ‘Abdul-Qaadir al-Jeelaanee (d.
1166CE) is popularly referred to as “al-Ghawth al-A’dham (Ghaus-e-
Azam): the greatest source of help”, and in times of calamity many turn to
him for help crying out “Yaa ‘Abdul-Qaadir Aghiithnee (O ‘Abdul-Qaadir,
save me).” Such unmistakable pronouncements of Shirk of Duaa’a are
common even though practicing Muslims repeat at least seventeen times
daily in their Salaah (prayers) the phrase “Eeyaaka Na ‘budu wa Eeyaaka
Nasta ‘een –You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek
help”
Both of these methods of prayer involve the grave sin of Shirk
(association) in Supplication. Yet these methods of prayer have managed
to creep into the religious practices of masses of Muslims today either in
one form or the other, not withstanding the fact that the Prophet had
clearly told one of his young companions Ibn Abbaas while giving him a
word of advice so as to convey the same to the Muslim community, the
Prophet (s.a.w) had told him:
One day I was behind3 the Prophet (s.a.w) and he said to me:
Young man, I shall teach some words (of advice): Be mindful of
Allaah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of
Allaah; if you seek help, seek help of Allaah. Know you that if the
whole Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it
would not benefit you with anything except that which Allaah had
already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm
you with anything, then they will not be able to do you any harm
except that which Allaah had already prescribed for you. The pens
have already been lifted and the pages have dried.4
1
Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 4, Hadith No. 727&728
2 Musnad of Imaam Ahmad
3 He was riding behind the Prophet (s.a.w) on the same mount.
4
Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2440. Also in An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith, Hadith No. 19.
135
Allaah (SW) has also told us in many passages in the Qur’aan that all
those that we may seek help from, or pray to other than Him, or alongside
with Him have no power whatsoever to help anybody much less
themselves. Allaah (SW) said:
Say, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], “Invoke those you claim [as

deities] besides Allaah.’ They do not possess an atoms
weight [of ability] in the heavens or on the earth, and they
do not have therein any partnership [with Him], nor is there
for Him from among them any assistant. (Qur’aan34:22)
If you invoke them, they will not listen to your supplication,

and if they were to listen, they would not answer your
(prayer). And on the Day of Judgment they will deny your
Association and none, (O man!) can tell you (the Truth) like
the one who is acquainted with all things (Allaah).
(Qur’aan35:14)
Indeed, those you worship besides Allaah do not possess for

you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allaah provision,
worship Him, and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be
returned. (Qur’aan29:17)
136
And do not invoke besides Allaah that which neither
benefits you nor harms you, for if you did, then indeed you
would be of the wrongdoers. And if Allaah should touch you
with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if
He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His
bounty. He causes it to reach whomever He wills of His
servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
(Qur’aan10:106-107)
And who is more astray than one who calls (invokes) besides
Allaah, such as will not answer him till the Day of
Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls
(invocations) to them? And when mankind is gathered (on
the Day of Resurrection), they (false deities) will become
enemies for them and will deny their worshipping.
(Qur’aan46:5-6)
Rather Allaah (SW) has commanded us to supplicatel direct to Him and

He will answer our prayers and provide us with all that we need as well as
solve all the problems that we have as long as we respond to his
commands by not associating partners with Him when supplicating, not
partaking unlawful things and also being certain that He will answer our
call. Allaah (SW) says,
137
And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer):
but those who are too arrogant to worship Me will surely
find themselves in Hell, in humiliation!" (Qur’aan40:60)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close

(to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant whenever
he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call,
and believe in Me: that they may be rightly guided.
(Qur’aan2:186)
Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he

calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors
of the earth? Is there a deity with Allaah? Little do you
remember. (Qur’aan27:62)
Shirk al-Haakimiyyah: Ruling by other than Allaah’s laws

This is yet another form of Shirk that comes under Shirk al-‘Ibaadah
which negates the sixth condition of Shahaadah for in Islam, the term
‘Ibaadah means total obedience and Allaah (SW) is considered the
ultimate lawgiver. Therefore the implementation of any laws that
contradict the divine law (Shari’ah) such as secular legal systems,
cultural or manmade laws not based on divine law is an act of disbelief in
the divine law and belief in the correctness of such systems. Such a belief
falls under Shirk al-Haakimiyyah, associating partners with Allaah in His
divine law or rather ruling by a mixture of Allaah’s laws and manmade
laws, considering them to be equal or even taking the secular laws to be
138
better than Allaah’s laws. Allaah (SW) strongly condemns those who
associate Him in His divine laws by calling them Kaafiroon (disbelievers).
Those who do not rule by what Allaah has revealed are

disbelievers (Kaafiroon). (Qur’aan5:44)
There are a number of passages in the Qur’aan wherein Allaah (SW)
stressed the obligation of ruling by His divine law (Shari’ah) and also
condemned those who evade doing so by calling them hypocrites who
claim belief in Allaah yet go against His commandments by committing
Shirk al-Haakimiyyah.
They have not beside Him (Allaah) any protector, and He

shares not His legislation with anyone. (Qur’aan18:26)
And Allaah is the commander (Judge), there is none to put

back His command (Judgement): and He is Swift in calling to
account. (Qur’aan13:41)
Have you not seen those who claim to have believed in what
was revealed to you, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], and what was
revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to
139
taghut,1 while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan
wishes to lead them far astray. And when it is said to them,
“Come to what Allaah has revealed and to the Messenger,”
you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.
(Qur’aan4:60-61)
The Asbab- un-Nuzul (reason for the revelation) of the above verses
according to Sh’abi: “There was a dispute between a Jew and a Munaafiq
(hypocrite). The Jew said: ‘Let us seek a judgement from Muhammad,’ for
he knew that he (s.a.w) does not take bribes. The hypocrite said: ‘Let us
get a judgement from the Jews’, because he knew they accepted bribes.
Thus, both of them agreed to take their case to a soothsayer in Juhainah.
It was on this occasion that the verse: ‘Have you seen those who
claim…’ was revealed.” Some others said that there was a dispute
between two men. One of them said: “Let us take the dispute to the
Prophet (s.a.w) for his judgement” but the other said: “Take it to Ka’b bin
Al-Ashraf.” Thereafter both of them came to ‘Umar Ibn Khattaab (R.A).
One of them told him the story so he asked the other who was not content
to take the case to Prophet (s.a.w) “Is it so (as the other said)?” He said,
“Yes.” Then ‘Umar struck him with his sword and killed him.2
Allaah (SW) asked such people a pertinent question about preferring such
manmade laws to the laws of Allaah, He said:
Then is it the judgment of [the time of] ignorance they

desire? But who is better than Allaah in judgment for a
people who are certain [in faith]. (Qur’aan5:50)
Hence, due to lack of understanding and implementation of the sixth
condition of Shahaadah in many Muslim countries Shirk al-Haakimiyyah
has become quite rampant and this is the source of Muslim humiliation
in the twenty-first century.
Divine law has yet to be re-introduced in many so-called Muslim
countries where governments now rule according to imported
capitalist or communist constitutions, and the Islamic law is
either totally extinct or relegated to a few areas of minor
importance. Likewise, Muslim countries, where Islamic law is on
the books but secular laws are in force, have also to be brought in
line with the Shari’ah as it pertains to all aspects of life. The
acceptance of non-Islamic rule in place of Shari’ah in Muslim
lands is Shirk and an act of Kufr. Those in a position to change it
must do so, while those unable to do so must speak against the
rule of Kufr and call for the implementation of Shari’ah. If even
1
False objects of worship or those transgressors who usurp the divine right of government
2
The Concise Collection on Creed & Tawheed, p 135-136
140
this becomes impossible, un-Islamic government must be
sincerely hated and despised for the pleasure of Allaah and the
upholding of Tawheed. 1
Shirk Nullifies Good Deeds
The true understanding of Tawheed requires that we devote all forms of
worship sincerely to Allaah without associating partners with Him. That
whatever we do in all our everyday life however small or big should be free
of Shrik, because Shirk negates our purpose of creation and makes all our
deeds worthless in the sight of Allaah (SW).
Worship Allaah and associate nothing with Him… (Qur’aan4:36)
Shirk is also the greatest sin that Allaah (SW) does not forgive without
sincere repentance, Allaah may forgive any sin less than shirk to whoever
He likes without any repentance but not shirk.
Indeed, Allaah does not forgive association with Him, but He

forgives what is less than that for whomever He wills. And
he who associates others with Allaah has certainly
fabricated a tremendous sin. (Qur’aan4:48)
Indeed, Allaah does not forgive association with Him, but He

forgives what is less than that for whom He wills, And he
who associates others with Allaah has certainly gone far
astray. (Qur’aan4:116)
Shirk makes us loose all our righteous deeds thus, whenever Satan fails
in his plans to convince us to follow him in committing major and minor
sins he then comes in a way that is quite deceptive by ensuring that
whatever good deeds we do are not done for the sake of Allaah (SW) but
1
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal, The Fundamentals of Tawheed p 25-26
141
for other reasons and thus we end up associating partners with Allaah in
those deeds and loose all the blessings from those good deeds.
That is the guidance of Allaah by which He guides

whomever He wills of His servants. But if they had
associated others with Allaah, then worthless for them
would be whatever they were doing. (Qur’aan6:88)
And it was already revealed to you and to those before you

that if you should associate [anything] with Allaah, your
work would surely become worthless, and you would surely
be among the losers. Rather, worship [only] Allaah and be
among the grateful. (Qur’aan39:65-66)
So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord—let

him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of
his Lord anyone. (Qur’aan18:110)
And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did (in this life),
and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered
about. (Qur’aan25:23)
Belief in Angels
142
The Main Characteristics of Angels
The second pillar of Imaan in Islam is the belief in Angels. Muslims
believe that Allaah (SW) created Angels who are the unseen messengers of
Allaah. They were created from light, and were created for various duties
as designated by Allaah (SW). Angels unlike human beings do not have
such human necessities like eating, drinking, sleeping or getting married.
It is also very wrong to assume that they are male or female, in fact the
exact number and nature of these angels is only known by Allaah (SW)
since He is the one who created them.
(a) Angels are neither male nor female
The assumption and belief that angels are male or female is a sign of
disbelief just as the pagans used to do, Allaah (SW) said about them,
Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter name the

angels female names, and they have thereof no knowledge.
They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption
avails not against the truth at all. (Qur’aan53:27-28)
And they have made the angels, who are servants of the
Most Merciful, females. Did they witness their creation?
Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be
questioned. (Qur’aan43:19)1
(b) Angels have the ability to change their form
Angels were created with the ability to change their form of creation and
take the shape of human beings according to the will of Allaah as it
happened when Angel Gabriel came to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in the
shape of a human being resembling a man called Dihyatul Kalby and
started asking the Prophet questions pertaining to Islam, Imaan, Ihsaan
and the Last Hour (Dooms Day) as well as the signs signifying the
approach of the Day of Judgment.
Other instances when angels took the form of human beings is when
Angels went to visit Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) to give him the glad tidings
1
Also see Qur’aan17:40 and Qur’aan37:148-154
143
of getting a second son Ishaaq from his first wife Sarah on arrival, as
visitors and with Prophet Ibrahim’s generosity with visitors, he
entertained them with a roasted calf but they could not eat as Angels do
not eat or drink and so Ibrahim became afraid as we read in the Qur’aan.
And certainly did Our messengers [i.e. Angels] come to

Abraham with good tidings; they said, “Peace.” He said,
“Peace,” and did not delay in bringing [them] a roasted calf.
But when he saw their hands not reaching for it, he
distrusted them and felt from them apprehension.1 They
said, “Fear not. We have been sent to the people of Lot.” And
his wife was standing, and she smiled2. Then We gave her
good tidings of Isaac and after Isaac, Jacob. She said, “Woe
to me 3! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this,
my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing
thing!” They said, “Are you amazed at the decree of Allaah?
May the mercy of Allaah and His blessings be upon you,
1
Traditionally, if guest refused to eat, it meant that he harbored ill will toward the host or intended
him harm.
2
In pleasure at the news of she forthcoming punishment of the evil people who denied Prophet Lot
(upon him be peace)
3
An expression of surprise and amazement
144
people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and
Honorable.” And when the fright had left Abraham and the
good tidings had reached him, he began to argue [i.e. plead]
with Us1 concerning the people of Lot. Indeed, Abraham was
forbearing, grieving2 and [frequently] returning [to Allaah].
(Qur’aan11:69-75)
The other occasion when the Angels came in the form of human beings is
when they came to give tidings to Virgin Mary of a righteous son (Prophet
Jesus son of Mary).
And mention, [O Muhammad [s.a.w]], in the Book [the story

of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place
toward the east. And she took, in seclusion from them, a
screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e. Gabriel], and he
represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. She
said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you,
[so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allaah.” He said, “I
am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a
pure boy [i.e. Son].” (Qur’aan19:16-19)
(c) Angels are created from light
Angels are originally created from light as taught by Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w), Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) the beloved wife of
Prophet Muhammad reported that the he (s.a.w) said:
The angels were created from light, the jinns were created from
smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from what has
been described to you. (Sahih Muslim)
(d) Angels are created without a free will
Yet another characteristic of Angels is that they are created without a free
will; they obey Allaah without choice, and hence cannot disobey Allaah
hence they are infallible as is recorded in the Qur’aan.
1
i.e. with Our angels.
2
i.e. sighing or moaning during supplication out of grief for people and fear of Allaah.
145
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your
families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones, over
which are [appointed] Angels, harsh and severe; they do not
disobey Allaah in what he commands them but do what they
are commanded. (Qur’aan 66:6)
The duties of Angels in General
These Angels fall into different categories according to the duties assigned
by Allaah (SW), there are amongst others those who bear the throne of
Allaah, those who guard Paradise and Hell, those who record deeds of
human beings, the bringer of revelation, the blower of the trumpet, those
who guard human beings from jinns and other evil people and those in
charge of taking human souls at the time of death etc. Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) had even informed the Muslims about the names of
these angels in some of his night supplications, for example he used to
supplicate in the following words:
O Allaah! Lord of Jibril, Mikail, and Israfil! Originator of the
heavens and the earth! Knower of the unseen and the seen! You
who judge between your servants in what they used to dispute
over! Guide me by Your Permission when the truth is opposed; You
guide whom you will to the Straight Path 1.
(i) Bringing Allaah’s Revelation To mankind
Prophets and Messengers received revelation containing the true message
of Allaah through the Angels.
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e.

revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His
servants, [telling them], “Warn that there is no deity except
Me; so fear Me.” (Qur’aan16:2)
1
Al-Jaza’iry Abu Bakr Jabir, Minhaj Al-Muslim, p. 45, who quoted from Sahih Muslim.
146
And it is not for any human being that Allaah should speak
to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or
that He sends a messenger [i.e. angel] to reveal, by His
permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and
Wise. (Qur’aan42:51)
(ii) Strengthening Prophets and Messengers
Angel Gabriel who is the Holy Spirit was not only sent to Prophet Jesus
(p.b.u.h) but also to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and Prophet Lot to
strengthen and support them whenever the need arose. Allaah (SW) says,
And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [i.e. the

Torah] and followed up after him with messengers. And We
gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him
with the Pure Spirit [i.e. the angel Gabriel]. (Qur’aan2:87)
147
And when Our messengers, [the angels], came to Lot, he was
anguished for them and felt for them great discomfort 1 and
said, “This is a trying day.” And his people came hastening
to him, and before [this] they had been doing evil deeds 2. He
said, ‘O my people, these are my daughters3; they are purer
for you. So fear Allaah and do not disgrace me concerning
my guests. Is there not among you a man of reason?” They
said, “You have already known that we have not concerning
your daughters [i.e. women] any claim [i.e. desire], and
indeed, you know what we want.” He said, “If only I had
against you some power or could take refuge in a strong
support.” They [the angels] said, “O Lot, indeed we are
messengers of your Lord; [therefore] they will never reach
you. So set out with your family during a portion of the
night and let not any among you look back except your wife;
indeed, she will be struck by that which strikes them.
Indeed, their appointment is [for] the morning. Is not the
morning near?” (Qur’aan11:7-81)
(iii) Strengthening the believers

There are also many instances in the Qur’aan where the believers were
strengthened by the help of Angels against their enemies. Examples are
the battle of Badr when the Muslim army was very small comprising of
only three hundred soldiers ill-equipped whereas the disbelievers were
numbering over one thousand and well equipped, as well as the battle of
Uhud when the Muslims were far less in number and equipment in
comparison with the disbelievers.
1
Prophet Lot feared for the safety and honor of his guests.
2
Referring to their practice of sodomy and homosexual rape of males
3
i.e. the women of his community who were available for marriage.
148
[Remember] when you asked help of your Lord, and He
answered you, “Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand
from the angels, following one another.” And Allaah
appointed it only as good tidings and so that your hearts
would be assured thereby. And victory is from no one but
Allaah. Indeed, Allaah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
(Qur’aan8:9-10)
[Remember] when you said to the believers, “Is it not

sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with
three thousand angels sent down? Yes, if you remain patient
and conscience of Allaah and they [i.e. the enemy] come
upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you
with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction].”
And Allaah made it not except as [a sign of] good tidings for
you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not
except from Allaah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
(Qur’aan3:124-126)
(iv) Punishing the disbelievers at the time of death
Angels also have a duty of punishing the disbelievers when their souls are
being taken out at the time of death as well as when they are in their
graves. As is found in a number of places in the Glorious Qur’aan and
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), Allaah (SW) says.
149
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of
those who disbelieved...1 They are striking their faces and
their backs and [saying], “Taste the punishment of the
Burning Fire. That is for what your hands have put forth [of
evil] and because Allaah is not ever unjust to His servants.”
(Qur’aan8:50-51)
Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death,
striking their faces and their backs? That is because they
followed what angered Allaah and disliked [what earns] His
pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds. (Qur’aan47:27-
28)
(v) Invoking Allaah’s Blessings and Forgiveness for believers
Another important duty of Angels is making dua’ (supplicating) to Allaah
(SW) to bless and forgive the believers of their minor sins and
shortcomings. Allaah (SW) tells us this in a number of places in the
Qur’aan as a motivation for humanity to accept faith and work
righteousness.
It is He who confers blessing upon you 2, and His angels [ask

Allaah to bless and forgive you] that He may bring you out
1
This sentence is left incomplete for additional effect. Its conclusion is left to the imagination of
the reader or listener and estimated as ‘you would see a dreadful sight.’
2
i.e. Allaah (subhanahu Wa ta’ala) cares for you and covers you with His mercy. An additional
meaning is that He praises you in the presence of the angels.
150
from darkness [of disbelief and polytheism] into the light [of
Belief and Islam]. And ever is He, to the believers, Most
Merciful. (Qur’aan33:43)
َ ‫الَّذِينَ َيحْ ِملُونَ ْال َع ْر‬

َ ُ‫ش َو َم ْن َح ْولَهُ ي‬
َ‫س ِب ُحونَ ِب َح ْم ِد َر ِب ِه ْم َويُؤْ ِمنُون‬
‫ش ْيءٍ َرحْ َمةً َو ِع ْل ًما‬ َ ‫ِب ِه َو َي ْستَ ْغ ِف ُرونَ ِللَّذِينَ آ َمنُوا َر َّبنَا َو ِس ْعتَ ُك َّل‬
‫)ر َّبنَا‬َ 7(‫اب ْال َج ِح ِيم‬ َ ‫فَا ْغ ِف ْر ِللَّذِينَ تَابُوا َواتَّ َبعُوا‬
َ ‫س ِبيلَكَ َوقِ ِه ْم‬
َ َ ‫عذ‬
‫صلَ َح ِم ْن آ َبا ِئ ِه ْم‬ َ ‫عد ٍْن الَّ ِتي َو‬
َ ‫ع ْدتَ ُهم َو َم ْن‬ َ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫َوأَد ِْخ ْل ُه ْم َج َّنا‬
‫ت‬
ِ ‫س ِيئَا‬ َ 8(‫يز ْال َح ِكي ُم‬
َّ ‫)وقِ ِه ْم ال‬ ُ ‫اج ِه ْم َوذُ ِريَّا ِت ِه ْم إِ َّنكَ أ َ ْنتَ ْالعَ ِز‬
ِ ‫َوأ َ ْز َو‬
‫ت َي ْو َم ِئ ٍذ فَقَ ْد َر ِح ْمتَهُ َوذَلِكَ ه َُو ْالفَ ْو ُز ْالعَ ِظيم‬ َّ ‫َو َم ْن تَ ِقي ال‬
ِ ‫س ِيئَا‬
Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it
exalt [Allaah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him
and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying],
“Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and
knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed
Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.
Our Lord, and admit them to gardens of perpetual residence
which You have promised them and whoever was righteous
among their fathers, their spouses and their offspring.
Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. And
protect them from the evil consequences [of their deeds]. And
he whom You protect from evil consequences that Day—You
will have given him mercy. And that is the great
attainment.” (Qur’aan40:7-9)
The heavens almost break from above them1, and the angels
exalt [Allaah] with praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness
for those on earth. Unquestionably, it is Allaah who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful.
(vi) They play a major role in the creation of human beings
1
i.e. from the grandeur of Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) above them
151
A number of statements from Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) indicate that
Angels play a major role in the creation of human beings in the wombs of
women:
Abu Dharr said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) say:
‘When forty-two nights are passed Allaah (SW) sends an Angel to
the nutfah (embryo) and he gives it shape, forming its hearing and
sight, its skin, flesh and bones. Then he says: ‘O Lord, male or
female?’ Then your Lord decrees whatever He wills and the Angel
write it down.’”1
It is narrated that Ibn Mas’ud said: “The Messenger of Allaah

(s.a.w), who is the most truthful one, told us: Each one of you is
brought together in your mother’s womb for forty days, then
becomes an ‘alaqah (clot) for a similar period of time. Then he
becomes a mudhghah (chewed lump of flesh) for a similar length of
time. Then Allaah sends an Angel to him (within the forty days),
who is commanded with four things. It is said to him: Write down
his deeds, his provision, and whether he is doomed (destined for
Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise). Then the soul is breathed
into him.’”2
It is narrated from Anas that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Allaah has
appointed an Angel over the womb, and he says, ‘O Lord, a nutfah
(mixed discharge from male and female); O Lord, an ‘alaqah (clot);
O Lord, a mudhghah (chewed lump of flesh),’ And when Allaah
wants to decree his creation, he says: ‘O Lord, male or female?
Doomed or blessed? What is his provision? What is his lifespan?’
All of that is written when he is in his mother’s womb.” 3
(vii) Encouraging human beings to do good deeds
Part of the duties of Angels is to encourage man to do good, Allaah (SW)
has appointed for each person a qareen (constant companion right from
birth up till death) from among the Angels, and another from among the
jinns.
Ibn Mas’ood said: “The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) said: ‘There is
no one among you except that there has been appointed for him a
qareen from among the jinns and another from among the Angels.’
They said, ‘Even for you too, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, ‘For
me too, but Allaah has helped me against him (the jinn companion)
and he has become Muslim, so he does not tell me to do anything
but good.’” 4
1
Sahih Muslim
2
3
4
Sahih Muslim
152
This angelic companion is probably different from the Angels who
record a person’s deeds; Allaah (SW) has appointed him to guide
the person. A person’s qareen from among the Angels and his
qareen from among the jinn have an influence upon him. The latter
tells him and encourages him to do evil, while the former urges and
encourages him to do good. It is narrated from Ibn Mas’ood that the
Prophet (s.a.w) said:
The devil has a hold on son of Adam, and the Angel has a hold
over him. The hold of the devil tempts him to do evil and deny the
truth. The hold of the Angel encourages him to do good and believe
in the truth. Whoever experiences anything of this sort, let him
know that it is from Allaah, and let him praise Allaah. Whoever
experiences anything of the other, let him seek refuge with Allaah
from the accursed Shaytaan (devil) then recite:
Shaytaan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you

to commit Fahshaa (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse,
sins etc.); whereas Allaah promises you Forgiveness from
Himself and Bounty, and Allaah is All-Sufficient for His
creatures' needs, All-Knower. (Qur’aan2:268) 1
Narrated Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “No day
comes except two Angels come down (to the earth) in the morning.
One of them says, ‘O Allaah compensate the one who spends (for
your sake)’ and the other says, ‘O Allaah, destroy the one who
withholds (from spending for your sake).’” 2
(viii) They give glad tidings of Paradise to believers and bad tidings of Hell
to the dibelivers
When death comes to a believing servant of Allaah, the Angels come down
to assure him giving him glad tidings and support.
1
Ibn Katheer said, after quoting the Hadith, that this is how it is narrated by At-Tirmidhi and An-
Nasaa’I in the books of Tafseer of their Sunans from Hanaad ibnal-Sirri. See al-Asqar Umar S. The
World of the Noble Angels, pp. 66-67
2
Sahih Bukhari
153
Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allaah (Alone)," and then
they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the
time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But
receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been
promised! "We have been your friends in the life of this
world and are (so) in the Hereafter. Therein you shall have
(all) that your inner-selves desire, and therein you shall have
(all) for which you ask for. "An entertainment from (Allaah),
the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur’aan41:30-32)
But they give the Kuffaar the bad tiding of Hell and the anger of the
Compeller (Allaah) saying to them:
And who can be more unjust than he who invents a lie

against Allaah, or says: "I have received inspiration,"
whereas he is not inspired in anything; and who says, "I will
reveal the like of what Allaah has revealed." And if you
could but see when the Dhaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-
doers, etc.) are in the agonies of death, while the angels are
stretching forth their hands (saying): "Deliver your souls!
This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of
degradation because of what you used to utter against
154
Allaah other than the truth. And you used to reject His
Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.) with disrespect! (Qur’aan6:93)
The Most Outstanding Angels and Their Functions

1. There are Angels who record good and bad deeds done by human
beings; they are called noble recording Angels and watchers
(Raqeeb and Ateed).
And indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Noble and

recording. (Qur’aan82:10-12)
And we have already created man and know what his soul
whispers to him, and we are closer to him than [his] Jugular
vein. When the two receivers [i.e. Recording Angels] receive,
seated on the right and on the left. He [i.e. man] does not
utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared
[to record]. And the intoxication of Death will bring the
truth; that is what you were trying to avoid. (Qur’aan 50:16-19)
2. Gabriel (Jibreel) is the Angel who brings down revelation.
Say, “whoever is an enemy to Gabriel- it is [none but] he who

has brought it [i.e. the Qur’aan] down upon your heart, [O
Muhammad], by permission of Allaah, confirming that which
155
was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the
believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allaah and his Angels and
his messengers and Gabriel and Michael (Mika’il)- then
indeed, Allaah is an enemy to the disbelievers. (Qur’aan297-98)
3. Israafeel is the Angel who will blow the trumpet for the last hour1.
And the horn will be blown. That is the day of [carrying out]
the threat. And every soul will come, with it a driver and a
witness. [It will be said], “You were certainly in
unmindfulness of this, and we have removed from you your
cover, so your sight, this day is sharp. And his companion,
[the Angel], will say, “This [record] is what is with me,
prepared.” [Allaah will say], “Throw into Hell every obstinate
disbeliever, preventer of good, aggressor, and doubter, who
made [us equal] with Allah another deity; then throw him
into the severe punishment. (Qur’aan 50:20-26)
4. Israel or Malakul Maut is the Angel who takes the soul of humans
at the time of death by the command of Allaah.
Say: "The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly)

take your souls then shall you be brought back to your
Lord." (Qur’aan 32:11)
1
Darussalam, The Concise Collection on Creed & Tauhid, p. 259.
156
For him (each person) there are angels in succssion before
and after him. They guard him by the command of Allaah.
(Qur’aan13:11)
5. Malik is the guardian of the Hell-fire
And We have set none but angels as guardians of the Fire;

and We have fixed their number only as a trial for
Unbelievers, in order that the People of the Book may arrive
at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith, and
that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and
the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease
and the Unbelievers may say, "What symbol does Allaah
intend by this? Thus does Allaah leave to stray whom He
pleases; and guides whom He pleases; and none can know
the forces of you Lord, except He. And this is no other than a
warning to mankind. (Qur’aan74:31)
6. There are those Angels who guard and protect the human being
from harm wherever he goes.
And He is the subjugator over his servants, and He

sends over you guardian-Angels until, when death
comes to one of you, our messengers [i.e. Angels of
death] take him, and they do not fail [in their duties].
(Qur’aan 6:61)
157
7. Michael is the head of the Angels concerned with the climate and
vegetation and provision. Al-Ashqar quoted Ibn Katheer in his Al-
Bidaayah wan- Nihaayah as saying:
Mikaaeel is appointed over the rain and vegetation from
which is created provision of this world. He has helpers who
do whatever he commands them to do by the command of
his Lord. They control the winds and clouds as the Loed
wills. 1
8. Among the Angels are those responsible for the clouds called Ar-
Ra’d. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of
Allaah (s.a.w) said:
“Ar-Ra’d is one of the Angels who is responsible for the clouds… He
drives the clouds wherever Allaah wills”.2 So rain may come to one
land and not to another, or to one city and not to another. He may
be commanded to send rain on one man’s crops, and no one else’s,
as narrated by Abu Hurairah, according to which the Prophet
(s.a.w) said: “whilst a man was in an open country, he heard a
voice in a cloud (saying), ‘send rain on the garden of so and so.’ So
the cloud moved and poured down its water in a stony area, and
one of the channels took all that water. He followed the water and
found a man standing in his garden, using a shovel to direct the
water where he wanted it. He said to him, ‘O slave of Allaah, what
is your name?’ He said, ‘so and so.’ Mentioning the name that (the
first man) had heard in the cloud. He said, ‘ I heard a voice in the
cloud from which the water came, saying, “send rain on the garden
of so and so” and it was your name. What do you do with it?’ He
said, ‘because you said this, I will tell you. I look at the produce of
my garden, then I give one-third in charity, feed myself and my
family with one-third, and I put one-third back into the garden.’ ” 3
9. Other Angels are the bearers of the Throne of Allaah (SW) who are
eight in number.
The Throne, which is the greatest of all created things
encompasses the seven heavens and is above them, and the Most
Merciful Allaah (SW) is above the Throne, which is carried by eight
Angels, Allaah (SW) says:
And the angels will be on its sides, and eight will, that Day,
bear the Throne of thy Lord above them. (Qur’aan69:17)
1
Al-Asqar Umar S.The World of the Noble Angels, pp. 112
2
At-Tirmidhi
3
Al-Asqar Umar S.The World of the Noble Angels, pp. 113 who quoted Sahih Muslim.
158
10. Munkar and Nakeer are the Angels who question people in their
graves. When a person is placed in his grave, two Angels come to
him in a frightening form as is reported in the Hadith of the
Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w):
When the deceased- or when one of you –is buried, two black and
blue Angels come to him, one of whom is called Al-Munkar and the
other An-Nakeer. They say, ‘What do you say about this man?’ and
he tells them what he used to say, ‘He is the slave of Allaah and
His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah
and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger…’ But if he was
a hypocrite, he says, ‘I heard the people saying something and I
said likewise; I don’t know…’” 1
According to the Hadith narrated by Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib that the
Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) said:
“Two (very harsh) Angels come to him (and treat him roughly) and
make him sit up. They say to him, ‘Who is your Lord? What is your
religion? Who is your Prophet?’ This is the last trial to which the
believer is subjected. This is what Allaah refers to in the aayah:
Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the Word that
stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allaah
will leave, to stray, those who do wrong: Allaah does what
He wills. (Qur’aan14:27)
So he says, ‘My Lord is Allaah, my religion is Islam and my
Prophet is Muhammad (s.a.w)’ Then the voice cries out from
heaven, ‘My slave has spoken the truth’”
The Prophet (s.a.w) also said about the Kaafir or evildoer:

“Two (very harsh) Angels come to him (and treat him roughly) and
make him sit. They say to him, ‘What is your Lord?’ He says, ‘Oh,
oh, I don’t know.’ They say to him, ‘What is your religion?’ He
says, Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ They say, ‘What do you say about this
man who was sent among you? He cannot remember his name, so
they tell him, ‘Muhammad.’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know (I heard
people saying such and such.’ They say to him, ‘May you never
1 At-Tirmidhi
159
know and may you never say what the people said!’) Then a voice
calls out, ‘My slave is lying.’ 1
The Significance of Belief in Angels
The belief in Angels is of great significance in the life of a Muslim in the
sense that:
(a) A believer who has full conviction that Angels as unseen creatures
and messengers of Allaah are constantly watching all his or her
actions will not need any policing around for this belief in Angels
will be his strategy in leading a righteous life.
(b) A believer who sincerely believes that recording Angels are
constantly writing down in his book of record his good and bad
deeds, which will consequently determine his account and
destination after Allaah’s judgment, will strive to increase his
righteous good deeds and reduce as much as possible on the bad
and evil deeds.
(c) A believer who knows that Angels give respite of up to six hours
before writing down in the book of record the sin which one has
done will quickly do sincere repentance before the evil deed is
written down.2
(d) A believer who is aware that Angels supplicate for those who are in
good gatherings like the Qur’aanic study circles, gatherings of
Salaah and glorification and remembrance of Allaah will spend
much of their time in such good gatherings and keep away from
gatherings that have no mention or remembrance of Allaah.
(e) A believer who knows that no day comes except two Angels come
down (to the earth) in the morning. One of them says, ‘O Allaah
compensate the one who spends’ and the other says, ‘O Allaah,
destroy the one who withholds. Except that that believer will race
towards giving charity everyday even if it is saying a good word to a
fellow human being and thus earn Allaah’s blessings and mercy.
(f) Believers who know that Angels will strengthen them and fight
along side them thus supporting them during Jihaad against the
enemies of Allaah and His Messenger as it happened in the battles
of Badr and Uhud in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) will
not fear or lag behind in the duty of Jihaad for they are assured of
Allaah’s help through His noble Angels who cannot be seen by the
enemies, and thus the believers however few they may be will
always be victorious by the will of Allaah.
1
Bilal, Mustapha al-Kanadi The Mysteries of the Soul pp. 30-42 who quoted a long Hadith which is
a synthesis of relevant authentic Ahaadith in the collections of Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, al-
Haakim, an-Nasaai and at-Taylisi
2
As Allaah (SW) said, “Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and
foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they whom Allaah will forgive and Allaah is Ever All-
Knowing, All-Wise.” (Qur’aan4:17)
160
(g) Believers who know that Angels are offended by sins, disobedience
to Allaah, Kufr and Shirk and also that Angels do not enter places
and houses with pictures of anything with a soul, statues, stone
alters and dogs will strive to keep away from such places and keep
their homes free of all such things that will deprive them of the
mercy, blessings and supplication that are brought by the
presence of Angels.
(h) Believers who are aware that Angels are also offended by those
things that offend fellow human beings like: offensive smells, filth
and dirt. As was reported that the Prophet (s.a.w) had said,
“Whoever eats (raw) garlic or onions or leeks, let him not come
near our mosque, for the Angels are offended by that which offends
the sons of Adam.”1 The matter is so serious that the Messenger
(s.a.w) ordered the one who came to the mosque emanating the
smell of garlic or onions to go out to Al-Baqee’2. Therefore such
believers will keep away from all that brings a bad smell in the
mouth including cigarettes which are haram (forbidden).
(i) A believer who sincerely believes that Angels will inflict evil people
with severer punishment in the graves or reward righteous people
with good as reported from the Prophet (s.a.w), will continuously
strive to do good while preparing for the inevitable i.e. death.
Questions
(1) Give the Islamic meaning of the following terms:
a) Aqeedah
b) Tawheed
c) Divine names
d) Divine attributes
(2) What is the Islamic belief about Allaah’s names and attributes?
(3) List ten divine names of Allaah (SW) as mentioned in the
Qur’aan.
(4) State the three principles used in understanding Allaah’s divine
names and attributes.
(5) Explain the significance of Tawheed in the daily life of a Muslim.
(6) Name the two main categories of shirk and their effects in the
Muslim’s acts of worship.
(7) Outline five forms of Shirk common in the life of Muslims.
(8) Outline at least 8 names of angels and their duties.
(9) State at least five points about the significance of the belief in
angel.
1
Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, the one above is by Muslim
2
Sahih Muslim
161
CHAPTER NINE
AL-IBAADAH: INTRODUCTION TO DEVOTIONAL ACTS
SHAHAADAH (DECLARATION OF FAITH) AND SALAAH (PRAYER)
The meaning of Shahaadah
The importance of Shahadah
The significance of Shahaadah
The conditions of Shahaadah
The meaning of Salaah
The essential conditions of Salaah
The significance of Salaah
Twahaara and its importance
Main types of Salaah
The importance of Salaah in congregation
Salaah on special occasions
Introduction to Ibaadah: Devotional Acts

Whereas ‘Aqeedah is not a practical matter that can be visibly seen in a
human being as we saw in chapter eight, Ibaadah that may loosely be
translated as devotional acts of worship are practical matters in the daily
life of a Muslim. In fact, it is the reason for which human beings and
Jinns were created as Allaah (SW) says in the Glorious Qur’aan:
And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except

they should (devote their) worship Me (Alone). (Qur’aan51:56)
O people! Devotedly worship your guardian Lord (Allaah),

Who created you and those who were before you so that
you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious). (Qur’aan2:21)
Therefore, just as every Muslim is obliged to firmly believe in the six
pillars of (Imaan) faith as we have seen in chapter eight also every Muslim
162
is obliged to establish the five pillars of Islam which are in essence the
foundation of the Din of Islam, the complete and comprehensive way of
life. These five pillars being the foundation of the house of Islam are:
Shahaadah (the declaration of the Islamic creed), Salaah (the Muslim
prayer), Zakaah (Compulsory charity or Alms), Siyaam (Fasting in the
month of Ramadhaan) and Hajj (The Muslim pilgrimage to the Ka’abah in
Makkah). The establishment of these devotional acts (pillars of Islam) is
also in accordance to the command of Allaah in the Glorious Qur’aan and
the saying of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) when Angel Jibreel came to
teach the Muslims the Din of Islam as follows:
And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship

Allaah, offering Him sincere devotion, being True (in faith); to
establish regular Prayer; and to practice regular Charity; and
that is the Religion right and Straight. (Qur’aan98:5)
‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ ُ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ِل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫ب قَا َل َب ْي َن َما نَحْ ُن ِع ْن َد َر‬
ِ ‫َطا‬َّ ‫ع َم ُر ب ُْن ْالخ‬ُ
‫شعَ ِر ََّل‬َّ ‫س َوا ِد ال‬َ ‫شدِي ُد‬
َ ‫ب‬ِ ‫الث َيا‬
ِ ‫اض‬ ِ ‫شدِي ُد َب َي‬َ ‫علَ ْينَا َر ُج ٌل‬ َ ‫طلَ َع‬ َ ‫ذَاتَ َي ْو ٍم إِ ْذ‬
‫صلَّى‬ َ ِ ‫س إِلَى ال َّن ِبي‬ َ َ‫سفَ ِر َو ََّل َي ْع ِرفُهُ ِم َّنا أ َ َح ٌد َحتَّى َجل‬ َّ ‫علَ ْي ِه أَثَ ُر ال‬
َ ‫ي َُرى‬
‫ع َلى فَ ِخ َذ ْي ِه َو َقا َل‬ َ ‫سلَّ َم فَأ َ ْس َن َد ُر ْك َبتَ ْي ِه ِإلَى ُر ْك َبتَ ْي ِه َو َو‬
َ ‫ض َع َك َّف ْي ِه‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬
َ ‫َّللا‬
ُ َّ
‫سلَّ َم‬
َ ‫ع َل ْي ِه َو‬ ُ َّ ‫ص َّلى‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫اْلس ََْل ِم فَقَا َل َر‬ ِ ْ ‫ع ِن‬َ ‫َيا ُم َح َّم ُد أ َ ْخ ِب ْر ِني‬
ُ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
‫َّللا‬ َ ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬ُ ‫َّللا َوأ َ َّن ُم َح َّمدًا َر‬
ُ َّ ‫أ َ ْن ََّل ِإلَهَ ِإ ََّّل‬ ‫اْلس ََْل ُم أ َ ْن تَ ْش َه َد‬ِْ
َ‫ضانَ َوتَ ُح َّج ْال َبيْت‬َ ‫وم َر َم‬ َ ‫ص‬ ُ َ‫الز َكاة َ َوت‬َّ ‫ي‬ َ ‫ص ََلة َ َوتُؤْ ِت‬َّ ‫يم ال‬َ ‫سلَّ َم َوت ُ ِق‬
َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬
َ
‫ث ُ َّم‬...ُ‫ص ِدقُه‬َ ُ‫ص َد ْقتَ قَا َل فَ َع ِج ْبنَا لَهُ َي ْسأَلُهُ َوي‬َ ‫يَل قَا َل‬ ً ‫س ِب‬
َ ‫ط ْعتَ ِإلَ ْي ِه‬ َ َ‫ِإ ِن ا ْست‬
ُ َّ ُ‫سا ِئ ُل قُ ْلت‬
‫َّللا‬ َّ ‫ع َم ُر أَتَد ِْري َم ِن ال‬ ُ ‫طلَقَ َفلَ ِب ْثتُ َم ِليًّا ث ُ َّم َقا َل ِلي َيا‬ َ ‫ا ْن‬
‫سولُهُ أ َ ْعلَ ُم قَا َل فَإِ َّنهُ ِجب ِْري ُل أَتَا ُك ْم يُ َع ِل ُم ُك ْم دِي َن ُك ْم‬
ُ ‫َو َر‬
On the authority of ‘Umar Ibn Khattaab (RA) who said: One day while
we were sitting with the Messenger of Allaah (may the blessings and
163
peace of Allaah be upon him) there appeared before us a man whose
clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly
black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us
knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (may the
blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him). Resting his knees against
his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he said: O
Muhammad, tell me about Islam. The Messenger of Allaah (may the
blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: Islam is to testify
that there is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah, to perform Salah (the prayers), to pay Zakat (compulsory
charity), to fast in Ramadhan, and to make Hajj (the pilgrimage) to the
House if you are able to do so. He said: You have spoken rightly…
Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then he said: O
‘Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I said: Allaah and his
Messenger knows best. He said: It was Gabriel, who came to teach
you your religion.1
However, in this chapter we are going to discuss only the first and second
pillars of Islam i.e. Shahaadah (declaration of Islamic creed) and Salaah
(the Muslim prayer) the remaining pillars will be covered in books Two,
Three and Four of Essential Islamic Studies.
The Meaning of Shahaadah2
Shahaadah is the true declaration of Tawheed
The Shahaadah, Laa ilaaha illallaah Muhammadan Rasulullah, basically
means, there is no true God worthy of worship in the whole universe
except Allaah the only unique true God, and that Muhammad (s.a.w) is
the final Prophet and Messenger of Allaah sent to the whole world. The
first part of the Shahaadah, is divided into two portions, the first portion
Laa ilaaha begins by negating all false deities that are being worshipped
by humanity today, be they humans, heavenly bodies, wealth, power,
socio-economic status, false human ideologies, the so-called super power
countries, Angels, Jinns, Prophets, Magicians, Satan or any other
creature in the heavens or on earth etc.
The second portion illallaah affirms the reality of the one only true unique
God, Allaah (SW). This meaning of the first part of the Shahaadah has
been spread out in the Qur’aan in numerous passages, Allaah (SW) says.
1
Sahih Muslim (English Translation) HN0. 4 Also collected by An-Nawawi in his Forty
Hadith (Arabic-English) Ezzeddin and Davies, p. 28-33.
2
The discussion of this chapter has been taken from Ondigo Yahya Muhammad Atei, The Seven
Conditions of Shahaadah thus, for a comprehensive analysis of Shahaadah see this author’s book.
164
That is because Allaah is the true Deity to be worshiped,
and whatsoever else they call upon besides Him is vain
falsehood, and because Allaah is the Most High, the Grand.
(Qur’aan22:62)
And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of

worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially
Merciful. (Qur’aan2:163)
Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the
Hereafter, their hearts are disapproving, and they are
arrogant. (Qur’aan16:22)
Allaah (SW) is the only true Creator, Cherisher, Sustainer and lawgiver
Included in the meaning of the first part of the Shahaadah, Laa Ilaaha
Illallaah is the fact that Allaah (SW) is the only true Creator, Cherisher
and Sustainer. He is the only true super power the one perfect in His
names and attributes as we saw in chapter eight; all other so-called
super powers are fake. That Allaah is the only lawgiver and the only one
who deserves to be worshipped.
That is Allaah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him the

Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of
all things. (Qur’aan6:102)
165
Your Guardian-Lord is Allaah, Who created the heavens and
the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the
Throne (of authority): He draws the night as a veil over the
day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created
the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws
under His Command. Is it not His to create and to govern?
Blessed be Allaah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the
Worlds! (Qur’aan7:54)
Say: Shall I take for my protector any other than Allaah,

the Maker of the heavens and the earth? And He it is that
feeds (creatures) but is not fed. (Qur’aan6:14)
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the last Prophet and Messenger
The second part of the Shahaadah which is to bear witness that
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the Messenger of Allaah means, you accept that he
is the last Prophet and Messenger and that no prophet will come after
him, Allaah (SW) bore witness about this when He said.
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is)
the Messenger of Allaah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and
Allaah has full knowledge of all things. (Qur’aan33:40)
The Prophet (s.a.w) himself said that he was the last Prophet and
Messenger unlike all the prophets who came before him; none of them
was ever reported to have declared himself the seal of prophethood.
‫سُلَّ َم‬
َ ‫علَ ْيُ ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صُلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سُو َل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫ع ْنهُ أ َ َّن َر‬ َّ ‫ي‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ع ْن أ َ ِبي ه َُري َْرة َ َر‬
َ
ُ‫سُ َنه‬ َ ْ‫اء ِم ْن َقب ِْلُي َك َمثَُ ِل َر ُجُ ٍل َب َنُى َبيْتًُا َفأَح‬ ِ ‫َقا َل ِإ َّن َمثَ ِلي َو َمثَ َل ْاْل َ ْن ِب َي‬
166
‫وفُُونَ ِبُُ ِه‬ ُ ‫ط‬ ُ ‫اب َي‬ ِ ‫َوأَجْ َم َلُُهُ ِإَل َم ْو‬
َّ ‫ضُُ َع لَ ِب َنُُ ٍة ِمُُ ْن زَ ا ِو َيُُ ٍة َف َج َعُُ َل‬
ُ ُُ‫الن‬
‫ت َهُ ِذ ِه اللَّ ِب َنُةُ َقُا َل فَأ َ َنُا اللَّ ِب َنُةُ َوأ َ َنُا‬
ْ ‫ضُ َع‬ِ ‫َو َي ْع َجبُونَ لَهُ َو َيقُولُونَ هََل ُو‬
َ‫خَا ِت ُم ال َّن ِب ِيين‬
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allaah's Messenger said, "My similitude in
comparison with the other prophets before me is that of a man who
has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one
brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty,
but say: 'Would that this brick is put in its place!' So I am that brick,
and I am the last of the Prophets"1
‫َت َبنُو ِإس َْرا ِئي َل‬ ْ ‫سلَّ َم َقا َل َكان‬ َ ‫ع َل ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ِ ‫ع ِن ال َّن ِبي‬ َ َ ‫أ َ َبا ه َُري َْرة‬
‫ون‬ُ ‫س َي ُك‬ َ ‫ي َب ْعدِي َو‬َّ ‫ي َو ِإ َّنهُ َل َن ِب‬ٌّ ‫ي َخلَفَهُ َن ِب‬ ٌّ ‫س ُه ُم ْاْل َ ْن ِب َيا ُء ُكلَّ َما َهلَكَ َن ِب‬ ُ َ‫ت‬
ُ ‫سو‬
‫ُخلَفَا ُء فَ َي ْكث ُ ُرونَ قَالُوا فَ َما تَأ ْ ُم ُرنَا قَا َل فُوا ِب َب ْي َع ِة اَلأ َ َّو ِل فَاَلأ َ َّو ِل‬
‫عا ُه ْم‬ َ ‫سا ِئلُ ُه ْم‬
َ ‫ع َّما ا ْست َْر‬ َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫أ َ ْع‬
َ َّ ‫طو ُه ْم َحقَّ ُه ْم فَإِ َّن‬
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The Israelis used to be
ruled and guided by prophets: Whenever a prophet died, another
would take over his place. Verily there will be no prophet after me,
but there will be Caliphs who will increase in number." The people
asked, "O Allaah's Messenger! What do you order us (to do)?" He
said, "Obey the one who will be given the pledge of allegiance first.
Fulfil their (i.e. the Caliphs) rights, for Allaah will ask them about
(any shortcoming) in ruling those Allaah has put under their
guardianship."2
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the greatest Prophet and Messenger
Included in the meaning of the second part of the Shahaadah is the fact
that Muhammad (s.a.w) is the greatest and the best Prophet and
Messenger among all the prophets and messengers of Allaah. It is not our
duty to rank and grade Allaah’s prophets and messengers rather it is
ٌAllaah’s
ِ duty, thus Allaah (SW) says.
1
Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 4, Hadith No.735
2 Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 4, Hadith No. 661
167
Those Messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: to
some of them Allaah spoke (directly); others He raised to
degrees (of honor); to Jesus, the son of Mary, We gave Clear
(Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit. If Allaah
had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought
among each other, after Clear (Signs) had come to them but
they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If
Allaah had so willed, they would not have fought each other;
but Allaah fulfils whatever He wills. (Qur’aan2:253)
And the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) bore witness of himself that he was
the noblest soul among the sons of Adam, he said.
َ ‫سلَّ َم أ َ َنُا‬
‫سُ ِيدُ َو َلُ ِد‬ َ ‫علَ ْي ِه َو‬ َّ ‫صلَّى‬
َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫أَبُو ه َُري َْرة َ قَا َل قَا َل َر‬
ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬
َ ‫ع ْنُهُ ْالقَ ْبُ ُر َوأ َ َّو ُل‬
‫شُافِ ٍع َوأ َ َّو ُل‬ َ ‫آدَ َم َيُ ْو َم ْال ِق َي‬
َ ‫امُ ِة َوأ َ َّو ُل َمُ ْن َي ْن‬
َ ‫شُ ُّق‬
ٍ ‫ش َّفع‬
َ ‫ُم‬
Abu Huraira reported Allaah's Messenger (s.a.w) as saying: I
shall be pre-eminent amongst the descendants of Adam on the
Day of Resurrection and I will be the first whose grave will open
up and I will be the first intercessor and the first whose
intercession will be accepted (by Allaah).1
ُ‫سلَّ َم قَا َل أَنَا قَا ِئد‬

َ ُ‫َّللا‬ َ ‫ي‬ َّ ‫َّللا أ َ َّن ال َّن ِب‬ َ ‫ع ْن َجا ِب ِر ب ِْن‬
ِ َّ ‫ع ْب ِد‬ َ
‫سلِينَ َوَل فَ ْخ َر َوأَنَا خَاتَ ُم ال َّن ِب ِيينَ َوَل فَ ْخ َر َوأَنَا أ َ َّو ُل شَافِ ٍع‬ َ ‫ْال ُم ْر‬
َ ‫َوأ َ َّو ُل ُم‬
‫شفَّ ٍع َوَل فَ ْخ َر‬
1
168
Jaabyr Ibn Abdullaah reported that: The Prophet (s.a.w) said; I
am the leader of the Messengers and there is no boast, and I
am the last of the prophets and there is no boast and I shall be
the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will be
accepted and there is no boast.1
Allaah (SW) Himself bore witness to the status that He gave to His beloved
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in the glorious Qur’aan, when He said that
among the prophets and messengers who were sent, he was the best in
character and conduct.
And verily, you (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) are on an exalted

standard of character. (Qur’aan68:4)
Indeed you have in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad [s.a.w])

a good example [of conduct] to follow for him who hopes in (the
Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day and remembers Allaah
much. (Qur’aan33:21)
Prophet (s.a.w) reiterated the word of Allaah the exalted when he said,
Surely, I was only sent to complete the most noble character traits.2
Moreover when the Prophet’s wife Aa’ishah (R.A) was asked about the
Prophet’s character, she replied, His character was that of the Qur’aan.3
Meaning his manners was according to the instructions of Allaah given in
the Qur’aan. Even those who are not Muslims yet are open minded people
also bore witness and paid glowing tributes that Muhammad (s.a.w) was
the greatest soul among mankind that has ever lived on earth.
Jules Masserman, United States psychoanalyst and professor of Chicago
University gave us, unlike the other contributors, the basis for making his
selection. He gave us his reasons for choosing his greatest leader of all
times. He does not want us to depend on our fancies or prejudices: he
wants us to establish objective standards for making judgment before we
confer greatness upon anyone, he said:
Leaders must fulfil three functions…provide for the well-being of
the led, provide a social organization in which people feel
1
Sunan ad-Daarimi, Hadith No.49, al-Albaani authenticated it in Sahih al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer.
2
al-Haakim and al-Bayhaqee in Shu’ab al-Eemaan. Authenticated by al-Albaani in Sahih al-Jaami’
as-Sagheer
3
Sunan Abu Daud, (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 1337
169
relatively secure, and provide them with one set of beliefs. People
like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like
Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar and
Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the
third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone.
Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Muhammad, who
combined all the three functions. To a lesser degree Moses did the
same.1
Both Reverend Bosworth Smith and George Bernard Shaw also made
glowing tributes to the greatness of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), thus
confirming the statement of Allaah (SW) in the final revelation, they said.
By a fortune absolutely unique in history, Muhammad is a three-
fold founder of a Nation, of an Empire and of a Religion. 2
If any religion has a chance of ruling over England, nay Europe,
within the next hundred years, it can only be Islam. I have always
held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its
wonderful vitality. Islam is the only religion that appears to me to
possess the assimilating capability to the changing phase of
existence, which can make it appeal to every age. I believe that if
a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the
modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way
that would bring it much needed peace and happiness. 3
Muhammad (s.a.w) is the only universal Messenger

Also included in the meaning of the second part of the Shahaadah is to
believe that Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the only one sent as a
universal messenger with a complete and comprehensive message 4 of
Islam that is fit to guide the whole of mankind and Jinns for all time till
the Day of Judgment. Allaah bore witness about this fact when He said.
And We have not sent you, but as a mercy for all creatures.
(Qur’aan21:107)
1
Ahmad Deedat, The Choice: Islam and Christianity, Vol. 1, p 160 who quoted TIME, JULY 15,
1974
2
Ibid., Vol. 1, p 117 who quoted Smith Bosworth, Mohammed and Mohammedanism (1946)
3
Shaw, George Bernard, The Genuine Islam Vol. 1, No. 81936. Quoted from Sarwari Abdul
Khaaliq Khan, Muhammad Mercy for the Universe, p. 69-70.
4
A message of peace, justice, honor, human dignity etc.
170
And We have not sent you but as a universal (Messenger) to
all of mankind, giving them glad tidings, and warning them
(against sin), but most men understand not. (Qur’aan34:28)
Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of

Allaah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and
the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that gives both life
and death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger, the
unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allaah and His Words:
and follow him so that you may be guided." (Qur’aan7:158)
The Prophet (s.a.w) also pointed out about his unique position of
universality over all other prophets, when he said.
ِ ‫َّللا عَََّْ ِ سلَهَّق َلَاُ أ‬ ِ ‫َخبرَنا جا ِبر بن عب ِد ه‬
‫خَم َخ ْ َا‬ ُ ُ‫ُع‬ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ُ ‫َّللا أَ هن الهن ِب هي َصَهَّ ه‬ ْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ ََ ْ ‫أ‬
‫ض َم ْ ِجدا‬ ُ ‫الر ْع ِب َم ِ َخرَة َش ْه ٍر َس ُج ِعََّ ْم لِ َي ْاْل َْر‬
ُّ ‫َحٌد َلْبَِّي ُن ِصْر ُت ِب‬َ ‫ُ ُه هن أ‬ َ ‫َل ْق ُي ْع‬
‫ُحهََّ ْم ِلَي اْل َ َاَ ِان ُق َسَلَ ْق‬
ِ ‫الص ََل ُة َفَّْْصَ ِل سأ‬
َ َُ ‫ور َفأَُّي َ ا َر ُج ٍل ِم ْن أُ هم ِتي أ َْدَرَك ْت ُ ه‬
‫ط ُه ا‬ َ ‫َس‬
َ
‫ان الهن ِب َ ُّي ُ َْ َع َ ُِ ََِل َ َل ْو ِم َ ِ َخ ه‬
َ ‫اص‬ َ َ ‫اع َ َسَب‬ ‫َم ه‬
َ ‫الَ َ َك‬
ِ ‫َت ِح َ هل ِْلَح َ ٍد َلبَِّ َي سأ‬
ُ َ‫ُعُخ‬ ْ َ ْ َ
ِ ‫َسُب ِع ْث ُم ََِل الهن‬
‫اس َعا هم‬
Narrated Jaabir bin 'Abdullaah: The Prophet said, "I have been
given five things which were not given to any one else before me.1
1. Allaah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my
enemies) for a distance of one month's journey.
2. The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place
for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum,[dry ablution]
therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a
prayer is due.
1
Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Hadith No. 323 also found in Sahih Muslim
171
3. The booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not
lawful for anyone else before me.
4. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of
Resurrection).
5. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been
sent to all mankind.
The implication of this second part of the Shahaadah is that the only
human being that should be obeyed absolutely without question is
Muhammad (s.a.w) because obeying him actually constitutes the
obedience of Allaah (SW) and vice versa.
He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad [s.a.w]) obeys

The Significance of Shahaadah

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) spent 23years to establish Laa ilaaha illallaah
Shahaadah is that which opens the door of Islam; it is the key that opens
the abode of Islam without which one cannot enter into Islam. It is the
firm word that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) struggled to instil into the
hearts of his disbelieving countrymen the Quraysh; he spent thirteen long
years in hardship, trials and persecutions because of trying to convince
the people to accept this word and affirm it in their hearts and deeds and
consequently reject all false deities, the 360 idols that were in the
Ka’abah.
All Prophets were sent to Establish Laa ilaaha illallaah
Not only was the Prophet (s.a.w) the only one who struggled to establish
the good word, the unity of Allaah to his people but all Prophets and
Messengers were sent with the sole duty of calling their people to the
unity of Allaah. Many Prophets and messengers, nay all prophets and
messenger spent the whole of their life span only to expound and
establish this very important aspect of Islam in people’s lives. Allaah says.
And We did not send any Messenger before you (O

Muhammad [s.a.w]) but We inspired him (saying): Laa ilaaha
illallaah [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)],
so worship Me Alone." (Qur’aan21:25)
172
The fact that all Prophets and Messengers were sent to call people to
declare this Shahaadah and establish it in people’s life clearly points to
the significance of this good word; Prophets, Nuh, Ibraheem, Moses, Hud,
Saalih and even Jesus (p.b.u.t) all called their people to the unity of
Allaah, as Allaah says.
Indeed, We sent Nuh to his people and he said: "O my people!

Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa
ilaaha illa Allaah: none has the right to be worshipped but
Allaah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!"
(Qur’aan7:59)1
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community,

nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone),
and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities, etc.
i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allaah)." Then of them
were some whom Allaah guided and of them were some upon
whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land
and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).
(Qur’aan16:36)
The Measuring of Laa ilaaha illallaah (‫)ال اله اّال هللا‬

Our noble Sheikh, Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan in his book The
Declaration of Faith has clearly stated the status of this good word in the
following words, thus, clarifying to us the importance of Shahaadah:
It is a declaration (kalimah) that the Muslims proclaim in their daily
lives; in their call to Prayer (adhaan), their call to establishing the
Prayer (‘iqaamah), their sermons and their speeches. It is: “A
declaration upon which the heavens and the earth are established,
1
Also refer to, Qur’aan 21:51-70, Qur’aan 20:9-15, 47-56 and Qur’aan 3:45-53
173
and for which the whole of the creation was created, and for which
Allaah sent Messengers, revealed Books, and prescribed Divine LAus.
Because of it the Scales and the Registers were set-up, as were
Paradise and Hellfire. Due to it creation was divided into Believers and
unbelievers, righteous and wicked. It is the root cause for [there being]
creation, command, rewards and punishments. It is the right for
which the creation was created and about it and its rights will they be
questioned and brought to account. Because of it there is punishment
and reward; due to it the direction of Prayer (qiblah) was set-up; upon
it rests the very foundation of the Religion; and because of it swords
are drawn for striving and fighting (jihaad). It is the Right of Allaah
over His slaves; the Declaration (kalimah) of Islaam; and the key to
Paradise; about it both the earlier and later people will be questioned.
Indeed, no person will stand before Allaah without being asked two
questions: What did you worship? And how did you respond to the
Messengers? The reply to the first is by realization of laa ilaaha
illallaah; knowing it, affirming it, and acting by it. The reply to the
second is by realization that Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wasallam
is the Messenger of Allaah; knowing it, complying with it, and being
obedient to it.”1
Yet in another place while mentioning the virtues of Kalimatu Shahaadah,
the noble Sheikh said:
It has great virtues and has a great place with Allaah. Whoever says it
with truthfulness will enter the Gardens of Paradise and whoever did
not utter it truthfully, his property and blood will be safeguarded in
this world, but his reckoning will be with Allaah the Mighty and
Majestic. It is a concise declaration that contains few letters; light
upon the tongue, yet heavy in the scales. It has been reported by Ibn
Hibbaan, as well as al- Haakim who declared it to be authentic
(saheeh), from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree radhiyAllaahu anhu, that
Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu alaihi wasallam said: “Moses said: 0
my Lord! Teach me something by which I can remember You and
supplicate to You. Allaah said: 0 Moses! say laa ilaaha ilallaah.
Moses said: 0 my Lord! All Your slaves say this. Allaah said: 0
Moses! If the seven heavens and all that they contain, other than
Me, and the seven earths were placed in one scale, and laa ilaaha
ilallaah were put in the other, then laa ilaaha illallaah would
outweigh them all.”…This hadeeth proves that laa ilaaha illallaah is
the best form of remembrance, as also occurs in the hadeeth of
‘Abdullaah ibn Umar: “The best supplication is the supplication on
the day of ‘Arafah, and the best that I, or any other Prophet sent
before me, have said is: None has the right to be worshiped except
Allaah, alone, having no partner. To Him belongs the sovereignty,
and to Him belongs all praise, and He has power over
everything.”…
1
Al-Fauzaan Sheikh Saalih, The Declaration of Faith, p 9, who quoted Zaadul-Ma’aad Vol.1, p 34
of Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim.
174
The Virtues of Laa ilaaha illallaah
Indeed, this tremendous kalimah has many virtues, a number of
which have been mentioned by Haafidh Ibn Rajab in his essay entitled
Kalimatul-Ikhlaas. These include:
• It is the price to pay for the Gardens of Paradise (Jannah). He

whose last words are laa ilaaha illallaah will enter the Gardens of
Paradise
• It is salvation from the Hellfire
• It necessitates being forgiven
• It is the best of all good actions
• It wipes away sins
• It renews the faith (Eemaan) that is planted in the heart
• It outweighs, on the scales, the records of sins
• It traverses all barriers until it reaches Allaah the Majestic
• It is a kalimah whose sayer Allaah declares truthful
• It is the best of what the Prophets have said
• It is the best form of remembrance, the best of all actions and the
one that is multiplied the most [in reward]
• It is equivalent to freeing slaves
• It is a protection against Shaytaan
• It is a means of safety from the darkness in the grave and from
the terror of the gathering (al-hashr)
• It is a distinguishing sign for the Believers when they emerge from
their graves
• All eight gates of Paradise will be opened to its testifier and he
may enter by any one he chooses. Even if its testifier enters the
Hellfire due to falling short in fulfilling [some of] its rights, most
definitely, that person will eventually be taken out from it.
These were the main points that Ibn Rajab mentioned in his essay
concerning the virtues of the kalimah, bringing a proof for each
one of these points.1
Therefore having recited the Shahaadah, one should strive to know its
meaning, implications, importance, its pillars and its seven conditions as
well as lead his life according to the seven conditions. Without the
implementation of these conditions one cannot truly have a firm faith,
rather his faith will be wavering all the time. But if one memorizes the
seven conditions, understands them and implements them, then for sure
he will be steadfast in his faith and as such will strive all the time to
please his Lord Allaah by establishing His law according to the best of his
ability. Thus, the Shahaadah will not only make us steadfast but will also
give us success in this world and the hereafter, Allaah told us.
1
Al-Fauzaan Saalih, The Declaration of Faith, pp. 15-18, who quoted Ibn Rajab’s Kalimatul-
Ikhlaas, pp. 54-66.
175
Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that
stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping
Allaah Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And
Allaah will cause to go astray those who are Dhaalimoon
(polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.), and Allaah does what He
wills. (Qur’aan14:27)
The Quraysh weighed and understood the implication of Shahaadah

This is why when the Quraish came to make diplomatic negotiation with
the Messenger of Allaah in order to persuade him to stop preaching the
message of Islam which was gaining ground in Makkah, The Messenger of
Allaah (s.a.w) turned to them saying:
How do you see if I give you a word, which will make you
gain sovereignty over both the Arabs and non-Arabs?
In another version, the Prophet (s.a.w) addressed Abu Taalib in the
following words:
“O uncle! Why don’t you call them unto something better?” Abu
Taalib asked him, “What is it that you invite them to?” The Prophet
(Peace be upon him) replied, “I invite them to hold fast to a Message
that is bound to give them access to kingship over the Arabs and
non-Arabs.” According to Ibn Ishaq’s version, “It is just one word
that will give you supremacy over the Arabs and non-Arabs.”The
Makkan deputies were taken by incredible surprise and began to
wonder what sort of word was that which would benefit them to
that extent. Abu Jahl asked, “What is that word? I swear by your
father that we will surely grant you your wish followed by ten
times as much.” He said, “I want you to testify that there is no god
worthy to be worshipped but Allaah (Laa ilaaha illallaah), and then
divest yourselves of any sort of worship you harbor for any deities
other than Allaah.”1
And those who implement the Seven Conditions of Shahaadah will insha-
Allaah inherit Paradise, for they are the ones who have been true to their
declaration of faith, Allaah said about them.
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum p. 121
176
And those who stand firm in their testimonies; and those
who guard their Salaat (prayers) well, such shall dwell in
the Gardens (i.e. Paradise) honored. (Qur’aan70:33-35)
The true understanding and implementation of the Shahaadah and its
seven conditions will help us in this worldly life by keeping us away from
all the pitfalls in this world such as Secularism, Democracy, Capitalism,
Communism, and Atheism etc. Because we shall have held onto
something that can never break, moreover the Prophet (s.a.w) had said.
Urge those of you who are on their deathbeds to say: Laa ilaaha
illallaah; for verily, whoever’s last words are Laa ilaaha illallaah, will
eventually enter Paradise even if he has to go through (before that)
whatever (punishment) he has to go through 1.
َ‫س َّل َم َم ْن َمات‬

َ ُ‫َّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫سو ُل‬
َ ‫َّللا‬ ُ ‫ع ْث َمانَ قَا َل قَا َل َر‬ ُ ‫ع ْن‬ َ
َ‫َّللاُ دَ َخ َل ْال َج َّنة‬
َّ ‫َوه َُو َي ْعلَ ُم أ َ َّنهُ َل ِإلَهَ ِإَل‬
It is narrated on the authority of 'Uthmaan that the Messenger of
Allaah (may peace be upon him) said. He who died knowing (fully
well) that there is no god worthy of worship but Allaah entered
Paradise.2
The Seven Conditions of Shahaadah

The seven conditions of Shahaadah as discussed by Muslim scholars are
as follows:
1) AL-ILM: Knowledge that negates ignorance
2) AL-YAQEEN: Certainty that negates doubt
3) AS-SIDQ: Belief inwardly and outwardly
4) AL-IQIYAAD: Complete surrender to Shahaadah
5) AL-QABOOL: Renouncing all falsehoods
6) AL-IKHLAS: Singularity of devotion that negates Shirk
7) AL-WALAA WAL BARAA: Loving and hating for Allaah’s sake
1
Zaynoo, Jameel The Methodology of The Saved Sect, p 35, who quoted Ibn Hibban as
authenticated by Shaikh Albaani in Saheeh- ul-Jami’.
2
Sahih Muslim Volume 1, (English Translation) Hadith No.39
177
We should memorize these conditions, understand 1 them and implement
them in our daily life in order to be successful in this world and the
hereafter, for they are the teeth of the key to paradise which will open the
door to Jannah for those who adhere and conform to their meaning and
do not nullify them by associating partners with Allaah, such as
supplicating to the dead or calling upon the living who are absent. Which
can be compared to Wudhoo (i.e. ablution, that puts one into a state of
purity) but is nullified by urination, defecation, etc? This is why the
Prophet (s.a.w) had said.
Whoever says ‘Laa iIlaaha illallaah’, it will be his salvation
someday, no matter what befalls him before that2.
Otherwise whoever says the Shahaadah but does not fulfill the seven
conditions it will be of no benefit to such a person. The famous Scholar
Ibn Rajab in explaining the various Ahaadith found in Sahih Bukhari and
Muslim which equivocally declares that anyone who died having recited
the Shaaadah in his lifetime will go to Paradise, said.
A group of scholars said that what is meant by these Ahaadith is that
Laa ilaaha illallaah is a cause for entering the Gardens of Paradise
and being saved from the Hellfire, and that it obligates it. However,
results will not come about except by the fulfillment of its conditions
(Shuroot) and the removal of any of its impediments. Consequently,
rewards may be withheld due to the absence of one of its conditions,
or due to the presence of one of its impediments. This is the saying of
al-Hasan al-Basree and Wahb ibn Munabbih and it is the most
prevalent view. Al-Hasan said to al-Farazdaq, who was burying his
wife: “What have you prepared for this day?” He replied: Testifying to
Laa ilaaha illallaah for the last seventy years. Al-Hasan said: “What
wonderful preparation. However, Laa ilaaha illallaah has certain
conditions, so beware of defaming chaste women.
It was once said to al-Hasan: Some people think that whoever says
laa ilaaha illa Allaah will enter the Gardens of Paradise. So he
replied: Whoever says laa ilaaha illa Allaah, fulfils its right and
obligations, will enter the Gardens of Paradise. Wahb Ibn Munabbih
was once asked: Isn’t Laa ilaaha illallaah the key to Paradise? So he
replied: “Indeed, but there is no key except that it has certain ridges
and teeth. So whoever possesses that key, with those ridges and
teeth, then the doors will be opened for him. If not, then it will not!” 3
1
For a full understanding see Ondigo, Yahya M.A.,The Seven Conditions of Shahaadah First
Edition May 2005
2
Zaynoo, Jameel The Methodology of The Saved Sect, p. 35, who quoted Al-Baihaqi as
authenticated by Al -Albaani.
3
Al-Fauzaan Saalih, The Declaration of Faith, p 48-49, who quoted Sahih Bukhari (Arabic),
Volume 3,Hadith number 141 and Kalimatul-Ikhlas of Ibn Rajab, p 15-17
178
The meaning of Salaah (Muslim prayer)
Salaah (the Muslim prayer) is the second most important practical pillar
of Islam and is among the greatest acts of worship enjoined in Islam. It
represents the clear division between a Muslim and a non-Muslim and
differentiates those who are grateful to Allaah and those who are ingrate.
As the Prophet (s.a.w) had explained in his saying:
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Zubaiyr that he heard Jaabir
bin ‘Abdullaah saying, “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w)
observing this: Between a man and polytheism and unbelief is the
abandonment of Salaah.1
Buraida said, “I had Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) say, ‘The

obligation which separates us from them (nonbelievers) is prayer.
He who abandons it has become an unbeliever’.” (Musnad of Ahmad)
Definition of Salaah
Linguistically in Arabic Salaah literary means supplication and
glorification. But technically it means:
The worship and glorification of Allaah by specific words, actions
and movements in different postures, commencing with the
words, ‘Allaahu Akbar’ (Allaah is the greatest) and ending with the
words, ‘Assalamu Alaiykum Wa Rahmatullaah’ (May the peace and
the Mercy of Allaah be with you); a specially ordered and regulated
form which the Islamic religion has brought into being 2and which
all Muslims follow as a light and guide. 3
Twahaarah and Its Importance

Definition
Twahaarah literally means “purity and cleanliness”; while technically it is
the state of purity and cleanliness necessary before one can perform
Salaah and other devotional acts. Although the various acts performed in
Twahaarah may make us physically clean yet the main objective behind
Twahaarah is to enter into a state of spiritual purity and cleanliness that
enables us to worship Allaah (SW)
Importance of Twahaarah
Twahaarah is very important because without it a person’s Salaah is null
and void. It is one of the most important conditions for the acceptance of
Salaah. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, “Salaah is not accepted from one
who breaks his state of Twahaarah until he makes Wudhoo.”4 Twahaarah
is so important that it does not only represent purifying and cleansing
oneself from dirt and filth from the body but includes the cleanliness of
heart, body, garments and the place of prayer.
1
Sahih Muslim Volume1, Hadith No. 147 and Musnad of Ahmad
2
As the Prophet had ordered when he said, “Pray as you see me pray”
3
Al-Sawwaf shaikh Muhammad Mahmud, THE MUSLIM BOOK OF PRAYER, p. 35
4
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Volume 1, HNo. 137
179
(a) The heart has to be purified from the uncleanliness of doubt,
polytheism, misgivings, deviation, hypocrisy, dissimulation,
hatred, rancor, and envy. Thus, we have been told by Allaah (SW)
that He sees everything that we do and that nothing is hidden
from him.
Allaah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the
breasts conceal. (Qur’aan40:19)
(b) The body has also to be purified and cleansed from filth, dirt and
defilement. As Allaah (SW) says:
Truly, Allaah loves those who turn unto Him in

repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by
taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their
private parts, bodies, for their prayers, etc.). (Qur’aan2:222)
(c) The place of performing the prayer and our garments must also be
clear of any filth and dirt, such as urine, feces, blood, vomit etc.
As the Prophet (s.a.w) had said:
“Cleanliness is half of faith and the key to prayer. To say the

Words of Greatness is to begin it, and to say the word of peace
is to finish it.”
Wudhoo’ (Ablution) and Its Virtues
Definition
Wudhoo (Ablution) is the state of spiritual purity that one has to attain in
order to perform Salaah. It means washing one’s face, hands, arms, head
and feet with clean water as well as fulfilling other conditions of Ablution.
Allaah (SW) says about Ablution,
O you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your
faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your
180
heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles.
(Qur’aan5:6)
Also Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allaah said,
Allaah does not accept the prayer of one who nullified his Ablution
until he performs it again. (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud
and at-Tirmidhi)
There is also a consensus of scholarly opinion that Ablution is part of the
Islamic law. Therefore, it is a recognized fact of religion.
The Virtues of Ablution
Ablution that is performed well according to the Sunnah of Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) has a number of virtues as is found in the following
Ahaadith:
Abu Huraira reported: Allaah's Messenger (s.a.w) said:
When a bondsman-a Muslim or a believer-washes his face (in
the course of ablution), every sin he contemplated with his eyes,
will be washed away from his face along with water, or with
the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin
done by his hand will be effaced from his hands with the water,
or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet,
every sin towards which his feet have walked will be washed
away with the water or with the last drop of water with the
result that he comes out pure from all sins.1
Humran the freed slave of 'Uthmaan said, “I heard from 'Uthmaan bin
‘Affaan and he was in the courtyard of the mosque, when the Mu'adhdhin
(announcer of the prayer) came to him at the time of afternoon prayer. So
the ('Uthmaan) called for the ablution water and performed ablution and
then said”,
By Allaah, I am narrating to you a Hadith. If there were not a
verse in the Book of Allaah, I would have never narrated it to
you. I heard Allaah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say:
If a Muslim performs ablution and does it well and offers
prayer, all his (sins) during the period from one prayer to
another would be pardoned by Allaah. 2
How to perform Wudhoo’
Wudhoo’ with its essential and voluntary acts integrated together is
performed as follows in accordance with the Sunnah of Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w):
(1) Making the intention (Niyyah) in the heart that you want to
perform wudhoo as an act of sincere worship for the pleasure of
Allaah (SW). The intention is not to be uttered but should be kept
in the heart during the time of wudhoo.
1
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Hadith No. 475
2
181
(2) Invoking Allaah (SW) at the start of the act of performing wudhoo
by saying “Bismillaah” [In the name of Allaah (SW)].
(3) Washing the hands up to the wrists three times, while rubbing
them and allowing water to reach between the fingers.
(4) Rinsing the mouth with water thrice, preferably after using
‘miswak’ – (tooth stick), toothbrush, or fingers to brush the teeth
and gum. Regarding the importance of miswak, the Prophet (s.a.w)
is reported to have said, “If it were not a great burden on my
Ummah, I would have ordered them to use miswak at the time of
every wudhoo.” (Muwatta of Imam Maalik)
(5) Cleaning the nose by sniffing water in and out three times.
(6) Washing the entire face thrice using both hands from the top of the
forehead down to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear.
(7) Washing the arms three times up to the upper ends of the elbows;
right arm first then the left arm. Arms should be rubbed while
being washed.
(8) Wetting both hands and passing them over the head starting from
above the forehead down to the back of the head and from there
bringing the hands forward up to the forehead. Do not wet the
neck.
(9) From the head, without wetting the hands again wipe the earlobes,
using the forefingers to wipe the inner part of the lobes and the
thumbs for the outside part.
(10) Washing both feet up to the ankles three times, beginning with the
right foot and then the left foot. Both feet should be rubbed while
they are being washed and water should freely pass between the
toes.
Wiping over the socks and its conditions
(1) If a person’s wudhoo’ gets nullified, then while performing a fresh
wudhoo’, it is allowed to wipe over the socks with wet hands,
instead of washing both feet, on condition that the socks were put
on after washing the feet in the first wudhoo’ and before the same
was nullified.
(2) A traveller may avail himself or herself of this privilege
continuously for five consecutive prayers, three consecutive days
and nights (72 hours), while a resident may do so for only one day
and one night continuously (24 hours).
(3) Wiping is done according to the traditions of the Prophet (s.a.w),
thus, after removing the shoes, wet hands are passed only over the
upper surface of the socks (without wiping the bottom part – sole)
When wiping over the socks ceases
The wiping privilege becomes invalid in the following cases
(1) When the maximum time allowed expires.
(2) The moment the socks are removed.
182
(3) When any of the cases requiring “ghusl” occur.
The essential conditions of wudhoo’
(1) Muslim: A person must be in the Islamic faith before his wudhoo’’ can
be accepted. In fact, not only wudhoo’ but no (Ibaadah) devotional act
can be accepted by Allaah (SW) and be rewarded by Him in the
Hereafter from anyone unless he or she is a Muslim. This is in
accordance to the verse of the Glorious Qur’aan where Allaah (SW)
says:
And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female,

and is a true believer in the Oneness of Allaah (Muslim),
such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even
to the size of a Naqîra (speck on the back of a date stone),
will be done to them. (Qur’aan4:124)
(2) Sanity: One must be sane in order for his wudhoo’ to be accepted by
Allaah (SW). A person who is insane is not held responsible for what
he does, therefore he is neither rewarded for any acts of worship nor is
he punished for any evil deeds until he or she regains sanity. This is
also according to the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as
follows: Ali ibn Abu Twaalib and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with
both of them), both reported that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said,
The pen is raised from (the book) of three (individuals) [i.e. they
are not accountable for what they do or do not]: (a) The sleeping
person until he wakes up (b) The child until he attains puberty
(c) The insane until he regains his sanity. 1
(3) Consciousness: One must be in a conscious state, neither asleep nor
in a coma nor absent minded for his ablution to be accepted.
According to the Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w):
The pen is raised from (the book) of three (individuals) [i.e. they
are not accountable for what they do or do not]: (a) The sleeping
person until he wakes up (b) The child until he attains puberty
(c) The insane until he regains his sanity. 2
(4) Intention (niyyah): One must make intention in his heart without
uttering that he wants to take wudhoo’ for the sake of worshipping
Allaah (SW) for every deed will be judged according to the intention
1 Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation), Volume 3, Hadith Nos. 4384 and 4389
2 Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation), Volume 3, HNos. 4384 and 4389
183
and everyone will be rewarded accordingly as reported by Narrated
'Umar bin Al-Khattab from the Prophet (s.a.w) that he said:
I heard Allaah's Apostle saying, “The reward of deeds depends
upon the intentions and every person will get the reward
according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for
worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was
for what he emigrated for”.1
(5) Istinja (purifying oneself from urine & excrement): Before one
takes wudhoo’ it is required that you purify yourself from urine,
excrement and all kinds of impurities using stone, tissue paper or
water.
Truly, Allaah loves those who turn unto Him in

repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by
taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their
private parts, bodies, for their prayers, etc.). (Qur’aan2:222)
(6) Using clean water (Al-Maau’ twaahir): Another condition of wudhoo’
is that clean, pure and lawful water should be used in order for your
wudhoo’ to be accepted. This is also in accordance to the Hadith of the
Prophet (s.a.w): On the authority of Abu Hurairah who said that the
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said,
Verily Allaah, the Exalted, is pure and accepts only that which
is pure. Allaah has commanded the believers to do that which
He has commanded the Messengers.2
(7) The water should reach the skin: When performing wudhoo’ one
must be careful to ensure that the water reaches the skin and every
part of the body that requires washing according to the Hadith of the
Prophet (s.a.w):
‘Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported: “We returned from Makkah to
Madeenah with the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w), and when we
came to some water on the way, some of the people were in a
hurry at the time of the afternoon prayer and performed
ablution hurriedly; and when we reached them, their heels were
dry, no water had touched them. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: ‘Woe
to (dry) heels, because of Hell-fire. Make your ablution
thorough’.”3
In the cases of those who are afflicted with physical conditions of wetting
of urine, frequent passing of wind and for women suffering from
1 Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Volume 1, HNo. 1

2
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Hadith No.
3
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Volume 1, Hadith No. 468
184
prolonged flow of blood due to illness, they should always perform
wudhoo’ when the prayer time is due. And their wudhoo’ is not nullified
even if any of the above things occur, while they are in prayer.
Essential Acts of Wudhoo’
(1) Washings the entire face once (including rinsing of the mouth and
cleaning of nostrils).
(2) Washing each arm once.
(3) Wiping the whole head once.
(4) Washing both feet up to the ankles (starting with the right foot).
(5) Ensuring that the above (4) acts are performed in the given
sequence.
(6) Performing the wudhoo’ acts continuously and without
unnecessary let-ups until completion.
Matters that invalidate Wudhoo’
A person will remain in a state of Tahaarah (purity) until the following
occurs:
(1) Passing of excrement, urine or wind. When one passes urine and/or
excrement, it becomes mandatory upon such a person to clean himself
before performing wudhoo’.
(2) In case of people with permanent wetting or frequent passing of
wind/women suffering from prolonged blood flow, wudhoo’ is required
to be performed once just before the prayer.
(3) Eating of camel’s meat.
(4) Falling asleep during which a person loses consciousness.
(5) Loss of consciousness from insanity, fainting etc.
(6) Touching of sexual organs intentionally, directly and unclothed (skin
to skin).
Tayammum (Dry ablution)

Tayammum is the act of using dry earth, sand or stone in lieu of water,
when water is not available or one is sick which prevents the use of water
for purification.
How to perform Tayammum
(1) The person should first, of all, have the intention (in the heart) to
perform Tayammum.
(2) Strike the earth with the palms of both hands.
(3) Wipe the face using both palms once.
185
(4) Thereafter, the person uses the left palm to wipe the back of the right
hand up to the wrist, and then the uses the right palm to wipe over
the back of left hand up to the wrist.
Ghusl (taking bath from ritual impurity)

Occasions that necessitates Ghusl
(1) After the discharge of semen, as a result of sexual stimulation
whether one is awake or asleep, (i.e. in wet dreams); this state is
known in Arabic as Janaabah.
(2) After sexual intercourse (or the mere coming together of the private
organs of the man and the woman, even though there may be no
discharge of semen), ghusl become obligatory.
(3) A woman has to perform ghusl after her menses
(4) A woman has to perform ghusl at the end of postnatal blood.
(5) When a non-believer embraces Islam, he or she is required to perform
ghusl after uttering the Shahaadah–testimony of faith.
(6) When a Muslim dies, ghusl is performed for him/her.
How to perform Ghusl (complete ablution)
Both the essential and voluntary acts when integrated demonstrate how
the Prophet (s.a.w) used to perform ghusl:
(1) Make intention by heart to perform ghusl–and say bismillaah.
(2) Wash both hands up to the wrists three times.
(3) Wash the sex organs.
(4) Perform wudhoo’ as usual in the manner already discussed leaving
out the feet to be washed later when the whole body has been
washed.
(5) Pour water over the head three times, massaging the hair to allow the
water to reach its roots.
(6) Pour water liberally over the entire body, starting with the right hand
side and then the left hand side, ensuring that no part of the body is
left untouched by water, including armpits, inside the earlobes, inside
the navel, between fingers and toes etc.
Note: A woman will perform ghusl exactly like the man does, except that if
she has plaited hair, she does not have to undo them rather she only
needs to pour three handfuls of water over her head.
The Significance of Salaah

Prayer is the soul of religion. Where there is no prayer, there can be no
purification of the soul. The non-praying person is rightly considered to
be a soulless person. Take prayer out of the world, and it is all over with
religion because it is with prayer that one has the consciousness of God
186
and selfless love for humanity and inner sense of piety. Prayer is,
therefore, the first, the highest, and the most solemn phenomenon and
manifestation of religion. The way in which prayer is offered and the
words that are recited in it explain the true nature of religion as the
expression of man's contact with the Lord.
Prayer in Islam gives in a nutshell the teachings of Islam. The very first
thing that comes into prominence in Islamic prayer is that it is
accompanied by bodily movements. It implies that Islam lifts not only the
soul to the spiritual height, but also illuminates the body of a praying
person with the light of God-consciousness. It aims at purifying both body
and soul, for it finds no cleavage between them. Islam does not regard
body and soul as two different entities opposed to each other, or body as
the prison of the soul from which it yearns to secure freedom in order to
soar to heavenly heights. “The soul is an organ of the body which exploits
it for physiological purposes, or body is an instrument of the soul”, and
thus both need spiritual enlightenment.1
Salaah: The pillar of Islam
Salaah undoubtedly is the most important devotional act of worship that
has been enjoined to all those who claim faith in Allaah. It is the pillar of
religion that Allaah prescribed for the human beings which represents
the backbone of Islam, for just as the removal of the spine would render a
person’s body to crumple up in a heap, leaving one unable to stand so
would the loss of Salaah render an individual’s Islam to become a
meaningless jumble of rituals.2 It is for this reason that Salaah has
become a dividing line between Islam and non-Islam. And it is because of
the exalted position of Salaah as well as its supreme value and great
importance to Allaah (SW) and His Messenger (s.a.w) that we are ordered
to be mindful about it by strictly guarding it. Allaah (SW) says:
Guard strictly (five obligatory) As-Salawaat (the prayers)

especially the middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer 'Asr). And
stand before Allaah with obedience. (Qur’aan2:238)
Salaah: The determinant of all good deeds
To stress the importance of Salaah Allaah (SW) made it the first act of
worship to be accounted for, which will determine all other acts of
worship. As reported by Anas (R.A) that the Prophet (s.a.w) said:
1
Siddiq Abdul Hamid, English Translation of Sahih Muslim, Vol.1, Introduction on book of
Salaah.
2
Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Islamic Studies Book Two, p. 154
187
The first thing which a slave of Allaah will be called to accountable for
on the Day of Resurrection will be Salaah. If it was good, all of the rest
of his deeds will also be good, but if it was bad, all the rest of his
deeds will become bad.1
In another narration from Tameem ad-Daaree that the Prophet (s.a.w)
said:
The first thing for which the servant will have to account for on the
Day of Resurrection is his prayer. So if he has completed it, then it is
written as complete for him. But if he has not completed it, then Allaah
will say to His angels: ‘See, do you find any optional Prayers for My
servant so that you may complete his obligatory Prayer with them?’
Then the Zakaat, then the rest of the actions will be dealt with
accordingly.2
Thus, Allaah (SW) made the Prayer the way to success, prosperity and
happiness when He said:
Successful indeed are the believers, those who offer their

Salaat (prayers) with humility and full submissiveness .
(Qur’aan23:1-2)
Salaah: The first Shari’ah act to be legislated
Allaah (SW) emphasized the importance of Salaah by making it the first
Shari’ah act of worship that was obligated on the Muslims. In fact,
Salaah was the only Shari’ah act that was made Waajib on Muslims while
they were in Makkah before the Hijrah to Madinah, while other Shari’ah
acts of worship such as Zakaah, Siyaam, Hajj, Jihad, punishment for
Adultery, marriage lAus, trade lAus etc were all made Waajib on Muslims
after their emigration to Madinah. Salaah is also the First duty required
of someone after declaring belief in Allaah (i.e. taking Shahaadah). Allaah
(SW) says about this Significance Salaah.
1
Philips Abu Ameenah Bilal, Islami Studies Book Two, p. 155 who quoted at-Tabaraanee in al-
Mu’jam al-Ausat also authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, Vol. 2 pp. 352-
353, No. 2570
2
Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation) Vol.I, HNo. 863-865, pp. 221-222 and graded as Hasan
by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, Vol. 2, No. 2570, also Musnad of Ahmad, Ibn
Maajah and al-Haakim as quoted by al-‘Awaayishah Husayn in his, THE PRAYER Its Effects in
Increasing Imaan & Purifying the Soul, p.82
188
And establish As-Salaat at the two ends of the day and in
some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salaah
(prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e.
small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful
(those who accept advice). (Qur’aan11:114)
Establish regular Prayer (As-Salaah) Verily, the Prayer is

enjoined on the believers at fixed hours. (Qur’aan4: 103)
Salaah: The gift from the seventh heaven
The significance of Salaah in the life of a Muslim can also be seen from
the fact that unlike other devotional acts that were revealed to prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) through angel Jibreel, for Salaah Allaah (SW)
personally informed the Prophet about its obligation when the Prophet
(s.a.w) traveled in the Mi’raaj above the seven heavens to be in direct
contact with Allaah (SW). Anas bin Maalik reported that Salaah was the
gift that was given during the Prophet’s night journey which was to be
performed fifty times (per day), but it was later reduced due to the
Prophet’s pleading until it reached five times with the same reward of fifty
times.1 Moreover, it should also be noted that unlike other various
devotional acts which are obligatory for only certain categories of people
or on particular occasions, such as Zakaah and Hajj being obligatory on
the rich and Saum (fasting) being obligatory only one month out of the
year, not so is Salaah which is obligatory on every adult five times per day
throughout ones life once a person has taken the Shahaadah (declared
faith). Whether one is rich or poor, healthy or sick, traveling or at home,
no one is excused from this obligation even on the battlefield a special
form of Salaah has been prescribed2, it is a gift from above the seven
heavens to every Muslim.
1
2
The only allowed exceptions are a woman in menses, post natal bleeding (maximum of forty
days) and a person who became unconscious (he is not required to make up for any Salaah missed
in that state).
189
Salaah: A programming towards righteousness
Another significance of Salaah can be seen from the fact that genuine
prayers performed with humility and submission, illuminates the heart,
purifies the soul and teaches worshipper both the refinements of worship
and his obligations to Allaah (SW) the exalted and almighty, for it is
through prayer that the glory and majesty of Allaah (SW) is implanted in
the heart (the place of righteousness). Prayers endow and ennoble the
human being with such excellent virtues of character as truthfulness,
honesty, moderation, fairness, and generosity. It raises the human being
up and directs him to Allaah, by increasing fear and dread of Him. In this
way ones moral standards are raised, his soul is purified such that he
sets a side lying, falsehood, evil, deception, anger, and pride and thus
rises above injustice, enmity, meanness, iniquity and disobedience. Thus
he proofs the word of Almighty Allaah (SW) to be true.1
And establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from

shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allaah is
the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allaah knows
the (deeds) that you do. (Qur’aan29:45)
Salaah: The Surest way of thanking Allaah (SW)
Prayer with its form and spirit is the worship of Allaah with our physical
body and our heart. It is thus a material and spiritual exercise as such,
the heart and countenance of one who performs it will shine with divine
light, and his soul will be uplifted for it is the link between the salve and
his Master. The performance of Salaah is one of the greatest tokens of
faith, and the most significant of religious ceremonies, and the surest way
of thanking Allaah (SW) for his boundless favors. To neglect it is to be de-
linked from Allaah (SW) and be deprived of His Mercy, the abundance of
his bounties, and the plenitude of His generosity. It is to be refused His
kindness and blessings. True prayer is the remedy for the ills which beset
the heart and corrupt the soul. It is the light which dispels the darkness
of evil and sins. It is the light and proof of deliverance on the Day of
Judgment without which one will be doomed to destruction in the Hell
fire. Narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of
Allaah (s.a.w) is reported to have said,
“Just see, can anything of his filthiness remain (on the body of) any
one of you if there were a river at his door in which he washed
1
Al-Sawwaf shaikh Muhammad Mahmud, THE MUSLIM BOOK OF PRAYER, p.15
190
himself five times daily?” They, said: “Nothing of his filthiness will
remain (on his body)”. He said: “That is like the five prayers by
which Allaah obliterates sins.”1
Abdullaah Ibn Umar relates that one-day, speaking of the Prayer,

the Prophet (s.a.w) said, “For one who observes it, it becomes a
light, a proof and deliverance on the Day of Judgment. For one who
does not observe it, there is no light, no proof, no deliverance, and
on the Day of Judgment he will be with Qarun, Pharaoh, and
Ubayy bin Khalaf.”2
This also confirms the word of Allaah (SW) in the glorious Qur’aan where
He says:
Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds. Except the
Companions of the Right Hand, (They will be) in Gardens (of
Delight); they will question each other, and (ask) of the
Sinners (criminals) "What led you into Hell-Fire?" They will
say, "We were not of those who prayed; "Nor were we of those
who fed the indigent (the poor): "But we used to talk vanities
with vain talkers; "And we used to deny the Day of
Judgment, "Until there came to us (the Hour) that is certain."
Then will no intercession of (any) intercessors profit them.
(Qur’aan74:38-48)
The Essential Conditions of Salaah3

There are basically seven essential conditions required for our Salaah to
be acceptable to Allaah (SW):
Declaration of Shahaadah
Acceptance of the Islamic Faith –disbelievers Salaah is not accepted until they
bear witness that there is no god but Allaah (SW) and bear witness that
Muhammad (SW) is His Prophet and Messenger.
1
2
Related by Imam Ahmad and others as quoted by Al-Sawwaf shaikh Muhammad Mahmud, THE
MUSLIM BOOK OF PRAYER, p.19
3
As-Shoumar Abdul-Aziz Saleh, BASIC LESSONS FOR EVERY MUSLIM, pp.52-53
191
An-Niyyah (Purity of Intention)
The one performing the prayer must first purify his intention in the heart
that he is performing Salaah in order to please Allaah (SW) and not for
any other person or reason such as fortune or fame or to be seen by other
people.
Cleanliness
This includes the body, garments and the place where the prayer is to be
performed.
Purification
This refers to the performance of Wudhoo or Ghusl or Tayammum as is
necessary prior to performing the prayer.
Proper clothing and concealing of Awrah
For men, it is essential to dress decently (clothes without pictures of living
things and words that may distract one from prayer) and cover at least
from the navel to the knees all round, while for the women also decent
dressing (clothes without pictures of living things and words that may
distract one from prayer) but her body must totally be covered except that
which may be seen of face and palms.
Facing the Qiblah
A person when praying must face toward the direction of the Ka’bah, the
Sacred Masjid in Makkah. However, if a person is in a strange place and
he or she is unable to locate the right direction of Qiblah, then he or she
can make the best guess of the Qiblah and go on performing the Salaah.
Proper Timings
Prayers must be observed at the prescribed timings. Unless in certain
extreme cases such that one is allowed to perform the Dhuhr Salaah at
the time of ‘Asr Salaah or Maghrib Salaah at the time of ‘Ishaa Salaah
and vice versa.
Types of Salaah
The Muslim prayer known as Salaah may be divided into three main
types: Fardh Aiyn, Fardh kifaayah and Sunnah prayers.
Fardh Aiyn
These are the prayers that are compulsory on every Muslim who is past
the age of puberty (Mukallaf). They are as follows: The five daily
congregational prayers i.e. Fajr, Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Ishaa as well
as the Jumu’ah (Friday congregational prayers). Of which Ka’b Ibn ‘Ujrah
(R.A) reported that the Prophet (s.a.w) said to them,
Do you know what your Lord says: We said: No. He said: Indeed
your Lord says: Whoever prays the five daily prayers in their time
and is constant in that, and does not neglect them and treat their
right lightly, then he has a guarantee from Me that I will enter him
into Paradise. But whoever does not pray in its time, is not
constant upon it, and neglects them treating their rights lightly,
192
then he has no guarantee from Me. If I wish I will punish him, and
if I wish I will forgive him.1
Similarly, Abu ‘Amr ash-Shaybaanee said that ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ud
narrated to us saying:
I asked the Prophet (s.a.w), which action is most beloved to Allaah?
He replied: Prayer in its time. I said: What next? He replied: Then to
be good and dutiful to one’s parents. I said: What next? He replied:
To participate in Jihad in Allaah’s cause. 2
With regard to the individual obligatory nature of performing the Friday
prayer in congregation, Allaah (SW) commanded all Muslims in the
Glorious Qur’aan saying:
O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on

Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the
Remembrance of Allaah, and leave off business (and traffic):
that is best for you if you but knew! (Qur’aan62:9)
While Tariq bin Shihaab reported the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as
saying:
The Friday Prayer in congregation is an obligatory duty for every
Muslim with four exceptions; a slave, a woman, a boy (non-adult),
and a sick person.3
The Prophet (s.a.w) has sternly warned against missing the Friday Prayer
for no valid reason. Indeed such a person may have his heart sealed if he
continues to miss the Friday Prayer. The Prophet (s.a.w) said:
The people must cease from not performing the Friday Prayer or
else Allaah will put a seal over their hearts and they will then
become from the headless (i.e. Allaah will cut them from His
kindness and the sources of goodness).4
The Prophet (s.a.w) to show how serious it is to omit performing the
Friday Prayer in congregation onces said:
1
Reported by at-Tabaranee in al-Kabeer and declared Sahih by Ibn Hibbaan and it is found in
Sahihut-Targheeb (no. 397) as quoted by al-‘Awaayishah Husayn in his, THE PRAYER Its Effects
in Increasing Imaan & Purifying the Soul, p. 27
2
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Vol. 9, HNo. 625
3
Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation), Vol.I, Hadith No.1062, pp. 274-275.
4
Sahih Muslim
193
Surely, I considered appointing someone to lead the prayer, then I
would go to those men who did not attend the Friday Prayer and
burn down their houses upon them. 1
The fact that the Prophet (s.a.w) considered burning down the houses of
those men who did not attend to the Friday Prayer in itself shows that the
Friday prayer is an obligatory duty on all Muslims except those
mentioned in the previous Hadith reported by Tariq bin Shihaab.2
Fardh Kifaayah
These are prayers that are communally obligatory on the Muslim
community such that if a group of Muslims establishes them then all the
other Muslims are free from sin and blame, whereas if none of the
Muslims performs them then all of the Muslims are guilty of sin and
transgression. They include: Salaatul janaazah and Salaatul Eidayn.
Salaatul janaazah
Salatul janaa’iz is the Funeral Prayer which is an obligatory communal
duty, if a Muslim dies and is buried without it being performed, then the
whole Muslim community is held responsible, but as longs as some
gather and perform it, the obligation is removed from the community as a
whole. Maalik Ibn Hubayrah reported Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) as
saying:
If any Muslim dies and three rows of Muslims make Salaah for
him, it will assure him (of forgiveness).3
Salaatul Ghaa’ib
This is a Funeral Prayer performed for a Muslim who dies in a country or
situation where there is no one to perform the Salaatul janaazah for him.
In which case, a group of Muslims gather to make a funeral prayer for
him in his absence. This happened in the time of Allaah’s Messenger as
reported by Abu Hurairah that:
When Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) announced the death of
Najaashee (Negus–the Ethiopian ruler who gave the companions of
Allaah’s Messenger asylum and later on accepted Islam secretly)
on the day when he died to his companions while they were in
Madinah, he took them out to the place of prayer, they lined up
behind him in rows and prayed (the funeral prayer in abstentious)
for him.4
Salaatul Eidayn
1
Sahih Muslim
2
Muslim Scholars are of the opinion that Friday Prayer is not obligatory on a traveler unless he
hears the call of the prayer.
3
Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation), Vol. II, Hadith No.3160, p. 899.
4
Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation), Vol. II, Hadith No.3198, p. 911.
194
The Salaahs performed at the end of Ramadhaan (during Eidul-Fitr
celebration) and on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah the end of the Pilgrimage
(Eidul-Adh-Dhaa celebration) normally performed outside the Mosque in
an open field is part of Fardh Kifayaah even though some scholars argue
that it is Fardh Aiyn.
Sunnah Prayers
These consists of all the voluntary prayers that the Prophet (s.a.w)
recommended for us to perform regularly according to our ability the
objective of which is to cover up some faults that we may have committed
inadvertently in the obligatory prayers so that our obligatory prayers may
be complete. In a narration from Tameem ad-Daaree that the Prophet
(s.a.w) said:
The first thing for which the servant will have to account for on the
Day of Resurrection is his prayer. So if he has completed it, then it is
written as complete for him. But if he has not completed it, then Allaah
will say to His angels: ‘See, do you find any optional Prayers for My
servant so that you may complete his obligatory Prayer with them?’
Then the Zakaat, then the rest of the actions will be dealt with
accordingly.1
These Sunnah prayers include the following:
Tahiyyatul-Masjid: Literary it means, the prayer of greeting the mosque
–on entering any mosque it is traditional to offer two Rak‘aat Sunnah
prayer as a tokaen of respect to the “House of Allaah”2 before sitting
down. Therefore these are two Raka‘aat prayers performed whenever we
enter the Masjid before sitting down. The Prophet (s.aw) is reported to
have said, “If one of you enters the Masjid, he should not sit down until he
has offered two Raka‘aat.” 3 He is also reported to have added that Alllaah
opens the gates of His mercy on the worshipper who performs Salaatul
Tahiyyatul Masjid.
Ar-Rawaatib: These are the 12 Raka‘aat done before and after the five
daily obligatory prayers. The purpose of which is to prepare ourselves for
the Fardh Prayers and to make up for any weakness in the Fardh prayers.
Nawaafil: These are the Salaahs which we can perform any time during
the day and night except for the prohibited times (after Salaatul Fajr until
the sunrises, during sunrise, when the sun reaches its zenith, after
Salaatul ‘Asr until sunset, and during the setting of the sun). They are
1
Sunan Abu Dawud, (English Translation) Vol.I, Hadith No. 863-865, pp. 221-222 and graded as
Hasan by al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, Vol. 2, No. 2570, also Musnad of Ahmad,
Ibn Maajah and al-Haakim as quoted by al-‘Awaayishah Husayn in his, THE PRAYER Its Effects
in Increasing Imaan & Purifying the Soul, p.82
2
“House of Allaah” in Islam means, a building or house reserved for the worship of Allaah and
does not mean that is the abode where Allaah dwells or that Allaah has a special graded presence in
it. (Quraishy M. A, TEXTBOOK OF ISLAM BOOK 2, p. 82)
3
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 540,
195
extra Salaah done by choice and have not been specified by the Prophet
(s.a.w).
Tahajjud (Night vigil prayers): Tahajjud prayer is performed after
midnight when one has slept then he wakes up to offer the prayer and is
considered to be very meritorious. Humaid bin ‘Abdur Rahmaan reported
that Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said: “The most excellent prayer after what
is prescribed (i.e. obligatory prayers) is prayer during the night (Salaatul
Tahajjud).”1
Salaatul Wudhoo’: These are two Raka ‘aat done after the completion of
Wudhoo’. The Prophet (s.a.w) had said, “whoever does two Raka‘aat
(regularly) sincerely after making Wudhoo’ properly will enter Paradise.”2
Salaat-Ad-Dhuhaa: They are two or more Rak‘aat done after the rising of
the sun, also known as Salaatul al-Ishraaq.
Salaatu-At-Taraaweeh: These are eight or twenty Rak‘aat performed
immediately after Salaatul Ishaa’ during the month of Ramadhaan.
Salaatul Jamaa‘ah and Its Importance
The five obligatory daily prayers as well as the Jumu‘ah (Friday) prayer,
the two Eid prayers and Taraweeh prayer usually done in Ramadhaan are
all meant to be performed in congregation as a group and not
individually. This is because, the Prophet (s.a.w) stressed the superiority
of congregational Salaah as against individual Salaah by saying, “Verily
prayers in congregation (Salaatul Jamaa‘ah) is better than individual
prayers by twenty-seven degrees.”3
Creating awareness and concern
A congregational prayer helps us to develop an awareness and concerns
of our fellow Muslims, which is very much encouraged in Islam. Narrated
An-Nu'man bin Bashir (R.A): Allaah's Apostle (s.a.w) said,
You see the believers as regards their being merciful among
themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind,
resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then
the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it. 4
Prayers in congregation bring us into daily contact with each other and
thus make us aware of our conditions. When we see our brothers and
sisters in Islam who are disabled or in tattered clothes, we are urged by
our inner faith and conscience to come to their aid in whatever way we
can for we know that Allaah (SW) will also come to our aid when we help
our brothers and sisters in Islam who are in a bad state, as narrated by
Abu Hurairah that Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said, “Allaah (SW) helps His
1
Sunan Nasaa’i (Arabic-English), Vol. 2, Hadith No. 1617, p. 363
2
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 451,
3
Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 559, p. 147
4
Sahih Bukhari Vol.8 Hadith No.40
196
servant as long as the servant helps his brother.” 1 Also, whenever a
brother or sister is absent, it develops concern in us who usually pray
with him in congregation, so that we visit him and know whether he is
fallen sick or is hurt and supplicate for him or even to help out his family
if he has died.2
Creates equality among Muslims
During Salaah, we stand in rows shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet
ensuring that no gap is left between ourselves. No one is higher or lower
than another and nobody feels polluted if a fellow worshipper’s hand or
feet touches him. We are all equally pure because we are all human
beings originating from the same Father Adam (A.S). All Muslims
irrespective of color, race or tribal affiliation stand in prayer as equals.
This very important holy act of worship in congregation puts aside all
ethnic and racial differences confirming the word of Allaah (SW).
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a

female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may
know each other (not that you may despise or discriminate
each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of
Allaah is (one who is) the most righteous of you. And Allaah
has full Knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things).
(Qur’aan 49:13)
Fostering love and brotherhood
Prayer in congregation is a means of fostering love and brotherhood as it
is the one place where Muslims from different social and economic
background frequently meet for a common purpose. The rich and the
poor, noble and common are all standing as equal before Allaah (SW).
Even the position of the Imaam is not a birthright of any special race or
class, but the duty of the most knowledgeable among the community. It is
also a forum whereby Muslims from different backgrounds come to know
and discuss the problems facing them and try to work on their solutions
as brothers unto each other confirming the words of Allaah (SW).
1
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol. 4, Hadith No. 6250
2
197
The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: so make peace and
reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear
Allaah, that you may receive Mercy. (Qur’aan 49:10)
Building unity and strength in the community
Performing prayers in a group, standing in lines, making the same
movements, speaking and thinking about similar words and thoughts
help to develop a singleness of purpose in the minds of the believers. It
produces a spiritual unity which is an important part of building the
bond that cements the unity and strength in the community in
accordance with the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) narrated by
Abu Musa that he said,
“A believer to another is like a building, each part strengthening the
other.” The Prophet (s.a.w) then clasped his hands together with his
fingers interlaced.1
Training on obedience
In the congregational prayer we derive a great lesson pertaining to the
concept of leadership and obedience to the leaders among the Muslims.
The relationship between the Imaam and the followers has been designed
in such away that it teaches us the modalities of obeying our leaders in
accordance to the words of Allaah (SW).
O you who believe! Obey Allaah, and obey the Messenger, and
those charged with authority among you. If you differ in
anything among yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His
Messenger, if you truly believe in Allaah and the Last Day: that
is best, and most suitable for final determination. (Qur’aan 4:59)
Because of the importance of Salaatul Jamaa‘ah with regard to the
blessings therein and all these qualities fostered in the prayer, neglecting
congregational prayer is bordering on sin. That is why the Prophet (s.a.w)
emphasized the seriousness of this negligence not even allowing the blind
man to miss it when he said,
By the One in whose Hands my soul lies, I had decided to have
firewood gathered and the Adhaan for Salaah made. Then I would
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Vol. 8, Hadith No. 55
198
have a man lead the people in Salaah and I would go and set on fire
the houses of those who didn’t attend the Salaah. 1
Ibn Umm Mukhtum asked the Prophet (s.a.w) saying: Allaah’s

Messenger, I am a blind man my house is far away (from the mosque),
and I have a guide who does not follow me. Is it possible that
permission be granted to me for saying prayers in my house? He
asked: Do you hear the summoner? He answered: Yes. He said: I do
not find any permission for you.2
Ubayy bin Ka‘b said: Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) led us in dawn

prayer one day. And he said: Is so and so present? They said: No. He
(again) asked: Is so and so present? They replied; No. He then said:
These two prayers (dawn and night Salaah) are the ones which are
most burdensome to hypocrites. If you knew what they contain (i.e.
blessings), you would come to them, even though you are crawling on
your knees. The first row is like that of angels, and if you knew the
nature of its excellence, you would race to join it. A man’s prayer said
along with another is purer than his prayer said alone, and his prayer
with two men is purer than with one, but if they are many it is more
pleasing to Allaah, the Almighty, the Majesty. 3
Uthman bin Affaan reported Allaah’s Messenger as saying: If anyone

says the night prayer in congregation, he is like one who keeps vigil (in
prayer) till midnight; and he who says both the night and the dawn
prayers in congregation is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) the
whole night.4
In view of all these beautiful statements from the Prophet (s.a.w)
encouraging us to perform the obligatory prayers in congregation in the
mosque, we are therefore, obliged to make every necessary effort to make
our Fardh Salaah in Jamaa‘ah in the mosque as much as possible and
also encourage our family and friends to do the same.5
Salaah on Special Occasions
Salaatul Musaafir (Prayer of a Traveler)
Islam as a natural way of life takes into account the weak nature of the
human being and his busy schedule. Thus, even when we are on a
journey and are fatigued or feel sick in bed or we are very busy we still
have to perform our five daily obligatory prayers. But by Allaah’s Mercy
we are given various concessions not to make prayers burdensome
beyond what we can bare and so there is a special way of shortening and
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 617
2
3
4
5
199
combining the prayers when travelling and occasionally when we are too
busy to make life easy for us in accordance to the words of Allaah (SW).
When you travel through the earth, there is no blame on you if

you shorten your prayers, if you fear that the disbelievers may
cause harm to you. (Qur’aan 4:101)
A companion of the Prophet (s.a.w) known as Ya‘la bin Umyyah doubted
this concession of combining and shorting the prayers when we are out of
danger of the disbelievers and remarked to ‘Umar ibn Khattaab:
Have you seen the shortening of prayer by people today while Allaah
has said; “If you fear that those disbelievers may afflict you” (Qur’aan
4:101), whereas those days are gone now? He replied: I have
wondered about the same matter for which you wondered. So I
mentioned this to Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w). He said: It is an act of
charity which Allaah has done to you, so accept His charity. 1
This shortening of prayers only applies to the Dhuhr, ‘Asr and ‘Ishaa
prayers only. Farjr and Maghrib prayers cannot be shortened and
therefore they will always remain as they are. The shortening of the
prayers lasts as long as the traveller is away from his home town without
distinction as to what is the mode of transport. Thus there is no
difference whether he is travelling by train, by car, by air, by boat, by
camel or on foot.2 Imaam Shaafi‘i, Maalik, al-Laith, al-Awzaa‘i and other
traditionalists of Hadith maintain that the prayer during the journey
should be shortened in a journey covering the distance of two marhalah
(postal-stages) which are equivalent to forty-eight miles.3 There are two
ways of combining and shorting the prayers during a journey as follows:
Jam‘u Taqdeem
To perform Salaatul ‘Asr (afternoon prayer) at the time of noon prayer
(Dhuhr) combining it with Salaatul Dhuhr (noon prayer) as well as to
perform the night prayer (Salaatul Ishaa) at the time of the evening prayer
(Maghrib) combining it with evening prayer (Salaatul Mahgrib) is what is
called Jam‘u Taqdeem. In other words the later prayer is brought forward
and prayed together with the preceding prayer at the time of the
preceding prayer. Thus in the first case, the noon prayer is done first
shortened into two Raka‘aat at its correct time then the afternoon prayer
1
Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No.1195, p. 311
2
Quraishy M. A, TEXTBOOK OF ISLAM BOOK 2, p. 101
3
Hasan Ahamd, Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation with Explanatory Notes), p. 311
200
is also shortened to two Raka‘aat and done immediately after the noon
prayer. In the second case, the evening prayer is done at the correct time
without shortening it and immediately after, the night prayer is done
shortened into two Raka‘aat.
Jam‘u Ta’akhir
To delay the noon prayer (Salaatul Dhuhr) and offer it at the time of the
afternoon prayer (Salaatul ‘Asr) combining both as well as to delay the
evening prayer (Salaatul Maghrib) and offer it at the time of night prayer
(Slaatul Ishaa) combining both is what is known as Jam‘u Ta’akhir. In
other words the preceding prayers are delayed and performed alongside
the later ones and at the correct time of the later ones.
Salaatul-Kusoof and Salatul-Khusoof
Al-Kusoof is the Salaah done done during the solar eclipse, and al-
Khusoof is the Salaah done during a lunar eclipse. The Prophet (s.a.w)
said, “The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allaah; they are not
eclipse for the death or birth of anyone. When you see one of them eclipsed,
you should make du‘aa to Allaah and make Salaah until the eclipse ends.”1
Salaatul Istisqa‘i
This is the prayer done in congregation in an open field outside the city in
order to beseech the help of Allaah (SW) during the time of fermine and
drought so that Allaah may pour down rain for us. Two Rak ‘aat of prayer
are performed and then a sermon is delivered comprising of two parts
after which people supplicate for the rain. It is advisable that the prayer is
preceded by giving alms, fasting, repentance and doing good works and
avoiding bad deeds. ‘Abbad bin Tamim (al-Muzan‘i) reported on the
authority of his uncle that,
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) took the people out (to the place of
prayer) and prayed for rain. He led them in two Rak ‘aat of prayer
in the course of which he recited from the Qur’aan in a loud voice.
He turned round his cloak and raised his hands, supplicating for
rain and faced the qibla.2
Sijdah (Prostration)
Sijdah (prostration to Allaah) is one of the best positions of humility to
Allaah that a worshiper can perform in recognition of his weakness and
servitude to Allaah as a human being. It is also one of the best acts of
gratitude to Allaah (SW). Abu hurairah (R.A) reported Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) as saying: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is
prostrating himself, so make much supplication (in this position of nearness
to Allaah). 3 There are three types of prostrations, namely:
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Vol. 2, Hadith No. 168.
2
3
201
Sijdatu-Tilaawah (Prostration of Recitation)
There are fifteen places in the Glorious Qur’aan where the word Sajdah
(prostration) is written in the margin. A reader or reciter of the Qur’aan
either while performing the prayer or just when he is reciting the Qur’aan
is enjoined to prostrate himself once in the same manner as is done
during the normal Salaah when he reaches such verses as’Amr ibn al-
‘Aas said: The Prophet (s.a.w) taught me fifteen prostrations while reciting
the Qur’aan, including three in al Mufassal and two in Surah al-Hajj.”1 He
should utter Allaahu Akbar (Allaah is the greatest) and then prostrate
once repeating the supplication: Sajadah Wajhi Lilladhi Khalaqahu Wa
Shaqqa Sam‘ahu Wa Basarahu Bihaulihi Wa Quwwatihi
Fatabaarakallaahu Ahsanul-khaaliqeen (My face has fell prostrate before
he who created it and brought forth its faculties of hearing and seeing by
His might and power. So blessed is Allaah, the best of creators.) As
narrated by ‘Aaishah (R.A) that Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) prostrated
himself at night when reciting Qur’aan. He said repeatedly: “My face has
fallen prostrate before he who created it and brought forth its faculties of
hearing and seeing by His might and power.” 2
Sijdatu-Sawhu (Prostration of Forgetfulness)
If a worshipper makes a mistake during the performance of prayer, as for
example, bowing twice instead of once or not reciting Tashaahhud in the
first sitting in a prayer of four Rak‘aat then it recommended that he does
prostration for forgetfulness. If he had reduced something from his prayer
then he does two extra prostrations before giving the Salutation of ending
the prayer. But if he had added something extra to the prayer then he
does two extra prostrations after he has given the salutations of ending
the prayer.
And in those extra prostrations he says the words “I glorify the purity of
One Who neither sleeps nor forgets”. This procedure is also applicable
when knowingly or unknowingly one omitted a verbal obligatory
recitation. If the Imaam leading the prayer makes a mistake, he should
make such amends with the whole congregation following suit.3
Sijdatu Shukr (Prostration of thankfulness)
Whenever the Prophet (s.a.w) received good and pleasant news he would
prostrate in gratitude to Allaah (SW).
Questions
(1) Discuss the meaning and importance of Shahaadah in Islam.
(2) List down the seven conditions of Shahaadah.
1
2
Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 1409, pp. 370-371
3
Quraishy M. A, TEXTBOOK OF ISLAM BOOK 2, p. 97
202
(3) Give the Islamic meaning of the following terms:
a) Salaah d) Ghusl
b) Tayammum e) Wudhoo’
c) Twahaara
(4) Discuss the significance of Salaah in the life of a Muslim.
(5) State three main types of Salaahs giving examples for each.
(6) List the conditions required for the validity of Salaah.
(7) Explain the importance of Salaatul Jamaa’ah in Islam.
(8) Define the following terms in relation to Salaah:

a) Salaatul-Musaafir e) Salaatul-Istisqai
b) Salaatul Istikhaarah f) Salaatul-Kusoof
c) Salaatul-Khusoof g) Sijdatul-Tilaawah
203
CHAPTER TEN
AL-IBAADAH: DEVOTIONAL ACTS I
ZAKAT AND SADAQAH (ALMS & CHARITY)
The definition of Zakat

Types of Zakat
The meaning of Sadaqah
The difference between Zakat and Sadaqah
The conditions of Zakat
The recipients (beneficiaries) of Zakah
The distribution of Zakat
The importance of Zakat
The difference between Zakat and Tax
Introduction to Zakat (Alms) and Sadaqa (Charity)

Islam has enjoined every sane person to earn his/her living sincerely for
himself, for his family and spend also on the poor and in the way of
Allaah (SW) and on those who are unable to work. These unfortunate
members of the society have not been neglected by Islam. Thus, Allah
(SW) has fixed a certain portion of wealth taken from the rich, and
distributed to the poor and the needy. This portion is known in Islam as
Zakat. Allaah (SW) says:
And Allaah has preferred some of you above others in

wealth and properties. (QUr’aan 16:71)
And those in whose wealth are a recognised right for the

(needy) who asks and him who is prevented (for some reason
from asking). (Qur’aan 70:24-25)
204
Definitions of Zakat
The word Zakat is an Arabic word derived from the root word ‘Zakaa’
which literally means increment, growth or purified. The payment of
Zakat purifies, cleans and blesses the remaining wealth of the Zakat
payer. Hence, this act of worship has been termed Zakat as it purifies
one’s wealth and causes it to grow here and in the hereafter.
Technically, Zakat is the third pillar of Islam, it is a religious obligation of
an amount on the wealth and income of a Muslim, as defined in Shari’ah,
to be given to the poor and needy and other purposes as specified in
Shari’ah. Zakat is to be given out to eight categories of deserving people
as Allaah (SW) says:
Verily, Sadaqat (here means Zakat) are only for the poor,
and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds)
for those whose hearts Have been (recently) reconciled (to
truth) for those in bondage and in dept, in the cause of Allah
and for the wayfarer (thus is it) ordained by Allah. And
Allah is full of knowledge ans wisdom. (Qur’an 9:60)
In other words, Zakat is a certain fixed amount of the wealth and of every
kind of the property liable to Zakat of a Muslim to be paid yearly for the
benefit of the poor in the Muslim community. The payment of Zakat is
compulsory upon every Muslim who owns the Nisab.1 It was made
obligatory upon Muslims in the third year of Hijrah. Anyone who denies
this Fardh (obligation) is a non-believer, and anyone who delays to pay
Zakat has committed a great sin. According to the Qur’aan, Zakat takes
the next important place after prayers. This is clearly mentioned in
several places in the Qur’aan: e.g.
And perform perform prayer give Zakat and bow down your
heads with those who bow down (in worship). (Qur’an 2:43)
1
Is the minimum amount that determines the payment of Zakat (Zakatability)
205
But if they repent, offer prayers perfectly and give Zakat,
then they are your brethren in religion. (Qur’an 9:11)
Those who establish regular prayers and give in regular

charity, and also have (full) assurance of the Hereafter.
(Qur’an 27:3)
It can be understood from the above verse that one who does not
establish Salaat and denies the payment of Zakat, is not a brother in
Islam, and instead is a disbeliever. It was for that reason that Caliph Abu
Bakr fought against those who differentiated between Salaat and Zakat
regarding their obligatory nature. And the companions agreed with his
decision and carried it out, so it proves their consensus on the issue.
Types of Zakat
Zakat is not the only means that Islam has used to maintain social
solidarity and cooperation among Muslims, but Islam imposed also on the
rich to support the poor at times of famines. Islam prohibits the Muslim
from being satiated with food while his neighbour is hungry. Islam
enjoined two types of Zakat, Zakatul Maal and Zakat al-Fitr to distribute it
to the poor and needy people.
Zakatul Maal (Alms from Wealth)
In the present age, Zakatul Maal can be from agricultural products, such
as grains, fruits, vegetable etc. The rate of poor-due on such products is
one-tenth or one twentieth depending on the means used for irrigation as
we are going to explain in details in this chapter. Zakatul Maal can also be
from cash and commercial goods of the Muslim payable at the rate of two
and half percent as poor-due. In the case of animals kept for milk and
meat such as camel, goats, cows, buffaloes etc, the Zakat shall be one-
tenth of the total production. Some companions of Prophet Muhammad
206
(s.a.w) and their followers declared Zakat as obligatory even on horses
and Imam Abu Hanifa agreed to it.1
The payment of Zakatul Maal in Islam aims at uprooting poverty from
society and dealing with its resulting dangers, such as robbery, murder,
indecent assaults (i.e. rape), as well as reviving the spirit of cooperation
and social solidarity among Muslims by satisfying the needs of the poor
and the destitute and helping debtors. The Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to
have said, “A neighbourhood in which one suffers from hunger will be
deprived of Allaah’s protection.” (Colleced by Imam Ahmad)2
Zakatul Fitr
Another type of Zakat is Zakatul fitr. It was made obligatory in the month
of Sha’aban in the second year of the hijrah. It falls in the month of
Shawwal which is the tenth month of the Islamic calendar that comes
immediately after finishing the fasting of Ramadhaan. The month of
Shawwal comes after the month of Ramadhan in which the Muslims
celebrate Iddl-fitr. Muslims celebrate this day for having succeeded in
following Allaah’s command by fasting and worshipping throughout the
month. It is a Day of thanksgiving, when Muslims wear nice clean dress
for going to the Eid prayers. They praise Allaah (SW) for giving them
patience during the month of Ramadhaan, and pray to him to accept their
fast and ask for forgiveness for their mistakes during the month. It is
reported by Anas that when the Prophet (s.a.w) came to Madinah, there
were two days in which the people of Madinah used to play during the
time of ignorance. He told them, “You have two days in which you used to
play, but Allaah has replaced them with something better than them: the
Festival of Breaking the Fast (Eidul-Fitr) and the Festival of Sacrifice (Eidul-
Ad-Dhaa).”3
It is during this Eid festival, Muslims must pay Zakatul-Fitr to the poor
and the needy. Every free Muslim must pay Zakatul-Fitr for himself, his
wife, children and his servant’s one Saa4 of dried dates, or one Saa of
barley or the stable food eaten in his house. A portion must be given for
every member of the family (a minimum of four full meals per person) or
the equivalent of that money. This Zakat should be given before Salaatul-
Eid.
1
Al-Qaradawi, Yusuf (1997) Economic Security in Islam. Abdul Moin Islamic Book Servics, New
Delhi, India. p. 68.
2
Al-Sheha, Abdulrahman (2001) The Message of Islam. Islamic Propagation office in Rabwah,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. p. 58.
3
Collected by Nasai, inserted in Motiwala 1997.p.159. This hadith is an evidence that all other
annual festivals such as, birthdays, national days and pagan celebrations (i.e. new years day,
Mother’s Day, Labour Day etc.) are prohibited in Islam.
4
The Saa is equivalent to about Two and a half kilograms (21/2 Kg), and it should be for the
common food in the country.
207
Most scholars believe that it is permissible to pay Zakatul-Fitr a day or
two before Eid. The founders of the four accepted Islamic schools of law
agree that Zakatul-Fitr is not nullified simply by not paying it on its due
date. If such is the case, it becomes a debt on the one responsible for it
until it is paid. They also agree that it is not permissible to delay it until
the Eid day. The distribution of Zakatul-Fitr is the same as that of
Zakatul-Maal that is, it has to be distribute to the eight groups of
beneficiaries mentioned in the (Qur’aan9:60). The category comprising the
poor is considered the most deserving.1
This Zakat is imposed on individuals; it is to be paid to poor on the
completion of the fasting of Ramadhaan. The wisdom in declaring it
obligatory is:
1) To compensate for failings, deficiencies and shortcomings during
the fasting days.
2) To please the poor and show sympathy, affection and brotherhood
to them and to enable them also to enjoy the festival with pleasure
along with their children and families.
The differences between Zaaktul-Fitr and Zakatul-Maal are:
1) It is imposed on the individuals and not on wealth.
2) It is obligatory for all Muslims whether they are free or slave, male
or female, rich or poor. However, the poor pays only when he has
more than his meals for one day and night for himself and his
family on the Eid day.
3) Every Muslim who is obligated to pay Fitr, is responsible to pay on
behalf of his wife and children and also on behalf of any person
who is dependant upon him for his maintenance.
4) The amount of Zakatul-Fitr is so small that every Muslim, rich or
poor, can easily pay it.
This Zakat aims at training the Muslims to spend at the time of felicity
and also at the time of adversity and to accustom them to give something
to others for their sustenance out of their own earnings to rid hardness of
the heart. The giver is always superior to the receiver. There is a saying
that says: “it is better to give than to take, it is better to serve than to be
served, it is better to love than to be loved.”2
The importance of this zakat is to make the poor and needy happy like
those who are rich and let them enjoy the celibration of Idd. Muslims
exchange greetings and feasts are held between neighbours, frinds and
relatives to mark the festival of rejoicing, with no difference between the
rich and the poor people.
1
Sabiq, Al-Sayyid (1406 H) Fiqh us-Sunnah. p. 90
2
Al-Qardawi, Yusuf (1997) Economic Security in Islam. Abdul Moin Islamic Book Servics, New
Delhi,, India. p.70.
208
Sadaqa (Charity)
Sadaqa or voluntary charity is also known as Zakatu-tatawwu. Islam
calls upon Muslims to spend freely in ways that please the heart of the
contributor, and evoke generosity, goodness, kindness and obedience to
the Almighty Allah (SW).
The parable of those who spend their substance in the way

of Allaah is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and
each ear has a hundred grains. Allaah gives manifold
increase to whom He pleases; and Allaah cares for all and
He knows all things. (Qur’aan 2:261)
The Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said: “Sadaqa appeases the anger of the
Lord and wards off the agony death.”
It is similarly related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “the sadaqa
of a Muslim increases during his lifetime. It also softens the agony of
death, and through it, Allah takes away arrogance and vanity.”
Sadaqa is not restricted to any special deed of righteousness. The
general rule is that all good deeds in Islam are sadaqa. The following are
some of the good deeds that are concedred as sadaqa:
a) Do good deeds and shun evil.
b) To administer justice between two people is sadaqa.
c) To remove harm from the road is sadaqa.
d) To atture good words is sadaqa.
e) Each step taken toward prayer is sadaqa etc.1
Those who have precedence of receiving sadaqa are, one’s children, family
and relatives. It is not permissible to give sadaqa to others when you and
your dependents are in need of it. The most excellent sadaqa is that
given to a relative who does not like you. Sadaqa can be invalidate when
is given to remind the recipient of generosity or to make a show with
sadaqa. Allaah says,
1
Sabiq, Al-Sayyid (1046 H) Fiqh us-Sunnah.p.98
209
O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of
your generosity or by injury, like those who spend their
substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor
in the Last Day. They are in Parable like a hard barren
rock, on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain, which
leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing
with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those
who reject Faith. (Qur’aan 2:264)
If sadaqa is from what are unlawful items such as wine, pock, usury etc,
Allah (SW) does not accept such sadaqa.1
The Differences between Zakat and Sadaqa
1. Zakat is compulsory act of worship for every Muslim who has wealth
or proparty that has reached the nisab, while sadaqa is not.
2. Zakat has a minimum percentage on which is zakatble, while
sadaqa has no fixed percentage.
3. While sadaqa can be paid at any time, zakat is only allowed to be
paid on savings that has past one year.
4. Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam, sadaqa is not.
5. Allah (sw) and His Prophet warned those who don’t pay zakat, but
never warned those who don’t give sadaqa.
6. While zakat is only paid by the rich, sadaqa can even be given by the
poor.
7. Sadaqa is not restricted to any special deed of righteousness, zakat
is restricted.
Conditions of Zakat
The contributor of Zakat should not seek pride or fame in carrying out
this duty. He should make it as secret as possible so that he may not be
victimized by hypocrisy or passion for vanity which nullifies all good
deeds. However, if the disclosure of his name or the announcement of his
contribution is likely to encourage others to spend, it is all right to do so.
The conditions and prerequisites of Zakat as prescribed by Islam are as
follows:
1
Sabiq, Al-Sayyid ( 1046 H) Fiqh us-Sunnah.p.101
210
1) To have the minimum amount of money or property liable to
payment of Zakat (i.e. nisab) provided it is in excess of one’s basic
needs, namely: food, clothing, drink and residence.
2) Expiry of one year after the beginning of ownership otherwise no
Zakat shall be paid.
3) The wealth or property given for Zakat must be permissible and
legally acquired.
4) Zakat should not be given out of the eight categories of recipients of
Zakat as defined in the Qur’an 9:60.1
5) The Zakat payer should make an intention (Niyyah) when paying the
Zakat.
6) The Zakat of one place should not be transferred to another place
unless under necessity.
7) One kind of Zakat must not be changed for another (e.g. Zakat on a
maize crop, do not pay in coffee).2
Payment of Zakat
The payment of Zakat is mandatory on four categories of commodities:
First: Gold, silver and cash or kind
On this regards Allaah (SW) warned of great punishment for those who
hoard up gold and silver and refuse to give Zakat. Allaah says:
O you who believe! There are indeed many among the priests
and anchorites, who in falsehood devour the substance of
men and hinder (them) from the Way of Allaah. And those
who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of
Allaah announce unto them a painful torment. (Qur’an 9:34)
‫"ما من صاحب دهب وال فضة ال يؤدى منها حقها اال ادا كان يوم القيامة‬
‫صفحت له صفائح من نار فأحمي عليها من نار جهنم فيكوى بها جنبه و‬
‫ كلما برد ت أعيدت له في يوم كان مقداره خمسين ألف‬،‫جبينه وظهره‬
)‫سنة حتي يقضي بين العباد" (رواه مسلم‬
1
2
Quraishy, M.A. (1989) Textbook of Islam Book 2. The Islamic Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya.p.114
211
“There is no possessor of gold and silver who does not pay the due
on them except that on the Day of Judgement, the gold and silver
will be beaten into sheets of fire which will be further heated in the
fire of Hell, then his flank and forehead and back will be branded
with them every time they cool down they will be replaced with
heated sheets. That will go on for a day which will last 50,000
years, until all the people have been judged”. (Narrated by Muslim)
Gold and silver are the two commodities which many people have always
loved and hoarded, and they are the two precious metals which once
formed the basis of the currencies of the world. Zakat is charged on all
cash holdings in currency, gold and silver. It is an annual charge on
property which remains in the possession of a person for a whole year, on
the condition that its value reaches a certain limit called the ‘Nisab’. This
nisab differs with different kinds of property, the details of which are
worked out by the Muslim jurists on the basis of the Qur’aan and
Sunnah. Nisab: is the minimum amount that determines the Zakatability
of a person. A person who owns nisab is a Zakah payer. He must pay
Zakah on all that he owns. Thus, nisab is not exempted from Zakah.
Nisab differs from one Zakatable item to another. The following are the
details of the minimum amount of each commodity on which Zakat is
due.1
Table of Zakat payment for Gold, Silver and Currency:
Wealth Nisab Rate2
Gold 3 ounces/71/2 tolas 2.5 %
or 85 grams
Silver 21 ounces or 51/2 tolas 2.5%
or 595 grams or $ 55
Currency Same as gold or silver, 2.5%
approx. $ 1,0003
Second: Business inventory

This business inventory is refereed to goods owned to be sold. These
goods include real estate, animals, foods, drinks, cars, etc. The owner
should calculate their value at the end of his first year of business (and
1
Zeno, Muhammad bin Jamil (1996). The Pillars Islam and Iman and What every Muslim must
know about his Religion. Dar-us-Salam Publications, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. p.164- 167.
See also: Motiwala, Mumtaz (1997). Studies in Islam GCE ‘O’ Level p.105.
2
Zakat Rate: The rate of zakat is the percentage rate applied to the zakatable material. It is 2.5% on
cattle, sheep, similar animals, business net worth, cash, etc. Whereas, it is one-tenth on agricultural
produce, if the land is watered by rain and rivers. If irrigation is done by men or mechanically, the
ratio is 5% only. For the treasures found underground, it is 20% of what is found.
3
This is based on a value of gold at $ 330 per ounce.
212
every year after that), and then pay 2.5% of their current value, whether
their values are the same as when he bought them or has gone up or
down.
It is mandatory for the business owners like grocers, auto dealers, parts
stores, whole sale and retail shops etc, to conduct a detailed account each
year and pay the required Zakat on it. If that is hard on them, they can
play safe and pay enough to be sure they have discharge their
responsibility.
Table of Zakat payment for Trade Goods, Jewellery and Farm Products:
Wealth Nisab Rate
Trade Goods Same as gold 2.5%
Jewellery Same as gold 2.5%
Farm Products 2,000 Ibs or 618 kg 10%if irrigated naturally
by rainfall & 5% if
artificially irrigated.
Third: farm products

Zakat is also mandatory on the farm products which are produced by the
earth. The Zakat due for these products is 10% if the products are
irrigated by rainfall, or springs or any other natural means.
But if they are irrigated by methods which need labour and or capital,
then the Zakat due for such products shall be 5%. The Zakatibility of the
farm products is derived from the Qur’an where Allah says:
O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have
(legally) earned, and for that which we have produced from
the earth for you, and do not aim at that which is bad to
spend from it, (though) you would not accept it save if you
close your eyes and tolerate therein. And know that Allaah
is Rich and worth of all praise. (Qur’aan 2:267)
In another verse Allaah (SW) says:
213
And it is He who produces gardens trellised and unrealised,
and date-palms, and crops of different shape and taste and
Olives, and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in
taste). Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due
thereof (its Zakat according to Allaah’s orders 1/10th or
1/20th) on the day of its harvest, and waste not by
extravagance verily, He likes not the extravagance. (Qur’aan
6:141)
On the same regards the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said:
‫"فيما سقت السماء أو كان عثريا العشر وفيما سقى بالنضح نصف‬
)‫العشر" (رواه البخاري‬
“On a land irrigated by rain water or by natural water channels or

if the land is wet due to a nearby water channel, ushr (one-tenth) is
compulsory (as zakat) and on the land irrigated by the well, half of
the ushr (one-twentieth) is compulsory (as zakat) on the yield of the
land.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
Fourth: Livestock
This includes goats, sheep, cattle and camels on condition that they are
free grazing animals, not fed with grain or specially prepared foods, raised
for breeding and milk production, and the number of head reaches the
minimum payable level as we are going to explain that in the following
table.
If the cattle is fed with grain or specially prepared food, and is being
raised for sale, Zakat must be paid on it, not because it is livestock but
because it is a commodity for sale (the second category). Payable at 2.5%
of its sale value if it reaches the minimum payable value for merchandise
(either by itself or in conjunction with other merchandise for sale).
214
Table of Zakat payment for Livestock:
Wealth Nisab Rate
Goats & Sheep 40 heads 1goat or sheep
Cows 30 heads 1-year- old cow
Camels 5 heads 1 goat or sheep
Detailed Tables of Zakat payment for Livestock:

(GOATS & SHEEP)
Nisab Rate
from To
40 heads 120 heads One sheep
121 heads 200 heads Two sheep
201 heads 300 heads Three sheep
Note: For every 100 extra goats or sheep, one extra sheep is due. Billy
goat and too old animal, whose teeth are fallen, should not be given for
Zakat.
(CATTLE)
Nisab Rate
From To
30 heads 39 heads One 1-year-old cow
40 heads 59 heads One 2-years-old cow
60 heads 89 heads Two 1-year-old cows
Note: For every thirty extra head, one extra 1-year-old cow is due and for
every forty extra head, one extra 2-years-old cow is due.
(CAMELS)
Nisab Rate
From To
5 heads 9 heads One ewe (female sheep)
10 heads 14 heads Two ewes
15 heads 19 heads Three ewes
20 heads 24 heads Four ewes
25 heads 35 heads One 1-year-old female camel
76 heads 90 heads Two 2-year-old female camels
91 heads 120 heads Two 3-year-old female camels
121 heads 160 heads Three 2-year-old female camels
215
Note: for every forty camels, one extra 2-year-old camel is due, and every
extra fifty camels, one extra 3-year-old camel is due.1
Whosoever has the above in possession for a period of one year; it is
obliged on him to pay Zakat. In the case where a person has the amount
in cash, the payment of Zakat becomes easy. But when a person has
wealth in business sticks or trade articles; he must evaluate his wealth at
the end of every year according to the current value and give zakat at the
same rate of 2.5% of the total value of the wealth.
If his business is immovable property like buildings and industries, the
rate of zakat should be determined according to the net total income, and
not the total value of the whole property. But if he constructs buildings
and houses for trade or selling, in this situation, the Zakat rate shall be
from the total value of the entire property. Likewise, if someone is a
creditor and the indebted person is reliable one should pay zakat for the
amount he has lent, because it is still a portion of his guaranteed wealth.2
It should be well understood that zakat payment is only on the net
balance. And it should be after finishing all personal expenses such as
family allowances, necessary expenditures and all other due credits.
What remains thereafter, zakat is on the net balance. It should also be
remembered that 2.5% of the value is only a minimum what a Muslim
should pay, but in case of emergency or arising needs, there is no rate
limit, the more a Muslim gives, the better the reward.
The distribution of Zakat serves all purposes. Especially when the law of
Zakat is enacted properly, it can minimize the needs of the citizens and
enrich the public treasury just like what happened during the time of
Umar bin Abdulaziz when there were no people eligible to receive Zakat,
every Muslim, Christian and Jew of the vast Islamic state had enough to
satisfy his/her needs until the rulers had to deposit the Zakat collections
in the public treasury.
Zakat is an obligation to be fulfilled by all Muslims who are Zakat payers.
It is a fulfilment of which one will be responsible to Allaah directly. Hence,
when it is not observed properly, the rightful authorities of the Islamic
state must intervene on behalf of the public to ensure that the institution
of Zakat is enforced.
Zakat Calculation in the West
If all the wealth is in the form of sheep and cattle, the nisab is equivalent
to the value of 40 sheep of average weight (including small and big all
together). This is equal to about $2000.00 in the current prices of the end
of 1999. However, the livestock holdings that are intended for business,
either for sale or for meat and milk production, are considered as
1
These tables are taken from: Zeno, M. Jameel (1996) The Pillars of Islam and Imaan. p. 165-167
2
Motiwala, Mumtaz (1997) Studies in Islam GCE ‘O’ Level.p.106
216
business inventories (assets) and their nisab becomes in terms of gold
equivalent as in (c) below:
a. For agricultural products Zakat is on the output. Nisab is the value of 635
kilos of wheat, corn, rye or similar basic farm products in North America.
This is about $300.00 in current prices of the end of 1999.
b. For all other forms of wealth: nisab is the equivalent of 3 ounces of gold,
i.e., approximately $1000.00 as at January 4, 2000's prices.1 This equals
approximately ½ of the nisab on sheep.
c. In the afore-stated cases if the holdings of one kind of wealth are below
nisab, then the different items must be added together, and nisab will be
considered as a weighted average on the basis of $1000.00 of cash
equivalent, i.e., you add ½ of the value of animals to others.2
• Example 1: A person, who owns 20 sheep (½ nisab) and $400.00 in cash
(less than ½ nisab) is not zakatable since he/she owns the equivalent of
less than nisab of the total assets.
• Example 2: A person owns 21 sheep, and $500.00 in cash; he/she is
zakatable because the total is more than nisab. He/she must pay zakat
on $1550.00.
Zakatable Items: Any kind of wealth or income, including agricultural
products, not meant for personal or household-use are liable to Zakat.
Zakat is basically due on the net worth. Examples of Zakatable items:
• Cattle, sheep, buffalo, poultry, etc.
• Plants, equipments, machinery, inventory etc., in net value after deducing
debts on them.3
• All agriculture products, honey, milk, eggs, silk, etc.
• Farms machinery after deducing debts on them.
• Cash on hand, savings and checking accounts, saving certificates etc.
• Rented estates and properties after deducing loans on them.
• Men jewellery, excessive women jewellery, paintings and decoration
materials if they are in excess to what is normally used by other Muslims of
similar level of income and wealth.
• Net salaries, profit, income of professionals, etc. after deducing state and
federal taxes, F.I. C.A., other taxes and charges, and a living allowance.
• Funds accumulated in an IRA4 account, or in any similar personal or
1
The dollar equivalence of the gold nisab is, at the time of this calculation, more reflective of the
spirit of nisab than the dollar equivalence of silver nisab.
2
The nisab in Canada may be different from that of U.S. depending on the prices of gold, silver,
and other zakatable items.
3
Kahf, Monzer (2001) The Calculation of Zakah for Muslims in North America (Electronic
Edition).
4
Investment in Retirement Accounts
217
company-set retirement account, not the company’s matching amount, and
not the government-run social security.
Examples of non-Zakatable items:
▪ Owner occupied homes if reasonable and not luxurious; also
furniture, utensils, and home appliances.
▪ Women jewellery within the customary level in the neighbourhood
(community) of the Zakat payer.
▪ Personal and family clothes.
▪ Agricultural land farmed by the owner or on crop sharing.
Zakat Year: It is a full lunar year. It starts from the day the net
worth reaches nisab. It must be noted, however, that Zakat is due
on certain items at the time of acquisition, whereas, it is due on
others on yearly basis, starting one year after owning nisab. If it is
difficult to prepare a lunar balance sheet, one may use the solar
calendar and use a Zakat rate of 2.5776% instead of 2.5%. The rate
of agricultural products is not affected because their palatability
does not depend on the passage of a year. However, al-Qaradawi’s
opinion with regard to industrial output and stocks may require
similar adjustment in the applicable rate from 10% in a Hijri year to
10.3104% in a solar year.
Annuity of Zakat: Zakat is due yearly. It must be paid every year on the
total net wealth and income. There are four cases where it is not paid on
the yearly basis: salary and professional incomes, agricultural output,
business profits, and treasures found. However, any portion of these
items, if saved and carried over the next year, is considered part of net
wealth and is Zakatable accordingly. The annuity of Zakat implies that
Zakat cannot be collected twice on the same Zakatable item within one
year.
Distribution of Zakat
Zakat may be distributed directly to the individuals of one or more of the
recipients’ mentioned below. It can also be distributed to welfare
organizations which look after them. It may also be distributed in the
form of scholarships to bright Muslim students and researchers, or in the
form of grants to welfare organizations and public service institutions
which patronize such causes.
The distribution of Zakat is preferable to be given to disabled or poor
Muslims. Zakat should not be distributed to one who is able and capable
of making some earnings. The contributor should use his/her best
judgement in finding the most deserving beneficiaries as mentioned by
Allaah (SW) in Qur’aan.
218
The Recipients (Beneficiaries) of Zakat
The due recipient of Zakat is one who has nothing to meet his or her
necessities or has a very low income which is not sufficient to meet basic
needs. If at the end of the year, one possesses Nisab, he must be a
contributor, not a recipient of Zakat. The Qur’an classifies the due
recipients of Zakat as follows:
Verily, Sadaqat (here means Zakat) are only for the poor,
and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds)
for those whose hearts Have been (recently) reconciled (to
truth) for those in bondage and in dept, in the cause of
Allaah and for the wayfarer (thus is it) ordained by Allaah.
And Allaah is full of knowledge and wisdom. (Qur’an 9:60)
Therefore, there are eight categories of recipients of Zakat in Islam as
described by the above verse:
1. The poor Muslims, to reduce their suffering.
2. The needy Muslims, to supply them with means whereby they can earn their
livelihood.
3. The Muslims employed for the collection of Zakat, their wages are paid from
Zakat.
4. The new Muslims (reveries) to enable them to settle down and meet their
unusual needs.
5. The Muslim prisoners of war, to liberate them by payment of ransom money.
6. The Muslims in debt, to free them from their liabilities incurred under
pressing necessities.
7. The Muslims in service of the cause to Allah for Jihad or propagating Islam.
This share is to cover their expenses and help them to continue their
services.
8. The Muslim wayfarers who are stranded in a foreign land and in need of help
to reach their homes.1
The Poor (‫)الفقراء‬
The poor or destitute (‫ )الفقراء‬are persons who possesses half of their
minimum needs or less. They are poorer than the needy person (Miskin).
The Miskin is also poor, but he is better off than the faqir, like one who
possesses 70% or 80% of his needs, for instance Allaah (SW) mentioned
1
Motiwala, M. Studies in Islam GCE ‘O’ Level. Dar al-Fatah.1997.p.107
219
in the Qur’aan the story of that Masaakin (‫ )المساكين‬who possessed a ship.
Allaah (SW) says:
As for the ship, it belonged to poor people (Masaakin)

working in the sea. So I wished to make a defective damage
in it, as there was a king behind them who seized every ship
by force. (Qur’aan18:79)
Allaah (SW) described them as being Masaakin although they owned a
ship. These two categories of people, the faqir and miskin should be given
Zakat that will suffice them for the coming year since Zakat is only due
once a year, so it is only fitting that they get enough to sustain them until
its next distribution. It is also encouraged for them to be given something
that shall enable them to be Zakat payer.
The Zakat to such people should be based on what they need of food,
clothing, housing, and anything which one cannot do without. It should
be for moderate living, neither extravagance nor very tight. The level of
necessity varies from time to time and place to place and to some extent
between one individual and another. What is sufficient for a person in
one society (e.g. in the West) is not sufficient for a person in another (e.g.
in Africa). Likewise, what was enough ten years ago may not be enough
today, similarly, what is enough for one person may not be enough for
another, according to the different number of dependents and obligatory
expenditures as well places of living (e.g. urban and rural areas).
Muslim scholars have given a legal verdict that the necessity for Zakat
includes medical treatment of the ill, and helping single people to get
married, and acquiring necessary books of knowledge that shall benefit
the people.
The Zakat Collector (‫)العاملون‬
Another recipient of Zakat is the Zakat collector/collectors (‫)العاملون‬. 1
These are those people who are appointed by the Islamic state to do what
is necessary for the establishment of Zakat in the society. These include
the collectors, stores, records keepers and accountants, the guards,
transporters and distributors etc. The Zakat employee should be paid a
salary comparable to that of a person doing a similar job in some other
1
Zakat administrator implies the agency that carries out the calculation and distribution of Zakat.
220
organization, and according to how much period he spends for the Zakat
purpose, even if he or she is rich, as long as he is rational, adult Muslim,
trustworthy, and qualified for the job. This is in order to discourage any
corruption or embezzlement of Zakat funds or property.
The newly reverted and weak Muslims (‫)المؤلفة قلوبهم‬
Among the beneficiaries of Zakat, are the newly reverted and weak
Muslims (‫)المؤلفة قلوبهم‬. These are those new Muslims who need to be
drawn closer to Islam due to the fear of the influence or authority of their
non-Muslim families, clans, tribes, nations etc. Such people often face a
lot of problems after reversion and therefore need to be supported finically
so as to strengthen their attachment to Islam, and enable their belief to
take a firm root. This category of people is eligible for Zakat in order to
reconcile their hearts to Islam so that they can support and defend Islam
anywhere they may be. This portion may even be given to a disbeliever
because the Prophet (s.a.w) gave it to Safwan bin Umaiyah during the
battle of Hunain. It may also be given to a Muslim as the Prophet did by
giving Abu Sufyan bin Harb, Aqra bin Habis etc to each of them 100
camels.1
Muslim Prisoners of War (‫)في الرقاب‬
The Zakat money can also be used to free slaves or to ransom Muslim
prisoners of war from the enemy (‫)في الرقاب‬. It can also be used to help a
slave who has contracted with his master to purchase his own freedom by
payments. This kind of payment is included among the category of Zakat
because the prisoner of war and a slave are in a state of cruelty and their
need is even more serious as they are in danger of being killed or forced to
abandon Islam.
Debtors (‫)الغارمون‬
They are those who have encounter debts and are responsible for the
payment of those debts, but they not able to pay. There are two types of
debts:
1) Debts borrowed for personal use by a person on his own behalf for something
permissible in Islam such as cloth, food, medical care, marriage, house
construction, buying a car etc. In such a case this person should be given
from the money of Zakat what will enable him to discharge the debt if he is
too poor to pay his debt. Those affected by natural disasters are also
included under this category. Reported by Mujahid that three are considered
debtors in Islam. He who has lost his wealth and property by floods, he who
has lost his wealth by fire, and he who has a family and no money to support
it and takes a loan to sustain them. 2 It required that the recipient be a
1
Qaradawi, Yusuf (1985). Fiqhu al-Zakat (Arabic version). Vol: II. p. 593-600
2
According to a t-Tabari, the Imam of the Islamic state should take the responsibility of paying for
him the debts from the treasury, inserted in; Qardawi, Yusuf (1985) Fiqhu al-Zakat (Arabic
Edition) Vol: II. p.623.
221
Muslim, and not able to discharge the debt on his own, and that the debt was
not incurred in disobedience of Allaah (SW).
2) Debts incurred by a person who acquire a debt for someone else’s benefit, for
instance to make peace between two parties. Such a person is eligible for
Zakat, based on the following Hadith reported by Qabisah Hilali:
: ‫ أسأله فيها فقال‬-‫ رسول هللا صلي هللا عليه وسام‬-‫تحملت حمالة فأتيت‬
‫ ياقبيصة ان المسألة ال تحل‬:‫ ثم قال‬،‫أقم حتي تأتينا الصدقة فنأمر للك بها‬
،‫ رجل تحل حمالة فحلت له المسألة حتى يصيبها ثم يمسك‬: ‫اال ألحد ثالثة‬
‫ورجل أصابته جائحة اجتاحت ماله فحلت له المسألة حتى يصيب قواما من‬
‫عيش أو قال (سداد من عيش)ورجل أصابته فاقة حتى يقوم ثالثة من‬
‫ فحلت له المسألة حتى يصيب قواما‬،‫ لقد أصابت فالنا فاقة‬: ‫دوي الحجى‬
‫ فما سواهن من المسألة ياقبيصة سحتا‬،‫أو قال سداد من عيش‬،‫من عيش‬
)‫ (روه مسلم‬.‫يأكلها صاحبها سحتا‬
I took upon myself responsibility for someone else’s debt, and then I
came to the Prophet (saw) to ask for his assistance. He said- to me-
wait until some zakat payment comes in and I will order some to it
be given to you. Then he said, “O Qabisah, asking for money is only
permissible in three cases: A man who took responsibility for
another’s debt, so it is permissible for him to ask until he gets what
covers the debt, then he stops asking; or a man who was beset by a
disaster which destroyed his property and wealth, in which case it is
permissible for him to ask until he gets what it takes to put him back
on his feet, or a person beset by poverty, and three men of
discernment from his people say: so and so is poverty stricken, so
asking is permissible for him until he gets what is takes to put him
back on his feet, anything besides that is corruption, O Qabisah, the
one who gets it is consuming corruption. 1
It is also permissible to pay the debt of a dead person from Zakat funds,
because it is not necessary for the money to pass through the debtor’s
hands.2
Those who are in the path of Allaah (‫)في سبيل هللا‬
Spending the Zakat money in the way of Allaah (SW) (‫)في سبيل هللا‬: This goes
to volunteers who are not on the government payroll, both the poor and
the rich are eligible, and those who guard the Muslim frontiers militarily,
and it does not include general charitable spending, otherwise there
would have been no point in mentioning the other seven categories in the
1
Muslim, Bin Hajjaj. Sahih Muslim (CD) ‫ سلسلة برامج العالم و المتعلم‬Hadith No: 150. See also: Sahih
Muslim (Arabic Edition) vol: 7. p.134.
2
Zeno, M. Jameel (1996) The Pillars of Islam and Iman. p. 172
222
Qur’anic verse, since they would all be included in general charitable
spending. In this category Jihad is inclusive.
Muslim traveller whose funds have ran out )‫(ابن السبيل‬
The Muslim wayfarer )‫ (ابن السبيل‬is a person travelling from one land to
another. If he does not have the means to complete his journey, he may
be given from the Zakat what it takes him to complete his journey, as long
as the reason for his travel is not disobedience to Allaah, that is, for a
purpose which is mandatory or recommended in Islam, or at least
permissible. Another condition is that he can not find anyone to loan him
the money. It is also permissible to give the Zakat to the wayfarer even if
he has stayed a long time in some place in the course of his journey, if
the reason for his delay is to secure some need within the range of
possibility.
It is not mandatory to distribute the Zakat on all the eight categories
every year. But it is preferable bearing in mind the overall needs and
benefits, as perceived by the Muslim ruler or his duty, or the individual
who is paying the Zakat (in the absence of an organized collection and
distribution system).
The Non-beneficiaries of Zakat
Zakat is aimed at achieving certain objectives for the life of an individual,
society and the entire humanity. Thus, no one is liable to be given what
does not belong to him, nor should the owner of the wealth or the Muslim
leader be allowed to spend the money of Zakat as they wish. Hence, the
Muslim jurists have put a condition that Zakat should not be given to
those who are non-beneficiaries of Zakat as mentioned in the Qur’an and
Sunnah. The following are the non-beneficiaries of zakat:
• The rich person.
• He who is physically fit and able to work.
• An atheists, non-believer, the non-Muslim living in an Islamic state
(dhimy).
• The children, parents and wife of the Zakat payer.
• A member among the clan of the Prophet (s.a.w) Banu Hashim only.1
Importance of Zakat
The main aim of Zakat is to eradicate poverty in society, by spending for
the welfare of the poor and the destitute. Thus, the Prophet (s.a.w) on
many occasions emphasized to the Companions that the Zakat should be
spent for improving the condition of the poor. He had ordered Sayyidna
Mu’adh (R.A) while sending him to Yemen that he should collect the Zakat
from the rich and distribute it among the needy and the handicapped.
Zakat is the major economic means for establishing social justice and
leading the Muslim society to prosperity and security. In addition to that,
payment of Zakat purifies the wealth, property as well as the attitude of
1
Qaradawi, Yusuf (1985) . Fiqhu al-Zakat (Arabic Edition). Vol: II. P.695
223
Zakat payer. It is called Zakat because it makes the wealth of the Zakat
payer to increase and grow. Not only that, but It also makes the economic
condition of the poor and needy to grow as well.1 Allaah says:
Take Alms from their wealth in order to purify them and

sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them verily! Your
invocations are a source of security for them and Allah is
All-Hearer, All-Knowing. (Qur’an 9:103)
In Islam, wealth is a trust from Allaah (SW). Thus, every Muslim is
obliged to share his wealth with those in need, so that a balanced
economic life may be developed in the community. Zakat is one of the
means of achieving this end. Hence, it is to be paid once a year, or at
harvest time in the case of crops. The word Zakat by has been mentioned
30 times in the Qur’aan. Twenty-seven times among it has been
accompanied with the word prayer (Salaat).2
The following are the major importance and effects of Zakat:
1) Zakat not only purifies the wealth of the Zakat payer, but also purifies
his/her heart from selfishness and greed for wealth. It purifies the heart of
the recipient from envy and jealousy, from hatred and uneasiness, and it
fosters in his heart, instead, good will and warm wishes for the contributor.
As a result, the society at large will be purified.
2) Zakat reduces the sufferings of the needy and poor members of society. It
is a most comforting consolation to the less fortunate people. To all parties
concerned, it is, directly as well as in directly, an open treasure for spiritual
investment that compensates abundantly.
3) Zakat is a healthy and effective instrument in cultivating the spirit of social
responsibility on the part of the contributor, and the feeling of security and
belonging on the part of the recipient.
4) Zakat is a sound illustration of the fact that though Islam does not hinder
private enterprise or condemn private possessions, yet it does not tolerate
selfish and greedy capitalism.3
Some Benefits of Paying Zakat
1. Complying with the order of Allaah and His Messenger and giving
precedence to what Allaah and His Messenger love over the selfish
love for wealth.
2. Multiplying the reward of one’s good deeds. Allaah (SW) says:
1
Qardawi, Yusuf (1985). Fiqhu al-Zakat (Arabic Edition). Vol: I. p.37.
2
Ibid, p.42
3
Motiwala, M. Studies in Islam GCE ‘O’ Level. Dar al-Fatah.1997.p.104
224
The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of
Allah is as the likeness of a grain (of corn) it grows seven
ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives
manifold increase to which He pleases. (Qur’an 2:261)
3. Giving in charity and paying Zakat is a proof of one’s belief, and a
clear mark indicating its presence. As mentioned in the Hadith.
)‫"الصدقة برهان" (رواه مسلم‬
“Charity is a proof.” (Muslim)
4. Purification from the pollution of sins and degraded character.
Allaah (SW) says:
Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify

them and sanctify them with it … (Qur’an 9:103)
5. The increase of wealth and the presence of blessing in it and its
protection from its evil, as per the Hadith
)‫"ما نقص مال من صدقة" (رواه مسلم‬

“Wealth never decreases due to charity” (Muslim)
And Allaah (SW) says:
Say: Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He

wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him and
whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allaah’s cause), He
will replace it. And He is the Best of providers. (Qru’an34:39)
225
6. The giver of charity will be in the shade of is charity on the Day of
judgement, as in the Hadith about the seven categories of the people
whom Allaah will shade in His shade on the day when there will be
no shade except His shade:
)‫"ورجل تصدق بصدقة فأخفاها حتى ال تعلم شماله ما تتنفق يمينه" (متفق عليه‬
“And a man who gives charity, secretly, until his left hand doesn’t
know what his right hand spent.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
7. It is a cause for the Mercy of Allaah:1
"And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the
Hereafter: for we have turned unto You." He said: "With My
Punishment I visit whom I will; but My Mercy extends to all
things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are God
fearing and give Zakat and those who believe in our
evidences. (Qur’an 7:156)
The Difference between Zakat and Tax, Zakat and Integrity
The taxes paid to the governments nowadays do not at all substitute for
this religious duty. The difference between zakat and tax is seen in the
fact that zakat;
(1) Generally is paid by a Muslim willingly without the need of focing him/her to
do that.
(2) Is a law of Allah (SW), while tax is a man made law.
(3) Purifies the souls of the rich from greediness and avarice that induce them
to forget their needy and poor brothers.
(4) It also purifies the hearts of poor people of hate and ency for the rich,
especially when they seen them pay the prescribed percentage and attend to
them with kindness and generosity.
(5) Allah (SW) has warned those who refuse to pay zakat 3:180, while there is no
any warning on those who don’t pay tax. 2
(6) Is given to the needy and poor, while tax is given to the government.
1
Zeno, Muhammad bin Jameel. The Pillars Islam and Iman and What every Muslim must know
about his Religion. Dar-us-Salam Publications, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1996) .p.174.
2
226
(7) The rich distributed to the poor, while tax both the rich and the poor must
pay it.
(8) Is an act of worship with rewards from Allaah (SW), tax is not an act of
worship and no rewards is expected from the Allaah (SW).
(9) Has a fixed rate, while tax is paid as you earn.
(10) Is paid by Muslims only, while tax is paid by all citizens Muslims and non-
Muslims as well.
Some Important Information about Zakat
1) It is lawful to distribute all Zakat to one of the eight categories, and
not obligatory to distribute it on every category even if they are
available.
2) Zakat should not be distributed to disbelievers, an apostate, one
who abandoned Salaah (except for those whose hearts are to be
drawn close or is given to him on condition that he performs
Salaah as an incentive for him).
3) It is totally discouraged to give Zakat to a wealthy person, since the
Prophet (saw) is reported to have said:
‫رواه أبو داود‬ ‫ال حظ فيها لغني أ و لقوي مكتسب‬

“There is no share in it (zakat) for the wealthy or the strong
person who can earn (living).”
4) No one is permitted to give Zakat to those whom he is obligated to
support them such as one’s parents, children and wives.
5) Zakat is permissible to be paid for all of a debtor’s debt or just a
portion of it.
6) It is permitted for a woman to give her Zakat to her husband, if he
is poor. It is established that the wife of Abdullah bin Masoud
(R.A) wanted to pay Zakat to her husband and the Prophet (s.a.w)
approved her wish.
7) Zakat should not be transferred from one country to another
unless in case of serious need such as famine, poverty, natural
disaster or no poor people are found in the country, or to support
the Mujaahidun etc.
8) He, who gains wealth in another country, must pay Zakat wherein
he has acquired that wealth, and should not transfer it to his
country of origin except in cases of pressing need, as explained
above.
9) It is encouraged to give a poor person from the Zakat what will
sustain him/her for several months, or even what can sustain him
for the full year.
227
10) Zakat is mandatory on silver and gold, whether in the form of
coins, or bars, or jewellery which is owned or lent out or other
forms, because the evidence obligating Zakat on gold and silver is
general, without detailed distinctions. There are scholars who
make an exception for jewellery which is worn or lent, that no
Zakat is due on that, but the first point of view is stronger from the
aspect of its supporting evidence and is safer in discharging ones
responsibility.
11) There is no Zakat on the property that the person needs to use: for
instance, food, drink, furniture, a house, animals, a car, clothing
etc. the proof for all of that is the statement of the Prophet (s.a.w):
)‫ليس على المسلم في عبده وال فرسه صد قة (متفق عليه‬

“There is no zakat on a Muslim with regard to his horse and his
slave.”
The exception to this general rule is gold and silver jewellery, as
mentioned earlier.
12) Property which is set aside for rental purposes, such as real estate
and cars etc. The Zakat due on it is levied on the rent earned from
it. After the lapse of a year, if it reaches the minimum nisab by
itself or in conjunction with other property in the same category,
Zakat is due on it.
Warnings from Qur’aan and Sunnah to those who don’t pay Zakat
Allaah (SW) compared those who hoard Zakat money or wealth and
property which they aught to give to the categories mentioned in the
Qur’aan but instead devours it to the Jewish rabbis and the Christian
priests who devour peoples’ wealth by way of claiming that they are
working for Allaah (SW) and instead hinder people from discovering the
true religion and faith as a way of continuing to exploit them, Allaah (SW)
says:
228
O you who believe! There are indeed many among the priests
and anchorites, who in falsehood devour the substance of
men and hinder (them) from the Way of Allaah. And those
who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the Way of
Allaah: announce unto them a most grievous penalty. On the
Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the
fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads,
their flanks, and their backs, "This is the (treasure) which
ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye
buried!" (Qur’an 9:34-35)
On the same token, Allaah’s Messenger is reported to have said,
‫ما من صاحب كنز ال يؤدي زكاته اال أحمى عليه في نار جهنم فيجعل‬
‫صفائح فيكوى بها جنباه و جبينه حتى يحكم هللا بين عباده في كان مقداره‬
.‫خمسين ألف سنة‬
“There is none who possessed and stored wealth without paying

its zakat except that it (the wealth) will be heated in the fire of Hell,
then shaped into sheets with which his flanks and his forehead
will be barnded until Allah judges between His slaves on a day
whose length will be 50, 000 years” 1
And let not those who covetously withhold of the gifts which
Allaah has given them of His Grace, think that it is good for
them: nay, it will be the worse for them; soon shall the
things which they covetously withheld be tied to their necks
like a twisted collar, on the Day of Judgment. To Allaah
belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah
is well-acquainted with all that you do. (Qur’an 3:180)
The Prophet has also said,
‫من أتاه ماال فلم يؤد زكاته مثل له يوم القيامة شجاعا أقرع له زبيبتان‬
‫يطوقه يوم القيامة ثم يأخد بلهزمتيه (يعني شدقيه) ثم يقول أنا مللك أنا‬
"......‫كنزك ثم تال "وال يحسبن الدين يبخلون بما ءاتهم هللا‬
“whoever is made wealth by Allaah, and does not pay the Zakat of
his wealth, then on the Day of Judgement his wealth will be made
1
Sahih Muslim in CD ‫سلسلة برامج العا لم و المتعلم‬
229
to appear in the form of a poisonous snake with two (black) spots
(over the eyes). It will coil around his neck, and then it will seize
him by the corners of his mouth, saying, I am your wealth, I am
your treasure.” Then he the Prophet recited the above verseQur’aan
3:180.
Questions
1) Define the term Zakat and explain the types of Zakat in Islam.
2) What is the different between Zakat, Sadaqa and Tax?
3) Identify the conditions for Zakat payment.
4) List down the Zakatable iterms
5) Outline the Nisab for various categories of items
6) Appreciate the role that Zakat can play to eradicate porvity
7) Discuss the following types of Zakat: Zakatul Maal, Zakatul Fitr
8) List down the recipients of Zakat according to the Qur’an.
9) Describe the Warnings from Qur’aan and Sunnah to those who don’t
pay Zakat
10) List down some important information about Zakat in Islam.
230
CHAPTER ELEVEN
AKHLAQ: MORAL VALUES I
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ISLAMIC MORALITY
Essential Components of Islamic Morality

Dimensions of Islamic Morality
Significance of Islamic Morality
Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil
Correlation between Imaan and Righteous Deeds
Introduction to Moral Values in Islam

Akhlaq or Morality is a science of the ethical values of human life. This
science deals with conduct and character that is approved or disapprove.
Thus, Allaah (SW) has endowed man with the capacity to admire what is
good and to despise what is evil. Moral values is a branch of philosophy
and moral correctness taught by Islam. Islamic morality is called
Tahdhib in Arabic language. This word Tahdhib means moral education.
It teaches Muslims how to behave well. Moral values deal with the dos
and the don’ts in human life. The major purpose of ethics or Tahdhib is to
spread freedom and dignity, truth and justice etc. It is not at all to gain
power and dominance for its own sake. Thus, it is said that “Knowledge +
Power + Arrogance = Tyranny and injustice” whereas “Knowledge + Power
+ Morality = Justice and freedom.”1
Morality or good behavior is an essential part of Muslims’ lives at home,
in the school and in our work place or business entrepreneurs. A study
at Harvard University showed that 85% of the reason why people get jobs
and get ahead in their jobs is because of good behaviors. Students, who
would want to prepare their future after school, will have to learn how to
develop a winning attitude as a way of life. Always positive attitudes lead
to good conduct and behavior. And negative attitudes will always lead to
immorality and bad behaviour. Thus, Muslims must follow the example
of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), the exemplary role model in conduct,
manners and behavior.2 In fact, Allaah (SW) in praising the excellent
moral character and behaviour of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said,
1
Kheir, Abdallah (2001). ARE 218 Muslim Ethics, Kenyatta University, Department of Philosophy
and Religious Studies, p. 9
2
Rahbar, F. Muhammad (1995). Raising Children According to Qur’an and Sunnah.p.29
231
And verily you, (O Muhammad), are an exalted standard of
character. (Qur’aan68:4)
After extensive research Michael H. Hart, a Christian American scholar,
published a book on biographies of a hundred of the most influential
people in history of all time. He frankly concluded and ranked Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) as number one and wrote that the Prophet was the
only man in history who was supremely successful on both religious and
secular levels. Similarly, George Bernard Shaw wrote that if a man like
Muhammad (s.a.w) were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world,
he would succeed in solving its problems and that would bring it much-
needed peace and happiness.1 The Prophet himself said: I have been sent
for the purpose of perfecting good morals.2
It is a well-known fact that the Prophet (s.a.w) was most trustworthy and
had the best behavior towards all people. He insisted upon the
importance of honesty, sincerity, kindness, modesty, gentleness, courage,
steadfastness, good behavior and positive attitudes and consideration for
others, and a general desire for promotion of the happiness and welfare of
society. Abu Umaamah reported Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) as saying:
I guarantee a house in the surrounding of Paradise for a man who
avoids quarrelling even if he were in the right, a house in the
middle of Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he were
joking, and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Paradise for
the one who makes his character good. 3
Abu ad-Dardaa’ reported the Prophet (s.a.w) as saying:
There is nothing heavier than good character put in the scale of a
believer on the Day of Resurrection. 4
Islam teaches that we should cultivate these noble qualities and treat
other creatures with mercy ad compassion. Similarly, we may also make
use of Allaah’s beautiful attributes of justice, forgiveness, kindness,
compassionate love etc. to inculcate in ourselves such moral qualities.
These positive qualities ethics and morality if developed properly can
make us individuals of an upright personality.
Moral Development
Forming personal ethical code, which distinguishes the acceptable from
the unacceptable, is one of the most important tasks of a Muslim. This is
called moral development and is necessary to guide the daily behavior of
1
Ibid.p.30
2
Collected by Al-Haakim
3
Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation), Vol. III, Hadith No. 4782, p. 1344
4
Sunan Abu Dawud (English Translation), Vol. III, Hadith No. 4781, p. 1344
232
all Muslims. For a Muslim, moral development, manners and behavior
should be derived from the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Teachers and parents
must do their utmost to teach these qualities to the children and
students. Normally, children are born with a clean slate of mind and
heart whatever is ingrained therein of good attitudes, characters and
manners is what will develop the child into a good mature man or woman.
Behaviour and morality can therefore be developed through learning and
seeing good examples of parents and teachers’ good behavior. It is
important for parents and teachers to exercise discipline with wisdom and
through the use of praise, not always criticism or punishment. Children
who are raised up in an atmosphere of praise and approval will grow up
happier and develop their morality positively.
The author John Drescher has pointed out that children’s moral
development go through several stages while growing up. Between ages
one and seven, they need regulation. The child needs to know what is
expected of him. If he is left without clear rules and discipline, he will
become unruly and will test the parents to see how far he can push his
limits. Thus, parents must be consistent in their rules and directions and
not be afraid to say ‘No’ and mean it when it comes to something bad to
their children. However, between the ages eight to twelve children are at
the stage of imitation. During which role models are most important.
Children at this age look more to examples than to rules. They pay more
attention to what we actually do than what we say. For example, parents
who lecture their children on the hazards of smoking while smoking
themselves will not be able to convince their children that smoking is
harmful. At this age parents should be careful about what friends the
child plays with, what kind of teachers he/she has, what books he/she
reads, what television programs he/she watches, etc., since all of these
have a big influence on moral development and pre-teenager. Now when
the children reach the age of thirteen, they are inspired by great ideals
and must have heroes. If they do not have suitable heroes, then they will
find one from the culture around them. To develop good moral values,
parents and teachers should make these youngsters familiar with Islamic
heroes and encourage them to read stories about some of them.1
How do Muslims form ethical or moral code?
It starts from the family. In the first place, the growing child’s Muslim
family transmits continuous messages as to what is good and what is
bad. Very quickly the young child perceives what pleases older people
and what displeases them; therefore the Muslim child begins to be aware
of the morality and immorality of behavior, later, teachers and classmates
will give more information on this subject both in school and in
Madrassa. The Mosque under the leadership of the Imam also plays its
role towards the same. During adolescence, the group can be the basic
1
Rahbar, F. Muhammad (1995). Raising Children According to Qur’aan and Sunnah.pp.32-33
233
reference point to determine what is admissible morally and what is not.
All this learning happens within the context of the general society which
has some moral or ethical codes. 1
Essential Components of Islamic Morality
Islam as a universal system is a complete way of life that permeates every
waking moment of our life. It gives a criterion for judging all behavior and
conduct, determines relationships with other individuals, with society as
a whole, and with one’s own self. Reverence and morality is seen as the
basis of self confidence and strength, the fundamental ideals of which are
all-consuming love of Allaah (SW), and the absolute unshakable
conviction that one is loved by Allaah (SW) in return. When a person loves
Allaah (SW), and feels loved in return, that person does not want to leave
in his or her character any trait of personality that would cause the
beloved to be sad, or ashamed, or disappointed. This is not to suggest
that Allaah (SW) has feelings in any way like those of a human being –but
the believer who loves Allaah (SW) understands what qualities they
themselves admire and cherish in other human beings, and they desire
Allaah (SW) to see them in the best possible way.2 The essential
components of morality in Islam are mainly five:
Belief in Allaah (SW) as the Creator and Legislator
The first component that forms and moulds a person’s morality is the
belief in the existence of Allaah (SW) not only as the Creator of all that
exists but as the benefactor and legislator. The choice to believe in Allaah
(SW) or not to believe is the first and fundamental choice for every
rational human being –there is no other alternative way to perceive and
understand or explain all that exists. In fact, all that has been created
and continues to exist survives by the Will of Allaah (SW) the Creator as
He says:
Allaah is the Creator of all things and He is the Guardian

and Disposer of all things (affairs). (Qur’aan 39:62)
1
Melgosa, Julian. New Lifestyle to Adolescents and Parents. Editorial Safeliz (2000) .pp.171-172
2
Maqsood, Ruqaiyyah Waris (1998) Living Islam: Treading The Path Of The Ideal. pp. 22-23
234
Your Guardian-Lord is Allaah, Who created the heavens and
the earth in six Days, then He established Himself on the
Throne (of authority): He brings the night as a veil over the
day, each seeking the other in rapid succession: He created
the sun, the moon, and the stars, (all) governed by laws
under His Command. Is it not His to create and to govern?
Blessed be Allaah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the
Worlds! (Qur’aan7:54)
Thus, all that exists proves the existence of Allaah (SW) as the sole
Creator and governor over all affairs in creation. Once the rational mind
as become aware of these facts of creation and accepts consciously and
chooses to believe in the existence of Allaah (SW), all the rest follows on.
The moment we make this fundamental choice and are aware that Allaah
(SW) sees and watches all that we do. Then it alters all our motivation for
doing things, it makes us do certain things that we would otherwise not
even have attempted to dream of doing and also stops us from doing
many things that would have given us a great deal of selfish pleasure. It
even alters our way of thinking –because we know that Allaah (SW) is
close to us by His Wisdom, Power and Knowledge seeing and hearing all
that we do. He is aware of everything, even our innermost secret
thoughts.
And We Who created man, and We know what dark

suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him
than (his) jugular vein. (Qur’aan50:16)
He is with you wheresoever you may be, and He sees clearly

all that you do. (Qur’aan57:4)
This understanding and belief then moulds our character and behavior
such that we do not do except that which Allaah (SW) has ordered us to
do.
Belief in Judgment and accountability
The second component that moulds our morality in Islam is the belief
that there will definitely come a time when we will be held responsible for
all our deeds whether good or bad and thus we will be judged based on
our accounts of good and bad deeds. Nothing that we can do in this world
235
will escape the record and account of Allaah (SW) the All-knowing who
also has His Angels recording all our actions. Then on the Day of
Judgment our books of record will be spread out for us to see and read
for ourselves, nothing small or great will be left out of this perfect record
of our accounts Allaah (SW) says about this:
Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by

him ready (to record it). (Qur’aan50:18)
But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect you,

Kind and honourable; writing down (your deeds): They know
(and understand) all that you do. (Qur’aan 82:10-12)
"This Our Record speaks about you with truth. For We were
indeed recording all what you used to do." Then, as to those
who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit
them to His Mercy: that will be the Achievement for all to
see. But as to those who rejected Allaah (disbelieved), (to
them will be said): "Were not Our Signs recited to you? But
you were arrogant, and were a people given to sin
(criminals, polytheists, disbelievers)! "And when it was said
that the promise of Allaah was true, and that the Hour,
there was no doubt about its (coming), you used to say, `We
know not what is the Hour: we only think it is an idea, and
we have no firm (convincing belief) assurance.'" (Qur’aan 45:29-
32
236
And the Book (of one’s record of Deeds) will be placed (before
you); and you will see the sinful (criminals, disbelievers,
polytheists) in great terror because of what is (recorded)
therein; they will say, "Ah! Woe unto us! What sort of Book is
this! That leaves out nothing small or great, but takes
account thereof!" And they will find all that they did,
placed before them: and not one will your Lord treat with
injustice. (Qur’aan18:49)
Natural instincts ingrained in human intellect

As human beings we have been created with a conscience, an inbuilt
moral sense of right and wrong which allows us through the power of
reason to recognise what is true and good from what is false and evil.
“Good” may be understood as what is pleasing to Allaah (SW) and
therefore beneficial to us as human beings. “Evil” may also be understood
as whatever incurs the anger of Allaah (SW) and is therefore harmful to
us as human beings. Although Allaah (SW) created us in a naturally good
state, He also gave us a conscious, capacity or power to do both good and
evil. Allaah (SW) also gave us the freedom to choose between doing good
and doing evil. The existence of good and evil is therefore closely
connected with our freedom of choice and responsibility for our action.1
This conscience inbuilt in us is therefore an important essential
component in moulding our character and behaviour, our morality.
So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith:

(establish) Allaah's handiwork according to the pattern on
which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the
work (wrought) by Allaah: that is the standard Religion: but
most among mankind understand not. (Qur’aan30:30)
1
Hamid AbdulWahid, ISLAM the Natural Way, pp. 21-22
237
And say: “The truth is from your Lord.” Then let whosoever
wills, let him believe and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.
Qur’aan18:29)
Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever

works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is your Lord ever
unjust (in the least) to His Servants. (Qur’aan41:46)
Psychological stability and happiness

The forth essential component that moulds our morals in Islam and
motivates us to be of good character and behavior is the sense of
psychological health and peace, harmony and security that we feel in our
daily interaction with our fellow human beings in the society. We always
feel and see the advantages of suppressing our anger and being merciful
and kind-hearted to everyone in society, of being just and fair, keeping
our promises and being polite and nice to fellow human beings, because
we are in turn reciprocated with the same good behaviour and character
from our fellow human beings. As the saying goes do unto others as you
wish to be done to you. Allaah (SW) also reminded us of this reality when
he said:
Is there any reward for good other than good? (Qur’aan 55:60)
The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in

degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation,
his reward is due from Allaah: for (Allaah) loves not those
who do wrong (oppression). (Qur’aan42:40)
The Prophet (s.a.w) is also reported to have echoed the same principle –
that as you do to other so it will be done to you. In a Hadith that is
considered weak although the meaning is sound:
238
‫ كما تدين‬، ‫البر َل يبلى و اإلثم َل ينسى و الديان َل ينام فكن كما شئت‬
‫تدان‬
77 / 4 " ‫ قال اْللباني في " السلسلة الضعيفة و الموضوعة‬:

) 79 ( " ‫ أخرجه البيهقي في " اْلسماء و الصفات‬. ‫ضعيف‬
‫و ابن الجوزي في " ذم‬
Piety and good behaviour is never lost and evil conduct is never
forgotten and Allaah (SW) does not sleep so do as you wish but
as you do to others so it will be done to you. (Al-Albani said in his
“Silsilati Adhl-Dhaifah wal Mawdhuaat” that this Hadith is weak but
added that the meaning is correct) 1
The parameters of revelation and reason
The fifth essential component of morality in Islam is that Allaah (SW) gave
as the divine revelation (the Qur’aan and Sunnah) that clearly delineates
what is good behavior and bad behavior. Yet Allaah (SW) also gave us a
special gift–the power of reason and logic which enables us to judge what
is good and what is bad. However, we must realize that the power of
reason and logic is in itself limited: It is like a precision balance which
you might use for weighing gold but you would be vain and foolish to
think of using it to weigh mountains.2 Still, if reason and logic is properly
used it will help alongside divine revelation to know what is morally
acceptable in society and what is immoral and unacceptable. In other
words if we find that our behavior is not going against Qur’aan or Sunnah
and is also not negating human reason and logic then we can safely say
that it is an acceptable conduct of behaviour.
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth,

“This is lawful and this is unlawful,” to invent falsehood
about Allaah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about
Allaah will not succeed. (Qur’aan 16:116)
1
- ‫ السلسلة الضعيفة‬75 ‫ ص‬/ 4 ‫ج‬
2
Hamid AbdulWahid, ISLAM the Natural Way, p. 3
239
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet,
whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures) - in the
Law and the Gospel - for he commands them what is just
and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful
what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad
(and impure); he releases them from their heavy burdens and
from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who
believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the Light
which is sent down with him, it is they who will prosper.
(Qur’aan 7:157)
Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are:

shameful deeds, whether open or secret; sins and trespasses
against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allaah, for
which He has given no authority; and saying things about
Allaah of which you have no knowledge. (Qur’aan 7:33)
Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allaah

are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason. (Qur’aan8:22)
Dimensions of Islamic Morality
The dimension and the scope of Islamic Morality can be classified into two
categories; the Maarufat (virtues) and Munkaraat (vices). In the following
240
section we shall discuss the dimensions and dynamics of Islamic morality
under these two main headings.
Maa’rufat (Virtues)
The main virtues enjoined by Islam may also be divided into two broad
areas; firstly, those that restrain us from injuring the life, property and
honor of others such as piety, patience and perseverance, chastity,
honesty, peacefulness, moderation, contentment, politeness and humility
etc. secondly, those that prompts and encourage us to do good to others
such as charity, co-operation, modesty, salutations and greetings, truth
and justice, sympathy, patience, forgiveness, love and kindness etc. 1 We
shall discuss some of these virtues in the second series of our “Essential
Islamic Studies Book II” in order to appreciate the dynamics of Islamic
morality in our daily life.
Munkaraat (Vices)
These are evil deeds done individually or committed by society in
generally which adversely affect the well being of both individuals and the
community life be it in the area of social life, political life, economic life
and even the spiritual aspect of human life. Therefore, Islam has
forbidden any such deeds that will affect the moral well being of our
society and the commission of such evil deeds will only incur the curse
and wrath of Allaah by way of calamities national disaster crises such as
earth quakes, floods, wild fires, tornadoes, draughts and famines, land
slides, tsunami etc. as Allaah (SW) has warned saying:
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by

[reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e.
Allaah] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what
they have done that perhaps they will return [to
righteousness]. (Qur’aan30:41)
We shall discuss some of these vices in the second series of our “Essential
Islamic Studies Book II” in order to see the negatives effects that vices
and immorality cause in our daily life and society in general.
Significance of Islamic Morality
The significance and importance of Islamic morality is that by inculcating
in ourselves such moral values as piety and God consciousness,
generosity, kindness and charity, patience and perseverance, justice,
bravery, forgiveness and reconciliation, gentleness, truthfulness, honesty
1
Ondigo Yahya M. A., God’s Blessings To Humanity Part I, p. 74
241
and sincerity. And also shunning and avoiding such evil conduct and
bad behaviour as cheating, lying, bribery and corruption, backbiting,
gossiping and slandering, theft and drunkenness, fornication and
adultery etc. this then has the capacity to mould and change our
personal character attitude, which will in turn be reflected in the change
of attitude in schools, colleges and public arena and thus saving the
society in general from various forms of malaise. When many
communities and societies are morally upright then the world will be a
better place to live in.
Amr bil Ma‘ruuf Wa Nahyi anil Munkar
(Commanding good and forbidding evil)
On individual basis, for us to preserve our pure and sinless state which is
inborn in us, our main task is to keep away from or ward off evil. This is
why one of the greatest moral virtues repeatedly stressed in the Qur’aan
which we also discussed briefly in the previous section is taqwa. Taqwa is
the most important quality that we can develop in relation to good and
evil. It means to be conscious of Allaah (SW) and be careful not to
overstep His limits. It is a defense against evil that keeps us within the
boundaries of our natural state. However, it is often not easy to remain
within the boundaries of our natural state because of certain human
weaknesses from which springs all our major ills. Allaah (SW) who
created us describe this weakness in the Qur’aan as Dha’f which also
connotes “pettiness” and “narrow mindedness” Allaah (SW) says
And Allaah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and

mankind was created weak. (Qur’aan4:28)
Unless we remind ourselves of the virtues of morality and maintaining

our good nature and confirm this good nature with good intentions and
actions we are likely to succumb to our natural weaknesses encouraged
sometimes by foolish creatures and fall prey to our base desires such as
pride, selfishness, hatred of others and other forms of evil as already
discussed. This will in turn give rise to greed, plunder, destruction,
rapacious wars and other forms of injustices.
The more we indulge ourselves in these vices and evil behavior, the more
we get rusted in our hearts to the extent that at times our hearts may
become sealed and impenetrable to good influences. Before this state is
reached, we need constantly to remind ourselves by commanding our
ownselves good and forbidding evil to ourselves as Allaah (SW) says:
242
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.
(Qur’aan51:55)
Similarly, for any society to succeed in maintaining its integrity and moral
uprightness it has to keep on checking itself and see that moral
decadency does not crop up and overtake the society. Which means there
have to be checks and balances in all sectors of society, these checks and
balances are what we call promoting virtue and combating vice, enjoining
right and forbidding wrong. Allaah (SW) says:
You are the best of Peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining

what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in
Therefore, in the community we must always have people enjoining good
and forbidding evil otherwise the society will morally become decadent.
And when moral decadence becomes widespread in society the
punishment of Allaah (SW) follows so much that people will try to
supplicate to Allaah (SW) to remove the calamities and punishment but
their supplications will not be answered.
Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all

that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is
wrong: they are the ones to attain felicity. (Qur’aan3:104)
Narrated Hudhayfah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is
reputable and forbid what is disreputable, or Allaah will certainly
soon send punishment from Himself to you. Then you will make
supplication and not receive an answer. 1
Narrated Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ud that the Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said:
1
Sunan at-Tirmidhi
243
The first defect that permeated the children of Israel was that a
man (of them) met another man and said: O so-and-so, fear Allaah,
and abandon what you are doing, for it is not lawful for you. He
then met him the next day and that did not prevent him from eating
with him, drinking with him and sitting with him. When they (the
children of Israel) did so. Allaah mingled their hearts with each
other. He then recited the verse: "curses were pronounced on
those among the children of Israel who rejected Faith, by
the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary. That was
because they disobeyed (Allaah and the Messengers) and
were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to
forbid one another from Munkar (wrong doing) which they
committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do" (Qur’aan
5:78-79) He then said: By all means, I swear by Allaah, you must
enjoin what is good and prohibit what is evil, prevent the wrong
doer, bend him into conformity with what is right, and restrict him
to what is right...or Allaah will mingle your hearts together and
curse you as He cursed them.1
On the authority of Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (R.A), who said: I heard Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) say:
Whosoever of you sees an evil action (taking place), let him change
it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his
tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart –and that
is the weakest of faith.2
Principles of Commanding Good and Forbidding Wrong
Yet commanding good and forbidding evil has certain general principles to
be adhered to, otherwise those trying to enjoin the right and forbid the
wrong will end up creating more harm in society than good. The most
important among those general principles that are discussed under this
section are five: Sincerity of Intention, Wisdom, Evidence, Striving Hard
and Patience.
Sincerity of Intention (Ikhlas an-Niyyah)
That those who are enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong in society
should be doing so to gain the pleasure of Allaah (SW) not for fame or
fortune and certainly not to show off and be seen by others that they are
the pious ones who are free from wrong doing. Allaah (SW) and His
Messenger said with regard to this principle:
1
Sunan Abu Dawud
2
Sahih Muslim also collected in al-Arba’in An-Nawawi, Hadith No. 34
244
So whoever hopes for the Meet with his Lord, let him do
deeds of righteousness and associate none as partner in the
worship of his Lord. (Qur’aan18:110)
Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and

my dying are for Allaah, Lord of the worlds. He has no
partner. And this I have been commanded and I am the first
of those who submit [to Him].” (Qur’aan6:162-163)
On the authority of the commander of the faithful Abu Hafs Umar

ibn al-Khattaab (R.A), who said: I heard Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) saying: “Actions are but by intention and every man shall
only get that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for
Allaah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allaah and His
Messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly
benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for
that for which he migrated.” 1
Those who enjoin the right and forbid the wrong for other than the sake
of Allaah (SW) such as to gain fame and praise should be warned that
their deeds will not be accepted and in the long ran they will have
wasted their efforts, energy and time and instead of earning any rewards
that would lead them to Paradise they will earn sins that would lead
them to hell-fire, what a great loss! This is because Allaah (SW) said in
the Qur’aan:
Say, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], “Shall we tell you of the greatest

losers in respect of (their) deeds? [They are] those whose
efforts in this life have been wasted in this life while they
1
Sahih Bukhari and Muslim collected in al-Arba’in An-Nawawi, Hadith No. 1
245
thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds. Those
are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in
[their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless;
and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection
any weight [i.e. importance]. That is their recompense—
Hell—for what they denied and [because] they took My signs
and My messengers in ridicule.” (Qur’aan18:103-1106)
Furthermore, not only has the commanding of good and forbidding of evil
be done for the sake of Allaah (SW) alone but it has to be done according
to the way it was done by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). In this respect,
narrated Aa’ishah (R.A) that the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said:
Whoever performs a (good) deed which we have not ordered
(anyone) to do (or is not done in accordance with our way), then
that deed will be rejected and will not be accepted. 1
Wisdom (Al-Hikmah)
The second principle is that commanding the right and forbidding the
wrong must be done with wisdom. Wisdom implies that first the person
must be knowledgeable in order to assess the situation of the evil he is
trying to stop and ascertain whether or not he is able to stop the evil
and if his actions will lead to a greater harm. If he feels that the only
way he can stop a particular evil in society is by doing something that
will lead to a greater harm, then he is not allowed to stop that evil.
Secondly his knowledge should help him to make the correct judgment
that indeed evil is in fact present and is in reality an evil that deserves to
be removed or stopped. Thus, knowledge will help him to remove any
suspicion or doubt about the evil. Wisdom also demands that the one
trying to stop evil does not go beyond what is permissible for him in the
Shari’ah, that he must stop at what is necessary to stop that evil. For
example, if he found a person is playing a cassette tape with music on it,
he may remove the tape and destroy the tape or record some religious
material and he is not entitled to go further and destroy the cassette
player if it can be used for good purposes.2
Wisdom with respect to commanding good and forbidding evil means;
saying the right thing, at the right time, to the right person at the right
place and in the right manner. This also means we cannot use harsh or
abusive language when persuading people to stop the wrong and
encouraging them to do well. Allaah (SW) says:
1
Sahih Bukhari, (Arabic-English), Vol. 9, Hadith No. 449
2
Zarabozo, Jamaal al-Din M. , Commentary on the FORTY HADITH of an-Nawawi Vol. 3 (U.S.A:
Al-Basheer Company for Publications and Translations, 1999), p.1207
246
And do not insult those they invoke other than Allaah, lest
they insult Allaah in enmity without knowledge. Thus We
have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to
their Lord is their return and He will inform them about
what they used to do. (Qur’aan6:108)
Wisdom in this case demands gentleness, humility, persuasion with good
polite words giving examples of the harm that evil creates in society or the
rewards that accrue for doing good. This was the methodology of all
Prophets and Messengers. Even when Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h) was sent to
the pharaoh the tyrant who had claimed to be God and subjugated the
children of Israel with hard tasks in slavery while killing their male fork
and leaving the female fork, Allaah (SW) said to Prophet Moses and his
brother Aaron while sending them to go and stop the evil of the Pharaoh:
Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed.

And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may
be reminded or fear [Allaah]. (Qur’aan20:43-44)
Even in the case of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) Abu Musa al-Ash’aree
(R.A) reported that:
Whenever Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) used to send one of his
Companions on a mission he would say, “Give good tidings and do
not drive people away, make things easy and do not make them
difficult.”1
Wisdom with respect to enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong does
not mean hiding the truth and using lies to convince the people to stop
their evil ways, rather, it means speaking the truth, calling a spade a
spade not a big spoon but with respect and dignity and convincing
language. Because of the importance of wisdom Allaah (SW) said that
whoever is given wisdom in convincing the people to stop committing evil
and instead turn towards righteousness has been given a great deal of
good.
1
Sahih Muslim
247
He gives wisdom1 to whom He wills, and whoever has been
given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none
will remember except those of understanding. (Qur’aan2:269)
Therefore, Allaah (SW) ordered all those who are calling people towards
good and steering them away from evil to use wisdom in their mission in
order to be successful in enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong,
Allaah (SW) said:
Invite all to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good
instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from
His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.
(Qur’aan16:125)
Evidence or Proof (Burhaan)
The third important principle in promoting virtue and combating vice,
enjoining right and forbidding wrong is to provide authentic evidence for
whatever we say. When calling people to change their evil conduct and
behavior towards good character and morality we must give evidence from
the parameters of revelation and reason. There is a need to not only give
relevant verses from the Qur’aan and statements of Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) known as Hadith but it would also be powerful persuasive
evidence to show through logic and reason and scientific facts the
rationale behind forbidding the evil conduct. For example in the Qur’aan
Allaah (SW) forbade intoxicants, gambling and illegal sexual intercourse.
Allaah (SW) says:
O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling,

[sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allaah], and
1
The knowledge and understanding of the religion and of the Qur’aan.
248
divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan,
so avoid 1 it that you may be successful. (Qur’aan5:90)
And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse.

Verily, it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road
(to other evils). (Qur’aan17:32)
Let us by way of example look at the effects of alcohol both on the human
body and the mind to appreciate the wisdom and rationale behind the
prohibition of alcohol and all intoxicants in general. Scientifically it has
been proven that alcohol is a powerful drug that circulates in the
bloodstream and affects all body organs. Therefore for a healthy and fit
body both young and old must not drink alcohol.
Alcohol and its effects on the body2
 Body senses: The senses of sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing are all
dulled as soon as alcohol in the bloodstream reaches the brain. We
normally respond to dangerous situations in order to protect ourselves
when body senses are functioning well. But when our body senses are
dulled then we are likely to have accidents.
 Reaction time and coordination: Alcohol affects the part of the brain
that helps us to coordinate body activities. At the same time alcohol dulls
the part of the brain responsible for reasoning and judgment. The result
is that when we are in the influence of alcohol we may believe that we can
perform certain tasks while in reality we cannot. Over 50% of all fatal
accidents and more than 70% of all drowning deaths involve people who
have been drinking.
 Immune system: The immune system is the body system that contains
cells and organs that fight disease. The number of infection-fighting cells
is lowered when people drink alcohol. Therefore, there is an increased risk
of disease and it is easier for abnormal cells to grow, thus increasing the
risk of developing cancer.
 Mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus: Drinking alcohol causes
changes in the cells that line the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus
leading to an increased risk of cancer of these organs.
 Stomach: Drinking alcohol causes an increased flow of gastric juices in
the stomach. With no food in the stomach, gastric juices may irritate the
inner lining and cause ulcers. The risk of harm to the stomach is
increased when alcohol and aspirin are used at the same time.
 Pancreas: Drinking alcohol harms the pancreas. Excessive drinking can
cause pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. This
1
The prohibition understood from the word “avoid” is stronger than if Allaah (SW) merely said,
“Abstain.” The former requires distancing oneself from anything remotely related to these
practices.
2
Meeks Linda & Heit Philips, Totally Awesome Health pp. 274-275
249
condition increases the risk of diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the
body produces little or no insulin.
 Liver: Alcohol cause more harm to the liver than any other body organ.
The liver filters alcohol from the bloodstream and chemically changes it
into harmless products. Liver cells are eventually damaged with heavy
drinking. This can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a disease
in which the liver tissue is destroyed and replaced with scar tissue.
 Brain and nervous system: Drinking alcohol affects the cells in the
brain. Alcohol dementia is brain impairment with overall intellectual
decline. When alcohol affects the nervous system, blackouts, seizures,
and nerve destruction can occur.
 Heart and blood vessels: Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate. Although
someone who has been drinking has a false sense of warmer, in reality
body heat is being lost and lowered body temperature may threaten
health in cold weather. A person may be unaware of conditions that may
cause frostbite. But drinking alcohol also increases the amount of sugar
in the bloodstream. People who drink may therefore, develop
atherosclerosis. Long-term use of alcohol will harm heart tissue
increasing the risk of irregular having irregular heartbeat, high blood
pressure, and stroke.
 Reproductive system: Alcohol can have immediate effects during
puberty. Drinking alcohol can delay the first menstrual cycle and cause
irregular periods in females. Drinking alcohol can also affect breast
development. Females who drink as youths have an increased risk of
breast cancer later in life. Males also are affected by drinking alcohol.
Drinking alcohol can affect the size of the testes and the development of
muscle mass. It can affect the age at which the voice deepens and the
amount of body and facial hair.
Alcohol and its effects on the mind1
Alcohol in the bloodstream goes to the brain and changes the way a
person thinks, feels, and behaves therefore, for a healthy alert mind, it is
best not to drink alcohol.
 School performance: Because alcohol is a depressant drug, it slows the
activity of the brain cells. Drinking alcohol will definitely affect learning. It
becomes more difficult to think clearly and remember facts and therefore
grades end up suffering.
 Decision-Making: The decisions we make should be those that are
healthful, safe, legal, respectable of self and others, following teacher and
parental guidelines, and show that we have moral values. But when we
decide to drink alcohol, the part of our brain that helps us evaluate
situation is dulled and interfered with so that under the influence of
alcohol we end up making decisions that we will end up regretting for life.
 Sexual decision-making: Teens often experience sexual feelings. Theses
feelings increase and reasoning may be dulled when they drink alcohol.
As a result, it is more difficult to say NO to becoming sexually active and
stick to this decision. Teens who have been sexually active of ten have
1
Meeks Linda & Heit Philips, Totally Awesome Health pp. 276-277
250
reported that they had been drinking at the time. The consequences of
drinking and being sexually active are very serious. More than half of the
teen females who became pregnant have reported they had been drinking
when they had sex. Other teens who drink and become sexually active
become infected with sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.
 Social skills: Some teens feel awkward in social situation. They may
drink alcohol to “take the edge off” and feel more comfortable. Using
alcohol in this way interferes with the opportunity to learn how to handle
and be comfortable with certain unpleasant situation. Real self-
confidence can be gained only by mastering social situation without using
alcohol or any other drug as a crutch.
 Violence: People who drink alcohol in most cases may become angry and
aggressive. The may act on these feeling and harm other innocent souls.
Tens who drink or spend time around those who are drinking are at a risk
for fighting, abuse, and murder. Teens that have been drinking alcohol
also are more likely to engage in illegal behaviors such as shoplifting,
damaging property, and selling drugs
 Depression and suicide: Teen years may be quite stressful sometimes
given the workload at college, school and at home. Some teens who have
no proper love, attention and guidance from parents feel depressed.
Because is a depressant, it can cause teens who are already depressed to
feel more depression. Alcohol and other drugs used by teens thinking that
it will take away the depression are a factor in most suicide attempts.
Teens who had been drinking and using drugs were not thinking properly
when the suicide attempts were made. They were unable to see another
way of handling the problems and did not see the help that was needed.
Now we can understand and appreciate why Allaah (SW) forbade the
drinking of alcohol and the use of all other kinds of intoxicating
substances be they cigarettes or drugs. We can also see why the Prophet
(s.a.w) described alcohol and intoxicating substances as the mother of all
evils. And this is just one example of giving convincing evidence and proof
when dissuading people away from evil deeds.
Striving hard (Jihad)
The task of commanding good and forbidding evil in ones own self then in
the society is not easy. It is a task that requires dedication continuous
efforts and hard work on the part of those who have taken this challenge.
Allaah (SW) described this task of promoting virtues and combating social
and moral evils both on personal and societal levels in general as Jihad in
His path. Allaah (SW) said:
As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will

surely guide them to Our Paths. And verily, Allaah is with
the good doers. (Qur’aan29:69)
251
And strive for Allaah with the striving due to Him. He has
chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any
difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. He [i.e.
Allaah] named you Muslims before [in former scriptures] and
in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over
you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish
prayer and give Zakat and hold fast to Allaah. He is your
protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the
helper. (Qur’aan22:78)
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction

that will save you from a painful punishment? [It is that]
you believe in Allaah and His Messenger and strive in the
cause of Allaah with your wealth and your lives. That is
best for you, if you should know. (Qur’aan61:10-11)
And had We willed, We would have raised a warner in every

town. So obey not the disbelievers, but strive against them
(by preaching) with utmost endeavors with it (Qur’aan).
(Qur’aan25:51-52)
Human beings are very difficult creatures to convince towards

righteousness because they are prone to forgetfulness and many other
252
pleasures including human desires that pull them towards evil. And
Shaytan (Satan) also took a vow to mislead the human beings and ensure
by all tricks, ways and means that the human being deviates from the
straight path and becomes totally ungrateful to Allaah (SW). Therefore,
the believers who have undertaken the duty of enjoining the right and
forbidding the wrong must exert great efforts together while supporting,
helping and protecting each other as well as purifying themselves from all
kinds of evil so that they can serve as the best examples to those whom
they are calling towards good. In this way they will receive the help and
mercy of Allaah and eventually succeed in their task if not in this world
then in the hereafter.
O you who have believed, if you support (in the cause of)
Allaah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.
(Qur’aan47:7)
The believing men and believing women are allies (helpers,

supporters and protectors) of one another. They enjoin what
is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and
give Zakat and obey Allaah and His Messenger. Those—
Allaah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allaah is Exalted
in Might and Wise. (Qur’aan9:71)
Patience and perseverance (As-Sabr)
As-Sabr is one of those great moral virtues recommended in Islam.
Linguistically Sabr is “restraint and confinement” –restraining the soul
from panic, anger or greed, restraining the tongue from complaint; and
restraining the limbs from improper action.1 In the task of commanding
good and forbidding evil, Sabr involves enduring the harm that comes
from the people whom we are calling towards good conduct of which harm
may be physical or verbal abuse. For in most cases whenever the
powerful have exhausted their flimsy arguments against the evidences
adduced they always resort to violence. In that case the callers towards
good must endure the harm and be patient otherwise they would not
succeed in fulfilling their task. This is the reality that Luqman the wise
1
Umm Muhammad (1994) Realities of Faith, p. 38
253
servant of Allaah shared with his son as he was advising him and giving
him admonition he told him:
O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what

is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all]
that is of the matters [requiring] determination. (Qur’aan31:17)
All the Prophets were commanded by Allaah (SW) to have Sabr in calling
their people towards good and forbidding them from evil. Prophet Noah
was patient with his people for 950 years; Prophet Ibrahim was thrown
into a huge bone fire, Prophet Musa was given endless trouble not only by
Pharaoh but by the children of Israel who took to the worship of the
golden calf while he had gone to bring the law, Prophet John had his head
chopped off because of commanding good and forbidding evil while both
Prophet Jesus son of Mary and Prophet Muhammad went through an
attempted murder by their own people. This is what the Prophets of
Allaah went through in their mission of enjoining the right and forbidding
the wrong and when they had gone through persecution patiently and
thought that they had failed in their mission Allaah (SW) came to their
aid.
And certainly were messengers denied before you, but they

were patient over [the effects of] denial, and they were
harmed until Our victory came to them. And none can alter
the words [i.e. decrees] of Allaah. And there has certainly
come to you some information about the [previous]
messengers. (Qur’aan6:34)
[They continued] until, when the messengers despaired and

were certain that they had been denied, there came to them
Our help and victory, and whoever We willed was saved. And
254
Our punishment cannot be repelled from the people who are
criminals. (Qur’aan12:110)
Therefore, those who are calling towards the good and forbidding the
wrong are told to bear patiently whatever harm that befalls them in their
tasks and not to give up their mission for surely their rewards for the
good work they are doing is with Allaah (SW).
So be patient, as were those of determination–among the

messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be–on
the Day they see that which they are promised—as though
they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a
day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except
the defiantly disobedient people? (Qur’aan46:35)
And be patient, and your patience is not but by the help of

Allaah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in
distress over what they conspire. Truly, Allaah is with those
who fear Him and those who are good doers. (Qur’aan16:127-
128
O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy.

Compete in such perseverance and strengthen each other
and fear Allaah so that you may be victorious. (Qur’aan 3:200)
As we discussed at the beginning of this chapter, al-Amr bil Ma‘ruuf Wa
Nahyi an-Nil Munkar requires us to be patient in commanding people to
do good and forbidding them from doing evil only for the sake of Allaah.
Patience is also required to endure their harm and lastly we have to be
patient in hoping for success in our task and waiting for the reward both
in this world and the hereafter.
255
Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full,
without reckoning. (Qur’aan 39:10)
Morality Based on Faith and Good Deeds
A Muslim must have Imaan (faith). But before we look at the full
explanation of the Islamic faith (Imaan), it is important to know what is
meant by faith. The word Imaan literary faith, according to Muslim
scholars consists of: confession with the tongue, conviction of the heart
and confirmation with the limbs (doing righteous deeds). Confession
alone is not faith if it were so, then the people of the Book (Jews and
Christians) would be true believers. Moreover, the word Iman can mean
the acceptance of Divine principles, which are the basis of a believer’s
action, and complete submission (Islam) of a believer to his Creator,
Allaah (SW). Muslims should therefore understand that merely opening
one’s mouth and uttering or confessing a few words could never have an
impact on Islamic faith. The effectiveness of faith lies in its true meaning.
If it does not penetrate our hearts and have an impact powerful enough to
effect a change in our thoughts, taste, likes, and in our actions and
ultimately our morals, then the utterance of such few words is
meaningless and ineffectual.
A simple illustration can easily explain the point. Suppose we are
suffering from hunger and we start shouting, ‘Food! Food! Food!’ The
effect of hunger will not reduce even if we kept on repeating these words a
million times. But if we took a step and prepared food and ate the
hunger will stop. Another practical example is, suppose we feel thirsty
and keep on shouting the whole day, ‘water, water, water’ our thirst will
never be quenched. What we then need is to get some water and take a
mouthful and then our thirst would be quenched.
This is exactly the position of the Islamic faith. Mere confession alone is
not enough. Utterance of six or seven words cannot possibly transform a
non-believer into a believer, or an impure person into a pure one. This
transformation is possible only after we have understood the meaning of
faith and made it penetrate deep into our hearts and change our lives.
Therefore in Islam, morality cannot be possible without sincere faith and
good deeds. It is the deep faith in our hearts and the understanding of the
meaning of that faith which must motivate us towards doing good deeds
that are pleasing to Allaah (SW) or that our faith should restrain us from
doing evil deeds that are displeasing to Allaah. Consequently,
• It is very important to note that Islam consists of faith (Iman) and
righteous deeds (A’mal Saalih); one finds these two terminologies
mentioned together in numerous places in the Qur’aan. (E.g. Qur’aan
10:9; 20:112; 21:94 etc)
256
• In the sight of Allaah (SW), faith without deeds has no value.
Similarly, it is not possible to do good deeds without the right faith;
Therefore, Islam in general terms means right faith, right knowledge
and understanding about the faith, and right thoughts and right
actions.
Consequently, with respect to calling people towards doing good deeds
and forbidding them from doing evil deeds requires the caller to be one
who truly believes in Allaah (SW) and other articles of faith and does
righteous deeds himself before anyone can really believe in what he is
enjoining others to do. That is why Allaah (SW) praised this kind of
understanding when He said:
And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allaah

and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the
Muslims.” (Qur’aan 41:33)
Allaah (SW) also blames in strong words those who command others to do
good yet they do not do good themselves and they forbid people from
doing wrong yet they indulge themselves in all kinds of wrong doing.
Thus, Allaah (SW) called such people the worst callers and pretenders
who do not use common sense.
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not
do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allaah that you say what
you do not do. (Qur’aan 61:2-3)
Do you enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to

practice it) yourselves. And yet you study the Scripture? Will
you not understand? (Qur’aan 2:44)
257
Questions
1) Explain the basic principles of Islamic morality
2) Identify the dynamics of Islamic morality
3) Examine the significance of Islamic morality
4) Outline the essential components of Islamic morality
5) Discuss the following dimensions of Islamic morality:
(a) Maarufat (virtues)
(b) Muunkaraat (vices)
6) Identify the importance of commanding good and forbidding evil
(Amr bil Maaruf wa Nahyi An-Nil Munkar) in society.
7) Discuss the morality based on faith (Imaan) and good deeds
(Aamal As-Saalihat).
8) Explain the basic principles of Amr bil Maaruf wa Nahyi An-Nil
Munkar
258
CHAPTER TWELVE
MUAMALAT: RELATIONSHIP I
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
The Meaning of Nikah (Marriage)

The importance of marriage in Islam
Conditions for marriage and marriage festival
The Islamic view on polygamy
Prophet Muhammad’s Marriages
The rights and duties of family members
Definition of Marriage (Nikah)

Marriage (Nikah or Az-Ziwaj) is a contract enabling each spouse to have
enjoyment with the other. In Islam marriage is a legal act. It is a blessed
contract between a man and a woman in the marriageable category, by
which each becomes permitted (halaal) to meet each other physically and
begin the long journey of life in love, co-operation, harmony, tolerance
and tranquillity.1 The Qur’aan has described this relationship between a
wife and a husband, which brings love, harmony, trust and compassion,
in the most moving and eloquent terms wherein Allaah says:
And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates
from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity
with them, and He has put love and mercy between your
(hearts) verily in that are indeed signs for a people who
reflect. (Qur’aan30:21)
Marriage is obligatory for whoever is able to find the provisions to do
so and he/she fears committing what is forbidden (Az-Zinaa). This
was stated by Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) in his statement wherein he
said:
1
Al-Hashimi, Muhammad Ali (2003) The Ideal Muslimah. IIP House, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia p.171
259
‫"يا معشر الشباب! من استطاع منكم البأءة فليتزوج فانه أ غض‬
) ‫للبصر وأحصن للفرج" (رواه البخارى و مسلم‬
“O group of young men! Whoever among you is able to afford it then

let him get married. For verily it is better for lowiering the gaze and it
is safer for the private parts.”1
In another Hadith Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said:

‫القيامة" (رواه أحمد‬ ‫ فاني مكاثر بكم اْلمم يوم‬،‫"تزوجوا الودود الولود‬
)‫و ابن حبان وصححه‬
“Marry the loving and the fertile. For verily I will compete by your
numbers against the other nations on the Day of Resurrection.”2
From the above two major sources of Islam, Qur’aan and Hadith, we
understand that marriage has been ordained by Allaah (SW) as the
correct and legal way to have children and inhabit the earth. Thus, in
Islam the family is considered the basic unit of any community
(ummah). Allaah (SW) has made the desire for mates and offspring
instinctual for mankind and even for animals. Life on earth continues
through children and children are the products of marriage. Allaah
(SW) says:
Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women

and children, and much gold and silver beautiful horses
(for today it is cars). (Qur’aan3:14)
Nevertheless, marriage in Islam cannot be viewed merely as a means
of uniting the male body with a female body and producing offspring,
nor was marriage instituted just for purposes of satisfying natural
sexual desires. Its objectives and goals are much deeper in meaning
than those obvious physical realities.3
Objectives and Purpose of Marriage
The following are the objectives and purpose of marriage in Islam:
(a) To maintain the existence of the human race and have a
procreation process, which is as a resulted of marriage.
1
Collected by Al-Bukhari and Muslim
2
Collected by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban, who graded to sahih
3
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal & Jameel ah Jones (1985) Polygamy in Islam. Tawhid Publications,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.10
260
(b) To fulfil the need of each spouse by satisfying the natural sexual
desires in order to maintain his or her chastity.
(c) To cooperate with each other in raising the offspring and
preservation their life.
(d) To organize good relationship between a husband and wife upon
the foundation of exchanging rights with one another and mutual
assistance that can bring about the circle of love, care, respect and
honor of each other. 1
(e) To acquire tranquillity after satisfying sexual urges.
Essential Conditions and Regulations of Marriage
For any validity of marriage in Islam, there are four essential conditions
and regulations that must be present:
Legal Guardian
The father of the bride or his selected representative, or her closest male
relative (e.g. brother, Uncle paternal Uncle), or a man of understanding
from her family, or an Islamic leader (e.g. Qadhi, Imam etc). Thus,
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said:
)‫(رواه الحاكم و ابن حبان‬ "‫"َل نكاح اَل بولي‬

“There is no marriage without a legal guardian.”2
It is also reported that Umar ibn Al-kattaab said: “A woman may not
be married without the permission of her legal guardian or a man of
understanding from her family, or the Muslim ruler.”3
Islam has kept certain regulations for a legal guardian. He must be
eligible for guardianship. This means, he should be matured,
intelligent, free person (not a prisoner of war), competent male. For a
bride who is to be married as virgin, her father is her legal guardian;
he has to obtain her consent prior to marriage. If the bride is a
woman who has previously been married but the husband died or she
was divorced then she can be married without necessarily having a
legal guardian yet she has to be consulted in case there is a guardian
marrying her off. The Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to have said:
"‫ والبكر تستأذن واذنها صماتها‬،‫"اْليم أحق بنفسها من وليها‬
)‫(رواه ماللك في الموطاء‬
“A woman who has been previously married has more right over
herself than her guardian, as for the virgin her consent must be asked,
and her consent is her silence.” 1
1
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar Jabir (2001) Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darussalm , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2
The Hadith collected and graded Sahih by Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban.
3
Collected by Imam Malik in Al-Muwatta with a Sahih chain of narration.
261
The guardianship of a relative is not valid when a relative who is closer in
kinship is available. For example, the guardianship of a paternal uncle is
not valid when her brother is available. Also, the guardianship of her
bother’s son (nephew) is not valid when her brother is available. If a
women gives permission to two of her relatives to find her a spouse for
marriage, and both concluded an agreement for her marriage with a man
(e.g. two different men), she will belong to the first one who married her. If
the marriage contracts of both occurred simultaneously, her marriage to
both will be invalid altogether.2
Witnesses
In any Islamic marriage, two or more witnesses are necessary. They must
be Muslim men, present at the marriage contract. In that regard Allaah
(SW) says:
And take as witness two just persons from among

you. (Qur’aa65:2)3
The Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) is also reported to have said:
"‫"َل نكاح اَل بولي وشاهدي عدل‬
“There is no marriage without a guardian and two just witness” 4
The witnesses must be two or more men. Both men should be just.
Justice means men who are not involved in major sins and most of the
minor sins. Thus, sinful persons who commit adultery, fornication,
drinks wine, deals in interest and usury etc. are not allowed to be
witnesses, because their testimony is not valid. It is always preferable to
have more than two witnesses due to the lack of justice in our
communities today.
The Wording of the Marriage Contract
At the time of marriage contract, it is upon the guardian or his
representative to say, “Indeed I have married off to you my daughter so
and so as recommended by Allaah (SW) to stay with her in a friendly
manner and if you are to dismiss her then it should be with kindness.”
Thereupon the bridegroom on saying, “I have accepted to marry her.” The
marriage is concluded. The bridegroom should be a suitable mate for the
1
Collected by Imam Malik in Al-Muwatta with a Sahih chain of narration.
2
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar Jabir (2001) Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darus-salaam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.323
3
Although the verse is specifically referring to divorce and reconciliation, the Ulamaa used it by
way of analogy between marriage and these two situations.
4
Collected by Al-Bayhaqi and Ad-Daraqutni
262
bride. He should be a person of good character, and he should also be
religious and trustworthy, because Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) had said:
‫ اَل تفعلوا تكن فتنة في‬،‫" اذا أتكم من ترضون خلقه ودينه فزوجوه‬
)‫اْلرض وفساد كبير " (رواه الترمذى‬
“If one whose character and religion pleases you comes to you
(with a proposal), you should marry your daughter to him. If you
do not do so, there will be tribulations in the land and great
corruption.”1
Dowry (Mahri)
Dowry in Arabic is called Mahri or Sadaqah. It is an obligatory and lawful
act in Islam. Dowry is what is given to the bride that makes it lawful for
the bridegroom to have lawful sexual enjoyment with her. It can either be
in cash, property or asset. It is the right of the wife to have it and no one
is allowed to take it except if she willingly agrees to give it out. Allaah
(SW) says:
And give to the women their Dowry with a good heart.

(Qur’aan4:4)
The Prophet (s.a.w) has also put a lot of emphasis on the importance of
Mahri saying:
)‫حديد" (رواه البخارى و مسلم‬ ‫"التمس ولو خاتما من‬
“Find something (to give as Mahri), even if it is a ring made of iron” 2
Islamically, it is recommended to make the Mahri simple and not

expensive. It is also Sunnah to mention the Mahri in the wedding
contract. Anything of value and lawful (Halal) is valid to be paid as Mahri.
Paying the Mahri at once along during the time of marriage contract is
valid. Delaying all or some of the Mahri as a credit is also allowed.3
Islamic Marriage festival
In Islam, there are manners of marriage and its Sunnah acts prescribed
by the Prophet (s.a.w) during the marriage festival. It is Sunnah during
the marriage festival to deliver a marriage sermon (Khutbatun nika) which
starts with praises to Allaah (SW) and ask for His help and seek
forgiveness from Him as well. Under this sermon you testify that there is
no one worthy of being worshipped but Allaah, and that Muhammad
1
Collected by At-Tirmidhi
2
Collected by Bukhari and Muslim
3
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar Jabir (2001) Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.320-326.
263
(s.a.w) is His servant and Messenger. After that the person performing the
marriage recites three verses from the Qur’aan these include the
following: 3:102, 4:1 and 33:70-71.
Marriage feast (Walimatul Arus) is another celebration done during the
marriage in Islam. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) told Abdulrahman ibn A’wf
when he married:
)‫بشاة" (رواه البخارى و مسلم‬ ‫"أولم و لو‬
“Give a wedding feast (walimah), even if it is by slaughtering a
sheep” 1
The wedding feast refers to food that is prepared and served for the
marriage ceremony. It is obligatory for anyone who is invited to attend.
The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) said:
)‫فليجب" (رواه مسلم‬ ‫"من دعي الى عرب أو نحوه‬
“Whoever is invited to a wedding or its like let him accept.”2
It is only when there are illegal things in the celebrations such as music,
dancing, free mixing of men and women, taking of wine etc. all of which
are forbidden in Islam that one is excused and even forbidden from
attending such feasts. If he/she happened to be invited by two people, he
should attend the feast of the first who invited him/her. It is always
encouraged in Islam that the poor people should be invited for the
walimah more than the rich ones. Thus, the Prophet said:
‫"شر الطعام طعام الوليمة يمنعها من يأتيها و يدعى اليها من‬

)‫(رواه مسلم‬ "‫يأباها‬
“The worst food is the food of a weeding feast from which those
who come (the poor) are turned away and to which those who are
invited refuse to come (rich).”3
Whoever does not accept an invitation has disobeyed Allaah (SW) and His
Messenger. Whoever is invited while he is fasting, he still should accept
the invitation and attend. If he wishes, he can eat the food if his fast is a
non-compulsory fast. If he wishes, he may also accept the invitation;
supplicate for the host and leave (without breaking his fast). The marriage
should be announced publicly by beating the Daff (Arabic hand drum,
similar to the tambourine but without the metal bangles) and permissible
singing. The Daff and other permissible instruments should not be
beaten in the Mosque.4
1
2
Collected by Muslim
3
Collected by Muslim
4
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar Jabir (2001) Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.330
264
Polygamy in Islam
There has been a lot of misinterpretation and misconception on the word
polygamy committed by both Muslim and non-Muslims alike. There are
two words polygamy and polygyny that seem to be confusing people when
it comes to a man marrying more than one wife. To begin with the word
polygamy, this word is often used to refer to the practice of Muslim men
having married more than one wife. The same word can also be used to
describe women taking more than one husband. Therefore, the proper
word for a man who is married to more than one wife is Polygyny. 1 And
the word used for a woman who is married to more than one husband
which is totally forbidden in Islam is called polyandry.
The Arabic term for polygyny is Ta’addud Zaujaat. Permissibility of
polygyny in Islam is clearly stated in the Qur’aan wherein Allaah (SW)
says:
And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with
the orphan-girls then marry (other) women of your choice,
two or three, or four, but if you fear that you shall not be
able to deal justly (with them), then only one or that which
your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you
from doing injustice. (Qur’aan4:3)
Many people Muslims as well as non-Muslims assume that polygyny
began with the coming of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and Islam, not
knowing that the Arabs and many world communities before the coming
of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) used to marry any number of women.
What Islam and Prophet (s.a.w) did was to put a limit to the number of
wives that Muslim men are allowed to marry with a strict condition of
justice. Thus, the Islamic law allows marrying more than one wife as long
as one does not marry more than four women. Since Allaah (SW) is the
most wise and all aware, and is more knowledgeable about the nature of
human beings that He created, than they know about themselves. He
therefore allowed the practice of polygyny in Islam with a strict condition
that the husband must exercise justice among his wives; in the Islamic
law justice includes overnight stays, shelter and financial spending
including feeding, clothing etc. If he does not have the ability and
1
Hirschfelder, Umm Abdur Rahman & Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003) From Monogamy to
Polygyny: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. p.21
265
capacity to deal justly, then he should be satisfied with one wife only.
Thus Allaah (SW) says in the meaning of His words as stipulated in the
Qur’aan:
“But if you feel that you shall not be able to deal justly, then only one or
what your right hand possesses, that would be more suitable to prevent
you from doing injustice.” (Qur’aan4:3)
To explain the matter further, people should understand that Polygyny
and Monogyny both are Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). To
illustrate that, the practice of polygyny by the Prophet (s.a.w) was done
when he was married to nine wives. This action of having extra number
of wives was of course a privilege that Allaah (SW) granted to Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) with a lot of wisdom behind it.1 The wisdom behind
the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) being granted the permission to marry
upto nine wives at the same time included socio-political purposes like
encouraging the marriage of widows, reverts, breaking certain taboos and
linking clans; however, the prophet (s.a.w) still married those who pleased
him and turned down those who did not.
Monogyny is also part of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as he
was married to Khadijah bint Khuwailid his first wife for 25 year and he
never married another wife until after her death. Moreover, Prophet
Muhammad’s practice of polygyny does not mean that polygyny is an
obligation upon men rather it is a permission given to fulfil certain social
situations that may arise in any society. It is an act of Sunnah that if
practiced the way Islam prescribed it, can be the source of much reward.2
It is therefore unfair for those who choose to follow either of the Prophet’s
Sunnah (Polygyny or Monogyny) be condemned for availing themselves of
an option given to them by Allaah (SW).
Conditions for polygyny in Islam
Although the verse of the Qur’aan that talks about polygyny in Islam
began by telling men to marry two, three or four wives that does not mean
that Islam encourages all men to marry at least two women, but that, is
an option permissible for those who can fulfil the conditions of polygyny
required by Shari’ah. The following are the conditions for polygyny in
Islam:
1) The man must be able and willing to divide his time and wealth in an
equitable fashion before he is allowed to have more than one wife.
2) The husband must be able to feed, clothe and provide housing
(suitable accommodation) to all his wives justly.
3) A man is not allowed to have more than four wives at a time.
1
See Qur’an surat Al-Ahzab (33: 50)
2
Hirschfelder, Umm AbdurRahman and Umm Ysmen Rahmaan (2003) From Monogamy to
Polygyny: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.22
266
4) Wife number one should not be made the mother or chief of all
following wives, nor the wife number four allowed preferential
treatment at the expense of other wives.
5) Each individual marriage contract carries the same amount of weight
in an Islamic court of law thus; men are not allowed to openly attach
greater importance to one wife at the expense of the others.
6) The man must like and treat all of his wives on a balance of equality
and kindness.
7) The truly Islamic marriage depends on the piety of the partners
involved.
8) Wives should be accorded the best possible treatment. Even if a man
finds that he is bored with his wife or that he dislikes her he should
not mistreat her because it is always possible that he may dislike one
quality in her, and yet find other qualities which compensate for that
which he dislikes.
9) A husband having more than one wife should not show his love to one
wife openly, that will definitely create ill feelings which may lead to
constant hostility among the wives. 1
Reasons for polygyny
Permissibility of polygyny in Islam was revealed in verse 4:3 of the
Glorious Qur’aan that was after the battle of Uhud in which many Muslim
men were killed, leaving behind widows and orphans for whom due care
was now upon the Muslim survivors. However, there are so many other
reasons to justify polygyny including the following:
• When a man may be married to a barren woman and he wants to
have children.
• When a wife is chronically sick and cannot satisfy her husband’s
sexual desire then to marry another wife in a polygynous situation is
better than divorce the first or second wife.
• According to anthropologists, among various tribes and societies,
polygyny is a social and economic necessity. In some very poor
areas, the infant mortality is very high; therefore children on the
other hand, are a source of additional labour for the earning capacity
of the family.
• In the world today women outnumber men, and devastating wars in
the past and present is enough reason for polygyny. Both
unmarried women and widows are human beings, unless their
instinctive needs are legitimately satisfied, the temptations are great
enough to spread corruption and immorality in society.
1
Philips, Abu Ameenah Bilal & Jameelah Jones (1985) Polygamy in Islam. Tawheed
Publication.p.46-47.
267
• If polygyny is practised, it can also reduce the increasing number of
illegitimate and the so-called bustard street children born today
under conditions of forcing monogyny marriage only.
In all of the above mentioned circumstances, Islam supports family unity
while recognizing the individual’s desires by encouraging the man to keep
his wife and allowing him to satisfy his needs by marrying another wife if
he is able to fulfil the requirements of plural marriage in Islam.1
If a wife fears or experiences injustice or abuse in Polygyny marriage what
option does Islam give to her?
a) She may attempt to seek advice, or invite other respectable
individuals to advice her husband on the importance of justice and
the objectives and spirit of marriage in Islam.
b) She may seek external counselling and arbitration between her
husband’s family and her family members to mediate between
herself and her husband.
c) She may, for various reasons, see the consequences of separation as
more hurting than accommodating another wife, and therefore
accept polygyny as a better alternative to divorce.
d) She may ask her husband to release her by Khu’l (Whereby she
agrees to return his bridal gift / dowry, more or less, as determined
by mutual agreement or the Qadhi’s court judgment, in exchange for
her release).
e) She may request for divorce if he married her on condition that he
will never marry another wife, and that condition is included in her
marriage contract.
f) She may go to the Qadhi’s Court and ask for a divorce if there is
clear evidence of injustice and abuse inflicted upon her. The Qadhi’s
Court in this case overrules the right of the husband.2
Misconception and Misinterpretion of polygyny in Islam
Due to the influence of the western culture spread by their mass media, it
is really unfortunate to hear that some modern day Muslims have caused
a lot of misconception through their misinterpretation of some Qur’aanic
verses in order to support their arguments baseless argument against
polygyny. The misinterpreted verses on polygyny are both in Surah an-
Nisaa (Chapter four) verses number 3 and 129.
In verses number 3, Allaah (SW) says:
1
IET (1997). Training –The Trainers Course in Da’wah and Dialogue Tutor’s Handbook Unit II.
IET, Minna, Nigeria.p.20-22.
2
IET (2005). Train the Trainers Course in Islam and Dialogue Module 101. IET, Minna,
Nigeria.p.113
268
If you fear that you will not be able to deal justly with more
than one wife then marry only one. (Qur’aan4:3)
Whereas in verse number 129, Allaah (SW) says:
You will never be able to do perfect justice between your

wives even if it is your ardent desire. (Qur’aan4:129)
According to many people who quote the verses half way as quoted here,
these verses appear to contradict each other by requiring justice to the
wives, and then saying that justice can never be met. Some ulamaa have
gone to the extent of sayng that the second verse (129) abrogated the first
(3). However, neither of the above claims is correct. According to the late
Sheikh Abdullahi ibn Baz when asked about these verses he said:
There is no contradiction between the two verses. There is also
no abrogation by one verse to the other. The justice that is
mentioned in the first verse is the justice within one’s ability,
which is related to being fair in division of time and in
maintenance. As for being just with respect to love and sexual
relations, this is not within one’s ability. This is what is being
referred to in the other part of the verse “You will never be able
to do perfect justice between your wives even if it is your
ardent desire, so do not incline too much (to one of them by
giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the
other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married). And if you
do justice (within your ability) and do all that is right and
fear Allaah by keeping away from all that is wrong, then
Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’aan4:129)1
In other words the Prophet (s.a.w) in a Hadith narrated by Aa’ishah (R.A),
stated that:
The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) used to divide his time between
his wives and he was fair. He used to say, ‘O Allaah that is my
divisions with respect to what I have control over. Do not blame me
for what You control and over which I have no control. 2
The permissibility of polygyny in Islam is established and evident in both
major sources of Islam (the Qur’aan & Sunnah). It is also practiced and
recommended by some Muslim scholars. For example Sheikh Uthaimin
said:
1
Hirschfelder, Umm Abdur Rahman and Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003) From Monogamy to
Polygyny: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.23-24
2
Collected by Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasai and Ibn Majah
269
“If a person is able to be fair between his wives in everything then
he may marry one, two or three in addition to the first. I advise
each one among you to marry four wives and to have four children
each year instead of just one. This is to increase the number of the
Muslim Ummah and overcome the number of disbelievers’
quantitatively as well as qualitatively.” 1
Finally, Islam came to serve and increase people’s best interests, and to
reduce harmful behaviors and render them ineffective. There is no doubt
that polygyny, when practiced properly in accordance with Islam,
achieves many things that are in people’s best interests such as
maintaining the chastity of both the man and woman. Polygyny
maintains the chastity of a man who is not satisfied with one wife and it
takes care of a woman who has no husband to marry. Polygyny also
solves the problems of widows. Thus, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
married nine wives due to the humanitarian reasons or hardships for the
sake of their religion.
Marriage of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
A common question put forward by many people (e.g. Christians and
Orientalists) on the marriage of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is, why did
the Prophet (s.a.w) marry more than four wives? Some even go further to
disqualify him as a Prophet of God on the basis of his marriages to more
than four wives. As we have mentioned earlier in our previous section of
this book that the Marriages of the Prophet (s.a.w) to more than four
wives was an exceptional case and special to him only as granted by
Allaah (SW) who chose him as the last Prophet and Messenger to the
whole of mankind. It is worthy mentioning here that Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) was not the one who started polygynous system. Instead, it was a
culture that was very common before and even during his lifetime until
when Allaah (SW) revealed a whole verse to put a limit on how many
wives a man can marry.
However, in the Biblical teachings all Major Prophets and righteous men
of God practiced polygyny. These include Abraham who had three wives.2
David had who had 9 wives; Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines3
and Moses who had 2 wives etc.4
When we examine the life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), we find that he
married his first wife Khadijah when he was 25 years old while she was
40 years old. Kadijah bint Khuwailid was his first and only wife for 25
years after which she died. After the death of Khadijah, the entire
Prophet’s marriages had some serious and genuine indication and
1
Hirschfeler, Umm Abdur Rahman & Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003). From Monogamy to
Polygyny: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.26.
2
Sara, Hagar and Keture see the Bible (Gen.16:3, Gen. 25:1)
3
The Bible (1Kings 11:3)
4
The Bible (Exodus 2: 21 & 22, Numbers 12:1)
270
justification be it educational, moral, humanitarian, political or legislative
etc. At this time the Prophet (s.a.w) was playing a role of head of State.
Thus, none of these marriages was a manifestation of his vain desires or
sexual pleasure. If the Prophet (s.a.w) was a man who would sought such
pleasures, he could have done so during his marriage to Khadijah while
he was much younger than her and less occupied.1
Now let us look at a brief review of the Prophet’s (s.a.w) wives after the
death of Khadijah. He married Sauda bint Zamaa who was a widow of
Assakran ibn Amr ibn Abdu Shams one of the early Muslims who suffered
a great deal in the cause of Islam. The Prophet (s.a.w) therefore married
her to support and comfort his elderly widow who had also suffered a lot
with her husband. Aa’ishah and Hafswa were the daughters of his great
friends Abu Bakr and Umar respectively. These two companions were the
closest workers and counsellors of the Prophet (s.a.w). The marriage to
their daughters was a way to strengthen his relations with them in a way
similar to when the Prophet (s.a.w) married off his daughter to Uthmaan
ibn Affaan who was the third Caliph of the Prophet (s.a.w) and Ali ibn Abii
Talib the fourth Caliph. Another widow married by the Prophet (s.a.w)
was Zainab bint Khuzayma who was the widow of Ubayda ibn Ul-Harith
who died during the battle of Badri. She was neither attractive nor
young. Ummu Salamah was the widow of Abu Salamah, who died as a
result of a wound, sustained at the battle of Uhud and left her with many
children who needed care. Ummu Habiibah was also a widow. She was
the daughter of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, leader of the Quraysh of Makkah.
She accepted Islam against the will of her father; she migrated to Ethiopia
and suffered a great deal with her husband. After the death of her
husband, the Prophet (s.a.w) married her to give her the care she
deserved. Swafiyyah bint Hayy was the daughter of the leader of the
Jews. During the war between the Jews and the Muslims, she lost her
father, brother and her husband, and fell captive into the hands of
Muslim soldiers. The Prophet (s.a.w) married her to restore her honor
and pride and gave her freedom. Juwayriyyah bint al-Harith was the
daughter of the tribe of Banu Mustaliq who suffered defeat at the hands
of the Muslims and the whole tribe was going to be the subject of
humiliation. After the Prophet (s.a.w) married the tribe’s leader’s
daughter, the tribe got its freedom since the Muslims did not want to hurt
the in-laws of the Prophet (s.a.w). Maryam was the Coptic hand–maiden
sent to the Prophet (s.a.w) from the Muqawqis the King of Egypt as a
political gesture. She converted to Islam and the Prophet (s.a.w) married
her. She gave birth to the Ibrahim who died in infancy. She was the only
one, other than Kadijah to have children with the Prophet (s.a.w). Finally
Zaynab bint Jahsh had been the wife of Zayd ibn Haritha, who grew up in
1
IET (1997) Training –The Trainers Course in Da’wah and Diologue Tutor’s Handbook Unit II
Misconeption about Islam. IET, Minna, Nigeria.p.22.
271
the house of the Prophet (s.a.w) and according to the culture of the Arabs
during that time, whoever is brought up in the house of any one was
considered an adopted son. When Zayd divorced her, Allaah (SW) ordered
the Prophet (s.a.w) to marry her, mainly to establish a legislative ruling
and remove the wrong concept and culture that an adopted son was
considered a real son and that the adoptive father would not be allowed to
marry the divorced ex-wife of his adopted son. Islam therefore came to
abolish this concept and that the adopted son should keep his real
father’s name and if the real father is unknown, then he is considered a
brother or friend of the adopting father.1 Although it was very difficult to
the Prophet (s.a.w) to follow that order yet when he was still hesitating to
marry Zaynab in fear of what people would say Allaah (SW) reprimanded
him severely not to fear men but to fear Him and ordered him to obey and
execute the command of marrying Zaynab as we find it in Surah Al-
Ahzab.2
The Rationale of Prophet’s Marriage
Some may wonder about the fact that the Prophet (s.a.w) had nine wives
at the same time while Islam has set the limit of wives under any
circumstances to be four. The question that arises is what rationale did
the Prophet have to marry more than four wives? The answer to this
question is that, at the time the Prophet (s.a.w) entered into all these
marriages, there was no restriction. For example, Surah al Nisaa
(Chapter four) which limited the number of wives to a maximum of four is
said to have been revealed in the latter part of the year 8 th A.H., that was
after the Prophet (s.a.w) had already married all his wives. After that
restriction, he married no more, and other Muslims who had more than
four wives were required to divorce any excess number. Another question
that may arise is that, why did the Prophet (s.a.w) not divorce his wives
as the other Muslims did after the restriction? On that regard there must
be some wisdom behind it. The wisdom of this exception may be the
following:
1) Some of the Prophet’s marriages were politically motivated and to
break them could have caused very serious political problems to the
Muslim Ummah.
2) Other marriages were due to humanitarian reasons, for example,
those elderly widows whom the Prophet (s.a.w) had married might not
have been able to find new husbands to take care of them.
3) It would have been a great humiliation for a woman to be divorced by
the Prophet (s.a.w), furthermore, as a former “mother of the believers”
anyone could not remarry her since it was prohibited.3
1
IET (1997). Training –The Trainers Course in Da’wah and Dialogue Tutors Handbook Unit II
Misconceptions About Islam. IET, Minna, Nigeria.p22
2
Qur’an Chapter (33:87)
3
Qur’an Chapter (33:6)
272
4) The Prophet (s.a.w) as an example and model to others should not
set an example of divorce even though divorce is permissible in
Islam.1
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) therefore had nine wives that outlived him.
He actually had a total of thirteen, two of which he did not accomplish the
marriage with, and two of which died prior to his own death as we are
going to see in next section.
The wives of the Prophet (s.a.w)
As mentioned in the previous sections, Kadijah bint Khuwailid was the
first wife of the Prophet (s.a.w) who stayed with her for 25 years.2 The
Prophet is reported to have said:
“The best of the world’s women is Mary (at her lifetime), and the
best of the world’s women is Khadijah (at her lifetime).” 3
After the death of Khadijah bint Khuwailid, the first wife the Prophet
(s.a.w) married was Saudah bint Zam’ah. He married her few days after
the death of Khadijah in the tenth year of Prophethood. Saudah’s
husband Sakran bin Amr died on their way back from Abyssinia. Saudah
was a good choice for helping to take care of the prophet’s daughters who
had just lost their beloved mother.4
Then the Prophet (saw) proposed Aa’ishah bin Abu Bakr Siddiq. He
married her in the eleventh year of Prophethood, a year after his marriage
to Saudah, and two years and five months before Al-Hijra. She was six
years old when he proposed her. However, he did not accomplish the
marriage with her till Shawwal (10th month in Islamic calendar) seven
months after Al-Hijra, and that was in Madinah. By then she was nine
years old. Aa’ishah was the only virgin wife he married in his life. As a
woman she was the most learned lady in Islamic jurisprudence in her
lifetime.5 The Prophet said about her merit:
“You have been shown to me twice in a dream. I saw you pictured
on a piece of silk and someone said to me, this is your wife, when I
uncovered the picture, I saw that it was yours, I said, ‘If this is
from Allaah, it will be done.”6
1
IET (1997). Training –The Trainers Course in Da’wah and Dialogue Tutors Handbook Unit II
Misconceptions About Islam. IET, Minna, Nigeria.p23
2
Hirschfeler, Umm Abdur Rahman & Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003) From Monogamy to
Polygyny:A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.29.
3
Collected by Bukhari, vol.7, Hadith No 163
4
Al-Mubarakpuri, Safiur-Rahman (1996). Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.483.
5
Arabia.p.483
6
Collected by Bukhari, vol.5, Hadith No: 235
273
Hafswah bint Umar bin Al-Khattab, was another wife married by the
Prophet (s.a.w). Her ex-husband was Khunais bin Hudhafa As-Sahmi who
died in the period between Badr and Uhud battles. He married her in the
third year A.H. Her father Umar bin Khattab said about her marriage to
the Prophet (s.a.w). The next year the Prophet (s.a.w) married Zainab bint
Khuzaimah who, as mentioned, died a few months after their marriage.1
Ummu Sahalmh Hind bint Abi Omaiyah was another wife married by the
Prophet (s.a.w). She was also a widow, her husband Abu Salamah died
from wounds he sustained at the battle of Uhud. Her husband Abu
Salamah had related to her that he heard the Prophet saying:
“If any person suffers a calamity and says, ‘inna lillahi wa inna
ilayhi raj’iun’ (we belong to Allaah and to Him shall we return) and
then says, ‘Oh Allaah, I seek your reward and compensation for
this calamity. Oh Allaah, grant me better than that which I have
lost, then Allaah in His power and Glory will grant him this.’ ”2
So Ummu Salamah said this supplication (Du’a) and was granted by
Allaah (SW) the best of all husbands, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).3
In the fifth year (A.H.) the Prophet married Zainab bint Jahsh bin Riyab.
She was from Bani Asad bin Khuzaimah and was the Prophet’s cousin.
She was divorced from Zayd bin Harithah the Prophet’s adopted son
during that time when adoption was not forbidden is Islam. Zaynab was
known to be very generous and spent much in charity.4
Then the Prophet marred from the tribe of Bani Mustaliq his wife was
Juwairiyah bint Harith. Her father, Harith was the head of Bani Mustaliq
and Juwairiyyah was from the booty of the raid on Bani Musltaliq. She
actually fell to the lot of Thabit bin Qays and she gave him a deed for her
redemption. Then she went to the Prophet (s.a.w) for help in the matter
and he said:
“Would you like something better than that? I will discharge your
debt and marry you.”5
When she accepted that, she got married to the Prophet (s.a.w) in the
sixth year of Hijrah. As a result of her marriage to him, many of the
companions freed her relatives because of their new relation to the
Prophet (s.a.w). A hundred families were released and they accepted
Islam.
1
Arabia.p.484.
2
Collected by Muslim Hadith No: 456
3
Hirschfeler, Umm Abdur Rahman & Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003) From Monogamy to
Polygyn: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.32.
4
Ibid.p.32
5
Guillaume, A. (1996). The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allaah.
Oxford Press, Karachi, Pakistan.p.493
274
In the seventh year of Hijrah the Prophet (s.a.w) married Ummu Habibah
Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan. She had immigrated to Abyssinia with her
husband Ubaidullah bin Jahsh. Ubaidullah bin Jahsh committed
apostasy and become a Christian and died in Abyssinia. Ummu Habibah
however did not change her faith and continued to stay in Abyssinia with
her daughter Habibah. The Prophet (s.a.w) sent a letter to the king of
Abyssinia asking for Ummu Habibah in marriage. The king married her
to him and sent her to Madinah to be with her new better husband.
Later in the seventh year of Hijrah, the Prophet (s.a.w) married Safiyah
bint Huyai. She had been a Jew and was from he tribe of Bani Nadhir
and was among the booty from the battle of Khaybar.
Towards the end of the seventh year of Hijrah, the Prophet (s.a.w) married
Maimunah bint Harith. She was the sister in law of the Prophet’s uncle,
Abbas. They married during the Prophet’s journey to Makkah for
compensatory Umrah (pilgrimage) which was a part of the treaty of
Hudaibiyah the prior year, when the Prophet (s.a.w) was prevented from
performing Umrah by the Quraysh of Makkah.
Of all the Prophet’s wives, six of them were from the tribe of Quraysh:
Kadijah, Aishah, Hafswah, Ummu Habibah, Ummu Salamah and
Saudah. Four others were Arab women from other tribes: Zainab bint
Jahsh, Maimunah, Zaynab bint Khuzaimah and Juwairiyyah. The only
non-Arab was Swafiya bint Huyai. These were the exceptional women
from the household of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).1
The Family as an important unit in the Society
Definition of Family
The term family in Islam is used to give a special kind of structure whose
principles are related to one another through blood ties or marital
relationship. It also includes any other relationship that is prescribed or
reinforced by Islamic law, and internalised by the individual Muslim
practice. The Muslim family may be extended both polygamous as well as
monogamous or neither.2
The family as the foundation of human civilization
The social position which constitutes the Muslim family as defined
includes, in the first degree those of the self, the spouse, the immediate
ascendants and descendants. According to the interpreters of Islamic law
these are considered as primary and immediate people who constitute the
family system. These members of the Muslim family or kinship ties in
Islam are called ‘Arhaam’. Family rights and obligations are not private
family affairs, which have no concern to the rest of the society; rather
family units put together are the basic foundation of any society or
1
Hirschfeler, Umm Abdur Rahman & Umm Yasmeen Rahmaan (2003). From Monogamy to
Polygyny: A way through. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.32-35.
2
Ajijola, A.D (1999). The Concept of Family in Islam. Adam Publishers.p10
275
civilization. Although, the family affairs are generally assigned to the
family members who are enjoined to administer them privately, but, if the
situation becomes unmanageable, Islam commands society, represented
by designated authorities as well as conscientious individuals, to take
whatever action is necessary to implement the law, in order to maintain
equity, equality and harmony. Thus, a Muslim’s kindness, respect and
good treatment are not limited just to his parents, spouse and children,
but extend to his relatives, all of whom he should treat well. In the
Qur’aan, the word used is ‘Arhaam’ the literal meaning of this word is
“wombs”, which refers to relatives to whom a person is linked to by ties of
blood, whether they are his heirs and or not.1
Islam has recognized the ties of kinship in a way that is incomparable in
other religions. It enjoins Muslims to uphold the ties of kinship and
condemns the one who beaks this tie. There is no greater proof of the
emphasis placed by Islam on the ties of kinship than the vivid picture
painted by the Prophet (s.a.w), who described kinship (Arahm) as
standing in the vast arena of creation and seeking refuge with Allaah (SW)
from being cut off; Allaah (SW) answers its prayer, taking care of those
who maintain the ties of kinship, and cutting off those who cut off these
ties. This is seen in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah who said: “The
Prophet (s.a.w) said:
“Allaah created the universe, and when He had finished, kinship
(Arahm) stood up and said: this is the standing up of one who
seeks Your protection from being cut off. Allaah said, Yes, would it
please you if I were to take care of those who take care of you and
cut off those who cut you off? It said, of course. Allaah said, then
your prayer is granted.” 2
Then the Prophet (s.a.w) said: Recite if you wish:
Then, is it to be expected of you, if you were put in

authority, that you will do mischief, in the land, and break
your ties of kith and kin? Such are the men who Allaah has
cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight .
(Qur’aan47:22-23)
1
Ajijola, A.D (1999). The Concept of Family in Islam. Adam Publishers.p11
2
276
Both the Qur’aan and Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w) repeatedly affirm the
position of Arhaam in Islam, encouraging people to uphold the ties of
kinship and instilling a strong sense of the importance of recognizing
kinship rights and avoiding neglect of those rights, and warning against
abuse of them. For the true Muslim, the fact that kinship ties (Arahm) is
often mentioned in conjunction with belief in Allaah (SW) and good
treatment of parents and relatives, is enough to confirm its status and
importance.
O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you

from a single Person, created, of like nature, his mate, and
from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and
women; fear Allaah, through Whom you demand your
mutual (rights), and (respect or honor) the wombs (that bore
you): for Allaah ever watches over you. (Qur’aan4:1)
Worship Allaah, and join not any partners with Him; and do
good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need,
neighbours who are near, neighbour who are strangers, the
companion by your side, the wayfarer and those whom your
right hands possess. Verily, Allaah does not like such as are
proud boastful. (Qur’aan4:36)
277
And render to the kindred their due rights, as to those in
want, and to the wayfarer: but squander (your wealth) not in
manner of spendthrift. (Qur’aan17:26)
Rights and Duties of Family Members
In Islam every individual in the family has his/her rights and duties. Islam
teaches kindness, respect and good treatment not only to parents, spouse and
children, but extend to all his/her family members and relatives. All Muslims
are guided by the teachings of his/her religion and never forgets that her
relatives have rights over him/her and that he/she is required to uphold the ties
of kinship and to treat them well. Family members or relatives are those to
whom a person is linked by ties of blood, whether they are his/her heirs or not.1
The following are some of the rights and duties of every member of the family:
Rights and Duties of the Parents
Islam encourages its followers to treat the parents with kindness and
respect (birr). One of the most distinguished characteristics of a true
Muslim is his/her respectful and kind treatment to the parents. A true
Muslim has always to recognize their status and know his/her duties
towards them. In several verses in the Qur’aan, Allaah (SW) has laid
great emphasis on pleasing one’s parents second only to pleasing Him.2
A Muslim must be kind and respectful towards his/her parents even if
they are not Muslims. The Prophet (s.a.w) taught his companions to treat
their parents with kindness and respect even if they followed a religion
other than Islam. The Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to have said in a Hadith
reported by Asma bint Abi Bakr who said:
“My mother came to me, and she was a mushrik (Polytheist) at the
time of the Prophet. I asked the Prophet; ‘my mother has come to
me and needs my help, so should I help her? He said, Yes, Keep in
touch with your mother and help her.” 3
A Muslim should extremely be reluctant to disobey his/her parents.
Thus, Islam discourages disobedience towards one’s parents. In Islam
disobedience towards one’s parents is only allowed when the parent(s)
strive to make you commit polytheism (shirk) or disobey Allaah (SW).
Disobedience towards one’s parents is a terrible crime that the true
Muslim fears to commit, because it will reduce his reward and is, in fact,
viewed as one of the worst and great sins. Reported by Abu Bakar Nufay
ibn al-Harith who said:
1
Al-Hashimi, Muhammad Ali (2003). The Ideal Muslim. IIP House, p. 127 See also The Ideal
Muslimah by the same author.p.263
2
Al-Hahimi, Muhammad Ali (2003). The Ideal Muslim. IIP House, p.71. See also Badawi, Jamal
A. (1997). The Status of women in Islam. The MSU of the USA & Canada.
3
278
“The Messenger of Allaah asked us three times, Shall I tell you the
gravest of sins? We said, Yes, O Messenger of Allaah. He said:
Associating partners with Allaah and disobeying one’s parents.” 1
In Islam the mother comes first with respect to obedience and respect and
good treatment, then father. A man came to the Prophet (s.a.w) and
asked him: “O Messenger of Allaah, who among people is most deserving
of my good company? The Prophet said:
“Your mother. The man asked, then who? The Prophet said, your
mother. The man asked, Then who? The Prophet said, your mother.
The man asked, then who? He said, then your father.” 2
The above Hadith confirms that the Prophet (s.a.w) gave precedence to
kind treatment of one’s mother three times over and above the kind
treatment of one’s father, and the Sahaabah used to remind the Muslims
of this even after the death of the Prophet (s.a.w).3 As to the specific
duties these will be discussed in Book Four of Essential Islamic Study
Series.
The Rights and Duties of the Husband
In Islamic law the husband has rights and duties that are due upon his
wife. These rights and duties are explained both in the Qur’aan and
Sunnah. In the Glorious Qur’aan Allaah (SW) says:
And they (wives) have rights similar (to those of their

husbands) over them to what is reasonable, but men have a
degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allaah is All-
Mighty, All-wise. (Qur’aan2:228)
The Prophet (s.a.w) is also reported to have said:
"‫"ان لكم من نسائكم حقا‬
“Verily, you have a right over your wives.” 4
The following are some of the rights that a husband has over his wife
which are considered the wife’s duties:
1) Obedience in matters of good: she should obey him in matters that
are not disobedience to Allaah (SW) and matters of goodness.
1
2
3
Al-Hashimi, M. Ali (2003). The Ideal Muslim. IIPH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.71-86
4
Collected by Al-Tirmidhi and graded it Sahih
279
Therefore, she should not obey him in that which she is unable to do
or it is too difficult for her.
2) Guarding his property and protecting his honor. She should not go
outside of his house except with his permission.
3) Travelling with him if he wishes that, as long as she did not specify a
condition in the contract that he will not make her travel with him.
This is because her travelling with him is an obligatory part of
obedience to him.
4) Giving herself to him when he requests her to have sexual
intercourse, which is one of his right over her.
5) Seeking his permission for (Sunnah) fasting when he is present, and
not when he has travelled. 1
The Rights and Duties of the Wife
There are many rights a wife has over her husband which are also
considered as a duty upon the husband that are obligatory in Islam. The
following are some of the rights of the wife that the husband owes her:
1) Giving her reasonable living expenses, such as food, drink, clothing
and living accommodations.
2) Sexual enjoyment: it is obligatory upon the husband to have sexual
intercourse with her at least once every four months if he is unable to
fulfil her requirement as often as possible in this regard.
3) Staying with her for one night out of every four nights, according to a
decision given in the time of Umar ibn Al-khattab.
4) Fair division for her among his wives if her husband has wives other
than her.
5) If the newly wedded wife is a virgin, he should stay with her seven
days from the wedding day. And if she is not married as a virgin then
he has to stay with her three days from the wedding day.
6) It is recommended for him to grant her permission to treat her male
relatives, who a sick, or attend the funeral (prayer) if one of them dies.
It is also recommended for him to allow her to visit her relatives, as
long as it is a visit that does not cause any harm to his interests.2
The Rights and Duties of children
Children are the apple of a man and woman’s eyes, the source of great joy
and companionship. They make life sweet, and after Allaah (SW), they
are the ones on whom they pin their hopes. Their blessing brings
sustenance (rizq), mercy and large quantity of reward. All this depends on
the children having a good, solid upbringing, which will make them
1
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar (2001). Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.339
2
Al-Jaza’iry, Abu Bakar (2001). Minhaj Al-Muslim vol: 2. Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia.p.337. See also Badawi, Jamal A. (1997) The Status of Women in Islam. The MSU of the
U.S & Canada.
280
respectful, kind and a source of joy and happiness. If a Muslim’s children
have these good attributes then they will truly be joys of this life, as
Allaah described it in the Qur’aan:
“Wealth and children are allurements (joys) of the life of this

world…” (Qur’aan8: 46)
Thus, the Prophet (s.a.w) used to pray for those whom he loved, that
Allaah (SW) would grant them wealth and children in abundance.The
following are some of the rights of the children that are considered as the
duties of parents:
1) Parents should understand their responsibility towards their children.
2) A true Muslim parent (father or mother) should understand the
psychology of his/her children and know how to deal with them using
the best effective Islamic methods of parenting and upbringing.
3) One of the primary duties is to demonstrate their love, mercy and
affection towards their children so that they grow up confident,
positive, optimistic, and have a high level of self-esteem.
4) A Muslim parent should spend on the children willingly and
generously.
5) A true Muslim parent does not discriminate between sons and
daughters in his affection, love and spending.
6) Parents should always be alert to everything that may have a negative
influence on their children.
7) A parent must treat all of his/her children equally without any
discrimination.
8) A Muslim parent must instil good behavior and attitudes in his/her
children.
9) Parents should provide their children with a better education that can
help them here and in the hereafter.1
The Rights and Duties of extended family members

Islam has recognized the ties of kinship and extended family in a way that
is incomparable in other religions. It enjoins Muslims to uphold the ties of
kinship and condemns the one who breaks it. Upholding the ties of
kinship and rights and duties of extended family members is one of the
major principles of Islam; it is one of the fundamentals that this religion
has promoted from the first day the Prophet (s.a.w) began to preach
Islam. Upholding the ties of kinship and extended family members is
1
Al-Hashimi, Muhammad Ali (2003). The Ideal Muslim. IIPH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.111-125.
See also The Ideal Muslimah.p.233-250 by the same author.
281
counted as one of the major characteristics of this religion, along with
pure monotheistic belief in Allaah (SW), establishing prayer, and
adherence to truthfulness and chastity, which were explained to those
who questioned the Prophet from the very first time. The following are
some rights and duties of extended family members in Islam:
1) A true Muslim upholds the ties of kinship and does not let his worldly
concerns; wealth; wife or children distract him from keeping in touch
with his extended family members, honoring them and helping them.
2) He/She must maintain the ties of kinship and extended family
members even if they are non-Muslims.
3) A Muslim should understand that upholding the ties of kinship is one
of the teachings of his faith (Imaan).
4) He must maintain the ties of kinship even if his/her relatives fail to
do so.
5) A Muslim can only reject the request of his/her ties of kinship when
they ask for a forbidden act (e.g. polytheism etc).1
Ali ibn Abu Talib (R.A) reported that,
“When I took possession of the weapon of Allaah’s Messenger

(s.a.w), I found in the hilt of the sword a parchment saying, ‘Keep
relations with those who cut you off, behave well towards those
who treat you badly, and speak the truth even if it is against
yourself’.”2
Questions
1) Explain the meaning of marriage (Nikah)
2) Describe the importance of marriage in Islam.
3) What are the major conditions and regulations of marriage in Islam?
4) Discuss the Islamic view point on polygyny
5) Examine the difference between polygyny and polygamy.
6) What options does Islam give to a wife fears or experiences injustice
or abuse in Polygyny marriage?
7) Examine the reasons for polygyny
8) Explain the misconceptions and misinterpretations of polygyny in
Islam.
9) Discuss the rights and duties of Husband and wife in Islam.
10) Explain the rights of children and the rights of extended family
members.
11) Discuss the importance of family unit in the society
12) Discuss the wisdom behind the marriage of Prophet Muhammad (saw)
to more than four wives.
13) Identify the wives and Children of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w).
1
Al-Hashimi, Muhammad Ali (2003). The Ideal Muslim. IIPH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.p.127-140
2
Shaykh Alee Hassan Alee, Forty Hadeeth –The Call to Islam, p.60.
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
TAARIKH AL-ISLAMIYYAH: HISTORY OF ISLAM I
THE BIOGRAPHY OF MUHAMMAD AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS
The Conditions of Pre-Islamic Arabia

Early Life of Muhammad before Prophethood
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Makkah
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Madinah
The Achievements of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
The Conditions of Pre-Islamic Arabia1

A Synopsis of the History of the Semites
Between the giant continents of Asia and Africa lies the Arabian
Peninsula. Its inhabitants call it “the Island of the Arabs” because it is
separated from the rest of the world on all sided by natural barriers. In
the west it is separated from Africa by the Red Sea, in the east it is
separated from the Asian mainland by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of
Oman, in the south it is surrounded by the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, while in the north lies that ever most impenetrable barriers of vast
tracts of desert.
In pre-historic times the land was green and its mountain peaks were
snow-capped, but with the receding of the Ice Age the land began to grow
drier and drier and could no longer sustain all its people, so they
emigrated from it, in wave after wave, to more fertile climates. The first
wave migrated to Egypt through Bab al-Mandab around 4500 BC, mixed
with the Hermitic population of that land and gave us the Ancient
Egyptians of history.
The second wave immigrated around 4000 BC to the land between the
two rivers, now modern Iraq, where they found the Akkadians. They lived
under Akkadian rule for some time and then formed a kingdom of their
own, the kingdom of Babylon. Famous among the Babylonian kings was
Hammurabi who had his lAus engraved on a monument of stone. The
third wave to appear, though in fact closely akin to the Babylonians, were
the Assyrians. They made their mark on history later than the
1
Al-Ismail Tahia, The Life of Muhammad (s.a.w), pp. 1-4
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Babylonians and created a military state in which science, medicine,
astronomy, and mathematics flourished, as well as art and literature.
The fourth wave to emigrate were the people the Greeks called the
Phoenicians. They started out around 2000 BC and were the tradesmen
and mariners of the ancient world. They built great commercial cities like
Sayda, Tyre, and Sidon. These mariners established colonies all along
their trade routes, the most famous among them being the civilization of
Carthage. They were the first people to write phonetically and carried
their writing everywhere they traded in the ancient world. They taught it
to the Greeks who in turn transmitted it to the Romans. Actually, the
oldest phonetic writing yet found is a script found in Sinai in the North
Arabian tongue; it is considered the link between the Ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphics and the writing of the Phoenicians and dates from 1850 BC.
There were also other waves of emigrants such as the Aramites who
settled near Babylon and established the Chaldean civilization around
2000 BC. In the south emigrants settled in Abyssinia and established the
old Abyssinian Kingdom, and there were also the Hebrews who settles in
Palestine. All these people are called Semites. A word that is derived from
Sam (or Shem) the son of Prophet Noah. It has no ethnic origin has it has
been made to sound but is a term used for a group of languages found to
have a certain common characteristic of coming from the same mother
tongue or proto-language. These languages are divided into northern and
southern Semitic tongues. The southern tongues are further divided into
Northern Arabian and Southern Arabian. Northern Arabian was the
language of the people of Makkah and is the tongue that has superseded
other Arabian dialects to become known as Classical Arabic, the language
honored by the Qur’aan. South Arabian was the language of the southern
peninsula Civilizations (Yemen and the lands around it) and the
Abyssinian civilization.
Geographically the Arabian Peninsula may be divided into two parts:
north and south. Separating these two broad divisions are vast deserts,
difficult to penetrate. The people of the north have remained nomadic, for
the poor environment of the north does not encourage settled civilization,
but forces the inhabitants to be constantly on the move in search of water
and pasture. Those of the south were able to establish a succession of
advanced civilizations whose ruins of citadel, dams, monuments, and
palaces twenty stories high, bear witness to the prosperity and ability of
the people who erected them. It was purely Arab phenomenon with no
external influences and had the knowledge and ability to preserve and
store the heavy rainfall of those parts by way of dams, barrages, and
reservoirs for better use.
These southern Arabs had trade relations with Syria, Iraq, and Egypt.
Their Caravans crossed the desert bringing spices, incense, gum, and
myrrh from India and returned carrying the goods that these lands
produced. The first important Southern Arabian kingdom was that of the
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Mainans around 1200 BC. It controlled the trade routes and built
caravanserais along these routes for their use.
The Mainians were succeeded by the Sabaeans who continued the on-flow
of Arab culture and who inherited the trade routes of Maanians along
with their civilizations. It was of the queens of this kingdom, the Queen of
Saba (Sheba), who went to visit Prophet Solomon. Several causes
contributed to the weakening and final ruin of the Sabaen civilization;
among them were their luxurious lifestyle and the neglect of their dams
and barrages after they had grown wealthy from trade. In 270 BC Ptolemy
the Second built a fleet that could ply the Red Sea which prior to this had
been considered unnavigable. This also contributed to their decline, since
they had previously monopolized trade in the area. Their barrages had
been neglected for sometime and, when the Dam of Marib broke, the land
was flooded and became mostly waste land, forcing people to emigrate
northwards. Some went to the north of the peninsula in the vicinity of
Madinah, while others moved right up to the borders of Syria and Iraq
where they formed new kingdoms.
The Sabaeans defied the heavenly bodies and worshipped a trinity. The
moon, which they called Wudd, was their greatest god; the sun was its
consort; and a son born of this union, one of the stars, possibly Venusor
Jupiter, was the third. It was the Sabaeans, penetrating into the north via
their trade routes who introduced the worship of the stars to the Arabs of
the north.
During the first century after Christ, Judaism, then Christianity made
their appearance in the land and vied for supremacy over it. This conflict
brought the two great powers that dominated the world at that time, the
Roman and the Persian Empires. The himyarite king of Yemen sought the
assistance of the Persian Chosroes against his Abyssinian enemies who
had overrun his land. In consequence Yemen remained under Persian
influence until the arrival of Islam in the country.
In the north two Arab states emerged. The first was Petra, a city state
built by the Nabataeans out of solid rock. This civilization flourished from
300 BC to 106 AD when the Jewish uprising caused the Roman emperor
Titus to destroy the city and annex the land to Roman Empire. Another
Arab civilization arose soon after Petra’s demise in the oasis Palmyra. It
was a trade center like Petra, powerful and prosperous, and it took a
neutral stance in the wars between the Romans and the Persians. It
possessed fertile lands and clear, crystalline waters. In 42 BC, Mark
antonym tried to annex it but failed and when in 260 AD the Emperor
Gallienus was captured by Parthians who had invaded Syria, it was the
chieftain of Palmyra who rescured the Emperor, retried Syria, and
followed the Parthians right up to their capital, Al-Madain.
In the protracted struggle between the Persians and Romans, the
chieftain sided with the Romans and was granted the title of Dux
Orientalis or Emperor of the East. He had power over Asia Minor, Egypt,
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Syria, and North Arabia. After the death of this chief, his widow ruled on
behalf of her son who was a minor. When the Romans saw her generals
reach as far as Alexandria and Ankara, they revoked their treaty with this
state, destroyed the city, and carried the proud queen in chains to Rome.
Her story has entered into Arabic verse and legend as the story of Al-
Zawbae or in Latin Zenobia. After the destruction of their civilization, the
Nabataeans were merged among the Arab tribes of the north. The Arabs
tended to build their cities further from the border and from the influence
of foreign powers.
Aspects of Pre-Islamic Arabia (Jahiliyyah)

The political situation
The three Arab regions adjacent to foreigners suffered great weakness and
inferiority. The people there were either masters or slaves, rulers or
subordinates. Masters, especially the foreigners, had claim to every
advantage; slaves had nothing but responsibilities to shoulder. In other
words, arbitrary autocratic ruler ship brought about encroachment on the
rights of subordinates, ignorance, oppression, iniquity, injustice and
hardship, and turning them into people groping in darkness and
ignorance, viz., fertile land which rendered its fruits to the rulers and men
of power to extravagantly dissipate on their pleasures and enjoyments,
whims and desires, tyranny and aggression. The tribes living near these
regions were fluctuating between Syria and Iraq, whereas those living
inside Arabia were disunited and governed by tribal conflicts and racial
and religious disputes. They had neither a king to sustain their
independence nor a supporter to seek advice from, or depend upon, in
hardships. The rulers of Hijaz, however, were greatly esteemed and
respected by the Arabs, and were considered as rulers and servants of the
religious centre. Ruler ship of Hijaz was, in fact, a mixture of secular and
official precedence as well as religious leadership. They ruled among the
Arabs in the name of religious leadership and always monopolized the
custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary and its neighborhood. They looked
after the interests of Al-Ka‘abah visitors and were in charge of putting
Abraham’s code into effect. They even had such offices and departments
like those of the parliaments of today. However, they were too weak to
carry the heavy burden, as this evidently came to light during the
Abyssinian (Ethiopian) invasion.
Religious situation of the Arabs
Most of the Arabs had complied with the call of Ishmael (p.b.u.h), and
professed the religion of his father Abraham (Peace be upon him) They
had worshipped Allaah, professed His Oneness and followed His religion a
long time until they forgot part of what they had been reminded of.
However, they still maintained such fundamental beliefs such as
monotheism as well as various other aspects of Abraham’s religion, until
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the time when a chief of Khuza‘a, namely ‘Amr bin Luhai, who was
renowned for righteousness, charity, reverence and care for religion, and
was granted unreserved love and obedience by his tribesmen, came back
from a trip to Syria where he saw people worship idols, a phenomenon he
approved of and believed it to be righteous since Syria was the locus of
Messengers and Scriptures, he brought with him an idol (Hubal) which he
placed in the middle of Al-Ka‘abah and summoned people to worship it.
Readily enough, paganism spread all over Makkah and, thence, to Hijaz,
people of Makkah being custodians of not only the Sacred House but the
whole Haram as well.
A great many idols, bearing different names, were introduced into the
area. An idol called ‘Manat’, for instance, was worshipped in a place
known as Al-Mushallal near Qadid on the Red Sea. Another, ‘Al-Lat’ in
Ta’if, a third, ‘Al-‘Uzza’ in the valley of Nakhlah, and so on and so forth.
Polytheism prevailed and the number of idols increased everywhere in
Hijaz. It was even mentioned that ‘Amr bin Luhai, with the help of a jinn
companion who told him that the idols of Noah’s folk – Wadd, Suwa‘,
Yaguth, Ya‘uk and Nasr – were buried in Jeddah, dug them out and took
them to Tihama. Upon pilgrimage time, the idols were distributed among
the tribes to take back home. Every tribe, and house, had their own idols,
and the Sacred House was also overcrowded with them. On the Prophet’s
conquest of Makkah, 360 idols were found around Al-Ka‘bah. He broke
them down and had them removed and burned up.
Polytheism and worship of idols became the most prominent feature of
the religion of pre-Islam Arabs despite alleged profession of Abraham’s
religion. Traditions and ceremonies of the worship of their idols had been
mostly created by ‘Amr bin Luhai, and were deemed as good innovations
rather than deviations from Abraham’s religion. Some features of their
worship of idols were:
(f) Self-devotion to the idols, seeking refuge with them, acclamation of
their names, calling for their help in hardship, and supplication to
them for fulfillment of wishes, hopefully that the idols (i.e., heathen
gods) would mediate with Allaah for the fulfillment of people’s
wishes.
(g) Performing pilgrimage to the idols, circumrotation round them,
self-abasement and even prostrating themselves before them.
(h) Seeking favors of idols through various kinds of sacrifices and
immolations.
(i) Consecration of certain portions of food, drink, cattle, and crops to
idols. Surprisingly enough, portions were also consecrated to
Allaah Himself, but people often found reasons to transfer parts of
Allaah’s portion to idols, but never did the opposite.
(j) Currying favors with these idols through votive offerings of crops
and cattle, to which effect, the Qur’aan goes: “And according to
their pretending, they say that such and such cattle and crops are
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forbidden, and none should eat of them except those whom we
allow. And (they say) there are cattle forbidden to be used for
burden or any other work, and cattle on which (at slaughtering) the
Name of Allaah is not pronounced; lying against Him (Allaah).”
[Qur’aan 6:138]
(k) Dedication of certain animals (such as Bahira, Sa’iba, Wasila and
Hami) to idols, which meant sparing such animals from useful
work for the sake of these heathen gods.
(l) Another divinatory tradition among the Arabs was casting of Azlam
(i.e. featherless arrows which were of three kinds: one showing
‘yes’, another ‘no’ and a third was blank) which they used to do in
case of serious matters like travel, marriage and the like. If the lot
showed ‘yes’, they would do, if ‘no’, they would delay for the next
year. Other kinds of Azlam were cast for water, blood-money or
showed ‘from you’, ‘not from you’, or ‘Mulsaq’ (consociated). In
cases of doubt in filiations they would resort to the idol of Hubal,
with a hundred-camel gift, for the arrow caster. Only the arrows
would then decide the sort of relationship. If the arrow showed
(from you), then it was decided that the child belonged to the tribe;
if it showed (from others), he would then be regarded as an ally,
but if (consociated) appeared, the person would retain his position
but with no lineage or alliance contract. This was very much like
gambling and arrow-shafting whereby they used to divide the meat
of the camels they slaughtered according to this tradition.
(m) The pre-Islamic Arabs also had a deep conviction in the tidings of
soothsayers, diviners and astrologers. A soothsayer used to traffic
in the business of foretelling future events and claim knowledge of
private secrets and having jinn subordinates who would
communicate the news to him. Some soothsayers claimed that they
could uncover the unknown by means of a granted power, while
other diviners boasted they could divulge the secrets through a
cause-and-effect-inductive process that would lead to detecting a
stolen commodity, location of a theft, a stray animal, and the like.
The astrologer belonged to a third category who used to observe the
stars and calculate their movements and orbits whereby he would
foretell the future. Lending credence to this news constituted a clue
to their conviction that attached special significance to the
movements of particular stars with regard to rainfall.
(n) The belief in signs as betokening future events, was, of course
common among the Arabians. Some days and months and
particular animals were regarded as ominous. They also believed
that the soul of a murdered person would fly in the wilderness and
would never rest at rest until revenge was taken. Superstition was
rampant. Should a deer or bird, when released, turn right then
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what they embarked on would be regarded auspicious, otherwise
they would get pessimistic and withhold from pursuing it.
(o) People of pre-Islamic period, whilst believing in superstition, they
still retained some of the Abrahamic traditions such as devotion to
the Holy Sanctuary, circumambulation, observance of pilgrimage,
the vigil on ‘Arafah and offering sacrifices, all of these were
observed fully despite some innovations that adulterated these holy
rituals. Quraysh, for example, out of arrogance, feeling of
superiority to other tribes and pride in their custodianship of the
Sacred House, would refrain from going to ‘Arafah with the crowd,
instead they would stop short at Muzdalifah.
(p) Another heresy, deeply established in their religious and social
tradition, dictated that they would not eat dried yoghurt or cooked
fat, nor would they enter a tent made of camel hair or seek shade
unless in a house of adobe bricks, so long as they were committed
to the intention of pilgrimage. They also, out of a deeply-rooted
misconception, denied pilgrims, other than Makkans, access to the
food they had brought when they wanted to make pilgrimage or
lesser pilgrimage. They ordered pilgrims coming from outside
Makkah to circumambulate Al-Ka‘abah in Quraysh uniform
clothes, but if they could not afford them, men were to do so in a
state of nudity, and women with only some piece of cloth to hide
their groins. If men or women were generous enough to go round
Al-Ka‘abah in their clothes, they had to discard them after
circumambulation for good.
(q) When the Makkans were in a pilgrimage consecration state, they
would not enter their houses through the doors but through holes
they used to dig in the back walls. They used to regard such
behavior as deeds of piety and god-fearing. This practice was
criticized and prohibited by the Qur’aan: “It is not Al-Birr (piety,
righteousness, etc.) that you enter the houses from the back but
Al-Birr (is the quality of the one) who fears Allaah. So enter houses
through their proper doors, and fear Allaah that you may be
successful.” [Qur’aan 2:189]
Such was the religious life in Arabia, polytheism, idolatry, and
superstition. Judaism, Christianity, Magianism and Sabianism, however,
could find their ways easily into Arabia. The migration of the Jews from
Palestine to Arabia passed through two phases: first, as a result of the
pressure to which they were exposed, the destruction of their temple, and
taking most of them as captives to Babylon, at the hand of the King
Bukhtanassar. In the year B.C. 587 some Jews left Palestine for Hijaz and
settled in the northern areas whereof. The second phase started with the
Roman occupation of Palestine under the leadership of Roman Buts in 70
CE. This resulted in a tidal wave of Jewish migration into Hijaz, and
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Yathrib, Khaibar and Taima’, in particular. Here, they made proselytes of
several tribes, built forts and castles, and lived in villages. Judaism
managed to play an important role in the pre-Islam political life. When
Islam dawned on that land, there had already been several famous
Jewish tribes — Khabeer, Al-Mustaliq, An-Nadheer, Quraizah and
Qainuqa‘. In some versions, the Jewish tribes counted as many as twenty.
Judaism was introduced into Yemen by someone called As‘ad Abi Karb.
He had gone to fight in Yathrib and there he embraced Judaism and then
went back taking with him two rabbis from Bani Quraizah to instruct the
people of Yemen in this new religion. Judaism found a fertile soil there to
propagate and gain adherents. After his death, his son Yusuf Dhu Nawas
rose to power, attacked the Christian community in Najran and ordered
them to embrace Judaism. When they refused, he ordered that a pit of
fire be dug and all the Christians indiscriminately be dropped to burn
therein. Estimates say that between 20-40 thousand Christians were
killed in that human massacre. The Qur’aan related part of that story in
Al-Buruj (zodiacal signs) Chapter. Christianity had first made its
appearance in Arabia following the entry of the Abyssinian (Ethiopian)
and Roman colonists into that country. The Abyssinian (Ethiopian)
colonization forces in league with Christian missions entered Yemen as a
retaliatory reaction for the iniquities of Dhu Nawas, and started
vehemently to propagate their faith ardently. They even built a church
and called it Yemeni Al-Ka‘abah with the aim of directing the Arab
pilgrimage caravans towards Yemen, and then made an attempt to
demolish the Sacred House in Makkah. Allaah, the Almighty, however did
punish them and made an example of them – here and hereafter.
A Christian missionary called Fimion, and known for his ascetic behavior
and working miracles, had likewise infiltrated into Najran. There he called
people to Christianity, and by virtue of his honesty and truthful devotion,
he managed to persuade them to respond positively to his invitation and
embrace Christianity. The principal tribes that embraced Christianity
were Ghassan, Taghlib, Tai’ and some Himyarite kings as well as other
tribes living on the borders of the Roman Empire. Magianism was also
popular among the Arabs living in the neighborhood of Persia, Iraq,
Bahrain, Al-Ahsaa’ and some areas on the Arabian Gulf coast. Some
Yemenis are also reported to have professed Magianism during the
Persian occupation. As for Sabianism, excavations in Iraq revealed that it
had been popular amongst Kaldanian folks, the Syrians and Yemenis.
With the advent of Judaism and Christianity, however, Sabianism began
to give way to the new religions, although it retained some followers mixed
or adjacent to the Magians in Iraq and the Arabian Gulf.
In summary, the role played by the religions prevalent in the pre-Islamic
period was so marginal, in fact it was next to nothing. The polytheists,
who faked Abrahamism, were so far detached from its precepts, and
totally oblivious of its immanent good manners. They plunged into
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disobedience and ungodliness, and developed certain peculiar religious
superstitions that managed to leave a serious impact on the religious and
socio-political life in the whole of Arabia. Judaism turned into abominable
hypocrisy in league with hegemony. Rabbis turned into lords to the
exclusion of the Lord. They got involved in the practice of dictatorial
subjection of people and calling their subordinates to account for the
least word or idea. Their sole target turned into acquisition of wealth and
power even if it were at the risk of losing their religion, or the emergence
of atheism and disbelief. Christianity likewise opened its doors wide to
polytheism, and got too difficult to comprehend as a heavenly religion. As
a religious practice, it developed a sort of peculiar medley of man and
God. It exercised no bearing whatsoever on the souls of the Arabs who
professed it simply because it was alien to their style of life and did not
have the least relationship with their practical life. People of other
religions were similar to the polytheists with respect to their inclinations,
dogmas, customs and traditions.
The social situation of the Arabs
The Arabian society presented a social medley, with different and
heterogeneous social strata. The family system in Arabia was wholly
patriarchal. The marriage contract rested completely in the hands of the
woman’s legal guardian whose words with regard to her marital status
could never be questioned. On the other hand, there were other social
strata where prostitution and indecency were rampant and in full
operation. Abu Dawud, on the authority of ‘Aishah (R.A) reported four
kinds of marriage in pre-Islamic Arabia: The first was similar to present-
day marriage procedures, in which case a man gives his daughter in
marriage to another man after a dowry has been agreed on. In the second,
the husband would send his wife – after the menstruation period – to
cohabit with another man in order to conceive. After conception her
husband would, if he desired, have a sexual intercourse with her. A third
kind was that a group of less than ten men would have sexual intercourse
with a woman. If she conceived and gave birth to a child, she would send
for these men, and nobody could abstain. They would come together to
her house. She would say: ‘You know what you have done. I have given
birth to a child and it is your child’ (pointing to one of them). The man
meant would have to accept. The fourth kind was that a lot of men would
have sexual intercourse with a certain woman (a whore). She would not
prevent anybody. Such women used to put a certain flag at their gates to
invite in anyone who liked. If this whore got pregnant and gave birth to a
child, she would collect those men, and a seeress would tell whose child
it was. The appointed father would take the child and declare him/her his
own. When Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) declared Islam in
Arabia, he cancelled all these forms of sexual contracts except that of
present Islamic marriage.
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Women always accompanied men in their wars. The winners would freely
have sexual intercourse with such women, but disgrace would follow the
children conceived in this way all their lives. Pre-Islam Arabs had no
limited number of wives. They could marry two sisters at the same time,
or even the wives of their fathers if divorced or widowed. Divorce was to a
very great extent in the power of the husband. The obscenity of adultery
prevailed almost among all social classes except few men and women
whose self-dignity prevented them from committing such an act. Free
women were in much better conditions than the female slaves who
constituted the greatest calamity. It seemed that the greatest majority of
pre-Islam Arabs did not feel ashamed of committing this obscenity. Abu
Dawud reported: A man stood up in front of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
and said: “O Prophet of Allaah! That boy is my son. I had sexual
intercourse with his mother in the pre-Islamic period.” The Prophet
(s.a.w) said: “No claim in Islam for pre-Islamic affairs. The child is to be
attributed to the one on whose bed it was born, and stoning is the lot of a
fornicator.”
With respect to the pre-Islam Arab’s relation with his offspring, we see
that life in Arabia was paradoxical and presented a gloomy picture of
contrasts. Whilst some Arabs held children dear to their hearts and
cherished them greatly, a majority buried their female children alive
because an illusory fear of poverty and shame weighed heavily on them.
The practice of infanticide cannot, however, be seen as irrevocably
rampant because of their dire need for male children to guard themselves
against their enemies.
Another aspect of the Arabs’ life which deserves mention is the Bedouin’s
deep-seated emotional attachment to his clan. Family, or perhaps tribal-
pride, was one of the strongest passions with him. The doctrine of unity of
blood as the principle that bound the Arabs into a social unity was
formed and supported by tribal-pride. Their undisputed motto was:
“Support your brother whether he is an oppressor or oppressed” in its
literal meaning; they disregarded the Islamic amendment which states
that supporting an oppressor brother implies deterring him from
transgression.
Avarice for leadership, and keen sense of emulation often resulted in
bitter tribal warfare despite descendency from one common ancestor. In
this regard, the continued bloody conflicts of Aus and Khazraj, ‘Abs and
Dhubyan, Bakr and Taghlib, etc. are striking examples. Inter-tribal
relationships were fragile and weak due to continual inter-tribal wars of
attrition. Deep devotion to religious superstitions and some customs held
in veneration, however, used to curb their impetuous tendency to quench
their thirst for b lood. In other cases, there were the motives of, and
respect for, alliance, loyalty and dependency which could successfully
bring about a spirit of rapport, and abort groundless bases of dispute. A
time -honored custom of suspending hostilities during the prohibited
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months (Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa‘dah, and Dhul-Hijjah) functioned
favorably and provided an opportunity for them to earn their living and
coexist in peace. We may sum up the social situation in Arabia by saying
that the Arabs of the pre-Islamic period were groping about in the dark
and ignorance, entangled in a mesh of superstitions paralyzing their mind
and driving them to lead an animal-like life. The woman was a marketable
commodity and regarded as a piece of inanimate property. Inter-tribal
relationships were fragile. Avarice for wealth and involvement in futile
wars were the main objectives that governed their chiefs’ self-centered
policies.
The economic situation of the Arabs
The economic situation ran in line with the social atmosphere. The
Arabian ways of living would illustrate this phenomenon quite clearly.
Trade was the most common means of providing their needs of life to the
extent that they made trade even with the 360 idols that were placed in
the Ka’abah, every tribe that came to worship their specific idol would pay
a certain some of money. The trade journeys could not be fulfilled unless
security of caravan routes and intertribal peaceful co-existence were
provided – two imperative exigencies unfortunately lacking in Arabia
except during the prohibited months within which the Arabs held their
assemblies of ‘Ukaz, Dhil-Majaz, Mijannah and others. Industry was alien
to the Arabian psychology. Most of available industries of knitting and
tannage in Arabia were done by people coming from Yemen, Heerah and
the borders of Syria. Inside Arabia there was some sort of farming and
stock-breeding. Almost all the Arabian women worked in yarn spinning
but even this practice was continually threatened by wars. On the whole,
poverty, hunger and insufficient clothing were the prevailing features in
Arabia, economically.
The ethical situation of the Arabs
There is no denial that the pre-Islamic Arabs had such a large bulk of
evils. Admittedly, vices and evils, utterly rejected by reason, were rampant
amongst the pre-Islamic Arabs, but this could never screen off the
surprise-provoking existence of highly praiseworthy virtues, of which
historians have adduced the following:
1. Hospitality: They used to emulate one another at hospitality and
take utmost pride in it. Almost half of their poetry heritage was
dedicated to the merits and nobility attached to entertaining one’s
guests. They were generous and hospitable on the point of fault. They
would sacrifice their private sustenance to a cold or hungry guest.
They would not hesitate to incur heavy blood-money and relevant
burdens just to stop blood-shed, and consequently merit praise and
eulogy.
2. Generosity and Kindness: In the context of hospitality, there springs
up their common habits of drinking wine which was regarded as a
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channel branching out of generosity and showing hospitality. Wine
drinking was a genuine source of pride for the Arabs of the pre-
Islamic period. The great poets of that era never forgot to include their
suspending odes the most ornate lines pregnant with boasting and
praise of drinking orgies. Even the word ‘grapes’ in Arabic is identical
to generosity in both pronunciation and spelling. Gambling was also
another practice of theirs closely associated with generosity since the
proceeds would always go to charity. Even the Noble Qur’aan does not
play down the benefits that derive from wine drinking and gambling,
before they were later forbidden but also says, “And the sin of them is
greater than their benefit.” [Qur’aan 2:219]
3. Keeping a covenant: For the Arab, to make a promise was to run
into debt. He would never grudge the death of his children or
destruction of his household just to uphold the deep rooted tradition
of covenant-keeping. The literature of that period is rich in stories
highlighting this merit.
4. Sense of honor and repudiation of injustice: This attribute
stemmed mainly from excess courage, keen sense of self-esteem and
impetuosity. The Arab was always in revolt against the least allusion
to humiliation or slackness. He would never hesitate to sacrifice
himself to maintain his ever alert sense of self-respect.
5. Firm will and determination: An Arab would never desist an avenue
conducive to an object of pride or a standing of honor, even if it were
at the expense of his life.
6. Forbearance, perseverance and mildness: The Arab regarded these
traits with great admiration, no wonder, his impetuosity and courage-
based life was sadly wanting in them.
7. Truthfulness and Honesty: Pure and simple Bedouin life, still
untarnished with accessories of deceptive urban appearances, was a
driving reason to his nature of truthfulness and honesty, and
detachment from intrigue and treachery.
Such priceless ethics coupled with a favorable geographical position of
Arabia were in fact the factors that lay behind selecting the Arabs to
undertake the burden of communicating the Message (of Islam) and
leading mankind down a new course of life. In this regard, these ethics
per se, though detrimental in some areas, and in need of rectification in
certain aspects, were greatly invaluable to the ultimate welfare of the
human community, and Islam did it completely. The most priceless
ethics, next to covenant-keeping, were no doubt their sense of self-esteem
and strong determination, two human traits indispensable in combating
evil and eliminating moral corruption on the one hand, and establishing a
good and justice-orientated society, on the other. Actually, the life of the
Arabs in the pre-Islamic period was rich in many other countless virtues
that cannot be enumerated due to the scope of this textbook.
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Makkah and the Ka’abah
About eighty kilometres from the coast in the eastern mountain chain
surrounded by mountains on all sides except for three narrow passes
stood Makkah. It was on the caravan route of the tribes, but, having no
water or plant life, was deserted except for an occasional passer-by. In
this secluded place where not even a fly could live, Prophet Ibrahim
(p.b.u.h) was ordered by Allaah (SW) to leave Haajirah (R.A), his Egyptian
wife and her young son, Isma’il, for in this valley where nothing could
grow, Allaah (SW) wanted men to go for express purpose of worship and
wanted the progeny of Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) to cater for the needs of the
worshipers. Later on Allaah (SW) reminded Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
about this incident in the Qur’aan:
And [O Muhammad (s.a.w) call to mind], when Abraham said,

“My Lord, make this city [i.e. Makkah] secure and keep me
and my sons away from worshipping idols. My Lord, indeed
they have led astray many among the people. So whoever
follows me—then he is of me (of my religion); and whoever
disobeys me—indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.
Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an
uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that
they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the
people incline toward them and provide for them from the
fruits that they might be grateful. (Qur’aan 14:35-37)
When the provision that Ibrahim had left with his wife Haajirah and son
Isma’il ran out, she looked around for a way of obtaining food and water,
for her little child was beginning to suffer from thirst much less she could
bear watching the child starve and thirst to death. Yet she could not find
anything near by, so she started running back and forth between two
prominent hills called Al-Safa and Al-Marwa in order to see as far as
possible into the horizon if there was a caravan of merchants so as to ask
some food and water from them. She went back and forth between the
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two hills hurrying seven times scanning the horizon in order to see as far
as possible but she saw nothing. When she returned to her son to see
how he fared on, the child was kicking the earth with his feet and from
under the feet gushed forth water. She built a wall round the spring
which became known as the well of “Zam Zam”.
Haajirah (R.A) remained with her son in this secluded valley surrounded
by mountains. She began to hive the passing tribes water in exchange of
whatever she needed. The first tribe to be attracted to the waters of “Zam
Zam” were Banu Jurhum. Haajirah allowed them to settle near her on
condition that the water remained in her custody. When her son Isma’il
grew up, he married a girl from this tribe.
On his travels, Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) used to visit his son
occasionally. On one of these visits, he was commanded by Allaah to
build a house for the worship of Allaah (SW) that would be a sanctuary
for the worshipper, and so both Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) and his son
embarked on the building of the first house for the worship of Allaah on
earth. And when they finished the building the “House of Allaah” the
made the following supplication to Allaah as is recorded in the Glorious
Qur’aan:
And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of

the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord,
accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the
Knowing. Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to
You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in
submission] to You. And show us our rites [of Hajj and
‘Umrah] and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the
Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. Our Lord, and send
among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to
them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and
purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the
Wise.” (Qur’aan 2:127-129)
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Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) and his son Isma’il asked Allaah (SW) to accept
their devotion of building the House for His Worship and requested Allaah
(SW) to teach them the rituals of Hajj and Umrah as well as asked Allaah
(SW) to raise up a Prophet from among their descendants. They also
taught the people of those parts to worship one deity, Allaah (SW) alon,
unswervingly. To this day Muslims pray in the place where Prophet
Ibrahim stood as he and his son were building the Ka’abah.
With the passage of centuries, the Makkans grew richer and influential
through trade. They began to live a life of luxury and neglected to draw
out enough water from “Zam Zam” to irrigate the land or tend theie
livestock. They also began to forget the teachings of Prophets Ibrahim and
Isma’il, thus when “Zam Zam started drying up started growing weaker.
One of their great men, Al-Mudad ibn Amr of Jurhum tried to warn them
of the consequences but they would not listen to him. He was sure that
power would soon go out of their hands if they continued the same way.
So he took two gold statues in the form of gazelles and the money that
was inside the Ka’aba, lowered them into the well of “Zam Zam” and
covered it so that no one would know the place. After which soon he left
Makkah with the descendants of Isma’il.
The tribe of Kuza’a, who had vied with Banu Jurhum for the honor of
guarding the Sacred House, ousted them out and took over. They passed
on the honorary offices associated with the guardianship for generation
after generation, and it is believed that they had a hand in introducing
idol worship in Makkah. The sabaeans who were also star worshippers
also influenced Makkans in this.
Power remained in the hands of Kuza’a until the time of Qusayy ibn
Kilab, the great great great great grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w). Qusayy was known among his people for his good sense and
judgment, and his trade prospered and his sons increased. The tribe of
Quraysh , the descendants of Isma’il rallied around him. The honorary
offices of the Ka’abah were still the hands of Kuza’a. Qusayy had married
a girl from this tribe and before her father died he had entrusted the keys
of the Ka’abah to her, but being a woman, she apologized and handed
them to another man from her tribe called Abu Ghubshan. Abu Ghusban
was a man who liked to drink and one day, possible when intoxicated, he
sold the keys of the Ka’abah to Qusayy for a chalice of wine. When Kuza’a
saw that the honorary office of the Ka’abah had fallen in the hands of
Qusayy, they decided to fight him for them, but all the Makkan, who held
Qusayy in high esteem, rallied to him against Kuza’a and drove them out
Makkah and made Qusayy their king. Then the offices of catering to the
pilgrims, held to be the greatest honors, became Qusayy’s by right.
Qusayy was the first to make hospitality to the pilgrims the duty of the
Makkans. Thus he addressed his people: “People of Quraysh, you are the
neighbors of Allaah and the people of His House and His holy precincts.
The Pilgrims are guests of Allaah, the visitors to His House. Of all guests
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they are the most worthy of your hospitality, so prepare food and drink
for them on the days of pilgrimage until they leave the land.”
In those days when there were no hotels and shops were few, the traveller
relied mostly on the hospitality of the people of the land. Hospitality to the
stranger was one of the sacred duties, indeed the supreme duty, of the
Arabs who lived in an environment where a man could perish from thirst
and hunger if help was not forthcoming. After Qusayy the honorary
offices of catering for the pilgrims were divided among his sons, then their
progeny. Hashim was the most capable of his brothers and, like his
grandfather Qusayy, he called the Makkans to prepare food and drink for
the pilgrims. He felt responsible for the people of Makkah and in years of
scarcity he used to feed and care for the needy. On a trip to Madinah
(then known as Yathrib) he met a striking woman who was managing her
trade and taking charge of her dependants. He admired her greatly and
asked for her hand in Marriage. Knowing his position among his people,
she accepted. Her name was Salma and she was from the tribe of Al-
khazraj. This union produced a child whose maternal uncles were
Madinans and whose paternal uncles were Makkans; his name was
Shayba.
The Grandparents of Muhammad (s.a.w)
Hashim died on one of his trading trips to Gaza. His brother, Al-Muttalib,
became the head of the tribe. One day he thought about his little nephew
living with his mother in Yathrib and decided that it was time that he
should live with his father’s people in Makkah. So he went to Yathrib and
brought the boy back with him to Makkah. Peoople, on seeing him
approaching with a young boy riding behind him, thought it was a new
slave he had bought and called the lad, Abdul-Muttallib or slave of
Muttalib. When they learnt that this was his nephew, the son of his
brother Hashim, they still held to that first name, continuing to call him
Abdul-Muttallib instead of Shayba.
Al-Muttalin wanted to give his nephew the money that belonged to
Hashim, his father, but another uncle, Nawfal, had seized it and would
not allow him to have it. When Abdul-Muttallib grew older, he called his
uncles from Yathrib to his aid. Eighty horsemen came to Makkah to
assist their young cousin so that Nawful was forced to give back his
father’s money to him. Abdul-Muttallib inherited the positions that his
father Hashim used to occupy, which welcoming the pilgrims and giving
them water. But finding water for the pilgrims was a task of great
hardship for him as he had only one son to aid and it needed many men
to carry the water and bring it from distant places. All the Makkans
remembered nostalgically the water source of “Zam Zam.” But Abdul-
Muttallib saw it as a cherished dream; with the well of “Zam Zam,” it
would make his task of providing pilgrims with water so much easier. In
his sleep he would dream over and over again of this well and of someone
telling him to re-open it. He kept looking for it until at last he was
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inspired to search between two of the idols placed near the Ka’abah.
There he dug and water gushed out. He kept on digging until the two
golden gazelles, the money, and the swords of his ancestors Mudad were
revealed.
Quraysh wanted him to share the treasure with them but he refused.
Then re-considering, he offered to draw lots with them for it. The
Makkans used to draw lots by writing their names on arrows, then
casting them inside the Ka’abah in a particular place so that the decision
would be that of their gods. According to this lottery, Abdul-Muttallib was
to keep the swords, and the statues were to go to the Ka’abah. Abdul-
Muttallib placed the gazelles at the door of the Ka’abah and he also
placed the swords there as a decoration.
Abdul-Muttallib had almost everything; health, wealth, power and was
respected by his tribe, but he had one source of sadness, he still had only
one son. At a time when the Arabs prided themselves on their numerous
offspring, he had just one child and he needed many, many to help him in
the honorary office he had been entrusted with. This office was to provide
pilgrims who came to visit the Ka’abah every year with water to drink. It
was an honorary office which meant so much for him. Over the honorary
offices of maintenance of the ancient House and catering for its pilgrims
so many struggles had taken place and so many pacts and covenants had
been made. ‘Abdul-Mutallib vowed that if he should have ten sons and
they all reached manhood, he would sacrifice one of them to the gods of
the Ka’abah.
The years went by, Abdul-Muttallib became head of his tribe, revered and
obeyed by all, and he had eleven sons. He realized time had come for him
to sacrifice one of his sons to the gods at the Ka’abah and thus fulfil his
vow. But which of his dear beloved sons should be sacrificed? All were
dear him especially ‘Abdullah, the youngest, who had grown up to be a
very fine young man, the handsomest that Quraysh could boast of.
Abdul-Muttallib decided to draw lots for he could not part with any of
them. The name of ‘Abdullah came out –‘Abdullah, the youngest and the
one closest to his heart. Abdul-Muttallib felt himself obligated to fulfill his
vow no matter how painful it would be to him, but all the people of
Quraysh protested. Would he sacrife a young man of such great promise,
the pride and joy of Quraysh? Abdul-Muttallib did not know how to
extricate himself from this terrible vow. Then some of the wise men in
Makkah counselled him to consult a renowned soothsayer in Al-Taif.
Abdul-Muttallib went to see her with a group of the nobles of Makkah.
She asked them what the ransom of a man in their land was and they
answered that it was ten camels. She told them to draw lots (these lots
were drawn by the priests of their gods) between the name of ‘Abdullah
and the ten camels. If the name of ‘Abdullah came out again, they were to
increase the number of camels each time by ten, until the gods were
appeased. In hope and fear Abdul-Muttallib returned to Makkah. He went
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to the Ka’abah where they kept the arrows for drawing lots and asked to
have lots drawn between ‘Abdullah and ten camels. Ten times in
succession did the name of ‘Abdullah appear, and each time Abdul-
Muttallib increased the number of camels by ten until they became a
hundred camels. The tenth time the arrow of the camels appeared and
not ‘Abdullah’s name. To make sure that the gods were truly appeased,
Abdul-Muttallib drew lots three more times, and each time it was the
camel’s arrows that appeared. Thus he was satisfied that he was
exonerated from his terrible vow and now he could keep his beloved
young son.
Abdul-Muttallib the grandfather of the would be Prophet from Banu
Isma’il being happy for having succeeded in extricating himself from his
public pledge of sacrificing his beloved son Abdullah who was a well-
mannered and intelligent man decided to make a real celebration.
Life History of Muhammad (s.a.w) in Brief

Parents of Muhammad (s.a.w)
Abdul-Muttallib searched Makkah to find a beautiful and noble wife for
his beloved son Abdullah and finally chose a woman by the name of
Aminah, who was from Banu Zuhra tribe of Makkah. Abdullah was
twenty when he married her and the young couple lived together happily
for a time. Soon it was Abdullah’s time to go on a business trip to Syria.
At this time Aminah was expecting a baby. The young wife cried out to her
maidservant, an African teenager named Barakah, “How strange! How
can my husband go on a trading journey to Syria while I’m still a new bride
and the traces of henna-dye are still on my hands?” She was heart-broken
when he set off with the other men on the long trip Northward. In her
sorrow, Aminah fainted. Two months passed with no word of the caravan.
One morning, Aminah called Barakah at dawn and seemed full of joy. She
said to her, “Barakah! I have seen a strange dream!” “I hope it was
something good, my lady.” He replied. “I saw lights coming from my womb
lighting up the mountains, the hills and the valleys all around Makkah!”
Aminah recounted excitedly.
Barakah asked Aminah if she was feeling any pain inside and she replied
that she felt no pain. Barakah then answered, “You will give birth to a
blessed child who will bring goodness.” A few months later, as Abdullah
was returning from his first business venture, he and his friends made a
stop over in Yathrib to rest. There he became sick and soon passed away.
When the news reached Aminah, she cried and wept for days. Barakah
stayed by her side and nursed her and comforted her. Abdullah’s father
Abdul Muttallib tried to make her feel better by telling her that maybe her
soon-to-come baby would be like a young Abdullah to them. But he too
was filled with sorrow at the loss of his favorite son.
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The Year of the Elephant
Abdul-Muttallib had his private grief of having lost his beloved son
Abdullah, but a general grief was soon yet to befall all of Makkah because
from the south a great army was approaching it. It was led by Abraha, the
Abyssinian, who with his troops had traveled hundreds of miles in order
to pull down the Ancient House. Abraha had invaded Yemen and
subjugated its fierce highland people to his rule. On this expedition,
however, he was not interested in the land for it was mostly desert, but
only on one spot, Makkah, and one place, the Holy House –the Ka’abah.
The Ancient House built by Prophet Ibrahim (p.b.u.h) and his son Isma’il
had great repute among the Arabs. They traveled hundreds of miles from
remote parts of the peninsula to visit the Ka’abah. Simple and austere, it
had a strange spiritual beauty that drew men towards it. The church
Abraha had built at great cost, using the finest marble, gold, and ivory
could not compare or compete with it, therefore the Ancient House had to
be pulled down.
When the Arabs heard of this, two tribes, together with volunteers from
other tribes, tried to block his way but were defeated. Against Abraha’s
great army, his war elephants, and javelin throwers they did not stand a
chance. Abraha traveled on towards Makkah using Arab captive as
navigator and guide.
As Abraha approached Makkah, the Makkans rose to fight for their
beloved Ka’abah, the first House built on earth for the worship of Allaah
(SW). But they soon learnt that they were no match for Abraha and his
great host of trained soldiers with their war elephants.
Abraha sent a messenger to Abdul-Muttallib, the ruler of Makkah, saying
that he had not come to fight them but only to pull down the Ancient
House. If they offered him no resistance, he would spare their lives.
Abdul-Muttallib with a delegation of Makkans went to see Abraha, hoping
that through negotiations they would be able to save the Ancient House.
Abraha, impressed by the dignity and distinguished air of Abdul-
Muttallib, offered to return the latter’s camels that his soldiers had taken,
but he would not hear of his request that the Ka’abah be spared. Abdul-
Muttallib and the delegation offered to give him one-third of the wealth of
the Tihama region but Abraha refused. He had come from far richer lands
and was not interested in taking money and returning; he had come to
pull down the Ancient House. This House had a strange attraction to men
and so long as it remained his church did not have a chance of stirring
their hearts.
Exhausted with a heavy heart, Abdul-Muttallib returned to tell the people
of Makkah that all was lost and to flee for their lives to the mountain
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heights. When questioned as to what would become of the Ancient House,
he said, “The Ka’abah has Allaah (SW) to protect it.”1
After ensuring that women and children were conveyed to the safety of the
mountains, Abdul-Muttallib took the men and went to pray by the
Ancient House for the last time. They prayed with intense fervor, begging
Allaah (SW) to protect His House. Abdul-Muttallib kept clinging to the
door of the Ka’abah and praying until the last moment.
Abraha directed his great lead elephant toeards Makkah. It would have
been able to break down the walls of the Ka’abah in no time. The elephant
walked until it reached the boundaries of the Sacred City and then
stopped as if it turned into a large immovable rock. Abraha and his
soldiers did all they could to make it move but it would not budge, so they
directed it towards Al-Sham. The elephant now began to move so they
directed it towards the Ka’abah again and again the elephant became like
a granite boulder.
Suddenly in the sky there appeared birds in large numbers. Great flocks
of birds covered the horizon like enormous black clouds. They swooped
down upon Abraha and his men and kept pelting them with small sharp
baked stones until many were stoned to death. Only a few were able to
flee. After the birds had done their work, Abraha and the remnants of his
crushed army headed back towards Yemen where he died of shock and
exhaustion.
Years later when the Quraysh were persecuting the Prophet and his
companions because they were calling them to Islam unto the worship of
Allaah (SW), He revealed the following verses of the Qur’aan as a reminder
to the Makkans, many of who were old enough to remember, how Allaah
(SW) saved His Holy House from Abraha’s evil intention of pulling it down.
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], how your

Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant? Did He not
make their plan into misguidance? And He sent against
them birds in flocks. Striking them with stones of hard clay,
and He made them like eaten straw. (Qur’aan 105:1-5)
1
The name Allaah had been in use in the Arabic language long before the time of Muhammad
(s.a.w), since the days of Prophet Ibrahim and Isma’il, who worshipped Allaah alone. With the
passage of time and influence of other peoples the Arabs began to worship idols, but nominally
they still admitted the existence of Allaah, and said their idols were lesser gods.
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These holy verses served both as a warning and a reminder that those
who oppose Allaah (SW) and His Prophet and the Religion of Islam
preferring to follow their evil desires and the worshipping of idols and
committing all kinds of evil deeds will come to grief. They were also a
reminder to them of the goodness of Allaah (SW) how He saved the
Ancient House for them, when they stood unable to do anything.
After this miraculous incident the fame of the Ka’abah spread far and
wide, its attraction increased, and the Arabs came from all parts of the
peninsula to visit the Sacred House. The total destruction of the army
that came to pull down the House only served to enhance its sanctity. It
was the year 570 CE, and of such tremendous importance to the Arabs
that they called it “The Year of the Elephant.”
The Birth of Muhammad (s.a.w)

One night, while sleeping, Aminah had a dream in which she was told to
name her child “Muhammad,” which meant highly praised. Although it
was an unusual name among the Arabs, nevertheless, when the baby was
born on a warm Monday morning in the year 570CE, he was named
Muhammad. Amina was very happy at the birth of her son.
While people rejoiced at the great victory that Allaah (SW) had bestowed
on them, Abdul-Muttallib received some good news. Amina sent a word
that a grandson had been born to him. Great was the old man’s joy that
he came and took the child of his beloved dead son into his arms. He
carried it straight to the Ka’abah which had just been saved from
destruction, and after going around it seven times with the child in his
arms, he said, “Blessed child, I will call thee Muhammad. The birth of this
child was ushered in by the glory and triumph for the Ancient House,
blessed is he!”
When his people asked him why he had named the child Muhammad,
preferring it to the names of his forefathers, he said, “Because I want him
to be praised in the heavens of Allaah above and on the earth of his
people.” The name Muhammad means, “The praised one.” On the seventh
day after Muhammad’s birth his grandfather Abdul-Muttallib gave a great
feast called “aqeeqah” according to the custom of the Arabs. He invited all
the people of the Quraysh for the feast. This tradition of the “aqeeqah”
was common among the Arabs since they believed that with this sacrifice,
all the evil and other omens would be kept away from the person in whose
name the “aqeeqah” is offered.The baby Muhammad was such a beautiful
child1. And this ushered in the final light of guidance that would not only
light the whole of Arabian peninsular but the whole globe.
1
Emerick Yahiya, What Islam Is All About p. 249-250
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The early life of Muhammad (s.a.w)
As a boy, Muhammad ibn Abdullah (s.a.w) was cared for and suckled for
seven days by Thuwaybah, the freed slave of Abu Lahab. Incidentally,
Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttallib his uncle was also suckled by Thuwaybah,
and because of this good fortune Hamza became Muhammad’s foster
brother.
The Wet-nurses
On the 8th day after his birth Muhammad (s.a.w) was give to one of the
wet nurses called Haleemah As-Saadiyyah the daughter of Abu Dhu’ayb
who was from the tribe of Banu Saad. It was the practice of the Arabs to
send their new born children away to the country-side so that they would
grow up strong and healthy and learn the pure Arabic language of the
Bedouin which was considered superior to that of the city dwellers.
Haleemah found that since young Muhammad (s.a.w) had joined the
family, there was “Barakah” (blessings) and a great deal of prosperity in
her home. Her animals gained weight and produced more milk in
abundance. Muhammad (s.a.w) grew up with the children of Haleemah
and he often went out with them to tend sheep and goats. After very six
months Haleemah used to bring back Muhammad to Makkah to see his
mother Aminah and to his grandfather Abdul-Muttallib.
Muhammad in the Desert
It was while Muhammad (s.a.w) was in the care of Haleemah that her
children came running to her informing her that two persons, dressed in
white had taken their brother Muhammad away. When Haleemah found
him, he was pale and weak. He explained that two people dressed in
white had put him down on his back and split open his chest and taken
out something from his heart. On inspecting his body, Haleemah found
no signs of injury. Haleemah and her husband did not know what to
think, but the incident passed and the child was well and rapidly grew
bigger and stronger.
Muhammad (s.a.w) remained in the desert, breathing the pure desert air,
and learning the pure tongue of the desert Arabs until he was five years
old. In later years, he would jokingly tell his friends, “I am the purest
Arab among you. I am a Qurayshi, and I was nursed by Banu Saad.”
Muhammad Returned to Makkah
When Muhammad (s.a.w) was five years old, Haleemah met some men
from Abyssinia who seemed very much interested in the child and kept
asking her so many questions about him. Then they said, “This child will
be an individual of great importance; we will take him to our country with
us. We have heard about him before.” Haleemah could barely escape with
Muhammad (s.a.w), then she returned him to the mother in Makkah,
judging that he would be safer there.
Haleemah and her people remained a happy memory to Muhammad
(s.a.w). When he grew up he used to shower her with gifts whenever she
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came to visit him. Once, after his marriage to Khadijah, there was a year
of scarcity in the mountains, so when Haleemah came to visit him she
returned with camels carrying water and food, and forty head of sheep.
When Muhammad (s.a.w) was six years old, his mother decided to take
him with her to visit his father’s uncles, Banu Najjar of Yathrib. She took
Umm Ayman, the only slave his father had left, with them. When they
arrived in Yathrib, she showed him where his father had been before
them and where he was buried. After a visit of one month in Yathrib, they
mounted their camels and set out for Makkah. On the way, in a village
called Al-Abwa, Ameena fell ill and died. She was buried there, a few
miles away from where Muhammad’s father was buried.
After his mother, the only parent he had known, was buried, Muhammad
(s.a.w) returned, a sad small figure, with the slave Umm Ayman to
Makkah. This endeared him yet more to his aged grandfather, and made
the great old man, who showed no sign of as much affection for his own
grown sons as he showed tender love and kind treatment of this small,
lonely figure, but, as if fate insisted on making bereavement and grief the
boy’s portion, his grandfather also died when he was only eight years old.
Muhammad (s.a.w) was inconsolable, following his grandfather’s bier
sobbing all the way.
Muhammad orphaned three times over
Thus, Muhammad’s (s.a.w) life began in a very humble way by being
orphaned three times over in his early age. Before he was born his father
died and when he was six his mother followed and at the age of eight his
grandfather Abdul-Muttallib who was taking care of him also passed
away. Therefore as fate had it the young Muhammad was left in the
guardianship of his uncle Abu Talib who began to like Muhammad and
then to love him as if he were his own son, with a fierce loyalty, so that in
later years, the years of trial, hardship and persecutions he stood firm like
a mountain to protect Muhammad from the wrath of the Quraysh. Abu
Talib loved him dearly more than his own sons. The boy had a most loving
and lovable disposition, he was very kind-hearted, sensitive, and
compassionate towards the suffering of others. He was good, so very good
that soon he earned among his youthful companions the title “As-Saadiq
Al-Ameen” which means in Arabic “the truthful, the sincere, the
trustworthy,” and he was worthy of this epithet which clung to him
throughout his life, for Muhammad would never tell lie. Even in very
adverse circumstances, he would never speak anything but the truth.
Nevertheless, in spite of all these deprivations Muhammad (s.a.w) grew up
like father like son as a well mannered, hard working and intelligent
young man who worked as a shepherd.
When Muhammad (s.a.w) was twelve years old, he went with his uncle
Abu Talib on a business journey to Syria. When they reached Busra
(which was a part of Syria, in the vicinity of Howran under the Roman
domain) they met a monk called Bahira (his real name was Georges), who
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showed great kindness, and entertained them lavishly. He had never been
in the habit of receiving or entertaining them before. He readily enough
recognized the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said while taking his
hand: “This is the master of all humans. Allâh will send him with a
Message which will be a mercy to all beings.” Abu Talib asked: “How do
you know that?” He replied: “When you appeared from the direction of
‘Aqabah, all stones and trees prostrated themselves, which they never do
except for a Prophet. I can recognize him also by the seal of Prophethood
which is below his shoulder, like an apple. We have got to learn this from
our books.” He also asked Abu Talib to send the boy back to Makkah and
not to take him to Syria for fear of the Jews. Abu Talib obeyed and sent
him back to Makkah with some of his men servants.
The ‘sacrilegious' wars
Muhammad (s.a.w) was hardly fifteen when the ‘sacrilegious’ wars —
which continued with varying fortunes and considerable loss of human
life for a number of years — broke out between Quraysh and Banu
Kinana on the one side and Qais ‘Ailan tribe on the other. It was thus
called because the inviolable were made violable, the prohibited months
being included. Harb bin Umaiyyah, on account of his outstanding
position and honorable descent, used to be the leader of Quraysh and
their allies. In one of those battles, the Muhammad (s.a.w) attended on
his uncles but did not raise arms against their opponents. His efforts
were confined to picking up the arrows of the enemy as they fell, and
handing them over to his uncles.
Al-Fudoul Confederacy
At the conclusion of these wars, when peace was restored, people felt the
need for forming confederacy at Makkah for suppressing violence and
injustice, and vindicating the rights of the weak and the destitute.
Representatives of Banu Hashim, Banu Al-Muttalib, Asad bin ‘Abd Al-
‘Uzza, Zahrah bin Kilab and Taim bin Murra were called to meet in the
habitation of an honorable elderly man called ‘Abdullah bin Jada‘an At-
Taimy to enter into a confederacy that would provide for the above-
mentioned items. Muhammad (s.a.w) shortly before he was honored with
the ministry of Prophethood, witnessed this league and later on when he
had become Prophet and Messenger of Allaah he commented on it, with
very positive words and said: “I witnessed a confederacy in the house of
‘Abdullah bin Jada‘an. It was more appealing to me than herds of cattle.
Even now in the period of Islam I would respond positively to attending
such a meeting if I were invited." In fact, the spirit of this confederacy and
the course of deliberations therein marked a complete departure from the
pre-Islamic tribal-pride. The story that led to its convention says that a
man from Zubaid clan came as a merchant to Makkah where he sold
some commodities to Al-‘As bin Wail As-Sahmy. The latter by hook or by
crook tried to evade paying for the goods. The salesman sought help from
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the different clans in Quraysh but they paid no heed to his earnest pleas.
He then resorted to a mountain top and began, at the top of his voice, to
recite verses of complaint giving account of the injustices he sustained.
Az-Zubair bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib heard of him and made inquiries into the
matter. Consequently, the parties to the aforesaid confederacy convened
their meeting and managed to force Az-Zubaidy’s money out of Al-‘As bin
Wa’il.
Muhammad’s early job
Muhammad (s.a.w), had no particular job at his early youth, but it was
reported that he worked as a shepherd for Bani Saa‘d and in Makkah. At
the age of 25, he went to Syria as a merchant for Khadijah (R.A) Ibn Ishaq
reported that Khadijah, daughter of Khwailid was a business-woman of
great honor and fortune. She used to employ men to do her business for a
certain percentage of the profits. Quraysh people were mostly trades
people, so when Khadijah was informed of Muhammad (s.a.w), his
truthful words, great honesty and kind manners, she sent for him. She
offered him money to go to Syria and do her business, and she would give
him a higher rate than the others. She would also send her hireling,
Maisarah, with him. He agreed and went with her servant to Syria for
trade.
Muhammad’s Marriage to Khadijah
When he returned to Makkah, Khadijah noticed, in her money, more
profits and blessings than she used to get. Her hireling also told her of
Muhammad’s good manners, honesty, deep thought, sincerity and faith.
She realized that she homed at her target. Many prominent men had
asked for her hand in marriage but she always spurned their advances.
She disclosed her wish to her friend Nafisa, daughter of Maniya, who
immediately went to Muhammad (s.a.w) and broke the good news to him.
He agreed and requested his uncles to go to Khadijah’s uncle and talk on
this issue. Subsequently, they were married. The marriage contract was
witnessed by Bani Hashim and the heads of Mudar. This took place after
the Prophet’s return from Syria. He gave her twenty camels as dowry. She
was, then, forty years old and was considered as the best woman of her
folk in lineage, fortune and wisdom. She was the first woman whom the
Muhammad (s.a.w) married when he was twenty-five years old before
Prophethood. He did not get married to any other until she had died.
Khadijah bore all his children, except Ibrahim: Al-Qasim, Zainab,
Ruqaiyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and ‘Abdullah who was called Taiyib
and Tahir. All his sons died in their childhood and all the daughters
except Fatimah died during his lifetime. Fatimah died six months after
his death. All his daughters witnessed Islam, embraced it, and emigrated
to Madinah.
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Rebuilding Al-ka'abah and the Arbitration Issue
When the Muhammad (s.a.w) was thirty-five years old, Quraysh started
rebuilding Al-Ka‘abah. That was because it was a low building of white
stones no more than 6.30 metres high, from the days of Ishmael. It was
also roofless and that gave the thieves easy access to its treasures inside.
It was also exposed to the wearing factors of nature — because it was
built a long time ago — that weakened and cracked its walls. Five years
before Prophethood, there was a great flood in Makkah that swept
towards Al-Ka‘abah and almost demolished it. Quraysh were obliged to
rebuild it to safeguard its holiness and position. The chiefs of Quraysh
decided to use only licit money in rebuilding Al-Kaa‘bah, so all money
that derived from harlotry, usury or unjust practices was excluded. They
were, at first, too awed to knock down the wall, but Al-Waleed bin Al-
Mugheerah Al- Mukhzumi started the work. Seeing that no harm had
happened to him, the others participated in demolishing the walls until
they reached the basis laid by Abraham.
When they started rebuilding its walls, they divided the work among the
tribes. Each tribe was responsible for rebuilding a part of it. The tribes
collected stones and startwork. The man who laid the stones was a
Roman mason called Baqum. The work went on in harmony till the time
came to put the sacred Black Stone in its proper place. Then strife broke
out among the chiefs, and lasted for four or five days, each contesting for
the honour of placing the stone in its position. Daggers were on the point
of being drawn and great bloodshed seemed imminent. Luckily, the oldest
among the chiefs Abu Omaiyah bin Mugheerah Al- Makhzumi made a
proposal which was accepted by all. He said: “Let him, who enters the
Sanctuary first of all, decide on the point.” It was then Allaah’s Will that
the Muhammad (s.a.w) should be the first to enter the Mosque. On seeing
him, all the people on the scene, cried with one voice: “Al-Ameen (the
trustworthy) has come. We are content to abide by his decision.” Calm
and self-possessed, Muhammad (s.a.w) received the commission and at
once resolved upon an expedient which was to conciliate them all. He
asked for a mantle which he spread on the ground and placed the stone
in its centre. He then asked the representatives of the different clans
among them, to lift the stone all together. When it had reached the proper
place, Muhammad (s.a.w) laid it in the proper position with his own
hands. This is how a very tense situation was eased and a grave danger
averted by the wisdom of the Muhammad (s.a.w).
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Makkah

Ba’ath (Prophethood and Revelation)
Muhammad (s.a.w) grew among people who were polytheists and idolaters
who used to worship 360 idols placed in the Ka’abah that was built by
Prophet Abraham (p.b.u.h). They were sunk in superstition and vices of
all kinds ranging from prostitution, idol worship, drunkenness, burying of
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daughters alive, and discrimination of women in fact they did not have
any lAus to regulate their lives except the law of the jungle and a few
primitive tribal mores.
Among such people who had drifted far from the way of Allaah (SW),
Muhammad grew up to be a Man of God, one who was unique and
conspicuous with a pure and spotless character, whose love of truth and
compassion of the poor and down trodden was well known to the extent
that his people nick named him (As-Saadiq Al-Ameen) the truthful and
the trustworthy.
As he grew older, the superstitions and evil ways of his own community
caused greater sorrow to his heart. He spent many hours in communion
with his Creator and in meditation about the meaning of life in the cave of
Hira’. He longed to bring people into the straight path –render God unto
man and man unto God.
Angel Gabriel brings down the revelation
When Muhammad (s.a.w) was forty, the age of complete perfection at
which Prophets were always ordered to disclose their Message, signs of
his Prophethood started to appear and twinkle on the horizons of life; they
were the true visions he used to experience for six months. The period of
Prophethood was 23 years; so the period of these six months of true
visions constituted an integral part of the forty-six parts of Prophethood.
In the month of Ramadhaan, in his third year of solitude in the cave of
Hira’, the Divine light shone in its full splendor in his heart and he was
chosen as the last Prophet and Messenger for the guidance of the entire
human race. Allaah’s Will desired His mercy to flow on earth and
Muhammad (s.a.w) was honored with the light of Revelation that burst
upon him with some verses of the Noble Qur’aan.
It was the year 610 CE in the Glorious month of Ramadhaan in the night
of power known as “Lailatul-Qadr” when while he was contemplating in
the cave of Hira’. At length, unexpectedly, the angel Gabriel came to him
and said, “Recite.” “I cannot recite,” he [Muhammad (s.a.w)] said. The
Prophet (s.a.w) described: “Then he took me and squeezed me vehemently
and then let me go and repeated the order ‘Recite.’ ‘I cannot recite’ said I,
and once again he squeezed me and let me till I was exhausted. Then he
said: ‘Recite.’ I said ‘I cannot recite.’ He squeezed me for a third time and
then let me go and said:
Recite in the name of your Lord who created—Created man

from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most
Generous—Who taught by the pen—Taught man that which
he knew not. (Qur’aan 96:1-5)
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The Prophet (s.a.w) repeated these verses. He was trembling with fear. At
this stage, he came back to his wife Khadijah, and said, “Cover me, cover
me.” They covered him until he restored security. He apprised Khadijah of
the incident of the cave and added that he was horrified. His wife tried to
soothe him and reassured him saying, “Allaah will never disgrace you.
You unite uterine relations; you bear the burden of the weak; you help
the poor and the needy, you entertain the guests and endure hardships in
the path of truthfulness.” She set out with the Prophet (s.a.w) to her
cousin Waraqa bin Nawfal bin Asad bin ‘Abd Al-‘Uzza, who had embraced
Christianity in the pre-Islamic period, and used to write the Bible in
Hebrew. He was a blind old man. Khadijah said: “My cousin! Listen to
your nephew!” Waraqa said: “O my nephew! What did you see?” The
Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) told him what had happened to him. Waraqa
replied: “This is ‘Namus’ i.e. (the angel who is entrusted with Divine
Secrets) that Allaah sent to Moses. I wish I were younger. I wish I could
live up to the time when your people would turn you out.” Muhammad
(s.a.w) asked: “Will they drive me out?” Waraqa answered in the
affirmative and said: “Anyone who came with something similar to what
you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should be alive till
that day, then I would support you strongly.” A few days later Waraqa
died.
Muhammad (s.a.w) continued visiting the cave of Hira after the first
encounter with Angel Gabriel. And as reported by Bukhari on the
authority of Jabir bin ‘Abdullah that he had heard Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) saying: “While I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked
up, and surely enough, it was the same angel who had visited me in the
cave of Hira’. He was sitting on a chair between the earth and the sky. I
was very afraid of him and knelt on the ground. I went home saying:
‘Cover me …, Cover me …’ then Allaah (SW) revealed to me the verses”
O you [Muhammad (s.a.w)] enveloped (in garments)! Arise and

warn! And your Lord (Allaah) magnify! And your garments
purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols) and And do
not confer favor to acquire more1 (Qur’aan 74:1-6)
At-Tabari and Ibn Hisham reported that the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w)
left the cave of Hira’ after being surprised by the Revelation, but later on,
returned to the cave and continued his solitude. Afterwards, he came
back to Makkah. At-Tabari reported on this incident, saying:
1
An alternative meaning is “Do not consider any favor you have conferred to be great.’
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After mentioning the coming of the Revelation, the Messenger of
Allaah (s.a.w) said: “I have never abhorred anyone more than a
poet or a mad man. I cannot stand looking at either of them. I
will never tell anyone of Quraysh of my Revelation. I will climb a
mountain and throw myself down and die. That will relieve me. I
went to do that but halfway up the mountain; I heard a voice
from the sky saying ‘O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of
Allaah (s.a.w) and I am Gabriel.’ I looked upwards and saw
Gabriel in the form of a man putting his legs on the horizon. He
said: ‘O Muhammad you are the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) and
I am Gabriel.’ I stopped and looked at him. His sight distracted
my attention from what I had intended to do. I stood in my
place transfixed. I tried to shift my eyes away from him. He was
in every direction I looked at. I stopped in my place without any
movement until Khadijah sent someone to look for me. He went
down to Makkah and came back while I was standing in the
same place. Gabriel then left, and I went back home. I found
Khadijah at home, so I sat very close to her. She asked: ‘Father
of Al-Qasim! Where have you been? I sent someone to look for
you. He went to Makkah and returned to me.’ I told her of what
I had seen. She replied: ‘It is a propitious sign, O my husband.
Pull yourself together; I swear by Allaah that you are a
Messenger for this nation.’ Then she stood up and went to
Waraqa and informed him. Waraqa said: ‘I swear by Allaah that
he has received the same Namus, i.e. angel that was sent to
Moses. He is the Prophet of this nation. Tell him to be patient.’
She came back to him and told him of Waraqa’s words. When
the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) finished his solitary stay and
went down to Makkah, he went to Waraqa, who told him: ‘You
are the Prophet of this nation. I swear by Allaah that you have
received the same angel that was sent to Moses.’ 1
Interruption of Revelation2
The Makkans profited by their religion of idol worship economically and
socially, and woe unto any who would dare speak against their most
sacred gods! No one had ever tried. The Christians and the Jews in
Makkah were usually slaves of inferior status and were forbidden to
speak of their religion in the Sacred Precincts, while their houses were on
the outskirts of the city, far removed from the Sacred House.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) knew his people well. He knew what he
was about to embark upon and he realized that his days of peace and
esteem among them were over. From that time onwards his life would be
an a dire struggle with all the forces of evil, a frank confrontation with all
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, pp.
2
Much of this part was adopted from Al-Ismail Tahia, The Life of Muhammad (s.a.w), pp. 28-30
311
that was wicked, selfish, and corrupt in man. He was clearly told that he
would experience hostility, persecution and rejection from his own people.
Many would belie and many would fight him, but of what consequence
was in comparison with the secret of creation at last revealed? He had the
courage and strength to persevere for the sake of the truth no matter
what it cost. He was ready, he was eager, he was happy, but he did not
know how to start. He did not wait for Angel Gabriel to appear again to
guide him, but no vision, no message nor did any sign from Allaah
appear. Abruptly all spiritual communication had ceased.
He waited in hope, then he waited in fear and anxiety. Why had the noble
vision all of a sudden disappeared? Had he done something wrong to
drive it away? Had he been found unworthy? He began to worry and fret,
he waited in sadness and despair. After he had seen Gabriel so clear
above the sky, heard so certainly and unequivocally, where had the
greatest hope gone? Was it irretrievably lost? Grief and a terrible sense of
loss filled his heart. For six months there was absolute silence. For six
months he heard nothing and saw nothing everything had just gone
blank after he had been used to hearing and seeing things everyday! Of
what use was life if it did not contain the truth, the lofty ideal that he
thought for a moment was within his grasp? Of what use was existence if
it meant no more than living behind the opaque prison bars of the
material world? Sick of the fake and superficial life of the Makkans, in
sheer despair, he thought of throwing himself from a mountain height in
order to forget everything. Then at that very moment of deepest despair,
the angel Gabrial descended with the following verses:
By the morning brightness. And [by] the night when it covers

with darkness and becomes still. Your Lord has not forsaken
of you, [O Muhammadd (s.a.w)], nor has He detested [you].
And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life]. And
your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. Did
He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? And He
found you searching and guided [you]. And He found you
poor and made [you] self-sufficient. So as for the orphan, do
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not oppress [him]. And as for the petitioner (Anyone who
seeks aid or knowledge), do not repel [him]. But as for the
favor of your Lord, let it be your discourse. (Qur’aan 93:1-11)
These verses, in the resonant Qur’aanic Arabic, are a masterpiece of
literary excellence and psychological perspicacity. They were the verses
for reassurance and consolation. They begin by the dramatic contrast
between light and darkness, full glorious morning and the dark still night.
The contrasts of these two entities, so familiar to Muhammad (s.a.w),
were to make him understand two entities that he could not see. The
morning represented the truth that had been revealed to him for a
moment and then disappeared, while the night represented the six
months or absolute silence or the dark age of Jahiliyyah (ignorance and
worshipping or idols) that had not only engulfed the Arabian Peninsula
but the whole globe. The reality of spiritual experience came after silence
as night follows day. He should not have panicked or thought that the
day would never come. Silence would come again, as night follows day,
but he should never be in terror of losing the truth, never again should he
despair of the mercy of Allaah (SW), for it would surely come after despair
as full morning came after darkness. This lesson important to all Muslims
was particularly pertinent to Muhammad (s.a.w), the first Muslim, whose
life was a sequence of very great darkness followed by the most dazzling
of triumphs.
The reappearance of the communication was a great joy to Muhammad
(s.a.w). He prayed and gave thanks again and again as direct in the last
verse of the passage. The holy verses in the passage had reassured him
that he was not detestable, that his Lord had not forsaken him. He would
be guided and instructed again and his people were not doomed to be lost
in dark superstition. The communications from Allaah (SW) would
continue and mankind would learn what they had never known.
The Prophet (s.a.w) felt so relieved, so honored, and yet so unworthy of
this very great honor. Direct communication with the Most High was well
beyond the worth of any man but he would try to be worthy, he would
work with all his heart and soul to please Allaah (SW), the Greatest, the
Most Merciful, who had chosen him for this task of awesome
responsibility, a terrible and yet beloved vocation. So away with black
ideas of suicide, away with doubts and despair. His life from henceforth
would be dedicated to the service of his Lord alone.
What is often asked is why had the messages from heaven that were so
clear and unequivocal all of sudden stopped for six months. Perhaps the
answer is found in the reaction of Muhammad himself (s.a.w). At first he
connected what he heard and saw with insanity, he felt fear of the
unknown. Therefore Allaah (SW), in His wisdom, was giving His Prophet
time to reflect and get used to the idea, time to realize the greatness of the
gift, the magnificence of the promise. Gradually from a terrifying vision
that made him to flee from the mountainside trying to avoid the
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inevitable. It became a strange but not terrifying idea; though full of grave
responsibilities and dangers. Then when the vision stopped, he realized
how dear this message was. It became something he cherished and for
which he waited eagerly. He waited for it so much that he felt his whole
life was not worth living without it. The whole world was nothing in
comparison with this great truth, a truth that he had been yearning and
contemplating for several months in the cave of Hira. This period of
silence for six months had made him assess everything in the new light of
the knowledge he had received, and realized that without this spiritual
insight his life would mean nothing to him.
Early Muslim Converts and Persecution
The Prophet (s.a.w) naturally initiated his sacred mission right from home
and then moved to the people closely associated with him. He called unto
Islam whomsoever he thought would attest the truth which had come
from his Lord. In fact, a host of people who nursed not the least seed of
doubt as regards the Prophet (s.a.w) immediately responded and quite
readily embraced the true faith. They are known in the Islamic literature
as the early converts. Khadijah, the Prophet’s spouse, the mother of
believers, was the first to enter the fold of Islam followed by his freed slave
Zaid bin Harithah, his cousin, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, who had been living with
him since his early childhood, and next came his intimate friend Abu
Bakr As-Siddiq (Abu Bakr the truth verifier). All of these professed Islam
on the very first day of the call. Abu Bakr, and from the first day he
embraced Islam, proved to be an energetic and most zealous activist. He
was wealthy, obliging, mild and upright. People used to frequent his
house and draw nigh to him for his knowledge, amity, pleasant company
and business. He invited whomever he had confidence in to Islam and
through his personal efforts a good number of people converted to Islam,
such as ‘Uthman bin ‘Affan Al-Umawi, Az-Zubair bin ‘Awwam Al-Asadi,
‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf, Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas, Az-Zuhri and Talhah bin
‘Ubaidullah At-Tamimy. Those eight men constituted the forerunners and
more specifically the vanguard of the new faith in Arabia. Among the
other early Muslims were Bilal bin Rabah (the Abyssinian former slave),
Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah from Bani Harith bin Fahr (the most
trustworthy of the Muslim Nation), Abu Salamah bin ‘Abd Al-Asad, Al-
Arqam bin Abi Al-Arqam from the tribe of Makhzum, ‘Uthman bin
Maz‘oun and his two brothers Qudama and ‘Abdullah, ‘Ubaidah bin Al-
Harith bin Al-Muttallib bin ‘Abd Munaf, Sa‘id bin Zaid Al-‘Adawi and his
wife Fatimah - daughter of Al-Khattab (the sister of ‘Umar bin Al-
Khattab), Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, ‘Abdullah bin
Mas‘ud Al-Hadhali and many others. These were the Muslim
predecessors. They belonged to various clans of Quraysh. Ibn Hisham, a
biographer, counted them to be more than forty.
Ibn Ishaq said: “Then people entered the fold of Islam in hosts, men or
women and the new faith could no longer be kept secret.” The Prophet
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(s.a.w) used to meet and teach, the new converts, the religion in privacy
because the call to Islam was still running on an individual and secret
basis and because if the call would have been in public the small band of
Muslims would have been crushed by the Quraysh at once. Revelation
accelerated and continued after the six months of silence. The verses and
pieces of Surahs (chapters) revealed at this time were short ones with
wonderful strong pauses and quite fascinating rhythms in full harmony
with that delicate whispering setting. The central topic running through
them focused on purifying the soul, and deterring the Muslims from
falling prey to the deceptive glamour of life. The early verses used as well
to give a highly accurate account of the Hell and the Garden (Paradise),
leading the believers down a new course diametrically opposed to the evil
practices rampant amongst their compatriots.
This stage of the Call, even though conducted in a clandestine manner
and on an individual basis, its news leaked out and assumed a public
interest all over Makkah. In the beginning, the Makkan leaders did not
care much about Muhammad (s.a.w) and took no heed of his teachings.
At first, they thought that Muhammad (s.a.w) was merely a religious
philosopher like Umaiyyah bin Abi As-Salt, Quss bin Sa‘idah, ‘Amr bin
Nufail and the like who used to philosophize on godship and religious
obligations. But this attitude of indifference soon changed into real
apprehension. The polytheists of Quraysh began to watch Muhammad’s
movements closely and anxiously for fear of spreading his Call and
producing a change in the prevalent mentality. During the three
underground years of activism, a strong group of believers emerged
stamped by a spirit of fraternity and cooperation with one definite
objective in their mind: propagating and deeply establishing the call to
Islam. For full three years Muhammad (s.a.w) had been content to teach
within a rather narrow circle. The time had, however, come to preach the
faith of Islam openly. The angel Gabriel had brought him down a further
Revelation of Allaah’s Will to confront his people, invalidate their
falsehood and crush down their idolatrous practices.
Calling the closet Kin people

In obedience to Allaah's Commands, the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
rallied his kinsmen of Bani Hashim with a group of Bani Al-Muttallib bin
'Abd Munaf. The audience counted forty-five men. Abu Lahab
immediately took the initiative and addressed the Prophet (s.a.w): "These
are your uncles and cousins, speak on to the point, but first of all you
have got to know that your kinsmen are not in a position to withstand all
the Arabs. Another point you have got to bear in mind is that your
relatives are sufficient unto you. If you follow their tradition, it will be
easier for them than to face the other clans of Quraysh supported by the
other Arabs. Verily, I have never heard of anyone who has incurred more
harm on his kinsmen than you." The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) kept
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silent and said nothing in that meeting. He invited them to another
meeting and managed to secure audience. He then stood up and delivered
a short speech explaining quite persuasively what was at stake. He said:
"I celebrate Allaah's praise, I seek His help, I believe in Him, I put my
trust in Him, I bear witness that there is no god to be worshipped but
Allaah with no associate. A guide can never lie to his people. I swear by
Allaah, there is no god but He that I have been sent as a Messenger to
you, in particular and to all the people, in general. I swear by Allaah that
you will die just as you sleep, you will be resurrected just as you wake
up. You will be called to account for your deeds. It is then either be Hell
forever or the Garden (Paradise) forever." Abu Talib replied: "We love to
help you, accept your advice and believe in your words. These are your
kinsmen whom you have collected and I am one of them but I am the
fastest to do what you like. Do what you have been ordered. I shall
protect and defend you, but I can't quit the religion of 'Abdul-Muttallib."
Abu Lahab then said to Abu Talib: “I swear by Allaah that this is a bad
thing. You must stop him before the others do." Abu Talib, however,
answered: "I swear by Allaah to protect him as long as I am alive."
After the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) became sure of Abu Talib's
commitment to his protection while he called the people unto Allaah, he
stood up on Mount As-Safa one day and called out loudly: "O Sabahah!”
(like sounding the alarm). Various clans of Quraysh gathered
immediately to him. He called them to testify to the Oneness of Allaah
and to believe that he is Allaah’s Messenger and to believe in the Day of
Resurrection. Al-Bukhari reported part of this story on the authority of
Ibn 'Abbas (R.A). He said: "When the following verses were revealed:
And warn, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], your closest kindred. And

lower your wing (show kindness) to those who follow you of
the believers. And if they disobey you, then say, “Indeed, I
am disassociated from what you are doing.’ And rely upon
the Exalted in Might, the Merciful, Who sees you when you
arise (From your bed at night for prayer while you are alone)
and your movement among those who prostrate (those who
pray with you in congregation). Indeed, He is the All-
Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Qur’aan 26:214-220)
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Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) ascended Mount As-Safa and started calling:
"O Bani Fahr! O Bani 'Adi (two clans of Quraysh)." Many people gathered
and those who could not come themselves sent somebody to report to
them. Abu Lahab was also present. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "What do
you say; if I were to tell you that there are some horsemen in the valley
planning to raid you, will you believe me?" They said: "Yes, we have never
experienced any lie from you." He said: "I am a Warner to you before a
severe torment." Abu Lahab promptly replied: "Perish you all the day!
Have you summoned us for such a thing?" Then the verses cursing Abu
Lahab and declaring that he and his wife would be in the Hell fire for
rejecting the Message and cursing Allaah’s Messenger were immediately
revealed on that occasion:
May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined and ruined is he.

His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained. He
will [enter] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame. And his wife [as
well will burn in Hell]—the carrier of firewood1. Around her
neck is a rope of [twisted] fiber. (Qur’aan 111:1-5)
Public Preaching and Ideological Conflict
It was verily a loud suggestive Call stating unequivocally to the closest
people that belief in his Message constituted the corner-stone of any
future relation between him and them, and that the blood-relation on
which the whole Arabian life was based, had ceased to exist in the light of
that Divine ultimatum. The Prophet's voice kept reverberating in Makkah
until Allaah (SW) revealed the following verses:
1
She used to put thorns in the Prophet’s path and slander him (s.a.w). The word “firewood” was
used by the Arabs to allude to slander and backbiting.
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Then declare (publicly) what you are commanded and turn
away from the polytheists. Indeed, We are sufficient
(protection) for you against the mockers. Who make [equal]
with Allaah another deity. But they are going to know. And
We already know that your breast is constrained by what
they say. So exalt and praise of your Lord and be of those
who prostrate [to Him]. And worship your Lord until there
comes to you the certainty [i.e. death]. (Qur’aan 15:94-99)
The Prophet (s.a.w) with this great assurance from Allaah (SW)
immediately started a public open confrontation discrediting the
superstitious practices of idolatry, revealing its worthless reality and utter
insignificance, and giving concrete proofs that idolatry per se or taking it
as the media through which an idolater could come in contact with
Allaah, is manifest falsehood extreme ignorance. The Makkans, on their
part, burst into outrage and disapproval. Muhammad's (s.a.w) words
created a thunderbolt that turned the Makkan time -honored ideological
life upside down.
They could ill afford to hear someone attaching to polytheists and
idolaters, the description of people who are ignorant and far astray. They
started to rally their resources to settle down the affair, quell the onward
marching revolution and deal a pre-emptive strike to its votaries before it
devours and crushes down their consecrated traditions and long standing
heritage. The Makkans had the deep conviction that denying godship to
anyone save Allaah and that belief in the Divine Message and the
Hereafter are interpreted in terms of complete compliance and absolute
commitment, and this in turn leaves no area at all for them to claim
authority over themselves and over their wealth, let much less their
subordinates. In short, their arrogated religiously-based supremacy and
highhandedness would no longer be in effect; their pleasures would be
subordinated to the pleasures of Allaah and His Messenger and lastly
they would have to abstain from continuing with the oppression on those
whom they falsely deemed to be weak, and perpetrating dreadful sins in
their everyday life. They had already been fully aware of this meaning that
is why their souls would not submit to accept this ‘disgraceful’ position
not out of motives based on dignity and honor but rather because:
Nay! Man desires to continue committing sins (by denying

the Day of Resurrection and Reckoning). (Qur’aan 75: 5)
They had been aware of all these consequences but they could afford to
do nothing before an honest truthful man who was the highest example of
good manners and human values. They had never known such an
example in the history of their folks or grandfathers. What would they do?
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They were baffled, and they had the right to be so. Following careful
deliberations, they hit upon the only target available, i.e. to contact the
Messenger's uncle, Abu Talib and request him to intervene and advise his
nephew to stop his activities. In order to attach a serious and earnest
stamp to their demand, they chose to touch the most sensitive area in
Arabian life, viz. ancestral pride. They addressed Abu Talib in the
following manner: “O Abu Talib! Your nephew curses our gods; finds
faults with our way of life, mocks at our religion and degrades our
forefathers; either you must stop him, or you must let us get at him. For
you are in the same opposition as we are in opposition to him; and we will
rid you of him.” Abu Talib tried to appease their wrath by giving them a
polite reply. The Prophet (s.a.w), however, continued on his way preaching
Allaah's religion and calling men hitherto, heedless of all their desperate
attempts and malicious intentions.
Advisory Council to Debar Pilgrims from Muhammad's Call
During those days, Quraysh had another serious concern; the
proclamation of the Call had only been a few months old when the season
of pilgrimage was soon to come. Quraysh knew that the Arab delegates
were coming within a short time. They agreed that it was necessary to
contemplate a device that was bound to keep away the Arab pilgrims from
the new faith preached by Muhammad (s.a.w). They went to see Al-
Waleed bin Al-Mugheerah to deliberate on this issue. Al-Waleed invited
them to agree on a unanimous resolution that could enjoy the consensus
of them all. However, they were at variance. Some suggested that they
describe Muhammad (s.a.w) as soothsayer; but this suggestion was
turned down on grounds that his words were not so rhymed. Others
proposed possessed by jinn; this was also rejected because no
insinuations peculiar to that state of mind ware detected, they claimed.
"Why not say he is a poet?" Some said. Here again they could not reach a
common consent, alleging that his words were totally outside the lexicon
of poetry. "OK then; let us accuse him of practicing witchcraft," was a
fourth suggestion. Here also Al-Waleed
showed some reluctance saying that the Prophet (s.a.w) was known to
have never involved himself in the practice of blowing on the knots, and
admitted that his speech was sweet tasting root and branch. He, however,
found that the most plausible charge to be leveled against Muhammad
(s.a.w) was witchcraft. The ungodly company adopted this opinion and
agreed to propagate one uniform formula to the effect that he was a
magician of words so powerful and commanding in his art that he would
successfully alienate son from father, man from his brother, wife from her
husband and man from his clan. It is noteworthy in this regard to say
that Allaah (SW) revealed sixteen verses as a sufficient answer to shut
down Al-Waleed and the cunning method he contemplated to manipulate
the people expected to arrive in Makkah for pilgrimage. Allaah said:
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Leave Me with the one I created alone1 And to whom I
granted extensive wealth And children present [with him]
And spread [everything] before him, easing [his life]. Then he
desires that I should add more. No! Indeed, he has been
toward Our verses obstinate. I will cover him with arduous
torment. Indeed, he thought and deliberated.2 So may he be
destroyed [for] how he deliberated. Then may he be
destroyed [for] how he deliberated. Then he considered
[again]; then he frowned and scowled; then he turned back
and was arrogant and said, “This is not but magic imitated
[from others]. This is not but the word of a human being.”
(Qur’aan 74:11-26)
The most wicked of them was the sworn enemy of Islam and Muhammad
(s.a.w), his own uncle Abu Lahab, who would shadow the Prophet's
footsteps crying aloud, “O men, do not listen to him for he is a liar; he is
an apostate.” Nevertheless, Muhammad (s.a.w) managed to create a stir
in the whole area, and even to convince a few people to accept his Call.
When the leaders of Quraysh could not find any fault with the preaching
of Muhammad (s.a.w) they resorted to violence and persecution. And
naturally they began with the former slaves like Bilal bin Rabah who did
not have any tribal protection. These series of persecutions started late in
the fourth year of Prophethood, slowly at first, but steadily accelerated
and worsened day by day and month by month until the situation got so
extremely grave and no longer tolerable in the middle of the fifth year,
that the Muslims began to seriously think of feasible ways liable to avert
the painful tortures meted out to them. It was at this gloomy and
desperate time that Sûrah Al-Kahf (Chapter 18 — The Cave) was revealed
1
i.e. without wealth or children. The reference is to al-Waleed bin al-Mugheerah, who after
inclining toward the Qur’an, denied it publicly in order to win the approval of the Quraysh
2
About what he would say concerning the Qur’an and how he might discredit the Prophet (s.a.w),
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comprising definite answers to the questions with which the polytheists of
Makkah constantly pestered the Prophet (s.a.w). It comprises three stories
that include highly suggestive parables for the true believers to
assimilate. The story of the Companions of the Cave implies implicit
guidance for the believers to evacuate the hot spots of disbelief and
aggression pregnant with the peril of enticement away from the true
religion.
Next, Surah deals with the story of Al-Khidr (The Teacher of Arabia) and
Moses (s.a.w) in a clear and delicate reference to the vicissitudes of life.
Future circumstances of life are not necessarily the products of the
prevalent conditions; they might be categorically the opposite. In other
words, the war waged against the Muslims would in the future assume a
different turn, and the tyrannous oppressors would one day come to
suffer and be subjected to the same tortures to which the Muslims were
then put. Furthermore, there is the story of Dhul-Qarnain (The Two
Horned One), the powerful ruler of west and east. This story says
explicitly that Allaah (SW) takes His righteous servants to inherit the
earth and whatever in it. It also speaks that Allaah raises a righteous
man every now and then to protect the weak against the strong. This
Surah gave a great reassurance to the companions of Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w) who were going through all the tortures and severe persecutions
from the Quraysh. It gave the companions extra strength to endure the
persecutions.
Makkah indeed had become intolerable and unbearable; Bilal had gone
through the worst time being dragged in the hot sand of Makkah whipped
by Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughira, who would get tire of whipping and put Bilal,
his black slave, out in the desert sun with a great stone over his chest
and leave him there to die a slow lingering death because he would not
return to idol worship. Bilal persisted in repeating, ‘The One, the One, the
One,’ as he lay dying in the sun.
A humble family, Banu Yasir, which consisted of father, mother, and son,
entered into Islam, so the leaders of their clan, Banu Makhzum, decided
to torture them in the rocky wastes around Makkah. Seeing the family of
Yasir undergoing such great torture, the Messenger (s.a.w) said, ‘be
patient and of good cheer indeed our promise in Jannah (Paradise).’
Ammar’s mother Summayyah and father Yasir died were tortured in front
of him without giving in to the worship of idols until they died. Ammar the
only member remaining in the family was the badly tortured until he
could not bear it any more and seeing that his mother and father had
been killed through torture, he broke down and told the Quraysh
whatever they wanted they wanted him to say, that he had rejected Allaah
and His Messenger. But in his heart Ammar was full of faith and certain
that the message Muhammad (s.a.w) had brought was from the Lord of all
creation. He felt devastated by what he had been forced to say and felt so
guilty that he went to the Messenger in a pitiable plight, trembling lest
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what he had said under torture would jeopardize his relationship with his
Lord. It was on this occasion that Allaah (SW) revealed the verse:
Whoever disbelieves in [i.e. denies] Allaah after his belief

(has earned the wrath of Allaah) except for one who is
forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in
faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to
disbelief, upon them is the wrath from Allaah, and for them
is a great punishment. (Qur’aan 16:106)
This verse affirms that it is the human heart that is of consequence. What
a man is compelled to say or do under duress is not binding before Allaah
(SW), what he harbors in his heart is what matters most.
Although Quraysh, for fear of tribal retaliation, would not kill Muhammad
(s.a.w), yet they did all the mean and spiteful things they could do to hurt
him. They harassed, insulted, and annoyed him in every possible way.
Muslims Seeking Asylum in Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
While Muhammad (s.a.w) bore injuries and insults and persecution to
himself with unparalleled patience and perseverance, yet he found it more
difficult to bear the suffering that his companions were enduring. By
nature Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was very kind-hearted, he felt for them
more than he felt for himself. Allaah (SW) described him in the Qur’aan in
the following terms:
There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among

yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is]
concerned over you [i.e. your guidance and suffering] and to
the believers he is most kind and merciful. But if they
(Quraysh) turn away, [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], say, “Sufficient
for me is Allaah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have
relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.” (Qur’aan
9:128-129)
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The more the Quraysh tried to coerce the Muslims into abandoning the
worship of Allaah (SW), the more the Muslims adhered to their religion as
being the only salvation for them and their people. They became people
who cared for nothing, sought nothing except the great light that had
dawned upon them, the truth that proclaimed itself to their heart and
mind at the same time. They became patient and persevering in the effort
to save as many of their people as possible from superstition and the false
gods they worshipped. Many of the companions had lived a life of luxury
before Islam. They no longer cared for this corrupt way of life or the
money or for the advantages and titles they used to enjoy. To be
acceptable to Allaah (SW) as they understood was more important than
this world and everything in it. Islam had liberated them from petty
fetters of customs, tradition, prejudice, and material desires. They were
kind of born anew, remodeled to owe allegiance to none except Allaah
(SW), the One, the Creator of all and His Messenger (s.a.w). They served
Him in humble devotion and considered no sacrifice too great for His
cause.
With the many unbearable frustrations and persecution and torture,
many Muslims had to hide and pray secretly whereas what they needed
was to pray in peace and freedom and to be able to learn more about their
religion without fear or worry. Therefore Allaah (SW) revealed various
verses to provide a way out of the unbearable hot spot in Makkah. In
particular Allaah (SW) revealed Surah Az-Zumar (Chapter 39 — The
Crowds) which pointed directly to migration and stated that the earth is
spacious enough and the believers must not consider themselves
constrained by the forces of tyranny and evil:
Say, “O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For

those who do good in this world is good and the earth of
Allaah is spacious. Indeed, the patient will be given their
reward without account [i.e. limit].” (Qur’aan 39:10)
Consequently Muhammad (s.a.w) counseled the most vulnerable Muslims
to flee for the sake of their religion, to leave Makkah and go to Abyssinia
(Ethiopia). He said that in Abyssinia there was a Christian King in whose
reign no one was wronged. They slipped quietly out of Makkah, fourteen
men and one woman. Through the King’s hospitality, they lived for
sometime in peace and plenty until they heard that the Quraysh were no
longer torturing Muslims. When they returned to Makkah because of this
news they found that it was a lie and that the situation was worse than it
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was previously, so they went back to Abyssinia. This time there were
eighty three men with nineteen of their women and children.
They had left Arabia to escape the torture and persecution from the
Quraysh but Quraysh would not leave them in peace with their religion.
Quraysh could not tolerate the prospect of a secure haven available for
the Muslims in Abyssinia (Ethiopia), so they dispatched two staunch
envoys to demand their extradition. They were ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas and
‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’a ( that was before these two embracing Islam).
They had taken with them valuable gifts to the king and his clergy, and
had been able to win some of the courtiers over to their side. The pagan
envoys claimed that the Muslim refugees should be expelled from
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and handed over to them, on the ground that they
had abandoned the religion of their forefathers, and their leader–
Muhammad (s.a.w) was preaching a religion different from theirs and
from that of the king. The king summoned the Muslims to the court and
asked them to explain the teachings of their religion. The Muslim
emigrants had decided to tell the whole truth whatever the consequences
were. Ja’far bin Abi Talib stood up and addressed the king in the
following words:
“O king! we were plunged in the depth of ignorance and
barbarism; we adored idols, we lived in all kinds of
abominations, we ate the dead bodies of animals, and we
spoke abominations, we disregarded every feeling of humanity,
and the duties of hospitality and neighborhood were neglected;
we knew no law but that of the jungle (in which the strong
oppressed the weak), when Allaah raised among us a man, of
whose birth, truthfulness, honesty, and purity we were all
aware; and he called us to the Oneness of Allaah, and taught
us not to associate anything with Him. He forbade us the
worship of idols; and he enjoined us to speak the truth, to be
faithful to our trusts, to be merciful and to regard the rights of
the neighbors and kith and kin; he forbade us to speak evil of
women and stop oppressing women, or to eat the substance of
orphans; he ordered us to fly from the vices, and to abstain
from evil; to offer prayers, to render alms, and to observe fast.
We have believed in him, we have accepted his teachings and
his injunctions to worship Allaah alone, and not to associate
anything with Him, and we have allowed what He has allowed
us, and prohibited what He has prohibited us. For this reason,
our people have risen against us, have persecuted us in order
to make us forsake the worship of Allaah and return to the
worship of idols and other abominations. They have tortured
and injured us, until finding no safety among them; we have
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come to your country, and hope you will protect us from
oppression.”1
The king was very much impressed by these words and asked the
Muslims to recite some of Allaah’s Revelation. Ja’far recited the opening
verses of Surah Maryam (Chapter 19 — Mary) wherein is told the story of
the birth of both John and Jesus Christ, down to the account of Mary
having been fed with the food miraculously. Thereupon the king, along
with the bishops of his realm, was moved to tears that rolled down his
cheeks and even wet his beard. Here, the Negus exclaimed: “It seems as if
these words and those which were revealed to Jesus are the rays of the
light which have radiated from the same source.” Turning to the crest-
fallen envoys of Quraysh, he said, “I am afraid, I cannot give you back
these refugees. They are free to live and worship in my realm as they
please.”
The next day, the two envoys again went to the king and said that
Muhammad (s.a.w) and his followers blasphemed Jesus Christ. Again the
Muslims were summoned and asked what they thought of Jesus. Ja’far
again stood up and replied: “We speak about Jesus as we have been
taught by our Prophet (s.a.w), that is, he is the servant of Allaah, His
Messenger, His spirit and His Word breathed into Virgin Mary.” The king
at once remarked, “Even so do we believe. Blessed be you, and blessed be
your master.” Then turning to the frowning envoys and to his bishops
who got angry, he said: “You may fret and fume as you like but Jesus is
nothing more than what Ja’far has said about him.” He then assured the
Muslims of full protection. He returned to the envoys of Quraysh, the gifts
they had brought with them and sent them away. The Muslims lived in
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) unmolested for a number of years till they returned
to Madinah.
In this way Quraysh's malicious intentions recoiled on them and their
machination met with utter failure. They came to fully realize that the
grudge they nursed against he Muslims would not operate but within
their realm of Makkah. They consequently began to entertain a horrible
idea of silencing the advocate of the new Call once and for all, through
various channels of brutality, or else killing him. An obstinate difficulty,
however, used to curtail any move in this direction embodied by the
Prophet’s uncle Abu Talib and the powerful social standing he used to
enjoy as well as the full protection and support he used to lend to his
nephew. The pagans of Makkah therefore decided to approach Abu Talib
for the second time and insisted that he put a stop to his nephew's
activities, which if allowed unchecked, they said, would involve him into
severe hostility. Abu Talib was deeply distressed at this open threat and
the breach with his people and their enmity, but he could not afford to
desert the Messenger too. He sent for his nephew and told him what the
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, pp.
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people had said, “Spare me and yourself and put me not into a burden
that I cannot bear.” Upon this the Prophet (s.a.w) thought that his uncle
would let him down and would no longer support him, so he replied:
“O my uncle! By Allaah even if they put the sun in my right
hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this
course, I would not abandon it until Allaah has made me
victorious, or I perish therein.”
The Prophet (s.a.w) got up, and as he turned away, his uncle called him
and said, “Come back, my nephew,” and when he came back, he said, “Go
and preach what you please, for by Allaah I will never forsake you.”
Quraysh, seeing that the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) was still intent on
his Call, realized that Abu Talib would never forsake his nephew even if
this incurred their enmity. Some of them then went to see him once more
taking with them a youth called ‘Amarah bin Al-Waleed bin Al-
Mugheerah, and said, “O Abu Talib! we have brought you a smart boy still
in the bloom of his youth, to make use of his mind and strength and take
him as your son in exchange for your nephew, who has run counter to
your religion, brought about social discord, found fault with your way of
life, so that we kill him and rid you of his endless troubles; just man for
man.” Abu Talib’s reply was, “It is really an unfair bargain. You give me
your son to bring him up and I give you my son to kill him! By Allaah, it
is something incredible!!” Al-Mut’im bin ‘Adi, a member of the delegation,
interrupted saying that Quraysh had been fair in that bargain because
“they meant only to rid you of that source of hateful trouble, but as I see
you are determined to refuse their favors.” Abu Talib, of course, turned
down all their offers and challenged them to do whatever they pleased.
Even though historical sources do not give us the exact dates of
Quraysh’s two meeting with Abu Talib yet they seem more like to have
taken place in the sixth year of the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w).
Now that all the schemes and conspiracies of Quraysh had failed, they
resorted to their old practices of persecution and inflicting tortures on the
Muslims in a more serious and brutal manner than ever before. They also
began to nurse the idea of killing the Prophet (s.a.w). In fact, contrary to
their expectations, this new method and this very idea served indirectly to
consolidate the Call to Islam and support it with the conversion of two
staunch and mighty heroes of Makkah, i.e. Hamzah bin ‘Abdul-Muttallib
and ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab (May Allah be pleased them).
Four events of special significance occurred within less than four weeks—
the conversion of Hamzah, the conversion of ‘Umar, Muhammad’s (s.a.w)
refusal to negotiate any sort of compromise and then the pact drawn up
between Banu Muttalib and Banu Hashim to immunize Muhammad
(s.a.w) and shield him against any treacherous attempt to kill him. The
polytheists were baffled and at a loss as to what recourse they would
follow to rid themselves of this obstinate and relentless obstacle that had
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appeared to shatter to pieces their whole tradition of life. They were fully
aware that if they killed Muhammad (s.a.w) the blood would surely flow
profusely in the valleys of Makkah and they would certainly be
exterminated. Taking this dreadful prospect into consideration, they
grudgingly resorted to a different iniquitous course that would not imply
murder.
General Social Boycott
The pagans of Makkah held a meeting in a place called Wadi Al-
Muhassab, and formed a confederation hostile to both Bani Hashim and
Bani Al-Muttalib. They decided not to have any business dealings with
them nor any sort of inter-marriage. Social relations, visits and even
verbal contacts with Muhammad (s.a.w) and his supporters would
discontinue until the Prophet (s.a.w) handed over to them to be killed.
The articles of their agreement, which had provided for merciless
measures against Bani Hashim, were written down by Bagheed bin ‘Amir
bin Hashim and then suspended in Al-Ka‘abah. The Prophet (s.a.w)
invoked Allaah’s curse and wrath upon Bagheed, whose hand was later
paralyzed.
Abu Talib wisely and quietly took stock of the situation and decided to
withdraw to a valley on the eastern outskirts of Makkah. Banu Hashim
and Banu Al-Muttallib and the Prophet (s.a.w) and his wife Khadijah (R.A)
as well as all his followers, who followed suit, were thus confined within a
narrow pass (Shi‘b of Abu Talib), from the beginning of Muharram, the
seventh year of Muhammad’s mission till the tenth year, viz., a period of
three years. It was a stifling siege. The supply of food was almost stopped
and the people in confinement faced great hardships. The idolaters used
to buy whatever food commodities entered Makkah lest they should leak
to the people in Ash-Shi‘b, who were so overstrained that they had to eat
leaves of trees and skins of animals. Cries of little children suffering from
hunger used to be heard clearly. Nothing to eat reached them except, on
few occasions; some meager quantities of food were smuggled by some
compassionate Makkans. During ‘the prohibited months’—when
hostilities traditionally ceased, they would leave their confinement and
buy food coming from outside Makkah. Even then, the food stuff was
unjustly overpriced so that their financial situation would fall short of
finding access to it.
Hakeem bin Hizam was once on his way to smuggle some wheat to his
aunt Khadijah (R.A) when Abu Jahl intercepted and wanted to debar him.
Only when Al-Bukhtari intervened, did Hakeem manage to reach his
destination. Abu Talib was so much concerned about the personal safety
of his nephew. Whenever people retired to sleep, he would ask the
Prophet (Peace be upon him) to lie in his place, but when all the others
fell asleep, he would order him to change his place and take another, all
of which in an attempt to trick a potential assassin. Despite all odds,
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) persisted in his line and his
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determination and courage never weakened. He continued to go to Al-
Ka‘abah and to pray publicly. He used every opportunity to preach to
outsiders who visited Makkah for business or on pilgrimage during the
sacred months and special seasons of assemblies.
This situation ultimately created dissension amongst the various Makkan
factions, who were tied with the besieged people by blood relations. After
three years of blockade and in Muharram, the tenth year of Muhammad’s
mission, the pact was broken. Hisham bin ‘Amr, who used to smuggle
some food to Bani Hashim secretly at night, went to see Zuhair bin Abi
Omaiyah Al-Makhzoumy and reproached him for resigning to that
intolerable treatment meted out to his uncles in exile. The latter pleaded
impotence, but agreed to work with Hisham and form a pressure group
that would secure the extrication of the exiles. On the ground of
motivation by uterine relations, there emerged a group of five people who
set out to abrogate the pact and declare all relevant clauses null and void.
They were Hisham bin ‘Amr, Zuhair bin Abi Omaiya, Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi,
Abu Al-Bukhtari and Zam‘a bin Al-Aswad. They decided to meet in their
assembly place and start their self-charged mission from the very precinct
of the Sacred House. Zuhair, after circumambulating seven times, along
with his colleagues approached the hosts of people there and rebuked
them for indulging in the amenities of life whereas their kith and kin of
Bani Hashim were perishing on account of starvation and economic
boycott. They swore they would never relent until the parchment of
boycott was torn to piece and the pact broken at once. Abu Jahl, standing
nearby, retorted that it would never be torn. Zam‘a was infuriated and
accused Abu Jahl of telling lies, adding that the pact was established and
the parchment was written without seeking their approval. Al-Bukhtari
intervened and backed Zam‘a. Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and Hisham bin ‘Amr
attested to the truthfulness of their two companions. Abu Jahl, with a
cunning attempt to liquidate the hot argument that was running counter
to his malicious goals, answered that the issue had already been resolved
sometime and somewhere before. Abu Talib meanwhile was sitting in a
corner of the Mosque. He came to communicate to them that a Revelation
had been sent to his nephew, the Prophet (s.a.w) to the effect that ants
had eaten away all their proclamation that smacked of injustice and
aggression except those parts that bore the Name of Allaah. He contended
that he would be ready to give Muhammad (Peace be upon hims.a.w, they
would have to recant and repeal their boycott. The Makkans agreed to the
soundness of his proposition. Al-Mut‘im went to see the parchment and
there he did discover that it was eaten away by ants and nothing was left
save the part bearing (in the Name of Allaah). The proclamation was thus
abrogated, and Muhammad (s.a.w) and his followers were permitted to
leave Ash-Sh‘ib and return home. In the context of this trial to which the
Muslims were subjected, the polytheists had a golden opportunity to
experience a striking sign of Muhammad’s Prophethood (the white ants
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eating away the parchment) but to their miserable lot they desisted and
augmented in disbelief:
The final phase of diplomacy by the Quraysh
The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) left his confinement and went on
preaching his Faith as usual. Quraysh, likewise, repealed the boycott but
went on in their atrocities and oppression on the Muslims. Abu Talib, the
octogenarian notable, was still keen on shielding his nephew but by that
time, and on account of the series of tremendous events and continual
pains, he began to develop certain fits of weakness. No sooner had he
emerged victorious from the inhuman boycott, than he was caught in a
persistent illness and physical weakness. The polytheists of Makkah,
seeing this serious situation and fearing that the stain of infamy that the
other Arabs could attribute to them in case they took any aggressive
action against the Prophet (s.a.w) after he had lost his main support, Abu
Talib, took a decision to negotiate with the Prophet (s.a.w) once more and
submit some concessions withheld previously. They then delegated some
representatives to see Abu Talib and discuss the issue with him. Ibn
Ishaq and others related: “When a serious illness caught Abu Talib, the
people of Quraysh began to deliberate on the situation and reviewed the
main features that characterized that period which included the
conversion of ‘Umar and Hamzah to Islam, coupled with the tremendous
stir that Muhammad (s.a.w) had created amongst all the tribes of
Quraysh. They then deemed it imperative to see Abu Talib before he died
to pressure his nephew to negotiate a compromise on the various
disputed points. They were afraid that the other Arabs might attribute to
them the charge of opportunism.” The delegation of Quraysh comprised
25 men including notables like ‘Utbah bin Rabi‘a, Shaibah bin Rabi‘a,
Abu Jahl bin Hisham, Omaiyah bin Khalaf, Abu Sufyan bin Harb. They
first paid tribute to him and confirmed their high esteem of his person
and position among them. They then shifted to the new give-and-take
policy that they claimed they wanted to follow. To substantiate their
argument they alleged that they would refrain from intervening in his
religion if he did the same.
Abu Talib summoned his nephew and apprised him of the minutes of his
meeting with them, and said: “Well, my nephew, here are the celebrities of
your people. They have proposed this meeting to submit a policy of
mutual concessions and peaceful coexistence.” The Messenger of Allaah
(s.a.w) turned to them saying: “O uncle! Why don’t you call them unto
something better?” Abu Talib asked him, “What is it that you invite them
to?” The Prophet (s.a.w) replied, “I invite them to hold fast to a Message
that is bound to give them access to kingship over the Arabs and non-
Arabs.” According to Ibn Ishaq’s version, “It is just one word that will give
you supremacy over the Arabs and non-Arabs.” The Makkan deputies
were taken by incredible surprise and began to wonder what sort of word
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was that which would benefit them to that extent. Abu Jahl asked, “What
is that word? I swear by your father that we will surely grant you your
wish followed by ten times as much.” He said, “I want you to testify that
there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allaah, and then divest
yourselves of any sort of worship you harbor for any deities other than
Allaah.” They immediately clapped their hands in ridicule, and said “How
can you expect us to combine all the deities in one God. It is really
something incredible.” On their way out leaving, they said to one another,
“By god this man [Muhammad (s.a.w)] will never relent, nor will he offer
any concessions. Let us hold fast to the religion of our forefathers, and
Allaah will in due course adjudicate and settle the dispute between us
and him.” As regards this incident, Allaah revealed the following verses:
“Sâd: [These letters (Saad, etc.) are one of the miracles of

the Qur’aan and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their
meanings]. By the Qur’aan full of reminding. Nay, those who
disbelieve are in false pride and Apposition. How many a
generation We have destroyed before them, and they cried
out when there was no longer time for escape! And they
(Arab pagans) wonder that a Warner [Prophet Muhammad
[(s.a.w)] has come to them from among themselves! And the
disbelievers say, ‘This [Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)] is a
sorcerer, a liar. Has he made the gods (all) into One God
(Allaah) . Verily, this is a curious thing!’ And the leaders
among them went about (saying): ‘Go on, and remain
constant to your gods! Verily, this is a thing designed
(against you)! We have not heard (the like) of this among the
people of these later days. This is nothing but an
invention.’” (Qur’aan 38:1-7)
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The Year of Grief
Abu Talib’s Death
In Rajab, the tenth year of Muhammad’s prophethood, Abu Talib fell ill
and passed away, six months after leaving the confinement at Ash-Sh‘ib.
On the authority of Al-Musaiyab, “when Abu Talib was on the death bed,
the Prophet (s.a.w) entered the room where he saw Abu Jahl and
‘Abdullah bin Abi Umaiyyah, he requested his uncle: ‘my uncle, you just
make a profession that there is no true god but Allaah, and I will bear
testimony before Allaah (of your being a believer)’ Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah
bin Abi Umaiyyah addressing him said: ‘Abu Talib, would you abandon
the religion of Abdul-Muttalib?’ The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) constantly
requested him (to accept his offer), and (on the other hand) was repeated
the same statement (of Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Abi Umaiyyah) — till
Abu Talib gave his final decision and he stuck to the religion of ‘Abdul-
Muttalib and refused to profess that there is no true god but Allaah. Upon
this the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) remarked: ‘By Allaah, I will
persistently beg pardon for you till I am forbidden to do so (by Allaah)’”
It was on this occasion that Allaah, the Magnificent and Glorious revealed
the verse:
It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to

ask Allaah’s forgiveness for the Mushrikoon (polytheists,
idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah)
even though they be of close relatives, after it has become
clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because
they died in a state of disbelief). (Qur’aan 9:113)
The Prophet (s.a.w) came out of his Uncle Abu Talib’s house grieved that
he could not be able to save his own beloved Uncle from the torment of
Hell-fire, there upon Allaah (SW) revealed the verse:
Verily! You [O Muhammad (s.a.w)] guide not whom you like

but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those
who are the guided. [Qur’aan 28:56]
It goes without saying that Abu Taalib was very much attached to
Muhammad (s.a.w). For forty years, Abu Talib had been the faithful
friend—the prop of his childhood, the guardian of his youth and in later
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life a very tower of defense. The sacrifices, to which Abu Talib exposed
himself and his family for the sake of his nephew, while yet incredulous
of his mission, stamp his character as singularly noble and unselfish.
The Prophet (s.a.w) did his best to persuade his octogenarian uncle to
make profession of the true faith, but he remained obdurate and stuck to
the paganism of his forefathers, and thus could not achieve complete
success. Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttallib narrated that he said to the
Prophet (s.a.w) “You have not been of any avail to your uncle (Abu Taalib)
(though) by Allaah, he used to protect you and get angry on your behalf.”
The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “He is in a shallow fire, and had it not been for
me, he would have been at the bottom of the (Hell) Fire.” Abu Sa‘id Al-
Khudri narrated that he heard the Prophet (s.a.w) say, when the mention
of his uncle was made, “I hope that my intercession may avail him, and
he be placed in a shallow fire that rises up only to his heels.” 1
Khadijah Passes Away to the Mercy of Allaah
Only two months after the death of his uncle, did Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) experience another great personal loss viz., the Mother of believers,
his wife Khadijah passed away in Ramadhaan of the tenth year of his
Prophethood, when she was sixty-five years old, and he was fifty.
Khadijah was in fact a blessing of Allaah for the Prophet (s.a.w). She, for
twenty-five years, shared with him the toils and trials of life, especially in
the first ten years of his ministry of Prophethood. He deeply mourned over
her death, and once he replied in an honest burst of tender emotions:
“She believed in me when none else did. She embraced Islam when people
disbelieved me. And she helped and comforted me in her person and
wealth when there was none else to lend me a helping hand. I had
children from her only.”
Abu Hurairah reported that angel Gabriel came to Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) and said: “Allaah’s Messenger, see, Khadijah is coming to you with
a vessel of seasoned food or drink. When she comes to you, offer her
greetings from her Lord, and give her glad tidings of a palace of jewels in
Paradise where there is no noise and no toil.” These two painful events
took place within a short lapse of time and added a lot to his grief and
suffering. The Makkans now openly declared their campaign of torture
and oppression. The Prophet (s.a.w) lost all hope of bringing them back to
the right path, so he set out for Al-Ta’if a place about sixty kilometers on
the outskirts of Makkah seeking a supportive atmosphere. But there too,
he was disappointed and he sustained unbearable tortures and
maltreatment that far outweighed his miserable situation in his native
town. In the word of our famous author Safiu-r-Rahman Mubarakpuri in
his book, The Sealed Nectar the following is what happened in Ta’if:
In Shawwal (in the last of May or in the beginning of June 619
A.D.), ten years after receiving his mission from his Lord, the
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum pp. 123-124
332
Prophet (s.a.w) set out towards At-Ta’if, about 60 kilometers from
Makkah, in the company of his freed slave Zaid bin Haritha
inviting people to Islam. But contrary to his expectations, the
general atmosphere was terribly hostile. He approached the family
of ‘Umair, who were reckoned amongst the nobility of the town.
But, to his disappointment, all of them turned deaf ear to his
message and used abusive language as regards the noble cause he
had been striving for. Three brothers from the chieftains of
Thaqeef —‘Abd Yaleel, Mas‘ud and Habeeb—sons of ‘Amr bin
‘Umair Ath-Thaqafy met the Prophet (s.a.w), who invited them to
embrace Islam and worship Allaah, but they impudently jeered at
him and refused his invitation. “He is tearing the cloths of Al-
Ka‘bah; is it true that Allaah has sent you as a Messenger?” said
one of them. “Has not Allaah found someone else to entrust him
with His Message?” said the second. “I swear by Allaah that I will
never have any contact with you. If you are really the Messenger of
Allaah, then you are too serious to retort back; and if you are
belying Allaah, then I feel it is imperative not to speak to you.”
said the third. The Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w), finding that they
were hopeless cases, stood up and left them saying: “Should you
indulge in these practices of yours, never divulge them to me.” For
ten days he stayed there delivering his message to several people,
one after another, but all to no purpose. Stirred up to hasten the
departure of the unwelcome visitor, the people hooted him
through the alley-ways, pelted him with stones and obliged him to
flee from the city pursued by a relentless rabble. Blood flowed
down both his legs; and Zaid, endeavoring to shield him, was
wounded in the head. The mob did not desist until they had
chased him two or three miles across the sandy plains to the foot
of the surrounding hills. There, wearied and exhausted, he took
refuge in one of the numerous orchards, and rested against the
wall of a vineyard. At a time when the whole world seemed to have
turned against him, Muhammad (s.a.w) turned to his Lord and
betook himself to prayer and the following touching words are still
preserved as those through which his oppressed soul gave vent to
its distress. He was weary and wounded but confident of the help
of his Lord: “O Allaah! To You alone I make complaint of my
helplessness, the paucity of my resources and my insignificance
before mankind. You are the most Merciful of the merciful. You
are the Lord of the helpless and the weak, O Lord of mine! Into
whose hands would You abandon me: into the hands of an
unsympathetic distant relative who would sullenly frown at me, or
to the enemy who has been given control over my affairs? But if
Your wrath does not fall on me, there is nothing for me to worry
about. I seek protection in the light of Your Countenance, which
333
illuminates the heavens and dispels darkness, and which controls
all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be
that I should incur Your wrath, or that You should be wrathful to
me. And there is no power nor resource, but Yours alone.”1
Seeing him in this helpless situation, Rabi‘a’s two sons, wealthy
Makkans, were moved on grounds of kinship and compassion, and sent
to him one of their Christian servants with a tray of grapes. The Prophet
(s.a.w) accepted the fruit with pious invocation: “In the Name of Allaah.”
The Christian servant ‘Addas was greatly impressed by these words and
said: “These are words which people in this land do not generally use.”
The Prophet (s.a.w) inquired of him whence he came and what religion he
professed. ‘Addas replied: “I am a Christian by faith and come from
Nineveh.” The Prophet (s.a.w) then said: “You belong to the city of the
righteous Jonah, son of Matta.” ‘Addas asked him anxiously if he knew
anything about Jonah. The Prophet (s.a.w) significantly remarked: “He is
my brother. He was a Prophet and so am I.” Thereupon ‘Addas paid
homage to Muhammad (s.a.w) and kissed his hands. His masters
admonished him at this act but he replied: “None on the earth is better
than he is. He has revealed to me a truth which only a Prophet can do.”
They again reprimanded him and said: “We forewarn you against the
consequences of abandoning the faith of your forefathers. The religion
which you profess is far better than the one you feel inclined to.”
Heart-broken and depressed, Muhammad (s.a.w) set out on the way back
to Makkah. Allaah (SW) heard his supplication and sorrow, and sent
angel Gabriel together with the angels who take care of mountains to
come to his aid, when the angels requested from him if they could destroy
these people who had pelted him with stones, he replied, “I have not been
sent to destroy nor to curse people but as a mercy to the entire
humankind, O Lord, guide my people for they know not what they are
doing, perchance from their loins will rise up a people who will worship
You and sacrifice for Your sake O Allaah”.
In the month of Dhul Qa‘dah, the tenth year of Prophethood, i.e. July
619, the Prophet (s.a.w), returned to Makkah to resume his activities. The
time for pilgrimage to Makkah was approaching so he hastened to
introduce people both tribes and individuals to Islam and call upon them
to embrace it, just as it was his practice since the fourth year of his
Prophethood. On the authority of Az-Zuhri, of the tribes that Islam was
introduced to, we could speak of Banu ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘ah, Muharib bin
Khasfa, Fazarah, Ghassan, Murrah, Haneefah, Saleem, ‘Abs, Banu Nasr,
Banu Al-Buka’, Kindah, Kalb, Al-Harith bin Ka‘b, Udhrah and people of
Hadrmout. Islam was not introduced to them in one single year but
rather repeatedly from the fourth year till the last pre-migration season of
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman, Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum pp.
334
pilgrimage. They however, remained obdurate and none of them
responded positively.
Israa wal Mi’raj (Night Journey and Ascension)
The more a prophet is rejected by men, the more he is loved by Allaah
(SW); the more he is despised by men, the more he is honored by Allaah.
Muhammad (s.a.w) had suffered and struggled much, and proved to be
steadfast and unswerving in the face of all manner of persecution meted
to him and his companions and while he felt like he had failed in his
mission in Makkah there came solace and encouragement. Towards the
end of the a calm night, one year before the Hijrah, the roof of the Prophet
Muhammad’s (s.a.w) house split open and angel Gabriel descended into
the Prophet’s (s.a.w) room. He went over to the Prophet (s.a.w), opened his
shirt and cut open his chest. He then removed his heart and washed its
inside with ZamZam water. After he had completed washing it, he then
brought a gold dish filled with Imaan (faith) and Hikmah (wisdom),
emptied it into the Prophet’s (s.a.w) chest and then closed it all up.1
Gabriel then nudged the Prophet (s.a.w) until he awoke. When the
Prophet (s.a.w) got up, Grbriel took a hold of his hand and lead him
outside of his house to the gate of the Ka’abah. There the Prophet (s.a.w)
found a strange unearthly animal. It was smaller than a mule but larger
than a donkey, white in color and having a wing on either of its hind legs.
He was informed that it name was “Buraaq”, a name taken from the
Arabic word Barq which means a flash of lightening. Gabriel helped the
Prophet (s.a.w) to mount it and they set off to the north. Each stride of
Buraaq took it to the horizon, and in no time they reached Jerusalem.
There the Prophet (s.a.w) dismounted and tied the animal to the same
ring on the door of al-Masjid al-Aqsaa used by the prophets. The Prophet
(s.a.w) entered the masjid and prayed two Rak’ahs. When he finished he
noticed a group of other prophets also making Salaah there. He saw
among them Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus and Prophet Abraham
(p.b.u.t). Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was then told to lead all of them in
Salaah, someone said to him, “This is Maalik, the guardian of Hellfire, so
give him Salaams.” When he turned around to greet him, the angel gave
him Salaams before he had time to do so.2 Gabriel then brought two
vessels and presented them to the Prophet (s.a.w). One was filled with
wine and the other filled with milk. The Prophet (s.a.w) chose the vessel
filled with milk and drank from it. Gabriel then said, “You have been
guided to the Fitrah.”3
The Prophet (s.a.w) then left the masjid and the Mi’raaj (an elevator) was
brought for him. Gabriel helped him to get into it, and it short up into the
heavens and out of our solar system. Traveling at a tremendous rate, The
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), vol. 9, HNo. 605
2
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol.1, HNo. 328
3
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol.1, HNo. 322
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Prophet (s.a.w) and Gabriel soon left our galaxy and raced past other
galaxies until they reached the end of the universe. At the end of the
universe, they arrived at the boundary of the lowest heaven. Gabriel
request that its gate be opened for them.
The dwellers of the Heaven asked, 'Who is it?' He said, "Gabriel." They
said, "Who is accompanying you?" He said, "Muhammad." They said, "Has
he been called?" He said, "Yes" They said, "He is welcomed! His coming is
good," and the gate was opened. When they went into the lowest heaven
the Prophet (s.a.w) saw a man sitting with a large group of people on his
right and a large group on his left. When the man looked at those on his
right he laughed, and when he looked at those on his left he wept. The
Prophet (s.a.w) asked Gabriel who the man was and Gabriel replied, “This
is your father Adam, so greet him.” The Prophet greeted him and Adam
returned his greeting and said, “Welcome! Oh good son and good
Prophet.” Gabriel then took him to the second heaven where he met and
greeted Prophets Jesus and John, up to the third where he met and
greeted Prophet Joseph; up to the fourth where he met and greeted
Prophet Enoch, up to the fifth heaven where he met and greeted Prophet
Aaron, and up to the sixth where he met and greeted Prophet Moses.
When he went on past Prophet Moses, Moses wept, and when he was
asked why he was wept he replied, ‘I am crying because more followers of
a young man, who was sent as a prophet after my time, will enter
paradise than my followers.’ He then went with Gabriel up to the seventh
heaven, requested entrance and they came upon Prophet Abraham
leaning with his back against the house of worship called al-Bayt al-
Ma’moor.1 The Prophet observed approximately seventy thousand angels,
entering this heavenly house of worship without seeing any of them leave.
Gabriel then led the Prophet (s.a.w) to the lote-tree of the boundary,
which he described as having leaves like the ears of elephants and fruits
like large earthen-ware jugs. The lote-tree marked the spot, beyond which
even Gabriel could not go, but Allaah (SW) permitted the Prophet (s.a.w)
to go beyond it and spoke top him directly. Allaah (SW) revealed to the
Prophet (s.a.w) the last verses of Surah al-Baqarah and promised him
that the major sins of his followers would be forgiven if they did not
commit Shirk. Allaah (SW) also made Salaah compulsory fifty times per
day for the Prophet (s.a.w) and his followers. On the Prophet’s return he
passed by Prophet Moses who asked him what form of worship had been
prescribed for him. When the Prophet (s.a.w) informed him, Prophet
Moses said, “Your people are not capable of doing fifty daily prayers. I
swear by Allaah that I have tested men before your time and tried my best
with Israelites, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to make things
lighter for your people.” The Prophet (s.a.w) did so and Allaah reduced it
1
It is a proto type of the Ka’abah in the heavens used by the angels after which the Ka’abah is
designed.
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by ten, Prophet Moses suggested that he return and request a further
reduction for the same reason, so he returned. The Prophet (s.a.w)
continued going back and forth between his Lord and Prophet Moses until
Allaah (SW) said, “They are five prayers everyday, Muhammad, each being
rewarded as ten, so that makes fifty times of prayer. He who intends to do
a good deed and does it, it will be recorded for him as ten; whereas, he
who intends to do an evil deed and does not do it will have nothing
recorded against him, and if he does it, only one evil deed will be recorded
against him.” When he came down and Prophet Moses told him to go
back, he replied, “I have asked my Lord until I am ashamed to face Him. I
am now satisfied and I submit.”1The Prophet (s.a.w) was then taken into
Paradise and he reported that he saw in it domes of pearls and that its
soil was made of musk.2 He was also taken to see Hell and Allaah (SW)
showed him scenes from the future. He saw in the Hellfire people
receiving terrible punishments for various sins. The Prophet (s.a.w) then
took the Mi’raaj and descended with Gabriel to al-Masjid al-Aqsaa. From
there he mounted the Buraaq returned to his home in Makkah where he
found his bed still warm.
The following morning, the Prophet (s.a.w) went to the Quraysh’s tribal
meeting place, and when Abu Jahl came up to him, he informed him of
his night journey. Abu Jahl then called the people to hear the Prophet’s
(s.a.w) story, and wwhen he related it to them, they stared at him in
amazement and disbelief. Some Muslim converts whose Imaan was weak
left Islam and returned to Kufr, because of the incredible tale which the
Prophet (s.a.w) had told.
Some of the people immediatey ran to Abu Bakr and told him that his
companion, Muhammad (s.a.w), claimed to that he went to Jerusalem,
made Salaah there, and returned to Makkah in one night. Abu Bakr told
them that they were lying about the Prophet (s.a.w), because the story
was strange, but they told him that the Prophet (s.a.w) was at the
Ka’abah telling it to people. When they told him that, they were sure that
he would also leave Islam, because it was obvious to them that
Muhammad (s.a.w) must be lying. But Abu Bakr told them, “By Allaah, if
he actually said that, he has told the truth. There really is nothing to be
amazed about, for he has told me that information comes to him from
Allaah, from the sky to the earth, in an instant during the night or day
and I believe him. And that is even more strange.” Because of that
statement of Abu Bakr, the Prophet (s.a.w) gave him the title of “as-
Siddeeq (the verifier of truth)
The people then demanded from the Prophet (s.a.w) proof of what he said.
They knew that he had never traveled to Jerusalem, so some of them
demanded that he describes it. The Prophet (s.a.w) became worried, as he
1
Sahih Bukhari (Arabic-English), Vol. 9, HNo. 608
2
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol. 1, HNo. 313
337
had forgotten most of its details. He had only been there at night and had
not paid much attention to its details. But Allaah (SW) blessed him with a
vision in which he saw Jerusalem as if he were there. So he was able to
describe even the smallest details for them to their further amazement.
For the others, he told them that on his way to Jerusalem he passed he
passed by a stray camel belonging to one of the clans which had camped
in a valley. It had escaped from the group of them and he led them to it.
He also told them that on his return he passed by the same clan’s
caravan and found them all asleep. They had a drinking vessel with some
water in it which they had covered, so he uncovered it, drank from its
contents and put the cover back on a different way. He then informed
them that the caravan was on its way to Makkah and he further
described its lead camel. So the people rushed out to meet the caravan
and found it as he had described it. They then asked the clan about the
stray camel and the drinking vessel, and they replied, “By Allaah! He told
the truth, we had camped in the valley which he mentioned and one of
our camels had run off. We heard a man’s voice calling us to it until we
caught it.” They also mentioned that they had left water in their jug and
were surprised to find that it was all gone and the lid put the other way
the next morning.
This material evidence beyond any possible doubt supporting
Muhammad’s (s.a.w) claim of the night journey to Jerusalem and then to
the seven heavens did not make the Quraysh more responsive to his call,
rather on the contrary, those who hated Muhammad (s.a.w) envied him
even more. Yes, the Qur’aan which was inimitable and vast, was beyond
their anything they could produce, but this journey to the seven heavens
was just beyond their limited imaginations and the fact the Muhammad
(s.a.w) could produce irrefutable material evidence simply made them
furious.
Quraysh’s insults, mockery, and invective against Allaah’s Messenger
increased, but tranquil and patient he continued with his mission for this
extraordinary nightly journey had acted as a revitalizer and inspiration to
him. Allaah (SW) had showed him His signs in the universe which made
him see beyond the immediate struggle, beyond the slow and painful
passage of those days. Just as Allaah (SW) had shown Prophet Abraham
and Moses His signs before so did He show him too so that he may
persevere in his mission without loosing hope and that he may endure
until the end of his mission. Allaah (SW) says:
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Exalted (above any imperfection or failure to do as He wills)
is He who took His Servant [i.e. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)]
by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in
Jerusalem), whose surroundings We have blessed, to show
him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-
Seeing. (Qur’aan 17:1)
So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the
heavens and the earth, that he might (with understanding)
have certitude. (Qur’aan 6:75)
"And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" He said, "It

is my rod: on it I lean; with it I beat down fodder for my
flocks; and in it I find other uses." (Allaah) said, "Throw it, O
Moses!" He threw it, and behold! It was a snake, active in
motion. (Allaah) said, "Seize it, and fear not: We shall return
it at once to its former condition." "Now draw thy hand close
to thy side: it shall come forth white (and shining), without
harm (or stain), - as another sign, - "In order that We may
show thee (two) of Our Greater Signs. (Qur’aan 20:17-23)
Rays of hope from Madinah
It was during the pilgrimage season, in the eleventh year of Prophethood,
that the Islamic Call found the righteous seeds through which it would
grow up to constitute tall trees whose leaves would foster the new faith
and shelter the new vulnerable converts from the blows of injustices and
high-handedness of Quraysh. It was the Prophet’s wise practice to meet
the delegates of the Arabian tribes by night so that the hostile Makkans
would not debar him from achieving his objectives. In the company of his
two truthful Companions ‘Ali and Abu Bakr, he had an interesting talk
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regarding Islamization with Bani Dhuhal, but the latter suspended their
conversion. In pursuit of the same objective, the Prophet (s.a.w) and his
Companions passed by ‘Aqabah Mina where they heard people talking.
They went at their heels until they encountered six men from Yathrib, all
of whom from Khazraj tribe: As‘ad bin Zurarah, ‘Awf bin Harith, Rafi‘ bin
Malik, Qutbah bin ‘Amir, ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir and Jabir bin ‘Abdullah, the
last two being from Aus and the former four from Khazraj.
The Madinites always heard the Jews say that a Prophet was about to
rise, for the time for a new dispensation had arrived. Him they would
follow and then smite their enemies as the children of ‘Ad and Iram had
been smitten. “Of what tribe are you?” asked the Prophet. “Of the tribe of
Khazraj,” they replied. “Are you the allies of the Jews?” The Prophet
enquired. They said: “Yes.” “Then why not sit down for a little and I will
speak to you.” The offer was readily accepted for the fame of Muhammad
(s.a.w) had spread to Madinah and the strangers were curious to see more
of the man who had created a stir in the whole area. The Prophet (s.a.w)
presented to them an expose of Islam, explained its implications, and the
responsibilities that fell upon the men who accepted it. When the Prophet
(Peace be upon him) concluded his talk, they exchanged among
themselves ideas to the following effect: “Know surely, this is the Prophet
with whom the Jews are ever threatening us; wherefore let us make haste
and be the first to join him.”
They, therefore, embraced Islam, and said to the Prophet, “We have left
our community for no tribe is so divided by hatred and rancor as they
are. Allaah (SW) may cement our ties through you. So let us go and invite
them to this religion of yours; and if Allaah unites them in it, no man will
be dearer than you.”
The first pledge of ‘Aqabah
The six Madinites who embraced Islam in the pilgrimage season in the
eleventh year of Prophethood and promised to communicate the Message
of Islam to their townsfolk remained steady to the cause and they
preached Islam with full zeal and devotion with the result that they
succeeded in winning adherents for Islam from amongst their fellow
citizens. The following year, on the occasion of the pilgrimage, there came
a group of twelve disciples ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their
Prophet. The group of men comprised five of the six who had met the
Prophet (s.a.w) the year before, the sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin
‘Abdullah bin Reyab, the other seven were:
1. Mu‘adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn ‘Afra, from Khazraj.
2. Dhakwan bin ‘Abd Al-Qais, from Khazraj.
3. ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj.
4. Yazeed bin Tha‘labah, from Khazraj.
5. ‘Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Ubadah bin Nadalah, from Khazraj.
6. Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aus.
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7. ‘Uwaim bin Sa‘idah, from Aus.
They avowed their faith in Muhammad (s.a.w) as a Prophet and
swore: “We will not worship any one but one Allaah; we will not
steal; neither will we commit adultery, nor kill our children; we will
not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood and we will not
disobey you in any just matter.” When they had taken the pledge,
Muhammad (s.a.w) said: “He who carries it out, Allaah will reward
him; and who neglects anything and is afflicted in this world, it
may prove redemption for him in the Hereafter; and if the sin
remains hidden from the eyes of the men and no grief comes to
him, then his affair is with Allaah. He may forgive him or He may
not.”
The Muslim envoy to Madinah
After the Pledge (in the form of an oath had been taken) the Prophet
(s.a.w) sent to Yathrib (Madinah) Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari, (R.A) the
first Muslim ‘ambassador’ to teach the people there the doctrines of Islam,
give them practical guidance and make attempts at propagating Islam
among those who still professed polytheism. As‘ad bin Zurarah hosted
him in Madinah. So prepared was the ground, and so zealous the
propagation that the Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from
tribe to tribe. There were various cheerful and promising aspects of
success that characterized Mus‘ab’s task. One day Mus‘ab and As‘ad were
on their way to the habitations of Bani ‘Abd Al-Ashhal and Bani Zafar,
when they went into the premises of the latter clan. There they sat near a
well conversing with some new converts. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh and Usaid bin
Hudair, chiefs o f the two clans heard of this meeting, so Usaid
approached the Muslims armed with his lance while the other Sa‘d
excused himself on grounds that As‘ad was his maternal cousin. Usaid
came closer cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling
people weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Mus‘ab
calmly invited him to sit saying, “If you are pleased with our talk, you can
accept it; should you hold it in abhorrence, you could freely immunize
yourself against what you hate.” “That’s fair,” said Usaid, pierced his
lance in the sand, listened to Mus‘ab and then heard some verses of the
Noble Qur’aan. His face bespoke satisfaction and pleasure before uttering
any words of approval. He asked the two men about the procedures
pertinent to embracing Islam. They asked him to observe washing, purge
his garment, bear witness to the Truth and then perform two Rak‘a. He
responded and did exactly what he was asked to do, and then said there
was a man (Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh) whose people would never hang back if he
followed the Islam. He then left to see Sa‘d and his people. Sa‘d could
immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a question posed by
Sa‘d, Usaid said that two men were ready to comply with whatever orders
341
they received. He then managed a certain situation that provided the two
men with a chance to talk with Sa‘d privately. The previous scene with
Usaid recurred and Sa‘d embraced Islam, and directly turned to his
people swearing that he would never talk with them until they had
believed in Allaah, and in His Messenger. Hardly did the evening of that
day arrive when all the men and women of that tribe of Arabians
embraced Islam with the exception of one, Al-Usairim, who hung back
until the Day of Uhud. On that day he embraced Islam and fought the
polytheists but was eventually killed before observing any prostration in
the way of prayer. The Prophet (s.a.w) commented saying: “He has done a
little but his reward is great.” Mus‘ab stayed in Madinah carrying out his
mission diligently and successfully until all the houses of Al-Ansar (the
future Helpers) had Muslims elements, men and women.
One family only stood obdurate to the Islamic Da‘wah (Call). They were
under the influence of the poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, who managed to hold
them at bay and screen off the Call of Islam from their ears until the year
5 A.H. Shortly before the approach of the following pilgrimage season, i.e.
the thirteenth year of Prophethood, Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair returned to
Makkah carrying to the Prophet (s.a.w) glad tidings about the new fertile
soil of Islam in Madinah, and its environment rich in the prospects of
good, and the power and immunity that that city was bound to provide to
the cause of Islam.
The second pledge of ‘Aqabah
The next year, thirteenth of Prophethood, June 622 A.D., during the
pilgrimage season, over seventy converts from Madinah came in the trail
of their polytheist people to perform the rituals of pilgrimage in Makkah.
The oft-repeated question amongst them was “Isn’t it high time we protect
Muhammad instead of leaving him forsaken, deserted and stumbling in
the hillocks of Makkah?” Shortly after arrival, they conducted clandestine
contacts with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and agreed to meet him
secretly at night in mid Tashreeq Days (the 11th, 12th and 13th days of
Dhul
Hijja) in a hillock at Al-‘Aqabah, the last year’s meeting place. One of the
leaders of the Ansaar (Helpers), Ka‘b bin Malik Al-Ansari (R.A), gave an
account of the historic meeting which changed the whole course of the
struggle between Islam and paganism, he said: We set out for pilgrimage
and struck a rendezvous in mid Tashreeq Days. We were accompanied by
a celebrity and a notable of ours called ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram,
who was still a polytheist. We disclosed to him our intention of meeting
Muhammad (s.a.w) and exhorted him to join our ranks and give up
polytheism lest he should serve as wood for Hell in the Hereafter. He
promptly embraced Islam and witnessed the serious meeting at Al-
‘Aqabah. That very night we slept with our people in our camps. After a
third of the night had elapsed, we began to leave stealthily and met in a
hillock nearby. We were seventy three men and two women Nusaibah bint
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Ka‘b from the Najjars and Asma’ bint ‘Amr from Bani Salamah. We waited
for the Messenger of Allaah (s.a.w) until he came in the company of his
uncle Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttallib who (had not become a Muslim by
then), adjured us not to draw his nephew away from the protection of his
own kindred unless we were fully prepared to defend him even at the risk
of our lives. He was the first to speak: “O you people of the Khazraj—the
Arabs used to call the Ansaar (Helpers) Khazraj, whether from Khazraj or
Aus — you all know the position that Muhammad holds among us. We
have protected him from our people as much as we could. He is honored
and respected among his people. He refuses to join any party except you.
So if you think you can carry out what you promise while inviting him to
your town, and if you can defend him against the enemies, then assume
the burden that you have taken. But if you are going to surrender him
and betray him after having taken him away with you, you had better
leave him now because he is respected and well defended in his own
place.” Ka‘b replied: “We have heard your words, and now O Messenger of
Allaah, it is for you to speak and take from us any pledge that you want
regarding your Lord and yourself.” It was a definite stance showing full
determination, courage and deep faith to shoulder the daunting
responsibility and bear its serious consequences. The Messenger of Allaah
then preached the Faith, and the pledge was taken. Al-Imam Ahmad, on
the authority of Jabir, gave the following details:
The Ansaar (Helpers) asked the Messenger of Allaah about the principles
over which they would take a pledge. The Prophet answered:
1. To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.
2. To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
3. To enjoin good and forbid evil.
4. In Allaah’s service, you will fear the censure of none.
5. To defend me in case I seek your help, and debar me from
anything you debar yourself, your spouses and children from. And if
you observe those precepts, Paradise is in store for you.
Yet in another version of the incident narrated by Ka‘b, he said:
The Prophet (s.a.w) began to speak, recited some Qur’aanic verses, called
people unto Allaah, exhorted them to enter the fold of Islam and
concluded saying: “I give you my pledge that you debar me from whatever
you debar your women and children from.” Here Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur,
caught him by hand, and said: “Oh yes, we swear by Allaah, Who sent
you as a Prophet in Truth, that we will debar you from whatever we debar
our women from. Have confidence in us, O Messenger of Allaah. By
Allaah, we are genuine fighters and quite reliable in war, it is a trait
passed down to us from our ancestors.” Then ‘Abul Haitham At-Taihan
interrupted and said: “O Prophet of Allaah! Between us and the Jews,
there are agreements which we would then s ever. If Allaah grants you
power and victory, should we expect that you would not leave us, and join
343
the ranks of your people (meaning Quraysh)?” The Prophet (s.a.w) smiled
and replied: “Nay, it would never be; your blood will be my blood. In life
and death I will be with you and you with me. I will fight whom you fight
and I will make peace with those with whom you make peace.” After the
negotiations concerning the conditions of allegiance had ended, and all of
the audience were unanimously agreed to ratify it, two men of the early
generation of converts who had embraced Islam in the eleventh and
twelfth years rose to their feet to apprise the others of the serious step
they were about to take so that they could give their pledge fully aware of
the whole affair and consequently be ready for the sacrifice they were
expected to make. Al ‘Abbas bin Ubada bin Nadlah, in this context,
remarked: “O you people of Khazraj! Do you know the significance of the
pact that you are entering into with this man? You are in fact avowing
that you will fight against all and sundry. If you fear that your property
will be at stake or the lives of your nobles will be endangered, then leave
him now, because if you do this after the pledge, it will be degrading for
you both in this world and the world to come. But if you think that you
can carry out what you are called upon to do in spite of the loss of
precious lives and property, then undertake this heavy responsibility, and
I swear by Allaah, that herein lies the good of this world and that of the
next.” They replied, “We have already considered the loss of property and
the murder of our notables, yet we pay him allegiance. But what is our
reward if we observe all the items of this pact?” The Prophet replied:
“Paradise is in store for you.” Then they asked him to stretch out his
hand, and they all stretched out their hands and took the pledge.
Only at that time did As‘ad bin Zurarah come to realize the people’s
readiness for sacrifice in the cause of Allaah. On the authority of Jabir,
who said: “When we started to pay allegiance to the Prophet (s.a.w), As‘ad
bin Zurarah stood up and gave the following short address: “Take it easy
people of Yathrib! We have not covered that long distance except because
we have had deep belief that he [Muhammad (s.a.w)] is the Messenger of
Allaah. We are already convinced that following him entails departure
from the pagan Arabs even if it were at the risk of our life. Should you
preserve in this course, holdfast to it and your great reward is placed in
the Hand of Allaah, but if you are caught in fear, I admonish you to give it
up just now, and then you would be more excusable by Allaah.” With
respect to the two women, the pledge was taken orally for the Prophet
(s.a.w) had never shaken hands with a strange lady. The Prophet (s.a.w)
then asked the group to appoint twelve deputies to preach Islam to their
people in Madinah, to shoulder the responsibility of implementing the
articles of this pledge and to guide the respective men of their own tribes
in matters relating to the propagation of Islam. The deputies elected were
nine from Al-Khazraj: As‘ad bin Zurarah bin ‘Ads, Sa‘d bin Ar-Rabi‘ bin
‘Amr, ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah bin Tha‘labah, Rafi‘ bin Malik bin Al-‘Ajlan,
Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur bin Sakhr, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram, ‘Ubadah
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bin As-Samit bin Qais, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah bin Dulaim and Al-Mundhir bin
‘Amr bin Khunais. Three others were from Al-Aus: Usaid bin Hudair bin
Sammak, Sa‘d bin Khaithamah bin Al-Harith and Rifa‘a bin ‘Abdul
Mundhir bin Zubair. Once again, those twelve men were sworn to act as
surety over the affairs of their people just as the Christ’s disciples did,
and the Prophet would act as surety over his people, meaning all the
Muslims. Somehow or other, the news of these secret desert meetings
with the Madinese leaked out. The Prophet immediately knew that it was
a certain pudgy ugly devil, inhabited in Al-‘Aqabah, who discovered their
meeting, and he threatened to settle his account with him as soon as
possible.
On hearing this, Al-‘Abbas bin Nadlah said “By Allaah, Who has sent you
in Truth, we are powerful enough to put the people of Mina (the
Qurayshites) to our swords tomorrow, if you desire.” The Prophet (s.a.w)
said “We have not been commanded to follow that course. Now back to
your camps.” They went back to sleep till morning. No sooner did
Quraysh hear of this treaty than a kind of trouble-provoking tumult
began to mushroom in all directions. They realized quite fully that an
allegiance of this sort is bound to produce far-reaching ramifications of
direct impact on their lives and wealth. The following day, a large
delegation comprising the leaders and arch-criminals of Makkah set out
for the camp of the Madinites to protest severely against the treaty. They
addressed the Madinites: “O people of Khazraj, it transpired to us that
you have come here to conclude a treaty with this man (Muhammad) and
evacuate him out of Makkah. By Allaah, we do really hold in abhorrence
any sort of fight between you and us.” The Madinese polytheists having
known nothing about the secretly taken pledge, began to swear by Allaah
and answered in good faith that there was no truth in the report.
‘Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, a Madinese polytheist, refuted their
allegations denouncing them as null and void, claiming that his people
would never initiate anything unless he gave them clear orders. The
Madinite Muslims, however, remained silent neither negating nor
confirming. The Qurayshite leaders seemed to be almost convinced by the
arguments presented by the polytheists, and went back home frustrated.
However, they did not fully acquiesce in the words they heard. They
began to scrutinize the smallest details, and trace the minutest news till
it was established beyond a shadow of doubt that the pact did take place,
but that was after the Madinites pilgrims had left Makkah. In a fit of rage,
they pursued the pilgrims but did not succeed in catching hold of anyone
except Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah. They subjected him to unspeakable tortures,
but he was later rescued by Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and Harith bin Harb bin
Omaiya with whom he had trade relations. That is the story of the Second
‘Aqabah Pledge, later known as the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge, effected in an
atmosphere of love, allegiance and mutual support between Madinese
believers and weak Makkan Muslims. This new spirit of affection, rapport
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and cooperation could never be attributable to a fleeing whim, on the
contrary, it totally derived from an already deeply-established approach,
viz. Belief in Allaah, His Messenger and His Book. It was a Belief so rooted
in the selves that it managed to stand immune to all powers of injustice
and aggression, and could be translated into miracles in the practical
aspects of action and ideology pursuit.
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) Mission in Madinah

The Hijrah (Migration to Madinah)
After the successful conclusion of the second Pledge of ‘Aqabah a very
important pledge in which seventy-five of the two main tribes of Aus and
Khazraj accepted the message of Islam invited Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
and agreed solemnly to assist, protect and defend him and the emigrants
as they protect and defend their land, wives, children and property,
Allaah (SW) then ordered His Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w) and his
followers to make Hijrah to Madinah which had already been thoroughly
prepared by Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair to receive the Messenger and his
companions. Allaah (SW) said:
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Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while
wronging themselves1—[the angels] will say, “In what
[condition] were you?” They will say, “We were oppressed in
the land.” They [the angels] will say, “Was not the earth of
Allaah spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?” For
those, their refuge is Hell—and evil it is as a destination.
Except for the oppressed among men, women, and children
who cannot devise a plan nor are they directed to a way 2—
For those it is expected that Allaah will pardon them, and
Allaah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving. And whoever
emigrates for the cause of Allaah will find on the earth
many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever
leaves his home as an emigrant to Allaah and His Messenger
and then death overtakes him- his reward has already
become incumbent upon Allaah. And Allaah is ever Forgiving
and Merciful. (Qur’aan 4:97-100)
All the Muslims of Makkah had departed to Madinah except Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) and Abu Bakr (R.A) and the youthful Ali Ibn Abu Talib
(R.A). Around them the Quraysh were very furious since they were not
able to stop the mass exodus of Muslims to Madinah in spite the fact that
the polytheists spared no effort in hindering and debarring them, knowing
beforehand that such a move implied unimaginable threats and
unthinkable destructive dangers to their whole society. They therefore
thought of ways and means of stopping Allaah’s Messenger from leaving
Makkah. A large conference of the leaders of Quraysh was held in Dar-
un-Nadwah and many decisions were noted to decide the issue. Yet, even
the idea of banishing or exiling Allaah’s Messenger was not entertained.
One leader of the Quraysh, Sheikh Najdy, suggested that every sign of
Islam should be wiped off from the land of Arabia.
Meanwhile, in the thirteenth year of Prophethood the people of Madinah,
young and old, waited anxiously for the arrival of Allaah’s Messenger.
When he did not arrive, the people returned to their homesrenewing their
watch the following morning, to welcome the last Prophet and Messenger
of Allaah (s.a.w). Among the people of Madinah were many Christians and
Jews who were expecting the coming of a prophet who was promised in
their scriptures to be among their people. There were also those who were
not only anxious but curious to see what Allaah’s Messenger looked like,
as his name had become well known throughout Arabia and the
surrounding countries. However, the concern of the Muslims of Madinah,
both the emigrants (Muhaajiroon) and the helpers (Ansaar), was very great
and they constantly prayed for the safe arrival of their beloved Prophet
and Messenger (s.a.w).
1
By preferring to remain among the disbelievers, although they have the means to emigrate, in an
environment where a Muslim is unable to practice his religion freely.
2
They are prevented by circumstances beyond their control.
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The Quraysh on the other hand in their fury and rage eventually decided
that assassinating Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was the only way out to
stop the establishment of Islam in Madinah and the on ward spread of
Islam and the subsequent danger of Islam conquering Makkah
afterwards. But if Allaah’s Messenger was assassinated by one man, the
killer and his family would be in danger of a revenge attack. The difficulty
was addressed by Abu Jahl (Abul Hakam, Umar bin Hishaam), who
suggest that a number of a number of able men, chosen from different
families and clans should attack and kill Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
together in one blow. In this way the responsibility of the killing would be
taken by all these families and clans involved. The family of Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) [i.e. Banu Abdu Manaaf’s tribe] therefore would not be
able to avenge his death. This proposal was accepted. And a number of
youths were selected for this evil action. As night fell, the assassins
posted themselves around the home of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w). They
watched his house all night long, waiting to kill him when he left his
house at dawn. Every now and then they peered inside his house in order
to make sure that he still lay on his bed. But Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
had already received the Divine warning of the intention of his assassins.
At the same time he received a Divine command to migrate that very
night. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) asked Ali ibn Abu Talib (R.A) to spend
the night on his bed and in case he is not killed to return all the goods,
jewelries and property that was left in his trust by the Quraysh.
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) then recited nine verses from Surah Yaaseen
over a handful of dust and threw it at the assassins’ head who had
formed a ring around his house. Allaah (SW) blinded the youths and
Allaah’s Messenger confidently walked past them without the enemies
knowing, and he proceeded to his lifetime close friend and companion
Abu Bakr (R.A). Allaah (SW) mentioned this incident in the Qur’aan:
And remember [O Muhammad (s.a.w)], when those who

disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or
evict you [from Makkah] But they plan, and Allaah plans. And
Allaah is the best of planners. (Qur’aan 8:30)
On reaching the house of Abu Bakr (R.A), Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
found his closes friend ready for the Hijrah. Abu Bakr (R.A) informed him
that he had bought and fattened the dromedaries (camels) for this very
journey. One was a gift for him. But Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) insisted
on paying for the camel. Abu Bakr (R.A0 reluctantly accepted the
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payment for it. Asmaa binti Abu Bakr (R.A) prepared ample provision for
the journey.
Cautiously, the two friends set off. Having lived in Makkah for fifty three
years, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was overwhelmed with emotion that he
turned his head towards Makkah and exclaimed: “By Allaah! You are the
best of lands and the most beloved to Allaah. If I were not compelled to
leave I would never have forsaken you.” They proceeded for the cave of
Thoor, which is five kilometers from Makkah. Abu Bakr (R.A) quickly
cleaned the cave and made Allaah’s Messenger as comfortable as he could
while he shielded him from any danger from outside. Meanwhile Allaah
(SW) ordered a spider to spin a web across the mouth of the cave and a
pigeon to lay eggs in a nest at the very entrance.
In Makkah a person passed by the house of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
and seeing the ring of the Quraysh warriors asked them what they were
doing. He was told that they were going to assassinate Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w). The passerby informed them that they were wasting their time
because he had already departed. Very angry the Kuffaar (disbelievers)
broke into the house only to find Ali ibn Abu Talib (R.A) in the bed. More
determined than ever to capture Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and his
companions, they offered a huge reward of one hundred camels for each
of their heads dead or alive.
The enemy began the search and reached at the mouth of the cave of
Thoor but decided that no one could have possibly entered the cave
without disturbing the web and the nest. Abu Bakr’s (R.A) fears were
raised hearing the enemy outside the cave. But Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
consoled him saying: “Do not fear, for Allaah (SW) is with us.” And Allaah
(SW) also mentioned this delicate situation in the Qur’aan:
If you do not aid him [i.e. the Prophet (s.a.w)—Allaah has

already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven
him out [of Makkah] as one of two (The second was his
companion, Abu Bakr), when they were in the cave and he
said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allaah is with
us.’ And Allaah sent down His tranquility upon him and
supported him with soldiers [i.e. angels] you did not see and
made the word (the claims and slogans) of those who
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disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allaah 1—that is
the highest. And Allaah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
(Qur’aan 9:40)
Abdullah the son of Abu Bakr patrolled the streets of Makkah daily and at
night would inform Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and his father Abu Bakr
(R.A) of the movement of the Kuffaar and what they were planning. Amr
bin Fuhairah on the other hand a shepherd, would feed them with goat’s
milk daily. After three days, when it seemed that it was safe enough for
them to emerge from the cave, Abdullaah bin Areeqat, a friendly and
trusted guide, led them along the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula,
using a path seldom used by travelers. However, when they had traveled
some distance, a Quraysh warrior, Suraqaa bin Maalik, trying to gain the
huge price offered by Quraysh by attempting to Attack Allaah’s Messenger
and Abu Bakr’s (R.A) fears increased and he said to him: “This man has
come in search of us.” Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) made a duaa
(supplication to Allaah) and the feet of Suraqaa bin Maalik’s horse sank
knee-deep into the rocky ground. Trembling with fear, Suraqaa asked
forgiveness from Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and returned to Makkah with
the promise to misinform the Kuffaar regarding the route taken by
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w).
After traveling for eight days their first sight of arrival in Quba, situated
five kilometers from Madinah, was by a Jew who was watching on a
tower. He called out: “O Muslims, here comes the savior whom you were
waiting for.” The prophecy of the ‘People of the Book’ was fulfilled by the
following Qur’aanic verse:
Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him2

as they recognize their [own] sons. Those who will lose
themselves [in the Hereafter] do not believe. (Qur’aan 6:20)
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was warmly welcomed by the Muslims in
Quba. Kulthoom bin Hadam (R.A) had the honor of hosting him. During
his stay of fourteen days in Quba, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) laid the
foundation of the first Masjid of Islam, i.e. Masjid-al-Quba as referred to
in the Qur’aan as follows:
1
“Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah” (“There is no deity except Allaah”).
2
Muhammad (s.a.w) but also interpreted as “it,” meaning the Qur’aan
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A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is
more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love
to purify themselves; and Allaah loves those who purify
themselves. (Qur’aan 9:108)
While still in Quba, Ali ibn Abu Talib (R.A) joined Allaah’s Messenger and
Abu Bakr (R.A). He was badly treated by the Quraysh after their
disappointment of the escape of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w). Ali ibn Abu
Talib (R.A) had carried out the instructions of Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w) to
return all the valuables to the owners which had been entrusted on Him.
After which Ali ibn Abu Talib (R.A) had fled from Makkah and traveled on
foot, hiding himself in the daytime and traveling at night.
Allaah’s Messenger entered with his two companions on the outskirts of
Madinah on Friday, 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal 1 A.H., 27th. September 622 C.E.
at the time of Dhuhr Salaah from the locality of Banu Salim. He
dismounted from his camel “Al-Qaswa”, and delivered the first Jumu’ah
Khutbah (sermon) hundred Muslims and led them in Salaah in Madinah
in an open field. In later years, a Masjid was also built on this site.
Remounting his camel, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) proceeded into
Madinah. As many people had not seen him before, they did not know
which of the three he was. Abu Bakr (R.A) spread a sheet over Allaah’s
Messenger’s head to protect him from the scorching heat of the sun. Abu
Bakr (R.A) had reported: “The entry of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) in
Madinah was a sight no one had ever seen before and perhaps will never
see again. The delight, joy, and cheerfulness; the luster and splendor of
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) entering Madinah is beyond description.”
A glimpse of what happened that is beyond description is that in true
Arabian tradition, the little girls of Banu Najjar tribe and others joyfully
sang songs of welcome. They sang songs of joy and praise of Allaah (SW)
from the roof tops trying to have a glimpse of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w).
Tala’al-Badru ‘alayna O the White Moon rose over Us
Min thaniyyatil-Wada’ From the Valley of Wada’
Wajaba al-shukru ‘alayna And we owe it to show gratitude
Ma da’a lillahi da’ Where the call is to Allaah
Ayyuha al-mab’uthu fina O you who were raised among us
Ji’ta bi-al-amri al-muta’ Coming with a word to be obeyed
Ji’ta sharrafta al-Madinah You brought nobility to this city
Marhaban yaa Khayra da’ Welcome! Best caller to Allah’s way
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The people of Madinah were all eager to persuade Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) to be their guests. Among them was the tribe of Banu Adee, the
relatives of Abdul Muttallib, who claimed the right of hospitality to
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w). But Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) replied in the
same polite manner to all, “Leave her (i.e. the she camel Al-Qaswa), she is
under Divine Command, and I will only dismount where she kneels
down”. The camel kept on moving until at long last it stopped at an
uncultivated piece of land that belonged to two orphans of Banu Najjaar,
the clan to which Aminah the mother of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)–
belonged. Near this vacant ground was the house of Abu Ayyub Ansaari
(R.A). He extended his hospitality to Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) as his
host. The Prophet (s.a.w) stayed downstairs in Abu Ayyub’s house as a
temporary residence.
The Beginning of the Muslim Ummah
The Hijrah (emigration) thus, became the turning point life of Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) because; the people of Madinah not only believed in
him and his message but also made him their head of state. In Madinah
the Prophet used the opportunity as head of state to establish a strong
Islamic state uniting the two warring tribes of Aus and Khazraj and the
Immigrants in a strong bond of brotherhood, as well as going into an
alliance with the Jewish tribes in Madinah who were living under the
Islamic state. One of the great initiatives that the Muhammad (s.a.w)
undertook soon after their arrival at Madinah, is that the noble Prophet
(s.a.w) gave direction for the drafting of the first world written constitution
to the people, wherein all the rights, duties, and relationships between
the Muslims, the Jews, and all the tribes of Madinah in peace and war
were clearly spelt out. Moreover in this important document the non-
Muslims were granted freedom of worship and protection from
persecution, part of the document dealing with the non-Muslims in
Madinah is as shown:
Soon after emigrating to Madinah and making sure that the
pillars of the new Islamic community were well established on
strong bases of administrative, political and ideological unity,
the Prophet (Peace be upon him) commenced to establish regular
and clearly defined relations with non-Muslims. All of these
efforts were exerted solely to provide peace, security, and
prosperity to all mankind at large, and to bring about a spirit of
rapport and harmony within his region, in particular.
Geographically, the closest people to Madinah were the Jews.
Whilst harboring evil intentions, and nursing bitter grudge, they
showed neither the least resistance nor the slightest animosity.
The Prophet decided to ratify a treaty with them with clauses
that provided full freedom in faith and wealth. He had no
intention whatsoever of following severe policies involving
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banishment, seizure of wealth and land or hostility. The treaty
came within the context of another one of a larger framework
relating to inter-Muslim relationships.
The most important provisions of the treaty are the following:
1. The Jews of Bani ‘Awf are one community with the believers.
The Jews will profess their religion and the Muslims theirs.
1. The Jews shall be responsible for their expenditure, and the
Muslims for theirs.
2. If attacked by a third party, each shall come to the
assistance of the other. Each party shall hold counsel with
the other.
3. Mutual relation shall be founded on righteousness; sin is
totally excluded.
4. Neither shall commit sins to the prejudice of the other. The
wronged party shall be aided.
5. The Jews shall contribute to the cost of war so long as they
are fighting alongside the believers.
6. Madinah shall remain sacred and inviolable for all that join
this treaty.
7. Should any disagreement arise between the signatories to
this treaty, then Allaah, the All-High and His Messenger
shall settle the dispute.
8. The signatories to this treaty shall boycott Quraish
commercially; they shall also abstain from extending any
support to them.
9. Each shall contribute to defending Madinah, in case of a
foreign attack, in its respective area.
10. This treaty shall not hinder either party from seeking lawful
revenge.
Madinah and its suburbs, after the ratification of this treaty,
turned into a coalition state, with Madinah proper as capital
and Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as ‘president’; authorities
lay mainly in the hand of the Muslims, and consequently it was
a real capital of Islam. To expand the zone of peace and
security the Prophet (Peace be upon him) started to enter into
similar treaties with other tribes living around ‘his state’.1
After uniting the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar into a strong bond of
Islamic brotherhood, the second task that Allaah’s Messenger embarked
on was the mobilization of his Sahaabah (companions) for the
construction of the Masjid in spite of the meager resources that they had.
1Ondigo Yahya M.A., Muslim-Christian Interactions Past, Present and Future, pp. 204-206 who
quoted Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman’s AR-RAHEEQ AL-MAKHTUM, p. 197-198, also see
Muhammad Al-Ghazali’s FIQH-US-SEERAH p. 207-209
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The prophet (s.a.w) mobilized all his companions to work together as a
team in constructing the Mosque and also directly got involved himself as
a good leader in the building process of the Masjid until it was ready, in
the words of the author of sunshine in Madinah who says,
The building of the Prophet’s Mosque was begun almost
immediately after his arrival in Madinah…The Mosque was a very
simple edifice indeed. Not because the Muslims were unable to
sacrifice and put up a much grander structure; rather it was the
Prophet’s desire that it should be a most simple building in the
tradition of the one built by Prophet Moses (p.b.u.h). The Prophet
(s.a.w) personally took part, alongside other Muslims in building
work. He carried bricks, stones and clay (earth). As the Muslims
labored, they sang ballards and songs in expression of their joy
and happiness in the manner in which the prophet stayed with
them and partook in the building process. The Prophet (s.a.w) also
sang along with them saying: O Lord, there is no (worth) living
except in one (oriented) for the Hereafter, so Help (O Lord) the
Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon. O Lord there is no good, except in that
of the Hereafter. So help, O Lord the Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon.
The Prophet’s personal participation served to bring home to
the Muslims the central importance of (team spirit) of labor
in their lives. It also helped to intensify their efforts and
enthusiasm. Delighted with the Prophet’s participation in the
building work, the Muslims sang: If we sat back while the
Prophet labored, that would be our most misguided endeavor.1
Among the many revolutionary changes, which the Prophet (s.a.w)
introduced in the newly created Islamic state, were: the raising of the
status of women to a position of equality with men, took steps to abolish
slavery, the total prohibition of all forms of intoxicants and gambling,
putting an end to every kind of exploitation and doing away with
priesthood, thus, granting religious freedom to all individuals and
communities, bringing into force the most enlightened code of lAus ever
known to man and the establishment of a welfare state with an ideal form
of administration full of justice and mercy.
As an individual, the Prophet lived a life that can only be described as
godly, he was the model par excellence for all humanity in all situations
and walks of life as described by Allaah (SW) in the glorious Qur’aan,
Allaah said about Muhammad (s.a.w).
1
Bashir Zakaria, SUNSHINE at MADINAH, pp. 50-51 and Al-Mubarakpuri, p. 187
354
And you (O! Muhammad stands) on an exalted standard of
character. (Qur’aan 68:4)
O Prophet! Truly We have sent you as a Witness, a Bearer of

Glad Tidings, and a Warner, And as one who invites to
Allaah's (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading
Light. (Qur’aan 33:45-46)
The Prophet lived up to the highest ideals of the glorious Qur’aan and
exemplified the virtues mention therein to the extent that when his
beloved wife Aai’shah (R.A) was questioned about his moral character her
reply was, “He was the living Qur’aan”1 in other words the Qur’aan in
action. Yet, to say that Muhammad (s.a.w) was sinless would only be to
give a negative description of a man of God who had conquered all
temptations and passions and lived only for the sake of Allaah (SW),
sacrificing all that he had to be in total submission to the will of Allaah.
He was as he is described in the Qur’aan a mercy for all creatures. He
always felt extremely concerned about the depraved and corrupt state of
his own people and it grieved his heart when he had to give an order of
punishment on anyone for the sake of justice or for the security of the
young Islamic state. But, for his own sake he never even lifted a finger
against anyone.
Muhammad’s Battles with the Kuffaar of Makkah
The Quraysh had always considered themselves a superior tribe and
looked down upon all the other tribes. It was beyond their comprehension
that Muhammad (s.a.w) was the cause of all their failure and Islam was
now firmly established in Madinah. On one occasion Saad bin Muadh
(R.A) of the tribe of Aus went for Umrah to Makkah and was the quest of
Umayyah bin Khalaf. He was confronted by Abu Jahl who threatened him
and said: “Saad, if you were not the quest of Umayyah, we would not have
you return to Madinah alive because you have given shelter to the
Muslims who are our enemies.” To This Saad bin Muadh (R.A) replied:
“Abu Jahl, if you kill me, surely my people will avenge my death. If you
stop us from performing our ‘Umrah’ and ‘Hajj’, your trade routes would
be closed”.
The fact is that the Quraysh could no longer tolerate the fact that
Muslims were safely settled in Madinah. They rightfully argued, “If
Allaah’s Messenger succeeds in his Divine Mission of establishing the
1
Sahih Muslim (English Translation), Vol. 1, Hadith No. 1623
355
Islamic State, the Quraysh would immediately lose their identity; their
pagan religion; their popularity among the Arab tribes; their freedom of
exercising usury, gambling and plundering as a means of livelihood etc.”
Therefore wiping out Islam from the face of Earth was their only solution.
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) also knew that the Quraysh would not take it
lying down that he succeeds in his mission of establishing the Islamic
State, knowing that they had attempted to assassinate him. Therefore as
a precaution, he formed volunteer guards to patrol the city of Madinah
and sometimes he himself joined them in this vigilance. Other groups
were assigned to patrol the trade routes passing Madinah in order to
check the movements of the Quraysh.
Once, Kuruz bin Jaabir, a Quraysh chief, raided the grazing grounds of
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and drove and took away his camels. The
Muslims went in pursuit and near Safwaan, managed to retrieve the
animals, but Kuruz bin Jaabir escaped. This was known as “Ghazwa-
Badr-e-Ulaa”. In the days towards the end of the month of Rajab 2 A.H.
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) delegated Abdullah bin Jahash (R.A) with
twelve other companions (R.A) to proceed to Nakhla, a town between
Makkah and Taif, to gather information about the movement and evil
intentions of the Quraysh. This secret mission was in itself dangerous in
the localities of the Kuffaar and, if discovered, the Muslims would face
sure death. Incidentally they encountered a Quraysh trading caravan
returning to Makkah. Fearing that the Kuffaar would be informed of their
presence Abdullah bin Jahash took the initiative and attacked the
traders, killing Amr bin Hadhramee, and taking two prisoners, Uthmaan
bin Abdullah bin Mughirah and Hakam bin Kaisaan. They took away all
their goods and returned to Madinah with the prisoners and goods.
On hearing this, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) expressed his disapproval of
the attack by Muslims because he had not received any permission from
Allaah (SW) to attack or even defend himself moreover, it was during one
of the four Sacred months wherein fighting was forbidden according to
the Arabian customs. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) therefore, freed the
prisoners and returned all their goods unconditionally. Hakam bin
Kaisaan (R.A) embraced Islam and later Uthmaan bin Abdullah bin
Mughirah (R.A) also embraced Islam. Abdullah bin Jahash and his
comrades felt they had done wrong, and all the Muslims were upset.
Quraysh were exultant. This was an opportunity they would not allow to
pass by. They spread the news far and wide that Muhammad and his
followers had fought, taken captives, and killed a man in the sacred
months. The Muslims answered in defense of their brethren that it was
the first of Shaa’ban and not the last day of Rajab one of the sacred
months, but they felt humiliated by this trespass. Deep in their hearts
they knew they were the wronged party, they had been wronged over and
over again, persecuted, tortured, and robbed, but their limited perception
could not transcend above the customs and traditions they had been
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brought up to respect. Until Allaah (SW) revealed the following verses to
clarify their situation:
They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting

therein. Say: 'Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting
[people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and
[preventing access to] Al-Masjid Al-Haram and the expulsion
of its people there from are greater [evil] in the sight of
Allah. And fitnah (persecution) is greater than killing.' And
they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from
your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts
from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a
disbeliever -for those, their deeds have become worthless in
this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions
of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally. (Qur’aan 2:217)
This was pure justice, finer, clearer, more certain than anything that the
Muslims could think of. It was the Quraysh who the real trespassers, it
was Quraysh who had infringed the sanctity of the sacred house by not
allowing its visitors to enter it. It was Quraysh who had trespassed
against the Muslims’ sacred right to believe and worship in freedom. It
was they who had broken the sanctity of the Holy City. To Allaah (SW)
driving worshippers out of His House was worse than fighting in the
sacred months. To Allaah (SW) tempting a man away from His worship,
whether by torture and persecution or allurements was a sin worse than
killing, for it jeopardized his immortal soul.
Quraysh had no right to complain since it was they who had started
trespassing against things which were sacred. The Muslims were very
much relieved and rejoiced to know they had not done anything that
Allaah (SW) did not approve of. But the Quraysh were adamant and
continued to complain and spread evil propaganda against the Muslims
until the Messenger realized that he would never come to an
understanding with them. They would not listen to reason nor would they
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be guided by justice. Quraysh disregarded their own interest and the
interests of the Muslims for the sake of their pride and they
underestimated and belittled Muslim power. The hope that a threat to
their trade route would let them come to an understanding was stillborn.
If the Muslims were ever to attain freedom of worship for themselves and
their families in Makkah and be able to return there and if they were ever
to go as pilgrims to the sacred House, it would have to be by force of
arms. Yet the Muslims were not numerous enough or strong enough
toattack Makkah but they could harass its main trade route which
passed near Madinah on the way to Ash-Sham.
The Muslims began to keep a stricter check on all Quraysh trade
caravans which passed Madinah. They knew that the Quraysh could
strike them anywhere and at any time. At the same they were aware that
as yet, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) had not received any revelations
permitting the Muslims to go into direct battle.
To avenge the death of Amr bin al-Hadhramee, Quraysh began earnest
preparations to attack Madinah Three months earlier, every man and
woman of the Quraysh had invested all their money in one of the richest
trade caravans ever to go to Syria on trade mission. They were now
eagerly waiting the return of this caravan which was bringing back to
them their profits and among the other goods, armoury and weapons to
fight against the Muslims. Abu Jahl had already declared war against the
Muslims.
In the meantime, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) eagerly awaited Allaah’s
command for Jihad. And for sure Allaah (SW) permitted the Muslims to
defend themselves against the hostilities of Quraysh and to fight back
because they had been wronged by being thrown out of Makkah their
homeland. Allaah (SW) says:
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being
fought (The Prophet an his companions), because they were
wronged. And indeed, Allaah is competent to give them
victory. [They are] those who have been evicted from their
homes without right only because they say, “Our Lord is
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Allaah.” And were it not that Allaah checks the people,
some by means of others, there would have been demolished
monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which
the name of Allaah is much mentioned [i.e. praised]. And
Allaah will surely support those who support Him [i.e. His
Cause]. Indeed, Allaah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
(Qur’aan 22:39-40)
Even with the permission granted to fight, Allaah’s Messenger still
stressed the fact to his companions that it was not the intention of the
Muslims to use force so that people would embrace Islam. He therefore
advised Muslims to take every precaution against the conniving and
ruthless Kuffaar. As a result it was necessary to send out precautionary
expeditions from time to time to safeguard Islam. This was an active way
of weakening an enemy that has already declared hostility and
opposition.
The Battle of Badr
Allaah’s Messenger got some unconfirmed reports that the heavily loaded
Caravan of which the Quraysh invested all their wealth that had gone to
Syria was on its way back to Makkah and was going to pass near
Madinah. The Prophet (s.a.w) dispatched Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah and
Sa‘id bin Zaid northward to scout around for any movements of this sort.
The two scouts stayed at Al-Hawra’ for some days until Abu Sufyan, the
leader of the caravan, passed by
them. The two men hurried back to Madinah and reported to the Prophet
(s.a.w) their findings. Great wealth amounting to 50 thousand gold Dinars
guarded by 40 men moving relatively close to Madinah constituted a
tempting target for the Muslim military, and provided a potentially heavy
economic, political and military strike that was bound to shake the entire
structure of the Makkan polytheists. The Prophet (s.a.w) immediately
exhorted the Muslims to rush out and waylay the caravan to make up for
their property and wealth they were forced to give up in Makkah. He did
not give orders binding to everyone, but rather gave them full liberty to go
out or stay back, thinking that it would just be an errand on a small
scale.
The Muslim army was made up of 300-317 men, 82-86 Emigrants, 61
from Aus and 170 from Khazraji. They were not well-equipped nor
adequately prepared. They had only two horses belonging to Az-Zubair
bin Al-‘Awwam and Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad Al-Kindi, 70 camels, one for
two or three men to ride alternatively. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) himself,
‘Ali and Murthid bin Abi Murthid Al-Ghanawi had only one camel.
Disposition of the affairs of Madinah was entrusted to Ibn Umm Maktum
but later to Abu Lubabah bin ‘Abdul Mundhir. The general leadership was
given to Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-Qurayshi Al-‘Abdari, and their flag was
white in color. The little army was divided into two battalions, the
Emigrants with a flag raised by ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, and the Helpers whose
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flag was in the hand of Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh. Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam was
appointed to the leadership of the right flank, Al-Miqdad bin ‘Amr to lead
the left flank, and the rear of the army was at the command of Qais bin
Abi Sa‘sa‘ah. The General Commander-in-Chief was Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w). The Prophet (s.a.w), at the head of his army, marched out along
the main road leading to Makkah. He then turned left towards Badr and
when he reached As-Safraa’, he dispatched two men to scout about for
the camels of Quraysh. Abu Sufyan, on the other hand, was on the
utmost alert. He had already been aware that the route he was following
was attended with dangers. He was also anxious to know about the
movements of Muhammad (s.a.w). His scouting men submitted to him
reports to the effect that the Muslims were lying in ambush for his
caravan. To be on the safe side, he hired Damdam bin ‘Amr Al-Ghifari to
communicate a message asking for help from the Qurayshites. The
messenger rode fast and reached Makkah in frenzy. Felling himself from
his camel, he stood dramatically before Al-Ka‘bah, cut off the nose and
the ears of the camel, turned its saddle upside down, tore off his own
shirt from front and behind, and cried: “O Quraysh! Your merchandise! It
is with Abu Sufyan. The caravan is being intercepted by Muhammad
(s.a.w) and his companions. I cannot say what would have happened to
them. Help! Help!” The effect of this hue and cry was instantaneous and
the news stunned Quraysh and they immediately remembered their pride
that was wounded when the Muslims had intercepted Al-Hadhramee
caravan. They therefore swiftly mustered almost all of their forces and
none stayed behind except Abu Lahab, who delegated someone who owed
him some money. They also mobilized some Arab tribes to contribute to
the war against the Prophet (s.a.w). All the clans of
Quraysh gave their consent except Banu ‘Adi. Soon an excited throng of
1300 soldiers including 100 horsemen and 600 mailed soldiers with a
large number of camels was clamoring to proceed to fight the Muslims.
For food supplies, they used to slaughter an alternate number of camels
of ten and nine every day. They were however afraid that Banu Bakr, on
account of old long deep-seated animosity, would attack their rear. At
that critical moment, Iblis (Satan) appeared to them in the guise of
Suraqa bin Malik bin Ju‘sham Al-Mudlaji — chief of Bani Kinana —
saying to them: “I guarantee that no harm will happen from behind.”
They set out burning with indignation, motivated by a horrible desire for
revenge and exterminating anyone that might jeopardize the routes of
their caravans:
“…boastfully and to be seen of men, they (Quraysh) hinder

(men) from the path of Allaah.” (Qur’aan 8:47)
They moved swiftly northward to Badr. On the way they received another
message from Abu Sufyan asking them to go back home because the
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caravan had escaped the Muslims. Incidentally, Abu Sufyan, on learning
the intention of the Muslims, led his caravan off the main route, and
inclined it towards the Red Sea. By these maneuvers, he was able to slip
past the Muslim ambush and was out of their reach. On receiving Abu
Sufyan’s message, the Makkan army showed a desire to return home. The
tyrant Abu Jahl, however haughtily and arrogantly insisted that they
proceed to Badr, stay three nights there for making festivities. Now they
wanted to punish the Muslims and prevent them from intercepting their
caravans, and impress on the Arabs that Quraysh still had the upper
hand and enjoyed supremacy in that area. Abu Jahl’s threats and
insistence notwithstanding, Banu Zahrah, acting on the advice of Al-
Akhnas bin Shuraiq, broke away and returned to Makkah. Thenceforth
Al-Akhnas remained ‘the well-rubbed palm tree’ for Bani Zahrah and was
blindly obeyed in all relevant matters. Banu Hashim was also inclined to
break away, but Abu Jahl’s threats made them desist from that idea.
The rest of the army, now 1000 soldiers, approached Badr and encamped
themselves beyond a sand dune at Al-‘Udwat Al-Quswa. ‘The intelligence
corps’ of the Muslims’ army reported to the Prophet (s.a.w) that a bloody
encounter with the Makkans was inescapable, and that a daring step in
this context had to be taken, or else the forces of evil would violate the
inviolable and would consequently manage to undermine the noble cause
of the Islam and tread upon its faithful adherents. The Muslims were
afraid that the pagan Makkans would march on and start the war
activities within the headquarters of Islam, Madinah. A move of such
nature would certainly damage and produce an infamous impact on the
dignity and stance of the Muslims. On account of the new grave
developments, the Prophet (s.a.w) held an advisory military emergency
meeting to review the ongoing situation and exchange viewpoints with the
army leaders. Admittedly, some Muslims feared the horrible encounter
and their courage began to waver; in this regard, Allaah (SW) says:
As your Lord caused you [O Muhammad ( s.a.w) ] to go out

from your home with the Truth, and verily, a party among
the believers disliked it, disputing with you concerning the
Truth after it was made manifest, as if they were being
driven to death while they were looking (at it). (Qur’aan 8:5-6)
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The Prophet (s.a.w) apprised his men of the gravity of the situation and
asked for their advice. Abu Bakr (R.A) was the first who spoke on the
occasion and assured the Prophet (s.a.w) of the unreserved obedience to
his command. ‘Umar was the next to stand up and he supported the
views expressed by his noble friend. Then Al-Miqdad bin ‘Amr got up and
said: “O Allaah’s Messenger! Proceed where Allaah directs you to, for we
are with you. We will not say as the Children of Israel said to Moses (A.S):
“Go you and your Lord and fight and we will stay here;” Rather we shall
say: “Go you and your Lord and fight and we will fight along with you.”
By Allaah! If you were to take us to Bark Al-Ghimad, we will still fight
resolutely with you against its defenders until you gained it.” The Prophet
(s.a.w) thanked him and blessed him.
The three leaders who spoke were from the Emigrants, who only
constituted a minor section of the army. The Prophet (s.a.w) wanted, and
for the more reason, to hear the Helpers’ view because they were the
majority of the soldiers and were expected to shoulder the brunt of the
war activities. Moreover, the clauses of Al-‘Aqabah Pledge did not commit
them to fighting beyond their territories. The Prophet (s.a.w) then said:
“Advise me my men!” by which he meant the Helpers, in particular. Upon
this Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh stood up and said: “By Allaah, I feel you want us
(the Helpers) to speak.” The Prophet (s.a.w) directly said: “Oh, yes!” Sa‘d
said: “O Prophet of Allaah! We believe in you and we bear witness to what
you have vouchsafed to us and we declare in unequivocal terms that what
you have brought is the Truth. We give you our firm pledge of obedience
and sacrifice. We will obey you most willingly in whatever you command
us, and by Allaah, Who has sent you with the Truth, if you were to ask us
to plunge into the sea, we will do that most readily and not a man of us
will stay behind. We do not grudge the idea of encounter with the enemy.
We are experienced in war and we are trustworthy in combat. We hope
that Allaah will show you through our hands those deeds of valor which
will please your eyes. Kindly lead us to the battlefield in the Name of
Allaah.” The Prophet (s.a.w) was impressed with the fidelity and the spirit
of sacrifice which his companions showed at this critical juncture. Then
he said to them: “Forward and be of cheer, for Allaah has promised me
one of the two (the lucrative course through capturing the booty or strife
in the cause of Allaah against the polytheists), and by Allaah it is as if I
now saw the enemy lying prostrate.” In the immediate vicinity of Badr, the
Prophet (s.a.w) and his cave mate Abu Bakr conducted a scouting
operation during which they managed to locate the camp of Quraysh.
They came across an old Bedouin nearby whom they manipulated and
managed to extract from him the exact location of the army of the
polytheists. In the evening of the same day, he dispatched three Emigrant
leaders, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-‘Awwam and Sa‘d bin Abi
Waqqas to scout about for news about the enemy. They saw two men
drawing water for the Makkan army. On interrogation, they admitted that
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they were water carriers working for Quraysh. But that answer did not
please some Muslims and they beat the two boys severely in order to
extract from them an answer, even if it isn’t true, alluding to the caravan
laden with wealth. The two boys thus lied, and so they were released. The
Prophet (s.a.w) w as angry with those men and censured them saying:
“On telling the truth, you beat them, and on telling a lie, you released
them!” He then addressed the two boys and after a little conversation with
them he learned a lot about the enemy: number of soldiers, their exact
location and names of some of their notables. He then turned to the
Muslims and said: “Hearken, Quraysh has sent you their most precious
lives.” The same night it rained on both sides. For the polytheists it
obstructed further progress, whereas it was a blessing for the Muslims. It
cleaned them and removed from them the stain of Satan. Allaah sent rain
to strengthen their hearts and to plant their feet firmly therewith. They
marched a little forward and encamped at the farther bank of the valley.
Muhammad (s.a.w) stopped at the nearest spring of Badr. Al-Hubab bin
Mundhir asked him, “Has Allaah inspired you to choose this very spot or
is it stratagem of war and the product of consultation?” The Prophet
(s.a.w) replied “It is stratagem of war and consultation.” Al-Hubab said:
“This place is no good; let us go and encamp on the nearest water well
and make a basin or reservoir full of water, then destroy all the other
wells so that they will be deprived of the water.” The Prophet (s.a.w)
approved of his plan and agreed to carry it out, which they actually did at
midnight. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh suggested that a trellis be built for the Prophet
(s.a.w) to function as headquarters for the Muslim army and a place
providing reasonable protection for the leader. Sa‘d began to justify his
proposal and said that if they had been victorious, then everything would
be satisfactory. In case of defeat, the Prophet (s.a.w) would not be harmed
and he could go back to Madinah where there were more people who
loved him and who would have come for help if they had known that he
was in that difficult situation, so that he would resume his job, hold
counsel with them and they would strive in the cause of Allaah with him
again and again. A squad of guards was also chosen from amongst the
Helpers under the leadership of the same man, Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh, in order
to defend the Prophet (s.a.w) in his headquarters. The Prophet (s.a.w)
spent the whole night proceeding the day of the battle in prayer and
supplication. The Muslim army, wearied with their long march, enjoyed
sound and refreshing sleep, a mark of the Divine favor and of the state of
their undisturbed minds.
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(Remember) when He covered you with a slumber as a
security from Him, and He caused rain to descend on you
from the sky, to clean you thereby and to remove from you
the Rijz (whispering, evil suggestions, etc.) of Satan, and to
strengthen your hearts, and make your feet firm thereby.
(Qur’aan 8:11)
That was Friday night, Ramadan 17th, the year 2 A.H. In the morning,
the Prophet (s.a.w) called his men to offer the prayers and then urged
them to fight in the way of Allaah. As the sun rose over the desert, the
Prophet (s.a.w) drew up his little army, and pointing with an arrow which
he held in his hand, arranged the ranks. Placing his men in positions of
combat, he saw how few they were in comparison with the number of
Quraysh and how ill-equipped. His heart went out to them and after
having done his work of arranging them ready for battle, he returned to
the shelter they had built him, to seek for the aid of Him who is
invincible. With his hands raised high upwards he started to pray and
pray, to plead and urge, calling and reaching out towards his maker with
his whole being, “My Lord, this is Quraysh who have come out in all their
vainglory to attack thy Muhammad and his small army. My Lord, give us
Thy victory, the victory that Thous hast promised me. My Lord, if Thou
lettest this small group of men perish today, Thou wilt not be
worshipped.” He prayed and pleaded until his garment fell off his
shoulders and, unaware of it, continued to pray and plead. Abu Bakr,
who was with him in shelter, took it and placed it over his shoulders
again, saying, “Allaah’s Messenger, do not take it so hard. Allaah will
fulfill His promise to you.” But Muhammas (s.a.w) continued to pray until
seren calm came over him, a peaceful drowsiness in which he saw for a
second a vision of the Muslims’ victory.
The Prophet (s.a.w) rose with all his fears and doubts dispelled, for ever
since he became a prophet he had never seen a vision which had not
come true. He left the shelter and went out to tell his companions to be of
good cheer, encouraging and giving them hope of victory. “By Allaah who
holds sway over Muhammad’s soul, the man who fights them today,
steadfast and persevering, Allaah will grant him Paradise.”
Quraysh on the other hand having taken positions for combat sent out
spies to bring them information about the Muslims. They were informed
that although the Muslims were men who had nothing but swords, not
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one of them would fall without taking a man with him. Now Quraysh
hesistated, and those of sound judgment among them, seeing so many of
their nobles in the front row, feared they might have to pay a heavy price
for victory. The men of noble birth would be plucked out and Quraysh
would suffer a loss of prestige among the Arabs. ‘Utba ibn Rabi’a, one of
their nobles, rose and said, “O men of Quraysh, we achieve nothing by
confronting Muhammad and his Companions today. Even if you defeat
them, each of you will look upon his neighbor and see a man who has
killed his brother, his uncle, his cousin, or a man from his clan. It is far
better to return and leave Muhammad to the rest of the Arabs. If they
defeat him, then that is what you wanted. If they do not, then you have
not exposed yourselves to what you would hate.”
When Abu Jahl heard these words, he rose in fury and went to ‘Amr who
brother had been killed by the Muslims in Rajab raid and said, “Look at
your ally, wanting to return with the people when your revenge is within
your grasp. Rise quickly and bewail your brother.” So ‘Amr rose to bewail
his brother, stirring the emotions and reminding all his blood relations
that they were honor bound to avenge him.
Before the battle Muhammad (s.a.w) had ordered his Companions not to
kill those who had been good to them during the days of persecution in
Makkah. Granted that they came as enemies, ready to kill and bekilled,
but it was characteristic of Muhammad (s.a.w) that he never forgot those
who had done him or his followers a good turn. He had the ability to
transcend beyond the emotions and excitement of the moment and see
the broader issues and nobler course.
The battle began when a man from Quraysh tried to break the basin of
water that the Muslims had built. Hamza (R.A) the Prophet’s uncle raised
his mighty sword and quickly despatched him. Now the leaders of
Quraysh challenged the Muslims to single combat. Some of the youths of
Madinah went to meet them, but they said to them, “We have no quarrel
with you; we want our people, our equals!”
They cried out, “Muhammad, let our peers from our people come forward
to meet us!” Out came ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hamza, and ‘Ubayda ibn al-
Harith. Hamza, a lion in combat as in hunting, quickly despatched his
opponent as did ‘Ali. Then Hamza in accordance to the rules of the battle,
aided ‘Ubayda, who was in difficulties. The two arnies then rushed
towards each other: Those who fought for Allaah’s sake and those who
fought arrogantly to prove their might and superiority. The deep faith of
the Muslims made them stand firm in spite of being ill equiped and their
small number; the pompous pride of the Quraysh made them so sure that
the day would be theirs.
At last the Muslims met their persecutors and tormentors man to man, or
more accurately each Muslims opposite three men of Quraysh, for
Quraysh were three times their number, moreover Quraysh had cavalry,
which played a vital role in the battles of old, while Muslims had only one
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horse to represent the cavalry. Each of the Qurayshi worriors was served
by his slaves and attendants, while each Muslim stood alone with nothing
but a sword in hand to face the superior equipment of the Qurayshi
nobles. In spite of all these factors, the Muslims were willing to fight
them. It was their duty to themselves, to their relations held in bondage
in Makkah, and to their Lord. They were willing to fight the idol
worshipers and let Allaah (SW) decide the outcome. Qurashy, who
insisted on fighting them even after they knew their caravan was safe,
piled aggression unto years of aggression, wrong unto years of wrong.
The Muslims became dauntless, like charging lions. Each man seemed
equivalent to ten of the enemy. Each sword reaped the heads before it,
oblivious of time, place and connections. It was of the days of Allaah, the
days of truth when His hand holds the reins. The chief among the deniers
fell, but not indiscriminately. Those who were particularly cruel, those
hardened in opposion to Allaah were plucked out from the fighting hosts
while Muslim swords seemed the scythe that reaps the wicked to
Jahannam (Hell). Muhammad took a handfull of gravel and cast it at the
enemy ranks. It was a simple gesture, but it played havoc in the enemy
ranks, both men and horses. They fell, they could not see, they stumbled,
and the horses shied away.
The Muslims were amazed to see such confusion created by a handful of
gravel. They were equally amazed to see the great and mighty fall so easily
by their swords. After the battles, when they had routed the enemy
completely and returned to Madinah, they kept relating what they had
seen to those they had left behind, as if unable to believe their own eyes.
Then Allaah revealed the verse:
You did not kill them, but Allaah killed them. You did not
throw when you threw but it was Allaah who threw. (Qur’aan
8:17)
The first sentence, addressing the Muslims, tells them that it was not
they who killed the polytheists with their swords but Allaah killed them.
The second sentence, addressing the Messenger, tells him that it was not
he who made the handful of gravel scatter and disrupt the enemy ranks
but Allaah who did. Man acts and it is the will of Allaah that makes his
actions powerful and significant or impudent and insignificant.
Nameless terror struck and spread among the Quraysh, the great and
mighty fled before the angelic onslaught for indeed Allaah supported the
Muslims with one thousand angels Gabriel inclusive leading the angels in
the battle and the Muslims followed the defeated Quraysh in hot pursuit,
killing and taking captives. The proud “Kings of men”, as the Arabs called
them, fled in fear, shame, and humiliation. The great host was scattered
far and wide, fleeing in terror from the battlefield. They had waited at
Badr to torture and terrify the Muslims, now it was they who were being
pursued, captured, or killed. They had ridden out in arrogance and pomp
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to show off before all the Arabs, now they had only their shame and
defeat.
After the battle, the Muslims spent the night in Badr. They dug a large pit
for the dead of the Quraysh and buried them in it. In the dead night, the
companions heard Muhammad (s.a.w) calling out to those in the mass
grave, “People of the grave, ‘Utba ibn Rabi’a, Umayyah ibn Rabi’a, ‘Utba ib
Khalaf (he kept on calling them one by one by their names) have you
discovered what your Lord promised to be the truth? For I have found
what my Lord promised me to be the truth.” The Muslims said to him,
“But Allaah’s Messenger, these are corpses. Do you speak to the dead?”
“They hear me as you do, but they cannot answer,” People started
disputing as to how the booty should be distributed. Those who had
collected it said it was theirs. Those who had pursued the Quraysh said
they had more right to it, and those who had stood guard over the
Prophet (s.a.w) in case Quraysh counter-attacked said they had more
right to it. Muhammad (s.a.w) asked them all to give up the booty they
had gathered. Then he put it in a heap and divided it fairly among them,
after putting aside one fifith for the needy, the poor, and the orphans.
Those who had been left in Madinah to take care of the affairs of those
who had gone out in the battle were also given a share, as well as the
families of those who had been killed in battle. Those who had been given
permission to stay behind for a reason that the Prophet had accepted
were also given a share. No one who had a right to have a share was left
out, for Islam is a religion of brotherhood and sharing whatever comes of
good or evil.
The Battle of Uhud
The Makkans were humiliated and defeated in the battle of Badr in spite
of their number and equipments and wanted to take revenge. In the third
year after hijrah they marched with three thousand well armed soldiers
towards Madinah. The disbelieving Quraysh had lost many of their
leaders at Badr and chose Abu Sufyaan as their commander. He took an
oath that he would not rest until he had taken full revenge against the
Muslims. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) made consultations with the Muslims
regarding the expected attack. It was finally decided to fight and attack
the enemy outside the city of Madinah.
Allaah’s Messenger after offering Salaatul Jumu’ah at Masjid-un-Nabawi
left together with his companions left for Uhud, a mountainous region 5
km north of Madinah with a thousand men on the 14th of Shawwal 3
A.H. Abdullah bin Ubay bin Salool the leader of the Munaafiqeen
(Hypocrites) deserted the Muslims with 300 of his men; reducing the
strength of the Muslim army to 700 men who were poorly equipped but
ready to defend Islam at all cost. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and the
Muslim army camped with the mountain behind them. On the one side
there was a mountainous pass and there was a danger of an attack from
behind, so Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) ordered 50 archers to stay on the
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Mount Rumah under the command of Abdullah bin Jubair (R.A), with
clear and strict orders not to leave the post at any cost, even in the case
of victory or defeat. On Saturday 15th Shawwal 3 A.H. the opposing
armies prepared for the battle. According to Arab custom, the battle
began with rounds of hand to hand fighting before the general attack. Ali
Ibn Abi Talib (R.A) and Hamza (R.A) the uncle of Allaah’s Messenger killed
many disbelievers. Twelve flag-bearers of the disbelievers were killed,
eight of whom were killed by Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A). The disbelievers were
in desperate situation seeing their brave soldiers slain and they fled from
the battle field pursued by the Muslims. When the archers who were on
the mountain saw the fallen flags of the enemy and their companions
collecting the booty (spoils of war) they sensed victory, and in their
enthusiasm and desire to participate in pursuing the enemy, the archers
overlooked the command of the Prophet (s.a.w) and left their positions.
Hamza the Prophet’s uncle was martyred in this battle by Wahshee, an
African Slave. Jubair bin Mutaam the Slave owner had offered Wahshee
his freedom while Hindaa bint Utabah, the wife of Abu Sufyaan, the
commander Makkan army offered her jewellery on her person if he,
Wahshee succeeded in killing Hamza (R.A). Meanwhile Khalid bin
Waleed, a Makkan army general, did not fail to observe the weak position
of the pass and saw his chance of turning the tides of the battle against
the Muslims. Through the mountain pass, at the head of his cavalry
(soldiers on horse back) he fiercely attacked the Muslims in the rear. The
Muslims did not expect this sudden attack and they suffered heavy
losses.
Mus’ab bib Umayr (R.A) a companion who resembled Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) was martyred in this aatack. The disbeliever’s soldiers raised a cry
that the Prophet (s.a.w) was slain. This alarming news spread like wild
fire and caused great grief amongst Muslims. This false cry of the
disbelievers made the devoted companions to rally round Allaah’s
Messenger 9s.a.w) Aus bin Nadhar (R.A) said: “Oh what is worth is life if
the Prophet (s.a.w) is no longer in our midst. Let us fight on for the cause
which he fought for”. These words inspired the Muslims to fight for the
cause of Islam. Ka’ab bin Maalik (R.A) saw Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and
loudly proclaimed; “Muslims be happy, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) is alive
and well”. Thereafter the Prophet (s.a.w) said, “Come to me, I am the
Messenger of Allaah and I do not lie”. Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abu Bakr, Saad
bin Waqqaas, Zubayr, Talha (R.A) wer among the Muhajireen and Abu
Dujaanah from Ansaar stood around our beloved Prophet (s.a.w) and
formed a secure wall around him. The sword of Ali (R.A) fell like lightening
and many of the attackers were forced to retreat. The enemies’ best efforts
to get to Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) were not successful.
One of the enemies, Ibn Qamiah, moved forward and with his sword
landed a blow on the head of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) which caused two
rings of helmet (headgear) to pierce the face of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w).
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Another enemy struck him on the face with a stone as a result two of his
teeth fell out. The disbelievers had to withdraw because they were not
successful in their attempts against the Muslims. Before leaving the
battlefield their hatred and vengeance took a most horrible form that is
that they took vengeance on dead bodies of the Muslims. The bodies were
mercilessly mutilated. Hindaa the wife of Abu Sufyaan, hated the beloved
uncle of Allaah’s Messenger, Hamza (R.A). On seeing his dead body, she
ripped it open, took out the liver, chewed it, and made a garland for
herself with the intestines. She climbed up a hill and sang a song saying
the defeat at Badr was avenged that day. Sixty-five Ansaar and four
Muhajireen were martyred. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) did not lose his
courage and patience, despite the difficulties he had undergone on that
day.
The Battle of Khandaq (Trenches)
In the year 5 A.H. the Makkans not satisfied with the revenge of the battle
of Uhud made another great attempt to destroy the Muslims this time
soliciting the help of the Jews with whom Allaah’s Messenger had signed
a treaty (agreement) to live in peace and harmony and help each other
against any external attack on Madinah. The Makkans also sort help from
the desert tribe of Ghatafaan. Thus the great Makkan army of 10,000
men, 4000 camels and 300 horses marched towards Madinah under the
supreme commander, Abu Sufiyaan. The coming danger seemed to cast a
great gloom over Madinah. When Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was informed
of the approaching big army, he summoned the Sahaabah (his
companions) to device means of meeting the great danger.
On the strategic advice of Salman al-Farsi (R.A) a tactics he came with
from Persia, it was decided by Allaah’s Messenger that a trench be dug
around Madinah as an obstacle to the advance of the great army that had
come to destroy Madinah. Since Madinah was surrounded on two sides
by lava rock and palm grooves on the third side (see map on the next
page) the trench was to be dug on the open approaches. Hence Allaah’s
Messenger with assistance of his companions, the Muhajireen and Ansaar
got down to the difficult task of digging the trench. They made the trench
5 meters wide and 5 meters deep.
All the time the companions of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) were inspired
by his presence digging alongside them and carry clay out of the trench.
The enemy approached Madinah and faced a setback when they saw the
deep and wide trench around Madinah. They therefore settled down for a
blockade which lasted for 27 days. They failed to penetrate the defense
put by the Muslims. There was no hand to hand combat as in the
previous two battles Badr and Uhud since the trench was five meters
wide. However, arrows were showered from both sides. Amr ibn Abd, an
Arab hero, made his horse cross by jumping over a narrow portion of the
trench. As soon as he reached the other side, Ali ibn ABi Talib (R.A) killed
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him with his sword, called Zulfiqaar. Ali (R.A) then triumphantly raised
the war cry “Allaahu Akbar –Allaah is the Greatest”.
On the twenty seventh night of the blockade Allaah (SW) brought a severe
storm that lashed Madinah. The effects of this severe storm were
devastating. The enemy tents were uprooted, goods were blown about,
and fires were extinguished when it was such a chilling cold winter. The
army of disbelievers was struck with fear and a state of shock and
confusion. Under such circumstances the Kuffaar army fled without any
success of their evil intentions and efforts to destroy Muslims and wipe
out Islam. Allaah (SW) reminded His Messenger and the companions of
how He helped them when they were under siege.
O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allaah upon

you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon
them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever
is Allaah, of what you do, Seeing. [Remember] when they
came at you from above you and from below you, and when
eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats, and
you assumed about Allaah [various] assumptions. There the
believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking. And
[remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is
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disease said Allaah and His Messenger did not promise us
except delusion,” And when a faction of them said, “O
people of Yathrib (Madinah), there is no stability for you
[here] so return [home] And a party of them asked permission
of the Prophet, saying, “Indeed, our houses are exposed [i.e.
unprotected],” while they were not exposed. They did not
intend except to flee. And if they had been entered upon
from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [i.e. disbelief]
had been demanded of them, they would have done it and
not hesitated over it except briefly. (Qur’aan 33:9-14)
Since the Jews had broken their treaty which they had made with
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and joined hands with the Hypocrites and
Quraysh of Makkah and other enemies of Islam in order to bring to an
end the mission of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) he ordered the Jewish
clans; Banu Qainuqah out of Madinah who settled in Syria, then Banu
Nadhir was ordered to leave Madinah but they refused and attempted to
kill Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and so they were driven out by force some
of them settling in Khaybar while others settling in Syria. As for Banu
Quraizah who directly participated in the siege they requested one of the
companions of Allaah’s Messenger to decide on what was to be done to
them. In passing judgment Saad bin Muadh (R.A) ordered that the strong
fighters be put to death, the women and children to be treated as
prisoners of war and their goods and property to be handed over as spoils
of war to be distributed among the poor Muslims. This punishment was
carried out according to the laws of the Torah (Jewish law).
The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah

A year after the battle of Khandaq 6 A.H. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) saw a
vision in which he found himself and the Sahaabah entering the Holy City
of Makkah to perform Hajj. So they set out for Makkah in the month of
DHul-Qa’adah 6 A.H. with fourteen hundred Saahabah to perform
Umrah, without any intention of going into battle. To avoid any
misunderstanding and impress upon the disbelievers that it was entirely
a peaceful mission, he ordered none to carry arms except a sheathed
(covered) sword, a common feature in those days. They also took camels
with them to sacrifice during the Hajj.
When Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) approached Makkah, he set up a camp
at Hudaibiyyah, a mountainous plain, a few kilometers from Makkah in
the direction of Jeddah. The disbelievers did not allow the Muslims to
advance beyond this point despite their peaceful intentions. Uthman ibn
Affaan (R.A), the son-in-law of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) being the most
humble and diplomatic among the Sahaabah, he was chosen and sent as
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a representative (negotiator) to explain to the Quraysh of Makkah of the
intentions of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and the Muslims.
While Uthman (R.A) was in the Holy precincts (al-Haram), a report
reached the Muslims in their camp that Uthman (R.A) had been
murdered. The news caused a great stir in the Muslims camp. Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) was greatly pained that he proclaimed that the blood of
Uthman (R.A) would be avenged. He sat under a tree and called the
Sahaabah to take a fresh pledge and oath to fight to the last man. This
oath of allegiance came to be known as Baiyatur-Ridhwaan.
After some time Uthman (R.A) returned to the Muslims’ Camp unharmed.
The disbelievers sent Suhail ibn Amr to negotiate the conditions with the
Muslims. When Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) saw Suhail ibn Amr from a
distance he said that matters had now become easier. Since the
disbelievers had sent suhail ibn Amr their intentions was to make peace.
A pact (treaty) was drawn up, both parties agreed to maintain peace for
ten years on the following conditions.
1) The Muslims would return to Madinah with out saying a word.
2) They would come for Umrah the following year and would only stay
in Makkah for three days.
3) They would not take any Muslims living in Makkah to Madinah,
and would not stop any Muslim from staying in Makkah.
4) If any Makkan Muslims left Makkah and went to Madinah they
must be returned back to Makkah, but if any Madinan Muslims
went to Makkah they would not be returned to Madinah.
5) The disbelievers would neither attack Muslims nor help others
against them, but would remain neutral in case of Muslims fighting
a third party and vice versa.
6) All the Arab tribes shall be free to enter into an agreement with
whichever party they liked.
Furthermore, the treaty was to be signed between Muhammad ibn
Abdullah and the Qurasyh and not Muhammad Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) and this was too much for the Sahaabah to stomach. None of the
Sahaabah could cancel the title of Muhammad as Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w). The prophet as a master diplomat requested the Sahaabah to
show him where his title of Allaah’s Messenger was written in the
document and cancelled it and requested them told to write as he wanted.
The companions (Sahaabah) were extremely unhappy with the whole
treaty and could not believe their very eyes as to what the Prophet was
doing. But the Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was a man of vision and insight
and ten years of peace would give them a wonderful time to propagate
Islam to all the Arab tribes and he was sure within that time the whole
Arabian Peninsula would have accepted Islam.
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The Battle and fall of Khaybar
Among the three main Jewish tribe who had signed a peace treaty with
Allaah’s messenger in Madinah and then connived with the Quraysh in
the battle of Ahzaab to destroy Madinah, Banu Nadhir and banu
Quraizah went into self-exile and settles at Khaybar, a town situated 320
Km north of Madinah. This town had a number of fortresses and was well
protected all around, thus making it difficult to gain entry. These tribes
took advantage of the distance to Madinah and became more active in the
final attempt to harm the march of Islam. After the battle of Ahzaab
(trenches) in 5 A.H. the hatred of the Jews increased greatly. These tribal
fights proved a nuisance and wore out the patience of Muslims. Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) therefore, set out with 1600 men from Madinah to
Khaybar. Some Muslim ladies also accompanied the Muslim army.
It was the first time that an Islamic standard of three Islamic flags was
introduced. One was prepared from the shawl of Ai’shah (R.A) and it was
given to Ali (R.A). Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) ordered an attack and one by
one the fortress fell into the Muslim hands. When they reached the
famous fort of Qumoos, the Muslims spent twenty days without any
success. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was hopeful of gaining entry. He
handed over the flag and sword to Ali (R.A) and appointed him as the
commander of the troops.
Eventually the fortress was captured, some 15 Muslim Mujaaheedina
(soldiers) achieved martyrdom and 93 Jews were killed. The Jews sued for
peace and came begging for forgiveness. A peace treaty was signed
between the Muslims and the Jews. This was in 7 A.H.
The Conquest of Makkah
In the year 8 A.H. the disbelieving Quraysh broke the truce of
Hudaibiyyah when they sided with the tribe of Banu Bakr (with whom
they had signed a pact to help each other). Banu Bakr attacked the tribe
of Khuzaa (allies of Muslims). The disbelievers were not to be trusted, and
the treaty was never revived. This was a victory in a way for the Muslims.
On hearing the news that dibelievers had broken the truce, Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) prepared to leave for Makkah. Every precaution was
taken to keep the disbelievers unaware of the movement of the coming
Muslim army. It was the tenth of Ramadhaan in the year 8 A.H. that an
army of 10,000 Muslims marched towards Makkah. The Muslims camped
at Mar-uz-Zahraan., a place a few kilometers from Makkah.
When the shepherds of Makkah returned that evening they reported that
a huge army was camping outside Makkah at Mar-uz-Zahraan. Abu
Sufiyaan went out to investigate who the army belonged to what they
were doing outside the valleys of Makkah. To his surprise while
investigating he found that it was Muhammad (s.a.w) and his army of ten
thousand soldiers and he met Abbaas (R.A) the uncle of Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) who convinced him to meet Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
and accept Islam at his hands before it was too late. Abu sufiyaan the
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arc-enemy of Islam who had instigated so many battles against the
Muslims was now in the intent and Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and could
not understand how the situation had come this far. Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) offered him protection from all harm if he would embrace Islam.
Which he promptly did seeing that he could fight the Prophet (s.a.w) any
more, he asked himself, “How can one fight against the forces which he
does not understand!”
The Muslim army entered Makkah triumphantly without any bloodshed
and the disbelievers surrendered with out any resistance. The Prophet
(s.a.w) entered Makkah as a conqueror with a lot of humility prostrating
on his camel and reciting the verses of the Qur’aan:
And say, “Truth has come, and falsehood has departed.

Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart.”
(Qur’aan 17:81)
The city of Makkah was now at the mercy of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
and the Muslims. Everyone was present in the courtyard of the Haram
(sanctuary of the Ka’abah). The enemies of Allaah’s Messenger and the
Muslims were helpless. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) asked them, “What do
you expect at my hands?”
They cried out, “Kindness, pity and mercy, gracious nephew”. And for
sure they were not disappointed at all. In the noble words of Prophet
Yusuf to his brothers, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said: “Have no fear this
day there is no retribution to any of you, May Allaah forgive you, and he
is the most Merciful of those who show mercy”.
Even Hindaa, who had mutilated the body of Hamza (R.A) the beloved
uncle of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w), came in the presence of Allaah’s
Messenger (s.a.w) covered in a veil and found forgiveness at his hands.
This most bitter enemy of Islam was touched by the general pardon of
Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and accepted Islam. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w)
then purified the sacred house of ALlaah (Ka’abah) of all its 360 idols and
stones, reciting once again the verse: And say, “Truth has come, and
falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound
to depart.” (Qur’aan 17:81). In the Ka’abah were idols such as Hubal, al-
Laat and Manaat. They were destroyed and now every part of Makkah
witnessed and resonated with the call of Tawheed. Allaah’s Messenger
(s.a.w) also proclaimed that: “Allaah (SW) had forbidden the sale of
intoxicants and usury (interest) is declared Haraam (forbidden)”.
It was indeed a unique conquest for Islam and the triumph of Allaah’s
Messenger’s unshakable faith in his sacred cause. The Prophet (s.a.w)
seated on mount Safa delivered his sermon to a multitude of people in
contrast to his flight out of Makkah 9 years before during the Hijrah,
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staying in the cave of Thaur and being inflicted with wounds in the battle
in the different battles. He was now issuing verdicts of mercy and
forgiveness to those who were once his bitterest enemies who drove him
out.
Allaah’s Messenger had left Madinah for Makkah with the Muslim army
on Wednesday 10th of Ramadhaan 8 A.H. and entered Makkah on the
20th of Ramadhaan and on that very day Makkah was conquered. He
remained in Makkah for about 10 more days and thereafter returned to
Madinah. After the conquest of Makkah Allaah (SW) revealed verses that
made it clear and instructed Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) and all believers
that no pagans or polytheists or any who does not believe in the oneness
of Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w) were allowed to enter or
come near Makkah making it a sacred ground and the first holy shrine in
Islam.
O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean,

so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their
[final] year. And if you fear privation, Allaah will enrich you
from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allaah is All-Knowing
and All-Wise. (Qur’aan 9:28)
The Battle of Hunayn
After the conquest of Makkah by the Muslims, it became the center of the
true religion of Islam as it was during the time of prophets Ibrahim and
Ismai’l before it was made into a place of idol worship. When the Islamic
flag flew again from the top of the Ka’abah the whole of Arabia recognized
this as the symbol of Islam’s truthfulness and triumph.
Thus, after the conquest of Makkah, people in every corner and part of
the land left idol worshiping and entered the peaceful fold of Islam. The
two tribes situated between Makkah and Taif, viz, Hawaazin and Thaqeef
thought themselves to be superior and refused to embrace Islam. The
chief of the Hawaazin tribe Maalik bin Auf, instigated the neighboring
tribes and gathered a huge strong army to harm Islam. After receiving the
news of this threat, Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) prepared an army of
120,000 men, including 2000 Makkans and marched out of Makkah
towards the valley of Hunayn.
Over confident of their large number, the Muslims never thoroughly
prepared themselves and furthermore they didn’t put their full trust in
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Allaah (SW) instead, many of them only looked at their huge number in
contrast with their small number at Badr and felt that given their huge
number they definitely going to win the battle.
The people of Hawaazin were noted for their archery. As the Muslims
advanced oblivious, they were met with attacks of arrows from all sides
and the main army of the disbelievers attacked from the front. The
Muslims could not stand the fierce attacks of the enemy arrows and they
fell back. This retreat caused a great confusion among the Muslim
soldiers. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) was left with a small band of
Sahaabah and they realized their mistake immediately and faought
courageously. They fought until the standard bearer of the enemy was
killed and the Kuffaar retreated. And so Allaah (SW) reminded Muslims of
their not putting trust in Allaah and depending on their huge number
never availed naught but retreat and flight from the enemy.
Allaah has already given you victory in many regions and

[even] on the day of Hunayn, when your great number
pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth
became confining for you in spite of its vastness; then you
turned back, fleeing. Then Allaah sent down His tranquility
upon His Messenger and upon the believers and Sent down
soldiers [i.e. angels] whom you did not see and punished
those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the
disbelievers. Then Allaah will accept repentance after that
for whom He wills; and Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.
(Qur’aan 9:25-27)
Within two years after the battle of Hunayn, the Thaqeef tribe accepted
Islam.
Hijjatul Wadaa’ (The farewell pilgrimage)
In the tenth year after Hijrah, most of Arabia had embraced Islam
through the tireless efforts of Allaah’s Messenger and his beloved
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companions (Sahaabah). Idol-worship was wiped out. In the month of
Dhul-Qa’adah 10 A.H. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) accompanied by
124,000 Sahaabah (Companions) left Madinah for Makkah with the
intention of performing Hajj, for they wanted to witness directly from him
the rituals of Hajj and Umrah. On the 5th of Dhul-Hijjah the Muslims
entered Makkah and performed the Umrah, and on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah
our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) camped at Minaa with the
Sahaabah where he stayed the whole day and night. The next day riding
his camel Qaswa, he proceeded to the plains of Arafah, some 10 km from
Minaa. Here the Prophet (s.a.w) delivered his famous last sermon
(Khutbtul-Wadaa’) to the entire assembly of Muslims.
“All praise is for Allaah. We praise Him. We seek His help
and pardon and we turn to Him. We take refuge in Allaah
from the evils of ourselves and the bad consequences of our
actions. There is none to lead astray whom Allaah has
guided to the straight path and there is none to guide to the
straight path whom Allaah has let to go astray. I bear
witness that there is no deity but Allaah alone who has no
associates. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant
and His Messenger”.
I admonish you, servants of Allaah, to be conscious of
Allaah and I urge you to obey Him…
“O people! Listen to what I say. I do not know whether I will
ever meet you at this place once again after this current
year. It is unlawful for you to shed the blood of one another
or take (unlawfully) the fortunes of one another. They are as
unlawful, (Haram) as shedding blood on such a day as
today and in such a month as this Haram month and in
such a sanctified city as this sacred city (i.e. Makkah and
the surrounding areas).” “Behold! All practices of paganism
and ignorance are now under my feet. The blood-revenge of
the Days of Ignorance (pre-Islamic time) are remitted. The
first claim on blood I abolish is that of Ibn Rabi‘a bin Harith
who was nursed in the tribe of Sa‘d and whom Hudhail
killed. Usury is forbidden, and I make a beginning by
remitting the amount of interest which ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul
Muttalib has to receive. Verily, it is remitted entirely.”
“O people! Fear Allaah concerning women. Verily you have
taken them on the security of Allaah and have made their
persons lawful unto you by Words of Allaah! It is incumbent
upon them to honor their conjugal rights and, not to
commit acts of impropriety which, if they do, you have
authority to chastise them, yet not severely. If your wives
refrain from impropriety and are faithful to you, clothe and
feed them suitably.”
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“Verily, I have left amongst you the Book of Allaah and the
Sunnah (Traditions) of His Messenger which if you hold fast,
you shall never go astray.”
“O people, I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not
succeeded by any nation. So I recommend you to worship
your Lord, to pray the five prayers, to fast Ramadhaan and
to offer the Zakaah (poor-due) of your provision willingly. I
recommend you to do the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of
your Lord and to obey those who are in charge of you then
you will be awarded to enter the Paradise of your Lord.”
O people verily Satan is disappointed from being ever
worshipped in this land of yours. But he is satisfied to be
obeyed in yours actions that you consider very trivial. So be
cautious of him in your religion.
(The speech was continues the following day at Minaa)
O people! Be conscious of Allaah. And even if a mangled
Abyssinian slave becomes your leader hearken to him and
obey him as long as he establishes and institutes the Book
of Allaah.
Verily, you will meet your Lord and Sustainer and He will
ask you about your actions. Do not go astray after me so
that some of you strike the necks of others. Have I conveyed
the message?
(The speech was continued on the 11th or 12th of Dhul-Hijjah)
O people, verily your Lord and Sustainer is One and your
ancestor is one. All of you descend from Adam and Adam
was made of earth. There is no superiority for an Arab over
a non-Arab nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; neither for a
white man over a black man nor a black man over a white
man except the superiority gained through God-
consciousness (Taqwa). Indeed the noblest among you in
the sight of Allaah is the one who is most deeply conscious
of Allaah.
“Have I not delivered the Message (of my Lord)?” “Yes you
have.” said the companions. “O Allaah! Bear witness! Let
him that is present convey it unto him who is absent. For
perhaps, many people to whom the Message is conveyed
may be more mindful of it than the audience.” He said.
As soon as the Prophet (s.a.w) had accomplished delivering the sermon,
the following Qur’aanic verse was revealed to him: “This day I have
perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and
have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Qur’aan 5:3)
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Upon hearing this verse ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (R.A) cried. “What makes
you cry?” He was asked. His answer was: “Nothing succeeds perfection
but imperfection.”
After delivering his speech (The Divine Message) the Prophet (s.a.w) bid
farewell to all Muslims, who cried so much knowing that this marked the
end of the Mission of Muhammad (s.a.w) and that soon he would be
recalled back by Allaah (SW) and Muhammad (s.a.w) who was so much of
an inspiration in their everyday life would soon die and they would see or
listen to him no more. The Prophet (s.a.w) performed the other rites and
rituals of Hajj. The whole gathering left for their homes and the beloved
Prophet of Allaah accompanied by the Muhaajireen and Ansaar returned
to Madinah.
The Death of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
In Muharram 11 A.H. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) visited Uhud and prayed
for the souls of the beloved martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for
Allaah (SW) and Islam. He then visited “Jannatul Baqee”, the cemetery of
Madinah and made duaa (supplications) for the deceased. It was during
his return from “Jannatul Baqee” that he developed a severe headache.
His servant Abu Muwayhibah who had accompanied him to the cemetery
supported him to the apartment of his wife Maymoonah binte Harith bin
Hazin (R.A). His headache brought a fever and he was confined to bed.
The Sahaabah (R.A) knew that Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) had never been
seriously ill before, for he lived a life that discouraged illness. He ate
sparingly of food, of a simple nature, mostly dry bread, a few dates or
little milk. Occasionally he ate honey which he liked. He never overate
and always advised people to under eat rather than over eat. He washed
five times a day for prayers and wore simple clothes. The next day of his
illness, the Prophet (s.a.w) went from house to house to visit his relations.
Then he went to his wive’s houses to visit them. Passing by Aa’ishah’s
house, he found her suffering from headache. “Woe, my head,” she said.
And Muhammad (s.a.w) laughed and answered, “Me too, woe my head.”
Then he called his wives to the house of Maymoonah and asked their
permission to be nursed in the house of Aa’ishah. They all agreed, so he
went to Aa’ishah’s house helped by Al-Abbas and Ali ibn Abi Talib, for his
illness was beginning to take its toll. For several days Muhammad (s.a.w)
suffered from fever. When it subsided, he would go to pray with his
companions. When it increased, he remained at home.
He heard that some people were grumbling about his choice of giving the
command of the army to the seventeen year old Usamah bin Zaid, the son
of his former salve Zaif bin Haritha. Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) had fever,
so he called his wives and asked them to pour water over him from seven
different wells. The fever subsided, so he dressed and went out the
people. After thanking Allaah (SW) and praying for the dead of Uhud, he
said, “Let the mission of Usamah bin Zaid go through (he had appointed
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Usamah as the commander of the army that was going to meet the
Roman army). You are criticizing his command as you criticized his
father’s command before him. When he is worthy of it as his father was
worthy of it.”
The Prophet (s.a.w) become quiet for a moment, and then spoke again. “A
slave of Allaah who was asked to choose between this world and the
eternal has chosen the eternal with Allaah,” he said. He did not speak for
a moment after it and all listened, waiting to for the rest of his words.
They thought he was giving them admonition and examples as he used to
do. They did not realize that he was bidding them farewell, all except Abu
Bakr (R.A) his closest dearest friend who could not bear the situation and
burst into tears, saying, “Nay, let us ransom you with ourselves, our
wives and children.” Muhammad (s.a.w) had much to tell them, and
feared that Abu Bakr’s emotions might move others so that they would
not be able to grasp with cool brains what he had to say. So he made a
gesture to him with his hand, charging Abu Bakr to be silent. Then he
began to revise the basic precepts of Islam, pointing out the temptations
and pitfalls before the few hours left to him on earth expired. Towards the
end he asked that all doors leading to the mosque from the adjusted
housed facing the mosque to be closed except the one from Abu Bakr’s
house. Then he said, “I know of no man who was a better companion to
me than Abu Bakr. If I were to choose a friend among men (meaning
Allaah had already taken him as a friend) I would choose Abu Bakr in
companionship, faith, and brotherhood until Allaah (SW) brings us
together in His realm.” Then he turned to the people and said,
“Muhaajireen, be good to the Ansaar, for they were close to me –the refuge
I sought. So praise the good in them and overlook their faults.”
The next day Muhammad (s.a.w) was too tired to lead prayers and asked
that Abu Bakr should lead prayers instead. Aa’ishah (R.A) daughter of
Abu Bakr, said, “Allaah’s Messenger, Abu Bakr is a sensitive man. He
cries when he reads Qur’aan.” But He insisted.
One day Abu Bakr was absent, so Umar ibn Al-Khattab led the prayers
instead. Muhammad (s.a.w) whose house was very close to the mosque
heard him and said, “Where is Abu Bakr? Nay, Allaah and the Muslims
will resent this.” Muhammad (s.a.w) always led his people to what was
good by example and suggestion and not by command. He knew how
noble and true Abu Bakr was, and that he was the only man who could
deal with the perilous circumstances that the nascent Muslim Ummah
(nation) would have to face after his death. He was not deceived by Abu
Bakr’s gentle exterior and meek, conciliatory ways. He knew that behind
that gentle exterior there was a will of steel, a deep brooding mind, and
exceedingly strong and sincere faith. Yet Muhammad could not directly
command them to let Abu Bakr be the Khalifah after him (The Qur’aan
decreed that Muslims settle their affairs by mutual consultations among
themselves) but he suggested it to them in different polite ways –by letting
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Abu Bakr lead prayers while he was still alive, by letting him head the
pilgrims to Makkah even before he made his last Hajj, and by praising
him as the best companion he ever had.
Fatimah, Muhammad’s (s.a.w) only living child by them, used to visit him
every day during his illness. He always rose to greet her and gave her the
most comfortable place. Aa’ishah saw her crying beside him, then she
saw her laugh immediately afterwards. When she was alone with her, she
asked her what made her cry, then what made her laugh immediately
after, and she said, “I am not to betray the confidence of Allaah’s
Messenger.” After Muhammad’s death she explained to Aa’ishah, “I cried
because he told me he was going to die due to the illness and I laughed
because he then told me I would the first to join him.” Six months later
Fatimah also passed away. Muhammad (s.a.w) suffered patiently during
his fever. Seeing him in this condition, Fatimah cried, “Oh, grief, my
father.” “No, there shall be no more grief for your father from now on,” he
answered. He meant that once he left this worldly life of cares and
sorrows he would never suffer again.
When Muhammad (s.a.w) fell ill, all he had of wealth were seven dinars,
and he asked his family to give them away. But they were so preoccupied
nursing him that they forgot all about them. One day when the fever ha
abated, he inquired as to what they had done with the seven dinars.
Aa’ishah (R.A) said that she still had them. He asked her to bring them to
him, then holding the seven dinars in his hand, he said, “What would
Muhammad do if he met his Lord and this was with him?” Then he gave
them away.
On the last day, Muhammad (s.a.w) had slept a quiet sleep. The fever had
abated to the extent that he was bale to go out meet his companions for
the last time. He went out to attend the dawn prayers, leaning on Ali ibn
Abi Talib and Al-Fadl ibn Abbas. When people saw he was better, their
hearts leapt for joy because they loved him dearly. They made way and
could hardly keep their places, but he made a sign to them to attend to
their prayers. Abu Bakr who was leading the prayers sensed how
suddenly the people were overjoyed and how they made way and realized
it could be none but Muhammad (s.a.w). He was about to leave his place
and allow Muhammad (s.a.w) to lead the prayer, but Muhmmad put his
hand on his arm to detain him and quietly sat besides him and to pray
behind him.
When the prayers were over, he spoke to the people, “The fire is stirred
high and temptations come like dark patches of the night. I have not
allowed you except what the Qur’aan allows, and I have not forbidden you
except what the Qur’aan forbids.” He also said, “After me you will differ
much. Whatever agrees with the Qur’aan is from me; whatever differs
from the Qur’aan is not from me.” The Muslims gathered around their
Messenger, all so happy to see him better, and Usamah son of Zaid came
and asked permission for the army to start out on its mission. Abu Bakr
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asked for permission to go to his home on the outskirts of the city, and all
the people returned to their homes optimistic and in good cheer. But their
happiness was short live, for the Prophet’s revival was only long enough
to allow him to see his Sahaabah before he left this world. He began to
feel weaker and weaker every minute and knew that he had only a few
hours to live. When the fever was high, he put his hand in a bowl of cool
water and wiped his forehead. He said, “O my Lord, help me bare the
pangs of death.” And his last words were in answer to a question unheard
by those around him. They were, “Nay, the eternal Companion in
Paradise.” Muhammad (s.a.w) who only a few hours ago was so alive, so
perspicacious, was gone. People heard women crying and wailing, but
they were stunned. This could not be. Only a few hours before he was
among them, admonishing them, telling them not to forget. Could he be
gone for ever? Impossible! A spirit so strong cannot, does not, die. They
stood bewildered, not knowing what to think.
Umar ibn Al-Khattab stood brandishing his sword, saying he would kill
anyone who told him Muhammad (s.a.w) was dead. He said to the
bewildered crowd that the Prophet had gone to speak to his Lord and
would be back soon to punish those who said he was dead. Umar was a
most powerful personality, a formidable man, courageous and
indomitable, just and severe. But this great man had found in
Muhammad (s.a.w) an even greater spirit, greater vision, greater justice
tempered by mercy, and greater will-power and perseverance for the sake
of truth. For seventeen years Umar had bowed to him in love and esteem,
for nothing else could control the dauntless Umar; seventeen years he
had fought under his banner and struggled by his side to uphold the
word of Allaah (SW). Now he could not face the hard fact that Muhammad
(s.a.w) was dead –the leader like no other, the king like no other, the
friend like no other. Umar, this brave man who had faced so many
adversaries, overcome so many hardships, could not face this one fact
because it was a matter of the heart. He heard loved Muhammad (s.a.w)
dearly and, as he did everything else, passionately. Now he was ready to
kill any man who told him Muhammad (s.a.w) was no more. As a shield to
his heart against this terrible reality, Umar had invented the idea that
Muhammad would consult his Lord and then return to them. Many of the
men believed him for they felt the same, but the women inside
Muhammad’s house continued to cry and moan. According to material
fact, Umar was mistaken, but according to higher truth he was not far
wrong. The spirit does not die. Muhammad was more alive, happier, and
freer than he ever was in this world of cares, but to the mortal men living
in this world of cares he was gone, separated forever by impassable
barriers.
Hearing the appalling grief, Abu Bakr hurried back from his house and
found Umar taking to the people, saying that only hypocrites said that
Allah’s Messenger is dead. He did not stop to listen but hurried into his
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daughter’s house where Muhammad (s.a.w) lay. He asked permission to
enter, but all were so woe struck that there was no one to give him
permission to enter or refuse it. He went directly to Muhammad (s.a.w)
and uncovered his face. Bending over him, he kissed him, saying, “How
good you were alive, and how good you look, even in death.” Then he
covered his beloved face again and went out to the people.
From that moment the great and terrible responsibility of carrying the
banner of Islam fell upon the slim but steely shoulders of Abu Bakr,
unofficially at first, then soon officially as the first Khalifah. He heard
Umar talking and said, “Be quiet for a moment, Umar, and listen.” But
Umar could not be quiet or listen. So Abu Bakr began to address the
people who flocked around him like bewildered lambs. After praising
Allaah and giving thanks to Him, Abu Bakr said, “He who worshipped
Muhammad, Muhammad is dead. He worshipped Allaah, Allaah is alive,
He does not die.” Then he read to them the verse of the Qur’aan:
Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: many were the

Messengers that passed away before him. If he died or were
slain, will you then turn back on your heels? If any did turn
back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allaah;
but Allaah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who
(serve him) with gratitude. (Qur’aan 3:144)
Upon hearing these words from the Qur’aan, Umar fell unconscious for at
last he realized that Muhammad (s.a.w) had gone. People stood listening
dumbfounded and speechless as stone, for Umar’s words had given them
a glimmer of hope. Now these verses from the Book of Truth left no doubt
that he was no more. The greatest of leaders, the greatest of messengers,
the noblest spirit that ever walked the earth was no more, lost to them
until the Day of Judgment. Abu Bakr (R.A) continued to read the words of
the Qur’aan that brings solace while they bring the terrible truth, for at
that moment only the Qur’aan, the word of Allaah that Muhammad
(s.a.w) had taught them to love and understand could be tolerated by
those bereaved hearts. The Qur’aan alone could bring peace and a
promise of a meeting in another world where death does not separate,
where age does not make the eye grow dim with tears, and where loss
does not clutch at the heart with pain.
383
Some Achievements of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
Having seen in the short biography of Muhammad at the beginning of this
chapter the humble beginnings of Muhammad (s.a.w) that before he was
born his father had died and then his mother died by the time he was
only six years old. Thus, at a very tender age he was already doubly-
orphaned but yet again as fate had it his grandfather who took charge of
him also died when he was only eight. So he began to look after his Uncle
Abu Talib’s sheep and goats as soon as he was able for his upkeep. Yet
with this humble beginnings Muhammad was very successful in a short
period of his prophethood lasting only twenty-three years that many
scholars friends and foes, Muslims and non-Muslims alike have paid
such glowing tributes for his great success and achievements. For
example Michael H. Hart who is described as a historian, mathematician
and astronomer in his book, The 100 A Ranking of The Most Influential
Persons in History in which he analyzed while searching history for men
who had the greatest influence on mankind from the time of Prophet
Adam (p.b.u.h) till the twenty first century including people like Aristotle,
Asoka, Plato, Buddha, Zoroaster, Prophet Moses, St. Paul, Queen
Elizabeth I, Kepler, Newton, Lenin, Prophet Jesus, Machiavelli, Alexander
the great, Darwin and Napoleon etc. He does not only give a mere list of
the topmost 100 but gives a thorough analysis from the point of view of
their influence on the people, and rates them in order of their excellence
from number one through to one hundred, he says:
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 the supremely successful on both the religious
and secular levels. Of humble origins, Muhammad founded
and promulgated one of the world’s great religions, and
became an immensely effective political leader. Today,
thirteen centuries1 after his death, his influence is still
powerful and pervasive. The majority of the persons in this
book had the advantage of being born and raised in centers
of civilization, highly cultured or politically pivoted nations.
Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in the city
of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area
of the world, far from the centers of trade, art and learning.
Orphaned at age six, he was reared in modest
surroundings. Islamic tradition tells us that he was
illiterate...How, then, is one to assess the overall impact of
Muhammad on human history? Like all religions, Islam
exerts an enormous influence upon the lives of its followers.
It is for this reason that the founders of the world’s great
1
Now fourteen centuries
384
religions all figure prominently in this book. Since there are
roughly twice as many Christians as Muslims in the world1,
it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been
ranked higher than Jesus. There two principle reasons for
that decision. First, Muhammad played a far more
important role in the developing of Islam than Jesus did in
the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was
responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of
Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St.
Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its
principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of
the New Testament. Muhammad however was responsible
for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and
moral principles. In addition, he played the key role in
proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious
practices of Islam…It is probable that the relative influence
of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined
influence of Jesus and St. Paul on Christianity. On the
purely religious level, then, it seems likely that Muhammad
has been as influential in human history as Jesus.
Furthermore, Muhammad (unlike Jesus) was a secular as
well as a religious leader. In fact, as the driving force
behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most
influential political leader of all time.2
Prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.w) success and achievements could also be
seen from the fact that he became the best example for not only the Arabs
of his time but all people of all time as Allaah (SW) says:
You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful

pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allaah and
the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of
Allaah. (Qur’aan 33:21)
Therefore, the modern man of today who has to lead a sophisticated life of
being at one and the same time, a son, a husband, a father, a poor
worker, a citizen, a neighbor, a despised advocate of new ideas and ways,
a victim of religious and political bigotry, a man with authority, a
1
Presently it is believed that the number of Muslims and Christians are equal numbering over 1.5
billions for each.
2
Hart Michael H., The 100 A Ranking of The Most Influential Persons in History, pp. 33-39
385
successful leader of men, a soldier, a business man, a judge, and a ruler
will not find in Jesus (p.b.u.h) but in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as a
blessing and a perfect model in all these situations and walks of life as
demonstrated by the great poet of France Lamartine in his history of the
Turks, he opines.1
Never has a man set himself, voluntarily or involuntarily a
more sublime aim, since this aim was superhuman: to
subvert superstitions which had been interposed between
man and his Creator, to render God unto man and man
unto God; to restore the rational and sacred idea of divinity
amidst the chaos for the material and disfigured gods of
idolatry then existing. Never has a man undertaken a work
so far beyond human power with so feeble means, for he
had in the conception as well as in the execution of such a
great design no other instrument than himself, and no
other aid, except a handful of men living in the corner of
the desert. Finally, never has a man accomplished such a
huge lasting revolution in the world, because in less than
two centuries after its appearance, Islam, in faith and arms,
reigned over the whole of Arabia, and conquered in God’s
name Persia, Khorasan, Trasoxania, Western India, Syria,
Abyssinia, all the known continent of North Africa,
numerous Islands of the Mediterranean, Spain and a part
of Gaul. If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and
astounding results are the three criteria of human genius,
who could dare to compare any great man in modern
history with Muhammad? The most famous men created
arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at
all, no more than material powers which often crumbled
away before their very eyes. This man Muhammad moved
not only armies, legislations, empires, people and
dynasties, but millions of men; and more than that the
altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and the
souls. On the basis of a Book, every letter of which has
become law, he created a spiritual nationality, which
blended together peoples of every tongue and every race. He
has left us the indelible characteristic of his Muslim
nationality the hatred of false gods and the passion of one
and immaterial God. This avenging patriotism against the
profanation of heaven formed the virtue of the followers of
Muhammad; the conquest of one-third of the earth to his
dogma was his miracle; or rather it was not the miracle of a
man but that of his reason. The idea of the unity of God,
proclaimed amidst the exhaustion of fabulous theogenies,
was in itself such a miracle that upon its utterance from his
1
Ondigo Yahya M. A., God’s Blessings To Humanity Part I, p. 80
386
lips it destroyed all the ancient superstitions, temples of
idols and set on fire one third of the world. His life, his
mediations, his heroic revilings against the superstitions of
his country and his boldness in defying the furies of
idolatry, his firmness in enduring them for thirteen years in
Mecca, his acceptance of the role of public scorn and of
almost of being a victim of his own fellow country men: all
these and finally his flight, his incessant preaching, his
wars against all odds, his faith in his success and his super
human security in misfortunes, his forbearance in victory,
his ambition which was entirely devoted to one idea and in
no manner, striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his
mystic conversation with God, his death and his triumph
after death; all these attest not to an imposter but to a firm
conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma.
This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the
immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, and
the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false
gods with swords, the other starting an idea with words.
Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror
of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without
images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one
spiritual empire, that is, Muhammad. As regards all
standards by which human greatness may be measured, we
may ask, is there any man greater than he?1
Brotherhood and Equality of mankind
About six months after the Prophet’s (s.a.w) arrival in Madinah, he
established a system of brotherhood that would bring together the
(Muhaajirun) immigrant Muslims from Makkah who had left their homes,
livelihoods and in many cases their families and wealth for the sake of
Allaah and the (Ansar) who actually welcomed the Prophet (s.a.w) and the
Muhaajirun to Madinah. The Muhaajirun who had left their homes in
Makkah and migrated to Madinah for the sake of Allaah and His
Messenger were homeless and more so penniless in Madinah therefore
naturally they needed urgent help. The help readily came from the
resident Muslims of Madinah and that is how they became known as the
Ansar (helpers) of their Muhaajirun brothers and sisters in faith.
The system that the Prophet (s.a.w) used to pair each Muslim from
Makkah with the one of Madinah in a solid bond of brotherhood and
sisterhood became known in the Arabic terminology as (Mu’akhah),
coming from the root word (Akh) “brother”. The Muhaajir and the Ansar
paired together were not just temporary roommates. They became brother
in the truest sense. Not only did the Ansar Muslim provide the Muhaajir
1 Lamartine:- Histoire de la Turquie, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, p. 276-277, quoted from Aziz-us-
Samad Ulfat, ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY p. 34-37.
387
Muslim with food, shelter, and clothing, he also offered him consolation,
support, and true Muslim fellowship.
Although, the prophet did not set any fixed rules for such a system of
brotherhood, yet every one of the Ansar who got a Muhajir as his brother
gave equal share in his property and belonging to his Muhaajir brother. In
some cases where an Ansar had more than one wife he would bring the
two or three wives and tell his Muhaajir brother to choose any of them so
that he would divorce her for him to marry. This was an achievement
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) unprecedented in human history.
In the bad old days of Arab tribal enmity and prejudices, the Mu’akhah
system of brotherhood and sisterhood was truly revolutionary. It gave the
Muhaajirun a chance to rebuild their lives in their new sojourn while
creating a deep bond of love and affection between Muslims of two
different cities. The regional differences between people, languages, and
culture, despite smaller distances as compared to today, were very great.
So it was strange for people at that time to think of an Arab and a non-
Arab living together as brothers.
For instance, Bilal ibn Rabah, an African former slave from Abbysinia
Muhaajir was paired as a brother with Abu Rawahah Abdullaah ibn
Abddul-Rahmaan, and they became brothers, not mere roommates. A
black former slave and an Arab! Who could have imagined this state of
affairs in the pre-Islamic tribal Arabia? Yet this was one of those great
achievements of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). Salman Al-Farsi (the
Persian) was joined and paired with Abu Dardah an Arab. Abdul-
Rahmaan ibn Auf the Muhaajir was paired with Sa’ad ibn al-Rabi’ the
Ansar in a bond of brotherhood. Sa’ad said to Abdul-Rahmaan: “I am the
wealthiest of the Ansar and I shall split my wealth into two halves for you.
I have two wives, so see which of them is more pleasing to you and name
her and I will divorce her, when her period of waiting is over you can
marry her.” Abdul-Rahmaan said: “May Allaah bless you as regards your
family and wealth. Where is your market-place?” So he showed him the
market-place of the Banu Qaynuqa, and within a few days he had done
such good business that he had enough money to marry on his own and
financial take care of himself. One’s amazement at Sa’ad’s generosity of
brotherhood to Abdul-Rahmaan cannot be equaled except by one’s
amazement at Abdul-Rahmaan’s nobility of turning done the offer and
fetching for himself by competing with the Jews in their own market and
outstripping them in their field.1
This brotherhood was even more important than the blood relationship,
since it was based on faith and true love, not genetics or blood. This
existed to such a degree that initially; the Muslim brothers in the system
instituted by Muhammad (s.a.w) of Mu’akhah would make the
1
Al-Ghazali Muhammad, Fiqh-us-Seerah: Understanding the Life of Prophet Muhammad, pp.
203-204
388
Muhaajirun inherit from their Ansar brothers. However, this practice was
later on abrogated by the Qur’aan. Allaah (SW) praised the conduct of the
Ansar and how they sacrificed their properties for their Muhaajirun
brothers due to their true faith and love of their brothers, Allaah (SW)
says:
But those (Ansar) who, before them, had homes (in Madinah)
and had adopted the Faith –they love those who emigrated
to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that
which have been given (from the booty), but they Ansar give
them (the immigrants) preference over themselves, even
though they were in need of that. And whoever is saved from
his own covetousness, such are they who will be successful.
(Qur’aan 59:9)
Elimination of Racism
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) taught that all human beings descended from
one parenthood and as such we are all equal in the sight of Allaah (s.w)
regardless of our skin color, race, tribe, language, clan, sex, whether we
are rich or poor. Therefore in Islam our different languages and colors is
not a reason and cause to boast and look down in contempt and despise
one another but rather these different skin colors and languages are in
order to recognize and identify each other and also to recognize the power
of Allaah in creating all these varieties and appreciate the miracles of
Allaah and thus fear Him and humble ourselves in our daily life.
O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male

and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that
you may know each other (not that you may despise each
other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allaah
is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allaah has full
Knowledge and is well-acquainted (with all things).
(Qur’aan49:13)
389
In his efforts of eliminating racism that was quite common in the Arabian
society the Prophet (s.a.w) reiterated the above Qur’aanic verse by
declaring openly that racism had no place in Islam. The Prophet (s.a.w)
continuously warned his companions about displaying attitudes of false
pride based on race, color, riches, family and ancestral ties and
vehemently expressed his opposition towards such unbecoming boastful
behavior.
…Let people stop boasting about their ancestors. One is only
a pious believer or a miserable sinner. All men are sons of
Adam, and Adam came from dust. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
The Prophet (s.a.w) further, gave clear guidance and instructions both in
his practical pattern of life and his statements on how to eradicate racism
and achieve unity and universal Islamic brotherhood based on true love:
The Prophet said in his last sermon attended by 124,000 companions:
O people, verily your Lord and Sustainer is One and your
ancestor is one. All of you descend from Adam and Adam
was made of earth. There is no superiority for an Arab over a
non-Arab nor for a non-Arab over an Arab; neither for a white
man over a black man nor a black man over a white man
except the superiority gained through God-consciousness
(Taqwa). Indeed the noblest among you in the sight of Allaah
is the one who is most deeply conscious of Allaah.
And when we look at the companions of Allaah’s Messenger (s.a.w) we will
find a complete mixture of all colors and all races together as one family
which loudly showed that racism had no place in Islam.
▪ There was Bilal bin Raba a former black slave from Africa
▪ There was Suhaib Urum a roman European from Rome
▪ There was Salman al-Farsi a Persian from Asia
▪ There was Abu Bakr As-Siddique a pure Arab from Arabia
Eradication of Slavery
Slavery is a product of social hostilities, which is caused by conflict of
interests in society. Thus, slavery is not a new institution it is as old as
human history itself. Most of the prophets of Allaah including Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) found slavery existing in their societies. Thus, Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) came to a society that was steeped slave trade and
thrived on slaves for labor and other duties. Yet the prophet never
condoned such practices he expressly criticized such brutal inhumane
practices in the Makkan society among the Quraysh tribes and declared
that every human being was born by his parents as a free person. That no
one had the right to own slaves and enslave anybody thus depriving the
person his dignity and honor.
390
Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w) in very clear terms totally opposed human
beings exploiting their fellow human beings just because they are of a
different race, tribe, color, weaker sex or socio-economic status. The
Islamic Shari’ah forbade Muslims from buying fellow human beings and
then enslaving them to be exploited in any form whether for labor or
otherwise. Because of this open and clear stand of the Prophet (s.a.w)
several of his companions paid for the ransom of many slaves who were
under their Quraysh slave masters and set them free. An example of this
generosity of the companions is what has been reported about Abu Bakr
As-Siddiq. ‘Aamir Ibn ‘Abdullaah Ibn Az-Zubayr narrates:
Abu Bakr used to free slaves and make them accept Islam in
Makkah. He set free elderly men and women upon their
acceptance of Islam, his father (Abu Quhafah) said to him:
“My son, I see that you are freeing weak slaves. If you want to
continue doing what you do, why don’t you free powerful men
who could defend and protect you?” Abu Bakr said, “My effort
in this regard is solely for the sake of Allaah.” There upon this
verse of the Qur’aan was revealed concerning him, “So he who
gives (in Charity) and fears (Allaah)”. (Reported by Ibn Jareer)1
‘Urwah is reported to have said:
Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (may Allaah be pleased with him), freed
seven people who were subjected to torture in Allaah’s cause.
It was about him that the verse of the Qur’aan was revealed
that reads, “But those most devoted to Allaah shall be
removed far from it (the Hell-Fire)” up to the end of the
chapter. [Qur’aan92:1]2
Thus, the only form of slavery if we may say the Prophet (s.a.w) allowed
under strict conditions and very temporarily were the captives of war who
were captured as prisoners of war. Allaah (s.w) permitted the taking of
prisoners of war if the land of the enemy has been subdued. Allaah (SW)
said to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w),
1
Tamir Abu As-Su’ood Muhammad and Noha Kamal Ed-Din Abu Al-Yazi, Biographies of the
Rightly-Guided Caliphs, (prepared from the works of Ibn Kathir, At-Tabari and As-Suyooti and
other historians, p. 8
2
Ibid. , p. 8, as reported by Ibn Abi Haakim and At-Tabarani
391
It is not fitting for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of
war until he has thoroughly subdued the land. Are you looking
for the temporal goods of this world; but Allaah wants for you
the Hereafter: and Allaah is Exalted in Might, Wise.
(Qur’aan8:67)
The topic of slavery and all the misconception cropping therein are fully
covered in Essential Islamic Studies Book Four. Suffice to say that even
under captivity, slaves were very kindly treated in Islam. The Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) in his last sermon, ordered his companions (the
Muslims) who had captives (slaves) to feed them and clothe them with the
same food and clothing that they themselves used and not to overburden
them with work. This brought equality between the Muslims and their
slaves. For, if the slaves (prisoners of war) ate and clothed the same way
as their masters, what difference would there be?
Moreover, Prophet (s.a.w) through Islam created many favorable
conditions that would allow the captive prisoners of war (slaves) their
freedom. Among the many ways mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah
are:
✓ Slaves who could buy their freedom were immediately freed
(Hadith).
✓ Slaves who embraced Islam became free immediately
(Hadith).
✓ Slaves who had knowledge and taught a number of Muslims
for a certain period of time were left free (Hadith).
✓ Slaves could also be ransomed or ransom themselves to
freedom (Qur’aan24:33).
✓ Slave women who got legally married to their masters
automatically became free (Qur’aan4:25).
✓ A Muslim who had intercourse with his wife in the daytime of
Ramadhan was required to set a slave free or fast two
consecutive months or feed sixty poor people (Hadith).
✓ A Muslim who killed a fellow Muslim by mistake was required
to in addition of giving blood-money (Diya) to set a slave free
(Qur’aan4:92).
✓ A Muslim who fails to fulfil a sworn oath that he took is
required to set a slave free or feed ten poor persons
(Qur’aan5:89).
✓ A Muslim who makes unlawful to himself his wife by Zihar
(by saying to his wife, “you are like the back of my mother”)
to free himself from such an evil utterance has to free a slave
(Qur’aan58:2-3).
✓ Among the best righteous deeds loved by Allaah that merit
Paradise is the paying of ransom for a slave in order to let
him or her gain freedom (Qur’aan2:177; 90:13-18).
392
Due to these beautiful teachings of Islam, Muslims set their captive
prisoners of war (slaves) free in anticipation of receiving great rewards
from Allaah (SW). And Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) successfully eradicated
slavery once and for all.
Improvement of the status of women
As we have seen at the beginning of this chapter under theheading the
social status of Arabian society before the advent of Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w). It was clear that in the Arabian culture before the advent of
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) women did not have rights equal with men,
rather they were an oppressed lot; they could not inherit property, were
mostly used as prostitutes, the burying alive of female children was
rampant, there was unlimited polygamy and men were free to marry the
wives of their fathers if divorced or widowed and divorce was to a very
great extent in the power of the husband. 1
Amidst this abject darkness that engulfed the world, Muhammad was
given the divine revelation that echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a
fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity.
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a

single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife
[Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and
women and fear Allaah through Whom you demand your
mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs
(kinship). Surely, Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.
(Qur’aan4:1)
A scholar after pondering over this verse of the Glorious Qur’aan
commented, “It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals
with the humanity of the woman from all aspects with such amazing
brevity, eloquence, depth, and originality as this divine decree.” 2
Still stressing on this noble and natural conception with regard to
equality as against similarity between men and women in their own
respects within their own dispositional psychological and physiological
1
Al-Mubarakpuri Safi-ur-Rahman’s AR-RAHEEQ AL-MAKHTUM, p. 43-44
2
Badawi Jamal A., The Status of WOMAN In Islam, p. 11
393
make up in almost all spheres of Islamic life, Allaah (SW) equivocally
says,
Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men
and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women,
the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and
patient women, the humble men and humble women, the
charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and
fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the
women who do so, and the men who remember Allaah often
and the women who do so - for them Allaah has prepared
forgiveness and a great reward. (Qur’aan33:35)
The fact is that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) elevated the status and rights
of women by giving them spiritual rights, educational rights, social rights,
economic rights, legal rights and political rights. Furthermore, with all
these rights clearly enunciated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah (way of life) of
Muhammad (s.a.w), Islam became the only religion and civilization among
the world’s major civilizations that not only gave women all their rights
but also treated women with fairness, justice and preserved and protected
their status in the society fourteen centuries ago. Again it is worth
mentioning here that this topic like slave trade has fully been covered in
Book Four of your Essential Islamic study series.
Religious tolerance
When the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) arrived in Madinah, as the head of
the new state he found Jews who had settled there and idolaters who
were natives of the place. He did not begin to create any strategies to evict
or wage war on these people. On the contrary he accepted their presence
with a good heart and proposed that they make a covenant with himself
as equals, they keeping not only their religion but governing according to
the law of their Torah all their personal laws and the Prophet (s.a.w) also
keeping his religion and governing the Muslims with Shar’iah.
The Prophet (s.a.w) instituted tolerant and indulgent laws which were
never known before in a world filled with racism and prejudice. Therefore
394
those who think that Islam is a religion which cannot accept being
neighbors with another religion, and that Muslims are a people who can
never find rest unless they alone remain dominant in this world, is
mistaken and rather biased and audacious. Furthermore, the Prophet
(s.a.w) not only respected the teaches of the earlier prophets but
acknowledged and believed in the Scriptures they left behind and clearly
said he had not brought a new religion but came to perfect their noble
character and complete the same religion of Islam (total submission and
surrender to Allaah’s Will) given to them. The Prophet adviced his
followers to respect the people of other faiths and establish dialogue with
them on the basis of wisdom and good tolerable arguments not ridiculing
or insulting peoples faiths.
The Prophet (s.a.w) encouraged peaceful co-existence and tolerance in his
Madinan society and taught his companions to do the same. The
following are four brief quotations from non-Muslim historian bearing
true testimony that Muhammad (s.a.w) and Islam has never been
intolerant as alleged by some Orientalists.
Gibbon in his book Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire wrote:
To his Christian subjects, Muhammad readily granted the
security of their persons, the freedom of their trade, and
the property of their goods and the tolerance of their
worship1.
Dr. Robert Briffault says:
Theocracy (a term he uses as synonymous with religious
government) in the East (meaning particularly the Muslim
world) has not been intellectually tyrannical or coercive. We
do not find there the obscurantism, the holding down of
thought, the perpetual warfare against intellectual revolt,
which is such a familiar feature of the European world,
with Greece and Rome at its back.2
According to Muir,
The Islamic leniency towards the conquered and their
justice and integrity presented a marked contrast to the
tyranny and intolerance of the Romans… The Syrian
Christians enjoyed more civil and popular liberty under the
Arab invaders than they had done under the rule of
1
Ashaqqsi in his paper “Tolerance in Islam” quoted Gibbon History and the Decline of the
Roman Empire p. 269-270
2
Ibid. , quoted Robert Briffault, The Making of humanity p. 113
395
Heraclius and they had no wish to return to their former
state.1
Sir Thomas Arnold also paid the same tribute. He wrote:
In the first century of the Arab Rule the various Christian
churches enjoyed toleration and a freedom of religious life
such as had been unknown for generations under the
Byzantine Government. Such references can be multiplied
beyond number. Every honest historian has to admit that.
And this proves that Islam has not engendered intolerance.
Hence, the phrase that Islam generates intolerance is a
pack of lies and a tissue of falsehood; and the attempt to
hurl this charge against Islam is simply nonsensical. The
allegation cannot stand the test of scrutiny on any account,
on inquiry it falls to the ground because it is a false
allegation and has the feet of clay.2
This topic on religious tolerance being one of the achievements of Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) is also amply covered in our Essential Islamic Studies
Book Four series under the heading “Relationship between Muslims and
non-Muslims.”
Questions
1) “The year 622 CE marked the lowest point of Muhammad’s fortune and
also the beginning of his remarkable success.” Discuss this statement,
showing how and why the year 622 CE was the turning point in the
life of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s.a.w).
2) How did Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) attempt to improve the status of
women in the society? Explain briefly how he put his own teachings
into practice in his private life.
3) Discuss briefly at least five achievements of Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w).
4) Describe the first battle that the Prophet and his companions fought
against the disbelivers and outline the main factors that lead to this
battle.
5) Give an account of the life of Muhammad Ibn Abdullah up to and
including his appointment to prophethood.
6) Discuss the significancy of the Hijrah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)
from Makkah to Madinah.
7) Explain what is meant by the term “Madinah Constitution” and
outline the main points in the Madinah Constitution that founded the
Madinah Islamic State.
1 Ashaqqsi in his paper “Tolerance in Islam”, quoted Muir, The Caliphate its rise decline and fall p.
128
2
Ibid. , Khursheed Ahmed , Fanatism and Intolerance and Islam pp. 35-53
396
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MUSLIM SCHOLARS I
Muslim Scholars and their contributions to the growth of Islam
Sheikh Al-Amin Mazrui

▪ Birth and early life
▪ Education, work and personal life
▪ Achievements and contributions
Sheikh Abdallah Swaleh Farsy
▪ Birth and early life
▪ Education, work and personal life
▪ Achievements and contribution
Sheikh Al-Amin Al-Mazrui
Birth and his early life

His full name and titels was Al-Ustadh Al-Imam Al-A’lamah Sheikh Al-
Amin bin Ali bin Abdallah bin Nafi’i bin Mazrui bin Abdallah bin Khamis
bin Ali Al-Mazrui. He belonged to the famous Mazrui family which
maigrated from Oman in the eithteenth century. His grandfather was a
renowned scholar and belonged to the Shafi’i school of Islamic law.He was
among the prominent Muslim scholars during his life time here in East
Africa in particular and in the world in general. There is no history of
Islam in Kenya can ignore the life of sheikh Al-Amin.Sheikh Al-Amin bin
Ali Al-Mazrui was born in Mombasa which is currently is the second city
of Kenya. He was born in 27th January, 1891C.E./ 15th Jamdi Thaani
(Mfungo Tisa) 1380 A.H.1 when he was four years old he lost his father.
His education, works and personal life
Sheikh Al-Amin came from a very educatied family; he acquired most of
his education from his family members. His father was a grate scholar
but Sheikh Al-Amin never succeded to study under him because he
passed away when he was still young. After the death of his father in his
early age, he was brought up by his relative Sheikh Ali bin Abdallah Al-
Mazrui, it was from him he aquared his education in all fields of Shari’ah
and Islamic Studies. Sheikh Ali bin Abdallah Al-Mazrui was among the
1
Mazrie, Sheikh Al-Amin (1980). Tafsiri ya Qur’an Tukufu Al-Faatihah- Al-Baqarah, Shungwaya
Publishers LTD, Nairobi.p.ix-xii (Compiled by Muhammad Kasim Mazrui)
397
grate students to Sheikh Al-Amin’s father. Frequently, Sheikh Al-Amin
used to visit Unguja (Zanzibar-Tanzania) where he studied under different
famous scholars (Ulamaa) including Sheikh Sayyid Ahmad bin Sumeyt,
Sheikh Abdallah Badathir among others. Through his straggle, the
Sheikh never only read the books that were very famous in East Africa,
but instead he also read which were not known to many people in this
region. These include the books of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibnul-Qayyim Al-
Jawziyya, Jamaaluddin Al-Afghany, Muhammad Abduh, Muhammad bin
Abdul-wahhab among others. Sheikh Al-Amin was a maltipurpose
scholar of his kind. He was a preacher (Da’i), a writer, politician as well as
an educationist.
On Islam and Muslim affairs Sheikh Al-Amin wrote many books in both
languages Kiswahili and Arabic. These include; Ahaadithul Mukhtaarh,
Al-Umuurul Mushtahirah, Hidaayatul-Atfal which was famous all over the
world, Majma’ ul-Bahrayn, which he discussed about the Qur’anic verse
18:60 where two seas are meeting and where Prophet Musa went with his
servant. In this book the Sheikh showed his expertise and his proficiency
in his field of specialization where he described the place the two seas are
meeting was none but Suez Canal although by then it had not been duged
yet. In 1936, Sheikh Al-Amin wrote his other book on Tafsir. He called it
Tafsiri ya Qur’an Tukufu Al-Faatihah and Al-Baqarah. The major aims of
writing this Tafsir was to critically respond to Padri Dale and his
misinterpretions on the Qur’an, and he also used it as book of reference
to the students of Madrasatul Ghazalil- Islamiyya which he foundered.1
Apart from the books he wrote he also participated in preparing a weekly
magazine known as Sahifa. This magazine was written in Kiswahili using
Arabic letters. He used to produce enough copies through cyclostyle and
distributed them free of charge. Then he produced another weekly
political magazine known as Al-Islah. This magazine was of eight pages
in both languages Arabic and Kiswahili. The magazine intended to bring
political awaness among the Muslim ummah of Kenya. At this time his
techer Al-Alamah Sheikh Sulaiman was the Kadhi of Mombasa. Later on,
Sheikh Sulaiman was requested to become the Chief Kadhi of Kenya and
Sheikh Al-Amin to be the Kadhi of Mombasa. Knowing that he will not
be able to contenue with hia Al-Islah magazine after gorvemental post, he
refused the job. However, under pressure of his Sheikh and Muslim
community of Mombasa he had to accepte the appointment.
Achievements and Contributions
Among his achievements and contributions towards Islamic Da’wah and
Muslim affairs in the country are the following:
1
Publishers LTD, Nairobi.p.ix-xii (Compiled by Muhammad Kasim Mazrui)
398
1. Through his Kiswahili books he managed to revert many non-
Muslims back to Islam.
2. He brought a lot of political awareness among the Muslim
community in Kenya.
3. On education both Islamic and secular he managed to be the
founder of Madrast Ghazalil-Islamia and the Arab school in
Mombasa.
4. He became the Kadhi of Mombasa and then the Chief Kadhi of
Kenya.
5. Among his achievements and contribution to the growth of Islam
and development is that he opened his own school which he taught
students from all over East Africa. Among his students were:
▪ Sheikh Maamun bin Sulaiman bin Ali Al-Mazrui, the former
Kadhi of Mombasa.
▪ Sheikh AbdallahSlaeh Al-Farsy the former Chief Kadhi of
Kenya.
▪ Sheikh Muhammad bin Ahmad Al-Beriky.
▪ Sheikh Ahmad bin Ibrahim bin Ahmad Kokni.
▪ Sheikh Maalim Said bin Ahmad Al-Qumri, the former famous
radio preacher.
▪ Sheikh Muhammad Abdallh Al-Ghazali.
▪ Sheikh Ali bin Hemed Ali-Buhry.1
He became Kadhi of Mombasa in 1932 and was promoted to the post of
Chief Kadhi of Kenya in 1937. Sheikh Al-Amin was a very active preacher
(Da’i). Thus, in addition to his official duties with the gorvement of
Kenya, he continued to write and to teach. He preached Islam all over
East Africa with out discrimination in colour, tribe or ethenic group. He
always use to advice the Muslim community to strive for a true living and
divote their times to serve Islam. He survived by two sons, Harith Al-
Amin Al-Mazrui, the fomer Liwali of Lamu and Professor Ali Mazrui the
current Chansellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and
Technology Nairobi, Kenya. Sheikh Al-Amin Al-Mazrui who was still by
then the Chief Kadhi of Kenya, dead on 1st April, 1947 CE/1366 A.H. in
Mombasa, Kenya.2
Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Farsy

Birth and his early life
His name is Al-A’lamah Sheikh Abdullah bin Saleh bin Abdullah bin
Saleh bin Kassim bin Mansur bin Haidar bin Ahmed bin Muhammad Al-
Farsy Al-Muiny bin Kahtan. Sheikh Al-Farsy was born in Zanzibar
1
Quraishy, M.A. (1987). Text Book of Islam Book One. Islamic Foundation, Nairobi.p.192-194.
2
Publishers LTD, Nairobi.p.ix-xii (Compiled by Muhammad Kasim Mazrui). See also the Ibid.
399
(Tanzania) at a place called Malindi, Jongeani. Sheikh was born in 12th
December 1912. He grew up and studed at the same place.1
His education, works and personal life
Sheikh Al-Farsy managed to study both systems, secular as well as
Islamic education. He was among the best students in his school,
because of his good performace in his education; he always used to
become a leading student until he finally finished his studies and got
admission in a Treachers Training School in 1930-1932. In this training
school he studed the following subjects:
✓ English
✓ Kiswahili
✓ Arithmetic
✓ Science
✓ Nature Study
✓ Geography
✓ History
✓ Physics
✓ Drawing
✓ Pyschology
✓ Theory and practical of Teaching
✓ Physical Education
Sheikh performed exlently in all the above subjects and got awarded for
that. Sheikh Al-Farsy, aquared his Islamic education studies from
different sheikhs both within and out side Zanzibar. Among his Sheikhs
is Sheikh Abdul-Bari Ajyzy from Egypt who was brought by the goverment
of Zanzibar to teach Islamic studies from 1907-1929. From this Egyptian
Sheikh the following subjects:
✓ Tajwid
✓ Arabic Language
✓ Writing Arabic
As mentioned previously that Sheikh Al-Farsy studed his Islamic studies
from different Sheikhs these includes the following:
✓ Tafsir
✓ Tawhid
✓ Fiqhi
✓ Zuhdi
✓ Nah’w
✓ Sarfa
Among his sheikhs are Sheikh Abubakar bin Abdalla Bakathir, Sheikh
Hamad bin Muhammad Mlomry, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrhaman
Al-Makhzumy, Kadhi Seyyid Umar bin Ahmad bin Sumeit, Sheikh Muhin
1
Musa, Saidi (1986). Maisha ya Al-Imam Shikh Abdulla Saleh Farsy Katika Ulimwengu wa
Kiislamu. Lillaahi Islamic Publications Center, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.p.24-25.
400
bin Ali Al-Barwany, Sheikh Sayyid Hamid Mansab, Syyed Alawy Abdul
Wahab, Sheikh Al-Amin bin Ali Mazrui, Bibi Fatma bint Hamad bin Saidi
among others.
The first job immediately after his graduation from Treachers Training
School in 1932, was appointed as a teacher at Government Central
School in Zanzibar at place known as Mnazi Mmoja. Apart from him
being a governmet employee, Sheikh also used to tech several subjects in
Islamic studies at Mosques in Zanzibar. Sheikh Al-Farsy was also a good
preacher (Da’i) during his life time he travelled to several places within
East Africa for Islamic Da’wah. Among the places he visited was,
Moshi,Arusha, Amboni, Tanga, Monga, Pangani, Mwera, Kipumbwi,
Kigoma, Korogwe, Morogoro, Dodoma, Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi to
mention but few. Sheikh used also to participate in radio programmes in
Radio Tanzania Dar-es-Salaam.
Sheikh Abdulla Al-Farsy was promoted and became a headteacher from
1933-1947, then he was made inspector of schools until 1952, then a
Principal at Muslim Academy 1956. From 22rd March 1960 to 13 th July,
1967 he was appointed as Kahi of Zanzibar. After the Zanzibar revolution
12th January 1964, he still continued to work for the govrnment until
1967 when he resigned from the post of Kadh of Zanzibar. 1
After some time Sheikh Abdulla Saleh Al-Farsy decided to migrate to

Kenya, and that was when he was invited by Kenyan government to
become the Chief Kadhi of Kenya. It was in 29th May, 1968 when Sheikh
Al-Farsy was appointed as the Chief Kadhi of Kenya. When he was in
Mombasa as the Chief Kadhi, Sheikh Farsy as usually never stopped his
Da’wah work. He had several Lectures in different mosques in Mombas
town these includes the following: Sakina Mosque, Azhar Mosque, and
Noor Mosque to mention but few.
Sheikh Al-Farsy had many students from different parts of East Africa.
Among the most famous ones were:
1. Sheikh Said Musa from Moshi, Tanzania
2. Sheikh Yusuf bin Ali Shirazy from Rufiji, Tanzania
3. Sheikh Masud Rajab Hasan from Mombasa, Kenya
4. Sheikh Omar M. Kasim from Zanzibar
5. Sheikh Juma Abdul Wadud from Zanzibar
Some of his Kiswahili books he published include the following:

1) Tafsiri ya Qur’an Tukufu
2) Maisha ya Nabii Muhammad (saw)
1
Musa, Saidi (1986). Maisha ya Al-Imam Shikh Abdulla Saleh Farsy Katika Ulimwengu wa
Kiislamu. Lillaahi Islamic Publications Center, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. .p.59
401
3) Mawaidha ya Dini
4) Tarekh ya Imam Shafi
5) Baadhi ya Wanachuoni wa Kishafi wa Mashariki ya Afrika
6) Seyyid Said bin Sultan
7) Urithi
8) Maisha ya Syyidnal Hussain
9) Maisha ya Syyidnal Hassan
10) Mafunzo ya Dini etc
Some of his unpublished Arabic books include the following:
1) Inayatullaahil-Adhym Bilqur-aanil-Karim
2) Irafanil-Ihsaan Bitarjamatil Qaarii Hafs bin Sulayman
3) Nurul Basyra Walbasar Fiy Taraajimil Qurraail Arbaata ashar etc.
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Farsy worked as the Chief Kadhi of Kenya from 29th
May, 1968 until he retired 3rd Septrmber 1981. He therefore worked as
the Chief Kadhi of Kenya for 13 years. He died at the age of 70 year old in
Muscat, Oman in 8th November 1982. Innalillahi wa Inna ilaihi Rajiun.
Achievements and contirbution

1) He wrote many books both in Kiswahili and Arabic.
2) He participated in several activites in Da’wah and teaching
3) He managed to educate many students within and outside East
Africa.
4) Sheikh Farsy was the first Muslim scholar who came out forcefully
to fight all types of inovetions and superstition in East Africa
general and in Kenya paticul.
5) The Major contribution that can never be forgotten is his Tafsir
book in Kiswahili and being the first scholar to do such a
wonderful job.
6) Being the Chief Kadhi of Kenya he used all the means to defened
Islam and Muslims in the country.
7) He always used to fight for the rights of Kenyan Muslims
Questions
1) Describe the bith and esrly lifves of Al-Alamah Sheikh Al-Amin Al-
Mazrui and Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Farsy.
2) Explain their contributions to the growth and development of Islam in
East Africa.
3) Examine the educational background, works and achievements of
Sheikh Al-Amin Al-Mazrui.
4) Examine the educational background, works and achievements of
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Farsy.
5) Describe how you can appreciate and emulate these two prominent
Muslim scholars.
402
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Qur’aan and Sunnah. International Islamic Publishing House,
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International Islamic Publishing House, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Increasing Imaan & Purifying the Soul. Al-Hidaayah Publishing and
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IRE

ESSENTIAL ISLAMIC STUDIES

Dr. Sheikh Abdallah A. Kheir Capt. (Rtd) Yahya M.A. Ondigo

First Edition, 1429 AH/2008 CE

First Print 2008 –1000 Copies

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any

Typeset and printed by: Signal Press Ltd. Quality Printers

Abu Aisha Stores & Islamic Research & Education Trust

This book is meant to introduce beginners to the tenets of Islam. It endeavors

Professor Zablon Nthamburi

Sheikh Abdallah A. Kheir & Capt.(Rtd) Yahya M. A. Ondigo

The central theme of the Qur’aan

Indeed, it is We who sent down the message (i.e. the Qur’aan)

And this is a Book (Qur’aan) we have revealed which is

So when the Qur’aan is recited, then listen to it and pay

The month of Ramadhaan [is that] in which was revealed

We will show them our signs in the horizons and within

For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on

[This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the

There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of

And the day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness

Verily this Qur’aan guides to that which is most right (or

This is a book, which we have revealed to you full of

For, Believers are those who, when Allaah is mentioned, feel

Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allaah and establish

Al-Fauzan then goes on to say,

(4) Explain the Prophet’s methodology of Qur’aanic recitation.

The meaning of the Qur’aan

The meaning of the Qur’aan

And we have not revealed to you the book, [0, Muhammad],

We have revealed to you [O, Muhammad], the book [i.e. the

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O children

Verily this is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds:

Thus have We revealed it to be a judgment of authority in

This is the book; in it is guidance, sure, without doubt,

Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the

Thus have We revealed to you a rooh (spirit) of Our

Allaah (SW) also describes the Qur’aan as a noor “light” He says,

O mankind! Verily there has come to you a convincing proof

We have revealed for you (O men!) a Book in which is a

Honor belongs to Allaah and His Messenger, and to the

‫فضل كأل م هللا على سا ئر الكأل م كفضلى هللا على خلقه‬

‫أ بشروا فان هاذ القرآن طر فه بيد هللا و ظرفه بأيد يكم‬

‫سلَّ َم قَا َل‬

Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) a companion of

The companion Abdullah ibn Amr also stated,

The Role of Angel Jibreel in the Revelation of the Qur’aan

Indeed, it is a noble Qur’aan in a Register well protected

To bring down the Qur’aan from lauhil mahfoodh to baytul Izza

The month of Ramadan [is that] in which the Qur’aan was

We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of

And indeed, it [i.e. the Qur’aan] is the revelation of the Lord

Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man

By the star when it descends. Your companion [i.e.

And (it is) a Qur’aan which We have divided (into parts), in

And those who disbelieve say: “Why is not the Qur’aan

Indeed, We know that your breast is straitened at what

Perhaps, you may feel like killing yourself (O Muhammad

And all that We relate to you (O Muhammad [s.a.w]) of the

So let not their speech grieve you (O Muhammad

(c) Allaah (SW) promised success to His Messenger Muhammad

Allaah has decreed: “Verily! It is I and My Messengers who

Are your disbelievers (O Quraysh!) better than these [nations